This equipment for producing spherical bodies obtains spherical bodies (2) from a long wire material (1) and comprises: an in-line wire drawing device (10) that cold draws the wire material (1) to process the same to a desired diameter; and a header (20) that is positioned so as to be linked with the in-line wire drawing device (10) on the same production line, and that obtains spherical bodies (2) by pressing the wire material (1) that has been processed to the desired diameter. A flaw detection device that searches for the presence of defects in the wire material (1) is provided inside the in-line wire drawing device (10).
B21C 51/00 - Measuring, gauging, indicating, counting, or marking devices specially adapted for use in the production or manipulation of material in accordance with subclasses
B21C 1/04 - Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums with two or more dies operating in series
B21K 1/02 - Making machine elements balls, rolls, or rollers, e.g. for bearings
B21K 27/02 - Feeding devices for rods, wire, or strips
2.
High-precision sphere size measuring device and sphere polishing device
A sphere size measuring unit (15) measures respective diameters of an object sphere in the course of processing and a standard sphere made of the same material as that of the object sphere and furthermore having a target diameter of the object sphere. A size difference calculation unit (161) calculates a size difference between the diameter of the object sphere and the diameter of the standard sphere. A determination unit (162) compares the obtained size difference with a threshold value so as to determine whether or not the diameter of the object sphere reaches the target value.
B24B 49/00 - Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or workArrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation
B24B 49/02 - Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or workArrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation according to the instantaneous size and required size of the workpiece acted upon, the measuring or gauging being continuous or intermittent
B24B 11/06 - Machines or devices designed for grinding spherical surfaces or parts of spherical surfaces on workAccessories therefor for grinding balls involving grinding wheels acting by the front faces, e.g. of plane, grooved, or bevelled shape
3.
HIGH PRECISION SPHERE DIMENSION-MEASURING DEVICE AND SPHERE-POLISHING APPARATUS
The respective diameters of a sphere to be measured that is partway through processing and of a reference sphere of the same material as the sphere being measured and having the target diameter for the sphere being measured are measured by a sphere dimension-measuring unit (15). A dimensional difference-calculating section (161) determines the dimensional difference between the diameter of the sphere being measured and the diameter of the reference sphere. An assessment section (162) compares the determined dimensional difference with a threshold and assesses whether or not the diameter of the sphere being measured has reached the target value.
B24B 49/02 - Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or workArrangements of indicating or measuring equipment, e.g. for indicating the start of the grinding operation according to the instantaneous size and required size of the workpiece acted upon, the measuring or gauging being continuous or intermittent
B24B 11/06 - Machines or devices designed for grinding spherical surfaces or parts of spherical surfaces on workAccessories therefor for grinding balls involving grinding wheels acting by the front faces, e.g. of plane, grooved, or bevelled shape
A visual inspection system for ceramic balls inspects flaws in the surface of ceramic balls, and includes an oil tank holding oil, a rotation device for rotating a ceramic ball targeted for inspection that is immersed in the oil in the oil tank, so that detection of the ceramic ball is possible along a meridian, an imaging means for imaging the entire surface of the ceramic ball rotated by the rotation device, an image processing means for image processing an image imaged by the imaging means, and an assessing means for assessing the presence of flaws in the ceramic ball based on image data resulting from the image processing.
patents
