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US 6,470,776 B1Granted
Clamping device and method of operation for a CNC machine
AssigneeAnca Pty Ltd
InventorsPatrick Boland, Anatoly Kaganov
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAnca Pty Ltd
InventorsPatrick Boland, Anatoly Kaganov
Estimating the term…
A computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine has a chuck (2) rotatable about a first axis (A) and a V-block clamp (#) for clamping a workpiece (4) with its central longitudinal axis (C) extending parallel to the first axis (A). The offset (d) between the axes (A) and (C) is known or calculated and the CNC machine is programmed to compensate for the offset (d) during operation of a cutting tool (5) upon the workpiece (4). The V-block clamp (3) can accommodate workpieces of different diameters without having to align the central longitudinal axis (C) of each workpiece to coincide with the axis of rotation of the chuck (2), resulting in a reduction in set up time and an increased concentricity of a ground workpiece compared with conventional CNC grinding machines.
A computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine having a machine co-ordinate system, a workpiece mounting means for holding and rotating a workpiece, the workpiece having a longitudinal axis, the machine having a movable-cutting tool operable upon the workpiece under the control of the CNC machine, wherein the workpiece mounting means is rotatable about a first axis of the machine coordinate system and includes workpiece clamping means for clamping workpieces of different dimensions transverse to the longitudinal axis in such a manner that a workpiece is clamped with the longitudinal axis of the clamped workpiece parallel to, but offset from, the first axis, the amount of the offset being determinable by measurement or calculation by the CNC machine and wherein the CNC machine is programmed to use the determined amount of the offset to automatically compensate for said offset during operation of the cutting tool upon the workpiece.
A computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine having a machine co-ordinate system, a workpiece mounting means for holding and rotating a workpiece, the workpiece having a longitudinal axis, the machine having a movable cutting tool operable upon the workpiece under the control of the CNC machine, the workpiece mounting means being rotatable about a first axis of the machine coordinate system and including workpiece clamping means having a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw, the second clamping jaw being movable towards and away from the first clamping jaw, and wherein the first clamping jaw comprises a V-block, having planar workpiece supporting surfaces extending substantially parallel to the first axis and at an angle relative to each other, the workpiece being clamped in said workpiece clamping means with a longitudinal axis of the workpiece extending parallel to, but offset from, said first axis, the amount of the offset being determinable by measurement or calculation by the CNC machine, said CNC machine being programmed to use the determined amount of the offset to automatically compensate for said offset during operation of the cutting tool on the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.