Cutting device

Abstract

To provide a cutting device that is able to facilitate quality control and cutting-failure decrease by recording the position of a cutting-water jet nozzle in the cutting device and quickly detecting that the position is deviated from a desired position.SOLUTION: A cutting device 1 includes: a cutting unit 20, a control unit 70; an imaging unit 110 that forms a captured image of a cutting-water jet nozzle 26 and a cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20; and positioning means 120 that positions the imaging unit 110 at an imaging position for imaging the captured image. The control unit 70 includes: a storage unit 71 that stores a captured image, captured by the imaging unit 110; a determination unit 72 that determines whether or not there is a predetermined difference or more between the captured image and a reference image stored in the storage unit 71 in advance; and a notification unit 73 that performs notification when the determination unit 72 determines that there is the predetermined difference or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a cutting device. 【Background Art】 【0002】 A workpiece in which a plurality of devices are formed in an area partitioned by a planned division line is divided into individual devices by a cutting device having a cutting blade. Such a cutting device is generally composed of a chuck table for holding a wafer and a cutting means to which a cutting blade for cutting the wafer held on the chuck table is attached, and can cut the wafer along the planned division line with high precision. 【0003】 In addition, a cutting water injection nozzle for supplying cutting water to the outer peripheral portion of the cutting edge of the cutting blade is disposed in the cutting means. By injecting cutting water to the outer peripheral portion of the cutting edge of the cutting blade to cool and wash the cutting point of the cutting blade, the cutting efficiency by the cutting blade is improved (see Patent Document 1). 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0004】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-273527 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0005】 Here, since the machining accuracy changes when the position of the cutting water injection nozzle with respect to the cutting blade changes, it may be necessary to check the position of the cutting water injection nozzle when a defect occurs in the machining of the workpiece. However, even if the position of the cutting water injection nozzle is displaced from the desired position for some reason, it is impossible to grasp when the displacement occurred, which causes problems in investigating the cause and considering countermeasures. 【0006】 This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a cutting device that can facilitate quality control and reduce cutting defects by recording the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle in the cutting device and quickly detecting any deviation from the desired position. [Means for solving the problem] 【0007】 To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention provides a cutting apparatus comprising: a holding table for holding a workpiece; a cutting unit for cutting the workpiece held on the holding table; and a control unit, wherein the cutting unit comprises: a cutting blade; a mount for supporting the cutting blade; a spindle connected to the mount; a housing for rotatably supporting the spindle; a blade cover fixed to the housing and covering the cutting blade; and a cutting fluid injection nozzle disposed on the blade cover and supplying cutting fluid to the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade, wherein the cutting fluid injection nozzle and the cutting blade are captured images The control unit further comprises an imaging unit for forming images, an imaging position for imaging the cutting fluid nozzle and the cutting blade facing the mount, and a retracted position spaced apart from the mount, and is characterized by comprising: a storage unit for forming and storing an image of the cutting fluid nozzle and the cutting blade at a predetermined timing, a determination unit for determining whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the image formed at the predetermined timing and a reference image of the cutting fluid nozzle and the cutting blade stored in the storage unit beforehand, and a notification unit for notifying if the determination unit determines that there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more. 【0008】 The positioning means further comprises a cutting blade replacement device for attaching and detaching a cutting blade to the mount and replacing it, and the cutting blade replacement device may include a holding part for holding the cutting blade and a moving unit for moving the holding part back and forth relative to the mount. 【0009】 The control unit may, after replacing the cutting blade with the cutting blade replacement device, position the imaging unit at the imaging position to form an image of the cutting fluid spray nozzle and the cutting blade and store it in the storage unit. [Effects of the Invention] 【0010】 The present invention saves and stores images of the cutting fluid injection nozzle and cutting blade captured by an imaging unit at various suitable timings, and a determination unit determines whether the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle has shifted from the desired position based on whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the captured image and a reference image. If the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle has shifted from the desired position, a notification unit can notify the user to that effect. Therefore, the present invention can facilitate quality control and reduce cutting defects by recording the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle and quickly detecting any shift from the desired position. