Computational Analysis Seminar

Steffen Hauth

(Jacobs University)

"Tool path generation for processes of minimal material removal"


Date: Tue, March 9, 2010
Time: 15:45
Place: Research I Seminar Room

Abstract: In modern manufacturing engineering there exists a wide range of algorithms to create tool paths for NC-machines for a large field of application. In over 100 years researchers developed many technologies and algorithms. However, the ultimate application in the field of mold and die production is still the last finishing step: the polishing process. Nowadays it is still done by hand, since no or only poor algorithms exist for tool path generation, because the tool path for this process has to fulfill certain constraints. Besides the smoothness, the tool path must be a space filling curve to assure that every part of the surface is reached. In addition, the tool path must be self intersection free to assure that on each part of the surface the same amount of material is removed. Furthermore, the process must create a deburred surface, i.e. the tool must create a not recognizable pattern on the surface. Last, the quantity of start and stop movements of the tool should be minimal, since the start and stop process is hard to control by the machine. In the talk I will present the strategies I developed and I will show the results I have achieved in the last years.