DE102020113321A1 - Embedding press for samples - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an embedding press for automatically embedding samples in embedding material, comprising: a press unit with a press cylinder, a metering device for metering in the embedding material, a sample loading table with a large number of loading positions on which the operator can place a sample to be embedded, a control device, which is set up to control the embedding press with the following steps: a) the sample loading table moves one of the loading stations with one of the samples to be embedded to a sample receiving position of the press unit, b) the sample to be embedded is introduced from the sample receiving position into the press cylinder and the embedding material is in metered into the press cylinder, c) the embedding press process is carried out to produce an embedded sample, d) the sample embedded in this way is ejected from the press cylinder, and steps a) to d) are repeated in order to embed a large number of samples beds.

Description

Field of invention

The invention relates to an embedding press for automatically embedding samples in embedding material, in particular for automatic hot embedding under pressure with a plastic embedding material.

Background and general description of the invention

In order to carry out material tests on samples, smaller sample pieces are often embedded in a cylindrical body made of plastic material. The samples embedded in this way are then ground flat and, if necessary, polished in order to be able to carry out material tests, e.g. hardness test measurements or structure analyzes, on the flat ground and possibly polished surface of the material sample.

1. 1. Verschluss öffnen und Zylinder in die obere Position fahren,
2. 2. Probe einlegen und Zylinder nach unten fahren,
3. 3. Einbettgranulat mit einer Schaufel in den Zylinder schaufeln,
4. 4. Verschluß schließen und Pressvorgang starten,
5. 5. Einbettvorgang abwarten (mehrere Minuten, je nach eingestellten Parametern),
6. 6. Verschluss öffnen,
7. 7. Zylinder nach oben fahren, sodass die Probe entnommen werden kann.

A simple mounting press has a cylinder with a plunger and a manual lock. For embedding the small sample pieces in a cylinder with an embedding granulate, for example made of a thermoplastic, are inserted and hot-pressed, typically under a pressure of about max. 250 to 350 bar, at a temperature of about max. 200 ° C and above a Duration of several minutes. Such an embedding press has a control with which the heating temperature, times of heating and cooling and pressing pressure can be set. With such an embedding press, the specimen embedding proceeds as follows:

1. 1. Open the bolt and move the cylinder to the upper position,
2. 2. Insert the sample and move the cylinder downwards,
3. 3. Shovel embedding granulate into the cylinder with a shovel,
4. 4. Close the lock and start the pressing process,
5. 5. Wait for the embedding process (several minutes, depending on the parameters set),
6. 6. Open the shutter,
7. 7. Move the cylinder upwards so that the sample can be taken.

The operator repeats this process manually for each individual sample. The total duration of the process for embedding a sample is typically around 15 minutes, depending on the parameters set.

A modular embedding press from ATM Qness GmbH is known under the name Opal X-Press, see www.qatm.com. The basic structure and functionality of the Opal X-Press are similar to the investment press described above. However, several presses, possibly with different sample diameters, can be combined and operated at the same time. Each cylinder with a plunger has a lever-operated locking mechanism at the upper end, with which the press-fit cavity in the press cylinder can be closed and locked with a handle. This modular embedding press has the advantage that the sample throughput can be increased accordingly. However, the operator still has to be present essentially at all times in order to fill the individual embedding presses and to remove the embedded samples.

A dual press with a metering system is also known. The operation of the dual press is similar to that of the embedding presses described above, but the embedding granulate can be introduced via a dosing device. This is swiveled by hand over the press cylinder and the embedding granulate is dosed into the cylinder. This press has a dual design, i.e. there are two press cylinders that can be used to swivel the dosing unit alternately by hand.

All the systems described have the disadvantage that the operator essentially has to be present at all times. Investing is time-consuming work, partly because of the waiting time during the embedding press process, i.e. when pressing typically under high pressure and high temperature, which costs skilled workers valuable time in the laboratory. Furthermore, embedding represents a certain bottleneck in the overall sample production process, since embedding typically requires the most working time in the overall sample production process. This is especially true in laboratories with high sample throughput, i.e. when a large number of samples are to be hot-pressed.

After the sample has been embedded, it is typically ground flat with a laboratory grinder with a rotating grinding wheel and then polished. Typically, such laboratory disc grinders are designed as combined grinding and polishing devices, i.e. a polishing disc can also be attached to the grinding disc in order to provide a polishing function as an alternative. Such laboratory disc grinders, such as those known from ATM Qness GmbH under the brand names Saphir and Rubin, see www.qatm.com. are typically used for surface grinding and, if necessary, polishing of the underside of embedded samples for material testing, in particular hardness testing and structural analysis.

Such grinding / polishing devices are available with one or more spindles. Manual grinding / polishing devices essentially have a housing with a tub, a drive motor and a sanding plate. With simple grinding / polishing devices, the embedded sample can be pressed and ground by hand. Semi-automatic grinding / polishing devices also have a device head, sometimes referred to as a polishing head, with a rotating pressure stamp and a sample holder, in which typically four to six embedded samples can be inserted and, if necessary, clamped. With individual contact pressure, the samples are only placed in the sample holder and taken away from it. Each individual sample is pressed onto the grinding plate with a pneumatic cylinder or a spring. With the central contact pressure, the entire specimen holder is pressed against the grinding plate and the specimens are firmly clamped in the specimen holder for this purpose. In automatic systems, the samples are typically clamped because they usually work with central pressure.

The insertion and, if necessary, clamping of the samples is a manual activity and, disadvantageously, the samples have to be aligned very precisely flat in a corresponding device, which is associated with a corresponding expenditure of time.

A conventional semi-automatic grinding / polishing device has a magazine for e.g. 16 grinding wheels, which can be placed on the grinding plate for the individual processing steps using an automatic changing system. First you start with a coarser abrasive grain, which is then finer, and at the end you will find polishing discs. Usually 4 to 6 grinding and polishing steps are required to produce the finished sample surface. After each processing step, one or two cleaning steps are carried out with water, methanol or in an ultrasonic bath.

This device is advantageously relatively compact and inexpensive. However, it is disadvantageous that only 6 samples are automatically produced in one sample holder, then the sample holder is changed. Furthermore, the grinding and polishing disks are changed between the grinding and polishing steps after each step. In addition, the samples are manually clamped and aligned in the sample holder.

In a further, basically similar variant, the samples are clamped in a holder and the grinding wheels are also changed. However, more than one sample holder can be loaded and the machine has two cleaning stations. However, the disadvantage of this machine is the increasing size.

An automatic grinding and polishing machine with several grinding / polishing stations is known from ATM Qness GmbH. This machine can be modularly equipped with several grinding / polishing plates, with cleaning stations and a surface grinding device for dressing the specimens. There is also a magazine with various grinding and polishing discs. The machine includes two polishing heads, each of which can hold a specimen holder and can simultaneously process two specimen holders with several specimens. The machine has a sample holder magazine in which up to 12th Sample holder can be included. the 12th Specimen holders are automatically taken over by the machine or changed and clamped. However, the samples must be manually clamped in the sample holder and aligned flat. Due to the modular design, the machine can be built with 4, but also with 6 or 8 stations. A high sample throughput can advantageously be achieved with this automatic grinding / polishing machine, and the modular construction of the automatic grinding / polishing machine means that it can be easily adapted to user requirements. However, the acquisition is associated with relatively high investment costs. The machine also takes up a lot of space.

Another machine is known in which several sample holders are stored on a feed belt and conveyed into a first device. There they are first dressed (planned) with a grindstone, cleaned and then the first fine grinding process takes place. The sample holder is then conveyed to a second device, in which two polishing steps with intermediate and final cleaning then take place. Both work stations work simultaneously, i.e. while the first specimen holder is being polished in the second device, the first device is already working on the next specimen holder.

This machine is also of modular design and any number of devices can be combined. Disadvantages are high acquisition costs and a very large space requirement, especially when several devices are combined.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an embedding press for embedding samples in embedding material, which is easy to operate and requires less qualified working time from the operator.

Another aspect of the object of the present invention is to provide an embedding press for automatically embedding a large number of samples in embedding material.

Another aspect of the object of the present invention is to provide an embedding press for embedding samples in embedding material, which enables the operator to prepare a large number of samples for embedding in one operation, the embedding press subsequently automatically removing the prepared samples in the absence The operator can embed it and make it available for further processing, e.g. for surface grinding and polishing.

The object of the invention is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The invention relates to an embedding press for embedding samples in embedding material. The diameter of such embedded samples can be, for example, in a range from 20 mm to 60 mm, in order to be able to better handle small pieces of metal for carrying out material investigations, such as hardness tests or structural analyzes, and the corresponding preparatory steps.

The embedding press comprises a press unit with a sample receiving position for a sample to be embedded and a press cylinder in which the sample is pressed with e.g. plastic embedding material under high pressure and possibly high temperature by means of a piston so that the sample is firmly embedded in the embedding material after the embedding press process has been completed is. A piston rod, for example, which is driven by a spindle drive or hydraulically, can be used as the piston drive. The press cylinder is preferably heated in order to carry out the embedding press process at a high temperature, in particular to melt the plastic embedding material, which can take place, for example, in the range between 100 ° C and 300 ° C. The press cylinder can also be cooled in order to achieve faster cooling.

Furthermore, the embedding press comprises a metering device for metering the embedding material into the press cylinder. When the embedding material is metered in, the sample to be embedded lies particularly loosely on the piston in the press cylinder and the embedding material is poured onto the sample and the piston from above as embedding granules, in particular plastic granules. The metering device can be connected to one or more storage containers from which the embedding granulate is conveyed into the metering device, e.g. each with a screw conveyor.

The embedding press further comprises a sample loading table with a multiplicity of loading positions, on which the operator can place a sample to be embedded, i.e. a sample intended for embedding. The sample assembly table can be, for example, a rotary indexing table with a large number of assembly locations on its outer circumference.

• Taktschritt a): Die Steuereinrichtung steuert den Probenbestückungstisch an, so dass dieser einen der Bestückungsplätze mit einer der einzubettenden Proben an die Probenaufnahmeposition der Presseinheit fährt.
• Taktschritt b): Nachfolgend steuert die Steuereinrichtung die Presseinheit dahingehend, dass diejenige einzubettende Probe, deren Bestückungsplatz im Taktschritt a) an die Probenaufnahmeposition gefahren wurde, automatisch aus der Probenaufnahmeposition in den Presszylinder eingeführt wird. Ferner steuert die Steuereinrichtung die Dosiereinrichtung dahingehend, dass automatisch das Einbettmaterial in den Presszylinder auf die einzubettende Probe eindosiert wird.
• Taktschritt c): Nachfolgend steuert die Steuereinrichtung die Presseinheit dahingehend, dass der Einbettpressvorgang unter Druck und ggf. erhöhter Temperatur durchgeführt wird, um eine eingebettete Probe herzustellen.
• Taktschritt d): Nachfolgend steuert die Steuereinrichtung die Presseinheit dahingehend, dass die im Taktschritt c) hergestellte eingebettete Probe aus dem Presszylinder ausgeworfen wird.

Furthermore, a control device is included which automatically controls the embedding press in a program-controlled manner, namely preferably at least the sample loading table, the press unit and the metering device, in such a way that a large number of embedding press processes can be carried out one after the other fully automatically without operator intervention in the meantime, in particular after the sample loading table has a large number of samples to be embedded has been loaded. For this purpose, the control device is designed to automatically control the mounting press in a large number of cycle cycles, each of which has the following cycle steps:

• Cycle step a): The control device controls the sample loading table so that it moves one of the loading stations with one of the samples to be embedded to the sample receiving position of the press unit.
• Cycle step b): The control device then controls the press unit in such a way that the sample to be embedded, whose loading station was moved to the sample receiving position in cycle step a), is automatically introduced from the sample receiving position into the press cylinder. Furthermore, the control device controls the metering device in such a way that the embedding material is automatically metered into the press cylinder onto the sample to be embedded.
• Cycle step c): The control device then controls the press unit in such a way that the embedding press process is carried out under pressure and possibly at an elevated temperature in order to produce an embedded sample.
• Cycle step d): The control device then controls the press unit in such a way that the embedded sample produced in cycle step c) is ejected from the press cylinder.

The control device then controls the embedding press in such a way that the cycle with the cycle steps a) to d) is automatically repeated until all samples that were placed on the assembly stations are embedded. The sample loading table is activated by the control device in such a way that it moves to one loading station with each cycle. If necessary, a control device can be provided which, before the program-controlled introduction of the sample to be embedded into the press cylinder, checks whether the loading station that is currently located at the sample receiving position is actually loaded. If not, the can The control device automatically controls the sample loading table in such a way that the cycle steps b) to d) are omitted for this cycle and the next loading station is moved to the sample receiving position. When all samples have been embedded, the control device can automatically switch off the embedding press, for example when as many clock cycles have been processed as there are assembly stations.

In the case of the embedding press, the operator only needs to equip the sample loading table with a large number of samples, for example several tens of pieces, by placing a sample to be embedded in each case on a loading station. This can be done manually if necessary, but does not require any waiting time and can therefore be done relatively quickly in one go. The operator then starts the control program of the control device, which then fully automatically executes a large number of the clock cycles described above in order to automatically embed one sample after the other without operator intervention. Each cycle requires a certain period of time, for example about 15 minutes, so that the embedding of, for example 32 Samples in 32 Clock cycles can last, for example, 8 hours, i.e. a whole shift. During the automatic execution of the clock cycles, however, no intervention of the operator is required, so that the operator can, for example, load the sample assembly table in the evening and start the control program and the next morning find all the samples fully embedded. This can result in enormous savings in qualified working time.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the sample loading table is designed as an indexing table, preferably as a rotary indexing table, with the assembly locations being arranged in a peripheral ring area of the indexing table and the indexing table being rotated by a predefined angular step with each index cycle in order to move the next assembly location to the sample receiving position.

The press cylinder preferably has a lower first and an upper second opening. As a result, the automatic introduction of the sample and the metering in of the embedding material can be carried out at the two axially opposite ends of the press cylinder, which has structural advantages. The sample is preferably introduced into the press cylinder from below, ie through the lower first opening, and the embedding material is metered into the press cylinder from above, ie through the upper second opening.

The pressing unit preferably has an upper locking slide, and the control device is designed to control the upper locking slide in such a way that the upper locking slide automatically closes the upper second opening of the press cylinder after the embedding material has been metered in, in order to be able to subsequently carry out the embedding pressing process, i.e. after clock step b) and before clock step c).

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, a piston, which is designed as a plunger for the press cylinder, is located in each of the loading stations, as a support for the sample to be embedded. For this purpose, a recess can be formed in the upper side of the sample loading table at each of the loading stations and a lower storage surface can be provided in the recess, e.g. an annular surface as a storage edge with a central opening. The pistons placed in the sample loading table therefore have a double function, namely they serve on the one hand as a storage surface on which the operator places the samples during preparatory loading and on the other hand as plungers for the respective embedding pressing process. The press unit preferably has a piston drive, for example with a piston rod, wherein in the sample receiving position the piston drive or the piston rod is coupled to the piston in the sample receiving position in order to lift the piston with the sample to be embedded on it out of the loading station and from below, through the lower first opening into the press cylinder, with the respective piston functioning as a press piston during the subsequent embedding press process. In other words, each sample has its own plunger on which it is placed in the preparatory assembly step.

The pressing unit preferably has an automatic sample ejector. After the embedding press process, the then embedded sample is moved upwards out of the press cylinder by the piston drive or the piston rod and the piston and the control device controls the sample ejector so that the sample ejector automatically ejects the embedded sample that has been moved upwards out of the press cylinder from the press unit.