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0011】 [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cutting apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cutting unit in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the cutting unit in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the cutting apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of an image captured by the imaging unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of an image captured by the imaging unit shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0012】 Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same. In addition, the components described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 【0013】 [Embodiment] A cutting apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the cutting apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the cutting apparatus 1 comprises a holding table 10, a cutting unit 20, a camera 30, an X-axis movement unit 41, a Y-axis movement unit 42, a Z-axis movement unit 43, a display unit 51, an input unit 52, a notification unit 53, a cassette mounting table 61, a cleaning unit 62, and a control unit 70. 【0014】 As shown in Figure 1, the workpiece 200 to be cut by the cutting apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is, for example, a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer made of silicon, sapphire, silicon carbide (SiC), gallium arsenide, glass, etc. as the base material. As shown in Figure 1, the workpiece 200 has chip-sized devices 203 formed in areas demarcated by a plurality of division lines 202 formed in a grid pattern on a flat surface 201. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, an adhesive tape 205 is attached to the back surface 204 of the back side of the surface 201 of the workpiece 200, and an annular frame 206 is attached to the outer edge of the adhesive tape 205, but the present invention is not limited to this. In addition, the workpiece 200 in the present invention may be a rectangular package substrate having a plurality of devices sealed with resin, a ceramic plate, or a glass plate, etc. 【0015】 The holding table 10 is a so-called chuck table comprising a disc-shaped frame with a recess formed therein and a disc-shaped suction part fitted into the recess. The suction part of the holding table 10 is formed from porous ceramic or the like, which has a large number of porous holes, and is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown) via a vacuum suction path (not shown). As shown in Figure 1, the upper surface of the suction part of the holding table 10 is a holding surface 11 on which a workpiece 200 is placed and which is held in place by suction from the negative pressure introduced from the vacuum suction source. In this embodiment, the workpiece 200 is placed with its surface 201 facing upward, and the holding surface 11 is held in place by suction from the back surface 204 side via adhesive tape 205. The holding surface 11 and the upper surface of the frame of the holding table 10 are arranged on the same plane and are formed parallel to the horizontal XY plane. The holding table 10 is mounted on the X-axis movement unit 41 via a table cover 12, and together with the table cover 12, is mounted so as to be movable in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction by the X-axis movement unit 41. The holding table 10 is mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the table cover 12 about the Z-axis which is parallel to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the XY plane by a rotation drive source (not shown). 【0016】 Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the cutting unit 20 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the cutting unit 20 of Figure 1. The cutting unit 20 cuts a workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10, and as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, it comprises a cutting blade 21, a mount 22, a spindle 23, a housing 24, a blade cover 25, and a cutting fluid spray nozzle 26. 【0017】 The cutting blade 21 is a so-called hub blade in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, it includes a disk-shaped circular base 81 with a mounting hole 83 formed at the center, and an annular cutting edge 82 formed at the outer edge of the circular base 81 and protruding from the outer edge of the circular base 81. The cutting blade 21 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 23 via the mount 22 at the mounting hole 83, and cuts the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10 by being rotated by the spindle 23 serving as the rotation axis. The circular base 81 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy, for example. The cutting edge 82 is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material (binding material) such as metal or resin, and is formed to have a predetermined thickness. 【0018】 The mount 22 is connected to the spindle 23 and supports the cutting blade 21 at the tip of the spindle 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the mount 22 includes a fixed flange 91, a nut 92, and a screw 93. The fixed flange 91 includes a columnar boss portion 94 extending in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 3), a disk-shaped flange portion 95 integrally formed and protruding radially outward from the rear side of the boss portion 94, and a cylindrical portion 96 integrally formed and protruding further rearward from the flange portion 95. The fixed flange 91 is arranged such that the boss portion 94, the flange portion 95, and the cylindrical portion 96 have their central axes overlapping each other, and this central axis is along the Y-axis direction which is a horizontal direction and orthogonal to the X-axis direction. 【0019】 The fixed flange 91 has a mounting hole 97 formed inside and fitting snugly around the outer periphery of the tip of the spindle 23 over the boss portion 94, the flange portion 95, and the cylindrical portion 96. The fixed flange 91 is fixed to the tip of the spindle 23 by inserting the screw 93 into the mounting hole 97 and screwing it into and tightening the screw hole 27 formed at the tip of the spindle 23. 