Electric discharge machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167147-A1
Application number	US-201514967872-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric discharge machine machines a workpiece by immersing the workpiece in machining fluid or by ejecting the machining fluid to the workpiece. The electric discharge machine includes: a cleaning device configured to inject the machining fluid or cleaning fluid; a robot device configured to move an injection nozzle of the cleaning device; a robot control device configured to control the robot device; and a control device configured to control the cleaning device.

First claim

1 . An electric discharge machine that machines a workpiece by immersing the workpiece in machining fluid or by ejecting the machining fluid to the workpiece, the electric discharge machine comprising:
a cleaning device configured to inject the machining fluid or cleaning fluid; a robot device configured to move an injection nozzle of the cleaning device; a robot control device configured to control the robot device; and a control device configured to control the cleaning device.

2 . The electric discharge machine according to claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises:
a robot motion recognition part configured to acquire and recognize motion or position information of the robot device from the robot control device; a storage device configured to store a pressure condition or a flow rate condition of the machining fluid or the cleaning fluid corresponding to the motion or position information of the robot device; a cleaning fluid pressure determination part configured to determine a pressure or a flow rate of the machining fluid or the cleaning fluid based on the motion or position information of the robot device, and on the condition stored in the storage device; and a cleaning fluid pressure adjusting device configured to adjust the cleaning fluid, to be injected by the cleaning device, to the pressure or the flow rate of the machining fluid or the cleaning fluid determined by the cleaning fluid pressure determination part, and the control device adjusts the pressure or the flow rate of the cleaning fluid in accordance with a place to be cleaned.

3 . The electric discharge machine according to claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises:
a position driving part capable of driving a position of an electrode supporting part that supports an electrode configured to perform electric discharge machining; a robot motion recognition part configured to acquire and recognize motion or position information of the robot device from the robot control device; a storage device configured to store a position condition of the electrode supporting part corresponding to a motion of the robot device; and a position determination part configured to determine the position of the electrode supporting part based on the motion information of the robot device obtained from the robot motion recognition part, and on the condition read from the storage device, the position determination part being provided in the control device configured to control the position driving part, and the control device is synchronized with the motion of the robot device so as to move a machining tank or the electrode supporting part.

4 . The electric discharge machine according to claim 1 , wherein the robot control device comprises:
a machining tank recognition part configured to recognize a state inside the machining tank from information obtained from a water level detection device configured to detect a water level of the machining fluid inside the machining tank; a cleaning determination part configured to determine whether automatic cleaning is to be started based on information obtained from the machining tank recognition part; and a cleaning preparation command part configured to command the control device to discharge the machining fluid from the machining tank based on a content determined by the cleaning determination part, and the robot control device determines whether the machining fluid is stored in the machining tank before an automatic cleaning operation is started, and when stored, the automatic cleaning is performed after discharging the machining fluid.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Yoshizaki Daisuke

Classifications

• B23H7/36 Primary

  Supply or regeneration of working media · CPC title

• B23H1/10

  Supply or regeneration of working media · CPC title

• B08B3/024

  Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned · CPC title

• B23Q11/0042

  Devices for removing chips (B23Q11/02, B23Q11/0875 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23H11/00 Primary

  Auxiliary apparatus or details, not otherwise provided for · CPC title