Particle swarm optimisation (PSO)-based tool path planning for 5-axis flank milling accelerated by graphics processing unit (GPU)

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Multi-axis machining offers higher machining efficiency and superior shaping capability compared to 3-axis machining. Machining error control is a critical issue in 5-axis flank milling of complex geometries and there is still a lack of solutions. Previous studies have shown that optimisation-based tool path planning is a feasible approach to reduction of machining error. However, the error estimation is time-consuming in the optimisation process, thus limiting the practicality of this approach. In this work, we apply graphics processing unit (GPU) computing technology to solve this problem. A particle swarm optimisation (PSO)-based optimisation scheme is developed to generate a series of cutter locations (CLs) that produce a minimised error on the machined surface. The error amount induced by each CL is simultaneously calculated by the parallel processing units of GPU. The PSO search process driven by the aggregated result is effectively accelerated. Test results show that our approach outperforms previous optimisation methods in both solution quality and computation efficiency. This work demonstrates a novel application of GPU on Computer Aided Manufacturing/Computer Numerical Control. 1. Introduction 5-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining technology has received much attention from industry since the late 90s. It is commonly used in the manufacture of aerospace, automobile, energy, and mold parts. This machining operation provides higher productivity and better shaping capability over traditional 3-axis machining (Heo et al. 2008). There are mainly two milling methods in 5-axis machining. The cutting edges near the end of a cutter perform material removal in point milling. The cylindrical part of a cutter does the cutting in flank milling (Choi et al. 1993). Tool path planning is a critical issue in most 5-axis machining operations. First, the tool must be properly posed in 3D space with …