Abstract:
Provided is a horizontal machine tool which achieves remarkable accuracy improvement by correcting spatial accuracy while stabilizing the swing of a main spindle. To this end, a horizontal machine tool (10) is provided with: a ram tension bar (20) which corrects the deflection of a ram (17); a lifting force correction mechanism (30) which corrects the inclination of a saddle (16) by adjusting lifting force at two positions where the saddle (16) is lifted; a column tension bar (40) which corrects the bend of a column (14); and a control device which controls the ram tension bar (20), the lifting force correction mechanism (30) and the column tension bar (40) and has a spatial accuracy correction function of correcting the spatial accuracy by numerical control. The control device corrects only the swing of the tip of a main spindle (18) using the ram tension bar (20), the lifting force correction mechanism (30) and the column tension bar (40), and corrects the deterioration of the spatial accuracy due to sinking of a bed (11) using the spatial accuracy correction function.
Abstract:
A counterforce mechanism is arranged to exert a force on an object to maintain the object at a desired position. The mechanism comprises a driven body, a drive for moving the driven body, and a resilient coupling arrangement for coupling the driven body to a portion of an object. A control arrangement is arranged to output a drive signal to the driven body drive to move the driven body to a location where it exerts a force on the object via the coupling arrangement, such that the force counteracts an opposing force acting on the object and the mechanism holds the portion of the object at the desired position. A machine axis and a machine tool incorporating such a counterforce mechanism are also described, together with methods of operation thereof.
Abstract:
When a slide member mounted with a tool reciprocates on a guide member reach one end and the other end positions of the guide member, permanent magnets provided on the guide member and the permanent magnets provided on the slide member repel each other to give the guide member forces for reversing its moving direction. The guide member is provided to be movable with respect to a base and repulsive forces between permanent magnets provided on the base and permanent magnets provided on the guide member are used to retain an axial position of the guide member.
Abstract:
A force isolating machine tool. The invention is directed to a machine tool divided into two separate cooperating structures, a first frame structure for supporting and guiding a pair of tools to provide precision of movement and a second frame structure for transmitting reaction forces. The first and second frame structures are pivotally connected along the axis along which the tools move.
Abstract:
A spindle carrier, which is movable vertically by an electric servo motor through a relatively long ball screw, has a substantially constant counterbalance force maintained on it irrespective of whether it is moving up or down. This prevents compression or tension of the ball screw. The counterbalance force is maintained substantially constant through sensing the load on the spindle carrier and using the sensed load to vary the hydraulic pressure applied to a piston within a hydraulic cylinder and connected through a chain to the spindle carrier to apply the counterbalance force.
Abstract:
In a machine tool having a headstock vertically movable along a Y axis and a spindle horizontally extensible from the headstock along a Z axis, the sag or droop of the extremity of the spindle as a cantilever member will change as the spindle position along the Z axis is changed. A compensating system is here disclosed which senses the Z axis position of the spindle to create a signal varying as a predetermined function of that position to represent the amount of sag for a given weight load on the spindle. That signal is injected into the servo positioning loop for the Y axis to make the positioned height of the headstock correspondingly greater than that designated by a Y axis command, such that the cutter on the spindle extremity ends up at the commanded and desired Y axis position. This substantially eliminates workpiece errors otherwise arising because of spindle drooping under gravity, especially when the sensed spindle is extended by a relatively great amount from its supporting headstock. The sensing and signal producing device is physically adjustable to enable matching of the predetermined function to observed amounts of sag for different weight loads. A plurality of such devices may be pre-adjusted for different weight loads and then selectively switched into the system when each load is actually placed on the spindle.
Abstract:
A machine tool having a transverse guide beam supported at two longitudinally spaced points in the frame and having guide surfaces on which a tool head is guided in the frame. A support beam is supported on the transverse beam near the points of support of the transverse beam and has a support surface parallel to the aforementioned guide surfaces. A tool head guided on said guide surface has rollers engaging the support surface on the support beam and which are automatically adjustable on the tool head to remain in load transmitting engagement with said support surface when the support beam deflects due to the tool head load, thereby to relieve the transverse beam of loads due to the tool head.