TURNING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR TURNING WORKPIECES

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a turning machine comprising a first spindle which can be set in rotation for gripping and rotating a first semi-finished product to be machined, in particular to be turned, and a second spindle which can be set in rotation and is likewise suitable for gripping and rotating a second semi-finished product to be machined. A first bar load magazine associated with the first spindle is configured to convey the first semi-finished product through a first opening of the first spindle into a machining area located between the spindles. A second bar load magazine associated with the second spindle may be configured to convey a second semi-finished product through a second opening of the second spindle into the machining area.

Claims

1. A turning machine, comprising a first spindle, which can be set in rotation for gripping and rotating a first semi-finished product to be turned, and a second spindle, which is opposite the first spindle and can be set in rotation, for gripping and rotating a second semi-finished product to be turned, wherein the first spindle is associated with a first bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the first semi-finished product through a first opening of the first spindle into a machining area located between the spindles, and wherein the second spindle is associated with a second bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the second semi-finished product through a second opening of the second spindle into the machining area.

2. The turning machine according to claim 1, wherein the first spindle and the second spindle are identical parts and are arranged symmetrically with respect to one another.

3. The turning machine according to claim 1, wherein the machine further comprises at least one robot, and wherein the at least one robot is configured to displace at least parts of the first semi-finished product from the first spindle into the second spindle and/or to displace at least parts of the second semi-finished product from the second spindle into the first spindle.

4. The turning machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one tool revolver is arranged within the machining area for receiving at least one tool for machining the first semi-finished product to be machined and/or the second semi-finished product to be machined, and wherein the at least one tool revolver has a third spindle, which can be set in rotation, for receiving and for rotating the first semi-finished product to be machined and/or the second semi-finished product to be machined.

5. The turning machine according to claim 4, wherein four tool revolvers are arranged within the machining area, wherein two tool revolvers each have a spindle, which can be set in rotation and which are configured to each simultaneously receive and rotate one of the semi-finished products to be machined, wherein the other two tool revolvers are configured to simultaneously machine the simultaneously rotating semi-finished products.

6. The turning machine according to claim 5, wherein the first bar load magazine is configured to transfer the first semi-finished product from the first spindle into one of the spindles of the tool revolver, and wherein the second bar load magazine is configured to transfer the second semi-finished product from the second spindle into the other of the spindles of the tool revolver.

7. A method for producing a first partially machined workpiece and a second partially machined workpiece by turning a first semi-finished product and turning a second semi-finished product in a turning machine, the method including steps comprising: providing a turning machine comprising: a first spindle, which can be set in rotation for gripping and rotating a first semi-finished product to be turned; a second spindle, which is opposite the first spindle and can be set in rotation, for gripping and rotating a second semi-finished product to be turned; wherein the first spindle is associated with a first bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the first semi-finished product through a first opening of the first spindle into a machining area located between the spindles; wherein the second spindle is associated with a second bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the second semi-finished product through a second opening of the second spindle into the machining area; producing a first partially machined workpiece by: conveying the first semi-finished product through the first opening of the first spindle of the turning machine into the machining area situated between the spindles; gripping the first semi-finished product in the first spindle; setting the first semi-finished product in rotation by means of the first spindle; turning a starting region of the first semi-finished product by means of a first machining tool of the turning machine within the machining area; producing the second partially machined workpiece by: conveying the second semi-finished product through the second opening of the second spindle of the turning machine into the machining area; gripping the second semi-finished product in the second spindle; setting the second semi-finished product in rotation by means of the second spindle and turning a starting region of the second semi-finished product by means of a second machining tool of the turning machine within the machining area; wherein the first partially machined workpiece and the second partially machined workpiece are produced simultaneously.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least one tool revolver is arranged within the machining area for receiving at least one tool for machining the first semi-finished product to be machined and/or the second semi-finished product to be machined, and wherein the at least one tool revolver has a third spindle, which can be set in rotation, for receiving and for rotating the first semi-finished product to be machined and/or the second semi-finished product to be machined; wherein four tool revolvers are arranged within the machining area; wherein two tool revolvers each have a spindle, which can be set in rotation and which are configured to each simultaneously receive and rotate one of the semi-finished products to be machined; wherein the other two tool revolvers are configured to simultaneously machine the simultaneously rotating semi-finished products; wherein production of a finished first workpiece from the partially machined first workpiece also comprises: releasing the gripping of the first semi-finished product in the first spindle following the turning of the first semi-finished product; gripping the previously machined starting region of the first semi-finished product in one of the spindles of the tool revolver; separating the partially machined first workpiece from the first semi-finished product; setting the partially machined first workpiece in rotation by means of this spindle; turning an as yet un-machined starting region of the partially machined first workpiece by means of one of the machining tools of the tool revolver within the machining area; wherein production of a finished second workpiece from the partially machined second workpiece also comprises: releasing the gripping of the second semi-finished product in the second spindle following the turning of the second semi-finished product; gripping the previously machined starting region of the second semi-finished product in the other spindle of the tool revolver; separating the partially machined second workpiece from the second semi-finished product; setting the partially processed second workpiece in rotation by means of this other spindle; and turning an as yet un-machined starting region of the partially machined second workpiece by means of a further of the machining tools of the tool revolver within the machining area.

