The cutting tool paths of free from surfaces are normally involving a huge number of tool movements. Scallop height of machined surfaces is the uncut area left across two adjacent cutting tool tracks during the chip production process. It is defined as the local maximum of the uncut volume thickness from the workpiece material surfaces in chip formation process. It is critical to examine and control the scallop height throughout milling operations of free form surfaces in terms of improving the surface properties of manufactured parts. So, in order to increase accuracy and quality of part production, the cutting tool paths can be modified to provide the uniform scallop height during milling operations.
To create constant scallop height during milling operations of complex curved surface parts, modified cutting tool paths is generated by Jia et al. [1]. In order to calculate the scallop heigh in milling operation with torus-end cutter, an analytical model by considering the feed rate effects is developed by Segonds et al. [2]. To predict the scallop height in the cutting of surface layer, advanced software system by using numerical curve fitting techniques is developed by Kukreja and Pande [3]. To provide constant scallop height during plunge milling operations of pocket walls, advanced tool paths modification system with adaptive interval method is investigated by Huang et al. [4]. Shchurov and Al-Taie provide an innovative project of cutting tool path adjustment in order to maintain a consistent scallop height throughout free form surface end milling [5]. To increase surface quality during 5-axis milling operations of free form surfaces, modified cutting tool paths modification regarding the uniform scallop height of machined surfaces is presented by Lin et al. [6]. In order to provide uniform scallop height in milling operations of free form surfaces, modified cutting tool paths is presented by Senatore et al. [7]. Advanced cutting tool path planning system is developed by Liang et al. [8] in order to provide the universal iso-scallop during milling operations of free form surfaces. To provide iso-scallop during 3-axis CNC machining of free-form rectangular meshed textures, the tool path modification system based on cutting tool performance metric is developed by Balabokhin and Tarbutton [9]. Advanced method of efficient iso-scallop cutting tool path is presented by Liu et al. [10] to increase surface quality of machined parts during three-axis scattered cloud machining operations. To increase surface quality by providing uniform scallop during machining operations of sculptured surfaces, optimized cutting tool paths is presented by Fountas et al. [11]. To achieve the uniform scallop height and increase surface quality of during machining operations of free form surfaces, advanced barrel cutting tool design and cutting tool path planning system is presented by Luo et al. [12].
To improve surface properties in terms of cutting of big polygons using 5-axis mill with flat milling cutter, the scallop height of machined surfaces are analyzed by Duvedi et al. [13]. To provide the constant scallop height during grinding operations of convex surfaces, advanced tool path generation algorithm is presented by Wang et al. [14]. To achieve the iso-scallop height during milling operations of free form surfaces, optimized cutting tool paths is presented by Cao et al. [15]. In order to increase surface quality in spiral machining operations of free-form surfaces, physical shell mapping and reverse-compensation optimization is presented by Li et al. [16]. Optimization of cutting tool by using digital images is presented by Xu and Li [17] in order to provide uniform scallop height during milling operations of free form surfaces. Advanced cutting tool paths modification is presented by Su et al. [18] to get a consistent scallop level while cutting free form edges.
Soori et al. provide virtual machining methodologies to assess and improve cnc machining in virtual worlds [19–22]. Soori et al. provides a review of current developments in friction stir welding techniques in order to examine and improve efficiency in the process of component manufacturing employing welding procedures [23]. Soori and Asamel have explored implementations of virtual machining systems to reduce residual stress and deflection error throughout turbine blade five-axis milling processes [24]. Soori and Asmael created implementations of virtualized machining system in evaluating and decreasing the cutting temperature throughout milling operations of hard to cut components [25].
Soori et al. proposed an improved virtual machining method to improve surface properties throughout five-axis milling operations of turbine blades [26]. Soori and Asmael devised virtual milling techniques to reduce deflection error during five-axis milling processes of impeller blades [27]. Soori and Asmael provided a summary of existing developments from published articles in order to examine and improve the parameter optimization technique of machining processes [28]. Dastres et al. give a study of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based wireless manufacturing systems to improve energy utilization efficiency, data quality and availability across the supply chain, and precision and dependability during the component production process[29].
Altintas and Merdol also proposed a virtual machining system and application in order to achieve optimum milling settings [30]. According to the analysis of previous published papers, the area of Uniform Scallop-Height in Three-Axis Milling Operations of free form surfaces is not investigated by employing virtual machining systems.
In the research work, application of the virtual machining system is investigated in order to create the uniform scallop height during milling operations of free from surfaces using three-axis CNC milling machine tools. The surfaces of workpiece are analyzed in order to obtain the curvature of machined surfaces. As a result, the free form surfaces are divided to the flat, concave and convex surfaces to examine and improve cutting tool paths along milling operations. Modified machining parameters as step over, feed rate and spindle speed are generated by using the developed system in the study in order to provide a uniform scallop height during milling operations.
In order to validate the study, a sample workpiece with free form surfaces is produced by emplying the three-axis CNC machine tools. Then, the machined surfaces are measured by ZeGage Optical surface profiler to calculate the scallop height of cutting tool paths in the end milling processes.
The mathematical equations of the scallop heights during milling operations of flat, concave and convex surfaces are presented in section 2. The Section 3 of the research presents the created virtual machining system. To validate the research work, the section 4 is presented. Eventually, in section 5, the research findings are discussed.