MACHINE TOOL

• US 20150140230A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies
• Original Assignee: Ex Scintilla Limited
• Inventors: Jones, Jason B., Coates, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,586,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/532
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/02 Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work B05B13/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/65 Mounting arrangements for fluid connection of the spraying apparatus or its outlets to flow conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/228 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 19/06 Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/001 incorporating means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material B05C11/1042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/02 performed by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/002 Pretreatement
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/20 Direct sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/22 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/38 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/41 characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/44 characterised by the configuration of the radiation means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/027 Welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0026 Auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/08 Removing material, e.g. by cutting, by hole drilling
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/001 Turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0093 : combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus B23K28/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0626 : Energy control of the laser beam B23K26/0622 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 : Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0876 : in at least two axial directions
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 : in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1482 : Detachable nozzles, e.g. exchangeable or provided with breakaway lines
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 : Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 : Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/36 : Removing material B23K26/55, B23K26/57 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/702 : Auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/04 : Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/323 : Combined coupling means, e.g. gas, electricity, water or the like electrical only H01R
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/02 : turbine or like blades from one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 23/04 : for both machining and other metal-working operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 : Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/268 : using laser beams; using electron beams [EB]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/24 : Apparatus or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/082 : Blades, e.g. for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor

Abstract

A machine tool arranged to deliver an energy source through a processing head onto a work-piece, wherein;

• • the machine-tool has a clamping mechanism arranged to temporarily receive the processing-head, or another machining or processing-head, to process a work-piece;
  • the processing-head comprising one or more guiding mechanisms arranged to direct the energy source onto a work-piece and a processing-head docking-manifold arranged to have connected thereto one or more media to be, in use, supplied to the processing-head to facilitate processing of the work-piece;
  • wherein the processing-head docking-manifold allows the one or more media to be supplied to the processing-head when the processing-head is connected to the clamping mechanism; and
  • wherein the machine-tool also comprises at least one mechanism arranged to move a supply docking-manifold into and/or out of connection with the processing-head docking-manifold such that when the two manifolds are connected the or each media is supplied to the processing head.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processing head configured to be temporarily held by a clamp of a machine tool, the processing head also configured to deposit one or more media onto a workpiece;

wherein the processing head comprises;

a guide configured to direct energy from an energy source onto at least one of;

the workpiece or the one or more media; and

one or more supplies configured to store and provide the one or more media.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more supplies comprise one or more reservoirs within the processing head.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more supplies comprise one or more replaceable cartridges.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more supplies comprise one or more chambers within the processing head.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing head further comprises:

at least one manifold configured to deliver the one or more media to the one or more supplies while the processing head is connected to a spindle of the machine tool.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing head further comprises:

a first docking manifold configured to be temporarily connected to a second docking manifold of the machine tool, the first docking manifold configured to receive the energy from the energy source through the second docking manifold.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy source is located within the processing head.

8. A system comprising:

a machine tool comprising a clamp; and

a processing head configured to be temporarily held by the clamp of the machine tool, the processing head also configured to deposit one or more media onto a workpiece;

wherein the processing head comprises;

a guide configured to direct energy from an energy source onto at least one of;

the workpiece or the one or more media; and

one or more supplies configured to store and provide the one or more media.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the system comprises multiple processing heads; and

the clamp is configured to temporarily receive each of the processing heads at different times.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing head is configured to focus the energy from the energy source in line with a longitudinal axis of the processing head.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide comprises at least one of:

a lens, a mirror, a prism, a diffraction grating, a beam expander, a spatial light modulator, an optic, an electrical coupling mechanism, a conductive media path, an induction coupling mechanism, a shielded channel, a beam steering component, a beam steering field generator, a micro-electromechanical system, or a micro-mirror device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more supplies comprise at least one of:

one or more reservoirs within the processing head;

one or more replaceable cartridges;

or

one or more chambers within the processing head.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing head further comprises:

at least one manifold configured to deliver the one or more media to the one or more supplies while the processing head is connected to a spindle of the machine tool.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the processing head further comprises a first docking manifold;

the machine tool further comprises a second docking manifold; and

the first docking manifold is configured to be temporarily connected to the second docking manifold and to receive the energy from the energy source through the second docking manifold.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the energy source is located within the processing head.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the energy source is configured to provide at least one of:

electricity, pressurized gas, pressurized vapor, stored mechanical energy, stored chemical energy, plasma, or electromagnetic energy.

17. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a machining head configured to remove material from the workpiece;

wherein the clamp is further configured to temporarily receive the machining head.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine tool is configured to:

move a first of the heads from an operable position to a head changing position;

release the first head from the clamp;

select a second of the heads;

receive the second head in the clamp; and

return the second head to the operable position.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the machine tool comprises a multi-axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine.

20. The system of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to select the processing head to be received by the clamp and to control at least one of movement, position, or action of the processing head received by the clamp.

21. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide is configured to direct at least one of:

a laser beam, an electron beam, an arc, plasma, focused electromagnetic radiation, or divergent electromagnetic radiation.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more supplies are configured to store at least one of:

a metal, a polymer, a ceramic material, a cooling fluid, a processing fluid, or a gas.

23. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing head is configured such that the energy from the energy source melts the one or more media within the processing head.

24. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing head is configured such that the energy from the energy source melts the one or more media on the workpiece.

25. A method comprising:

causing a machine tool to select a processing head from a storage location and temporarily insert the processing head into a clamp of the machine tool, the processing head comprising;

a guide configured to direct energy from an energy source onto at least one of;

the workpiece or the one or more media; and

one or more supplies configured to store and provide the one or more media; and

operating the processing head to deposit the one or more media onto the workpiece and to direct the energy from the energy source onto at least one of;

the workpiece or the one or more media.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

causing the machine tool to select a second processing head from the storage location and temporarily insert the second processing head into the clamp of the machine tool; and

operating the second processing head to deposit one or more additional media onto the workpiece.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

causing the machine tool to select a machining head from the storage location and temporarily insert the machining head into the clamp of the machine tool; and

removing material from the workpiece using the machining head.