Development of Desktop Machine Tool with Pipe Frame Structure

Abstract

While many components used in automobiles, household electric appliances, etc., are becoming more compact, the size of most machine tools used to work on such components remains unchanged. Therefore, to improve the efficient use of factory space and economical use of energy, machine tools that are comparable in size to workpieces are required. Thus far, we have focused our developmental efforts on the miniaturization of machine tools, e.g., a lathe with a width ten times the machining diameter of a workpiece and a lathe with a bed made of a pipe frame truss structure. Based on these past study results, we have newly developed a desktop machine tool with a pipe frame structure. This paper reports on the developmental background and overview of the developed machine tool, its characteristics, its evaluation results, and our future plans.