DE10034973A1 - Universal machine; has at least three linear feed axles and one or more rotatable work piece supports for cuboid or rotationally symmetrical work pieces - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has at least three linear feed axles and one or more rotatable work piece supports (6) for cuboid or rotationally symmetrical work pieces (19). One or more rows of tool pockets (9) for tools (12) are arranged in one or more planes on the side facing the work piece support or on the work piece support itself or near the axis of the work piece support or at the feed slide of the work piece support. The tools are stored for rotating insertion and can be rotated or displaced. One or more working spindles (10) are pivotally arranged in the working space have holders for rotating tools in the area of a spindle neck (16) or for non-rotating fixed tools in the pivot support of the working spindles.

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to machine tools and robots with a rotatable Workpiece holder. On the side of the surface of the workpiece facing away from the workpieces A tool magazine is arranged on the workpiece carrier.

Background of the Invention

Portal robots, for example, the workpieces are known from the general prior art handle or introduce deburring tools. The constructive execution faster Machine tools are approaching the design of robots in portal construction in some areas on. An equally promising development for fast machine tools is the Realization of parallel kinematic solutions with articulated bars The design difference between robot and machine is often only due to the different stiffness the components are recognizable.

A self-loading transfer line is known from DE 197 36 801 A1. Complementary production lines without tool changes, however, they lose more and more due to their limited flexibility Importance. The concept described takes into account the users' desire for good accessible, highly flexible island solutions in no way. Also robots, Machining centers and lathes with overhead gantry axes for several years well known.

From DE 44 22 416 C1 a self-loading machining center is known in which the Workpiece clamping device is designed as a gripper. For automatic loading in one The workpiece clamping device does not have to have any special feature, however. she can be designed just like conventional machines with a pallet changer.

However, most cubic workpieces are not suitable for self-loading because the Outer contours are usually complex. The hydraulic tensioner with Subsequent clamping cycles are correspondingly complex, which increases the duration of the charging process. in the Compared to machines with pallet changers, the loading time for self-loading machines is downtime. On Manufacturing mix of workpieces with simple contours in the self-loading mode in the third shift machined and more complex workpieces that come from an inexpensive multiple memory can be processed automatically with different jigs with this one proposed solution not possible.

Furthermore, self-loading lathes are for example from DE 34 16 660 C2 and self-loading Machining centers known from DE 44 35 024 C2.

In addition, vertical machining centers have been remodeled in the past, by swapping the arrangement of the workpiece holder and work spindle. In this way only the self-loading effect known from lathes was achieved, but for the Complex systems were required to provide tools. It was the same Work piece provision unsatisfactorily solved.

The combination of turning and milling is also known, but the lathe is missing with additionally driven tools, apart from the missing third linear axis, the Performance, speed and flexibility of the machining center in the milling area. Drilling and Milling centers with individual tool changes and fast rotating table units are on the other hand unable to perform the short tool change times of a lathe during turning operations to realize the usual tool disc turret. The turning process also has an impact interrupted cut adversely affects the bearing of the work spindle if here Turning tools are changed and the work spindle does not rotate.

The complete three-dimensional machining and handling of rotating and stationary workpieces with rotating and stationary tools has so far only been satisfactorily solved in special machines.

The invention is therefore based on the task of designing a universal machine with which both standing and rotating tools can be used without compromise can.  

The tool change, including opening the tool cover and the workpiece change, are intended if possible only with the fast main axes of the machine, without additional auxiliary axes. The workpiece carriers are designed to be exchangeable for changing the workpiece. In addition, too the tool magazine can be exchangeable. Workpiece carriers and tool magazines for flexible manufacturing use should be arranged in a simple shared multiple storage and only be changed without the use of robots by the traversing movements of the machine become.

Alternatively, in a self-loading function, simple workpieces should be placed on the workpiece carrier mounted clamping elements can be gripped or stored on a conveyor belt.

The machine should be accessible from at least two sides and require little space exhibit.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention the object is achieved on the basis of the features of claim 1 and by further measures of the subclaims.

The universality is achieved by using both the tool and the workpiece with high Rotate speed and a solution for the quick and robust change from rotating and stationary tools and for changing workpieces.

