Methods of milling a piece of raw steel stock into a machine-ready piece of steel

• US 10,603,727 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steel 21, LLC
• Original Assignee: Steel 21, LLC
• Inventors: Slater, Kimm Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Snyder, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diab, Yasir A
• Application Number:
  US16/561,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20190388982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2270/08 Clamping mechanisms or provision for clamping B23C2210/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/13 Surface milling of plates, sheets or strips
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/14 Scrubbing or peeling ingots or similar workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/06 Face-milling cutters, i.e. having only or primarily a substantially flat cutting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/20 with removable cutter bits or teeth or cutting inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 7/08 of work-tables
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/154 Stationary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/1543 using electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 11/002 Magnetic work holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means

Abstract

A method of milling a piece of raw steel stock comprising: arranging a minimum of four solid pole extensions on top surface segments of a magnetic chuck such that the solid pole extensions are relatively evenly distributed under a piece of raw steel stock and within 2 inches of a perimeter of the piece of raw steel stock; arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, each of the multiple mobile pole extensions having a biased top portion that contacts the piece of raw steel stock; milling the piece of raw steel stock with a face mill that generates steel chip as swarf; and recycling the steel chip.

Claims

1. A method of milling a piece of raw steel stock into a machine-ready piece of steel and recycling swarf generated from the milling comprising:

arranging a minimum of four solid pole extensions on top surface segments of a magnetic chuck such that the solid pole extensions are relatively evenly distributed under a piece of raw steel stock and within 2 inches of a perimeter of the piece of raw steel stock;

the piece of raw steel stock having a length of at least 36 inches, a width of at least 36 inches, and a thickness of at least ½

inch, and a first surface and a second surface that are approximately flat and parallel;

arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, each of the multiple mobile pole extensions having a biased top portion that contacts the piece of raw steel stock;

activating magnetic capabilities of the magnetic chuck such that the top portion of each of the mobile pole extensions locks into place supporting the piece of raw steel stock;

milling the first surface of the piece of raw steel stock with a face mill that includes spaces to hold multiple cutting inserts but holds only one carbide cutting insert, the one carbide cutting insert generating swarf from the piece of raw steel stock that consists essentially of steel chip; and

recycling the steel chip.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

flipping the piece of raw steel stock over and milling the second surface of the piece of raw steel stock with the face mill that holds only the one carbide cutting insert; and

continuing flipping the piece of raw steel stock over and milling whichever of the first surface and the second surface of the piece of the raw steel stock is available for milling until both the first surface and the second surface have an arithmetic mean surface roughness (“

Ra”

) of 21 micrometers or less, and the first surface and the second surface are parallel to within a tolerance of at least of 0.001 inch per 36 inches.

3. The method of claim 1,

milling of the piece of raw steel stock does not include the use of coolant, and the generated swarf does not comprise coolant.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under a protrusion at least five inches in length protruding from a side of the piece of raw steel stock.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under the piece of raw steel stock between a pair of holes extending through the piece of raw steel stock.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under a protrusion at least five inches in length protruding from a side of the piece of raw steel stock.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

11. A method of milling a piece of raw steel stock into a machine-ready piece of steel comprising:

arranging a minimum of four solid pole extensions on top surface segments of a magnetic chuck such that the solid pole extensions are relatively evenly distributed under a piece of raw steel stock and within 2 inches of a perimeter of the piece of raw steel stock;

the piece of raw steel stock having a length of at least 36 inches, a width of at least 36 inches, and a thickness of at least ½

inch, and a first surface and a second surface that are approximately flat and parallel;

arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, each of the multiple mobile pole extensions having a biased top portion that contacts the piece of raw steel stock;

activating magnetic capabilities of the magnetic chuck such that the top portion of each of the mobile pole extensions locks into place supporting the piece of raw steel stock;

milling the first surface of the piece of raw steel stock with a face mill that includes spaces to hold multiple cutting inserts but holds only one carbide cutting insert;

flipping the piece of raw steel stock over and milling the second surface of the piece of raw steel stock with the face mill that holds only the one carbide cutting insert; and

continuing flipping the piece of raw steel stock over and milling whichever of the first surface and the second surface of the piece of the raw steel stock is available for milling until both the first surface and the second surface have an arithmetic mean surface roughness (“

Ra”

) of 21 micrometers or less, and the first surface and the second surface are parallel to within a tolerance of at least of 0.001 inch per 36 inches.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

recycling swarf consisting of a steel chip that the one carbide cutting insert generates while milling the piece of raw steel stock.

13. The method of claim 11,

milling of the piece of raw steel stock does not include the use of coolant, and swarf generated from the milling does not comprise coolant.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under a protrusion at least five inches in length protruding from a side of the piece of raw steel stock.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under the piece of raw steel stock between a pair of holes extending through the piece of raw steel stock.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under a protrusion at least five inches in length protruding from a side of the piece of raw steel stock.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

before arranging multiple mobile pole extensions beneath the piece of raw steel stock and on every other top surface segment of the magnetic chuck under the piece of raw steel stock that is not occupied by the solid pole extensions but beneath the piece of raw steel stock, arranging an additional solid pole extension on one of the top surface segments of the magnetic chuck such that the additional solid pole extension is disposed under an upward bow of the piece of raw steel stock.