The Printed Machine Tool for Micro Machining

Abstract

Machine tools for micro machining are so far not adapted to work piece sizes and process forces. They feature hardly any modularity and do not allow reconfiguration in a significant process change. One possibility to adapt the machines is to produce them from plastic or composite materials through generative methods. This “printed” machine is a reconfigurable, monolithic module, in which drives are integrated. By a cooperative motion generation, larger workspaces can be realized while the installation spaces decreases. This gives the possibility to use alternative drive technologies for example piezo-drives. Based on these methods, two small generatively produced machine tools are designed. These machine tools use two different drive principles. The first machine tool is equipped with ball screw drives which are cost efficient and space saving. The second machine tool uses piezo-actuators, which are very dynamic in motion generation. Further has to be examined, which tolerances and rigidities are needed at critical points and which parts can be produced generatively and which in a conventional way.