【0020】 The cutting blade 21 is fixed to the tip of the spindle 23 by being clamped axially between the flange portion 95 of the fixed flange 91 and the nut 92. This is achieved by inserting the boss portion 94 of the fixed flange 91 into the mounting hole 83 of the circular base 81 from the rear, and screwing and tightening the thread groove formed on the inner circumference of the mounting hole formed in the center of the nut 92 onto the thread groove formed at the tip of the outer peripheral surface 98 of the boss portion 94 to which the cutting blade 21 is mounted. 【0021】 The spindle 23 is provided so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and rotates about the axis by a motor (not shown) connected to the spindle 23. The tip of the spindle 23 is connected to the mount 22, and the cutting blade 21 is mounted on the mount 22. In this way, the cutting blade 21 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 23 via the mount 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 24 exposes the tip of the spindle 23 and accommodates the portion except the tip, through which the spindle 23 is inserted. The housing 24 supports the spindle 23 so as to be rotatable about the axis. 【0022】 As shown in FIG. 2, the blade cover 25 is fixed to the tip side of the housing 24 and covers the upper, front, and rear of the cutting blade 21 mounted on the tip of the spindle 23. A plurality of water channels are formed inside the blade cover 25, and a cutting water supply source (not shown) is connected to the plurality of water channels. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of cutting water injection nozzles 26 are arranged at one end on the lower side of each water channel formed inside the blade cover 25. 【0023】 The cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 supplies and injects cutting fluid 29 (see Figures 5 and 6), which is supplied from a cutting fluid supply source via a water channel in the blade cover 25, onto the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21. Here, the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21 refers to the outer circumference of the annular cutting edge 82 of the cutting blade 21, which is the part of the cutting blade 21 that cuts the workpiece 200. The cutting fluid 29 supplied by the cutting fluid supply source is, for example, pure water. In this embodiment, the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 comprises cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-1, cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2, and two cutting fluid injection nozzles 26-3. 【0024】 As shown in Figure 2, the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-1 is a blade cooler nozzle that supplies cutting fluid 29, which is supplied from a cutting fluid supply source (not shown) through a water channel formed inside the blade cover 25, to the lateral portion of the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21. Specifically, the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-1 supplies cutting fluid 29 to the portion of the lateral portion of the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21 that passes near the area being cut by the rotating cutting blade 21 in the workpiece 200. 【0025】 The cutting fluid spray nozzle 26-2 is a shower nozzle that supplies cutting fluid 29, supplied from a cutting fluid supply source (not shown) through a water channel formed inside the blade cover 25, to the forward portion of the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21. Specifically, the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26-2 supplies cutting fluid 29 to the portion of the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21 that passes in front of (towards the front of) the area being cut by the rotating cutting blade 21 in the workpiece 200. 【0026】 The cutting fluid spray nozzle 26-3 is a spray nozzle that supplies cutting fluid 29, which is supplied from a cutting fluid supply source (not shown) through a water channel formed inside the blade cover 25, onto the workpiece 200 in front of the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21. 【0027】 The cutting unit 20 supplies cutting fluid 29 from a cutting fluid injection nozzle 26, and the cutting blade 21 mounted on the tip of the spindle 23 rotates around an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction due to the rotational movement of the spindle 23, cutting the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10 along the planned division line 202. As shown in Figure 1, the cutting device 1 is equipped with two sets of cutting units 20, that is, a two-spindle dicer, a so-called facing dual-type processing device (cutting device). The cutting unit 20 is provided to be movable in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis direction movement unit 42 and is provided to be movable in the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis direction movement unit 43. 【0028】 Camera 30 is equipped with an image sensor that images the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10. The image sensor is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor. Camera 30 images the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 before cutting by the cutting unit 20 held on the holding table 10 to obtain an image for performing alignment to position the workpiece 200 and the cutting unit 20, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 70. Camera 30 also images the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 after cutting by the cutting unit 20 held on the holding table 10 to obtain an image for performing a kerf check to automatically confirm whether the cutting on the workpiece 200 was performed within a normal range, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 70. In this embodiment, Camera 30 is fixed adjacent to the cutting unit 20 and moves integrally with the cutting unit 20. 【0029】 The X-axis movement unit 41, the Y-axis movement unit 42, and the Z-axis movement unit 43 move the holding table 10, the cutting unit 20, and the camera 30 relative to each other in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively. In this embodiment, the X-axis movement unit 41 moves the holding table 10 relative to the cutting unit 20 and the camera 30 along the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the Y-axis movement unit 42 and the Z-axis movement unit 43 move the cutting unit 20 and the camera 30 relative to the holding table 10 along the Y-axis and Z-axis directions, respectively. 