HONING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT HONING OPERATIONS ON ORTHOGONALLY ALIGED BORES IN A WORKPIECE

Abstract

The invention relates to a honing machine and to a method for carrying out honing operations on orthogonally aligned bores in a workpiece, in particular for honing cylinder bores and a bearing race bore in a cylinder crankcase.

Claims

1. Honing machine for carrying out honing operations on orthogonally aligned bores in a workpiece, comprising: a machine base; at least one machine-internal transport system arranged on the machine base comprising a rotary table that rotates around a vertical rotary table axis and comprises multiple workpiece intakes which are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction at a radial distance from the rotary table axis such that a workpiece inserted into a workpiece intake can be successively moved along a circular path and passed through various workstations of the honing machine via rotation of the rotary table; wherein at least one of the workstations is a vertical honing station comprising at least one vertical honing unit, which has a honing spindle designed for honing of a bore aligned along a vertical direction via a relative motion rotating around a spindle axis and translatory along the spindle axis, between the workpiece and the honing spindle, wherein the spindle axis is aligned parallel to the rotary table axis; wherein further one of the workstations is a horizontal honing station comprising at least one horizontal honing unit, which has a honing spindle designed for honing of a bore aligned along a horizontal direction via a relative motion rotating around a horizontal spindle axis and translatory along the horizontal spindle axis, between the workpiece and this honing spindle, characterized in that the honing machine comprises an actuator unit that is arranged and designed to carry out the honing in the horizontal honing station by moving the workpiece, wherein in particular the honing spindle of the horizontal honing unit is arranged immovably in the honing machine for carrying out the honing, or that the machine-internal transport system is designed such that, to carry out the honing in the horizontal honing station, the workpiece is moved away from the rotary table, and the honing is carried out outside of the rotary table, in particular wherein the workpiece is moved outside of the circular path where the rotary table moves the workpieces.

2. Honing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal spindle axis extends along a processing direction and the translatory relative motion occurs along this axis during the honing, wherein this processing direction is parallel to a direction extending radially through the rotary table axis, yet is spaced from the rotary table axis.

3. Honing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that there is a rotational device in the horizontal honing station, so that the alignment of the workpiece can be changed such that the processing in the horizontal honing station can be carried out with a different alignment of the workpiece than in the vertical honing station.

4. Honing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that all workstations of the honing machine are arranged on the machine base.

5. Honing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the honing machine comprises at least two vertical honing stations, wherein at least one vertical honing station comprises a vertical honing unit moveably arranged on a portal-like carrier via sliders, wherein the honing units of all vertical honing stations are moveably arranged on the carrier via sliders.

6. Honing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the honing machine comprises a first workstation designed as a loading and unloading station, a second workstation, wherein this is a first vertical honing station for pre-honing, a third workstation, wherein it is the horizontal honing station, and a fourth workstation, wherein this is a second vertical honing station for the final honing or other processing, wherein the transport direction of the rotary table is from the first to the fourth workstation and back to the first workstation.

7. (canceled)

8. Method for carrying out honing operations on orthogonally aligned bores in a workpiece, wherein the method comprises the following steps: receipt of the workpiece at a rotary table that rotates around a vertical rotary table axis; transportation of the workpiece successively between various workstations along a circular path via rotation of the rotary table; wherein at least one of the workstations is a vertical honing station in which a bore aligned along a vertical direction is honed via a relative motion rotating around a spindle axis and translatory along the spindle axis, between the workpiece and honing spindle, wherein the spindle axis is aligned parallel to the rotary table axis; wherein further one of the workstations is a horizontal honing station in which a bore aligned along a horizontal direction is honed via a relative motion rotating around a horizontal spindle axis and along the horizontal spindle axis, between the workpiece and honing spindle, characterized in that in order to carry out the honing in the horizontal honing station, the workpiece is moved, and the honing spindle of the horizontal honing unit is held immobile at least in the direction of the translatory relative motion, or that in order to carry out the horizontal honing, the workpiece is moved away from the rotary table and the honing is carried out outside of the rotary table, wherein the workpiece is moved outside of the circular path where the rotary table moves the workpieces.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the horizontal spindle axis runs along a processing direction and the translatory relative motion during the honing occurs along this axis, wherein this processing direction is parallel to a direction extending radially through the rotary table axis, yet is spaced from the rotary table axis.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the alignment of the workpiece is changed before the horizontal honing.

11. (canceled)

12. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a honing machine according to claim 1 is used to carry out the method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Further characteristics, details and advantages of the invention are apparent from the wording of the claims as well as from the following description of example embodiments based on the illustrations. These show:

[0040] FIG. 1 a top view of a honing machine described by the invention;

[0041] FIG. 2 a side view of the honing machine described by the invention as shown in FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 3 a top view of another example embodiment of a honing machine described by the invention, and

[0043] FIG. 4 a side view of the honing machine described by the invention as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In the following description, as well as in the figures, corresponding components and elements have the same reference sign. For the sake of clarity, not all references signs are listed in all figures.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a honing machine 10 described by the invention for carrying out honing operations on orthogonally aligned bores in a workpiece 12. The honing machine 10 comprises a machine base 14 where a transport system 16 is located. The transport system 16 comprises a rotary table 18 that rotates around a vertical rotary table axis 20. Four workpiece intakes 22 are arranged on the rotary table 18, wherein each of the workpiece intakes 22 can receive one workpiece 12. Rotation of the rotary table 18 around the rotary table axis 20 transports the workpieces 12 on a circular path. The workpieces 12 are then led to the individual workstations. Four workstations are indicated by four workpieces 12. The workstation shown on the right in FIG. 1 is a horizontal honing station 24. The horizontal honing station 24 comprises a horizontal honing unit 26 comprising a honing spindle 28 with a honing tool. The honing spindle 28 or honing tool is aligned along a horizontal spindle axis 30. The horizontal honing operation is thus carried out along this horizontal spindle axis 30.

