Parametric tool correction algorithm for 5-axis machining

Today, 5-axes CAM systems generate tool paths as a sequence of tool postures, which define the position of the tool tip and the orientation of the tool axis. This tool posture data file is usually called CLDATA, because it stores the position of the Cutter Location. In current practice, if the tool correction problem arises on the shop-floor, or at the machining simulation level, it can only be solved by sending back the code to the CAM system for re-generation. This iterative procedure is slow and very inefficient. In this article, a data model is specified that stores machine independent and dependent information separately. Based on this segmented data model a general method is presented to solve the tool correction problem for 5-axis milling machines, The new data model and the provided algorithms allow us to solve tool correction and possible other setup problems on the shop floor level. The algorithm is developed for ball-, flat- and radius-ended tools and is valid for 5-axis milling machine with open kinematic chain. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.