【0030】 The X-axis movement unit 41, the Y-axis movement unit 42, and the Z-axis movement unit 43 are all known ball screw mechanisms comprising a motor, a ball screw, and a guide. The X-axis movement unit 41 comprises a ball screw rotatably mounted around the axis of the X-axis, a motor for rotating the ball screw around the axis, and a guide for supporting the holding table 10 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. The Y-axis movement unit 42 comprises a ball screw rotatably mounted around the axis of the Y-axis, a motor for rotating the ball screw around the axis, and a guide for supporting the cutting unit 20 and camera 30 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis movement unit 43 comprises a ball screw rotatably mounted around the axis of the Z-axis, a motor for rotating the ball screw around the axis, and a guide for supporting the cutting unit 20 and camera 30 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction. The movement speed and amount of movement of the X-axis movement unit 41, the Y-axis movement unit 42, and the Z-axis movement unit 43 are all controlled by the control unit 70, which controls the drive of the motors. 【0031】 The X-axis movement unit 41, the Y-axis movement unit 42, and the Z-axis movement unit 43 include encoders that read the rotational position of the motors. Based on the rotational position of the motors read by the encoders, they detect the relative positions of the holding table 10, the cutting unit 20, and the camera 30 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and output the detected relative positions to the control unit 70. Here, the relative positions in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are determined using the device's Cartesian coordinate system (XYZ coordinates) installed in the cutting device 1. For example, the origin of the device's Cartesian coordinate system is set to the center of the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10. Furthermore, the X-axis movement unit 41, Y-axis movement unit 42, and Z-axis movement unit 43 are not limited to a configuration that detects the relative position between the holding table 10, the cutting unit 20, and the camera 30 using encoders. They may also be configured with linear scales parallel to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and reading heads that are movable in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions by the X-axis movement unit 41, Y-axis movement unit 42, and Z-axis movement unit 43, respectively, and read the markings on the linear scales. 【0032】 The display unit 51 is mounted on a cover (not shown) of the cutting device 1, with its display surface facing outwards. The display unit 51 displays, for the operator's viewing, various conditions related to various processes of the cutting device 1, such as cutting by the cutting unit 20 and imaging by the imaging unit 110, as well as acquired images, data, and judgment results. The display unit 51 is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like. The display unit 51 is equipped with an input unit 52 used by the operator to input information related to the various conditions of the cutting device 1 as described above, as well as information related to the display of images, etc. The input unit 52 provided on the display unit 51 is composed of at least one of a touch panel provided on the display unit 51 and a keyboard or the like. Note that the display unit 51 is not fixed to the cutting device 1, but can be provided on any communication device, and any communication device may be connected to the cutting device 1 wirelessly or wired. 【0033】 The notification unit 53 is located above a cover (not shown) of the cutting device 1. In this embodiment, the notification unit 53 is a light-emitting unit composed of a light-emitting diode or the like, and notifies the operator of errors that occur during various processes performed by the cutting device 1, judgment results, etc., through the lighting, flashing, and color of the light-emitting unit. In this invention, the notification unit 53 is not limited to a light-emitting unit, but may also be a sound unit composed of a speaker or the like that emits sound, and notifies the operator of errors that occur, judgment results, etc., through the sound of the sound-emitting unit. 【0034】 The cassette mounting table 61 is a mounting table on which a cassette 65, which is a container for housing multiple workpieces 200, is placed, and the mounted cassette 65 is raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction. The cleaning unit 62 cleans the workpieces 200 after cutting and removes foreign matter such as cutting chips attached to the workpieces 200. The cutting apparatus 1 further comprises a transport unit (not shown), which transports the workpieces 200 between the holding table 10, the cleaning unit 62, and the cassette 65, respectively. 【0035】 Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the cutting apparatus 1 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the imaging unit 110 of Figure 1, which is an image captured image 300. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the cutting apparatus 1 further comprises an imaging unit 110 and a positioning means 120. The imaging unit 110 is equipped with an image sensor that images the cutting water injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21. The image sensor is, for example, a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. The imaging unit 110 faces the mount 22, images the cutting water injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 to form an image captured image 300 of the cutting water injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 70. Specifically, the imaging unit 110 images the cutting fluid nozzles 26-1, 26-2 and the cutting blade 21 from the tip side of the spindle 23 along the axial direction of the spindle 23, forming an image 300 of the cutting fluid nozzles 26-1, 26-2 and the cutting blade 21, as shown in Figure 5. That is, the imaging position of the imaging unit 110 is a position that allows imaging of the cutting fluid nozzles 26-1, 26-2 and the cutting blade 21 from the tip side of the spindle 23 along the axial direction of the spindle 23. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 110 is provided by the positioning means 120 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction between an imaging position facing the mount 22 and imaging the cutting fluid nozzles 26 and the cutting blade 21, and a retracted position spaced away from the mount 22. 【0036】 The positioning means 120 positions the imaging unit 110 at the imaging position and the retracted position. The positioning means 120 moves the imaging unit 110 in the X-axis direction between the imaging position and the retracted position. The positioning means 120 is a known ball screw mechanism having a motor, a ball screw, and a guide. The positioning means 120 is configured to have a ball screw rotatably mounted around the axis of the X-axis, a motor that rotates the ball screw around the axis, and a guide that supports the imaging unit 110 so that it can move in the X-axis direction. In all cases, the positioning means 120 controls the movement speed and amount of movement by controlling the drive of the motor by the control unit 70. In this embodiment, the positioning means 120 moves the imaging unit 110 in the X-axis direction, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the imaging unit 110 may also be moved in the Y-axis direction or the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the positioning means 120 may be, for example, a multi-joint arm that can move in the XYZ directions, or a combination of a ball screw mechanism and a multi-joint arm. 【0037】 The positioning means 120 includes an encoder for reading the rotational position of the motor, and based on the rotational position of the motor read by the encoder, it detects the position of the imaging unit 110 in the X-axis direction in the device's Cartesian coordinate system (XYZ coordinates), and outputs the detected position to the control unit 70. The positioning means 120 is not limited to a configuration in which the position of the imaging unit 110 is detected by an encoder, and may also be configured with a linear scale parallel to the X-axis direction and a reading head that is movable in the X-axis direction by the imaging unit 110 and reads the scale of the linear scale. 【0038】 As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the positioning means 120 further includes a cutting blade replacement device 130. The cutting blade replacement device 130 replaces the cutting blade 21 by attaching and detaching it from the mount 22. In this embodiment, the cutting blade replacement device 130 is fixed adjacent to the imaging unit 110 and moves integrally with the imaging unit 110 in the X-axis direction between the imaging position and the retracted position. 【0039】 As shown in Figure 4, the cutting blade replacement device 130 includes a holding part 131, a moving unit 132, a nut holding part 133, and a moving unit 134. The holding part 131 holds the outer circumference of the circular base 81 of the cutting blade 21 with a plurality of claws (four in the example shown in Figure 4). The moving unit 132 moves the holding part 131 back and forth along the Y-axis relative to the mount 22. By moving the holding part 131 holding the cutting blade 21 back and forth, the moving unit 132 can fit the mounting hole 83 of the circular base 81 of the cutting blade 21 into the outer circumference surface 98 of the boss part 94 of the fixed flange 91 of the mount 22, or detach the cutting blade 21 from the boss part 94 of the fixed flange 91 of the mount 22. 【0040】 The nut holding portion 133 holds the outer circumference of the nut 92 of the mount 22 with multiple claws (four in the example shown in Figure 4). The moving unit 134 moves the nut holding portion 133 forward and backward along the Y-axis relative to the mount 22, and also rotates the nut holding portion 133 around its axis along the Y-axis. By rotating the nut holding portion 133, which holds the nut 92 of the mount 22, around its axis along the Y-axis, the moving unit 134 can screw the screw groove formed on the inner circumference of the mounting hole formed in the center of the nut 92 of the mount 22 into the screw groove formed on the tip of the outer circumference 98 of the boss portion 94 to which the cutting blade 21 is attached, thereby tightening it, or it can detach the nut 92 of the mount 22 from the boss portion 94 to which the cutting blade 21 is attached. 【0041】 As shown in Figure 1, a blade rack 150 for accommodating cutting blades 21 attached to and detached from the cutting unit 20 is located near the cutting blade replacement device 130, which is positioned in the retracted position. The blade rack 150 comprises a plate body 151, a new blade storage section 152, and a discarded blade storage section 153. The plate body 151 is erected facing the cutting blade replacement device 130, which is positioned in the retracted position. The new blade storage section 152 is located on the plate body 151 at the same height as the cutting blade replacement device 130, which is positioned in the retracted position, and accommodates new cutting blades 21. The discarded blade storage section 153 is located on the plate body 151 at the same height as the cutting blade replacement device 130, which is positioned in the retracted position, and accommodates cutting blades 21 removed from the cutting unit 20. 