Machine tool having inspection function for deteriorated state of spindle

• US 10,124,457 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Inaguchi, Yuuzou
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plumb, Nigel
• Application Number:
  US15/096,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/70 Stationary or movable members for carrying working-spindles for attachment of tools or work B23Q1/01 takes precedence; designed to be moved by using particular mechanisms B23Q1/44
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/008 Life management for parts of the machine tool life management B23Q17/0995
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/157 of rotary tools in combination with non-rotary tools B23Q3/15506, B23Q3/15513
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/187 Machine fault alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

In order to make it possible to inspect a deteriorated state of a spindle incorporated in a machine tool without disassembling the machine tool, a command for speed V0 is output to the spindle and, when the rotating speed of the spindle reaches V0, power of a spindle motor is interrupted and a timer is started. The spindle continues to rotate with inertia while decelerating. Time T clocked by the timer when the spindle speed decreases to zero is read. When time T is outside a range between the upper and lower limits, the spindle is in the deteriorated state, and an alarm is output. When time T is not greater than the lower limit, the spindle and a bearing of the spindle are deteriorated and friction resistance increases. When time T is larger than the upper limit, oil holding force of grease of the bearing is deteriorated.

Claims

1. A machine tool having an inspection function for a deteriorated state of a spindle, the machine tool comprising:

a spindle configured to hold a tool for machining work, the spindle being rotatably supported by a bearing,

a motor configured to drive the spindle,

an encoder configured to measure a rotation angle position of the spindle or the motor, and

a processor configured to

calculate rotating speed of the spindle or the motor from an output of the encoder,

rotate the spindle or the motor at predetermined speed and thereafter interrupt power of the motor to rotate the spindle with inertia,

measure, after the power of the motor is interrupted, an inertial rotation time until the calculated rotating speed reaches set target speed,

set the measured inertial rotation time or a value calculated based on the measured inertial rotation time as a value for comparison with a threshold set in advance, and determine whether the value for comparison is equal to or smaller than the threshold; and

output an alarm when the value for comparison is larger than the threshold.

2. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to

calculate, as the value for comparison, acceleration by dividing, by the measured inertial rotation time, a difference between the predetermined speed and the set target speed, and

determine whether the calculated acceleration is equal to or smaller than the threshold set in advance.

3. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to

calculate acceleration by dividing, by the measured inertial rotation time, a difference between the predetermined speed and the set target speed,

calculate, as the value for comparison, rotation resistance torque from the calculated acceleration and an inertial moment of a rotating body including the spindle, and

determine whether the calculated rotation resistance torque is equal to or smaller than the threshold set in advance.

4. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of values to be compared with a threshold for a plurality of temperatures near the spindle is calculated and stored in advance as reference data or a function calculated from the reference data is stored, and

the processor is configured to

calculate a correction amount on the basis of the reference data or the function, and

correct the value for comparison or correct the threshold based on the correction amount.

5. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store an execution enabling condition for inspecting the deteriorated state of the spindle in advance,

wherein, when an inspection command for the deteriorated state of the spindle is given, the processor is configured to determine

whether the stored execution enabling condition is satisfied, and possibility of execution of the inspection of the deteriorated state of the spindle.

6. The machine tool according to claim 5, wherein the memory is configured to store an operation history of the spindle,

the execution enabling condition is whether the stored operation history satisfies an operation history determined in advance.

7. The machine tool according to claim 5, wherein

the memory is configured to store inspection date and time when an inspection for the deteriorated state of the spindle is executed,

the execution enabling condition is whether an elapsed time from the last stored inspection date and time exceeds a threshold set in advance.

8. The machine tool according to claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure at least one of temperature of the spindle motor, bearing temperature of the spindle, or temperature near the bearing of the spindle, wherein

the execution enabling condition is whether the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is within a set threshold range.

9. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein

the machine tool is a machine tool including a tool replacing device, and

the machine tool is configured to execute the inspection function for the deteriorated state of the spindle during tool replacement in a period after the tool is detached from the spindle and before a next tool is attached.

10. A machine tool having an inspection function for a deteriorated state of a spindle, the machine tool comprising:

a spindle configured to hold a tool for machining work, the spindle being rotatably supported by a bearing,

a motor configured to drive the spindle,

an encoder configured to measure a rotation angle position of the spindle or the motor, and

a processor configured to calculate rotating speed of the spindle or the motor from an output of the encoder,

wherein

during tool replacement where the tool is detached from the spindle and before a new tool is attached to the spindle, the processor is configured to

rotate the spindle or the motor at predetermined speed and thereafter interrupt power of the motor to rotate the spindle with inertia,

clock a set predetermined time after the power of the motor is interrupted,

detect the calculated rotating speed when the set predetermined time is clocked,

calculate a value for comparison with a threshold set in advance, on the basis of the predetermined speed, the rotating speed detected when the set predetermined time is clocked, and the set predetermined time,

determine whether the calculated value for comparison is equal to or smaller than the threshold, and

output an alarm when the calculated value for comparison is larger than the threshold.

11. The machine tool according to claim 10, wherein the value for comparison is acceleration or rotation resistance torque during spindle deceleration.

12. A machine tool having an inspection function for a deteriorated state of a spindle, the machine tool comprising:

a spindle configured to hold a tool for machining work, the spindle being rotatably supported by a bearing,

a motor configured to drive the spindle,

an encoder configured to measure a rotation angle position of the spindle or the motor, and

a processor configured to

calculate rotating speed of the spindle or the motor from an output of the encoder,

rotate the spindle or the motor at predetermined speed and thereafter interrupt power of the motor to rotate the spindle with inertia,

calculate a value for comparison with a threshold set in advance, from the output of the encoder during inertial rotation of the spindle,

determine whether the calculated value for comparison is equal to or smaller than the threshold, and

output an alarm when the calculated value for comparison is larger than the threshold.

13. A machine tool having an inspection function for a deteriorated state of a spindle, the machine tool comprising:

a spindle configured to hold a tool for machining work, the spindle being rotatably supported by a bearing,

a motor configured to drive the spindle,

an encoder configured to measure a rotation angle position of the spindle or the motor,

a processor configured to

calculate rotating speed of the spindle or the motor from an output of the encoder;

rotate the spindle or the motor at predetermined speed and thereafter interrupt power of the motor to rotate the spindle with inertia; and

calculate deceleration on the basis of the output of the encoder read at every predetermined cycle during inertial rotation of the spindle, and

a memory configured to store at the every predetermined cycle, the rotation angle position read from the encoder and the calculated acceleration

wherein the processor is configured to further

determine whether the calculated acceleration equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold occurs in every same rotation angle amount, and

output an alarm when it is determined that the calculated acceleration equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold occurs in the every same rotation angle amount.