JP2958438B2 - General-purpose milling machine and its operating range limit setting method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a general-purpose milling machine for performing desired machining by relatively moving a tool and a workpiece by operating a manual handle of X, Y, and Z axes, and a method of setting an operation range limit thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional general-purpose milling machine employs a feed screw and a nut mechanism provided on each of X, Y, and Z-axis feed shafts.
The tool mounted on the main shaft and the work mounted on the table are relatively movable, and the machine is operated by operating a manual handle. On the other hand, a highly automated numerical control (NC) milling machine is provided with an NC device for commanding the movement of a tool by numerical information and a servomotor for each feed shaft, and is automatically operated by an NC program. Further, an NC machine tool having both of these functions is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-124247. This allows various processing to be performed by manual switch operation, handle operation, data setting, and the like in addition to the original NC automatic processing by the NC program.

[0003]

In a conventional general-purpose milling machine, a tool and a work are usually relatively moved by linear movement of the X, Y, and Z axes to machine the work. It is difficult even for a fairly skilled person to work on a movement of an inclination or a movement of an arc that is not parallel to the movement axis. For example, an NC milling machine has been developed as a machine that performs such processing with high precision. However, in order to handle the NC milling machine, it is necessary to acquire the skills of the NC programming, and it takes time to create the NC program. Met. Further, the NC machine tool disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A-2-124247 having both functions is expensive and uneconomic depending on the purpose of use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a conventional general-purpose milling machine with a function capable of automatically moving a feed shaft along a simple shape, so that X and X can be moved without using an NC program.
Providing an improved general-purpose milling machine that allows various relatively simple shape operations to be performed simply by operating the Y and Z-axis manual handles to improve ease of use and work efficiency, and the operating range of the general-purpose milling machine It is to provide a method of setting a limit.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a general-purpose milling machine for performing various machining by relatively moving a tool and a work by operating a manual handle of X, Y and Z axes. , A manual handle of each axis for manually moving the Y, Z axes, and the manual handle
A normal linear motion that moves in parallel with the X, Y, and Z axes using the X-axis and Y-axis, and an oblique line that is not parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes using the X-axis or Y-axis manual handle. Movement along the arc, and movement along the arc by the movement of two or three of the X, Y, and Z axes using the X-axis or Y-axis manual handle. the arc operation for the operation selection switch capable of selecting at least one of operation, the
The machine position of each of the X, Y, and Z axes is read by operating the manual handle of each axis, and the scale of each axis for sending out position data , and the position data of the machine position read by the scale of each axis to confirm the the X, Y, and limiting the direction setting switch that limits the operating range of movement of each axis of the Z-axis, the
A memory unit for storing position data of the determined machine position;
The operation range in which the movement of each of the X, Y, and Z axes is limited.
A feed control unit for controlling to perform the inner, which is a general-purpose milling machine having a.

In the case where the operating range of the movement of each axis of the general-purpose milling machine is limited, the operating range of the tool is limited by operating the X, Y, and Z axis manual handles. /> want to move to a desired position, to determine the position data by the operation of the restriction direction setting switch, storing the position data in the feed control unit, prior to the tool or workpiece該送Ri controller
This is a method for setting the operating range of a general-purpose milling machine for setting the operating range of movement of the X, Y, and Z axes .

[0007]

In the present invention, if the operation selection switch is normally selected, the linear operation parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes can be performed by operating the manual handle of each axis similarly to the conventional general-purpose milling machine. Also, if the operation selection switch is set to an angle, X, Y,
An oblique operation that is not parallel to the Z-axis can be performed. Furthermore,
If the operation selection switch is selected to be an arc, the operation of the manual handle of each axis enables an arc operation by moving any two or three axes of the X, Y, and Z axes. The movement of the machine is performed by operating the manual handle of each axis of the handle operation unit on the front of the machine body in the same way as a conventional general-purpose milling machine, and the tool or workpiece is moved according to the rotation direction and rotation speed of the manual handle. In the direction of rotation of the handwheel,
It moves at a moving speed corresponding to the rotation speed of the manual handle. Furthermore, since the feed motor for automatic feed is connected to each axis, the automatic feed can be applied at the desired feed speed set by the automatic feed speed setting dial by operating the automatic feed switch of each axis.