Preferably, the sample ejector pushes the embedded sample radially to the axis of the press cylinder down from the upwardly moved piston in order to eject the embedded sample. For this purpose, the piston preferably moves upwards so far that the embedded sample has completely moved out of the press cylinder, but the piston is still secured radially in order to be able to overcome any adhesion between the embedding material and the piston surface.

After the sample has been ejected, the control device controls the embedding press in such a way that the piston drive or the piston rod with the piston moves down again and the empty piston is placed back in the assembly position of the sample assembly table before the next assembly position with the next piston and the next Sample is moved to the sample receiving position to begin the next cycle.

The embedding press has an insertion opening for the specimen loading table in the lower area. In the case of a rotary indexing table, the insertion opening is preferably U-shaped in that the embedding press has a laterally open recess under the press cylinder. In the case of a linear specimen loading table, the insertion opening can also be designed as a continuous opening through which the linear specimen loading table is pushed. The sample loading table can move at least partially in the recess of the embedding press and cyclically insert the loading stations with the specimens to be embedded into the laterally open recess in order to move one specimen to be embedded under the press cylinder one after the other.

According to a preferred embodiment, the embedding press comprises at least a first and a second storage container for holding different first and second embedding material. Both storage containers are connected to the metering device, so that the metering device can meter embedding material from the first as well as from the second storage container into the press cylinder, and the metering of the first and second embedding material is controlled by the control device in order to reduce the first and / or second embedding material, preferably one after the other, in each case automatically metered into the press cylinder in a predefined amount. This means that a two-layer embedding can be created without operator intervention, e.g. in the lower area from a higher-quality embedding material and in the upper area from a more cost-effective embedding material. The embedding material can be introduced into the metering sluice from the first and / or second storage container, for example, by means of a first and / or second screw conveyor. The storage containers with the embedding material are preferably each equipped with an automatic fill level monitor which communicates with the control device. If there is no more embedding material in one of the storage containers, an associated level sensor reports this status to the control device, which in response to this stops the machine and preferably outputs an error message (e.g. no embedding granulate in the container) to the operator via a display and, if necessary, additionally a red signal light turns on.

• Taktschritt a): Einer der Bestückungsplätze wird mit der zuvor darauf abgelegten einzubettenden Probe programmgesteuert an eine Probenaufnahmeposition einer Presseinheit gefahren.
• Taktschritt b) Die Probe aus Schritt a) wird programmgesteuert von dem Bestückungsplatz an der Probenaufnahmeposition in einen Presszylinder der Presseinheit eingeschoben und es wird programmgesteuert Einbettmaterial in den Presszylinder eindosiert.
• Taktschritt c): Das Einbettmaterial und die Probe werden programmgesteuert in dem Presszylinder gepresst, um eine eingebettete Probe herzustellen.
• Taktschritt d): Die eingebettete Probe wird programmgesteuert aus dem Presszylinder ausgeworfen.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for embedding a large number of samples in embedding material with an embedding press, a sample loading table having a large number of loading spaces being loaded with a large number of samples to be embedded in a preparatory step, possibly manually. After the sample loading table has been loaded with the large number of samples to be embedded, the samples are automatically embedded one after the other under program control in cycle cycles with the following cycle steps:

• Cycle step a): One of the assembly stations with the sample to be embedded previously placed on it is moved to a sample receiving position of a press unit in a program-controlled manner.
• Cycle step b) The sample from step a) is inserted under program control from the loading station at the sample receiving position into a press cylinder of the press unit and embedding material is metered into the press cylinder under program control.
• Step c): The embedding material and the sample are pressed in the press cylinder under program control in order to produce an embedded sample.
• Step d): The embedded sample is ejected from the press cylinder under program control.

The cycle with steps a) to d) is repeated under program control until a large number of the samples are embedded.

The samples are preferably introduced into the press cylinder from below and the embedding material is metered into the press cylinder from above.

Preferably, after the embedding material has been metered in, the upper end of the press cylinder is automatically closed under program control in order to then automatically carry out the embedding press process under program control.

In the preparatory fitting step, the samples to be embedded are preferably each placed on their own piston at the loading stations, the piston functioning as a press piston in the press cylinder in the subsequent embedding press process. In step b), the respective sample is pushed axially from below into the press cylinder together with its own press piston, for example by coupling a piston rod to the respective press piston under the press cylinder and the respective press piston with it of the respective sample upwards into the press cylinder.

After cycle step c) the piston with the now embedded sample is moved upwards, the embedded sample being moved out of the press cylinder in order to be pushed down by the sample ejector radially to the axis of the press cylinder from the piston in cycle step d) in order to achieve the Eject sample.

After cycle step d), the empty piston is moved back down and placed back on the assembly station before the next assembly station with the next piston and the next sample is moved to the sample receiving position to begin the next cycle.

Preferably, the sample loading table, controlled by the control device, moves the loading stations with the pistons and the samples to be embedded thereon cyclically one after the other under the press cylinder, in order then to insert the respective piston with the sample axially into the press cylinder from below. After the embedding press process, the piston is moved axially downwards out of the press cylinder and placed back on the assembly station before the next assembly station with the next piston and the next sample moves under the press cylinder in the next cycle to be introduced into the press cylinder.

At least two different embedding materials are preferably automatically metered into the press cylinder one after the other under program control in order to produce a two-layer embedding.

One aspect of the invention relates to an embedding press for embedding samples in embedding material, in particular comprising the features described above
a press cylinder with a vertical axis,
a piston on which a sample to be embedded can be placed, and a metering device for metering the embedding material into the press cylinder,
wherein the press cylinder has a lower first opening and an upper second opening and the sample to be embedded is pushed with the piston through the lower first opening into the press cylinder and the embedding material is metered into the press cylinder through the upper second opening.

It has proven to be fundamentally advantageous to introduce the sample with its own piston into the press cylinder from one axial side, namely from below, and to meter in the embedding material from the other axial side, namely from above. This structural configuration can, together with but also independently of the other features described above, simplify the embedding pressing process, even if it may be somewhat more complex in terms of structure than introducing the sample and embedding granulate from above.

• Einschieben eines Kolbens mit einer zuvor darauf abgelegten einzubettenden Probe in einen Presszylinder durch eine untere erste Öffnung eines Presszylinders,
• Eindosieren des Einbettmaterials durch eine obere zweite Öffnung des Presszylinders auf den Kolben mit der darauf liegenden Probe,
• Schließen der oberen zweiten Öffnung des Presszylinders und Pressen der Probe mit dem Einbettmaterial in dem Presszylinder, und
• Auswerfen der eingebetteten Probe aus dem Presszylinder.

Accordingly, the invention also relates to a method for embedding samples in embedding material, in particular with the features described above, with the following steps:

• Insertion of a piston with a sample to be embedded previously placed on it into a press cylinder through a lower first opening of a press cylinder,
• Dosing of the embedding material through an upper second opening of the press cylinder onto the piston with the sample lying on it,
• Closing the upper second opening of the press cylinder and pressing the sample with the embedding material in the press cylinder, and
• Eject the embedded sample from the press cylinder.

• eine Presseinheit mit einem Presszylinder,
• einen Kolbenantrieb zum Antreiben eines Kolbens zum Durchführen eines Einbettpressvorgangs in dem Presszylinder,
• einen Probenbestückungstisch mit einer Vielzahl von Bestückungsplätzen, und
• vorzugsweise eine Vielzahl von Kolben mit einer Kolbenoberseite und ausgebildet als Presskolben für den Presszylinder,

wobei die Kolben jeweils in einem der Bestückungsplätze mit der Kolbenoberseite als Ablagefläche ablegbar sind, derart, dass der Bediener jeweils eine einzubettende Probe auf der Kolbenoberseite ablegen kann,
wobei der Kolbenantrieb wechselweise an die Kolben ankoppelbar ist, um eine Vielzahl von Proben in Taktzyklen einzubetten, indem der Kolbenantrieb je Taktzyklus an einen der Kolben ankoppelt, und die jeweils einzubettende Probe für den Einbettpressvorgang mit ihrem eigenen Kolben in den Presszylinder einführt.Another aspect of the invention relates to an embedding press for embedding samples in embedding material, in particular comprising the features described above

• a press unit with a press cylinder,
• a piston drive for driving a piston for performing an embedding press operation in the press cylinder,
• a sample loading table with a large number of loading locations, and
• preferably a plurality of pistons with a piston top and designed as a press piston for the press cylinder,

wherein the pistons can each be placed in one of the loading positions with the piston top as a storage surface, in such a way that the operator can put down a sample to be embedded on the piston top,
The piston drive can alternately be coupled to the pistons in order to embed a large number of samples in clock cycles by coupling the piston drive to one of the pistons for each cycle and introducing the sample to be embedded into the press cylinder with its own piston for the pressing process.

In the following, embodiments of a grinding and / or polishing device and an automatic production line and the associated methods are described in more detail.

Grinding and / or polishing device

The disclosure also relates to an automatic grinding and / or polishing device on a laboratory scale for plane grinding and / or polishing of the sample underside of an in particular embedded sample. Grinding and / or polishing is used in particular to prepare for test measurements and the embedded sample, e.g. for hardness test measurements on, in particular, embedded samples.

The grinding and / or polishing device comprises a device housing in which, for example, drive motors for grinding and / or polishing plates, control devices etc. can be accommodated and troughs can be formed on the upper side in which the grinding and / or polishing plates can be arranged . Furthermore, the housing can accommodate a machine frame on which a movable device head, often referred to as a grinding / polishing head, can be suspended so that it can move horizontally.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, the device housing has at least one surface processing station for abrasive processing of the underside of the sample, which is designed in particular as a grinding station or as a polishing station, i.e. a rotating and / or vibrating grinding plate with a grinding wheel for grinding the underside of the sample or a rotating and / or having a vibrating polishing plate for polishing the underside of the sample.

Furthermore, a sample feed with a sample removal position for feeding and providing the samples for a grinding and / or polishing process is included. The samples are provided individually and loosely, in particular successively sample by sample one after the other. The embedded samples are therefore preferably processed individually and are preferably not clamped in groups in a sample holder. The sample feed can be designed, for example, as a slide or a conveyor belt, by means of which embedded samples automatically slide one after the other to the sampling position in order to be able to be removed there one after the other.

Furthermore, a sample deposit position for depositing the samples after the grinding and / or polishing process is included, in which the samples can be deposited individually after the completion of the grinding and / or polishing process in the grinding and / or polishing station. The sample storage position can again be designed, for example, as part of a slide or another conveyor belt, so that the samples automatically leave the sample storage position one after the other, e.g. to be collected in a sample collection device. However, it is also possible for the grinding and / or polishing device to have a large number of sampling positions and / or a large number of sample storage positions, the grinding / polishing head then approaching the sampling positions and the sample storage positions one after the other in order to sequentially move all samples to work off.

The grinding / polishing head has a sample gripper for gripping and handling a sample, preferably a single embedded sample.

In order to grind and / or polish the embedded sample, the grinding / polishing head with the sample gripper first moves to the sampling position under program control and the sample gripper preferably grips a single embedded sample there and holds it in place.

The grinding / polishing head with the sample gripper then moves to the at least one surface processing station under program control and feeds the embedded sample to the at least one surface processing station so that the underside of the sample can be abrasively processed, in particular ground or polished, in the surface processing station. The sample gripper holds the individual embedded sample and rotates itself, if necessary, in addition to the rotation and / or vibration of the grinding wheel or polishing wheel of the abrasive surface processing station.

After grinding or polishing and, if necessary, further surface processing steps, the grinding / polishing head with the sample gripper moves to the sample storage position under program control in order to feed the individual embedded sample to the sample storage position and finally releases the embedded sample at the sample storage position under program control in order to approach it the sample deposit position.

This means that the entire processing process, from gripping the embedded sample to depositing the embedded sample, runs automatically under program control, without the operator having to intervene between the samples.

The grinding and / or polishing device preferably has a displacement device, for example with a motor-driven linear slide controlled by the program control, which is suspended, for example, on the machine frame and by means of which the grinding / polishing head is horizontally displaced to move between the sampling position, the at least to move a surface processing station and the storage position to and fro.

Furthermore, the grinding / polishing head preferably has a linear displacement device, e.g. with a motor-driven linear slide controlled by the program control, by means of which the sample gripper is moved vertically in order to pick up the embedded sample in the sampling position in order to place the embedded sample on the at least one surface Lower the processing station and press it against the grinding wheel or polishing wheel, and to set down the embedded sample at the sample storage position. This can be implemented with a spindle drive, for example.

Advantageously, the grinding and / or polishing device can handle one embedded sample after the other fully automatically and grind and / or polish its underside so that the operator does not have to intervene during the ongoing grinding and / or polishing process of a large number of successively processed embedded samples needs. The operator can, for example, equip the grinding and / or polishing device with a desired amount of embedded samples, the entire processing time of which can take several hours, in the evening and the next morning all embedded samples are finished and individually ready for removal in the sample collection device. For the operator, this means a high level of efficiency and convenience when grinding and / or polishing embedded samples.

The possibility of a compact design is also advantageous, among other things if several different surface processing stations, e.g. a grinding station and a polishing station or even several grinding stations with different abrasive grains and / or e.g. several polishing stations with different polishing suspensions are installed in the same device housing and from the same grinding station. / Polishing head are approached one after the other. All grinding and polishing stations are preferably built into the same device and are preferably operated by the same grinding / polishing head. However, a device could also have two or more grinding / polishing heads, each with a sample gripper, which alternately approach the same surface processing stations in the same device.

The sample gripper is preferably designed to grasp embedded samples individually without multiple sample holders, specifically automatically under program control, in particular without user intervention.

In terms of sample throughput, it may initially appear counterproductive to handle the embedded samples individually. However, especially when all grinding and polishing steps are carried out fully automatically one after the other, preferably in the same device, a high sample throughput can still be achieved, namely in particular when the grinding and / or polishing device operates fully automatically over a longer period of time, e.g. overnight User intervention is working. In particular, a high level of efficiency with regard to the ratio of sample throughput to the user's effective working time can be achieved in this way.

Furthermore, especially if the embedded samples are gripped individually and directly by the sample gripper and held during the entire machining process, dressing of the embedded samples with a grindstone or planing can be dispensed with, which further simplifies the process.

In particular, an advantageous synergy of low costs and small space requirements can be achieved on the one hand with high working time efficiency and high sample throughput on the other hand, which is an advantageous factor in laboratory operations, e.g. when preparing embedded samples for hardness testing or structural analysis.

The sample gripper can, for example, be designed as a finger gripper with at least three gripping fingers, the gripping fingers being radially movable and gripping and holding the embedded sample on the circumferential surface of the embedding plastic by moving the gripping fingers radially closed. Finger grippers, e.g. three-finger grippers, have proven to be suitable for gripping individual embedded samples.

The gripping fingers preferably each have a horizontal shoulder, so that the shoulders of the gripping fingers act as vertical stops against the top of the sample when the sample gripper is lowered, in order to grip the embedded sample as horizontally as possible.

As a result, the embedded sample can advantageously be gripped precisely, which can contribute to the fact that dressing can possibly be dispensed with. Furthermore, the shoulders on the sample gripper also form a counter-bearing against the contact pressure during grinding and / or polishing, so that the radial grip force can be kept within acceptable limits and nevertheless undesired slipping of the embedded sample during grinding and / or polishing can be avoided.

