In the special field of Plastering Machine industry, it has almost strict requirements for processing accuracy and production efficiency. Every link must be accurate, efficient and fast.
The unique advantages of whirling rotor processing
Tornado milling is an advanced machining technology that produces rotors with excellent performance. Through whirling milling, the rotor surface can achieve extremely high precision and smoothness. At the microscopic level, its surface roughness can be controlled within a very small range, which is crucial for the spraying process. Because the smooth and precise rotor surface ensures uniform adhesion of paint and avoids paint accumulation or sagging caused by uneven surfaces.
Moreover, the whirlwind milling process can strictly ensure the dimensional accuracy of the rotor. In spraying equipment, the dimensional accuracy of the rotor is directly related to its matching accuracy with other components such as the stator. The precise fit can make the pressure stable and the flow rate uniform during the conveying and spraying process of the paint. For example, in a screw spray machine, the tiny gap between the rotor and stator processed by whirling can be precisely controlled, thereby achieving stable and continuous delivery of paint and ensuring the continuity and uniformity of spraying.
Operation Process of whirling rotor
Step1 Equipment inspection
Before whirling the rotor, the whirling machine must be thoroughly inspected. Check whether all transmission components are operating normally, including motors, belts, gears, etc., and make sure there is no looseness, wear or abnormal noise. Check the cutting tool system to confirm that the cutting tools are securely installed and that the cutting edges are not damaged or blunted. At the same time, check the coolant system to ensure that the coolant supply pipeline is unobstructed and that the coolant level and quality meet the requirements. This is crucial for heat dissipation and chip removal during the machining process.
Step2 Workpiece preparation
Select the appropriate rotor blank material. The material should be determined according to the specific use requirements of the rotor, such as hardness, toughness, etc. Before clamping the rotor blank, its surface must be cleaned and pretreated to remove oil, rust and other impurities on the surface to ensure processing accuracy. According to the design size and accuracy requirements of the rotor, use appropriate fixtures to firmly fix the blank on the machine tool workbench. The fixture should be selected to ensure that the workpiece will not shift or vibrate during the processing.
Step3 Tool selection and installation
Select the appropriate tool according to the material and processing technology requirements of the rotor. For rotor materials with higher hardness, carbide cutting tools may be required; for some special alloy materials, specially designed coating cutting tools may be required. The helix angle, edge inclination angle and other parameters of the tool should be reasonably selected based on the pitch, tooth profile and other characteristics of the rotor. When installing the tool, strictly follow the tool manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the coaxiality and verticality of the tool installation, and use a suitable tool clamping device to ensure that the tool will not loosen during high-speed rotation.
Step4 Parameter settings
Set the processing parameters of whirling milling according to the size, material and accuracy requirements of the rotor. This includes things like spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The spindle speed is generally determined based on the allowable cutting speed of the tool and the diameter of the rotor. Higher speeds can improve processing efficiency, but care must be taken to avoid increased vibration and tool wear caused by excessive speeds. The feed speed should match the spindle speed to ensure the quality of the machined surface, and the cutting depth should be reasonably set based on the rotor’s margin and the allowable amount of each cut. Multiple layered cuts are usually required to achieve the final size. Accuracy.
Step5 Processing path planning
For complex-shaped rotors, such as those with spiral grooves or special curves, precise machining path planning is required. Using CNC programming technology, the motion trajectory of the tool is generated based on the three-dimensional model of the rotor. During the programming process, factors such as the radius compensation of the tool and the cutting-in and cutting-out methods must be considered to ensure that the shape and size of the machined rotor meet the design requirements. For spiral rotors, it is necessary to accurately set the parameters of the spiral, such as pitch, starting angle, etc., so that the tool can cut along the correct spiral path.
Step6 Process monitoring
During the process of whirling of the rotor, the processing process must be monitored in real time. The load and vibration of the spindle and the wear of the tool are monitored through the sensors equipped on the machine tool. If the spindle load suddenly increases or abnormal vibration occurs, it may be due to tool wear, unreasonable cutting parameters or workpiece clamping problems, which requires timely shutdown and inspection. At the same time, observe the quality of the processed surface, such as surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, etc. If it is found that there are obvious scratches, ripples or dimensional deviations on the surface that exceed the allowable range, the processing parameters or tools must be adjusted in time.
Step7 Work piece cleaning
After processing is completed, the rotor must first be cleaned. Use special cleaning equipment or tools to remove debris, coolant, oil and other impurities remaining on the rotor surface. For some rotors with higher precision requirements, ultrasonic cleaning and other methods can be used to ensure that the rotor surface is clean to prevent these impurities from affecting the subsequent spraying process.