The core of the invention is therefore the new arrangement of the tool magazines for standing and rotating tools and the extensive elimination of auxiliary axes or previously required Tool changer. Only for the higher-level storage of tool magazines and Workpiece carriers require a memory with their own axis of rotation.

The shorter the path of the machining tool from the machining position on the workpiece to Space in the tool magazine, the shorter the tool change time, with the pickup Tool change. For this reason there is a tool magazine on the feed slide of the Workpiece carrier or on the axis of rotation of the workpiece carrier or directly on the workpiece carrier arranged. The axis of rotation of the workpiece carrier can be arranged horizontally or vertically, the workpiece carriers preferably point downward to optimize the chip fall to allow hanging processing.

The tools are preferably stored in a horizontal position, with the cones after outside facing the work spindle. Both disc magazines and shelf magazines can be used. Also the mixture of both variants for storing standard tools and special tools is provided.

The feed axis of the workpiece carrier must be extended compared to conventional machines to the tool locations outside the collision area of the workpieces at the rear to be able to arrange the workpiece carrier on the feed slide.

The new arrangement of the tool magazines can also help build a universal machine existing conventional vertical machining centers can be selected. The For this purpose, the workpiece axis of rotation is mounted in the former spindle housing and the work spindle on the other hand attached to the work table. The tool magazine must also be used here outside the collision area of the workpieces on the side of the workpiece facing away from the Workpiece carrier to be arranged on the feed slide. For this reason, there is an additional one Auxiliary axis which is arranged on the feed slide and the tool magazine in the area of Working spindle positioned necessary.

However, this solution only makes sense when retrofitting existing machines, as one Extension of the feed carriage can be realized more cost-effectively than an additional one Auxiliary axis. In addition, each additional mechanical element creates additional ones Disorders. The extension of the feed carriage, however, does not adversely affect the Machine rigidity during machining, since the extended position is only for Tool change is achieved.

In this way, a path-dependent positive control of the cover of the Tool magazine possible because the position of the tool magazine never during machining  is reached and only extended for tool change. The opening of magazine doors on machining centers is not without problems because they are very fast and robust and, above all, safe must be done. Forced control is the safest and fastest solution, since none Position queries are necessary. With a conventional arrangement of the tool magazine, this is However, the solution can only be implemented with complex means.

All linear feed movements are preferably carried out by the workpiece carrier. To the The workpiece carrier with its feed slide and the tool change in pickup mode Tool magazine guided to the work spindle. When using a disk magazine the tool change by turning the workpiece rotation axis and the disc magazine is rotated so that all tools in the magazine of the spindle are accessible.

When using a shelf magazine, the rotating movement of the magazine can be used Tool changes are omitted, but there are additional linear positioning movements required.

However, with both variants there is basically no additional auxiliary axis for changing tools required.

To increase the storage capacity, several disks can be arranged one above the other.

With highly flexible use of the machine, the workpiece carrier is included with every workpiece change the tool disc magazine flanged on the back of a pallet changer or fed to a multiple memory and replaced. If the tool magazine in the form of a shelf is carried out and can be exchanged on the feed slide of the workpiece carrier with a coupling is arranged, then is in highly flexible use after changing the workpiece carrier additional change of the shelf magazine required. The parent storage of Workpiece carriers and tool magazines can also be combined in this version Multiple memories are provided, provided the same coupling for workpiece carriers and tool magazines is used.

The magazines together with the associated workpiece carrier can be placed outside the machine be converted. For this purpose, they are manually removed from the storage pockets, for example.

When using the machine in a highly productive manner, the tool magazine is not shared the workpiece carrier changed.

Workpieces with complex workpiece contours are continuously changed Workpiece carriers from the higher-level multiple storage. For unmanned processing then no more tool magazines in the higher-level multiple storage but only several identical workpiece carriers.

Workpieces with simpler contours are in a self-loading function on a feed belt, such as known in lathes, changed.

To reduce the required tool space and increase productivity, the Working area Multi-spindle drilling heads or special stations in the travel area of the workpiece carrier be arranged.

