EP2260975B1 - Surface grinding machine and method for processing workpieces with surface grinding - Google Patents

Abstract

The surface grinding machine (10) has a grinding tool and a movably driven workpiece holder (16) for holding a workpiece (20). A receiving area (26) has a handling device (38) for controlling the movement of a machined workpiece. The handling device is carried in a receiving position and in a transporting position. An independent claim is also included for a method for surface grinding workpiece processing.

Description

The present invention relates to a surface grinding machine, comprising at least one grinding tool and a movably drivable workpiece holder for holding at least one workpiece, wherein at least a portion of the workpiece holder from a loading area, in which the workpiece holder can be equipped with at least one workpiece, over a processing area, in which at least a workpiece held on the workpiece holder is in engagement with the grinding tool, is movable into a removal area for removing a machined workpiece.

Such surface grinding machines are from the US 5,121,572 and from the US 1,436,309 known.

In order to achieve the highest possible removal of material within the scope of a surface-grinding machining of workpieces, it is known to use a workpiece holder for holding a workpiece, which is inserted in a pendulum fashion into and out of a processing region. For this purpose, the workpiece holder is equipped in a placement area of the surface grinding machine with at least one workpiece and the workpiece holder is supplied together with the workpiece a processing area. The processing area has two opposite ends. The workpiece is fed to the processing area from a first end and led out of the processing area after passing through the processing area at its second end. Subsequently, the direction of movement of the workpiece holder is reversed, so that the workpiece from the second end of the processing area ago introduced into this and out at the first end out of the processing area.

The method described above is also referred to as "pendulum grinding". In this method, it is disadvantageous that the maximum number of workpieces which can be simultaneously held on the workpiece holder is limited, since the workpieces pass through the processing region as described above.

Proceeding from this, the present invention has the object to provide a surface grinding machine, which allows for the lowest possible non-productive times a highly accurate surface grinding of workpieces.

This object is achieved by a surface grinding machine having the features of patent claim 1.

The surface grinding machine according to the invention makes it possible to equip the workpiece holder with an increased number of workpieces compared to the pendulum grinding. This is because the moving direction of the workpiece holder is not reversed but maintained, so that a workpiece can be supplied from the loading area to the removal area via the machining area and, if necessary, remain on the workpiece holder and returned to the processing area through the placement area.

The maintenance of the direction of movement of the workpiece holder makes it possible to drive this constant, so that a time-consuming reversal of the direction of movement with appropriate acceleration and deceleration processes is not required.

The surface grinding machine according to the invention makes it possible to guide workpieces through the processing area several times, whereby a so-called "Ausfeuern" or "sparking" of workpieces can be realized, the workpiece remains on the workpiece holder and does not need to be re-clamped.

Because there is no reversal of the direction of movement when the workpiece passes through the processing zone multiple times, it is possible to adjust the angle of the grinding wheel so that a wedge-shaped grinding gap is created. An unprocessed or already machined workpiece can be introduced into the grinding gap in such a way that the grinding gap decreases in the direction of movement of the workpiece. Such a wedge-shaped grinding gap is not realized in pendulum grinding.

The arranged in the removal area handling device is optionally convertible into two positions. In a removal position, a removal of an at least once machined workpiece from the workpiece holder takes place. In a transport position, the workpiece, which has been machined at least once, remains on the workpiece holder and, while maintaining the direction of movement of the workpiece holder, is transported out of the removal area into the processing area via the placement area, where the workpiece can be processed at least once more.

The surface grinding machine comprises a measuring device for measuring the geometry of the machined workpiece. This is in particular a thickness measuring device. The thickness measuring device makes it possible to compare an actual geometry of the workpiece obtained after a machining operation with a predefinable desired geometry in order to be able to decide whether the workpiece is to be fed again to the machining area.

Preferably, the measuring device is arranged between the processing area and the handling device, so that a workpiece having a desired geometry can be removed from the workpiece holder immediately after passing through the measuring device by means of the handling device.

Furthermore, a control device for controlling the handling device is provided as a function of the result of a measurement of the geometry of the machined workpiece. This allows automated processing of a workpiece, in particular a multiple machining.

Advantageously, the removal of a machined workpiece is gravity-assisted, so that it is possible to dispense with a drive, which is possible in principle, for moving the workpiece relative to the workpiece holder.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the handling direction has a guide surface for guiding a workpiece whose position and / or position is adjustable. This makes it possible to influence a movement path of the workpiece such that, depending on the position and / or position of the guide surface, the workpiece remains on the workpiece holder or is removed therefrom.

Advantageously, the guide surface is formed as a bearing surface, whereby a particularly gentle guidance of a machined workpiece is made possible.

