Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using data format conversion (e.g., of output(s) from generative design processes) and user interface techniques that facilitate the production of 3D models of physical structures that are readily usable with 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing, include: modifying smooth curves, which have been fit to contours representing discrete height layers of an object, to facilitate the 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing; preparing an editable model of the object using a parametric feature history, which includes a sketch feature, to combine extruded versions of the smooth curves to form a 3D model of the object in a boundary representation format; reshaping a subset of the smooth curves responsive to user input with respect to the sketch feature; and replaying the parametric feature history to reconstruct the 3D model of the object, as changed by the user input.

A tool path generation method for a bidirectional cutting edge tool, comprising: first obtaining a driving line and an auxiliary driving line of a contour, and discretizing the driving line to obtain tool position driving points; obtaining a tool axis vector according to a rule plane of the driving points and the auxiliary driving line; and then, calculating a tool position point according to geometric dimensions of the tool so as to obtain a tool path of a machining contour of the bidirectional cutting edge tool. The problems of fiber delamination and fluffing, burr generation, and the like of the contour of a machined part can be avoided, and the machining quality of a contour surface is improved, and the low-cost machining of parts can be efficiently achieved.

An automated computer-implemented method for generating commands for controlling a computer numerically controlled milling machine to fabricate a machined object from a workpiece, the machined object being configured to facilitate subsequent finishing into a finished object, the method including defining a surface of the finished object, defining an offset surface defining an inner limiting surface of the machined object, defining a scallop surface defining an outer limiting surface of the machined object and calculating a tool path for the milling machine which produces multiple step-up cuts in the workpiece resulting in the machined object, wherein surfaces of the machined object all lie between the inner limiting surface and the outer limiting surface and the number of step-up cuts in the workpiece and the areas cut in each of the step-up cuts are selected to generally minimize the amount of workpiece material that is removed from the workpiece.

An automated computer-implemented method for generating commands for controlling a computer numerically controlled machine to fabricate an object from a workpiece, the method including the steps of selecting a maximum permitted engagement angle between a rotating cutting tool and the workpiece, selecting a minimum permitted engagement angle between the rotating cutting tool and the workpiece, and configuring a tool path for the tool relative to the workpiece in which the engagement angle gradually varies between the maximum permitted engagement angle and the minimum permitted engagement angle.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using data format conversion (e.g., of output(s) from generative design processes) and user interface techniques that facilitate the production of 3D models of physical structures that are readily usable with 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing, include: modifying smooth curves, which have been fit to contours representing discrete height layers of an object, to facilitate the 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing; preparing an editable model of the object using a parametric feature history, which includes a sketch feature, to combine extruded versions of the smooth curves to form a 3D model of the object in a boundary representation format; reshaping a subset of the smooth curves responsive to user input with respect to the sketch feature; and replaying the parametric feature history to reconstruct the 3D model of the object, as changed by the user input.

An automated computer-implemented method for generating commands for controlling a computer numerically controlled milling machine to fabricate a machined object from a workpiece, the machined object being configured to facilitate subsequent finishing into a finished object, the method including defining a surface of the finished object, defining an offset surface defining an inner limiting surface of the machined object, defining a scallop surface defining an outer limiting surface of the machined object and calculating a tool path for the milling machine which produces multiple step-up cuts in the workpiece resulting in the machined object, wherein surfaces of the machined object all lie between the inner limiting surface and the outer limiting surface and the number of step-up cuts in the workpiece and the areas cut in each of the step-up cuts are selected to generally minimize the amount of workpiece material that is removed from the workpiece.

A tool path generation method for a bidirectional cutting edge tool, comprising: first obtaining a driving line and an auxiliary driving line of a contour, and discretizing the driving line to obtain tool position driving points; obtaining a tool axis vector according to a rule plane of the driving points and the auxiliary driving line; and then, calculating a tool position point according to geometric dimensions of the tool so as to obtain a tool path of a machining contour of the bidirectional cutting edge tool. The problems of fiber delamination and fluffing, burr generation, and the like of the contour of a machined part can be avoided, and the machining quality of a contour surface is improved, and the low-cost machining of parts can be efficiently achieved.

Systems and methods including an additive component; a subtractive component; and a processor configured to: receive a contact line associated with a support structure from the additive component; receive geometry associated with an orientation from the additive component; receive data associated with a tool from the subtractive component; generate a subtractive tool path based on the received contact line, the received data associated with the tool, and the received geometry; transmit the generated subtractive tool path to the analysis component for processing tool path validation; and validate, by the analysis component, the tool path based on output from a simulation component to determine whether removal of the support structure from a part is successfully computed by the subtractive component.

A method for inspecting defects of a machining path is provided. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, a contour mold with a plurality of surface nodes is generated according to a machining program code. Next, a normal vector of each surface node of the contour mold is calculated. Then, a tangent vector of a block of the machining program code corresponding to the normal vector is calculated. Afterwards, an error information is obtained according to a relation between the normal vector and the tangent vector. When the error information is greater than a predetermined value, a defect information is shown on the contour mold.

A method for inspecting defects of a machining path is provided. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, a contour mold with a plurality of surface nodes is generated according to a machining program code. Next, a normal vector of each surface node of the contour mold is calculated. Then, a tangent vector of a block of the machining program code corresponding to the normal vector is calculated. Afterwards, an error information is obtained according to a relation between the normal vector and the tangent vector. When the error information is greater than a predetermined value, a defect information is shown on the contour mold.