The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 27, 2018
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2015
Proto Labs, Inc., Maple Plain, MN (US);
Carlos Carbonera, St. Paul, MN (US);
Phillip Jason Schmidt, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Stefan Emilov Atev, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Robert Bannick, Albertville, MN (US);
Proto Labs, Inc., Maple Plain, MN (US);
Abstract
A process for creating custom fixtures for parts that are to be CNC lathe machined is fully automatic and requires no human interaction. The customer's CAD file is computer analyzed to determine whether the part's dimensions fit within an available CNC lathe turning center for forming out of a cylindrical stock bar. The longitudinal axis is identified, and a set of tool paths is developed for cutting the part from two respective directions. A corresponding tool path is developed for CNC lathe cutting a bushing, preferably from the same bar stock, which generally represents the negative space around circular cross-sections of the part, in monotonically increasing diameters from the first end of the part. The bushing is then used to hold the part in the chuck during machining the second end of the part from the opposite direction.