9. A method for producing a workpiece by turning a semi-finished product in a turning machine, the method including steps comprising: providing the turning machine comprising: a first spindle, which can be set in rotation for gripping and rotating a first semi-finished product to be turned; a second spindle, which is opposite the first spindle and can be set in rotation, for gripping and rotating a second semi-finished product to be turned; wherein the first spindle is associated with a first bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the first semi-finished product through a first opening of the first spindle into a machining area located between the spindles; wherein the second spindle is associated with a second bar load magazine, which is configured to convey the second semi-finished product through a second opening of the second spindle into the machining area; producing a partially machined workpiece by machining a starting region of a first end face of the semi-finished product by: conveying the semi-finished product through the first opening of the first spindle of the turning machine into the machining area situated between the spindles; gripping the semi-finished product in the first spindle; setting the semi-finished product in rotation by means of the first spindle; turning the starting region of the semi-finished product by means of a first machining tool of the turning machine within the machining area; producing a finished workpiece from the partially machined workpiece by gripping the turned starting region of the semi-finished product by means of the second spindle, separating the partially machined workpiece from the semi-finished product, machining an end region of the partially machined workpiece remote from the starting region by: gripping the partially machined workpiece in the second spindle; setting the partially machined workpiece in rotation by means of the second spindle; turning the end region of the partially machined workpiece by means of a second machining tool of the turning machine within the machining area, whereby the partially machined workpiece is formed into the finished workpiece; ejecting the finished workpiece from the second spindle.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: advancing an un-machined semi-finished product into the machining area after the separation of the partially machined workpiece from the semi-finished product and, during the machining of the end region of the partially machined workpiece, running through the method steps according to claim 9 again, from the production of a partially machined workpiece by machining a starting region of a first end face of the advanced semi-finished product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the schematic drawing, in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a CNC turning machine according to the invention,

[0038] FIG. 2 is a front view of spindles and tool revolvers for the CNC turning machine according to FIG. 1 for operation in an operating mode in which two semi-finished products are turned at the same time, and

[0039] FIG. 3 is a front view of spindles and tool revolvers for the CNC turning machine according to FIG. 1 for operation in a further operating mode, in which a workpiece is firstly produced partially on one side in one of the spindles and is machined to a finish following transfer to the other spindle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a CNC turning machine 1 with a first spindle 2 shown on the left in FIG. 1 and a second spindle 3 shown on the right in FIG. 1. The first spindle 2 is associated with a first bar load magazine 4, and the second spindle 3 is associated with a second bar load magazine 5. The functions and workflows of the CNC turning machine described hereinafterunless stated otherwisecan be pre-programmed and can be performed in a fully automated manner, for which purpose the CNC turning machine 1 in particular has a control and operating unit C. The CNC turning machine 1 can also comprise means (not shown) for removing chips, wherein the chips preferably are removed to the rear or to the front.

[0041] The first spindle 2 and the second spindle 3 preferably lie on a common virtual longitudinal axis L and can be set in rotation by drive units (not shown), such that semi-finished products 8 and 9 (indicated in each case by a dashed line in FIG. 1) clamped therein can likewise rotate and be machined by means of machining tools (FIG. 2). Furthermore, the spindles 2 and 3 each have an opening 6 and 7 (likewise indicated in each case by a dashed line in FIG. 1), via which the semi-finished products 8 and 9 situated in the first bar load magazine 4 and the second bar load magazine 5 can be conveyed into a machining area 10 of the CNC turning machine 1, wherein the machining area 10 is situated between the first spindle 2 and the second spindle 3.

[0042] As can be seen from FIG. 2, a starting region 11 and 12 of the bar-shaped semi-finished products 8 and 9 respectively is situated in each case within the machining area 10. The semi-finished products 8 and 9 were previously introduced via the openings 6 and 7 into clamping devices 13 and 14 (for example collets or a three-jaw chuck), surrounding the semi-finished products 8 and 9, of the spindles 2 and 3 and fixed in the position shown by FIG. 2 by means of the clamping devices 13 and 14. Furthermore, a plurality of tool revolvers can be situated within the machining area 10. In the shown example a first tool revolver 15 shown in the upper left region in FIG. 2, a second tool revolver 16 shown in the upper right region in FIG. 2, a third tool revolver 17 shown in the lower left region in FIG. 2, and a fourth tool revolver 18 shown in the lower right region in FIG. 2 are provided.

