Abstract:Presented in the paper is a new approach to tool-path generation for sculptured surface machining. In the proposed C-space approach, the geometric data describing the design-surface, stock-surface and tool shape are transformed into C-space elements, and then, all the tool-path generation decisions are made in the configuration space (C-space). The C-space approach provides a number of distinctive features suitable for sculptured surface machining, including: I) gouge-free tool-paths; 2) uncut handling; 3) balanced cuttingload; 4) smooth cutter movement; 5) collision-free tool-path.