JPH06246596A - Automatic tool feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To feed a tool automatically to each machine tool receiving a workpiece by an automatically conveyed pallet without laying a machining line all over so as to improve space efficiency by providing the pallet with a tool holding means. CONSTITUTION:Numerous NC machine tools 2 controlled by control devices 21 connected to a main controller 1 are provided in a row. The pallet conveyor device 3 is provided with conveyor trucks 32 traveling on a carrier path 31 provided along the lined-up direction of the NC machine tools 2 so as to convey pallets 4. The pallet 4 for placing a workpiece W is additionally provided with a tool holder 5 for holding a tool T for machining the workpiece W. The correction value of the tool T stocked in a tool stocker 51 is measured by a correction value measuring device 52, and the measured correction value is transferred to the control device 21 through the main controller 1. As a result, a tool conveyor means and data control for correspondence between the correction value and the tool T are respectively dispensed with.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic tool feeder for automatically feeding a tool for machining a workpiece to a machine tool which receives the workpiece by a pallet that is automatically conveyed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It takes a lot of manpower to process a work, which increases the processing cost. Therefore, it is desired to process the work automatically. In such a case, it is conceivable to place the work on a pallet that is automatically conveyed to the machine tool and automatically supply the work to the machine tool. On the other hand, a tool for machining a work must be replaced due to wear or the like after being used for a predetermined period of time, and it is desired that these tools are automatically replaced for machining a work automatically. By the way, in order to automatically replace a tool, it is necessary to automatically supply a new tool to be replaced to a machine tool.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-242943, a work transfer means for transferring a work transfer pallet on which a work is placed to each machine tool is provided in the vicinity of a plurality of machine tools arranged in parallel, and the work transfer is further performed. In addition to the means, a tool transfer means for transferring the tool supply pallet on which the tool is placed to each machine tool is provided, and the tool is transferred in advance to the vicinity of the machine tool for which the tool change is required. Incidentally, it is known that this is done quickly when the tool is replaced.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the above conventional one,
Space efficiency is poor because it is necessary to separately provide a tool transfer means in addition to the work transfer means. Furthermore, even if an existing machining line consisting of a machine tool and work transfer means is remodeled into the above-mentioned conventional one, there are restrictions on space and the like. In some cases, it is not possible to additionally provide the receiving tool conveying means, and in this case, there is a problem that the processing line has to be laid again.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to re-install an existing machining line consisting of a machine tool and a work transfer means.
An object of the present invention is to provide a space-efficient automatic tool supply device capable of automatically supplying tools to a machine tool.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is an apparatus for supplying a tool for machining a work to a machine tool which is supplied with the work by a pallet which is automatically conveyed. In the above, the pallet is provided with a tool holding means for holding a tool.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, together with the tool holding means, a correction value for each tool held by the tool holding means is stored and the correction value is controlled by the machine tool when the tool is supplied to the machine tool. The pallet is provided with a correction value transfer means for transferring to the apparatus.

[0007]

When it is necessary to supply a tool to a machine tool, the tool is held on a work supply pallet that is automatically conveyed to the machine tool, and the pallet automatically supplies the tool to the machine tool.

Incidentally, the correction value for each of the tools automatically supplied in this way is transferred to the control device of the machine tool through a path different from the tool supply path via the communication line according to the tool supply status. However, if a means for storing this correction value is provided on the pallet and the correction value is transferred to the control device of the machine tool using the same path as the tool supply path, it is not necessary to provide a communication line. In addition, it is not necessary to manage the data for associating the correction value with the tool.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, three NCs whose operation is controlled by a controller 21 connected to a main controller 1
The machine tools 2 are arranged side by side and adjacent to the NC machine tool 2 by N
C. A pallet transfer device 3 including a transfer path 31 that is long in the direction in which the machine tools 2 are arranged in parallel and a transfer carriage 32 that travels on the transfer path 31 is provided, and a pallet 4 is placed on the transfer carriage 32. The operation of the transfer carriage 32 configured to transfer the respective NC machine tools 2 to each NC machine tool 2 is controlled by the main controller 1.