If an inclination of the guide surface is variable, a workpiece in a particularly simple manner from a plane of movement of the workpiece holder in a second plane of movement, preferably in a lower plane of movement, be transferred to remove the workpiece in this way from the workpiece holder.

For certain grinding processes and / or workpiece geometries, it may also be advantageous if the workpieces are transferred to a higher level. Such a transfer can in particular be effected by means of a handling device in the form of a gripping system, which grips the workpiece and conveys it from the plane of movement of the workpiece holder to a higher level. The gripping system is, for example, a mechanical, magnetic or pneumatic system. The gripping system may be stationarily positioned in the removal area or movable, in particular along a straight or a circular trajectory.

When the workpiece holder is driven in rotation, it is particularly easy to transport a workpiece from the placement area over the processing area into the removal area along a circular movement path and to feed the workpiece at least once from the removal area along a circular workpiece path over the placement area to the processing area.

It is particularly preferred if the workpiece holder has a plurality of workpiece holders, so that a plurality of workpieces can be held on the workpiece holder. By dispensing with a reversal of the direction of movement of the workpiece holder, it is possible to process a plurality of workpieces in batches, so to equip a workpiece holder with multiple workpieces and to drive the workpiece holder until all workpieces have reached a desired geometry. But it is also possible by removing a finished workpiece with desired geometry vacant workpiece holders already with unprocessed workpieces to be equipped when not finished machined workpieces are held on the workpiece holder.

The surface grinding machine is preferably a double-surface grinding machine which has two grinding wheels lying opposite one another. The distance between the two grinding wheels defines a grinding gap in which workpieces can be machined on opposite workpiece surfaces.

The invention further relates to a method for surface grinding workpiece machining, wherein at least a portion of a workpiece holder from a loading area, in which the workpiece holder is equipped with at least one workpiece, over a processing area in which the workpiece held on the workpiece holder in engagement with at least one grinding tool is moved into a removal area for removing the machined workpiece is moved.

The present invention is based on the further object of providing a method for surface-grinding workpiece machining, which permits highly precise surface grinding of workpieces with as few auxiliary times as possible.

This object is achieved in a method mentioned above according to the invention in that in the removal region, the movement of the machined workpiece is controlled such that it is selectively removed from the workpiece holder or held on the workpiece holder and fed again to the processing area while maintaining a direction of movement of the workpiece holder becomes.

Advantages and embodiments of the method according to the invention have already been explained above in connection with the advantages and refinements of the surface grinding machine according to the invention.

Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawings of preferred embodiments.

Figur 1

eine Draufsicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer Planschleifmaschine mit einer Messeinrichtung und mit einer Handhabungseinrichtung, welche in einer Transportstellung dargestellt ist;

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Handhabungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 1 längs einer in Figur 1 mit II-II bezeichneten Schnittebene;

Figur 3

eine Draufsicht der Planschleifmaschine gemäß Figur 1, wobei die Handhabungseinrichtung in einer Entnahmestellung dargestellt ist;

Figur 4

eine Seitenansicht der Handhabungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 3 längs einer in Figur 3 mit IV-IV bezeichneten Schnittebene;

Figur 5

eine geschnittene Seitenansicht der Messeinrichtung;

Figur 6

eine Draufsicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer Planschleifmaschine mit einer Handhabungseinrichtung, welche in einer Transportstellung dargestellt ist;

Figur 7

eine Seitenansicht der Handhabungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 6 längs einer in Figur 6 mit VII-VII bezeichneten Schnittebene;

Figur 8

eine Draufsicht der Planschleifmaschine gemäß Figur 6, wobei die Handhabungseinrichtung in einer Entnahmestellung dargestellt ist;

Figur 9

eine Seitenansicht der Handhabungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 8 längs einer in Figur 8 mit IX-IX bezeichneten Schnittebene;

In the drawings show:

FIG. 1

a plan view of a first embodiment of a surface grinding machine with a measuring device and with a handling device, which is shown in a transport position;

FIG. 2

a side view of the handling device according to FIG. 1 along a in FIG. 1 sectional plane designated II-II;

FIG. 3

a plan view of the surface grinding machine according to FIG. 1 wherein the handling device is shown in a removal position;

FIG. 4

a side view of the handling device according to FIG. 3 along a in FIG. 3 sectional plane designated IV-IV;

FIG. 5

a sectional side view of the measuring device;

FIG. 6

a plan view of another embodiment of a surface grinding machine with a Handling device, which is shown in a transport position;

FIG. 7

a side view of the handling device according to FIG. 6 along a in FIG. 6 sectional plane designated VII-VII;

FIG. 8

a plan view of the surface grinding machine according to FIG. 6 wherein the handling device is shown in a removal position;

FIG. 9

a side view of the handling device according to FIG. 8 along a in FIG. 8 sectional plane designated IX-IX;

An embodiment of an in FIG. 1 Plane grinding machine designated overall by the reference numeral 10 is designed as a double-surface grinding machine and comprises two grinding wheels, of which in FIG. 1 an upper grinding wheel 12 is shown. The upper grinding wheel 12 and the lower grinding wheel are each rotatably driven about a grinding wheel axis 14.

