JP7465613B2 - Processing Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a processing device.

Patent document 1 discloses a processing device that can perform laser hardening in addition to cutting.

JP 2005-238253 A

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a processing device that can efficiently perform cutting processing and heat treatment such as hardening of a workpiece.

The processing device according to the present invention comprises:
A table that allows the workpiece to be rotated;
A workpiece supporting means is provided on the table and supports the workpiece;
a cutting mechanism that cuts the work supported by the work support means;
a heat treatment mechanism for heat-treating the work supported by the work support means,
The heat treatment mechanism has a coil unit that induction heats the workpiece,
The coil portion and the work supported by the work supporting means are capable of moving relative to each other.

In the present invention, the heat treatment mechanism employs induction heating using a coil section. Induction heating is efficient because it can accurately and rapidly heat to the desired temperature. In addition, the present invention is efficient because cutting processing and heat treatment using induction heating can be performed consecutively. Furthermore, since the coil section and the workpiece can move relative to each other, heat treatment using induction heating can be performed at the desired location of the workpiece, making it even more efficient.

The heating device according to the present invention further comprises:
a processing chamber that houses the cutting mechanism, the heat treatment mechanism, and the table;
The system includes a plurality of tables, a plurality of work support means each configured on the plurality of tables and supporting the work respectively, a plurality of pallets on which the tables are respectively placed, and a pallet changer that swaps the pallets between the inside and outside of the processing chamber.

With this configuration, having a pallet changer as described above makes it possible to switch workpieces between the inside and outside of the processing chamber before and after processing.

In addition, the processing device according to the present invention is
The apparatus further includes a coolant recovery mechanism for recovering the coolant supplied to the workpiece during heat treatment.

With this configuration, the cooling liquid recovery mechanism makes it possible to reuse the cooling liquid.

As described above, the present invention provides a processing device that can efficiently perform cutting processing and heat treatment such as hardening of a workpiece.

1 is a schematic diagram of a processing device according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a processing device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the table (workpiece supporting means). 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the coil portion in the heat treatment mechanism. FIG.

The present inventors conceived and created the present invention as follows.
First, induction heating is efficient because it can accurately and quickly heat a workpiece to a desired temperature. For this reason, the inventors came up with the idea of adopting induction heating instead of the laser hardening of Patent Document 1. However, heat treatment mechanisms with different heating methods require their own unique specifications. For example, in induction heating, the arrangement of the coil relative to the workpiece is important. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of the processing device while satisfying such requirements.

The following describes the processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a processing device according to a first embodiment.
1, the processing device 1x of this embodiment includes a table 10 that enables rotation of a workpiece W, a workpiece support means 11 that supports the workpiece W, a cutting mechanism 20 that cuts the workpiece W, a tool magazine 30 that stores a plurality of cutting tools, and a heat treatment mechanism 40 that heat treats the workpiece W by induction heating. The processing device 1x also includes a processing chamber 50 that houses each mechanism, and a control unit 60 that controls the operation of each mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 1, the workpiece W of this embodiment has a disk-shaped flange portion w1 and a cylindrical extension portion w2 extending from the center of the flange portion w1 in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction of the flange portion w1. The flange portion w1 and the extension portion w2 are formed on the same axis. The workpiece W is made of steel material containing carbon.
Here, the workpiece W in this embodiment is exemplified as a workpiece having a disk-shaped flange portion w1 and a cylindrical extension portion w2, but the workpiece W is not particularly limited.

As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 1x of this embodiment is a combined device that allows the workpiece W to rotate, supports the workpiece W so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is aligned vertically, and can perform both cutting and heat treatment on the workpiece W. Here, the direction in which the rotation axis of the workpiece W in the supported state extends (axial direction), i.e., the vertical direction, is referred to as the Z direction. In addition, of the horizontal directions, the first horizontal direction perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the Y direction, and the second horizontal direction perpendicular to both the Z direction and the Y direction is referred to as the X direction.

In this embodiment, the table 10 rotatably supports the workpiece W so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is aligned vertically.

As shown in FIG. 1, the table 10 can be rotated so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is tilted relative to the vertical direction.

The table 10 is also movable in the X and Z directions. Specifically, the table 10 has a drive unit (not shown) that drives the movement in the X and Z directions, and a first guide unit (not shown) such as a rail that guides the movement in the X and Z directions, thereby allowing the table 10 to move in the X and Z directions.

The table 10 is made of a material that does not generate induction heating. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, stainless steel and copper.

As shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece support means 11 is configured on a table 10 and supports one end of the workpiece W so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is aligned vertically. In other words, the workpiece support means 11 supports one side (the bottom surface) of the workpiece W. The workpiece support means 11 is, for example, a three-jaw chuck, a machine vice, a clamp, or a magnet.

The work support means 11 can also move in the X and Z directions. Specifically, since the work support means 11 is configured on the table 10, the work support means 11 also moves in the X and Z directions as the table 10 moves in the X and Z directions.

The material of the workpiece support means 11 is not particularly limited, but if the workpiece support means 11 needs to have a shielding effect against induction heating, it is made of a material that does not generate induction heating. Such materials include, but are not particularly limited to, stainless steel and copper.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting mechanism 20 of this embodiment is disposed above the table 10. The cutting mechanism 20 has a tool rest 21 that supports a cutting tool 211 that cuts the workpiece W. The tool rest 21 also has a cutting fluid supply unit (not shown) that supplies cutting fluid to the workpiece W, and a cutting fluid tank (not shown) that stores cutting fluid.

The tool post 21 is movable in the X and Z directions. Specifically, the cutting mechanism 20 has a drive unit (not shown) that drives the movement of the tool post 21 in the X and Z directions, and a second guide unit (not shown) such as a rail that guides the movement of the tool post 21 in the X and Z directions, thereby allowing the tool post 21 to move in the X and Z directions.

The tool rest 21 can rotate the cutting tool 211 around its axis (Z direction as an axis). The tool rest 21 can rotate the cutting tool 211 so that the cutting tool 211 is in a first state where the rotation axis of the cutting tool 211 is along one direction (e.g., Z direction) and in a second state where the rotation axis is tilted in any direction relative to the first state.

When the cutting tool 211 is rotated, for example, a milling cutter and an end mill can be used as the cutting tool 211, and when the cutting tool 211 is not rotated, for example, a throw-away tip made of carbide can be used as the cutting tool 211.

The cutting fluid supply unit (not shown) is configured to move in the X and Z directions together with the cutting tool 211 as the tool rest 21 moves, and to supply cutting fluid to the cutting surface.

The cutting fluid sprayed by the cutting fluid supply unit (not shown) can be recovered within the processing device 1x. Specifically, the processing device 1x is equipped with a cutting fluid recovery mechanism (not shown) that recovers the cutting fluid supplied to the workpiece W. The cutting fluid recovery mechanism (not shown) of this embodiment is a circulation type that filters the cutting fluid supplied to the workpiece W, recovers the cutting fluid from which the cutting chips have been removed, and supplies it to the cutting fluid supply unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tool magazine 30 of this embodiment is disposed in a first isolation chamber 51 of the machining chamber 50 to protect the cutting tools 211 from chips, cutting fluid, and the like. The machining chamber 50 is partitioned by an isolation wall 52 into a machining area 50a in which machining is performed on the workpiece W and a storage area 50b in which the cutting tools 211 are stored. The first isolation chamber 51 also has an opening/closing section that connects the machining area 50a and the storage area 50b so that the cutting tools 211 can be transferred between the cutting mechanism 20 and the tool magazine 30. The opening/closing section may be provided by forming the isolation wall 52 into a shutter structure.

The tool magazine 30 has an automatic tool changer (ATC, not shown) that enables the cutting tools 211 of the cutting mechanism 20 to be changed. Specifically, the tool magazine 30 has a rotating drum 31 that holds a plurality of tool holders 311 arranged along the outer periphery. The automatic tool changer also has a transport unit that enables the transfer of the cutting tools 211 between the tool rest 21 of the cutting mechanism 20 and the rotating drum 31. The transport unit may have an arm unit that moves between the tool rest 21 and the rotating drum 31, and a clamp unit that holds the cutting tools 211.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment mechanism 40 of this embodiment performs quenching to harden the surface of the workpiece W. The heat treatment mechanism 40 is disposed above the table 10.

The heat treatment mechanism 40 has a coil section 41 that inductively heats the workpiece W, a high-frequency power supply 42 that adjusts the frequency of the voltage applied to the coil section 41, a coolant supply section 43 that supplies coolant to the workpiece W, and a coolant tank (not shown) that stores the coolant. In this embodiment, the coil section 41 and the coolant supply section 43 are mounted on the high-frequency power supply 42. In addition, the high-frequency power supply 42 is movable relative to the workpiece W. As a result, the coil section 41 and the coolant supply section 43 are movable relative to the workpiece W as the high-frequency power supply 42 moves relative to the workpiece W.

The coil section 41 inductively heats the workpiece W so that the surface temperature of the workpiece W is between 100°C and 1200°C.

