Application of Multifunctional Materials for Machine Tool Structures

Author(s):  
Francesco Aggogeri ◽  
Angelo Merlo ◽  
Marco Mazzola ◽  
Nicola Pellegrini

The competition on the international markets pushes manufacturers towards shorter design cycles and decreasing manufacturing times and costs for their products. This trend generates a demand for smart, flexible and faster machining systems, easy to set up and configure, which are able to drastically reduce machining time and improve the final accuracy. This paper rises from these considerations evaluating the possible application of multifunction materials in machine tool (MT) design and building. These solutions can provide a fundamental impact on functionality and reliability of a manufacturing system. In particular, use of innovative materials in today’s technology continues to grow steadily. Numerous reasons for this growth include light weight, superior insulating abilities, energy absorbing performance, excellent strength/weight ratio and low cost. This paper aims to investigate a possible application of multifunction materials in realisation of structure components for Machine Tools. There are many aspects that affect the machining accuracy and the cutting conditions of a high performance MT. The most important issues are related to the static, dynamic, mechatronic and thermal behavior of the machines. In particular, a strict requirement that a machine tool has to fulfill in order to drastically reduce operating time while improving the final accuracy is the thermal stability. This paper shows a complete study and testing validation on prototypes (plates and beam) based on sandwiches with core made of metal foam (open and closed cells) materials impregnated by a PCM (Phase Material Change) wax. Metal foams represent a class of materials with low density and novel physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic proprieties. They offer potential for lightweight structures, for energy absorption and thermal management. PCMs are latent heat storage materials that absorb heat keeping constant the temperature of a machine component in a defined time range. The authors have designed, realized and tested the prototypes developing thermal trials, and then evaluating the comparison between experimental data and simulative analysis (FEM). The trials consisted to process the prototypes at a variation of temperature in order to assess the PCM proprieties to absorb heat and maintain thermal stability in a defined time range. The paper shows also a simulative study on PCM material behavior and their application in MT design supported by experimental trials and data analysis. The significant advantages and perspectives that can be obtained in applying of these MT structures complete the developed study.

Author(s):  
Akio Hayashi ◽  
Yohichi Nakao

Recently, various precision products such as lenses or mirrors are produced by the ultra-precision machine tools. Then, the single-point diamond cutting is mainly carried out using the ultra-precision machine tool. In order to generate the high accuracy and high quality machined surfaces, the high stiffness and precise rotational accuracy of the spindle is required for the ultra-precision machining tools. The water driven spindle had been developed for the precision machine tool spindle. This spindle is driven by the generated torque due to the water flow power. Then, the rotational speed can be controlled by the supplied flow rate of water. In addition, the spindle has the water hydrostatic bearings that achieve the high bearing stiffness and precise motion accuracy. Furthermore, it is expected that the water driven spindle has the high thermal stability since the water with low viscosity is used as a coolant media. If the thermal deformation of the spindle is caused during the machining process, the deformation degrades the machining accuracy, accordingly. Thus, it is desirable that the thermal deformation and the temperature change of each part of the spindle and machine tool structure can be controlled and minimized during machining process. In this paper, in order to investigate the thermal stability of the water driven spindle, the measurement tests of the temperature of the water driven spindle were carried out. In addition, the power loss due to the water viscosity between the rotor and the casing of the spindle is calculated. As a result, this paper considers the temperature change and considers the thermal stability of the water driven spindle from the results of experiments.


