US 11,679,450 B2
Tool change for additive manufacturing
Markus Pieger, Wendlingen am Neckar (DE); and Felix Linder, Pforzheim (DE)
Assigned to TRUMPF Laser-und Systemtechnik GmbH, Ditzingen (DE)
Filed by TRUMPF Laser-und Systemtechnik GmbH, Ditzingen (DE)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/851,341.
Application 16/851,341 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2018/077742, filed on Oct. 11, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 102017124177.9 (DE), filed on Oct. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0269373 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. B23Q 3/155 (2006.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B23K 26/34 (2014.01); B23K 26/354 (2014.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/00 (2021.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B22F 12/90 (2021.01)
CPC B23K 26/34 (2013.01) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); B22F 12/224 (2021.01); B22F 12/226 (2021.01); B22F 12/38 (2021.01); B23K 26/354 (2015.10); B23Q 3/15573 (2013.01); B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B22F 12/90 (2021.01); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for taking up a tool unit of an additive manufacturing apparatus in a tool holder,
wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus includes a linear drive having a base body, the tool holder is mounted on the base body so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the tool holder can be moved with the base body along a movement axis of the linear drive above a work surface, which is arranged in a manufacturing space of the additive manufacturing apparatus, wherein the work surface has a platform area and a lower border of a tool unit taken up in a tool holder is movable substantially at the level of the work surface over the platform area,
wherein the additive manufacturing apparatus further includes a tool store in the manufacturing space, which provides a plurality of tool places for tool units, wherein the tool unit is provided on one of the tool places, and
wherein the tool holder includes a clamping device comprising one or more actuators and one or more compression springs to set an unclamped operating state for taking up and taking out the tool unit and a clamped operating state for fixing the tool unit that was taken up, wherein in the clamped operating state, a stop surface of the tool holder is contacted by the tool unit for positionally correct indexing, the method comprising:
activating the unclamped operating state of the tool holder;
moving the tool holder to the tool place of the plurality of tool places on which the tool unit is provided by performing a linear movement along the movement axis and a swivel movement about the rotation axis;
activating the clamped operating state of the tool holder so that the stop surface of the tool holder is contacted by the tool unit; and
lifting the provided tool unit out of the tool place.