US 12,296,420 B2
Milling and laser drilling system
Gary Francoeur, Southwick, MA (US); and David A. Cimma, Granville, MA (US)
Assigned to CADENCE, INC., Staunton, VA (US)
Appl. No. 16/301,296
Filed by Gary Francoeur, Southwick, MA (US); and David A. Cimma, Granville, MA (US)
PCT Filed May 17, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/033055
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 13, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/201138, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 23, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/338,159, filed on May 18, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0316734 A1, Oct. 8, 2020
Int. Cl. B23P 23/02 (2006.01); B23B 3/06 (2006.01); B23K 26/00 (2014.01); B23K 26/32 (2014.01); B23K 26/382 (2014.01)
CPC B23P 23/02 (2013.01) [B23B 3/065 (2013.01); B23K 26/0093 (2013.01); B23K 26/32 (2013.01); B23K 26/382 (2015.10)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a component comprising:
translating, along a predetermined axis, a feed rod from a bar feeder, wherein a finger chuck is attached to a portion of the feed rod and wherein the finger chuck supports a workpiece, the bar feeder being arranged coaxially with a spindle;
shaping, by performing a milling operation, the workpiece into the component having a desired shape while rotating and/or translating, by the spindle, the workpiece about the predetermined axis; and
drilling a plurality of holes in said workpiece while rotating and/or translating, by the spindle, the workpiece about the predetermined axis, wherein said drilling includes continuously moving said workpiece and selectively operating a laser when said workpiece is at a predetermined position, said shaping and drilling occurring in the same piece of equipment, wherein
in order to continuously supply, by the bar feeder, the workpiece to a machine performing the milling operation, the bar feeder and the spindle are arranged coaxially such that the feed rod of the bar feeder is configured to translate along the predetermined axis that is coaxially with an axis of the spindle, between a position separated from the spindle to a position adjacent, in contact with, or within the spindle.