Title: Five-axis machining: technologies and challenges

Authors: Matthieu Rauch, Xun Xu

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

Abstract: Typical applications of 5-axis machining have been found in many industries. However, 5-axis machining still faces a number of challenges. It introduces further complexity as well as flexibility owing to the additional degrees of freedom compared to 3-axis machining. The focus of this review is to provide a perspective view of the research effort towards 5-axis machining that has been carried out over the last ten years. It centres on machine tools including topics such as 5-axis machine tool structures, 5-axis machining tool paths, modelling and compensation of process errors, modelling of 5-axis machine tools and emerging parallel kinematics machines. [Received 18 October 2009; Revised 27 January 2010; Accepted 1 February 2010]

Keywords: 5-axis machining; CNC tool paths; tool path generation; machining errors; machine tool modelling; machine tool structure; error compensation; parallel kinematic machines; PKM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2010.033470

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2010 Vol.5 No.3, pp.327 - 352

Published online: 02 Jun 2010 *

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