Operation performance analysis of reciprocating cutter based on visual programming

Abstract: Cutting diagram is an important means of performance analysis of reciprocating cutter. The evaluation of working performance of reciprocating cutter principally depends on the size of 3 featured areas (repeated cutting area, area failing to cut and once cutting area), which can be observed from the cutting diagram. Drawing cutting diagram by the traditional manual tracing method has the disadvantages of low efficiency and imprecise result. Meanwhile the system of cutting diagram drawing and analyzing which is based on the MATLAB and other homemade programs cannot carry on the continuous analysis of parameter. Aiming at the inconvenience of the traditional methods, a cutting diagram analytic system was developed based on visualization platform. This paper took the standard ordinary I type reciprocating cutter as main research object, performed the kinematic analysis to cutting blade and obtained the moving-track curve of featured points. Method to calculate the 3 featured areas was deduced based on the kinematic analysis of the cutting blade. Moreover, 3 special situations which may happen during the calculation process were analyzed, and the respective solution for each situation was proposed. The software was developed based on VISUAL STUDIO 2008. The main interface of this system mainly consists of cutter parameter configuration zone, working property feature analyzing zone and cutting diagram drawing zone. After inputting the cutting parameter by user, system can draw corresponding cutting diagram and calculate the area of featured areas. The drawing of cutting diagram uses Picturebox control and GDI+ (graphics device interface plus) technology, and it can carry on the coordinate conversion to the actual dimension of cutting blade depending on the dimension of drawing zone. In order to adapt the calculation characteristics of computer, it uses the numerical analysis method in calculation process, including obtaining the coordinates of key points through the dichotomy solution to single-variable equation and calculating the area of featured areas by using the trapezoidal method to do definite integral calculation. The main content of working performance analysis is calculating the proportional relationship among the 3 featured areas under different working parameters, thus to find the best working parameters. Traditional method is to carry on comparative analysis by drawing many cutting diagrams, however, it has the shortages of hefty workload and imprecise result. This paper proposed a working performance analytical method depending on stepping calculation, which used the steeping method to automatically calculate and analyze the areas of 3 feature regions according to the cutter dimension parameters specified by users, and generated the corresponding curve graphs in set working parameter range. This provided the basis for users to analyze working properties of cutters and determine the best working parameters. The analysis of the standard ordinary I type reciprocating cutter showed that there was no area failing to cut when the rotator width was less than 44 mm, and no repeated cutting area when the rotator width was greater than 94 mm, moreover, when the rotator width equaled 61 mm, the area proportion of once cutting area reached the highest value which was 88%. Application result showed that the software had the advantages of convenient use, independence of the third platform and precise calculation result, which provided an efficient mean to optimize the operation of the reciprocating cutter.