Holistic optimisation of sculptured surfaces manufacturing

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2009 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 138608399

The mould and die industry is characterised by permanently rising competitive pressure. Competitiveness has to be increased with higher productivity through declined machining times and costs as well as the same or higher quality of the products to be machined. A key technology to succeed these objectives is the 5-axes HSC machining of sculptured surfaces whose potentials are currently used, but not bailed out. The proposed project is focussed on the identification and validation of influencing parameters on manufacturing quality. Analysis of errors on machine tool related to surface measurements; evaluation of manufactured parts using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM); identification of adequate statistical metrics to characterise the process behaviour and the manufactured freeform surface concerning to geometric and machine behaviour; diagnostics of machine performance from part geometry and development of tools to generate Spline based cutting tool path from CAD geometric model are issues addressed by this proposal to optimize the mould and die manufacturing. The adaption and expansion of existing simulation tools require a possibility to integrate the parameter cutting tool wear beside static, dynamic and thermal influences to identify appropriate process parameters. Parallel experimental measurements consolidate data of machine tool and process relevant parameters which are provided in a central data base. Resulting data is combined with knowledge from project research partners to deliver significant planning data.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Brazil
• Partner Organisation: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; (CAPES); Setor bancario Norte
• Participating Persons: Dr. Alvaro J. Abackerli; Dr. Eng. Herman Augusto Lepikson; Professor Dr.-Ing. Klaus Schützer