Workpiece machining method, machine tool, tool path-generating device and tool path-generating program
A workpiece machining method that machines a workpiece surface by moving a rotating tool, which has a cutting blade for interrupted cutting of the workpiece surface, relative to the workpiece comprises: a first process of determining the pattern of arrangement of multiple cavities on the surface of the workpiece formed after cutting by the cutting blade; and a second process of determining the tool path of the rotating tool so that the multiple cavities are disposed on the surface of the workpiece according to the pattern of arrangement determined in the first process.
1. A method of generating a tool path for machining a surface of a workpiece by moving a rotary tool relative to the workpiece, the rotary tool having a cutting blade adapted to cut a workpiece surface intermittently, the method comprising the steps of:
dividing a design-stage workpiece surface of the workpiece into a mesh, based on shape data on the design-stage workpiece surface and a shape of dimples to be formed by the cutting blade, the mesh comprising vertices and lines connecting the vertices;
setting a pattern of arrangement of a plurality of virtual dimples on the design-stage workpiece surface, so that the virtual dimples have corresponding vertices as center points thereof and a size determined by a length of a corresponding line connecting two neighboring vertices;
setting a sequence for machining the virtual dimples; and
determining a tool path of the rotary tool based on the sequence for machining the virtual dimples.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual dimples are set on design-stage workpiece surface after the shape and size of the virtual dimples are determined.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of machining points corresponding to the plurality of virtual dimples are connected to determine the tool path.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual dimples are uniformly set on the design-stage workpiece surface from a first machining area, where the workpiece is to be machined by a first machining pattern, to an adjoining second machining area where the workpiece is to be machined by a second machining pattern.
5. A tool path generating device for generating a tool path for machining a workpiece surface by moving a rotary tool relative to the workpiece, the rotary tool having a cutting blade for intermittently cutting the workpiece surface, comprising:
a mesh preparation part dividing a design-stage workpiece surface of the workpiece into a mesh, based on shape data on the design-stage workpiece surface and a shape of dimples to be formed by the cutting blade, the mesh comprising vertices and lines connecting the vertices;
a dimple setting part setting a pattern of arrangement of a plurality of virtual dimples on the design-stage workpiece surface, so that the virtual dimples have corresponding vertices as center points thereof and a size determined by a length of a corresponding line connecting two neighboring vertices; and
a path generating part setting a sequence for machining the virtual dimples and generating a tool path of the rotary tool based on the sequence for machining the virtual dimples.
6. A non-transitory storing medium storing thereon a computer program for generating a tool path for machining a surface of a workpiece by moving a rotary tool along the tool path relative to the workpiece, the rotary tool having a cutting blade adapted to cut a workpiece surface intermittently, the computer program causing a computer to carry out the steps of:
dividing a design-stage workpiece surface of the workpiece into a mesh, based on shape data on the design-stage workpiece surface and a shape of dimples to be formed by the cutting blade, the mesh comprising vertices and lines connecting the vertices;
setting a pattern of arrangement of a plurality of virtual dimples on the design-stage workpiece surface, so that the virtual dimples have corresponding vertices as center points thereof and a size determined by a length of a corresponding line connecting two neighboring vertices;
setting a sequence for machining the virtual dimples; and
determining a tool path of the rotary tool based on the sequence for machining the virtual dimples.