Gear Workpiece Positioning Without Repeated Stock-Dividing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of stock-dividing in gear manufacturing is time-consuming, leading to unproductive machine idle time and increased machining cycle times, as each gear-shaped workpiece must be individually positioned before finishing operations, such as grinding, which can take 15-20 seconds or more.
Innovation Solution
A method where the first workpiece is stock-divided and its machining position is determined, allowing subsequent workpieces of the same design to be loaded and rotated to the same machining position without re-determining their rotary position, eliminating the need for individual stock-dividing for each piece.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If stock-dividing is performed for each workpiece individually, then the machining position is accurately determined, but the machine idle time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing stock-dividing only once for the first workpiece of each design type to establish the reference machining position. Subsequent workpieces of the same design are then loaded in the same rotational position without requiring individual stock-dividing, as their machining position can be directly determined from the first workpiece's reference position. This preliminary establishment of reference eliminates repeated time-consuming operations while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by replicating the rotational position and orientation established by the first workpiece for all subsequent workpieces of the same design. The machining position determined from the first workpiece's stock-dividing is copied and applied to all identical workpieces, eliminating the need to repeat the stock-dividing process for each piece while ensuring consistent and accurate machining positions.
2Manufacturing precision
If stock-dividing is performed for each workpiece, then proper tooth positioning is achieved, but unproductive time increases by 15-20 seconds per piece
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the time-consuming stock-dividing operation as a preliminary action only once for the first workpiece of each design. The reference machining position established during this preliminary operation is then reused for all subsequent identical workpieces, eliminating 15-20 seconds of unproductive idle time per piece while ensuring proper tooth positioning accuracy is maintained through the copied reference position.
3Reliability
If individual stock-dividing is performed for each workpiece, then proper tool-workpiece alignment is ensured, but the number of machined parts per period decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures reliable tool-workpiece alignment by copying the reference position established from the first workpiece's stock-dividing to all subsequent identical workpieces. This copying approach maintains the same precise alignment for each workpiece without requiring repeated stock-dividing operations, thereby preserving alignment reliability while increasing the number of machined parts that can be produced within a given time period.
Data Source
AI summary
A method wherein a first workpiece (2, 40) is loaded to a spindle (30) of a workpiece processing machine with the first toothed workpiece having a predetermined design and being in a predetermined rotational load position. The first toothed workpiece is stock-divided and a machining position is determined based on the stock-dividing. The first toothed workpiece is rotationally adjusted to the machining position. The teeth (3, 42) of the first toothed workpiece are then machined and the first workpiece is removed from the spindle. A second toothed workpiece is loaded to the spindle of the workpiece processing machine. The second toothed workpiece has the same predetermined design and is in the same predetermined rotational load position as the first toothed workpiece. The second toothed workpiece is rotationally adjusted from the predetermined rotational load position to the machining position by the same adjustment amount as the first toothed workpiece. The second toothed workpiece is machined and then removed from the machine spindle. The process as performed for the second toothed workpiece can be repeated for subsequent workpieces having the same design and being in the same rotational load position as the first and second workpieces. For the second and subsequent toothed workpieces, the step of determining the rotary position of the teeth is not carried out.