A shape-generating approach for multi-axis machining G-buffer models

In this paper, a new approach is presented to find the 3D shape-generating profiles of different types of cutters for constructing the G-buffer models for 5-axis machining. The G-buffer for 3-axis machining is natural because the tool has only three degrees of freedom (x, y, z) for the configuration space. Five-axis machining has five degrees of freedom, and two of them ar e non-Euclidean. The traditional C-buffer method cannot be directly used fo r 5-axis machining due to the complex tool motions. In this paper, the anal ytic 3D shape-generating profiles are formulated to construct the swept env elope in 5-axis tool motion. The enhanced G-buffer models are updated by th e constructed 5-axis swept envelope. A generalized cutter geometry, which r epresents different types of endmills, is used in this study. The technique s presented in this paper can be used for 5-axis tool path generation and t he machined surface error analysis. Computer implementation and illustrativ e examples are presented in this paper. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.