Lathe Cut Pattern Determination for Tool Wear Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current machining systems for lathes are inefficient and time-consuming, requiring advanced coding knowledge and many manual steps to determine a cut pattern, leading to tool wear and suboptimal surface quality.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and control device for lathes that determine a cut pattern with specific paths, including linear and circular infeed and outfeed paths, and smoothing paths, optimized to reduce tool wear and improve surface quality by gradually increasing tool load and respecting maximum cut depth and direction limits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If traditional manual methods are used to determine cut patterns, then programming flexibility is maintained, but programming time and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprogramming timeVSAvoidcut pattern complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic determination of cut patterns by the control device itself, using stored reference data and automated algorithms to generate machining paths without requiring manual programming intervention, thereby reducing programming time while maintaining pattern quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Reference data including optimal cut patterns, tool paths, and machining parameters are pre-calculated and stored in the control device before actual machining operations, allowing rapid retrieval and application during production without time-consuming on-site programming

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If aggressive cutting paths are used to increase machining speed, then productivity improves, but tool wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachining speedVSAvoidtool life
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cut pattern determination dynamically adjusts cutting parameters including feed rate, depth of cut, and tool path based on real-time tool load calculations, optimizing the balance between machining speed and tool wear by varying parameters along the cutting path rather than using constant aggressive settings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically modifies cutting parameters such as feed rate and depth of cut based on calculated tool load conditions, reducing parameters when tool load approaches limits to prevent excessive wear while maintaining high productivity during acceptable operating ranges

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If simple linear cut paths are used, then programming simplicity is maintained, but surface quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidcut pattern complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates circular arcs and curved paths in the cut pattern determination to achieve smooth transitions and high-quality surface finishes, replacing simple linear paths with optimized curved trajectories that eliminate abrupt direction changes and improve surface quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Measurement precision

If multiple manual programming steps are used, then control precision is maintained, but machining time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecut pattern precisionVSAvoidmachining efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual programming operations with automated computational algorithms that calculate optimal cut patterns, tool paths, and parameters automatically, maintaining precision through systematic calculations while eliminating time-consuming manual programming steps

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

Data Source

PatentEP4055452B1Method for determining a cut pattern of a lathe, control device, and lathe
Publication Date: 2024.09.04 SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC
  • EP4055452B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4055452B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4055452B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for determining a cut pattern (1) of a lathe (2) which is numerically controlled by a control device (6) and which includes a tool (3) with a cutter (4) acting on a workpiece (5), the workpiece (5) having a start contour (7) and a target contour (8) to be achieved by cutting the workpiece (5) according to the cut pattern (1), the method including: determining a path of a n-th layer of the cut pattern (6), the n-th layer including: for n greater than or equal to 2: an infeed path which is linear and/or parallel to the target contour (8) starting at point E_n-1 and ending at point S_n; a circular infeed path starting tangent to the target contour (8) at point S_n with a radius rS_n and ending at point IS_n; an intermediate path which is linear and/or parallel to the target contour (8) starting at point IS_n and ending at point IE_n; a circular outfeed path starting at point IE_n and ending tangent to the target contour (8) at point E_n with a radius rE_n; for n greater than or equal to 2: a smoothing path which is linear and/or parallel to the target contour (8) starting at point E_n, including point S_n-1, and ending at point E_n.