Tool Transport Air Blow Cleaning for Chip-Free Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
In machine tool systems, the transportation of tools from a tool magazine to a storage device leads to contamination of the transport path and surroundings due to adhering chips and coolant, which are not effectively cleaned by existing methods.
Innovation Solution
A tool transport device equipped with a moving device, a tool attachment/detachment robot, and an air blow device with a pressurized air ejection unit, where the air blow device has a box to receive the tool and eject pressurized air to clean the tool before transport, preventing contamination by chips and coolant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tools are transported from tool magazine to tool storage device without cleaning, then transport efficiency is maintained, but transport path and surroundings become contaminated by chips and coolant
Solution Approach 1:
The air blow device performs preliminary cleaning of the tool by ejecting pressurized air onto chips and coolant adhering to the tool surface before the tool is transported to the tool storage device. This preliminary action removes contaminants at the source, preventing them from falling off during transport and contaminating the transport path and surroundings.
Solution Approach 2:
Pressurized air serves as an intermediary medium between the air blow device and the tool surface. The pressurized air flow acts as a mediator to detach chips and coolant from the tool surface without requiring direct mechanical contact, thereby cleaning the tool effectively while maintaining transport efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air is ejected toward tool at tool transfer area to remove chips and coolant, then tool cleaning is achieved, but tool transfer area and periphery become contaminated by blown-off chips and coolant
Solution Approach 1:
The air blow device is positioned such that the pressurized air ejection point is located away from the tool transfer area. This spatial extraction separates the cleaning operation from the transfer zone, allowing chips and coolant to be removed from the tool without being blown into the tool transfer area and its periphery, thus preventing secondary contamination.
3Quantity of substance
If tool capacity of tool magazine is increased to store more tools, then ability to supply tools is improved, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool storage system is segmented into two functional parts: a compact tool magazine with limited capacity positioned near the machine tool for frequent tool changes, and a larger tool storage device positioned away from the machine tool for bulk tool storage. The tool transport device connects these two segments, enabling the system to achieve high overall tool capacity while keeping the tool magazine compact and space-efficient.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tool transport device effectively cleans tools of chips and coolant during transport, preventing contamination of the transport path and surroundings, ensuring a cleaner operational environment.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurized air ejection unit configured to eject pressurized air into the air blow box
Data Source
AI summary
A tool transport device (10) transporting a tool (T) between a machine tool (M) including a tool magazine (TM) holding a plurality of tools (T) and a tool storage device storing a plurality of tools includes a moving device (11) having a moving table (15) and moving on a path (14) or with no path to move the moving table (15) to a working position set for the tool magazine (TM) and a working position set for the tool storage device, a tool attachment/detachment robot (25) and an air blow device (30) arranged on the moving table (15), and a controller (50) controlling operations of the moving device (11), tool attachment/detachment robot (25), and air blow device (30). The air blow device (30) includes an air blow box (31) having an opening (32) for loading and unloading of the tool (T) and has therein a space able to receive the tool (T), and a pressurized air ejection unit ejecting pressurized air into the air blow box (31).