GB2496869A

GB2496869A - Coolant powered swarf removal tool

Info

Publication number: GB2496869A
Application number: GB1120205.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip David Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-11-23
Filing date: 2011-11-23
Publication date: 2013-05-29
Also published as: GB201120205D0

Abstract

The tool is for removing metallic or non-metallic swarf 13 and other associated machining debris from holes 6, 7, 8 and other cavities. The swarf is produced when CNC machining components 5 on multi axis machining centres using high pressure through-spindle coolant 3. The power source may be high pressure coolant 1 supplied by the machining centre. A vacuum 10 may be created by means of the venturi principle through which the swarf/debris is removed from the holes/cavities. A high pressure coolant jet 4 may be aligned with the tool axis to agitate the swarf in the hole 7. A radial jet 11 may create the vacuum to raise the swarf and eject it from the holes/cavities and safely away from the work piece 5.

Description

TUE COOLANT POWERED SWAItF REMOVAL TOOL In brief: This invention isa tool for the in-cycle removal of metallic/non metallic swarf and other associated machining debris from holes and cavities produced when CNC machining components on multi axis machining centres utilising high pressure through-spindle coolant. The power source for this invention is therefore the high pressure coolant supplied by the machining centre. This creates a vacuum by meats of the venturi principle, through which the swarfldebris is removed from the 1 0 holes/cavities. Ergo, this invention has no mechanical moving parts.

Basic description of the design:

When components are machined on modem high speed cnc machining centres, waste material known as "swarf' is produced. This swarf, if left un-removed from holes or cavities within iS the component being machined, can (and frequently does) damage the component itself and the tooling used in following machining andlor assembly operations. Typically, the swan has unintentionally heat treated, work hardened ragged edges (a side effect of high speed cutting), that causes a great deal of damage to the workpiece itself and any tools used in subsequent operations. This swarf is normally removed by manually stopping the machine mid-cycle and manually using a compressed air gun or other hand held device (pliers f claw / hook or similar). Any manual intervention is haphazard, inefficient and reduces the productivity of the machine and puts the (frequently valuable) workpiece at risk of damage due to the manual nature of this operation. It is usual practice to provide high pressure cutting fluid to the faces / holes of the component during machining, be it drilling or milling operations. This aids swarf removal, but can also lead to swarf being carried unintentionally into previously drilled holes/cavities. For this invention to work, this cutting fluid must be provided at sufficient pressure and velocity though the spindle itself. Most modem machining centres are equipped with this facility.

This invention allows the swarfreinoval process to be programmed into the machine's cycle in the same manner as any other cutting tool -thus improving productivity, and removes the manual intervention entirely. [twill be a great benefit to machining companies by increasing productivity through the improved automation of their machining processes, and a great improvement to health and safety -as many thousands of machine operators suffer eye and hand injuries every year throughout the world by manually extracting sww-L This further reduces efficiency in manufacturing industry due to time lost due to injury and subsequent litigation/compensation claims against manufacturing companies.

Statements of Invention:

1) This invention is a swarf removal tool, utilising a high pressure jet and vacuum created by a secondary radial jet/venturi arrangement, all powered by the high pressure coolant supplied by the machine during its machining cycle.

2) It is designed to eliminate manual intervention involved in swar? extraction.

3) it is intended to be attached to a machine compatible arbour (back end / taper, through which the coolant is supplied) in the same manner as any other of the cutting tools in the machine's carousel, and can thus be programmed to moved to the required position from where the swarf is to be extracted.

4) When not in use, it will reside in the machine's tool carousel in the same manner as I S all the other cutting tools employed.

5) The tool has and entry and exit port through which the swarf will be extracted.

6) When positioned over the appropriate hole/aperture at a specified distance, the machine's through-spindle coolant supply is activated. This cootant travels through the galleries within the tool at high velocity and high pressure and out of two jets. A jet, on the tool's centreline immediately above the entry port allows high pressure coolant to shoot into the hole/aperture. Simultaneously, a radial jet in the tube forces coolant towards the exit port via the venturi, creating the vacuum.

7) As the swarf is agitated within the hole, with the inlet port of the tube in close proximity to the workpiece, the swarf will rapidly travel upwards through the venturi, assisted physically by the coolant vortex being provided by the radial jet. This combination, of agitating the swarf in the hole, and creating a high pressure/high speed vortex, will be sufficient to raise the swarf from the hole and eject it to wherever the spindle is orientated, which should be programmed to be in the direction of the swarf removal conveyer and subsequently safely out of the machining area.

8) The diameter of the vacuum tube will vary according to the particular configuration of the machine and workpiece being machined. A variety of designs and sizes dependent upon customer demand is anticipated. The working coolant pressure is anticipated to be in excess of lOOpsi.

Key to numbered features on F12. 1 (sheet 3) (1) High pressure coolant enters via the pulistud from the machine'sspindle here.

(2) Swarf extractor aligned to machine spindle centreline, (3) High pressure coolant separates here into the two different jets, one axially aligned, the other radiaL (4) High pressure jet to agitate swarf in hole in component being machined, forcing it upwards into vacuum tube.

(5) Workpiece being machined.

(6) Hole cleared of swarf.

(7) Hole being cleared of swarf.

(8) Hole to be deared of swarf.

9) Entry port positioned c 3mm above hoks to be cleared.

(10) Venturi through which swarf passes.

(II) Radial jet creating unbroken wall of high speed high pressure coolant to accelerate swarf velocity through tube.

(12) Exit port, aligned by rotating machine spindle to required direction for optimum swarf extraction (13) Swarf being ejected.

(114) Arbor appropriate to particular machine being used.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims: 1) This is a tool for removing swarf from holes and other cavities produced when enc machining metallic and non metallic materials on multi axis machining centres with high pressure through-spindle coolant supplies.</claim-text> <claim-text>2) It automates the swarf removal process by eradicating the need for human interface, reducing machine down-time, increasing productivity and reducing health and safety risks.</claim-text> <claim-text>3) It has an entry and exit port through which the swarf travels.</claim-text> <claim-text>4) It has no moving parts, bags or filters that will need to be changed or maintained.</claim-text> <claim-text>5) It is powered by the high pressure coolant supplied through the spindle by the machine.</claim-text> <claim-text>6) It removes swarf by using 2 high pressure jets, simultaneously agitating the swarf in the hole by means of ajet aligned to the tool axis, and creating a vacuum with a radial jet/venturi to raise the swarf and eject it from the hole/cavity and safely away from the workpiece.</claim-text> <claim-text>7) It can be programmed to move to position and the coolant supply is actuated / deactivated by an "M" code within the CNC programme, running in the machine's CNC control system, in exactly the same manner as any other tool in the carousel of the machine.</claim-text> <claim-text>8) The tool will be imported into the machine's spindle in the same manner as all the other the other cutting tools employed, however, the precise method of holding/tool changing/storing the tool in the spindle will depend upon the specific configuration of the machine being used. (These variations in design will be accommodated by the use of a unique coupling adaptor to suit a variety of proprietary milling arbours supplied by many different manufacturers.) 9) The tool will reside in the machine's tool carousel alongside and in the same manner as all the other cutting tools when not employed.</claim-text>