Method for automated positioning of a blank in a processing machine

Abstract

In a method for automated positioning of a blank in a processing machine provided with a housing and a spindle unit with an electric motor, a control unit for control and electrical supply of the processing machine, a computer producing processing programs for manufacturing workpieces, a workpiece holder, and an image recording unit that optically records image data of a blank received in the workpiece holder, a blank is fixed in the processing machine and the image recording unit produces an image of the blank. A division of the blank into an already processed region and into an unprocessed region based on the image data of the image is performed. A workpiece geometry to be produced is assigned to the unprocessed region of the blank, and a milling operation is performed on the unprocessed region. In a variant of the method, the image recording unit is separate from the processing unit.

Claims

1. A method for automated positioning of a blank in a processing machine, wherein the processing machine comprises: a housing and a spindle unit with an electric motor; a control unit configured to control and to electrically supply the processing machine; a computer configured to produce processing programs for manufacturing workpieces; a workpiece holder; and an image recording unit configured to optically record image data of the blank received in the workpiece holder; the method comprising: fixing the blank in the workpiece holder; the image recording unit producing an image of the blank; performing a division of the blank into an already processed region and into an unprocessed region based on image data of the image of the blank; assigning a workpiece geometry to be produced to the unprocessed region of the blank; and performing a milling operation on the unprocessed region of the blank.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising arranging the image recording unit in the housing of the processing machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the image recording unit with at least one camera.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising arranging the at least one camera above the workpiece holder.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one camera has a longitudinal axis, the method further comprising orienting the at least one camera such that the longitudinal axis of the at least one camera is aligned coaxially to the workpiece holder.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the division between the processed region and the unprocessed region involves automatically performing the division based on a contrast between the processed region and the unprocessed region.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising arranging a light source below the workpiece holder, which light source is for increasing the contrast between the processed region and the unprocessed region.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the workpiece geometry to be produced to the unprocessed region of the blank is carried out automatically by the control unit.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the workpiece geometry to be produced to the unprocessed region of the blank is carried out automatically by the computer via a CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) system.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing machine comprises a workpiece changer, the method further comprising the step of storing a plurality of blanks in the workpiece changer.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising, when assigning the workpiece geometry to the unprocessed region fails, accessing another blank of the plurality of blanks stored in the workpiece changer.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing machine is a dental milling machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further features of the invention result from the further claims, the description, and the drawings in which an embodiment of the invention described in detail in the following is illustrated.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a dental milling machine.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a blank between an image recording unit and a light source.

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank according to FIG. 2 in the direction of arrow III.

(5) FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method and FIG. 4a is a flowchart of a variant of the method.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a dental milling machine with external image recording unit.

(7) FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the method with external image recording unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a processing machine 1 which is a dental milling machine in the embodiment. The processing machine 1 is provided for producing a dental prosthesis, in particular for manufacturing dental crowns and dental bridges. The processing machine 1 comprises a housing 2 with a loading door 35. The housing 2 delimits an interior of the processing machine 1. When the loading door 35 is opened, access to the interior of the processing machine 1 is open in order to insert or remove a blank 11, for example. The housing 2 of the processing machine 1 comprises a top side 28 and a bottom side 27 on which the processing machine 1 is supported. Accordingly, the term “top” indicates a direction extending from the bottom side 27 to the top side 28 of the processing machine 1 and the term “bottom” indicates the opposite direction. In the processing machine 1, a spindle unit 4 is arranged wherein the spindle unit 4 in the preferred embodiment is adjustable in space by a translatory movement as well as rotational movement by means of a drive system that is not illustrated herein. In an alternative embodiment, the drive system can also be designed such that the spindle unit 4 is adjustable only by translatory movement or only by rotational movement.

(9) The processing machine 1 comprises a control unit 6 schematically shown in FIG. 1. The spindle unit 4 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a spindle 8 and an electric motor 23. The electric motor 23 is connected by an electrical connector of the spindle unit 4 to the control unit 6. The control unit 6 serves for electrical supply and control of the spindle unit 4 as well as of the drive system.

(10) The processing machine 1 comprises a workpiece holder 10 which is shown in FIG. 2 in a schematic side view. In the workpiece holder 10, a blank 11 is clamped. As shown in FIG. 2, the processing machine 1 comprises an image recording unit 12 with at least one camera 13. It may also be expedient to provide a plurality of cameras 13. The camera 13 is arranged within the housing 2 of the processing machine 1 and above the workpiece holder 10. The camera 13 comprises a camera lens 26 which is oriented in the direction toward the workpiece holder 10 for recording an image. The camera 13 comprises a longitudinal axis 19. In the preferred embodiment of the processing machine 1, the camera 13 is oriented such that the longitudinal axis 19 of the camera 13 is substantially coaxial to a longitudinal axis 25 of the workpiece holder 10. In other words, the camera 13 is arranged centered relative to the workpiece holder 10. When a blank 11 is clamped in the workpiece holder 10, the longitudinal axis 25 of the workpiece holder 10 extends through the center of the blank 11.

