DE102009049910A1 - Working method for continuous automatic flocking of course and compression springs, involves collaborating equipment and electronic or pneumatic control system, which enforces interaction of multiple workstations - Google Patents

Abstract

The working method involves collaborating equipment and electronic or pneumatic control system, which enforces an interaction of multiple workstations of different technical requirements and constructive assemblies in order to flock torsion springs, particularly pressure and tension spring in continuous, tactically controlled process completely, inside, outside and between the coils. The individual processes are automatic without possible external distortions and are linked with each other in such a manner that only after effective completion of previous processes the following process starts.

Description

A. Designation

Working method and process technology for continuous, reproducible and automatic flocking of 3-dimensional objects, in particular designed for torsion springs, z. B. pressure, tension springs.

B. Summary

The invention relates to a working method, which by a specially designed for constructive machinery, 3-dimensional objects, in particular compression and extension springs, complete, d. H. inside and outside, even between turns, can flock continuously, fully automatically and reproducibly. In this process, work processes of the most diverse requirements are linked with each other, so that the subsequent process is made only after a successful termination of the previous process, whereby a fully automatic, reproducible and thus consistent quality of flocking is ensured.

C. State of the art

• 01) Die Federn werden manuell in speziell für ihre Abmessungen konstruierte Aufnahmewerkzeuge eingehängt.
• 02) Die mit einer kleinen Anzahl von Federn bestückten Werkzeuge werden in einem weiteren Schritt manuell in eine Vorrichtung eingelegt, wo entweder manuell mittels Hand-Sprühpistolen, oder halbautomatisch/vollautomatisch mittels eines Spritzroboters die Kleberschicht aufgetragen wird. Diese Vorrichtung muss derart ausgeführt sein, dass die Federn in eine Drehbewegung versetzt werden und gleichzeitig die Sprühpistole das komplette Längenmaß der Feder abfahren muss, um auf der kompletten Oberfläche eine gleichmäßige Kleberschicht aufzutragen.
• 03) Die mit einer frischen Kleberschicht versehenen Federn, inklusive der Aufnahmewerkzeuge, müssen nun in einem weiteren Schritt manuell in kürzester Zeit in die Beflockungsstation gebracht werden, wo manuell, mit Beflockungsdüsen (EPF) oder teilautomatisch/automatisch der Beflockungsvorgang abläuft.
• 04) Nach dem Beflocken werden in einem weiteren Schritt die Aufnahmewerkzeuge mit den Federn in Trocknüngsöfen verbracht, wo über einen Zeitraum bis zu einer Stunde der Kleber aushärtet und somit eine dauerhaft feste Verbindung des Flocks mit der Feder erreicht wird.
• 05) Die fertigen Federn werden manuell aus den Aufnahmewerkzeugen genommen, einer Sichtkontrolle unterzogen, gereinigt mittels Druckluft, und zum Versenden verpackt. Durch die Neuerung in dieser Erfindung werden die nach dem Stand der Technik bekannten Nachteile, dass
• 06) nach jedem Prozess die Federn manuell, bzw. halbautomatisch dem nachfolgenden Prozess zugeführt werden müssen,
• 07) eine große Anzahl an Aufnahmewerkzeuge benötigt wird, welche bei Änderung der Federnabmessungen zeitraubend umgebaut, bzw. neu erstellt, und nach jedem Prozess aufwändig gereinigt werden müssen,
• 08) zusätzliche Arbeitskräfte benötigt werden,
• 09) bedingt durch die verschiedensten Prozess-Ablaufzeiten ein Konflikt im kontinuierlichen Ablauf und dadurch bedingt, eine Erhöhung der Fehleranfälligkeit und Verminderung der Qualität (Reproduzierbarkeit) vorprogrammiert ist, und somit eine wirtschaftliche Produktion in Frage gestellt wird.

The working method for flocking the springs is divided according to the prior art into a number of independent processes.

• 01) The springs are hung manually in specially designed for their dimensions recording tools.
• 02) The tools equipped with a small number of springs are manually inserted into a device in a further step, where either manually by means of manual spray guns, or semi-automatically / fully automatically by means of a spray robot, the adhesive layer is applied. This device must be designed in such a way that the springs are set into a rotary motion and at the same time the spray gun has to travel the complete length of the spring in order to apply a uniform adhesive layer over the entire surface.
• 03) The feathers provided with a fresh adhesive layer, including the picking tools, must now be manually brought into the flocking station in a short step, where the flocking process takes place manually, with flocking nozzles (EPF) or semi-automatically / automatically.
• 04) After flocking the recording tools are spent with the springs in Trocknüngsöfen in a further step, where over a period of up to one hour, the adhesive hardens and thus a permanently strong connection of the flock is achieved with the spring.
• 05) The finished springs are manually removed from the picking tools, visually inspected, cleaned by compressed air and packaged for shipping. The novelty in this invention, the known from the prior art disadvantages that
• 06) after each process, the springs must be fed manually or semi-automatically to the subsequent process,
• 07) a large number of recording tools is needed, which rebuilt time-consuming when changing the spring dimensions, or recreated, and must be laboriously cleaned after each process,
• 08) additional workers are needed
• 09) due to the variety of process expiration times a conflict in the continuous process and thereby conditioned, an increase in the susceptibility to errors and reduction of quality (reproducibility) is pre-programmed, and thus an economic production is called into question.

D. Task to obtain this claim.

• 01) ein Zusammenspiel der notwendigen Einzelprozesse erzwungen wird,
• 02) die Federn mittels eines Transfersystems automatisch ohne manuelles Eingreifen einer Bedienperson durch die einzelnen Bearbeitungsstationen geführt werden,
• 03) gleichzeitig alle Nachteile nach dem Stand der Technik verhindert werden.

