Horizontal Tool Changer Layout for Faster Lathe Tool Swaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontal type machine tools, such as lathes or horizontal turning centers, face challenges with tool changing as they require stopping the machine, separating, and manually mounting new tools, leading to increased time, manpower consumption, decreased productivity, and safety concerns due to the lack of an automatic tool changer and tool magazine.
Innovation Solution
An automatic tool changer system where the magazine and tool post are moved concentrically, with the magazine installed parallel to the tool post, enabling quick and automatic tool exchange by moving the magazine and tool post in synchronization, reducing non-machining time and improving worker convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual tool mounting is used in horizontal type machine tools, then the machine structure can be simple, but the non-machining time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine tool system is divided into separate functional modules: a magazine for holding multiple tools, an automatic tool changer mechanism, and a tool post. This segmentation allows the tool changing function to be automated independently without redesigning the entire machine structure, thus improving productivity while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple tools are pre-loaded into the magazine before machining operations begin. The automatic tool changer retrieves pre-positioned tools from the magazine and mounts them on the tool post as needed, eliminating the need for manual tool mounting during production and significantly reducing non-machining time.
2Device complexity
If manual tool changing is performed by stopping the machine, then the machine structure can be simple, but the non-machining time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic tool changer enables continuous machining operations by automatically replacing tools on the tool post without requiring the machine to stop. The magazine rotates to bring the next required tool into position, and the tool changer mechanism swaps tools while the main machine continues operating, thus eliminating idle time and maintaining continuous productive action.
Solution Approach 2:
The automatic tool changer system is self-operating, retrieving tools from the magazine and mounting them on the tool post autonomously without human intervention. This self-service capability allows tool changing to occur during machine operation, converting what was previously a time-consuming manual stop into an automated background process.
3Device complexity
If manual tool mounting is used, then the device complexity is low, but safety and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical process of tool mounting is replaced with an automated tool changer mechanism that uses controlled mechanical movements, sensors, and programmable logic. This substitution eliminates human error, ensures consistent and precise tool mounting, and improves safety by removing workers from potential hazard zones during tool changing operations.
4Productivity
If tool magazine is added to horizontal type machine tools, then productivity can be improved, but the machine size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine is positioned within or adjacent to the existing machine structure, utilizing available space efficiently. The tool changer mechanism is integrated into the tool post assembly, with components nested within each other. This nesting approach adds the tool magazine functionality while minimizing the increase in overall machine footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The magazine is arranged in a compact configuration, potentially using vertical space or radial arrangement around the tool post, rather than extending the machine horizontally. By utilizing three-dimensional space more effectively, the system adds tool storage and automatic changing capability without proportionally increasing the machine's external dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides: an automatic tool changer for a machine tool which can reduce a non-machining time for changing tools, can have improved productivity, can provide convenience for workers, can perform various types of machining, reduce the size of a machine tool, can maximize expandability and convenience of a machine tool through various types of machining, can reduce maintenance cost and time of the automatic tool changer and a machine tool, and can maximize machinability of a machine too by minimizing non-machining time, because a magazine and a tool post both are moved to be concentric in order to change tools mounted on the tool post and tools held on the magazine so that a machine tool, particularly, a horizontal type machine tool such as a lathe can perform various types of machining, the magazine is horizontally installed to be parallel with the tool post, and tools are disposed in the magazine to be parallel with the tool post; a method of controlling the automatic tool changer; and a machine tool including the automatic tool changer.