The sample gripper preferably rotates during the grinding and / or polishing process. For this purpose, the grinding / polishing head has a drive shaft which is driven to rotate by a motor and the sample gripper is attached to the lower end of the drive shaft. The rotation of the The sample gripper is preferably also program-controlled, in particular activated program-controlled for the grinding and / or polishing process, after the embedded sample has been gripped in the sampling position, and is preferably terminated again under program control before the embedded sample is deposited in the sample storage position.

The axis of symmetry of the embedded sample preferably runs coaxially to the axis of rotation of the sample gripper when the embedded sample is gripped by the sample gripper, so that the embedded sample rotates about its axis of symmetry.

As a result, relatively small grinding and / or polishing disks can be used, which has an advantageous effect on the size of the grinding and / or polishing device and, moreover, the abrasive of the grinding disks can, if necessary, be used efficiently. The grinding disks and / or the polishing disks in the surface processing stations preferably have a diameter of less than or equal to 300 mm, preferably less than or equal to 250 mm, preferably in the range from 80 mm to 250 mm, preferably in the range from 200 mm +/- 50 mm. In the case of polishing stations with horizontally oscillating vibration plates, the polishing discs can possibly be even smaller, e.g. have a diameter of at least 50 mm, preferably between 50 mm and 200 mm, preferably between 120 mm and 200 mm.

The embedded samples are preferably automatically successively fed one by one to the grinding and / or polishing device in order to be able to be gripped one after the other by the sample gripper. For this purpose, the grinding and / or polishing device preferably has an automatic sample feed, via which the individual embedded samples automatically enter the sampling position one after the other. When the sample gripper grips and removes the embedded sample currently in the sampling position, the next embedded sample is automatically moved to the sampling position and is available there for the sample gripper when the grinding and / or polishing process of the previous embedded sample has been completed.

This contributes advantageously to the efficiency of the overall process.

The automatic feed device can, for example, comprise a slide in which the embedded samples automatically slide successively in the direction of the sampling position as a result of gravity, or a conveyor belt which automatically feeds the embedded samples successively to the sampling position, with a sample stop optionally defining the sampling position, or a Sample magazine in which, for example, a large number of embedded samples are stacked. A separator can be provided in front of the sampling position, which separates the embedded samples, and / or the lower part of the slide can be pivoted horizontally to remove the sample so that the sample can be picked up horizontally by the sample gripper. The separator separates the samples from one another to a certain extent and / or prevents further samples from sliding down while the sample currently to be gripped is being swiveled and / or gripped. The bottom sample can also be pushed into the sampling position using a sample pusher.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the grinding and / or polishing device has several surface processing stations for processing the underside of the sample, each of the surface processing stations having its own rotating and / or vibrating grinding plate with a grinding wheel for grinding the underside of the sample or its own rotating and / or or vibrating polishing plate for polishing the underside of the sample. Accordingly, in a particularly advantageous manner, the grinding / polishing head with the gripped, embedded sample moves at least two, preferably more than two, for example depending on the desired surface 2 until 10 , preferably 3 to 8, preferably 3 to 6 surface processing stations one after the other in order to automatically grind and polish the same embedded sample one after the other, and / or to grind one after the other with different grain sizes and / or to polish one after the other with different polishing agents. The embedded sample preferably does not need to be re-clamped, but is processed with all surface processing steps in one and the same grinding and / or polishing device, or remains on the same grinding / polishing head or sample gripper during all surface processing steps.

This can have advantages with regard to the size, the efficiency of the workflow and / or the quality of the result achieved.

The grinding and / or polishing device therefore preferably has at least a first grinding station with a first grinding wheel and a first polishing station with a first polishing wheel. The grinding / polishing head preferably moves with the embedded sample gripped by the sample gripper first to the first grinding station and then, in particular without re-clamping the embedded sample, and preferably with the interposition of a cleaning station, to the first polishing station in order to process the same embedded sample in the same grinding and / or or buffing device automatically program-controlled first to grind and then to polish.

The grinding and / or polishing device preferably has at least two, preferably even more than two grinding stations, each with a grinding wheel, e.g. a first grinding station with a first grinding wheel, a second grinding station with a second grinding wheel, a third grinding station with a third grinding wheel and, if necessary, a grinding wheel further grinding stations each with further grinding wheels and / or has at least two or more polishing stations each with a polishing wheel, for example a first polishing station with a first polishing wheel and a second polishing station with a second polishing wheel. The grinding / polishing head preferably moves with the gripped, embedded sample without reclamping at least two, three or more grinding stations and / or at least one polishing station, at least two or more polishing stations in succession to automatically move the same embedded sample in the same grinding and / or polishing device program-controlled to grind one after the other with different grains and / or subsequently to polish, possibly one after the other with different polishing agents.

According to a preferred embodiment, the grinding and / or polishing device has at least one cleaning container or a cleaning bath, which is approached by the grinding / polishing head in a program-controlled manner and in which the gripped, embedded sample is in front of, between and / or is immersed after the grinding and / or polishing operations. The at least one cleaning container preferably has a liquid inlet and / or liquid outlet in order to be able to fill and / or empty the cleaning container automatically in a program-controlled manner.

The grinding and / or polishing device, in particular on the cleaning container, preferably has at least one gas nozzle in order to automatically blow dry the gripped embedded sample before, between and / or after the grinding and / or polishing processes under program control. The embedded sample can therefore first be ground by the gripper in a grinding station, then immersed in the cleaning bath to rinse off grinding debris, then blown dry in the cleaning bath above the cleaning liquid level and then polished, all of which is program-controlled with the same grinding / polishing head or the same sample gripper, in particular without having to reclamp the embedded sample.

The grinding and / or polishing device preferably has one or more liquid nozzles for metering coolant and / or rinsing liquid, e.g. water, in order to meter the coolant and / or rinsing liquid during the grinding process at a grinding station. A polishing suspension, e.g. a diamond particle suspension, can also be metered in via one of the liquid nozzles at a polishing station.

For this purpose, the liquid nozzles for the cooling liquid, rinsing liquid and / or polishing suspension are preferably arranged on the grinding / polishing head in order to move with the grinding / polishing head and thus with the embedded sample from surface processing station to surface processing station, including with it several surface processing stations can be operated with the same or the same liquid nozzles. As a result, the grinding and / or polishing device only needs to have one set of liquid nozzles for each grinding / polishing head, regardless of the number of surface processing stations. At least two liquid nozzles are preferably arranged on the grinding / polishing head, namely at least one liquid nozzle one for cooling and rinsing liquid for the grinding process and at least one liquid nozzle for polishing suspension for the polishing process, so that at the grinding stations with one liquid nozzle cooling and / or Rinsing liquid and polishing suspension can be dosed automatically program-controlled at the polishing stations. However, more than two liquid nozzles can also be provided, e.g. for several different cooling and rinsing liquids, in particular for different polishing suspensions.

According to a possible embodiment, the surface processing stations and possibly the at least one cleaning container are arranged along a linear arrangement in the grinding and / or polishing device. The grinding / polishing head is preferably suspended linearly displaceably along this linear arrangement by means of a linear guide in order to be able to approach the various surface processing stations one after the other by moving the grinding / polishing head along the linear guide over the surface processing stations and possibly the cleaning container and automatically stops at the respective station under program control and lowers the embedded sample with the gripper, e.g. for grinding on the grinding wheel in the grinding station, for cleaning in the cleaning bath and / or for polishing on the polishing wheel in the polishing station. Such a linear arrangement can be advantageous in terms of space requirements in the laboratory.

In order to further make good use of the space available in a laboratory, the surface processing stations and, if necessary, the at least one cleaning container can also be arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement in the horizontal plane. For example, 2 grinding stations and 2 polishing stations in a 2x2 arrangement, 3 grinding stations and 2 polishing stations in a 3x2 arrangement or even more surface processing stations can be arranged. The cleaning container or containers are preferably also arranged between the grinding and / or polishing stations, possibly laterally offset. Such arrangements can have advantages with regard to the routes when approaching the surface processing stations and, if applicable, the cleaning containers, which can be beneficial to the process speed. In the case of a two-dimensional arrangement, the grinding / polishing head is also suspended independently in two dimensions, for example, independently displaceable in the x-direction and in the y-direction, in order to be able to approach all points in the horizontal plane. This can be achieved, for example, by means of a portal arrangement, similar to a container crane, in order to be able to approach all surface processing stations and the cleaning container (s) in the two dimensions of the x-direction and the y-direction. For this purpose, the grinding / polishing head can be suspended from a U-shaped bridge, for example, and the grinding / polishing head is suspended from the bridge such that it can be displaced in a linear direction x or y. The bridge itself stands on linear guides, which enable the bridge to be shifted in the other linear direction y or x.

The housing of the grinding and / or polishing device preferably has a safety housing, e.g. in the form of a protective grille, in which all moving parts, such as the gripper, the grinding / polishing head and / or all grinding and / or polishing stations are housed, to avoid the risk of injury. The safety housing can be open to the front, the front opening being secured against intervention by a light barrier, e.g. a (laser) light grid, in that the light barrier automatically initiates an emergency shutdown when the operator reaches through the light barrier into the interior of the safety housing, e.g. to access the sample gripper, a grinding station, a polishing station or a cleaning container.

In order to move the sample gripper vertically, the grinding / polishing head preferably has a vertical linear slide on which the sample gripper and / or the motor for the rotary drive of the sample gripper is suspended longitudinally displaceable in the z-direction (perpendicular to the table plane). The vertical linear slide can, for example, have a spindle drive for moving the sample gripper vertically. This enables the vertical displaceability and simultaneous rotation of the sample gripper, so that the sample gripper is automatically program-controlled i) with the grinding / polishing head the sampling position (s), the grinding station (s), the polishing station (s), the cleaning container (s) and / or can move to the sample storage position (s), ii) there is lowered for picking up and gripping the embedded sample, for grinding, for polishing, for rinsing and / or for depositing the embedded sample and iii) for example during grinding, polishing and / or rotates during rinsing and iv) is then moved back up before the next process step. Preferably, each embedded sample is gripped individually and successively one after the other from being fed into the grinding and / or polishing device to the completely ground, polished and cleaned embedded sample by the sample gripper, automatically program-controlled through the grinding process, possibly with several grinding steps, through the polishing process, if necessary. with several polishing steps and possibly through the cleaning process, possibly with several cleaning steps, in particular in one and the same device. Nevertheless, the grinding and / or polishing device can be built relatively compact, possibly even as a table-top device. The embedded sample that is completely ground, polished and cleaned can then be subjected to a hardness test measurement with a hardness tester, e.g. a hardness tester from the applicant's Q series, or a microstructure analysis can be carried out.

The embedded samples are preferably present loosely at the sampling position as individual embedded samples and do not need to be manually clamped in special sample holders, in particular for several embedded samples. It is also advantageous if the same grinding and / or polishing head with the same sample gripper, in particular automatically program-controlled, can move to several grinding stations and / or several polishing stations, possibly with different abrasives and / or polishing agents, without the embedded sample having to be re-clamped .

For grinding and / or polishing the embedded sample, it is advantageous if the grinding / polishing head has a force sensor that measures the pressure of the sample gripper with the embedded sample on the grinding wheel or polishing wheel, as well as a control circuit that measures the pressure of the embedded sample by means of the drive, preferably spindle drive, regulates the vertical linear slide to a predetermined value.

The path that the sample gripper covers vertically (z-direction) is also preferably measured. For this purpose, the grinding / polishing head preferably has a displacement meter, by means of which the linear travel path of the sample gripper or its vertical linear slide is measured in the z-direction. In this way, during the grinding process, for example, a layer thickness that can be set by the operator can be removed automatically under program control. For this purpose, the vertical linear slide places the embedded sample against the grinding wheel until contact with the grinding wheel is detected by means of the force sensor and is saved as the zero position for the displacement path. Then takes place furthermore, automatically program-controlled grinding of the embedded sample until the value for the grinding thickness previously set by the operator in the program control is reached. The zero point for grinding off a predetermined layer thickness can accordingly be determined by means of the force sensor.

• a) Anfahren einer Probenentnahmeposition mit dem Schleif-/Polierkopf sowie Absenken des Probengreifers und Greifen einer insbesondere losen einzelnen eingebetteten Probe mit dem Probengreifer in der Probenentnahmeposition,
• b) Anfahren einer Schleifstation, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers mit der Probe und Andrücken der Probe mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende Schleifscheibe der Schleifstation, insbesondere unter Rotation des Probengreifers, ggf. unter Zudosierung von Kühlflüssigkeit, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers mit der Probe,
• c) ggf. Anfahren und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer gegriffenen Probe in einen Reinigungsbehälter (Probenbad) sowie Anheben der Probe aus dem Reinigungsbehälter und ggf. Trockenblasen der Probe,
• d) ggf. Wiederholung des Schrittes b), aber an einer anderen Schleifstation insbesondere mit einer anderen Schleifscheibe als im Schritt b),
• e) ggf. Wiederholung des Schrittes c), wobei die Schrittfolge d) und/oder e) ggf. noch weitere Male, insbesondere an anderen Schleifstation mit anderen Schleifscheiben wiederholt wird,
• f) Anfahren einer Polierstation, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers mit der Probe und Andrücken der Probe mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine Polierscheibe der Polierstation ggf. unter Rotation des Probengreifers, ggf. unter Zudosierung von Poliersuspension, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers mit der Probe,
• g) ggf. Anfahren eines Reinigungsbehälters und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer gegriffenen Probe in den Reinigungsbehälter (Probenbad) sowie Anheben der Probe aus dem Reinigungsbehälter und ggf. Trockenblasen der Probe,
• h) ggf. Wiederholung des Schrittes f), aber an einer anderen Polierstation, ggf. mit einem anderen Poliermittel, z.B. unter Zudosierung einer anderen Poliersuspension als im Schritt f),
• i) ggf. Wiederholung des Schrittes g), wobei die Schrittfolge h) und/oder i) ggf. noch weitere Male, insbesondere an anderen Schleifstation mit anderen Poliermitteln, z.B. anderen Poliersuspensionen wiederholt wird,
• h) Anfahren einer Probenablageposition mit dem Schleif-/Polierkopf, sowie Ablegen der Probe mit dem Probengreifer an der Probenablageposition, insbesondere durch Absenken des Probengreifers und Loslassen der Probe mit dem Probengreifer.

The disclosure also relates to a method for the automatic grinding and / or polishing of the underside of, in particular, embedded samples, automatically controlled by a program controller, in particular with the grinding and / or polishing device described above, the program controller including the grinding / polishing head with an in automatically controls the movable sample gripper in the z-direction with at least the following steps, in particular without re-clamping the sample:

• a) Approaching a sampling position with the grinding / polishing head as well as lowering the sample gripper and gripping an in particular loose, embedded sample with the sample gripper in the sampling position,
• b) Approaching a grinding station, as well as lowering the sample gripper with the sample and pressing the sample with a predefined pressure onto a rotating grinding wheel of the grinding station, in particular with rotation of the sample gripper, possibly with the addition of cooling liquid, as well as lifting the sample gripper with the sample,
• c) if necessary, approaching and immersing the sample gripped by the sample gripper in a cleaning container (sample bath) as well as lifting the sample out of the cleaning container and, if necessary, blowing the sample dry,
• d) if necessary, repetition of step b), but at a different grinding station, in particular with a different grinding wheel than in step b),
• e) if necessary, repetition of step c), the sequence of steps d) and / or e) possibly being repeated further times, in particular at another grinding station with other grinding wheels,
• f) Approaching a polishing station, as well as lowering the sample gripper with the sample and pressing the sample with a predefined pressure onto a polishing disk of the polishing station, possibly with rotation of the sample gripper, possibly with the addition of polishing suspension, as well as lifting the sample gripper with the sample,
• g) if necessary, approaching a cleaning container and immersing the sample gripped by the sample gripper in the cleaning container (sample bath) as well as lifting the sample out of the cleaning container and, if necessary, blowing the sample dry,
• h) if necessary, repetition of step f), but at a different polishing station, if necessary with a different polishing agent, e.g. with the addition of a different polishing suspension than in step f),
• i) if necessary, repetition of step g), the step sequence h) and / or i) possibly being repeated further times, in particular at other grinding stations with other polishing agents, e.g. other polishing suspensions,
• h) Approaching a sample storage position with the grinding / polishing head, as well as depositing the sample with the sample gripper at the sample storage position, in particular by lowering the sample gripper and letting go of the sample with the sample gripper.

