Generation Grinding Monitoring for Early Grinding Disc Chip Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Continuous generating grinding processes face challenges in detecting and preventing grinding wheel breakouts, leading to machining errors and costly rework or scrap, as existing monitoring strategies are inadequate for real-time intervention.

Innovation Solution

A method for process monitoring that uses warning indicators to detect potential grinding wheel breakouts, triggering automatic checks and corrective actions, such as dressing the wheel, to prevent damage and ensure consistent quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional offline gear measurements are used to assess quality, then manufacturing precision can be maintained through post-processing inspection, but productivity decreases due to lack of real-time intervention capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegear qualityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of grinding wheel breakouts during the machining process itself, rather than waiting for offline inspection. By monitoring process signals in real-time and detecting breakouts as they occur, the system enables preventive intervention before defective gears are produced, thus maintaining precision while improving productivity through continuous process control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop where process signals are continuously monitored, analyzed for breakout indicators, and used to trigger automatic corrective actions. This closed-loop control enables real-time quality assurance without stopping production, resolving the contradiction between maintaining precision and preserving productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If manual operator monitoring is used to detect process deviations, then manufacturing precision can be maintained through experienced judgment, but productivity decreases due to manual intervention time and human error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess stabilityVSAvoidautomation level
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation by using machine-generated process signals to automatically detect breakouts and trigger corrective actions without human intervention. The automated monitoring and response system replaces manual operator judgment, maintaining process stability while eliminating downtime associated with manual inspection and intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical system of manual operator monitoring with an automated electronic monitoring system that analyzes process signals. This substitution eliminates human reaction time limitations and errors while maintaining the ability to detect and respond to process deviations, thus improving both precision and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If no real-time monitoring is implemented, then device complexity remains low, but reliability decreases due to undetected grinding wheel breakouts causing machining errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring system complexityVSAvoidprocess reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses multi-functionality by analyzing existing process signals that are already generated during normal machining operations. Rather than requiring entirely new sensors or monitoring equipment, the system repurposes available process data for breakout detection, thus improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary analysis layer that processes existing process signals to extract breakout indicators. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator between the grinding process and the control system, enabling reliable breakout detection without requiring direct complex interaction with the grinding wheel or workpiece, thus maintaining relatively simple device architecture while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3941673B1Method for automatic process monitoring in continuous generation grinding
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 REISHAUER AG
  • EP3941673B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3941673B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3941673B1 patent drawingFigure 4(a)~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for automatic process monitoring in continuous generation grinding of pre-toothed workpieces (23), said method enabling the early detection of grinding disc chips. A plurality of workpieces are machined with one generation grinding machine (1). To this end, the workpieces are clamped on at least one workpiece spindle (21) and are brought into rolling engagement with a grinding disc (16) one after the other. At least one measurement parameter is monitored during machining. A warning indicator (W) for a grinding disc chip (19) is determined from said parameter. The grinding disc is automatically investigated if the warning indicator indicates a grinding disc chip. To this end, a dressing tool (33) moves over the head region of the grinding disc, and a contact signal is determined during said movement over the head region. A chip indicator (A) is determined from an analysis of the contact signal, the chip indicator showing whether there is a grinding disc chip. Should this be the case, the grinding disc is dressed as many times as needed to eliminate the grinding disc chip. Alternatively, the grinding disc is checked directly on the first dressing stroke.