DE102022119659A1 - System and method for the automated production of ammunition and conveyor device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge, comprising several production stations and a conveyor device which transports the several ammunition parts to and/or from the respective one Production station promotes, the conveyor device being formed by a rail/slide arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveyor path of the system and several carriages are guided through the rail to hold the multiple ammunition parts.

Description

The invention relates to a system and a method for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge, as well as a conveyor device for such a system.

Systems with a closed circulating conveyor track for the automated production of ammunition are no longer available US 2019 094 000 A1 known. In the US 2019 094 000 A1 The system described includes a conveyor device for ammunition parts with several stations at which ammunition parts are processed, assembled, manipulated and / or picked up and which are ultimately assembled into the finished ammunition. The conveying device for the individual ammunition parts is implemented by means of a coherent conveyor chain, which basically moves the individual ammunition parts between the stations at a constant and equal conveying speed and comes to a standstill once per cycle. The positioning with regard to the individual production stations occurs due to the arrangement of the holding device for the ammunition parts in the conveyor chain. The connected conveyor chain only requires one positioning per cycle. However, this means that only a single cyclic movement profile can be processed, which means that all production stations have to be approached at the same time.

The proposed system must be aligned and calibrated very precisely, which makes operation susceptible to failure. Furthermore, the fixed and clearly defined arrangement of the processing stations increases the space required and the flexibility of the machine. This ultimately has a negative impact on machine-dependent manufacturing overhead costs.

There is also a need to process more ammunition parts in a shorter time (increase production capacity). For this purpose, the speed of the conveyor chain can be increased in the known system. However, due to the faster starting and stopping of the conveyor chain, the loads in the individual bearings increase disproportionately, which leads to increased wear on the machine, especially its moving parts. In addition, the faster movement of the conveyor chain increases the susceptibility of the entire system to errors in terms of feeding, which leads to increased rejects. This reduces overall plant effectiveness despite higher production capacity.

Another challenge in ammunition production is the adaptability of the machine to the production of different calibers. If the conveyor chain is displaceable and fixed purely mechanically, the different, caliber-specific diameter of the sleeve can only be inadequately taken into account. Furthermore, it is important for production quality that the individual production stations are approached in their own and suitable movement profile and that the overall size of the ammunition to be produced is taken into account.

It is the object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular to provide a system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular has an increased production capacity and / or enables more reliable production of the ammunition, in particular without increasing the space requirement .

The task is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

Accordingly, a system is provided for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge. The system for automated manufacturing can include all joining and assembly steps that are necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from a case, an igniter, a projectile and the propellant powder. A system can therefore also be called a laboratory system. The individual ammunition components can be manufactured in upstream manufacturing steps and/or upstream manufacturing stations and finally added to the loading system, where they are generally assembled using proven technology to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which is ready for sale after passing through the system. The system is preferably implemented as a rotary or circulation system, in which the individual processing stations for assembling the ammunition are arranged one after the other along the rotary or circulation system and automatically assemble ammunition units according to a conveying cycle of the production line. The system can also be referred to as a linear transport system, which is used, for example in assembly and automation technology for ammunition, to transport ammunition parts in precise positions to processing and/or assembly stations that are positioned along the transport path.

The system according to the invention includes several manufacturing or processing stations at which the different assembly or manufacturing steps can be carried out. The Manufacturing stations can be set up to handle at least one piece of ammunition, in particular to manipulate it, handle it, interact with it or act on it in some other way. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations include an ammunition parts introduction station, preferably a case introduction station and/or a projectile introduction station, for introducing at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, several quality testing stations, at least one ammunition parts processing station, for example a case forming station, a propellant charge filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station and/or a discharge station for removing the manufactured ammunition from the production process of the plant. The rejection station can also be used to remove rejects from the manufacturing process. The several manufacturing stations are arranged in relation to the manufacturing process in such a way that the ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one after the other in order to have the manufacturing steps that build on one another carried out.

