FLY-CUTTING HEAD, SYSTEM AND METHOD, AND TOOLING AND SHEETING PRODUCED THEREWITH

• US 20090038450A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ehnes, Dale L., Campbell, Alan B., Wertz, Daniel S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,180,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 82/1.110
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2220/12 Grooving
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2260/108 Piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 29/125 Vibratory toolholders
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 3/26 the tools of which perform a radial movement; Rotary tool heads thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2226/125 cubic [CBN]
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2226/31 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2226/315 polycrystalline [PCD]
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/02 Milling surfaces of revolution B23C3/06, B23C3/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/04 while revolving the work
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/28 Grooving workpieces tread-cutting by milling B23G1/32
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/34 Milling grooves of other forms, e.g. circumferential
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/08 Disc-type cutters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1852 using mechanical means, e.g. ruling with diamond tool, moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49334 Combine turning, milling, grinding or other in one setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/2228 Plural interfering seats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/885 including tool-holding clamp and clamp actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/10 Process of turning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0515 During movement of work past flying cutter

Abstract

A fly-cutting system is disclosed, and in particular one that comprises a dynamically-controllable actuator for controlling the position, orientation, or both position and orientation of a cutting element carried by a fly-cutting head. In certain embodiments, the actuator can adjust the position or orientation of a cutting element, or both, hundreds or thousands of times per second, enabling precise control over the shape of features formed by the cutting element in a surface of a workpiece.

Claims

1. A rotatable fly-cutting head comprising a dynamically-controllable actuator for changing the position or orientation of a tool holder.

2. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the head comprises multiple actuators.

3. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes only the position of the tool holder relative to at least one axis.

4. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the tool holder along a linear axis.

5. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the orientation of the tool holder with respect to a linear axis.

6. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the tool holder based on the rotational position of the fly-cutting head.

7. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the tool holder according to the position of the tool holder relative to a workpiece.

8. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the tool holder is adapted to reposition a cutting element radially with respect to the rotational axis of the head.

9. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the cutting radius of a cutting element relative to the rotational axis of the head.

10. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator is activated in response to an electrical signal.

11. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric stack.

12. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a component of a fast-tool servo that further comprises a feedback system.

13. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the cutting element in a random manner according to signals transmitted by a controller.

14. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the cutting element according to a repeated random profile according to signals transmitted by a controller.

15. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, wherein the actuator changes the position of the cutting element according to a predetermined profile according to signals transmitted by a controller.

16. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, in combination with an encoder for detecting changes in the angular position of the head.

17. The fly-cutting head of claim 16, wherein the encoder is adapted to transmit a signal indicative of the angular position of the head to a control system.

18. The fly-cutting head of claim 1 or claim 17, in combination with a control system.

19. The fly-cutting head of claim 18, wherein the control system sends a signal to the actuator to control the actuator.

20. The fly-cutting head of claim 19, wherein the control system transmits signals to the actuator to effectuate macro-position control.

21. The fly-cutting head of claim 20, wherein the macro-position control causes the cutting element to follow a cutting path adapted to form an essentially flat-bottomed groove segment in a workpiece.

22. The fly-cutting head of claim 19, wherein the control system transmits signals to the actuator that effectuate micro-position control.

23. The fly-cutting head of claim 22, wherein the micro-position control comprises x-axis chaos.

24. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, in combination with a cutting element.

25. The fly-cutting head of claim 1, in combination with at least two cutting elements.

26. The fly-cutting head of claim 25, wherein one cutting element is dynamically-controlled by the actuator, and a second cutting element is held at a fixed position relative to the fly-cutting head.

27. The fly-cutting head of claim 21, wherein the cutting elements are evenly spaced with respect to a rotational axis of the head.

28. A method of machining a workpiece using a rotatable fly-cutting head according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of transmitting a signal to the actuator, wherein the signal is adapted to mitigate a hysteresis effect associated with the actuator.

29. A method of machining a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fly-cutting head according to claim 1, the fly-cutting head adapted for rotation relative to a fixed support; and

(b) transferring from the fixed support to the fly-cutting head at least one of (i) power, for activating at least one actuator, and (ii) control signals, for activating the actuator.

30. The method of clam 29, wherein step (b) includes the use of a slip ring.

31. A method of forming features in a surface of a workpiece using a fly-cutting head, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fly-cutting head having a cutting element and an actuator for controlling the position or orientation of the cutting element relative to the head; and

(b) controlling the position or orientation of the cutting element relative to the head based on the angular position of the cutting element relative to the workpiece.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein step (b) further comprises controlling the position of the cutting element in a manner that enables the cutting element to form a groove in the workpiece with a bottom of a constant radius relative to the center of the workpiece.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein step (b) further comprises controlling the position of the cutting element in a manner that changes the effective cutting radius of the cutting element during at least part of the time that the cutting element is in contact with the workpiece.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein step (b) further comprises controlling the position of the cutting element in a manner that changes the position of the cutting element in a direction essentially parallel to the rotational axis of the flycutting head.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the workpiece is adapted for rotation about an axis of rotation, and the flycutting head is positioned with its axis of rotation at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the workpiece.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the angle is approximately 45 degrees.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the angle is determined based on the rotational velocity of the workpiece, so that a feature cut into the workpiece while the workpiece is rotating is approximately linear.

38. A microreplication tool made using the method of one of claims 31, 32, or 37.

39. Polymeric sheeting produced using a microreplication tool made by the method of claim 38.

40. The polymeric sheeting of claim 39, in combination with a display.