SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR CERTIFICATION OF THE POSITION OF A TOOL IN A MACHINE TOOL

Abstract: Machine tool system comprising a head (1) with a tool carrier (4) in which a tool (T) is mounted, and which is detectable by transducers (T1, T2) connected to a control unit (ECU) to which there are also connected sensors (S1-S3) which signal the instantaneous position of the head (1) within a reference system (X, Y, Z), and motors operable to cause controlled movement of the head (1). The system further comprises at least one laser radiation generator (12; 112) and an associated detector (13; 113) which define two measurement fields in which two laser beams (LB; LB1, LB2) extend in directions forming an angle preferably of 90 DEG , and a processing and control device (ECU) providing controlled movements of the head (1) in said measurement fields so as to cause the tool (T) to intercept the laser beam (LB; LB1, LB2) the acquisition and analysis of signals provided by the detector (13; 113) and generation of signals or data indicative of the geometry and position of the tool (T) in the reference system (X, Y, Z).

Description: System and process for certification of the position of a tool in a machine tool The present invention relates to a system and a process for certification of the position of a tool in a machine tool, such as a milling machine. The term "certification" means the detection of dimensional characteristics, typically length and diameter, of a tool and the accurate determination of the position of the tool, in particular the centre of the tip of the tool, in the reference system of the machine . The invention relates in particular to a certification system and process for a machine tool which, in a manner known per se, comprises a head, in particular of birotary type includ ¬ ing a tool-carrier in which a tool is operatively mounted which, for a given working operation, is disposed in a prede ¬ termined direction detectable by means of transducers associ ¬ ated with the head and connected to a control unit of the machine to which, moreover, are connected sensor means operable to provide signals indicative of the instantaneous position of the head in the reference system of the machine, and motor means operable to cause controlled movement of the head in the reference system. In machine tools of this type the control unit of the machine is, for example, able to calculate the co-ordinates of the centre of the tip of the tool in the machine's reference sys ¬ tem, the position of the head, the orientation of the tool carrier, the diameter and length of the tool (or the distance between the tip of the tool and the axis of rotation of the tool carrier) being known (or measured) . CONΠRMAΠON COPT The position of the centre of the tip of the tool thus calculated can differ, even if only slightly, from the real position of this centre for various reasons such as defects in the geometry of the head, an imperfect repeatability of the positioning of the head or the tool carrier, or dimensional variations in the head and/or the tool due to thermal effects etc (conventionally these are referred to as "non-transduced positioning errors"). Before starting work it is necessary therefore to check and "certify" the position of the tool. The certification operation is normally effected by means of a manual detection procedure which requires time and can sometimes involve risk to the operator. For the mere detection of geometric characteristics of a tool (such as length, diameter etc) it is known to utilise apparatus fixed on or close to the work table of a machine tool and comprising a laser source and an associated detector opera- tively disposed in respective fixed facing positions between which a detection or measurement field is defined. The tool, mounted on the tool-carrier head of the machine, is subjected to suitable movements within the measurement field in such a way as to cause interceptions of the laser beam in a predetermined manner the detection of which makes it possible to gain the dimensional characteristics of the tool . Such known apparatus does not, however, allow the certification of the positioning of the tool in the reference system of the machine . It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a sys- tern and a process which makes it possible to automate the operations for certifying the position of the tool for the purpose of eliminating errors introduced by the above-described phenomena . This and other objects are achieved according to the invention with the system and process the salient characteristics of which are defined in attached Claims 1 and 4. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-limitative example with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a tool-carrier head of birotary type in which a tool is mounted; Figure 2 is a partial schematic representation of the machine tool provided with a system for certifying the position of the tool according to the invention; Figures 3 to 10 and 12 illustrate the tool and its movements relative to laser beams in the certification system of the invention; and Figure 11 shows a variant embodiment of the system according to the invention. In Figures 1 and 2 the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a tool-carrier head of a machine tool such as a milling machine. The head 1 is connected for rotation about a vertical axis (Z axis) to the lower end of an arm 2 displaceable with respect to three axis (X, Y, Z) by motor devices such as those indicated Ml, M2 , M3 in Figure 2, controlled by a control unit ECU of the machine. To this unit are connected sensors SI, S2, S3 operable to provide it with signals generally indicative of the instantaneous position of the head 1 in the reference system of the machine . The head 1 comprises a body 3 connected to the arm 2 