JP7705771B2 - Machine tool and manufacturing method of machine tool - Google Patents

Description

This application relates to changing media used to clean machine tools.

Various machine tools that clean chips adhering to tools with cleaning fluid have been proposed in the past. The following Patent Document 1 describes a machine tool equipped with a cleaning mechanism that sprays cleaning fluid stored in a tank from two nozzles. This cleaning mechanism filters used cleaning fluid stored in a first tank with first and second filters and stores it in a storage tank. The cleaning mechanism also filters the cleaning fluid stored in the first tank with a second filter and stores it in the second tank. The cleaning mechanism sprays the cleaning fluid stored in each of the storage tank and the second tank from each of the two nozzles onto the tool or workpiece.

JP 2019-155580 A

In addition to the above-mentioned liquid-based cleaning method, gas-based cleaning methods are also available. If liquid is used as the spray medium, it is possible to not only wash away chips, but also to lubricate and cool them. On the other hand, there are some workpieces to be machined that should not be wetted with liquid, and some whose temperature should not be lowered as much as possible in order to prevent metal hardening due to cooling. Both liquid and gas media have their advantages and disadvantages, so at the machine tool design stage and user use stage, the choice of whether to use liquid or gas as the medium to be used is made. However, the machine tool of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is a machine tool specialized in using liquid as a cleaning mechanism. For this reason, a machine tool that can more easily use both liquid and gas is desired.

The present application has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a machine tool and a method for manufacturing the machine tool that can more easily change the configuration between using gas and liquid as a cleaning medium.

In order to solve the above problem, this specification provides a machine tool including a solenoid valve unit having a plurality of solenoid valves, a control unit that controls the opening and closing operations of the plurality of solenoid valves, a gas supply unit that is connected to each of the plurality of solenoid valves and supplies gas to the plurality of solenoid valves, and a gas conveying member that is connected to a base end of any one of the plurality of solenoid valves and conveys the gas supplied from the gas supply unit through the any one of the solenoid valves, and when a gas nozzle that uses gas to clean at least one of a workpiece and a tool is attached to the machine tool, a tip of the gas conveying member is attached to the gas nozzle, and the any one of the solenoid valves is controlled by the control unit. When a liquid nozzle that sprays the gas supplied from the gas supply unit from the gas nozzle and cleans at least one of a workpiece and a tool with liquid is attached to the machine tool, the tip of the gas transport member is connected to a gas-operated valve, and the controller controls any one of the solenoid valves to open and close the gas-operated valve, the gas-operated valve is connected between the liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid and the liquid nozzle, and is a switching valve that switches the supply of the liquid, and the tip of the gas transport member is configured to be connectable to either the gas nozzle or the gas-operated valve via a connector.

In addition, the contents of this disclosure are not limited to implementation as a machine tool, but are also extremely useful when implemented as a manufacturing method for a machine tool that includes a solenoid valve unit, a control unit, and a gas supply unit.

According to the machine tool disclosed herein, when gas is used as the cleaning medium, the tip of the gas conveying member is connected to a gas nozzle via a connector, and gas supplied from a gas supply device can be sprayed from the gas nozzle to clean workpieces, etc. Furthermore, when liquid is used as the cleaning medium, the tip is connected to a gas operating valve via a connector. The operating valve is opened by gas supplied from the gas supply device, and liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit can be sprayed from the liquid nozzle to clean workpieces, etc. Therefore, the configuration can be changed more easily depending on whether gas or liquid is used as the cleaning medium.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the machine tool according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a cleaning mechanism of the machine tool. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a cleaning mechanism of a comparative example.

Below, an embodiment of the machine tool of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The contents of the present disclosure are not limited to implementation as a machine tool, but can also be implemented as a method for manufacturing a machine tool. In the following explanation, first, an implementation as a machine tool will be described, and then an implementation as a method for manufacturing a machine tool will be described.

