Horizontal Machine Tool Axis for Gear Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machine tools for gear machining face challenges with contamination from falling chips during gear cutting, design complexity due to vertical feed movements, and inefficiencies in machining cycles and non-productive times.

Innovation Solution

Aligning the main axis of the rotary holder and workpiece spindles horizontally to allow chips to fall freely, simplifying the feed movement by eliminating the need for vertical strokes, and incorporating motorized drives and a deburring device to enhance machining efficiency and reduce contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the main axis and spindle axes are aligned vertically, then the machine tool structure is compact, but chips fall onto the rotary holder and spindles causing contamination and requiring additional removal devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine tool structureVSAvoidchip contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional vertical alignment of the main axis and spindle axes to a horizontal alignment. This inversion changes the direction of chip fall due to gravity, causing chips to fall away from the rotary holder and spindles rather than onto them, thereby eliminating contamination without requiring additional chip removal devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the main axis and spindle axes are aligned vertically, then gravity causes chips to fall onto the rotary holder, but changing to horizontal alignment requires feed movement mechanisms to overcome gravity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechip contaminationVSAvoidfeed movement mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the alignment from vertical to horizontal, the patent eliminates the need for vertical feed movement mechanisms. The horizontal alignment allows feed movements to occur in a direction perpendicular to gravity, eliminating the need to overcome gravitational forces during feeding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If vertical stroke mechanisms are implemented for parallel feed movement, then longitudinal or axial milling can be performed, but the design complexity increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegear cutting capabilityVSAvoidfeed movement mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the approach by aligning the spindle axes horizontally rather than vertically. This allows the feed movement to occur horizontally, parallel to the spindle axes, without requiring complex vertical stroke mechanisms. The inversion enables longitudinal and axial milling capabilities while maintaining simpler feed movement mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If horizontal alignment is implemented, then chips fall freely without contaminating the rotary holder, but the workpiece spindles must be rotated to loosen adhering chips

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechip contaminationVSAvoidchip removal efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes periodic rotation of the workpiece spindles during gear machining to loosen and remove adhering chips. This periodic rotational action occurs naturally during the gear cutting process, ensuring that chips do not form clamping nests on the spindles while maintaining continuous machining operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

This configuration reduces contamination, simplifies the machine design, shortens machining cycles, and increases productivity by allowing horizontal feed movements and efficient chip management, while minimizing thermal expansion and manufacturing inaccuracies.

Implementation Method 1

any chips that occur fall down freely in the vertical direction due to gravity and thus do not fall on the rotary holder

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2029306B2Machine tool for machining toothing of work pieces

Publication Date: 2014.10.08 FELSOMAT GMBH & CO KG

Figure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a machine tool (1) for machining toothing of work pieces, comprising a rotating holding device (3) which can be rotated about a main axis A, two work piece spindles (4a, 4b) which are arranged on the rotating holding device (3), said work piece spindles (4a, 4b) comprising spindle axes (Sa, Sb) which are parallel to the main axis, in particular, the workpiece spindles (4a, 4b) being arranged symmetrically about the main axis A. Said machine tool also comprises a work tool holder (5) for the work tool (50) for machining a work piece (6) on one of the work piece spindles (4a). The invention is characterised in that the main axis A of the rotating holding device (3) extends in a horizontal manner. Soiling of the rotating holding device and work spindles can be reduced by separated chips and the constructive effort for a relative forward displacement of the work tool in relation to the work piece parallel to the spindle axes is reduced.