US 6,438,446 B1 · Material directory-spindle speed and feed rate calculator

Abstract

A programmable command module for inputting a surface foot rating parameter into a device for controlling the spindle speed of a cutting tool. Based upon the surface foot rating, the proper speed of the spindle is determined with respect to a particular cutting tool parameter, such as the tool's diameter. The spindle speed setting is transmitted to an AC inverter which in turn controls the operation of an AC motor for rotating the spindle at its proper speed. Alternatively, a second embodiment of the present invention would include a programmed memory provided with the surface foot rating of a plurality of materials. Once the type of material, the type of tool operation, as well as the diameter of the cutting tool is inputted into this embodiment, the proper RPM speed of the spindle would be determined. This speed would then either be manually inputted into the machine tool, or would automatically control the spindle speed of the machine based on the recommended machinability of the work piece based on its surface foot rating. In addition, once the recommended tip speed of the cutting tool has been determined, the second embodiment now can calculate the recommended linear feed rate of the cutting tool based on chip load per cutting tooth and the amount of cutting tips of the cutting tool, calculated in inches per minute.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A calculator for determining the proper rotational speed of a spindle used to rotate a non-numerically controlled, floor supported cutting tool for working a workpiece, comprising:

a microprocessor provided within the calculator with a memory containing the surface foot rating of a plurality of workpiece materials as well as relationships between said surface foot ratings of the workpiece and the diameter of the non-numerically controlled floor supported cutting tool with respect to the surface foot rating of the workpiece and the RPM of the spindle;
a first input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of material selections of the workpiece;
a second input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of machine operations for working the workpiece;
a third input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of tools for working the workpiece;
and
a display provided on the exterior of the calculator for displaying a plurality of outputs generated by said microprocessor and said first input device, said second input device and said third input device, said display displaying the surface foot rating of a selected workpiece, a particular operation to be performed on the workpiece, the proper rotational speed of the spindle based on the diameter of the selected tool to perform the operation on the workpiece.

3 more elements

A machine for working a workpiece with a non-numerically controlled floor supported rotating cutting tool comprising:

a spindle connected to the non-numerically controlled floor supported cutting tool;
a calculator provided with a microprocessor with a memory containing the surface foot rating of a plurality of workpiece materials as well as relationships between said surface foot ratings of the workpiece and the diameter of the non-numerically controlled floor supported cutting tool with respect to the surface foot rating of the workpiece and the RPM of the spindle;
a first input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of material selections of the workpiece;
a second input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of machine operations for working the workpiece;
a third input device provided on the exterior surface of the calculator for scrolling through a plurality of tools for working the workpiece;
a display provided on the exterior of the calculator for displaying a plurality of outputs generated by said microprocessor and said first input device, said second input device and said third input device, said display displaying the surface foot rating of a selected workpiece, a particular operation to be performed on the workpiece, the proper rotational speed of the spindle based on the diameter of the selected tool to perform the operation on the workpiece;
conversion means provided in said microprocessor for converting the RPM of the spindle into a specific DC voltage value within a range of DC voltage values;
an inverter connected to said microprocessor for inverting said specific DC voltage to produce a specific AC voltage;
an AC motor connected to said inverter at said spindle;
and wherein
said spindle rotates at the specific RPM of the non-numerically controlled floor supported cutting tool calculated by said microprocessor based upon the relationships between the surface foot rating, the tool diameter and particular machine operations.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Material directory-spindle speed and feed rate calculator

Life of this patent

Material directory-spindle speed and feed rate calculator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4