Automatic Tool Storing Mechanism Sub Magazine Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic tool exchanging mechanisms face instability during transportation of heavy or long cutting tools, leading to potential leaning issues and increased transfer times due to the need for high rigidity claws to grasp tools within pots.
Innovation Solution
An automatic tool storing mechanism with a sub magazine is introduced near the waiting position, allowing tools and pots to be temporarily stored and then transferred efficiently from the sub magazine to the waiting position, reducing transfer time and improving transportation stability by using a combination of guide parts and a pot moving arm with claws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If claws with high rigidity are used to firmly grab the tool by its V-shaped flange, then the tool can be securely held during transportation, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
A pot moving arm is introduced as an intermediary component between the claws and the tool. The arm holds the pot containing the tool, rather than the claws directly gripping the tool's V-shaped flange. This intermediary approach simplifies the claw structure while maintaining secure holding during transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is extracted from direct contact with the gripping mechanism. Instead of claws directly grabbing the tool, the pot is removed from the magazine and held by the pot moving arm, with the tool remaining inside the pot. This extraction eliminates the need for complex high-rigidity claws.
2Loss of time
If tools are transported directly from main magazines to the waiting position, then the transfer time is reduced, but tools that are heavy or long are liable to lean during transportation, causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
A sub-magazine is introduced as an intermediary storage position between the main magazines and the waiting position. Pots with tools are first transferred to the sub-magazine, then from the sub-magazine to the waiting position. This two-stage transfer process improves stability for heavy or long tools by providing an intermediate resting point, while the overall system maintains efficient transfer times.
3Productivity
If a sub magazine is added for provisional storage of tools and pots, then the transfer time after indexing is reduced and transportation stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine system is segmented into main magazines for bulk storage and a sub-magazine for intermediate storage near the waiting position. This segmentation allows tools to be provisionally stored in the sub-magazine, reducing the transfer time after indexing by providing a closer storage location to the waiting position.
Solution Approach 2:
Pots with tools are preliminarily transferred to the sub-magazine in advance before the final transfer to the waiting position. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare tools closer to the exchange point, reducing the time required for the final transfer and improving overall tool exchange efficiency.
Data Source
Figure 1(1)~1(8)
Figure 2(1)~2(8)
Figure 3
AI summary
An automatic tool storing mechanism has a plurality of main magazine, transporting means, and a tool exchanging arm. Each main magazine holds a large number of pots with tools. The transporting means transports the pots with tools one by one between the main magazine and the waiting position close to the main spindle. The tool exchanging arm takes out an unused or preused pot with tool which is waiting at the waiting position and attaches it to the main spindle and also removes the used tool from the main spindle and places it in the pot.