Chamfering Station Rotary Position Sensing for Toothed Workpieces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current machining processes for chamfering toothed workpieces face inaccuracies due to the reliance on non-contact centering sensors and contact-based methods, where the positioning axis is often the same as the axis under surveillance, leading to potential inaccuracies in determining the rotary position of the workpiece.
Innovation Solution
A method where the positioning axis is decoupled from the surveillance axis, allowing for rapid motion and accurate determination of the workpiece's rotary position using a star-shaped tool that contacts the workpiece via a dedicated axis, enabling precise measurement of the tooth gap center and other characteristics without affecting the cutting edges, and utilizing additional axes for tangential movement to determine the tooth gap center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-contact centering sensors are used to determine the rotary position of the workpiece, then the setup is simplified, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to sensor positioning inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces non-contact optical sensors with a mechanical contact-based centering method. A centering tool is brought into contact with the workpiece tooth flanks, and the contact forces are measured via force sensors. This mechanical substitution eliminates sensor positioning errors while maintaining ease of operation, as the contact-based method inherently self-aligns to the workpiece geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centering tool as an intermediary between the workpiece and the measurement system. This tool physically contacts the workpiece tooth flanks and transfers contact force information to force sensors, enabling precise rotary position determination without requiring direct optical sensing of the workpiece rotation, thus improving measurement precision while keeping the system easy to operate.
2Device complexity
If the positioning axis is the same as the surveillance axis, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity deteriorates due to slower motion speeds required for accurate contact detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the positioning and surveillance functions into two separate axes. The positioning axis (first axis) moves the tool axially toward the workpiece for rapid approach, while the surveillance axis (second axis) tangentially positions the tool and detects contact forces. This segmentation allows the positioning axis to move quickly without compromising contact detection accuracy, as the surveillance axis independently monitors contact conditions, thereby improving productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses force sensors as intermediaries to detect contact between the tool and workpiece. These sensors are coupled to the tool but measure forces along the surveillance axis direction, allowing the positioning axis to operate at high speeds without directly affecting contact detection accuracy. The force sensors mediate between the rapid positioning motion and the precise contact measurement, enabling high productivity while keeping the axis configuration relatively simple.
3Device complexity
If contact-based centering methods are used with the positioning axis as the surveillance axis, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to coupling between positioning and measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the positioning and surveillance functions into two separate axes to eliminate coupling. The positioning axis handles tool approach motion, while the surveillance axis independently detects contact forces via force sensors. This segmentation decouples the measurement from the positioning motion, preventing the positioning axis dynamics from interfering with contact detection accuracy, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces force sensors as intermediaries that are coupled to the tool but measure forces along the surveillance axis direction. These sensors act as mediators between the positioning motion and the contact detection, allowing the positioning axis to move the tool without its motion directly affecting the measurement accuracy. The force sensors isolate the measurement from positioning disturbances, improving measurement precision while keeping the overall system configuration relatively simple.
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 enhances the reliability and accuracy of the machining process by decoupling the positioning and surveillance axes, allowing for precise determination of the workpiece's rotary position and characteristics, such as tooth thickness and pitch, without damaging the cutting edges, and enables the use of a chamfering station as a gear metrology machine.
Implementation Method 1
The surveillance can be directly or indirectly, and in particular be done via observation of torques or currents arising for the dedicated axis.
Implementation Method 2
The surveillance can be directly or indirectly, and in particular be done via observation of torques or currents arising for the dedicated axis.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A method of preparing a machining process of a toothed workpiece (1) rotatably drivable around its rotation axis (C10), the machining process to be executed by a tool (11) rotatably drivable around its rotation axis (B10), wherein, for establishing a synchronized matching engagement of the tool with the workpiece toothing (2), a contact with the workpiece can be or is generated by performing a movement via a positioning axis (Z10, Y10), and, by means of a surveillance of a movement dedicated to an axis of motion (B10, C10), a contact to the workpiece is used for establishing information about a relative rotary position of the workpiece, whereby the contact is made by a portion of the tool and the dedicated axis of motion is an axis capable to move or rotate the workpiece or the tool but which is not the positioning axis.