JPS6195845A - Automatic tool replacing device for multi-head tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable continuous replacement of tools and to shorten entire machining time including tool replacing time by providing a tool replacing arm unit and a tool drum on a tool retaining carriage. CONSTITUTION:A multi-head machine tool P has main axes 3a, 3b which machine a work and can move to X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions, and an X-axis direction carriage 4 reciprocating the main axes 3a, 3b and a Y-axis direction carriage 3 are provided. A tool replacing arm unit 15 retains plural tools 10 for cutting on a tool drum 23, and installs tools 10 to the main axes 3a, 3b by instruction of a control device or replaces them. And the tool replacing arm unit 15 and a tool drum 23 are mounted on a tool retaining carriage 13, and a drive unit 14 moving the tool replacing arm unit 15 and the tool drum 23 to right and left directions of the X-axis is integrally provided on the tool replacing arm unit 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a tool changer for a machine tool, particularly a horizontal machining center, in which the main axis is the X axis.

This relates to an automatic tool changer for machine tools with multiple spindles that move in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions according to instructions from a numerical control device, and is widely used when installed in multi-head machining centers or multi-head general-purpose cutting units. It is something.

(Prior art) As a prior art related to the present invention, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-4583
There is a publication No. 6 on ``Tool changing device for machine tools''.

This device relates to a tool changer for a machine tool, and is a device for exchanging a tool selected from a tool magazine and supported by a tool pot with a tool supported by the main shaft of the machine using a tool change arm. .

In general, the tool changer of a general-purpose machine tool is explained with reference to FIG. 5. L is the main spindle unit of the machine tool, M is a jig unit, N is an automatic tool changer, and 30a is a tool consisting of a cutting blade. , 31 is a main shaft, and the main shaft 31 has two directions: a direction in which the workpiece M1 is machined (hereinafter referred to as the Z-axis direction), a direction in which the main shaft 31 moves up and down (hereinafter referred to as the Yo-axis direction), and a direction in which the main shaft 31 moves left and right (hereinafter referred to as the Yo-axis direction). It has a structure that can move in three directions (hereinafter referred to as the xO-axis direction), the main shaft rotation motor 32 and its transmission device, the YO-axis movement motor 33 and its transmission device,
The automatic tool changer N is composed of an Xo-axis moving motor 34 and its transmission device, a Zo-axis moving motor 35 and its transmission device, and further includes a tool holding device, a tool position conversion device, a tool attachment/detachment arm device, etc. Cutting tools 30b, 30c...
is removably attached to the tool drum 36, and the motor 37
The tool drum has a rotating structure.

The tool position conversion device is provided by the cylinder 38 l).

As shown in FIG.

Transform the position perpendicularly as shown in . The tool attachment and detachment arm device has a detachment arm 41, and has structures 41a and 41b at both ends of the arm for easily attaching and detaching tools.This arm device also has a back and forth movement BO and a drive device 42 to attach and detach the cutting tools 30d and 30a. It rotates as shown in AO. This operation diagram is shown in (c).

In the above structure, the cutting tool 30 mounted on the tool drum
b, 30C, . . . , the motor 37 is operated appropriately according to instructions from a control device (not shown), the necessary cutting tool 30b is moved to the lowermost position, and the cylinder 38 is raised as shown in DO. The chuck 39 grips the cutting tool 30b, and then, as the cylinder 38 descends, the tool chuck rotation motor 37 operates to move the chuck 39 in the right angle direction as shown in Co, and the tool attachment/detachment arm 41 rotates in the Ao direction, causing the end of the arm to The cutter 30d is clamped at the other end, and the cutter 30a fitted to the main shaft 31 is clamped at the other end, and then the arm 41 is moved back as shown in Bo by the action of the drive device 42, thereby removing the cutter. 30d into the main shaft 31 and the cutter 3
0a is moved to the cutting tool chuck 39, and then the motor 40 performs a position change Co at right angles, and the cylinder 38 rises to chuck the tool into the tool clamping part of the tool drum 36, completing one cycle, and the cutting tool 30a is moved to the tool chuck 39. This tool is automatically replaced with the cutter 30b. Using this cutter 30b, the main axis is moved and fixed to a fixed position on any of the Xo axis, Yo axis, or Zo axis, and the workpiece M1 is machined. When the machining is completed, the main spindle 31 is moved to a fixed position by the method described above,
This is a fully automatic tool changer that changes tools.

