Milling plan optimization with an emergent problem solving approach

• To minimize the machining time of the free-form surfaces.
• Using the Adaptive Multi-Agent System approach to resolve this problem.
• A visualization program for zoning surface is developed.
• Optimal cutting is presented on an industrial example.

With elaboration of products having the more complex design and good quality, minimize machining time becomes very important. The machining time is assumed, by hypothesis, to be proportional to the paths length crossed by the tool on the surface. The path length depends on the feed direction and the surface topology. To get an optimal feed direction at all points of surface, this study concerns machining with zones of the free-form surfaces on a 3-axis machine tool. In each zone, the variation of the steepest slope direction is lower, total path length is minimized and the feed direction is near the optimal feed direction. To resolve this problem, the Adaptive Multi-Agent System approach is used. Furthermore, a penalty reflecting the displacement of the tool from a zone to another one is taken into account. After several simulations and comparisons with the machining in one zone (what is being done at present), the results obtained present a significant saving about 22%.