Removal of Material (Milling process simulation)

[Szymon Gajos]

I am having some trouble with making a simulation of milling process. I'm currently trying to show a process of face milling using vpython and as for now I can only show a simple generated path of a cutter. 

Ive been wondering weather is there a bool operation implemented to show the "removal" of the piece. Thank you for all answers. 

Heres the code with translated variable names:

from vpython import *

scene.width = 800

scene.height = 600

scene.background = color.white

end_flag = True

set_flag = False

program_running = True  # Initially set to True to run the program

# Workpiece parameters

workpiece_length = 10

workpiece_width = 6

workpiece_height = 1.5

target_depth = 0.8  # Target milling depth

workpiece = box(pos=vector(0, workpiece_height/2, 0), size=vector(workpiece_length, workpiece_height, workpiece_width), color=color.gray(0.6), opacity=.5)

# Cutter parameters

cutter_diameter = 2

cutter_height = 2

cutter = cylinder(pos=vector(-workpiece_length/2, workpiece_height + cutter_height, -workpiece_width/2), axis=vector(0, -1, 0), radius=cutter_diameter/2, color=color.blue, length=cutter_height)

# Milling path parameters

milling_speed = 0.1

step_move = cutter_diameter / 2  # Move step along the Z-axis by half the cutter diameter

depth_step = 0.4  # Depth of cut per pass

clearance_point = workpiece_height + 0.1

# Creating milling path trail

milling_trail = curve(color=color.red, radius=0.05)

# Milling process simulation

current_depth = workpiece_height - depth_step

cutter.pos.y = current_depth + cutter_height

while end_flag:

    move_x = True  # Flag for moving the cutter left and right

    cutter.pos.x = -workpiece_length / 2  # Move back to the left side

    cutter.pos.z = -workpiece_width / 2  # Move back to the start of the Z-axis

    milling_trail.append(pos=vector(cutter.pos.x, clearance_point, cutter.pos.z))

    # Single pass from side to side

    while cutter.pos.z <= workpiece_width / 2:

        rate(100)

        # Move cutter along the X-axis

        if move_x:

            cutter.pos.x += milling_speed

            if cutter.pos.x >= workpiece_length / 2:  # End at the right side

                cutter.pos.x -= milling_speed

                move_x = False

                if cutter.pos.z + step_move > workpiece_width / 2:

                    cutter.pos.z += 0.05

                else:

                    cutter.pos.z += step_move

        else:

            cutter.pos.x -= milling_speed

            if cutter.pos.x <= -workpiece_length / 2:  # End at the left side

                cutter.pos.x += milling_speed

                move_x = True

                if cutter.pos.z + step_move > workpiece_width / 2:

                    cutter.pos.z += 0.05

                else:

                    cutter.pos.z += step_move

        # Add point to milling path at the cutter's center

        milling_trail.append(pos=vector(cutter.pos.x, cutter.pos.y - cutter_height, cutter.pos.z))

    # Increase depth after a full pass

    milling_trail.append(pos=vector(cutter.pos.x, clearance_point, cutter.pos.z))

    if set_flag:

        end_flag = False

    if current_depth - depth_step < target_depth:

        cutter.pos.y = target_depth + cutter_height

        current_depth = target_depth

        set_flag = True

    else:

        cutter.pos.y -= depth_step

        current_depth -= depth_step

       

    print("current", current_depth, ", target", target_depth)

# Function to close the program

def close_program():

    global program_running

    program_running = False

    print("Program closed.")

# Adding a button to close the program

button(text="Close", pos=scene.title_anchor, bind=close_program)

# Keep the program running until the button is clicked

while program_running:

    rate(10)

[Bruce Sherwood]

Not sure what the issue is. Is it that you want to erase the red curve or portions of the red curve? Here are the details on how to modify a curve:

https://www.glowscript.org/docs/VPythonDocs/curve.html

Bruce

[Szymon Gajos]

Sorry, I wanted to know weather theres an function that can detect the "contact" of generated figures and "substract" one from the another. I know of the extrusion, but I don't think it would be able to show material loss in the piece generated properly.

[Bruce Sherwood]

No, VPython does not offer the ability to subtract part of an object (except for deleting or making invisible a triangle or quad, or a piece of a curve). Detection of an overlap is of course possible given the knowledge of the attributes of the two objects.

Bruce