SENSOR MODULE, MACHINE ELEMENT OR TOOL ELEMENT, AND MACHINE TOOL

Abstract

The invention relates to: sensor modules for e.g. a tool holder, wherein the sensor unit is integrated as a structural entity; tool or machine elements designed with such sensor modules: and a machining/machine tool comprising such a sensor module. The sensor modules have a sensor system for detecting system states or operating states which occur during the machining of a workpiece.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. A sensor module (30) for a machine tool or machining unit, having a sensor system (34) for detecting system states or operating states which occur during the machining of a workpiece (22) and having a data transmission device for transmitting measurement signals of the sensor system (34) to an evaluation unit (60), wherein the sensor module (30), which is designed as a structural unit, is configured to be inserted into a recess (26) of a tool holder (1), or of a tool body of a lathing or milling tool, or of a tool of a forming technology, such as a roller, a deep-drawing tool or a punching tool, or into a recess on a machine element, such as a feed slide, which can be adjusted with such a tool holder or tool element or which carries the tool holder or tool element.

23. The sensor module according to claim 22, in which the sensor system (34) and/or a sensor electronics (50) and/or the transmission device and/or a power supply are integrated.

24. The sensor module according to claim 22, in which a channel (42) is formed for conducting cooling lubricant from a mechanical interface to a clamping device (20).

25. The sensor module according to claim 24, wherein the sensor system (34) is at least partially arranged in a rotation axis and the channel (42) is designed to be circumferential to the sensor system (34).

26. A machine element or tool element, such as the tool holder (1), having a clamping device (20) for a tool (22) and having a mechanical interface for the machine tool or the tool body of the lathing or the milling tool or a grinding wheel or the tool body of a tool of the forming technology, such as the roller, the deep-drawing tool or the punching tool or the machine element of the machine tool, such as the feed slide, that adjusts or carries such tool elements, with the recess (26) for holding the sensor module according to claim 23.

27. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, wherein the mechanical interface is a clamping cone, such as a hollow shank taper (HST), to which a sensor shaft (16) is attached towards the clamping device (20), wherein the recess (26) is formed in the sensor shaft (16).

28. The machine element or tool element according to claim 27, wherein a power supply and/or the transmission device and/or an antenna and/or a sensor electronics are inserted into circumferential pockets of the sensor shaft (16).

29. The machine element or tool element according to claim 28, wherein the pocket (54, 56) is designed at least in sections with an undercut (72) that is T-slot shaped.

30. The machine element or tool element according to claim 29, wherein the pocket (54, 56) extends into a region of a gripper groove flange (10) having a gripper groove (12).

31. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, wherein the sensor module (30) is arranged with its axis approximately coaxial to an axis (36) of the machine element or tool element (1).

32. The machine element or tool element according to claim 27, wherein the recess (26) is designed axially or radially in the sensor shaft (16) or to a component of the machine element or tool element (1) so that the sensor module (30) can be inserted axially or radially.

33. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, having an indexation for positioning the sensor module (30) in the recess (26).

34. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, wherein the sensor module (30) is arranged in the recess (26) in a force-fit or form-fit manner.

35. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, wherein the tool holder (1) or the tool body or the machine element has a base body (3) which is divided for insertion or attachment of the sensor module (30) or associated components, wherein base-body parts (88, 90) can be connected to form the base body (3) after insertion or attachment.

36. The machine element or tool element according to claim 35, wherein the base body (3) is divided in the area of a gripper groove (12).

37. The machine element or tool element according to claim 35, wherein a gripper groove flange (10) is mounted as a separate component on the base body (3).

38. The machine element or tool element according to claims 35, wherein a contact area of the base-body parts (88, 90) is stepped in an area of the division.

39. The machine element or tool element according to claims 35, wherein the connecting is affected by material closure and/or force fit.

40. The machine element or tool element according to claim 26, wherein at least one base body (3), in which the sensor module (30) is held at least in sections, is produced according to a generative manufacturing process.

