Tiltable Tool Magazine with Shutter for Machining Center Height Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Machining centers with automatic tool changing functions often have a high overall height due to the need for a tilted tool magazine and an openable shutter, which compromises stability.
Innovation Solution
A machining center design that incorporates a rotatable tool magazine with a tilted posture and a tool-free area, allowing the tool magazine to be positioned closer to the horizontal cover without interfering with the shutter, using a tiltable mechanism to adjust the tilt angle for tool changing and replacement, and a control system to manage the tool changing and replacement processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tool magazine is provided tilted with the door side higher and spindle side lower to facilitate tool changing, then the ease of operation is improved, but the overall height increases and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tool magazine is designed with a tiltable mechanism that allows it to change its tilt angle dynamically. During tool changing operations, the magazine tilts to a larger angle (first tilted posture) to facilitate easy tool access. During machining operations, the magazine tilts to a smaller angle (second tilted posture) to reduce overall height and improve stability. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and machine stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an openable shutter is provided between the work space and tool magazine to prevent debris entry, then the protection function is improved, but the overall height increases due to the need for additional clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is integrated into the tiltable tool magazine structure, allowing it to move with the magazine during tilting operations. When the magazine tilts to the second posture during machining, the shutter closes to prevent debris entry. The dynamic tilting mechanism allows the shutter to maintain its protective function while minimizing the overall height requirement, as the shutter moves with the magazine rather than requiring separate clearance space.
Data Source
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AI summary
A machining center includes a rotatable tool magazine (22) arranged above a work space (WS) facing a spindle (15) tilted so that the spindle side becomes lower and having a plurality of grippers (24) for holding tools (16) in a circumferential direction, and a shutter (26) arranged below the tool magazine (22) to be able to open and close facing the spindle side. The tool magazine (22) has a tool-free area (AR2) where there are no grippers (24) at a part of the circumferential direction and a tool-holding area (ARA) where there are grippers (24) at another part of the circumferential direction. The tool magazine (22) is controlled in rotation so that when the shutter (26) is closed, the tool-free area (AR2) moves to the spindle side while when the shutter (26) is open, the tool-holding area (AR1) moves to the spindle side.