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US 4,550,532 AGranted
Automated machining method
AssigneeTungsten Industries, Inc.
InventorsGeorge R. Fletcher, Jr., George H. Messick, Jr., Charles K. Roby, Cecil O. Huey, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a process which produces precision ground articles such as tungsten carbide burs without the use of skilled craftsmen. An automatic apparatus is described which is capable of performing the motions necessary to produce a machined given object and includes a control system for automated bur grinding. The process also converts geometric bur definitions into instructions that will produce the proper actions by the automated grinding.
Claims5
A process for producing a machined article from an elongated blank, comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus which comprises:
- a chuck for holding said elongated blank,
- means for rotating said elongated blank about a B axis, said B axis providing rotation about the central axis of said blank,
- means for rotating said chuck in a horizontal plane about a Z axis,
- means for moving said said means for rotating said chuck about a Y axis in a horizontal plane,
- means for moving said means for moving along said Y axis about an X axis in a horizontal plane which is perpendicular to said Y axis,
- a generally circular cutting wheel,
- means for rotating said cutting wheel about the center thereof,
- means for rotating said cutting wheel about an A axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said wheel,
- means for measuring movement along each of said A, B, X, Y, and Z axes;
- rotating said cutting wheel about the center axis thereof;
- rotating said cutting wheel about said A axis;
- rotating said elongated blank about said B axis;
- moving said blank along said X, Y, and Z axes so as to engage said blank with said cutting wheel;
- measuring the movement along said A, B, X, Y, and Z axes;
- generating signals representative of said measurement along said axes;
- establishing predetermined desired geometrical ratios with regard to the desired configuration of the machined blank;
- assigning specific dimensional measurements which relate to said ratios to establish absolute predetermined desired measurements;
- transposing said desired ratios into movement along said A, B, X, Y and Z axes;
- comparing said signals with predetermined desired signals representative of said predetermined desired geometrical ratios;
- and
- generating desired paths of movement for all axes simultaneously to maximize utilization of all available axes;
- controlling movement along all said axes simultaneously along said path.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.