The coil portion 41 has an annular portion 411 formed to surround the flange portion w1 of the workpiece W. This allows the annular portion 411 of the coil portion 41 to also surround the extension portion w2 of the workpiece W. The annular portion 411 is formed of a copper tube that advances in a spiral shape along a circle having a predetermined diameter. In other words, the coil portion 41 is composed of a ring-shaped turn coil.
Although the coil portion 41 has an annular shape in the above example, the shape of the coil portion 41 is not particularly limited. Examples of such shapes include a rod shape, an arc shape, and a spiral shape.

The coil portion 41 moves downward with the movement of the high frequency power supply 42 in the Z direction, making it possible to place the workpiece W inside the annular portion 411. In this embodiment, as described above, the coil portion 41 is mounted on the high frequency power supply 42. The coil portion 41 and the high frequency power supply 42 are connected by a coil lead (not shown). The high frequency power supply 42 is, for example, a matching transformer or a current transformer.
A cover (not shown) may be used between the coil portion 41 and the coil lead to prevent short circuit due to cutting chips. However, since a shorter coil lead connecting the coil portion 41 and the high frequency power supply 42 reduces power loss, it is preferable that the coil portion 41 is mounted on the high frequency power supply 42. It is also preferable that the coil portion 41 is mounted on the high frequency power supply 42 in order to prevent adhesion of cutting chips and cutting fluid to the coil portion 41 during cutting processing.

The coil unit 41 can set the frequency of the voltage applied to the workpiece W in the range of 0.3 kHz to 400 kHz. The frequency can be set according to the model and specifications of the high-frequency power supply 42. This allows the coil unit 41 to generate high-frequency induction heating in the workpiece W.

The high-frequency power supply 42 has a cold water cable 421 for circulating cold water inside.

The high frequency power supply 42 is movable in the X direction and the Z direction. Specifically, the heat treatment mechanism 40 has a drive unit (not shown) that drives the movement of the high frequency power supply 42 in the X direction and the Z direction, and a third guide unit (not shown) such as a rail that guides the movement of the high frequency power supply 42 in the X direction and the Z direction, thereby making the high frequency power supply 42 movable in the X direction and the Z direction.
The high frequency power supply 42 may be guided by the second guide portion of the cutting mechanism 20, instead of the third guide portion. That is, the heat treatment mechanism 40 and the cutting mechanism 20 may share one guide portion.

The cooling liquid supply unit 43 can supply cooling liquid to the workpiece W within 3.0 seconds after induction heating of the workpiece W. The cooling liquid supply unit 43 has a jetting unit 431 that supplies cooling liquid to the surface of the workpiece W, a rotating unit 432 that rotates the jetting unit 431, and a long branch pipe unit 433 that branches off from the jetting unit 431.

The ejection part 431 is mounted on the high frequency power supply 42. The ejection part 431 is capable of supplying the cooling liquid to a predetermined position on the workpiece W by moving the high frequency power supply 42. It is preferable that the ejection part 431 is mounted on the high frequency power supply 42 in order to prevent the cooling liquid from mixing with the cutting fluid and to supply the cooling liquid to the workpiece W within a predetermined time after induction heating.

The ejection portion 431 has an ejection port 4311 that ejects the cooling liquid.

The rotating unit 432 may rotate the ejection unit 431 so that the direction of the ejection port 4311 can be adjusted so that the cooling liquid is supplied to the heating area of the workpiece W. The rotating unit 432 may also tilt the ejection unit 431 so that the cooling liquid can be ejected from the ejection port 4311 in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the Z direction.

The end of the branch pipe section 433 (the end opposite the connection end of the ejection section 431) is connected to the cooling liquid tank via a pump.

In this embodiment, the cooling liquid sprayed by the cooling liquid supply unit 43 can be recovered within the processing device 1x. Specifically, the processing device 1x has a cooling liquid recovery mechanism (not shown) therein (specifically, within the processing area 50a) that recovers the cooling liquid supplied to the workpiece W. The cooling liquid recovery mechanism (not shown) is of a circulation type that recovers the cooling liquid supplied to the workpiece W and supplies it to the cooling liquid supply unit.

The heat treatment mechanism 40 of this embodiment is stored in a second isolated chamber (not shown) in the processing chamber 50 when not in operation. Specifically, when the workpiece W is not in operation and is being cut, the heat treatment mechanism 40 is stored in the second isolated chamber to prevent the adhesion of cutting fluid and chips. The heat treatment mechanism 40 may be protected by an isolation wall that prevents the adhesion of cutting fluid and chips.

In this embodiment, at least the isolation wall 51 of the processing chamber 50 may be made of a material capable of blocking the magnetic flux induced by the coil section 41. Examples of such materials include non-ferrous metals that are not electromagnetically induced.

