Smart machine tool system

• US 6,947,800 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PCC Specialty Products, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PCC Specialty Products, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Flanagan, James D., Faucher, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US10/203,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 700/97, 700/103, 700/108, 700/107, 700/17, 700/177, 700/169, 295/19, 295/06, 723/702.4
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 51/00 Measuring, gauging, indicating, counting, or marking devices specially adapted for use in the production or manipulation of material in accordance with subclasses B21B - B21F
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 13/085 handling of tools
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 41/02 for boring deep holes; Trepanning, e.g. of gun or rifle barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/09 for indicating or measuring cutting pressure or for determining cutting-tool condition, e.g. cutting ability, load on tool arrangements preventing overload of tools B23Q11/04; devices for indicating failure of drills during boring B23B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15546 Devices for recognizing tools in a storage device, e.g. coding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/26 Programme control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37249 Correction coefficient of life time as function of kind of machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37252 Life of tool, service life, decay, wear estimation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45204 Die, mould making
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45215 Thread cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49305 Store, memory on tool with control and maintenance data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A machine tool system (30) includes a tool (32) for cold forming a workpiece over an operating cycle and a sensor device (40) which senses each operating cycle of the tool (32). Identification data for the tool (32) and operating data for the tool (32) are stored on an electronic device (34) fixedly mounted to the tool (32). At least one interface device (46) provides communication between the electronic device (34) and the sensor device (40).

Claims

1. A machine tool system comprising:

a tool for cold forming a workpiece over an operating cycle, the tool having an electronic device fixedly mounted thereto, the electronic device having means for storing data including identification data for the tool and operating data for the tool;

a sensor device which senses each operating cycle of the tool; and

at least one interface device in communication with the electronic device and the sensor device.

2. The machine tool system of claim 1 further comprising a sealant material, the tool having an exterior surface and defining a recess extending from the surface, the electronic device being disposed within the recess and encased by the sealant material, the electronic device having an antenna extending within the sealant material.

3. The machine tool system of claim 1 further comprising a sealant material, the tool having an exterior surface and defining a recess extending from the surface, the electronic device being disposed within the recess and encased by the sealant material, the electronic device having a fiber optic lead extending through the sealant material to at least the surface of the tool.

4. The machine tool system of claim 1 wherein the at least one interface device includes a process monitoring system having a key pad, a monitor, and a microprocessor.

5. The machine tool system of claim 4 wherein the process monitoring system also includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the tool.

6. The machine tool systen of claim 4 wherein the tool also has a cooling system carrying a flow of coolant through the tool and the process monitoring system also includes a flow detector for monitoring the flow of coolant.

7. The machine tool system of claim 4 wherein the at least one interface device also includes a portable electronic reader.

8. The machine tool system of claim 7 wherein the portable electronic reader includes a first data transmission interface for sending and receiving signals to the electronic device, memory for storing the signals received from the electronic device, and a second data transmission interface for transmitting the stored signals to the process monitoring system.

9. The machine tool system of claim 8 wherein the portable electronic reader also includes a display for viewing the signals received from the electronic device.

10. The machine tool system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device and the interface device each have a communication portion, the communication portion of the interface device including means for transmitting a data/query signal, the communication portion of the electronic device having means for receiving the data/query signal and powering the means for storing data with the data/query signal.

11. The machine tool system of claim 1 further comprising a power source mounted to the tool.

12. The machine tool system of claim 1 wherein the tool includes a punch, a die, and a ram, the sensor device comprises first and second sensors, and the electronic device comprises a first microchip, the die and ram each defining a recess, the first sensor and the first microchip being mounted within the recess of the die, the second sensor being mounted within the recess of the ram.

13. The machine tool system of claim 12 wherein the electronic device also comprises a second microchip mounted within the recess of the ram.

14. The machine tool system of claim 1 wherein the tool is a gundrill defining a recess, the sensor being mounted within the recess of the gundrill.

15. The machine tool system of claim 14 wherein the electronic device is mounted within the recess of the gundrill.

16. The machine toot system of claim 1 wherein the identification data for th.e tool is selected from customer part number, manufacturer part number, manufacturing information, set-up information, effective lifetime, and any combination thereof.

17. The machine tool system of claim 16 wherein the set-up information comprises an optimum rolling force curve.

18. The machine tool system of claim 16 wherein the effective lifetime is a predetermined number of rolling cycles.

19. The machine tool system of claim 1 wherein the operating data for the tool is selected from date/time of each set-up, date/time of each run, number of rolling cycles experienced in each run, number of set-up adjustments experienced in each run, abnormal force incidents, wear pattern by run, tool life remaining, and any combination thereof.

20. The machine tool system of claim 19 wherein the tool life remaining is computed by subtracting the number of rolling cycles experienced by the tool from a predetermined number of rolling cycles.

21. The machine tool system of claim 10 wherein there are no other sources of power connected to the electronic device.

22. The machine tool system of claim 11 wherein the power source is a battery.

23. The machine tool system of claim 11 wherein the sensor device is a piezo electric device, said piezo electric device emitting a signal indicative of the operating cycle of the tool, said signal powering the means for storing data, whereby said piezo electric device is the power source.

24. A method of monitoring the life cycle of a cold forming tool in a cold forming system, the tool having an electronic device fixedly mounted thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

storing identification data for the tool in the electronic device;

sensing each operating cycle of the tool with an operating cycle sensor device and transmitting operating cycle data from the operating signal sensor device; and

receiving and storing the operating cycle data in the electronic device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the cold forming system also has a process monitoring system, the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving the operating cycle data in the process monitoring system; and

transmitting the operating cycle data from the process monitoring system to the electronic device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the cold forming system further has a temperature sensor, the method further comprising the steps of:

sensing the temperature of the tool; and

transmitting a signal corresponding to the sensed temperature of the tool to the process monitoring system.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

accessing the identificadon data and the operating cycle data stored in the, electronic device with the process monitoring system; and

displaying the identification data and the operating cycle data at the process monitoring system.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of accessing the identification data and the operating cycle data stored in the electronic device with a portable reader.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of recording the identification data and operating cycle data in the portable reader.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of displaying the identification data and operating cycle data at the portable reader.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

determining the expected number of operating cycles over the lifetime of the tool;

accessing the identification data and the operating cycle data stored in the electronic device;

calculating the number of operating cycles that the tool has been used from the operating cycle data; and

subtracting the number of operating cycles that the tool has been used from the expected number of operating cycles over the lifetime of the tool to determine the remaining lifetime of the tool.