The surface grinding machine 10 further comprises a disc-shaped workpiece holder 16 which is rotatably driven about a workpiece holder axis 17. The workpiece holder axis 17 and the grinding wheel axis 14 are mutually parallel or inclined by a few degrees, for example up to a maximum of 5 °, relative to each other.

The workpiece holder 16 comprises a plurality of workpiece holders 18, which are preferably spaced apart identically in the radial direction relative to the workpiece holder axis 17 and are also preferably identically spaced relative to each other in the circumferential direction.

Preferably, the workpiece holder 16 has at least two workpiece holders 18. In particular, the workpiece holder on a matched to the geometry of the workpieces to be machined, the highest possible number of workpiece holders 18, for example, ten workpiece holders 18 or more. A workpiece holder 18 may be formed for example by a hole-shaped material recess of the workpiece holder 16, which serves to receive a workpiece 20.

The surface grinding machine 10 has a loading area 22, in which unprocessed workpieces 20 can be inserted into a workpiece holder 18. The insertion can be done by hand or by means of a known in principle and therefore not shown loading device, which in particular has a magazine for storing unprocessed workpieces.

The surface grinding machine 10 further includes a processing area 24 in which workpieces 20 held on the workpiece holder 16 are in face-grinding engagement with the upper grinding tool 12 and with the lower grinding tool.

Furthermore, the surface grinding machine 10 comprises a removal region 26, in which workpieces 20 can be removed from the workpiece holders 18.

In the processing area 24, the upper grinding tool 12 and the lower grinding tool are spaced apart from each other, so that a grinding gap is formed, in which workpieces 20 are received and supported in relation to the direction of gravity down and up. Outside the processing area 24 are the Workpieces 20 supported in the loading area 22 by means of a workpiece support 28 downwards. In the removal region 26, the workpieces are supported at the bottom by means of a workpiece support 30.

The surface grinding machine 10 comprises a measuring device 32, which is arranged in the removal region 26. With the aid of the measuring device 32, a parallel to the extension direction of the grinding gap applied thickness of a workpiece 20 is measured. For this purpose, the measuring device 32 comprises two measuring pins 34 and 36, which can be brought to this on opposite sides of a workpiece 20 and whose distance relative to each other corresponds to the thickness of the workpiece 20 to be measured.

The surface grinding machine 10 further comprises a handling device 38, which is arranged in the removal region 26. The handling device 38 has a guide element 40 with a guide surface 42 for guiding a workpiece 20. The guide element 40 is movable by means of a drive device 44, so that the guide element 40 can assume different positions. The drive device 44 is designed, for example, in the form of a linear drive 46.

The handling device 38 further comprises a workpiece removal 48, which serves to guide workpieces 20, which are removed from the workpiece holder 16. The workpiece removal 48 is formed for example in the form of a chute.

During operation of the surface grinding machine 10, the workpiece holder 16 is common with in the workpiece holders 18 recorded workpieces 20 in a direction of movement 50 rotatably moves around the workpiece holder axis 17 around.

As a result, a workpiece 20 is supplied from the loading area 22 to the processing area 24, where it is processed by grinding. In the removal region 26, a machined workpiece 20 is first measured using the measuring device 32.

The measuring device 32 is connected to a control device 51, which serves to control the drive device 44. If it is detected by means of the measuring device 32 that a workpiece 20 has not yet reached a predetermined desired thickness after passing through the processing region 24, the handling device 38 remains in its in the FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated transport position. In the transport position, the guide element 40 is positioned such that a workpiece 20 is supported by the guide surface 42 in the region of the guide element 40, so that it remains on the workpiece holder 16 and can be fed to the placement region 22 again. From there, the workpiece 20, which has already been machined at least once, returns to the machining area 24, where it can be re-machined, while maintaining a grinding gap or reducing a grinding gap.

If a measuring by means of the measuring device 32 workpiece 20 has reached a predetermined target thickness, the guide member 40 of the handling device 38 by means of the drive means 44 from its in the FIGS. 1 and 2 shown transport position in a in the Figures 3 and 4 shown removal position to be transferred. Here, the guide member 40, for example, in relation to the workpiece holder axis 17 radial Moved direction so that a workpiece support formed by means of the workpiece supports 30 and 28 at the level of the guide member 40 is interrupted. As a result, a workpiece 20, supported by gravity, can be transferred from the workpiece support 30 out of a workpiece holder 18 into the workpiece removal 48. After a workpiece 20 is removed via the workpiece removal 48, the guide member 40 can again in one in the FIGS. 1 and 2 shown transport position of the handling device 38 are transferred.

