FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and device for six-sided processing of workpieces, and in particular cuboid-shaped, which may include cutting, painting, grinding and other processing operations, associated with the processing of materials, capable of processing on different walls and sides of the workpiece in a fixed position, as well as beveling or inclined cutting at arbitrary angle, using as instrument an oxy- fuel torch, a plasma torch or a laser head. The invention finds application in the field of oxy-fuel, plasma and laser cutting or welding of metal workpieces. The invention can be used as a module in the construction of CNC machines for processing of workpieces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally known is a machine for processing metal workpieces, which provides a translational movement of the working tool in three cartesian axes - X, Y, Z and rotation on two rotary axes. The machine consists of a gantry moving along guiding rails, whose motion provides translation along the X axis , combined with movement along the gantry cross-beam by driving a trolley on rails integrated in the gantry beam, providing translation along the Y axis. A vertically positioned beam is attached movably to the trolley, providing a translation along the Z axis. The vertical beam has in its lower part a motor and reducer, that provides a rotational movement in the XY plane by a support shaft perpendicular to which a second axis is attached which provides a second rotational movement of the working tool in the ZX plane. PCT Application WO2016 / 061645;

The disadvantage of the machine is that all these movements are transmitted in the kinematic scheme in the usual way, one after the other. This leads to a long kinematic scheme, which in practice makes the facility large-scale, requiring large spaces to provide all rotational movements, as well as a larger mass of components. The greater mass of the components results in greater inertia in the various movements of the work tool, whereby higher power outputs are required. In addition, the number of sides of the workpiece , which are possible to process is limited in both number and extent of reachability.

A method and apparatus for plasma cutting is known, e.g. for angular positioning and control of the cutting position of the plasma cutting torch, which consists in providing a translational movement of the plasma tool on three cartesian axes x, y, z in three planes ZX, ZY and XY and at the same time providing two rotary movements of the tool, around two intersecting axes perpendicular to each other, whereby the center axis of the tool - E passes through the intersection of the two rotary axes I and II - at point H. Thus the three axes intersect into a single point. The first rotational movement of the kinematic chain is realized in a plane parallel to the ZY plane of the machine . The second rotational movement takes place in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane, in which the first rotational movement takes place. Along with this, the axis of the plasma cutting torch is located in this plane. Thus, the two rotary axes and the center axis of the tool have a single common point of intersection. US Application US 2012/0298632 (Al), Fig. 1;

A disadvantage of the device and the method, by which the device is implemented, is the limited number of processable sides of a workpiece, e.g. cuboid. In this way, only three sides of a cuboid of a total of six can be processed without repositioning of the workpiece, namely, top, left andright sides. Front and back side, as well as bottom side of the workpiece can be processed on this system only after turning and repositioning of the workpiece. With this repositioning it is possible to displace the original base, which causes inaccuracy of program execution, and additionally it takes time and reduces productivity to a very large extent. In the known processing system, the other three sides could not be processed in one position of the workpiece, since the communications (the mechanical coupling of the tool and torch leads) obstruct one of the two rotational movements.

The aim of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for realizing the method for accurately moving a welding or cutting tool, in particular for plasma cutting, on the X, Y and Z axes with the possibility of six-sided processing of a workpiece, e.g. a cuboid-shaped, with one positioning and capable of reaching any point on the surface of the cuboid-shaped workpiece at an arbitrary angle of inclination of the instrument to the surface, equal to the angle between the tool axis and the corresponding surface . At the same time, the device is compact and powered at lower power levels. The device has a quick connection interface to replace functional modules, which provides flexibility. This flexibility is necessary in order to increase the quantity and or functional level of processing of the workpiece sides, according to the job assignment and the technological needs of the specific process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the invention is solved by a method for six-sided workpiece processing, which consists in providing a translational movement of the work tool (plasma cutting torch or other working tool) along three Cartesian axes - x, y, z in three planes ZX , ZY and XY and simultaneously providing three rotational movements on three mutually perpendicular axes U, V and W , whereby the central axis of the working tool - E2 is offset at a distance Δ1 from the axis of the first rotation U and is offset at a distance Δ2 from the axis of the second rotation V, so that in the working position the axis of the working tool E2 can conclude an arbitrary angle with the coordinate axes X , Yand Z. A particular embodiment is that, in which the center axis of the working tool E2 , is offset only at a distance Δ1 from the intersection point H between the first rotation axis U and the second rotation axis V, since Δ2 for design considerations may be zero or negligible (Δ2 = 0). In this case there remain only two rotations of the tool, and the center axis of the work tool E2 is located at the intersection formed between the plane Al and plane B.

