JP7216904B2 - Cutting insert, cutting edge condition management system, and manufacturing method for cutting insert - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cutting insert, a cutting edge condition management system, and a method for manufacturing a cutting insert.

Generally, in a processing machine that performs processing by exchanging a plurality of cutting tools, management of cutting tools is important for safe processing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a means for the user to identify the cutting tool to avoid problems such as the user mistakenly attaching a tool that is not intended to the machine, or a tool dispenser that delivers the cutting tool that is suitable for the purpose to the user. There has been a demand for a means for mechanically identifying the

On the other hand, in recent years, attempts have been made to improve the traceability of products in various fields. In the case of cutting tools, for example, for the purpose of tracking error products that do not meet standards, finding problems in the manufacturing process of the products, or eliminating counterfeit products, it is possible to identify each individual cutting tool. is required. Means for identifying cutting tools are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example.

JP 2005-297083 A JP 2011-136347 A JP-A-2000-117512

Reference 1 discloses a method of embedding an IC chip in an insert. However, the insert may reach a high temperature during cutting depending on the type of workpiece and processing conditions, so there is a risk that the heat may damage the IC chip.

Patent Document 2 discloses a method of printing a barcode on the shank of a drill. Generally, barcodes have a rectangular outer shape. Therefore, when such a technique is applied to an insert, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a sufficient space for engraving the bar code on the insert. In addition, since the entire surface of the insert comes close to the workpiece, if the barcode is not placed in an appropriate place, chips will come into contact with the barcode during cutting and damage it, making it difficult to read the barcode. there were.

In Document 3, a geometric pattern is given around the hole of the insert so that the type of the insert can be identified. However, although such an identification method is useful for identifying the type of insert, there is a problem that the amount of information is insufficient for identifying an individual.

There is little space for printing individual information on the surface of cutting inserts, and there is also the problem that the printing is easily erased due to contact with chips during use of the tool. Met.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and one of the objects thereof is to provide a cutting insert capable of improving traceability.

A cutting insert according to one aspect of the present invention is a cutting insert to be attached to a tool body, comprising: a pair of main surfaces facing in a thickness direction; a side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces; and a cutting edge provided on an intersection ridgeline between at least one of the main surfaces and the side surface, wherein the main surface provided with the cutting edge is provided with an identification code for identifying the cutting insert, The identification code is arranged along a virtual circle assumed in the plane of the main surface, and the identification code is a two-dimensional barcode in which a binary pattern is arranged in multiple stages in the radial direction of the virtual circle. , the binary pattern of the identification code is composed of an element pattern applied to the main surface and a blank pattern, and the contour of the element pattern along the circumferential direction is arcuate .

According to the above configuration, since the identification code is provided on the main surface on which the cutting edge is provided, the cutting insert can be identified by reading the identification code. Thereby, the traceability of the cutting insert can be improved.
Further, according to the above configuration, the identification codes are arranged along the virtual circle. A cutting insert generally has a rotationally symmetrical shape in plan view. Therefore, by arranging the identification codes in a circle, it is easy to arrange the identification codes in a limited area on the main surface. Moreover, it is good also considering a cutting insert as a planar view polygonal shape. In this case, by arranging the identification code along the virtual circle, the identification code can be arranged away from the corners of the main surface. As a result, chips generated from the corners during cutting can be prevented from coming into contact with the identification code. As a result, it is possible to prevent the identification code from being removed by chips.

In the cutting insert described above, the identification code is a two-dimensional barcode in which a binary pattern is arranged in multiple stages in the radial direction of the virtual circle, and the binary pattern of the identification code is given to the main surface. and a blank pattern, and the dimension along the circumferential direction of the element pattern may be 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less.

According to the above configuration, the identification code is a two-dimensional bar code with multiple stages in the radial direction, so that the amount of information contained in the identification code can be increased. A QR code (registered trademark) can be used as an example of the two-dimensional barcode.
Further, according to the above-described configuration, the identification code can be formed by processing element patterns on the main surface and providing blank areas positioned between the element patterns.
In addition, according to the above configuration, the dimension along the circumferential direction of the element pattern is 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, thereby improving the readability of the identification code and providing a sufficient amount of information in the identification code. can be granted.

In the cutting insert described above, the element pattern may be formed by laser engraving.

According to the above configuration, many kinds of identification codes can be formed at high speed. In addition, readability of the identification code can be enhanced.

In the cutting insert described above, the blank pattern may be a surface of a titanium nitride coating provided on the main surface.

According to the above configuration, the blank area can be used as a blank pattern.

In the above-described cutting insert, mounting holes are provided that are circular in plan view and open in the pair of main surfaces through the thickness direction. may be arranged around the opening of the mounting hole.

According to the above configuration, the identification code can be provided on the main surface even in the cutting insert provided with the mounting hole. Moreover, since the identification code extends in the circumferential direction around the opening of the mounting hole, it is possible to prevent the identification code from being hidden by the head of the clamp screw even when the clamp screw is inserted into the mounting hole.

In the above-described cutting insert, the main surface provided with the cutting edge has a polygonal shape in a plan view, and the main surface provided with the cutting edge has at least one of a plurality of corners of the main surface. An identification mark may be provided inside one of the corners to distinguish the corner from the other corners.

According to the above-described configuration, by providing the identification mark, it is possible to easily determine which of the plurality of corners has a cutting edge used for cutting. Further, the identification mark can be used as a reference for the position in the circumferential direction when reading the identification code.

A cutting edge condition management system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an imaging device that images the identification code of the cutting insert and the cutting edge, and an analysis unit that analyzes the captured image captured by the imaging device. and the analysis unit associates individual information of the cutting insert obtained from the identification code in the captured image with information on the state of damage of the cutting insert obtained from the cutting insert in the captured image. .

According to the above configuration, the life of the insert can be estimated more accurately by the analysis unit associating the individual information of the insert with the information on the damage state of the insert. In addition, when chipping of the insert is detected as a damage state of the insert, the cause of the abnormality can be analyzed based on the individual information of the insert, and an index for improving the abnormality can be presented to the user.