(machine tools)
Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a machine tool 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the machine tool 10 includes a control device 11, a processing device 13, a workpiece holding device 15, a workpiece transport device 17, an inlet device 19, an outlet device 21, a mounting table device 23, an operation panel 25, an electromagnetic valve unit 27, an air supply device 29, a coolant supply device 31, and the like. The control device 11 is a processing device including, for example, a CPU 33, a memory 35, and the like, and performs numerical control and sequence control to comprehensively control the machine tool 10. The control device 11 is attached to, for example, a control panel provided with a breaker or the like for switching the power supplied to each device of the machine tool 10. The control device 11 may be configured to be provided in a location separate from the control panel.

The memory 35 includes, for example, a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, etc. Various control programs and setting data are stored in the memory 35. The control programs referred to here are, for example, programs (such as NC programs) that control the machining device 13, the workpiece transport device 17, the solenoid valve unit 27, etc., which will be described later. Furthermore, the setting data are, for example, the setting value of the pressure of the air supplied from the air supply device 29, the setting value of the pressure of the coolant supplied from the coolant supply device 31, etc. The control device 11 executes the control programs stored in the memory 35 using the CPU 33, while controlling the operation of each device of the machine tool 10 by referring to the setting data in the memory 35.

The processing device 13 is, for example, a lathe-type processing device, and is equipped with a turret to which a tool (such as a blade or a rotating tool) can be attached. The workpiece holding device 15 is, for example, equipped with a plurality of jaws for chucking the workpiece, and rotates around the spindle while chucking the workpiece. The processing device 13 performs processing on the workpiece held by the workpiece holding device 15. The processing device 13 is not limited to a lathe-type processing device. For example, the processing device 13 may be a milling machine-type processing device that rotates tools such as drills and end mills, or a machining center-type processing device equipped with an ATC (automatic tool change function). In this case, the workpiece holding device 15 may be a chuck device that fixes the position of the workpiece relative to the rotating tool of the processing device 13. The number of processing devices 13 provided in the machine tool 10 is not limited to one, and may be two or more. Therefore, the machine tool 10 may be equipped with one or more processing spaces. In addition, an air nozzle 41 and a coolant nozzle 43, which will be described later, may be provided for each of the multiple processing devices 13 and processing spaces. Also, the processing device 13 may be configured to have the functions of both a lathe and a machining center.

The work transport device 17 is, for example, a gantry-type work transport device, and is equipped with a head for chucking the work, an X-axis slide mechanism for moving the head in the X-axis direction, and a Z-axis slide mechanism for moving the head in the Z-axis direction. The work transport device 17 transfers the work between the work holding device 15. The entrance device 19 is, for example, a device that receives a work from a machine tool in a previous process and transfers it to the work transport device 17. The work transport device 17 transfers the work received from the entrance device 19 to the work holding device 15. The exit device 21 is a device that transfers the work between the work and the machine tool in a subsequent process. The work transport device 17 receives the work that has been processed by the processing device 13 from the work holding device 15 and transfers it to the exit device 21. The placement table device 23 is a device equipped with a placement table on which the work processed by the processing device 13 is placed in order to check the processing state of the work. For example, when instructed by a user or after each specified number of processing operations, the control device 11 places the workpiece that has been processed by the processing device 13 on the stage of the stage device 23 using the workpiece transport device 17.

The above-mentioned configurations of the workpiece transport device 17, entrance device 19, exit device 21, and placement table device 23 are merely examples. For example, the machine tool 10 may be provided with a reversing device that reverses the workpiece received from the workpiece transport device 17 and passes it to the machine tool of the subsequent process as a device for transferring the workpiece between the machine tool and other machine tools. Also, the machine tool 10 does not need to be provided with the placement table device 23, and may be provided with a workpiece discharge chute that discharges defectively machined workpieces.

The operation panel 25 is a user interface equipped with a touch panel, operation switches, etc. The operation panel 25 displays information related to the machine tool 10 based on the control of the control device 11. The operation panel 25 also accepts operation input from the user and outputs a signal corresponding to the accepted operation input to the control device 11.

(Work and tool cleaning mechanism)
The machine tool 10 of this embodiment is provided with a mechanism for cleaning a workpiece or a tool (hereinafter, referred to as a workpiece, etc.). FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the mechanism for cleaning a workpiece, etc. The machine tool 10 is provided with a plurality of air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 as a mechanism for cleaning. Note that FIG. 2 illustrates only one set of the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43 to avoid cluttering the drawing. As will be described later, the machine tool 10 allows a user to change the connection of the hose 49, so that one hose 49 can be selectively connected to the air nozzle 41 or the coolant nozzle 43. For this reason, in FIG. 2, as an example, the hose 49 connected to the air nozzle 41 is illustrated by a solid line, and the hose 49 connected to the coolant nozzle 43 (coolant valve 51) is illustrated by a dashed line.

