A study on the precision machinability of ball end milling by cutting speed optimization

This study proposes an optimization cutting speed program developed to improve the machining precision and tool life in high speed machining using the ball end mill. This program optimizes the cutting speed that varies during free surface machining. As for the technique of optimization cutting speed, the NC code generated from CAD/CAM goes through a reverse post process and cutting simulation and the effective tool diameter of the ball end mill is obtained. Then the range of critical cutting speed suitable for the workpiece is selected and the spindle revolution is changed according to the effective tool diameter within the range of the critical cutting speed. In this paper, the machining precision and tool life were compared in the free surface machining conducted by the general cutting method and the technique of optimization cutting speed.