JPH04289038A - Composte machine tool capable of laser process - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a cutting process machine tool and a laser processing machine composite, and provide a composite machine tool capable of performing a cutting process and a surface hardening process alternately to a subject work of a three-dimensional form. CONSTITUTION:A processing main shaft 28 is of a hollow structure having a through passage 42, and it is rotated by drive of a main shaft motor and is movable in the direction of a Z-axis. A work table 22 is disposed under the processing main shaft 28 to be movable in the direction of an X-axis and a Y-axis. At a lower end of the processing main shaft 28, either of an arbor 40 holding a cutting tool and an arbor 46 having a laser beam converging lens 54 can be installed properly by a tool replacing means 58. A laser beam is thus buided from an upper end of the processing main shaft 28 to the through passage 42. The incidental direction of the laser beam is set to be parallel to the Z-axis by regulation of a mirror 50, so the laser beam can be radiated while it is moved in the direction of the Z-axis of the processing main shaft 28.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a machine tool with multifunctional processing functions, and in particular, by making a cutting tool and an arbor equipped with an internal lens for condensing laser light interchangeable. , contact cutting and non-contact machining (
The present invention relates to a composite machine tool capable of laser processing that enables one machine tool to alternately perform surface hardening treatments such as heat treatment.

0002

[Prior Art] Machine tools for metal cutting generally have three axes in which the tool spindle and the work table are perpendicular to each other, namely, the axial direction of the tool spindle (Z-axis), the Z-axis, which is perpendicular to the Z-axis, and the other which are orthogonal to each other. The tool spindle rotates and moves three-dimensionally relative to the workpiece placed on the work table. Cutting is carried out by. At this time, some machines are equipped with a so-called automatic tool changer in order to automatically attach and detach a desired tool to and from the tool spindle. With this type of machine tool, the workpiece must be firmly mounted on the worktable in order to maintain machining accuracy.
The workpiece holding structure also needs to have enough strength to withstand external forces during processing.

On the other hand, laser processing machines that cut, weld, heat-treat materials, etc. using high-power laser light using carbon dioxide gas, etc. have been put into practical use in recent years. Laser light is highly directional and can concentrate energy in minute areas, so laser processing machines can accurately and easily drill extremely small diameter holes and cut complex patterns, as well as process brittle and flexible materials. is also possible. Furthermore, by adjusting the heating energy, welding of metal materials and heat treatment of the surface can also be performed. Laser processing machines for metal processing are generally configured so that the main processing axis and the work table can move relative to each other in two axes (X-axis, Y-axis) perpendicular to the optical axis of the laser beam. Two-dimensional processing is performed on the placed workpiece. This is because laser processing is not suitable for cutting or drilling thick plates and does not require three-dimensional movement. Of course, in the case of thin plate processing, there is also one that allows movement in the Z-axis direction by a small distance in order to correct deviations in the focus of the laser beam due to the thickness of the workpiece or the like. Unlike the case of the cutting machine tools mentioned above, the workpiece supported on the worktable in a laser processing machine does not need to be firmly fixed because laser processing is a non-contact type processing. The work table has a structure with many gaps in consideration of light.

[0004] In this type of laser processing machine, heat treatment such as hardening can be performed on a metal surface by appropriately controlling heating energy and heating time. In particular, surface hardening using a laser allows coating, alloying, impact hardening, etc. in addition to heat treatment, but all of these involve precision machining of minute parts, and compared to other hardening methods. This has the advantage that the processing time is extremely short and thermal stress and thermal strain can be reduced. Furthermore, cutting and surface treatment can be performed alternately with a single laser processing machine by simply controlling heating energy, etc., without requiring a heating furnace or cooling device.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned laser processing machine works only near the focal point of the laser beam, and it requires an extremely high cost to obtain high output. It is unsuitable for cutting workpieces with complex shapes. Therefore, when cutting a metal workpiece with such a three-dimensional shape and then surface-hardening the workpiece by laser processing, it is impossible to perform the continuous operation with a single laser processing machine, and the cutting process is difficult. Required cutting by machine. At this time, in order to save the trouble of transferring the workpiece from the cutting machine tool to the laser processing machine, to make it easier to program the work process, and to reduce the equipment scale, a general cutting machine tool and a laser processing machine are combined into one machine. Attempts are being made to integrate it into machines.