The machine tool 10 is capable of being switched by the user between a configuration in which air is sprayed from the air nozzle 41 to clean the workpiece, etc. (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the air method), and a configuration in which coolant is sprayed from the coolant nozzle 43 to clean the workpiece, etc. (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the coolant method). That is, the machine tool 10 is capable of switching the medium for cleaning the workpiece, etc. between air and coolant. Air is an example of a gas in the present disclosure. Coolant is an example of a liquid in the present disclosure. The gas and liquid in the present disclosure are not particularly limited. For example, the gas is not limited to a mixture of multiple types of gas such as air, but may be a single type of gas such as nitrogen. In addition, the liquid is not limited to a liquid such as coolant that can be used for lubrication or cooling in addition to cleaning, but may be a cleaning liquid specialized for cleaning. Alternatively, the liquid may be a liquid in which a gas (such as a micro-nano valve) is mixed with a coolant or cleaning liquid.

In addition, the installation location of the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43, that is, the location in the machine tool 10 where cleaning of the workpiece, etc. is performed is not particularly limited. For example, the machine tool 10 performs cleaning of the workpiece when the workpiece is carried in, before processing, after processing, and before carrying out. Specifically, the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43 are attached to a position where the workpiece received from the inlet device 19 to the workpiece transport device 17 passes. Also, the air nozzle 41, etc. may be attached to the processing space of the processing device 13 or a position where the workpiece received from the processing device 13 to the workpiece transport device 17 passes. Alternatively, the air nozzle 41, etc. may be attached to the outlet device 21 or the stand device 23, that is, a device that discharges the workpiece outside the device, or near the device. Also, when the machine tool 10 has multiple processing devices 13, the air nozzle 41, etc. may be attached to a path for transferring the workpiece from any processing device 13 to another processing device 13. That is, cleaning of the workpiece transferred between multiple processing devices 13 may be performed.

For example, if the processing device 13 is a lathe-type processing device, the air nozzle 41, etc. may be attached to a position where the tools attached to the turret can be cleaned.For example, if the processing device 13 is a machining center-type processing device, the air nozzle 41, etc. may be attached to a position where the tools inserted and removed by the automatic tool changer can be cleaned.

As described above, the machine tool 10 has air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 attached to multiple installation locations within the device. For example, the machine tool 10 has a combination of air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 at each installation location. The air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 at each installation location can be connected to the solenoid valve unit 27. In more detail, as shown in FIG. 2, the solenoid valve unit 27 is a so-called manifold assembly, and is a device in which multiple solenoid valves 27A are unitized. An air supply device 29 is connected to the input port 27B of the solenoid valve unit 27.

The air supply device 29 includes, for example, a compressor and a switching valve, and supplies air at a predetermined pressure P1 to the input port 27B based on the control of the control device 11. The control device 11 adjusts the pressure of the air supplied from the air supply device 29 to pressure P1 based on, for example, setting data set in the memory 35. This pressure P1 is equal to or higher than the pilot pressure P2 required to open the coolant valve 51 described later. The air supply device 29 also switches between starting and stopping the supply of air based on the control of the control device 11. The air supply device 29 is an example of a gas supply unit of the present disclosure. Note that the machine tool 10 does not need to include the air supply device 29. For example, the machine tool 10 may receive air from an air compressor in the factory (outside the machine) where the machine tool 10 is installed, and supply the air to the solenoid valve unit 27. In this case, the connection connector of the machine tool 10 that connects to the air compressor in the factory is an example of a gas supply unit of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 11 is provided with an I/OIF (abbreviation of interface) 45 for connecting to an external device. The solenoid valve unit 27 is connected to the I/OIF 45 via a communication cable 47, and the opening and closing operation of each of the multiple solenoid valves 27A is controlled based on the control of the control device 11. The communication cable 47 is a communication cable capable of communication according to a communication standard of a predetermined field bus (which can also be called a field network). The control device 11 functions, for example, as a master in the field bus and controls each of the multiple solenoid valves 27A, which are slaves, through field bus communication. The communication standard of the predetermined field bus is, for example, IO-Link (registered trademark). This allows the number of communication cables 47 connecting the control device 11 and the solenoid valve unit 27 to be reduced to, preferably, just one, and simplifies the cleaning mechanism.

