Movement Simulations in Manufacturing the Milling Machine Spindle

“Mechanical Manufacturing Technology” is a major course of specialized skill for students majoring in machinery and near-mechanical engineering. Machining processes are one of the important contents in this course. The machining processes of some typical parts like box-body class parts, axis class parts, sleeve class parts and so on are one of the important contents in the machining processes. The milling machine spindle is a typical axis class part. Its process plan is also typical. If the movements in machining this spindle are simulated in 3DSMAX software, this makes the theoretical and static content more vivid and visual. So it is easy for students to understand its machining processes. In this paper, 3DSMAX software is used to model the milling machine spindle, its blank and cutting tools used in all operations, to simulate the change in the allowances and the movements of cutting tools and the spindle in all operations. At last, all simulations are composed to generate a *.avi file which can be used in class or be given to students as a tutorial to use to teach oneself.