Tool Path Generation for Turbine Blades Machining with Twin Tool

Blades are essential parts used in thermal and nuclear power generation. Its machining precision is a vital factor that influences the efficiency and life of those industries. Blades are thin-walled parts, which could easily deform under cutting forces, and hence deteriorate the machining precision. In our previous work, a milling process with twin tool for blade is proposed, in which two tools are assigned to machine the basin and dorsal surfaces simultaneously. It is expected that the cutting forces acted on the basin and dorsal surfaces can be counteracted to reduce the deformation of the blade. In this study, a method of twin-tool paths generation is developed. The tool center points and tool axis vectors are generated with consideration of the cutting forces balance, the machine tool kinematics, the surface geometric precision, and the same number of tool paths on basin and dorsal surfaces. Virtual machining, finite element analysis, and trial cutting are carried out and verified that the method which is used for generating the twin-tool paths is successful. The basin and dorsal surfaces have the same number of tool paths and tool contact point coordinates, which guarantees that the two surfaces can be completely machined and can be machined and finished simultaneously. Furthermore, the cutting forces acted on the basin and dorsal surfaces can achieve the balance along the twin-tool paths. Therefore, the deformation of a blade caused by cutting force is obviously reduced compared with a conventional machining process with a single tool.