A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR MILLING PARAMETER. OPTIMIZATION

Abstract

In a machining processes, the optimum selection of important machining parameters such as feed rate, cutting speed, depth of cut play significant role in planning of successful and efficient machining operations. The present work is aimed towards developing an efficient methodology for the determination of best combination of these machining parameters, which would minimize the production cost at a desired quality. To achieve this, a model is developed comprising of production cost as an objective function and constraints. It is a posynomial constraints type problem. I The problem has been addressed in two stages. In the first stage, number of passes and corresponding depth of cut for each pass is calculated by a method called volume sectioning method and the second stage uses a method called circular direction search method for the optimization of cutting speed and feed. The speed-feed combination for the given depth of cut that leads to the minimum value of objective function in the case of multi-pass operation is selected. The model yields the optimum values of the number of passes,.depth of cut per pass, feed and cutting speed values for milling operations. The methodology proposed herein has been applied to a number of cases. Ill