However, in machine tools equipped with the tool changer, the main spindle for machining the workpiece is configured with an R head, so the tool change time is from the time the tool starts moving from the tool drum until it is chucked to the main spindle. About tool change operation Normal 2
．． 5 It takes about 3 seconds to process the workpiece, and if 10 cutting tools are required to machine the workpiece and they are installed on the tool drum, it will take 25 to 30 seconds to change the cutting tools to complete one cycle. The time occupies a large part of the total machining time of the workpiece, and therefore the productivity is not very good.Therefore, efforts have been made to speed up the individual operations of the tool changer, but there is still a device consisting of the cutter changer system J mentioned above. However, there is a problem in that the cutting tool replacement time occupies a large amount of the total machining time of the workpiece, and it is extremely difficult to reduce this time.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Therefore, the present invention provides a machine tool having a main axis movable in the X, Y, and Z axes and having an automatic tool changer.
In order to solve the problem that it takes time to change tools, the technical objective is to create a structure that significantly shortens the time taken up for tool changes in the total machining time of a workpiece.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for solving the problem) The means for solving the above technical problem is related to the improvement of the patent application No. 15843'1 ``Multi-head machine tool'' by Ganto Toyama, The multi-head spindle parts with the jig unit and tools to be installed are arranged facing each other on the bed,
In an automatic tool changer installed on a machine tool that performs drilling, etc., the tool change arm device is installed on the X-axis carriage, and the tool drum for storing tools is installed on the Y-axis carriage, or the tool exchange arm is installed on the Y-axis carriage. The tool drum is both mounted on an X-axis carriage, and is equipped with a tool holding carriage and a drive device that can move left and right.The main spindle is two or more heads, and one spindle performs cutting, while the other spindles are multi-head. This is an automatic tool changer for a machine tool that performs cutting while alternately changing tools on the other spindle of the machine.

(Operation) The above technical means operates as follows. In other words, there are two or more multiple spindles in parallel for processing the workpiece, each spindle is equipped with a motor and a transmission device for processing, and a carriage with multiple spindles movable in the X-axis direction is constructed using a gate-type structure. A tool changing arm device whose fingers move up and down with a cylinder movable in the X-axis direction is placed above the main spindle, and a large number of cutting tools are held above the tool changing arm device. This machine tool has an automatic tool changer with a tool drum. In this way, the tool drum and the spindle are on the same surface, so when changing tools, while one spindle is machining a workpiece, the other spindle stops and the tool change arm device is placed directly above the spindle. One cylinder provided on the tool exchange arm grips the tool on the main spindle, the other cylinder grips the tool on the tool drum, and the drawing tool is moved forward while gripping it.
turning 0° to relocate the tool, and immediately retracting to hold the tool on the spindle and tool drum;
When each cylinder is shortened and the main spindle currently processing the workpiece has finished processing, the tool exchange arm device moves toward the main spindle that has finished processing using the sliding guide as a guide, and changes the tool in the same manner as described above, The other main shaft moves to predetermined positions on the X-axis and Y-axis to process the workpiece, and the cutting tool moves in the Z-axis direction to process the workpiece. In this way, the tool drum that holds the tools and the tool exchange arm device are located in the same machine/rear, and there are multiple cylinders for tool exchange, so that while machining a workpiece with one spindle, the tool on the other spindle is Because the tool exchange is performed, the tool exchange time is shortened, and the total machining time is greatly shortened to approximately 0.5 seconds x the number of tools used, and the total machining time is 11 seconds compared to the conventional one.
This will shorten the length by 5 to 1/6.

Note that the cylinder operated by air pressure for tool exchange may have a mechanical sliding structure.

(Example) Hereinafter, specific examples will be described.

P is a multi-head general-purpose machine tool, and Q is an automatic tool changer. 1 is the workpiece, 2 is the jig unit and index,
3 is a reciprocating table in the Z-axis direction, which is composed of multi-headed main shafts 3a and 3b, motors 3c and 3d for rotating the main shafts, and a reciprocating motor 3e, and the moving directions thereof are represented by Za and Zb. Reference numeral 4 denotes a reciprocating table in the X-axis direction, on which the main shafts 3a and 3b of the reciprocating table in the Z-axis direction are mounted. 5 is a reciprocating table in the Y-axis direction. 6 is a column configured on bet 7, Y axis, X
This machine tool consists of a reciprocating carriage that moves in the axial direction, and double-headed shafts of Za and Zb axes.

The column 6 carries the Y-axis carriage 5, the motor 5a, and its drive unit via a guide, and also the X-axis carriage 4 and the motor 4.
The cutting tool 10a is mounted on the holder 11 through a guide, and the cutting tool 10a is inserted into the main shaft and held in a state attached to the holder 11.

A support body 8 formed by an X-axis carriage 4 is attached, and struts 9a, 9b and sliding guides 12a, 12b are fixed thereon, supporting a tool holding carriage 13 and a drive unit 14, and sliding from side to side. This is shown as A. The drive device 14 consists of an arm swing gear 14a, an arm swing rack 14b, and cylinder rods 14c and 14d.The drive device moves the cylinder rod and the tool exchange arm moves back and forth. The movement of left and right is shown as AO. The tool holding carriage 13 has a tool changing arm 15. Claw support 16. The claw 17b is attached,
The exchange arm 15 can rotate 180 degrees, which is designated as D. A claw 17a holds the C9 cutting tool while the tool exchange arm 15 moves back and forth.

