Unit for data acquisition and processing for a drive motor of a machine tool, and motor spindle

Abstract

The invention relates to a unit for data acquisition and processing (14) for a drive motor of a machine tool, in particular for a motor spindle (1) of machine tool, and to a motor spindle of a machine tool. The unit for data acquisition and processing (14) comprises: at least one analogue input interface (16) for connecting to sensors (8, 9, 10, 11, 13) integrated in the drive motor; at least one digital input interface (17) for connecting to functional units (12) integrated in the drive motor; an electronic computing and memory unit (18) for storing and processing the data provided via the input interfaces (16, 17); an output interface (20) for outputting the stored and / or the processed data; and a housing in which the input interfaces (16, 17), the electronic computing and memory unit (18) and the output interface (20) are accommodated.

Description

[0001] Data acquisition and processing unit for a machine tool drive motor and motor spindle

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The invention relates to a unit for data acquisition and processing for a drive motor of a machine tool, in particular for a motor spindle of a machine tool, as well as a motor spindle of a machine tool.

[0004] High-speed drive motors for machine tools are well known. Motor spindles are one example of such drive motors. State-of-the-art motor spindles for machine tools are known. These are connected to the machine tool's control system via cables to control the tool clamped in the motor spindle and to acquire sensor data from the motor spindle (e.g., spindle bearing temperature, motor temperature, speed). However, with an increasing number of sensors in the motor spindle, this leads to increased space requirements and complex cable routing. Furthermore, the amount of data to be transmitted increases, thus also increasing the workload of the machine control system.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of creating a particularly advantageous connection option for transmitting data between a drive motor and a machine control system of a machine tool.

[0006] This object is achieved by a unit for data acquisition and processing having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims. The unit according to the invention for data acquisition and processing for a drive motor of a machine tool, in particular for a motor spindle of a machine tool, has at least one analog input interface for connection to sensors integrated in the drive motor, at least one digital input interface for connection to functional units integrated in the drive motor (e.g.a release unit for releasing a tool clamped in the drive motor), an electronic computing and storage unit for storing and processing the data provided via the input interfaces, an output interface for outputting the stored and / or processed data and a housing in which the input interfaces, the electronic computing and storage unit and the output interface are accommodated.

[0007] Such a data acquisition and processing unit provides a particularly advantageous connection option for transmitting data between a machine tool drive motor and a machine tool control system. The data generated by the sensors and functional units of the drive motor are centrally consolidated in this unit and forwarded in a bundled form – namely via the output interface – to the machine tool control system. This simplifies or reduces the number of interfaces required between the drive motor and the machine control system. The required cable connections are correspondingly reduced, and space requirements are reduced. Furthermore, the received data can be stored and / or further processed in the electronic computing and storage unit. This reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted to the machine control system.By accommodating the input interfaces, the electronic computing and storage unit and the output interface in one housing, the above-mentioned elements are protected from mechanical impact.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the housing is designed as a hollow cylindrical housing. This further reduces the required space.

[0009] In a further advantageous embodiment, a vibration sensor, in particular a vibration sensor with three measuring axes, is also arranged in the housing, the sensor data of which is also stored and / or processed by the electronic computing and storage unit. The vibration sensor can be used to record and / or monitor vibrations of the drive motor during operation and also to detect shocks of the drive motor when removed (e.g., during transport of the drive motor). It is also possible to detect vibrations or shocks of the data acquisition and processing unit itself.

[0010] Advantageously, the housing is connected to the drive motor via a flange connection. This allows for a particularly stable connection. If the data acquisition and processing unit is equipped with a vibration sensor, the flange connection is particularly advantageous, as it ensures that vibrations generated in the drive motor are reliably transmitted to the data acquisition and processing unit, where they can be detected by the vibration sensor.

[0011] Furthermore, the input interfaces can be embedded in a potting compound near the base of the hollow cylindrical housing, and the output interface near the base of the hollow cylindrical housing. If the data acquisition and processing unit is equipped with a vibration sensor, this is also advantageously embedded in a potting compound. This embedding ensures particularly stable positioning of the elements. It also ensures that vibrations are reliably transmitted to the vibration sensor.

