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Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378
7th HPC 2016 – CIRP Conference on High Performance Cutting
Virtual High Performance Machining
Yusuf Altintas
The University of British Columbia, Manufacturing Automation Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z4, Canada
* Corresponding author. Tel.: 1- 604 822 5622 ; fax: +1-604-822-2403. E-mail address: altintas@[Link]
Abstract
The goal of current research is to develop digital models of all steps in the manufacturing of parts. This paper presents an
overview of digital machining of parts in virtual environment. It is based on research and development of digital models in
machining parts. The tool – part intersection along the tool path is evaluated at discrete steps, which are then used to calculate
chip area, cutting load, torque-power-energy drawn from the machine and the detection of chatter occurrence. The dynamics of
the CNC system are incorporated to the digital model in order to estimate the true tangential feed and machining cycle time.
The tangential feeds are automatically optimized by considering the tool breakage, spindle torque-power, and tool deflection
limits set by the process planner. The virtual machining system can be used independently or as an integral part of CAM systems
such as Siemens NX. Sample applications of the virtual high performance machining system in aerospace industry are presented.
© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
([Link]
Peer-review under responsibility of the International Scientific Committee of 7th HPC 2016 in the person of the Conference Chair Prof.
Peer-review under responsibility of the International Scientific Committee of 7th HPC 2016 in the person of the Conference Chair
Matthias Putz.
Prof. Matthias Putz
Keywords: Machining; machine tools; virtual
1. Introduction of the Virtual High Performance Machining system is given
as follows.
The aim of present research is to create a complete digital
factory that allows the simulation of product design, 2. Process Planning for Optimal NC Programming
manufacturing and testing in the virtual environment [1].
While some of the simulation models are mainly based on The tooling and machining tool paths are currently selected by
geometry, such as visualization of features and motions, a process planner who rely on their past experience and
realistic digital model must be able to predict the machining intuition. When the parts are costly, like in aerospace
process states such as force, vibration, surface quality and industry, the planners tend to select conservative material
machine errors. Presently, these process states are measured removal rates to avoid chatter, tool failure or overloading of
during costly physical trials. This paper presents a brief the machine tool. UBC MAL developed an advanced
overview of High Performance Virtual Machining technology machining process simulation software (CUTPRO™©) which
developed at the University of British Columbia – predicts the chatter free depth-width of cut, feed and speed by
Manufacturing Automation Laboratory (UBC MAL). The considering the work material properties, tool geometry,
machine tool’s structural dynamics [2]. The planner can select
system consists of machining process simulation kernel,
a chatter free cutting condition and virtually simulate forces,
machine tool controller kernel and graphical system to display
torque, power, surface form errors and vibration amplitudes to
the results and interact with the user. The scientific details of
check if the selected parameters would lead to acceptable
the simulation algorithms for each module have been performance without violating the machine’s torque-power
published in the literature. However, the overall architecture and part’s tolerance limits as shown in Error! Reference
2212-8271 © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
([Link]
Peer-review under responsibility of the International Scientific Committee of 7th HPC 2016 in the person of the Conference Chair
Prof. Matthias Putz
doi:10.1016/[Link].2016.04.154
Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378 373
source not found.. The selected optimal cutting conditions generating the NC program in CAM environment.
are used in setting the speed, depth, width and feed in
Figure 1: Stability lobes give the chatter free depth of cut, width of cut and speed. The process can be simulated at a desired
cutting condition.
3. Virtual Machining System commercial CAM platforms [2]. MACHPRO receives the raw
workpiece geometry in the form of STL file and NC tool path
Once the NC program is generated in CAM environment, in standard APT format. It uses CUTPRO tool, work material
its performance needs to be evaluated either physically on the and process simulation engine to predict the cutting process
machine tool which is costly, or in a virtual environment. states such as force, power, torque, surface form errors and
UBC MAL has developed MACHPRO™ stand-alone virtual chip area at discrete stations along the tool path. Alternatively,
machining system and its derivatives which are embedded to MACHPRO can re-produce a new NC program by varying
374 Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378
the feed to maintain constant load and chip without violating
the torque and power limits of the machine. MACHPRO
considers the machine tool’s CNC properties as well in
determining the actual machining cycle times and the feed
changes along the tool paths.
The virtual machining system has the following
technological sub-modules.
3.1. Cutter Workpiece Engagement (CWE) Module
The cutting process states (i.e. forces, vibrations, torque,
power) depends on the distribution of chip thickness along the
cutting edge which is in contact with the workpiece. Cutter-
workpiece engagement boundaries change as the geometry of
the part and orientation of cutting tool vary along the tool
path, which in turn changes the chip distribution. UBC MAL
has conducted research studies to predict the cutter-workpiece
engagement geometries using solid modelling, z buffer, and
other methods. A sample view of engagement geometry is
shown in Figure 2.
Figure 3: Tool geometries can be defined parametrically or
loaded from the tool data base of the system.
3.4. Work Material Data Base
The material data base contains cutting force coefficients
either directly in mechanistic or Kienzle form, or in the form
of orthogonal model parameters (i.e. shear stress, shear angle
and friction coefficient). The orthogonal model is transformed
to oblique coordinates, and the cutting force coefficients in
three directions are automatically calculated as explained in
[2].
Figure 2: The three dimensional engagement map is
transformed to tool entry and exit angles along the tool axis.
