This paper introduces a new method that uses slice geometry to compute the global visibility map (GVM). Global visibility mapping is a fundamentally important process that extracts geometric information about an object, which can be used to solve hard problems, for example, setup and process planning in computer numerical control (CNC) machining. In this work, we present a method for creating the GVM from slice data of polyhedron models, and then show how it can help determine around which axis of rotation a part can be machined. There have been various methods of calculating the GVM to date, tracing back to the well-known seminal methods that use Gaussian mapping. Compared to the considerable amount of work in this field, the proposed method has an advantage of starting from feature-free models like stereolithography (STL) files and has adjustable resolution. Moreover, since it is built upon slicing the model, the method is embarrassingly parallelizable in nature, thus suitable for high-performance computing. Using the GVM obtained by this method, we generate an axis of rotation map to facilitate the setup planning for four-axis CNC milling machines as one implementation example.
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August 2017
Research-Article
Computing the Global Visibility Map Using Slice Geometry for Setup Planning
Guangyu Hou,
Guangyu Hou
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: houes@iastate.edu
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: houes@iastate.edu
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Matthew C. Frank
Matthew C. Frank
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: mfrank@iastate.edu
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: mfrank@iastate.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Guangyu Hou
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: houes@iastate.edu
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: houes@iastate.edu
Matthew C. Frank
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: mfrank@iastate.edu
System Engineering,
Iowa State University,
3023 Black Engineering,
Ames, IA 50011
e-mail: mfrank@iastate.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received August 11, 2016; final manuscript received March 21, 2017; published online May 8, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Xiaoping Qian.
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Aug 2017, 139(8): 081006 (11 pages)
Published Online: May 8, 2017
Article history
Received:
August 11, 2016
Revised:
March 21, 2017
Citation
Hou, G., and Frank, M. C. (May 8, 2017). "Computing the Global Visibility Map Using Slice Geometry for Setup Planning." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. August 2017; 139(8): 081006. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4036423
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