Step8 Dimensional inspection and accuracy adjustment
Use high-precision measuring instruments, such as three-dimensional coordinate measuring machines, to conduct comprehensive dimensional inspection of the processed rotors. Measure the outer diameter, inner diameter, pitch, tooth profile angle and other key dimensions of the rotor, and compare the measurement results with the design dimensions. If dimensional deviations are found, for some cases that can be repaired, fine adjustments can be made through bench grinding and other methods; for cases with large deviations that cannot be repaired, the reasons need to be analyzed and reprocessing may be required. At the same time, check the surface finish and shape accuracy of the rotor to ensure that it meets the quality requirements of the spray equipment for the rotor.
How to Ensure rotor processing quality and efficiency
Choosing the right whirling tool is a key factor in ensuring the quality and efficiency of rotor machining. Here are some points to consider:
1.Select according to the rotor material
1.1 Ordinary carbon steel and alloy steel
- For this type of material, general carbide tools can meet the processing needs. For example, YT type (WC – TiC – Co) carbide tools have high hardness, good wear resistance, and good toughness, and are suitable for processing steel with moderate carbon content. During the whirlwind milling process, it can withstand high cutting forces, maintain the sharpness of the blade, and effectively process the outer circle, threads and other parts of the rotor.
- Coated carbide tools are also a good choice. For example, TiAlN (titanium aluminum nitride) coated tools have high hardness, high wear resistance and good high temperature stability. During high-speed tornado milling, the coating can reduce the friction between the tool and the workpiece, lower the cutting temperature, increase the service life of the tool, and at the same time obtain better machined surface quality.
1.2 Stainless steel material
- When processing stainless steel rotors, due to the high toughness of the material and severe work hardening, it is necessary to choose tools with good wear resistance and chipping resistance. It is generally recommended to use YW type (WC – TiC – TaC (NbC) – Co) carbide tools, which perform well in processing difficult-to-machine materials such as stainless steel and have high hardness and toughness.
- Ceramic cutting tools are also an option, especially for some stainless steel rotor machining that requires high precision and high surface quality. For example, silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic cutting tools have high hardness, high wear resistance, good chemical stability and low friction coefficient. When cutting stainless steel at high speed, it can effectively reduce the cutting force and reduce the roughness of the machined surface. However, the toughness of ceramic tools is relatively low, so care must be taken to avoid impact on the tool.
1.3 Non-ferrous metal materials (such as aluminum, copper)
- When processing aluminum or copper rotors, due to the low hardness of these materials, tool sticking is easy to occur. Generally, high-speed steel tools or diamond tools are selected. High-speed steel cutting tools are relatively low-priced, have good cutting performance and sharpening properties, and are suitable for non-ferrous metal rotors that do not require particularly high processing accuracy.
- For non-ferrous metal rotor processing with high precision and high surface quality requirements, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools are a better choice. PCD tools have extremely high hardness and good wear resistance. They can effectively avoid the sticking problem of materials such as aluminum and copper. The processed surface quality is excellent, but its price is relatively high.
2.Consider the geometry of the tool
2.1 The blade shape of the tool
- For rough machining of rotors, tools with larger rake and relief angles can be used. Such tools have sharp edges and low cutting forces, which are conducive to efficient removal of large amounts of material. For example, the rake angle can be set between 10° – 20° and the relief angle between 8° – 12°, enabling the rotor blank to be milled quickly and reducing processing time.
- For finishing, it is necessary to pay more attention to the quality of the machined surface. At this time, a smaller rake angle and relief angle can be selected to increase the cutting edge strength of the tool. At the same time, the roughness of the cutting edge should be low. Generally, the surface roughness of the cutting edge is required to reach Ra0.2 – Ra0.4μm, which can effectively reduce the residual height of the processed surface and improve the surface finish.
2.2 Helix angle
- The helix angle of the tool has an important influence on the cutting process. A larger helix angle (such as 30° – 45°) is conducive to chip evacuation, allowing chips to be smoothly discharged from the cutting area and avoiding the impact of chip accumulation on machining accuracy and tool life. In whirling milling, especially for rotor processing with deep grooves or long threads, a suitable helix angle can ensure effective discharge of chips.
- For some special materials or processing requirements, the selection of helix angle may be different. For example, when processing high-hardness materials, appropriately reducing the helix angle can increase the cutting edge strength of the tool and prevent the tool from chipping.
Promote industry development and innovation
The application of whirling rotors also promotes the development and innovation of the spray coating industry. With the continuous improvement of spraying quality requirements, this high-precision rotor provides strong support for the research and development of new spraying technologies. For example, in the spraying of some special materials or the preparation of micro-nano coatings, the precise performance of the whirling rotor allows the experiment and production process to be carried out more smoothly. It is like a key, opening the door for the spraying industry to develop towards higher quality and more refinement, leading the industry towards a more advanced and efficient future.
In short, the whirling rotor is like a bright pearl in the spraying industry. With its unique advantages, it plays a key role in every link and injects a steady stream of power into the development of the industry.