• ein Gerätegehäuse,
• einen Probengreifer zum Greifen einer Probe, wobei der Probengreifer ausgebildet ist, eine einzelne eingebettete Probe zu greifen, und
• zumindest eine oder mehrere der folgenden Stationen oder Kombinationen daraus:
  • eine Schleifstation mit einem Schleifteller und einer Schleifscheibe zum abrasiven Bearbeiten in Form von Schleifen der Probenunterseite der eingebetteten Probe,
  • eine Reinigungsstation zum Reinigen der Probenunterseite der eingebetteten Probe,
  • eine Polierstation mit einem Polierteller zum abrasiven Bearbeiten in Form von Polieren der Probenunterseite der eingebetteten Probe, und/oder
  • eine Ätzstation, zum Ätzen der Probenunterseite der eingebetteten Probe,

wobei die eingebettete Probe von dem Probengreifer gegriffen wird und der Probengreifer die gegriffene eingebettete Probe einer oder mehreren der Stationen zuführt, um die Probenunterseite der eingebetteten Probe in der jeweiligen Station zu bearbeiten oder die eingebettete Probe zu reinigen.The disclosure also relates to a grinding / polishing and / or etching device for processing the underside of an embedded sample, in particular as described above, comprising:

• a device housing,
• a sample gripper for gripping a sample, the sample gripper configured to grasp a single embedded sample, and
• at least one or more of the following stations or combinations thereof:
  • a grinding station with a grinding plate and a grinding wheel for abrasive processing in the form of grinding the sample underside of the embedded sample,
  • a cleaning station for cleaning the underside of the embedded sample,
  • a polishing station with a polishing plate for abrasive processing in the form of polishing the sample underside of the embedded sample, and / or
  • an etching station for etching the underside of the embedded sample,

wherein the embedded sample is gripped by the sample gripper and the sample gripper supplies the gripped embedded sample to one or more of the stations in order to process the sample underside of the embedded sample in the respective station or to clean the embedded sample.

Gripping individual embedded samples has been found to be beneficial in terms of an automated workflow. Furthermore, manual clamping in a specimen holder and, if necessary, dressing can be dispensed with. In addition, the device can be built with relatively small dimensions and can be inexpensive.

Automatic production line

The disclosure also relates to an automatic production line which can carry out both the embedding of the samples and the subsequent surface processing of the embedded samples automatically in a program-controlled manner, in particular without operator intervention, and which can process the samples from embedding to completion with prepared, i.e. ground and possibly polished Run through the sample bottom automatically.

The production line comprises an automatic embedding press for the program-controlled embedding and ejection of a large number of samples consecutively one after the other and an automatic surface processing device for the program-controlled processing of the underside of the sample of the large number of samples embedded by the embedding press consecutively one after the other, in particular in each case as described above. The surface processing device further has a sampling position for the embedded samples delivered from the embedding press and a sample depositing position for depositing the surface-processed embedded samples. The processing of the underside of the sample takes place as abrasive processing, in particular grinding and / or polishing. The surface treatment device is accordingly in particular a grinding and / or polishing device with which the underside of the sample can be ground and / or polished.

At the end of the production line, i.e. after the surface treatment device, there can be a sample collection device for collecting the large number of embedded samples embedded by the embedding press and ground and / or polished by the grinding and / or polishing device, for removal and further use by the operator.

The samples embedded and ejected by the embedding press are automatically conveyed consecutively one after the other to the sampling position of the grinding and / or polishing device by a first conveying device. The embedded samples ground and / or polished by the grinding and / or polishing device can optionally be conveyed from the sample storage position into the sample collecting device by means of a second conveying device. The embedded samples are accordingly automatically fed to the grinding and / or polishing device and / or automatically moved away from it again.

The embedding press and the grinding and / or polishing device are automatically controlled by program controls so that the embedding press and the grinding and / or polishing device can both embed, grind and / or polish a large number of samples consecutively one after the other under program control.

With the production line, a large number of samples can be embedded, ground and, if necessary, polished in one go under program control and automatically without operator intervention, which represents an enormous increase in efficiency compared to conventional devices.

The samples are preferably not only embedded individually, but the embedded samples are further processed individually in the entire production line and in particular without sample holders. In particular, the first and / or second conveyor device convey the embedded samples individually and loosely. Furthermore, the embedded samples are individually ground and / or polished in the grinding and / or polishing device and / or are individually stored in the sample storage position after grinding and / or polishing and / or the embedded, ground and possibly polished samples are after the run through the production line automatically individually and loosely in the sample collection device, eg a magazine with a large number of storage spaces for an embedded, ground and possibly polished sample, ready for removal by the operator. The embedded samples in the sample collection device can be used from there directly, e.g. in an analysis device, such as a hardness tester, a microscope, a macroscope or a similar analysis device, or structural analyzes or other metallurgical analyzes can be used, in particular without further surface processing steps on the actual material sample.

This advantageously saves the operator from having to clamp and unclamp several samples, e.g. 6 samples, in a sample holder, which is necessary with many conventional devices, which advantageously simplifies the combined embedding and surface processing process and increases the efficiency of the manufacturing process of embedded, ground and possibly embedded samples. polished samples.

For conveying the individual, loosely embedded samples from the embedding press to the grinding and / or polishing device and / or from this to the collecting station, for example, slides or motor-driven conveyor belts can be used. Since the embedded samples continue to move individually through the production line after the embedding press, the conveyor belts, but also the grinding and / or polishing device, can be designed to be relatively compact. The conveyor belts only need a clear conveyor width that corresponds to the diameter of a single embedded sample, which is the case in the Range from 15 mm to 100 mm, preferably in the range from 25 mm to 50 mm.

In particular, the entire production line including the automatic embedding press and the grinding and / or polishing device can be built so compactly that it can be set up on a laboratory cabinet. The base area of the production line has a size of preferably a maximum of 800 cm × 150 cm, preferably a maximum of 600 cm × 120 cm, preferably a maximum of 400 cm × 90 cm.

The automatic embedding press preferably comprises a press unit with the press cylinder, a metering device for metering in embedding material, e.g. plastic granulate, and a sample loading table with a large number of loading positions on which the operator can place a sample to be embedded. In a preparatory work step, the operator can equip a large number of the assembly stations with a sample to be embedded, e.g. a few tens of samples to be embedded. After this typically only manual preparatory work step, the operator can start the production line by means of the program control and the production line then automatically embeds one sample after the other, automatically conveying one embedded sample after the other to the grinding and / or polishing device and the grinding and / or polishing device grinds and, if necessary, automatically polishes successively one after the other the sample underside of the embedded samples and conveys the embedded and ground and / or polished samples to the sample collection device, as has already been explained above, preferably as individual loosely embedded samples without the need for a sample holder.

For embedding the samples, the press cylinder preferably has a lower first and an upper second opening. The sample to be embedded is preferably introduced from the respective loading station through the lower first opening into the press cylinder and the embedding material is metered into the press cylinder through the upper second opening.

The spatial separation of the introduction of the sample to be embedded and the embedding granulate into the press cylinder is structurally advantageous and can contribute to a further increase in efficiency in the automatic program-controlled embedding of the samples with the press cylinder.

After the embedding press process, the embedded sample is preferably moved upwards out of the upper second opening out of the press cylinder and the press unit comprises a sample ejector which ejects the embedded sample under program control from the press unit onto the first conveyor device.

The automatic sample ejector contributes to the degree of automation of the production line and the spatial separation of the sample introduction into the press cylinder and the sample ejection of the embedded sample from the press cylinder is structurally advantageous for the automatic production line.

After the embedding press process, the press piston preferably moves upwards in the press cylinder and, in the process, moves the embedded sample upwards out of the press cylinder. Then the sample ejector, which is designed, for example, as a motor-operated slide, can push the embedded sample down from the plunger onto the first conveying device transversely to the axis of the press cylinder, i.e. essentially horizontally. The motor drive of the slide can for example comprise an electric motor, a pneumatic or hydraulic drive.

The surface adhesion between the embedding material and the press cylinder can be overcome and the paths of the embedded samples can be kept short, which can contribute to the compactness and structural simplicity of the production line.

• eine Schleifstation mit einem Schleifteller und einer Schleifscheibe zum Schleifen der Probenunterseite und eine Polierstation mit einem Polierteller zum Polieren der Probenunterseite. Bevorzugt ist das Oberflächenbearbeitungsgerät also ein kombiniertes Schleif-und Poliergerät mit entsprechenden Schleif- und Polierstationen. Vorzugsweise sind sogar mehrere Schleifstationen und ggf. mehrere Polierstationen in ein- und demselben Gerät vorhanden, so dass alle erforderlichen Schleifvorgänge mit unterschiedlichen Körnungen und alle erforderlichen Poliervorgänge ggf. mit unterschiedlichen Poliersuspensionen in ein- und demselben Gerät durchgeführt werden können. Jede Schleifstation weist vorzugsweise eine eigene Schleifwanne, einen eigenen Schleifteller und eine eigene auf dem zugehörigen Schleifteller aufgebrachte Schleifscheibe auf und jede Polierstation weist vorzugsweise eine eigene Polierwanne und einen eigenen Polierteller ggf. mit einer Polierscheibe, welche auch ein Poliertuch umfassen kann.

The surface processing device, which is preferably a grinding and polishing device for plane grinding and polishing of the sample underside of the embedded samples, preferably has the following:

• a grinding station with a grinding plate and a grinding wheel for grinding the underside of the sample and a polishing station with a polishing plate for polishing the underside of the sample. The surface treatment device is therefore preferably a combined grinding and polishing device with corresponding grinding and polishing stations. Preferably there are even several grinding stations and possibly several polishing stations in one and the same device, so that all necessary grinding processes with different grain sizes and all necessary polishing processes, possibly with different polishing suspensions, can be carried out in one and the same device. Each grinding station preferably has its own grinding pan, its own grinding plate and its own grinding wheel attached to the associated grinding plate, and each polishing station preferably has its own polishing pan and its own polishing plate, possibly with a polishing wheel, which can also include a polishing cloth.

The embedded samples are preferably picked up by a sample gripper from the sampling position by the sample gripper grasping a single loosely embedded sample there and then moving it from station to station in order to carry out the respective surface processing steps for the underside of the sample. In other words, the sample gripper grabs a single sample and then first moves it to one of the grinding stations in order to carry out a first grinding process. The sample gripper can then move the same embedded sample to the next grinding station, for example to carry out a grinding process with a finer grain size. The sample gripper can then move the same sample to a polishing station in order to carry out a polishing process, etc. Preferably, about 4 to 6 grinding and polishing processes with different grinding and polishing agents are carried out on each sample, with each grinding and polishing process being carried out at a separate station . This has the advantage that exchanging the grinding disks and / or polishing disks between the grinding and / or polishing processes, that is to say during the ongoing process, can be avoided, unless the grinding disks have to be exchanged due to wear and tear. This enables the grinding and polishing process to be highly efficient.

If necessary, the grinding and / or polishing device can also include cleaning containers and the sample gripper moves the embedded samples to a cleaning station after each grinding and polishing process in order to rinse and clean the embedded sample.

After all the desired grinding and polishing processes and, if necessary, cleaning processes have been carried out, the grinding / polishing head moves the sample with the sample gripper to the sample storage position and the sample gripper lays the sample there.

As already stated, the embedded samples are processed individually and preferably loosely also in the grinding and / or polishing device, ie the sample gripper is designed to grip an embedded sample individually without a sample holder, and the individual sample gripped in this way from the grinding station To drive to grinding station, from grinding station to polishing station and from polishing station to polishing station, if necessary with the interposition of the cleaning stations, through all grinding and polishing processes and possibly cleaning processes.

In this way, on the one hand, clamping and unclamping the samples in and out of a sample holder can be avoided. On the other hand, the handling of single samples and the avoidance of multiple sample holders for the intermediate storage of the embedded samples between the embedding press and the grinding and polishing device and for the final storage in the sample collection device as well as during transport on the conveyor belts help to save space. In addition, however, the grinding stations, the polishing stations and / or the cleaning stations can also be designed with a small overall size, which in a synergistic manner also contributes to the compactness and cost savings of the production line. Previous antipodes in the production of embedded samples, namely a high degree of automation and high efficiency on the one hand and low space requirements and low costs on the other hand, can be reconciled with one another.

The grinding / polishing head preferably has a drive shaft which is driven to rotate by a motor. The sample gripper is arranged on the drive shaft so that the sample gripper rotates about an axis of rotation. If the sample rotates during the grinding and polishing processes in addition to the rotation of the grinding wheel or to the rotation or vibration of the polishing wheel, a high-quality grinding or polishing result can be achieved. The axis of symmetry of the sample preferably runs coaxially to the axis of rotation of the sample gripper when the embedded sample is gripped by the sample gripper, so that the embedded sample rotates about its axis of symmetry.

In the context of the automatic production line, it is advantageous if the same grinding and / or polishing device comprises at least two or more grinding stations, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more grinding stations, each with its own grinding plate and its own grinding wheel . Different grinding wheels with different grain sizes can be kept at the different grinding stations, so that for grinding the underside of the sample with several different grain sizes, e.g. with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more different grain sizes, in particular with all grain sizes which the embedded samples are ground, no grinding wheels have to be changed. All of the grinding wheels with different grain sizes required for grinding a production run of embedded samples, e.g. a few tens of samples, are mounted in the various grinding stations at the same time, so that the grinding wheels do not have to be changed between the grinding processes of the embedded samples, but the samples one after the other be driven from grinding station to grinding station without having to change the grinding wheels in between. In other words, one and the same grinding and / or polishing device comprises at least as many grinding stations that there is a separate grinding station for each grain size and that all these grinding stations have the same grinding and / or polishing device or can be approached with the same sample gripper.

The same can apply to the polishing stations, of which at least one, but preferably at least two or more, e.g. 2, 3, 4 or more polishing stations are present in the grinding / polishing device. Each polishing station can be assigned to a specific polishing agent, e.g. a specific polishing suspension. As a result, exchanging the polishing discs or completely cleaning the polishing stations between the samples can be avoided if necessary. Here, too, all of the polishing agents required for grinding a production run of embedded samples, e.g. a few tens of samples, are preferably present in different polishing stations at the same time, so that the polishing disks and / or polishing suspensions do not have to be changed during the polishing of the large number of embedded samples, but the samples one after the other from polishing station to polishing station without having to change the polishing discs and / or polishing suspensions in between. In other words, one and the same grinding and polishing device comprises at least as many polishing stations that there is a separate polishing station for each polishing wheel or each polishing suspension and that all these polishing stations belong to the same grinding and polishing device or can be approached with the same sample gripper.

