US 5,439,431 A · Machining centre constructed from assemblies

Abstract

A machining center composed of a plurality of assemblies, with each assembly including a machine base. Each machine base includes a compound slide as well as guides for guiding a movement of the compound slide. A motor driven main spindle is adapted to be attached to the compound slide and is movable along a plurality of axes, with facilities being provided for collecting swarf and coolant. A working area housing is attached to the machine structure with the housing including a container adapted to be mounted on the machine structure as a module to house control elements and power supply. Openings are provided for enabling a collection and removal of swarf with additional openings being provided for enabling an accommodation of a storage and transportation unit. A probe is incorporated in a machine control for enabling a checking of machined workpieces, and a sheet metal cover, fastened to the compound slide, includes a hole penetrated by the motor spindle with a spindle attachment. The motor spindle penetrates the sheet metal cover in a sealed fashion.

Claims54

Dependent claims

A machining center composed of a plurality of assemblies, each of said assemblies including a machine base, each machine base includes a compound slide, guides for guiding a movement of the compound slide with respect to the machine base, a motor including a motor spindle driven by said motor, said motor spindle is attached to the compound slide and is movable along a plurality of axes, facilities for enabling a collection of swarf and coolant, a housing attached to the machine base, wherein said housing is formed by a container, adapted to be mounted on the machine base as a module, for housing at least control elements and a power supply, first openings are provided between the guides of the compound slide and the motor spindle and the compound slide for enabling removal of the swarf, further openings are provided in the machine structure for accommodating a storage and transportation unit, a probe is incorporated in a machine control for enabling a checking of machined workpieces, and wherein a sheet metal cover is fastened to said compound slide and includes a vertically extending hole therein for enabling penetration of said motor spindle through said sheet metal cover in a sealed manner.

A machining center for an assembly of a seven-axis multifunctional machining system, said machining system being adapted to completely machine a workpiece in two settings with a four-axis multifunctional compound slide having a D-axis, a spindle unit with a C-axis and a lower multifunctional machining unit with an E-axis for swiveling, and a spindle unit with a F-axis, wherein means are provided for gripping and clamping of a blank and depositing a finished workpiece in a loading and unloading zone including a clamping device on an upper machining unit;

means are provided for enabling a five-sided machining in all angular positions for all possible metal removing and for non-cutting machining processes including planishing, rolling, calibrating and laser welding;
means are provided for enabling a measurement of workpieces including a probe located on the machine structure;
means are provided for enabling a removal of tools by a tool gripper fastened on the upper machining unit from a lower motor spindle and transferring the removed tools to a storage belt;
means are provided for measuring the exchanged lower tools including a probe located at the upper compound slide, that is adjustable in the working area;
means are provided for enabling a removal of a safety cap from a clamping device of a lower machining unit by a tool gripper of the upper machining unit and transferring the safety cap to the storage belt;
means are provided for enabling a reclamping of a semi-finished workpiece in the clamping device of the lower machining unit;
means are provided for covering the upper clamping device by directly receiving the safety cap from the storage belt;
means are provided for enabling a changing of machining tools in the spindle unit directly from the storage belt in the loading and unloading zone and redepositing the tools at the loading and unloading zone;
means are provided for enabling a measurement of tools exchanged in the lower motor spindle including a probe located on the machine structure;
means are provided for machining still unmachined workpiece surfaces for the workpiece clamped in the lower motor spindle;
means are provided for measuring components that are clamped in the lower motor spindle including a probe located on the compound slide, adjustable in the working area;
and wherein means are provided for enabling a removal a finished workpiece from the lower machining unit and transferring the finished workpiece to the storage belt constructed as a storage and transportation unit.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machining centre constructed from assemblies

Life of this patent

Machining centre constructed from assemblies

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims54