Robotic deflashing of plastics with cutter guidance

摘要

An integral cutting tool (10) for trimming a flash portion (12) from a peripheral edge (14) of a blow-molded plastic part (16). The cutting tool (10) has a main section (18) which has a circular cross- section. The cutting tool (10) also has a cutting tip (20) with a distal end (22) and cutting edges (24). Between the main section (18) and the cutting tip (20) is an intermediate contoured section (26) which has a smooth surface. The cutting edges (24) on the cutting tip (20) extend from the end (22) of the cutting tip (20) up to the smooth contoured section (26). The contoured section (26) engages the shape of the part (16) to position the cutting tip (20) relative to the part (16) during the cutting of the flash (12).