Metal powder processing equipment

In metal powder processing equipment where metal powder is sequentially laminated on a table inside a chamber and laser beam melting or electron beam melting, and shaping by a cutting tool subsequent to the melting are performed, unmolded powder remaining at the time of the melting and cut powder generated by the cutting can be scattered by generating air flow with respect to the cutting tool from either side of a main shaft or a tool holder. As a result, life of the cutting tool is prolonged and quality of a cut surface can be improved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to metal powder processing equipment in which metal powder is sequentially laminated on a table inside a chamber, and laser beam melting or electron beam melting, and shaping by a cutting tool subsequent to the melting are performed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the above-mentioned melting step, unmolded powder remains near a molded object, and powdery cut chips generated by the cutting remain near a molded object in the above-mentioned cutting process step.

In the case of continuing the cutting process in a state in which the unmolded powder and cut powder remain, not only the life of the cutting tool is extremely shortened but also damage occurs on the cutting tool because of the unmolded powder and cut powder remaining at a cutting edge of the cutting tool.

Additionally, in the case where cutting process is executed being tangled with the unmolded powder and cut powder, a cut surface may be affected and a smooth surface may not be obtained. As a result, even quality of the processed surface is deteriorated.

To handle such a situation, Patent Document 1, JP 2010-280173 A discloses a method in which a tool for removing unmolded powder and cut powder is actuated besides a tool for cutting process, thereby removing the unmolded powder and cut powder.

However, according to this method, the extra tool for removing the unmolded powder and cut powder is required to be installed, and it is unavoidable to cause not only complication of an equipment structure and driving control but also complication of the processing step.

Patent Document 2, JP 11-277361 A discloses a configuration in which unmolded powder and cut powder (cut chips) are sucked by air flow, and the unmolded powder and cut powder are moved through a pipe 1763 and transferred to a suction device 1764 side.

However, in the case of the above-mentioned configuration, the air flow is merely adopted as a post-processing for the unmolded powder remaining at the time of the melting and the cut powder generated by the cutting, and configuration for scattering the unmolded powder and cut powder remaining at the cutting edge of the cutting tool is not disclosed.

Actually, Patent Document 2 does not discuss anything about adverse effect caused by the unmolded powder and cut powder remaining at the cutting edge of the cutting tool.

As is obvious from the known arts disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 the configuration for scattering the unmolded powder remaining at the time of the melting and the cut powder generated by the cutting from a cutting edge of the cutting tool has not been proposed so far.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Document

Patent Document 1: JP 2010-280173 A

Patent Document 2: JP 11-277361 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention is directed to providing a configuration of metal powder processing equipment that can avoid unfavorable influence to a cutting tool from unmolded powder remaining at the time of laser beam melting or electron beam melting and cut powder generated at the time of cutting and shaping.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, a basic configuration according to the present invention includes:

(1) in metal powder processing equipment in which metal powder is sequentially laminated on a table inside a chamber, and laser beam melting or electron beam melting and shaping by a cutting tool subsequent to the melting are performed, with the cutting tool held by a tool holder connected with a main shaft, the improvement comprising:an arrangement which generates an air flow to a side surface of the cutting tool which rotates along a central axis of the cutting tool and which flows the air in a longitudinal direction of the cutting tool to scatter unmolded powder remaining at the time of melting and cut powder generated by cutting, the arrangement being provided at the tool holder for the cutting tool,the arrangement including:plural air flow pass holes formed between a portion of a center of rotation at a rear end of the main shaft and a portion deviated from the center of rotation at a leading end of the main shaft, andplural jet exits at outlet ends of the air pass holes, the jet exits angled relative to the center rotational axis in such a manner that the air flow follows a slanting direction relative to the center rotational axis from the jet exits at the outlet ends of the air flow pass holes and collides with the side cutting surface along a longitudinal direction of the cutting tool, with the jet exits formed at a leading end surface of the main shaft.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention based on the above-mentioned basic configuration, the unmolded powder and cut powder are scattered from a cutting edge of the cutting tool or the vicinity thereof by the air flow generated by the metal powder processing equipment itself, and further, the life of the cutting tool is prolonged and quality of the cut surface is improved while processing time can be also shortened by securing smooth rotation of the cutting tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is aimed at metal powder processing equipment in which metal powder is sequentially laminated on a table inside a chamber, and laser beam melting or electron beam melting and shaping by a cutting tool subsequent to the melting are performed.

FIG. 1is a view disclosing a basic configuration according to the present invention and illustrating a state of cutting process in which air flow5at a side surface of the cutting tool in a longitudinal direction, or vicinity of said side surface is generated for scattering unmolded powder and cut powder6from a tool holder2side toward a leading end side of a cutting tool3.

