When the mold cavity is deep and there is a very narrow part to be machined, if the three-axis tool path of positioning five axis machining is still used, mutual interference is usually unavoidable. At the same time, some other areas may not be completely covered. At this time, five axis machining is a better choice. Of course, there are some advanced CAM systems in the market. These systems can provide professional and reliable five axis machining solutions in the real sense, such as PowerMILL software of Delcam company in the UK, hyperMILL software of openmind company in Germany, etc. they enable users to create continuous five axis tool paths on complex surfaces, solids and three-dimensional models, and the tool paths all pass through Automatic inspection and optimization, supporting a variety of machining strategies and all tool types. The advantage of five axis machining is that it can make the tool feed direction keep the right angle with the workpiece surface continuously, so as to get better surface quality, better approach the chamfer, and improve the tool life. More economical tool utilization, lower cycle time and one-time clamping, all of which also save time and reduce the error rate of machine tool processing. The application of five axis machining in mold manufacturing mainly includes rib plate machining, angle planing, deep hole or core machining, etc. groove machining, chamfering, steep wall and five axis drilling can also make full use of the advantages of five axis machining. The process strategy of 5-axis machining can be improved by using appropriate CAM software, such as vibration inspection of all tool paths, automatic calculation of curves, points, profiles and tool positions, etc., which can be automatically completed by software. Some CAM software also supports all tool design. Other machining strategies include "point strategy", such as improving cutting conditions and machining accuracy through tool alignment. The common problem of five axis tool path is that the tool vibrates in the normal direction of the workpiece surface, which leads to surface quality defects. Using a simplified reference surface can eliminate the chatter to solve this problem. The fully integrated tool path inspection provides thorough over cutting and vibration inspection. The simulation and inspection of machine tool movement can detect and display potential vibration and axial movement, and allow manual adjustment on any axis. In addition, choosing the appropriate CAM software can automatically avoid vibration, prevent collision and protect the equipment.
Tool path optimization CAM software can help users optimize tool path. Rainbow coloring method can show the processing sequence, and the axis is shown in reverse color. Visual inspection can consider tool geometry, speed and feed. Because the new cam features can describe the tip characteristics, the user can see the actual tool process and effect, accurately display the feed speed and effect as well as the surface quality of the workpiece, and allow to predict the surface finish value before the actual machining. The redistribution of points provides a way to reduce processing time. In one example, a five axis machining center with a spindle speed of 7500mm / min can speed up the cycle time by 39% by comparing the point redistribution with the standard tolerance data. The redistribution of points makes it easy for programmers to deal with the smoothness of tool path and the distribution of points on the path, so as to get these results. No matter which way of user value, for mold manufacturing enterprises, the advantages of using five axis machining technology are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. Shorten the processing time: five axis machining can reduce the manufacturing process and workpiece clamping times, as well as EDM area and mold polishing, thus greatly reducing the overall processing time and shorten the delivery cycle.
2. Improve quality: using shorter tool can reduce deviation, obtain higher machining accuracy and more stable surface quality.
3. Cost reduction: five axis machining can extend the service life of cutting tools, and also reduce the use of other processing equipment, such as reducing the use of electrical machining equipment can reduce the use of electrical grade. In the process of practical application, experienced users will set many templates, which can save more time and reduce the error rate of future programs, and complete process simulation can be carried out on the computer to prevent errors in workshop processing. When users adopt five axis machining, they may need to adjust the clamping strategy in order to consider the workpiece characteristics as much as possible in the programming of five axis machining. The standard clamping device is generally not allowed to contact multiple sides of the workpiece, while the special five axis tooling mechanism and magnetic clamping mechanism can easily approach the machined parts, so they are favored by users.
The advantages of five axis machining also include a variety of processing methods (three-axis HSM, positioning five axis, continuous five axis, five axis drilling, etc.) only need one equipment, and the spindle speed and feed speed are faster. In addition, the five axis machine tool equipment has the trend of volume reduction, and the stiffness is better, which can further improve the application efficiency of enterprises. Five axis machining and the technology behind high-speed machining continue to improve and get more extensive application. For the progress of these technologies and equipment, although the investment is relatively high at first sight, the benefits in terms of tool life, efficiency and actual operation cost have completely offset the increase of these initial costs.
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