3.2. CNC and Machine Tool Definition Module
The spindle’s torque and power curves are used in
optimizing the feed without violating their limits. The CNC’s
acceleration and jerk settings are used to simulate the realistic
feed changes along the curved paths. The users enter machine
tools only once to the data base of virtual machining system
as shown in Figure 3 [3][4].
3.3. Tool Definition Module
Virtual Machining system parses the CL file and extracts
the cutter dimeter. However, the user can enter additional
geometric parameters such as helix, rake angle, gage length
and other parameters (Figure 3). The system is able to define
any complex tool geometry. The user can also attach
Frequency Response Function of the machine tool measured Figure 4: Machine tool and CNC constraints. (1) Dynamic
stiffness of the machine at the tool tip; (2) Torque and power
at the tool tip (Figure 4), and attach it to tool definition for limits of the spindle; (3) Acceleration and jerk limits of the
chatter detection along the tool path. CNC.
Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378 375
3.5. Process Simulation Engine chatter at the discrete stations along the tool path. The process
simulation algorithms have closed form, analytical solutions
The process simulation kernel is based on CUTPRO, to expedite the computation. Sample simulation window is
which is capable of simulating turning, drilling, boring and shown in Figure 5.
milling processes with any tool geometry [5]. CUTPRO can The planner can rapidly detect the possible occurrences of
predict the maximum force, torque, power, and deflection process faults in the NC program, and can correct them ahead
error left on the part surface, chip load and occurrence of of costly physical trials which may scrap the part.
Figure 5: Cutting forces, torque, power, chip load, and material removal rate can be displayed in synchronized fashion between
tool path and NC program.
3.6. Process Optimization Engine limits in virtual machining system. UBC’s virtual machining
system has been embedded to Siemens NX Computer Aided
The planner can set upper limits to desired cutting states Manufacturing (CAM) system under the brand name NPRO™
such as chip thickness, cutting force, torque and power limits [1]. While MACHPRO has many powerful and advanced
of the machine tool spindle, and deflection amplitudes left on simulation and optimization settings (Figure 5), NPRO has a
the finish surface. The virtual machining system breaks long very short menu and the experts can set the optimization
tool path segments into smaller ones by considering the CNC criteria within NX (Figure 6). NPRO simulates the process as
trajectory generation characteristics of the machine. A new soon as the tool path is generated, and shows problematic
feed is injected at each small NC block segment, which segments of the tool path on the screen. NPRO also
automatically generates a new tool path with optimal feeds
satisfies all the limits imposed by the planner.
without violating the machine’s torque and power, and the
tool’s force and chip area. The advantage of CAM embedded
One of the challenge in industry is to select these maximum
system is that NPRO simulates and optimizes the tool path
limits, which need to be set by experienced planners and
as it is generated in CAM system. Therefore, there is no need
machining experts. Once the limits are set in the factory for
to post-process the tool path by exporting and importing it
different operations, the planner can simply use these standard
again between CAM and virtual machining systems.
376 Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378
Figure 6: NPRO: Snap shot of Virtual Machining System embedded in Siemens NX system [1].
4. Sample Applications
5. Conclusion
The virtual machining system has been tested and used by
a number of aerospace and tool application centers The objective of current research is to achieve digital
worldwide. Due to confidentiality issues, this paper can models of machine tools, metal cutting processes and CNC
present only few examples from our research partner (Sandvik systems. The digital modeling of such an integrated
Coromant, Sweden). An integral bladed rotor (IBR) disc of a manufacturing system allows simulation and optimization of
gas turbine engine is ball end milled as shown in Figure 7. machining operations in virtual environment ahead of costly
Based on the force, torque and chip thickness limits, the physical trials.
machining time of the IBR has been reduced by 31% without Manufacturing Automation Laboratory developed digital
damaging the tool and the part. models of machining operations, kinematics of five axis serial
Similarly, a thin walled aircraft part has been first machines, spindle and feed drives, and the complete CNC
programmed by selecting chatter free spindle speed, depth and system. The current research focuses on developing digital
width of cut. The generated NC program has been further models of more complex operations such as mill-turn, gear
optimized using the virtual machining system MACHPRO. shaping, threading flexible gas and oil pipes. The digital
The original and optimized NC programs are shown in Figure models are connected to real time machine tool monitoring
8. The machining time is generally reduced by 30% to 50% and process control systems to further improve the
on these parts depending on the dynamic stiffness and power productivity and accuracy of developed models.
of the machine tool, as well as the part’s wall thickness. If the
chatter free spindle speed has harmonics which coincide with Acknowledgements
the natural frequency of the thin wall, forced vibrations may
drag the part with tool and lead to poor surface finish and The development digital machining models have been
tolerance violations. In such cases, less depth of cut and supported by National Sciences and Engineering Research
speed may need to be used to avoid resonance. Council of Canada (NSERC), Pratt & Whitney Canada and
Industrial Research and Technology Institute of Taiwan.
Cutter – workpiece engagement module has been developed
by Moduleworks Gmbh, Aachen, Germany.
Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378 377
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Figure 7: Optimization of NC program in virtual Environment with MACHPRO.
378 Yusuf Altintas / Procedia CIRP 46 (2016) 372 – 378
Figure 8: Simulation and optimization of NC program for an aircraft part with MACHPRO.