Machining center

Details Machining center Machining center

1996-12-30

1998-07-21

Pitts, A. L.

Metal working

Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for...

With means to feed work intermittently from one tool station...

29 33P, 29564, 409137, 409164, B23Q 700

Patent

active

057819831

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a machining center for machining workpieces, comprising at least one work unit having at least one work spindle able to be driven in rotation and adapted to be fitted with a machining tool, with which tool at least one workpiece arranged in the machining zone may be machined, a workpiece carrier on which the workpiece may be releasably held by means of a holding device arranged on the workpiece carrier, the work unit and the workpiece carrier being able to be shifted in relation to one another, a conveying and positioning device for the workpiece carrier by which the workpiece carrier is able to be shifted between the machining zone and a workpiece change station located outside the machining zone, and a gripper for the change over a from workpieces to be machined to workpieces already machined, the gripper receiving the workpiece from above or from the side, lifting the same and conveying it into the machining zone and, after machining, depositing it at a workpiece deposit site in the workpiece change station from above or from the side.
2. Prior Art
A machining center of this type is constituted by the machine tool described in the European patent publication 0 088 645 A1. Such a machine tool additionally possesses further machine parts permitting the use thereof as a vertical lathe with a rotating workpiece and a stationary tool. To the extent that it is relevant for the machining center of the type initially mentioned, this known machine comprises a workpiece carrier formed by an indexing head and a workpiece change station arranged adjacent to it and constituted by a magazine. A gripper changes over the unmachined and machined workpieces between the workpiece change station and the workpiece carrier. The tool employed for machining is held on the rotating working spindle of one work unit.
During the machining of a workpiece the gripper assumes a standby position outside the machining zone. It must consequently, for each workpiece change, be shifted, directly before and after machining engagement of the tool, between the standby position and the machining zone. The time spent for this has an unfavorable effect on workpiece re-tooling times and accordingly on the overall workpiece machining times. Furthermore, it is a relatively complex matter to free the workpiece carrier, constantly remaining in the machining zone, of shavings, something which results in an increase in the time expended.


OBJECT ONE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly one object of the present invention to create a machining center of the type initially mentioned, which while possessing a simpler structure leads to shorter workpiece machining times also simplifies removal of shavings.
In order to attain this object a holding device on the workpiece carrier is provided which constitutes the gripper and the gripper moves the workpiece into machining engagement. The workpiece, which is respectively to be machined, remains constantly on the gripper from pickup until renewed deposit in the workpiece change station and accordingly also during intermediate machining by the machining tool which is arranged on the at least one rotating work spindle of the work unit. The workpiece carrier is arranged replaceably on the positioning device jointly with the holding device.
It is in this manner that a separate gripper as in the prior art for moving the workpieces between the workpiece change station and the machining zone is no longer needed. The holding device on the workpiece carrier has a double function since it serves both for handling during conveyance of the workpieces into and out of the machining zone and also for holding the workpiece during machining. The gripper constituted by the holding device itself collects the workpieces to be machined and itself also returns same after machining, it moving same into machining engagement in the meantime. Since no idle travel of the gripper is involved, as a whole the workpiece machining time can be generally reduced.

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Database WPI, Week 8605, 15 Feb. 1986, Derwent Publications Ltd., London, GB. Abstract No. 86-024505 & SU-A-1 166 965 (15 Jul. 1985).

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