High speed five-axis horizontal machining center with frame-in-frame structure

Abstract

The application discloses a high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with frame-in-frame structure, which comprises a bed, a column, a cross beam, a slide saddle, a slide ram, a spindle, a cradle rotary table and a tool magazine, the column is fixedly installed on the bed, the cross beam is movably installed on the column along the X-axis direction, the column and the cross beam respectively present a Chinese character-shaped frame structure and form the frame-in-frame structure, the slide saddle is movably installed on the cross beam along the Y-axis direction, the slide ram is movably installed on the slide saddle along the Z-axis direction, the spindle is installed on the front end of the slide ram, grating rulers are arranged on the moving paths of the cross beam, the slide saddle and the slide ram, the cradle rotary table is fixedly installed on the front part of the bed and is used for carrying workpieces and realizing five-axis machining, and the tool magazine is fixedly installed above the middle part of the bed. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with frame-in-frame structure has the advantages that the whole machine has high rigidity, good precision stability, can realize high-precision high-speed machining and significantly shorten tool changing auxiliary time, is especially suitable for mass production of new energy automobile motor shells and reduction gear boxes, and can improve efficiency by 20% compared with a traditional horizontal machining center.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of CNC machine tool technology, specifically to a high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-frame structure. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the demand for machining aluminum alloy structural components such as motor housings and gearboxes has increased significantly. These parts typically require machining at multiple angles and demands high precision, efficiency, and stability, necessitating five-axis machining. Traditional four-axis horizontal machining centers are ill-suited to these requirements. Existing horizontal machining centers often employ a moving table frame structure, resulting in a bulky worktable and limited improvement in Z-axis rapid traverse speed and dynamic characteristics, making them unsuitable for the high-volume, high-efficiency manufacturing model of the automotive industry. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a five-axis horizontal machining center that combines high rigidity, high speed, high precision, and high stability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-frame structure, which has high overall rigidity, good precision and stability, can achieve high-precision and high-speed machining and significantly shorten tool change auxiliary time. It is especially suitable for mass production of motor housings and gearboxes for new energy vehicles, and can improve efficiency by 20% compared with traditional horizontal machining centers.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: a high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-within-a-frame structure, including a bed, column, crossbeam, saddle, ram, spindle, cradle turntable, and tool magazine. The column is fixedly installed on the bed, the crossbeam is movably installed on the column along the X-axis direction, the column and the crossbeam are respectively in the form of a U-shaped frame structure, the column and the crossbeam form a frame-within-a-frame structure, the saddle is movably installed on the crossbeam along the Y-axis direction, the ram is movably installed on the saddle along the Z-axis direction, the spindle is installed at the front end of the ram, and grating rulers are arranged on the moving paths of the crossbeam, saddle, and ram. The cradle turntable is fixedly installed at the front of the bed, the cradle turntable is used to carry the workpiece and realize five-axis machining, and the tool magazine is fixedly installed above the middle of the bed.

[0005] This invention features a column fixedly mounted on the machine bed and a crossbeam movably mounted on the column along the X-axis. The column and crossbeam are both U-shaped frame structures forming a frame-within-a-frame structure, resulting in a symmetrical and robust overall machine structure. This reduces vibration amplitude under the same cutting force, enabling machining with greater cutting volume and speed, significantly improving machining performance and ensuring accuracy stability. A linear scale is installed along the movement paths of the crossbeam, saddle, and ram, combined with a cradle turntable to achieve five-axis machining, enabling the machining of parts with multi-angle features. The tool magazine is fixedly mounted above the middle of the machine bed, bringing the tool change point closer to the machining position, thus reducing tool change auxiliary time.

[0006] Preferably, the crossbeam is movably mounted on the column via an X-axis linear guide and an X-axis lead screw drive system. The X-axis linear guide includes an upper X-axis linear guide and a lower X-axis linear guide, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column. The X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw drive system and a lower X-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column. The upper X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw and an upper X-axis servo motor, and the lower X-axis lead screw drive system includes a lower X-axis lead screw and a lower X-axis servo motor. The crossbeam adopts the aforementioned dual-drive structure of upper and lower X-axis linear guides, as well as upper and lower X-axis lead screw drive systems. This doubles the rigidity of the X-axis drive system, halves the force on each individual upper and lower X-axis lead screw, allows for a smaller diameter of the upper and lower X-axis lead screws, and results in a higher maximum speed while maintaining the same lead screw DN value. This increases the maximum rapid traverse speed, significantly reduces non-cutting auxiliary time, and improves the overall machining efficiency. Simultaneously, the dual-drive structure provides a more balanced force distribution, increases the rigidity of the drive system, and enhances the dynamic performance of acceleration and deceleration.

