Heavy load horizontal five-axis machining center

Abstract

The application discloses a heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center and belongs to the technical field of numerical control machining equipment. The machining center comprises a bed body, a wall plate, a sliding plate, an AC swing head, a workbench, a tool magazine, a balance cylinder and a main shaft. The wall plate is fixedly installed at the rear part of the bed body, the workbench is arranged above the bed body and moves forward and backward to form a Z axis, and the table top can rotate by 360 DEG to form a B axis; the sliding plate is installed at the front of the wall plate and moves left and right to form an X axis; the AC swing head is installed at the front of the sliding plate and moves up and down to form a Y axis, and the main shaft is installed at the front of the AC swing head and can rotate around an A axis; and the balance cylinder is installed inside the AC swing head; and the tool magazine is installed on the side of the machine tool. The workbench can bear up to 2000KG, the wall plate is high in rigidity, torque motors are directly driven on each rotary shaft, the precision is high, the whole machine structure is compact, and the machining center is particularly suitable for five-axis linkage machining of large and heavy workpieces in the field of aerospace.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of CNC machining equipment technology, specifically relating to a horizontal five-axis machining center, which is particularly suitable for five-axis linkage machining of large and heavy workpieces in the aerospace field. Background Technology

[0002] Horizontal five-axis machining centers are core equipment for processing key components in aerospace, shipbuilding, mold making, and other fields. Most existing horizontal five-axis machine tools adopt an AC cradle rotary table combined with a horizontal spindle as the main structure, that is, the workpiece is placed on the cradle rotary worktable, and the spindle performs machining on the workpiece in a horizontal posture.

[0003] A search revealed the following patents: China General Technology Group Machine Tool Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd.'s patent for "A Box-in-Box Type Horizontal Five-Axis Machining Center" (CN202511801940.5) employs a layout where the A-axis rotary table is located at the front of the bed, and the crossbeam is movably located at the rear of the bed along the Y-axis. Kede CNC Co., Ltd.'s patent for "A High-Efficiency, Compact Five-Axis Horizontal Flip-Type Machining Center" (CN202311795744.2) improves machining efficiency through a slanted tilting head in conjunction with three axes. Kunshan Taigong Precision Machinery Co., Ltd.'s patent for "A Horizontal Five-Axis Composite Machining Center" (CN202510381231.X) aims to improve the machining efficiency of large plate-shaped workpieces.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technologies still have the following shortcomings: First, due to the structural form and load-bearing capacity of the cradle turntable, this type of machine tool can only process small to medium-sized workpieces. It is difficult to meet the processing requirements for large integral structural components and heavy machine casings in the aerospace field. When the size and weight of the workpiece exceed the load-bearing range of the cradle turntable, the machining accuracy and stability of the machine tool cannot be guaranteed.

[0005] Secondly, the columns of traditional horizontal five-axis machine tools are mostly cantilever structures, which lack sufficient rigidity. Existing patents that improve the rigidity of the wall panels mainly focus on local reinforcement, lacking a systematic rigidity improvement solution that addresses the overall thickness and width of the wall panels, the bottom support area, the internal rib layout, and the reinforcing ribs of the guide rail extension section. Under heavy cutting conditions, the column is prone to deformation and vibration, directly affecting machining accuracy and surface quality.

[0006] Third, in the traditional structure, the drive component for the vertical movement of the spindle (Y-axis) has to bear the entire weight of the spindle and the oscillating head, resulting in a large load on the servo motor, which affects the motor's lifespan and the dynamic response performance of the feed system.

[0007] Fourth, the existing horizontal five-axis machine tool has an overall structural layout that is not compact enough, occupies a large area, and has a relatively high overall height, making it inconvenient to transport and install.

[0008] Fifth, the spindles of existing horizontal five-axis machine tools mostly use belt or gear drives, which presents challenges in transmission clearance and thermal expansion control, resulting in insufficient maintenance of machining accuracy under long-term heavy cutting conditions.

[0009] Sixth, the tool magazines of existing horizontal five-axis machine tools mostly adopt a horizontal disc layout, which occupies a large area and requires the spindle to move a long distance during tool changes, resulting in low tool change efficiency and affecting the overall machining cycle time.