The aim was to develop a work process that enables continuous, economical, reproducible and quality production by:

• 01) an interaction of the necessary individual processes is forced,
• 02) the springs are guided by means of a transfer system automatically without manual intervention of an operator through the individual processing stations,
• 03) at the same time all the disadvantages of the prior art are prevented.

The technical innovation is justified by a procedure according to the following description.

E. Description

The innovation of this patent relates to a working method which, with the aid of a system designed for this purpose, combines the following work processes in such a way that a continuous, reproducible and quality-compliant sequence of the necessary individual steps is ensured.

1) Station 1: feeder and hanging station

The Zubring- and Einhängestation is designed such that torsion springs of any kind, regardless of the unstretched length, the outer diameter and the wire thickness by means of an upstream automatic feeder unit, or manually by an operator by means of Specially shaped hooks can be hung so fast in the transfer system that due to the resulting elongation of the spring all areas of the turns, except the contact points of the hooks with the spring at the beginning and end, including turn ends is provided with a uniform adhesive layer , so that a uniform flocking, even between the turns, can take place. Due to the fact that the uniform distance between the suspension points and the defined length of the hooks by the preselection always ensures a uniform, reproducible change in length of the springs, thus also a uniform, reproducible quality of the flocking. The matching hook base material also ensures a multiple, so economical reuse by a simple cleaning.

2) Station 2: glue application

The adhesive application station is designed such that the retracting spring can be provided either in a rotational movement, gradually in number and angle as required, about its longitudinal axis, or at standstill with an adhesive layer. After each position change at least one spray nozzle, which is attached to a linear system, which is electrically or pneumatically driven, is set in motion to spray at a certain speed and distance from the spring, the adhesive layer for complete or partial coating. By a freely programmable interaction of the linear velocity, the position and the distance of the nozzles to the spring and the spray pressure, an optimal adhesive application is achieved, which is the main basis for a qualitatively uniform and high-quality flocking. Also due to the different positions of the spring to the spray nozzles, the entire surface, inside, outside and sideways can be uniformly wetted by the adhesive. The oversprayed adhesive is collected in a coagulum, skimmed off regularly and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

3) Station 3: flocking

The flocking station is designed to rotate the retracting spring, to deliver the flock via metering, and into flocking nozzles (EPF) which, powered by a linear system, charge the entire length of the spring to be flocked in an electrostatic Field aligned and injected vertically into the previously applied adhesive bed. The simultaneous introduction of compressed air supports this process.

After this first flocking passage is completed, the spring is vibrated by an electrical / mechanical device, thereby shaking off the loose flock, a second flocking operation, necessary for a denser and more uniform flock, can be started.

The shaken-off flock, which has been shot into the void, is sucked off and either returned to the dosage for direct re-use through a pipe system, or collected in a container for reprocessing. The flock can thus be introduced up to 5 times in the cycle, by repeated addition of fresh, new flock ensures that the flock is of high quality and can be used rest-free.

4) Station 4: Curing

The finished flocked feathers are then introduced into a drying oven. There, the temperature and duration of the curing process of the adhesive is stimulated and accelerated. The temperature is adjustable according to the requirements of the adhesive composition, the residence time of the springs is determined by repeatedly deflecting the transfer chain in the furnace area. Despite a cycle frequency of about 10 seconds, the curing process can be up to one hour, sufficient enough for a permanent and firm adhesion of the flock layer on the spring.

5) Station 5: Pre-cleaning and cooling section

By means of cold air blowers, the hot / warm springs are cooled down again to room temperature for further processing, at the same time shaking loose by the displacement of the spring, or not adhering flock, sucked and fed to reuse the circuit.

6) Station 6: Cleaning

In the cleaning station, the excess, loose flock and other undesirable components are blown off the flocked feathers by means of several compressed air nozzles, sucked off and disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner. The arrangement and number, further by the air pressure of the nozzles ensures that the springs are cleaned inside, outside and between turns and can be transported to the removal and packaging station.

7) Station 7: unloading and packing station

In the last station, the finished springs are manually removed from the transfer system, subjected to a visual inspection and placed in the provided packaging units for shipping. The hooks are removed and cleaned for reuse.

Claims (1)

The protection claims include 01) the working method (process engineering), which, with the help of a correspondingly constructed system and the corresponding electronic / pneumatic control, which enforces an interaction of several workstations various work requirements and constructive structures to torsion springs in a continuous, cyclically controlled process , here especially pressure and tension springs completely, inside, outside and between turns, to flock, characterized in that 02) the individual processes according to claim 01) run automatically independently, without possible interference from outside, independently 03) the individual processes according to claim 01) are linked with each other in such a way that the following process starts only after successful completion of the preceding process 04) the working method according to claim 01) from the at least 1 times existing processes, a. Feeding and suspending the springs, b. automatic transport to the individual processing stations c. Adhesive application d. Flocking e. Pre-cleaning f. Curing g. Cooling and cleaning h. Remove and pack. 05) the method according to claim 01), the adhesive application fully automatically by turning the spring, continuously or cyclically and simultaneously process the spray nozzles along the spring quality and economically done, 06) the method of claim 01); 07) the method of claim 01), the curing of the adhesive, depending on the requirements of the adhesive mixture, time and temperature controlled to ensure 08) the method of claim 01), the cooling and cleaning fully automatic and in direct consequence to be done, 09) the method according to claim 01), which can be removed and packaged at the end of the process, the finished springs.