JPH10277865A - Machining center - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a machining center which can make tool replacement in the same fashion as conventional without requiring a reform on a large scale and eliminate the risk that a tool replacing arm constitutes an obstacle for processing. SOLUTION: In the upper part of a column 3, a tool replacing device ATC is installed through a guide means 11 in such a way as movable in the direction fore and aft. In detail, a machining center is equipped with a column 3 moving upon a bed 1 fore and aft and to the left and right, a spindle head 4 positioned in front of the column, and a tool magazine 6 positioned above the column and installed fast in a single piece with the bed, wherein the tool replacing device ATC is installed in the upper part of the column 3 through a guide means 11 in such a way as movable in the direction fore and aft, and the tool replacing device will retreat back when a work is being processed and be advanced ahead at the time of tool replacement.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a machining center capable of automatically exchanging tools and sequentially processing a workpiece with different tools.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A spindle head is mounted on the front surface, a tool changer is fixedly mounted on the upper portion, and a column which moves back and forth on the bed, and a bed positioned above the column. There is a machining center provided with a tool magazine mounted on the body (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-1492).
No. 32).

In this type of machining center, the front and rear positions of a tool changing arm of a tool changing device are adapted to the position of a tool mounted on a spindle, and generally a position slightly forward of a tip of the spindle. Placed in

[0004]

At the time of processing a work by the above-mentioned conventional machining center, the tool change arm may interfere with the work and hinder the processing of the work.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machining center in which tool change can be performed almost in the same manner as in the prior art without major modification, and a tool change arm can be prevented from obstructing work processing. Aim.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, a tool changing device is mounted on the upper portion of a column via a guide means so as to be movable back and forth.

More specifically, a column is provided for moving back and forth and left and right on the bed, and a spindle head is mounted on the front surface of the column. A tool magazine mounted above the column and mounted integrally with the bed is provided. In the equipped machining center, a tool changer was installed in the upper part of the column via guide means so as to be able to move back and forth, and the tool changer was retracted rearward during work processing, and advanced forward when tool change was performed. It is configured to be in a state. In the present invention,
The tool change arm is retracted to the rear more than the tip of the spindle during machining of the workpiece, and the tool is replaced relative to the spindle and the tool magazine at the time of tool change, as in the conventional case. .

The present invention is embodied as follows. That is, as described in claim 3, the tool changing device is configured to be driven back and forth by the telescopic cylinder device, whereby the tool changing device is moved back and forth without moving the column, The selection range of the position where the tool change is to be performed is widened.

Alternatively, there is provided a spring for urging the tool changer, which is movable back and forth, backward, while the tool changer, which is movable back and forth, is provided. A stopper that comes into contact with the tool changer is provided on the way, and the tool changer is retracted rearward by the elasticity of the spring during work processing, and is pressed by the stopper by the rearward movement of the column during the tool changer to resist the elasticity of the spring. To advance forward. According to this, since the forward and backward movement of the tool changing device is performed without using a special driving device, the structure is simple and inexpensive.

[0010]

1 to 3 show a machining center according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an overall side view, FIG. 2A is an overall front view, and FIG. 2B is a tool for machining a workpiece. FIG. 2C is a front view of the tool changer at the time of the machining, FIG. 3A is a side view around the tool changer at the time of tool change, and FIG. 3B is a plan view of the tool changer at the time of the change. .

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a bed, and a main body frame 2 which is the same as the bed 1 is constructed on a top surface thereof by columns 2a and beam members 2b. Numeral 3 denotes a column on the front side of which a spindle head 4 is mounted so as to be movable up and down.
Is moved in the front-rear direction f1 and the left-right direction f2. At this time, the tip of the spindle 5 is supported on the spindle head 4.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a tool magazine mounted on the main body frame 2, which is used to place a large number of tool pots 7 and any one of the tools 8 inserted into these pots 7 at a tool change position p1.
And a positioning cylinder 10 for positioning the pot 7 indexed to the tool 8 at the tool change position p1.

The tool changer ATC is mounted on the upper part of the column 3 via the guide means so as to be able to move back and forth. Specifically, the following is performed. That is,
On the upper surface of the column 3, two linear guides 11, 11 facing forward and backward as guide means are provided in a left and right arrangement. At this time,
The groove member 11a of the linear guide 11 is fixed to the upper surface of the column 3, and the sliding member 11b guided by the groove member 11a is fixed to the lower surface of the device frame 12 of the tool changing device ATC.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tool changing device ATC mounts a tool changing arm 13 on the front surface of the device frame 12 via a tool changing shaft 14 facing forward and backward. A motor 15 for rotating the motor 14 is provided.

