CUTTING TOOL WHICH IS ASSEMBLED AND READY FOR DELIVERY

Abstract

A cutting tool that is assembled and ready for delivery has at least one actual dimension relating to a physical configuration of the cutting tool and being relevant for a cutting process carried out by the cutting tool. The cutting tool that is assembled and ready for delivery is assigned at least one information source that is readable by a user or a data processing system. The information source provides or encodes information relating to a deviation of the at least one actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself. A holder for a cutting tool and a machine tool having a cutting tool are also provided.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A cutting tool being assembled and ready for delivery, the cutting tool comprising: at least one actual dimension relating to a physical configuration of the cutting tool and being relevant for a cutting process carried out by the cutting tool; and at least one information source to be read out by a user or a data processing system, said at least one information source providing or encoding information about a deviation of the at least one actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself.

15. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein said at least one information source is disposed at least one of on or in the cutting tool itself or on or in packaging of the assembled cutting tool.

16. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein: said at least one information source is configured as at least one of an alphanumeric specification or encoding; and said encoding is at least one of: a barcode or QR code. a symbol or symbol chain, a color or color combination, a morphological surface configuration, a permanently impressed magnetic field or carrier for a transient electromagnetic field. a capacitive data carrier, or a holographic code.

17. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein the cutting tool is an exchangeable cutting insert or an indexable insert.

18. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein the cutting tool is constructed for turning, milling or drilling.

19. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein said at least one information source is captively assigned to the cutting tool by lasering, etching, needle stamping or labelling with permanent colors.

20. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein said at least one information source is permanently assigned to the cutting tool.

21. The cutting tool according to claim 14, wherein said at least one information source is temporarily assigned to the cutting tool.

22. The cutting tool according to claim 21, wherein said at least one information source is destroyed upon delivery of the cutting tool.

23. The cutting tool according to claim 14, which further comprises: at least two cutting edges of the cutting tool; said at least one information source providing or encoding information regarding a deviation of the at least one actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself for each of said at least two cutting edges, or said at least one information source including two information sources, and each of said information sources relating to a respective one of said at least two cutting edges and providing or encoding information about a deviation of the at least one actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself.

24. A holder for detachably fastening a cutting tool according to claim 14 to the holder, the holder comprising: a setting device for setting a position of the cutting tool on the holder relative to at least one direction; and a marking corresponding to said at least one information source of the cutting tool for setting a position of the cutting tool on the holder depending on information provided or encoded by said at least one information source, or a reading device for automatically reading-in information provided or encoded by the at least one information source.

25. A machine tool, comprising: a cutting tool according to claim 14; and a reading device for automatically reading-in information provided or encoded by said at least one information source; the machine tool configured to at least one of: present the information provided or encoded by said at least one information source to a user in a readable fashion, or automatically set the cutting tool in dependence on the information provided or encoded by said at least one information source.

26. A machine tool, comprising: a cutting tool being assembled and ready for delivery, the cutting tool including at least one actual dimension relating to a physical configuration of the cutting tool and being relevant for a cutting process carried out by the cutting tool, and at least one information source to be read out by a user or a data processing system, said at least one information source providing or encoding information about a deviation of the at least one relevant actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself; a reading device for automatically reading-in information provided or encoded by said at least one information source; and a holder according to claim 24; the machine tool configured to at least one of: present the information provided or encoded by said at least one information source to a user in a readable fashion, or automatically set said cutting tool in dependence on the information provided or encoded by said at least one information source, or automatically set said cutting tool for automatically activating said setting device of said holder.

27. The machine tool according to claim 25, wherein said reading device is a barcode reader or a OR code reader.

28. The machine tool according to claim 26, wherein said reading device is a barcode reader or a OR code reader.

Description

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed with reference to the figures, of which:

[0041] FIGS. 1a-c show exemplary embodiments of the invention for three different cutting tools in which two information sources are arranged on the cutting tool itself,

[0042] FIGS. 2a, 2b show a holder for a cutting tool together with a cutting tool and a detailed illustration relating to the setting device,

[0043] FIGS. 3a, 3b show two exemplary embodiments of the invention in which information sources for a plurality of cutting tools are arranged on packaging for cutting tools,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which a machine tool automatically reads out the at least one information source, and

[0045] FIGS. 5a-d show further exemplary embodiments of the invention with information sources which are optimized for reading in by machine.

