抄録
In order to prepare a reliable NC program, which can avoid cutting troubles and achieve high machining productivity and accuracy, a sophisticated cutting process simulator is required to previously predict the target cutting operation. However, a conventional simulator using Z-map or B-rep model for representation of geometrical cutting shapes has the problem to treat geometrical cutting shapes which have overhang shapes or consist of successive tiny surfaces. Hence, in this study, voxel model is applied to predict the changes of geometrical cutting shape during the cutting operation. Voxel model generally expends large memory volume, therefore the octree data structure of voxels is adopted to reduce the memory consumption and improve the accuracy to represent complicated three-dimensional objects. Additionally, the developed cutting force simulator is integrated to the geometrical cutting shape simulator to predict cutting forces before the cutting operation. Cutting forces can be predicted by the cutting force simulator using cutting parameters such as depths of cut and stepover detected by the geometrical cutting shape simulator.
