Dummy Pin Cleaning in Cutting Machines Using Spindle Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutting machines face difficulties in removing cutting powder from dummy pins, which can lead to errors during storage and sensor contact due to the powder getting caught or touching sensors, causing operational issues.
Innovation Solution
A cutting machine design that includes a gripping portion, spindle, contact body, and position adjuster, where the dummy pin is brought into contact with the contact body and rotated by the spindle to remove attached cutting powder, facilitated by a controller programmed for dummy pin cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the dummy pin is stored in the tool holder or attached and removed from the tool holder, then the dummy pin can be reused for various applications, but cutting powder attached to the dummy pin gets caught and makes it difficult to store or attach/remove
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning operation is performed in advance before the dummy pin is stored or attached to the tool holder. The controller executes dummy pin cleaning by rotating the dummy pin with the spindle while it contacts the contact body, removing cutting powder beforehand to prevent subsequent storage and attachment issues
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting powder is extracted and removed from the dummy pin surface through the cleaning mechanism. The contact body acts as a receiving element that collects and removes the cutting powder during the rotation process, separating the harmful substance from the dummy pin
2Measurement precision
If the dummy pin with cutting powder is brought into contact with the sensor, then the sensor can detect the dummy pin position, but the cutting powder touches the sensor and causes error detection
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy pin cleaning operation is executed in advance before the dummy pin contacts the sensor during positioning. By removing cutting powder beforehand through the spindle rotation and contact body mechanism, the sensor detection is prevented from being interfered with by cutting powder
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting powder that would otherwise cause harmful interference is converted into a removable substance through the cleaning mechanism. The contact body and spindle rotation system transforms the potential harm of cutting powder accumulation into a beneficial cleaning process that eliminates the interference problem
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the dummy pin is cleaned by rotating it with the spindle while contacting the contact body, then cutting powder can be easily removed, but additional components and control operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The spindle is designed to serve multiple functions: both rotating the cutting tool during machining operations and rotating the dummy pin during cleaning operations. The contact body serves dual purposes as both a positioning reference and a cleaning surface, eliminating the need for separate dedicated cleaning components
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy pin cleaning is performed using the existing spindle and contact body components that are already part of the machine tool system. The dummy pin itself is rotated and contacted to remove cutting powder, utilizing the machine's own resources rather than requiring external specialized cleaning equipment
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
Effectively removes cutting powder from dummy pins, preventing storage and operational issues, ensuring smooth handling and reducing error detection from sensor contact.
Implementation Method 1
the dummy pin is brought into contact with the contact body and rotated by the spindle to remove attached cutting powder
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting machine includes a cutting room in which a cutting object is cut, a gripping portion to selectively grip one of a cutting tool that cuts the cutting object and a dummy pin that does not cut the cutting object and is in the cutting room, a spindle to rotate the gripping portion around an axis line, a contact body that is in the cutting room and can contact the dummy pin gripped by the gripping portion, a position adjuster to change a relative positional relationship between the gripping portion and the contact body, and a controller including a dummy pin cleaning controller to execute dummy pin cleaning by rotating, when the dummy pin gripped by the gripping portion is brought into contact with the contact body, the dummy pin together with the gripping portion by the spindle.