Abstract
Automatic tool changers (ATCs) can be divided into drum and chain types. Drum-type ATCs contain a magazine, where the tools are mounted, and a cam gearbox, which swaps the tools via roller gear and grooved plate cams. Drum-type ATCs are advantageous in that the operating time for the tool magazine is more rapid than that of chain-type ATCs and the length of the unit is shorter. Thus, drum-type ATCs can be fabricated into various shapes and forms depending on the number of tools and the magazine size in accordance with machining center requirements and consumer demand. In particular, the price competitiveness of a machining center with a drum-type ATC is higher, while drum-type ATCs are more rigid with fewer parts, possibly reducing the need for regular servicing. This study aims to verify the structural stability and design validity of the magazine base, which is the main structure of a drum-type ATC, using finite element analysis. This study kinematically verifies the specifications of the selected drive motor and reducer and assessed the design of the cam gearbox. It also conducts a structural analysis of the roller camp, which is the core component of the cam gearbox, based on the results of the kinetodynamic analysis, thus validating the structural design.
