Method of operating a machine tool, a machine tool system and components thereof

• US 20070027570A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agie Charmilles SA (Georg Fischer AG), Charmilles Technologies SA (Georg Fischer AG)
• Original Assignee: Charmilles Technologies SA (Georg Fischer AG), AGI (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Buhler, Ernst, Giandomenico, Nicola, Besson, Franck, D'Amario, Rino, Knaak, Reto, Boccadoro, Marco, Lombardo, Rosario
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/162
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/02 Wire-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/04 Apparatus for supplying current to working gap; Electric circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 7/20 for programme-control, e.g. adaptive programme-control systems in general G05B19/00

Abstract

The invention provides a method of operating a machine tool, e.g., an electrical discharge machine (4), and a machine tool system comprising a machine (4) for machining a workpiece wherein at least one of controlling, monitoring and carrying out of the machining of the workpiece is performed by a plurality of configurable modules (DRIVE; GEN; CONTROL), said modules (DRIVE; GEN; CONTROL) are arranged on the machine (4), and said modules (DRIVE; GEN; CONTROL) are so linked by a data network (6) to a node (5) for at least one of sending data to said node (5) and receiving data from said node (5).

Claims

1. A method of operating a machine tool, e.g. an electrical discharge machine, for machining a workpiece, wherein:

at least one of controlling, monitoring and carrying out of the machining of the workpiece is performed by a plurality of configurable modules,

said modules are arranged on the machine, and

said modules are linked by a data network to a nodes for at least one of sending data to said node and receiving data from said node.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said node is adapted to manage data transfer to or from said module for at least one of controlling and monitoring said module.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said modules comprise at least one of a generator module, a drive module and a machine control module.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said modules comprise a generator module, a drive module, a machine control module, a DC module and a power supply module.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said modules is supplied via said data network from said nodes with a feed voltage for power supply.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said modules requiring for proper functioning a power supply of less than 50 W are powered exclusively via said data network from said node.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said modules requiring for proper functioning a power supply of 50 W or more are additional powered by a suitable high DC voltage via a cable from said DC module.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein excess energy materializing in at least one module is stored in one or more capacitors connected to said high DC voltage and said stored energy is made use of in the module itself.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said stored energy is made use of in another of said modules.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said stored energy is returned from a DC module via a power supply module into a power supply system and can be made use of by other consumers of said system.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said modules comprises a configurable controller receiving via said node and the data network configuration data by means of which said module can be set to implement a predetermined function.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said configurable controller fixedly defines an area for configuring said module, this area providing at least the communication with said node and an identification message to said node.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said identification message is sent to said node as soon as the feed voltage supplied via said data network and supply voltages derived therefrom lie within a defined tolerance.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein after having received said identification message a selection of said configuration data is made, as derived therefrom, and the controller of the corresponding module is configured in a variable range via said node and said data network.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein said modules are the same or similar in kind and communicate at least one of their properties, operating data and fabrication data via said identification message.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein after being configured in said variable range at least one of said modules satisfies the functions of a generator of a die-sinking electrical discharge machining machine.

17. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein after being configured in said variable range at least one of said modules satisfies the functions of a generator of a wire-cutting electrical discharge machining machine.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein after being configured in said variable range at least one of said modules satisfies the functions of a drive module for motors and similar loads of a machine tool.

19. The method as set forth in claim 12 wherein at least one of said modules is reconfigured in response to given requirements on a machining process during operation of said machine tool in the variable area of said configuration.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said node is connected via at least one standardized interface to a numerical control, said numerical control performing at least one of coordinating, controlling and monitoring of said machine via said interface.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of open and closed loop control functions with top priority speed requirement are implemented in at least one of said modules.

22. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of open and closed loop control functions with second priority speed requirement are implemented by one or more modules and a programmable logic circuit arranged in said node.

23. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of open and closed loop control functions with third priority speed requirement are implemented by one or more modules and a programmable logic circuit arranged in said node and a microprocessor arranged in said node

24. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein provided in said nodes is a stand-alone fine interpolator comprising a memory and a controller, said stand-alone fine interpolator receiving via a standardized interface from a coarse interpolator at least one of conditioned geometry data and control commands, storing it in said memory and performing at least one of coordinating, controlling and monitoring said machine with no delay in response to said stored geometry data or control commands.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein setting up, operating or trouble-shooting said machine is done with a manual operator device connected to the node and powered by said node

26. A method of generating machining pulses for electrical discharge machining by means of discharging pulse capacitors, according to claim 1.