[0010] In summary, existing horizontal five-axis machining centers still have many shortcomings in terms of heavy load capacity, overall machine rigidity, structural layout, spindle accuracy retention, and tool magazine space utilization. There is an urgent need to develop a horizontal five-axis machining center that can meet the machining requirements of large and heavy workpieces in order to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing horizontal five-axis machining centers that cannot meet the machining requirements of large and heavy workpieces, and to provide a heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center with strong structural rigidity, large load-bearing capacity, wide machining range, good spindle accuracy retention, compact tool magazine layout and high tool changing efficiency.

[0012] Technical solution: A heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center, comprising: bed, wall panel, slide plate, AC swivel head, worktable, tool magazine, balance cylinder and spindle; The bed is the basic support component of the machine tool. The wall panel is fixedly installed at the rear of the bed. The worktable is arranged above the bed and moves back and forth on the bed to form the Z-axis. The table surface of the worktable can rotate 360° to form the B-axis. The sliding plate is installed in front of the wall panel and moves left and right on the wall panel to form the X-axis; The AC swing head is installed in front of the slide plate and moves up and down on the slide plate to form the Y axis; the main shaft is installed in front of the AC swing head and can rotate around the A axis. The balance cylinder is located at the rear of the AC swing head and is used to balance the weight of the AC swing head and the main shaft. The tool magazine is installed on the side of the machine tool and is used to store cutting tools and enable automatic tool changing during machining.

[0013] Furthermore, the worktable moves back and forth on the bed via roller linear guides mounted above the bed. A Z-axis lead screw transmission system is provided in the middle of the bed, which drives the worktable to move back and forth via a servo motor. The table surface rotation is directly driven by a torque motor.

[0014] Furthermore, the roller linear guide consists of two 55-type roller linear guides, symmetrically arranged above the bed; the worktable has a table surface diameter of φ1000mm-φ1250mm and a load capacity of 2000KG.

[0015] Furthermore, the thinnest part of the wall panel is not less than 700mm, and the overall width of the wall panel is 1700-1800mm, consistent with the width of the back of the bed; the bottom width of the wall panel is widened to 1000-1200mm to increase the connection and support area between the wall panel and the bed.

[0016] Furthermore, the mating surfaces of the wall panel and the bed are processed by scraping, and the wall panel is fixedly connected to the bed by a number of screws; the interior of the wall panel adopts a rib structure with multiple horizontal and vertical cross-arrangements.

[0017] Furthermore, several linear guide rails are arranged from top to bottom on the front of the wall panel, and an X-axis lead screw transmission system is provided in the middle of the wall panel to drive the slide plate to move left and right through a servo motor; the guide rail support length of the wall panel is 2400-2600mm, and reinforcing ribs are provided at the guide rail positions that exceed the overall length of the wall panel.

[0018] Furthermore, several linear guide rails are arranged in front of the slide plate, and the AC swing head moves up and down on the linear guide rails; a Y-axis lead screw transmission system is provided in the middle of the slide plate, which drives the AC swing head to move up and down through a servo motor.

[0019] Furthermore, the AC oscillating head is integrally cast, with a notch in the middle of the front and symmetrical fork-shaped structures extending from both sides. A-axis torque motor mounting positions are symmetrically reserved on both sides of the front for driving the spindle to rotate around the A-axis, with a rotation range of -15° to 120°. The spindle is a built-in electric spindle structure, with the spindle housing supported on the fork arms by bearings on both sides. The spindle housing contains an annular cooling water channel and an oil-air lubrication system. The front end of the spindle mandrel has an HSK-A100 or BT50 tool holder interface. The spindle contains a disc spring-loaded drawbar mechanism and a tool air cleaning channel. Temperature and vibration sensors are integrated on the spindle housing.

[0020] Furthermore, the balance cylinder is installed inside the AC swing head in an inverted manner.

[0021] Furthermore, the tool magazine is a chain-type tool magazine, and the tool magazine compartment adopts a vertical matrix layout; during tool changing, the spindle moves with the slide plate to the same side of the tool magazine, and automatic tool changing is achieved through the tool exchange mechanism.

[0022] Beneficial effects: The specific advantages of this invention are as follows: I. Meets the requirements for machining large and heavy workpieces, especially large aerospace parts.

[0023] The worktable of this invention can bear a load of up to 2000KG, with a table diameter of φ1000mm~φ1250mm and a processing range of φ1100mm. Compared with existing cradle turntable structure machine tools (usually with a load capacity of no more than 500~800KG), the load-bearing capacity is increased by 2~4 times, which can fully meet the five-axis machining requirements of large integral structural parts, heavy machine casings and other workpieces in the aerospace field. This effect is achieved by symmetrically arranging two 55-type roller linear guides on the upper left and right sides of the bed, setting a Z-axis lead screw transmission system in the middle, and using a torque motor to directly drive the rotation of the worktable (5).

