Internal Milling Machine Layout for Stable Cutter Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turn milling machines for machining shafts, particularly crank shafts, face challenges in stability and accessibility when using internal milling cutters, leading to reduced manufacturing precision and increased operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A turn milling machine design featuring a portal-shaped Z-slide with moveable cutter supports and a slanted bed configuration, allowing for precise guidance and support of the internal milling cutter, while optimizing chip removal and reducing machine height through a 45° inclined transversal slide and a slanted mounting surface, enhancing accessibility and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the cutter support is arranged laterally offset parallel to the spindle stock, then the machine configuration is simpler, but the stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging the cutter support laterally offset parallel to the spindle stock (conventional approach), the patent inverts the support structure by using a slanted bed where the cutter support is positioned at an angle (45°) relative to the spindle stock. This inverted configuration provides better stability while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a lateral (horizontal) arrangement of the cutter support to a slanted (inclined) arrangement at 45°. This dimensional change in the support angle improves stability by distributing loads more effectively across the machine structure while preserving ease of configuration.
2Ease of operation
If a slanted bed configuration is used, then accessibility to components is improved, but the machine height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a slanted bed configuration at 45°, changing the vertical arrangement of components to an inclined arrangement. This dimensional transformation improves operator accessibility to components while the compact design minimizes the overall machine height increase.
3Temperature
If chips remain on the mounting surface for extended periods, then heat buildup occurs, but chip removal becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The slanted bed configuration at 45° uses gravity-assisted chip removal by inclining the mounting surface. This dimensional change in the bed angle allows chips to naturally slide off the surface, reducing heat buildup without requiring complex active chip removal systems.
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
The machine achieves high machining precision, improved accessibility, and reduced heat buildup by ensuring stable and precise support of the internal milling cutter, facilitating efficient chip removal and maintaining a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
the mounting surface drops at a slant angle from behind in forward direction wherein the remaining components of the machine are attached to the mounting surface like e.g. the at least one spindle stock, optionally a tail stock, an additional clamping device and the at least one tool support. This facilitates easy access for the operator to the individual components in particular during maintenance or for changing the tools. This also has the effect that chips falling onto the mounting surface slide from the bed quickly into a separate chip conveyor that extends in front of a front edge of the bed so that a time period during which the chips that become very hot during milling can be transferred to the bed is very short so that the heating of bed is rather limited.
Data Source
AI summary
In the internal milling machine according to the invention for milling a work piece that rotates during machining with an annular internal milling cutter (5) on the one hand side the Z slide (4a, b) of each tool support (3a, b) includes a pass through opening and on the other hand side the transversal slide (7) supporting the internal milling cutter (5) is move able in the X-direction, the running direction of the mounting surface (1a) of the bed (1) wherein the mounting surface slopes downward in a forward direction. Based on this general configuration and in particular the arrangement of the Z-slides (6a, b) for the at least one tool support (3a, b) outside of the Z-supports (16a, b) for the opposite spindle stock (2′) yields advantageous centers of gravity in particular of the move able components and a high level of stability of the machine and therefore high level of machining precision of the machine.