27. A machine tool system, e. g. an electrical discharge machining system, comprising a machine for machining a workpiece wherein at least one of controlling, monitoring and carrying out of the machining of the workpiece is performed by a plurality of configurable modules, said modules are arranged on the machine, and said modules are so linked by a data network to a node for at least one of sending data to said node and receiving data from said node.

28. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said data network is a star network relative to said node.

29. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said nodes comprises a plurality of configurable ports.

30. The machine tool system as set forth in any of the claim 27 wherein said node comprises a source for powering at least one of said modules via said data network.

31. The machine tool system as set forth in any of the claim 27 wherein said node provides a plurality of standardized ports for a local area network.

32. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said modules comprise a generator module, a drive module and a machine control module.

33. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said modules comprise a generator module, a drive module, a machine control module, a DC module and a power supply module.

34. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 33 wherein at least one of the drive modules is arranged in the vicinity of an axis motor.

35. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 33 wherein at least one of said generator module and a module for monitoring a spark gap is arranged in the vicinity of a working gap formed between a machining electrode and the workpiece in an electrical discharge machining system.

36. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said node comprises a plurality of standardized configurable ports.

37. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 36 wherein at least one of said configurable ports is configurable in response to an identification message of the associated module.

38. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein excess energy materializing in at least one module is stored in one or more capacitors connected to said high DC voltage and said stored energy is made use of in the module itself.

39. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein at least one of said modules comprises a configurable controller receiving via said node and the data network configuration data by means of which said module can be set to implement a predetermined function.

40. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 39 wherein said configurable controller fixedly defines an area for configuring said module, this area providing at least the communication with said node and an identification message to said node.

41. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 wherein said node is connected via at least one standardized interface to a numerical control, said numerical control performing at least one of coordinating, controlling and monitoring said machine via said interface.

42. The machine tool system as set forth in claim 27 provided in said node is a stand-alone fine interpolator comprising a memory and a controller, said stand-alone fine interpolator receiving via a standardized interface from a coarse interpolator at least one of conditioned geometry data and control commands, storing it in said memory and performing at least one of coordinating, controlling and monitoring said machine with no delay in response to said stored geometry data or control commands.

43. A generator module for an electrical discharge machining system, according to claim 27, for generating pulses by means of discharging pulse capacitors, said generator module comprising:

a data link to said node which also provides a feed voltage input, a programmable controller, a bipolar current source, at least one charge and discharge circuit for at least one pulse capacitor comprising a sensor, and one or more inverter circuits including one or more isolating transformer(s).

44. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein in addition a DC voltage input is provided for the supply with increased power and for exchanging excess energy with other modules.

45. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said bipolar current source and said charge and discharge circuit are designed for bidirectional energy flow for returning excess energy materializing in a module to said DC voltage input.

46. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said programmable controller is designed so that it comprises a hardwired configuration area via which the communication with said node and an identification message to said node is assured.

47. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said programmable controller is designed so that it comprises a variable configuration area via which programmed functions of said module are defined, and/or coordinated.

48. The generator module as set forth in claim 46 wherein said programmable controller is designed so that after configuration of said node it receives via said data link at least one of control commands, setting data, setpoint values and timing signals to control said generator module during operation of the machine tool.

49. The generator module as set forth in claim 46 wherein said programmable controller is designed so that after configuration of said node it sends via said data link and said node at least one of measurement values, operating data, timing signals, alarms and trouble-shooting information to warn, and/or to inform and/or to coordinate and/or to control other modules and/or said numerical control during operation.

50. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said module elements are composed of surface mounted device components, said surface mounted device components being mounted on a printed circuit by using an automated surface mount technology production method.

51. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said module is equipped with fluid cooling.

52. The generator module as set forth in claim 51 wherein said fluid cooling is designed such that said module gives off basically no waste heat to its environment.

53. The generator module as set forth in claim 43 wherein said module is shielded from the environment by a case.

54. A driver unit for a machine tool as set forth in claim 32, further comprising said drive module with a motor forming an assembly.

55. The driver unit as set forth in claim 54 wherein said drive module elements are composed of surface mounted device components, said surface mounted device components being mounted on a printed circuit with the aid of automated surface mount technology production methods, and said drive module being equipped with fluid cooling.

56. The driver as set forth in claim 55 wherein said fluid cooling is adapted for cooling both said drive module and said motor.