A work W to be processed by the NC machine tool 2 is placed on the pallet 4, and a tool holder 5 for holding a tool T such as a ball end mill for processing the work W is attached to the pallet 4. The pallet 4 is temporarily stored in a pallet stocker 41 provided near the transfer path 31, and the pallet 4 is transferred from the pallet stocker 41 to the transfer carriage 32 by a pallet transfer device (not shown). When the pallet 4 is stored in the pallet stocker 41, the tool T is not set in the tool holder 5, and the pallet transfer device 3 is used to transfer the pallet 4 to the carrier truck 3.
The pallet 4 placed on the No. 2 is once conveyed to the tool stocker 51 before being supplied to the NC machine tool 2. The tool stocker 51 has a first stock portion 51a in which the used tool T is returned from the tool holder 5 of the pallet 4 that has been processed, and a correction value has already been measured so that the tool holder 5 can be set in the tool holder 5 and is in a usable state. The second stock portion 51b for stocking the tool T which is Of the tools T returned to the first stock part 51a, those that need re-grinding and those that cannot be reused due to damage, life, etc. are removed from the first stock part 51a, and new tools T are used instead of the first stock part 51a. Will be replenished. Then, the tool T of the first stock portion 51a is transferred to the correction value measuring device 52 by a transfer robot (not shown), the correction value for each tool T is measured, and then transferred to the second stock portion 51b and transferred to the pallet 4 Waits for you to be delivered. On the other hand, the correction value measured by the correction value measuring device 52 is the main controller 1
Are sent to the control device 21 when the main controller 1 issues a machining command to each control device 21. The control device 21 that has received the tool correction value transfer corrects the machining data stored in advance based on the correction value of the tool T to be used.

When the usable tool T is set on the tool holder 5 from the second stock section 51b, the pallet 4 is returned to the carrier truck 32, and a predetermined NC is issued based on a command from the main controller 1 to the pallet carrier 3. It is supplied to the machine tool 2. Then, the NC machine tool 2 replaces the used or unused tool in the tool magazine attached to the NC machine tool 2 with the tool of the tool holder 5 of the pallet 4 before machining, and then the above-mentioned correction is performed. Processing of the work W is started based on the processed data. When the machining is completed, the tool in the tool magazine is immediately returned to the tool holder 5, and the rotation of the tool T is set so that the tool magazine becomes empty when a new pallet 4 is supplied. Good.

In the above embodiment, the tool T and its correction value are supplied to the NC machine tool 2 via different paths, that is, the tool T via the pallet 4 and the correction value via the main controller 1 to the NC machine tool 2. As shown, the correction value transfer device 6 may be attached to the pallet 4, and the tool correction value may also be supplied to the NC machine tool 2 via the pallet 4 together with the tool T. The correction value transfer device 6 comprises a memory (not shown) for storing the correction value and an input / output unit (not shown) for inputting / outputting the correction value to / from this memory in a non-contact manner. The correction value measured by is input from the non-contact type coupler 61 such as an optical type or a magnetic type into the memory through the input / output unit and then supplied to the NC machine tool 2 and provided in the NC machine tool 2. The correction value is read by the coupler 62, and the correction value is directly transferred to the control device 21.

Further, when there are a large number of tools T to be supplied to the NC machine tool 2 and the tool holder 5 adjacent to the work W is insufficient, or when the machining cycle time has a relatively large margin, FIG. Workpiece W on pallet 4 as shown
It is also possible to provide a plurality of tool holders 5 on the pallet 4 without mounting. In this case, the correction value of the tool T may be transferred to the control device 21 via the main controller 1 as in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. The correction value transfer device 6 may be used to transfer to the control device 21 via the pallet 4.

[0014]

According to the invention of claim 1, the tool can be supplied to the machine tool by using the pallet for supplying the work to the machine tool, the tool transfer means is not required, and the space efficiency is further improved. Can automatically supply tools to machine tools without re-installing existing machining lines.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, since the correction value of the tool can be transferred to the machine tool together with the tool through the pallet, it is not necessary to attach a communication line, and the correction value and the tool can be associated with each other. There is no need to manage the data to obtain it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Main Controller 2 NC Machine Tool 3 Pallet Conveying Device 4 Pallet 5 Tool Holder 6 Correction Value Transfer Device 21 Control Device 41 Pallet Stocker 51 Tool Stocker 52 Correction Value Measuring Device W Work T Tool

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for supplying a tool for processing a work to a machine tool that receives the supply of the work by a pallet that is automatically conveyed, wherein a tool holding means for holding the tool is provided on the pallet. Automatic tool feeder. 2. A correction value transfer which stores the correction value for each tool held by the tool holding means together with the tool holding means and transfers the correction value to a control device of the machine tool when the tool is supplied to the machine tool. The automatic tool feeder according to claim 1, wherein the means is provided on a pallet.