CUTTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A CUTTING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a cutting system. The cutting system (1) is designed to extend in the direction of a first system axis (7) which extends horizontally along a width (B) of the cutting system (1), in the direction of a second system axis (8) which extends vertically relative to the first system axis (7), and in the direction of a third system axis (9) which extends along the depth (T) of the cutting system orthogonally to the first system axis (7) and the second system axis (8). The cutting system has a support (2), a tool (3; 4) which is received on the support (2) in the form of a saw with a spindle shaft (13; 14), the operating direction of the tool following the direction of the first system axis (7), and an additional tool (5) which is received on the support (2) in the form of a chop saw with a third spindle shaft (15), the operating direction of the additional tool following the direction of the first system axis (7). The tools (3; 4; 5) are used to machine a blank, and the tools (3; 4; 5) are arranged in series in the direction of the first system axis (7). The cutting system (1) has a support element (10) which is received on the support (2) in a movable manner along the first system axis (7) and the second system axis (8), and the support element (10) is provided for supporting the blank. The support element (10) can be rotated about the second system axis (8), and according to the invention, the spindle shaft (13; 14) is orthogonal to the third spindle shaft (15).

Claims

1. Cutting apparatus, the cutting apparatus being designed to extend in the direction of a first apparatus axis that extends horizontally along a width (B) of the cutting apparatus, a second apparatus axis that extends vertically with respect to the first apparatus axis, and a third apparatus axis that extends orthogonally to the first apparatus axis and second apparatus axis, along a depth (T) of the cutting apparatus, comprising a support, a tool that is received on the support and is in the form of a saw comprising a spindle shaft, the working direction of which tool is in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and a further tool that is received on the support and is in the form of a chop saw comprising a third spindle shaft, the working direction of which tool is in the direction of the first apparatus axis, the tools being used for machining a blank, and the tools being arranged in series in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and the cutting apparatus comprising a support element that is received on the support so as to be movable along the first apparatus axis and the second apparatus axis, the support element being provided for retaining the blank, and the support element being rotatable about the second apparatus axis, characterised in that the spindle shaft is orthogonal to the third spindle shaft.

2. Cutting apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that, in order to move the support element in the direction of the first apparatus axis, a first linear shaft is formed on the support so as to extend in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and, in order to move the support element in the direction of the second apparatus axis, a second linear shaft is formed on the support so as to extend in the direction of the second apparatus axis.

3. Cutting apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that an additional tool is received on the support.

4. Cutting apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the additional tool, in the form of a saw comprising an additional spindle shaft, has a working direction that is in the direction of the first apparatus axis.

5. Cutting apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the support element comprises a support plate for fixedly receiving the blank.

6. Cutting apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that a container is designed to receive the support plate, a permeable sieve being fixed to the support downstream of the container, the passage openings of which sieve are smaller than workpieces produced from the blank.

7. Cutting apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the container can be coupled to the support.

8. Cutting apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the chop saw comprises at least two saw blades.

9. Method for machining a blank using a cutting apparatus, wherein the cutting apparatus is designed to extend in the direction of a first apparatus axis that extends horizontally along a width (B) of the cutting apparatus, a second apparatus axis that extends vertically with respect to the first apparatus axis, and a third apparatus axis that extends orthogonally to the first apparatus axis and second apparatus axis, along a depth (T) of the cutting apparatus, comprising a support, a tool that is received on the support and is in the form of a saw comprising a spindle shaft, the working direction of which tool is in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and a further tool that is received on the support and is in the form of a chop saw comprising a third spindle shaft, the working direction of which tool is in the direction of the first apparatus axis, wherein the tools are used for machining a blank, and wherein the tools are arranged in series in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and wherein the cutting apparatus comprises a support element that is received on the support so as to be movable along the first apparatus axis and the second apparatus axis, wherein the blank is fixed to the support element, and wherein the support element is rotatable about the second apparatus axis, and wherein the spindle shaft is orthogonal to the third spindle shaft, and the method comprising: (a) in a first positioning step, the blank is positioned for machining using the tool, (b) in a first machining step, the blank is provided with a first group of cuts, (c) in a second positioning step, following the first machining step, the blank is rotated in the cutting apparatus by an angle (a) about the second apparatus axis, (d) in a second machining step, the blank is provided with a second group of cuts that is transverse to the first group of cuts, (e) in a third positioning step, following the second machining step, the blank is moved along the first linear shaft for machining, and (f) in a third machining step, the blank is trimmed.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the first group of cuts and the second group of cuts are filled with a substitute material after the first and/or second machining step and before the third machining step.

11. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the second positioning step additionally comprises moving the support element along the first linear shaft, provided that the cutting apparatus contains an additional tool in the form of a saw comprising an additional spindle shaft, the working direction of which tool is in the direction of the first apparatus axis.

12. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that positioning of the blank for the second and/or third operation is carried out along the first linear shaft.

13. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the blank is cubic zirconia.

14. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that in order to move the support element in the direction of the first apparatus axis, a first linear shaft is formed on the support so as to extend in the direction of the first apparatus axis, and, in order to move the support element in the direction of the second apparatus axis, a second linear shaft is formed on the support so as to extend in the direction of the second apparatus axis.

15. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the support element comprises a support plate for fixedly receiving the blank.

Description

[0038] Further advantages, features and details of the invention can be found in the following description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings. However, the features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and mentioned below in the description of the figures, and/or features and combinations of features shown only in the figures, can be implemented not only in the combination specified in each case, but rather also in any other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention. The same or functionally similar elements are provided with identical reference signs. For reasons of clarity, it is possible that the elements may not be provided with their reference signs in all the figures, but the association remains. In the figures:

[0039] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting apparatus according to the invention,

[0040] FIG. 2 is a first longitudinal section of the cutting apparatus according to FIG. 1, and

[0041] FIG. 3 is a second longitudinal section of the cutting apparatus according to FIG. 1.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a cutting apparatus 1 according to the invention. The cutting apparatus 1 comprises a support 2 for receiving a tool 3 that is referred to in the following as the first tool 3 and comprises a first spindle shaft 13, and an additional tool 4 that is referred to in the following as the second tool 4 and comprises a second spindle shaft 14, and a further tool 5 that is referred to in the following as the third tool 5 and comprises a third spindle shaft 15. In this embodiment, the first tool 3 and the second tool 4 are formed as a multi-blade saw. In other words, the first tool 3 and the second tool 4 comprise a plurality of parallel, equally sized saw blades 6 (see FIG. 2). The third tool 5 is formed as a chop saw. The tools 3, 4 and 5 are driven by their spindle shafts 13, 14 and 15. The third spindle shaft 15 and the first spindle shaft 13 and/or the second spindle shaft 14 are orthogonal, the first spindle shaft 13 and the second spindle shaft 14 being mutually parallel.

[0043] The cutting apparatus 1 comprises a first apparatus axis 7, in the direction of which the width B of the cutting apparatus 1 extends. Moreover, the height H and depth T of the cutting apparatus 1 extend in the direction of a second apparatus axis 8 and third apparatus axis 9, respectively. The first apparatus axis 7, the second apparatus axis 8 and the third apparatus axis 9 are positioned so as to be orthogonal to one another. For an improved representation, the apparatus axes 7, 8 and 9 are shown symbolically in the form of a Cartesian coordinate system.

[0044] A support element 10 is formed on the support 2, which element is rotatable about a pivot axis that corresponds to the second apparatus axis 8. The support element 10 is designed in the form of a rotary table and can be rotated and/or pivoted about the pivot axis 11 in the direction of the first arrow 12.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the three tools 3, 4 and 5 are immovably fixed to the support 2. In order to achieve a positioning and/or infeed motion and feed motion, the support element 10 can be moved in the direction of the first apparatus axis 7 and the second apparatus axis 8, the support 10 comprising a first linear shaft 16 and/or a second linear shaft 17 for this purpose. The feed motion occurs along the first apparatus axis 7, in the direction of the second arrow 20. The infeed motion is carried out in the direction of the second arrow 20 and third arrow 21, along the first apparatus axis 7 and second apparatus axis 8.

[0046] Likewise, the tools 3, 4 and 5 could also be received on the support 2 so as to be movable. This would mean that, although, for example, the support element 10 is designed to be able to carry out its pivoting movement, the tools 3, 4 and 5 are assigned the infeed and feed motions in addition to their cutting and trimming functions.

[0047] In order to achieve a rapid and simple tool change, the spindle shafts 13, 14 and 15 of the three tools 3, 4 and 5 are cantilever-mounted on the cutting apparatus 1. The cutting apparatus 1 is designed such that rotational speeds of the tools 3, 4 and 5 of far above 15,000 rpm can be achieved.

