JPH0120028B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a machining center having a function of assembling and disassembling modular tools and automatically transferring and receiving the modular tools.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

The main body of the machining center is equipped with a tool magazine that stores many different types of tools, and when a command signal specifying the type of tool required for machining is input from the control device, the tool magazine is activated to store the specified tool. For example, a tool that has a function of indexing the tool, attaching the tool to the spindle using an automatic tool changer provided in the main body, and removing the tool attached to the spindle and storing it in the tool magazine is, for example, a special tool. This is known from JP-A-59-192433.

However, the machining center described above uses an integrated tool. This integrated tool generally consists of a tapered holder part a, a collar part b, and a cutting edge part c, as shown in FIG. Although the cutting edge portion c varies depending on the purpose of machining, the shape of the holder portion a is formed to be the same in order to be attached to a common main shaft of a machining center. Therefore, in the case of an integrated tool, it is necessary to prepare a large number of tools that differ only in their cutting edge portions c and store them in a tool magazine. For this reason, the cost per tool becomes high, the tool magazine for storing the tools becomes large, and the equipment of the machining center becomes large-scale.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to automatically assemble the blade module to the holder module and attach it to the main shaft, and to remove the module after use. To provide a machining center in which a tool can be disassembled and only a blade module can be replaced, and a tool magazine can be downsized and tool costs can be reduced.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a tool magazine for storing a plurality of blade modules of different types constituting a modular tool in a machining center main body, a holder module constituting the modular tool, and a tool magazine for storing a plurality of blade modules constituting a modular tool. A tool assembly device is provided for assembling and disassembling the holder module and the blade module, and the tool assembly device is configured to reciprocate between the tool assembly position and the tool delivery position to deliver and receive tools. It's what I did.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the entire machining center, and 1 is the main body of the machining center. A main shaft 2 movable in the XY directions is provided at the front of the machining center main body 1, and a table 4 on which a workpiece 3 is placed is provided at the bottom. On one side of this machining center main body 1 is a tool magazine 5 and an automatic tool changer (hereinafter referred to as ATC).
) 6 is provided, and a tool stored in the tool magazine 5 can be selectively taken out and mounted on the spindle 2, or a tool mounted on the spindle 2 can be removed and stored in the tool magazine 5. It is now possible to do this automatically. That is, the tool magazine 5 includes a flat elliptical guide rail 7 that is long in the vertical direction and
The plate chain 8 is guided by a plate chain 8 that runs endlessly. Each plate 9 of this plate chain 8 is provided with a tool holder 10 made of a through hole, and each module constituting the modular tool 11 is stored in each tool holder 10 one by one. . That is, the modular tool 11 is composed of a holder module 12 and a blade module 13, as shown in FIG. A flange portion 16 and a petal-shaped engagement claw 17 are provided. Further, the upper end of the blade module 13 is provided with a petal-shaped engagement hole 18 that can be engaged with the engagement claw 17 of the holder module 12, and the lower end is provided with a blade part 19. . Then, by engaging the engagement hole 18 of the blade module 13 with the engagement claw 17 of the holder module 11,
They are integrally connected to form a modular tool 11. Note that 20 is a tightening bolt. Modular tool 11 configured in this way
A large number of different types of blade modules 13
are stored in the tool holders 10 of the tool magazine 5, and the blade module 13 can be inserted and removed from the back side of the tool magazine 5.

A tool assembly position 2 is provided on the back side of the tool magazine 5 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
1 is provided, and a tool delivery position 22 is provided between this tool assembly position 21 and the machining center main body 1. The tool assembly position 21 and the tool delivery position 22 are adjacent to each other, and a tool assembly device 23 is provided so as to be able to reciprocate between them. This tool assembly device 2
3, 24 is an X table that is movable in the X direction, and a Y table 25 that is movable in the Y direction is provided on the upper surface of this table. configuring the table. An assembly head 26 is mounted on the upper part of the Y table 25, and the modular tool 11 is assembled and disassembled by this assembly head 26.
This assembly head 26 is constructed as shown in FIG. 4, and 27 is a tool gripper. A rotary drum 30 is rotatably supported inside the gripper main body 28 via a bearing 29 . A tapered hole 31 is provided at the lower end of the rotating drum 30, and a drawbar 33 having a collection chuck 32 is provided at the bottom thereof. This drawbar is a hydraulic cylinder 3 provided inside the rotating drum 30.
The drawbar 33 is connected to the piston 35 of No. 4, and is biased in the retraction direction by a disc spring 36. In addition, 37 is a rotating drum 30
38 is a rotary coupler that sends hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 34. Then, the modular tool 1 is inserted into the tapered hole 31.
1 holder module 12 is attached thereto. Further, a nut runner 40 as a tightening/loosening mechanism is provided on the side wall of the grip main body 28 via a bracket 39. This Natsutranna 4
0 is composed of a drive motor 41, a gear mechanism 42, and a tightening shaft 43, and this tightening shaft 43 is configured to be pressed against the tightening bolt 20 of the modular tool 11 by an air cylinder 44.