A front-back telescopic cylinder device 16 is fixed to the upper surface of the column 3 on the side of the tool changing device ATC, and the distal end of the piston rod 16a is connected to the device frame 13. At this time, telescopic cylinder device 1
Reference numeral 6 may be a liquid pressure drive or a gas pressure drive. In addition, 17 is a control device and 18 is an operation panel.

Next, the operation of the main part of the product of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. At the time of machining the work, the telescopic cylinder device 16 is in a contracted state, the tool changing device ATC is positioned with respect to the telescopic cylinder device 16 as shown in FIG. 2B, and with respect to the column 3 as shown in FIG. Will do. Thereby, the tool change arm 1
The front end of the main shaft 3 is located far away from the front end of the main shaft 5 and almost coincides with the front surface of the column 3. .

In this state, the column 3 moves in the front, rear, left and right directions as required, and at the same time, the main shaft 5 moves in the vertical direction as necessary, and the tool 8 mounted on the main shaft 5 processes the work. During this machining, the tool indexing motor 9 is operated, and then the tool 8 to be mounted on the spindle 5 is operated together with the inserted pot 7 at the tool changing position p1.

On the other hand, at the time of tool change, the column 3 moves to the tool change position (the position shown in FIG. 1). Here, as shown in FIG. 3A, the main shaft 5 and the tool magazine 6 have a required relative arrangement. In addition, the piston rod 16a of the telescopic cylinder device 16 is advanced, and the tool changing device ATC is in a state where the tool can be changed. At this time, the tool changing arm 13 is located slightly forward of the tip of the main shaft 5.

Thereafter, the tool change operation is performed, that is, the motor 15 rotates to rotate the tool change arm 13 held in a horizontal state by 90 degrees in the direction of the arrow f3. With the same mechanism, the used tool 8 mounted on the main spindle 5 is grasped by one tool grasping portion 13a, and the tool is indexed to the tool change position p1 of the tool magazine 6 by the other tool grasping portion 13b. Know the tool 8 to be used.

After this grasping operation, the tool changing shaft 14 is moved forward by the same driving mechanism as in the prior art, whereby the tool 8 grasped by each of the grasping portions 13a and 13b,
8 is withdrawn from the main shaft 5 on the one hand and from the pot 7 on the other hand.

Thereafter, the tool change arm 13 is rotated by 180 degrees in the direction of arrow f3 by the rotation of the tool change shaft 14, and
The used tool 8 is located immediately before the empty pot 7, and the next tool 8 to be used is located immediately before the spindle 5.

After being positioned in this manner, the tool change shaft 14
Is moved backward, and the front-rear position is returned to the original position, whereby the used tool 8 is inserted into the pot 7, and the next tool 8 to be used is mounted on the spindle 5. Become.

Thereafter, the tool change shaft 14 is rotated by 90 degrees in the direction opposite to the arrow direction f3, and the tool change arm 13 returns to its original position. This completes the tool change operation, and each part is in a state at the time of machining the workpiece.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a machining center according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a side view of a main part at the time of machining a workpiece, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of a tool changing device at the time of the machining. Fig. 4C is a front view of a tool changer at the time of the machining, Fig. 5 is an overall front view, Fig. 6A is a side view of the tool changer at the time of tool change, and Fig. 6B is a tool changer at the time of the change. FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in these figures, in this embodiment, similarly to the previous embodiment, a tool changing device ATC is mounted on the upper portion of the column 3 via guide means 11 so as to be movable back and forth. The configuration is as follows.

However, in this embodiment, the tool changer AT
The telescopic cylinder device 16 is not provided as means for moving C back and forth, but is configured as follows.

That is, a projecting portion 12a of the same body is provided on the side of the device frame 12, and the projecting portion 12a projects laterally and upward of the device frame 12. Then, the bar-shaped spring guide 20 is extended rearward from the overhang portion 12a. On the upper surface of the column 3, a restricting body 2 externally fitted to the spring guide 20 so as to allow the spring guide 20 to move back and forth.
Fix 1

A spring 22 is externally fitted to the spring guide 20 in a compressed state. The front end of the spring 22 is supported by the rear surface of the regulating body 21, and the rear end is bolted to the rear end of the spring guide 20. Locking member 2
Support 3

On the other hand, at the beam member 2 b of the main body frame 2, the projecting member 1
A stopper 24 is provided which is in contact with the protrusion 2a. The stopper 24 is composed of a protrusion 24a fixed to the lower surface of the beam member 2b in a projecting manner and a contact bolt 24b screwed to the front surface of the protrusion 24a.

