Abstract
A method for automated characterization of a workpiece (21) during a machining operation by a machine tool (22, 23, 1) includes acquiring a data set describing the machining operation, selecting and extracting the workpiece (21) from a plurality of workpieces (21) in accordance with an algorithm, and linking the data set to the workpiece (21) via an assignment. The method also includes selecting a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes (6, 6′ in an automated manner via the data set.
Claims
1-15: (canceled)
16. A method for automated characterization of a workpiece (21) during a machining operation by a machine tool (22, 23, 1), comprising: acquiring a data set describing the machining operation; selecting a workpiece (21) from a plurality of workpieces (21) in accordance with an algorithm; extracting the workpiece (21) from the plurality of workpieces (21); linking the data set to the workpiece (21) via an assignment; and selecting a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes (6, 6′) in an automated manner via the data set.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the assignment comprises at least one further link to at least one further data set.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the assignment comprises arranging (5, 9, 12) one or both of the data set and the at least one further data set directly on the workpiece.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein one or both of the data set and the at least one further data set is arranged (5, 9, 12) on the workpiece as a data matrix code or as a label.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein one or both of the data set and the at least one further data set is stored (9′, 12′) in a database, and the assignment comprises arranging (5′) a piece of information referring to one or both of the data set and the at least one further data set on the workpiece.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the assignment comprises arranging (5, 9, 12) the data set directly on the workpiece.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data set is arranged (5, 9, 12) on the workpiece as a data matrix code or as a label.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the data set is stored (9′, 12′) in a database, and the assignment comprises arranging (5′) a piece of information referring to the data set on the workpiece.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein the algorithm comprises a statistical method for selecting random samples.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein the algorithm selects a last workpiece from each production lot for the workpiece (21).
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the assignment comprises a link of one or both of the data set and at least one further data set of the workpiece (21) to the production lot.
27. The method of claim 16, wherein the algorithm selects the workpiece (21) for which the data set deviates from a predefined standard data set by more than a tolerance range.
28. The method of claim 16, further comprising utilizing the assignment as traceability information of the workpiece (21).
29. The method of claim 16, wherein the subsequent process comprises an inspection process carried out by an inspection machine, the method further comprising acquitting a further data set describing the inspection process.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising guiding the workpiece (21) back into a production lot after the inspection process.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising adapting the machining operation for subsequent workpieces (21) based on the further data set describing the inspection process.
32. A system (20) for the automated characterization of a workpiece (21), comprising: at least one machine tool (22, 23); at least one inspection machine; and a database, wherein the system (20) is configured for acquiring, during a machining operation by the machine tool (22, 23), a data set describing the machining operation, selecting a workpiece (21) from a plurality of workpieces (21) during the machining operation in accordance with an algorithm, extracting the workpiece (21) from the machine tool (22, 23), acquiring, during an inspection process carried out by the inspection machine, a further data set describing the inspection process, establishing a link of one or both of the data set and the further data set to the workpiece (21) via an assignment, and selecting a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes in an automated manner via one or both of the data set and the further data set.
33. A system (20) for the automated characterization of a workpiece (21), wherein the system (20) is configured for implementing the method of claim 16.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] Example aspects of the invention are explained by way of example in the following with reference to embodiments represented in the figures, wherein:
[0038] FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, one possible embodiment of a method according to example aspects of the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece during a machining operation by a machine tool in the form of a flowchart;
[0039] FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, one further possible embodiment of a method according to example aspects of the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece during a machining operation by a machine tool in the form of a flowchart; and
[0040] FIG. 3 shows, by way of example and diagrammatically, one possible embodiment of a system according to example aspects of the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.
[0042] Identical objects, functional units, and comparable components are marked with the same reference characters in all figures. These objects, functional units, and comparable components are identically designed with regard to their technical features, as long as nothing else results, explicitly or implicitly, from the description.
[0043] FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, one possible embodiment of a method according to example aspects of the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece 21 during a machining operation by a machine tool 22, 23 in the form of a flowchart, reference also being made to FIG. 3. In method step 1, the workpiece 21, namely, according to example aspects of the invention, a metallic gearwheel 21 for a vehicle transmission, is subjected to a machining process by the machine tool 22, 23. According to the example, the machine tool 22, 23 is a honing machine. In step 2, the data that describe the machining operation are acquired by the machine tool 22, 23. According to the example, these data are a machining duration and a time-dependent force applied for honing. These data are combined to form a data set, which therefore describes the machining operation by the machine tool 22, 23 on the workpiece 21. In the subsequent method step 3, the workpiece 21 is selected in accordance with an algorithm that represents a statistical selection process for selecting a representative individual from a group. The workpiece 21 is therefore representative of the entire production lot, with which the workpiece 21 was manufactured, and has already been subjected to preceding machining operations. In method step 4, the workpiece 21 is extracted from the machine tool 22, 23. Immediately after the extraction, in method step 5, a link of the data set to the workpiece 21 is established via an assignment. The assignment takes place, according to the example, by arranging the data set directly on the workpiece 21, namely in the form of a data matrix code, which is embossed into the material of the workpiece 21. In the following method step 6, a selection of a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes is carried out in an automated manner via the data set. For this purpose, the data matrix code arranged on the workpiece 21 is detected by a camera 30 and the represented data set is evaluated by a processing unit 31 designed for this purpose. Since the data set describes, according to the example, a comparatively great force applied during honing, in step 6, two inspection processes are selected as the subsequent processes, namely a gear inspection and a material hardness inspection. The gear inspection is carried out in step 7 and indicates no unusual deviation from the desired gear tooth shape. The data acquired during the inspection process are acquired in step 8 and combined to form a further data set. In step 9, the further data set is also arranged on the workpiece 21 in the form of a data matrix code and, thus, a link is established between the workpiece 21, the data set describing the machining operation, and the further data set describing the inspection process. In step 10, the material hardness inspection is carried out, which, according to the invention, also does not indicate an unusual deviation from the desired material hardness. In step 11, yet another data set is created, which describes the inspection process of the material hardness inspection. In step 12, this yet another data set is also applied, as a data matrix code, onto the workpiece 21 such that the yet another data set is also linked to the workpiece 21. Simultaneously, a link is also established to the data set describing the machining operation and to the further data set describing the inspection process. Since the workpiece 21 was selected in step 3 as a representative of the entire production lot, an inference to the quality of all other workpieces 21 of the production lot can be made in method step 13 on the basis of the established properties of the workpiece 21, i.e., on the basis of the quality of the workpiece 21. The inspection of every single workpiece 21, which would otherwise be necessary, can therefore be dispensed with.