[0008]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external front view showing one embodiment of the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention. Column 2 stands on base 1,
A knee 3 is vertically movably mounted along a guide surface on the front surface of the column 2. The knee 3 can move up and down when the Z-axis manual handle 6 is operated to form the Z-axis. A Z-axis feed motor (not shown) is provided on the Z-axis to enable automatic feed. The table 7 is movable left and right along a guide surface on the upper surface of the knee 3 and moves left and right by operating the X-axis manual handle 4 to form the X-axis. The X-axis can be automatically fed also by driving an X-axis feed motor (not shown), like the Z-axis. A ram base 8 is mounted on the column 2, and a ram 9 is mounted movably back and forth along a guide surface on the upper surface of the ram base 8. When the Y-axis manual handle 5 is operated, the ram 9 moves back and forth to form the Y-axis. doing. The Y-axis can be automatically fed by driving a Y-axis feed motor (not shown) like the other axes. A spindle head 10 is mounted on the front surface of the ram 9, in which a spindle 11 is rotatably mounted parallel to the Z axis. A tool 12 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 11, and a rotational force is given by a spindle motor 13. In this embodiment, the desired processing is performed by relatively moving the tool 12 and the workpiece 14 by operating a manual handle of each axis or by automatic feed by a feed motor of each axis.

The manual handle operating section 20 comprises an X axis manual handle 4, a Y axis manual handle 5, and a Z axis manual handle 6. An automatic feed speed setting dial 21, an X-axis automatic feed switch 22, a Y-axis automatic feed switch 23, and a Z-axis automatic feed switch 24 are provided in the vicinity of the manual handle operation unit 20. It is possible to select automatic feeding. Further, a stop button 25 used for an emergency stop or the like is provided.

On the right side of the machine body is a machine control unit 30 in which a machine control unit and a feed control unit are mounted. A machine operation device 31 is provided above the machine control device 30, and various operation devices described later are attached thereto. Further, an X-axis scale 32, a Y-axis scale 33, and a Z-axis scale 34 for reading the position of the machine are attached to the feed axes of the X, Y, and Z axes, and the position of the machine is displayed on a display unit 35 in the machine operation device 31. It can be displayed.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the machine operating device 31.
An operation selection switch 40, an angle setting dial 41 and an angle setting switch 42 as numerical value input means , a spindle speed setting dial 43, a spindle rotation ON switch 44, a spindle rotation OFF switch 45, a position setting switch 46, and restriction of respective purposes described later. Direction setting switch group 47, display unit 3
5 and the like are provided. The angle setting dial 41 is
And a counter (not shown)
A parameter corresponding to the direction and amount of rotation of the setting dial 41
Count the number of rubs. Also, set the angle setting dial 41 to the angle value.
Not only the setting of X, Y, and Z axes,
Used as a numerical value input means for inputting numerical values such as the amount of movement
be able to.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a general-purpose milling machine according to the present invention. A machine operation unit 70 and a display unit 35 are incorporated in the machine operation device 31, and a machine control unit 72 and a feed control unit 73 are incorporated in the machine control device 30. As shown in FIG. 1, the X-axis manual handle 4, the Y-axis manual handle 5, and the Z-axis manual handle 6
Are connected to the feed screw of each feed shaft. Each feed shaft is provided with clutches 81, 82, and 83 that operate when switching between manual feed and automatic feed. A manual pulse generator (not shown) is built in each of the manual handles 4, 5, and 6 for the purpose to be described later, and the feed motors 7 of each axis are operated in accordance with the operation of the manual handles 4, 5, and 6.
8, 79 and 80 can be driven. Machine body 77
Includes a spindle motor 13, an X-axis feed motor 78, a Y-axis feed motor 79, and a Z-axis feed motor 80, and further has scales 32, 33, and 34 for each axis for reading the mechanical position of each feed axis.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention. Components that are the same as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 4, the X-axis manual handle 4, the Y-axis manual handle 5, and the Z-axis manual handle 6 of the manual handle operation unit 20 are not connected to the feed screws of each feed shaft of the machine main body 77. A manual pulse generator (not shown) is built in the manual handles 4, 5, and 6 of each axis, and the feed motor of each axis is driven by operating the handle of the manual pulse generator.

