Tools, machines, and methods for machining planar workpieces

A tool for machining planar workpieces, comprising:

• an upper tool having a clamping shaft and an upper main body that lie on a common upper positioning axis;
• at least one tool body arranged on the upper main body opposite the clamping shaft, wherein the tool body has a cutting edge;
• a lower tool having a lower main body with a rest surface for the workpiece and a lower positioning axis oriented perpendicular to the rest surface;
• and
• at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies arranged on the lower main body and each comprising respective counter cutting edges,
• wherein the cutting edge of the at least one tool body has a cutting contour that corresponds to counter cutting contours of the counter cutting edges of the group of at least two counter tool bodies,
• wherein the at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies on the lower tool can be associated with the cutting contour of the at least one tool body via a traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to the upper positioning axis of the upper tool or the lower positioning axis of the lower tool, or both, or by a combination of the traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to the upper or lower positioning axis and by a rotary movement about the upper positioning axis of the upper tool or the lower positioning axis of the lower tool, or both,
• wherein, in the at least one group, the counter cutting contour of a first counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a first cutting gap width and the counter cutting contour of a second or further counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a second or further cutting gap width, and
• wherein the first and at least one further group of counter tool bodies do not lie on an imaginary circle in the rest surface of the lower tool, wherein the circle is concentric to the lower positioning axis at a distance from the lower positioning axis that is smaller or larger than a distance from the lower positioning axis to the first and the at least one further group of counter tool bodies.

A processing machine for machining planar workpieces, comprising:

• an upper tool having a clamping shaft and an upper main body and that is moveable along an upper stroke axis by a stroke drive device in a direction towards or away from a workpiece to be processed by the upper tool, and that is positionable along an upper horizontal positioning axis running perpendicular to the upper stroke axis;
• an upper drive assembly configured to displace the upper tool along the upper positioning axis;
• a lower tool having a lower main body with a rest surface for the workpiece and that is moveable along a lower stroke axis by a stroke drive device in the direction of the upper tool, and that is positionable along a lower horizontal positioning axis oriented perpendicular to the upper stroke axis of the upper tool and oriented perpendicular to the rest surface;
• a lower drive assembly configured to displace the lower tool along the lower positioning axis;
• a controller configured to control the upper and lower drive assemblies and to control a traversing movement of the upper tool along the upper horizontal positioning axis and a traversing movement of the lower tool along the lower horizontal positioning axis independently of each other;
• at least one tool body arranged on the upper main body opposite the clamping shaft, wherein the tool body has a cutting edge;
• and
• at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies arranged on the lower main body and each comprising respective counter cutting edges,
• wherein the at least two counter tool bodies of the at least one group lie outside of an imaginary circle in the rest surface of the lower tool, wherein the circle is concentric to the lower positioning axis at a distance from the lower positioning axis that is smaller than a distance from the lower positioning axis to the at least two counter tool bodies of the at least one group,
• wherein the cutting edge of the at least one tool body has a cutting contour that corresponds to counter cutting contours of the counter cutting edges of the group of at least two counter tool bodies,
• wherein the at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies on the lower tool can be associated with the cutting contour of the at least one tool body via a traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to a vertical positioning axis of the upper tool or lower tool or both, or by a combination of the traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to the vertical positioning axis and by a rotary movement about the upper vertical positioning axis of the upper tool or lower vertical positioning axis of the lower tool, or both, and
• in the at least one group, the counter cutting contour of a first counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a first cutting gap width and the counter cutting contour of a second or further counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a second or further cutting gap width.

A method for machining planar workpieces, the method comprising:

• obtaining a tool that comprises:
• an upper tool having a clamping shaft and an upper main body that lie on a common upper vertical positioning axis;
• at least one tool body arranged on the upper main body opposite the clamping shaft, wherein the tool body has a cutting edge;
• a lower tool having a lower main body with a rest surface for the workpiece and a lower vertical positioning axis oriented perpendicular to the rest surface;
• and
• at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies arranged on the lower main body and each comprising respective counter cutting edges,
• wherein the at least two counter tool bodies of the at least one group lie outside of an imaginary circle in the rest surface of the lower tool, wherein the circle is concentric to the lower positioning axis at a distance from the lower positioning axis that is smaller than a distance from the lower positioning axis to the at least two counter tool bodies of the at least one group,
• wherein the cutting edge of the at least one tool body has a cutting contour that corresponds to counter cutting contours of the counter cutting edges of the group of at least two counter tool bodies,
• wherein the at least one group of at least two counter tool bodies on the lower tool can be associated with the cutting contour of the at least one tool body via a traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to the upper vertical positioning axis of the upper tool or the lower vertical positioning axis of the lower tool, or both, or by a combination of the traversing movement perpendicular or inclined to the upper or lower vertical positioning axis and by a rotary movement about the upper vertical positioning axis of the upper tool or the lower vertical positioning axis of the lower tool, or both, and
• in the at least one group, the counter cutting contour of a first counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a first cutting gap width and the counter cutting contour of a second or further counter tool body corresponds to the cutting contour of the at least one tool body with a second or further cutting gap width;
• moving the upper tool along a stroke axis by a stroke drive device in a direction towards or away from a workpiece to be processed by the upper tool, wherein the upper tool is positionable along an upper horizontal positioning axis running perpendicular to the stroke axis, and is displaceable by an upper drive assembly along the upper horizontal positioning axis;
• moving the lower tool along a lower stroke axis by a stroke drive device in the direction of the upper tool, wherein the lower tool is positionable along a lower horizontal positioning axis oriented perpendicular to the stroke axis of the upper tool, and is displaceable by a lower drive assembly along the lower horizontal positioning axis;
• providing a controller to actuate the upper and lower drive assemblies to move the upper and lower tools;
• and
• using a tool to process the workpieces.