9622612 Fussell This project will integrate three types of machining models: geometric models for determining chip loads, mechanistic models for predicting forces and deflections from chip loads, and inverse mechanistic models to find the feedrate needed for a specified force or surface finish. The technical approach will use a variable mesh Z-buffer to determine chip loads, both volumetric centroid and discrete volumetric centroid mechanistic models to predict milling forces and cutter deflection, and will develop numerical techniques that determine a feedrate to maintain a specified deflection and surface finish limits. These are the modeling elements needed to automatically select feedrates when machining contoured surfaces. Using these predicated feedrates, experiments will be conducted at Turbocam, a firm that will provide time on a five-axis machining center. Results of this research, which include modeling, computation and experiment, will be a feedrate optimization method that is computationally efficient, so as to be transferable to industry, allowing improved productivity and workpiece quality in complex multi-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining.