[0046] FIGS. 1a-c show three different cutting tools 1 in the form of indexable inserts which each have two information sources 2, wherein on each cutting tool 1 each information source 2 relates to one of the two possible installation positions (via a drilled hole 8) on a holder 4 and has an alphanumeric code A-E. A separate information source 2 is provided for each usable cutting edge of the indexable insert.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIG. 2a), the holder 4 provides, for the cutting tool 1 which is embodied here as an indexable insert, a setting device 6, which is known per se, for setting a position of the cutting tool 1 on the holder 4. Said setting device 6 can be configured in a desired direction (fine adjustment of the radial rotational axis in this case).

[0048] The setting device 6 can be designed in any known manner, e.g. the setting can be carried out by means of an eccentric or a cone. In the detailed illustration in FIG. 2b, an example is shown in which the activation is carried out by means of a rotationally symmetrical adjustment cone 10 which has a thread 11 at its lower end. The adjustment cone 10 ideally has a low pitch (e.g. 1:10) in order to achieve precise setting of the cutting tool 1 on the holder 4. The thread 11 can be embodied as a standard thread or a fine thread.

[0049] An interface (e.g. hexagonal head screw or torx) is provided on the upper section of the adjustment cone 10 for a commercially available tool for the application of the rotational movement. A matching opposing cone 12 in the form of a drill geometry and a matching opposing thread 13 (in the lower region) are arranged in the holder 4. During the turning in, the adjustment cone 10 elastically displaces a defined region of the holder 4. The defined region can be defined geometrically by grooves 9, slots or cutouts in such a way that the elastic deformation occurs in a defined direction.

[0050] Every indexable insert is provided during the final examination at the factory with an information source 2 in the form of encoding at a clearly visible point. In this exemplary embodiment, the cutting tool 1 itself has (in a captive fashion here) the information source 2 even before the cutting tool 1 is packed or assembled for delivery to the users. A separate information source 2 is preferably provided for each usable cutting edge of the indexable insert. In this exemplary embodiment, the encoding is embodied in such a way that a predefined letter A-G defines the deviation of the actual dimension of the cutting edge of the indexable insert from target dimension.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Code Deviation in millimeters: A +0.03 B +0.02 C +0.01 D 0.00 E 0.01 F 0.02 G 0.03

[0051] The setting device 6 for setting a position of the cutting tool 1 on the holder 4 is equipped here with a corresponding encoding A-G and a marking 7 which corresponds in relation to the at least one information source 2 of the cutting tool 1. If the information source 2 of the cutting edge, to be used for the cutting process, of the cutting tool 1 exhibits for example the code C, the user must turn the setting device 6 (an adjustment wheel in this case) to the corresponding position C in relation to the marking 7, and in doing so brings about the desired precise positioning of the cutting edge of the cutting tool 1 on the holder 4 while taking into account the actual dimension of the physical configuration of the cutting tool 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the user does not need to have any knowledge at all as to how large the deviation of the actual dimension from the target dimension is for a specific code. The user brings about very precise positioning accuracy on the machine tool 5 without the user himself having to acquire the actual dimension or a deviation of the actual dimension from the target dimension.

[0052] As an alternative to the specification of a code, the information source 2 could provide the actual dimension itself or the deviation of the actual dimension from the target dimension itself. This information can be used by the user to make the necessary changes to the position of the cutting tool 1 by means of a setting device. In this case, the setting device 6 does not have to have any encoding A-G.

[0053] FIG. 3a shows an exemplary embodiment in which a plurality of cutting tools 1 are assembled in a package 3. The package 3 for each cutting tool 1 has an information source 2 which provides or encodes information about a deviation of the at least one actual dimension from a target dimension or the actual dimension itself, specifically if appropriate for each cutting edge of each cutting tool 1. Moreover, each cutting tool 1 is also provided with an information source 2, but this is not absolutely necessary, as is shown in FIG. 3b.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a machine tool 5 with a cutting tool 1 which is embodied here as an indexable insert. The machine tool 5 has a reading device for automatically reading in the information which is provided or encoded by the information source 2.

[0055] The machine tool 5 can be designed: [0056] to present the information provided or encoded by the information source 2 to a user in a readable fashion and/or [0057] to automatically carrying out a setting of the cutting tool 1 depending on the information provided or encoded by the information source 2.

[0058] FIGS. 5a to 5d show further cutting tools 1 with information sources 2 which are optimized for automatically reading in, e.g. in the form of barcodes or QR codes.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0059] 1 Cutting tool [0060] 2 Information source [0061] 3 Packaging of the assembled cutting tool [0062] 4 Holder for a cutting tool [0063] 5 Machine tool [0064] 6 Setting device for a cutting tool [0065] 7 Marking on holder [0066] 8 Drilled hole on cutting tool [0067] 9 Groove on holder [0068] 10 Adjustment cone [0069] 11 Thread of adjustment cone [0070] 12 Opposing cone [0071] 13 Opposing thread