Milling machine and milling process

• US 6,666,630 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Michael, Boehm, Jens, Herold, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, A. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cadugan, Erica E
• Application Number:
  US10/171,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 409/131-132, 409/135, 409/136, 409/165, 409/166, 409/168, 219/121.6, 219/121.65, 219/121.66, 219/121.78, 219/121.79, 219/121.85
• US Class Current: 409/132
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/00 Milling particular work; Special milling operations; Machines therefor milling gear-teeth B23F, heat assisted machining B23P25/00
• 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 26/0823 Devices involving rotation of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0861 in at least in three axial directions
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 25/006 Heating the workpiece by laser during machining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303808 including infeeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303976 with means to control temperature or lubricate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/305656 including means to support work for rotation during operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/305712 and including means to infeed cutter toward work axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/305824 with angular movement of work

Abstract

The invention concerns a 3D milling machine and a 3D milling process. The milling machine comprises a milling unit (2) with a motor driven work spindle (4) for receiving a milling tool, a work table for clamping work pieces, guide and drive device for producing relative movement of the milling unit and the work table in at least three spatial directions, and a laser device (12) for emitting a laser beam. A laser assisted milling of free-form surfaces is made possible in that the milling unit is a spherical cutter (6), further, that a mounting device (30, 32) and a driving device (36, 38) are provided for producing a precise movement of the laser emitter (12) about a point on the beam axis, such that the laser beam (14) circles about a central axis, which intersects the axis of the work spindle (4) at an acute angle, as well as a mounting device and a driving device for at least one of pivoting and rotating of the work table (18) about at least one axis.

Claims

1. Milling machine with:

a milling unit with a motor driven work spindle for receiving a milling tool;

a work table for clamping workpieces;

guide and drive means for producing relative movement of the milling unit and the work table in at least three spatial directions; and

a laser emitter for emitting a laser beam;

wherein the milling tool is a spherical cutter (6);

wherein mounting means (30, 32) and drive means (36, 38) are provided for producing a precise movement of the laser emitter (12) about an axis substantially parallel to the beam, whereby the laser beam (14) circles about the axis (48), which beam intersects a longitudinal axis of the work spindle (4) at an acute angle, and

drive means for producing at least one of pivoting and rotating movement of the work table (18) about at least one axis.

2. Milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the laser emitter (12) is mounted cardanically (30) at one position along the beam axis.

3. Milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the mounting means (30, 32) and drive means (36, 38) for the precise movement of the laser emitter (12) are adapted for adjusting the amplitude of the precise movement within a predetermined range.

4. Milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the milling tool is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the work spindle (4).

5. Milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the laser emitter (12) is connected to a milling spindle head (2), to which the work spindle is mounted.

6. Milling machine according to claim 1, wherein the laser emitter is connected to a laser light source via a light guide.

7. Process for milling a work piece,

in which the work piece and a rotating milling tool move relative to each other in three spatial directions,

wherein the milling tool is a spherical cutter (6),

wherein a laser device (12) directs a laser beam (14) at the position on the workpiece which is about to be processed as the spherical cutter (6) advances,

that the laser beam describes a precise movement about an axis substantially parallel to the beam in order to accommodate for changes in relative direction of milling during processing of the work piece,

allowing pivoting or rotation of the work piece, in order to keep the angle of incidence of the spherical cutter relative to the work piece constant in at least one plane during processing of the work piece.