The first rotational movement in the kinematic chain is carried out in plane Al, around the U axis, which crosses the plane perpendicularly, the plane Al being parallel to the Cartesian plane Z-Y , in which the translation on the Cartesian coordinates Z and Y is performed (Figure la);

The second rotational movement is carried out in a plane B around the axis V, which is perpendicular to the plane B, whereas the plane B moves at a distance Δ1 from the first rotary axis U. The plane B and the plane Al are mutually perpendicular, while the center axis E2 of the tool is offset at a distance Δ2 from the second axis of rotation V. The two rotatary axes U and V cross the respective rotation planes and are perpendicular thereto.

The third rotational movement in the kinematic chain is realized in plane A2, around axis W, whereby the axis of the third rotation is located in plane B and crosses plane A2 at a right angle. The center axis E2 of the tool is always in plane A2. A particular embodiment, is when the distance Δ2 = 0, then the center axis of the tool E2 lies in plane A2, which coincides with plane Al. (Figure lb);

The distance Δ1 is in the range 50-1000 mm and depends on whether the kinematic chain is terminated by a quick coupling with a directly coupled working tool, or an extension with a rotating device, providing rotation around the third rotational axis W, whereby the tool is coupled to the end of the rotating device. The distance Δ1 also depends on the specific construction of the shoulder body. The distance Δ2 is in the range 0-250mm and depends on the specific design of the extension with the rotating device. (Figures la and lb).

The task of the invention is solved by a device for six-sided processing of workpieces, realized by the method, that is a rotary module, which simultaneously provides three rotary movements around three intersecting, perpendicular to each other axes. The rotating module consists of a body that is equipped with two motors. The two motors are placed in a motor housing and are separately coupled to two coaxial shafts, the first of which is hollow and the second is housed in the center of the hollow shaft, the shafts transmitting the rotation through a gear system to both U and V axes.

The first motor of the rotary module is engaged with the hollow shaft through pairs of cylindrical and conical gears. By means of the first motor and the hollow shaft engaged thereto, a first rotation of the working tool is provided around the U-axis in the rotation plane Al. A shoulder body is attached to the output shaft of the first rotation, in which shoulder body a gearbox with conical gear is fitted, terminating with a quick connection.

The second motor of the rotating module is mounted directly next to the first and through a pair of gears - a primary pair of cylindrical gears and a secondary pair of conical gears, is connected to the inner coaxial shaft passing through the center of the rotation axis U (the first rotation) , while its other end is connected to the conical gear, placed in the shoulder body, which in turn forms the second axis of rotation around the axis V, which provides the second rotation in the rotational plane B. The rotational plane B is perpendicular to the rotational plane Al. An extension is coupled to the quick connection at the end of the shoulder body, which terminates with a rotating device to which the tool is attached, whereby the rotating device provides rotation around the third rotational axis W. Thus, the shoulder body with the quick connection, along with the extension extends as a shoulder, which provides the distance Δ1 between the axis of the first rotation U and the third axis of rotation W. The third motor is mounted in the extension housing of the extender and, through a conical gear coupling, performs the rotation on the third axis W. Depending on the design of the extension with the rotation device and its position relative to the shoulder body, the displacement Δ2 of the axis E2 of the working Tool, relative to the axis of the second rotation V, is in the range 0- 250mm.

A particular case of design is when the tool is directly attached to the quick connection of the shoulder body and there is no third rotational motion with the third rotational axis W, whereby the distance Δ1 is defined as the distance between the axis of the first rotation U and the axis of the working tool E2 and depends on the design of the shoulder body with the quick connection and the displacement Δ2 from axis E2 to the axis of the second rotation V is zero. In this case, the tool is coupled directly to the end of the V axis by the quick connection (Figure 2).