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. To the body 3 is connected a tool-carrier 4 which is rotatable with respect to this body about an horizontal axis indicated in Figure 1. A tool T such as a milling tool, is operatively mounted in the tool carrier 4. The tool T has a generally cylindrical shape and its distal end can have a flat end face or be substantially hemispherical, or it may have an essentially toroidal shape etc. In order to perform a given working operation the tool T is orientated in a predetermined direction by means of motors, not illustrated, acting to determine the angular position (angle α of Figure 1) of the body 3 of the head in the X, Y plane, as well as the angular position of the tool carrier 4 (angle β between the axis of the tool carrier and tool and the vertical) . By means of corresponding transducers indicated Tl and T2 in Figure 2, the control unit ECU of the machine acquires information about the positioning of the tool which has taken place in the predetermined direction of orientation for the working operation. The tool T has generally known nominal dimensions, in par ¬ ticular length and diameter, which the operator allocated to the machine can communicate to the control unit ECU thereof by means of a data entry unit (IU in Figure 2) such as a keyboard or the like. Once the position of the head 1 with respect to the reference system X, Y, Z is known, as well as the angles α and β which define the set operative orientation of the tool T, the diameter ø of the tool and the length of this latter, or rather the distance L (Figure 1) between the tip of the tool and the axis of rotation of the tool carrier, the control unit ECU is able to calculate the co-ordinates of the centre C (Figure 1) of the tip of the tool T in the X, Y, Z reference system of the machine . The position of the centre C as thus calculated by the control unit ECU can however differ, even if only a little, from the real position of the centre of the tool due to different reasons such as those indicated in the introduction to the present specification. To allow certification of the position of the tool T, according to the invention the machine tool has associated therewith apparatus such as that which will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In this Figure the reference numeral 10 indicates a rotary table mounted so as to be continuously rotatable or indexed in a plane parallel to the work table or bed 11 of the machine tool . To the table 10 are fixed, in facing positions, a source 12 of laser radiation and an associated detector 13. In opera ¬ tion the source 12 sends a laser beam LB towards the detector 13. This beam is preferably focused at an intermediate point between the source and the detector. The source 12 and the detector 13 are conveniently connected to a control unit which may advantageously be the same con- trol unit ECU of the machine tool. This control unit may possibly be further connected to a position sensor operable to provide the unit with information about the angular position of the table 10, that is to say the position of the beam LB. The detector device 13 is connected to the associated control unit, and this latter is able to detect a condition of interception of the beam LB by examining the signal provided by this device. A fundamental supposition is that the geometric position of the laser beam is known to the control unit ECU. Supposing that, for a given predetermined working operation the tool T, which in an exemplary but non-limitative manner may be supposed to have a hemispherical end as illustrated in Figure 3, is orientated in a direction parallel to the X, Z plane and forming an angle β with respect to the vertical (Figure 4) the certification of the position of the tool can for example be achieved in the following manner. It is supposed that the geometric dimensions (length and diameter) of the tool T under examination are already known (because they have been previously measured or manually entered) . It is to be noted that, because of the said errors, the control unit ECU supposes that the centre of the tool is posi ¬ tioned in a given position X, Y, Z whereas this in reality is not the case. Figure 5 shows the discrepancy between the nominal position in which the unit ECU presupposes the tool to be created and the real position. In Figure 5, DX and DZ represent the positioning errors respectively along the X and Z axes. Obviously, in general there is also an error DY not shown in Figure 5. Step 1 The table 10 is positioned in such a way that the laser beam LB extends parallel to the Y axis of the reference system of the machine, that is to say perpendicular to the first intercepting movement which it is desired to perform (in the X direction) . The machine's control unit ECU then causes a controlled displacement of the head 1 such as to bring the tool T into a known position close to the laser beam LB, for example to the position shown in Figure 6. In this position the unit ECU presumes that the centre of the tool is at the same height Z as the laser beam. In reality this is not so because of the errors illustrated in Figure 5. Starting from this known position the control unit ECU causes a displacement of the tool T in the direction of the laser beam LB along the axis X as indicated by the arrow Fl of Figure 6, until the tool intercepts the beam at a point B of its generatrix. The interception condition is detected by the control unit by analysing the signal provided by the detector device 13. The control unit ECU acquires and memorises the measurement of the position of the tool in the displacement direction (X) . It is must be noted that the interception takes place at a point B of the tool which is situated at a distance D from the point A at which the control unit ECU presumes it to have intercepted the laser beam (Figure 