An automated pneumatic drilling machine
The automated pneumatic drilling machine, driven by pneumatics and controlled by PLC, solves the problems of low automation and poor drilling accuracy in drilling equipment, enabling efficient and safe drilling of hard materials and reducing equipment costs and maintenance expenses.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI KING SUN COOLING EQUIP
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
AI Technical Summary
Existing drilling equipment suffers from low automation, poor drilling accuracy, and low drill bit torque, making it difficult to achieve batch drilling of hard materials.
This automated pneumatic drilling machine, which combines pneumatic drive with PLC control, achieves high-precision and high-torque drilling operations through XYZ three-axis linkage and a pneumatic drill bit, and is equipped with an overload protection mechanism.
It improves drilling accuracy and efficiency, reduces equipment costs and maintenance expenses, and enhances the pass rate and equipment safety for drilling hard materials.
Smart Images
Figure CN224273396U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of machining equipment technology, specifically to a high-precision, high-efficiency automated pneumatic drilling machine. It adopts a pneumatic drive method and combines it with a PLC to achieve multi-axis linkage and precise control, and is suitable for batch drilling processing of workpieces such as metal, plastic, and composite materials. Background Technology
[0002] In industries such as machinery manufacturing, hardware processing, and automotive parts production, drilling is one of the most basic and frequently performed machining processes. Traditional drilling operations mainly rely on the following two types of equipment:
[0003] Handheld electric drills / bench drills: This method requires the operator to manually hold the workpiece or hold the drill to drill, resulting in low precision and poor consistency. Manual operation makes it difficult to guarantee hole position accuracy and hole depth consistency, especially for workpieces with multiple holes or complex positioning requirements, which can easily lead to cumulative errors and increased scrap rates. Furthermore, manual positioning, feeding, and retraction are time-consuming and labor-intensive, making it difficult to meet the demands of modern mass production. Operators are prone to fatigue during prolonged operation, and there are safety hazards (such as drill bit breakage and flying debris, or workpieces flying out due to insecure clamping).
[0004] Electric servo-driven CNC drilling machines: These machines control the X / Y / Z axis movement and spindle (drill bit) rotation through a servo system, achieving high precision and a certain degree of automation. However, this approach also has inherent drawbacks:
[0005] Driving a low-speed drill bit with a high-precision servo motor can lead to insufficient torque and heat dissipation limitations. Standard servo motors have relatively low torque output when running at low speeds, which may be insufficient for drilling scenarios that require high torque and low-speed feed (such as drilling into hard materials). Furthermore, prolonged continuous operation can also result in motor overheating, affecting stability and lifespan.
[0006] Therefore, in order to address the above problems, it is urgent to design a pneumatic drilling device to solve the problems of low automation, poor drilling accuracy, and low drill bit torque that make it difficult to achieve batch drilling of hard materials. Utility Model Content
[0007] This application provides an automated pneumatic drilling machine to solve the problems of low automation, poor drilling accuracy, and difficulty in achieving batch drilling of hard materials due to low drill bit torque in existing drilling equipment.
[0008] This application adopts the following technical solution: an automated pneumatic drilling machine, comprising:
[0009] A frame, on which a base platform is mounted;
[0010] The first lateral moving platform is set on the base platform to provide movement in the first horizontal direction;
[0011] The second lateral platform is disposed on the first lateral platform to provide movement in the second horizontal direction, and the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction;
[0012] A pneumatic drilling assembly, located on the top of the frame, includes a cylinder and a pneumatic drill bit. The pneumatic drilling assembly moves in a direction perpendicular to the base platform and is used to drill holes in a workpiece placed on a second transverse platform.
[0013] The start and stop of the first traverse platform, the second traverse platform, and the pneumatic drilling assembly are all controlled by the PLC control module.
[0014] Preferably, a first slide rail is provided on the base platform, and a first transverse platform is slidably mounted on the first slide rail.
[0015] Preferably, a first drive motor is provided on the base platform, which drives the first transverse platform to move along the first horizontal direction via a lead screw.
[0016] Preferably, a second slide rail is provided on the first transverse platform, and the second transverse platform is slidably mounted on the second slide rail.
[0017] Preferably, a second drive motor is provided on the first transverse platform, which drives the second transverse platform to move along the second horizontal direction via a second lead screw.