The communication standard of the fieldbus disclosed herein is not limited to IO-Link (registered trademark), and other communication standards, such as EtherCAT (registered trademark), PROFINET (registered trademark), and MECHATROLINK (registered trademark)-III, can be adopted. In addition, the control device 11 and the solenoid valve unit 27 do not have to be connected by the fieldbus communication cable 47. For example, a multi-core cable directly connected to the control terminals of each of the multiple solenoid valves 27A can be used as the communication cable 47, and the solenoid valves 27A can be individually controlled by communication through the multi-core cable without using a fieldbus.

The solenoid valve unit 27 is formed with a flow path (not shown) that is connected to the input port 27B, for example. The input side of each solenoid valve 27A is connected to this flow path. A hose 49 is connected to the output port 27D of each solenoid valve 27A. The hose 49 is made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride or rubber, and has a cylindrical shape that can transport air. As shown in FIG. 2, the machine tool 10 is also provided with a coolant valve 51 that is connected to the coolant nozzle 43. The coolant valve 51 is a so-called air-operated switching valve, and is controlled to open and close depending on the supply of air for operation. For example, the coolant valve 51 closes the flow path under normal conditions, and opens the valve when air of a predetermined pilot pressure P2 or more is supplied to the connector for operation.

The hose 49 is connected to the output port 27D of the solenoid valve unit 27 at one end (base end side) and to the air nozzle 41 or the coolant valve 51 at the other end (tip end side). The output port 27D of each solenoid valve unit 27 is provided with a so-called one-touch joint, which is locked by inserting the base end of the hose 49, and the lock mechanism is operated to unlock the hose 49. Similarly, a connector 41A is provided on the input side of the air nozzle 41. A connector 51A is provided on the connector that inputs air for operating the coolant valve 51. The connectors 41A and 51A are so-called one-touch joints, and the tip of the hose 49 can be easily attached and detached. The above-mentioned connection configuration of the hose 49 is one example. The output port 27D may be configured so that the hose 49 cannot be removed with one touch. For example, the output port 27D may be configured so that the base end of the hose 49 is fixed by a screw or a metal fixing device.

The coolant valve 51 is connected to the coolant supply device 31 on the input side and to the coolant nozzle 43 on the output side. The coolant supply device 31 includes, for example, a pump that pumps out the coolant and a coolant tank that stores used coolant and removes foreign matter. The coolant is used for cleaning workpieces and tools, as well as for lubrication and cooling. For example, the coolant is washed away together with cuttings in the machining space of the machining device 13, and the cuttings are removed by the coolant tank, after which the coolant is collected by the pump and reused. In addition to the coolant tank and pump, the coolant supply device 31 may also include a cooler that cools the coolant.

A pair of air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 shown in FIG. 2 are arranged at the same installation location, for example, in the machining space of the machining device 13. Similarly, although not shown, combinations of air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 connected to other multiple solenoid valves 27A are also arranged at different installation locations for each pair. Taking the air nozzle 41 and coolant nozzle 43 shown in FIG. 2 as an example, the hose 49 has a length equal to or greater than the first length L1 required to arrange the hose 49 in the machine when the hose 49 is arranged from the output port 27D of any solenoid valve 27A to the connector 41A of the air nozzle 41 (see the solid line in FIG. 2). In addition, the hose 49 has a length equal to or greater than the second length L2 required to arrange the hose 49 in the machine when the hose 49 is arranged from the same output port 27D to the connector 51A of the coolant valve 51 (see the dashed line in FIG. 2). That is, the hose 49 is long enough to be attached to both the air nozzle 41 and the coolant valve 51 connected to the coolant nozzle 43 for the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43 at the same installation location. Therefore, the user can easily change the medium used for cleaning by connecting the hose 49 to the connector 41A when selecting the air method, and by connecting the hose 49 to the connector 51A when selecting the coolant method. The hose 49 is an example of the gas conveying member of the present disclosure. Note that the gas conveying member of the present disclosure is not limited to a hose, and may be other members capable of conveying gas, such as metal piping. Also, the gas conveying member of the present disclosure may be configured such that a portion is made of polyvinyl chloride or rubber, and the other portion is made of metal.