The advantages of the method and the device are that it achieves an accurate movement of the working tool on the X, Y and Z axes for six-sided processing of the workpiece, for example a cuboid-shaped, with one workpiece positioning. At the same time, the device is compact and powered by low power motors with low power consumption. The kinematic scheme is compact, so the device, despite its large technological capabilities for processing workpieces from all sides, is compact. Through the quick connection, the working arm of the tool can be extended by adding a third axis of rotation or shortened , which provides technological flexibility.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In Fig. la and lb show a common layout of the spatial position of the planes and axes on which the movement provided by the method is performed;

In Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device with an extension and with a directly coupled tool, without an extension; In Fig. 3 illustrates a six-sided processing device with three rotation axes, mounted on a gantry system for metal cutting or welding, showing the spatial position of the device relative to the translational axes.

In Fig. 4 illustrates a six-sided workpiece processing device, mounted on a console type Cartesian motion system for metal cutting with rotary module with two axes of rotation and direct attachment of the torch to the output shaft of the second rotational axis.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1.

A method and a device for six-sided processing of workpieces, for example cuboid- shaped, are provided - the method consisting of provision of three axes of rotation U, V and W and two linear displacements Δ1 and Δ2 of the center axis E2 of the working tool. The third axis of rotation W provides rotation in plane A2 parallel to the plane ZY and offset at a distance Δ1 from the axis of the first rotation U. The axis of the working tool E2 is offset at a distance Δ2 from the axis of second rotation V. The third axis of rotation W is parallel to the first axis of rotation U and is at the same time located in plane B. Plane B is offset at a distance Δ1 equal to 500 mm from the U axis. In this embodiment, the central axis of the tool E2 is parallel to the plane Al, the plane of the first rotation, while at the same time it lies in plane A2 (Fig. la).

In this embodiment the device providing operation of the method comprises a rotation module 1, which includes in its kinematic scheme an extension 7 with a rotation device 8, which provides a third axis of rotation W (Figure 2) and their length represents the distance Δ1.

The device is a rotary module 1, which is mounted on a carrier beam 25 of a gantry motion system. The gantry system (Figure 3) represents two parallel guiding beams 20, on both of which are mounted movable trolleys 21, to which is fixed a transverse beam 22. The trolleys' motion along the guides provides the first translational movement along the Cartesian axis X. Guides 23 are mounted on the transverse beam 22 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the first translational movement. A movable module 24 is mounted on the guides 23 of the transverse beam 22, which module provides a second translational movement along the Cartesian axis Y. A carrier beam 25 is mounted to the movable module 24, for which carrier beam possibility for linear motion along the Cartesian Z axis is provided.

The rotation module 1 consists of a housing body 4 , housing two motors - 2 and 3. The two motors are separately coupled to two coaxial shafts, the first of which is hollow and the second is housed in the center of the hollow shaft, the shafts transmitting the rotation through a system of cylindrical and conical gears to both U and V axes.

The first motor 2 of the body 4 is engaged with the hollow shaft through a conical gear, thereby providing rotation of the working tool along the U-axis in the rotation plane Al. (Figure 2 and Figure la). A body 5 is coupled to body 4, ending with a quick connection 6.

The second motor 3 of the rotary module 1 is engaged by a conical gear with the second shaft, which passes through the first hollow shaft and at its end the second shaft is engaged through a conical gear couple at 90° angle to the axis V, which provides the second rotation in the rotational plane B. The rotational plane B is located perpendicular to the rotational plane Al. The connection between the second shaft and the V-axis is provided by a conical gear drive, driving the input shaft of a reducer, housed in the shoulder body 5. Extension 7 is coupled to the quick connection 6, which terminates with a rotating device 8 to which the tool 10 is attached, whereby device 8 provides rotation of the third rotational axis W. Thus the shoulder body 5 with the quick connection 6 to the extension 7 form a shoulder, which provides the distance Δ1 equal to 500 mm between the axis of the first rotation U and the axis of the third rotation W. The third motor 9 is mounted in the extension 7 and rotates the third axis W by a conical gear. Depending on the design of the extension 7 with the rotating device 8, the offset Δ2 of the center axis E2 of the tool 10 to the axis of the second rotation V is in the range 0- 250mm. In the particular embodiment, the central axis of the working tool E2 is offset at a distance Δ2 = 50mm from the second axis of rotation V.

