US 11,389,882 B2 · Monitoring and control of a milling operation

Abstract

A milling device for milling an antenna structure out of the metal layer of a flexible product, while the product is being passed through a milling gap between a milling cutter and a die, using a light emitter to output a light strip that crosses through the milling gap in or transversely to a running direction of the product, wherein the light strip is dimensioned, and the milling cutter and the die are intended to be arranged, such that the milling cutter and the die shadow the light strip at the two longitudinal edges thereof, before a light receiver receives the light strip, and using the light receiver to output a signal that reproduces the width of the milling gap to a controller, and outputting an adjusting signal at least to an adjusting drive that influences the width of the milling gap between the milling cutter and the die.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A milling device for manufacturing antenna structures out of a metal layer laminated on an insulating backing with

a controlled milling cutter and with
a controller for monitoring and controlling the milling operation of the milling cutter interacting with a die, wherein
the milling cutter is adapted to mill at least one antenna structure out of a metal layer on a flexible product having the backing and the metal layer, while the product is guided through a milling gap between the milling cutter and the die, the device comprising:
a light emitter/receiver for outputting and receiving a light strip crossing the milling gap in or transversely to a running direction of the product, wherein a transverse dimension of the light strip is characteristic of the width of the milling gap between the milling cutter and the die, and wherein the light receiver is adapted to output a signal reproducing the width of the milling gap to the controller, and wherein the controller is adapted to output an adjusting signal at least to an adjusting drive that influences the width of the milling gap between the milling cutter and the die.

1 more element

A method for monitoring and controlling a milling operation for the manufacture of antenna structures with the steps:

providing a milling device with
a controlled milling cutter, a die and
a controller for monitoring and controlling the milling operation of the milling cutter interacting with the die,
milling of at least one antenna structure out of a metal layer on a flexible product having a backing and the metal layer, while the product is guided through a milling gap between the milling cutter and the die;
outputting a light strip crossing through the milling gap in or transversely to a running direction of the product by a light emitter, wherein the light strip is dimensioned, and the milling cutter and the die are intended to be arranged, so that the milling cutter and the die shadow the light strip at least at one of its two longitudinal edges before a light receiver receives the light strip, wherein its transverse dimension is characteristic of the width of the milling gap between the milling cutter and the die,
outputting a signal reproducing the width of the milling gap by the light receiver to a controller, and
outputting an adjusting signal at least to an adjusting drive that influences the width of the milling gap between the milling cutter and the die.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Monitoring and control of a milling operation

Life of this patent

Monitoring and control of a milling operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10