Author(s):  
Yongsheng Zhao ◽  
Hongchao Wu ◽  
Congbin Yang ◽  
Ligang Cai ◽  
Zhifeng Liu

The motion accuracy of hydrostatic turntable is the key in improving the machining accuracy of heavy-duty machine tool. However, the motion accuracy of hydrostatic turntable depends not only on the offset load but also on the rotating speed of the turntable as well as the profile errors of the guide rails. In this paper, a simulation model is developed to analyze the effect of guide rail profile errors on the motion accuracy of hydrostatic turntable. The reaction forces of preload thrust bearing and hydrostatic circular oil pads are obtained based on the Reynolds equation of the lubricant film. The motion equations of hydrostatic turntable are derived in which the profile errors of two guide rails are considered. The results show that the motion accuracy of hydrostatic turntable can be affected by wavelength, amplitude of profile errors and speed, and offset load of turntable. Finally, the motion accuracy of heavy-duty hydrostatic turntable used in XCKA28105 type turning and milling composite machine tool is obtained by using the presented method. Comparing with the experimental results, the proposed model can be used to predict the machining accuracy caused by the profile errors of guide rails for any heavy-duty hydrostatic turntable.


Author(s):  
Hongwei Liu ◽  
Rui Yang ◽  
Pingjiang Wang ◽  
Jihong Chen ◽  
Hua Xiang

The objective of this research is to develop a novel correction mechanism to reduce the fluctuation range of tools in numerical control (NC) machining. Error compensation is an effective method to improve the machining accuracy of a machine tool. If the difference between two adjacent compensation data is too large, the fluctuation range of the tool will increase, which will seriously affect the surface quality of the machined parts in mechanical machining. The methodology used in compensation data processing is a simplex method of linear programming. This method reduces the fluctuation range of the tool and optimizes the tool path. The important aspect of software error compensation is to modify the initial compensation data by using an iterative method, and then the corrected tool path data are converted into actual compensated NC codes by using a postprocessor, which is implemented on the compensation module to ensure a smooth running path of the tool. The generated, calibrated, and amended NC codes were immediately fed to the machine tool controller. This technique was verified by using repeated measurements. The results of the experiments demonstrate efficient compensation and significant improvement in the machining accuracy of the NC machine tool.


2014 ◽  
Vol 915-916 ◽  
pp. 31-34
Author(s):  
Qing Ping Zhang ◽  
Zheng Ru Wang ◽  
Yan Fang Wang

Vibration is one of the most important problems in laser cutting machine tool, which causes the manufacturing errors, also influences the machining accuracy of the parts. Modal analysis can calculate vibration type of structures. The paper presents how to use the powerful FEA software ANSYS to do the modal analysis on laser cutting machine tool and also studies the undamped free vibration on laser cutting machine tool. Finally, the test results and theoretical results were compared to verify the rationality of the modal, these provide theoretical base and conditions for dynamics analysis and optimal design.


2012 ◽  
Vol 271-272 ◽  
pp. 493-497
Author(s):  
Wei Qing Wang ◽  
Huan Qin Wu

Abstract: In order to determine that the effect of geometric error to the machining accuracy is an important premise for the error compensation, a sensitivity analysis method of geometric error is presented based on multi-body system theory in this paper. An accuracy model of five-axis machine tool is established based on multi-body system theory, and with 37 geometric errors obtained through experimental verification, key error sources affecting the machining accuracy are finally identified by sensitivity analysis. The analysis result shows that the presented method can identify the important geometric errors having large influence on volumetric error of machine tool and is of help to improve the accuracy of machine tool economically.


2014 ◽  
Vol 556-562 ◽  
pp. 1354-1357
Author(s):  
Li Gong Cui ◽  
Gui Qiang Liang ◽  
Fang Shao

This paper presents a mathematical method to analyze the influence of each machine tool part deformation on the machining accuracy. Taking a 3-axis machine tool as an example, this paper divides the machine tool into the cutting tool sub-system and workpiece sub-system. Taking the deformation of lower surface of the machine bed as the research target, the mathematical model of the deformation on the displacement of the cutting point was established. In order to distribute the stiffness of each part, the contribution degree of each part on the machining accuracy was analyzed. Using this mathematical model, the stiffness of each part can be distributed at the design stage of the machine tool, and the machining accuracy of the machine tool can be improved economically.


