JPH01240251A - Tool confirming device for machining center - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent occurrence of defective work at the time of tool replacement by measuring a tool by a measuring means and comparing by a comparing means so as to detect if the tool is acceptable or not previous to work by the tool. CONSTITUTION:When a tool T is replaced, the length of the tool is measured for each replacement of the tool T, and if the tool T is defective or not is confirmed. For this measurement, a main shaft head 6 is moved to a measuring position (X0, Y0, Z1) apart from a measuring sensor 15 at a predetermined position (X0, Y0, Z0) for a predetermined distance on its back after the tool T is installed at the main shaft head 6 by automatic tool replacement. Next it is moved forward until the forward end of the tool T is applied to the sensor 15, and a length corresponding to the tool length is measured by a control unit based on Z-axis position data Z2 and Z-axis position data Z1 for the head 6 when the sensor 15 gets ON. The measured value is then compared with a set value set in ROM to determine if it is acceptable or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a tool confirmation device for a machining center, and particularly to one that measures the tool length to confirm the tool.

A machining center generally includes a tool magazine that stores a large number of tools, a spindle on which tools are mounted for machining, and an automatic tool changer that automatically exchanges tools in the tool magazine and tools on the spindle.

For example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-192839, in a machining center where the tool magazine is controlled by a memory random method, the tool number of the tool and the pot number of the tool magazine are initially matched, but after machining, Since the consistency between the tool number and the bod number is lost during the data table initialization, a machining center that automatically matches the tool number of the tool inserted into the pot of the tool magazine with the pot number is memorized. There is.

By the way, when machining workpieces with complex shapes and structures, when the number of types of tools used increases as the number of machining processes increases, it becomes necessary to replace some tools in the tool magazine with other tools. It will then be subjected to processing. In this case, it is common for an operator to manually replace the tools so that the tool numbers match the pot numbers of pots 1 to 1 in the tool magazine.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, if the operator accidentally stores the tool in the pot when replacing some tools in the tool magazine with another tool, the correspondence between the tool number and the pot number will be broken, resulting in an inappropriate situation. There is a problem in that machining is performed using a tool that is defective, resulting in defective machining. In particular, there is a problem in that if a mistake in tool replacement is detected late, many workpieces will be defectively machined, resulting in large losses.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A tool confirmation device for a machining center according to the present invention is applicable to a machining center equipped with a tool magazine storing a plurality of tools, an automatic two-tool changer, and a spindle on which tools are mounted. , 2. From the first predetermined position on the machining center, the first predetermined position is located at the axial center extension of the tool mounted on the spindle or the tool magazine.
Measuring means for measuring the length to the tool at the second predetermined position corresponding to the predetermined position, and storage means for storing a set value of the length from the first predetermined position to the tool at the second predetermined position for each tool. and comparing means for comparing the measured value measured by the measuring means and a setting value corresponding to the measured value among the setting values stored in the storage means, and prior to machining with the tool,
The tool is configured to be measured by a measuring means and compared by a comparing means to detect whether the tool is good or bad.

In addition, when measuring with the above-mentioned measuring means with the tool attached to the spindle, a sensor detects that the tool tip has come into contact with a first predetermined position within the movement area in which the spindle can move. The main spindle is moved until the tip of the tool on the spindle comes into contact with the sensor, and the measurement is performed based on the position information of the spindle. In addition, when measuring with a tool installed in a tool magazine, a measuring means is attached to a predetermined part of the case of the tool magazine, and the tool magazine is operated to move the tool to be measured to the position corresponding to the measuring means. The camera is configured so that it can be measured by

Further, the quality of the tool may be automatically detected by the quality determining means using the comparison result of the comparison means, or the operator can detect the quality of the tool by displaying the comparison result of the comparison means on a display or the like. You may also do so.

[Effect]

In the tool confirmation device for a machining center according to the present invention, focusing on the fact that the length of each tool is different, the tool length is automatically measured before or after tool exchange prior to machining with the tool, The quality of the tool is confirmed by comparing the measured value with a preset value.

That is, the length setting value for each tool from the first predetermined position on the machining center to the tool at the corresponding second predetermined position is input and stored in advance in the storage means, and the measuring means is stored in advance in advance at the first predetermined position on the machining center. Measure the length from to the tool at the second predetermined position. The comparing means receives the measured value from the measuring means and the setting value corresponding to the measured value from the storing means, and compares the two. As a result of this comparison, if the measured value matches the set value, it is confirmed that the tool is good, and if the difference between the measured value and the set value is greater than the allowable error, it is confirmed that the tool is not good. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the tool confirmation device for a machining center according to the present invention, as explained above, the length of the tool is measured prior to machining with the tool and compared with the set value of the tool length. Since it was designed to detect whether the tool is good or bad,
Even if a tool replacement error occurs in the tool magazine, it can be reliably detected, and defective machining caused by the tool replacement error can be prevented.