[0043] The tool revolvers 15 to 18 can each be rotated about their virtual longitudinal axes L.sub.W1, L.sub.W2, L.sub.W3 and L.sub.W4 and can be displaced along their respective longitudinal axes L.sub.W1, L.sub.W2, L.sub.W3 and transversely thereto. A tool holder 27 to 34 protrudes from end faces 19 to 26, facing away from one another, of the tool revolvers 15 to 18 and in each case receives a machining tool 35 to 42. By rotating and/or displacing the tool revolvers 15 to 18, the machining tools 35 to 42 can be brought into positions or locations in which they are in machining engagement with the semi-finished products 8 and 9 in order to produce a workpiece from the semi-finished products 8 and 9 by rotation of the semi-finished products. In the configuration shown by FIG. 2 the spindles 2 and 3 are identical parts, which are arranged opposite one another on the longitudinal axis L, symmetrically with respect to one another, i.e. point-symmetrically with respect to one another. The produced workpieces can be identical parts or different workpieces.

[0044] As shown by FIG. 2, a right starting region 11 of the first semi-finished product 8 shown on the left and a left starting region 12 of the second semi-finished product shown on the right can be turned first. To this end, the first semi-finished product 8 is clamped in the first clamping device 13 of the first spindle 2, and the first clamping device 13 is set in rotation, whereby the first semi-finished product 8 is likewise rotated, and the right starting region 11 of the first semi-finished product 8 is machined by turning by means of one of the machining tools 35 or 39 brought into position. Similarly, the second semi-finished product 9 is clamped in the second clamping device 14 of the second spindle 3, and the second clamping device 14 is set in rotation, whereby the second semi-finished product 9 is likewise rotated, and the left starting region 12 of the second semi-finished product 9 is machined by turning by means of one of the machining tools 38 or 42 brought into position.

[0045] If the spindles 2 and 3 are configured to be movable in a vertical direction y transversely to the longitudinal axis L, it is additionally possible to machine the starting region 11 of the semi-finished product 8 by the machining tools 37 and/or 41, which are arranged on the second tool revolver 16 and on the fourth tool revolver 18 respectively. In this case, it is also possible to machine the starting region 12 of the semi-finished product 9 by the machining tools 36 and/or 40, which are arranged on the first tool revolver 15 and on the second tool revolver 17 respectively. Following the machining of the semi-finished products 8, 9, the machined workpieces can be separated from the semi-finished products 8 and 9 and ejected from the turning machine 1. In this machining mode, identical or also different parts can be produced in parallel.

[0046] In order to provide a further operating mode, the first tool revolver 15 and the fourth tool revolver 18 additionally each contain a further clamping device 43 and 44 respectively, in which the partially finished workpieces provided from the machining of the semi-finished products 8 and 9 can be introduced and clamped. A first further clamping device 43 of the first tool revolver 15 shown in the upper left region in FIG. 2 forms part of a first further spindle (pickup device) 45 that can be set in rotation, and a second further clamping device 44 of the fourth tool revolver 18 shown in the lower right region in FIG. 2 forms part of a second further spindle (pickup device) 46 that can be set in rotation. The further clamping devices 43 and 44 can be set in rotation by means of drive devices (not shown), such that partially machined workpieces clamped in the further clamping devices 43 and/or 44 can likewise rotate and can be machined by means of machining tools of the free tool revolvers 16 and 17. On account of the lower output of the additional spindles (pickup devices) 45 and 46 in the tool revolvers 15 and 18, only limited, simple machining operations can be carried out. Here, only the cut side of the workpiece is preferably machined, in order to erase cutting traces.

[0047] For example, the right starting region 11 of the first semi-finished product 8 shown on the left in FIG. 2 is firstly machined by means of the machining tool 35 of the first tool revolver 15. Similarly, at the same time, the left starting region 12 of the second semi-finished product 9 shown on the right in FIG. 2 can be machined by means of the machining tool 42 of the fourth tool revolver 18. Once the starting regions 11 and 12, arranged opposite one another, of the semi-finished products 8 and 9 have been machined as intended, the further clamping devices 43 and 44 are brought into an open position, so that the right starting region 11 of the first semi-finished product 8 can be displaced into the clamping device 43 of the first tool revolver 15, and the left starting region 12 of the second semi-finished product 9 can be displaced into the clamping device 44 of the first tool revolver 18.