[0007] Preferably, the sliding saddle is movably mounted on the crossbeam via a Y-axis linear guide and a Y-axis lead screw drive system. The Y-axis linear guide includes a left Y-axis linear guide and a right Y-axis linear guide, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam. The Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw drive system and a right Y-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam. The left Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw and a left Y-axis servo motor, and the right Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a right Y-axis lead screw and a right Y-axis servo motor. The slide saddle adopts a dual-drive structure consisting of the aforementioned Y-axis left linear guide, Y-axis right linear guide, Y-axis left lead screw drive system, and Y-axis right lead screw drive system. This doubles the rigidity of the Y-axis drive system, halves the force on each individual Y-axis left and right lead screw, allows for a smaller diameter of the Y-axis left and right lead screws, and results in a higher maximum speed while maintaining the same lead screw DN value. This increases the maximum rapid traverse speed, significantly reduces non-cutting auxiliary time, and improves the overall machining efficiency. Simultaneously, the dual-drive structure provides a more balanced force distribution, increases the rigidity of the drive system, and enhances the dynamic performance of acceleration and deceleration.

[0008] Preferably, the slide is movably mounted on the saddle via a Z-axis linear guide and a Z-axis lead screw drive system. The Z-axis linear guide includes a left Z-axis linear guide and a right Z-axis linear guide, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the bottom of the slide. The Z-axis lead screw drive system includes a Z-axis lead screw and a Z-axis servo motor. The slide employs the aforementioned single-drive structure of the left and right Z-axis linear guides, Z-axis lead screw, and Z-axis servo motor to achieve forward and backward movement control of the Z-axis. This simple structure, combined with the dual-drive structure of the X and Y axes, enables three-axis linkage while ensuring the overall dynamic performance of the machine.

[0009] Preferably, the cradle turntable includes a main drive turntable and a support tailstock fixed to the bed. A bridge plate is provided between the main drive turntable and the support tailstock. The bridge plate rotates around the axis of the main drive turntable to form axis A. A turntable is mounted on the bridge plate, and the turntable rotates around its own axis to form axis B. The above-described cradle turntable structure enables five-axis machining of parts, meeting the requirements for multi-directional oblique angle machining features such as motor housings and gearboxes.

[0010] Preferably, the machine bed has a chip removal groove inside, and an opening in the middle of the machine bed allows chips to fall into the chip removal groove through the opening and be discharged backward. During five-axis machining, chips fall into the chip removal groove through the opening and are discharged backward, and the chips fall in the direction of gravity, resulting in smooth chip removal. This eliminates the need for manual cleaning of the interior and improves equipment uptime.

[0011] Preferably, the tool magazine is a disc-shaped tool magazine. A tool magazine fixing frame is installed in the middle of the machine bed, and a tool magazine bracket is installed on the tool magazine fixing frame. The disc-shaped tool magazine is fixed on the tool magazine bracket and is driven to rotate by a tool magazine servo motor. The spindle can move to the disc-shaped tool magazine to directly return and pick up the tool. In this technical solution, the tool magazine is a disc-shaped tool magazine fixed on the tool magazine bracket in the middle of the machine bed. The spindle can move to the disc-shaped tool magazine to directly return and pick up the tool, eliminating the need for a robotic arm, shortening the tool change path, and significantly reducing the tool change time, which is beneficial to improving machining efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, the disc tool magazine is located above the spindle. This top-mounted layout brings the tool change point closer to the machining area, reducing tool change time. Tool-to-tool change time is less than 1 second (20% efficiency improvement compared to ordinary robotic tool magazines), and chip-to-chip change can reach 2.5 seconds (40% efficiency improvement compared to traditional horizontal machining centers). This also reduces non-cutting auxiliary time. Simultaneously, the machine's footprint in the lateral width direction is reduced (50% less than traditional horizontal machining centers), significantly shortening the length of the automated production line when multiple machine tools are arranged together.

