Interlocked Cylindrical Setup Doors for Wide-Access Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional machining systems have limited opening width due to small operation angles of operator doors and increased manufacturing costs from complex gear systems in setup stations.
Innovation Solution
A machining system with a setup station featuring partially cylindrical outer and inner doors that rotate on concentric circular tracks, an interlocking mechanism for synchronized operation, and a controller with an interlock circuit to manage door states and pallet transfer operations, allowing for a 180° opening width with a simple mechanical structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single operator door is used in conventional setup stations, then the structure is simple, but the opening width is limited when the operator accesses the pallet and workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The operator door is divided into two separate doors (first operator door and second operator door) that can operate independently. This segmentation allows each door to rotate through a larger angle (up to 180 degrees) without requiring the entire door assembly to be complex, thereby increasing the opening width while maintaining manageable structural complexity for each individual door component.
2Ease of operation
If ring gears are attached to door elements to enable synchronized rotation, then the doors can rotate in opposite directions, but the manufacturing cost increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
An interlocking mechanism acts as an intermediary between the two operator doors, enabling synchronized rotation without requiring complex ring gears on each door element. This intermediate mechanism coordinates the movement of both doors, allowing them to rotate in opposite directions while significantly reducing manufacturing costs compared to the ring gear approach.
3Ease of operation
If the operator door operation angle is less than 180 degrees, then the door structure is simpler, but the opening width is insufficient for operator access
Solution Approach 1:
The operator doors are designed with dynamic rotation capabilities allowing each door to rotate up to 180 degrees. This dynamic design enables the doors to achieve maximum opening width for operator access while the interlocking mechanism ensures coordinated movement. The dynamic nature of the doors allows them to adapt to different operational requirements while maintaining safety through the interlocking system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A machining system (100) comprises: a machining device (120) that machines a workpiece; a set-up station (10) with which pallet (P) workpiece attachment/detachment is carried out; and a pallet conveyance device (110) that conveys the pallet between the machining device and the set-up station. A partially cylindrical operator door (20, 22), which can rotate around a set-up table (38) on which the pallet is mounted, includes a partially cylindrical outer door (20) and a partially cylindrical inner door (22) which rotate following coaxial circular trajectories of different radii. The set-up station is provided with an interlocking mechanism that causes the outer door and the inner door to rotate in an interlocked manner so that a shielded state is constantly maintained between the operator side and the pallet conveyance device side.