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From: J.W.H.Tangelder@IO.TUDelft.NL
Subject: Re: 5-axis algorithms
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Organization: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Date: Wed, 24 May 1995 00:00:53 GMT
Approved: hougen@cs.umn.edu, crr@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca
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We are also interested in literature or information about
algorithms for generating a toolpath for a 5-axis 
"sculpting" milling machine. I have developed
software for a 7-axis "sculpting" milling system
as part of the sculpturing robot project. This project is
described below.


THE SCULPTURING ROBOT PROJECT

Hans Tangelder, Henk van den Belt, Han Broek,
Lex Lennings, Adrie Kooijman, Peter de Jager,
Bram de Smit and Joris Vergeest

Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering
Email: j.w.h.tangelder@io.tudelft.nl

At the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering more
than 10 years of experience exists with CNC milling
of CAD-defined prototypes. During the last 
years, we have extended our possibilities by
using a 6 degrees-of-freedom industrial robot
with six revolute joints, a Siemens Manutec R15 robot.
The prototype is obtained from a foam stock.
The foam stock is placed on a rotatable turntable, which
is controlled by the robot controller. 
This turntable is placed in front of the robot,
enabling the robot to approach the object
from 5 different sides.
 
As a result of our research, a robot motion planning
algorithm has been developed and implemented as the SRPLAN1
software which automatically generates toolpaths to manufacture a 
foam prototype. 
These toolpaths can be carried
out by our robot. 
The input data for the path planner are given by a
CAD-defined model. 
In the path planning algorithm 
collision checks prevent the
tool and toolholder from accidentally damaging itself or the
foam stock. 

Combined with the 6 degrees-of-freedom, this method offers
a large workspace and the possibilities of
milling complex models up to 1 cubic meter
(See Tangelder J.W.H. and Vergeest J.S.M., 1994,
Robust NC path generation for rapid shape prototyping,
Journal of Design and Manufacturing, Vol. 4, 282-291).

In collaboration
with the faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics, a new 
interactive simulation
system for the SRPLAN1 milling process was developed on a
Silicon Graphics workstation.
Both the foam stock that is being machined and the milling tool
are internally represented by a 3D voxel structure to achieve
real-time volume-removal operations on the material.
All other objects, such as the robot and the turntable,
keep their original B-spline surface representation, to
enable high-quality visualization 
(see Walstra W.H., Bronsvoort W.F. and Vergeest J.S.M., 1994,
Interactive simulation of robot milling for rapid
shape prototyping, Computer \& Graphics, Vol. 18, No. 6, 861-871). 

The SRPLAN1 software prevents only tool and toolholder collisions
and uses only 5 predefined orthogonal tool orientations.
Therefore, we are developing a SRPLAN2 software package,
that also avoids collision for the robot links
and that derives a set of tool orientations from the CAD-defined
prototype to be milled.  

See hhtp://www.io.tudelft.nl/~vbunning/tpi/sclprbt.html
for colour images of the Sculpturing Robot System and
the simulation system for SRPLAN1.

Hans Tangelder
The Sculpturing Robot Project
Technical University of Delft
The Netherlands
Jaffalaan 9
2628 BX Delft
Email:j.w.h.tangelder@io.tudelft.nl


[My thanks to the poster for including the above information on this
research.  - DH]


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