Marking procedure and marking system

Abstract

A method for producing a marking (K) on a component (4) by milling is provided, in which, in a fixing step, the component (4) is fixed relative to a milling device (8), and in a subsequent machining step, an engraving area (44) is milled into a machining area (42) on a surface (34) of the component (4). It is provided that, in the fixing step, the surface (34) of the component (4) is pre-tensioned against a fixing stop (20) in the direction of the milling device (8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for producing a marking by milling on a component, such as a vehicle part, according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a marking system for carrying out the marking process. In the method, the component is first secured relative to a milling device in a fixing step. In a subsequent processing step, an engraving area is milled into a processing area on a surface of the component, with the component being preloaded against a fixing stop during the fixing step.

[0002] CN 218253447 U discloses a system in which a component to be machined is secured to a fixture on the floor of the system in a fixing step. The fixture has two movable fastening elements on the floor, between which the component can be clamped. In a subsequent processing step, a milling device is guided above the component and processes the desired milling into the top surface of the fixed component using a milling tool.

[0003] A disadvantage of the known method is that, particularly when several identical markings are to be produced on several components of the same shape, noticeable deviations between the markings can occur as a result of manufacturing tolerances of the marked components.

[0004] US 7,682,112 B2 and US 2006 / 0039765 A1 each describe the machining of a clamped, thin component with a curved profile. During machining of a first side of the component by a tool, the component is supported at the same height on the side facing away from the tool by a counter bearing positioned to match the tool.

[0005] WO 2021 / 000 975 A1 shows a fixture for the flexible mounting of components with different complex contours. For this purpose, the device comprises several support elements that can be individually positioned to the contour and to which a vacuum can be simultaneously applied to secure the component in place.

[0006] The object of the invention is to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages in a generic milling method and to enable consistent marking of several identically shaped components, regardless of possible manufacturing tolerances of the components, without significant deviations from one another.

[0007] This object is achieved by a marking method having the features of claim 1. The fixing stop is formed by the inner side of a pre-formed part, wherein the surface of the component is pre-tensioned against the inner side in the direction of the milling device during the fixing step. The engraving area is created in the machining step through a recess in the pre-formed part, which releases the machining area. As a result, on the one hand, the surface of the component into which the marking is to be incorporated itself serves as the marking contact on the fixing stop. At the same time, the marking contact takes place in the direction of the milling device, whereby the surface is held at a precisely predefined distance from the milling device due to the direct marking contact on the fixing stop.The resulting preload of the component against the fixing stop also ensures that the component rests against the fixing stop without any play. If several markings are to be carried out consecutively on identical components, this ensures that the surface to be machined on all components is arranged at an exactly the same distance from the milling tool, regardless of possible manufacturing tolerances of the components. By identically controlling and guiding the milling tool during the sequential machining of the components, largely identical markings can be machined into the respective surface of the components, regardless of other manufacturing tolerances of the components. During the fixing step, the surface of the component can be placed against the fixing stop all the way around the recess or the corresponding machining area.This ensures particularly precise and stable positioning of the surface relative to the milling tool during the machining step.

[0008] Advantageously, the component is held in position against the stop during the machining step while the milling fixture is moved relative to the fixed component. This allows the component to be machined to be securely fixed during the machining step, while only the milling tool moves. This allows even relatively delicate markings to be incorporated into the component's surface.

[0009] Preferably, the fixing stop is formed at least partially complementary to the surface of the component prior to the fixing step. In this way, not only the distance of the surface to be machined from the milling device but also the remaining position of the component's surface can be precisely and stably specified on the fixing stop, which in turn enables completely precise positioning of the surface to be machined relative to the milling device.

[0010] Furthermore, the above-mentioned object is achieved by a marking system for carrying out a marking method in one of the above-mentioned embodiments, in which the fixing stop is formed by a contact mold that delimits a component holder of a clamping device in the direction of the milling device. The contact mold has a processing window through which the surface of the component held in the component holder can be machined. By means of the contact mold, the component to be machined can be clamped on the clamping device in a desired position with particular precision and stability with respect to all spatial directions.

[0011] The machining window allows the surface to be machined to rest against the stop stop all the way around, ensuring precise positioning of the machining area relative to the milling device. At the same time, the machining window allows for smooth machining of the surface within the free recess.

[0012] It is advantageous if the clamping device has preloading means by which the component held in the component holder, with the surface to be machined, can be preloaded against an inner side of the contact mold. The preloading means can be formed by any known and suitable means by which a preload or clamping force can be generated, such as a spring device and / or a drive device. This ensures stable fixation of the respective component to be machined on the fixation stop through active pressing and / or elastic restoring forces.

[0013] Advantageously, the inside of the marking system molded part is designed to complement the surface of the component to be machined in order to ensure precise and stable positioning of the component on the fixing stop in all directions.

[0014] Preferably, the contact mold part can be supported against a bearing device of the milling device in order to ensure stable mounting of the fixing stop relative to the milling device and the milling tool and thereby in turn enable precise machining of a component prestressed against it.

[0015] It is particularly advantageous if the contact mold is mounted on the bearing device of the milling device. By mounting both the contact mold, or the fixing stop formed thereby, and the milling device on the same bearing device, particularly precise positioning of both functional parts relative to each other can be ensured.

[0016] It is pointed out that all features of the subject matter according to the invention described above are interchangeable or combinable with one another, unless an exchange or combination thereof is excluded for technical reasons.

[0017] The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention. They show: Fig. 1 a partially sectioned view of a marking system for producing a marking on a component by milling and Fig. 2 a partially sectioned plan view of a milling fixture of the marking system according to Fig. 1.