[0013] Preferably, the grating ruler includes an upper X-axis grating ruler, a lower X-axis grating ruler, a left Y-axis grating ruler, a right Y-axis grating ruler, and a Z-axis grating ruler. The upper and lower X-axis grating rulers are positioned on the moving path of the crossbeam and mounted on the column. The left and right Y-axis grating rulers are positioned on the moving path of the slide saddle and mounted on the crossbeam. The Z-axis grating ruler is positioned on the moving path of the slide block and mounted on the rear side of the slide block. These multiple grating rulers achieve fully closed-loop control of the three-axis movement. Combined with the symmetrical stability of the frame-to-frame structure, this ensures the overall machine's precision stability and achieves high-precision machining.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has the following advantages: By fixing the column to the machine bed and movably mounting the crossbeam on the column along the X-axis, with the column and crossbeam forming a U-shaped frame structure and constituting a frame-within-a-frame structure, the overall machine structure is symmetrical and robust. Under the same cutting force, the vibration amplitude is smaller, enabling machining with larger cutting amounts and speeds, significantly improving machining performance and ensuring accuracy stability. A linear scale is installed along the movement paths of the crossbeam, saddle, and ram, combined with a cradle turntable to achieve five-axis machining, enabling the machining of parts with multi-angle features. The tool magazine is fixedly installed above the middle of the machine bed, bringing the tool change point closer to the machining position, which helps reduce tool change auxiliary time. This high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center is particularly suitable for mass production of die-cast aluminum parts for new energy vehicles, especially motor housings and gearboxes, where high-speed machining is crucial. Compared with traditional horizontal machining centers, it can improve efficiency by 20%. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a front view of the overall structure of the high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center in the embodiment (excluding the tool magazine). Figure 2 This is a rear view of the overall structure of the high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center in the embodiment (excluding the tool magazine). Figure 3 This is a front view (including the tool magazine) of the overall structure of the high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center in the embodiment. Figures 1-3 The specific reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows: 1- Bed, 2- Column, 3- Lower X-axis linear guide, 4- Upper X-axis linear guide, 5- Lower X-axis servo motor, 6- Lower X-axis lead screw, 7- Lower X-axis linear scale, 8- Upper X-axis servo motor, 9- Upper X-axis lead screw, 10- Upper X-axis linear scale, 11- Crossbeam, 12- Right Y-axis linear guide, 13- Left Y-axis linear guide, 14- Right Y-axis servo motor, 15- Right Y-axis lead screw, 16- Right Y-axis linear scale, 17- Left Y-axis servo motor, 18- Left Y-axis lead screw 19-Y-axis left grating ruler, 20-slide saddle, 21-slide ram, 22-Z-axis left linear guide, 23-Z-axis right linear guide, 24-Z-axis grating ruler, 25-spindle, 26-Z-axis servo motor, 27-Z-axis lead screw, 28-chip conveyor groove, 29-main drive turntable, 30-tailstock support, 31-bridge plate, 32-turntable, 33-tool magazine fixing frame, 34-tool magazine bracket, 35-disc tool magazine, 36-tool magazine servo motor, 37-opening. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0017] The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure, as described in the embodiment, is an example. Figures 1-3As shown, the system includes a bed 1, a column 2, a crossbeam 11, a saddle 20, a ram 21, a spindle 25, a cradle turntable, and a tool magazine. The column 2 is fixedly mounted on the bed 1. The bed 1 has a chip removal groove 28 inside, and an opening 37 in the middle of the bed 1. Chips fall into the chip removal groove 28 through the opening 37 and are discharged backward. The crossbeam 11 is movably mounted on the column 2 along the X-axis. The column 2 and the crossbeam 11 each have a U-shaped frame structure, forming a frame-within-a-frame structure. The saddle 20 is movably mounted on the crossbeam 11 along the Y-axis. The ram 21 is movably mounted on the saddle 20 along the Z-axis, and the spindle 25 is mounted at the front end of the ram 21. The cradle rotary table is fixedly installed at the front of the bed 1. The cradle rotary table includes a main drive rotary table 29 and a support tailstock 30 fixed on the bed 1. A bridge plate 31 is provided between the main drive rotary table 29 and the support tailstock 30. The bridge plate 31 rotates around the axis of the main drive rotary table 29 to form the A axis. A rotary table 32 is installed on the bridge plate 31. The rotary table 32 rotates around its own axis to form the B axis. The cradle rotary table is used to carry the workpiece and realize five-axis machining.