This means in particular that all grinding stations with the grinding wheels required for an embedded sample and all polishing cloths and / or polishing suspensions required for the same sample belong to the same grinding and polishing device or can be approached with the same sample gripper. Each embedded sample is gripped once by the sample gripper and then all required grinding stations (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more) and / or all required polishing stations (e.g. 1, 2 , 3, 4 or more) in order to carry out the respective grinding and / or polishing processes with different grain sizes and possibly different polishing cloths and / or polishing suspensions, the embedded sample remaining gripped by the sample gripper during all grinding and / or polishing processes .

The grinding and / or polishing device can also contain at least one cleaning container, preferably two or more cleaning containers, which are approached by the grinding / polishing head or the sample gripper and in which the embedded sample gripped before, between and / or after the Grinding and polishing processes is immersed in order to clean them.

1. a) Bereitstellen einer Vielzahl von einzubettenden Proben an einer Einbettpresse in einem vorbereitenden Schritt, ggf. durch manuelles Ablegen der Proben auf jeweils einem Bestückungsplatz eines Probenbestückungstisches durch den Bediener,
2. b) Pressen der ersten der einzubettenden Proben mit Einbettmaterial in einem Presszylinder der Einbettpresse zum Herstellen der ersten eingebetteten Probe,
3. c) Auswerfen der ersten eingebetteten Probe aus dem Presszylinder,
4. d) Fördern der ersten eingebetteten Probe von der Einbettpresse zu einem Oberflächenbearbeitungsgerät,
5. e) Greifen der ersten eingebetteten Probe mit einem Probengreifer des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts und zwar einzeln,
6. f) Anfahren zumindest einer, vorzugsweise konsekutiv mehrerer Oberflächen-Bearbeitungsstationen, z.B. einer oder mehrerer Schleifstationen und/oder einer oder mehrerer Polierstationen desselben Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts, mit demselben Probengreifer zum vorzugsweise konsekutiv mehrfachen Bearbeiten der Probenunterseite der ersten eingebetteten Probe in der bzw. den verschiedenen Oberflächen-Bearbeitungsstationen mit unterschiedlichem Schleif- und/oder Poliermittel,
7. g) Anfahren einer Probenablageposition mit dem Probengreifer und Ablegen der ersten eingebetteten Probe an der Probenablageposition,
8. h) vielfaches Wiederholen der Schritte b) bis d) und e) bis g) zum automatischen Herstellen einer Vielzahl von eingebetteten Proben mit einer oberflächenbearbeiteten Probenunterseite, wobei alle fertigen eingebetteten mit einer oberflächenbearbeiteten Probenunterseite automatisch einzeln einer Probensammeleinrichtung zugeführt werden, um dort zur Entnahme durch den Bediener bereit zu liegen. Dabei werden die Schritte b) bis h) automatisch programmgesteuert durchgeführt und zwar automatisch nacheinander für alle Proben, insbesondere ohne dass zwischendurch ein Bedienereingriff notwendig ist. Die Wiederholungszyklen der Schritte b) bis d) und e) bis g) können dabei unabhängig voneinander oder synchronisiert sein, wobei die eingebetteten Proben zwischen der Einbettpresse und dem Oberflächenbearbeitungsgerät zwischengepuffert werden können. Insbesondere wenn die Wiederholungszyklen der Schritte b) bis d) und e) bis g) unabhängig voneinander sind und die Einbettung einen Vorlauf von mehr als einer eingebetteten Probe haben sollte, werden die eingebetteten Proben zwischen der Einbettpresse und dem Oberflächenbearbeitungsgerät zwischengepuffert.

One aspect of the disclosure relates to an automatic method for producing a large number of embedded samples with a ground and / or polished sample underside, in particular with the production line described above, with the following steps, possibly with the interposition of further steps:

1. a) Providing a large number of samples to be embedded on an embedding press in a preparatory step, if necessary by manually placing the samples on a respective loading station of a sample loading table by the operator,
2. b) pressing the first of the samples to be embedded with embedding material in a press cylinder of the embedding press to produce the first embedded sample,
3. c) ejecting the first embedded sample from the press cylinder,
4. d) conveying the first embedded sample from the mounting press to a surface processing device,
5. e) gripping the first embedded sample with a sample gripper of the surface treatment device, specifically individually,
6. f) Approaching at least one, preferably consecutively several surface processing stations, e.g. one or more grinding stations and / or one or more polishing stations of the same surface processing device, with the same sample gripper for preferably consecutively multiple processing of the sample underside of the first embedded sample in the or the different surface Processing stations with different grinding and / or polishing agents,
7. g) Approaching a sample storage position with the sample gripper and depositing the first embedded sample at the sample storage position,
8. h) multiple repetition of steps b) to d) and e) to g) for the automatic production of a large number of embedded samples with a surface-processed sample underside, all finished embedded samples with a surface-processed sample underside being automatically fed individually to a sample collecting device in order to be taken there by the operator ready to lie. Steps b) to h) are carried out automatically under program control, namely automatically one after the other for all samples, in particular without the need for operator intervention in between. The repetition cycles of steps b) to d) and e) to g) can be independent of one another or synchronized, with the embedded samples between the Embed press and the surface processing device can be buffered. In particular if the repetition cycles of steps b) to d) and e) to g) are independent of one another and the embedding should have a lead time of more than one embedded sample, the embedded samples are temporarily buffered between the embedding press and the surface processing device.

Preferably, after each grinding and / or polishing process, the sample gripper approaches a cleaning container under program control and dips the embedded sample gripped by the sample gripper into the cleaning container in order to rinse or clean the embedded sample.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures, with identical and similar elements in some cases being provided with the same reference numerals and the features of the various exemplary embodiments being able to be combined with one another.

Figure list

• 1 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung der automatischen Einbettpresse,
• 2 einen Querschnitt durch die Einbettpresse aus 1,
• 3 eine dreidimensionale teilweise aufgeschnittene Ansicht der Einbettpresse aus 1,
• 4 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der Einbettpresse aus 1 im Startzustand,
• 5 wie 4 beim Eindosieren des Einbettgranulats,
• 6 wie 4 beim Einbettpressvorgang,
• 7 wie 4 beim Auswerfen der eingebetteten Probe,
• 8 einen Querschnitt durch eine beispielhaft eingebettete Probe,
• 9 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung eines automatischen Schleif- und Poliergeräts,
• 10 eine Ausschnittvergrößerung der Zuführrutsche aus 9,
• 11 wie 9, aber mit einem Zuführband,
• 12 eine Ausschnittvergrößerung des Zuführbandes aus 11,
• 13 wie 9, aber mit einem vertikalen Zuführmagazin,
• 14 eine Ausschnittsvergrößerung des Zuführmagazins aus 13,
• 15 der Schleif- und Poliergerät aus 9 mit einer Sicherheitseinhausung,
• 16 eine teilweise geschnittene Darstellung einer Schleifstation des Polier- und Schleifgeräts aus 15,
• 17 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung der Schleifstation aus 16,
• 18 einen vertikalen Querschnitt durch ein Reinigungsbad,
• 19 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung des Schleif- und Polierkopfes ohne Gehäuse,
• 20 eine vertikale Querschnittsdarstellung durch den Schleif- und Polierkopf entlang der Schnittlinie A-A in 19,
• 21 eine vertikale Querschnittsdarstellung durch den Schleif- und Polierkopf entlang der Schnittlinie B-B in 19,
• 22 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung eines automatischen Schleif- und Poliergeräts mit Ätzmodul,
• 23 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung des Ätzmoduls aus 22,
• 24 eine dreidimensionale aufgeschnittene Darstellung des Ätzmoduls aus 22,
• 25 ein schematischer Schnitt durch das Ätzmodul aus 22,
• 26 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung einer vollautomatischen Einbett-, Schleif- und Polierstraße auf einem Laborunterschrank,
• 27 eine dreidimensionale Darstellung einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vollautomatischen Einbett-, Schleif- und Polierstraße,
• 28 die Einbett-, Schleif- und Polierstraße aus 27 mit einer Sicherheitseinhausung,
• 29 ein beispielhafter Verfahrensablauf für das Einbetten von Proben mit einer Einbettpresse gemäß den 1 bis 7,
• 30 ein beispielhafter Verfahrensablauf für das Schleifen und Polieren mit einem Schleif-und Poliergerät gemäß den 9 bis 21,
• 31 ein beispielhafter Verfahrensablauf für das Herstellen von eingebetteten Proben mit einer Produktionsstraße gemäß den 26 bis 28.

Show it:

• 1 a three-dimensional representation of the automatic mounting press,
• 2 a cross-section through the mounting press 1 ,
• 3 a three-dimensional partially cut-away view of the mounting press 1 ,
• 4th a schematic sectional view of the mounting press 1 in the start state,
• 5 how 4th when dosing the embedding granulate,
• 6th how 4th during the embedding process,
• 7th how 4th when ejecting the embedded sample,
• 8th a cross section through an exemplary embedded sample,
• 9 a three-dimensional representation of an automatic grinding and polishing device,
• 10 an enlarged section of the feed chute 9 ,
• 11th how 9 , but with a feed belt,
• 12th an enlarged section of the feed belt 11th ,
• 13th how 9 , but with a vertical feed magazine,
• 14th an enlarged section of the feed magazine 13th ,
• 15th the grinding and polishing machine off 9 with a safety enclosure,
• 16 a partially sectioned view of a grinding station of the polishing and grinding device 15th ,
• 17th a three-dimensional representation of the grinding station 16 ,
• 18th a vertical cross-section through a cleaning bath,
• 19th a three-dimensional representation of the grinding and polishing head without housing,
• 20th a vertical cross-sectional view through the grinding and polishing head along the section line AA in 19th ,
• 21 a vertical cross-sectional view through the grinding and polishing head along the section line BB in 19th ,
• 22nd a three-dimensional representation of an automatic grinding and polishing device with an etching module,
• 23 a three-dimensional representation of the etching module 22nd ,
• 24 a three-dimensional cut-away representation of the etching module 22nd ,
• 25th a schematic section through the etching module 22nd ,
• 26th a three-dimensional representation of a fully automatic embedding, grinding and polishing line on a laboratory cabinet,
• 27 a three-dimensional representation of a further embodiment of the fully automatic embedding, grinding and polishing line,
• 28 the embedding, grinding and polishing line 27 with a safety enclosure,
• 29 an exemplary process sequence for embedding samples with an embedding press according to FIGS 1 until 7th ,
• 30th an exemplary process sequence for grinding and polishing with a grinding and polishing device according to FIGS 9 until 21 ,
• 31 an exemplary process flow for the production of embedded samples with a production line according to FIGS 26th until 28 .

Detailed description of the exemplary embodiments

1. Automatic mounting press

Referring to 1 until 7th is an example of an automatic mounting press 110 shown. The mounting press 110 has a housing 112 on which in this example three storage containers 114 for plastic granules are available as embedding material, with different embedding granules being held in each case in the various storage containers 114. By means of a metering device 115 the desired amount of the different embedding granules can be dosed into the press cylinder under program control without user intervention. The storage container 114 are for this purpose via connecting pipes 116 with a common feed hopper 118 connected, so that either the desired embedding granulate from the respective storage container 114 via the feed hopper 118 can be metered into the press cylinder.

Referring to the 5 becomes the embedding granulate 117 by metering screws 120 in the connecting pipes 116 from the respective storage container 114 into the feed hopper 118 promoted, a metering sluice at the exit 119 having.

Referring to 1 and 3 owns the mounting press 110 a sample loading table 122 with a large number of assembly locations 124 , in the present example 32 assembly positions 124 . In this example is the sample loading table 122 designed as a rotary indexing table and the assembly stations 124 are in a peripheral ring area 123 of the sample loading table 112 arranged all around. Every assembly position 124 includes a cylindrical bore 127 in the sample loading table 122 and a piston deposited in the bore 128 in the form of a metal cylinder. The piston 128 lies down on an edge 130 and can be pushed up out of the hole. The pistons 128 are used as plungers for the heated press cylinder 132 the press unit 134 educated.

In a preparatory work step, the operator equips some or all of the assembly stations 124 each with a sample to be embedded 126 , what a 1 each symbolized as a halved screw by the operator holding the samples to be embedded 126 on the top of the piston 128b of the respective piston 128 drops. To do this, the operator places each of the samples to be embedded 126 individually, piece by piece on one of the assembly stations 124 away. The ones in the assembly stations 124 lying piston 128 are in the sample loading table 122 something sunk, what the positioning of the samples to be embedded 126 when placing it on the plunger 128 relieved.

After this manual preparatory work step, the operator can start a program-controlled, fully automatic embedding process for all stored samples to be embedded 126 start. The control device or program control 111 controls the embedding process of the samples 126 along clock cycles. The sample assembly table moves with each cycle 122 program-controlled one assembly station each 124 with the plunger inside 128 and the sample to be embedded on it 126 into the sample receiving position 136 the press unit 134 , so under the press cylinder 132 .

the 4th until 7th show schematically the cycle steps of a cycle when hot embedding one of the specimens to be embedded 126 .

In 4th the one intended for embedding is on its plunger 128 deposited sample to be embedded 126 in the sample receiving position 136 under the press cylinder 132 . A piston drive 138 , in the present example in the form of a piston rod, moves upwards, couples from below to the plunger 128 and pushes the plunger 128 through a lower opening 132a of the press cylinder 132 in its cavity 135 a. The piston rod 138 can, for example, be part of a hydraulic cylinder or be driven by a motorized spindle, which is not shown in detail in the figures.

Referring to 5 are now through an upper opening 132b of the press cylinder 132 one or more, possibly different, embedding granules 117 by means of the metering device 115 into the cavity 135 to the test 126 and the plunger 128 dosed. The following is the metering opening 132b of the press cylinder 132 with the locking slide 140 closed by the locking slide 140 horizontally over the press cylinder 132 is pushed.

Referring to 6th is then connected to the piston rod 138 and the plunger 128 with heating of the press cylinder 132 under high pressure the sample 126 between the plunger 128 and the shutter slide 140 with the embedding granulate 117 hot pressed. In the present example, two different embedding granules were used 117 metered in, first a higher quality, which then the sample 126 on the underside of the sample and a more cost-effective embedding granulate 117 in the upper area.

After the hot embedding press process is complete, the locking slide 140 pulled aside again to the press cylinder 132 open at the top. Below is the plunger 128 moved upwards by the piston drive, with the now embedded sample 142 through the top opening 132b from the press cylinder 132 is driven out.

Referring to 7th now becomes the embedded sample 142 from the sample ejector 144 horizontally from the plunger 128 automatically pushed down to the side, with the embedded sample 142 in this example from a side discharge opening 147 from the press unit 134 is pushed out and onto a sample slide 148 arrives on which the embedded sample 142 into a collecting container 150 slips ( 1 ). In the in 1 until 7th illustrated example of the mounting press 110 become the embedded samples 142 in the collecting container 150 collected.

The piston rod then moves 138 the plunger 128 back down to the plunger 128 back in its assembly position 124 put down and the piston rod 138 couples from the plunger 128 off again. The piston rod 138 is for this in the respective plunger 128 locked (not shown) so that plunger 128 when pulling out of the mold or the press cylinder 132 not from the piston rod 138 can solve. The locking is designed so that it can be controlled via the control device or program control 111 can be activated and released. This is advantageous when the plunger 128 when placing it in the sample loading table 122 from the piston rod 138 is decoupled and the piston days 138 is moved a little further down so that the sample loading table 122 the next sample to be embedded 126 into the press unit 134 or under the press cylinder 132 can retract.

