Milling method for the production of components
AssigneeMTU Aero Engines AG
InventorArndt Glaesser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a milling method for producing a structural component from a raw material by chip-cutting, a milling tool is moved along at least one defined tool path for the milling. In addition to the at least one tool path, at least one collision contour is also defined. The position or orientation of the milling tool relative to the collision contour(s) is monitored. The position or orientation of the milling tool is changed and/or an error message is generated if at least one of the collision contours is damaged, i.e. intersected, by the milling tool.
Claims20
A milling method for the production of a structural component having a desired final contour to be produced by milling from at least one material that is difficult to machine by chip-cutting, while producing depressions with at least one sidewall, whereby a milling tool is moved along at least one defined tool path for the milling, characterized in that, in addition to the or each tool path, at least one collision contour respectively corresponding to a surface or an edge of the at least one sidewall of the desired final contour of the structural component to be produced is defined and the position or orientation of the milling tool along the or each tool path relative to the or each collision contour is monitored in an automated comparison of the or each tool path with the or each collision contour to determine whether an expected collision exists between the milling tool and the at least one collision contour corresponding to the surface or the edge of the desired final contour of the structural component to be produced, and if the expected collision is determined to exist then the position or orientation of the milling tool is changed and/or an error message is generated to avoid the structural component being damaged by the milling tool.
A method of producing a milled component having a desired milled shape defined by a desired final contour to be produced by milling a raw material with a milling tool, comprising the steps:
- a) defining a proposed tool path along which said milling tool will be moved to mill said raw material into said desired milled shape of said milled component, wherein said tool path defines the space that will be occupied by said milling tool as said milling tool is moved to mill said raw material;
- b) defining at least one collision contour of said desired milled shape of said milled component, wherein each said collision contour establishes a respective boundary which may not be crossed by said proposed tool path to avoid damaging said desired milled shape of said milled component to be produced;
- c) comparing said proposed tool path with said at least one collision contour to determine whether said proposed tool path crosses said at least one collision contour;
- d) if said proposed tool path is determined to cross said at least one collision contour in said step c), then generating a collision signal indicative of a collision, and in response to said collision signal, revising said proposed tool path to thereby define a final tool path that will not cross said at least one collision contour;
- e) if said proposed tool path is determined not to cross said at least one collision contour in said step c), then using said proposed tool path as said final tool path;
- and
- f) milling said raw material by moving said milling tool along said final tool path to produce said milled component.
A milling method for the production of a structural component from at least one material that is difficult to machine by chip-cutting, while producing depressions with at least one sidewall, whereby a milling tool is moved along at least one defined tool path for the milling, characterized in that, in addition to the or each tool path, at least one collision contour respectively corresponding to an edge of the at least one sidewall of the structural component to be produced is defined and the position or orientation of the milling tool along the or each tool path relative to the or each collision contour is monitored in an automated comparison of the or each tool path with the or each collision contour to determine whether an expected collision exists between the milling tool and the at least one collision contour corresponding to the edge of the structural component to be produced, and if the expected collision is determined to exist then the position or orientation of the milling tool is changed and/or an error message is generated to avoid the structural component being damaged by the milling tool.
A method of producing a milled component by milling a raw material with a milling tool, comprising the steps:
- a) defining a proposed tool path along which said milling tool will be moved to mill said raw material into a desired milled shape of said milled component, wherein said tool path defines the space that will be occupied by said milling tool as said milling tool is moved to mill said raw material;
- b) defining at least one collision contour of said desired milled shape of said milled component, wherein each said collision contour corresponds to an edge of said desired milled shape of said milled component and establishes a respective boundary which may not be crossed by said proposed tool path to avoid damaging said desired milled shape of said milled component to be produced;
- c) comparing said proposed tool path with said at least one collision contour to determine whether said proposed tool path crosses said at least one collision contour;
- d) if said proposed tool path is determined to cross said at least one collision contour in said step c), then generating a collision signal indicative of a collision, and in response to said collision signal, revising said proposed tool path to thereby define a final tool path that will not cross said at least one collision contour;
- e) if said proposed tool path is determined not to cross said at least one collision contour in said step c), then using said proposed tool path as said final tool path;
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- f) milling said raw material by moving said milling tool along said final tool path to produce said milled component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.