Machine tool and machine tool control method
A machine tool capable of reducing entry of a workpiece chip into a product discharge chute. A controller controls a receipt of a product made of a workpiece held by a first spindle by a product receiver in a product receiving position, movement of the product receiver to a product dropping position and rotation of the product receiver to drop the product to the product discharge chute through an opening of the product discharge chute, and movement of the product receiver to the product receiving position to receive the product again. A second spindle is kept on standby in the product dropping position during which the opening of the product discharge chute is closed by the product receiver.
1 . A machine tool comprising:
a rotatable first spindle holding a workpiece;
a tool post retaining a tool for machining the workpiece;
a rotatable and movable second spindle holding a product receiver that receives a product made from the workpiece;
a product discharge chute provided with an opening facing upward with a first part thereof covered by a ceiling and a second part thereof completely uncovered; and
a controller controlling movement and rotation of the second spindle,
wherein the first spindle is rotatable about a first spindle axis defining a first horizontal direction,
wherein, in a product dropping posture, a maximum width of the product receiver is wider than the uncovered second part of the opening in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction,
wherein a maximum width of the product discharge chute is wider than the ceiling in the second horizontal direction,
wherein upward is a direction perpendicular to both of the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction,
wherein the controller is configured to control a receipt of the product made from the workpiece held by the first spindle by the product receiver in a product receiving position and movement of the product receiver to a product dropping position and rotation of the product receiver to bring the product receiver into the product dropping posture to drop the product to the product discharge chute through the opening, and
wherein the controller is configured to control the second spindle to keep the second spindle in the product dropping position in a state which the opening of the product discharge chute is closed by the product receiver kept in the product dropping posture during another machining on the workpiece held by the first spindle being performed after the product is dropped to the product discharge chute through the opening, and then moves the product receiver to the product receiving position to receive another product made of the workpiece held by the first spindle.
2 . A machine tool control method comprising
providing the machine tool of claim 1 ;
receiving the product made of the workpiece held by the first spindle by the product receiver in the product receiving position;
moving the product receiver to the product dropping position;
rotating the product receiver to bring the product receiver into the product dropping posture;
dropping the product to the product discharge chute through the opening;
then keeping the second spindle in the product dropping position in the state which the opening of the product discharge chute is closed by the product receiver kept in the product dropping posture during another machining on the workpiece held by the first spindle during another machining on the workpiece held by the first spindle; and
then moving the product receiver to the product receiving position to receive another product made of the workpiece held by the first spindle.