The speed of the workpiece axis of rotation is increased for turning operations. When using a Disc magazine, the magazine must first be decoupled from the workpiece axis of rotation. The Turning tools are preferably on the circumference of the work spindle, in the area of the spindle neck arranged in a ring. The working spindle for rotating tools can preferably be moved around Swivel at least 90 ° from the horizontal position to the vertical position. Are in a vertical position all turning tools in the area of the spindle neck of the work spindle by appropriate Positioning of the three linear feed axes of the workpiece carrier for turning reachable. The turning tools can be arranged on a common ring and are exchanged together.

If turning tools are arranged on the swivel bracket of the work spindle, then you can these can be arranged on a common bar, for example, and exchanged together become.  

Brief description of the drawings

The advantages and other features of the invention mentioned will become apparent from the following Description of the preferred embodiment explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side view of the universal machine in portal design with the workpiece holder pointing downwards

Fig. 2 is a view of the universal machine in portal design from the front, with the workpiece holder pointing downwards

Fig. 3 is a side view of a disc magazine with vertically arranged tools

Fig. 4 is a side view of a shelf magazine, which is mounted on the vertical feed carriage, slidably and interchangeably

Fig. 5 is a side view of a disk magazine with an additional drive for the rotary movement

Fig. 6 is a top view of a two-row linear magazine, which is mounted on the axis of rotation of the workpiece carrier

Fig. 7 is a top view of the disc magazine with horizontally arranged tools, which is shown in Fig. 1 in a side view

Fig. 8 is a view of a tool disc turret with a motor spindle for automatic tool change and several receptacles for stationary tools

Fig. 9 is a side view of the tool disc turret

Fig. 10 is a side view of a universal machine with facing upwards workpiece carrier

Fig. 11 is a side view of a universal machine with downward-pointing workpiece carrier in traveling column construction

Fig. 12 is a front view of the universal machine in portal design with positive control of the tool cover

Fig. 13 is a side view of a workpiece carrier with a single clutch

Fig. 14 is a view from, of a tool magazine in shelf design with a single clutch

Fig. 15 is a bottom view of a tool magazine in the shelf version

Fig. 16 is a top view of a multiple storage for workpiece carriers and tool magazines in shelf design

Detailed description

Preferably, two overhead linear guides 2 are provided on the U-shaped machine bed 1 . A portal carriage 3 is moved in the longitudinal direction on these guides. The cross slide 21 , on which in turn the vertical slide 4 is guided, is movably arranged on the portal slide 3 . The vertical axis of rotation 5 of the workpiece carrier 6 is attached to the lower end of the vertical slide 4 . The workpiece carrier 6 with the clamping elements 7 for workpieces 19 is flanged hanging on the axis of rotation 5 . The tool magazine preferably consists of a disk-shaped base body 8 which is mounted on the back of the workpiece carrier 6 . The disk-shaped base body 8 protects the stored tools 12 from the work area against chips. The tool pockets 9 are preferably placed at right angles on the disk body and are designed as pre-tensioned flexible plastic pliers without any other movable elements. The tools 12 are held in their gripper groove in a form-fitting manner in a horizontal position in the tool pockets 9 . By rotating the workpiece carrier 6 , the disk-shaped base body 8 of the tool magazine is also rotated and the tool pockets 9 distributed around the circumference are repositioned.

In the central area of the machine interior, at least one work spindle 10 is preferably arranged to be pivotable about a horizontal axis of rotation 11 . To change tools rotating tools 12 , the work spindle 10 is preferably pivoted into the horizontal position. The tool change then takes place in that the workpiece carrier 6 , with the flanged-on tool magazine, is positioned in the region of the work spindle 10 through the three linear axes of the machine mentioned. The ring-shaped cover 13 of the tool magazine lying above it is pulled upwards. This is done by the cover, which is fastened to two rods which are guided on the vertical slide, running against end stops 35 on the cross slide. The magazine is then pushed with a free tool pocket 9 from below into the standardized gripper groove of the current spindle tool 14 , by positioning the linear axes of the machine accordingly. The tool clamping system of the work spindle 10 opens, the tool magazine is retracted in the horizontal direction and the axis of rotation 5 of the workpiece carrier 6 with the flanged magazine is rotated. After the subsequent tool 12 has been positioned, it is introduced into the work spindle 10 by moving the three linear feed axes. Then the cover 13 of the tools 12 closes again in that the vertical slide 4 moves back from the tool change position back into the working position and the inside of the cover 13 rests on holders 37 of the feed slide by the action of gravity.

