Wire saw device, and processing method and processing device for workpiece

Abstract

In order to respond flexibly to various processing modes, such as forming curved surface shapes, when cutting a workpiece using a wire saw, this wire saw device ( 1 ) is provided with: a single robot arm ( 2 ) that is capable of moving freely by means of multi-axis control; a wire saw unit ( 3 ) that is detachably connected to the robot arm ( 2 ) via a tool changer ( 7 ); a wire ( 8 ) that spans a plurality of pulleys supported within the wire saw unit ( 3 ); and a workpiece cutting zone ( 20 ) that is established between the pulleys. The workpiece is cut to a prescribed shape by moving the robot arm ( 2 ) in a preset direction while running the wire ( 8 ) of the wire saw unit ( 3 ) and pressing the wire ( 8 ) against the supported workpiece.

1 . A wire saw device comprising:
 a robot arm freely movable by multi-axis control;   a wire saw unit connected to the robot arm;   a plurality of pulleys rotatably supported in the wire saw unit;   a wire suspended between the pulleys; and   a cutting processing region of a workpiece set between the pulleys,   the wire saw device configured to cut the workpiece by causing the wire of the wire saw unit to travel and pressing the wire in the cutting processing region against the workpiece while moving the robot arm in a preset direction,   wherein a tool changer is provided at a tip end of the robot arm, and the robot arm and the wire saw unit are configured to be attachable to and detachable from each other via the tool changer.   
     
     
         2 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the wire saw unit includes at least one nozzle that jets air, and   the nozzle jets air onto the wire in the cutting processing region of the workpiece and a cut surface of the workpiece to remove cutting waste.   
     
     
         3 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one air suction nozzle is provided near the wire in the cutting processing region, and   an air flow is generated around the wire in the cutting processing region by performing suction by the air suction nozzle.   
     
     
         4 . The wire saw device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 at least one air jetting nozzle is provided at a position opposing the air suction nozzle across the workpiece, and   gas is jetted from the air jetting nozzle and sucked by the suction nozzle.   
     
     
         5 . The wire saw device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the air suction nozzle and the air jetting nozzle are formed as a pair, the pair of nozzles is disposed on each side of a feeding side of the wire in the cutting processing region and a recovery side of the wire, and   operation of the air jetting nozzle and the air suction nozzle is switched in accordance with a traveling direction of the wire such that gas is jetted from the air jetting nozzle on the feeding side and the gas is sucked by the air suction nozzle on the recovery side of the wire when the wire is traveling.   
     
     
         6 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a fan is provided on a rotary shaft of at least one of the pulleys of the wire saw unit, and   the fan is rotationally driven in accordance with rotation of the pulleys.   
     
     
         7 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a rotary shaft is provided in the wire saw unit, and   cutting processing of the workpiece is progressed while swinging the wire saw unit at a predetermined angle about the rotary shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , wherein cutting processing of the workpiece is progressed while swinging the robot arm. 
     
     
         9 . The wire saw device according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a pair of guide pulleys that form cutting region for the workpiece at a tip end of the wire saw unit and the wire is suspended therebetween;   a load cell provided on a rotary shaft of at least one of the guide pulleys; and   a control device that measures a load applied to the wire by the load cell and controls deflection of the wire.   
     
     
         10 . The wire saw device according to  claim 9 , wherein the control device adjusts, based on a result of the measurement, a speed at which the wire is pressed against the workpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The wire saw device according to  claim 9 , wherein the control device adjusts, based on a result of the measurement, a traveling speed of the wire with respect to the workpiece. 
     
     
         12 . A method of processing a workpiece in which the workpiece is held on a table and the workpiece that is held is processed by a processing device, wherein
 the table is provided with a plurality of suction holes in a holding surface for the workpiece,   the workpiece is sucked and held on the holding surface of the table by generating a suction force by placing the workpiece having air permeability on the table and covering an upper portion of the workpiece at a position opposing the suction holes of the table with an air-impermeable member, and   the workpiece is processed by a processing unit.   
     
     
         13 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is a wire saw or a band saw, and the wire saw or the band saw is detachably mounted on a robot arm that is freely movable. 
     
     
         14 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the holding surface of the table is provided on a table front surface and a table side surface,   the air-impermeable member is formed in such a size as to cover a side surface portion of the workpiece and the table side surface,   a part of the air-impermeable member protruding from a side surface of the workpiece is sucked and held on the table side surface, and   the workpiece is processed by the processing device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the table is separately formed as a plurality of suction regions, each of the suction regions is independently connected to a suction line, and the suction regions are each independently subjected to suction control. 
     
