Non-productive time optimization for 5-axis EDM drilling using HVNTS algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a hybrid variable neighbourhood search/tabu search (HVNTS) method and a neighbourhood generation strategy called pairwise inter-reshuffle (PIR) for process planning of 5-axis electrical discharge machining (EDM) drilling processes, which aims to minimize the total non-productive time of the machining process, including tool travelling time, tool switching time and Z-axis compensation moving time. To obtain a mathematical model of the non-productive time, a kinematic transformation and a Chebyshev distance function are then utilized. To solve the mathematical model efficiently, an HVNTS algorithm is applied as the model has a large number of 0–1variables. To improve the solution quality, the PIR method and a dynamic neighbourhood strategy are applied simultaneously and verified. The obtained simulation results demonstrate that the proposed basic and the improved HVNTS have a significant contribution in optimizing the non-productive time of the 5-axis EDM drilling process effectively.

KEYWORDS:

• 5-axis EDM drilling
• non-productive time
• pairwise inter-reshuffle (PIR)
• hybrid variable neighbourhood search/tabu search (HVNTS)

Acknowledgments

This research is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51775341, 51675340), National Science and Technology Major Project of China (No. 2018ZX04005001), Shenzhen Basic Research Program (No. JCYJ20170811160440239).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 51775341, 51675340], National Science and Technology Major Project of China [grant number 2018ZX04005001], Shenzhen Basic Research Program [grant number JCYJ20170811160440239].