Process-scheme-driven automatic construction of NC machining cell for aircraft structural parts

In order to enhance the NC programming efficiency and quality of aircraft structural parts (ASPs), an intelligent NC programming pattern driven by process schemes is presented. In this pattern, the NC machining cell is the minimal organizational structure in the technological process, consisting of an operation machining volume cell, and the type and parameters of the machining operation. After the machining cell construction, the final NC program can be easily obtained in a CAD/CAM system by instantiating the machining operation for each machining cell. Accordingly, how to automatically establish the machining cells is a key issue in intelligent NC programming. On the basis of the NC machining craft of ASP, the paper aims to make an in-depth research on this issue. Firstly, some new terms about the residual volume and the machinable volume are defined, and then, the technological process is modeled with a process scheme. Secondly, the approach to building the machining cells is introduced, in which real-time complement machining is mainly considered to avoid interference and overcutting. Thirdly, the implementing algorithm is designed and applied to the Intelligent NC Programming System of ASP. Finally, the developed algorithm is validated through two case studies.