EP2397286A2

EP2397286A2 - Hydrojet cutting head comprising five infinitely rotating axes

Info

Publication number: EP2397286A2
Application number: EP09839918A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Emilio Mateu Sentamans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-02-13
Filing date: 2009-02-13
Publication date: 2011-12-21
Also published as: WO2010092196A3; WO2010092196A2; ES2410055B1; ES2410055A1; EP2397286A4

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydrojet cutting head comprising five infinitely rotating axes, for cutting three-dimensional planes of rigid materials (metals, stone, ceramic, wood, etc.) and soft materials (rubber, food, foam, etc.) up to 360 sexagesimal degrees and with a fixed and constant focal point, in the form of a spinning top. Said head comprises a rotating base (1), a nozzle support (2), and a head base (3) which are interconnected by a rotary joint (12). A pressurised water line (4) and (5) ending in a water inflow receiver (6), and an abrasive product line (7, 8) leading towards an abrasive receiver (9) are inserted into said head base (3), where the water-abrasive combination is formed in the nozzle (10). Said water-abrasive mixture is guided through a concentrator (11) out of which blasts the fluid jet for cutting the piece.

Description

Technical Sector

The invention is protected in this patent consists of an hydrojet cutting head with five axes of rotation for cutting three-dimensional planes of rigid materials (metals, stone, ceramic, wood, etc.) using an abrasive substances and soft materials (rubber, food, foam, etc.) using pure water.
It is, therefore, a head that consists of three main parts: a head base with a rotation base, a nozzle support and nozzle cutting can rotate continuously in an infinite way along its axis vertical axis - C - (rotation around the Z-axis) and up to 360 ° sexagesimal tilted on its axis - the axis A - (angle from perpendicular).
The water jet cutting cut is a technical field of the treatment of hard materials (metals, stone, ceramic, wood, etc...) using water with an abrasive substance and the cutting of soft materials (rubber, food, foam, etc...) using pure water to implementation and configuration of parts that require a level of precision in front of cutting tools or conventional mechanical tools (saws, blades, milling, drilling, etc..) without altering the temperature of the treated materials. Like, for example, if it happens in laser cutting, plasma or traditional mechanical means.

Background art

The use of pressurized water to the water jet cutting, including cutting with abrasive substances, it is a technique known for its virtues of cleanliness, accuracy, versatility and production of materials, ability to work in harsh environments as well as non thermal deformation of products worked.
Currently, several systems leading to high pressure fluid along a defined path are already available (the terms "water under high pressure" and "water jet" included in the present invention means that can include all types of fluids high pressure, including but not limited to high water pressure and a water mixture - abrasive).
In such systems, commonly we referred to machines with two, three and five axes. The conventional three-axis machines mounted on a head allows vertical movement along the Z axis (up/down), to and from the workpiece. The base of the head is mounted on a bridge that moves parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bridge over the horizontal work plane. The bridge is mounted on one or two tracks that allow movement perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bridge. Thus, the jet of fluid at a high pressure in the head moves along a path defined in the XY plane of the relative workpiece, whereas X (back/forth), and Y (left/right).
The conventional five-axis machines work similarly but all of them allow movement about two additional axes of rotation, typically an horizontal and a vertical axis. The water jet cutting with five axes can be useful for several reasons, including the remarkable possibility of cutting three-dimensional shapes. Particularly, as is known in the prior art, a cut produced by a jet as a jet of water and abrasive, has characteristics that differ from cuts by traditional machining processes.
Two of the features arising from water jet cutting are referred to bevel angle and the kerf angle present in the final part. The bevel angle is defined as the angle formed with the opening of the jet of water tapering on the workpiece. The water lag angle exists because of the deviation of the jet of water at the entry point of the piece of cut (flat top) and exit point (lower level),In relation to the cutting direction. So those parts can exhibit a certain amount of overcut on the bottom, or exit, side of the part. These two features are actually deviances manifested as undesirable geometric anomalies, reducing the accuracy of the final piece. In situations where it is desirable to minimize or eliminate these two defects, using conventional cutting systems in three dimensions.
However, the various structural assemblies of the devices vary depending on both technical and its applications. To this end, the present invention is achieved by a head for water jet cutting differentiated from the previous two primary features: the endless rotation of the spindle base and the fixed position of the focal point of cut.
Today, already known and used various means of water jet cutting, but all have drawbacks operational and functional, which developed the media and always have some limitations compared to the invention is presented. So, are known as devices, inventions with publication number ES2165323 Spanish Patent Application Engineering (2002) on a machine for water jet cutting planes in two dimensions - 2D - horizontally, PCT International patent W003018266 to FLOW INTERNATIONAL CORP on an apparatus for generating and manipulating the high-pressure cutting with five axes, but without fixed focal point or infinite money.
All of them a prior art of the invention presented, but away from the device of the invention.

