Cutting Oil Supply Scheduling for Variable Workpiece Demand

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for supplying cutting oil to machine tools do not adequately account for the varying quantities needed for different types of work pieces, leading to inefficiencies and potential machine tool stoppages due to insufficient oil supply.

Innovation Solution

A method is implemented where cutting times and oil quantities are set for each type of work piece, ensuring continuous supply to the cutting-oil tank and area by maintaining a minimum reference quantity, with inequalities ensuring excess oil is supplied to prevent depletion and overflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If cutting oil is supplied to a cutting-oil tank as a matter of course without adjusting for different work piece types, then the supply system is simple, but the cutting oil quantity becomes insufficient for certain work pieces causing machine tool stoppages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework efficiencyVSAvoidcontinuous cutting operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting oil supply quantity is made dynamic by adjusting it according to the specific work piece type being processed. The supply amount is varied based on the cutting time and cutting area parameters associated with different work pieces, ensuring adequate supply for each type without requiring complex predictive algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The supply system changes key parameters (cutting time, cutting area) that characterize different work pieces, and uses these parameters to determine the appropriate cutting oil supply quantity. This parameter-based approach allows the system to adapt to different work pieces while maintaining a relatively simple control structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If cutting oil supply quantity is increased to prevent depletion, then oil availability is ensured, but oil overflow may occur and waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting oil availabilityVSAvoidcutting oil waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting oil supply is tailored to the specific requirements of each work piece type rather than using a uniform supply amount. By matching the supply quantity to the actual consumption needs based on work piece parameters, the system avoids both depletion and overflow, minimizing waste while ensuring availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a fixed reference quantity is used for cutting oil supply, then the control system is simple, but it cannot accommodate varying oil needs of different work pieces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupply control systemVSAvoidwork piece type adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of the work piece type before cutting begins, and pre-determines the appropriate cutting oil supply quantity based on the identified work piece characteristics. This preliminary action allows the system to adapt to different work pieces without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the cutting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3466607B1Method for supplying cutting oil
Publication Date: 2021.03.10 MATSUURA MACHINERY CO LTD
  • EP3466607B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3466607B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3466607B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for supplying cutting oil which is able to attain the above object by adopting the following processes in a machine tool for cutting work pieces: setting of individual cutting times to each work piece and selection of cutting oil to be used; setting of a quantity of the cutting oil supplied per unit time to a cutting area where the cutting oil selected by the process a is used; supplying the cutting oil to a cutting-oil tank, with a state kept that the cutting oil remains in the cutting-oil tank; and supplying the cutting oil to the cutting area on cutting each of the work pieces by setting a quantity of the cutting oil as a quantity obtained by multiplying individual cutting times according to the process a with a cutting quantity per individual unit times according to the process b.