Process and apparatus for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool comprising at least 5 axes

A process for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool comprising at least 5 axes for machining a workpiece for the production of a predetermined finished part from the workpiece, the process comprising the steps of:

• generating finished part geometry data of the predetermined finished part geometry of the finished part, the finished part geometry data indicating a geometry of the finished part;
• and
• generating path data by means of the finished part geometry data, the path data indicating at least two tool paths over which the tool has to travel in each case with what tool orientation relative to the workpiece to remove material from the workpiece, the tool orientation of the tool corresponding to an orientation of an axis of rotation of the tool and the tool rotating about the axis of rotation of the tool to remove material from the workpiece and having a longitudinal extension along the axis of rotation of the tool, wherein
• the path data is furthermore generated such that compared to the travelling over a second tool path of the at least two tool paths, when the tool travels over the first tool path of the at least two tool paths it is displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation of the tool such that when material is removed from the workpiece along the second tool path, a milling area or a cutting line on the peripheral surface of the tool is displaced compared to the removal of material from the workpiece along the first tool path towards the axis of rotation of the tool,
• the finished part geometry data for indicating the geometry of the finished part comprises position data of a group of points on a surface of the finished part, the position data indicating a position of the points of the group of points,
• each point of the group of points is attributed to a column of points and a line of points, all points of a column of points lying in a common plane and the common plane of the points of a column of points being perpendicular to a tangent plane of a lateral surface of the finished part, the tangent plane of the finished part being a tangential plane relative to the lateral surface of the finished part in a common point of the common plane with the lateral surface of the finished part,
• the path data is generated such that the tool path is parallel to a curve extending through the points of a first line of points, and
• the finished part geometry data furthermore comprises normal data, the normal data indicating a direction of a normal vector of the surface of the finished part at a point of at least one of the at least two tool paths, the path data being furthermore generated such that, at the point of the at least one of the at least two tool paths, the axis of rotation of the tool is perpendicular to the normal vector at the point of the at least one of the at least two tool paths.

An apparatus for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool comprising at least 5 axes for machining a workpiece for the production of a predetermined finished part having a base body and at least one flank section protruding from the base body, the apparatus comprising:

• a geometry parameter determination means for determining fundamental geometry parameters of a finished part geometry of the finished part, the finished part geometry corresponding to a geometry of the predetermined finished part;
• a finished part geometry data generation means for generating finished part geometry data of the predetermined finished part geometry of the finished part by means of the fundamental geometry parameters, the finished part geometry data indicating a geometric shape of a surface of the flank section;
• and
• a path data generation means for generating path data by means of the finished part geometry data, the path data indicating the tool path along the surface of the flank section over which the tool has to travel with what tool orientation relative to the workpiece to remove material from the workpiece, the tool rotating about an axis of rotation of the tool to remove material from the workpiece, wherein
• the finished part geometry data for indicating the geometry of the surface of the flank section comprises position data of a group of points on the surface of the flank section, the position data indicating a position of the points of the group of points,
• each point of the group of points is attributed to a column of points and a line of points, all points of a column of points lying in a common plane and the common plane of the points of a column of points being perpendicular to a tangent plane of the lateral surface of the base body, the tangent plane of the lateral surface of the base body being a tangential plane relative to the lateral surface of the base body in a common point of the common plane with the lateral surface of the base body,
• the path data is generated such that the tool path extends parallel to a curve extending through the points of a first line of points,
• the path data is furthermore generated such that the axis of rotation of the tool at each of the points of the first line of points orients itself by the common plane of the column of the respective point of the first line, and
• the finished part geometry data for indicating the geometry of the surface of the flank section furthermore comprises normal data with respect to a first point of the group of points, the normal data indicating a direction of a normal vector of the surface of the flank section at the first point, the path data being furthermore generated such that at the first point the axis of rotation of the tool is perpendicular to the normal vector at the first point.

An apparatus for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool comprising at least 5 axes for machining a workpiece for the production of a predetermined finished part from the workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a finished part geometry data generation means for generating finished part geometry data of the predetermined finished part geometry of the finished part, the finished part geometry data indicating a geometry of the finished part;
• and
• a path data generation means for generating path data by means of the finished part geometry data, the path data indicating at least two tool paths along the at least one surface of the finished part over which the tool has to travel in each case with what tool orientation relative to the workpiece to remove material from the workpiece, the tool rotating about an axis of rotation of the tool to remove material from the workpiece and having a longitudinal extension along the axis of rotation of the tool, wherein
• the finished part geometry data for indicating the geometry of the finished part comprises position data of a group of points on the surface of the finished part, the position data indicating a position of the points of the group of points,
• each point of the group of points is attributed to a column of points and a line of points, all points of a column of points lying in a common plane and the common plane of the points of a column of points being perpendicular to a tangent plane of a lateral surface of the finished part, the tangent plane of the finished part being a tangential plane relative to the lateral surface of the finished part in a common point of the common plane with the lateral surface of the finished part,
• the path data is generated such that at least one of the at least two tool paths is parallel to a curve extending through the points of a first line of points,
• the path data is furthermore generated such that compared to the travelling of a second tool path of the at least two tool paths when the tool travels over a first tool path of the at least two tool paths it is displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation of the tool such that when material is removed from the workpiece along the second tool path, a milling area, a cutting line or a cutting curve along the peripheral surface of the tool is displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation of the tool compared to the removal of material from the workpiece along the first tool path, and
• the finished part geometry data furthermore comprises normal data, the normal data indicating a direction of a normal vector of a surface of the finished partat a point of at least one of the at least two tool paths, the path data being furthermore generated such that, at the point of the at least one of the at least two tool paths, the axis of rotation of the tool is perpendicular to the normal vector at the point of the at least one of the at least two tool paths.