Technical Problem

The current configurations of water jet high pressure cutting devices, are limited because the rotation is carried out continuously but not infinite, but with movements of rewinding. This leads to more time needed to perform the same cut.
This happens because the configuration of the system, and abrasive water pipes are located outside the head and this operating limit the rotation movements of rewind, which can be overcome by the provision of piped water and abrasive inside the head rotor.
Sometimes, existing configurations do not support a focal point fixed cutting, which can be overcome by setting the rotary axes (one vertical and the other at 45 degrees to the first), that for highest precision can be a great drawback, and thwarted and rejected results are obtained from the product worked.

Technical Solution

Through the provision of an articulated head, formed by a set of a rotating base and a nozzle support, you get any guidance from the nozzle and a constant focal point (optimal cut). This optimal cut point is reached by the intersection of the two rotary axes (the first vertical axis - C - and the second at 45 degrees from the first axis - A-). The three linear axes are available on the bridge of the machine allowing displacements in the horizontal XY plane over the entire surface of the cutting table and vertical movements of the head in the direction Z.
Furthermore, the provision of water and abrasive lines inside the head rotor allows an infinite rotation of the head on the vertical axis C, providing also to this head to the possibility of adding accessories, as the regulator -with or without a sensor - in height and /or crash, drilling, threading or otherwise.
In conclusion, this invention enables the water jet cutting of three-dimensional parts or angles and edges on flat surfaces without rewinding and according to the user needs.

Advantageous Effects

As one of the main advantages this invention includes rewinding prevent movement, with a consequent reduction in working time, less risk of damaging the cutting quality and the ability to add accessories to it.
Another remarkable advantage is the faculty to extent of any position and/or orientation of the nozzle above the horizontal plane of the cutting surface due to the axes shaped in the head, keeping the focus fixed and constant, and facilitating follow-up an optimal trajectory and a precise work. This configuration also allows the correction of defects in the final piece such as taper, delay stream of water or other user-defined functions.
All this allows to achieve results and applications in the water-cut pieces, which incorporates the invention, which are not present in the known devices.

Description of drawings

For a better understanding of the general characteristics mentioned above, it is accompanied by several drawings to the present invention which is disclosed as specified below:

Figure 1 : Sectional view of a set consisting of a rotating base (1), a nozzle support (2), a head base(3), a pressurized water line (4, 5), a water inflow receiver (6), an abrasive product line (7, 8), a an abrasive receiver (9), a nozzle (10), a concentrator (11), and a rotary joint (12), with its two axes A and C.
Figure 2 : Sectional view of a set consisting of a rotating base (1), a nozzle support (2), a head base(3), a pressurized water line (4, 5), a water inflow receiver (6), an abrasive product line (7, 8), a an abrasive receiver (9), a nozzle (10), a concentrator (11), a rotary joint (12), a regulator in height (13), and a guide to the regulator (14) with two axes A and C.
Figure 3 : Projection of a combination of a cutting head water jet with five axes infinitely rotation working positions 0 ° and 180 ° sexagesimal inclined to the axis A.
Figure 4 : Sectional view, plan and elevation a head water jet cutting with five axes of infinitely rotation.
Figure 5 : Sectional view of an hydrojet cutting head with five axes of infinitely rotation working in different angular positions for the axis A.

