MACHINING METHOD AND MULTIPLE WORKPIECE MOUNTING DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING STRUCTURES

Abstract

A machining method for manufacturing structures includes a preprocessing step (11), a clamping step (13), a machining step (15) and an extracting step (19), which are performed in that order. The preprocessing step is performed to get workpieces (20a, 20b, 20c and 20d) for forming a plurality of structures. In the clamping step, fixedly clamping a plurality of workpieces on a multiple workpiece mounting device (30) and rotatably installing the multiple workpiece mounting device on machining equipment (50). In the machining step, machining the workpieces by the machining equipment to get structured workpieces. In the extracting step, extracting a plurality of structures from the structured workpiece. The invention is also related to an above-described multiple workpiece mounting device comprising a plurality of platforms (38) and a rotation axis (L1).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the machining method and the multiple workpiece mounting device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a multiple workpiece mounting device of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an exemplary workpiece needing to be processed.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary machining method for manufacturing structures using the multiple workpiece mounting device of FIG. 1 to process a plurality of workpieces of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing a plurality of workpieces of FIG. 2 attached onto the multiple workpiece mounting device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic, isometric view of machining equipment used in the method of FIG. 3.

Claims

1. A machining method for manufacturing a plurality of structures, the method comprising: (1) providing a plurality of workpieces including a first workpiece and a second workpiece, each of the workpieces comprising at least one processing surface;(2) clamping the workpieces to respective mounting platforms on a multiple workpiece mounting device, and rotatably installing the multiple workpiece mounting device on machining equipment, the multiple workpiece mounting device defining a rotational axis about which the multiple workpiece mounting device can rotate, the mounting platforms being arranged evenly around the rotational axis;(3) machining the workpieces using the machining equipment, wherein when the multiple workpiece mounting device is at a first position, the machining equipment processes one processing surface of each of at least one of the workpieces including the first workpiece, when the multiple workpiece mounting device is rotated to a second position, the machining equipment processes one processing surface of each of at least another one of the workpieces including the second workpiece, and the multiple workpiece mounting device continues to be rotated if and as necessary and the machining equipment continues to process one processing surface of at least a next one of the workpieces if and as necessary until eventually the at least one processing surface of each of the workpieces have all been machined, thereby forming a plurality of structured workpieces; and(4) extracting a plurality of structures from the structured workpieces.

2. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising drilling a plurality of mounting through-holes in the workpieces prior to clamping the workpieces.

3. The machining method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising forming the workpieces using extrusion press equipment prior to drilling the mounting through-holes.

4. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising coating the structured workpieces before extracting the structures.

5. The machining method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coating comprises a cleaning step, a masking step, and an anodizing step.

6. The machining method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coating utilizes a spray-paint method or an electroplating method.

7. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structures are extracted by separating each structure from a remainder of the corresponding structured workpiece by using a machine selected from the group consisting of a punching machine and a shearing machine.

8. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, after extracting the structures, pasting a label on each of the structures and packing the structures.

9. The machining method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the machining equipment comprises a tool installed on a movable worktable, and when the machining equipment processes each processing surface, each of the tool and the worktable is moved along a path determined by a program in the machining equipment.

10. The machining method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the multiple workpiece mounting device comprises a mounting portion and two clamping ends disposed at two opposite ends of the mounting portion, the mounting portion has a shape of a regular prism, the clamping ends are used to rotatably attach the multiple workpiece mounting device on the machining equipment, the multiple workpiece mounting device defines a plurality of mounting holes on each mounting platform, and a fixing piece is inserted into each mounting through-hole and one corresponding mounting hole to fix the workpieces on the multiple workpiece mounting device.

11. The machining method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting portion has a shape of one of an equilateral triangular prism, a square prism, an equilateral pentagonal prism, and an equilateral hexagonal prism.

12. The machining method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting portion of the multiple workpiece mounting device is a square prism having four mounting platforms each having one workpiece mounted thereon, each workpiece has three processing surfaces including a main processing surface and two side processing surfaces adjacent to the main processing surface, and a mounting surface that is on the opposite side to the main processing surface, and the mounting surface abuts a corresponding one of the mounting platforms of the multiple workpiece mounting device.

13. The machining method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the machining equipment synchronously machines the main processing surface of one workpiece mounted on one of the mounting platforms and one side processing surface of each of two other workpieces mounted on two adjacent mounting platforms, after that, the multiple workpiece mounting device is rotated 90 degrees, then, the machining equipment machines the main processing surface of one of said two other workpieces and one side processing surface of each of said one workpiece and still another workpiece, next, the multiple workpiece mounting is further rotated 90 degrees as necessary, and the machining equipment continues to machine a corresponding main processing surface and corresponding side processing surfaces of corresponding of the workpieces as necessary until the main processing surface and the two side processing surfaces of each of the workpieces have all been machined.

14-16. (canceled)

17. A machining method for manufacturing a plurality of structures, the method comprising: (1) providing a plurality of workpieces each comprising one processing surface;(2) clamping the workpieces on a multiple workpiece mounting device having a plurality of platforms, and rotatably installing the multiple workpiece mounting device on machining equipment, the multiple workpiece mounting device defining a rotational axis about which the multiple workpiece mounting device can rotate, each workpiece being mounted on a respective one of the mounting platforms;(3) machining the workpieces using the machining equipment, wherein when the multiple workpiece mounting device is at a first position, the machining equipment processes the processing surface of one workpiece, when the multiple workpiece mounting device is rotated to a second position, the machining equipment processes the processing surface of another workpiece, and the multiple workpiece mounting device continues to be rotated if and as necessary and the machining equipment continues to process the processing surface of at least a next one of the workpieces if and as necessary until eventually the processing surface of each of the workpieces have all been machined, thereby forming a plurality of structured workpieces; and(4) extracting a plurality of structures from the structured workpieces.

18. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workpieces each comprise one processing surface, and when the multiple workpiece mounting device is rotated to each of the positions including the first position and the second position, the machining equipment processes the processing surface of a respective one of the workpieces.

19. The machining method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting platforms are parallel to the rotational axis, and a distance between the rotational axis and each of the mounting platforms is the same.