Milling Robots

Robotic milling uses an industrial robot equipped with a spindle or cutting tool to machine large, complex or difficult-to-access workpieces. Compared with conventional CNC machining, a robotic milling cell can provide a larger and more flexible working envelope, but its performance depends heavily on robot stiffness, calibration, tooling, cutting strategy and the design of the complete cell.

This category examines the technical and commercial factors that determine whether robotic machining is suitable for a production application. Topics include robotic milling accuracy, vibration control, roughing and finishing, CAM programming, post-processors, surface quality, cutting forces and the differences between industrial robots and dedicated CNC machine tools. The articles are intended for engineers, manufacturers and technical buyers evaluating robotic milling systems or improving cells already in operation.