Modeling & Simulation – Machining and Manufacturing Process

The CCAT modeling and simulation team is working closely with aerospace component manufacturers employing physics-based machining process modeling solutions to help them to improve the efficiency of their machining processes.  NALI investigators are applying these solutions for milling, turning and drilling operations, specifically examining chip formation, cutting forces, temperature and residual stress in both the tool and parts to generate an optimized toolpath resulting in decreasing machine tool cycle times.

Improved Manufactoring Process

CCAT’s modeling and simulation program is helping suppliers realize a more effecient and measurable approach to their processes for implementing their machining processes:

• Design data is transmitted seamlessly between computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software

• CAM tools generate APT or numerical control (NC) programs, which are then directly usable within virtual machining modules to validate the functionality of the NC program as it would be executed on the machine

• The verified process is then analyzed in the physics-based machining process analysis tools that will recommend more effecient speeds and feeds back to the CAM user

• The process can be cycled through until minimal additional efficiencies are attained

• The resultant NC program can then be fed to the machine for the creation of the part

• Inspection techniques can then be used to map the as-produced part data onto the original design data fro the part to quickly identify how it matches the design specifications

Game Changing

The NALI modeling and simulation group is embarking on a new game changing approach: It will take the analysis step at the end of the process and interface it directly with the CAM solution that has already been forced-balanced.  This results in the creation of an effective and effecient NC program the first time it is created.  It improves the use case scenario, by eliminating the additional program analysis step.  But it still provides the results of a shorter cycle time for cutting parts and eliminates the need for maintaining multiple NC programs.