[0012] In an advantageous embodiment, the housing is made of metal, particularly stainless steel. This provides particularly robust and durable protection against mechanical influences.

[0013] The output interface can be designed as a bidirectional interface, particularly one compliant with the IO-Link standard. This allows not only data transmission from the drive motor to the machine controller, but also data transmission from the machine controller to the drive motor. This further increases the functionality of the unit for data acquisition and processing and reduces the need for additional interfaces between the drive motor and the machine controller.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment, the electronic computing and storage unit is configured to, on the one hand, store and / or process static data and / or operating data of the drive motor and, on the other hand, to compare the stored and / or processed data with limit values ​​and, if one of the limit values ​​is reached, to issue a warning message. In this way, the data acquisition and processing unit can be used flexibly and, if necessary, forward the acquired / processed data.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment, the unit for

[0016] Data acquisition and processing further comprises an updating unit which is designed to modify the static data and / or operating data of the drive motor stored in the electronic computing and storage unit.

[0017] Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor spindle for a machine tool with a particularly advantageous connection option for transmitting data between the motor spindle and a machine control of the machine tool.

[0018] The motor spindle according to the invention for a machine tool has a spindle shaft with a front-end tool holder, a spindle base body in which the spindle shaft is rotatably mounted, an electric motor for driving the spindle shaft, at least one temperature sensor for detecting a bearing temperature, an electric motor temperature and / or a coolant temperature of the motor spindle and the unit for data acquisition and processing, wherein one of the input interfaces is connected to the temperature sensor.

[0019] Advantageously, the motor spindle also has a plurality of additional sensors and / or functional units, in particular temperature sensors for determining the temperatures of the spindle bearings, the electric motor, or the coolant, as well as sensors / functional units for determining the drawbar position, for determining the axial displacement of the spindle shaft, for monitoring the planar contact, for monitoring and releasing a tool held in the tool holder, for determining a speed and / or angle of rotation of the spindle shaft, and for determining and monitoring hydraulic pressure. These sensors and / or functional units are connected to the data acquisition and processing unit, so that the data provided by them via the input interfaces can be stored and / or processed by its electronic computing and storage unit.

[0020] The invention is further explained using an exemplary embodiment in the drawing figures, in which the drive motor of the machine tool is designed as a motor spindle. They show:

[0021] Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a motor spindle for a machine tool with a flanged unit for data acquisition and processing;

[0022] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the data acquisition and processing unit of Fig. 1; and

[0023] Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the data acquisition and processing unit from Fig. 1 and its interaction with other units of the motor spindle and the machine control.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a motor spindle 1 for a machine tool. The motor spindle 1 is an example of a high-speed drive motor of a machine tool. The motor spindle 1 has a spindle shaft 2, which has a tool holder 3 on its front side. The tool holder 3 serves to hold a tool (e.g. a drilling or milling tool) with the aid of which the machine tool machines the workpiece. The spindle shaft 2 is rotatably mounted via bearings 4 and 5 in a substantially cylindrically shaped spindle base body 6. Furthermore, the motor spindle 1 has an electric motor 7 for driving the spindle shaft 2. Typically, the electric motor 7 has a stator arranged in the spindle base body 5 and a rotor arranged on the spindle shaft 2.The motor spindle 1 is further equipped with a first temperature sensor 8 for detecting the temperature of the bearing 4, a second temperature sensor 9 for detecting the temperature of the bearing 5, a third temperature sensor 10 for detecting the temperature of the electric motor 7, and a fourth temperature sensor 11 for detecting the temperature of the coolant flowing through the motor spindle. A release unit 12 is used to execute and monitor the release process of the tool from the tool holder and represents a functional unit in the present sense. A speed sensor 13 is used to detect the speed and / or the angle of rotation of the spindle shaft 2.