The cycle for embedding the first sample is now complete and the next cycle can begin in the same way by using the sample loading table 122 the next assembly position 124 into the sample receiving position 136 under the press cylinder 132 moves.

In the example shown, the mounting press 110 is the sample loading table 122 designed as a rotary indexing table, which is controlled by one of the program control 111 clocked drive device 151 is rotated by one position with each cycle, then the piston rod 138 to the next plunger 128 with sample to be embedded on top 126 to couple.

The press unit 134 is by and large U-shaped in cross-section ( 2 , 4th until 6th ) and has an insertion opening 152 under the heated and possibly cooled press cylinder 132 on. The assembly stations 124 with the samples to be embedded 126 and the associated plunger 128 step by step laterally into the insertion opening, which in this example is designed as a laterally open recess 152 brought in. In the present example, this is done by rotating the rotary indexing table by an angular segment corresponding to the spacing of the placement positions 124 . However, it is also conceivable to use a linear sample loading table 122 to be used to set the sample loading table with each cycle 122 to move on to one cycle position, so that the next ram 128 in the press cylinder 132 can be inserted. The insertion opening 152 the press unit 134 can, if desired, also be secured against tampering (not shown).

The mounting press 110 thus, apart from the preparatory manual assembly step, provides a fully automatic mounting press 110 in the sense that the embedding pressing process and the ejection of the specimens for a large number of specimens to be embedded 126 consecutively one after the other, piece by piece, fully automatically and program-controlled. In other words, the operator equips the equipping stations in the preparatory work step 124 with all samples to be embedded 126 , starts the mounting press 110 and from this point in time the embedding press process runs for all samples to be embedded 126 fully automatically, so that the operator can use the mounting press 110 For example, you can load and start in the evening and in the collecting container the next morning 150 finds all samples in embedded form. 8th Figure 11 shows a cross section through an example of an embedded sample 142 .

• Schritt 404: Bewegen des Probenbestückungstisches 122, wobei einer der Bestückungsplätze 124 mit einem der Pressstempel 128 und der darauf abgelegten einzubettenden Proben 126 in die Probenaufnahmeposition 136 unter dem Presszylinder 132 der Presseinheit 134 gefahren wird.
• Schritt 406: Bewegen des Kolbenantriebs 138 an den Pressstempel 128 und Ankoppeln des Kolbenantriebs 138 an den Pressstempel 128 in dem Bestückungsplatz 124 in der Probenaufnahmeposition 136.
• Schritt 408: Einschieben des Pressstempels 128 mit der darauf abgelegten einzubettenden Probe 126 mittels des Kolbenantriebs 138 von unten in die Kavität 135 des Presszylinders 132.
• Schritt 410: Eindosieren eines oder mehrerer Einbettgranulate 117 durch eine obere Öffnung 132b in den Presszylinder 132 auf den Pressstempel 128 und die darauf abgelegte einzubettende Probe 126.
• Schritt 412: Schließen der oberen Öffnung 132b des Presszylinders 132.
• Schritt 414: Heißpressen der Probe mit dem Einbettgranulat 117 unter Druck und Temperaturbeaufschlagung in dem Presszylinder 132.
• Schritt 416: Öffnen des Presszylinders 132.
• Schritt 418: Herausfahren der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Presszylinder 132.
• Schritt 420: Auswerfen der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus der Presseinheit 134.
• Schritt 422: Herausziehen des Pressstempels 128 aus der Kavität 135 des Presszylinders 132 und Ablegen des Pressstempels 128 auf einem Ablageplatz, insbesondere auf dem Bestückungsplatz 124 aus Schritt 406.
• Schritt 424: Abkoppeln des Kolbenantriebes 138 von dem Presskolben 128.

Referring to 29 comprises an embodiment of the embedding press method initially in a preparatory process step by an operator, namely the loading of a sample loading table with a large number of samples to be embedded in one step 402 and then the implementation of clock cycles each with the following program-controlled process steps:

• step 404 : Moving the sample mounting table 122 , with one of the placement locations 124 with one of the press rams 128 and the samples to be embedded on it 126 into the sample receiving position 136 under the press cylinder 132 the press unit 134 is driven.
• step 406 : Moves the piston drive 138 to the ram 128 and coupling the piston drive 138 to the ram 128 in the assembly station 124 in the sample receiving position 136 .
• step 408 : Inserting the ram 128 with the sample to be embedded placed on it 126 by means of the piston drive 138 from below into the cavity 135 of the press cylinder 132 .
• step 410 : Dosing in one or more embedding granules 117 through an upper opening 132b in the press cylinder 132 on the ram 128 and the sample to be embedded on it 126 .
• step 412 : Closing the top opening 132b of the press cylinder 132 .
• step 414 : Hot pressing of the sample with the embedding granulate 117 under pressure and application of temperature in the press cylinder 132 .
• step 416 : Open the press cylinder 132 .
• step 418 : Moving out the embedded sample 142 from the press cylinder 132 .
• step 420 : Eject the embedded sample 142 from the press unit 134 .
• step 422 : Pull out the ram 128 out of the cavity 135 of the press cylinder 132 and depositing the ram 128 on a storage area, in particular on the assembly area 124 off step 406 .
• step 424 : Decoupling of the piston drive 138 from the plunger 128 .

Program-controlled multiple repetition of the clock cycles with the steps 404-424 .

In summary, with the above-described mounting press 110 the embedding process can be carried out fully automatically after the preparatory assembly step, without the operator being present for all samples to be embedded 126 . The construction is still relatively simple and inexpensive, so the investment for the automatic mounting press 110 can be amortized in a short time.

2. Automatic grinding and polishing machine

Referring to the 9 until 21 is an example of a fully automatic grinding and polishing machine 210 (Automatic grinding and polishing machine). The automatic grinding and polishing device 210 has a sample feed 212 to get embedded samples 142 , one at a time, to a sampling position 214 to promote. The sample feed 212 can be designed, for example, as a sample slide, as shown in FIG 9 and 10 is shown, or as a motor-driven conveyor belt with a stop 213 to define the sampling position as shown in 11th and 12th is shown, or as a sample magazine, as shown in 13th and 14th is shown. The individual embedded samples 142 can thus be transported, collected or stored in different solutions and, if necessary, can be carried out automatically by an upstream embedding press 110 be taken over.

Referring to 9 and 10 can optionally be the lowest embedded sample 142 by means of a sample slide 215 into the sampling position 214 be pushed. Alternatively, the lowest part of the sample chute, where the embedded sample is 142 is ready for removal, can be designed to be pivotable around the embedded sample 142 for gripping with the sample gripper 222 to bring into a horizontal position. When swiveling the embedded sample to be gripped 142 become the remaining embedded samples 142 preferably retained on the sample chute so that it does not slide down. This can be done with a separator, for example. A separator 217 can also be done with a conveyor belt 212 be used to keep in the sampling position 214 lying embedded sample 142 to be able to grip better individually.

With a sample magazine according to 13th and 14th the bottom sample can, for example, also with the help of a sample slide 215 into the sampling position 214 be pushed.

These sample feeders 212 or feeding devices is common that they carry the embedded samples 142 individually, in particular one after the other, successively into the sampling position 214 promote so that the sample lying there just lying embedded 142 can be removed and automatically the next embedded sample 142 is funded. The embedded samples are also located 142 in general, regardless of the type of sample feed, for precise gripping with the sample gripper 222 preferably horizontally in the sampling position 214 .

The automatic grinding and polishing device 210 has a grinding and polishing head 216 on, which in the present example is on a frame or a bridge 218 is suspended and can be moved in the horizontal xy plane in both horizontal dimensions x and y. The grinding and polishing head can do this 216 in the x-direction along the frame 218 be moved and the frame 218 comes with a linear guide 220 shifted in y-direction. Both are motor-driven and can be carried out under program control. The grinding and polishing device shown here 210 can therefore be built as a portal construction. However, other movement mechanisms can also be used for the sample gripper, for example with a boom.

The grinding and polishing head 216 includes a sample gripper 222 , which is designed to take a single embedded sample 142 without gripping the specimen holder. The sample gripper 222 is designed as a three-finger gripper in the present example. The sample gripper 222 has radially movable gripper fingers 224 on - in this example three - which the embedded sample 142 on their radially circumferential lateral surface 142c grip and hold firmly. The gripper fingers 224 have a level 226 or an inwardly pointing shoulder, which has a stop against the top of the sample 142b forms and ensures that the embedded sample 142 as horizontally as possible from the sample gripper 222 can be grasped.

Referring to 19-21 is the sample gripper 222 at the lower end of a ball-bearing drive shaft 228 arranged, which via a belt drive 230 from a drive motor 232 is driven so that the sample gripper 222 can be rotated about its axis of symmetry A during the grinding and polishing processes. The drive motor 232 for rotating the sample gripper 222 is about a gearbox 244 and a clutch 246 to the belt drive 230 coupled. Furthermore, the grinding and polishing head has 216 a linear slide 234 , by means of which the sample gripper 222 axially in the z-direction, i.e. vertically, can be moved around the gripped embedded sample 142 against the grinding disks or polishing disks. Also the axial displacement of the sample gripper 222 takes place automatically, program-controlled and motorized by means of a motor 236 . The drive shaft 228 is in the present example with two deep holes 252 , 254 designed to deliver pneumatic gas to the sample gripper 222 to and away again to lead this along radial guides 238 to be able to open and close radially. Everyone has a gripper finger for this 224 a corresponding radial drive slide 238 and can be moved radially inwards or outwards to the embedded sample 142 to grab or let go. However, there are also other drive mechanisms for the gripper fingers 224 possible to the embedded sample 142 to grab.

Accordingly, the embedded samples must 142 cannot be clamped in a specimen holder, as they can be handled individually by means of the specimen gripper 222 , in the present case designed, gripped and held as a three-finger gripper. The sample gripper 222 rotates the gripped embedded sample 142 around the axis of symmetry of the embedded sample 142 , which is coaxial with the axis of rotation A of the sample gripper 222 runs. During grinding, both the grinding plate and the gripped embedded sample rotate axially offset 142 .

The linear travel of the problem gripper 222 in the z-direction is carried out by means of an optical probe 240 and an associated optical tape measure 242 monitored so that a position measuring system 240 , 242 for moving the sample gripper 222 is formed in the z-direction.

Furthermore, the grinding and polishing head 216 for the sample gripper 222 a force sensor 248 on, by means of which the contact pressure of the problem gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 can be measured against the grinding wheel or polishing wheel. With the force sensor 248 On the one hand, it can be ground and polished with a predefined contact force, whereby the operator enters the desired contact force beforehand in the program control 211 can enter. About the force sensor 248 can also be the contact point of the embedded sample 142 can be detected when moving down onto the grinding wheel and then using the position measuring system 240 , 242 a predetermined one and entered into the program control by the operator 211 previously entered material removal can be carried out program-controlled. The grinding and polishing head 216 accordingly detects the contact point of the embedded sample 142 on the grinding wheel or polishing wheel, measures the actual contact pressure and / or can determine the axial travel of the sample gripper 222 in the z-direction when grinding the embedded sample 142 measure to one or more of these measured values in the program control 211 feed back in order to regulate the grinding processes and / or polishing processes in relation to the contact pressure and / or in relation to the layer thickness of the abrasive removal with a control circuit.

In other words, it is the z-axis of the grinding and polishing head 216 with a position measuring system 240 , 242 equipped that makes it possible to automatically set a predetermined, beforehand in the program control 211 set layer thickness of the embedded sample 142 to be removed (target preparation). The force sensor is used to determine the zero point for the target preparation 248 used, by means of which it is detected when the gripped embedded sample 142 touches the respective grinding wheel.

The gas for the pneumatic actuation of the gripper fingers 224 is via a rotating union 250 to the drive spindle 228 passed through which the pneumatic gas via a gas supply 252 the linear slide 238 the gripper finger 224 is fed. Via a gas discharge 254 the pneumatic gas is discharged again. The rotating union 250 is therefore in this example as a two-channel rotary feedthrough for the pneumatic drive of the sample gripper 222 educated.

Referring to the 9 until 12th has an embodiment of the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 four grinding stations 256 on, with each grinding station 256 its own sanding pad 258 , sometimes called a spindle, and a tub 260 in which the respective sanding pad 258 rotates. In the grinding tub 260 Abrasion and / or coolant can be collected and discharged via a drain.

On every sanding pad 258 is a grinding wheel 262 upset. Each of the four grinding stations 256 is preferably equipped with another grinding wheel with a different grain size, so that the sample gripper 222 the embedded sample once grasped 142 holds during the entire grinding process and moves it from grinding station to grinding station in order to grind first coarse and then finer and finer. Thereby need the grinding wheels 262 There is no need to switch between grinding processes with different grain sizes, as there is a separate grinding station for each desired grain size 256 with the appropriate grinding wheel 262 is present, which of the grinding and polishing head 216 and the sample gripper 222 one at a time with the same embedded sample grasped once 142 be approached. The grinding and polishing head moves accordingly 216 first the sampling position 214 on, there will be the sample gripper 222 lowered and grips a single, loose, embedded sample 142 . The sample gripper then moves 222 back up and the grinding and polishing head 216 drives the first grinding station 256 , typically with the coarsest grinding wheel 262 at. Once there, the sample gripper will 222 down in z-direction until the gripped embedded sample 142 the grinding wheel 262 touched what with the force sensor 248 can be detected. Then it is fed back with a control loop, force-controlled and, if necessary, path-controlled while the grinding wheel rotates at the same time 262 and the sample gripper 222 the first grinding process carried out. When the first grinding process is finished, the sample gripper moves 222 back up. The grinding and polishing head then moves 216 preferably a cleaning station 268 at. The sample gripper moves there 222 in this example back down to the gripped embedded sample 142 immerse in a cleaning bath. The sample gripper then moves 222 back up. The grinding and polishing head then moves 216 with the sample gripper 222 preferably the next grinding station 256 with another grinding wheel 262 with a different grain size, typically a finer grain size, on and the sample gripper 222 is lowered again there and the next grinding process is carried out, preferably in the same way as described above. In the case of the grinding and polishing device shown here 210 can, preferably in the same way, one after the other up to four different grinding stations 256 with four different grinding wheels 262 be approached successively.

Referring to the 17th is owned by the grinding and polishing head 216 in the present example liquid nozzles 264 , 266 . Via the liquid nozzle 264 coolant is added during the grinding process for wet grinding. The liquid nozzles are advantageously located 264 , 266 on the grinding and polishing head 216 and are therefore together with the sample gripper 222 and the gripped embedded sample 142 from grinding station 256 to grinding station 256 moved along, so that not every grinding station 256 requires its own coolant nozzle. The cooling liquid can be used together with the abrasive material in a known manner via the respective grinding trough 260 be discharged.

Referring to the 9 , 11th and 18th owns the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 two cleaning stations 268 with cleaning containers 269 , which from the sample gripper 222 be approached between the grinding processes. To do this, the grinding and polishing head moves 216 the cleaning container after the end of a grinding process 269 which one with a cleaning liquid 270 is filled and immerses the sample in the cleaning liquid 270 one to rinse and clean them. In the cleaning stations 268 For example, water or alcohol can be used as cleaning fluid 270 be used. If desired, the sample gripper 222 with the embedded sample 142 while rotating and / or it can be an ultrasonic device 271 be provided so that the cleaning station 268 is designed as an ultrasonic bath. The cleaning containers 269 can optionally be automatically emptied and filled with new cleaning fluid.