In the above-described cutting edge condition management system, the imaging device may simultaneously image an identification code of the main surface of the cutting insert and at least one of the rake face and the flank face near the cutting edge.

According to the above configuration, the imaging device can image the wear marks on either one of the rake face and the flank near the cutting edge. One of the important pieces of information regarding the damage state of the insert is information on the flank wear amount of the cutting edge. As the flank wear amount of the cutting edge increases, the wear marks formed on the flank and rake face increase. The correlation coefficient between the size of the wear marks on the flank and rake face and the amount of flank wear is uniquely determined by the shape and material of the insert obtained from the identification code, the type of work material, cutting conditions, and the like. Therefore, by acquiring a large number of actual cutting test data, machine learning can be used to improve the accuracy of the correlation coefficient. Therefore, according to the above-described configuration, the imaging device simultaneously images the wear scar on at least one of the flank face and the rake face and the identification code in which information such as the shape and material of the cutting edge of the insert is recorded. The pre-existing analysis unit can immediately estimate the amount of flank wear from the size of the wear scar. It is preferable to obtain the wear magnitudes of both the rake face and the flank face in the vicinity of the cutting edge, because the efficiency of machine learning can be improved and the accuracy of estimating the flank face wear amount can be improved.

A method of manufacturing a cutting insert according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a cutting insert having an identification code attached to a surface thereof, wherein the identification code is a virtual circle assumed within the main surface of the cutting insert. a bar code consisting of a binary pattern arranged along, the substrate material of the cutting insert is cemented carbide or cermet, and the binary pattern of the identification code is applied to the main surface A first method comprising an element pattern and a blank pattern, wherein the main surface is irradiated with laser light from a first laser to blacken the surface of the base material of the cutting insert to form the element pattern. A second step of whitening the blank pattern on the surface of the base material of the cutting insert by irradiating the main surface with laser light from a second laser having a longer pulse width than that of the first laser. and a laser light irradiation step.

According to the above-described configuration, by whitening the blank pattern, the contrast of the binary pattern (element pattern and blank pattern) can be increased, providing a cutting insert with an identification code having improved readability. can.

In the above-described cutting insert manufacturing method, the first laser light irradiation step may be performed after whitening the entire region in which the identification code is provided in the second laser light irradiation step.

According to the above configuration, the white area and the black area can be easily formed, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

In the above-described cutting insert manufacturing method, the first laser may be a femtosecond laser, and the second laser may be a nanosecond laser.

A white region and a black region can be formed.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cutting insert which can improve traceability can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a turning tool having a cutting insert of one embodiment and a cutting edge condition management system for managing the condition of the cutting edge of the cutting insert. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cutting insert according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cutting insert of one embodiment. 4 is a plan view of a cutting insert of Modification 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view of a cutting insert according to Modification 2, a milling tool having the cutting insert, and a cutting edge condition management system for managing the condition of the cutting edge of the cutting insert.

Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, in some cases, non-characteristic parts are omitted for convenience in order to make the characteristic parts easier to understand.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a turning tool (tool) 2 having a cutting insert (hereinafter simply referred to as an insert) 1 of this embodiment and a cutting edge condition management system S for managing the condition of a cutting edge 11 of the insert 1. FIG.

The turning tool 2 of the present embodiment is a cutting tool for turning (cutting) a work material such as a metal material that is rotated around a spindle. A base end portion of the turning tool 2 is detachably held by a jig (tool rest) (not shown). A jig for holding the turning tool 2 is fixed to a machine tool (lathe) such as a lathe (not shown).

The turning tool 2 has an insert 1 , a tool body 3 holding the insert 1 , and a clamp screw 4 fixing the insert 1 to the tool body 3 . The tool body 3 is a prism-shaped rod extending along one direction. An insert mounting seat 3 a is provided at the tip of the tool body 3 . The tool body 3 holds the insert 1 at the insert mounting seat 3a.

In the turning method using the turning tool 2, the cutting edge 11 of the insert 1 is brought into contact with the work material rotating around the spindle to machine the work material.

In this embodiment, a cutting tool is exemplified as the turning tool 2 . However, the turning tool may be one used for machining using a lathe, and may be, for example, a boring bar for inner diameter machining. Alternatively, the insert may be attached to a milling tool, as will be described later as a modification.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the insert 1 of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the insert of this embodiment.

The insert 1 has a polygonal plate shape (in this embodiment, a rectangular plate shape) rotationally symmetrical with respect to a center line J extending in the thickness direction. In the following description, the direction along the center line J may simply be called the thickness direction. Further, the radial direction perpendicular to the center line J and having the center line J as the center may be simply referred to as the radial direction. Similarly, the circumferential direction around the axis centered on the center line J may simply be referred to as the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the insert 1 having a polygonal shape in plan view will be described, but the shape of the insert 1 in plan view is not limited to this embodiment. As an example, the plan view shape of the insert 1 may be circular.

The insert 1 has a pair of main surfaces 10 facing in the thickness direction, a side surface 20 connecting the pair of main surfaces 10, and cutting edges 11 respectively provided at intersection ridges of the pair of main surfaces 10 and the side surfaces 20. Prepare. In addition, the insert 1 is provided with mounting holes 15 which are circular in plan view and open in the pair of main surfaces 10 through the insert 1 in the thickness direction. A tapered surface 16 is provided at the opening of the mounting hole 15 . The tapered surface 16 is a surface that connects the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 15 and the main surface 10 . The tapered surface 16 is inclined toward one side in the thickness direction toward the radially outer side.

