HIGH PERFORMANCE MILLING
First Claim
1. A method for milling selected portions of a workpiece by a cutting tool of a numerical control machine, the numerical control machine having associated therewith a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
- receiving a main toolpath, the main toolpath comprising one or more cuts;
computing one or more transition toolpaths, each transition toolpath defining a transition area intersecting one or more of the cuts of the main toolpath;
trimming one or more cuts of the main toolpath near two or more points of intersection between the main toolpath and the transition toolpaths;
connecting the trimmed portions of the main toolpath with one or more connecting moves such that each connecting move is mostly inside one or more of the transition areas; and
milling the selected portions of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool in accordance with the cuts, transition toolpaths, trimmed cuts, and connecting moves.
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Abstract
Technology for milling selected portions of a workpiece by a cutting tool of a numerical control machine is described. The described technology can receive a main toolpath, the main toolpath comprising one or more cuts; compute one or more transition toolpaths, each transition toolpath defining a transition area intersecting one or more of the cuts of the main toolpath; trim one or more cuts of the main toolpath near two or more points of intersection between the main toolpath and the transition toolpaths; connect the trimmed portions of the main toolpath with one or more connecting moves such that each connecting move is mostly inside one or more of the transition areas; and mill the selected portions of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool in accordance with the cuts, transition toolpaths, trimmed cuts, and connecting moves.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for milling selected portions of a workpiece by a cutting tool of a numerical control machine, the numerical control machine having associated therewith a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
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receiving a main toolpath, the main toolpath comprising one or more cuts; computing one or more transition toolpaths, each transition toolpath defining a transition area intersecting one or more of the cuts of the main toolpath; trimming one or more cuts of the main toolpath near two or more points of intersection between the main toolpath and the transition toolpaths; connecting the trimmed portions of the main toolpath with one or more connecting moves such that each connecting move is mostly inside one or more of the transition areas; and milling the selected portions of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool in accordance with the cuts, transition toolpaths, trimmed cuts, and connecting moves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method for milling selected portions of a workpiece by a cutting tool of a numerical control machine, the numerical control machine having associated therewith a processor and a memory, the method comprising:
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receiving a main toolpath, the main toolpath comprising one or more cuts; computing one or more transition toolpaths, each transition toolpath defining a transition area intersecting one or more of the cuts of the main toolpath; trimming one or more cuts of the main toolpath near two or more points of intersection between the main toolpath and the transition toolpaths; connecting the trimmed portions of the main toolpath with one or more connecting moves such that each connecting move is mostly inside one or more of the transition areas; cutting the transition areas of the workpiece in a first pass of the cutting tool; and milling the selected portions of the workpiece in a second pass of the cutting tool by moving the cutting tool in accordance with the cuts, transition toolpaths, trimmed cuts, and connecting moves. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system for milling selected portions of a workpiece, comprising:
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a cutting tool associated with a numerical control machine; a processor and a memory associated with the numerical control machine; a component configured to receive a main toolpath, the main toolpath comprising one or more cuts; a component configured to compute one or more transition toolpaths, each transition toolpath defining a transition area intersecting one or more of the cuts of the main toolpath; a component configured to trim one or more cuts of the main toolpath near two or more points of intersection between the main toolpath and the transition toolpaths; a component configured to connect the trimmed portions of the main toolpath with one or more connecting moves such that each connecting move is mostly inside one or more of the transition areas; a component configured to cause the cutting tool to mill the selected portions of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool in accordance with the cuts, transition toolpaths, trimmed cuts, and connecting moves. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification