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US 10,307,887 B2Granted
Systems and methods for determining a tool path for automated flexible fork peening
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorRaja Kountanya
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and method for tool path approximation may comprise approximating the outer surface of a part to be worked. The outer surface may be approximated by a plurality of airfoils. Moreover, the system and methods approximate a tool path based on a cutting tool and convert the tool path to accommodate a non-cutting processing tool. The tool path may be implemented on a computer numerically controlled machine that is configured to control a flexible fork peening tool.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- defining, by a computer based system for defining a tool path, curve boundaries of a part surface for an interval length on a first side of the part and a second side of the part;
- creating, by the computer based system, drive surfaces on the first side and the second side based on the defined curve boundaries;
- creating, by the computer based system, a first tool path on the first side for a barrel tool;
- defining, by the computer based system, a second tool path for the second side of the airfoil;
- converting, by the computer based system, the first tool path for a zigzag motion to a pinching motion;
- determining, by the computer based system, a one to one correspondence between the first side and the second side;
- and
- synthesizing, by the computer based system, the first tool path based on a geometry of a processing tool.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine comprising a spindle configured to spin about a rotational axis,
- a flexible fork peening tool comprising a chuck,
- wherein the chuck of the flexible fork peening tool is removably coupled to the spindle of the CNC machine, wherein the flexible fork peening tool is constrained from rotating about the rotational axis of the spindle, and wherein the CNC machine is configured to move the flexible fork peening tool along a first tool path that is an approximation of a part to be worked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.