As shown in FIG. 1, insert 1 is attached to tool body 3 . The insert 1 is detachably attached to an insert mounting seat 3 a of the tool body 3 by a clamp screw 4 . The clamp screw 4 is inserted into the mounting hole 15 of the insert 1 . When the tool body 3 is attached to the tool body 3, one of the principal faces 10 is the rake face side, and the other principal face 10 faces the insert mounting seat 3a provided on the tool body 3. It is considered to be a seating surface that

As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of main surfaces 10 face opposite directions. The main surface 10 is rectangular. The main surface 10 has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) corners 10a. The main surface 10 of this embodiment is substantially square in plan view. However, the main surface 10 may be substantially diamond-shaped. Moreover, the main surface 10 may be polygonal having three or more corners. A pair of main surfaces 10 of the present embodiment have the same shape.

The cutting edges 11 are provided on the outer edges of the pair of main surfaces 10, respectively. The cutting edge 11 of this embodiment is provided along the entire length of the outer edge of the main surface 10 . However, it is sufficient that the cutting edge 11 is provided at least at the corner portion 10a of the outer edge of the main surface 10 .

A portion of the main surface 10 that includes a region adjacent to the cutting edge 11 (a portion that contacts (rubbes) chips) is a rake face 19 . A portion of the side surface 20 that includes at least a region adjacent to the cutting edge 11 (a portion opposed to the machining surface with a gap therebetween) is a flank surface 29 . The insert 1 of this embodiment is a so-called negative insert formed so that the side surface 20 including the flank 29 is parallel to the center line J, but it is not limited to this. That is, the insert 1 may be a so-called positive insert in which the flank 29 is inclined radially inward from the cutting edge 11 toward the inside of the insert in the direction of the center line J.

The cutting edge 11 has a corner edge 11a positioned at the corner 10a of the main surface 10 and a pair of linear edges 11b connected to both ends of the corner edge 11a and extending linearly. That is, the cutting edge 11 has four corner edges 11a and four straight edges 11b connecting the corner edges 11a.

A breaker groove 12 and a flat surface 13 are provided on the main surface 10 .
The breaker groove 12 is arranged adjacent to the cutting edge 11 . The breaker groove 12 extends along the blade length direction of the cutting edge 11 . In this embodiment, the breaker groove 12 is provided all around the center line J. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the width of the breaker groove 12 is substantially uniform over the entire length of the breaker groove 12 . However, the width of the breaker groove 12 is not limited to this and may vary.

The flat surface 13 is a surface perpendicular to the center line J facing the thickness direction. The flat surface 13 is located between the breaker groove 12 and the mounting hole 15 in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the flat surface 13 of the main surface 10 is provided with an identification code 30 and three identification marks 41, 42, 43. As shown in FIG.

The identification code 30 is provided on each of the pair of main surfaces 10 . An identification code 30 is provided to identify the insert 1 . The identification code 30 includes information such as the model number of the insert 1 and the lot number in which the insert 1 was manufactured. Also, a separate identification code 30 may be attached to each individual insert 1 . According to this embodiment, the insert 1 is provided with the identification code 30, so that the traceability of the insert 1 can be improved.

The identification code 30 is read by a reader (not shown). By providing the identification code 30, the information of the insert 1 can be easily transmitted to the operator and the machine tool.

The identification code 30 can be read by a reader even when the insert 1 is attached to the tool body 3 . That is, the identification code 30 is provided at a position not hidden by the clamp screw 4 for attaching the insert 1 to the tool body 3 . By reading the identification code 30 of the insert 1 with the reader while the insert 1 is attached to the tool body 3, for example, the usage time of the individual insert 1 can be easily calculated.

The insert 1 of this embodiment is provided with cutting edges 11 at corners 10a of a pair of main surfaces 10, respectively. Therefore, of the pair of main surfaces 10, when using the cutting edge 11 on the outer edge of one of the main surfaces 10, the other main surface 10 serves as a seating surface. Therefore, if the identification code 30 is provided only on one of the pair of main surfaces 10, the identification code 30 can be read when the insert 1 is fixed to the tool body 3 using the main surface 10 provided with the identification code 30 as a seating surface. difficult. According to the present embodiment, both principal surfaces 10 are provided with the identification codes 30, respectively. , the identification code 30 of the insert 1 can be read.
In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the identification code 30 is each provided in a pair of main surfaces 10 was illustrated. However, the identification code 30 may be provided on either one of the pair of main surfaces 10 .
In addition, in an insert (for example, a positive insert) in which the cutting edge 11 is provided only on the outer edge of one of the pair of main surfaces 10 and the other main surface 10 is always the seating surface, Preferably, the identification code 30 is provided on at least the main surface 10 on which the cutting edge 11 is provided.

Further, in the present embodiment, the identification code 30 on one main surface 10 and the identification code 30 on the other main surface 10 are distinguished from each other. That is, different identification codes 30 are provided on the one principal surface 10 and the other principal surface 10 . Accordingly, by reading the identification code 30 of the insert 1 while the insert 1 is attached to the tool body 3, it is possible to determine which main surface 10 the insert 1 is attached to as the seating surface.

The identification code 30 is arranged in a circle. A virtual circle VC is assumed in the plane of the main surface 10 . In this embodiment, the center of the virtual circle VC coincides with the centerline J. FIG. That is, the center of the virtual circle VC coincides with the center of the mounting hole 15 . The identification code 30 is arranged along the virtual circle VC.

The insert 1 of this embodiment has a rotationally symmetrical shape at every 90°. Thus, the insert generally has a rotationally symmetrical shape in plan view. According to this embodiment, by arranging the identification codes 30 in a circle, it is easy to arrange the identification codes 30 in a limited area of the main surface 10 having a rotationally symmetrical shape. Further, since the insert 1 has a polygonal shape in plan view, the identification codes 30 can be arranged away from the corners 10a by arranging the identification codes 30 in a circle. As a result, chips generated from the corner portion 10 a during cutting can be prevented from contacting the identification code 30 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the identification code 30 from being removed by chips.