One in the FIGS. 6 to 9 shown further embodiment of a surface grinding machine 10 has a to the in the FIGS. 1 to 5 Plane grinding machine 10 shown similar construction. Therefore, with respect to the structure and operation of the surface grinding machine according to FIGS. 6 to 9 to the description above.

The surface grinding machine 10 according to FIGS. 6 to 9 differs from the surface grinding machine 10 described above FIGS. 1 to 5 In the embodiment of the handling device 38. Here, a guide member 40 is also provided with a guide surface 42, which by means of a drive device 44 between a transport position (cf. FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and a removal position (cf. FIGS. 8 and 9 ) is movable.

The guide element 40 is pivotable about a pivot axis 52, so that the inclination of the guide surface 42 is adjustable. In the transport position of the guide element 40, the guide surface 42 is substantially horizontal. In this position, that creates Guide member 40 connects between the workpiece supports 30 and 28th

In an inclined position of the guide member 40, which corresponds to the removal position of the handling device 38, the guide surface 42 is inclined relative to a horizontal direction. As a result, a workpiece, which is initially still supported by the workpiece support 30, gravity-assisted removed from a workpiece holder 18. The workpiece 20 slips over the inclined guide surface 42 and reaches the workpiece removal 48.

The drive device 44 in the form of a linear drive 46 is preferably pivotally connected to the guide element 40 and held pivotably on a stationary bearing shaft 54.

In FIG. 7 In addition to the upper grinding tool 12 and a lower grinding tool 56 is shown. The grinding tools 12 and 56 are spaced around a grinding gap 58 relative to each other.

Claims (10)

1. A surface grinding machine (10) comprising at least one grinding tool (12, 56) and a movably drivable workpiece holder (16) for holding at least one workpiece (20), at least one section of the workpiece holder (16) being movable out of a loading area (22), in which the workpiece holder (16) can be loaded with at least one workpiece (20), via a machining area (24), in which at least one workpiece (20) held at the workpiece holder (16) is engaged with the grinding tool (12, 56), into a removal area (26) for removing a machined workpiece (20), characterized in that the removal area (26) comprises a handling device (38) for controlling the movement of a machined workpiece (20), that the handling device (38) can be transferred into a removal position and into a transport position, that in the removal position the machined workpiece (20) is removed from the workpiece holder (16), and that in the transport position the machined workpiece (20) is retained at the workpiece holder (16) and can again be fed to the machining area (24), while maintaining the direction of movement (50) of the workpiece holder (16), that a measuring device (32) for measuring the geometry of the machined workpiece (20) is provided and that a control device for actuating the handling device (38) is provided, so that depending on the results of a measurement of the geometry of the machined workpiece (20) in the removal area (26) the movement of the machined workpiece (20) is controlled such that it optionally is removed from the workpice holder (16) or is retained at the workpiece holder (16) and again transferred to the machining area (24) while maintaining a direction of movement (50) of the workpiece holder (16).
2. The surface grinding machine (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a machined workpiece (20) is removed assisted by gravity.
3. The surface grinding (10) machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling device (38) has a guide surface (42) for guiding a workpiece (20), wherein the position and/or orientation of the guide surface (42) can be adjusted.
4. The surface grinding machine (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the guiding surface (42) is configured as a support surface.
5. The surface grinding machine (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that an inclination of the guide surface (42) can be varied.
6. The surface grinding machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring device (32) is arranged between the machining area (24) and the handling device (38).
7. The surface grinding machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the workpiece holder (16) can be driven rotatably.
8. The surface grinding machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the workpiece holder (16) has a plurality of workpiece receptacles (18).
9. The surface grinding machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface grinding machine (10) is configured as a double face grinding machine.
10. A method for surface grinding a workpiece, in which at least one section of a workpiece holder (16) is moved out of a loading area (22), in which the workpiece holder (16) is loaded with at least one workpiece (20), via a machining area (24), in which the workpiece (20) that is held at the workpiece holder (16) is engaged with at least one grinding tool (12, 56), to a removal area (26) for removing the machined workpiece (20), characterized in that in the removal area (26) the movement of the machined workpiece (20) is controlled such that it can optionally be removed from the workpiece holder (16), or retained at the workpiece holder (16) and again be transferred to the machining area (24) while maintaining the direction of movement (50) of the workpiece holder (16).

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