Based on the control program stored in memory 35, the control device 11 sprays a medium (air or coolant) from the air nozzle 41 or coolant nozzle 43 during a specified operation process of the machine tool 10. When spraying air, the user connects any of the solenoid valves 27A to the air nozzle 41 with a hose 49. The control device 11 opens any of the solenoid valves 27A during a specified operation process, supplies air at pressure P1 from the air supply device 29 to the air nozzle 41, and sprays air from the air nozzle 41 toward the workpiece or the like to clean or cool it. The control device 11 also stops the supply of air from the air supply device 29 or closes any of the solenoid valves 27A to stop the spray of air from the air nozzle 41.

When spraying coolant, the user connects the optional solenoid valve 27A and the coolant valve 51 with a hose 49 (see the arrow in FIG. 2). For example, the user removes the tip of the hose 49 from the connector 41A and reconnects the hose 49 to the connector 51A of the coolant valve 51 connected to the coolant nozzle 43 (at the same installation location) arranged at the installation location of the air nozzle 41. The control device 11 supplies air from the air supply device 29 in a predetermined operation process to open the optional solenoid valve 27A, thereby supplying air at pressure P1 to the coolant valve 51 through the solenoid valve 27A. As described above, this pressure P1 is set to a pressure equal to or greater than the pilot pressure P2 required to open the coolant valve 51. Therefore, the coolant valve 51 is opened by supplying air at pressure P1 to the operating connector 51A. The control device 11 controls the coolant supply device 31 to supply coolant at a predetermined pressure, and sprays the coolant from the coolant nozzle 43 to clean, lubricate, and cool the workpiece. The control device 11 also stops the supply of air from the air supply device 29, or closes the coolant valve 51 by closing any of the solenoid valves 27A, thereby stopping the spray of coolant from the coolant nozzle 43. With the above-mentioned configuration, it is not necessary to change the pressure P1 of the air supplied from the air supply device 29 between the air method and the coolant method. Therefore, the control contents by which the control device 11 controls the air supply device 29 can be unified for both the air method and the coolant method.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using a gas, such as the air method, and using a liquid, such as the coolant method. For example, air can be used to clean the workpiece or tool without wetting it. Coolant can be used to wash away chips and provide lubrication. For this reason, a method is needed to more easily switch between the air method and the coolant method during the user's usage stage and during the manufacturing and design stage of the machine tool 10, which will be described later.

As described above, the machine tool 10 is equipped with the air nozzle 41, the coolant nozzle 43, the coolant supply device 31, and the coolant valve 51. The hose 49 is longer than the first length L1 required for distributing from the solenoid valve 27A to the air nozzle 41, and is longer than the second length L2 required for distributing from the solenoid valve 27A to the coolant valve 51. The air nozzle 41 and the coolant valve 51 each have connectors 41A and 51A to which the tip of the hose 49 can be connected. This allows the user to easily switch the medium they want to use by reconnecting the hose 49 at the air nozzle 41 and the coolant valve 51 during the use of the machine tool 10. Furthermore, even if the air nozzle 41 and coolant nozzle 43 (coolant valve 51) connected to the same solenoid valve 27A are installed in different locations (such as the machining space and the inlet device), by ensuring that the hose 49 has a length equal to or greater than the first lengths L1 and L2, the user can smoothly reconnect the air nozzle 41 and coolant valve 51 without replacing or extending the hose 49.

The control device 11 is also connected to the solenoid valve unit 27 via a field bus, and controls the opening and closing of the multiple solenoid valves 27A through field bus communication. This reduces the amount of wiring connecting the control device 11 and the solenoid valve unit 27, simplifying the structure of the machine tool 10.