Next, the function and operation of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 will be described. In FIG. 2, the operation selection switch 40 can normally select an angle and an arc.
When a general-purpose milling machine is to perform machining by three-axis linear motion parallel to the normal X, Y, and Z axes, the operation selection switch 40 is used.
Is selected normally. When it is desired to machine the work along a diagonal line having an inclined angle that is not parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, the operation selection switch 40 is selected to the angle. X,
When it is desired to machine the workpiece by an arc motion by a combined motion of any two of the Y and Z axes, the operation selection switch 40 is selected to be an arc.

When the normal operation is selected by the operation selection switch 40, in the embodiment of FIG.
By operating 5 and 6, the handle is connected to the feed screw of each axis of the machine main body, so that it can be operated at all like a general-purpose milling machine. When it is desired to perform automatic feed for each axis, the automatic feed can be performed by operating the automatic feed switches 22, 23, and 24 for each axis shown in FIG. The feed speed at that time is sent at a desired speed set by the automatic feed speed setting dial 21.

The feed controller 73 in FIGS. 3 and 4
A memory 74 for storing information on the machine position, etc., a calculation unit 75 for calculating the angle of oblique lines described later, and a function generator for generating a movement command to the feed motor of each axis in response to the operation of the manual handle of each axis 76.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when an angle is selected by the operation selection switch 40 and a desired angle to be processed is set, a desired angle is selected by an angle setting dial 41 shown in FIG. When the angle setting switch 42 is pressed, the desired angle selected is stored in the memory 74 in the feed control unit 73. The angle can also be set by another method shown in FIG. For example, in the present embodiment, the angle B of the oblique line A to be processed with respect to the X axis shown in FIG. 5 is set by the above operation. When the operation selection switch 40 is set to the angle, when the X-axis manual handle 4 is operated, the relative movement between the tool 12 and the work 14 moves in a direction parallel to the oblique line A, that is, in the direction of arrow C. When the Y-axis manual handle 5 is operated, it moves in a direction perpendicular to the oblique line A, that is, in the direction of the arrow D. Therefore, in the case of oblique line processing, cutting feed is performed by the X-axis manual handle 4, and cutting feed is performed by the Y-axis manual handle 5.

When an arc is selected by the operation selection switch 40, for example, an arc F as shown in FIG. 6 can be processed. When the arc center E is set by a method described later in FIG. 6, when the X-axis manual handle 4 is operated, the tool 12
And the workpiece 14 move in a direction along an arc having the same center as the arc F, that is, in the direction of the arrow G. When the Y-axis manual handle 5 is operated, it moves in the normal direction of the arc F, that is, in the direction of the arrow H. Therefore, in the case of arc machining, cutting feed is performed by the X-axis manual handle 4, and cutting feed is performed by the Y-axis manual handle 5.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting an angle when performing oblique line processing. First, when setting the angle, the operation selection switch 40 is selected to the angle.
In this embodiment, there are two types of angle setting methods, A and B. The method A is a method of designating with a dial. As described above, when the angle setting dial 41 is selected to a desired angle and the angle setting switch 42 is turned on, a desired angle can be set. The angle value is stored. Method B is a method of calculating an angle by designating two points. The tool 12 is operated by operating the manual handles 4 and 5 of each axis as shown in FIG.
And the position setting switch 46 shown in FIG. 2 is turned on. Next, the tool 12 is moved to a certain point P2 by operating the manual handles 4 and 5, and the position setting switch 46 is moved.
Turn ON. At this time, the machine position of each axis is read by the scale 32, 33, 34 of each axis attached to the machine main body, and sent to the calculation unit 75 in the feed control unit 73. The value is calculated and stored in memory 74
Is stored with the angle value. When the oblique angle value is stored,
The feed controller 73 controls the feed motor to move the tool or the work at an angle along the oblique line.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting an arc when performing arc machining. First, the operation selection switch 40 is selected to be an arc. In this embodiment, there are two types of arc setting methods, C and D. The method C is a method of designating the center of the arc. When the center shaft is moved to the arc center E shown in FIG. 6 by operating the manual handles 4 and 5 of each axis, and the position setting switch 46 shown in FIG. As described above, the arc center position is stored in the memory 74 in the feed control unit 73 in the same manner as the angle value setting. The method of D is a method of calculating an arc center position by designating three arbitrary points. By operating the manual handles 4 and 5 of each axis, the center of the main spindle or the tool is shown in FIG. , P4, P5, and the position setting switch 46 shown in FIG. When the position data of these three points is input, the feed control unit 73
The calculation unit 75 calculates the position of the arc center E from the position data, and stores the position of the arc center in the memory 74.
When the center position of the arc is stored, the feed control unit 73 controls the feed motor to move the tool or the work in an arc whose radius is the distance between the center position of the arc and the position of the tool.
Also, as described above, the angle setting dial 41 is used to input numerical values.
The finger at the center of the arc can be used
To set the coordinates from the angle setting dial 41.
It can also be done by inputting.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting a limit on the relative movement between the tool 12 and the workpiece 14. When normal is selected by the operation selection switch 40, first, for example, when a limit is set so that the tool can move only between the point Q1 on the left side and the point Q2 on the right side of the X axis (not shown), a manual handle of the X axis is used. 4 moves the tool to the left limit position Q1
To the limit direction setting switch-X, 49 shown in FIG.
Turn ON. Next, the tool is moved to the right limit position Q2 with the X-axis manual handle 4, and the limit direction setting switch + X, 48
Turn ON. At this time, the coordinate position of the machine is stored in the memory 74 of the feed controller 73 as the operation restriction range. Y axis,
When it is desired to restrict the operation of the Z-axis, the operation is similarly performed to set the operation restriction range for the Y-axis and the Z-axis. When the operation limit range is stored in the memory 74 in the feed control unit 73, the tool and the work can be moved only within the limit range, and accidents due to erroneous operation by the operator can be eliminated and machining can be performed safely. The operation restriction is such that the coordinate position of the set machine is stored in the memory 74 so that the operation stops when the machine moves to that position, and the operation of the handle of each axis becomes invalid.