[0048] Once the starting regions 11 and 12 have been clamped in the further clamping devices 43 and 44 respectively, wherein the partially finished workpiece is still fixedly attached to the starting pieces of the semi-finished products 8 and 9, the partially finished workpieces are separated from the semi-finished products 8 and 9, for example by cutting systems on the tool revolvers 17 and 16. The tool revolvers 15 to 18 can now be moved and/or displaced in such a way that the partially machined workpieces can be machined to a finish in the corresponding clamping device 44 or 43 of the tool revolvers 15 and 18 respectively, by tools of the revolvers 16 and 17.

[0049] In particular, the first tool revolver 15 can be rotated and/or displaced for example in such a way that the longitudinal axis L of the spindles 2 and 3 runs preferably centrally through the opened first further clamping device 43 of the first tool revolver 15. The fourth tool revolver 18, which is in the position shown by FIG. 2, can also be brought by rotation and/or displacement into a position in which the centre of the clamping device 44 may also lie on the longitudinal axis L. The positions of the tool revolvers 15 to 18 and of the tools 35 to 42 are preferably controlled here by sensor-based monitoring or by programming, such that a mutual collision of the tool revolvers 15 to 18, of the tools 35 to 42, semi-finished products 8 and 9, partially finished workpieces, etc. is ruled out.

[0050] Alternatively, the bar load magazines 4 and 5 can also be used in order to displace the semi-finished products 8 and 9 from the respective clamping devices 13 and 14 of the spindles 2 and 3 in the longitudinal direction L of the spindles 2 and 3 into the second further clamping device 44 (first semi-finished product 8) and into the first further clamping device (second semi-finished product 9). To this end, the tool revolvers 15 to 18 can be rotated and/or displaced as described beforehand in conjunction with the displacement of the semi-finished products 8 and 9 by hand or by means of a robot. As soon as the semi-finished products 8 and 9 are clamped within the further clamping devices 43 and 44 respectively, the semi-finished products 8 and 9 are likewise set in rotation by rotation of the further clamping devices 43 and 44. Now, the starting regions 11 and 12 firstly can be cut off from the rest of the corresponding semi-finished product 8 or 9 by means of cutting chisels (not shown) and, once the cutting process is complete, the rotation of the further clamping devices 43 and 44 can be stopped, wherein the cutting chisels can be attached for example to the tool revolvers 17 or 16. Following the cutting process, the first tool revolver 15 and the fourth tool revolver 18 can be brought into a position that makes it possible to machine the ends of the cut semi-finished product portions by the available tool revolvers 17 and 16.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a further operating mode. In this operating mode the turning machine 1 according to the invention according to FIG. 1 with the two spindles 2, 3 and four tool revolvers 15 to 18 according to FIG. 2 is loaded with just a single semi-finished product 8 in the first clamping device 13. The opposite second clamping device 14 remains empty initially. In this operating mode the starting region 11 of the semi-finished product 8 is machined in part by the tools 35, 39 and optionally 37 and 41. Once the starting region 11 has been machined as intended in this way, the rotation of the first clamping device 13 initially and thus also of the semi-finished product 8 now machined on one side at the end can be stopped.

[0052] Once the second spindle 3 has been moved along the longitudinal axis L to the left towards the first spindle 2 in a pickup position and in this pickup position has grasped the starting region 11 of the partially machined semi-finished product 8 by means of the second clamping device 14, the partially machined workpiece 50 is separated from the semi-finished product 8 by means of the first tool revolver 15 or the third tool revolver 17 and is thus transferred completely into the second clamping device 14 of the second spindle 3. The second spindle 3 can now be moved back into its end position shown on the extreme right in FIG. 3, in which an end region 51 of the partially machined workpiece 50 is rotated by available tools and the partially machined workpiece 50 is thus machined to a finish. In parallel, i.e. at the same time or at least with a time overlap, the clamping of the semi-finished product 8 within the first clamping devices 13 is released, in order to slide a new starting piece 11 of the semi-finished product 9 into the machining area 10.

[0053] The first semi-finished product 8 retains its orientation during the process, i.e. it is clamped in the first clamping device 13 of the first spindle 2 in such a way that the previously machined right starting region 11 now no longer existing in the first spindle, but in the second spindle 3, is replaced by a new starting region 11 of the semi-finished product 8 and is now situated again within the machining area 10 and can be machined by the machining tools 35, 39 and/or 37 and 41 (a delimitation of the new starting region 11 of the semi-finished product 8 is indicated in FIG. 3 by a dashed line). In this operating mode a workpiece can be machined in the turning machine in two stages, wherein the two stages preferably represent machining from two different sides.

[0054] The described removal and clamping can be performed for example by hand, by movement of the spindles and gripping by means of the spindles or by means of a robot configured for this purpose (not shown). The workpieces are separated from the semi-finished products generally by means of cutting chisels (not shown), which for example can be attached to the tool revolvers 15 to 18.