[0018] The Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a marking system 2 for producing a marking K on a component 4. The component 4 to be marked is made, for example, of a plastic part and / or at least partially of a metal. The marking system 2 can be provided in particular for marking the component 4 in the form of a vehicle part, such as, in particular, for applying a label and / or a trademark to a partially curved housing, such as a rearview mirror housing.

[0019] For this purpose, the marking system 2 comprises a support frame 6 on which a milling device 8 with a milling tool 10 is guided and displaceably mounted. The milling tool 10 is illustrated here as an end mill. For the controlled three-dimensional displacement of the milling tool 10, the support frame 6 and / or the milling device 8 are partially adjustable or displaceable, and the drives required for the adjustment / displacement (not shown) are connected to a measuring / control electronics unit 12.

[0020] The component 4 to be marked is held on a milling holder 14. The milling holder 14 is essentially formed by a clamping device 16, which forms a component holder 22 for receiving the component 4 to be machined between pre-tensioning means 18 and a fixing stop 20, as can be seen in particular from Fig. 1 can be seen.

[0021] The preloading means 18 comprise a contact part 24 that can be displaced in the direction of the fixing stop 20 and the milling device 8, which, for example, limits the component holder 22 downwards and can be raised or lowered by an actuator 26. The contact part 24 and / or the actuator 26 can comprise a spring device or an elastic region 28, by means of which a preload can be generated by means of elastic restoring forces even without the active application of force by the actuator 26.

[0022] The fixing stop 20 is formed by an inner side 30 of a shaped contact part 32, wherein the inner side 30 is shaped complementarily to a surface 34 of the component 4 into which the marking K is to be incorporated. Due to this adapted shape of the inner side 30 to the component 4, its surface 34 can be preloaded against the fixing stop 20 with no play in all directions.

[0023] The preformed part 32 is mounted directly on a bearing device 36 of the milling device 8, which is, for example, firmly connected to the support frame 6. When the component 4 is preloaded against the fixing stop 20, the preformed part 32 is supported directly against the bearing device 36 and thus also against the milling device 8 itself. As a result, the surface 34 to be machined is positioned very precisely and stably at a precise distance A relative to the milling device 8 when the component 4 is preloaded.

[0024] As can be seen from the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the contact mold part 32 also has a processing window 38. In the received and prestressed state of the component 4, this processing window 38 forms a recess 40 which exposes a processing area 42 of the surface 34, within which the intended engraving area 44 for producing the marking K is arranged.

[0025] To produce the marking, the following procedure is carried out on marking system 2: In a fixing step, the component 4 to be marked is first fixed relative to the milling device 8. For this purpose, the component 4 is first inserted into the component holder 22 between the contact mold 32 and the contact part 24. The contact part 24 is then displaced in the direction of the milling device 8 by means of the actuator 26, thereby preloading the surface 34 of the component 4 against the fixing stop 20. By directly supporting the fixing stop 20 relative to the milling device 8 by means of the bearing device 36, the surface 34 to be machined is fixed precisely and without play at a distance A relative to the milling device 8.

[0026] In this clamped state of the component 4, the recess 40 formed by the machining window 38 also exposes the machining area 42 with the intended engraving area 44. In a subsequent machining step, the milling tool 8 can thus machine the surface 34 in the engraving area 44 through the recess 40 to produce the marking K.

[0027] By prestressing the component 4 against the inner side 30 of the contact mold 32, which is adapted to the shape of the surface 34 of the component 4, a particularly precise positioning of the machining area 42 at a distance A and in all other directions relative to the milling device 8 can always be ensured, even with several identically shaped components 4, regardless of possible manufacturing tolerances. This ensures a precisely consistent production of the marking K when machining several components 4.

Claims

[1] Method for producing a marking (K) on a component (4) by milling in which the component (4) is fixed relative to a milling device (8) in a fixing step, in a subsequent processing step, an engraving area (44) is milled into a processing area (42) on a surface (34) of the component (4), wherein the component (4) is prestressed against a fixing stop (20) in the fixing step, characterized by in that the fixing stop (20) is formed by an inner side (30) of a shaped contact part (32), wherein the surface (34) of the component (4) is prestressed against the inner side (30) in the direction of the milling device (8) in the fixing step, and the engraving area (44) is produced in the machining step through a recess (40) of the shaped contact part (32), which releases the machining area (42). [2] Marking method according to claim 1, characterized bythat the component (4) is held in a fixed position on the fixing stop (20) and the milling device (8) is displaced relative to the fixed component (4) during the machining step. [3] Marking method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the fixing stop (20) is formed at least partially complementary to the surface (34) of the component (4) before the fixing step. [4] Marking system for carrying out a marking method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by in that the fixing stop (20) is formed by a shaped contact part (32) which delimits a component holder (22) of a clamping device (16) in the direction of the milling device (8), wherein the shaped contact part (32) has a machining window (38) through which the surface (34) of the component (4) held in the component holder (22) can be machined. [5] Marking system according to claim 4, characterized bythat the clamping device (16) has prestressing means (18) by means of which the component (4) received in the component holder (22) with the surface (34) to be machined can be prestressed against an inner side (30) of the contact mold part (32). [6] Marking system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the inner side (30) of the contact mold part (32) is complementary to the surface (34) of the component (4) to be machined. [7] Marking system according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized by that the contact mold part (32) can be supported against a bearing device (36) of the milling device (8). [8] Marking system according to claim 7, characterized by that the contact mold part (32) is mounted on the bearing device (36) of the milling device (8).

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