In the cleaning containers 269 are in the upper area above the cleaning liquid 270 radial air nozzles 272 attached to which the embedded sample 142 can be dried after rinsing or cleaning with cold air and / or warm air. After sufficient cleaning, the sample gripper moves 222 with the embedded sample 142 so back up and the embedded sample 142 is made by means of the air nozzles 272 blown dry. After the cleaning process in the cleaning station 268 can then go to the next grinding station 256 from the sample gripper 222 be approached.

In the example shown, the automatic grinding and polishing device also has two polishing stations 276 on. The example shown therefore has four grinding stations 256 , two cleaning stations 268 and two polishing stations 276 . It can be seen, however, that a different number and / or arrangement of the stations 256 , 268 , 276 is possible, for example three grinding stations 256 , two cleaning stations 268 and three polishing stations 276 or, for example, three grinding stations 256 , two cleaning stations 268 and two polishing stations 276 , such as in 13th or any other desired number and / or arrangement. The polishing stations 276 each have a polishing plate 278 , each in a polishing tub 280 are arranged and on each of which a polishing pad 282 is attached, being the buffing pad 282 may also include a polishing cloth. When all desired milling operations have been completed and the embedded sample 142 After the last grinding process has been cleaned and rinsed, the grinding and polishing head moves 216 with the sample gripper 222 and the gripped embedded sample 142 the first polishing station 276 to find the underside of the sample there 142a Polish with a first polish. Via the liquid nozzle 266 of the grinding and polishing head 216 polishing suspension can be dosed for the polishing process. The contact pressure is preferably also determined by means of the force sensor during the polishing process 248 Regulated with feedback, in order to polish with a defined contact pressure, which can be set, for example, by the user in the program control.

Accordingly, the dosing of the water cooling for the grinding processes and / or the dosing of the polishing suspensions for the polishing processes is carried out by supplying them from the grinding and polishing head 216 the end. This means that at every surface processing station 256 , 276 the required fluids from the grinding and polishing head 116 can be dosed without this at every surface processing station 256 , 276 must be provided separately. In other words, the liquid nozzles move 264 , 266 with the sample gripper 222 or with the gripped embedded sample 142 with.

When the first polishing in the first polishing station 276 is completed, the grinding and polishing head moves 216 with the sample gripper 222 and the gripped embedded sample 142 a cleaning station 268 to be cleaned and rinsed there as described above in connection with the grinding processes. It is useful to use the first cleaning station 268 for the grinding processes and the second cleaning station 268 to be used for the polishing processes, so that grinding debris and polishing suspensions do not contaminate each other and the cleaning stations do not have to be refilled too often. After cleaning and rinsing the embedded sample 142 in the second cleaning station 268 can use a second polishing station 276 be approached in order to polish with a different polishing agent, for example a different polishing suspension, if necessary. The other polishing suspension can either use the same liquid nozzle 266 can be metered in, or further liquid nozzles, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more liquid nozzles for cooling liquid and / or polishing suspensions on the grinding and polishing head 216 be provided, which is with the sample gripper 222 from station 256 , 268 , 276 to station 256 , 268 , 276 move.

In the present example, therefore, an embedded sample is used 142 once from the sample gripper 222 gripped and then consecutively one after the other in several, in the present example in four grinding stations 256 Sanded with different grain sizes and in a cleaning bath between each sanding process 268 , 270 rinsed and cleaned. In addition, it is the same embedded sample 142 using the same sample gripper 222 consecutively one after the other in one or more, in the present example in two polishing stations 276 polished with different polishing agents. Here, too, the embedded sample can be used between the polishing processes 126 in a cleaning station 268 rinsed and cleaned. The entire process of grinding, polishing and cleaning is fully automated and program-controlled, without the involvement of an operator.

In the examples shown, the samples are processed individually and pass through the respective stations 256 , 276 , 268 , always from the same sample gripper 222 be held.

The grinding and polishing head 216 can use the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 Adjust in height (z-axis) and against the respective grinding wheel 262 or against the respective polishing cloth or the respective polishing disc 282 Press or in the respective cleaning container 269 immerse. If preferably the grinding and polishing head 216 with the force sensor 248 is provided, the respective grinding wheel 262 with the gripped embedded sample 142 are touched and the force with which the gripped embedded sample 142 against the grinding wheel 262 or the buffing pad 282 is pressed to measure and in a feedback control loop by means of the measured value to a previously in the program control 211 to regulate the set value.

At the end of the grinding and polishing process, the grinding and polishing head moves 216 a sample deposit position 284 and places the completely ground, polished and cleaned embedded sample there 142 so that this embedded sample can be used immediately without further processing steps, e.g. for material analyzes, such as hardness tests or structural analyzes.

Referring to 9 are schematically a sample deposit position 284 shown with a few individual storage spaces. Referring to 11th is the sample deposit position 284 as part of a conveyor device, in the example designed as a motor-driven conveyor belt, by means of which the finished, embedded samples 142 be transported to a sample collection facility.

In 9 and 11th are the surface processing stations, ie the grinding stations 256 and the polishing stations 276 arranged in a rectangular 3 x 2 arrangement and the two cleaning stations 268 are located between the surface processing stations 256 , 276 . The dimensions of the grinding and polishing machine shown as an example 210 with the 3 x 2 arrangement are about 1.0 to 1.2 m in length and about 0.8 to 0.9 m in depth, so that it can be used in a normal laboratory row ( 90 cm depth). The grinding and polishing device 210 However, it can also be designed as an integrated stand-alone device, with the control, storage container for the liquids, dosing systems, etc. under the grinding and polishing device 210 can be located. The surface processing stations 256 , 276 are all in the same device housing 208 arranged on which also the grinding / polishing head 216 is suspended, so they all belong to the same grinding and / or polishing device 210 at.

A touch display in the grinding and polishing device, for example, can be used as the GUI 210 is integrated or attached by means of an adjustable support arm (not shown).

Referring to the 13th can also have a substantially linear arrangement of the surface processing stations 256 , 276 and the cleaning stations 268 be provided. This has the advantage that the grinding / polishing head 216 only needs to be driven in one dimension (x). The overall length of the grinding and polishing device is required for this 210 slightly larger or fewer stations fit 256 , 268 , 276 into it. The number of surface processing stations 256 , 276 and the cleaning stations 268 as well as their spatial, two-dimensional arrangement in the xy plane can, if necessary, be designed according to the respective customer requirements.

Referring to 15th can use the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 in a safety enclosure 286 with a front engagement opening 288 be encased, the front engagement opening 288 by means of a laser light grid 290 is protected as protection against intrusion, so that the grinding and polishing device is automatically switched off in an emergency if a person enters the safety housing during operation 286 should reach into it.

• Schritt 502: Anfahren einer Probenentnahmeposition 214 mit dem Schleif- und Polierkopf 216 sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 und Greifen der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit dem Probengreifer 222 in der Probenentnahmeposition 214.
• Schritt 504: Anfahren einer ersten Schleifstation 256, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 und Andrücken der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende erste Schleifscheibe 262 der ersten Schleifstation 256 mit einer ersten Körnung unter Rotation des Probengreifers 222 unter Zudosierung von Kühlflüssigkeit, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 506: Anfahren eines ersten Reinigungsbehälters 269 und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer 222 gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 in den ersten Reinigungsbehälter 269 sowie Anheben der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem ersten Reinigungsbehälter 269 und ggf. Trockenblasen der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Schritt 508: Anfahren einer zweiten Schleifstation 256, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 und Andrücken der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende zweite Schleifscheibe 262 der zweiten Schleifstation 256 mit einer zweiten Körnung unter Rotation des Probengreifers 222 unter Zudosierung von Kühlflüssigkeit, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 510: Anfahren des ersten oder eines anderen Reinigungsbehälters 269 und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer 222 gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 in den Reinigungsbehälter 269 sowie Anheben der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Reinigungsbehälter 269 und ggf. Trockenblasen der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Schritt 512: Anfahren einer dritten Schleifstation 256, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 und Andrücken der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende dritte Schleifscheibe 262 der dritten Schleifstation 256 mit einer dritten Körnung unter Rotation des Probengreifers 222 unter Zudosierung von Kühlflüssigkeit, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 514: Anfahren des ersten oder eines anderen Reinigungsbehälters 269 und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer 222 gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 in den Reinigungsbehälter 269 sowie Anheben der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Reinigungsbehälter 269 und ggf. Trockenblasen der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 269.
• Schritt 516: Anfahren einer ersten Polierstation 276, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 und Andrücken der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende oder vibrierende erste Polierscheibe 282 der ersten Polierstation 276 unter Rotation des Probengreifers 222 unter Zudosierung einer ersten Poliersuspension, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 518: Anfahren eines zweiten oder eines anderen Reinigungsbehälters 269 und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer 222 gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 in den Reinigungsbehälter 269 sowie Anheben der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Reinigungsbehälter 269 und Trockenblasen der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Schritt 520: Anfahren einer zweiten Polierstation 276, sowie Absenken des Probengreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 und Andrücken der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einer vordefinierten Andruckkraft auf eine rotierende oder vibrierende zweite Polierscheibe 282 der zweiten Polierstation 276 unter Rotation des Probengreifers 222 unter Zudosierung einer zweiten Poliersuspension, sowie Anheben des Probegreifers 222 mit der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 522: Anfahren des zweiten oder eines anderen Reinigungsbehälters 269 und Eintauchen der von dem Probengreifer 222 gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142 in den Reinigungsbehälter 269 sowie Anheben der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Reinigungsbehälter 169 und ggf. Trockenblasen der gegriffenen eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Schritt 524: Anfahren einer Probenablageposition 284 mit dem Schleif-/Polierkopf 216 sowie Ablegen der eingebetteten Probe 142 mit dem Probengreifer 222 an der Probenablageposition 284.

Referring to 30th One embodiment of the grinding and polishing process comprises the following program-controlled process steps:

• step 502 : Approach a sampling position 214 with the grinding and polishing head 216 as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 and gripping the embedded sample 142 with the sample gripper 222 in the sampling position 214 .
• step 504 : Approaching a first grinding station 256 , as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 and pressing the embedded sample 142 with a predefined pressing force on a rotating first grinding wheel 262 the first grinding station 256 with a first grain size while rotating the sample gripper 222 while adding coolant and lifting the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 506 : Approaching a first cleaning container 269 and dipping the from the sample gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 into the first cleaning container 269 and lifting the embedded sample 142 from the first cleaning container 269 and if necessary, blowing dry the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• step 508 : Approaching a second grinding station 256 , as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 and pressing the embedded sample 142 with a predefined pressing force on a rotating second grinding wheel 262 the second grinding station 256 with a second grain size while rotating the sample gripper 222 while adding coolant and lifting the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 510 : Approaching the first or another cleaning container 269 and dipping the from the sample gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 in the cleaning container 269 and lifting the embedded sample 142 from the cleaning container 269 and if necessary, blowing dry the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• step 512 : Approaching a third grinding station 256 , as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 and pressing the embedded sample 142 with a predefined pressing force on a rotating third grinding wheel 262 the third grinding station 256 with a third grain size while rotating the sample gripper 222 while adding coolant and lifting the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 514 : Approaching the first or another cleaning container 269 and dipping the from the sample gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 in the cleaning container 269 and lifting the embedded sample 142 from the cleaning container 269 and if necessary, blowing dry the gripped embedded sample 269 .
• step 516 : Approaching a first polishing station 276 , as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 and pressing the embedded sample 142 with a predefined pressing force on a rotating or vibrating first polishing wheel 282 the first polishing station 276 while rotating the sample gripper 222 while adding a first polishing suspension and lifting the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 518 : Approaching a second or a different cleaning container 269 and dipping the from the sample gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 in the cleaning container 269 and lifting the embedded sample 142 from the cleaning container 269 and blowing dry the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• step 520 : Approaching a second polishing station 276 , as well as lowering the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 and pressing the embedded sample 142 with a predefined pressing force on a rotating or vibrating second polishing wheel 282 the second polishing station 276 while rotating the sample gripper 222 while adding a second polishing suspension and lifting the sample gripper 222 with the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 522 : Approaching the second or another cleaning container 269 and dipping the from the sample gripper 222 gripped embedded sample 142 in the cleaning container 269 and lifting the embedded sample 142 from the cleaning container 169 and if necessary, blowing dry the gripped embedded sample 142 .
• step 524 : Approaching a sample deposit position 284 with the grinding / polishing head 216 and depositing the embedded sample 142 with the sample gripper 222 at the sample deposit position 284 .

Program-controlled multiple repetition of the steps 502-524 .

• - Die eingebetteten Proben 142 brauchen ggf. nicht in einen Probenhalter eingespannt zu werden.
• - Der gesamte Prozess des Schleifens, Polierens und Reinigens kann ggf. vollautomatisch ohne manuellen Eingriff ablaufen.
• - Das Schleif- und Poliergerät 210 zeichnet sich durch geringe Investitionskosten aus, die schnell amortisiert werden können.
• - Das Schleif- und Poliergerät 210 zeichnet sich durch kompakte Abmessungen aus und kann in eine herkömmliche Laborzeile integriert werden.
• - Das Schleif- und Poliergerät 210 ist flexibel einsetzbar.

The exemplary embodiment of the grinding and polishing device is advantageously distinguished 216 through the following:

• - The embedded samples 142 may not need to be clamped in a specimen holder.
• - The entire process of grinding, polishing and cleaning can, if necessary, run fully automatically without manual intervention.
• - The grinding and polishing device 210 is characterized by low investment costs that can be quickly amortized.
• - The grinding and polishing device 210 is characterized by its compact dimensions and can be integrated into a conventional laboratory line.
• - The grinding and polishing device 210 can be used flexibly.

Referring to 22-25 can use the grinding and polishing device 210 another etching station 756 , with a caustic bath 758 for etching the ground and / or polished underside of the sample 142a include. In the example shown is the etching station 756 in a separate etching module 710 to the grinding and polishing device 210 cultivated, with an incoming and an outgoing conveyor 712 , 314 the embedded samples to be etched 142 transported. A sample gripper 722 grips a single embedded sample at a time 142 , leads them to the etching station 756 and dips them into the caustic bath 758 a. The sample gripper leads below 722 the etched embedded sample 142 a cleaning station 768 and immerses the embedded sample 142 there in a cleaning bath made of a cleaning liquid 770 in one a cleaning container 769 a. The sample gripper then moves 722 with the embedded sample 142 to a sample deposit position 284 , in the example shown on the outgoing conveyor 314 , and places the embedded sample 142 from there.

The etching module 710 furthermore comprises a housing which can be closed in a gastight manner 708 with a gas-tight door 732 and a print 734 on to the fumes of the caustic bath 758 suction. Furthermore, the etching bath 758 with a lid 759 sealed to prevent excessive evaporation of the acid in the etching bath 758 to prevent.

In the example shown is the etching station 756 in a separate etching module 710 to the grinding and polishing device 210 attached and has a second sample gripper 722 on, which is preferably like the sample gripper 222 is constructed. The etching station 756 can, however, also be used in the grinding and polishing device 210 be integrated (not shown). The grinding / polishing device 210 with attached etching module 710 or with an integrated etching station 756 can also be used as a grinding / polishing and / or etching device 210 are designated.