To carry out a turning operation, the disk magazine is uncoupled from the rotary movement of the workpiece carrier 6 by means of a suitable coupling and stopped. The workpiece carrier 6 then rotates at a higher speed. Standing tools 15 are arranged on the circumference of the spindle neck 16 . When the work spindle 10 is in a vertical position, the rotating workpiece 19 can be used to approach all tool positions around the spindle neck 16 , the tool change resulting from a corresponding positioning of the three linear axes of the workpiece carrier 6 .

If standing tools 15 are arranged directly next to one another on the swivel carrier 39 of the work spindle 10 , then the number of tools for standing tools can be reduced with this solution, since a tool can be used both for longitudinal turning and for face turning. Between the two different machining operations, the swivel bracket must be swiveled another 90 °.

Another embodiment of the disk magazine is shown in FIG. 3. The tools 12 are arranged in a vertical position parallel to the vertical feed axis of the workpiece carrier 6 . For the tool change, the work spindle 10 is also in a vertical, upward-pointing position.

In FIG. 4, a magazine is shown with a plurality of superposed rows of tools 12th The tool magazine is mounted directly on the vertical slide 4 on the side facing the work spindle 10 . No rotary movement of the magazine is required to change the tool. In order to reach the different rows one above the other, the feed axis of the vertical slide 4 must be extended accordingly. In order to avoid an additional extension of the vertical feed axis, the shelf magazine 41 can also be arranged displaceably on the feed slide 4 and, for example, be moved downwards with a pneumatic cylinder for tool change.

In the lowest tool changing position, the shelf magazine 41 can be uncoupled via suitable couplings 40 and stored, for example, in the area of the pallet changer 16 or in a higher-level multiple storage as shown in FIG. 16. In this case, the multiple store is arranged in place of the pallet changer. For example, a large steep taper SK 60 can be provided as coupling 40 , both for workpiece carriers 6 and for shelf magazines 41 .

The multiple store is designed as a disk 42 or chain and has a vertical axis of rotation. The workpiece carriers 6 and tool magazines are stored in the multiple memory with the coupling 40 pointing upwards. Because of the vertical arrangement of the axis of rotation, the storage pockets for workpiece carriers 6 and shelf magazines 41 can be designed without locking. Simple, form-fitting, pre-stressed plastic pockets 43 of the appropriate size are sufficient. When using disk-shaped tool magazines, which are screwed onto the back of the workpiece carrier 6 , no additional separate space in the multiple storage for the disk magazine is required. It is simply put down together with the workpiece carrier 6 . The disk magazine shown in FIG. 5 has an additional horizontal axis of rotation 25 which is mounted on the vertical slide 4 . A rotary movement of the magazine is required to change the tool.

Fig. 6 shows a tool magazine having two opposite rows of tools 12th To change the tool, the magazine only has to be rotated once when all tools 12 have been changed from one row of tools into the work spindle 10 during a program run and then access to the second row is necessary.

The tool holders for stationary tools 15 can also be arranged in a circle around the center of the pivot axis 11 of the work spindle 10 , as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this case, the work spindle 10 is a combination of a tool disk turret for stationary tools 12 and an angle milling head for automatic tool change, the work spindle, however, being designed as a motor spindle and not having to be driven with the motor of the pivot axis 11 via an angular gear. By rotating the work spindle 10 about the pivot axis 11 , stationary machining tools 15 or gripping tools 23 , which are arranged on the work spindle 10 , can also be used, for example, for a turning operation or a honing operation or a handling task.

To reduce the required tool storage space in the tool magazine and to increase productivity and flexibility, special units can be provided in the work area, such as multi-spindle heads 20 , stationary holders for broaching tools or stations with grinding spindles.

