Development of a Tool-Tip Changing Robot for Turning Operation

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop a tool changing robot for turning operation. After tool wear has been detected, the robot changes a throwaway tip on a tool holder. In this case, a tool changing means a replacement of a corner of a tip, an inversion of a face of a tip and a supply of a new tip. In the experiments, the relation between the torque to clamp a tip to a tool holder and the torque to loosen a tip from a tool holder is clarified, and the clamping torque by the robot is chosen. And also, the characteristic of an adsorber which lifts up a tip by vacuum is investigated. From the experimental results, it is found that the trial constructed robot system is available for the combination of restricted tips and tool holders, and also the tool-tip changing time does not matter in practical use.