Freeform, holes, tight tolerances
The plate is curved along its length, varies in width and has several screw holes. With a ball nose cutter and a small stepover, finishing the surface takes a long time. [Add specific starting point]
Same surface, fewer passes
Rough reliably from solid and finish the surface with a much larger stepover, without losing the required surface quality.
Large radius on the edge, large stepover.
The conical barrel cutter has a very large radius on its flank. It sits tilted on the surface, which is only possible 5-axis simultaneously. For the same roughness this allows much larger stepovers than a ball nose cutter.
From stock to finished surface.
-
01
Fixture pyramid
Six plates in their own clamps on a fixture pyramid. Each plate is accessible to the tool via trunnion and rotary table, all in one setup.
-
02
Semi-finishing
Ball nose cutter Ø8 with hyperMILL 5-axis tangent machining. It leaves an even allowance for the barrel cutter.
-
03
Simultaneous finishing
Conical barrel cutter Ø4 with hyperMILL 5-axis tangent machining. The tilt follows the curvature of the plate, the flank always sits cleanly on the surface.
-
04
Simulation & prove-out
Machine simulation with trunnion, rotary table, fixture pyramid, clamps and tool holder. Collisions and axis limits are checked before the first chip.
Do the maths: ball nose or conical barrel cutter?
Same cusp height, much wider stepover: enter your values. Empty stepovers are suggested from the cusp height.
Guide value for finishing the area: area ÷ (stepover × feed), without approach and retract moves. Stepover from cusp height: a = 2·√(2·r·h − h²).
Freeform surfaces that take too long?
Send me the part and machine. I will check whether barrel cutters and 5-axis simultaneous finishing pay off for you.