An Approach to Develop Shaper Cum Slotter Mechanism: A Reconfigurable Machine Tool

Abstract

The traditional structure of machines (such as lathe, milling, shaper, slotter, drilling and planer) has become questionable because of the modular concepts (such as modularity, scalability, convertibility, mobility and flexibility) and reconfiguration becomes a promising approach towards modular manufacturing machines, in which manufacturing techniques are independent of changes. In this area, reconfigurable machine tool (RMT) forms a new class of modular machines in current manufacturing scenario where the manufacturing industry put a strong pressure on good quality and price reduction. The capabilities of the machines tool and manufacturing systems in reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) change with each reconfiguration (both software and hardware modules). In this case, an approach is presented for reconfiguration of horizontal shaper machine for developing the modular shaper cum slotter machine in a manufacturing system by adding some auxiliary (like Scott Russel mechanism) and some basic modules and the reconfiguration features of traditional shaper and slotter machine are also discussed. The proposed approach is illustrated with a figure, which has been designed on 3-D design tool (solid-works software platform). It is expected that, this work will help designers and practising engineers by making them aware of the reconfiguration mechanisms on traditional shaper machine, which have become a necessity for the very survival of manufacturing by lowering the operational costs.