Precision sculptured surface CNC machining using cutter location data Nikolaos A. Fountas 1, a Nikolaos M. Vaxevanidis 2, b* Constantinos I. Stergiou 3, c and Redha Benhadj-Djilali 4, d 1,2 Laboratory of Manufacturing Processes and Machine Tools (LMProMaT), Department of Mechanical Engineering Educators, School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (ASPETE), GR 14121, N. Heraklion Attikis, Athens, Greece. 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Piraeus University of Applied Sciences, GR 12244, Egaleo, Athens, Greece. 4 Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing (SEC), Roehampton Vale Campus, Kingston University, Friars Avenue, Kingston Upon Thames, SW15 3DW London, UK. a fountasnikolaos@hotmail.com, b* vaxev@aspete.gr, c csterg@teipir.gr, d R.Benhand-Djilali@kingston.ac.uk Keywords: Sculptured surfaces. CNC machining, Cutter location data, Machining error. Abstract. Industrial parts with sculptured surfaces are typically, manufactured with the use of CNC machining technology and CAM software to generate surface tool paths. To assess tool paths computed for 3- and 5-axis machining, the machining error is evaluated in advance referring to the parameter controlling the linearization of high-order curves, as well as the scallop yielded as a function of radial cutting engagement parameter. The two parameters responsible for the machining error are modeled and corresponding cutter location data for tool paths are utilized to compare actual trajectories with theoretical curves on a sculptured surface (SS) assessing thus the deviation when virtual tools are employed to maintain low cost; whilst ensuring high precision cutting. This operation is supported by applying a flexible automation code capable of computing the tool path; extracting its CL data; importing them to the CAD part and finally projecting them onto the part’s surface. For a given tolerance, heights from projected instances are computed for tool paths created by changing the parameters under a cutting strategy, towards the identification of the optimum tool path. To represent a global solution rough machining is also discussed prior to finish machining where the new proposals are mainly applied. Introduction Sculptured surface machining (SSM) [1] is a fundamental manufacturing process in mechanical industy. As a special technology it is; it employs cutting edge resources to design, test and machine free-form parts to meet functionality and aesthetics. Such resources involve advanced systems such as computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software for machining modeling and multi axis surface machining via computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools. In SSM, complex shapes and profiles are represented in parametric forms such as Bezier, B-Spline and NURBS. As a result, cutting-edge CNC systems implement parametric interpolators to accurately create cutting paths without segmentation contour processing. Parametric interpolators manage to overcome problems in real applications such as huge amounts of NC data, unsmooth motion speed, surface accuracy deterioration, machine vibrations [2,3], etc. Although the efficiency of parametric interpolators is at its edge, only a group of CNC units support such functions whilst they are provided as additional modules with independent policy to the rest of the systems. With the rapid advances in software and