Lathe Grip-Change Control for Long Bar Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional machine tool systems waste material, energy, time, and labor when manufacturing long products by performing grip changes during machining cycles, as they often result in unfinished products due to the spindle's limited movable range.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool system with a bar length shortage prior determination unit that determines whether a grip change can be performed during the machining cycle before it starts, allowing for accurate positioning and reducing wasteful machining by comparing the remaining bar length with a specified or calculated distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the spindle performs grip changes during a machining cycle to manufacture long products exceeding its movable range, then the ability to manufacture long products is improved, but material waste increases due to unfinished products when the pusher reaches the bar length shortage position
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the pusher position before the machining cycle starts. The bar length shortage determination unit calculates whether the pusher will reach the bar length shortage position during the machining cycle, and if so, the machine controller aborts the machining cycle before it begins, preventing material waste from unfinished products.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the bar length shortage determination unit to control the machining cycle. The determination unit continuously monitors the pusher position and provides feedback to the machine controller, which uses this information to decide whether to proceed with or abort the machining cycle, thereby preventing material waste.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spindle performs grip changes during a machining cycle, then long products can be manufactured, but energy waste increases due to aborted machining cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the pusher position before the machining cycle starts. By calculating in advance whether the pusher will reach the bar length shortage position, the system avoids starting energy-consuming machining cycles that would inevitably be aborted, thereby reducing energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism provides real-time information about the pusher position to the machine controller, enabling informed decisions about whether to proceed with energy-consuming machining operations, thus preventing unnecessary energy expenditure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the spindle performs grip changes during a machining cycle, then long products can be manufactured, but time waste increases due to aborted machining cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the pusher position before the machining cycle starts. By calculating in advance whether the pusher will reach the bar length shortage position, the system avoids time-consuming aborted machining cycles and prepares appropriate actions beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and decision-making, allowing the system to respond quickly to pusher position changes and avoid time waste from aborted operations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the spindle performs grip changes during a machining cycle, then long products can be manufactured, but labor waste increases due to discarded unfinished products
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the pusher position before the machining cycle starts, preventing the creation of unfinished products that would require manual intervention for removal and disposal, thereby reducing labor requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism enables automatic decision-making and control, reducing the need for manual monitoring and intervention, thus improving labor efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lathe system 1 capable of manufacturing a long product from a bar W by performing a grip change by a spindle 25 during a machining cycle, the long product being of a length exceeding a movable range of the spindle 25, the spindle 25 releasably gripping the bar W and moving in a Z 1-axis direction of the bar W. The lathe system 1 includes a pusher 44 capable of moving in the Z1-axis direction together with the bar W. The lathe system 1 further includes a bar length shortage prior determination unit 20b that determines whether the pusher 44 is in a position permitting the grip change to be performed during the machining cycle. The determination is made prior to the start of the machining cycle.