Ball Track Milling Cutter for Reground Insert Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

The dimensional stability of ball track milling cutters is compromised due to wear during machining, requiring frequent replacement of cutting elements, which is inefficient and costly, as the entire tool must be exchanged when cutting edges become worn.

Innovation Solution

A ball track milling cutter with a carrier body designed to receive reground cutting elements, where the carrier body is modified to accommodate cutting elements that have been resized through grinding, allowing for multiple regrinding cycles and reuse of cutting elements, with a recess and seat configuration ensuring a reliable soldered connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cutting elements are replaced when worn, then cutting performance is maintained, but manufacturing cost increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting performanceVSAvoidtool replacement efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting elements are recovered through regrinding instead of being discarded. The carrier body is designed with recesses that can accommodate cutting elements at different stages of wear, allowing the cutting elements to be reground and reused multiple times, thus recovering valuable cutting material and reducing waste

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The tool is segmented into a reusable carrier body and replaceable/regroundable cutting elements. The carrier body remains in use while only the cutting elements are removed, reground, and reinstalled, separating the durable support structure from the consumable cutting components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of substance

If cutting elements are reground and reused, then material waste is reduced, but the carrier body must be modified to accommodate reground dimensions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting material wasteVSAvoidcarrier body modification
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The recess geometry in the carrier body is specifically designed to accommodate cutting elements with varying dimensions resulting from multiple regrinding cycles. The recess allows for parameter changes in cutting element size while maintaining proper positioning and connection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The carrier body recess is designed with universal characteristics that allow it to accommodate cutting elements at different stages of their lifecycle - from new to partially reground to fully reground. This multi-functional design enables the same carrier body to hold cutting elements with varying dimensions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Duration of action of moving object

If the carrier body is designed to receive reground cutting elements, then cutting element life is extended, but the recess geometry becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting element lifeVSAvoidrecess geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier body is pre-designed with recesses that anticipate future regrinding of cutting elements. The recess geometry is prepared in advance to accommodate the expected dimensional changes from regrinding, eliminating the need for modifications after wear occurs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach extends the life of cutting elements, reduces material waste, and lowers costs by allowing multiple regrinding cycles, enabling efficient reuse of cutting elements while only replacing the carrier body, thereby maintaining dimensional stability and surface finish quality.

Implementation Method 1

The reground cutting element has a diminished size by comparison to a non-reground cutting element, wherein in particular the width is diminished by the grinding process by 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGrinding: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

The cutting head has at least one, but frequently four, cutting elements with cutting edges for machining workpieces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCutting: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS20220258257A1Ball track milling cutter having a carrier body, and method for restoring a ball track milling cutter
Publication Date: 2022.08.18 GUEHRING KG

AI summary

The invention relates to a ball track milling cutter (1), comprising a carrier body (2) and at least one cutting element (3) having a cutting edge (31), the carrier body (2) comprising at least one recess (21) for partly receiving the cutting element (3), and the recess (21) being designed to receive a reground cutting element (3) having a reground shape and size.