The paper deals with the generation of 6-axis control collision-free polishing command data for an industrial robot with 6 degrees of freedom. Workpieces with, for example, a side wall or an overhanging sculptured surface, are difficult to polish using straight-type rotational tools since the collision between the polishing tool and the workpiece cannot be avoided. Thus, an L-shaped rotational tool consisting of a tool axis and an arm axis has been devised, where the angle of the tool axis to the arm axis can be set arbitrarily. In generating the polishing path for the L-shaped rotational tool, the 6-axis control collision avoidance method is introduced, based on our CAD/CAM system. The collision-free polishing path generated is converted into robot control command data for actual polishing work. It is experimentally shown that the system is valid for polishing workpieces with complicated shape.

The structure of a manufacturing complex to produce parts with smooth sculptured surfaces is considered, and its prototype, consisting of a machining center and an industrial robot, is discussed with experimental results. The five-axis control machining center machines workpieces, and then grinds them on the basis of NC data avoiding collision between the tool and the workpiece. Polishing follows machining and grinding, to improve further the surface quality of the workpieces. The generation of NC data and control commands is supported by a CAD/CAM system using the solid modeling technique. The prototype of the manufacturing complex was found to be effective for obtaining complicated workpieces rapidly and accurately.>