[0024] Second, the rigidity of the wall panel structure is much stronger than that of ordinary horizontal columns, which greatly improves the overall rigidity of the machine tool.

[0025] The wall panel of this invention has a minimum thickness of 700mm (compared to only 300-450mm for ordinary columns), an overall width of 1700-1800mm, and a bottom width increased to 1000-1200mm to increase the connection and support area with the machine bed. Internally, it employs a multi-layered, cross-arranged ribbed layout, with a guide rail support length of 2400-2600mm and reinforcing ribs on extra-long sections. The mating surfaces are finished with a scraping process and secured to the machine bed with 20 M24 screws. These multiple design features result in wall panel rigidity far exceeding that of ordinary horizontal columns in width, height, and length, significantly improving the overall rigidity of the machine tool.

[0026] Third, by arranging the horizontally and vertically moving components at the rear of the machine tool, space is saved and the range of machine tool applications is expanded.

[0027] This invention arranges all the moving parts of the X-axis (left-right movement) and Y-axis (up-down movement) on the wall panel and slide plate at the rear of the machine tool, making the operating space in front of the machine tool spacious and facilitating the clamping and hoisting of large workpieces with a diameter of up to φ1100mm, effectively expanding the range of use of the machine tool; at the same time, the drive system and guide rails are centrally arranged at the rear, which facilitates protection and maintenance.

[0028] IV. The rotary table, spindle, and oscillating head are all driven by torque motors, with zero backlash and high precision, meeting the requirements of high-precision machining.

[0029] The table rotation (B-axis), spindle oscillation (A-axis), and AC oscillating head rotation of this invention are all directly driven by torque motors, eliminating intermediate transmission links such as gears, worm gears, or belts. This fundamentally eliminates transmission chain backlash and reverse backlash errors, achieving zero-backlash transmission. The torque motor has high torque density and low rotational inertia, fast dynamic response, and no wear problems of transmission components, resulting in good long-term accuracy retention and meeting the requirements of high-precision machining.

[0030] V. The spindle has superior performance and excellent precision retention.

[0031] The spindle of this invention adopts a built-in electric spindle structure, with the motor directly mounted on the spindle mandrel, eliminating the belt / gear transmission chain, resulting in low vibration and low noise. The spindle housing has an annular cooling water channel surrounding the front bearing and motor stator area, effectively controlling thermal expansion (thermal expansion ≤0.02mm under continuous 8-hour heavy cutting conditions). The front bearing uses oil-air lubrication, and positive pressure air prevents cutting fluid and dust from entering. The housing integrates temperature and vibration sensors, which can monitor and implement thermal compensation in real time. The interior has a disc spring-type tool drawbar mechanism and a tool air cleaning channel, which, together with the tool magazine, enables fast and reliable automatic tool changing.

[0032] VI. The balance cylinder adopts an inverted installation method, which saves space, reduces the height of the machine tool, facilitates shipping and operation, and reduces the cost of the machine tool.

[0033] The balance cylinder of this invention is installed inverted inside the AC oscillating head, providing an upward thrust to offset most of the weight of the AC oscillating head and spindle, significantly reducing the load torque of the Y-axis servo motor and extending the motor life. The inverted installation method houses the balance cylinder within the internal contour of the AC oscillating head, without occupying the top space of the machine tool. Compared with the traditional upright installation method, it effectively reduces the overall height of the machine tool, saves space, facilitates shipping and operation, and reduces the amount of castings and protective cover materials used, thereby reducing transportation costs and the overall cost of the machine tool.

[0034] 7. The tool magazine has a compact layout and high tool changing efficiency.

[0035] The tool magazine of this invention adopts a chain-type tool magazine with a vertical matrix layout. The tools are arranged in rows along the vertical direction, which saves about 30% of the space compared with the horizontal disc-type tool magazine, and facilitates visual management and manual inspection of the tools. When changing tools, the spindle moves with the slide to the same side of the tool magazine, and the chain drive mechanism transmits the target tool to the tool changing position. The tool exchange mechanism completes the automatic tool change, and the tool changing time is ≤6 seconds (tool to tool), which effectively improves the processing efficiency.

