Machine control gage system performing roughness and roundness measuring functions

• US 6,098,452 A
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Company Limited
• Inventors: Enomoto, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/170,162
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 73/104, 73/105, 73/78, 33/503, 33/504, 702/150, 702/151
• US Class Current: 73/104
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 15/02 according to the instantaneous size and the required size of the workpiece acted upon B23Q15/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/20 for indicating or measuring workpiece characteristics, e.g. contour, dimension, hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/04 involving measurement of the workpiece at the place of grinding during grinding operation
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 5/04 for grinding cylindrical surfaces externally grinding combined cylindrical and conical surfaces B24B5/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/201 for measuring roundness
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/28 for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37377 Roundness of workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37402 Flatness, roughness of surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37573 In-cycle, insitu, during machining workpiece is measured continuously
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45161 Grinding machine

Abstract

The machine control gage system measures the size of a workpiece through a measuring head while a machining tool machines the workpiece. When the measured size of the workpiece reaches a preset size, the machine control gage system commands the machining tool to stop machining the workpiece. The machine control gage system also performs roundness and surface roughness measurement of the workpiece as well as in-process control functions. On completion of the machining, the machine control gage system obtains and samples shape data on the workpiece through the measuring head and performs a predetermined processing for the sampled data, so that the roundness and surface roughness measurement can be performed automatically.

Claims

1. A machine control gage system with a roundness measuring function, comprising:

workpiece size measuring means for measuring a size of a workpiece by a measuring head while a machine tool is machining the workpiece;

gaging control means for controlling a gaging operation by instructing the machine tool to stop machining the workpiece when detecting that the size of the workpiece measured by the workpiece size measuring means reaches a preset size;

shape data obtaining means for obtaining shape data on the workpiece from the measuring head without detaching the workpiece from the machine tool after the machine tool finishes machining the workpiece in response to the instruction from the gaging control means; and

roundness calculating means for analyzing a roundness in accordance with the shape data obtained from the shape data obtaining means.

2. A machine control gage system with a roughness measuring function, comprising:

workpiece size measuring means for measuring a size of a workpiece by a measuring head while a machine tool is machining the workpiece;

gaging control means for controlling a gaging operation by instructing the machine tool to stop machining the workpiece when detecting that the size of the workpiece measured by the workpiece size measuring means reaches a preset size;

shape data obtaining means for obtaining shape data on the workpiece from the measuring head without detaching the workpiece from the machine tool after the machine tool finishes machining the workpiece in response to the instruction from the gaging control means;

surface roughness calculating means for analyzing a surface roughness shape of a workpiece in accordance with shape data obtained from the shape data obtaining means.

3. A machine control gage system with a roughness/roundness measuring function, comprising:

workpiece size measuring means for measuring a size of a workpiece by a measuring head while a machine tool is machining the workpiece;

gaging control means for controlling a gaging operation by instructing the machine tool to stop machining the workpiece when detecting that the size of the workpiece measured by the workpiece size measuring means reaches a preset size;

shape data obtaining means for obtaining shape data on the workpiece from the measuring head without detaching the workpiece from the machine tool after the machine tool finishes machining the workpiece in response to the instruction from the gaging control means;

surface roughness calculating means for analyzing surface roughness of the workpiece in accordance with the shape data; and

roundness calculating means for analyzing roundness of the workpiece in accordance with the shape data.