Mode for invention

The present invention provides an hydrojet cutting head comprising five infinitely rotating axes. In particular, the head has their vertical movement along the vertical axis Z, perpendicular to the workpiece. In addition, the head is mounted or attached to a bridge arm that allows movement along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bridge. The bridge is mounted on one or more rails to allow movement of the bridge in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal axis in the horizontal plane. Thus, the head moves along the X, Y and Z, as is known in the state of the art on the cutting surface.
The equipment operation starts from the geometry of the workpiece through a software program designed CADCAM. The generated file of the program is a CADCAM with a CNC code (numeric control) that is implemented on a CNC machine. The user can define different parameters from software to consider, such as the cutting height, cutting speed, pressure, parameters of the abrasive, and so on. With the CNC machine controls the movement of linear and rotary head along the surface or desk.
The device of an hydrojet cutting head comprising five infinitely rotating axes can be made and arranged as follows:

It has a set of three articulated main parts including a rotating base (1), a nozzle support (2), and a head base (3). This one and the basis of rotation (1) are connected through a rotary joint (12). The configuration of the axes C and A concentrator allows any orientation of maintaining a constant focal point like a spinning top. The movement of this device is given by two motors, one for each axis of rotation. The first axis of rotation - C - is aligned with the longitudinal axis Z of the movement, as it is commonly known in the art, and the second axis - A - has an angle of 45 ° sexagesimal to the plane of the first.

Inserted into said head base (3) is inserted a pressurized water line (4) and (5), ending in a water inflow receiver ( (6). Concentrically to the water lines is inserted an abrasive product line (7, 8), leading towards an abrasive receiver (9), where the water-abrasive combination is formed in the nozzle (10). Such a configuration allows endless spins on the axis C. And, said water-abrasive mixture is guided through a concentrator (11) out of which blasts the fluid jet for cutting the piece, ready a few millimeters from the base of the nozzle, optimum cutting by water.
Moreover, the nozzle and its support must be easily accessible and removable from the head. The nozzle is detachable from its support by manual means, and the concentrator is extracted from the nozzle in the same way.
Such a configuration of five-axis head allows different applications, such as compensation of cone angle and the angle of the water jet lag, cutting three-dimensional parts and cutting the angle flat pieces, known in the technical sector as cutting 2D ½. In a three dimensional piece, the head follows the path while maintaining the same distance from the base of the concentrator to the treated part. With a 2D cut ½ the height in the Z axis remains constant, since it is a horizontal section of flat pieces, with leaning angle A.
The head allows the coupling of a height adjuster (13) configurable by the user, and a guide to the regulator (14) that lets to control the distance of the concentrator base to the surface of the workpiece, either in time intervals previously fixed in certain positions, or at all times continuously, or otherwise. In addition to this accessory, you could attach accessories such as a drilling, or threading or other devices used for different purpose.

Claims

Hydrojet cutting head with five infinitely rotating axes for angles up to 360 ° sexagesimal and with a fixed and constant focal point characterized by a rotating base (1), a nozzle support (2), and a head base (3) that are connected through a rotary joint (12). A pressurised water line (4) and (5) ending in a water inflow receiver (6), and an abrasive product line (7, 8) leading towards an abrasive receiver (9) are inserted into said head base (3), where the water-abrasive combination is formed in the nozzle (10). Said water-abrasive mixture is guided through a concentrator (11) out of which blasts the fluid jet for cutting the piece.
Hydrojet cutting head with five infinitely rotating axes for angles up to 360 ° sexagesimal and with a fixed and constant focal point according Claim.1 characterized by the nozzle support (2), and the nozzle (10) can be inserted or extracted manually.
Hydrojet cutting head with five infinitely rotating axes for angles up to 360 ° sexagesimal and with a fixed and constant focal point according Claim.1 characterized by it can be so coupled accessory: a regulator in height (13) configurable by the user, a guide to the regulator (14), a drilling or a threading tool or other mechanical cutting devices.