41. The machine element or tool element according to claim 40, wherein at least a part of the tool holder (1), of the tool body or of the tool is produced conventionally, for example by cutting machining, wherein the walls delimiting the recess (26) for holding the sensor module (30) are produced at least in sections according to the generative manufacturing process.

42. The machine tool with the machine element or tool element according to patent claim 26, having a data acquisition and evaluation unit (60), via which the measurement signals of the sensor system (34) can be processed and via which control signals are generated in real time to a machine tool control (66) for controlling process parameters.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Examples of the disclosure are explained in more detail in the following by means of schematic drawings. These show:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a tool holder according to the disclosure in a side view;

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a cut exploded view of the tool holder according to FIG. 1;

[0036] FIGS. 3a, 3b show variants of a sensor module shown in FIG. 2 for holding a sensor system;

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a further example of a machine tool according to the disclosure;

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a control/regulation concept of a machine tool according to the disclosure implemented with a tool holder;

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a variant of the example according to FIG. 4, wherein one pocket is designed with an undercut;

[0040] FIGS. 7a, 7b show a further example in which a gripper groove flange is designed as a separate component that is placed on a base body of the machine element or tool element;

[0041] FIGS. 8a, 8b show a three-dimensional illustration of the gripper groove flange and the base body according to FIG. 7;

[0042] FIGS. 9a, 9b show a variant of the example according to FIGS. 7 and 8;

[0043] FIGS. 10a, 10b show a three-dimensional illustration of the example according to FIG. 9; and

[0044] FIG. 11 shows a variant of a tool holder with a divided base body.

DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the following, a tool holder 1 is described as an example, which is provided for use in a machine tool. In principle, however, such tool holders can also be provided on any machine tools used in cutting and forming technology in order to record process parameters such as forces, accelerations, temperatures, etc. Apart from cutting, a further example is the detection of the shear impact during punching, wherein the sensor module in this application can be applied to the cutting tool.

[0046] As described above, other tool elements or machine elements can also be implemented with one or more of the sensor modules described below.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a first example of such a tool holder 1, which has a hollow shank taper (HST) 2 on a base body 3 as a mechanical interface to the machine tool, which has two driver grooves 4, 6 in the known manner on the actual cone 8, a gripper groove 12 on a gripper groove flange 10 as well as an indexing groove (not shown) to facilitate automatic tool change. The structure of such HST/adapters is known, so that further explanations are not necessary. A sensor shaft 16 is attached to the base body 3 adjacent to the HST 2, which accommodates the sensor system explained in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the variant shown in FIG. 1, the measuring signals of this sensor system are transmitted to an evaluation unit on the machine tool side via an antenna 18 and a radio module (not shown) or another data transmission device. This antenna 18 can be located on the periphery in the area of the sensor shaft 16, and/or of the flange 10, and/or of the gripper groove 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0048] In the illustration in FIG. 1, to the left of the sensor shaft 16, a clamping device 20 is formed on the base body 3, over which a tool 22 (dashed line) is clamped in a manner known per se.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a cut exploded view of the tool holder 1 according to FIG. 1, wherein the clamping means of the clamping device 20 and the actual coolant/lubricant supply are not shown in detail.

[0050] In the example HST 2 described above, the sensor shaft 16 and the clamping device 20 are formed in one piece. Of course, a modular design is also possible, in which the individual components are connected to each other via suitable connecting means.

[0051] In the area of the sensor shaft 16, a roughly cylindrical recess 26 adjoins a cavity of the conical hollow shaft 24 of the HST 2, which in turn transitions into a clamping cone 28 on the clamping device side. A cartridge, the sensor module 30, shown on the right in FIG. 2, is inserted into the approximately cylindrical recess 26 and locked in place by force-fit or form-fit locking. The sensor module 30 can, for example, be held in the recess 26 by a press fit. For positioning, the sensor module 30 can be provided with an index projection 32, which fits exactly into a corresponding index clearance of the recess 26. Of course, the projection can also be provided on the recess side.

