METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE TOPOGRAPHY OF A MACHINE TOOL

Abstract

A method for determining the topography of a machine tool that includes a machine bed, a tool carrier and a component carrier. The machine bed defines a Cartesian coordinate system of the machine tool starting from a machine zero point. The tool carrier can be moved along linear guides aligned in parallel to axes of the coordinate system and has at least one tool holder for holding a cutting tool. The component carrier is at a distance from the tool carrier in the direction of a first axis and can be at least almost completely pivoted around an axis of rotation aligned in parallel to a second axis, if necessary, and includes a component receptacle aligned in parallel to the first axis, through which a component to be machined can be held.

Claims

1. A method for determining a topography of a machine tool, comprising: a machine bed that defines a Cartesian coordinate system of the machine tool starting from a machine zero point, a tool carrier which is moveable along linear guides which are aligned in parallel to axes of the coordinate system and which has at least one tool receptacle for receiving a cutting tool, and a component carrier which is spaced from the tool carrier in the direction of a first axis and which can optionally be at least completely pivoted around an axis of rotation aligned in parallel to a second axis and which comprises a component receptacle aligned in parallel to the first axis by means of which a component to be machined can be held, the method comprising the steps: a (2). determining and capturing an orientation of the machine bed; b (3). determining and capturing a straightness of the linear guides, c (4). determining and capturing an orientation of the component carrier in relation to the coordinate system; wherein at least the determination in steps (b) (3) and/or (c) (4) is carried out by means of at least one automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to a data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a further step is carried out after one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3) or (c) (4), wherein the further step comprises: (d) (5) determining and capturing the arrangement of the linear guides relative to one another by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3), (c) (4) and/or (d) (5) is followed by a further step, wherein the further step comprises: (e) (6) determining and capturing an offset of the tool holder in the direction of the first axis and/or the third axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3), (c) (4), (d) (5) and/or (e) (6) is followed by a further step, wherein the further step comprises: (f) (7) determining and capturing an offset of the tool holder in the direction of the second axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3), (c) (4), (d) (5), (e) (6) and/or (f) (7) is followed by a further step, wherein the further step comprises: (g) (8) determining and capturing an angle difference between a tool axis and the first axis and the concentricity of the tool holder by means of the or a wide automated or automatable measuring device which is connected and/or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a further step is performed after one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3), (c) (4), (d) (5), (e) (6), (f) (7) and/or (g) (8), wherein the further step comprises: (h) (9) determining and capturing of an angle difference between the tool axis and the second axis and/or the tool axis and the third axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a further step is performed after one of the steps (a) (2), (b) (3), (c) (4), (d) (5), (e) (6), (f) (7), (g) (8) and/or (h) (9), wherein the further step comprises: (i) (10) determining and capturing an angle difference between a carrier rotation axis of the component carrier and the first axis and/or the carrier rotation axis and the third axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein after step (i) (10), the steps further comprise: (j1) (11) determining and capturing of the parallelism of the component carrier in relation to the second axis and/or the third axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, and that the machine tool comprises a 3-axis machine tool, to the component holder of which a component is able to fixed in a torsion-proof manner.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein after step (i) (10), the steps further comprise: (j2) (12) determining and capturing of the kinematics of the first axis of rotation of the component carrier during its rotation around the axis of rotation of the carrier by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device, which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, and (k1) (13) determining and capturing of the parallelism of the component carrier in relation to the first axis and/or the second axis and/or the third axis by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, and that the machine tool comprises a 4-axis machine tool, to whose component holder a component is able to fixed in a torsion-proof manner.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein after step i (10), the steps further comprise: (j3) (14) determining and capturing of the kinematics of the first axis of rotation of the component carrier during its rotation around the axis of rotation of the carrier by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device, which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, (k2) (15) determining and capturing of the kinematics of the second axis of rotation of the component holder during its rotation around an axis of rotation of the component by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device, which is connected or connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, (l) (16) determining and capturing the flatness of the component mounting of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device, which is connected or is connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, and (m) (17) determining and capturing of the concentricity of the component holder in relation to the tool holder by means of the one, or a further, automated or automatable measuring device which is connected or is connectable to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals is transferred, and that the machine tool is a 5-axis machine tool, the component holder of which comprises a rotary section which is rotatable around a component axis.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a topography protocol of the machine tool is generated by the data processing device on the basis of the data determined and acquired in steps (a) (2) to (i) (10) and (j1) (11) or (a) (2) to (i) (10) and (j2) (12) to (k1) (13) or (a) (2) to (i) (10) and (j3) (14) to (m) (17).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the data processing device determines correction values on the basis of at least one rule stored in the data processing device, by means of which correction values the topography of the machine tool is adjusted.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data processing device and/or a further data processing device produces an acceptance report of the machine tool on the basis of the topography protocol and/or the correction values.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the topography of the machine tool is mechanically adjusted on the basis of the topography protocol and/or the correction values.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the topography protocol and/or the correction values are transmitted from the data processing device to a control device of the machine tool which performs a control of the machine tool on the basis of the topography protocol and/or the correction values.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0084] The drawings show the following:

[0085] FIG. 1 A schematic flowchart of a first embodiment of the method;

[0086] FIG. 2 A schematic flowchart of a second embodiment of the method;

[0087] FIG. 3 A schematic flowchart of a third embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0088] FIG. 1 shows a method 1 for determining the topography of a machine tool. The machine tool has a machine bed by which a cartesian coordinate system of the machine tool starting from a machine zero point is defined, a tool carrier which is moveable along linear guides which are aligned in parallel to axes of the coordinate system and which comprises at least one tool receptacle for receiving a cutting tool and a component carrier which is spaced apart from the tool carrier in the direction of a first axis and which comprises a component receptacle which is aligned in parallel to the first axis and by which a component to be machined can be held.

