Methods and apparatus for generating control data for the formation of a tooth flank by milling a workpiece on a machine tool

• US 9,152,141 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deckel MAHO Pfronten GmbH (Dmg Mori Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Deckel MAHO Pfronten GmbH (Dmg Mori Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Neumaier, Josef, Lochbihler, Thomas, Hansen, Uwe-Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/212,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 700/164, 409/26, 475/221
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/186 Generation of screw- or gearlike surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A disclosed example method for generating control data for the formation of a tooth flank by milling a workpiece on a numerically controlled machine tool with at least 5 axes, at a universal machine tool, through successive passes with a milling cutter on the machine tool based on generated control data involves defining a geometry of a tooth flank, determining a contact pattern area on the predefined tooth flank geometry, determining parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry, and generating control data on the basis of tooth flank geometry modified based on the defined contact pattern area and of the defined parameters.

Claims

1. A method for generating control data for the formation of a tooth flank on a workpiece at a numerically controlled machine tool with at least 5 axes by using a milling cutter, the method comprising:

defining a tooth flank geometry,

defining a contact pattern area on the predefined tooth flank geometry, the contact pattern area being a two-dimensional partial area of a two-dimensional surface area of the predefined tooth flank geometry,

defining parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry,

modifying the predefined tooth flank geometry to determine a modified tooth flank geometry based on the defined contact pattern area and the defined parameters, and

generating the control data on the basis of the modified tooth flank geometry, wherein the generated control data is configured to control the numerically controlled machine tool to produce the tooth flank on the workpiece according to the modified tooth flank geometry by milling through successive passes of the milling cutter along machining paths successively or in lines based on the generated control data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the generating of the control data comprises calculating a model of the modified tooth flank geometry based on the predefined tooth flank geometry, the defined contact pattern area and the defined parameters.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein for the modified tooth flank geometry, a region corresponding to the defined contact pattern area is unchanged in comparison to the predefined tooth flank geometry, wherein the modified tooth flank geometry differs from the predefined tooth flank geometry only outside of the defined contact pattern area.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined tooth flank geometry corresponds to a first tooth flank geometry with a maximum contact pattern across the tooth flank during load-free rolling of the tooth flank with a mating flank.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the defined contact pattern area after modifying the predefined tooth flank geometry defines a contact pattern during load-free rolling of the tooth flank with a mating flank, such that the modified tooth flank geometry corresponds to a second tooth flank geometry of the tooth flank which has a contact pattern corresponding to the defined contact pattern area during load-free rolling with the mating flank.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the defined contact pattern area is defined in such a way that a contact pattern with a desired size, structure and position results from the load-free rolling of the tooth flank with a mating flank.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the defining of the defined contact pattern area comprises at least one of:

determining a shape of the contact pattern area,

determining a position of the contact pattern area on the tooth flank,

determining a size of the contact pattern area, or

determining an alignment of the contact pattern area on the tooth flank.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the shape of the contact pattern area is determined as circular, elliptical, rectangular, square or trapezoidal in shape.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry are defined in such a way that a contact pattern with a desired size, structure and position results from traversing of the tooth flank with a mating flank under load.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the defining of the parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry comprises defining at least one specific reduction parameter on at least one reduction position on the predefined tooth flank geometry.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the modified tooth flank geometry, with respect to the predefined tooth flank geometry, is reduced at each of the at least one reduction position corresponding to the at least one specific reduction parameter.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising determining one of a plurality of reduction positions on the predefined tooth flank geometry.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one reduction position is positioned on one outer side of the predefined tooth flank geometry.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one reduction position is positioned on one corner of the predefined tooth flank geometry.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one reduction position is positioned between two neighboring corners of the predefined tooth flank geometry.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least eight reduction positions are determined in such a way that four reduction positions of the at least eight reduction positions are positioned each at one respective corner of the predefined tooth flank geometry, and another four reduction positions of the at least eight reduction positions are positioned each between two respective neighboring corners of the predefined tooth flank geometry.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a model of the modified tooth flank geometry.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising determining a load value and representation of an expected contact pattern when traversing the tooth flank with a mating flank under a load that corresponds to the determined load value on the model of the modified tooth flank geometry.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the defining of the tooth flank geometry comprises:

defining toothing data, and

determining the predefined tooth flank geometry based on the predefined toothing data.

20. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining toothing data,

determining a model of a workpiece based on the predefined toothing data, comprising determining the predefined tooth flank geometry based on the predefined toothing data, and

generating the control data for production of the workpiece, comprising generating the control data for forming the tooth flank of toothing on the workpiece.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the toothing data comprises at least one of:

data which denotes a size and shape of a workpiece,

data which denotes a type and shape of toothing, the shape being from at least one of a spur gear, a bevel gear, a crown wheel, a cylindrical gear or a toothed rack,

data which denotes a toothing shape, the toothing shape being from at least one of spur toothing, helical toothing, curved toothing, or spiral toothing,

data which denotes a tooth flank profile shape, the tooth flank profile shape being from at least one of an involute profile, a cycloid profile, or a circular profile,

data which denotes a size and shape of a tooth geometry of the toothing, or

data which denotes a number of teeth of the toothing.

25. A memory device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to perform the method of claim 1.

22. An apparatus for generating control data for the formation of a tooth flank on a workpiece at a numerically controlled machine tool with at least 5 axes by using a milling cutter, the apparatus comprising a controller configured to execute:

first input means for defining a tooth flank geometry,

second input means for defining a contact pattern area on the predefined tooth flank geometry,

third input means for defining parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry,

means for modifying the predefined tooth flank geometry to determine a modified tooth flank geometry based on the defined contact pattern area and the defined parameters, and

control data generating means for generating the control data on the basis of the modified tooth flank geometry,

wherein the generated control data is configured to control the numerically controlled machine tool to produce the tooth flank on the workpiece according to the modified tooth flank geometry by milling through successive passes of the milling cutter along machining paths successively or in lines based on the generated control data.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising the controller configured to execute:

input means for defining toothing data,

means for calculating a model of a workpiece based on the predefined toothing data, comprising calculating predefined tooth flank geometry based on the predefined toothing data, and

means for generating control data for the production of the workpiece, comprising generating control data for forming a tooth flank of the toothing on the workpiece.

24. A numerically controlled machine tool with at least 5 axes, comprising a device which includes a controller configured to:

define a tooth flank geometry,

define a contact pattern area on the predefined tooth flank geometry,

define parameters to vary the predefined tooth flank geometry,

modify the predefined tooth flank geometry to determine a modified tooth flank geometry based on the defined contact pattern area and the defined parameters, and

generate control data on the basis of the modified tooth flank geometry,

wherein the generated control data is configured to control a numerically controlled machine tool to produce a tooth flank on a workpiece according to the modified tooth flank geometry by milling through successive passes of a milling cutter along machining paths successively or in lines based on the generated control data.