Page 103 - Modular design for machine tools

Engineering Guides and Future Perspectives of Modular Design 67

Structural Units Platform
Column Table
Spindle head Table complex

Platform

Bed

Grinding machine Milling machine
Type A
Small
size

Type B
Large
size

Figure 2-2 Concept of platform to enhance reusability of structural entities—an advanced
concept of modular design by Metternich and Würsching (courtesy of Carl Hanser).

of modules with special reference to a size series of the units. Within a
TL context, the principle of unification can thus be delineated as follows.

A group of units should be standardized with special respect to their dimen-
sions, preferably using the preferred numbers such as R10 and R20 as already
standardized.

In fact, the TL can be designed with satisfactory rationality by using
the modular principle as exemplified by the ISO. One question, however,
is whether the principle of unification so far established is, e.g., appli-
cable for even the FTL. The answer is not given as yet and it is neces-
sary to establish a new definition of the principle of unification, in which
the module should be standardized in full consideration of not only its
dimensional specifications, but also its functionality, capability, and
structural configuration. In this regard, we must remember that the
standardization technology for the TL was converted to that of the con-
ventional machine tool to some extent, but not in satisfactory states. At
burning issue is thus to develop a modified or new definition and con-
cerns together with the related design technology, which are available
across the whole kinds of the machine tool.