Milling Grooves in Disc Brake Bands with Single Feeding Axis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current disc brake manufacturing methods require lengthy production times and high costs due to the need for separate roughing and finishing milling operations for axial grooves in braking bands, leading to geometrical and finishing accuracy issues incompatible with mass production.

Innovation Solution

A milling method that uses a single feeding axis to perform both roughing and finishing operations with a group of tools, eliminating the need for tool replacement and minimizing axis movements, thereby achieving high surface finishing and geometrical accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If separate roughing and finishing milling operations are performed using different machining heads, then surface finishing quality and geometrical accuracy can be improved, but production time increases and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface finishing qualityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines roughing and finishing milling operations into a single machining head that carries both roughing tools and finishing tools. This merging of operations eliminates the need for separate machining heads and reduces production time while maintaining surface finishing quality and geometrical accuracy through coordinated tool movements along the same feeding axis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The machining head is designed with multi-functionality to perform both roughing and finishing operations simultaneously. By integrating multiple tool types (roughing tools and finishing tools) into a single universal machining head, the system achieves both high precision surface finishing and improved productivity without requiring multiple specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple machining heads are used for roughing and finishing operations, then manufacturing precision can be improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeometrical accuracyVSAvoidnumber of machining heads
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple machining heads into a single integrated machining head that contains both roughing tools and finishing tools. This consolidation reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate machining heads while maintaining geometrical accuracy through precise coordination of tool movements along the same feeding axis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The machining head is designed as a universal device that can perform both roughing and finishing operations. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall machining system by replacing multiple specialized machining heads with a single versatile unit, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If tool replacement is performed between roughing and finishing operations, then surface finishing quality can be improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface finishing qualityVSAvoidtool replacement time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines roughing tools and finishing tools into a single machining head, eliminating the need for tool replacement between operations. This merging allows continuous machining operations without interruption for tool changes, thereby maintaining surface finishing quality while significantly reducing production time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The machining system maintains continuous useful action by performing roughing and finishing operations in sequence without interrupting the feeding axis movement. The tools are arranged to allow continuous machining along the same path, eliminating idle time for tool replacement and maintaining uninterrupted productive action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Manufacturing precision

If different feeding movements are used for roughing and finishing tools, then manufacturing precision can be improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeometrical accuracyVSAvoidmachining speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the feeding movements of roughing and finishing tools into a single coordinated feeding axis movement. This unified approach allows both operations to proceed along the same path without requiring separate positioning operations, thereby maintaining geometrical accuracy while improving machining speed and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous feeding axis movement throughout both roughing and finishing operations. By eliminating separate positioning and feeding movements for each tool type, the system achieves uninterrupted machining action that preserves precision while maximizing productivity through continuous material removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3040145B1Milling method for making grooves along a cavity which extends in a workpiece
Publication Date: 2018.04.04 FRENI BREMBO SPA
  • EP3040145B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3040145B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3040145B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A milling method for making and/or finishing at least one groove (204) having a predefined groove extension axis (C-C) in a wall (203) of a cavity (202) in a workpiece (200), comprising the steps of providing at least one group (30, 31, 32, 33) of milling tools, comprising a roughing tool (57, 59, 61, 63) adapted to be rotated about a roughing axis (90, 92, 94, 96), and a finishing tool (58, 60, 62, 64) adapted to be rotated about a finishing axis (91, 93, 95, 97); arranging said roughing tool (57, 59, 61, 63) and said finishing tool (58, 60, 62, 64) with said roughing axis (90, 92, 94, 96) and said finishing axis (91, 93, 95, 97) aligned, respectively, on the same plane (25, 26, 27, 28) passing through a machining feeding axis (S-S); aligning said feeding axis (S-S) parallel to the groove extension axis (C-C) so that said roughing tool (57, 59, 61, 63) and said finishing tool (58, 60, 62, 64) can travel along said groove extension axis (C-C); rotating said roughing tool (57, 59, 61, 63) in a removal machining movement about said roughing axis (90, 92, 94, 96); rotating said finishing tool (58, 60, 62, 64) in a finishing machining movement about said finishing axis (91, 93, 95, 97); moving said at least one group of tools (30, 31, 32, 33) along said feeding axis (S-S) so that said roughing tool (57, 59, 61, 63) makes or finishes said at least one groove (204) in said wall (203) while travelling along said groove axis (C-C); continuing to move said at least one group of tools (30, 31, 32, 33) along said feeding axis (S-S) so that said finishing tool (58, 60, 62, 64) finishes said at least one groove (204) by performing a finishing operation of said at least one groove (204).