(11) In an alternative embodiment of the processing machine 1, it can also be expedient to arrange the camera 13 off-center relative to the workpiece holder 10. As indicated schematically in FIG. 2, in such a case it is expedient to arrange the camera 13 in a pivoted position relative to the workpiece holder 10 in order to align the recording region of the camera 13 such that the recording region covers a blank 11 which is clamped in the workpiece holder 10. Accordingly, a complete recorded image of the blank 11 can be ensured. Due to the pivoted orientation of the camera 13 relative to the workpiece holder 10, the recorded image of the blank 11 is distorted so that the geometric conditions of the blank 11 no longer correspond to the real dimensions of the blank 11. As a compensation of the pivot angle of the camera 13, a software algorithm is employed which processes the image data and corrects the geometric conditions.

(12) When a blank 11 is clamped in the workpiece holder 10, the processing machine 1 does not yet have sufficient information available in order to determine the absolute position of the blank 11. The blank 11 is in principle designed as a round blank. The height a of the blank 11 can vary in this context. Due to the round geometry of the blank 11, an absolute determination of the position of the blank 11 in the unprocessed state is not required. Since the blank 11 has no cutouts 21 that must be taken into consideration for processing of a workpiece 16, processing can begin at any location of the blank 11. When the blank 11 has already been processed, it comprises cutouts 21 which extend across the entire height a of the blank 11. In order to ensure that the cutting operation does not extend accidentally into the cutouts 21 of the blank 11 when manufacturing a workpiece 16 so that processing must be stopped, the absolute position of the blank 11 must be determined prior to processing.

(13) For this purpose, the blank 11 is placed into the workpiece holder 10 and clamped therein, as is illustrated in FIG. 4 in the form of a flowchart. By means of the image recording unit 12, in particular the camera 13, an image of the blank 11 is recorded. The recorded image data are conveyed to the control unit 6. By means of an image-processing software, it is detected on the basis of the image data in which region the blank processing has already been done and which region is still unprocessed. The image-processing software operates by means of a software algorithm which recognizes the different regions of the blank 11 based on contrast. In order to produce increased contrast between the different regions, in a preferred embodiment of the processing machine 1 according to FIG. 2 a light source 18 is arranged below the workpiece holder 10. When the light source 18 is activated, the blank 11 is illuminated from below. The light is blocked by the blank 11; only in the cutouts 21 the light can shine through to the camera 13 so that the contrast between the regions is increased. The blank 11 is divided by the image-processing software into an unprocessed region 15 and into a processed region 14. In the processed region 14 further processing of a workpiece 16 is not possible. In the unprocessed region 15, on the other hand, further workpieces 16 can be produced.

(14) In the preferred embodiment of the processing machine 1, the image-processing software is coupled to the computer 24. The processed image data are conveyed to a CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) system provided on the computer 24; the CAM system serves for NC (numerical control) programming of the workpieces 16. Alternatively, the image processing software can also be integrated directly in the CAM system. On the basis of the processed image data, the CAM system recognizes in which region of the blank 11 processing of the workpiece 16 can be realized. The CAM system positions virtually the workpiece geometry to be produced in the unprocessed region 15 of the blank 11. In this context, a comparison is performed to see whether the unprocessed region 15 is sufficiently large for manufacturing the workpiece 16. When this requirement is fulfilled, the corresponding NC (numerical control) program issues and the manufacture of the workpiece 16 is started. Should the unprocessed region 15 not be sufficiently large, the process is stopped. A new blank 11 must be inserted. The process begins from the start. Preferably, the process is performed automatically.

(15) In an alternative embodiment of the processing machine 1, the image processing software is coupled only to the control unit 6 and transmits corresponding specifications on the clamped blank 11 to the control unit 6. The CAM system issues only the NC program for manufacturing the workpiece 16 and transmits the NC program to the control unit 6. In a separate routine performed in the control unit 6, a comparison is done to see whether the unprocessed region 15 of the blank 11 is sufficiently large for manufacturing the workpiece 16.

(16) As illustrated in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the processing machine 1 comprises a workpiece changer 20 in which a plurality of blanks 11 can be stored. For processing a blank 11, the workpiece holder 10 accesses the workpiece changer 20 and picks up a blank 11. Once processing is completed, the blank 11 is returned automatically into the workpiece changer 20. When no sufficiently large unprocessed region is identified on the blank 11, the user is informed, for example, by means of a screen or monitor, not illustrated, coupled to the computer 24 or the control unit 6. Therefore, a new blank 11 must be inserted. This can be done by hand, but in the preferred embodiment the workpiece holder 10 automatically returns the blank 11 into the workpiece changer 20, puts it down therein, and picks up a new blank 11 for processing. The process then begins from the start.

