Patent ID: 6908265
Filing Date: 2005-06-21
Classification: G05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of machining surface recesses in a workpiece having a workpiece coordinate system by a machine tool having a machine tool coordinate system, the Z-axes of the workpiece coordinate system and the machine tool coordinate system being parallel, the surface recesses having cross-sections that are non-circular, the method comprising the steps of: setting the machine tool at a setting angle relative to a Z-axis of the machine tool coordinate system for achieving both the desired non-circular cross-section and a desired skew angle, wherein the skew angle of a surface recess is the angle between a longitudinal axis of the workpiece and a longitudinal axis of the surface recess; displacing the machine tool relative to the workpiece along the Z-axis of the machine tool coordinate system and as a function of the desired skew angle during operation of the machine tool to form a first surface recess having the desired skew angle; rotating the workpiece coordinate system relative to the machine tool coordinate system such that the Z-axes remain parallel for aligning the machine tool and the workpiece for machining a second surface recess without resetting the machine tool, wherein the steps of displacing and rotating are performed with a first side of the workpiece facing the machine tool for machining at least one surface recess having a positive skew angle; changing the position of the workpiece so that a second side of the workpiece faces the machine tool, the first side opposing the second side, and performing said steps of displacing and rotating with the second side facing the machine tool for machining at least one surface recess having a negative skew angle without resetting the machine tool, whereby at least one surface recess having a positive skew angle and at least one recess having a negative skew angle are machined without resting the machine tool setting angle.