Method of machining workpieces having straight surface recesses

Abstract

In a method of machining a first and a second surface recess in a workpiece, the workpiece has a longitudinal axis and a first local Cartesian coordinate system. The machine tool has a longitudinal axis and a second local Cartesian coordinate system, the first and second surface recess are associated with a first and second recess longitudinal axis and a non-circular cross-section. The recesses are separated on the surface of the workpiece such that they are mirror images of each other about a plane along the longitudinal workpiece axis. A skew angle is defined between the first recess longitudinal axis and the workpiece axis in the first plane. The method includes setting the tool axis at a start or setting angle relative to a first major axis (Z-axis) in a first plane in the second local Cartesian coordinate system; rotating the first and second local Cartesian coordinate system relative to one another until a projection of the tool axis onto a second plane (X-Y plane) of the first local Cartesian coordinate system is parallel to a second major axis of the second local Cartesian coordinate system such that when the skew angle is 0.deg, the first surface recess is machined solely by displacement of the machine tool relative to the workpiece in the direction of the longitudinal tool axis (Z-axis), or when the skew angle of other than 0.deg, the first surface recess is machined solely by displacement of the machine tool relative to the workpiece in all three axes of the second local Cartesian coordinate system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.