7) . The geometric dimensions of the tool being known, and presupposing it to have interrupted the laser beam at the point A of the tool, the control unit ECU determines the "real" position of the centre of the tool, "real" in that it would have to differ from the value DX (Figure 5) with respect to that hypothesised by the control unit. In reality the calculated point will not be C (the real position of the tool centre) but rather Cl (as illustrated in Figure 7) . At this point the control unit ECU will presume that it has calculated the exact position of the tool centre along the axis X and stores it . Step 2 The control unit ECU can then determine the position of the tool T in a known position, such as that shown in Figure 8, in which it presumes the position of the centre C of the tool to be at the same height X as the laser beam LB. In reality the point Cl would be aligned with the axis of the laser beam LB for reasons previously described and illustrated. Starting from this initial position the unit then causes displacement of the tool in the direction of the arrow F2 (Figure 8; decreasing Z direction) until intercepting the beam, and acquires and memorises the position along the Z axis at which this interception occurs. It must be noted (Figure 9) that the interception takes place at a point Bl of the tool, which is situated at a distance Dl from the point Al at which the control unit ECU assumes the laser beam was intercepted. The geometric dimensions of the tool being known, and presupposing that the laser beam has been interrupted at the point Al of the tool, the control unit ECU determines the "real" position of the tool centre, "real" in that it will be different from the value DZ (Figure 5) with respect to that hypothesised by the control unit . In reality the calculated point will not be C (real position of the tool centre) but rather Cl (as illustrated in Figure 9) . At this point the control unit ECU will presume that it has calculated the exact value of the position of the tool centre in the Z direction and stores it. At this point the control unit ECU has determined the position of the tool centre in a more precise manner than in Figure 5 with respect to the associated errors DX and DZ . It can be shown mathematically (Dl being less than D) that by now repeating the procedure starting from step 1 the cycle converges towards an ever more precise solution. The cycle terminates when a satisfactory precision has been achieved delimited by a minimum admissible error in the variation of the associated variables D and Dl upon successive iterations. Thanks to the information achieved with the above-described operations, the control unit is able to verify and possibly correct the co-ordinates of the centre of the tip of the tool in relation to the X, Z axis. Step 3 The certification procedure then envisages that the Table 10 is turned in such a way as to dispose the laser beam LB along a new predetermined direction, advantageously at 90° to the preceding direction. In this condition the source 12, the receiver 13 and the laser beam LB are disposed as illustrated in broken outline in Figure 2. Step 4 The control unit now determines the position of the tool T in a known position close to the beam LB such as that illustrated in the three views of Figure 10. It is to be noted that in Step 4, following the operations completed in steps 1 and 2, the tool centre is effectively positioned at the height Z of the laser beam LB. Starting from this position, and by means of controlled displacements of the tool T until intercepting the laser beam LB, and acquisition of the movements thus made, the control unit is able to verify if the effective orientation of the axis of the tool and the position of the tool relative to the axis correspond or not to the previously calculated value on the basis of the geometric parameters of the system. If this is the case, the unit ECU can perform suitable corrections, in such a way that the centre C of the tool is effectively located at a predetermined position to start working. As an alternative to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the certification system according to the invention can be formed using two laser sources such as the sources 12 and 112 of Figure 11, and associated detectors 13 and 113 respectively facing them. The arrangement of the said sources and associated detectors is such that the respective laser beams LBl and LB2 in Figure 11 extend in two directions forming an angle with one another preferably of 90°. However, other arrangements of the sources and detected can be adopted in place of that shown by way of example in Figure 11. Naturally, the same object of the application (identification of the real position of the tool centre) can be obtained by different procedures performed to generate apparently different, but substantially equivalent, results from those just described. For example, by taking measurements in the positions PI, P2, P3, P4, P5 of Figure 12 the control unit ECU would be able to determine not only the values of DX and DZ of Figure 5, but also the values Dα and Dβ of the positions of the head's rotational axis. Obviously DX and DZ are also a consequence of such errors Dα and Dβ . The calculation of Dα and Dβ to correct them or directly to consider the errors committed by the mechanical system within the control unit ECU are therefore not to be considered as a trivial variation of the invention described here. In fact, this procedure has still the same ultimate object of the identification of the real position of the tool centre. Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the embodiments and details of contstruction can be widely varied with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limitative example, without by this departing from the ambit of the invention as defined in the attached claims .

