Rotatable Diamond Cutting Tool for Optical Lens Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
The machining of plastics material lenses results in premature wear of cutting edges, especially at the center of the cutting edge due to uneven usage, leading to increased surface roughness and reduced tool lifespan, particularly when using diamond-tipped tools.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device that allows the cutting tip to be fixed in multiple positions relative to the holder, enabling the use of different sections of the arcuate cutting edge for machining, thereby distributing the wear evenly and prolonging the tool's service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a diamond cutting edge is used for machining plastics material lenses, then the cutting performance and ability to produce precise shapes is improved, but the service life of the cutting edge is reduced due to uneven wear concentration at the center zone
Solution Approach 1:
The support is made rotatable relative to the holder, allowing the cutting edge to be dynamically repositioned to different angular positions during machining operations. This enables the system to adapt and distribute wear across different zones of the cutting edge circumference, preventing concentration at a single point and extending service life while maintaining cutting precision
2Productivity
If the cutting edge is used continuously without repositioning, then productivity is maintained, but the cutting edge wears unevenly with the center zone experiencing highest wear and requiring premature regrinding
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting edge is periodically repositioned to different angular positions on the support during machining operations. This periodic repositioning distributes the wear across different circumferential zones of the cutting edge, preventing premature wear concentration at the center zone and extending the intervals between regrinding operations, thus reducing material loss while maintaining productivity
3Device complexity
If the support is made fixed to the holder, then device complexity is reduced, but the cutting edge cannot be repositioned leading to uneven wear and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
A rotatable support is provided that can be fixed to the holder at different angular positions. This simple rotational mechanism allows the cutting edge to be repositioned without significantly increasing device complexity, while extending service life by distributing wear across different zones of the cutting edge through periodic repositioning
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for the machining of optical workpieces of materials of non-brittle hardness, particularly of plastics material spectacles lenses, has a holder, which is operatively connected with an actuator for reciprocating movement, and a support, which is fixable to the holder and to which a cutting tip of monocrystalline diamond, which has an arcuate cutting edge, is fastened. In order to be able to use the cutting edge over its curve length to avoid of premature wear in the rotary machining, provision is made for a positioning device, by which the support is fixable in at least two different relative positions with respect to the holder to dispose substantially different circumferential sections of the cutting edge for the rotary machining.