(Manufacturing method)
Next, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned machine tool 10 will be described. The machine tool 10 in the above embodiment is configured to include both the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43, but the manufacturing method disclosed herein can also be applied to a method for manufacturing a machine tool 10 that includes at least one of the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43. In other words, the machine tool 10 manufactured by the manufacturing method disclosed herein may be a machine tool 10 that includes only one of the air type and coolant type functions.

Figure 3 shows a cleaning mechanism of a comparative example machine tool 10. The cleaning mechanism of Figure 3 does not use the solenoid valve unit 27 or coolant valve 51 shown in Figure 2. In the following description, the same components as those in the above embodiment shown in Figure 2 are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 11 is connected to a terminal 63 via a multi-core cable 61. The terminal 63 has a number of terminals 63A to which each of a number of connectors 65 can be connected, and is a repeater that connects the connectors 65 connected to the terminals 63A to the I/OIF 45 of the control device 11.

The connector 65 is connected to a solenoid valve 69 via a signal line 67. This solenoid valve 69 is used as a switching valve that switches the supply of air to the air nozzle 41 and the supply of coolant to the coolant nozzle 43. The solenoid valve 69 is connected to the control device 11 via the signal line 67 and the terminal 63, and opens and closes based on the control of the control device 11. When the solenoid valve 69 is connected to the air nozzle 41, it is connected between the air supply device 29 and the air nozzle 41. When the solenoid valve 69 is connected to the coolant nozzle 43, it is connected between the coolant supply device 31 and the coolant nozzle 43.

As described above, there are advantages to both the air system and the coolant system. For this reason, the manufacturer of the machine tool 10 will confirm with the customer whether they wish to adopt the air system or the coolant system, for example, at the stage of receiving an order from the user for the production of the machine tool 10. The manufacturer will select one of the two systems according to the customer's request, or select to install both systems (see FIG. 3). If both systems are selected, the configuration of the above embodiment will result. In addition, if the number of work locations where cleaning, lubrication, and cooling are performed increases according to the device configuration and customer requests, the manufacturer will increase the number of installation locations of the air nozzle 41 and the coolant nozzle 43 accordingly (see FIG. 3). For this reason, in the cleaning configuration of the comparative example in FIG. 3, the manufacturer needs to significantly customize the cleaning mechanism according to the individual requests of the user. As a result, this leads to an increase in the manufacturing cost of the machine tool 10.

In contrast, the cleaning mechanism of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 2 can respond more quickly and flexibly to changes in the method during the manufacturing and development stages. Specifically, when it is decided to use air to clean at least one of the workpiece and the tool, the air nozzle 41 is attached to the machine tool 10, and an arbitrary solenoid valve 27A among the multiple solenoid valves 27A of the solenoid valve unit 27 is connected to the air nozzle 41 by a hose 49. Then, under the control of the control device 11, air is supplied from the air supply device 29 to the air nozzle 41 via the solenoid valve 27A. In addition, when adding air nozzles 41, it is possible to add the air nozzles 41 simply by connecting the new solenoid valve 27A to the air nozzle 41 by the hose 49. Therefore, it is possible to flexibly add air nozzles 41 according to the number of solenoid valves 27A of the solenoid valve unit 27.

In addition, when coolant is used to clean at least one of the workpiece and the tool, the coolant nozzle 43, the coolant valve 51, and the coolant supply device 31 are attached to the machine tool 10. In addition, an arbitrary solenoid valve 27A and the coolant valve 51 are connected with a hose 49, and the coolant valve 51 can be opened and closed by air supplied from the air supply device 29. Furthermore, the coolant supply device 31 is connected to the coolant nozzle 43 via the coolant valve 51. Then, under the control of the control device 11, the coolant is supplied from the coolant supply device 31 to the coolant nozzle 43 via the coolant valve 51. In this manufacturing method, if there is a request to switch from the air system to the coolant system in the development of a machine tool 10 of the same type or series, it is possible to respond by making changes downstream of the hose 49. That is, it can be responded to by changing the air nozzle 41 to the coolant nozzle 43 and by installing the coolant valve 51 and the coolant supply device 31. In other words, the hose 49, the solenoid valve unit 27, the air supply device 29, and the communication cable 47 can be made to have a common configuration, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the manufacturing and development costs of the machine tool 10. In addition, in the configuration of FIG. 3, when adding an air nozzle 41 or a coolant nozzle 43, electrical design changes such as the installation of a new signal line 67 and the connection of the connector 65 to the terminal 63, and the installation of wiring are required. In contrast, in the manufacturing method disclosed herein, the method can be changed by changing the non-electrical structure of the hose 49, etc., and the method can be easily changed. In addition, not only the above-mentioned change from the air method to the coolant method, but also the change from the coolant method to the air method can be quickly and flexibly handled. When changing from the coolant method to the air method, if coolant is not used after the change, the change can be handled by changing the coolant nozzle 43 to the air nozzle 41 and removing the coolant valve 51 and the coolant supply device 31.