[0018] Preferably, the cylinder is fixed to the upper end of the frame, and the pneumatic drill bit is fixed below the cylinder.
[0019] Preferably, the workpiece is placed on the second transverse platform, and the PLC control module controls the first drive motor and the second drive motor to rotate, driving the workpiece to move in a horizontal position. The PLC control module also controls the start and stop of the cylinder and the pneumatic drill bit.
[0020] Preferably, a rubber pad is also provided at the lower end of the frame to reduce the vibration and noise of the entire machine.
[0021] Compared to the shortcomings of traditional electric drives (especially ordinary motors and servo motors) in drilling applications, pneumatic drives exhibit unique core advantages that are more suitable for automated drilling scenarios:
[0022] High power density and excellent low-speed torque characteristics: Pneumatic drill bits can output very large torque at low speeds, making them particularly suitable for overcoming drilling resistance. They are especially advantageous when machining hard materials or large-diameter holes, and can effectively prevent the drill from getting stuck.
[0023] Excellent overload protection and impact resistance: The pneumatic system itself is compressible (air as the medium). When the drill bit encounters a hard point and gets stuck, the pneumatic cylinder or pneumatic drill bit can absorb the impact energy instantly through internal pressure relief or "slippage", avoiding rigid damage to the transmission mechanism (such as lead screw and motor shaft). The equipment is safer and has a longer service life.
[0024] Simple structure, high reliability, and low maintenance cost: Pneumatic components (cylinders, pneumatic drill bits) have a relatively simple structure, are robust and durable, and have good tolerance to harsh industrial environments such as dust, moisture, and oil. The failure rate is usually lower than that of precision servo systems, and maintenance is simpler and less costly.
[0025] Excellent heat dissipation: Compressed air expands and is expelled after the pneumatic drill bit performs work, a process that carries away a significant amount of heat. Therefore, it has excellent self-cooling capabilities, allowing it to withstand long-duration, high-intensity continuous drilling operations without overheating concerns. Attached Figure Description
[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit this application.
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of this application:
[0028] Figure 2 This is the front view of this application;
[0029] Figure 3 This application Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image;
[0030] Figure 4 This application Figure 3 Top view.
[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0032] 10. Frame; 11. Base; 12. Rubber pad;
[0033] 20. First transverse platform; 21. First slide rail; 22. First drive motor; 23. Lead screw one;
[0034] 30. Second transverse platform; 31. Second slide rail; 22. Second drive motor; 23. Lead screw II;
[0035] 40. Pneumatic drilling assembly; 41. Cylinder; 42. Pneumatic drill bit;
[0036] 50. PLC control module. Detailed Implementation
[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0038] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.
[0039] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. These terms are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0040] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0041] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.
[0042] Example 1: Infrastructure Implementation and Workflow
[0043] like Figure 1-4 As shown, this automated pneumatic drilling machine includes:
[0044] Frame 10: A base platform 11 is welded to the bottom, and a shock-absorbing rubber pad 12 with a Shore hardness of 70A±5 is installed at the lower end. After testing, it can reduce the vibration noise of the equipment from 85dB of the traditional drilling machine to below 72dB.
[0045] First transverse platform 20: It is slidably connected to base platform 11 via first slide rail 21, and X-axis movement is achieved by first drive motor 22 driving lead screw 23.
[0046] Second transverse platform 30: It is slidably connected to the first transverse platform 20 via the second slide rail 31, and the Y-axis movement is achieved by the second drive motor 32 driving the lead screw 33.
[0047] Pneumatic drilling assembly 40: includes a cylinder 41 fixed on the top of the frame and a pneumatic drill bit 42 at the lower end, with a Z-axis stroke accuracy of ±0.05mm; the pneumatic drill bit 42 adopts a vane-type pneumatic motor.
[0048] PLC control module 50: adopts Siemens S7-1200 series, which controls the motor stepping amount (±0.1mm accuracy) and coordinates the start and stop of cylinder / drill bit through pulse signal.
[0049] Workflow derivation:
[0050] 1. Positioning stage: The PLC controls the first drive motor 22 and the second drive motor 32 to work together according to the preset coordinates, so that the workpiece is accurately moved to the bottom of the drill bit (the measured repeatability error is ≤0.15mm).
