Feasibility study of in-process compensation of deformations in flexible milling

• Novel in-process strategy to compensate for workpiece deformations in milling of low rigidity parts.
• Piezoelectric actuator based system to compensate for workpiece deformations.
• Workpiece deformation is estimated from the comparison between cutting forces in flexible condition and cutting forces in rigid condition.

During the machining of thin-walled parts, deformation can occur resulting in dimensional errors. These dimensional errors cause a variation on cutting forces. From the actual measured cutting forces and the estimated forces resultant from rigid machining, it is possible to determine the value of this deformation. Based on this, an on-line system for compensating workpiece errors, has been developed. The system is based on correcting the relative position of the tool-workpiece during machining by means of a piezoelectric actuator. The objective is achieved in real time to compensate for the part deformations from the measurement of the cutting forces, without the programming of the tool path trajectories in the machine tool being affected.