Title: Accurate 3-D parameterised modelling of complex milling cutter with fir-slots for rotor-groove machining

Authors: Xiang Su; Gang Wang; Jianfeng Li; Yiming Rong

Addresses: Beijing Key Lab of Precision/Ultra-Precision Manufacturing Equipment and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250001, China ' Beijing Key Lab of Precision/Ultra-Precision Manufacturing Equipment and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China ' Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250001, China ' Mechanical and Energy Engineering Department, South University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen, 518055, China

Abstract: Milling cutters with fir-slot (fir tree cutters) are widely used in the high speed machining of blade-root and rotor-groove. The complicated structures and multitudinous specification sizes make it difficult to achieve an accurate three-dimensional (3-D) parameterised modelling of the cutter. In this paper, the conical helix and radial cross-sectional curves are expressed mathematically based on geometric curve and surface theory. The radial geometric angles are calculated from the normal angles based on the analysis of the relationship between radial section and normal section. Finally, rapid generation of the 3-D model of fir tree cutters and information interaction with computer aided engineering (CAE) software are realised. The results show that the established mathematical model can efficiently express the fir tree cutters, which improves the efficiency and accuracy of cutter design. [Received 22 April 2016; Accepted 1 December 2016]

Keywords: milling cutters; fir-slots; radial section; parameterisation; 3-D modelling; rotor groove machining; fir tree cutters; high speed machining; conical helix curves; radial cross-sectional curves; mathematical modelling; cutter design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2016.082822

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2016 Vol.11 No.4, pp.309 - 321

Received: 20 Apr 2016
Accepted: 30 Nov 2016

Published online: 12 Mar 2017 *

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