Honing machine

Abstract

A honing machine for machining workpieces that have at least one bore to be machined by means of honing, comprises a plurality of workstations (180-1, 180-2), wherein at least one of the workstations is configured as a honing station (180-1, 180-2) that comprises at least one honing unit (150-1, 150-2) that has a spindle shaft (152) that is rotatable about a vertical spindle axis (155) by means of a rotary drive and is movable back and forth parallel to the spindle axis by means of a reciprocating drive. The honing machine has a pallet transport system (200) internal to the machine, for transporting workpieces from and to the workstations (180-1, 180-2) by means of pallets (210-1, 210-2). The pallet transport system (200) is designed such that different transport paths are freely configurable via a control unit (190) of the honing machine (200).

1 . A honing machine for machining workpieces that have at least one bore to be machined by means of honing, comprising:
 a plurality of workstations, wherein at least one of the workstations is configured as a honing station that comprises at least one honing unit that has a spindle shaft that is rotatable about a vertical spindle axis by means of a rotary drive and is movable back and forth parallel to the spindle axis by means of a reciprocating drive; and   a pallet transport system internal to the machine, for transporting workpieces from and to the workstations by means of pallets,   wherein the pallet transport system is designed such that different transport paths are freely configurable via a control unit of the honing machine.   
     
     
         2 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet transport system has four bi-directionally usable linear transport paths which are arranged in a rectangular arrangement, wherein transfer positions for the delivery of pallets between transport paths, which are adjacent at right-angles to one another, are arranged in corner regions of the rectangular arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet transport system has a plurality of bi-directionally usable linear transport paths, each of the transport paths has a horizontally movable pallet carrier, transfer positions for the delivery of pallets between the adjacent transport paths are arranged between adjacent transport paths, and the pallet carriers of adjacent transport paths are configured for a direct delivery of pallets without an additional transfer apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the pallet transport system has a loading and unloading station which is arranged on an operator side of the honing machine between, in particular centrally between, the ends of a bi-directionally usable linear transport path. 
     
     
         5 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one honing station is arranged in a corner region of the rectangular arrangement at a transfer position, such that pallets may be transported to and away from said honing station in two directions at right-angles to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the honing machine has a first honing station and a second honing station which is usable independently therefrom, wherein the honing stations are arranged in transfer positions at opposing ends of a linear transport path. 
     
     
         7 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein exactly two honing stations are provided, said honing stations in each case preferably having a single honing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein on at least one of the honing stations, preferably on all of the honing stations, the honing unit is arranged on a horizontal carriage which is horizontally movable parallel to a first direction. 
     
     
         9 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the horizontal carriage bears in addition to a honing unit at least one further working unit, in particular a deburring unit and/or a measuring unit. 
     
     
         10 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet transport system has at least one pallet carrier which is horizontally movable in at least one horizontal direction and is additionally movable in the vertical direction, vertically and bi-directionally, wherein a horizontal transport path which is usable by the pallet carrier leads to a workstation and away therefrom. 
     
     
         11 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the pallet transport system has at least one pallet carrier which is movable horizontally and parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and is movable parallel to a third direction parallel to the spindle axis, vertically and bi-directionally. 
     
     
         12 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the pallet carrier has components of a zero point clamping system on an upper face provided for receiving a pallet. 
     
     
         13 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the pallet carrier has automatically couplable interface components for transmitting energy and/or signals between the honing machine and a pallet borne by the pallet carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet transport system is a functional component of a workpiece positioning system which is integrated in the honing machine and which is configured to position a workpiece with a known position in the region of a workstation, both in at least one horizontal direction and vertical direction. 
     
     
         15 . The honing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein pallets of the pallet transport system have one or more of the following features:
 auxiliary positioning apparatuses for assisting the positioning of a pallet in a target position on a pallet carrier, wherein the auxiliary positioning apparatuses preferably have clamping pins which are usable in a zero point clamping system;   at least one controllable component with actuators and sensors such that an activation of the controllable component is possible by the control unit of the honing machine, wherein preferably workpiece movements may be generated relative to the pallet by means of a controllable component of a workpiece holding device mounted on the pallet, and a feedback to the control unit is possible via signals from sensors regarding the set position and/or orientation.