When the angle is selected by the operation selection switch 40, first, the angle value of the oblique line is set by the method shown in FIG. 7 and stored in the memory. By operating the manual handles 4 and 5 of each axis, the tool is moved to the limit position in the diagonal cutting direction, for example, P shown in FIG.
It moves to the position 10 and turns on the limit direction setting switch-Y, 51 shown in FIG. As a result, the tool does not move to the inside J of the oblique line A. Next, the manual handle 4,5
The tool is moved to the limit position P11 in the length direction of the oblique line by the operation of, and the limit direction setting switches -X, 49 are turned on. As a result, the tool does not move to the left K from the line perpendicular to the oblique line A passing through the point P11. Further, the tool is moved to the limit position P12 in the length direction of the oblique line by operating the manual handle, and the limit direction setting switch + X, 48 is turned on. As a result, the tool does not move to the right side L as described above. At this time, the operation restriction range is stored in the memory of the feed control unit 73 as described above.

When the arc is selected by the operation selection switch 40, the center of the arc is set by the method shown in FIG. 8 and stored in the memory. By operating the manual handles 4 and 5 of each axis, the tool is moved to the limit position in the cutting direction of the arc, for example, P13 shown in FIG.
To the position shown in FIG.
Turn ON 54. Next, the tool is moved to the limit position P14 in the length direction of the arc by operating the manual handles 4 and 5, and the limit direction setting switches -X and 49 are turned on. Further, the tool is moved to the arc length direction limit position P15 by operating the manual handles 4 and 5, and the limit direction setting switches + X and 48 are turned on.
At this time, the operation restriction range is stored in the memory 74 of the feed control unit 73 as described above. The above-described limitation of the cutting direction of the arc is a limitation for preventing the inside excessive cutting when processing the workpiece 14 as shown in FIG. 6. Is performed by turning on the outside of the limit direction setting switch 55. Also,
Using the angle setting dial 41 as a numerical value input means,
How far from the current position of the tool is the operation limit range
And press limit direction setting switch group 47.
By doing so, it is possible to set the operation
Can also be. Further, in the present embodiment, the circuit is used as a numerical value input means.
The rotary dial was adopted, but the numeric keyboard (Iwayu
X, Y, and Z axes using the numeric keypad).
It is OK to input numerical values representing the amount of movement,
No. The above-described setting of the operation range limit has been described for the case of a straight line, a diagonal line, and a circular arc. Although the present invention has been described with reference to a vertical milling machine as an embodiment, the present invention can be applied to various types of milling machines such as a horizontal milling machine and a bed milling machine.