In this embodiment, the identification code 30 is provided on the flat surface 13 of the principal surface 10 . Thus, the area where the identification code 30 is provided is preferably flat. Thereby, the readability of the identification code 30 can be improved. Moreover, it is preferable that the flat surface 13 , which is the region where the identification code 30 is provided, protrude beyond the cutting edge 11 . As a result, chips formed by the cutting blade during cutting are less likely to come into contact with the identification code 30, and the identification code 30 can be prevented from being scratched during cutting. As a result, readability of the identification code 30 can be enhanced.

The readability of the identification code 30 is important from the point of view of the simplicity of the identification code 30 reader (reading device). For example, using a precise identification code that can be read only by a reader with a high magnification microscope (that is, with low readability) requires a large investment cost for the installation of the equipment. However, when using an identification code that is highly readable, for example, it is possible to read the identification code 30 using a smartphone camera, and the administrator can easily read the identification code 30 from the individual without introducing new equipment. information can be used. The individual information read from the identification code 30 is collated with a database on the Internet, and is used, for example, to acquire recommended cutting conditions for inserts, manage tool inventory, and identify used cutting edges.

According to this embodiment, the identification code 30 is provided over the entire circumference along the virtual circle VC. Thereby, the total length of the identification code 30 can be lengthened, and the amount of information contained in the identification code 30 can be increased.

The identification code 30 of this embodiment is a bar code in which a binary pattern is arranged along a virtual circle VC. By using a bar code as the identification code 30, the reading of the identification code 30 can be facilitated.

The identification code 30 of this embodiment is a two-dimensional barcode in which binary patterns are arranged in multiple stages in the radial direction of the virtual circle VC. According to this embodiment, the amount of information included in the identification code 30 can be increased by using the identification code 30 as a two-dimensional barcode. A QR code (registered trademark) can be used as an example of the two-dimensional barcode. More specifically, the identification code 30 is a code obtained by bending a QR code in the circumferential direction. Accordingly, the identification code 30 has an element pattern 30a that is a plurality of substantially rectangular black sections. The element patterns 30a are arranged along the virtual circle VC. The reading device is, for example, an imaging device C, which converts an identification code imaged by an analysis unit A, which will be described later, into a rectangular QR code by image processing, and reads identification information from the QR code.

The binary pattern of the identification code 30 is composed of element patterns 30a applied to the main surface 10 and blank patterns 30b. The element pattern 30 a is formed by processing the main surface 10 . On the other hand, the blank pattern 30b is an unprocessed region located between the element patterns 30a in the circumferential direction.

The dimension along the circumferential direction of the element pattern 30a is preferably 0.5 mm or more from the viewpoint of readability. Moreover, it is preferable that the dimension along the circumferential direction of the element pattern 30a is set to 1.5 mm or less in order to provide the identification code 30 with a sufficient amount of information. In this embodiment, the blank pattern 30b has the same shape as the element pattern 30a. Therefore, the dimension along the circumferential direction of the blank pattern 30b is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, like the element pattern 30a.

In this embodiment, the element pattern 30a is a substantially square that is slightly curved along the virtual circle VC. In the present embodiment, the length of one side of each element pattern 30a is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less for the reasons described above. When a plurality of element patterns 30a are arranged adjacent to each other, the plurality of adjacent element patterns 30a are visually recognized as connected to each other. The above-mentioned range of dimensions is only the range of dimensions of individual element patterns 30a.

In this embodiment, an identification code having a rectangular element pattern 30a has been described. However, the shape of the element pattern 30a is not limited to a rectangular shape. As an example, the element pattern 30a may be circular in plan view. When the element patterns 30a are circular, the diameter of each element pattern 30a is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less for the reason described above.

In this embodiment, the element pattern 30a is formed by laser engraving. When the main surface 10 is irradiated with laser light, the coating provided on the main surface 10 or the substrate material of the insert 1 turns black. Thus, a black element pattern 30a is formed. On the other hand, the blank pattern 30b is a region that is not irradiated with laser light. The blank pattern 30b is thus the surface of the coating or substrate material of the insert 1 provided on the main surface 10 . A gold titanium nitride coating (TiN coating) is exemplified as the coating provided on the main surface 10 . That is, the blank pattern 30b may be the surface of the TiN coating provided on the main surface 10. FIG. Also, if major surface 10 is not provided with a coating, major surface 10 exposes the silver base material of insert 1 . That is, blank pattern 30b may be the surface of the base material of insert 1 .

When the blank pattern 30b is used as the surface of the substrate material of the insert 1, the substrate material to be the blank pattern 30b is irradiated with a laser beam having a sufficiently lower output than the laser beam for forming the element pattern 30a, thereby removing the substrate material. The metal component on the surface may be melted and solidified. By performing such treatment, the surface of the substrate material can be whitened, and the contrast between the element pattern 30a and the blank pattern 30b can be enhanced. By increasing the contrast between the element pattern 30a and the blank pattern 30b, readability can be improved. That is, by whitening the blank pattern 30b, the readability of the identification code 30 can be enhanced.

The present inventors have found the following findings. That is, the shorter the pulse width of the laser (first laser), the darker the blackening can be, and the longer the pulse width of the laser (second laser), the more likely it is to selectively melt and solidify the metal components on the surface. Increases and bright whitening is possible. In this embodiment, a femtosecond laser is preferably used as the first laser. In this embodiment, a nanosecond laser is preferably used as the second laser having a longer pulse width than the first laser. In other words, in this embodiment, the laser light from the femtosecond laser can produce a dark black surface on the surface of the base material, and the laser light from the nanosecond laser easily melts the surface of the base material. can produce a bright white surface on the surface of

Therefore, the manufacturing method of the cutting insert has the following first laser beam irradiation step and second laser beam irradiation step. The first laser light irradiation step is a step of irradiating the main surface 10 with laser light from a femtosecond laser (first laser) to blacken the surface of the substrate material of the insert 1 to form the element pattern 30a. be. In the second laser light irradiation step, the main surface 10 is irradiated with laser light from a nanosecond laser (laser with a longer pulse width than the first laser), thereby turning the blank pattern 30b on the surface of the substrate material of the insert 1 white. It is a process to convert Thereby, the readability of the identification code 30 can be improved. Cemented carbide and cermet are exemplified as the base material of the insert 1 that can be blackened and whitened by changing the laser light output. That is, when the element pattern 30a is blackened and the blank pattern 30b is whitened, the base material of the insert 1 is preferably cemented carbide or cermet.

