Acta Polytechnica 54(1):6367, 2014 Czech Technical University in Prague, 2014

doi:10.14311/AP.2014.54.0063 available online at http://ojs.cvut.cz/ojs/index.php/ap

ANALYSIS OF PARAMETERS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF

A CUTTING MACHINE

Iveta Onderova, , ubomr oob

a
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Manufacturing
Systems, Environmental Technology and Quality Management
b
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract. The quality of cutting machines is affected by several factors that can be directly or
indirectly influenced by manufacturers, technicians and users of machine tools. The most critical
qualitative evaluation parameters of machine tools include accuracy and stability. Investigations of
accuracy and repeatable positioning accuracy were essential for the research presented in this paper.
The aim was to develop and experimentally verify the design of a methodology for cutting centers
aimed at achieving the desired working precision. Before working on the topic described here, it was
necessary to make several scientific analyses, which are summarized in this paper.
We can build on the initial working hypothesis that by improving the technological parameters
(e.g. by increasing the working speed of the machine, or by improving the precision of the positioning)
the quality of the cutting machine will also be improved. For the purposes of our study, several
investigated parameters were set affecting positioning accuracy, such as rigidity, positioning speed, etc.
First, the stiffness of the portal structure of the cutting machine was analyzed. FEM analysis was used
to investigate several alternative structures of the cutting machine, and also an innovative solution for
beam mounting). The second step was to integrate two types of drives into the design of the cutting
machine. The first drive is a classic rack and pinion drive for cutting machines. To increase (improve)
the working speed of the machine, linear motors were designed as an alternative drive. The portal of the
cutting machine was designed for a working speed of 260 m min1 and acceleration of 25 m. s2 . The
third step was based on the results of the analysis. In collaboration with Microstep, an experimental
cutting machine in a portal version was produced using linear synchronous motors driving the portal
on both sides, and with direct linear metering of its position. In the fourth step, an experiment was
designed and conducted to explore the positioning accuracy and the repeatable positioning accuracy.
Keywords: cutting machines, quality, positioning accuracy, repeatable positioning accuracy.

1. Requirements for cutting 2. Eexperimental equipment and

machinery and quality experiment descign
requarements The technical solutions and features of this machine
must reflect the high requirements for dynamics, speed
Cutting centers must meet several requirements. Some
and precision of cutting shapes that are difficult for
of the requirements are mandatory and are specified
machining, and also parts of small dimensions. A new
by current standards, while others are either generally
design for the mechanics and the drive system of the
anticipated or the customer determines them him- CNC cutting machine was developed for force-free ma-
self. A summary of all the requirements is a set of terial cutting technology. The design of the machine
parameters affecting the quality of the cutting center. is of gantry execution with extreme dynamics, and is
The parameters are divided into various classes, e.g.: designed on the basis of advanced structural materials
structural, technological, ergonomic, operational, etc. (mineral alloys - polymer concrete, sandwich tubular
Based on the degree to which the parameters of the structures), applications of linear actuators driving
center fulfill the prerequisites, we can say that the the portal on both ends and direct linear position
quality of the cutting center is bad, good or excellent. measurements. The portal support is equipped with a
The quality of a cutting center can be defined as the drive unit for height control of the technological head
degree to which the set of cutting center parameters above the material that is being cut (the workpiece).
meets the requirements for cutting centers. For the The technological table is designed to work at speeds
purposes of the experiment described here, the selected up to 260 m min1 and acceleration of 25 m s2 .
qualitative parameters are: parameter A - positioning Particular attention was paid to the design of the
accuracy, and parameter R - repeatable positioning installation of the linear actuators, and to the design
accuracy. of the connecting node of the X axis to the beam of

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Iveta Onderov, ubomr oo Acta Polytechnica

Figure 1. Parameters affecting the quality of a cutting machine.

Figure 2. Experimental measurement of parameters

A and R axis X1 (1interferometer, 4axis Y , 5
axis X1 , 6axis X2 ).

the Y axis. The frame of the cutting machine was Figure 3. Measuring cycle.
also developed, and its design was gradually modified
[1]. The main part is the exhausted technology table,
with an area of 4.5 m2 , i.e. 3000 1500 mm, and with frequency of 1 m s1
three holes that are used to connect the filtering de- In order to determine the values of parameters A
vice. The portal of the machine for the purposes of and R in the full range of the technology head motion,
the experiment was designed with a reversible linear we had to split the experiment into two parts: mea-
actuator in the X axis. surement of the Y axis (axis length: 1500 mm), and
The cutting machine is equipped with its own con- measurement of the X axis (axis length: 3000 mm).
veyor, which is located inside the frame, and its motion For the required position Pi , ten measurements were
is realized through a chain gear on both ends of the performed in the direction from the right, and ten
conveyor. measurements in the direction from the left. Mea-
The goal of the experiment is to determine the value sured positions Pi are designed in accordance with
of the A and R parameters across the technological the formula
table or in the range of motion of the technological P i = (i 1)p + r, (1)
head.
The experiment based on the parametric method where Pi is the measured position, i is the number of
was realized by a Renishaw ML 10 interferometer. In the measured position, p is the measuring interval, r
combination with the unit for compensating the envi- will take a different value in each measured position.
ronmental effects, it achieves extremely high accuracy It is used to prevent periodic errors.
up to 0.7 ppm. Its resolution is 1 nm at a sampling Approximation to the desired position was carried