Air pressure by the air flow5is generated when cutting is performed by the cutting tool3, and it is indispensable for the air pressure to be strong enough to scatter the unmolded powder and cut powder6flowing in a vicinity of the cutting tool3.

In the case of scattering the flowing unmolded powder and cut powder6by this air flow5, probability that the unmolded powder and cut powder6remain at a main shaft1of the cutting tool3in a rotating state can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to avoid shortening the life of the cutting tool3due to the unmolded powder and cut powder6being filled in clearance with a cutting edge, and further, the cutting tool3can be prevented from being damaged. Moreover, deterioration of processed surface quality such as the prior arts may also be avoided.

According to a typical embodiment of the above-mentioned basic configuration, the unmolded powder and cut powder6are scattered by jetting the air flow5.

FIG. 2is a view illustrating a basic configuration (1) in which an air flow pass hole7is formed between a portion of a center of rotation at a rear end of the main shaft1and a portion deviated from the center of rotation at a leading end of the main shaft1, and plural jet exits70at outlet ends of the air pass holes7, the jet exits70angled relative to the center rotational axis in such a manner that the air flow follows a slanting direction relative to the center rotational axis from the let exits70at the outlet ends of the air flow pass holes7and collides with the side cutting surface along a longitudinal direction of the cutting tool3, with the jet exits formed at a leading end surface of the main shaft1.

In the case of the above-described embodiment, the unmolded powder and cut powder6flowing in the vicinity of the cutting tool3can be effectively scattered by jetting the air flow5to the side surface of the cutting tool3in the longitudinal direction from the leading end surface of the main shaft1, and can be prevented from being adhered to the cutting tool3.

InFIG. 2, the jet exit70is formed at only one place, but the jet exit70can be formed at a plurality of places.

FIG. 3is a view illustrating an embodiment in which the air flow pass hole7is continuously formed along a central axis of the main shaft1and then along a central axis of a middle portion from a rear end to a leading end of the tool holder2, and the jet exit70is formed for the air flow5to the side face of the cutting tool3in the longitudinal direction from a vicinity of a connecting portion with the cutting tool3at a leading end surface of the tool holder2.

In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment, the unmolded powder and cut powder6flowing in the vicinity of the cutting tool3are scattered by the air flow5jetted to a peripheral wall in the longitudinal direction of the cutting tool3and vicinity thereof, and can be prevented from adhering to the cutting tool3.

FIG. 4is a view illustrating an embodiment in which the air flow pass hole7is continuously formed along the central axis of the main shaft1, the tool holder2, and the central axis in the longitudinal direction of the cutting tool3, and the jet exit70is formed for the air flow5in a direction orthogonal and/or oblique to the longitudinal direction of the cutting tool3at one place or a plurality of places on an outer peripheral portion or a groove of the cutting tool3at the middle portion or a leading end portion in the longitudinal direction of the cutting tool3.

In the case ofFIG. 4only one jet exit70is formed for the air flow5in the direction orthogonal and/or oblique to the longitudinal direction. By thus forming the jet exit70, the unmolded powder and cut powder6flowing in the longitudinal direction in the vicinity of the cutting tool3can be scattered by the air flow5and can be prevented from adhering to the cutting tool3.

According to any of the above-mentioned embodiments, the unmolded powder and cut powder6are scattered by the jetted air flow5.

However, note that the above-mentioned basic configuration is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments of jetting the air flow5, and this is obvious from an embodiment described below.

Embodiment

According to another embodiment, one or a plurality of rotor blades21that blows air flow5to a cutting tool3side is arranged to a peripheral wall of a side surface of a tool holder2for generating air flow5at vicinity of the said surface of the cutting tool3in a longitudinal direction as illustrated inFIG. 5.

In the case of such an embodiment, unmolded powder and cut powder6likely to adhere to the cutting tool3can be scattered by an extremely simple configuration of attaching the rotor blades (fins)21to the peripheral wall of the side surface of the tool holder2.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, the rotor blades (fins)21generally adopt a configuration in which an inclination angle is sequentially increased in the rotational direction as is the case with a propeller, and preferably a plurality of rotor blades is provided along the peripheral wall of the tool holder2. Further, in the case where a plane angle of the rotor blades (fins)21is about 45 degrees with respect to a rotational direction, it can be observed that the air flow5can be effectively generated with respect to the cutting tool3side.

APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can solve the problems in the related arts and can be utilized in any field of the metal powder processing equipment using a cutting tool by removing the unmolded powder remaining at the time of the melting and the cut powder generated by the cutting.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES