JPH0694104B2 - Tool change method for machine tools - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Use The present invention must use a tool that is too many to fit in a tool magazine or a specific tool that has a large diameter or a large weight and cannot be accommodated in the tool magazine. The present invention relates to a tool changing method for a machine tool, which efficiently mounts the specific tool on a spindle in order to efficiently perform the machining that must be performed.

(B) Conventional technology A machine tool selects a necessary tool from a tool magazine and attaches it to a spindle to use. However, a specific tool that does not fit in the tool magazine and a large diameter or weight cannot be accommodated in the tool magazine. The specific tool was stopped by the machine as needed and manually replaced or replaced for each magazine. However, in that case, unmanned operation cannot be achieved and work efficiency is poor. Therefore, as described in, for example, JP-A-59-30636, a replacement tool magazine loaded on a tool pallet is supported on a spindle of a machine tool. A table that automatically replaces a specific tool between the replacement tool magazine and a dedicated tool magazine provided in the machine tool, or moves relative to the spindle as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-34991. There has been proposed a device in which a tool holder is provided on the top and a specific tool held by the holder is automatically attached to and detached from a spindle.

(C) Problems to be solved by the invention The former tool changing method requires separate mechanisms for exchanging tools between a replacement tool magazine supported by the spindle and a dedicated tool magazine provided on the machine tool. Not only that, it cannot be applied to specific tools with large diameters and weight that cannot be stored in the tool magazine. Also, in the latter, the device is always standing by the side of the machine tool, so it not only interferes with the work, but it is dedicated to that tool, and there is no consideration for different shape machining by changing the tool, It lacks the flexibility to deal with the small-quantity, multi-product processing that is the purpose of FM. Further, there is a limit to the size of the work in order to prevent the workpiece and the tool from interfering with each other.

D. Means for Solving the Problems The present invention sets a specific tool exceeding the capacity of the tool magazine to a tool pallet, and carries the tool pallet and a work pallet on which a work is set into a two-sided pallet exchange mechanism. A method of exchanging a tool, in which a specified tool set on a pallet and supplied is mounted on the spindle of a machine tool, and a workpiece can be machined with the specified tool.
If the work pallet is on the machine tool, first the work pallet is temporarily retracted from the machine tool to the empty surface of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism by the transfer mechanism, and the other surface of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism is moved. The tool pallet mounted on the machine tool is transferred to the machine tool, the specific tool set on the tool pallet is mounted on the spindle of the machine tool, and if the tool pallet is on the machine tool, the tool The specific tool set on the pallet is mounted on the spindle of the machine tool.

E. Each pallet sent to the two-sided pallet changing mechanism
The two-sided pallet changing mechanism and the machine tool alternately move back and forth, and while the work pallet is temporarily retracted to the two-sided pallet changing mechanism, the specific tool set on the tool pallet is used as the spindle. It is to wear it.

F. Embodiment An example of the tool changing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 showing the entire apparatus, 1 is an NC machine tool,
A main shaft 2 for mounting a tool projects from the upper center of the table 1a, and a side face is provided with a tool magazine 1b containing a large number of replacement tools to be mounted on the main shaft 2. In front of the table 1a, a two-sided side-by-side side-by-side type pallet changing device 3 is provided.
On the other hand, loading means for loading the pallet 4 is provided. The carrying-in means is arranged between the setup station 5 set at a point away from the NC machine tool 1 and the two-side-by-side side-by-side side-by-side pallet exchanging device 3, and is sent out from or sent out from the setup station 5. An unmanned transport vehicle 7 for loading the pallets 4 that are once waiting at the pool station 6 is provided. The pallet 4 includes a work pallet 4a on which the work M is set, and a tool pallet 4b having a tool mount 8 for mounting a specific tool T necessary for machining the work M, and the setup station 5
A management computer 9 is provided for controlling the commands for setting a specific tool and a work on the pallet 4 in the setup station 5, selecting a pallet for transporting the pallets in pairs, and controlling the transport process. to manage. Between the two side-by-side side-by-side type pallet changing mechanism 3 and the working mechanism 1, one side A of the two-side side-by-side type pallet changing mechanism 3 is provided.
And a position B on the X-axis of the machine tool, and another position C on the X-axis of the machine tool and the other surface D of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism 3 to and from each other. , 10 'are provided, the control computer 11 for controlling the NC machine tool 1 controls the machine tool itself, and in addition to the control of the machine tool, one of the two pallets is a two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism from the machine tool. To the machine tool after moving the other pallet to the machine tool, and after the pallet moved to that machine tool has evacuated from the machine tool, the pallet that has been evacuated to the two-sided pallet changing mechanism is transferred to the machine tool. An NC program with moving controls is included.

In such an apparatus, the process of machining the work M with the specific tool T will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6. First, at the stage of step S1 (hereinafter, step S will be simply referred to as S), a setup station. At 5, the operator manually sets the work M to the work pallet 4a and the specific tool to the tool mounting base 8 of the tool pallet 4b one by one, and the work M or the tool T is set on the pallet 4 However, in S2, based on a command from the management computer, the work pallet 4a and the tool pallet 4b are sequentially pooled in the pool station 6 or not pooled by the automatic guided vehicle 7 as needed, and the work pallet 4a and the tool pallet 4b are sequentially arranged in parallel on the two-sided pallet. It is sent to the exchange device 3. There is a pallet transfer function between the automatic guided vehicle 7 and the two-side-by-side side-by-side pallet exchanging device 3, and the pallet 4 carried by the unmanned guided vehicle 7 is the two-side-by-side side-by-side pallet exchange for the pallet that is first loaded in S3. The device 3 is transferred to the position A on one side.

The case where the work pallet 4a and the tool pallet 4b are loaded in this order will be described below.

The work pallet 4a transferred to the position A on one side of the two-side-by-side pallet changer 3 is sent from there to the position B on the X-axis of the machine tool in S4, and in S5, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis Machining work is performed according to a predetermined NC program by axial movement and automatic exchange of the tools stored in the tool magazine 1a (Fig. 4a). When the machining using the tools stored in the tool magazine 1b is completed, the work pallet is moved to another position C on the X axis of the machine tool in S6, and then S7.
Then, the two-sided side-by-side type pallet exchanging device is sent to the other side D position and stands by at that position. Then the automated guided vehicle 7
Then, the tool pallet 4b carried after the work pallet 4a is carried into the vacant one-sided A position of the two-face side-by-side pallet changer 3 by the execution of S3 again, and stands by,
In the subsequent execution of S4, the tool pallet is X in the machine tool.
Sent to position B on the axis. At S8, the table is moved in the X-axis direction to a position coinciding with the center line of the spindle 2 and stopped there (FIG. 4b). When the tool pallet 4b is moved, if the spindle 2 interferes with the pallet 4b or the specific tool T, the tool pallet 4b is moved back in the Z-axis direction so that it does not interfere.
It is necessary to create an NC program. Next, the spindle 2 is moved by the Y-axis to a height corresponding to the center line of the tool on the tool mount 8, the chuck is opened, and the Z-axis is moved to the tool side to grasp the specific tool T. Then, the specific tool T is removed from the tool mount 8 by the ascent of the spindle 2. The tool pallet 4b from which the specific tool T has been removed is returned to the position B position in the X-axis direction on the machine tool in S9, and is further sent from there to the vacant one side A position of the two-face side-by-side pallet changer. (Fig. 4c). Next, at S11, the work pallet 4a waiting at the other surface position D of the two-sided side-by-side pallet exchanging device 3 is returned to another position C on the X axis of the machine tool, and the work pallet 4a of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis is returned. By moving the axis and removing it from the tool pallet and using a specific tool attached to the spindle 2.
Processing of S12 is executed. When the machining is completed, the work pallet 4a is moved to another vacant position C on the X-axis of the machine tool in S13, is then sent to the other surface D position of the two-face side-by-side pallet changer in S14, and further in S15. It is transferred to the automated guided vehicle 7 and carried out to the setup station 5 or the pool station 6. On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the work pallet 4a has moved to the position D on the other side of the two-sided side-by-side type pallet changing device 3, the tool pallet waiting at the one-side A position of the two-sided side-by-side type pallet changing device 3 in S16. 4b is
It is returned to position B on the X-axis on the machine tool. Then S1
In 7, the spindle 2 is lifted to a height at which the specific tool T mounted on the spindle 2 and the tool mount 8 on the pallet 4b do not interfere with each other, and the pallet 4b moves to the center line of the spindle 2 by the movement in the X-axis direction. The center lines of the tool mounting base 8 are aligned with each other, and the tool mounting base 8 is positioned directly below the specific tool T by moving in the Z-axis direction (Fig. 4d). Then, the spindle 2 is lowered, and when the specific tool T is correctly mounted on the tool mounting base 8, the chuck is opened and retracted. With this, the specific tool T is set on the tool platform 8, the pallet 4b is moved to another position C on the X axis of the machine tool in S18, and the other surface D position of the two-sided side-by-side pallet changer in S19. To the setup station 5 or the pool station 6 by the automatic guided vehicle 7 in S15. After that, the above series of operations is repeated.

In this way, if the work pallet with the work set and the tool pallet with the tool set in the setup station are continuously and alternately loaded into the two-face side-by-side pallet changer, the two-face side-by-side pallet changer and the machine By exchanging between machines, tool exchange and machining can be performed efficiently.

In the above explanation, the case where the work pallet is carried in before the tool pallet has been illustrated, but it is possible to reverse the front and back to execute the machining by the tool that is set in the pallet and sent in first, or once the tool pallet is once removed from the machine tool. The program is changed depending on the order of tools used, such as retracting to the other side of the two-sided side-by-side pallet changer and moving it in the opposite direction from the example, and the open side of the two-sided side-by-side pallet changer. it can. Also, the movement of the pallet on the X-axis of the machine tool is appropriately changed according to the setting conditions of the tool or work set on the pallet. Further, the above-mentioned system has been described by using the X-axis movement in the machine tool and the two-face side-by-side pallet changing device, but the same applies to the two-face turning type pallet changing device, as shown in the system diagram of FIG. If the surface side-by-side pallet exchanging device is changed to a two-side swivel pallet exchanging device 3'and control is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIGS. Although there is a difference that the pallet exchanging device is rotated 180 degrees to change the transfer surface only at one place, the tool exchanging and the work machining can be performed in the same steps as in the above embodiment. Since the system adopting the two-face turning type pallet changer has the same basic operation as that of the above-mentioned embodiment, only the flow chart is disclosed here, and the detailed description of each operation is omitted. In addition, the machining of the workpiece sent to the machine tool is performed not only by machining once with the tool in the tool magazine and once with the specific tool, but also by machining only with the specific tool, in the tool magazine. The machining with the tool and the machining with the specific tool are sometimes repeated, and they are executed according to the program of the NC device.

According to the present invention, each pallet work and a specific tool are respectively set at the setup station, and the work pallet and the tool pallet are sent as a set to the two-sided pallet exchanging device in order, and the work pallet is set. Due to the rationality of temporarily retracting to the two-sided pallet changing mechanism, moving the tool pallet to the machine tool and mounting the specific tool set in the tool pallet to the spindle, it has a large diameter and weight. You can also check the safety of specific tools.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show a tool changing method according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the layout of the entire apparatus, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a specific tool set on a tool pallet, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing directions of X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis in a machine tool. 4 a, b, c and d are explanatory views of pallet movement between the machine tool and the two-side-by-side juxtaposed pallet exchanging device, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts of the embodiment and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a system diagram in which the two-sided pallet changing mechanism is modified, and FIGS. 8A and 8B are flowchart diagrams of the modification example. 1 ... NC machine tool, 1a ... table, 1b ... tool magazine, 2 ... spindle, 3 ... side-by-side pallet changer,
3 '... two-sided swivel type pallet changer, 4 ... pallet, 4a ... work pallet, 4b ... tool pallet, 5
...... Setup station, 6 …… Pool station,
7 ... Automated guided vehicle, 8 ... Tool loading table, 9 ... Management computer, 10, 10 '... Delivery mechanism, 11 ... Control computer, T ... Specific tool, W ... Work, A ... … One side of the two-sided side-by-side pallet changer, B …… position on the X-axis, C …… other position on the X-axis, D …… other side of the two-sided side-by-side pallet changer, E …… X-axis Above fixed position, S ... Step,

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A machine tool, a setup station provided separately from the machine tool, a two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism mounted immediately in front of the machine tool, the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism and the setup station. And a reciprocating movement of a pallet between the machine tool and one side of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism and the machine tool, and the other side of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism. A device equipped with a transfer mechanism for setting a work on the work pallet at the setup station, and setting a specific tool for machining the work on the tool pallet, and a pair of works from the setup station by the transfer device. Load either pallet or tool pallet into one side of the two-sided pallet changer When the other pallet is carried into the empty surface of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism and the work is machined by the specific tool on the tool pallet, if the work pallet is on the machine tool, the work pallet is first The transfer mechanism temporarily retracts from the machine tool to the empty surface of the two-sided pallet changing mechanism, and transfers the tool pallet placed on the other side of the two-sided pallet changing mechanism to the machine tool. Then, the specific tool set on the tool pallet is mounted on the spindle of the machine tool, and if the tool pallet is on the machine tool, the specific tool set on the tool pallet is set on the spindle of the machine tool. After that, the tool pallet is evacuated to the surface of the two-sided pallet exchanging mechanism, which was previously mounted, by the transfer mechanism, The then transferred onto a machine tool Kuparetto, tool exchange method for a machine tool, characterized in that occupy perform machining of the workpiece by mounting the particular tool to the spindle.