Elongated Workpiece Machining With Continuous Horizontal Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to reliably transfer and clamp narrow, elongated workpieces between clamping units without causing bending or twisting, especially when the clamping units are not adjustable transversely to the workpiece's longitudinal direction, which is necessary for machining both sides accurately.
Innovation Solution
The method involves initially clamping the workpiece horizontally in the first unit, transferring it while maintaining horizontal clamping, and then vertically clamping it in the second unit, using adjustable stops to ensure secure transfer and machining without releasing the workpiece, allowing for flexible clamping positions transverse to the longitudinal direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the workpiece is transferred between clamping units without horizontal clamping, then the transfer process is simpler, but the workpiece may deform due to internal stresses causing bending or twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece is clamped horizontally in the first clamping unit before transfer, and this horizontal clamping is maintained during the transfer process to the second clamping unit. This preliminary clamping action prevents deformation caused by internal stresses during transfer, ensuring dimensional accuracy is maintained throughout the process.
2Reliability
If the clamping units are made adjustable transverse to the workpiece longitudinal direction, then narrow workpieces can be clamped reliably, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping units are designed with transverse adjustability, allowing the clamping position to be dynamically adapted to different workpiece widths. This enables reliable clamping of narrow workpieces while maintaining the ability to process various dimensions, with the adjustment mechanism enabling the clamping jaws to position themselves appropriately for each workpiece.
3Productivity
If the workpiece is released during transfer between clamping units, then the transfer is faster, but internal stresses cause bending or twisting reducing machining accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal clamping is maintained continuously throughout the transfer process from the first to the second clamping unit. The workpiece remains clamped without being released, ensuring that internal stresses do not cause deformation. This continuous clamping action preserves machining accuracy while the automated transfer system maintains productivity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2g
Figure 2h~2k
AI summary
In this process, the workpieces are clamped between at least one upper and one lower clamping jaw (17, 18 and 19, 20) of a first clamping unit (1, 2) such that at least one side can be machined. The first workpiece is transferred from the first clamping unit (1, 2) to a second clamping unit (1, 2), which has at least one upper and one lower clamping jaw (17, 18 and 19, 20). The workpiece is clamped by the second clamping unit (1, 2) in such a way that further machining can be carried out on the workpiece. During the transfer between the two clamping units (1, 2), the workpieces are clamped horizontally, although until they are clamped horizontally, they are still held vertically by the clamping jaws (17 to 20) of at least one of the clamping units (1, 2).With horizontal clamping and the vertical clamping released perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the workpieces are moved and then vertically clamped by the clamping jaws (17 to 20) of the same clamping unit (1, 2) or the clamping unit (1, 2) that holds the workpieces. The horizontal clamping is then released. This ensures that the workpiece remains clamped during transfer from the first to the second clamping unit (1, 2), thus preventing the risk of bending or twisting of the workpiece, e.g., due to internal stresses.