Enhancement of 5-axis micromilling visibility through visualization, simulation, and video streaming in a faceted-based CAM-system

Many CAM-systems provide machining visualization and simulation to easily control process quality. In this paper, a 3D faceted model based CAM is developed to process triangulated data model as initial input and continue to any machining process, such as rapid prototyping, roughing, semi finishing, and finishing. In order to improve visual controlling and monitoring capability during the cutting process, the developed CAM-system is enhanced with integrated visibility modul. This modul is used to visualize the workpiece and simulate the tool motion based on the generated tool path and, through camera with high zooming capability, simultaneously streams real-time image of micromilling process. The simulated tool motion is done based on the tool path run by the NC-micromilling machine. Through this developed CAM-system, the micromilling process can be seen and monitored easily. A more detailed process is presented in the paper.