[0044] FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, one further possible embodiment of a method according to the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece 21 during a machining operation by a machine tool 22, 23 in the form of a flowchart. The method from FIG. 2 largely corresponds to the method from FIG. 1, although the assignment is not carried out via the application of a data matrix code on the workpiece 21 as in step 5 from FIG. 1. Instead, in method step 5′ from FIG. 2, a numerical code is applied on the workpiece in the form of a label. The numerical code represents an individual identification of the workpiece 21 and simultaneously corresponds to a digital address in an electronic database. In the step 5″ taking place simultaneously with step 5′, the acquired data set is transmitted into this electronic database and retrievably stored in the electronic database under the digital address. According to the example, in step 6′, the selection of a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes is therefore carried out without reverting to a camera 30, since the data set can be retrieved directly from the database and evaluated by a processing unit 31 designed for this purpose. In a similar way, in step 9′ as well, the further data set, which describes the gear inspection process, is also retrievably stored in the database under the digital address and, in step 12′, the yet another data set, which describes the material hardness inspection process, is retrievably stored in the database under the digital address. The link of the workpiece 21 to the data set, to the further data set, and to the yet another data set is therefore carried out according to the example via the numerical code and/or the digital address.
[0045] FIG. 3 shows, by way of example and diagrammatically, one possible design of a system 20 according to the invention for the automated characterization of a workpiece 21. The system includes, according to the example, two machine tools 22 and 23, which represent a production line in the sense that the workpiece 21 is initially fed, via feeding equipment 24, to the machine tool 22, is machined by this machine tool 22, and, thereafter, is fed to the machine tool 23 and is machined by this machine tool 23. The feeding equipment 24 is, according to the example, a conveyor 24. The machine tools 22 and 23 are designed for automatically receiving the workpiece 21 from the feeding equipment 24 and, once the machining operation has been completed, placing the workpiece 21 back on the feeding equipment 24. During the machining operations by the machine tools 22 and 23, a data set describing the particular machining operation is acquired in each case. In accordance with an algorithm, which is executed by an electronic arithmetic unit 25 and is connected to the machine tools 22 and 23 via data lines 26 and 27 at the data level, the workpiece 21 can be selected from a plurality of workpieces 21 during a machining operation by one of the machine tools 22 and 23 in accordance with the algorithm and extracted from the particular machine tool 22 or 23. During the extraction, the machine tools 22 and 23 can output a label with a data matrix code, via a printer 28 and 29 assigned thereto, respectively, and apply the label to the workpiece 21. The data matrix code describes the data set. The attachment of the label on the workpiece 21 represents an assignment that establishes a link of the data set to the workpiece. The system 20 also includes a camera 30 and a processing unit 31, wherein the camera 30 can detect the data matrix code applied on the workpiece and the processing unit 31 can evaluate the data matrix code. The processing unit 31 is also designed for making a selection of a subsequent process from a plurality of possible subsequent processes in an automated manner via the data set.
[0046] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.
REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0047] 1 machining operation [0048] 2 acquisition of the data set [0049] 3 selection of the workpiece [0050] 4 extraction of the workpiece [0051] 5 establishment of the assignment, arrangement of the data matrix code [0052] 5′ establishment of the assignment, arrangement of the label [0053] 5′″ transmission of the data set to the database [0054] 6 determination of the subsequent process [0055] 6′ determination of the subsequent process [0056] 7 gear inspection [0057] 8 acquisition of the further data set [0058] 9 establishment of the assignment, arrangement of the data matrix code [0059] 9′ transmission of the further data set to the database [0060] 10 material hardness inspection [0061] 11 acquisition of the yet another data set [0062] 12 establishment of the assignment, arrangement of the data matrix code [0063] 12′ transmission of the yet another data set to the database [0064] 13 inference of the quality of all other workpieces [0065] 20 system [0066] 21 workpiece, metallic gearwheel [0067] 22 machine tool [0068] 23 machine tool [0069] 24 feeding equipment, conveyor [0070] 25 electronic arithmetic unit [0071] 26 data line [0072] 27 data line [0073] 28 printer [0074] 29 printer [0075] 30 camera [0076] 31 processing unit