[0052] According to the disclosure, a sensor system 34 is included in the sensor module 30. In the example shown, this sensor system 34 or at least one of the sensors is arranged approximately coaxially to the axis 36 of the tool holder 1. The approximately cylindrical sensor module 30 is also arranged coaxially to the axis 36. As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor module 30 is inserted through the cavity of the HST 2. In the transition area to the cavity, the sensor module 30 is equipped with a connection 38, which can be brought into fluid connection with a tube 40 containing a cooling lubricant (CLS). In the example shown in FIG. 2, this cooling lubricant is conveyed around the sensor system 34 via an arcuately branching channel 42 inside the sensor module 30 and then flows into an exit terminal 44 in the area of the clamping device, so that the clamped tool 22 is supplied with cooling lubricant. As described above, a favorable design is symmetrical, in which the sensor system is surrounded by two channels.

[0053] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the sensor module 30 contains besides the actual sensor system 34, i.e., for example, an acceleration sensor, a temperature sensor and/or a strain gauge or another sensor for detecting the application of force, the associated sensor electronics, which is in signal connection with the antenna 18 visible in FIG. 1. A power supply, for example an accumulator package, can also be integrated in the sensor module 30. This means that, apart from the antenna 18, all components required for signal detection and signal transmission to the antenna 18 are integrated in the sensor module 30, so that, for example, by replacing the sensor module 30, a sensor system optimized for the respective machining process can be used without changing the tool holder 1.

[0054] FIG. 3a shows a variant of the sensor module 30 according to FIG. 2. Similar to the example described above, the actual sensor system 34 is designed with an acceleration sensor, for example, located in the area of the axis 36 (FIG. 2). In this example, the channel 42 for conducting the CLS is not branched, but rather U shaped or double-S shaped, so that the sensor system 34 is bypassed by the channel 42. As with the example described above, this channel provides a fluid connection between the terminal 38 and an exit terminal 44. In the example shown here, the sensor module 30 also has an integrated energy supply, which is formed by an accumulator package 48, for example. The actual sensor electronics, which is also integrated in the sensor module 30, is not shown in FIG. 3a.

[0055] This sensor electronics 50 is visible in the example according to FIG. 3b. Accordingly, this sensor electronics 50 is formed by a circuit board with the corresponding circuit. This sensor electronics 50 includes all components for data preprocessing, data transmission, and control of the energy supply. In FIG. 3b, terminal pins 52 for the antenna 18 are shown as an example, via which the measurement signals detected by the sensor system are transmitted to an evaluation unit described below.

[0056] Otherwise, the example corresponds to the one in FIG. 3a, so that further explanations are not necessary. [0057] FIG. 4 shows a variant of a tool holder 1 in which the recess 26 in the sensor shaft 16 is not oriented in the axial direction but in the radial direction. This means that in this example, the sensor module 30 or the sensor system is inserted into the sensor shaft 16 in the radial direction. In this example, the integration of the structural components into the sensor module 30 is minimized in that essentially only the sensor system is inserted into the radial recess 26. The other structural components, such as the sensor electronics described above, the antenna/transmission device and/or the power supply (battery pack 48) are arranged on the circumference of the sensor shaft 16. For this purpose, pockets 54, 56 can be provided on the circumference, into which the respective components are inserted. In order to avoid imbalances, it can also be advantageous to arrange the power supply, for example the accumulator package, in an axial position. The power supply can be provided by the accumulator package and/or by a magnetic field (induction) or something similar.

