Metal working – Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for... – Type of machine
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-10
2004-01-13
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Metal working
Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for...
Type of machine
C029S02700R, C082S001110, C082S124000, C082S127000, C082S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06675451
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machine tools for processing discrete workpieces and, more particularly, to a machine tool through which individual workpieces can be strategically situated to facilitate processing on various sides thereof. The invention is also directed to a method of using the machine tool.
2. Background Art
In machining operations, it may be necessary to process most or all of the sides of a workpiece. In one conventional machining process, a first surface of a workpiece preform, nominally matched and dimensioned to the desired end configuration, is placed on a support to facilitate processing of the remaining surfaces thereon. Once processing of the remaining surfaces is completed, the first surface is separated from the support and exposed to allow the desired processing step(s) to be performed thereon.
Typically, a three-axis machine tool is employed to carry out the initial stage processing. Provision must then be made to engage and separate the workpiece from the support to expose the first surface to allow processing thereof.
In
FIG. 1
herein, a conventional prior art vertical machining center is shown at
10
. The machining center
10
consists of a frame
12
on which a spindle head assembly
14
is mounted for guided vertical, Z-axis movement. The spindle head assembly
14
carries a rotary spindle
16
with a working tool
18
that processes discrete workpiece preforms
20
, which are mounted in a predetermined relationship on a pallet
22
.
The pallet
22
is in turn supported upon a table
24
, which is carried upon a slide assembly
25
consisting of stacked slides
26
,
28
. The lower slide
28
is mounted for guided movement relative to the frame
12
along the Y-axis. The upper slide
26
, to which the table
24
attaches, is mounted for guided movement relative to the lower slide
28
along the X-axis.
In a typical machining operation, the workpiece preforms
20
are placed on the pallet
22
so that a surface
30
on each of the workpiece preforms
20
bears upon a support surface
32
on the pallet
22
. Through controlled movement of the slides
26
,
28
, the workpiece preforms
20
are moved in the X-Y plane. At the same time, the working tool
18
moves along the Z-axis, following movement of the spindle head assembly
14
.
The workpiece preforms
20
are spaced from each other so that all but the supporting surfaces
30
are exposed to be processed by the working tool
18
. After the processing operation is concluded on the exposed portions of the workpiece preforms
20
, the workpiece preforms
20
are separated from the pallet
22
and reoriented, as by inversion, and placed against the palle surface
32
to expose the surfaces
30
so that an appropriate processing operation can be performed using the working tool
18
, or another tool in its stead.
The resituation of the workpiece preforms
20
, during processing thereof, may result in significant down time.
Further, it is common for the workpiece preforms
20
to be manually placed upon the pallet
22
, and for the workpiece preforms
20
, after processing, to be manually separated from the pallet
22
. This may result in significant inconvenience and time consumption.
Alternatively, it is known to use relatively complex and expensive automated setup systems with changers for removing an inactive table
24
/pallet
22
and substituting therefor a table
24
/pallet
22
with unprocessed workpiece preforms
20
thereon. The table
24
/pallet
22
exchange may take a significant amount of time. Also, a significant time investment may be involved by reason of the manual placement and removal of workpiece preforms
20
both prior to and after the performance of a machining operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a method of processing a workpiece including the steps of: placing a first preform element in a first operative position on a first holder so that a first portion of the first preform element is exposed; performing a processing operation on the first portion of the first preform element with the first preform element in the first operative position; transferring the first preform element into a second operative position on a second holder; with the first preform element in the second operative position exposing a second portion of the first preform element that is not exposed for processing with the first preform element in the first operative position; and with the first preform element in the second operative position and the second portion of the first preform exposed, performing a processing operation on the second portion of the first preform element.
The second portion of the first preform element may be exposed by cutting the first preform element.
A single processing assembly may be used to perform the processing operations on both the first and second portions of the first preform element. Alternatively, a first processing assembly may be used to perform the processing operation on the first portion of the first preform element with a second processing assembly, operable independently of the first processing assembly, used to perform a processing operation on the second portion of the first preform element.
A second preform element can be placed in the first operative position on the first holder with the first preform element in the second operative position on the second holder.
A processing operation may be performed on the second preform element in the first operative position on the first holder with the first processing assembly while performing a processing operation on the first preform element in the second operative position on the second holder with the second processing assembly.
A second preform element can be provided on the first holder so that the first and second preform elements are simultaneously held by the first holder. After the step of performing a processing operation on the first portion of the first preform element by the first processing assembly, the first processing assembly and the second preform element may be relatively repositioned to allow the first processing assembly to perform a processing operation on the second preform element with the second preform element on the first holder.
The first processing assembly may have a first processing tool thereon. During the processing operation on the first portion of the first preform element, the processing tool may be moved along at least two orthogonal axes.
The second processing assembly may have a plurality of tools that are selectively indexed to an active position in which each of the plurality of tools in the active position performs a processing operation on the second portion of the first preform element.
The first preform element may be indexed on the first holder between a standby position and the first operative position.
The first preform element may be transferred directly from the first holder to the second holder.
The invention is also directed to a machine tool having a first holder, a second holder, and a processing system. The first holder maintains a first preform element in a first operative position wherein a first portion of the first preform element is exposed so that a machining operation can be performed on the first portion of the first preform element. The second holder maintains the first preform element in a second operative position wherein a second portion of the first preform element that is not exposed for processing with the first preform element in the first operative position is exposed for processing. The processing system has at least one processing assembly for performing a processing operation on the first portion of the first preform element in the first operative position and the second portion of the first preform element in the second operative position.
At least part of the at least one of the first and second holders may be movable guidingly relative to the other of the first and second holders to allow the first preform element to be transferred directly from the first
Ross Doana
Wellington A. L.
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