A parametric solid modeler for milling.

摘要

A parametric solid modeler for milling has been developed. This modeler represents a radical departure from the current methods to generate a part from milling and is based on a primitive volume called the fundamental manufacturing entity for milling. This results in a modeler that is based on the philosophy of "what you machine is what you get" (WYMIWYG). It mimics real world milling operations and allows the immediate display of the part's shape. The modeler allows the user to very easily generate over 125 unique cavity profiles and about the same number of island profiles, all of which are represented by the same, uniform and compact data structure. These profiles include circular and elliptical holes, slots, triangular and rectangular pockets, gaskets and many other shapes. Each cavity can contain an island whose profile and orientation are independent of the cavity's profile. Sophisticated algorithms are developed that are used to create complex profiles resulting from the intersection of two or more profiles on a common surface and to determine the spatial curves resulting from full or partial intersection of two orthogonal profile shells. The modeler can easily create very complicated three dimensional shapes irrespective of the order in which machining operations (profile shells) are applied. It stores machining information as an integral part of the geometric model, thereby creating a straightforward link between CAD and CAM. The method provides a means by which an inexhaustive library of fundamental entities for milling can be created, stored and used repeatedly on any surface of any part. It saves the information about the volume of the material removed after each milling operation rather than the material remaining, which should make the generation of process plans straightforward.