Tool measuring method and machine tools provided with measuring functions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694460-B2
Application number	US-201214390716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2012
Priority date	Apr 6, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

When measuring the dimensions of a tool having a cutting portion at an edge of a planar portion, first a plurality of points are measured on the planar portion using a measuring probe, then a planar formula for a measurement plane containing the planar portion is determined from these measured values. Next, the measuring probe is moved along the measurement plane expressed by the planar formula from the exterior of the cutting portion toward the cutting portion until the measuring probe contacts the cutting portion. The position of the cutting portion is determined based on the position of the measuring probe when the measuring probe comes into contact with the cutting portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool measurement method for measuring a dimension of a tool having a flat part and an edge part at an end part of the flat part, using a contact type measurement probe, comprising:
a measurement step of making a contactor of the measurement probe abut against a plurality of measurement points on the flat part to acquire measurement values;
a plane equation derivation step of determining a plane equation of a measurement plane including the flat part, based on the measurement values obtained at the measurement step;
a probe movement step of making the measurement probe move along the measurement plane represented by the plane equation determined at the plane equation derivation step from an outer side of the edge part toward the edge part until the contactor of the measurement probe abuts against the edge part; and
an edge part position derivation step of determining a position of the edge part, based on a position of the measurement probe when making the contactor of the measurement probe abut against the edge part at the probe movement step.

2. The tool measurement method of claim 1 , wherein
the measurement step includes measuring the positions of center points of the contactor at the plurality of measurement points, and
the plane equation derivation step includes, based on an imaginary plane passing through the plurality of center points of the contactors, determining a plane equation of the measurement plane parallel to the imaginary plane.

3. The tool measurement method of claim 1 , wherein
the tool is a rotary tool including a groove part and a flat shaped plate member having the edge part and attached in the groove part, and
the edge part position derivation step includes determining an outside diameter of the edge part based on the position of the measurement probe when making the contactor of the measurement probe abut against the edge part.

4. The tool measurement method of claim 1 , wherein
the probe movement step includes making the contactor of the measurement probe abut against two different points of the edge part, and
the edge part position derivation step includes determining the position of the edge part based on the positions of the measurement probe.

5. A machine tool having a measurement function, comprising:
a contact type measurement probe;
a movement part making the measurement probe move relative to a tool having a flat part and an edge part at an end part of the flat part;
a detecting part detecting a position of the measurement probe;
a plane equation calculating part calculating a plane equation of a measurement plane including the flat part, based on detection values by the detecting part when the contactor of the measurement probe abuts against a plurality of points on the flat part;
a movement control part controlling the movement part so that the measurement probe moves along the measurement plane represented by the plane equation calculated by the plane equation calculating part from an outside of the edge part toward the edge part until the contactor of the measurement probe abuts against the edge part; and
a position calculating part calculating a position of the edge part, based on detection values by the detecting part when making the contactor of the measurement probe abut against the edge part.

Assignees

• Sugiyama Kousuke
• Kimura Tadashi
• Nakamura Tadahiro
• Makino Milling Machine

Inventors

• Sugiyama Kousuke
• Kimura Tadashi
• Nakamura Tadahiro

Classifications

• B23H7/02

  Wire-cutting · CPC title

• G01B5/008

  using coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• B23H2500/20

  Methods or devices for detecting wire or workpiece position · CPC title

• B23Q17/0914 Primary

  Arrangements for measuring or adjusting cutting-tool geometry machine tools · CPC title

• G01B5/08

  for measuring diameters {(G01B5/0035 takes precedence; measuring radius of curvature G01B5/213)} · CPC title