Search

EP-4735197-A1 - DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR COOLING A TOOL

EP4735197A1EP 4735197 A1EP4735197 A1EP 4735197A1EP-4735197-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cooling a tool, which device comprises a main body, a contact element, and at least one inlet into the main body and an outlet out of the main body, wherein the inlet and the outlet are interconnected by one or more inner channel(s) in the main body, and the device can be connected to the tool in such a way that the contact element is in contact with the tool, and the one or more inner channel(s) is/are designed to conduct a cooling fluid. One or more inner channels comprise(s) a contact portion, the contact portion being in contact with the contact element, and the contact portion comprising multiple flow-guiding elements which are designed in such a way that they locally increase the turbulence and the flow rate of the cooling fluid through the contact portion. The invention also relates to a system comprising the device and the tool, and to a cooling method using the system.

Inventors

  • Schröter, Danny
  • MEIER, PAUL

Assignees

  • AdaptX Systems GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240628

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Device for cooling a tool (2), the device comprising a base body (4), a contact element (10) and at least one inlet into the base body (4) and one outlet from the base body (4), the inlet and the outlet being connected to one another by one or more internal channels in the base body (4), the device being connectable to the tool (2) such that the contact element (10) is in contact with the tool (2), and the one or more internal channels being configured for conducting a cooling liquid, characterized in that the one or more internal channels comprise a contact section (7), the contact section (7) being in contact with the contact element (10), the contact section (7) comprising a plurality of flow guide elements (28) which are configured to locally increase the turbulence and the flow velocity of the cooling liquid through the contact section (7).
  2. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact element (10) forms an inner wall of the contact section (7), wherein one or more flow guide elements (28) are preferably also in contact with the contact element (10), are permanently connected or form part of the contact element (10) and are configured for a conductive heat transfer from the contact element (10) to the cooling liquid.
  3. 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow guide elements (28) protrude from an inner wall of the contact section (7), in particular from a base or from the contact element (10), and produce a local taper of a cross section of the contact section (7), wherein preferably at least one surface of a flow guide element (28) forms an outer angle of 90° - 175°, in particular 100° - 150°, to the inner wall of the contact section (7).
  4. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one flow guide element (28) is connected to two parallel inner walls of the contact section (7) and is separate from the other inner walls of the contact section (7), wherein the two parallel inner walls are substantially orthogonal to the contact element (10).
  5. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that one or more inner walls of the contact section (7) have cavities (27) and the cavities (27) represent a local enlargement of the cross section of the contact section (7), wherein the cavities (27) are preferably delimited by tear-off edges (29), wherein the tear-off edges (29) preferably form an outer angle between 90° - 175° to the respective inner wall.
  6. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow guide elements (28) have a prismatic, pyramidal, polyhedral, spherical or ellipsoidal shape or a combination thereof, wherein a prismatic shape with an isosceles triangular cross-section and a rounded tip is preferred, wherein preferably a ratio of a height to a width of the flow guide elements (28) is between 1:10 and 3:1.
  7. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact element (10) consists of a material which has a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W m _1 K' 1 and a melting point of more than 600 °C, wherein the material is preferably selected from the group comprising diamond, copper, gold, silver, aluminum or alloys of copper, gold, silver or aluminum.
  8. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a surface of the contact element (10) facing the contact section (7) has a roughness of 0.1 pm - 200 pm, in particular 25 pm - 50 pm, and a surface of the contact element (10) facing the tool (2) has a roughness of less than 0.1 pm.
  9. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the one or more inner channels 1 - 15, in particular 3 - 8, comprise inlets (8) and one or more outlets (9), wherein the inlets (8) are arranged in an inlet plane above an outlet plane occupied by the contact section (7) and/or outlets (9).
  10. 10. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the feed lines (8) open into the contact section (7), wherein a flow direction of the feed lines (8) is preferably arranged at 0° - 90°, in particular 30° - 60°, to the surface of the contact element (10) facing the tool (2).
  11. 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact section (7) has a longitudinal axis and the one or more inner channels comprise a plurality of feeds (8), wherein a first feed opens into the contact section (7) at a different lateral distance (18) to the longitudinal axis (16) of the contact section (7) than a second feed.
  12. 12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow elements reduce the cross section of the contact section (7) locally by at least 20%, in particular at least 30%, wherein the cross section of the contact section (7) is preferably between 0.008 mm 2 - 20 mm 2 , in particular 0.2 mm 2 - 3.5 mm 2 .
  13. 13. System for processing a workpiece with cooling, characterized in that the system comprises a device for cooling a tool (2) according to one of the preceding claims, a tool (2) and means for connecting the device to the tool (2), the system further comprising a fluid circuit for conveying a cooling liquid into the inlet and for leading the cooling liquid out of the outlet of the device for cooling the tool (2).
  14. 14. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the device for cooling a tool (2) functions as a clamping finger for clamping the tool (2) or as a cooling unit, wherein the base body (4) of the device preferably comprises a metallic material.
  15. 15. Method for cooling a tool (2) using a system according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that a cooling liquid is continuously introduced into the inlet of the device for cooling the tool (2) with a volume flow between 0.01 I mim 1 - 20 I mim 1 , the cooling liquid circulating in a closed circuit comprising the internal channels of the device.

