Computer controlled honing machine using look up table data for automatic programming

Control means for a machine tool having a rotatable and expandable work engaging member having an axially tapered surface and a tapered wedge member engagable therewith and movable in surface-to-surface contact therewith for changing the diameter thereof, the machine tool having means to rotate the work engaging member, means to move the wedge member axially to change the diameter of the work engaging member, means responsive to the rotational speed of the work engaging member for producing a signal output in proportion thereto, and means responsive to the load on the work engaging member when the work engaging member is engaged with a work surface, the improvement comprising:

• a computer for establishing the operating conditions for the machine tool including an associated computer monitor and computer information entry means where an operator can enter blueprint information as to the workpiece, said computer generating at least one set up screen on the monitor,
• operator actuatable means to enter into the computer entry means the blueprint information as to the workpiece including data as to initial workpiece surface diameter, final workpiece surface diameter, work surface length and workpiece material including hardness characteristics, said computer having an associated computer data storage for storing look up table data and including software and an output control connected to the machine tool for establishing the operating conditions for the machine tool based upon the blueprint information as to the workpiece data entered into the computer entry means and data stored in the computer data storage including look up table data as to rotational speed of the work engaging member and as to the position of the wedge member relative to the rotatable work engaging member.

Means to control the operation of a honing machine having a mandrel with an elongated substantially tubular abrasive member having an end-to-end slit therethrough and a tapered inner surface, a tapered adjustment member positioned in the abrasive member having an outer tapered surface in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface of the abrasive member and movable axially therein to adjust the diameter of the abrasive member, motor means to rotate the mandrel, a first sensor responsive to the speed of rotation of the mandrel, a second sensor responsive to the load on the mandrel, and a third sensor responsive to the axial position of the tapered adjustment member relative to the abrasive member, the improvement comprising

• a computer including computer entry means for the entry by an operator of blueprint data including data as to the initial and final conditions of a workpiece surface to be honed, said computer including a data storage device for storing look up table data and program means to establish operating parameters for the honing machine including selecting the type of mandrel to be installed on the honing machine and the maximum permissable load that can be placed on the mandrel based on the blueprint data entered in the computer entry means and the look up table data stored in the computer storage device for controlling the operation of the honing machine during a honing operation.

Control means for a honing machine having a rotatable mandrel including an expandable tubular work engaging abrasive member having an axially tapered inner surface and a tapered wedge member having a wedge surface in surface to surface contact with the inner surface of the abrasive member and movable axially in the abrasive member for changing the diameter thereof, the honing machine having means to rotate the mandrel, means to move the wedge member axially to change the diameter of the abrasive member, means responsive to the rotational speed of the mandrel for producing a signal output in proportion thereto, and means responsive to the load on the mandrel when the abrasive member is engaged with the work surface, the improvement comprising

• computer means for controlling the operation of the honing machine including associated computer monitor means and information entry means, said computer means generating at least one set up screen on the monitor means,
• means to enter into the entry means workpiece data including data as to initial work surface diameter, final work surface diameter, work surface length and workpiece material including hardness characteristics, the computer means including data storage means including software means, said computer means establishing the operating conditions for the honing machine based on the data entered into the entry means and data stored, including establishing a mandrel rotational speed and a range of movement for the wedge member, the computer means further includes means for producing a run screen on the monitor means to indicate the operating condition of the machine during a honing operation, said run screen including means to indicate the position of the tapered wedge member relative to the abrasive member and means to indicate the instantaneous load on the mandrel.

Control means for a honing machine having a rotatable mandrel including an expandable tubular work engaging abrasive member having an axially tapered inner surface and a tapered wedge member having a wedge surface in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface of the abrasive member and movable axially in the abrasive member for changing the diameter thereof, the honing machine having means to rotate the mandrel, means to move the wedge member axially to change the diameter of the abrasive member, a first sensor responsive to the rotational speed of the mandrel for producing a signal output in proportion thereto, and a second sensor responsive to the load on the mandrel when the abrasive member is engaged with the work surface for producing a signal output in proportion thereto, the improvement comprising

• a computer for controlling the operation of the honing machine including an associated computer monitor and a computer information entry device, said computer generating at least one set up screen on the monitor means,
• means to enter into the computer entry device blueprint data including data as to initial work surface diameter, final work surface diameter, work surface length and workpiece material including hardness characteristics, the computer including a look up data storage for the storage of look up table data and associated software, said computer including means for establishing the operation conditions for the honing machine based on the blueprint data entered into the computer entry device and the look up data stored in the computer data storage including establishing a mandrel rotational speed and a range of movement for the wedge member.