[0048] The method according to the invention is characterised in that, in a first method step, a blank is immovably fixed to a support plate 18. The support plate 18 is fastened to the support element 10, such that a relative motion is possible between the support plate 18 and the support element 10.

[0049] In a first positioning step, the support element 10 is positioned relative to the first tool 3, by means of the first linear shaft 16 and second linear shaft 17 that are designed to carry out the positioning and/or infeed motion, until an intended penetration depth of the saw blades 6 into the blank is achieved. Said penetration depth corresponds to the required depth of cut. The first tool 3 is activated, the saw blades 6 being put into operation. In the first machining step, the support element 10 together with the blank is moved along the first linear shaft 16, which is designed for the feed motion, and into and through the first tool 3. At the end of the first machining step, the blank comprises a first group of cuts in the form of a plurality of parallel incisions.

[0050] The cuts and/or incisions do not fully penetrate the blank. The blank thus comprises discs produced by the cuts and/or incisions, which discs are interconnected by a core of the blank. In other words, since the incisions do not fully penetrate the blank, a core is formed that comprises the discs. Since, however, the core of the blank is immovably received on the support plate 18, the discs formed on the core of the blank are likewise immovably fixed to the support plate 18. Further fixing for the next machining step is therefore not necessary.

[0051] In a next method step, i.e. the second positioning step, the support plate 18 is rotated about the pivot axis 11 by a specified angle a, which is required for the further cut. If, for example, the finished workpiece is intended to be rectangular or cuboid, the support plate 18 should be rotated about the pivot axis 11 by the angle a having a value of 90.

[0052] Subsequently, the support element 10 together with the blank comprising a first group of cuts is moved relative to the first tool 3, along the first linear shaft 16 and second linear shaft 17, until an intended penetration depth of the saw blades 6 into the blank is achieved. The second tool 4 is activated, the saw blades 6 thereof being put into operation. In the second machining step, the support element 10 together with the blank is moved along the first linear shaft 16, which is designed for the feed motion, and into and through the second tool 4.

[0053] The blank now comprises a second group of cuts. The first group of cuts and the second group of cuts together form a cross-cut. In other words, the blank is now cut in a grid-like manner and/or comprises grid-like incisions. Since the second group of cuts is formed in the blank in the same axial direction as the first group of cuts, bar-shaped workpiece elements are provided that are interconnected by the core of the blank.

[0054] In order to separate the bar-shaped workpiece elements from the core of the blank, in a next method step, i.e. the third positioning step, the support element 10, together with the blank that now comprises a group of bars, is positioned by means of the first linear shaft 16 and the second linear shaft 17 for machining using the third tool 5, i.e. the chop saw. A corresponding feed is set by the first linear shaft 16, and the bars are cut and/or trimmed to a specified length in the third machining step.

[0055] The produced workpieces, which are formed in the shape of cubes, prisms or cuboids, are removed by means of a coolant that is used for cooling and lubrication during operation of the tools 3, 4 and 5. The workpieces are collected in a trough-like container 19 that comprises a sieve for removing the coolant, and are removed from the cutting apparatus 1 together with said container.

[0056] In a variant of the method according to the invention, the blank is filled with a substitute material prior to trimming. That is to say that the grid-like incisions are filled in by a substitute material. As a result, breakages during trimming can be prevented.

[0057] Likewise, the blank can also already be filled with the substitute material before the second group of cuts is made.

[0058] In a further embodiment that is not shown in greater detail, the third tool 5 is formed as a double-bladed chop saw. Thus, two cutting and/or trimming planes can be achieved by one feed position. The duration of the production of the workpieces is thus reduced.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0059] 1 Cutting apparatus [0060] 2 Support [0061] 3 First tool [0062] 4 Second tool [0063] 5 Third tool [0064] 6 Saw blade [0065] 7 First apparatus axis [0066] 8 Second apparatus axis [0067] 9 Third apparatus axis [0068] 10 Support element [0069] 11 Pivot axis [0070] 12 First arrow [0071] 13 First spindle shaft [0072] 14 Second spindle shaft [0073] 15 Third spindle shaft [0074] 16 First linear shaft [0075] 17 Second linear shaft [0076] 18 Support plate [0077] 19 Container [0078] 20 Second arrow [0079] 21 Third arrow