The assembly head 26 configured in this way can move forward and backward with respect to the tool holder 10 of the tool magazine 5 using the Y table 25, and can be moved between the tool assembly position 21 and the tool delivery position 22 using the X table 24. It is possible to freely move back and forth between the two.

Further, the ATC 6 automatically exchanges old and new tools, and the longitudinal intermediate portion of the tool exchange arm 45 is connected to the rotation axis 4 of the rotary gear cylinder 46.
It is installed on 7. At both ends of this tool exchange arm 45, there are clampers 48 for gripping the collar portion 16 of the holder module 12 constituting the modular tool 11;
49 are provided. This tool exchange arm 45 is rotatable about a rotating shaft 47, and in a horizontal state, the tool exchange arm 45 is
8 faces the main shaft 2, and the other clamper 49 faces the tool delivery position 22 so as to be able to grip the modular tools 11, 11 at their respective positions.

Next, the operation of the machining center configured as described above will be explained. When machining with the modular tool 11 mounted on the main spindle 2 of the machining center main body 1 is completed and machining is to be performed next with another new modular tool 11, the used modular tool 11 mounted on the main spindle 2 It is necessary to remove the tool and install a new modular tool 11 on the spindle 2. In such a case, the tool magazine 5, tool assembly device 23 and ATC 6 are controlled from the control device of the machining center main body 1 based on production management information.
An actuation signal is input to. First, tool magazine 5
When a tool designation signal is input to the plate chain 8, the plate chain 8 runs in the forward and reverse directions to move the designated tool, that is, the tool holder 10 holding the blade module 13.
is positioned at the tool assembly position 21. At this time, the tool gripper 27 of the assembly head 26 located at the tool assembly position 21 holds the modular tool 1.
As the Y table 25 moves forward, the holder module 12 mounted on the assembly head 26 faces the blade module 13 of the tool holder 10. Then, as the assembly head 26 moves forward, the engaging claw 17 of the holder module 12 engages with the engaging hole 18 of the blade module 13, so that the holder module 12 and the blade module 13 are connected. Here, when the air cylinder 44 moves forward and presses the tightening shaft 43 of the nut runner 40, the tightening shaft 43 engages with the tightening bolt 20, and when the motor 41 rotates in this state, the tightening shaft 43 is pushed through the gear mechanism 42. Rotate to tighten the tightening bolt 20. Therefore, the holder module 12 and the blade module 13 constitute a modular tool 11. When the assembly of the modular tool 11 is completed, the assembly head 26 is moved back by the Y table 25, and the blade module 1 is moved back.
3 comes out of the tool holder 10 and is separated from the tool magazine 5. When the assembly head 26 retreats to a predetermined position, the Y table 25 moves to the
The assembly head 26, which has gripped the modular tool 11, is positioned at the tool delivery position 22 by the movement in the direction. Next, the assembly head 26 is moved forward by the Y table 25, and the modular tool 1 held by it is moved forward.
1 is positioned at the same position in the XY directions as the modular tool 11 mounted on the main shaft 2 of the machining center main body 1. When the new and old modular tools 11 and 11 are installed side by side in this way, the ATC
The tool exchange arm 45 of No. 6 rotates clockwise around the rotating shaft 47. One clamper 48 of the tool exchange arm 45 grips the collar 16 of the modular tool 11 mounted on the main shaft 2, and the other clamper 49 grips the collar 16 of the modular tool 11 mounted on the assembly head 26. grasp. When the new and old modular tools 11, 11 are clamped in this way, the lock of the modular tool 11 by the spindle 2 is released, and the lock of the modular tool 11 by the assembly head 26, that is, the collection chuck 32 is released.
The check will be released. Next, when the tool exchange arm 45 is moved forward by the rotary gear cylinder 46, the old and new modular tools 11, 11 held by the clampers 48, 49 are extracted from the main shaft 2 and the assembly head 26, respectively. and,
When the modular tools 11, 11 are separated from the spindle 2 and the assembly head 26, the tool changing arm 45 rotates 180° about the axis of rotation 47. Therefore, the positions of the new and old modular tools 11, 11 are replaced, with the new modular tool 11 facing the spindle 2 and the old modular tool 11 facing the assembly head 26.
to face. And the rotary gear cylinder 46
When the tool changing arm 45 is retracted, the new modular tool 11 is installed on the spindle 2, and the old modular tool 11 is installed on the assembly head 26. Modular tool 11 attached to spindle 2
is locked in a machinable state, and the engaging claw 15 of the holder module 12 of the modular tool 11 mounted on the assembly head 26 is held by the collect chuck 32. When the exchange of the new and old modular tools 11, 11 is completed, the tool exchange arm 45 returns to the neutral state, and the assembly head 26
Retreat by table 25. Next, the air cylinder 44 moves forward to engage the tightening shaft 43 with the tightening bolt 20 of the modular tool 11. Then, when the tightening shaft 44 is rotated from the motor 41 via the gear mechanism 42, the tightening bolt 20 is loosened, and the holder module 12 and the blade module 1 are rotated.
3 can be separated. Here, X table 24
The assembly head 26 is moved from the tool delivery position 22 to the tool assembly position 21 by the operation of the assembly head 26 . Then, when the modular tool 11 mounted on the tool head 26 faces a predetermined tool holder 10 of the tool magazine 5, the Y table 25 is activated, the assembly head 26 moves forward, and the blade module 13 is moved forward.
is inserted and held in the tool holder 10. In this state, when the drive mechanism 37 of the assembly head 26 operates to rotate the rotating drum 30, the engagement between the engagement claw 17 of the holder module 12 and the engagement hole 18 of the blade module 13 is released. . Therefore, when the assembly head 26 is moved backward by the Y table 25, the holder module 12 and the blade module 13 of the old modular tool 11 are separated and disassembled, and the blade module 13 is moved to a predetermined position in the tool magazine 5. It will be stored in the tool holder 10 of. Therefore, the modular tool 11 used for the next processing
Preparation for assembly begins, and common holder module 12
Blade modules 13 of different types are selectively combined and supplied to the main shaft 2 of the machining center main body 1, and the used modular tools 11 are
can be disassembled or assembled.