The operation of the device according to the invention consists in the following: positioning a workpiece within the range of operation of the device. An operator starts a program, through special software, which includes consequent instructions for the number and type of movements, required to position the tool, linear and rotating, relevant to each desired operation. According to the predetermined program, the torch processes the workpiece on all sides by performing the operations specified in the program, in which through the three translation axes and the three rotational axes , combined with the offsets Δ1 and Δ2 of the center axis of the tool, the working tool can approach all sides of the workpiece at any angle without the need to reposition it.

Embodiment 2

In this embodiment the device, providing operation of the method, is a rotary module 1 , which differs from the above-described Embodiment 1 in the fact, that in does no include in its kinematic chain an extension 7 with a rotation device 8, which provides a third axis of rotation W (Figure 2). The tool 10 is directly coupled to the quick connection 6 at the end the shoulder body 5 and in such a way that the distance Δ1 = 50mm.

In this case, the method consists in providing two axes of rotation U and V instead of three, with the displacement of the center axis of the tool E2 being only at a distance Δ1 from the axis of the first rotation U. The second offset Δ2 from the axis of the second rotation V is Δ2 = 0, which is a particular case. The center axis of the tool E2 is located at the line of intersection between the plane Al and plane B (Figure lb). Plane B is offset at a distance of Δ1 of 50mm from the U axis. The device according to the method comprises a pair of parallel guides 20 (Figure 4), and a support column 26, mounted thereon. The first translational movement along the Cartesian axis X is provided therewith. Attached to the support column 26 is a console beam 27 on which the guides 23 are mounted. A movable module 24 is mounted on the guides 23 of the console beam 27, which provides a second translational movement along the Cartesian axis Y. A movable beam 25 is mounted to the movable module 24, in such a way as to enable linear motion of the movable beam along the Cartesian Z axis.

A rotation module 1 is attached to the support beam 25 and is equipped with two motors 2 and 3, which are separately engaged with two shafts (Figure 2), the first of which is hollow and the second is housed inside the hollow shaft. The first motor 2 of the rotary module 1 is engaged through a conical gear with the hollow shaft, thereby providing a rotation of the working tool around the U-axis. A shoulder body 5 is mounted to the body 4 and includes a conical gear and a reducer, mounted so that the shoulder body 5 terminates with a quick connection 6. The second axis of rotation V conveys rotation from the output flange of the reducer in the shoulder body 5. The second motor 3 of the rotary module 1 is engaged through a conical gear with the second shaft, which passes through the hollow shaft and is connected at a right angle with the shoulder body 5, at the end of which is the second axis of rotation V. The connection between the second shaft and the second axis of rotation V is provided by a gear driven by a conical gear transmission housed in the shoulder body 5. The working tool 10, in this case is a torch for cutting metals. The length of the shoulder body 5 together with the quick connection 6 provides the distance Δ1 between the axis of the first rotation U and the center axis of the working tool E2.

The system acts as follows: when an operator starts a program, the console beam 27, the movable carriage 24 and carrier beam 25 moves the rotary module 1 along the respective Cartesian axes X,Y and Z axis, depending on the workpiece position. At the same time, the motor 2 of the rotating module 1, by the hollow shaft, rotates along the axis U of the body 4 at an angle, set in the program, and at the same time the motor 3 via the coaxial shaft and the axis V, rotates the working tool to a predetermined angle. Starts cutting or other processing of the workpiece to be processed, according to programmable commands, changing the position of the tool, which sets the X, Y and Z coordinate translation movements, as well as the rotation coordinates on the U and V axes. The shoulder body 5, which provides the distance Δ1, allows the tool through a series of translational movements on the three linear axes and rotation on the two rotary axes, to pass under the workpiece without interfering with the communications that supply the tool (air, power, cooling), which would be impossible in case the two axes of rotation and the tool axis E2 intersect at one point or are negligibly close to each other.

APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention can find application in the processing of workpieces fixed in one position, which may consist of cutting, painting, grinding and other processing operations, related to material processing, as well as in beveling or inclined cutting at a certain angle by a torch for oxy-fuel, plasma cutting or by laser head. The invention finds application in the field of plasma and laser cutting or welding of metal workpieces. The invention can be used in the designing of CNC machines for processing workpieces by oxy-fuel, plasma and laser cutting, welding, spraying , painting, grinding and polishing.

Literature:

1. Patent application for invention - US 2012/0298632 (Al);

2. PCT Application WO2016 / 061645;