[0006] However, the bottleneck in such multiplication is the difference in structure and operation mode between cutting machine tools and laser processing machines as described above. In other words, in complex machine tools, issues include firmly supporting the workpiece on the work table, increasing the travel distance of the laser processing spindle in the Z-axis direction, and protecting the laser beam condensing lens from cutting chips and cutting oil. It has become. An object of the present invention is to provide a machine tool that limits the function of laser processing to surface hardening processing and can continuously perform cutting processing using a tool and surface treatment processing using a laser beam, which can solve the above-mentioned problems, and Our objective is to provide a complex machine tool that enables faster work and reduced equipment scale.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a processing spindle of a general cutting machine tool with a hollow structure, and guides a laser beam from behind the processing spindle in parallel to the axis of the processing spindle. The arbor for laser processing can be detachably attached to the tool gripping part of the cutting tool provided at the tip of the processing spindle, and the cutting tool and the arbor for laser processing can be replaced as appropriate depending on the type of processing using a tool exchange means. The structure should be possible.

That is, the compound machine tool capable of laser processing provided by the present invention has two orthogonal axes (X
It is equipped with a work table that can move in the directions (axis, Y-axis), and a processing spindle that can move in one axis (Z-axis) that is orthogonal to both of the above two axes with respect to the work table, and a cutting tool is attached to the tip of the processing spindle. In the machine tool, the machine tool has a tool gripping part on which the tool grip is detachably attached, and a straight through passage of a predetermined diameter extends in the Z-axis direction in the machining spindle, and a straight through passage from the rear end of the machining spindle to the through passage. a laser beam path means for guiding the laser beam in parallel to the Z-axis and traveling straight; a laser processing arbor having a detachable mounting portion on a tool gripping portion at the tip of the processing spindle and equipped with a laser beam emitting means; The apparatus further includes a tool exchange means for exchanging the cutting tool and the laser processing arbor.

According to a preferred embodiment, the mounting portion of the laser processing arbor has a shape that closely contacts the tool gripping portion at the tip of the processing spindle, and the laser beam emitting means is mounted in the laser processing arbor. It may also consist of a lens for condensing laser light that is fixedly disposed inside the through hole extending through the hole.

0010

[Operation] In the above configuration, when first performing cutting on a workpiece, the cutting tool is attached to the tip of the processing spindle, and the processing spindle is rotated and perpendicular to the work table.
Cuts the work three-dimensionally by moving relatively within the axis coordinates. When laser processing is subsequently performed, the cutting tool is replaced with a laser processing arbor while the work is fixed on the work table, and the laser beam is incident from the rear end of the processing spindle. A focus of the laser beam is formed by a laser beam emitting means installed in a laser processing arbor, and the workpiece is subjected to laser processing. At this time, the incident direction of the laser beam is matched with the movement direction (Z-axis direction) of the processing spindle by the laser beam path means, so it is possible to move the processing spindle in the Z-axis direction while irradiating the laser beam. This allows the laser beam to be focused on a desired location on the surface of the three-dimensional workpiece.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 show a composite machine tool 10 (hereinafter referred to as machine tool 10) capable of laser processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. The machine tool 10 has a column 14 erected on a bed 12 which is a stationary machine stand installed on the floor, and a spindle head 16 is disposed on the column 14 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The spindle head 16 is moved in the Z-axis direction by a motor (not shown) via a rail 18 extending vertically on the front surface of the column 14 . Further, below the spindle head 16 supported by the column 14, a saddle 20 is mounted on the bed 12 in the front-rear direction with respect to the column 14, that is, in the above-mentioned Z direction.
It is installed movably in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the axis by driving a motor (not shown), and a work table 22 is mounted on the upper surface of this saddle 20 in the left-right direction with respect to the column 14, that is, perpendicular to both the Z-axis and the Y-axis. It is installed movably in the X-axis direction by the drive of a motor (not shown). As a result, the spindle head 16 and the work table 22 move relative to each other in a three-dimensional space constituted by the X, Y, and Z axes.