(17) In an alternative embodiment, the processing machine 1 can also be designed without workpiece changer 20 so that manual insertion or removal of the blank 11 is required.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a processing machine 1 and an external image recording unit 12 for an alternative embodiment of the method according to the invention. Same reference characters in FIGS. 1 and 5 refer to the same components. The processing machine 1 according to FIG. 5 differs from that of FIG. 1 in that it comprises no workpiece changer 20 and no image recording unit 12. It can be expedient to provide a workpiece changer 20 also in this embodiment of the processing machine 1 according to FIG. 5. The image recording unit 12 is embodied as an external image recording unit 12. Accordingly, the image recording unit 12 is embodied separate from the processing machine 1. The image recording unit 12 in the embodiment is configured as a portable computer 29 with a camera 13. The portable computer 29 with camera 13 can be in particular a laptop, a tablet computer, or a mobile phone. In an alternative embodiment of the image recording unit 12, it may be expedient to provide a stationary computer which is separate from the processing machine and comprises a camera 13. The camera 13 can be designed to be portable so that image recording of blanks 11 in the workpiece holder 10 can be realized also. Alternatively, the camera 13 can also be provided stationarily at the computer so that the blank 11 for recording an image must be placed below the camera 13 and subsequently inserted into the processing machine 1. It can also be expedient to provide an image recording unit 12 that is external to the processing machine and that is embodied as an optical scanner, in particular as an optical 3D scanner.

(19) As indicated schematically in FIG. 5, the image recording unit 12 is connected by a data connection 30 to the computer 24 and/or to the control unit 6. In this way, a transmission of the recorded image data of the blank 11 can be realized from the image recording unit 12 to the computer 24 and/or to the control unit 6. The data connection 30 can be provided by a data cable. It can be expedient to provide a data connection 30 that is wireless, for example, via Bluetooth.

(20) In an alternative embodiment of the method according to the invention, the steps according to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4 are performed with the difference that the image recording unit 12 is an image recording unit according to FIG. 5 which is separate from the processing machine 1.

(21) In FIG. 6, a flowchart of a further alternative method according to the invention is illustrated. By means of the external image recording unit 12 an image is recorded of the blank 11. The image data are conveyed to the control unit 6 and/or to the computer 24. Preferably, the recorded image is transferred to the CAM system on the computer 24 which serves for NC programming of the workpieces 16. For this purpose, the image data can be either transmitted from the image recording unit 12 immediately to the computer 24 or via the control unit 6 to the computer 24. The image produced from the blank 11 is positioned congruently on top of the blank 11 generated in the CAM system. The blank 11 generated in the CAM system is arranged coaxially to the blank 11 of the image file. By means of an image-processing software algorithm which analyzes the image file, a division of the blank 11 into a processed region 14 and an unprocessed region 15 is done in the CAM system based on the image file. Subsequently, the workpiece 16 to be manufactured is assigned to the unprocessed region of the blank 11. These steps are carried out preferably automatically by means of a corresponding software algorithm. Alternatively, the operator can position the workpiece to be manufactured by hand in the unprocessed region of the blank in the CAM system. In this way, the operator can correct the result of the software algorithm, for example. The unprocessed region can be recognized only based on the image file.

(22) Subsequently, the blank 11 is to be placed into the processing machine 1. Alternatively, the blank 11 can also be positioned into the processing machine 1 immediately after processing of the image file. In order for the coordinate system of the blank 11, the so-called workpiece coordinate system, to match the coordinate system of the processing machine 1, the blank 11 is to be aligned by means of a marking relative to the workpiece holder 10. As a marking, for example, notches, steps or color markings can be provided on the blank 11. Preferably, the workpiece holder 10 has also corresponding markings. In this way, the blank 11 can be aligned by its marking relative to the marking of the workpiece holder 10. When the blank 11 is positioned in the workpiece holder 10, the milling operation is carried out in the unprocessed region 15 of the blank 11.

(23) In an alternative embodiment of the image recording unit 12, additional information can be stored in the image recording unit 12 by the user. For example, the blank type, in particular the dimensions of the blank as well as the corresponding material of the blank, can be provided. This information is transmitted together with the recorded image file to the computer 24. Subsequently, in the CAM system, on the basis of the provided additional information, a blank is automatically generated and the image file is applied to the blank. Subsequently, the assignment in regard to the unprocessed region 15 and the processed region 14 is done, and positioning of the workpiece 16 to be manufactured in the unprocessed region 15 is performed. The further processing steps are carried out as discussed above.

(24) The specification incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of German priority document 10 2019 005 849.6 having a filing date of Aug. 20, 2019.

(25) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.