[0036] 8. The machine tool has a compact overall structure, saves space, and has a more beautiful appearance.

[0037] This invention utilizes a high-load-bearing worktable and ultra-rigid wall panels to form a heavy-duty cutting foundation; direct drive by dual-torque motors on the B and A axes ensures high precision across five axes; a built-in electric spindle, combined with integrated cooling, lubrication, and sensors, guarantees long-term machining accuracy stability; an inverted balance cylinder optimizes overall machine space; a vertical matrix layout of the tool magazine reduces the footprint; and rear-mounted X and Y axes provide ample operating space in front. The rational layout of components results in a compact overall structure and small footprint, enhancing performance while improving the machine's aesthetics and facilitating operation and maintenance. This invention achieves excellent levels in load-bearing capacity (2000KG), machining range (φ1100mm), machining accuracy (IT6 grade, Ra≤0.8μm), spindle thermal stability (≤0.02mm / 8h), and tool change efficiency (≤6s), making it particularly suitable for five-axis machining of large integral structural components and complex curved surface parts such as heavy-duty casings in the aerospace field. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a side view of the structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of the structure of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. It should also be understood that the terminology used in the embodiments of the present invention is for describing specific specific implementation schemes and not for limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] like Figure 1-4 As shown, this embodiment discloses a heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center, including: bed 1, wall plate 2, slide plate 3, AC swivel head 4, worktable 5, tool magazine 6, balance cylinder 7 and spindle 8.

[0041] The bed 1 is the basic support component of this machine tool, bearing most of its weight. Ribs are rationally arranged inside the bed 1, and the bed structure is optimized through finite element analysis software to meet heavy load requirements.

[0042] The machine adopts a structural layout with a bed 1 and a rear wall panel 2. The wall panel 2 is fixedly installed at the rear of the bed 1. The worktable 5 is arranged above the bed 1 and moves back and forth on the bed 1 to form the Z-axis. The worktable 5 surface can rotate 360° to form the B-axis. The slide plate 3 is installed in front of the wall panel 2 and moves left and right on the wall panel 2 to form the X-axis. The AC swivel head 4 is installed in front of the slide plate 3 and moves up and down on the slide plate 3 to form the Y-axis. The spindle 8 is installed in front of the AC swivel head 4 and can rotate around the A-axis. The balance cylinder 7 is arranged at the rear of the AC swivel head 4. The tool magazine 6 is installed on the side of the machine tool.

[0043] In this embodiment, the travel of the heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center is 1400mm for the X-axis, 1200mm for the Y-axis, and 1400mm for the Z-axis.

[0044] In this embodiment, two 55-type roller linear guides are symmetrically arranged on the bed 1. The two guides are symmetrically arranged on the upper part of the bed 1, and their spacing matches the bottom width of the worktable 5. The worktable 5 moves back and forth on the bed 1 via these roller linear guides, forming the Z-axis.

[0045] The Z-axis lead screw drive system is located between two guide rails, in the middle of the bed 1. The servo motor is connected to the lead screw via a coupling. The bottom of the worktable 5 is equipped with a nut seat that mates with the lead screw. The servo motor drives the worktable 5 to move back and forth via the lead screw.

[0046] The worktable 5 is directly driven by a torque motor for rotation. The stator of the torque motor is fixed to the base of worktable 5, and the rotor is connected to the worktable surface. The table rotation has no intermediate transmission links, achieving zero-backlash transmission and forming the B-axis, resulting in high rotational accuracy. Worktable 5 is available in two sizes: φ1000mm or φ1250mm, with a machining range of φ1100mm and a load capacity of 2000KG, providing conditions for machining large workpieces.

[0047] Driven by the Z-axis lead screw transmission system, the worktable 5 moves back and forth along the bed 1, moving smoothly and with high positioning accuracy. The table surface of the worktable 5 achieves 360° continuous rotation under the drive of the torque motor, with no transmission backlash, meeting the B-axis accuracy requirements of five-axis linkage machining.

[0048] In this embodiment, the wall panel 2 is an integrally cast structure and is fixedly installed at the rear of the bed 1. The wall panel 2 is a very important part of this machine tool. To ensure the overall rigidity of the wall panel 2, its thinnest part is no less than 700mm (700mm in this embodiment). To reduce the weight of the wall panel 2, the overall width of the wall panel 2 is 1700-1800mm (1760mm in this embodiment), which is consistent with the width of the rear of the bed 1.

[0049] Below wall panel 2, to increase the supporting area for the connection between wall panel 2 and bed 1, the bottom width of wall panel 2 is widened to 1000-1200mm (1100mm in this embodiment). The mating surfaces of wall panel 2 and bed 1 are processed using a scraping process, ensuring uniform scraping contact points and guaranteeing the positional accuracy and contact rigidity of wall panel 2 after installation. Wall panel 2 is fixedly connected to bed 1 by several screws; in this embodiment, 20 M24 screws (10 on each side) are used to ensure a firm and reliable connection.

[0050] The front of wall panel 2 is a guide rail mounting surface, with three parallel guide rail mounting bosses arranged from top to bottom for mounting 55-type linear guide rails, providing support to ensure a 1400mm X-axis travel. The middle area of ​​wall panel 2 has a lead screw mounting seat for mounting the X-axis lead screw drive system, which drives the slide plate 3 to move left and right via a servo motor.

[0051] The total length of the guide rail support surface of the wall panel 2 is 2400-2600mm (2500mm in this embodiment). The guide rail mounting surface that exceeds the length of the main body of the wall panel 2 is provided with reinforcing ribs to enhance the rigidity of the guide rail support area and prevent the guide rail suspended section from deforming when the slide plate 3 moves to the end.

[0052] The interior of wall panel 2 employs a multi-layered, crisscrossing ribbed layout. The horizontal and vertical ribs intersect to form a grid-like structure, with rounded corners at the intersections to eliminate stress concentration. This ribbed layout significantly improves the flexural section modulus and torsional stiffness of wall panel 2 while ensuring its lightweight design, guaranteeing that the rigidity of wall panel 2 meets the requirements of heavy-duty cutting conditions.

[0053] In this embodiment, the slide plate 3 is installed in front of the wall panel 2. The rear of the slide plate 3 has a slider that engages with three 55-type linear guides on the wall panel 2. The slider slides left and right along the guides to achieve X-axis movement. A nut seat that engages with an X-axis lead screw is located at the middle of the rear of the slide plate 3. The X-axis servo motor drives the slide plate 3 to move along the X-axis direction via the lead screw.

[0054] The front of the slide plate 3 is a Y-axis guide rail mounting surface, on which two parallel 55-type linear guide rails are arranged. The direction of the guide rails is perpendicular to the X-axis direction (i.e., the up-down direction). The AC swing head 4 moves up and down on these guide rails, forming the Y-axis. The middle position of the front of the slide plate 3 is equipped with a mounting base for the Y-axis lead screw drive system. The Y-axis servo motor drives the AC swing head 4 to move up and down along the Y-axis direction through the lead screw.

[0055] The slide plate 3 adopts a one-piece cast structure, and its internal ribs are also provided to enhance rigidity. The size and guide rail span design of the slide plate 3 fully take into account the weight and center of gravity position of the AC swing head 4 and main shaft 8 assembly, ensuring the smoothness and accuracy of Y-axis movement.

[0056] In this embodiment, the AC oscillating head 4 is mounted in front of the slide plate 3 and moves up and down on the slide plate 3 to form the Y-axis. The AC oscillating head 4 is integrally cast, and its rear part is provided with a slider mounting surface that cooperates with the Y-axis guide rail on the slide plate 3.

[0057] The front center of the AC oscillating head 4 has a pre-drilled notch, with symmetrical fork arm structures extending out on both sides. The fork arms on both sides are symmetrically equipped with mounting holes for the A-axis torque motor and bearings.

[0058] The main spindle 8 is positioned between the two fork arms and is driven by an A-axis torque motor to swing around the A-axis. The stator of the A-axis torque motor is fixed to one fork arm, and the rotor is connected to the main spindle housing. The main spindle housing is supported on the fork arms on both sides by high-precision bearings.

[0059] The A-axis torque motor directly drives the spindle housing to rotate around the A-axis, eliminating intermediate transmission links such as gears or worm gears, thus achieving zero-backlash transmission. The rotation range of the spindle (8) around the A-axis is -15° to 120°. Among them, the -15° negative angle machining capability allows the tool to approach the workpiece from a special angle, which is suitable for machining parts with undercut features or complex cavities; the 120° large angle swing capability makes the tool posture flexible, which can reduce the number of workpiece clamping times, realize multi-face machining in one clamping, and increase the machining range of the machine tool.