     
         16 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the table is separately formed as a plurality of tables that are capable of being individually separated and moving in a horizontal direction, and processing is performed such that the processing device passes through gaps between the tables that are individually separated when processing the workpiece. 
     
     
         17 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the table is formed to be capable of moving horizontally and rotating, and the workpiece is processed into an arbitrary shape by horizontally moving and/or rotating the table when processing the workpiece. 
     
     
         18 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the table is separately formed as a plurality of tables and configured to be vertically movable, and when processing the workpiece, the workpiece is processed such that each table does not interfere with the processing device by vertically and independently moving each of the tables separately formed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit is configured to swing arcuately along a processing progress direction of the workpiece. 
     
     
         20 . A processing device of a workpiece, the processing device comprising:
 a table that is provided with a plurality of suction portions in a holding surface and holds the workpiece; and   a processing unit that processes the workpiece held on the table,   wherein the workpiece has air permeability with respect to the holding surface,   the processing unit includes a freely movable robot arm and a tool changer provided at a tip end of the robot arm,   the table is configured to suck and hold the workpiece by generating a suction force on the holding surface of the table by placing the workpiece on the holding surface and covering an upper portion of the workpiece at a position opposing suction holes in the table with an air-impermeable member, and   the workpiece is processed in a state in which the workpiece is held on the table.   
     
     
         21 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the processing unit is a wire saw or a band saw, and the wire saw or the band saw is detachably mounted on the freely movable robot arm via the tool changer. 
     
     
         22 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the table is separately formed as a plurality of tables and configured to be capable of freely moving in a horizontal direction separately and independently. 
     
     
         23 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the table is formed to be capable of moving horizontally and rotating, and is configured to move horizontally and/or rotate when processing the workpiece. 
     
     
         24 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the table is separately formed as a plurality of tables and configured to be vertically movable, and each of the separately formed tables is configured to move vertically and independently when holding and processing the workpiece. 
     
     
         25 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 20 , wherein the processing unit is configured to swing arcuately along a processing progress direction of the workpiece. 
     
     
         26 . A processing device of a workpiece that processes the workpiece by a processing unit in a state in which the workpiece is held on a table, wherein the table includes:
 an inner table having a placement surface for the workpiece and a plurality of suction holes provided in the placement surface;   an outer casing that is provided so as to surround an outer side of the inner table and forms a suction chamber by fitting with the inner table; and   a plurality of ascending/descending pins capable of projecting and retracting provided in the outer casing and inserted in the suction holes of the inner table,   the inner table is provided to be relatively and vertically movable with respect to the outer casing, and configured to be positioned at a raised position when placing the workpiece and descend to a lowered position when negative pressure acts in the suction chamber, and   the ascending/descending pins are urged toward the placement surface by elastic members, and are configured to be positioned in the suction holes of the inner table when the inner table is at the raised position and project from the placement surface of the inner table when the inner table is at the lowered position.   
     
     
         27 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 26 , wherein the processing unit is a wire saw provided at a tip end of a freely movable robot arm. 
     
     
         28 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 26 , wherein
 a plurality of openings are defined on at least one surface of the workpiece, and   at least one of the ascending/descending pins is inserted in an opening of the workpiece and the workpiece is fixed to the table by suction and the ascending/descending pin by placing the workpiece on the inner table, generating a suction force on the placement surface of the inner table to suck and hold the workpiece, thus causing the inner table to descend to the lowered position, and causing the ascending/descending pins to project.   
     
     
         29 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 26 , wherein
 the workpiece is a honeycomb core member formed by assembling tubular cells, and   a suction force is generated on the placement surface of the table by placing an air-impermeable member over the honeycomb core member.   
     
     
         30 . The processing device of a workpiece according to  claim 26 , wherein the ascending/descending pins are urged toward the placement surface by the elastic members, and only the ascending/descending pins corresponding to an opening portion of the workpiece project from the placement surface of the table. 
     
     
         31 . A method of processing a workpiece in which the workpiece is held on a table and is processed in a state in which the workpiece is fixed to the table, wherein
 the table is formed of an inner table provided with a plurality of suction holes in a placement surface for the workpiece and an outer casing that is provided to surround an outer side of the inner table and forms a suction chamber by fitting with the inner table,   a plurality of ascending/descending pins capable of projecting and retracting are inserted in the suction holes of the inner table, and   the ascending/descending pins at positions not interfering with a suction surface of the workpiece is capable of projecting from the placement surface by placing the workpiece on the placement surface of the inner table, setting the suction chamber to negative pressure, and causing the table to descend to a lowered position.   
     
     
         32 . The method of processing a workpiece according to  claim 31 , wherein the processing is performed by a wire saw provided at a tip end of a freely movable robot arm.