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Pi P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
Measured positions [mm] 10.0 166.0 332.8 500.0 666.0 831.6 998.0 1166.0 1332.0 1489.0

Table 1. Table of desired positions for measurement of the Y -axis.

Pi P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12

Measured positions [mm] 10.0 250.0 500.2 749.9 1001.0 1248.5 1500.0 1749.3 2000.8 2250.1 2498.3 2749.9

Table 2. Table of desired positions for measurement of the X-axis.

Figure 4. Scheme of measurement axes Y .

Figure 5. Scheme of measurement axes X.

out in both directions, i.e. from the right (marked as ) the Y and X axes published in [1].
and from the left (marked as +). The measurement The Y axis measurements are similar even for dif-
was carried out by the reverse movement cycle, as ferent positioning of the portal. For all measurements,
shown in Figure 3 The measuring cycle was maintained the same phenomenon can be observed that when
throughout the experiment for all measurements. the linear axis increases the mean unidirectional po-
sitioning error increases up to the desired position.
3. Evaluation of measurements From this position, the unidirectional positioning er-
The measurements were evaluated under the condi- ror decreases again. The dispersion of the individual
tions stipulated in ISO 230-2: 2006. The goal of measurements is small, as can be seen in the narrow
the experiment is to determine the value of the A confidence corridor.
and R parameters. All results of the evaluation of All measurements of the Y axis are characterized
measurements (maximum insensitivity Btmax , average by a change in the range from to . This area will
insensitivity B, mean bidirectional positioning error be further investigated. The results of the Y -axis
interval M , systematic positioning error E, position- measurements also show that the value for the po-
ing repeatability R and positioning accuracy A) for sitioning accuracy of A increased after moving the

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Iveta Onderov, ubomr oo Acta Polytechnica

Figure 6. Graphical evaluation of direct measurements of the Y axis of the left and right sides.

portal. While measuring Y X0 the positioning ac- the X axis increased by 47.608 microns after moving
curacy was A = 118.8 microns, and while measuring the support along the Y -axis.
Y X3000 the positioning accuracy was A = 135.1 mi-
crons. The unidirectional positioning error of the Y 4. Conclusions on the
axis along the X axis thus increased by 16.3 microns.
The measurements of the X axis are similar even
measurement evaluation
when the support weight is shifted along the Y axis. The resulting positioning accuracy on the Y axis is
For all measurements, the same phenomenon can be equal to the maximum value of the evaluated position-
observed that when the linear Y axis increases the ing accuracy , and the resulting positioning accuracy
mean unidirectional positioning error increases expo- for the axis is For the X axis, the positioning accuracy
nentially. The dispersion of the individual measure- has the maximum value and positioning repeatability
ments is small, as can be seen in the narrow confidence The measurement results evaluated according to
corridor. the standard do not define the positioning error in
An interesting area of all measurements on the X the whole range of the measured axis, only at the
axis is the area around the desired position At this measurement points. Using these results, evaluated
point, a step change occurred for all measurements, according to the standard, it is therefore not possi-
but it did not occur for the next desired position. It ble to determine the basic measurement parameters
is therefore necessary to make a further investigation beyond the measured desired positions.
at a later date. Between these points the positioning deviation is
The results of the X axis measurements also show not known. The standard, however, assumes that the
that the value for the positioning accuracy of A in- curve of the positional deviation value between the
creased after moving the portal. Measuring X Y0 measured data items is linear. This presumption is
the positioning accuracy was A = 137.024 microns; critical for the evaluation of the measured data, but
and measuring X Y1500 the positioning accuracy was in terms of further processing of the measured data
A = 184.632 microns. The positioning accuracy of it is insufficient and not correct. For this reason we

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vol. 54 no. 1/2014 Analysis of Parameters Affecting the Quality of a Cutting Machine

Figure 7. Graphical evaluation of direct measurements of the X axis of the left and right sides.

decided to estimate the positioning accuracy beyond References

the desired positions using regression analysis. [1] ONDEROV, I.: Prnos k zvyovaniu vybranch
technologickch parametrov deliacich strojov,
Acknowledgements Dizertan prca, Slovensk technick univerzita v
The research work presented in this paper was performed Bratislava, Strojncka fakulta, 2010, Bratislava.
with financial support from VEGA grant 1/0584/12.

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