Dual-Chuck Mill-Turn Tool Head for Lower Bearing Load
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mill-turn machines face challenges in efficiently combining milling and turning operations due to increased loads and complexity, leading to issues like spindle bearing load, vibration, and high costs, particularly as machine size increases, and often require complex and costly couplings or separate machine structures.
Innovation Solution
A mill-turn machine design featuring a tool head with both a spindle chuck for rotary cutting tools and a turning chuck for stationary cutting tools, located on a workpiece-oriented surface, allowing for proximity and dedicated use, along with an automatic tool changer to facilitate tool replacement without manual assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a spindle is used to hold stationary cutting tools for turning operations, then turning capability is achieved, but spindle bearing load increases and vibration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cutting tool holding function into two separate chucks: a spindle chuck for rotary cutting tools (milling) and a turning chuck for stationary cutting tools (turning). This segmentation allows each chuck to be optimized for its specific function, preventing the spindle bearing from bearing the load of stationary cutting tools while maintaining both milling and turning capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool head is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both a spindle chuck and a turning chuck, allowing the same machine structure to perform both milling and turning operations through dedicated tool holding mechanisms rather than forcing the spindle to handle both tool types.
2Force
If complex couplings like Hirth or Curvic are used to isolate cutting loads from spindle bearings, then bearing load is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stationary cutting tool holding function from the spindle system entirely by introducing a separate turning chuck. This eliminates the need for complex Hirth or Curvic couplings to isolate loads, as the stationary tools are held independently without connecting to the rotating spindle bearing system.
3Force
If axial displacement of the spindle is implemented to accommodate couplings, then cutting loads are isolated from bearings, but machine stiffness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tool holding functions into separate chucks, the invention eliminates the need for axial spindle displacement to accommodate couplings. The turning chuck holds stationary tools independently, allowing the spindle to maintain its optimal position for milling operations without compromising machine stiffness.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate machine structures are used for rotary and stationary cutting tools, then each tool type can be dedicated, but machine size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the holding mechanisms for rotary and stationary cutting tools into a single integrated tool head structure. Both the spindle chuck and turning chuck are located on the same tool head, combining the benefits of dedicated tool holding with the compactness of a unified structure, avoiding the need for separate machine structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A mill-turn machine for milling and turning workpieces includes a table configured to hold a workpiece; a tool head, having a workpiece-oriented surface, that is movable to contact the workpiece; a spindle chuck, configured to releasably hold a rotary cutting tool for milling the workpiece, located on the workpiece-facing surface of the tool head; and a turning chuck, configured to releasably hold a stationary cutting tool for turning the workpiece, located on the workpiece-facing surface of the tool head.