It should be noted that even when a substrate material that has been whitened by irradiating laser light from a nanosecond laser is further irradiated with laser light from a femtosecond laser, the white region can be blackened. Therefore, after whitening a wide area including the area where the identification code 30 is provided by irradiating laser light from a nanosecond laser, the area is irradiated with laser light from a femtosecond laser to form a black element pattern 30a. may be formed.
On the other hand, even if a region of the material surface that has been blackened by laser light irradiation from a femtosecond laser is irradiated with laser light from a nanosecond laser, the black region does not change. Therefore, after forming black element patterns 30a by irradiating femtosecond laser light, a wide area including a plurality of element patterns 30a may be whitened by irradiating nanosecond laser light.

The identification code 30 formed by laser engraving is difficult to remove even if chips come into contact with it during cutting or cutting oil or coolant is injected. Therefore, by forming the identification code 30 by laser engraving, it is possible to suppress deterioration in readability of the identification code 30 even when the insert 1 is used for a long time. Further, by forming the identification code 30 by laser engraving, various identification codes 30 can be formed at high speed.

In the process of forming the element pattern 30a by laser engraving, it is preferable to circularly scan the laser light along the virtual circle VC while controlling the ON/OFF of the laser light. The outline along the circumferential direction of the element pattern 30a is arcuate. Therefore, if the laser beam is linearly scanned, it is difficult to form the arc-shaped outline of the element pattern 30a. By scanning the laser light circularly, the outline of the element pattern 30a can be smoothed, and the readability of the identification code 30 can be enhanced. In addition, by scanning the laser light in an arc, the path of the laser light can be shortened, and the processing time can be shortened as compared with the case of linear scanning.

Note that the identification code 30 may be formed by a method other than laser engraving. For example, the identification code 30 may be formed by methods such as ink printing, chemical etching, galvanic etching, and embossing marking.
The above identification code 30 is considered to be difficult to erase while insert 1 is in use, ease of increasing contrast, clarity of outline, ease of engraving when there is a curved surface on the symmetrical surface, short takt time of the process, etc. Among the formation methods of , laser engraving is most excellent for the application of this embodiment.

According to this embodiment, the identification code 30 is arranged around the opening of the mounting hole 15 . Therefore, since the identification code 30 extends in the circumferential direction around the opening of the mounting hole 15, the identification code 30 is hidden by the head of the clamp screw 4 even when the clamp screw 4 is inserted into the mounting hole 15. can be suppressed.

The identification code 30 is located radially outside the tapered surface 16 . If the identification code 30 is provided on the tapered surface 16, it becomes difficult to read the identification code 30 with a reading device. According to this embodiment, the identification code 30 can be provided in an easily readable area of the main surface 10 .

Identification marks (a first identification mark 41, a second identification mark 42 and a third identification mark 43) are provided radially inside three corners 10a of the four corners 10a of the main surface 10. be provided. That is, identification marks 41, 42, and 43 are provided inside a plurality of corner portions 10a on the main surface 10 on which the cutting edge 11 is provided. The identification code 30 is formed together with the identification code 30 by laser engraving.

The first identification mark 41 , the second identification mark 42 and the third identification mark 43 are located radially outside the identification code 30 . The first identification mark 41, the second identification mark 42 and the third identification mark 43 have different shapes. That is, the plurality of identification marks 41, 42, 43 are distinguished from each other. More specifically, the first identification mark 41 is triangular in plan view, the second identification mark 42 is circular in plan view, and the third identification mark 43 is larger than the first identification mark 41 in plan view. It is triangular. The four corners 10a are distinguished from each other by the corners 10a outside the first to third identification marks 41, 42, 43 and the corners 10a not provided with identification marks.

In this embodiment, the case where the identification marks 41, 42, and 43 are provided at the three corners 10a out of the four corners 10a has been described. However, the main surface 10 provided with the cutting edge 11 is located inside at least one corner 10a among the plurality of corners 10a of the main surface 10, and the corner 10a is distinguished from the other corners 10a. It is sufficient if an identification mark is provided. If an identification mark is provided inside at least one corner 10a, the corners 10a can be sequentially identified from the identification mark along the circumferential direction.

According to the present embodiment, since the identification marks 41, 42, and 43 are provided inside the corners 10a, it is easy to determine which of the corners 10a the corner edge 11a is used for cutting. can be discriminated.

At least one identification mark 41 among the plurality of identification marks 41 , 42 and 43 is used as a reference point when reading the identification code 30 . When the identification code 30 is a bar code, it is preferable that the identification code 30 is designated with a reading start position. Since a general bar code is a binary pattern in one direction, the end of the bar code can be recognized as the reading start position. However, since the identification code 30 of the present embodiment is provided along the entire circumference of the virtual circle, it is difficult to use the end portion as the reading start area. According to this embodiment, the identification mark 41 can be used as a reference for the position in the circumferential direction when the identification code 30 is read.

The identification marks 41, 42, and 43 of the present embodiment differ in shape from the element pattern 30a of the identification code 30, respectively. More specifically, while the identification marks 41, 42, and 43 have triangular or circular outer shapes, the element pattern 30a has a substantially rectangular shape. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the reader from misreading the element pattern 30 a of the identification code 30 and the identification marks 41 , 42 , 43 .

(Cutting edge condition management system)
Next, a cutting edge state management system S for managing the state of the cutting edge 11 of the insert 1 of this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting edge condition management system S has an imaging device C and an analysis section A. As shown in FIG.

The imaging device C is, for example, a camera (so-called CCD camera) equipped with a CCD image sensor (Charge Coupled Device image sensor). The imaging device C is arranged facing the main surface 10 of the insert 1 .