〔Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a machining center M that is mounted on a boat, and to explain it by defining the direction as shown in the figure, a movable table 2 is mounted on the rear half of the bed 1 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. The movable base 2 is driven in the X-axis direction by an motor)
The spindle head 6 is mounted on the front surface of the column 4 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The tool 'r is rotationally driven by a spindle motor 8.

A table stand 9 is fixed on the right half of the front part of the head 1, and a rotating table 1 for indexing is mounted on the table stand 9.
0 is mounted rotatably around a vertical axis, and the rotating table 1
0 is rotationally driven by an indexing motor (not shown). On the turning table 10, a barre 1 carried in from an external movable cart is attached and fixed so as to be movable in the front and rear direction, and a workpiece W to be processed is placed on the barrette 11.
The workpiece W is clamped by a clamping device 12 attached to a pallet 11.
It is fixed to the pallet 11 by. Furthermore, Palette I・1
1 contains the type of work W, that is, the work number.

A workpiece NO detection mechanism (not shown) is provided to detect the
This workpiece number detection mechanism has a plurality of air outlets facing the workpiece W, for example, and is configured to detect the workpiece number from a combination of air outlets that are blocked depending on the type of workpiece W.

On the left end of the front part of the bed 1, there are a pair of upper and lower sprockets 1.3a and 13b, and a large number of pots 13 for storing tools.
A tool magazine 13 is provided in which a chain 1.3 d having a chain 1. This tool magazine 13 is driven by a magazine drive motor.

On the head 1, an automatic tool changer 14 (hereinafter referred to as ATC) is provided on the back and right side of the tool magazine 13.
An ATC arm 14b is mounted on the carriage 14a, and the ATC arm 14b is driven forward and backward by a hydraulic cylinder for a predetermined stroke. 13c) and the position where the tool T is attached/detached to the spindle head 6 in the predetermined position.
The ATC arm 14b, which has a pair of tool gripping parts, is rotatably driven by an arm driving hydraulic motor.

At the measurement position W (x,, YO) where the spindle head 6 is moved as much as possible, for example to the left and upward, the spindle head 6
In order to measure the length of the tool T attached to the ) is a measurement sensor 5 that turns on when the tip of the tool T of the tool T of the spindle 6 contacts or approaches the spindle from the rear.
The measurement sensor 5 is composed of a limit switch or a proximity switch, and is fixed to the head 1 or the machine frame by a frame 15a such as a profile.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main shaft motor 8, the X-axis motor 3
, Y-axis motor 7, Z-axis motor 5, indexing motor, magazine drive motor, arm drive morph, carriage drive air cylinder, arm drive hydraulic cylinder, work No.
A control unit 16 for controlling the detection mechanism, measurement sensor 15, etc. is provided, and an operation panel 17 for manually inputting data to the roll unit 16 to the controller 1 and operating the machining center M is connected to the control unit 1. 16 is composed of an input/output interface, a computer, a spindle drive motor control section, a numerical control section, a drive section, etc. like a normal machining center, but the ROM (read only memory) of the computer has
A control program for workpiece number detection control and a control program for multiple workpiece machining controls for multiple types of workpieces are input and stored in advance, and each workpiece machining control program contains multiple control programs for tool exchange control associated with the machining. Each tool exchange control program includes a control program for tool confirmation control, which is a feature of the present application.

Note that the configuration other than the measurement sensor 15 and tool confirmation control is the same as that of an existing normal machining center, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

By the way, when machining is performed using tools other than the standard tools T stored in the tool magazine 13, some of the plurality of tools T in the tool magazine 13 are replaced with external tools T. However, in this case, each pot 13c has a pot number.

The tool T with the corresponding tool number is installed, and the pot N
The correspondence between o and the tool number is input and stored in the ROM in the control unit 16 as a predetermined table or is input and stored in advance, like the many tools T before replacement.

However, when the operator manually replaces the tools T, there is a possibility that the operator may make a replacement error.

Therefore, in the tool confirmation device of the present application, when the tool T is replaced, the length of the tool (
This is called the tool length. The quality of the tool T can be determined by measuring the length (the tool length is generally different for each tool).
It is designed to detect the tool T and confirm the tool T.

To measure this tool length, as shown in FIG. 4, after attaching the tool T to the spindle head 6 by automatic tool exchange, the raw spindle head 6 is moved to a first predetermined position (xo, y).