[0089] In step (a) 2 of method 1, the alignment of the machine bed is determined and recorded. The straightness of the linear guides is then determined and recorded in step (b) 3, e.g., using lasers or position sensors or optical sensors. In step (c) 4, the alignment of the component carrier in relation to the coordinate system is then determined and recorded. In method 1 described, the determination in steps (b) 3 and (c) 4 is carried out by means of automated measuring devices which are connected to a data processing device in a way that data and/or signals can be transferred, where the data processing device at least includes hardware and software and a processor to carry out the processing.

[0090] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3 and (c) 4, step (d) 5 is carried out where the arrangement of the linear guides relative to one another is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device, e.g., lasers or sensors or optical sensors, which is connected to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals can be transferred.

[0091] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4 and (d) 5, step (e) 6 is carried out where an offset of the tool holder in the direction of the first axis and the third axis is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a way that data and/or signals can be transferred.

[0092] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5 and (e) 6, step (f) 7 is carried out where an offset of the tool holder in the direction of the second axis is determined and detected by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0093] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6 and (f) 7, step (g) 8 is carried out where an angular difference between a tool axis and the first axis and the concentricity of the tool holder is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0094] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6, (f) 7 and (g) 8, step (h) 9 is carried out where an angular difference between the tool axis and the second axis and between the tool axis and the third axis is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0095] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6, (f) 7, (g) 8 and (h) 9, step (i) 10 is carried out where an angular difference between a carrier rotation axis of the component carrier and the first axis as well as the carrier rotation axis and the third axis is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0096] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6, (f) 7, (g) 8, (h) 9 and (i) 10, step (j1) 11 is carried out in the embodiment of method 1 shown in FIG. 1. In step (j1), the parallelism of the component carrier in relation to the second axis and/or the third axis is determined and detected by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0097] The method 1 shown is preferably used with a 3-axis machine tool, where a component can be attached to the component holder in a torsion-proof manner.

[0098] After steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6, (f) 7, (g) 8, (h) 9 and (i) 10, steps (j2) 12 and (k1) 13 are carried out differently from the embodiment of method 1 shown in FIG. 2 than for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. In step (j2) 12, the kinematics of the first axis of rotation of the component carrier during its rotation around the axis of rotation of the carrier is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner Subsequently, in step (k1) 13, the parallelism of the component carrier in relation to the first axis and/or the second axis and/or the third axis is determined and detected by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0099] The method 1 shown in FIG. 2 is preferably used on a 4-axis machine tool, where a component can be fixed to the component holder in a torsion-proof manner.

[0100] In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, steps (j3) 14, (k2) 15, (l) 16 and (m) 17 are performed after the steps (a) 2, (b) 3, (c) 4, (d) 5, (e) 6, (f) 7, (g) 8, (h) 9 and (i) 10 in the embodiment of the method shown in FIG. 3. This embodiment of method 1 is preferably used on a 5-axis machine tool, the component holder of which comprises a rotary section that can be rotated around a component axis.

[0101] In step (j3) 14, kinematics of the first axis of rotation of the component carrier during its rotation around the axis of rotation of the carrier is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner Subsequently, in step (k2) 15, a kinematics of the second axis of rotation of the rotary section of the component holder is determined and captured during its rotation around the axis of rotation of the component by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner. Then, in step (l) 16, the flatness of the rotary section of the component fixture is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner. Then, in step (m) 17, the concentricity of the rotary section of the component holder in relation to the tool holder is determined and captured by means of an automated measuring device which is connected to the data processing device in a data-conducting manner.

[0102] Both in the method 1 shown in FIG. 1, and in the method 1 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, step (j1) 11 or step (k1) 13 or step (m) 17 is followed, on the basis of the data determined and recorded in the respective preceding steps, by a topography creation step 18, in which a topography protocol of the machine tool is created.

[0103] In method 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, both after each individual determination step and after the entire topography creation step 18, a correction determination step 19 is performed by the data processing device on the basis of the topography protocol and rules stored in the data processing device, in which correction values are determined that allow the topography of the machine tool to be adjusted. The adjustment takes place either mechanically or by means of control technology, e.g., control systems including hardware and/or software.

[0104] In method 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, after topography creation step 18 and correction determination step 19, a final protocol step 20 is performed by the data processing device on the basis of the topography protocol, in which an acceptance protocol of the machine tool is created.

[0105] The features of the invention revealed in the above description, claims and drawing may be essential both individually and in any combination in the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.