【0042】 In this embodiment, the cutting blade replacement device 130 moves to the imaging position without holding the cutting blade 21 with the holding part 131, the nut holding part 133 and the moving unit 134 detach the nut 92 of the mount 22 from the boss part 94 on which the cutting blade 21 is attached, the holding part 131 and the moving unit 132 detach the cutting blade 21 from the boss part 94 of the fixed flange 91 of the mount 22, moves to the retracted position, and the cutting blade removed from the cutting unit 20 by the holding part 131 and the moving unit 132 The blade 21 is placed in the discard blade storage section 153, and one new cutting blade 21, which is stored in the new blade storage section 152, is held in place by the holding section 131. The system is then moved back to the imaging position, and the new cutting blade 21 is attached to the boss section 94 of the fixing flange 91 of the mount 22 using the holding section 131 and the moving unit 132. The nut 92 of the mount 22 is then screwed onto the boss section 94 on which the cutting blade 21 is attached using the nut holding section 133 and the moving unit 134 and tightened, thereby replacing the cutting blade 21. 【0043】 In Figure 1, for ease of drawing, only one imaging unit 110, a positioning means 120 equipped with a cutting blade replacement device 130, and a blade rack 150 are shown. However, the cutting apparatus 1 has a pair of imaging units 110, a positioning means 120 equipped with a cutting blade replacement device 130, and a blade rack 150, each corresponding to one of the cutting units 20. 【0044】 Figure 6 shows an example of an image 300-2, which is an example of an image captured by the imaging unit 110-2 in Figure 1. The cutting apparatus 1 further comprises the imaging unit 110-2 and a control unit 70, as shown in Figure 1. The imaging unit 110-2 is positioned at the corner of the upper surface of the table cover 12, with its imaging area facing upward. The imaging unit 110-2 is equipped with the same image sensor as the imaging unit 110. The imaging unit 110-2 images the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2 and the cutting blade 21 along the Z-axis from bottom to top, forming an image 300-2 of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2 and the cutting blade 21, as shown in Figure 6, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 70. That is, the imaging position of the imaging unit 110-2 is a position in which the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2 and the cutting blade 21 can be imaged along the Z-axis from bottom to top. 【0045】 In this embodiment, the imaging unit 110-2 is provided integrally with the holding table 10 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. The imaging unit 110-2 is provided by an X-axis movement unit 41, a Y-axis movement unit 42, and a Z-axis movement unit 43 so as to be movable in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions between an imaging position for imaging the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 and a retracted position spaced away from the mount 22. In this way, when imaging the image 300-2 with the imaging unit 110-2, the X-axis movement unit 41, the Y-axis movement unit 42, and the Z-axis movement unit 43 function as positioning means according to the present invention. 【0046】 The control unit 70 controls the operation of each component of the cutting device 1 to cause the cutting device 1 to perform various processes such as cutting the workpiece 200, changing the cutting blade 21, and imaging the cutting fluid nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 by the imaging units 110 and 110-2. The control unit 70 includes a storage unit 71, a determination unit 72, and a notification unit 73. The storage unit 71 forms and stores images 300 and 300-2 of the cutting fluid nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 at predetermined timings. The storage unit 71 also stores in advance reference images of the cutting fluid nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21, and information regarding predetermined thresholds that serve as the determination criteria for the determination unit 72. The reference images stored in the storage unit 71 include a reference image for comparison with the image 300 captured by the imaging unit 110, and a reference image for comparison with the image 300-2 captured by the imaging unit 110-2. 【0047】 The control unit 70 also calculates various injection information regarding the position and orientation of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 relative to the cutting blade 21, based on the captured images 300 and 300-2 of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 captured by the imaging units 110 and 110-2. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the control unit 70 calculates, based on the captured image 300, the distance d1 representing the height in the Z-axis direction of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-1 relative to the cutting blade 21, the angle θ indicating the orientation of the nozzle of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2, and the trajectory of the cutting fluid 29 ejected from the nozzle of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2. This injection information can be displayed on the display unit 51 as a display screen 400 along with the captured image 300. Furthermore, the control unit 70 can, for example as shown in Figure 6, calculate the positional displacement d2 between the center of the cutting blade 21 in the thickness direction and the center of the nozzle of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2, as well as the trajectory of the cutting fluid 29 injected from the nozzle of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26-2, based on the captured image 300-2, and display this injection information together with the captured image 300-2 as a display screen 400-2 on the display unit 51. 【0048】 The determination unit 72 determines whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the captured images 300, 300-2 formed at a predetermined timing and a reference image of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 and cutting blade 21 that has been previously stored in the storage unit 71. For example, the determination unit 72 compares the captured images 300, 300-2 and the reference image by pattern matching or the like to detect the difference between the two images, and determines whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the captured image 300 and the reference image based on whether the detected difference is greater than or equal to the difference judgment criterion that has been previously stored in the storage unit 71. The determination unit 72 also determines whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the various spray information calculated by the control unit 70 based on the captured images 300, 300-2 and the reference spray information (reference spray information) that has been previously stored in the storage unit 71. 