[0060] In this embodiment, the spindle 8 is installed between the two fork arms of the AC swing head 4 and adopts a built-in electric spindle structure, that is, the rotor of the spindle drive motor is directly mounted on the spindle spindle and the stator is fixed inside the spindle housing, realizing the integrated design of the motor and the spindle.

[0061] Specifically, the spindle 8 is designed with a maximum speed of 12,000-18,000 rpm and a rated power of 30-50 kW, meeting the high-speed heavy cutting requirements of aerospace aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, and composite materials. The front end of the spindle mandrel is equipped with an HSK-A100 or BT50 tool holder interface, which is compatible with the tools in the tool magazine 6 to achieve high-rigidity clamping.

[0062] The spindle housing of spindle 8 is supported on both sides of the AC swing head 4 via high-precision angular contact ball bearings (or crossed roller bearings). The rotor of the A-axis torque motor is directly mounted on the side drive shaft of the spindle housing, while the stator is fixed in the mounting holes of the swing head. When the A-axis torque motor is powered on, it directly drives the entire spindle housing (along with the spindle mandrel and cutting tools) to rotate around the A-axis, achieving a swing range of -15° to 120°. Due to the direct drive of the torque motor, the A-axis rotation has zero backlash and no reverse backlash error, ensuring the accuracy of tool posture adjustment and repeatability.

[0063] The spindle housing of spindle 8 is equipped with an annular cooling water channel that surrounds the front bearing of the spindle and the stator area of ​​the motor. During machining, external cooling oil or water-based coolant enters the cooling water channel through the inlet and outlet on the outside of the spindle housing. The circulating flow carries away the heat generated by the high-speed rotation of the spindle, effectively controlling the thermal expansion of the spindle and ensuring thermal stability during long-term continuous machining.

[0064] The front bearing of spindle 8 uses an oil-air lubrication method. Compressed air is mixed with a small amount of lubricating oil and then delivered to the bearing through the internal channel of the spindle. This ensures high-speed lubrication of the bearing and prevents cutting fluid and dust from entering the bearing through positive pressure air, thus extending the spindle's life.

[0065] The spindle 8 is equipped with a disc spring-loaded drawbar mechanism. After the tool is inserted into the spindle taper bore, the drawbar grippers tighten the tool holder under the elastic force of the disc springs, thus clamping the tool. When a tool change is required, the tool change mechanism (a hydraulic or pneumatic tool-changing cylinder located at the top or rear of the spindle) pushes the pull rod forward, compressing the disc springs and causing the drawbar grippers to open, releasing the tool. The spindle 8 also has a tool air-blowing cleaning channel, which automatically blows out compressed air during tool changes to clean the spindle taper bore and tool holder surface, ensuring tool change accuracy and taper bore cleanliness.

[0066] The spindle housing integrates temperature and vibration sensors. The temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the front bearing and motor stator in real time, while the vibration sensor monitors the vibration amplitude during spindle operation. The sensor signals are fed back to the machine tool CNC system, which can perform thermal compensation based on temperature changes and alarm and stop the machine in case of abnormal vibration to protect the spindle and cutting tools.

[0067] In this embodiment, the balance cylinder 7 is arranged at the rear of the AC swing head 4 and is installed inside the AC swing head 4 in an inverted manner. Specifically, the cylinder body of the balance cylinder 7 is fixed inside the upper part of the rear housing of the AC swing head 4, and the piston rod extends downward and is connected to the bottom of the housing of the AC swing head 4 or a corresponding structure.

[0068] When the AC oscillating head 4 moves up and down along the Y-axis, the servo motor experiences a significant load due to its heavy weight, which affects its lifespan. To reduce this load, a balance cylinder 7 system is implemented. When the AC oscillating head 4 moves upward along the Y-axis, the piston rod of the balance cylinder 7 is compressed, providing an upward thrust that counteracts most of the weight of the AC oscillating head 4 and the spindle 8, significantly reducing the load torque on the Y-axis servo motor. When the AC oscillating head 4 moves downward along the Y-axis, the balance cylinder 7 provides appropriate damping force to prevent the AC oscillating head 4 from accelerating downward due to its own weight.