According to the above-mentioned embodiment, the modular tool was configured by the holder module and the blade module, but the blade module is connected to the holder module via the adapter module to configure the modular tool. In this case as well, the adapter module can be stored in the tool magazine, and the adapter module can be taken out and installed as needed.

Further, in a blade module such as a milling cutter in which the blade portion has a larger diameter than its base, it is impossible to pull it out from the tool holder in the axial direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a tool holder 51 having a U-shaped notch 50 is provided in the tool magazine to lock and hold the collar 53 of a milling cutter 52 as a blade module, and to hold the assembly head. (not shown) in the direction of the arrow to cut the milling cutter 52.
By moving the tool in and out, the tool can be held in a stable state.

Furthermore, although the tool magazine is constructed with a guide rail and an endlessly running plate chain, it stores a large number of tools such as blade modules, and selectively moves the tool designated by the tool designation signal to the tool assembly position. The structure is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate as long as the mechanism can be positioned.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the blade module can be automatically assembled to the holder module, a modular tool can be configured and attached to the spindle, and the modular tool can be disassembled after use. Therefore, only the blade module can be replaced automatically. Therefore, the tool magazine can be made smaller than a conventional tool magazine that stores integrated tools, and tool costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a machining center showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of a tool assembly device and an automatic tool changer, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional front view of the assembly head, Figure 5 is a side view of the modular tool,
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a tool holder that holds a milling cutter, and FIG. 7 is a side view of a conventional integrated tool. 1...Machining center main body, 2...Spindle, 5
... Tool magazine, 6 ... ATC (automatic tool changer), 11 ... Modular tool, 12 ... Holder module, 13 ... Blade module, 21 ... Tool assembly position, 22 ... Tool delivery position, 23... Tool assembly device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A spindle on which a modular tool consisting of at least a holder module and a blade module is attached, the modular tool attached to this spindle, and another modular tool positioned at a tool delivery position provided near the spindle. In a machining center equipped with an automatic tool changer for exchanging tools, a plurality of tool holders are rotatably connected to the machining center, the tool holders are provided in parallel to the main spindle across the tool delivery position and store a plurality of types of the blade modules. a tool magazine comprising: an assembly head for gripping the holder module; and the holder module and the blade module gripped by the assembly head in a modular tool assembly position provided on the back side of the tool magazine. a tool assembly device having a tightening and loosening mechanism for tightening and loosening an engaging portion of the tool; and a tool assembly device that moves the tool assembly device back and forth between the modular tool assembly position and the tool delivery position, and in which the tool assembly device is moved back and forth between the modular tool assembly position and the tool delivery position. A machining center having a drive table that moves forward and backward relative to a magazine.