In this embodiment, the imaging device C simultaneously images the identification code 30 of the insert 1 and at least one of the rake face and the flank face of the cutting edge 11 near the cutting edge. Therefore, the optical axis of the imaging device C is inclined with respect to the normal direction of the main surface 10 . Note that the imaging device C does not necessarily have to be composed of one camera. For example, there are two imaging devices C, a camera that images the identification code from the normal direction of the main surface 10 of the insert 1 and a camera that images the flank from a direction close to the tangential line of the main surface 10 of the insert 1. You may have (multiple) cameras.

The imaging device C of this embodiment images the identification code 30 and the cutting edge 11 of the insert 1 attached to the tool body 3 .

The analysis unit A is, for example, a computer. The analysis section A preferably has a database for determining the characteristics of the insert 1 from the identification information given to the identification code 30 . Also, the analysis unit A may be connected to a database stored in an external server via a network. The analysis unit A is connected to the imaging device C. As shown in FIG. The analysis unit A receives the captured image captured by the imaging device C. FIG. The analysis unit A analyzes the captured image captured by the imaging device C. FIG.

The analysis unit A analyzes the captured image and obtains the individual information of the insert 1 from the identification code 30 in the captured image. Further, the analysis unit A obtains information on the state of damage of the insert 1 from the insert 1 in the captured image by analyzing the captured image. The analysis unit A associates the individual information of the insert 1 obtained from the identification code 30 in the captured image with the damage state information of the insert 1 obtained from the insert 1 in the captured image.

The most typical type of damage to the insert 1 is flank wear of the cutting edge 11 . When flank wear occurs, the tip position of the cutting edge 11 of the insert 1 retreats (the outer diameter of the tool decreases), so the dimensional error of the processed product (final product) increases according to the amount of flank wear. . Then, it is determined whether the tool life has been reached based on the case where the dimensional error exceeds the user's allowable value. Therefore, one of the important information as the damage state of the insert 1 is the information on the flank wear amount of the cutting edge 11 . The cutting edge 11 of the insert 1 is worn by cutting. The amount of flank wear of the cutting edge 11 that has reached the end of its tool life is as small as several tens of μm to several hundreds of μm, for example, in the case of the cutting edge 11 of an insert for semi-finishing. Therefore, it is difficult to directly measure the flank wear amount of the cutting edge 11 with the imaging device C as the difference from the tip position of the cutting edge before the tool is used.

The present inventors have noted that as the flank wear amount of the cutting edge 11 increases, the wear marks formed on the flank 29 and the rake face 19 (see FIG. 2) of the insert 1 increase. As mentioned above, the amount of flank wear is important, but in general, as the flank wear increases, so does the crater wear. There are many. The term "wear marks" as used herein refers to a region discolored due to contact with the work material. It should be noted that the visually discolored region includes not only that due to wear but also deterioration due to heat during cutting. However, since they usually have different hues, it is possible to distinguish them with high accuracy by using machine learning. The size of the wear scar can be easily measured using the image pickup device C because even an insert for semi-finishing is as large as several millimeters on one side when the tool life is reached. The correlation coefficient between the amount of wear on the cutting edge 11 and the size of the wear marks on the flank 29 and the rake face 19 varies depending on the properties of the insert 1 . More specifically, the correlation coefficient is determined by the material of the insert 1, the honing shape, the clearance angle of the flank surface 29, the rake angle of the rake surface 19, and the like.

According to this embodiment, the analysis unit A can acquire the individual information of the insert 1 from the identification code 30 provided on the main surface 10 of the insert 1 . The individual information on the insert 1 includes information on the characteristics of the insert 1 that determines the correlation coefficient. The analysis unit A associates the size of the wear marks on the flank 29 and the rake face 19 (damage state of the insert 1 obtained from the insert 1 in the captured image) with the individual information of the insert 1, The flank wear amount of the blade 11 can be estimated. When the cutting edge state management system S determines that the estimated flank wear amount of the cutting edge 11 has exceeded a threshold corresponding to the tool life, it issues an alert prompting the user to replace the cutting edge 11 .

In the cutting edge state management system of this embodiment, the imaging device C simultaneously images the identification code 30 of the main surface 10 of the insert 1 and either one of the rake face 19 and the flank face 29 near the cutting edge 11. . That is, the imaging device C simultaneously images at least one of the size of the wear scar on the rake face 19 or the flank face 29 and the identification code 30 . Therefore, the analyzing section A can immediately estimate the flank wear amount from the size of the wear scar.

In addition to estimating the flank wear amount of the cutting edge 11, the cutting edge condition management system S can also be used to select the insert 1 used for cutting and the cutting conditions. The analysis unit A can detect an abnormality such as chipping or chipping of the insert 1 as information on the damage state of the insert 1 obtained from the insert 1 in the captured image. It is conceivable that the insert 1 has insufficient toughness, or the cutting load is too high, as the cause of the above-described abnormality in the insert 1 . In addition, there are many other damage conditions such as thermal cracking and flaking of the insert 1, welding of the work material, etc., and these are usually caused by the type of insert 1 or inappropriate cutting conditions. according to. The analysis unit A analyzes the cause of the abnormality by associating the information on the abnormality (information on the damage state of the insert 1) obtained from the insert 1 in the captured image with the individual information on the insert 1. do. Further, the cutting edge condition management system S proposes to the user selection of the insert 1 and cutting conditions for improving the abnormality based on the analysis result of the cause of the abnormality in the analysis section A.

Individual information of the insert 1 attached to the tool body 3 is useful information in cutting management. Conventionally, when managing the individual information of the insert 1, it was common to manually enter it into the system, but there were problems such as the need for inputting time and the risk of human input errors. there were. In addition, since the insert 1 is manually attached by the user, the same cutting edge 11 may be accidentally used multiple times in the insert 1 having a plurality of cutting edges 11, and unused cutting edges may be used. A loss may occur due to mistakenly discarding the insert 1 that has it.