17b is connected to the rods of cylinders 18a and 18b,
A lifting and lowering movement is performed, which is designated as B. Above the Y-axis carriage 5 is a support 19. Sliding guides 20a and 20b are fixed, support the support carriage 21, and slide left and right. The left and right drives of the front and rear support carriage 21 are directly connected to the tool holding carriage 13 and operated by the drive section 14, but since the support 19 is fixed to the Y-axis carriage 5, the X-axis movement is also required. It also slides up and down. The support carriage 21 includes a drum rotation shaft 22. Tool drum 23. Senebakam 24
．． 25. Reducer 26. Relay 27. A motor 28 is attached to the tool drum 23 for intermittent movement. This is denoted as E.

Several tool cases 29 are attached to the tool drum 23 to hold and position the tools 10a, 10b, . . . .

By directly fixing the guide of the support carriage 21, which is a tool drum support, to the Y-axis carriage 5, the inertial force of the entire tool drum is received by the guide, thereby reducing its influence. FIG. 4 shows an operational diagram of each of the carriages, operating shafts, etc.

In the above configuration, the operation of this device P
(1) by a control device (not shown) that supports the operation of
Motor 4a for moving in the X-axis direction, motor 5 for moving in the Y-axis direction
a, each carriage is moved by the Z-axis direction movement morph 3e, and the main shaft is fixed at a fixed position as shown in FIG.
a processes workpiece 1; (2) Due to the action of the drive unit 14, the automatic tool changer Q is stopped on a straight line above the main shaft 3b. (3) The tool drum 2 is controlled by the tool change motor 28.
3 rotates, and then the cutting tool 10 for processing the workpiece 1 moves directly below the tool drum. In this case, the cutting tools are arranged in the tool case in the order of processing. (4) The cylinder device 18 operates and the rod extends, and one cylinder 18a is connected to the main shaft 3b.
The other cylinder 18b grips the cutting tool on the tool drum and is moved forward in the direction C by the drive device, where the tool changing arm 15 rotates 180 degrees and then retreats to transfer the cutting tool to the tool drum and the tool drum respectively. The rod is inserted into the main shaft 3b, the tool is replaced, and the rod is shortened. (5) The workpiece 1 is processed by the main spindle 3a, the cutting work is completed, and the tool holding carriage 13 and the support carriage 21 are moved by δ in the A direction by the operation of the drive device 14, and are positioned directly above the main spindle 3a. The machine stops and the cutting tool is replaced using the same method as described above, but the main spindle 3b is attached to the workpiece 1.
It is a new process.

Note that the movement or rotation of the workpiece 1 is performed by the action of the jig unit 2.

As another modified embodiment, the support carriage 21 may be directly attached to the tool holding carriage 13, and the guide 12a and the support 30 may be used instead of the guides 12a, 12b and the support 19. Although the force is large, the structure is extremely simple. There are also cases where a double-headed, multi-headed structure is used and the tools are replaced one after another.

As explained above, this multi-head machine tool is capable of rapidly and continuously changing cutting tools and cutting workpieces with high efficiency using an extremely simple mechanism.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention has the following unique effects. In other words, since it has a double-headed machining axis and an automatic cutter changer, the overall machining time including the time to change the cutter is greatly shortened. Therefore, in order to speed up each exchange operation, various complicated mechanisms are adopted, but this device has a simple structure that matches the machining cycle because it is a system that exchanges during workpiece cutting operations. A mechanism for exchange may be sufficient.

(2) The length and swing width of the tool exchange arm device, especially the exchange arm, can be reduced.

(3) Because the entire machine is operated over the entire surface of the machine tool, less space is required, eliminating dead space.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side view of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of this embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a side view of this embodiment.
The figure is an operation diagram of this embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a conventional example, in which (a) is a side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is an operating diagram. P: Multi-head machine tool, Q: Automatic tool changer, 1: Workpiece, 3a, 3b: Spindle, 4: X-axis carriage, 10a, 10b
...: Tool consisting of cutting tool, 13: Tool holding carriage, 1
4: Drive device, 15: Tool exchange arm device, 21: Support carriage, 23: Tool drum Fig. 5 (A) Fig. 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A multi-head machine consisting of a jig unit for mounting a workpiece, a plurality of spindles for processing the workpiece, the plurality of spindles being able to move in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and a carriage for reciprocating the spindles, a motor, and a transmission device. A multi-head machine tool with an automatic tool changer that has a machine tool and a tool change arm device that holds a large number of cutting tools in a tool drum device and attaches or replaces the tools to the spindle according to instructions from a control device, The tool changing arm device and the tool drum device are provided on an X-axis carriage or a tool holding carriage, and a drive device for moving the tool changing arm device and the tool drum device in the left-right direction of the X-axis is integrated with the tool changing arm device. Automatic tool changer for multi-head machine tools.