In this embodiment, the tool changing device ATC is capable of freely moving back and forth through the linear guides 11 during the work processing, and the elastic force of the spring 22 presses the spring guide 20 backward. Becomes As a result, the rear surface of the overhang portion 12a comes into contact with the front surface of the regulating body 21 as shown in FIG. 4A, and the tool exchange arm 13 is held in a state of being retracted rearward as in the previous embodiment.

On the other hand, at the time of tool change, the column 3 is moved to the rear tool change position (the position shown in FIG. 6A), and in the course of this movement, the contact bolt 24b is moved to the overhang portion 12a of the tool change device ATC. Make contact with the back. As a result, the tool changing device ATC moves forward on the upper surface of the column 3 in relation to the movement of the column 3 against the elasticity of the spring 22, and when the column 3 reaches the tool changing position, the spring 22 As shown in FIG. 6B, the tool changer ATC is compressed between the regulating body 21 and the locking member 23, and the tool changer ATC is in the state shown in FIG. Similarly, it is located slightly forward of the tip of the main shaft 5.

After this state, the tool change operation is performed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment, and the tool change arm 13 is again moved to the state shown in FIG.
The states shown in FIGS. Thereafter, the column 3 is moved forward, and in association with this movement, the column 3 and the stopper 2 are moved.
Since the relative position of 4 changes, the tool changer ATC moves backward on the upper surface of the column 3 by the elasticity of the spring 22,
Returning to the state of FIG. 4A, the operation for tool change is completely finished, and the state is at the time of work machining.

In each of the above embodiments, comparing the positions of the tool change arm 13 at the time of machining the workpiece and at the time of changing the tool,
At the time of work machining, it is retracted rearward by a fixed dimension L (see FIGS. 1 and 4) from that at the time of tool change,
This retraction solves the problem of the conventional work processing caused by the tool changer ATC.

[0034]

According to the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the items described in (1), the tool changer, which has been an obstacle in the machining of workpieces, in particular, the exchanging arm retreats greatly from the position near the tip of the spindle. The tool can be enlarged without any need, and when the tool is changed, the tool changing device has the same relative arrangement with respect to the main shaft and the tool magazine as before, and the tool is changed as before.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the tool changing device moves back and forth without moving the column, and the position where the tool is to be changed can be arbitrarily determined within a wide selection range.

According to the fourth aspect, the tool changer can be moved back and forth without using a special drive device, and the structure can be made simple and inexpensive.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a machining center according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an overall front view of the machining center, and FIG.
Is a plan view of the tool changing device at the time of machining the workpiece, and C is a front view of the tool changing device at the time of the machining.

FIG. 3A is a side view around a tool changer at the time of tool change,
B is a plan view of the tool changer at the time of the change.

FIG. 4A is a side view showing a main part of a machining center according to a second embodiment of the present invention at the time of machining a workpiece, FIG. 4B is a plan view of a tool changing device at the time of the machining, and FIG. It is a front view of an apparatus etc.

FIG. 5 is an overall front view of the machining center according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a side view showing a tool changing device and the like at the time of tool change of the machining center according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the tool changing device and the like at the time of the tool change.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 bed 3 column 4 spindle head 6 tool magazine 11 linear guide (guide means) 16 telescopic cylinder device 22 spring 24 stopper ATC tool changing device f1 front-back direction f2 left-right direction

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A machining center wherein a tool changer is mounted on an upper part of a column via a guide means so as to be movable back and forth. 2. A machining center comprising a column moving back and forth and left and right on a bed, a spindle head in front of the column, and a tool magazine located above the column and mounted on the bed and integral with the bed. In the upper part of the column, a tool changing device is installed so as to be able to move back and forth via guide means, and the tool changing device is in a state of retracting rearward when machining a workpiece and in a state of moving forward and forward when changing tools. A unique machining center. 3. The machining center according to claim 1, wherein the tool changing device is driven back and forth by a telescopic cylinder device. 4. A spring for biasing the tool changer, which can be moved back and forth, backward, is provided, while a stopper is provided at the same position as the bed in the middle of the backward movement path of the column to abut the tool changer. Wherein the tool changer is retracted rearward by the elasticity of the spring when the workpiece is being machined, and is pushed by a stopper by the rearward movement of the column when the tool is exchanged to advance forward against the elasticity of the spring. The machining center according to 1 or 2.