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A system for certifying a tool T of a machine tool which comprises a head (1) including a tool carrier (4) in which a tool (T) is operatively mounted, which for a given predetermined working operation is disposed in a predetermined direction detectable by transducer means (Tl, T2) associated with the head (1) and connected to a control unit (ECU) of the machine to which there are also connected sensor means (S1-S3) operable to provide signals indicative of the instantaneous position of the head (1) in a reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine, and motor means operable to cause controlled movement of the said head (1) with respect to the reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine; the system including apparatus associated with the machine, which includes laser radiation generator means (12; 112) and associated detector means (13; 113) operable to define first and second measurement fields in which respective first and second laser beam (LB; LBl, LB2) extend in respective predetermined directions forming an angle, preferably of 90°, and processing and control means (ECU) operable to cause control movements of the head (1) within the said measurement fields in such a way as to cause interceptions of the said laser beams (LB; LBl, LB2) by the tool (T) in a predetermined manner, to acquire and analyse signals correspondingly provided by the said receiver means (13; 113), and to generate signals or data indicative of the geometry and position of the tool (T) in the reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine . 2. A system according to Claim 1, in which the said generator means and the said detector means comprise a laser source (12) and, respectively, a detector (13) mounted facing one another on a support structure (10) rotatable with respect to the working plane (11) of the machine and able to assume at least first and second positions in which the beam (LB) emitted by the source (12) extends respectively in first and second directions forming an angle, preferably of 90° with respect to one another. 3. A system according to Claim 1, in which the said generator means and the said detector means comprise first and second laser sources, detector pairs (12, 13; 112; 113) orientated respectively along first and second directions forming an angle preferably of 90° to one another. 4. A process for certifying a tool T in a machine tool which comprises a head (1) including a tool carrier (4) in which a tool (T) is operatively mounted which, for a given predetermined working operation is disposed in a predetermined direction detectable by transducer means (Tl, T2) associated with the head (1) and connected to a control unit (ECU) to which there are also connected sensor means (S1-S3) operable to provide signals indicative of the instantaneous position of the head (1) in a reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine , and motor means (Ml, M2 , M3) operable to cause controlled movement of the said head (1) in the reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine; the process comprising the operations of generating in the working field of the machine, first and second laser beams (LB; LBl, LB2) which extend in respective predetermined directions forming an angle preferably of 90° to one another; detecting by detector means (13; 113) the said first and second laser beam (LB; LB 1, LB2) respectively; and causing controlled movements of the head (1) in such a way as to cause the tool (T) to intercept the said laser beams (LB; LBl; LB2) in a predetermined manner, acquiring and analysing the signals correspondingly provided by the said detector means (13; 113) to generate signals or data indicative of the geometry and position of the tool (T) in the reference system (X, Y, Z) of the machine. 5. A process according to Claim 4, in which a single laser light source (12) is utilised and an associated receiver (13) which can be located in two different relative positions in which the beam emitted by the source (12) extends in a first and a second direction respectively. 6. A process according to Claim 4, in which two source- detector pairs (12, 13; 112, 113) are utilised, disposed in respective positions such that the respective laser beams (LBl, LB2) extend along first and second directions respectively forming an angle preferably of 90° to one another.

Inventors: MIGNANI AUGUSTO, MIGNANI, AUGUSTO
Applicants: FIDIA SPA, MIGNANI AUGUSTO, FIDIA S.P.A., MIGNANI, AUGUSTO
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B23Q17
IPC codes: B23Q17, G01B21