[0018] In this embodiment, the crossbeam 11 is movably mounted on the column 2 via an X-axis linear guide and an X-axis lead screw drive system. The X-axis linear guide includes an upper X-axis linear guide 4 and a lower X-axis linear guide 3, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column 2. The X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw drive system and a lower X-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column 2. The upper X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw 9 and an upper X-axis servo motor 8, and the lower X-axis lead screw drive system includes a lower X-axis lead screw 6 and a lower X-axis servo motor 5.

[0019] In this embodiment, the sliding saddle 20 is movably mounted on the crossbeam 11 via a Y-axis linear rail and a Y-axis lead screw drive system. The Y-axis linear rail includes a left Y-axis linear rail 13 and a right Y-axis linear rail 12, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam 11. The Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw drive system and a right Y-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam 11. The left Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw 18 and a left Y-axis servo motor 17, and the right Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a right Y-axis lead screw 15 and a right Y-axis servo motor 14.

[0020] In this embodiment, the slide ram 21 is movably mounted on the slide saddle 20 via a Z-axis linear rail and a Z-axis lead screw drive system. The Z-axis linear rail includes a left Z-axis linear rail 22 and a right Z-axis linear rail 23, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the bottom of the slide ram 21. The Z-axis lead screw drive system includes a Z-axis lead screw 27 and a Z-axis servo motor 26.

[0021] In this embodiment, the tool magazine is fixedly installed above the middle part of the machine bed 1. Specifically, the tool magazine is a disc tool magazine 35. A tool magazine fixing frame 33 is installed in the middle part of the machine bed 1. A tool magazine bracket 34 is installed on the tool magazine fixing frame 33. The disc tool magazine 35 is fixed on the tool magazine bracket 34 and located above the spindle 25. The disc tool magazine 35 is driven to rotate by the tool magazine servo motor 36. The spindle 25 can move to the disc tool magazine 35 to directly return and grab the tool.

[0022] In this embodiment, grating rulers are arranged on the moving paths of the crossbeam 11, the sliding saddle 20, and the sliding ram 21. Specifically, the grating rulers include an upper X-axis grating ruler 10, a lower X-axis grating ruler 7, a left Y-axis grating ruler 19, a right Y-axis grating ruler 16, and a Z-axis grating ruler 24. The upper X-axis grating ruler 10 and the lower X-axis grating ruler 7 are arranged on the moving path of the crossbeam 11 and are mounted on the column 2. The left Y-axis grating ruler 19 and the right Y-axis grating ruler 16 are arranged on the moving path of the sliding saddle 20 and are mounted on the crossbeam 11. The Z-axis grating ruler 24 is arranged on the moving path of the sliding ram 21 and is mounted on the rear side of the sliding ram 21.

[0023] The aforementioned high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center adopts a frame-within-a-frame structure with a fixed column 2 and a movable crossbeam 11. The X and Y axes use dual-drive lead screws, while the Z axis uses a single-drive lead screw. All three axes are equipped with linear encoders. The maximum rapid traverse speed can reach 75 m / min, a 25% increase compared to traditional horizontal machining centers. The acceleration of the X, Y, and Z axes can reach 10 m / s². 2 13m / s 2 15m / s 2 Equipped with a cradle rotary table fixed to the front of the bed 1, multi-angle part machining can be achieved. Through a dual-drive lead screw system on the X and Y axes, the rigidity of the drive system is doubled, the force on a single lead screw is halved, the lead screw diameter can be smaller, and the maximum lead screw speed is higher while maintaining the same DN value, thereby increasing the maximum rapid traverse speed, significantly reducing non-cutting auxiliary time, and improving the overall machining efficiency. Simultaneously, the force distribution under the dual-drive structure is more balanced, the rigidity of the drive system is increased, and the dynamic operation performance of acceleration and deceleration is also improved. Due to the symmetrical characteristics of the frame-frame structure, the thermal balance and precision stability of the entire machine are improved, achieving a balance between high speed and high precision in machining multi-angle aluminum alloy parts without sacrificing precision stability while improving speed and dynamic characteristics. This high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center is particularly suitable for mass production of die-cast aluminum parts for new energy vehicles where machining cycle time is critical, especially motor housings and gearboxes, achieving a 20% efficiency improvement compared to traditional horizontal machining centers.

[0024] Furthermore, since the disc tool magazine 35 is located above the spindle 25, forming a top-mounted layout, the tool change point is closer to the machining area, reducing tool change time. Tool-to-tool change time is less than 1 second, improving efficiency by 20% compared to ordinary robotic tool magazines; chip-to-chip tool change can reach 2.5 seconds, improving efficiency by 40% compared to traditional horizontal machining centers, further reducing non-cutting auxiliary time. At the same time, the machine's footprint in the lateral width direction is reduced by 50% compared to traditional horizontal machining centers, thus significantly shortening the length of the automated production line when multiple machine tools are arranged together.

Claims

1. A high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-frame structure, comprising a bed, column, beam, saddle, ram, spindle, cradle turntable, and tool magazine, characterized in that: The column is fixedly installed on the bed, the crossbeam is movably installed on the column along the X-axis, the column and crossbeam are respectively in the form of a U-shaped frame structure, the column and the crossbeam form a frame-within-a-frame structure, the slide saddle is movably installed on the crossbeam along the Y-axis, the ram is movably installed on the slide saddle along the Z-axis, the spindle is installed at the front end of the ram, and grating rulers are arranged on the moving paths of the crossbeam, slide saddle and ram, the cradle turntable is fixedly installed at the front of the bed, the cradle turntable is used to carry the workpiece and realize five-axis machining, and the tool magazine is fixedly installed above the middle of the bed.

2. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crossbeam is movably mounted on the column via an X-axis linear guide and an X-axis lead screw drive system. The X-axis linear guide includes an upper X-axis linear guide and a lower X-axis linear guide, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column. The X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw drive system and a lower X-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the column. The upper X-axis lead screw drive system includes an upper X-axis lead screw and an upper X-axis servo motor, and the lower X-axis lead screw drive system includes a lower X-axis lead screw and a lower X-axis servo motor.

3. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding saddle is movably mounted on the crossbeam via a Y-axis linear rail and a Y-axis lead screw drive system. The Y-axis linear rail includes a left Y-axis linear rail and a right Y-axis linear rail, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam. The Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw drive system and a right Y-axis lead screw drive system, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the crossbeam. The left Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a left Y-axis lead screw and a left Y-axis servo motor, and the right Y-axis lead screw drive system includes a right Y-axis lead screw and a right Y-axis servo motor.

4. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slide block is movably mounted on the saddle via a Z-axis linear guide and a Z-axis lead screw drive system. The Z-axis linear guide includes a left Z-axis linear guide and a right Z-axis linear guide, which are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the bottom of the slide block. The Z-axis lead screw drive system includes a Z-axis lead screw and a Z-axis servo motor.

5. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cradle turntable includes a main drive turntable and a support tailstock fixed to the bed. A bridge plate is provided between the main drive turntable and the support tailstock. The bridge plate rotates around the axis of the main drive turntable to form axis A. A turntable is installed on the bridge plate, and the turntable rotates around its own axis to form axis B.

6. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The machine bed has a chip removal groove inside, and an opening is provided in the middle of the machine bed. Chips fall into the chip removal groove through the opening and are discharged backward.

7. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tool magazine is a disc tool magazine. A tool magazine fixing frame is installed in the middle of the bed. A tool magazine bracket is installed on the tool magazine fixing frame. The disc tool magazine is fixed on the tool magazine bracket. The disc tool magazine is driven to rotate by a tool magazine servo motor. The spindle can move to the disc tool magazine to directly return and pick up the tool.

8. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The disc tool magazine is located above the spindle.

9. The high-speed five-axis horizontal machining center with a frame-to-frame structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The grating ruler includes an upper X-axis grating ruler, a lower X-axis grating ruler, a left Y-axis grating ruler, a right Y-axis grating ruler, and a Z-axis grating ruler. The upper and lower X-axis grating rulers are arranged on the moving path of the crossbeam and are mounted on the column. The left and right Y-axis grating rulers are arranged on the moving path of the slide saddle and are mounted on the crossbeam. The Z-axis grating ruler is arranged on the moving path of the slide block and is mounted on the rear side of the slide block.

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