A cylindrical hole 24 extending in the vertical direction is provided at the front end of the spindle head 16, and a machining spindle 28 is rotatably disposed within this hole 24 via a roller bearing 26. Processing spindle 28
is rotated by the drive of the spindle motor 30 about an axis parallel to the moving direction of the spindle head 16, that is, the Z-axis direction. The main spindle motor 30 is supported on the upper surface of the main spindle head 16 by a column 32, is connected to the upper end of the processing main shaft 28 via a drive pulley 34, a belt 36, and a driven pulley 38, and rotates the processing main shaft 28. A tool gripping portion 41 is formed at the lower end of the machining spindle 28 to which an arbor 40 (see FIG. 3) holding a cutting tool is removably attached. During cutting, the tool grip part 41
An arbor 40 is attached to the arbor 40, and a workpiece W fixed on a work table 22 is three-dimensionally machined by rotation of a machining spindle 28. The axial center of the cutting tool held by the arbor 40 naturally coincides with the axial center of the machining spindle 28.

Although the structure and operation are similar to known cutting machine tools, the machine tool 10 according to the present invention
Since the machining spindle 28 has the characteristic structure described below, its movement direction must be limited to only the Z-axis direction, and the work table side must be movable in the other two directions. As shown in FIG. 1, the machining main shaft 28 has a hollow cylindrical shape with a through passage 42 extending linearly through the inside in the longitudinal direction, and a hollow laser beam similarly equipped with a through hole 44 at its lower end. The processing arbor 46 can be detachably attached. A laser beam (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 1) enters the through passage 42 of the processing main shaft 28 from above the processing main shaft 28 . The laser beam is irradiated from an oscillation device 48 placed at a suitable location in the factory, and is guided by one or more mirrors 50 as necessary, and enters the through path 42 from above the processing main shaft 28. The incident path of the laser beam into the machining spindle 28 is aligned with the axis of the machining spindle 28 by adjusting the installation position and angle of the mirror 50, so that the laser beam is directed in the same direction as the moving direction (Z-axis direction) of the machining spindle 28. incident. A tube 52 for protecting the laser beam is disposed above the processing main shaft 28. The tube 52 is telescopically telescopic, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to allow movement of the processing spindle 28 in the Z-axis direction. The mirror 50 and tube 52 constitute the laser optical path means of the present invention.

The laser processing arbor 46 is connected to the processing main shaft 28.
A mounting part 47 is provided on the upper part of the tool gripping part 41 of the tool.
Further, a lens 54 for focusing a laser beam is fixedly provided in the internal through hole 44 as a laser beam emitting means. The laser beam passing through the lens 54 forms a focal point below the arbor 46,
Surface treatment is performed on the workpiece W. The mounting part 47 provided in the upper part of the arbor 46 has a tapered shape,
It has a so-called pull stud type locking portion 56 at its upper end. The structure of the attachment part 47 of the laser processing arbor 46 is shown in Figure 4.
The structure is the same as that of the upper portion of the arbor 40 described above, and the structure is such that the laser processing arbor 46 and the arbor 40 holding the cutting tool can be exchanged by a known type of tool changer 58 (FIG. 2). There is.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tool changer 58 includes a shaft 60 disposed on the side of the machining spindle 28, and two arbors located at the lower end of the shaft 60 that are detachably held at both ends of the shaft 60. and a possible arm 62. shaft 6
The upper end of the column 14 is connected to a laterally extending rod 64, and the other end of the rod 64 is rotatably supported on the upper surface of the column 14. The shaft 60 and the arm 62 are normally placed at a position apart from the processing spindle 28, and when replacing the arbor, the bed 12
A desired arbor (arbor 40 in FIG. 3) is received at one end of the arm 62 from a tool storage shelf 66 installed on the side of the arm 62, moved to the side of the machining spindle 28, and attached to the machining spindle 28 at the other end of the arm 62. the arbor (arbor 46 in FIG. 3). In this state, the shaft 60 descends (or the spindle head 16 rises) to remove the laser processing arbor 46 from the processing spindle 28, and the arm 62 rotates to remove the arbor 46 from the processing spindle 28.
is attached to the processing spindle 28 (Fig. 3). The removed arbor 46 is transferred to the tool storage shelf 66 and stored. The attachment and detachment of the arbor to and from the machining spindle 28 is carried out by mooring or releasing the locking portion 56 provided at the upper end of each arbor by a mooring mechanism (not shown) provided on the machining spindle 28 side.

In the above configuration, the machine tool 10 first firmly fixes the workpiece W onto the worktable 22 when cutting the workpiece W, and attaches the arbor 40 holding the cutting tool to the processing spindle 28 using the tool changer 58. do. Then, the machining spindle 28 is rotated by the drive of the spindle motor 30,
A three-dimensional cutting process is performed on the work W by the relative movement of the spindle head 16 and the work table 22. At this time, since the arbor 46 equipped with the lens 54 for focusing the laser beam is housed in the tool storage shelf 66, the lens 54 can be protected from cutting waste and cutting oil during the cutting process.

Subsequently, during surface treatment of the workpiece W, the arbor 40 is replaced by a laser processing arbor 46 by the tool changer 58 while the workpiece W remains fixed on the worktable 22. Then, the laser beam generated by the operation of the oscillator 48 is guided to the through path 42 of the processing main shaft 28 via the mirror 50, and the surface of the workpiece W is irradiated with the laser beam from the tip of the arbor 46. The energy of this laser beam is controlled for surface hardening treatment, and since it does not penetrate the work W, the work table 22 can be used continuously. Furthermore, since the direction of incidence of the laser beam within the machining spindle 28 coincides with the moving direction of the machining spindle 28, that is, the Z-axis direction, the laser beam can be focused on a desired minute portion on the surface of the workpiece W having a three-dimensional shape. It is now possible to move the machining spindle.

[0018]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, a laser beam is incident from the rear of a processing spindle having a hollow structure, and a laser processing arbor equipped with a laser beam emitting means can be detachably attached to the tip of the processing spindle.
Furthermore, since the arbor is constructed to be replaceable with a cutting tool, cutting and laser processing can be performed alternately with one machine, speeding up the work and reducing the scale of the equipment. Moreover, since the direction of incidence of the laser beam into the machining spindle is matched with the movement direction (Z-axis direction) of the machining spindle by the laser beam path means, the focus position can be changed by moving the machining spindle while irradiating the laser beam. This makes it possible to perform laser processing on a desired part of the surface of a three-dimensional, complex-shaped workpiece. Further, during cutting, the laser processing arbor can be stored away from the processing main axis, so that the lens, which is the laser beam emitting means, can be protected from cutting waste and cutting oil.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a compound machine tool capable of laser processing according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view showing a processing main shaft portion.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the composite machine tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation at the time of arbor replacement in the compound machine tool of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

12...Bed 14...Column 16...Spindle head 22...Work table 28...Machining spindle 30...Spindle motor 40...Tool holding arbor 42...Through passage 46... Arbor for laser processing 48...Oscillation device 50...Mirror 52...tube 54...Lens 58...Tool change device

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Two orthogonal axes (X-axis, Y-axis) on a stationary machine stand.
The machine includes a work table movable in the axial direction, and a machining spindle movable in one axis (Z-axis) direction perpendicular to both of the two axes with respect to the work table, and a cutting tool is attached to the tip of the machining spindle. In a machine tool having a tool gripping part that is detachably attached, a straight through path of a predetermined diameter extends in the Z-axis direction in the processing spindle, and a line extending from the rear end of the processing spindle into the through path. , a laser beam path means for guiding a laser beam parallel to the Z-axis and traveling straight; a laser processing arbor having a detachable mounting portion on a tool gripping portion at the tip of the processing spindle; and a laser beam emitting means; A compound machine tool further comprising a tool exchange means for exchanging a cutting tool and the laser processing arbor, and capable of performing cutting and laser processing in combination. 2. The mounting portion of the laser processing arbor has a shape that fits closely to the tool gripping portion at the tip of the processing spindle, and the laser beam emitting means is located inside a through hole extending into the laser processing arbor. The composite machine tool according to claim 1, comprising a fixedly arranged lens for condensing laser light.