Tool path optimization in layered manufacturing

There are several manufacturing applications in which a tool needs to move along a prescribed path performing machining operations. The path is typica lly described by a sequence of curves. For the entire process, the tool mus t move along each curve exactly once. For typical paths, significant time m ay be wasted in the movement between the end point of one curve to the star t vertex of the next one along which the tool must operate. Normally, this non-machining motion is a straight-line motion. A good process plan would m inimize the time wasted on such motion. An excellent application of this pr oblem is found in the increasingly popular Layered Manufacturing (LM) metho ds. We first introduce a Genetic Algorithm (GA)-based approach to solve thi s problem. Next, we present a new strategy using a combination of the Asymm etric Traveling Salesman Problem and Integer Programming (TSP-IP) to solve it. Based on the pros and cons of these approaches, two enhanced GA formula tions are developed. We compare the performance of the different techniques , with a view to their application to real-time path planning in LM applica tions.