This paper presents a new paradigm for three-axis tool path generation based on an incomplete two-manifold mesh model; namely,
an inexact polyhedron. When geometric data is transferred from one system to another system and tessellated for tool path
generation, the model does not have any topological data between meshes and facets. In contrast to the existing polyhedral
machining approach, the proposed method generates tool paths from an incomplete two-manifold mesh model. In order to generate
gouge-free tool paths, cutter-location meshes (CL-meshes) are generated by offsetting boundary edges, boundary vertices, and
facets. The CL-meshes are sliced by machining planes and the calculated intersections are sorted, trimmed, and linked. The
grid method is used to reduce the computing time when range searching problems arise. The method is fully implemented and
verified by machining an incomplete two-manifold mesh model.
Keywords CL-mesh - Grid method - Incomplete
two-manifold mesh - Offset - Tool path generation