Small Rotary Tool Grinding Calibration Using 3D Wheel Marks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for grinding small rotary cutting tools with diameters less than 3 mm, such as milling cutters and drills, face challenges in achieving high precision due to inaccuracies in measuring abrasive wheel positions and geometries, leading to time-consuming iterations and significant material waste.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a grinding machine to mount a workpiece, perform calibration marks with abrasive wheels, measure geometrical and positional features, and generate instructions for precise grinding operations, utilizing embedded laser imaging or external measurement to achieve high accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If external calibration measuring devices with 10 micron accuracy are used, then cutting tools with outer diameters exceeding 3 mm can be ground with sufficient precision, but cutting tools with outer diameters below 3 mm (as small as 50 microns or 30 microns) cannot achieve the required precision without time-consuming iterative adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces external mechanical calibration measuring devices with an embedded laser imaging system that uses optical measurement. The laser scanner is integrated directly into the grinding machine, eliminating the need for separate mechanical measurement devices and enabling direct, high-precision measurement of abrasive wheel positions and geometries during the grinding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded laser imaging system serves multiple functions: it measures the position and geometry of abrasive wheels, calibrates the grinding machine coordinate system, and verifies cutting tool dimensions. This multi-functional system eliminates the need for separate calibration devices and iterative measurement processes.
2Measurement precision
If external calibration measuring devices are used, then calibration can be performed, but the accuracy is insufficient for small cutting tools leading to scrapping of a large quantity of blanks of bars or cylindrical workpieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces external mechanical measurement devices with an embedded laser imaging system that provides non-contact, high-precision optical measurement. This substitution enables accurate measurement of abrasive wheel positions and geometries without the limitations of mechanical contact measurement, thereby preventing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser imaging system acts as an intermediary between the grinding machine and the abrasive wheels, providing precise measurement data that enables accurate calibration and positioning. This intermediary measurement system eliminates the need for trial-and-error grinding that results in material waste.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional iterative grinding methods are used, then cutting tools can be produced, but the process is time-consuming and requires multiple operations with successive grinding of several cylindrical workpieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calibration of the grinding machine using the embedded laser imaging system before the actual cutting tool grinding. By pre-determining the precise positions and geometries of all abrasive wheels and establishing the coordinate system transformation, the system eliminates the need for iterative adjustments during production, thereby increasing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded laser imaging system provides real-time feedback on abrasive wheel positions and cutting tool dimensions. This feedback enables the control system to automatically adjust grinding parameters and compensate for deviations, eliminating manual iterative adjustments and improving manufacturing throughput.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for machining small rotary cutting tools by a grinding machine, comprising: a) mounting a workpiece in a spindle of the grinding machine; b) machining a calibration portion of the workpiece by performing one or a plurality of marks on said workpiece with one abrasive wheel or with a corresponding plurality of abrasive wheels of different shapes, wherein said one mark or each mark comprises at least one geometrical feature and two position features corresponding respectively to a geometrical feature and to 3D coordinates of the corresponding abrasive wheel, in a X-Y-Z coordinate system of the grinding machine, that has ground the corresponding mark c) performing measurements of said at least one geometrical feature and said two position features of said one mark or each mark of the calibration portion d) generating a sequence of instructions based on said at least one geometrical feature and on said two position features of said one mark or each mark as measured under step c) to grind said workpiece to the final and desired shape of the cutting tool and e) controlling the 3D coordinates of said one or more abrasive wheels in said X-Y Z coordinate system during grinding operations on the workpiece or on another workpiece according to said sequence of instructions to obtain said cutting tool.