3. Fully automatic production line

Referring to the 26-28 are examples of fully automated production lines 310 for embedding, grinding and polishing samples. The automatic production line 310 specifically includes the automatic mounting press described above 110 and the automatic grinding and polishing device described above 210 .

The one from the automatic mounting press 110 embedded samples 142 , which at the sample ejection 147 the mounting press 110 are ejected with a first conveyor 312 individually, i.e. not in a multiple sample holder, from the automatic mounting press 110 to the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 promoted, in particular successively one after the other. The first conveyor device can do this 312 be designed, for example, as a sample chute or a motorized conveyor belt. On the first conveyor 312 can use some of the embedded samples 142 are buffered. In any case, the first conveyor transports 312 the embedded samples 142 into the sampling position 214 of the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 so that the embedded samples 142 there individually one after the other from the sample gripper 222 can be gripped in order to go through the grinding processes, polishing processes and / or cleaning processes described above. If an embedded sample 142 is then prepared, this is taken from the sample gripper 222 at the sample deposit position 284 filed.

The in 26th The example shown is the fully prepared embedded sample 142 from the sample deposit position 284 by means of a second conveyor 314 individually, i.e. not in a multiple sample holder, in a sample collection device 316 promoted, in particular successively one after the other. Also the second conveyor 314 can be designed, for example, as a slide or a motor-driven conveyor belt. Thus, the prepared embedded specimens are ready 142 one at a time the sample collection device 316 fed so that all samples to be embedded 126 who have favourited the automatic production line 310 have gone through, embedded and prepared individually in the sample collection device 316 are present and are supplied to their further determination by the operator.

When the prepared (ground, polished and / or etched) embedded samples 142 If you want to slide on a slide, the prepared embedded specimens are preferred 142 either turned beforehand or the slide can be exposed in the middle so that the prepared, embedded specimens can be prepared 142 only rest on the outer edge. This can prevent the polished underside of the sample 126 can be damaged by scratches, for example.

Referring to the 27 and 28 can the sample collection device 316 as a magazine 322 with a variety of sample storage locations 324 be formed, each with a single ready-prepared embedded sample 142 each on a sample storage area 324 of the magazine 322 is filed. The magazine 322 can be designed to be movable, for example as a sample storage table, in particular with sample storage spaces arranged next to one another 324 , with a free sample storage space in each case under program control 324 to the sample deposit position 284 is driven so that each prepared embedded sample 142 in each case on the free sample storage space 324 can be stored, which is at this point in time in the sample storage position 284 of the grinding and polishing device 210 is located. In the next cycle, the next free sample storage location will be 324 to the sample deposit position 284 drove. In other words, the samples are deposited on the sample deposit locations 324 with the sample gripper 222 synchronized with the grinding and / or polishing process or in the sample processing cycle of the automatic grinding and polishing device 210 . In the in 27 and 28 The example shown includes the sample collection device 316 as a table-shaped magazine 322 a rotary indexing table with, for example, 32 peripheral sample storage spaces 324 , according to the sample loading table 122 . Of course, an etching module can also be used here 710 be included.

The operator therefore lays all samples to be embedded in a preparatory work step 126 each at a placement position 124 of the sample loading table 122 and then starts the fully automated production line 310 . In this, the samples are then automatically program-controlled from the embedding press 110 embedded, from the first conveyor 312 to the grinding and polishing device 210 conveyed, there ground, polished and cleaned and then by the second conveyor 314 into the sample collection facility 316 promoted or stored there. The preparatory assembly step can be carried out by the operator in the evening, for example, and after a fully automatic, program-controlled run, the next morning all samples are embedded and fully prepared, ie ground, polished and cleaned in the sample collection device 316 individually before. The embedded samples are used throughout the production process 142 individually and loosely treated, for example conveyed, gripped, ground, polished, cleaned, etched and / or finally stored.

Control of the entire production line 310 can via program controls 111 , 211 for example on a central computer 318 run, run.

The dimensions of the production line shown as an example 310 are less than 4.8 m in length and less than 90 cm in depth., so that they are in a normal laboratory line ( 90 cm depth).

Referring to 28 can the production line 310 in a safety enclosure 386 be encased, with a front engagement opening 388 from a laser light grid 390 is monitored to ensure an emergency shutdown.

• Schritt 604: Heißeinbettpressen einer einzubettenden Probe 126 mit Einbettmaterial 117 in einem Presszylinder 132 einer Einbettpresse 110 zum Herstellen einer eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Schritt 606: Auswerfen der eingebetteten Probe 142 aus dem Presszylinder 132.
• Schritt 608: Fördern der eingebetteten Probe 142 von der Einbettpresse 110 zu einem Oberflächenbearbeitungsgerät 210.
• Schritt 610: Greifen einer einzelnen eingebetteten Probe 142 mit einem Probengreifer 222 des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts 210.
• Schritt 612: Anfahren einer Oberflächenbearbeitungsstation 256, 276 des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts 210 mit dem Probengreifer 222 zum Bearbeiten der Probenunterseite 142a der eingebetteten Probe 142 in der Oberflächenbearbeitungsstation 256, 276 und ggf. Anfahren einer Reinigungsstation 268 des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts 210 mit dem Probengreifer 222 zum Reinigen der eingebetteten Probe 142.
• Ggf. Schritt 614: Ein- oder mehrfaches Wiederholen des Schritts 612 an anderen Oberflächenbearbeitungsstationen 256, 276 des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts 210 und ggf. an anderen Reinigungsstationen 268 des Oberflächenbearbeitungsgeräts 210.
• Schritt 616: Anfahren einer Probenablageposition 284 mit dem Probengreifer 222 und Öffnen des Probengreifers 222 zum Loslassen und Ablegen der eingebetteten oberflächenbearbeiteten Probe 142 an der Probenablageposition 284.

Referring to 31 comprises one embodiment of the automated method for making a plurality of embedded and surfaced samples 142 in one step 602 the provision of a large number of samples to be embedded 126 and the following program-controlled process steps:

• step 604 : Hot mounting press a sample to be mounted 126 with embedding material 117 in a press cylinder 132 a mounting press 110 for making an embedded sample 142 .
• step 606 : Eject the embedded sample 142 from the press cylinder 132 .
• step 608 : Conveying the embedded sample 142 from the mounting press 110 to a surface processing device 210 .
• step 610 : Gripping a single embedded sample 142 with a sample gripper 222 of the surface processing device 210 .
• step 612 : Approaching a surface processing station 256 , 276 of the surface processing device 210 with the sample gripper 222 for processing the underside of the sample 142a of the embedded sample 142 in the surface processing station 256 , 276 and, if necessary, moving to a cleaning station 268 of the surface processing device 210 with the sample gripper 222 to clean the embedded sample 142 .
• If necessary, step 614 : Repeat the step one or more times 612 at other surface treatment stations 256 , 276 of the surface processing device 210 and possibly at other cleaning stations 268 of the surface processing device 210 .
• step 616 : Approaching a sample deposit position 284 with the sample gripper 222 and opening the sample gripper 222 for releasing and depositing the embedded machined surface sample 142 at the sample deposit position 284 .

Program-controlled multiple repetition of the steps 604-608 and the steps 610-616 , taking the embedded samples between steps 608 and 610 can be buffered.

In summary, the present invention relates to an automatic mounting press 110 , an automatic grinding and polishing device 210 as well as an automatic production line 310 with a mounting press 110 and a grinding and polishing device 210 . Therefore, all features that are related to the mounting press apply 110 and the grinding and polishing device 210 are described, also for the production line 310 as revealed and vice versa. All features that are disclosed in connection with the embedding press also apply to the associated method as disclosed and vice versa. All features that are disclosed in connection with the grinding and / or polishing device also apply to the associated method as disclosed and vice versa. All features that are disclosed in connection with the production line also apply to the associated method as disclosed and vice versa.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the embodiments described above are to be understood as examples and that the invention is not restricted to them, but can be varied in many ways without departing from the scope of protection of the claims. Furthermore, it can be seen that the features, regardless of whether they are disclosed in the description, the claims, the figures or otherwise, also individually define essential components of the invention, even if they are described together with other features.

Claims (22)

An embedding press (110) for embedding samples (126) in embedding material (117), comprising: a press unit (134) with a press cylinder (132), a metering device (115) for metering in embedding material (117), a sample loading table (122) with a multiplicity of loading positions (124) on which the operator can place a sample (126) to be embedded, a control device (111) which is set up to control the embedding press (110) with the following steps: a) the sample loading table (122) moves one of the loading stations (124) with one of the samples (126) to be embedded to a sample receiving position (136) of the press unit (134), b) the sample (126) to be embedded is introduced from the sample receiving position (136) into the press cylinder (132) and the embedding material (117) is metered into the press cylinder (132), c) the embedding pressing process is carried out to produce an embedded specimen (142), d) the sample (142) embedded in this way is ejected from the press cylinder (132), and steps a) to d) are repeated in order to embed a plurality of samples. Embed press (110) after Claim 1 , the sample loading table (122) being designed as a rotary indexing table and the loading stations (124) being arranged in a peripheral ring area (123) of the rotary indexing table. Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the press cylinder (132) has a lower first and an upper second opening (132a, b) and the sample (126) through the lower first opening (132a) into the press cylinder (132) is introduced and the embedding material (117) is metered into the press cylinder (132) through the upper second opening (132b). Embed press (110) after Claim 3 , wherein the pressing unit (134) has an upper locking slide (140), and the control device (111) is designed to control the upper locking slide (140) to the effect that the upper locking slide (140) after the embedding material (117) has been metered in The upper second opening (132b) of the press cylinder (132) closes in order to subsequently carry out the embedding press process. Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a piston (128) is located in each of the loading locations (124) as a support for the sample (126) to be embedded and the pressing unit (134) has a piston drive (138), and in which Sample receiving position (136) the piston drive (138) is coupled to the respective piston (128) in order to lift the piston (128) with the sample (142) to be embedded out of the loading station (124) and insert it into the press cylinder (132). Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein after the embedding press process the embedded sample (142) is driven upwards out of the press cylinder (132) by the piston drive (138) and the piston (128) and the press unit (134) has a sample ejector (144) which ejects the embedded sample (142), which has been moved upwards from the press cylinder (132), from the press unit (134). Embed press (110) after Claim 6 wherein the sample ejector (144) pushes the embedded sample (142) transversely to the axis of the press cylinder (132) down from the piston (128) which has been moved upwards in order to eject the embedded sample (142). Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein after the embedded sample (142) has been ejected, the piston drive (138) with the piston (128) moves down again and the empty piston (128) returns to the loading station (124) of the Sample assembly table (122) is deposited before the next assembly station (124) with the next piston (128) and the next sample (126) is moved to the sample receiving position (136) to begin the next cycle. Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the embedding press (110) has an insertion opening (152) below the press cylinder (132) in which the sample loading table (122) moves at least partially and the loading spaces (124) with the samples (126) to be embedded into the insertion opening (152) in order to drive one sample to be embedded (126) after the other under the press cylinder (132). Embedding press (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one first and second storage container (114) for holding different first and second embedding material (117) are connected to the metering device (115), so that the metering device (115) embedding material (117 ) can meter from both the first and the second storage container (114) into the press cylinder (132), and wherein the metering of the first and second embedding material (117) is controlled by the control device (111) to the first and / or second embedding material (117) is automatically metered into the press cylinder (132) in a predefined amount. Method for embedding a large number of samples in embedding material with an embedding press (110), wherein a sample loading table (122), which has a large number of loading spaces (124), is loaded with a large number of samples (126) to be embedded, and the samples are subsequently program-controlled automatically embedded one after the other in clock cycles with the following clock steps: a) moving an assembly station (124) equipped with a sample (126) to be embedded to a sample receiving position (136) of a press unit (134), b) Introducing the sample (126) from step a) from the loading station (124) into a press cylinder (132) of the press unit (134) and metering embedding material (117) into the press cylinder (132), c) pressing the embedding material (117) and the sample (126) in the press cylinder (132) to produce an embedded sample (142), d) ejecting the embedded sample (142) from the press cylinder (132), wherein the cycle with the cycle steps a) to d) is repeated in order to embed a plurality of samples. Procedure according to Claim 11 , the samples (126) being introduced into the press cylinder (132) from below and the embedding material (117) being metered into the press cylinder (132) from above. Procedure according to Claim 12 , the upper end of the press cylinder (132) being closed under program control after the embedding material (117) has been metered in, followed by program-controlled to carry out the embedding press process automatically. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the samples (126) to be embedded are each deposited on the assembly stations (124) on their own piston (128) and the samples (116) each together with their own piston (128) axially from below into the The press cylinder (132) can be pushed in. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein after the embedding press process, the embedded sample (142) is moved upwards out of the press cylinder (132) and is pushed down from the piston (128) by a sample ejector (144) transversely to the axis of the press cylinder (132) to eject the embedded sample (142). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, after the embedded sample (142) has been ejected, the empty piston (128) is moved back down and placed again on the assembly station (124) before the next assembly station (124) with the next piston ( 128) and the next sample (126) is moved to the sample receiving position (136) in order to start the next clock cycle. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sample loading table (122) cyclically moves the loading positions (124) with the pistons (128) and the samples (126) to be embedded thereon under the press cylinder (132) in order to each time one of the pistons (128) with the sample (126) deposited thereon axially into the press cylinder (132) and / or wherein after the embedding press process the piston (128) is moved axially downward again out of the press cylinder (132) and placed again on the loading station (124), before the next assembly station (124) with the next piston (128) and the next sample (126) moves under the press cylinder (132) in the next cycle. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which, under program control, at least two different embedding materials (117) are automatically metered into the press cylinder (132) one after the other. Embedding press (110) for embedding samples in embedding material (117), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a press cylinder (132), a piston (128) on which a sample (126) to be embedded can be placed, and a metering device (115) for metering the embedding material (117) into the press cylinder (132), wherein the press cylinder (132) has a lower first opening (132a) and an upper second opening (132b) and the sample (126) to be embedded is pushed with the piston (128) through the lower first opening (132a) into the press cylinder (132) and the embedding material (117) is metered in through the upper second opening (132b). Method for embedding samples in embedding material, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, with the following steps: Introducing a sample (126) to be embedded with a piston (128) into a press cylinder (132) through a lower first opening (132a) of a press cylinder (132), Metering in the embedding material (117) through an upper second opening (132b) of the press cylinder (132), Closing the upper second opening (132b) of the press cylinder (132) and pressing the sample with the embedding material (117) in the press cylinder (132), and Ejecting the embedded sample (142) from the press cylinder (132). Embedding press (110) for embedding samples in embedding material, in particular according to one of the preceding claims a press unit (134) with a press cylinder (132), a piston drive (138) for driving a piston (128) for carrying out an embedding pressing process in the pressing cylinder (132), a sample assembly table (122) with a plurality of assembly positions (124) for depositing a sample to be embedded (126). Mounting press after Claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of pistons (128) with a piston top (128b) and suitable as press pistons for the press cylinder (132), the pistons (128) each being depositable in one of the loading locations (124) with the piston top (128b) as a storage area are, in such a way that the operator can place a sample (126) to be embedded on the top of the piston (128b), the piston drive (138) being alternately connectable to the piston (128) in order to embed a large number of samples in clock cycles by the The piston drive (138) is coupled to one of the pistons (128) for each cycle and the sample (126) to be embedded is introduced into the press cylinder (132) with its own piston (128) for the embedding pressing process.

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