Automatic generalized cutter selection for finishing of free-form surfaces in 3-axis CNC milling by “surface tolerance and tool performance metrics”

Tool selection in milling operation is an important step that dramatically influence the milling time. This paper discusses a new method to select the best cutter for different zones of a free-form surface from the list of available generalized cutters. A digital, voxel-based model is used to represent the workpiece and the available tools. First, the finishing performance is calculated for every tool and for every cutter location point. Second,...