Author(s):  
Venkat Gopalakrishnan ◽  
Sridhar Kota

Abstract In order to respond quickly to changes in market demands and the resulting product design changes, machine tool manufacturers must reduce the machine tool design lead time and machine set-up time. Reconfigurable Machine Tools (RMTs), assembled from machine modules such as spindles, slides and worktables are designed to be easily reconfigured to accommodate new machining requirements. The essential characteristics of RMTs are modularity, flexibility, convertibility and cost effectiveness. The goal of Reconfigurable Machining Systems (RMSs), composed of RMTs and other types of machines, is to provide exactly the capacity and functionality, exactly when needed. The scope of RMSs design includes mechanical hardware, control systems, process planning and tooling. One of the key challenges in the mechanical design of reconfigurable machine tools is to achieve the desired machining accuracy in all intended machine configurations. To meet this challenge we propose (a) to distribute the total number of degrees of freedom between the work-support and the tool and (b) employ parallely-actuated mechanisms for stiffness and ease of reconfigurability. In this paper we present a novel parallely-actuated work-support module as a part of an RMT. Following a brief summary of a few parallel mechanisms used in machine tool applications, this paper presents a three-degree-of-freedom work-support module designed to meet the machining requirements of specific features on a family of automotive cylinder heads. Inverse kinematics, dynamic and finite element analysis are performed to verify the performance criteria such as workspace envelope and rigidity. A prototype of the proposed module is also presented.


Author(s):  
Dongju Chen ◽  
Shuai Zhou ◽  
Jihong Han ◽  
Jinwei Fan ◽  
Qiang Cheng

The characteristic of gas film is a key factor in the performance of the aerostatic bearing. Because the gas film flow is in the slip regime, influence of the rarefied effect is significant. The modified Reynolds equation suitable for compressible gas in the rarefied effect is deduced through introducing the flow factor in the rarefied effect to the Reynolds equation. Pressure distribution, capacity, and stiffness of the gas film under the rarefied effect are analyzed. With the increase of gas pressure, the gas film capacity and stiffness of bearing would also increase. However, the greater the gas supply pressure, the more intense the gas film vibration, so it was important to select a reasonable gas supply pressure for achieving the optimal gas film characteristic. Finally, the gas rarefied effect is verified by the experiment indirectly, which agreed well with the analytical results and provided a theoretical guidance for the machining accuracy of the machine tool.


Author(s):  
Masahiko Mori ◽  
Zachary I. Piner ◽  
Ke Ding ◽  
Adam Hansel

This paper presents the virtual machine tool environment Mori Seiki established for the evaluation of static, dynamic, and thermal performance of Mori Seiki machine tools. In this system environment, machining accuracy and quality are the main focus for each individual analysis discipline. The structural analysis uses the Finite Element Method (FEM) to monitor and optimize the static rigidity of the machine tool. Correlation between physical experiments and digital simulation is conducted to validate and optimize the static simulation accuracy. To accurately evaluate and effectively optimize dynamic performance of the machine tool in the virtual environment, the critical modal parameters such as damping and stiffness are calibrated based on experimental procedures which results in precise setup of the frequency response models. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis model is built in the environment so that the thermal perspective of the machine tool is evaluated and thermal deformation is monitored. This paper demonstrates compatibility of the digital simulation with physical experiments and success in integrating theoretical simulation processes with practical Mori Seiki machine tool development.


Author(s):  
TJ Li ◽  
XH Ding ◽  
K Cheng ◽  
T Wu

Natural frequencies and modal shapes of machine tools have position-dependent characteristics owing to their dynamic behaviors changing with the positions of moving parts. It is time-consuming and difficult to evaluate the dynamic behaviors of machine tools and their machining accuracy at different positions. In this paper, a Kriging approximation model coupled with finite element method is proposed to substitute the dynamic equations for obtaining the position-dependent natural frequencies of a machine tool, as well as relative positions between the tool and the workpiece during the machining process. Based on the proposed method, dynamic performance optimization design of the machine tool is conducted under the condition of minimum relative positions. Three case studies are illustrated to demonstrate the implementation of the proposed method.


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