According to the cutting edge condition management system S of the present embodiment, the imaging device C captures an image of the insert 1, and the analysis unit A analyzes the captured image of the insert 1, whereby the analysis unit A obtains the individual information of the insert 1. can be obtained easily. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of manually inputting the individual information of the insert 1 and input errors. In addition, since the cutting edge 11 being used can be identified by reading the identification mark 41 of the insert 1 at the time of imaging, it is possible to manage the usage history of each individual cutting edge 11 in the insert 1 having a plurality of cutting edges 11. can.

Even if the insert 1 has the same tool model number, there are slight variations in the shape and quality of each individual insert. Therefore, even if cutting is performed under the same conditions, the time until the tool life is reached varies. For this reason, the insert 1 is generally replaced with a certain margin with respect to the cumulative cutting time that is considered to reach the end of its life. For example, a typical insert is replaced in about 80% of its average lifespan. For this reason, there are problems such as the occurrence of labor due to an increase in the frequency of replacement and the loss of the insert 1 due to not using it until the end of its life.

In this embodiment, the analysis unit A has artificial intelligence (AI). The artificial intelligence of the analysis part A learns patterns of damage images of the cutting edge 11 at the time of the tool life and at each stage until the tool life is reached. Based on the result, the artificial intelligence of the analysis unit A predicts the remaining usage time until the tool life is reached from the image of the current damage state of the cutting edge 11 . Moreover, the cutting edge condition management system S may cause the panel of the user interface to display the current usage time of the cutting edge as a percentage of the total tool life. Furthermore, the cutting edge condition management system S can replace only inserts that have reached the end of their life based on the individual information of the inserts 1 attached to the tool body 3, thereby reducing losses.

In addition, according to the cutting edge state management system S of the present embodiment, the traceability of the insert 1 can be obtained by the identification code 30 of the insert 1. The thickness of the coating estimated from the information of the installation position of the insert in the inside) and minor version upgrades that are not listed in the model number can also be stored as information. Therefore, by using the information, it is possible to predict the service life with higher accuracy. Further, according to the cutting edge condition management system S of the present embodiment, all products are managed by the database, so it is also a countermeasure against counterfeit products.

In the present embodiment, an example in which the imaging device C is fixed at the above-described position within the cutting device has been described, but the configuration of the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the insert 1 removed from the tool main body 3 after the completion of cutting may be imaged by an independent imaging device C outside the cutting device to image the identification code 30 and the damage state of the cutting edge. In that case, it is not possible to acquire the damage state of the cutting edge in real time during use of the insert 1, but it is possible to check the dimensions of the processed product (final product) from the amount of wear of the cutting edge after use, Indexes for changing the type and optimizing cutting conditions can be obtained in the same way as above.

(Modification 1)
FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the insert 101 of Modification 1. As shown in FIG. The insert 101 of Modification 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. The insert 101 of this modification differs from the above-described embodiment in the configuration of the identification code 130 and the identification marks 141, 142, 143. FIG.
In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about the component of the same aspect as the above-mentioned embodiment, and the description is abbreviate|omitted.

An identification code 130 and identification marks (first identification mark 141, second identification mark 142 and third identification mark 143) are provided on the main surface 10 of the insert 101 of this modification. The identification code 130 of this modified example is a bar code arranged in a circle. The identification code 130 is a one-row bar code in which a binary pattern is arranged along a virtual circle.

As shown in this modified example, the identification code 130 may be a barcode having a plurality of bars arranged along the circumferential direction as long as they are arranged along the circumferential direction. By using a barcode as the identification code 130 of this modified example, an optical barcode reader can be used that scans the light from the light source along the direction in which the bars are arranged, receives the reflected light, and performs reading. . In this case, the optical barcode reader scans the light from the light source along the circumferential direction.
Note that the identification code 130 of this modified example has a smaller amount of information than the identification code 30 of the above-described embodiment. In addition, the identification code 130 of this modified example needs to read thick bars and thin bars. Readability is not necessarily high.

The first identification mark 141 , the second identification mark 142 and the third identification mark 143 of this modification are located radially outside the identification code 130 . The first identification mark 141 is circular in plan view. The second identification mark 142 is a mark in which two circular imprints are arranged side by side. The third identification mark 143 is a mark in which three circular imprints are arranged in a plane view.

(Modification 2)
FIG. 5 shows a front view of an insert 201 of modification 2, a milling tool (tool) 202 having the insert 201, and a cutting edge state management system S that manages the state of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting insert. The insert 201 of Modification 2 will be described below with reference to FIG. The insert 201 of this modified example differs from the above-described embodiment mainly in that it is an insert for a milling tool.

The milling tool 202 of this modification is a face milling cutter. The milling tool 202 uses the cutting edge 211 of the insert 201 to mill a workpiece made of a metal material or the like. The milling tool 202 is attached to the spindle of the machine tool. The milling tool 202 is fixed to the spindle of the machine tool so that its tool axis O coincides with the rotation axis of the machine tool, and is rotated around the tool axis O by the machine tool.

The milling tool 202 has a plurality of inserts 201 , a tool body 203 holding the plurality of inserts 201 , and a clamp screw 4 fixing the inserts 201 to the tool body 203 .

The tool body 203 is a rod extending along the tool axis O. As shown in FIG. A plurality of insert mounting seats 203a are provided on the outer periphery of the tip of the tool body 203 . The insert mounting seats 203a are provided around the tool axis O at substantially equal intervals. The tool body 203 holds the insert 201 at the insert mounting seat 203a.

In the milling method using the milling tool 202 of this modified example, the tool body 203 is rotated around the tool axis O to bring the insert 201 into contact with the work material to machine the work material.

The insert 201 of this variation has a major surface 210 . The main surface 210 faces forward in the rotational direction when attached to the tool body 203 . An identification code 230 is provided on the main surface 210 .

In this modified example, the milling tool 202 is a face milling cutter. However, any milling tool may be used as long as the tool body rotates to machine the work material, and may be, for example, an insert detachable end mill.

The cutting edge condition management system S of this modified example has an imaging device C and an analysis unit A, as in the above-described embodiment. The insert 201 of this modified example is used for a milling tool 202 . In this embodiment, the imaging device C captures an image of the identification code 230 on the main surface 210 of the insert 201 from obliquely below. By capturing images from the obliquely downward direction in this way, there is the advantage that one camera can simultaneously image the rake and flank surfaces near the cutting edge, and both the rake and flank surfaces near the cutting edge were recorded. Since images can be obtained, it is possible to efficiently proceed with machine learning for obtaining the correlation coefficient between the magnitude of wear and the amount of flank wear. In that case, preferably, the image is taken at an angle of 45° with respect to the normal to the main surface 210 of the insert 201 .

In addition, when a large number of inserts 201, for example 10 or more, are attached to the tool body 203, the chip pocket located ahead of the milling tool 202 in the rotational direction with respect to the inserts 201 becomes narrower. In some cases, the entire code 230 cannot be photographed. In preparation for such a case, it is preferable that the identification code 230 of the insert 201 is configured so that only a part thereof can be imaged and the identification information of the individual can be read. More specifically, the identification code 230 preferably has a configuration in which identification information is repeatedly placed along the circumferential direction.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but each configuration and combination thereof in the embodiments are examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configuration can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. is possible. Moreover, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments.
For example, mounting holes are formed in the inserts of the embodiments and variations described above. However, the identification code may be provided on inserts without mounting holes.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,101,201... Cutting insert (insert), 2... Turning tool (tool), 3,203... Tool body, 10,210... Main surface, 10a... Corner part, 11,211... Cutting edge, 15... Mounting hole , 16... Tapered surface 20... Side surface 30, 130, 230... Identification code 41, 42, 43, 141, 142, 143... Identification mark 202... Milling tool (tool) A... Analysis unit C... Imaging device, S... cutting edge state management system, VC... virtual circle

Claims (8)

A cutting insert attached to a tool body, comprising:
a pair of main surfaces facing the thickness direction;
a side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces;
a cutting edge provided at an intersection ridgeline between at least one of the pair of main surfaces and the side surface,
An identification code for identifying the cutting insert is provided on the main surface on which the cutting edge is provided,
The identification code is arranged along a virtual circle assumed in the plane of the main surface ,
The identification code is a two-dimensional barcode in which a binary pattern is arranged in multiple stages in the radial direction of the virtual circle,
The binary pattern of the identification code is composed of an element pattern given to the main surface and a blank pattern,
A contour along the circumferential direction of the element pattern is arc-shaped along the virtual circle,
cutting insert. The cutting insert according to claim 1, wherein the dimension along the circumferential direction of the element pattern is 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less. The blank pattern is the surface of a titanium nitride coating provided on the main surface,
The cutting insert according to claim 2 . Circular mounting holes are provided in a plan view that penetrate in the thickness direction and open to the pair of main surfaces,
the center of the virtual circle coincides with the center of the mounting hole,
The cutting insert according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the identification code is arranged around the opening of the mounting hole. The main surface on which the cutting edge is provided has a polygonal shape in plan view,
The main surface provided with the cutting edge is provided with an identification mark located inside at least one of the plurality of corners of the main surface and identifying the corner from the other corners. The cutting insert according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the cutting insert is A cutting edge state management system for managing the state of the cutting edge of a cutting insert attached to a tool body ,
an imaging device;
and an analysis unit,
The cutting insert is
a pair of main surfaces facing the thickness direction;
a side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces;
a cutting edge provided at an intersection ridgeline between at least one of the pair of main surfaces and the side surface,
An identification code for identifying the cutting insert is provided on the main surface on which the cutting edge is provided,
The identification code is arranged along a virtual circle assumed in the plane of the main surface,
The imaging device images the identification code and the cutting edge of the cutting insert,
The analysis unit analyzes the captured image captured by the imaging device, and the individual information of the cutting insert obtained from the identification code in the captured image and the cutting insert obtained from the cutting insert in the captured image. correlating the cutting insert damage state information with each other ,
The imaging device simultaneously images the identification code of the main surface of the cutting insert and at least one of a rake face and a flank face near the cutting edge,
Cutting edge condition management system. A method for manufacturing a cutting insert having an identification code on its surface,
The identification code is a barcode consisting of a binary pattern arranged along a virtual circle assumed in the plane of the main surface of the cutting insert,
The base material of the cutting insert is cemented carbide or cermet,
The binary pattern of the identification code is composed of an element pattern given to the main surface and a blank pattern,
a first laser light irradiation step of irradiating the main surface with laser light from a first laser to blacken the surface of the base material of the cutting insert to form the element pattern;
a second laser light irradiation step of whitening a blank pattern on the surface of the base material of the cutting insert by irradiating the main surface with laser light from a second laser having a longer pulse width than that of the first laser; , has
In the second laser light irradiation step, the first laser light irradiation step is performed after the entire region in which the identification code is provided is whitened.
A manufacturing method for cutting inserts. A method for manufacturing a cutting insert having an identification code on its surface,
The identification code is a barcode consisting of a binary pattern arranged along a virtual circle assumed in the plane of the main surface of the cutting insert,
The base material of the cutting insert is cemented carbide or cermet,
The binary pattern of the identification code is composed of an element pattern given to the main surface and a blank pattern,
a first laser light irradiation step of irradiating the main surface with laser light from a first laser to blacken the surface of the base material of the cutting insert to form the element pattern;
a second laser light irradiation step of whitening a blank pattern on the surface of the base material of the cutting insert by irradiating the main surface with laser light from a second laser having a longer pulse width than that of the first laser; , has
the first laser is a femtosecond laser;
wherein the second laser is a nanosecond laser;
A manufacturing method for cutting inserts.

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