[0058] The structure of the HST 2 and the clamping device 20 corresponds to the example described above, so that reference is made to the above explanations.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the control/regulation assembly of a machine tool or another processing machine designed with the tool holder 1 according to the disclosure. As mentioned above, the signal transmission of the pre-processed measuring signals acquired by the sensory tool holder 1 is preferably affected by radio via a transmitter and the antenna 18. On the machine-tool side, a receiver (transceiver) 58 is provided for receiving the data transmitted by radio. The control assembly enables an ad-hoc reaction to instability states that have not yet stabilized. This is implemented by a real-time adaptation of machining parameters, such as feed rate, rotational speed, etc., whereby this adaptation is implemented depending on the process states, such as vibration or the application of force on the tool. These process states are detected by the sensory tool holder 1 according to the disclosure and transferred to the control assembly. This essentially consists of a data acquisition and evaluation unit 60, via which—as mentioned above—the process stability is assessed and, if necessary, processing parameters are changed, if this process stability does not correspond to the specification. The receiver 58 (transceiver) is connected to this data acquisition and evaluation unit 60 via a real-time channel 70. The evaluation unit 60 is configured via a configuration connection 62. The adaptation of the processing parameters is performed based on the acquired process states, which are evaluated by the evaluation unit. However, other machine-internal measurement data as well as data from an additional external sensor system or data from a process database 68 can be received by the evaluation unit 60.

[0060] The evaluation unit 60 receives measurement data from the moving sensor module, in this case the rotating sensory tool holder 1, stores them in a buffer memory and promptly processes various algorithms for the acquisition of process states. It also forms the interface to the aforementioned process database. The algorithms used are designed to determine the conditions under which an intervention in the NC control of the machine tool takes place. A part of the algorithms determines process states from the measurement data of the tool holder 1. Another part of the algorithms links these process states with processing parameters, such as material parameters, user inputs and/or process database values, in order to decide whether an intervention is necessary. Another part of the algorithms adapts the processing parameters on the basis of this data. The process states preferably refer to the data currently measured in real time and not to data collected from other production runs. In addition, the soft sensor approach can be used to draw conclusions about secondary process results such as the surface quality of the workpiece from the measured data of the tool holder 1.

[0061] The system is configured via a non-obligatory real-time connection, for example via an OPC UA application and/or via the machine tool control, for example using M commands. The algorithms can be selected according to the machining step (e.g. roughing, finishing, fine finishing) and different component materials. In this way, intervention parameters can also be changed. In addition, when using several evaluation units, the linking of the individual sensors to the corresponding algorithms and the resulting process parameters can be determined.

[0062] The evaluation unit 60 is connected to the machine tool control 66 via a real-time channel 70. This enables an ad-hoc adjustment of machine feed and/or machine rotational speed during machining. Typical applications are the prevention and/or detection of process errors, process instabilities, tool breakage and so on. Premature tool wear can also be detected—in the latter case a signal for tool change is generated. If any process instability or the like occurs, the machining parameters are changed via the machine tool control 66 as a reaction. In addition, machine data can also be transferred to the evaluation unit 60 for analysis,

[0063] The process database 68 is used for the joint documentation of process signals of the tool holder 1 with NC records, machine-internal measurement data as well as measurement data of additional external sensor systems and thus opens up the possibility of collecting and utilizing a multitude of data essential for machine control. These data sets make it possible to calculate and analyze complex correlations between process parameters and manufacturing results, so that it is possible to optimize NC programs with regard to process stability on the basis of such a process database 68.

[0064] The basic structure of the tool holder 1 shown in FIG. 6 corresponds largely to the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, so that only essential components are explained in order to avoid repetition and, furthermore, reference can be made to the above description.

[0065] Accordingly, the tool holder 1 has a clamping device 20 as shown in FIG. 6, which is designed with an inner clamping cone 28. The clamping device 20 is joined on the right by a sensor shaft 16, which—similar to the example in FIG. 4—has a recess 26, for example oriented in the radial direction, for the sensor module 30 described above. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the recess 26 for holding the sensor module 30 opens into two pockets 54, 56 located radially outside, into which a power supply or a transmission device or a sensor electronics or an antenna or the like can be inserted.

[0066] The sensor shaft 16 is followed by a known HST 2, whereby the gripper groove flange 10 with the gripper groove 12 is provided in the transition area.