The control unit 60 in this embodiment controls the amount of movement of each of the above mechanisms, the rotation speed of the table 10 and cutting tool 211, the support of the workpiece W by the workpiece support means 11, and the timing and amount of cutting fluid and cooling fluid supply.

Next, the operation of the processing device 1x configured as described above will be exemplified in the case where the workpiece W is cut and then heat-treated. The processing device 1x may also cut the workpiece W after heat-treating it. The processing device 1x may also perform cutting and heat-treating simultaneously. Furthermore, the number of times cutting and heat-treating can be changed and set as appropriate.

(Preparation stage)
First, the processing apparatus 1x rotates the workpiece W by the table 10 so that the rotation axis is aligned horizontally, and supports the workpiece W by the workpiece support means 11 formed on the table 10.

(Cutting stage)
The processing device 1x moves the tool rest 21 to a predetermined position relative to the workpiece W. At this time, the workpiece W is rotated so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is aligned vertically as necessary. Next, the cutting tool 211 is advanced so as to come into contact with the workpiece W, and cutting fluid is supplied to the workpiece W by the cutting fluid supply unit, thereby cutting the workpiece W. At this time, the cutting tool 211 is rotated around its axis as necessary. In addition, the cutting tool 211 may be aligned with the workpiece W by moving the table 10 in the X direction or Z direction and moving the tool rest 21 in the X direction or Z direction.

(Heat treatment stage)
The processing device 1x moves the coil unit 41 to a predetermined position of the workpiece W, and supplies a coolant to the workpiece W by the coolant supply unit 43 within a predetermined time (e.g., 3.0 seconds) after induction heating the workpiece W. At this time, the workpiece W is rotated as necessary. This hardens the surface of the workpiece W. The workpiece W does not need to be rotated during the heat treatment, but may be rotated to heat the workpiece W uniformly. In addition, the coil unit 41 may be aligned with the workpiece W by moving the table 10 having the workpiece support means 11 in the X direction or Z direction and also moving the coil unit 41 in the X direction or Z direction.

Next, a processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the processing device 1x of the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing device 1y according to this embodiment is a device that supports a workpiece W with its rotation axis aligned horizontally, and performs both cutting and heat treatment on the workpiece W. Here, the direction in which the rotation axis of the supported workpiece W extends (axial direction), i.e., the horizontal direction, is referred to as the Z direction. Among the horizontal directions, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the Y direction. The direction perpendicular to each of the Z direction and the Y direction, i.e., the vertical direction, is referred to as the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the machining device 1y of this embodiment includes a plurality of tables 10, a plurality of workpiece support means 11, a cutting mechanism 20, a tool magazine 30, a heat treatment mechanism 40, a machining chamber 50, and a control unit 60, as well as a pallet changer 70 and a plurality of pallets 71 that enable the table 10 to be switched between the inside and outside of the machining chamber 50, and a cooling liquid recovery mechanism 80 that recovers the cooling liquid supplied to the workpiece W during heat treatment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the table 10 in this embodiment has multiple tables 10x, 10y that enable the workpiece W to be rotated so that the rotation axis is aligned horizontally.

As shown in FIG. 2, the workpiece support means 11 is configured on a table 10 and has multiple workpiece support means 11x, 11y that support one end of the workpiece W so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is aligned horizontally.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pallet changer 70 has a number of pallets 71x, 71y on which the table 10 is placed. The pallets 71x, 71y can move in the X and Z directions inside the processing chamber 50. Specifically, the pallet changer 70 has a drive unit (not shown) that drives the movement in the X and Z directions, and an indoor guide unit (not shown) such as a rail that guides the movement in the X and Z directions, thereby allowing the pallets 71x, 71y to move in the X and Z directions.

The pallet changer 70 also has an exterior guide section (not shown) that branches off from the interior guide section and extends to the outside of the machining chamber 50. This exterior guide section enables the pallet changer 70 to replace the pallet 71x inside the machining chamber 50 with the pallet 71y outside. In turn, the movement of the pallets 71x and 71y enables the table 10x and work support means 11x inside the machining chamber 50 to be replaced with the table 10y and work support means 11y outside the machining chamber 50. This makes it possible to replace the work W before and after cutting or before and after heat treatment in the machining chamber 50. In particular, if chips or cutting fluid are found to be attached to the work W after the cutting process, it is preferable to move the work W to the outside of the machining chamber 50 before heat treatment and perform pre-treatment to remove the chips and the like. By providing the pallet changer 70, it becomes easier to perform such pre-treatment. In addition, during such pre-treatment, cutting or heat treatment can be performed on another work W, which is efficient.

