Towards understanding and controlling of the surface texture pattern in 5-axis ball-end milling using fast texture simulation

Surface texture is critical to the functionality of the industrial parts. This work aims at effectively controlling the surface texture by applying the phase difference angle between adjacent passes using 5-axis ball-end milling. Because the texture pattern is complicated and formed by the combination of feed-interval and step-interval scallops, we proposed a level-contour-based fast simulation method to effectively generate the surface texture by inputting the phase difference angle with tilt and lead angles of the cutter. After clarifying the influence of these three parameters on the texture pattern, controlling on desired texture is conducted by modifying the tool path according to the simulated phase difference angle. As result, milled surface texture received a good correspondence with the simulation. Details of the cutting features are efficiently and comprehensively simulated. The mechanism underlying the sudden change of texture ridge direction is clarified as the major-minor ridge transition when phase difference angle increases to a certain level, wherein the surface roughness can be decreased because the rearrangement of the cutting region reduced the scallop height. Proposed fast simulation method is also put into the optimization process with case study to show the benefits it can bring to the surface texture design and control.