Optimization of cutting conditions during continuous finished profile machining using non-traditional techniques

Optimum machining parameters are of great concern in manufacturing environments, where economy of machining operation plays a key role in competitiveness in the market. Many researchers have dealt with the optimization of machining parameters for turning operations with constant diameters only. All Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines produce the finished components from the bar stock. Finished profiles consist of straight turning, facing, taper and circular machining.This research work concentrates on optimizing the machining parameters for turning cylindrical stocks into continuous finished profiles. The machining parameters in multi-pass turning are depth of cut, cutting speed and feed. The machining performance is measured by the production cost.In this paper the optimal machining parameters for continuous profile machining are determined with respect to the minimum production cost subject to a set of practical constraints. The constraints considered in this problem are cutting force, power constraint, tool tip temperature, etc. Due to high complexity of this machining optimization problem, six non-traditional algorithms, the genetic algorithm (GA), simulated annealing algorithm (SA), Tabu search algorithm (TS), memetic algorithm (MA), ants colony algorithm (ACO) and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) have been employed to resolve this problem. The results obtained from GA, SA,TS, ACO, MA and PSO are compared for various profiles. Also, a comprehensive user-friendly software package has been developed to input the profile interactively and to obtain the optimal parameters using all six algorithms. New evolutionary PSO is explained with an illustration .