IP Library Granted Patent US 12691540
Granted Patent B2
US 12691540 · App. 18/213,946 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Machine tool and method for controlling a machine tool

Inventor: Eckhard Maurer (Oberteuringen, DE)
Assignee: SMW-Autoblok Spannsysteme GmbH
B23Q5/54B23Q3/06G05B9/03G05B19/414B23Q2703/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691540
App. No.
18/213,946
Filed
Jun 26, 2023
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2116
USPC
700/11
Abstract

It is already know from the prior art to provide machine tools with a clamping device, in which a portion of the control is transferred to the clamping device. This simplifies the connection to the available machine control and allows a simplified coupling of the clamping device to the machine tool. However, in spite of the inductive coupling between the machine control and the clamping device control, it is not ensured that process data sets reach their intended destination. This situation is addressed by the present invention in that a clamping device control is allocated to the clamping device, two redundant microprocessors are included, which analyze received process data sets independently of each other and, in the case of an error, transfer the clamping device into a safe state.

Claims (14)

1 . A machine tool with a stationary machine control ( 10 ) and a rotating clamping device ( 1 ), wherein the machine control ( 10 ) communicates with a clamping device control ( 20 ) that is rotating with the rotating clamping device ( 1 ) with the intermediate connection of a coupling unit ( 7 ), wherein the coupling unit ( 7 ) provides a contactless data connection from the machine control ( 10 ) to the clamping device control ( 20 ), wherein the clamping device control ( 20 ) comprises a control unit ( 21 ) for actuating advancement means for activating clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) of the rotating clamping device ( 1 ) and at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) allocated to the control unit ( 21 ), via which process data sets received by the machine control ( 10 ) via the control unit ( 21 ) can be verified independently of each other and/or process data received by process sensors can be used independently of each other in process data sets and can be transmitted via the control unit ( 21 ) to the machine control ( 10 ),

characterized in that respectively at least one force sensor ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitter is allocated to the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) and the at least one force sensor ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitter is respectively data-connected solely with one of the at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ), or the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to the at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ), and the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of opposing clamping means of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to different microprocessors of the at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ).

2 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that the advancement means of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are servomotors ( 26 , 27 ), which are controlled with the aid of servocontrollers ( 29 , 30 ).

3 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that respectively at least one force sensor ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitter is allocated to the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) and the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to the at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ), wherein the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to different microprocessors of the at least two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) with oppositely acting force components.

4 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that path sensors ( 32 , 33 ) are allocated to the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ), wherein the path sensors are data-connected to the control unit ( 21 ).

5 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that an inductively coupled data connection is established between the machine control ( 10 ) and the clamping device control ( 20 ) via the coupling unit ( 7 ).

6 . A method for controlling a machine tool with a stationary machine control ( 10 ) and a rotating clamping device ( 1 ), wherein the machine control ( 10 ) communicates with a clamping device control ( 20 ) that is rotating with the rotating clamping device ( 1 ) with the intermediate connection of a coupling unit ( 7 ), wherein the coupling unit ( 7 ) provides a contactless data connection from the machine control ( 10 ) to the clamping device control ( 20 ), and the clamping device control ( 20 ) comprises a control unit ( 21 ) for actuating advancement means for activating clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) of the rotating clamping device ( 1 ), and process data sets sent by the machine control ( 10 ) to the clamping device control ( 20 ) are independently checked by two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) and/or the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) use process data received from process sensors independently of each other to generate process data sets and transmit the process data sets to the machine control ( 10 ) via the control unit ( 21 ),

characterized in that that respectively at least one force sensor ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitter is allocated to the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ), and process data sets sent therefrom are respectively checked solely by one of the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ), or the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) and the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters of opposing clamping means of the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ) are allocated to different microprocessors of the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) for checking the process data sets that are sent.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , characterized in that process data sets comprise a calculated signature and/or a sequential identification number.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that, in the event of the receipt of a STO signal or in the case of an error in a signature or a deviation from an anticipated identification number, the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) output independently of one another a stop signal to the clamping means ( 2 , 3 ).

9 . The method according to claim 6 , characterized in that process data sets output by the machine control ( 10 ) for each of the advancement means includes a STO signal (safe torque off signal), wherein a movement of the relevant advancement means is released only if the signal corresponds to a release signal.

10 . The method according to claim 6 , characterized in that sensor data from the at least one force sensors ( 35 , 36 ) or clamping signal transmitters is transmitted to the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) and said sensor data is used in process data sets for dispatch to the machine control ( 10 ).

11 . The method according to claim 10 , characterized in that each of the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) prepares its own process data sets and transmits via the control unit ( 21 ) to the machine control ( 10 ).

12 . The method according to claim 10 , characterized in that each of the two redundant microprocessors ( 22 , 23 ) enters the process data that it receives in a circulating process data set and the control unit ( 21 ) transmits the circulating process data set to the machine control ( 10 ).