[0069] The balance cylinder 7 can be a nitrogen balance cylinder or a hydraulic balance cylinder. Compared with the traditional upright installation method, the inverted installation method houses the balance cylinder 7 within the internal contour of the AC swing head 4, without occupying additional space on the top of the machine tool, effectively reducing the overall height of the machine tool, facilitating transportation and installation, and reducing the manufacturing cost of the machine tool.

[0070] In this embodiment, the tool magazine 6 is installed on the side (left or right) of the machine tool. The tool magazine 6 uses a 40-tool chain-type tool magazine, and the tool compartment adopts a vertical matrix layout, that is, the tools are arranged in rows along the vertical direction. Compared with horizontal disc-type or horizontal chain-type tool magazines, the vertical matrix layout occupies less space in the horizontal direction, saving workshop space. With the same tool capacity (40 tools), the vertical matrix layout saves about 30% of the space compared with the traditional disc-type tool magazine, and facilitates visual management and manual inspection of the tools.

[0071] When a tool change is required, the X-axis servo motor drives the slide plate 3, along with the AC swing head 4 and the spindle 8, to move to the side where the tool magazine 6 is located, aligning the spindle 8 with the tool change position of the tool magazine 6. The chain drive mechanism of the chain-type tool magazine transports the target tool to the tool change position. The tool exchange mechanism (such as a robotic arm) picks up the target tool from the tool magazine 6 and exchanges it with the existing tool on the spindle 8, achieving automatic tool change. The tool change process requires no manual intervention, improving machining efficiency.

[0072] The working process of the heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center in this embodiment is as follows: Large or heavy workpieces are fixed on the table surface of worktable 5. Depending on the machining requirements, the Z-axis servo motor drives worktable 5 to move back and forth along the Z-axis to the machining position; the X-axis servo motor drives slide plate 3 to move left and right along the X-axis guide rail on wall plate 2 to the machining position; the Y-axis servo motor drives AC swing head 4 to move up and down along the Y-axis guide rail on slide plate 3 to the machining position. The B-axis torque motor drives the table surface of worktable 5 to rotate around the B-axis to the required angle; the A-axis torque motor drives the spindle 8 to swing around the A-axis to the required angle (within the range of -15° to 120°). Five-axis linkage completes the machining of complex curved surfaces on large workpieces.

[0073] During machining, the balance cylinder 7 continuously provides balancing force, reducing the load on the Y-axis servo motor and ensuring long-term stable operation of the Y-axis feed system. Simultaneously, coolant is continuously supplied through the annular cooling channel of the spindle 8, the oil-air lubrication system continuously supplies oil, and temperature and vibration sensors monitor the spindle status in real time. The CNC system performs thermal compensation or safety protection based on the feedback signals.

[0074] When a tool change is required, the spindle 8 moves with the slide plate 3 to the side where the tool magazine 6 is located. The chain tool magazine transfers the target tool to the tool change position, and the tool exchange mechanism completes the automatic tool change.

[0075] The parameters of each component in this invention can be selected and configured according to actual processing requirements: Table 5 table surface diameter: optional φ1000mm or φ1250mm; machine tool travel (X\Y\Z): 1400×1200×1400mm; table 5 load capacity: 2000KG; spindle 8 swing range: -15°-120°; spindle 8 maximum speed: 12000-18000rpm, rated power 30-50kW; tool magazine 6 capacity: 40 tools; wall plate 2 bottom width: 1100mm; wall plate 2 connecting screws to bed 1: 20 M24 screws.

[0076] The above parameters are merely examples, and those skilled in the art can adjust them within a reasonable range as needed, all of which fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0077] Compared with the prior art, the heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center of the present invention, which adopts the above technical solution, has significant advantages in terms of load-bearing capacity, structural rigidity, machining accuracy, spindle thermal stability, tool magazine space utilization and overall layout rationality.

[0078] Actual testing has verified that this machine tool achieves a stable IT6 level of machining accuracy and a surface roughness Ra≤0.8μm when processing large aerospace aluminum alloy integral structural components and titanium alloy casing parts, meeting the high-precision machining requirements of aerospace parts. The worktable 5 has a load capacity of 2000KG and can process large workpieces with a diameter of up to φ1100mm, filling a technological gap in the field of heavy-duty workpiece machining in existing horizontal five-axis machine tools.

[0079] In this invention, the built-in electric spindle, in conjunction with the annular cooling and oil-air lubrication system, ensures that the spindle thermal elongation is stably controlled within 0.02 mm under continuous heavy cutting conditions for 8 hours. The temperature sensor feedback signal enables the CNC system to implement precise thermal compensation, further improving the consistency of accuracy during long-term machining.