In particular, by designing the hose 49 to be equal to or greater than the first length L1 and the second length L2 described above, it is not necessary to change the hose 49, and it is possible to deal with this by simply changing the connectors 41A and 51A. In addition, by setting the pressure P1 of the air supplied from the air supply device 29 to be equal to or greater than the pilot pressure P2, it is not necessary to change the control content of the air supply device 29, which is a configuration common to both the coolant method and the air method. This makes it possible to further reduce manufacturing and development costs. In addition, by connecting the control device 11 and the solenoid valve unit 27 using a field bus, it is possible to reduce wiring compared to the configuration of the comparative example shown in FIG. 3. Specifically, it is possible to eliminate the signal line 67 connecting the terminal 63 and each solenoid valve 69. It is possible to reduce the electrical wiring man-hours during manufacturing and reduce costs. In addition, with the manufacturing method disclosed herein, by using the solenoid valve unit 27 in which multiple solenoid valves 27A are unitized, it is possible to accommodate the addition of air nozzles 41 and coolant nozzles 43 up to the maximum number of solenoid valves 27A provided in the solenoid valve 27A. In other words, it is possible to develop and manufacture additional air nozzles 41, etc. while still using the same standard solenoid valve unit 27.

Incidentally, the control device 11 is an example of a control unit. The air supply device 29 is an example of a gas supply device. The coolant supply device 31 is an example of a liquid supply unit. The air nozzle 41 is an example of a gas nozzle. The coolant nozzle 43 is an example of a liquid nozzle. The hose 49 is an example of a gas conveying member. The coolant valve 51 is an example of a gas operated valve.

As described above, the present embodiment provides the following effects.
The tip of hose 49 of machine tool 10 according to one aspect of the present application can be connected to air nozzle 41 via connector 41A, and can be connected to coolant valve 51 via connector 51A. This allows the user to easily switch between the air system and the coolant system simply by reconnecting the tip of hose 49.

Furthermore, the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be embodied in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
For example, the configuration of the processing device 13 of the present disclosure is not particularly limited. For example, the processing device 13 may be a lathe, a milling machine, a drill press, a milling cell, a turning center, a machining center, or any of a variety of other processing devices.
Furthermore, the number of machining devices 13 provided on the machine tool 10 may be one or more.
In addition, although the connection between the air nozzle 41 and the coolant valve 51 is switched using one hose 49, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a first hose connected to the air nozzle 41 and a second hose connected to the coolant valve 51 may be fixedly attached. Then, the base end of the first hose or the second hose may be selectively connected to the solenoid valve 27A to switch between the air method and the coolant method.
Furthermore, the air supply device 29 may change the pressure P1 of the air supplied to the solenoid valve unit 27 between the air system and the coolant system. In this case, the pressure P1 in the case of the air system may be set to be equal to or lower than the pilot pressure P2.
In addition, when closing the coolant valve 51, the air supply device 29 may close the coolant valve 51 by controlling the air pressure P1 supplied to the coolant valve 51 to be equal to or lower than the pilot pressure P2 without stopping the supply of air.

Furthermore, the connector of the present disclosure is not limited to a so-called one-touch joint. For example, a coaxial connector having a male thread may be attached to the tip of the hose 49, and a coaxial connector having a female thread may be attached to the air nozzle 41, and the hose 49 and the air nozzle 41 may be connected by screwing the two coaxial connectors together.
In addition, although the connector 41A is provided on the air nozzle 41 and the connector 51A is provided on the coolant valve 51, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, a one-touch joint may be attached to the tip of the hose 49. In this case, a hose for connecting the one-touch joint of the hose 49 to the air nozzle 41 or the coolant valve 51 may be provided separately.

