Chatter-free process parameter optimization for robotic machining of pockets with the spiral tool path

Abstract

Pocket machining is widely used in manufacturing industries such as aerospace, mold, and automotive. Pocket machining with the spiral tool path has become an effective method for efficient pocket machining. The current primary means of pocket machining, CNC machine tools, face challenges in adaptability, machining mode, and production cost, while industrial robots provide a new approach to achieving efficient and cost-effective pocket machining. However, as industrial robots are less rigid than machine tools, they are more prone to chatter vibrations. To achieve efficient and stable robotic machining of pockets with the spiral tool path, this paper proposes a new chatter-free process parameter optimization strategy. The feedrate optimization algorithm for pocket machining is first introduced. Further, this algorithm is extended to establish the chatter-free parameter optimization model for robotic machining of pockets with kinematics, cutting force, and milling stability constraints. The surrogate-based optimization (SBO) method is then employed to solve this optimization model efficiently. The effectiveness of the proposed chatter-free parameter optimization strategy for robotic machining of pockets is validated by analyzing optimization results and machining experiments.