【0049】 The notification unit 73 notifies the operator if the determination unit 72 determines that there is a difference greater than a predetermined value. The notification unit 73 notifies the operator of the determination result of the determination unit 72, for example, by displaying the determination result of the determination unit 72 on the display unit 51 so that it can be seen by the operator, or by notifying the operator of the determination result of the determination unit 72 on the notification unit 53 so that it can be recognized. 【0050】 In this embodiment, the control unit 70 includes a computer system. The computer system included in the control unit 70 has an arithmetic processing unit having a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device having memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 70 performs arithmetic processing according to the computer program stored in the storage device of the control unit 70 and outputs control signals for controlling the cutting device 1 to each component of the cutting device 1 via the input / output interface device of the control unit 70. In this embodiment, the function of the storage unit 71 is realized by the storage device of the control unit 70. In this embodiment, the functions of the determination unit 72 and the notification unit 73 are realized by the arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 70 executing the computer program stored in the storage device. 【0051】 An example of the operation process of the cutting device 1 having the above configuration will be described. The control unit 70 of the cutting device 1, at each timing of the replacement of the cutting blade 21, positions the imaging unit 110 at the imaging position at the same time as the replacement of the cutting blade 21, and uses the imaging unit 110 to form an image 300 of the cutting water spray nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 and stores it in the storage unit 71. Here, each timing of the replacement of the cutting blade 21 may be each time before the cutting blade 21 is replaced by the cutting blade replacement device 130, each time after the cutting blade 21 is replaced by the cutting blade replacement device 130, or both before and after the cutting blade 21 is replaced by the cutting blade replacement device 130. The control unit 70 of the cutting device 1, using the determination unit 72, determines whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between this image 300 and a reference image previously stored in the storage unit 71. 【0052】 Furthermore, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 can also position the imaging unit 110-2 at the imaging position each time the cutting blade 21 is replaced, and use the imaging unit 110-2 to form an image 300-2 of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 and store it in the storage unit 71. The control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 then uses the determination unit 72 to determine whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between this image 300-2 and a reference image previously stored in the storage unit 71. 【0053】 Furthermore, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1, via the notification unit 73, notifies the operator of the determination result of the determination unit 72 via the display unit 51 and the notification unit 53 when the determination unit 72 determines that there is a difference greater than a predetermined value, thereby allowing the operator to recognize that the position of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 relative to the cutting blade 21 in the cutting device 1 is deviating from the desired position. In this way, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 checks whether the position of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 relative to the cutting blade 21 in the cutting device 1 is deviating from the desired position at each timing of cutting blade 21 replacement, and if it is deviating, it can quickly allow the operator to recognize this fact. 【0054】 Furthermore, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 can, for example, position the imaging units 110 and 110-2 at the imaging position each time it starts cutting a new workpiece 200, and use the imaging units 110 and 110-2 to form images 300 and 300-2 of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21, which are then stored in the storage unit 71. The control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 then makes the same determination as described above using the determination unit 72, and if the determination unit 72 determines that there is a difference greater than a predetermined value, the notification unit 73 notifies the operator of the determination result of the determination unit 72 in the same manner as described above. In this way, each time it starts cutting a new workpiece 200, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 checks whether the position of the cutting fluid spray nozzle 26 relative to the cutting blade 21 in the cutting device 1 is deviating from the desired position, and if it is deviating, it can quickly make the operator aware of this. 【0055】 The control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 forms captured images 300, 300-2 using the imaging units 110, 110-2 and stores them in the storage unit 71 each time the cutting blade 21 is replaced or each time cutting of a new workpiece 200 is started. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and captured images 300, 300-2 may be formed each time cutting of the first workpiece 200 among the workpieces 200 stored in the cassette 65 is started, or each time cutting of the first workpiece 200 in a lot is started. In such cases, the control unit 70 of the cutting device 1 checks whether the position of the cutting water spray nozzle 26 relative to the cutting blade 21 in the cutting device 1 is deviated from the desired position each time cutting of the first workpiece 200 among the workpieces 200 stored in the cassette 65 is started, or each time cutting of the first workpiece 200 in a lot is started, and if it is deviated, it can quickly make the operator aware of this. 【0056】 The cutting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment described above stores and accumulates captured images 300, 300-2 of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 at various desired timings using imaging units 110, 110-2. The determination unit 72 determines whether the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 has shifted from the desired position based on whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between these captured images 300, 300-2 and their respective reference images. If the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 has shifted from the desired position, the notification unit 73 can notify the user of this fact. Therefore, the cutting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment can easily control quality and reduce cutting defects by recording the position of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 and quickly detecting any shift from the desired position. Furthermore, even if a cutting defect occurs, the cutting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment can retrospectively confirm whether it was caused by the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 shifting from the desired position for some reason. 【0057】 Furthermore, the cutting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment further includes a cutting blade replacement device 130 in the positioning means 120 for attaching and detaching the cutting blade 21 to and replacing the cutting blade 21 on the mount 22. The cutting blade replacement device 130 includes a holding part 131 for holding the cutting blade 21 and a moving unit 132 for moving the holding part 131 back and forth relative to the mount 22. Therefore, when replacing the cutting blade 21, the cutting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment can bring the imaging unit 110 close to the cutting water spray nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21 together with the cutting blade replacement device 130 to capture images effectively. In addition, because the imaging unit 110 is mounted on the cutting blade replacement device 130 according to the embodiment, there is no need to provide a separate moving means for the imaging unit 110, which leads to miniaturization of the device and cost reduction. 【0058】 In the cutting apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 70 further positions the imaging unit 110 at the imaging position after the cutting blade 21 has been replaced by the cutting blade replacement device 130, to form an image 300 of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21, and stores it in the storage unit 71. Therefore, in the cutting apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, when the cutting blade 21 is replaced by the cutting blade replacement device 130, the imaging unit 110 can reliably form, save, and store an image 300 of the cutting fluid injection nozzle 26 and the cutting blade 21. 【0059】 It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols] 【0060】 1 Cutting equipment 10 Retention Table 20 cutting units 21 Cutting blades 22 Mount 23 spindles 24 Housing 25 Blade Cover 26, 26-1, 26-2, 26-3 Cutting fluid spray nozzle 70 Control Unit 71 Storage section 72 Judgment section 73 Hochi Department 110, 110-2 Imaging Unit 120 Positioning means 130 Cutting blade replacement device 131 Holding part 132 Mobile Units 200 Workpiece

Claims

[Claim 1] A cutting apparatus comprising a holding table for holding a workpiece, a cutting unit for cutting the workpiece held on the holding table, and a control unit, The cutting unit is The cutting device comprises a cutting blade, a mount supporting the cutting blade, a spindle connected to the mount, a housing that rotatably supports the spindle, a blade cover fixed to the housing and covering the cutting blade, and a cutting fluid spray nozzle disposed on the blade cover and supplying cutting fluid to the outer circumference of the cutting edge of the cutting blade. An imaging unit that forms an image of the cutting water spray nozzle and the cutting blade, The imaging unit further comprises positioning means for positioning it in an imaging position facing the mount and imaging the cutting fluid spray nozzle and the cutting blade, and a retracted position spaced apart from the mount. The control unit is, A storage unit that forms and stores an image of the cutting water spray nozzle and the cutting blade at a predetermined timing, A determination unit that determines whether there is a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the captured image formed at a predetermined timing and a reference image of the cutting fluid spray nozzle and the cutting blade that has been stored in a storage unit in advance, A cutting apparatus characterized by comprising a notification unit that notifies when the determination unit determines that there is a difference of a predetermined value or more. [Claim 2] The positioning means is, The device further includes a cutting blade replacement device for attaching and detaching cutting blades to and replacing them with the mounting, The cutting blade replacement device is The cutting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by including a holding portion for holding the cutting blade, and a moving unit for moving the holding portion back and forth relative to the mount. [Claim 3] The control unit is, The cutting apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, after replacing the cutting blade with the cutting blade replacement device, the imaging unit is positioned at the imaging position to form an image of the cutting water injection nozzle and the cutting blade and to store it in the storage unit.

Images