10 machine tool, 11 control device (control section), 27 solenoid valve unit, 27A solenoid valve, 29 air supply device (gas supply device), 31 coolant supply device (liquid supply section), 41 air nozzle (gas nozzle), 41A, 51A connector, 43 coolant nozzle (liquid nozzle), 49 hose (gas transport member), 51 coolant valve (gas operated valve), L1 first length, L2 second length, P1 pressure, P2 pilot pressure.

Claims (5)

a solenoid valve unit including a plurality of solenoid valves;
A control unit that controls the opening and closing operations of the plurality of solenoid valves;
a gas supply unit connected to each of the plurality of solenoid valves and supplying gas to the plurality of solenoid valves;
a gas conveying member having a base end connected to any one of the plurality of solenoid valves and configured to convey the gas supplied from the gas supply unit through the any one of the solenoid valves;
A machine tool comprising:
When a gas nozzle for cleaning at least one of a workpiece and a tool with the gas is attached to the machine tool, a tip of the gas conveying member is attached to the gas nozzle, and the control unit controls the arbitrary solenoid valve to spray the gas supplied from the gas supply unit from the gas nozzle;
When a liquid nozzle for cleaning at least one of a workpiece and a tool with a liquid is attached to the machine tool, a tip of the gas conveying member is connected to a gas operated valve, and the control unit controls the arbitrary solenoid valve to open and close the gas operated valve,
The gas operated valve is
a switching valve connected between a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid and the liquid nozzle, the switching valve switching the supply of the liquid;
The tip of the gas conveying member is
A machine tool configured to be connectable to both the gas nozzle and the gas operated valve via a connector. The gas nozzle;
The gas operated valve;
A liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid;
Equipped with
The gas conveying member is
a length that is equal to or greater than a first length of the gas conveying member when disposed from any one of the solenoid valves to the gas nozzle, and is equal to or greater than a second length of the gas conveying member when disposed from any one of the solenoid valves to the gas operating valve;
Each of the gas nozzle and the gas operated valve is
2. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a joint to which a tip of the gas conveying member can be connected. The control unit is
When the gas nozzle is connected to the arbitrary solenoid valve, the arbitrary solenoid valve is opened to supply the gas at a predetermined pressure to the gas nozzle via the gas conveying member,
The predetermined pressure is
3. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the pilot pressure is equal to or greater than the pilot pressure required to open the gas-operated valve. The control unit is
4. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising: a field bus connected to the solenoid valve unit, and controlling opening and closing operations of the plurality of solenoid valves through communication via the field bus. a solenoid valve unit including a plurality of solenoid valves;
A control unit that controls the opening and closing operations of the plurality of solenoid valves;
a gas supply unit connected to each of the plurality of solenoid valves and supplying gas to the plurality of solenoid valves;
a gas conveying member having a base end connected to any one of the plurality of solenoid valves and configured to convey the gas supplied from the gas supply unit through the any one of the solenoid valves;
A manufacturing method for a machine tool comprising:
The tip of the gas conveying member is
The gas nozzle is configured to be connectable to either a gas nozzle for injecting the gas or a gas operated valve via a connector;
When the gas is used to clean at least one of a workpiece and a tool,
a tip of the gas conveying member is attached to the gas nozzle , and the arbitrary solenoid valve and the gas nozzle are connected, and the gas can be supplied from the gas supply unit to the gas nozzle via the solenoid valve;
When liquid is used to clean the workpiece and/ or the tool,
a liquid nozzle for ejecting the liquid, the gas operated valve, and a liquid supply unit are attached to the machine tool, a tip of the gas conveying member is connected to the gas operated valve , the gas operated valve is configured to be openable and closable by the gas supplied from the gas supply unit, the liquid supply unit is connected to the liquid nozzle via the gas operated valve, and the liquid can be supplied from the liquid supply unit to the liquid nozzle via the gas operated valve.

Images