Method of locating a workpiece on a computer numeric controlled machining system
AssigneeThermwood Corporation
InventorKenneth J. Susnjara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention converts a toolhead of a computer numerical controlled machine into a locating fence by installing a fence guard on the toolhead. Since there is an indexing program in a computer numerical controlled machine to monitor a real time location of a spindle relative to a worktable, the true location of the locating fence can be easily obtained by adding an offset value indicative of the characteristic of the fence guard to numerical data indicative of the real time location of the spindle.
Claims33
A method of establishing a locating fence on a computer numerical controlled machine, comprising the steps of:
- installing a fence guard on a toolhead with a spindle to form the locating fence;
- and
- measuring a distance information between a calibration mark of the locating fence and a centerline of the spindle.
A computer numeric controlled (CNC) machine comprising:
- a worktable;
- a machine tool head movable relative to the worktable having a spindle;
- a fence having at least one reference offset a measured distance from a respective axis of the spindle;
- and
- a control operable to adjust a relative location of the spindle by the measured distance during a machine operation.
A method for beginning a machining operation for a CNC machine having a spindle, a fence and a worktable, comprising the steps of:
- locating a work piece on the work table of the machine with respect to a reference on the fence;
- and
- calibrating an axis of the spindle with respect to the work piece based on a measured distance between the reference and the axis of the spindle.
A method for beginning a machining operation for a CNC machine having a spindle, a fence and a worktable, comprising the steps of:
- locating a work piece on the work table of the machine with respect to a plurality of references on the fence;
- and
- calibrating axes of the spindle with respect to the work piece based on a measured distance between each reference and a respective axis of the spindle.
A method for operating a CNC machine having a spindle, a work table, and a fence, comprising the steps of:
- locating the worktable of the machine with respect to a plurality of references on the fence;
- calibrating the axes of the spindle with respect to the worktable based on a measured distance between each reference and a respective axis of the spindle;
- and
- performing a machining operation on the worktable using a coordinate system based on the calibration of the spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.