[0046] The honing machine 10 also comprises an actuator unit 32 positioned on the machine base 14 that can move the workpiece 12 back and forth along the horizontal spindle axis 30 via a track system. During operation the workpiece 12 is moved radially away from the rotary table 18 so that there is no more direct contact between the workpiece 12 and the rotary table 18, and the rotary table is essentially vibrationally disconnected from the workpiece. Such a disconnection of the workpiece 12 prevents the transfer of the vibrations and oscillations from the horizontal honing operations via the workpiece 12 to the rotary table 18 and thus to other workpieces 12 or workstations.

[0047] Before a horizontal honing operation is carried out on the workpiece 12, the workpiece 12 is aligned in the actuator unit 32 such that a horizontally aligned bore that is to be honed is arranged along the horizontal spindle axis 30. In this example embodiment, the horizontal honing unit 26 is firmly positioned on the machine basis 14 so that the honing spindle 28 is immovable along the horizontal spindle axis 30. The honing spindle 28 or honing tool only carries out a rotation during the horizontal honing operation. The workpiece 12 is moved back and forth along the horizontal spindle axis 30 via the actuator unit 32, while the honing spindle 28 or honing tool rotates so that the honing operation can be carried out on the bore previously aligned along the horizontal spindle axis 30. After completion of the horizontal honing operation, the workpiece 12 is returned to the workpiece intake 22 of the rotary table 18 and transported to the next workstation via rotation of the rotary table 18 around its vertical rotary table axis 20.

[0048] The individual workstations can be a loading and unloading station, a vertical honing station, a measuring station, or another horizontal honing station 24. For example, the workstation indicated on the left in FIG. 1 by the workpiece 12 can be a loading and unloading station, and the workstations indicated at the top and bottom of FIG. 1 via workpieces 12 can be vertical honing stations with vertical honing units (not pictured). In particular, the workstation indicated at the top of FIG. 1 by the workpiece 12 can be used for vertical pre-honing, and the workstation indicated at the bottom of FIG. 1 by the workpiece 12 can be used for vertical final honing. At least one of the workstations can also be a measuring station, with which the honing operations carried out at the respective bores can be evaluated and monitored. But it is also possible for the measurement to be conducted with a measuring unit 34 at a workstation that is not a measuring station.

[0049] The measuring unit 34 shown in FIG. 1 is arranged on the machine base 14 via sliders such that post-measuring of the horizontal bore is possible, while, for example, the workpiece 12 is located in the workstation for vertical shape honing (see above).

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the honing machine 10 described by the invention as shown in FIG. 1. It is clear that, in order to carry out the honing in the horizontal honing station 26, the workpiece 12 is radially moved outward away from the rotary table 18 in order to achieve the aforementioned disconnection of the workpiece 12 from the rotary table 18. Furthermore, the rotary table 18 in this example embodiment is an elevating rotary table. This means that the rotary table 18 can be lowered after transporting the workpieces 12 into the next respective workstation. The workpieces 12 then remain in the respective workstations and are no longer connected with the rotary table 18. The rotary table 18 is thus not a medium by which unwanted vibrations or oscillations generated in the individual workstations can be transferred between the individual workpieces 12 or workstations.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a top view of another example embodiment of a honing machine 10 described by the invention. Here, too, are four workstations shown, indicated by four workpieces 12, similar to the previous example embodiment. In the example embodiment shown here, the horizontal honing unit 26 is positioned on the machine base 14 such that the horizontal spindle axis 30 does not run through the rotary table axis 20. Accordingly, the workpiece 12 must be aligned along this horizontal spindle axis 30 with its horizontally aligned bore. This is done with a rotational device not further explained herein.

[0052] In this example embodiment, the horizontal honing unit 26 is moveable via tracks so that the horizontal honing unit 26, and thus the honing spindle 28, can move back and forth along the horizontal spindle axis 30 with a honing tool. In order to carry out the horizontal honing operations, the honing spindle 28 is lowered into the workpiece 12 or the bore of the workpiece 12 to be honed by moving the horizontal honing unit 26 following alignment of the workpiece 12.

[0053] After completion of the horizontal honing operation, the workpiece 12 is once again rotated by the rotational device (not pictured) so that the honing operation can be evaluated and monitored by the measuring device 34. The rotated workpiece 12 and its alignment are shown in FIG. 3 with a thin, dashed line. The measuring device 34 is also moveably positioned along an axis on the machine base 14 via tracks. The horizontal honing and post-measuring can thus be carried out at the same workstation. A separate workstation for the post-measuring or post-monitoring of the horizontal honing operations is not necessary. Nevertheless, a measuring station may be provided as a workstation where only post-measuring is carried out.

[0054] Similar to the previous example embodiment, the individual workstations can be a loading and unloading station, a vertical honing station, a (additional) measuring station, or another horizontal honing station 24.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the honing machine 10 described by the invention as shown in FIG. 3. In this example embodiment, too, the rotary table 18 is designed as an elevating rotary table in order to prevent the transfer/spread of unwanted oscillations or vibrations via the rotary table 18.