Description

DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COOLING A TOOL DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a device for cooling a tool, wherein the device comprises a base body, a contact element and at least one inlet into the base body and one outlet from the base body, wherein the inlet and the outlet are connected to one another by one or more internal channels in the base body and the device can be connected to the tool such that the contact element is in contact with the tool, and the one or more internal channels are configured for conducting a cooling liquid. One or more internal channels comprise a contact section, wherein the contact section is in contact with the contact element, wherein the contact section comprises a plurality of flow guide elements which are configured such that they locally increase the turbulence and the flow velocity of the cooling liquid through the contact section. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system comprising the device and the tool and a cooling method using the system. Background and State of the Art The invention relates to the field of industrial manufacturing, in particular turning for machining workpieces by means of a tool. In industrial manufacturing processes, such as turning, effective cooling strategies are crucial to reduce the resulting heat between the tool and the workpiece during chip formation. The most commonly used method in metal processing to date is flood cooling using cooling lubricants. The cooling lubricant used is used at volume flows of several hundred liters per hour to cool the tool or workpiece and is applied as close as possible to the machining zone between the tool and the workpiece through external nozzles. If these conditions are not met during turning, the cooling lubricant effect is inadequate. In addition, the use of large quantities of cooling lubricant, its limited service life and the associated high maintenance and disposal costs lead to considerable economic and health burdens for companies. In recent years, special cooling strategies such as minimum quantity lubrication and cryogenic cooling have been developed to reduce the use of cooling lubricants while ensuring efficient cooling. All processes are continuously being developed to ensure the most sustainable production possible. However, they still have some inherent disadvantages, such as the high consumption of energy and resources and the costly disposal of operating materials. Research and development are therefore increasingly focusing on innovative approaches to improving cooling in industrial manufacturing processes in order to enable the most sustainable production possible. In order to counteract the disadvantages of inadequate process control and non-reproducible performance, new cooling strategies can be used that are based on a closed circuit so that no external cooling lubricant is introduced into the machining zone. All of the heat generated during machining is thus dissipated by the chip on the one hand and by the closed internal cooling on the other. For internal cooling, heat is transported indirectly by conduction and forced convection, with the cooling fluid achieving targeted and uniform cooling of the tool, which leads to improved temperature control and increased process stability. Furthermore, internal cooling significantly reduces the need for cooling lubricants and thus minimizes the associated costs for storage and disposal. In general, processes and systems are already known that enable the use of closed circuits for internal cooling. The following state of the art has now developed in this field: DE19730539C1 describes a heat sink within a modified tool holder, which has segmented and plate-shaped microstructures with channels smaller than 300 pm to increase cooling efficiency. Heat transfer takes place through a material with good thermal conductivity on the underside of the tool. The heat sink described can be arranged on two opposite sides. WO2018046489A1 describes a modified tool holder that enables improved cooling and temperature control of the cutting element. The tool comprises a cutting plate and a cooling device. The cooling device consists of a double pipe that enables both the supply and the removal of the cooling fluid. The coolant is directed to the underside of the tool in a targeted manner through this double pipe. SU795883A1 describes a tool holder or turning tool with internal cooling, which has a housing with an axial channel. This channel is connected to a tube made of heat-conducting material and partially filled with a coolant, e.g. water. By evaporating the coolant, heat is removed from the cutting plate and transferred to a distant, colder area. The tube is hinged to the internal chamber and can be adjusted to different angles to enable cooling at any position of the tool holder or turning tool. The techniques described so far require either an adaptation of the tool or the tool holder, which is not a suitable solution for industrial us