Efficient algorithms for calculations of static form errors in peripheral milling

This paper aims at developing numerical algorithms to predict the form errors in peripheral milling of thin-walled workpieces using finite element method. Some crucial algorithms associated with the judgment of contacts between the cutter and the workpiece, iterative corrections of radial and axial cutting depths as well as the workpiece's rigidity without remeshing are developed and presented in detail. By means of numerical tests, it is shown that the proposed approach is efficient and flexible. 3D irregular volume elements such as tetrahedral elements, prismatic elements, hexahedral elements or a combination of them can be freely used to predict form errors of machining workpieces.