Granted Patent B2

US 8,087,331 · App. 12/366,789 · Granted Jan 3, 2012

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A method for machining a surface on a workpiece having at least one member extending perpendicularly to the surface, the method comprising:

determining a position of a tool

determining a position of the workpiece;

positioning at least one of the workpiece and the tool to a predefined position;

rotating the workpiece;

rotating the tool to a predefined rotational speed wherein the predefined rotational speed synchronizes the rotation of the tool with the rotation of the workpiece;

translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece in a direction parallel to an axis defined by the workpiece;

removing material from a first portion of the surface of the workpiece;

translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece; and

removing material from a second portion of the surface of the workpiece.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the workpiece is rotated about the axis of the workpiece.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the tool defines an axis, and the tool is rotated about the axis of the tool.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the axis of the tool is parallel with the axis of the workpiece.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rotating the workpiece and the tool at a second predefined rotational speed wherein the second predefined rotational speed synchronizes the rotation of the tool with the rotation of the member of the workpiece;

translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece in the direction parallel to the axis defined by the workpiece; and

removing material from the member.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the material is removed from a top of the member.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece relative to one another parallel to the axis of the workpiece and the step of translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece relative to one another perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece occur simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion and the second portion are defined by an epicyclical movement path of the tool relative to the surface of the workpiece.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein removing material from the first portion includes removing material proximate a radial edge of the workpiece and wherein removing material from the second portion includes removing material proximate a center of the workpiece.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined rotation speed of the tool prevents the tool from undesirably removing material from the member of the workpiece during the step of translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece in a direction parallel to the axis defined by the workpiece and during the step of translating at least one of the tool and the workpiece in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece.

11. A method for machining a surface on a spider carrier, the spider carrier having a plurality of members extending perpendicularly to the surface, the method comprising:

determining a position of the spider carrier;

determining a rotational orientation of a tool relative to the position of the spider carrier;

rotating at least one of the spider carrier and the tool to a predefined rotational orientation;

rotating the spider carrier to a first rotational speed;

rotating the tool to a second rotational speed wherein the second rotational speed is maintained at a fixed ratio relative to the first rotational speed of the spider carrier;

translating at least one of the tool and the spider carrier towards one another in a direction parallel to an axis defined by the spider carrier;

removing material from a first portion of the surface of the spider carrier;

translating at least one of the tool and the spider carrier in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spider carrier; and

removing material from a second portion of the surface of the spider carrier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the spider carrier is rotated about the axis of the spider carrier.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the tool defines an axis, and the tool is rotated about the axis of the tool.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the axis of the tool is parallel with the axis of the spider carrier.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

rotating the spider carrier and the tool at a third predefined rotational speed wherein the third predefined rotational speed synchronizes the rotation of the tool with the rotation of the plurality of members of the spider carrier;

translating at least one of the tool and the spider carrier in the direction parallel to the axis defined by the spider carrier; and

removing material from the plurality of members.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the material is removed from a top of each of the plurality of members.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of translating at least one of the tool and the spider carrier relative to one another parallel to the axis of the spider carrier and the step of translating at least one of the tool and the spider carrier relative to one another perpendicular to the axis of the spider carrier occur simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the first portion and the second portion are defined by an epicyclical movement path of the tool relative to the surface of the spider carrier.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein removing material from the first portion includes removing material proximate a radial edge of the spider carrier between the plurality of members and wherein removing material from the second portion includes removing material proximate a center of the spider carrier.

Assignments (8)