[0080] In this invention, the chain-type tool magazine, combined with a vertical matrix layout, reduces the footprint by about 30% compared to the traditional disc-type tool magazine with a capacity of 40 tools, and the tool change time is ≤6 seconds (tool to tool), effectively improving machining efficiency.

[0081] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the present invention based on the above description. Therefore, certain details in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center, characterized in that: include: Bed (1), wall panel (2), slide plate (3), AC oscillating head (4), worktable (5), tool magazine (6), balance cylinder (7) and spindle (8); The bed (1) is the basic support component of the machine tool. The wall panel (2) is fixedly installed at the rear of the bed (1). The worktable (5) is arranged above the bed (1) and moves back and forth on the bed (1) to form the Z-axis. The table surface of the worktable (5) can rotate 360° to form the B-axis. The sliding plate (3) is installed in front of the wall panel (2) and moves left and right on the wall panel (2) to form an X-axis; The AC swing head (4) is installed in front of the slide plate (3) and moves up and down on the slide plate (3) to form the Y axis. The main shaft (8) is installed in front of the AC swing head (4) and can rotate around the A axis. The balance cylinder (7) is arranged at the rear of the AC swing head (4) to balance the weight of the AC swing head (4) and the main shaft. The tool magazine (6) is installed on the side of the machine tool to store tools and enable automatic tool changing during the machining process.

2. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The worktable (5) moves back and forth on the bed (1) via a roller linear guide rail set above the bed (1). A Z-axis lead screw transmission system is set in the middle of the bed (1), and the worktable (5) is driven to move back and forth by a servo motor. The table surface rotation of the worktable (5) is directly driven by a torque motor.

3. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 2, characterized in that: The roller linear guide consists of two 55-type roller linear guides, symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides above the bed (1); the table (5) has a table surface diameter of φ1000mm-φ1250mm and a load capacity of 2000KG.

4. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall panel (2) has a minimum thickness of 700mm and an overall width of 1700-1800mm, which is consistent with the width of the rear part of the bed frame (1). The bottom width of the wall panel (2) is widened to 1000-1200mm to increase the connection and support area between the wall panel (2) and the bed frame (1).

5. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 4, characterized in that: The joint surface between the wall panel (2) and the bed (1) is processed by scraping. The wall panel (2) is fixedly connected to the bed (1) by several screws. The interior of the wall panel (2) adopts a rib structure with multiple horizontal and vertical cross-arrangements.

6. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front of the wall panel (2) is provided with several linear guide rails from top to bottom. The wall panel (2) is provided with an X-axis screw transmission system in the middle, which drives the slide plate (3) to move left and right through a servo motor. The guide rail support length of the wall panel (2) is 2400-2600mm, and reinforcing ribs are provided at the guide rail positions that exceed the overall length of the wall panel (2).

7. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: Several linear guide rails are arranged in front of the slide plate (3), and the AC swing head (4) moves up and down on the linear guide rails; the slide plate (3) is provided with a Y-axis lead screw transmission system in the middle, which drives the AC swing head (4) to move up and down through a servo motor.

8. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The AC swing head (4) is integrally cast and has a notch in the middle of its front. The two sides of the front extend symmetrically to form a fork-shaped structure. The two sides of the front are symmetrically reserved with mounting positions for the A-axis torque motor, which is used to drive the spindle (8) to rotate around the A-axis. The rotation range of the spindle (8) around the A-axis is -15° to 120°. The spindle (8) is a built-in electric spindle structure. The two sides of the spindle housing are supported on the fork arm by bearings. The spindle housing is equipped with an annular cooling water channel and an oil-air lubrication system. The front end of the spindle spindle is equipped with an HSK-A100 or BT50 tool holder interface. The spindle (8) is equipped with a disc spring group puller mechanism and a tool blowing cleaning channel. The spindle housing is integrated with a temperature sensor and a vibration sensor.

9. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The balance cylinder (7) is installed inside the AC swing head (4) in an inverted manner.

10. The heavy-duty horizontal five-axis machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tool magazine (6) is a chain-type tool magazine, and the tool magazine compartment adopts a vertical matrix layout. When changing tools, the spindle (8) moves with the slide plate (3) to the same side of the tool magazine (6) and automatically changes tools through the tool exchange mechanism.

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