Cutting apparatus, cutting blade replacement method, and board replacement method

A cutting blade replacement method for replacing a cutting blade mounted on a cutting apparatus,

• the cutting apparatus including
• a cutting unit having a spindle and a mount flange that is fixed to a tip part of the spindle and on which the cutting blade is mounted,
• a stock unit that stores the cutting blade for replacement,
• a replacement apparatus that replaces the cutting blade mounted on the mount flange with the cutting blade for replacement, and
• a movement unit that moves the replacement apparatus,
• the replacement apparatus including
• a rotating part,
• a first holding part that holds the cutting blade mounted on the mount flange on a front surface side,
• a second holding part that holds the cutting blade for replacement on a front surface side, and
• a nut rotation part that has a nut holding part that holds a nut for fixing the cutting blade to the mount flange and rotates the nut held by the nut holding part,
• the rotating part being coupled to the first holding part, the second holding part, and the nut rotation part and rotating with a straight line that passes through inside of the rotating part being a rotation axis,
• a front surface of the first holding part, a front surface of the second holding part, and the nut holding part being disposed to be oriented toward an opposite side to the rotation axis of the rotating part in a state of being separate from each other around the rotation axis of the rotating part,
• the cutting blade replacement method comprising:
• a preparation step of placing the cutting blade for replacement over a placement surface of the stock unit having the placement surface over which the cutting blade is allowed to be placed;
• a cutting-blade-for-replacement holding step of holding the cutting blade for replacement placed over the placement surface by the second holding part;
• a nut removal step of causing the nut holding part of the nut rotation part to be opposed to the mount flange and holding the nut mounted on the mount flange by the nut holding part and rotating the nut to remove the nut from the mount flange;
• a first evacuation step of separating the nut rotation part and the mount flange;
• a used cutting blade holding step of causing the first holding part to be opposed to the mount flange by rotating the rotating part and holding the cutting blade mounted on the mount flange by the first holding part;
• a second evacuation step of separating the first holding part and the mount flange;
• a cutting blade mounting step of causing the second holding part to be opposed to the mount flange by rotating the rotating part and mounting the cutting blade for replacement held by the second holding part on the mount flange;
• a third evacuation step of separating the second holding part and the mount flange;
• and
• a nut mounting step of causing the nut holding part of the nut rotation part to be opposed to the mount flange by rotating the rotating part and rotating the nut held by the nut holding part to mount the nut on the mount flange.

A board replacement method for replacing a board disposed in a cutting apparatus,

• the cutting apparatus including
• a cutting unit having a spindle and a mount flange that is fixed to a tip part of the spindle and on which a cutting blade is mounted,
• a stock unit that stores the cutting blade for replacement,
• a replacement apparatus that replaces the cutting blade mounted on the mount flange with the cutting blade for replacement,
• a movement unit that moves the replacement apparatus,
• a chuck table that holds the workpiece, and
• a sub-table that holds a board used for dressing or inspection of the cutting blade,
• the replacement apparatus including
• a rotating part,
• a first holding part that holds the cutting blade mounted on the mount flange on a front surface side,
• a second holding part that holds the cutting blade for replacement on a front surface side, and
• a nut rotation part that has a nut holding part that holds a nut for fixing the cutting blade to the mount flange and rotates the nut held by the nut holding part,
• the rotating part being coupled to the first holding part, the second holding part, and the nut rotation part and rotating with a straight line that passes through inside of the rotating part being a rotation axis,
• a front surface of the first holding part, a front surface of the second holding part, and the nut holding part being disposed to be oriented toward an opposite side to the rotation axis of the rotating part in a state of being separate from each other around the rotation axis of the rotating part,
• the stock unit including a board storing part that stores the board,
• the first holding part and the second holding part being capable of holding the board,
• the board replacement method comprising:
• a preparation step of placing the board for replacement over a placement surface of the stock unit having the placement surface over which the board is allowed to be placed;
• a board-for-replacement holding step of holding the board for replacement placed over the placement surface by the second holding part;
• a used board holding step of causing the first holding part to be opposed to the sub-table and holding, by the first holding part, the board that is held by the sub-table and has been used;
• an evacuation step of separating the first holding part and the sub-table;
• and
• a placement step of causing the second holding part to be opposed to the sub-table by rotating the rotating part and placing the board for replacement held by the second holding part on the sub-table.