Influence of tool posture variations and SIM method application on surface topography in 5-axis ball-end milling

Abstract

Surface topography serves as a critical determinant of fatigue strength and tribological performance in five-axis ball-end milling of complex curved workpieces, where residual height and texture geometry are significantly influenced by variations in tool posture. To investigate the evolution of surface topography with kinematic parameters in five-axis ball-end milling, this study proposed an innovative Sweep-Inerpolate-Map (SIM) model for the prediction of three-dimensional surface topography. The experimental measurements and simulated predictions of surface topography demonstrated strong consistency through multivariate cutting experiments conducted under three critical parameters: feedrate ranging 0.2–0.5 mm/rev, B-axis angle (${\theta }_b$) ranging $0°\sim 10°$, and C-axis angle (${\theta }_c$) ranging $0°\sim 360°$. Detailed analysis revealed two key mechanisms: (1) The Texture Unit Inclination Angle (TUIA) exhibits sinusoidal periodicity with respect to ${\theta }_b$ and ${\theta }_c$, TUIA reaches extremum values in clockwise/counterclockwise directions when ${\theta }_b>0°$ with ${\theta }_c$ at $90°$ or $270°$, respectively; (2) The Peak Line Residual Height (PLRH) is primarily governed by ${\theta }_b$, showing significant positive correlation between its amplitude/fluctuation range and ${\theta }_b$. PLRH demonstrates minimal sensitivity to rotational angles and feed directions with ${\theta }_b$ ranging $0°\sim 20°$. Through systematic simulations and experimental validation, this study constructed a rigorous quantitative mapping framework between kinematic parameters and surface texture characteristics in ball-end milling, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation for optimizing cutting parameters and achieving active control over texture shape.