Patent Application
20180141184
The present invention relates to a method and system for machining, and more particularly, to a method for machining a work piece with a tool and a robot system using the same.
In modern machining, more and more work pieces tend to have free-form surfaces or boundaries, which brings a lot of challenges to handle. While in most applications such as deburring, side-machining, the tips of the machining tools are in a revolving shape and different radii in different heights are usually used, as shown in
Generally, a fixed point or part of a machining tool is programmed to work along the whole tool path during the machining process. This means that the contact point is fixed and unavailable for customization. To change the contact point on the machining tool for a specific path, users have to manually modify the point, which is low in both efficiency and accuracy. In addition, for the feed rate in the machining process, although it is related to the contact point on the tool with different contact diameters, users have to specify it separately.
Therefore, using default and fixed contact point on a tool in the machining process may cause the following problems.
Firstly, low machining efficiency. Generally, the machining efficiency is proportional to the tool diameter. The larger the cutter diameter is, the higher the machining efficiency is achieved. In the cases that have no collisions, users prefer to use as larger contact diameter as possible during the machining, so that they would like to customize the contact point on the tool to achieve higher machining efficiency. Relatively, using fixed contact point will bring low machining efficiency.
Secondly, gouge or collision may exist between the machining tool and the work piece in normal path generated by offline programming. In some cases, as can be seen in
To resolve the preceding problems, there is a need in the art to develop an improved method for machining a work piece with a tool.
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and system for machining a work piece by a machining tool, and a robot system using the same, to improve machining efficiency and accuracy. With this solution, high machining efficiency could be achieved as well as collisions could be avoided.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for machining a work piece by a machining tool, comprising: defining a customized contact point on the machining tool by setting a contact point height of the machining tool; moving the machining tool against the work piece to apply predefined machining feeds.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, checking a feasibility of the contact point height in a virtual environment, to make sure there is no gouge or collision in its machining path; adjusting the contact point height if failing to pass the checking.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the contact point height is configured to be changeable in one machining path.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, controlling the feed rate of the machining tool to be constant when changing the contact point height of the machining tool.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the machining tool is in a revolving shape.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, generating a default contact diameter (CDdefault) of the machining tool; generating a default movement speed (MSdefault) of the machining tool; generating a default revolution speed of spindle (RSdefault) of the machining tool; calculating the actual contact diameter (CDactual) in accordance with the customized contact point; modifying the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and/or the actual movement speed (MSactual), to remain the feed rate unchanged.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, modifying the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) into (CDdefault/CDactual)*RSdefault, if the actual movement speed (MSactual) remains the same.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, modifying the actual movement speed (MSactual) into (CDdefault−CDactual)*RSdefault)/2+MSdefault, if the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) remains the same.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, modifying the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and the actual movement speed (MSactual), to meet the following equation: RSdefault*CDdefault/2+MSdefault=RSactual*CDactual/2+MSactual.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a robot system for machining a work piece, including: a manipulator; a machining tool; and a controller, being adapted for controlling the manipulator to operate the machining tool according to the method as described above.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for machining a work piece by a machining tool, comprising: a height defining module, configured to define a customized contact point on the machining tool by setting a contact point height of the machining tool; a tool moving module, configured to move the machining tool against the work piece to apply predefined machining feeds.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises: a collision checking module, configured to check a feasibility of the contact point height in a virtual environment, to make sure there is no gouge or collision in its machining path; a height adjusting module, configured to adjust the contact point height if failing to pass the checking.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the contact point height is configured to be changeable in one machining path.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises: a feed rate controlling module, configured to control the feed rate of the machining tool to be constant when changing the contact point height of the machining tool.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the machining tool is in a revolving shape.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises: a contact diameter generating module, configured to generate a default contact diameter (CDdefault) of the machining tool; a movement speed generating module, configured to generate a default movement speed (MSdefault) of the machining tool; a revolution speed generating module, configured to generate a default revolution speed of spindle (RSdefault) of the machining tool; a calculating module, configured to calculate the actual contact diameter (CDactual) in accordance with the customized contact point; a modifying module, configured to modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and/or the actual movement speed (MSactual), to remain the feed rate unchanged.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the modifying module is configured to modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) into (CDdefault/CDactual)*RSdefault, if the actual movement speed (MSactual) remains the same.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the modifying module is configured to modify the actual movement speed (MSactual) into (CDdefault−CDactual)*RSdefault)/2+MSdefault, if the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) remains the same.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the modifying module is configured to modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and the actual movement speed (MSactual), to meet the following equation: RSdefault*CDdefault/2+MSdefault=RSactual*CDactual/2+MSactual.
Compared with the existing prior arts, by using the new solution of flexible contact point, more particularly with the auto-adaptive feed rate, the present invention can achieve several advantages as below.
The present invention is easy to improve efficiency of machining by adjusting the contact height.
The present invention can provide more available options for avoiding gouges and collisions on the path and able to use different contact points for a machining tool.
The present invention can increase offline programming efficiency, and it can also provide more flexible tool path and more reasonable feed rate.
The present invention can avoid tool change and reducing cycle time.
The present invention can improve the machining accuracy.
Other features and advantages of embodiments of the present application will also be understood from the following description of specific exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The above and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent through detailed explanation on the embodiments as illustrated in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference numbers represent same or similar components and wherein:
Hereinafter, solutions as provided the present disclosure will be described in details through embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that these embodiments are presented only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the present disclosure, not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any manner.
Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the/said [element, device, component, means, step, etc]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, unit, step, etc., without excluding a plurality of such devices, components, means, units, steps, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. Besides, the indefinite article “a/an” as used herein does not exclude a plurality of such steps, units, modules, devices, and objects, and etc.
In general, embodiments of the present application provide a new method and system for machining a work piece by a machining tool. As will be apparent from the further discussions below, flexible contact point enables users to customize a contact point on a machining tool based on actual requirements so that high machining efficiency could be achieved as well as gouges or collisions could be avoided.
Throughout the descriptions of various embodiments of the present application, repeated descriptions of some similar elements will be omitted.
Next, reference will be made to describe an example of machining a work piece by the machining tool in which the first embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented.
To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of using default and fixed contact point, except for the parameters related to the machining tool shape, another parameter contact point height can also be introduced for defining a customized contact point on the tool, as it can be seen in
With this solution, users can define a customized contact point on the machining tool by setting a contact point height of the machining tool, and then move the machining tool against the work piece to apply predefined machining feeds.
In addition, a feasibility of the contact point height can be checked in a virtual environment, to make sure there is no gouge or collision in its machining path. User can adjust the contact point height if failing to pass the checking.
As shown in
Another example is shown in
According to the common knowledge of users, the machining efficiency is proportional to the tool diameter. The larger the cutter diameter is, the higher the machining efficiency is achieved. In the cases that have no collisions, users prefer to use as larger contact diameter as possible during the machining, so that they would like to set adaptive contact point in one machining path to achieve higher machining efficiency. For example, as seen in
Therefore, the present disclosure is advantageous because it is easy to improve machining efficiency of machining by adjusting the contact height according to different environment. Also, it provides more options for avoiding gouges and collisions on the machining path and is able to use different contact points for a tool. So it can increase offline programming efficiency and make tool path more flexible and feed rate more reasonable.
In addition, auto-adaptive feed rate is also introduced to better resolve the preceding problems.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, auto-adaptive feed rate is introduced together with the contact point and enables automatic calculation of proper feed rates based on different contact points. With this solution by binding the feed rate with contact height, the machining accuracy becomes better than that using the same feed rate regardless of contact height. This could also reduce programming time since users do not need to set the feed rate manually.
In some embodiments, two parameters Movement Speed and Revolution Speed of Spindle are introduced to represent two feed rate states as shown in Table 1.
Users first specify a default feed rate for a default contact diameter which is calculated based on the tool shape and contact height parameters, so that the default parameter values are obtained.
The basic idea of auto-adaptive feed rate is keep the velocity all the same when contact with the work piece. Generally, there are three available strategies for automatic calculating the feed rate.
Firstly, as shown in Table 2, user can keep move speed unchangeable, but only adjust revolution speed of spindle as described in Table 2.
Secondly, as shown in Table 3, user can keep revolution speed of spindle unchangeable, but only adjust move speed as described in Table 3.
Thirdly, user can modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and the actual movement speed (MSactual) at the same time, so as to meet the following equation: RSdefault*CDdefault/2+MSdefault=RSactual*CDactual/2+MSactual.
Users may use tools with different contact heights (namely different contact diameters) in process, then the feed rate of machining target can be automatically calculated by the three strategies as described above.
Therefore, the present disclosure is advantageous because users can control the feed rate of the machining tool to be adaptive or constant when changing the contact point height of the machining tool. Thus, the machining accuracy becomes better compared with the same movement speed and same revolution speed of spindle.
Another embodiment of the present application will be further discussed below. A system for controlling a machining of a work piece is also provided. The system comprises: a height defining module, which can define a customized contact point on the machining tool by setting a contact point height of the machining tool; and a tool moving module, which can move the machining tool against the work piece to apply predefined machining feeds.
In some embodiments, the system further comprises: a collision checking module, which can check a feasibility of the contact point height in a virtual environment, to make sure there is no gouge or collision in its machining path; and a height adjusting module, which can adjust the contact point height if failing to pass the checking.
In some embodiments, the contact point height may be changeable in one machining path.
In some embodiments, the system further comprises: a feed rate controlling module, which can control the feed rate of the machining tool to be constant when changing the contact point height of the machining tool.
In some embodiments, the machining tool is in a revolving shape.
In some embodiments, the system further comprises: a contact diameter generating module, which can generate a default contact diameter (CDdefault) of the machining tool; a movement speed generating module, which can generate a default movement speed (MSdefault) of the machining tool; a revolution speed generating module, which can generate a default revolution speed of spindle (RSdefault) of the machining tool; a calculating module, which can calculate the actual contact diameter (CDactual) in accordance with the customized contact point; a modifying module, which can modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and/or the actual movement speed (MSactual), to remain the feed rate unchanged.
In some embodiments, the modifying module can modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) into (CDdefault/CDactual)*RSdefault, if the actual movement speed (MSactual) remains the same.
In some embodiments, the modifying module can modify the actual movement speed (MSactual) into (CDdefault−CDactual)*RSdefault)/2+MSdefault, if the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) remains the same.
In some embodiments, the modifying module can modify the actual revolution speed of spindle (RSactual) and the actual movement speed (MSactual), to meet the following equation: RSdefault*CDdefault/2+MSdefault=RSactual*CDactual/2+MSactual.
It should be appreciated that the features as described above with reference to
Hereinabove, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in details through embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that, while this specification contains many specific implementation details, these details should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Various modifications, adaptations to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Any and all modifications will still fall within the scope of the non-limiting and exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, other embodiments of the disclosures set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these embodiments of the disclosure pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.
Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the disclosure are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2015/094177 | 11/10/2015 | WO | 00 |