, Zo) to the measurement position (Xo, Y, ,Z,) (corresponding to the second predetermined position), which is a predetermined distance away from the measurement sensor 15 at Spindle head 6 until the tip touches or approaches measurement sensor 15.
Z-axis position data Z2 and Z-axis position data Z of the spindle head 6 when the sensor 15 for measurement is turned on by moving the
The control unit 16 measures the length Lo corresponding to the tool length from I and I. This measurement method starts from a first predetermined position (X, , Y, , Z,) to a second predetermined position (xo,
This corresponds to the method of measuring the length to the tool T at yo, Zl).

Then, the ROM stores a first predetermined position (Xo,
Yo, Zo) to the second predetermined position (XOly,,z
, ) is input and stored in advance as a table corresponding to the tool number.

Next, the tool confirmation control routine will be explained based on FIG. 5, in which 81 to Sll indicate each step.

This control is executed after the manual tool exchange is performed, when the tool T in the pot 13c of the tool magazine 13 in which the tool T was exchanged is mounted on the spindle head 6 by automatic tool exchange.

When the control starts with the completion of the tool change described above, the tool number of the target tool to be used is read from the machining control program (Sl), and then the length to the target tool is read from the table accompanying the tool confirmation control. Setting value L0 is read and RA
M (random access memory) (S2), and then drives the X-axis motor 3, Y-axis motor 7, and Z-axis motor 5 to move the spindle head 6 to a second predetermined position (X, ,
Y,, 2+) (S3), then the Z-axis motor 5 is driven at low speed to move the spindle head 6 forward (S4), and then it is determined whether the measurement sensor 15 is ON or not (S5). Repeat S4 and S5 until sensor 15 turns on, and
5 turns ON, the spindle head 6 is stopped (S6
), then the stop position of the spindle head 6 (xo, YO,
2) is read from the memory that stores the current position of the spindle head 6 (S7), then the Z-axis direction movement distance (Zz L ) of the spindle head 6 is calculated (S8), and then the movement distance ( X2 z+) is the set value. (S9), and (Zz Z,) #L.

When , the tool T matches the target tool, so the tool "good" lamp is lit (S10), and then the control ends and machining with the tool T is started. On the other hand, (222
1) If it is not ζLo, the tool T does not match the target tool, so the alarm lamp is lit and the alarm buzzer is activated (Sll), and the alarm continues until the operator performs an operation.

Note that for the tool T once confirmed as "good" by the tool confirmation control described above, data representing it is registered in the RAM memory, and this control is not performed even if the tool is replaced thereafter.

Note that in place of the measurement sensor 15, a light emitter that emits a laser beam from above and a light emitter that faces the light emitter and receives the laser beam from below may be used.

The measurement sensor 15 is provided at a predetermined distance below the first predetermined position, and the sensor 15 is placed at a predetermined distance above the sensor 15 and placed near the tip of the tool T moving from below. A diameter measurement sensor is provided that turns on when it comes into contact with the tool, and the diameter of the tool T is also measured by moving the spindle head 6 upwards after the measurement sensor 15 turns on and until the diameter measurement sensor turns on. , the measured values and set values of the length and diameter of the tool T may be used to more accurately identify the tool.

In the above embodiment, the measurement was carried out with the tool T attached to the spindle head 6 after the tool change, but the tool magazine 1
3, for example, a measuring device for measuring the length of the tool T stored in the pot 13C located at the top of the tool magazine 13 (this includes, for example, a measurement sensor facing the tip of the tool T and a Z (consisting of a sensor moving means for single-axis control in the axial direction), which is connected to the control unit 16.
It may also be controlled by . In this case tool magazine 1
Measure all the tools T stored in 3 in order,
It is possible to efficiently check whether there is any mistake in replacing the tool T.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view of the machining center, FIG. 2 is a side view of the machining center, FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the control system, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the measurement method. , FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the tool confirmation control routine. M... Machining center, T... Tool, 1... Bed, 2... Movable table, 3... X-axis motor, 4... Column, 5... 2M motor, 6... Spindle head,
7. Y-axis motor, 13. Tool magazine, 14. Automatic exchange device, 15. Measurement sensor, 16. Control unit. Patent applicant Mazda Motor Corporation■b

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a machining center equipped with a tool magazine storing a plurality of tools, an automatic tool changer, and a spindle on which the tools are mounted, the tools are mounted on the spindle or the tool magazine from a first predetermined position on the machining center. a measuring means for measuring the length of the tool to a second predetermined position corresponding to the first predetermined position such that the first predetermined position is located on the extension of the axis of the tool; and a first predetermined position for each tool. a storage means for storing a set value of the length from to the tool at a second predetermined position; and a setting corresponding to the measured value among the measured value measured by the measuring means and the set value stored in the storage means. The present invention is characterized by a comparison means for comparing the values, and a structure in which, prior to machining with the tool, the tool is measured by the measurement means and compared by the comparison means to detect the quality of the tool. A tool confirmation device for machining centers.