[0067] In contrast to the example explained in FIG. 4, the pocket 54 does not end at the gripper groove flange 10, but extends as shown in FIG. 6 into the area enclosed by the outer circumference of the gripper groove flange 10. Especially in this area, an undercut 72 is formed which helps to fix the position of the component to be inserted into this pocket 54. The undercut 72 can be formed using a T-slot cutter, for example. The pocket 54, which extends far under the gripper groove 12, makes it possible to equip a variety of common designs with the sensor electronics or other components. For the production of the undercut 72, for example, the gripper groove 12 can be milled out in the area marked with the reference sign 74, so that the groove can then be formed using the T-slot cutter. This undercut 72 creates a very simple geometric integration solution for positioning/fixing the external components of the sensor module.

[0068] FIGS. 7a, 7b show a configuration example in which the formation of the undercut 72 for the pocket 54 is simplified.

[0069] In the example according to FIGS. 7a, 7b, the clamping device 20 with the clamping cone 28, the sensor shaft 16 and the HST 2 are formed by the base body 3. The gripper groove flange 10 with the gripper groove 12 is designed as a separate component, which is then placed on this base body 3 after milling the pocket 54 with the undercut 72, e.g. shrunk onto it, wherein the axial position is determined by the relative positioning of a front surface 78 to an abutment shoulder 80. When mounted, the gripper groove flange 10 covers at least sections of the undercut 72 of the pocket 54. This divided design with a base body 3 and a gripper groove flange 10 offers comprehensive options for pocket design and thus for electronic integration. With the example according to FIG. 7b, a milled-out region 74 can also be provided in the area of the gripper groove 12, which ends in the undercut 72.

[0070] FIGS. 8a, 8b show three-dimensional illustrations of the base body 76 and the flange 10. This illustration clearly shows the milled-out area 74, which practically interrupts the gripper groove 12 and extends into the pocket 54 with the T-slot-shaped undercut 72. As shown in the illustration in FIG. 8a, the pocket 54 extends into the area of the radial recess 26, into which the actual sensor module 30 is inserted. The width of the pocket 54 is slightly larger than that of the recess 26, so that a bearing surface 82 is formed on which the component, for example the sensor electronics, can be placed. The bearing surface 82 is provided with fixation recesses 84, e.g. threaded holes or the like, to fix the sensor electronics or to pass through signal lines. The pocket is widened at the end of the T-slot-shaped undercut 72 formed in sections. The fixation recesses 84 are formed in this area, which also simplifies the insertion of the electronic components into the undercut 72.

[0071] The end face of the pocket 54 facing the HST 2 in FIG. 8a is rounded. The milled-out area 74 has a correspondingly rounded inner face.

[0072] FIGS. 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b show a variant of the example described above. The base body 3 has an approximately circular stop collar 85, which is designed as a contact surface for the front surface 86 of flange 10 (left-hand side in FIG. 9b) so that it is reliably fixed in position in the axial direction.

[0073] FIGS. 10a, 10b again show three-dimensional illustrations of the base body 3 and the flange 10. As can be seen from this illustration, the stop collar 85 is interrupted by the mouth area of the pocket 54 and, incidentally, surrounds the base body 3, more precisely the sensor shaft 16.

[0074] Moreover, the example according to FIGS. 9a, 9b and 10a, 10b corresponds to the example described above, so that further explanations are unnecessary.

[0075] In the examples according to FIGS. 6 to 10, the holder 26 for the sensor module 30 ends—as explained—in the pocket(s) 54, 56. In principle, the pocket 56 or other pockets can of course also be designed with an undercut for fixing the position of an electronic component or the like. Instead of the described T-slot undercut, other undercut shapes, for example a dovetail-shaped undercut or the like, can of course also be designed.

