Simulation and verification of parametric numerical control programs using a virtual machine tool

A parametric CNC (Computer Numerical Control) program was developed to make a test complex surface on a vertical milling machine equipped with an external fourth rotational axis. Parametric programming was used in order to get higher flexibility of the manufacturing process. The ball-end milling process was simulated and verified in a virtual model of the machine tool developed with the module ISV (Integrated Simulation and Verification) of the PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software of Siemens NX7®. After that, the real process was carried out on the shop floor to machine the test surface. This demonstrates that the virtual machine tools are an effective resource to simulate and verify the performance of machining processes controlled by CNC parametric programs. The possibility of accurately simulating the parametric CNC program reduces the risk of its implementation and enables a more frequent use of this efficient feature of contemporary CNC machine tools.