[0025] On the end face of the motor spindle 1 opposite the tool holder, a data acquisition and processing unit 14 is flanged to the spindle base body 2 via a flange connection 15. The temperature sensors 8 to 11, as well as the release unit 12 and the speed sensor 13, are connected to the data acquisition and processing unit 14 via signal lines (shown in dashed lines in Fig. 1), allowing data communication between these elements.

[0026] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 describe the data acquisition and processing unit 14 in more detail. The data acquisition and processing unit 14 has a plurality of analog input interfaces 16 and digital input interfaces 17. In the present embodiment, the digital input interfaces 17 are designed as interfaces according to the RS485 standard. These input interfaces 16 and 17 connect the temperature sensors 8 to 11, as well as the release unit 12 and the speed sensor 13, to the data acquisition and processing unit 14.

[0027] The data acquisition and processing unit 14 also has an electronic computing and storage unit 18 for storing and processing the data provided via the input interfaces 16 and 17, a vibration sensor 19 and an output interface 20.

[0028] The vibration sensor 19 is connected to the computing and storage unit 18 so that its sensor data can be stored and / or processed by the computing and storage unit 18.

[0029] The output interface 20 is designed as a bidirectional digital interface and serves to output the data stored and / or processed by the computing and storage unit 18 to a machine control 21 of the machine tool and to receive data sent from the machine control 21 to the data acquisition and processing unit 14. In the present embodiment, the output interface 20 is designed as an interface according to the IO-Link standard.

[0030] The above-described elements of the data acquisition and processing unit 14 are housed in a hollow-cylindrical stainless steel housing. The input interfaces 16 and 17 are embedded in a potting compound near the base of the housing. The output interface 20 is embedded in a potting compound near the top surface of the housing—that is, an area opposite the input interfaces 16 and 17. The vibration sensor and the computing and storage unit 18 are also embedded in a potting compound.

[0031] The data generated by the sensors—in the exemplary embodiment, reference numerals 8, 9, 10, 13—and / or the functional units of the motor spindle 1—in the exemplary embodiment, reference numeral 12—are fed to the data acquisition and processing unit 14 via the input interfaces 16, 17. There, these data—as well as the data from the vibration sensor 19—are stored and further processed by the computing and storage unit 18. In particular, the computing and storage unit 18 stores both static data (e.g., identification numbers, information about the installation location or operator) of the motor spindle 1 and / or the data acquisition and processing unit 14, as well as operating data (e.g., status, temperature, speed, clamping state, operating hours) of the motor spindle 1 and / or the data acquisition and processing unit 14.These data are also further processed by the computing and storage unit 18, if necessary also compressed by suitable methods and / or brought into a displayable form (e.g. histograms).

[0032] Limit or warning values ​​for certain parameters (e.g. temperature limit values, vibration limit values, speed limit values) can also be stored in the computing and storage unit 18 and the computing and storage unit 18 can be programmed in such a way that it compares the stored and / or processed data with the limit or warning values ​​and, if one of the limit or warning values ​​is reached, issues a warning message.

[0033] Finally, the stored and / or processed data is output via the output interface 20 to the machine control 21 of the machine tool.

[0034] Although not shown in the drawings, the data acquisition and processing unit 14 can have a further interface for transmitting the stored and / or processed data outside the machine control 21. In this way, the data from the motor spindle 1 can be transmitted directly, bypassing the machine control 21. In the present exemplary embodiment, the sensors 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13 of the motor spindle 1 are connected to the data acquisition and processing unit 14 via analog input interfaces 16. However, it is also possible to connect all or some of the sensors 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13 to the data acquisition and processing unit 14 via digital input interfaces 17.

[0035] An update unit is not explicitly shown in the figures. The update unit is designed to modify the static data (e.g., identification numbers, information about the installation location or operator) of the motor spindle 1 stored in the computing and storage unit 18 as needed, in particular to replace the data stored there with more current static data. For this purpose, the update unit can access the computing and storage unit 18 remotely via a communications network (wired or wireless).