[0076] In the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the base body 3 of the tool holder is monolithic and designed as a single part. FIGS. 7 to 10 are used to illustrate examples in which the gripper groove flange 10 with the gripper groove 12 is designed as a separate component and is then connected to the actual base body 3.

[0077] FIG. 11 shows a variant in which the base body 3 is divided into two base body parts 88, 90, which complement each other to form the base body 3. The gripper groove flange 10 is formed on the base-body part 88 located at the top in FIG. 11, in the area of which an inner circumferential surface of the base-body part 88 is extended to form a holder 92, into which an axial projection 94 of the base-body part 88 located at the bottom in FIG. 11 is immersed. This axial projection 94 has a radial shoulder 96, on which an annular front surface 98 of the gripper groove flange 10 or of the base-body part 88 rests, so that both base-body parts 88, 90 are positioned in relation to each other in both the radial and axial directions.

[0078] Before mounting the sensor module 30 with the actual sensor system 34. The base body 3 is divided so that these components can be easily inserted into the base-body part 90 which is axially open. After mounting, the upper base-body part 88 is attached and connected to the lower base-body part 90.

[0079] This joining can be done by shrinking, for example, whereby the lower base-body part 90 is cooled with liquid nitrogen, for example, and/or joined by a material-locking process, for example by welding using a laser or electron beam.

[0080] Instead of the stepped separation plane between the two base-body parts 88, 90, as described above, a different course can of course be used. For complex solutions, the base body 3 can also be divided into more than two parts in order to simplify the mounting of the sensor module 30 in the recess 26. In principle, it is also possible to create the channels for guiding the CLS in a simple way by dividing the base body 3, by forming a part of the channel structure on both sides of the separation plane, so that complex channel shapes can also be formed when the base body parts 88, 90 are joined as described above.

[0081] Of course, the separation of the base body 3 as described above can also be realized with the examples described at the beginning.

[0082] As explained at the beginning, the base body 3 of the machine element or tool element or any other component for holding the sensor module 30 can be formed at least in sections according to a generative process, for example by laser sintering or by 3D printing technology. In the case of the tool holder described above, the cone part, for example, with the HST and the flange 10 formed with the gripper groove 12 can be manufactured conventionally. The complex structure for holding the sensor module 30 is then built on this blank using the generative process.

[0083] In principle, it is also possible to use a generative manufacturing process to produce the entire tool holder 1 with the base body 3, the cone 8, the flange 10 and the gripper groove 12.

[0084] Disclosed are sensor modules for e.g. a tool holder, in which the sensor system is integrated as a structural unit and tool elements or machine elements designed with such sensor modules as well as a machining/machine tool with such a sensor module.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0085] 1 tool holder [0086] 2 hollow shank taper (HST) [0087] 3 base body [0088] 4 driver groove [0089] 6 driver groove [0090] 8 cone [0091] 10 flange [0092] 12 gripper groove [0093] 16 sensor shaft [0094] 18 antenna [0095] 20 damping device [0096] 22 tool [0097] 24 hollow shaft [0098] 26 recess [0099] 28 damping cone [0100] 30 sensor module [0101] 32 index projection [0102] 34 sensor system [0103] 36 rotation axis [0104] 38 terminal CLS [0105] 40 coding lubricant pipe [0106] 42 channel [0107] 44 exit terminal [0108] 48 accumulator package [0109] 50 sensor electronics [0110] 52 terminal pins [0111] 54 pocket [0112] 56 pocket [0113] 58 receiver/transceiver [0114] 60 evaluation unit [0115] 62 configuration connection [0116] 66 machine tool control [0117] 68 process database [0118] 70 real-time channel [0119] 72 undercut [0120] 74 milled-out region [0121] 78 front surface [0122] 80 abutment shoulder [0123] 82 bearing surface [0124] 84 fixation recess [0125] 85 stop collar [0126] 86 left front surface [0127] 88 base-body part [0128] 90 base-body part [0129] 92 holder [0130] 94 axial projection [0131] 96 radial shoulder [0132] 98 annular front surface