[0051] 2. Drilling stage: Cylinder 41 pushes the pneumatic drill bit 42 downward, while compressed air drives the drill bit to rotate at 2000 rpm (air pressure 0.6MPa). The drilling depth is controlled by the cylinder limit switch.
[0052] 3. Retraction stage: After drilling is completed, the cylinder retracts, and the PLC triggers the XY platform to move to the next hole position.
[0053] This technical solution addresses the disadvantages of traditional electric drills:
[0054] Accuracy issue: Traditional handheld electric drills rely on manual positioning, and the cumulative error of multi-hole workpieces can reach over ±1mm. This solution uses a lead screw guide rail + PLC closed-loop control to reduce the hole position error to within ±0.2mm (actual measurement data);
[0055] Efficiency bottleneck: Manual drilling of a single hole takes an average of 30 seconds (including positioning). This equipment, through three-axis linkage automation, shortens the single-hole processing cycle to 10 seconds.
[0056] Safety hazards: The accident rate of drill bit breakage injury during manual operation is about 0.3‰. This solution achieves zero-contact operation through fully enclosed processing and emergency stop interlock. Example
[0057] Overload protection mechanisms and extended equipment lifespan:
[0058] Traditional servo drilling machines have the following drawbacks: when the drill bit jams, the instantaneous torque of the servo motor output shaft can reach 300% of the rated value, causing plastic deformation of the lead screw nut and overcurrent damage to the servo driver, resulting in high equipment maintenance and replacement costs.
[0059] The PLC control module 50 is programmed to enable overload protection in this device. The pneumatic overload protection process in this solution is as follows:
[0060] ① The drill bit jams instantly → ② The pneumatic motor speed drops suddenly → ③ The cylinder pressure rises to the safety valve setting value (preferably 0.65MPa) → ④ Compressed air is discharged from the pressure relief valve → ⑤ The system pressure drops suddenly, causing the drill bit to stop rotating → ⑥ The PLC receives the pressure sensor signal and alarms.
[0061] In summary, this embodiment has the following technical advantages:
[0062] 1. Precision and efficiency: XYZ three-axis PLC collaborative control solves the problems of large positioning error and high cost of servo system in traditional electric drills, improves hole spacing accuracy to ±0.2mm, and achieves an efficiency of 10 seconds / hole;
[0063] 2. Breakthrough in Reliability: The low-speed, high-torque, and pressure-relief overload protection features of pneumatic drill bits increase the success rate of drilling hard materials from 75% to 95%.
[0064] 3. Economic benefits: The equipment cost is only 1 / 4 of that of a CNC drilling machine. Combined with the long lifespan of pneumatic components (mean time between failures > 10,000 hours), the overall operating cost is reduced by more than 60%.
[0065] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An automated pneumatic drilling machine, characterized in that, include: A frame, on which a base platform is mounted; A first lateral moving platform is disposed on the base platform to provide movement in a first horizontal direction; A second lateral moving platform is disposed on the first lateral moving platform to provide movement in a second horizontal direction, wherein the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction; A pneumatic drilling assembly is disposed on the top of the frame. It includes a cylinder and a pneumatic drill bit. The pneumatic drilling assembly moves in a direction perpendicular to the base platform and is used to drill holes in the workpiece placed on the second transverse platform. The start and stop of the first traverse platform, the second traverse platform, and the pneumatic drilling assembly are all controlled by the PLC control module.
2. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base platform is provided with a first slide rail, and the first transverse platform is slidably mounted on the first slide rail.
3. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base platform is equipped with a first drive motor, which drives the first transverse platform to move along the first horizontal direction via a lead screw.
4. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first transverse platform is provided with a second slide rail, and the second transverse platform is slidably mounted on the second slide rail.
5. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, A second drive motor is provided on the first transverse platform, which drives the second transverse platform to move along the second horizontal direction via a second lead screw.
6. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cylinder is fixed to the upper end of the frame, and the pneumatic drill bit is fixed below the cylinder.
7. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The workpiece is placed on the second transverse platform, and the PLC control module controls the first drive motor and the second drive motor to rotate, driving the workpiece to move in a horizontal position. The PLC control module also controls the start and stop of the cylinder and the pneumatic drill bit.
8. The automated pneumatic drilling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the frame is also equipped with a rubber pad to reduce the vibration and noise of the entire machine.