[0036] In the present embodiment, the digital input interfaces 17 are designed as interfaces according to the RS485 standard. However, it is also possible to design some or all of the input interfaces 17 as interfaces according to a different standard.

[0037] LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0038] 1 motor spindle

[0039] 2 spindle shaft

[0040] 3 tool holder

[0041] 4, 5 camps

[0042] 6 spindle base body

[0043] 7 Electric motor, 9, 10, 11 Temperature sensor

[0044] 12 Release unit

[0045] 13 Speed ​​sensor

[0046] 14 Data collection and processing unit

[0047] 15 Flange connection

[0048] 16 analog input interfaces

[0049] 17 Digital input interfaces

[0050] 18 electronic computing and storage unit

[0051] 19 Vibration sensor

[0052] 20 Output interface

[0053] 21 Machine tool control

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . Unit for data acquisition and processing (14) for a drive motor of a machine tool, in particular for a motor spindle (1) of a machine tool, comprising: at least one analog input interface (16) for connection to sensors (8, 9, 10, 11, 13) integrated in the drive motor; at least one digital input interface (17) for connection to functional units (12) integrated in the drive motor; an electronic computing and storage unit (18) for storing and processing the data acquired via the Input interfaces (16, 17) for providing data; an output interface (20) for outputting the stored and / or processed data; and a housing in which the input interfaces (16, 17), the electronic computing and storage unit (18) and the output interface (20) are accommodated.

2. Unit according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration sensor (19) arranged in the housing, wherein the electronic computing and storage unit (18) is configured to store and process sensor data of the vibration sensor (19).

3. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a flange connection (15) for connecting the housing to the drive motor.

4. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is designed as a hollow cylindrical housing, in particular as a hollow cylindrical housing made of metal, in particular of stainless steel.

5. Unit according to claim 4, wherein the input interfaces (16, 17) are embedded in a potting compound in the region of a base surface of the hollow cylindrical housing and the output interface (20) is embedded in a potting compound in the region of a cover surface of the hollow cylindrical housing.

6. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the output interface (20) is designed as a bidirectional interface, in particular as an interface according to the IO-Link standard.

7. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one digital input interface (17) is designed as an interface according to the RS485 standard.

8. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic computing and storage unit (18) is configured to store and / or process static data and / or operating data of the drive motor.

9. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic computing and storage unit (18) is configured to compare the stored and / or processed data with limit values ​​and, if one of the limit values ​​is reached, to issue a warning message.

10. Motor spindle (1) for a machine tool, comprising: a spindle shaft (2) with a front-end tool holder (3); a spindle base body (6) in which the spindle shaft (2) is rotatably mounted; an electric motor (7) for driving the spindle shaft (2); at least one temperature sensor (8, 9, 10, 11) for detecting a bearing temperature, an electric motor temperature and / or a coolant temperature of the motor spindle (1); and a data acquisition and processing unit (14) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the input interfaces (16, 17) is connected to the temperature sensor (8, 9, 10, 11).

11. Motor spindle according to claim 10, further comprising a speed sensor (13), wherein one of the input interfaces (16, 17) of the data acquisition and processing unit (14) is connected to the speed sensor (13).

12. Motor spindle according to claim 10 or claim 11, further comprising a release unit (12), wherein the at least one digital input interface (17) of the data acquisition and processing unit (14) is connected to the release unit (12).

13. Motor spindle according to one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a sensor for detecting an axial displacement of the spindle shaft (2) relative to the spindle base body (6), wherein one of the input interfaces (16, 17) of the unit for data acquisition and processing (14) is connected to the sensor for detecting an axial displacement of the spindle shaft (2).

14. Motor spindle according to one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising a sensor for tool monitoring, wherein one of the input interfaces (16, 17) of the unit for data acquisition and -processing (14) is connected to the sensor for tool monitoring.

15. Motor spindle according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the unit for data acquisition and processing (14) is flanged to the spindle base body (6) on the end region of the spindle base body (6) opposite the tool holder (3).

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