Pallets 71x and 71y each carry one table 10x and 10y. Pallets 71x and 71y can rotate so that the rotation axis of the workpiece W is tilted relative to the horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling liquid recovery mechanism 80 of this embodiment has a receiver 81 that receives the cooling liquid supplied to the workpiece W, a recovery piping section 82 that recovers the cooling liquid in the receiver 81, and a lid section 83 that allows the receiver 81 to be opened and closed.

The receiver 81 is composed of a container that is embedded in the bottom of the processing chamber 50 and opens upward. The recovery pipe 82 recovers the cooling liquid by suction. The recovery pipe 82 is connected to the cooling liquid tank. This allows the cooling liquid to be circulated.

The lid portion 83 is configured to be in an open state that opens the receiving portion 81 when the coolant supply unit 43 supplies coolant to the workpiece W, and in a closed state that closes the receiving portion 81 when the coolant supply unit 43 does not need to supply coolant, such as during cutting processing or induction heating.

As described above, two embodiments have been shown as examples, but the processing device according to the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments. Furthermore, the processing device according to the present invention is not limited by the above-mentioned effects. The processing device according to the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the heat treatment mechanism 40 performs quenching as a heat treatment, but is not limited to this. The heat treatment mechanism may also perform normalizing, high-frequency heating, high-frequency tempering, high-frequency annealing, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the coil portion 41 having the annular portion 411 is exemplified, but this is not limited thereto. The coil portion 41 may have a curved surface portion formed to face the side surface of the extension portion w2 of the workpiece W, and thereby the coil portion 41 may be movable around the workpiece W so as to arbitrarily adjust the distance between the curved surface portion and the workpiece W.

The table 10 may also be in the form shown in FIG. 3. That is, FIG. 3 shows workpieces Wa and Wb, and these multiple workpieces may be placed on the table 10. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, one table 10 may constitute multiple workpiece support means 11a and workpiece support means 11b. Furthermore, the multiple workpieces may each be the same workpiece, or may be different (in terms of external shape, size, or support state). Furthermore, the multiple workpiece support means may each be the same workpiece support means, or may be different workpiece support means.

The coil portion 41 may also be of the type shown in FIG. 4. That is, the coil portion 41 in FIG. 4 has a rectangular opposing surface portion 412 formed so as to be able to approach the workpiece W so that the distance from all points on the workpiece W is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The opposing surface portion 412 is formed along a single plane. Compared to the annular portion 411, the opposing surface portion 412 can be easily brought close to points on the workpiece W with large surface irregularities such as corners and recesses, making it possible to set the heat treatment area of the workpiece W more flexibly. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, by moving the opposing surface portion 412 along the outer edge of the workpiece W, a heat treatment area that is continuous from the flange portion w1 to the extension portion w2 of the workpiece W can be formed.

Furthermore, the heat treatment mechanism 40 may have multiple coil sections 41 of different shapes.

1x, 1y: processing device, 10, 10x, 10y: table, 11, 11a, 11b: work support means, 20: cutting mechanism, 21: tool rest, 211: cutting tool, 30: tool magazine, 31: rotating drum, 40: heat treatment mechanism, 41: coil portion, 411: annular portion, 412: opposing surface portion, 42: high frequency power supply, 421: cold water cable, 43: cooling liquid supply portion, 431: ejection portion , 4311: nozzle, 432: rotating part, 433: branch piping part, 50: machining chamber, 50a: machining area, 50b: storage area, 51: first isolation chamber, 52: isolation wall, 60: control part, 70: pallet changer, 71x, 71y: pallet, 80: cooling liquid recovery mechanism, 81: receiving part, 82: recovery piping part, 83: lid part, W, Wa, Wb: workpiece, w1: flange part, w2: extension part

Claims (2)

A table that allows the workpiece to be rotated;
A workpiece supporting means is provided on the table and supports the workpiece;
a cutting mechanism for cutting the work supported by the work supporting means;
a heat treatment mechanism for heat treating the work supported by the work support means;
a processing chamber that accommodates the cutting mechanism, the heat treatment mechanism, and the table,
The heat treatment mechanism has a coil unit that induction heats the workpiece,
the coil portion and the work supported by the work supporting means are movable relative to each other,
A processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of tables; a plurality of work support means each configured on the plurality of tables and each supporting the work; a plurality of pallets on which the tables are respectively placed; and a pallet changer that switches the pallets between the inside and outside of the processing chamber . The processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling liquid recovery mechanism that recovers the cooling liquid supplied to the workpiece during heat treatment.