To change the workpiece, the workpiece carrier 6 is positioned in the area of a pallet changer 16 with a horizontal axis of rotation 17 . The workpiece carrier 6 is hydraulically coupled to the changer arm 24 using suitable machine elements, for example, the workpiece carrier 6 is then decoupled from the axis of rotation 5 on the vertical slide 4 and replaced by a 180 ° rotation of the pallet changer 16 . This solution is suitable for heavy and large workpiece carriers.

Alternatively, the workpieces 19 can also be stored directly on a storage location 18 or a roller conveyor without changing the workpiece carrier 6 by opening the clamping elements 7 which hold the workpiece 19 on the workpiece carrier 6 . For this purpose, the clamping elements 7 do not have to be designed as special grippers; all that is required is a holder, known in automated workpiece transport systems, for placing the workpieces on a suitable conveyor belt.

Depending on the required changeover frequency, the tool magazine is attached either to the axis of rotation 5 of the workpiece carrier 6 or directly to the rear of the workpiece carrier 6 . With direct mounting on the workpiece holder 6 of the workpiece holder 6, is also changed the associated tool magazine for each change which is useful for example in single unit production. Combinations of both variants are also possible, as shown in FIG. 2, in that the lower magazine is attached to the workpiece carrier and the upper, smaller magazine 34 for standard tools 33 is not interchangeably arranged on the vertical slide.

With limited flexibility, the implementation of the invention is also possible with a conventional machine bed 28 , as shown in FIG. 10. The transverse movement is carried out by a traveling column 27 and the longitudinal movement by the workpiece carriage 26 on which the workpiece carrier 6 is directed upwards. If the work spindle 10 is not provided to be pivotable, the stationary tools 15 for turning operations must be arranged in an annular rotatable receptacle on the circumference of the spindle neck 16 .

The functions of a universal machine also result from the conversion of vertical machining centers, as shown in FIG. 11 by swapping the position of workpiece carrier 6 and work spindle 10 and supplementing them with the magazines described. Since the vertical axis is relatively short in this construction, the tool disc 38 must be designed so that the tool pockets 9 are directed downward and the cover of the magazine is pulled apart laterally. However, this opening movement can also be positively controlled via the feed movement of the vertical slide 4 , since the position of the tools lies on the back of the workpiece carrier 6 and is not reached during workpiece machining. In the case of converted vertical machining centers, the shelf variant shown in FIG. 4 can also be useful, since a subsequent extension of the feed axis of the workpiece carrier 6 would be too complex.

Articulated arm robots or machines with parallel kinematics can also become universal devices be removed by placing a magazine for rotating tools on the back of the rotating Workpiece carrier is arranged and a magazine for stationary tools on a rotating Working spindle is provided in the area of the spindle neck.

Claims (4)

1. Universal machine with at least three linear feed axes and one or more, movable and rotatable workpiece carriers 6 for cubic or rotationally symmetrical workpieces 19, characterized in that on the side facing away from the workpieces 19 of the surface of the workpiece carrier 6 , directly on the workpiece carrier 6 or on the circumference of the The axis of rotation of the workpiece carrier 6 or on the feed slide of the workpiece carrier 6 , in one or more planes, one or more rows of tool pockets 9 for storing tools 12 for rotating use are arranged in a fixed or changeable manner, and can be rotated or displaced, and one or more work spindles 10 pivotably arranged in the work space for rotating tools 12 in the area of the spindle neck 16 or on the swivel bracket 39 of the work spindles 10 have receptacles for non-rotating, standing tools 15 . 2. Universal machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover 13 of the stored tools 12 for rotating use is arranged parallel to the feed axis of the workpiece carrier 6 and by moving the feed carriage 4 of the workpiece carrier 6 in the tool change position, the cover 13 with end stops 35 on the cross slide 21 opens and opens. 3. Universal machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a work spindle 10 for rotating tools 12 and pickup change, together with receptacles for stationary tools 15 is arranged in a common base body, the pivoting of the work spindle 10 from the horizontal position to the vertical position is realized by rotating the base body. 4. Universal machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the workpiece holder 6 and the tool magazines are fixedly connected in common and are replaceable or via the same clutch 40 are equipped and a common multiple memory 42 for workpiece carriers 6 and tool magazines in the traversing of the slide 4 of the workpiece carrier 6 is arranged.