Modeling of flatness errors in end milling of thin-walled components

Machined components deviate in size, form, and orientation in comparison to actual features realized by the designer. The deviations originate from several process-related factors and can be specified as per the Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing standards (ASME Y14.5-2009 or ISO 1101:2017). According to these standards, the deviation of planar or flat components is expressed in the form of flatness error. This article presents an overall framework to estimate static deflection–induced flatness errors during end milling of thin-walled planar components. The framework incorporates the Mechanistic force model, finite element analysis–based workpiece deflection model, and particle swarm optimization–based algorithm to estimate flatness-related parameters. The individual elements of the proposed framework are implemented in the form of computational tools, and a set of experiments are conducted on thin-walled parts. It has been observed that the static deflections of the thin-walled component have considerable influence on flatness error, and the same can be captured effectively using the proposed framework. The study also investigates the effect of inevitable aspects of the thin-walled machining, such as workpiece rigidity and thinning on the flatness error. The findings of the present study aid process planners in devising appropriate machining strategies to manufacture thin-walled components within tolerances specified by the designer.