[0024]

As described above, the general-purpose milling machine according to the present invention has the same operability and ease of use as the conventional general-purpose milling machine, and can process a simple shape by only operating the manual handle. Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved. X can be used for cutting feed even in oblique line processing and arc processing.
By operating with the manual handle of the shaft and operating the cutting feed with the manual handle of the Y-axis, machining can be easily performed, and automatic feeding can be performed if necessary, so that operability is very good. Further, since the angle of the oblique line operation and the arc center of the arc operation can be set by operating the position setting switch, the operation is simple. Furthermore, since the working range of the tool or the work can be limited during machining, the operator does not mistakenly operate the manual handle to make a machining error, which is not only safe but also improves the productivity. Furthermore, it is a machine that can be easily operated by a worker who used a conventional general-purpose milling machine, and even a worker who has no knowledge of NC machine tool operation and NC programming has been able to automatically process simple shapes. As a result, work efficiency has been greatly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external front view showing an embodiment of a general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a machine operating device according to an embodiment of the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural block diagram showing an embodiment of the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural block diagram showing another embodiment of the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram in a case where oblique line processing is performed by the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram in the case of performing arc machining with the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting an angle when oblique line processing is performed by the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting an arc when performing an arc machining with the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting an operation range limit when it is desired to restrict the movement of a tool or a work in advance when machining with the general-purpose milling machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 X-axis manual handle 5 Y-axis manual handle 6 Z-axis manual handle 20 Manual handle operation unit 22 X-axis automatic feed switch 23 Y-axis automatic feed switch 24 Z-axis automatic feed switch 31 Machine operating device 32, 33, 34 Scale 40 Operation selection switch 41 Angle setting dial 46 Position setting switch 47 Limit direction setting switch group 73 Feed control unit 78, 79, 80 Feed motors 81, 82, 83 for each axis Clutch

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B23C 1/00 B23Q 5/22 B23Q 5/34 B23Q 15/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A general-purpose milling machine for performing various processing by relatively moving a tool and a work by operating a manual handle of X, Y, and Z axes, wherein movement of X, Y, and Z axes is performed by manual operation. A manual handle of each axis to be moved; a normal linear motion of performing movement parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes using the manual handle; and a X, Y, and X axis using the manual handle of the X or Y axis. A diagonal operation for moving along a diagonal line not parallel to the Z axis, and two or three of the X, Y, and Z axes using the X-axis or Y-axis manual handle.
With the arc movement that moves along the arc by the movement of the axis,
An operation selection switch capable of selecting at least one operation; and a mechanical position of each axis for reading the movement of each of the X, Y, and Z axes by operating a manual handle of each axis, and transmitting position data. A scale, position data of the machine position read by the scale of each axis, a limit direction setting switch for limiting an operation range of movement of each of the X, Y, and Z axes; A general-purpose milling machine, comprising: a memory unit that stores position data; and a feed control unit that controls movement of each of the X, Y, and Z axes within the restricted operation range. (2)Movement of X, Y, Z axis by manual operation
Manual handle of each axis to be performed, Using the manual handle, a transfer parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes is performed.
Normal linear motion for movement, and manual X-axis or Y-axis
Along a diagonal line not parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes
The X axis or the Y axis.
Any one of the X, Y, and Z axes or 3
With the arc movement that moves along the arc by the movement of the axis,
Action selection that can select at least one action
Switches and The X, Y, Z axes by operating the manual handle of each axis
Read the machine position of each axis movement and send out the position data
Scale of each axis The position data of the machine position read on the scale of each axis is
X, Y, Control the movement range of each Z axis movement
Limit direction setting switch to limit Memory unit for storing position data of the determined machine position
When, The operation range in which the movement of each of the X, Y, and Z axes is limited.
A feed control unit that controls to be performed within By operating the X, Y, and Z axis manual handles
Perform various processing by relatively moving the tool and the workpiece
In general-purpose milling machines, Said Limits the range of movement of each axis of the general-purpose milling machine
When the tool is operated by operating the X, Y, and Z axis manual handles,
Move to the desired position where you want to restrict the
The position data is determined by operating the direction setting switch.
The position data is stored in the feed control unit, and the feed control unit
The operating range of the X, Y, Z axis movement of the tool or workpiece
Operating range control of general-purpose milling machine characterized by setting
Limit setting method.