The system according to the invention further comprises a conveyor device, which can also be referred to as a workpiece carrier or can have this, for holding the multiple ammunition parts and for transporting the multiple ammunition parts to or from, to and/or between the multiple production stations. The conveyor device therefore fulfills at least two functions. On the one hand, the conveyor device can hold the ammunition parts necessary for the ammunition and enable the individual production stations to access the ammunition parts or enable processing of the ammunition parts at the individual production stations and, on the other hand, the conveyor device is for the particularly automated transport or conveyance of the individual ammunition parts responsible for the manufacturing process defined by the multiple manufacturing stations. The conveyor device defines a closed, circulating conveyor track along which the individual ammunition parts are conveyed at least in sections, depending on their influence on the manufacturing process, and which delimits an interior space enclosed by the conveyor track and an external space delimited therefrom. The conveyor track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes several, in particular identically designed, conveying devices, such as carriages, distributed along the conveyor track. The multiple conveyor devices can be controlled individually and moved along the conveyor track so that individual production stations can be approached with an individual movement profile for each conveyor device. The manufacturing process is therefore considerably more flexible than when the conveyor devices are fixed together along the conveyor track.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the conveyor device is formed by a rail/slide arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveyor path of the system and a plurality of carriages, in particular each, are guided through and/or along the rail for holding the plurality of ammunition parts . The conveyor track can be designed to be closed and circumferential and delimit an interior space enclosed by the conveyor track and an external space delimited therefrom. The individual ammunition parts can be transported at least in sections along the conveyor track, depending on their influence on the manufacturing process. The conveyor track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system comprises several, in particular identically designed, carriages distributed along the conveyor track.

The rail/slide arrangement is based on the basic principle of a linear guide, according to which the plurality of slides are translationally movable relative to the particular stationary rail. Each carriage can be set up to accommodate several ammunition parts, to fix them so that they can be processed at the production stations, and, if necessary, to displace ammunition parts relative to the carriage in order to set a desired positioning or orientation. For example, the carriage can have a so-called workpiece carrier, which can receive the ammunition parts necessary for the ammunition, enable the individual production stations to access the ammunition parts or enable processing of the ammunition parts at the individual processing stations and, on the other hand, the workpiece carrier can be used as a separate component The slide must be manufactured and designed individually for the respective ammunition part. Predefined interfaces can be provided for coupling the workpiece carrier and slide to one another.

The workpiece carrier has a carrier base, such as a carriage, which is adapted to be conveyed along the production line. The carrier base can therefore be set up to be coupled, in particular releasably, to the automated production line in order to be automatically transported from one processing station to the next. The support base can, for example, be designed to form a tongue and groove system with a connecting component of the automated production line.

The workpiece carrier further comprises at least one arranged on the carrier base, in particular their receptacle, preferably releasably attached thereto, for holding at least two ammunition parts of the same type, such as two ammunition casings, two ammunition bullets, two ammunition cartridges or two ammunition primer caps. An essential aspect of the workpiece carrier according to the invention is that it is designed to hold several ammunition parts, which are held in such a way that they can be processed simultaneously or in parallel. For example, the holder is designed so that it can hold at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 15 pieces of ammunition of the same type. For example, the large number of ammunition parts are held by the receptacle in a predetermined, in particular unchangeable, arrangement. For example, in rows and/or parallel arrangement, such as in an array field.

According to an exemplary development, the at least one partial ammunition receptacle is mounted so that it can move relative to the carrier base. It was found that when loading ammunition, the individual ammunition parts must be held in a different orientation depending on the processing station. While this was solved in the prior art by complex and individually constructed processing stations that could access the rigid holding devices for the ammunition parts, the present invention breaks away from this concept in that these requirements can be met at the expense of a more complex workpiece carrier. According to the invention, a high level of flexibility is achieved in a simple manner by means of the movable storage of the ammunition part holder relative to the carrier base. Due to the movability of the material holder, it is possible to bring it into the optimal orientation during the different processing steps or in the different processing stations. This means that the individual processing stations can be significantly simplified in terms of construction, handling and control and their installation space can be significantly reduced. The processing stations no longer require complex, complex systems in order to be able to access or process the rigidly arranged ammunition parts.

According to a further exemplary development, at least one of the ammunition part receptacles can be moved from a receiving position in which the at least two ammunition parts can be fed, in particular at the same time, into a processing position in which the at least two ammunition parts can in particular be processed at the same time. Since not all different types of ammunition parts necessarily have to be able to be fed to the same number of different processing stations and/or each have to be able to be processed in different orientations or positions, a cost-effective and yet significantly more flexible workpiece carrier can be provided compared to the prior art. By combining the accommodation of the ammunition parts of different types necessary for the production of ammunition in one and the same workpiece carrier, significant advantages can be generated, particularly with regard to the cycle rate. Thus, the ammunition parts to be joined together can, for example, be provided in close proximity to one another, but in any case be held by one and the same workpiece carrier, so that they are held in a locally concentrated manner on the workpiece carrier for easy handling and accessibility. The movability of the at least one partial ammunition receptacle relative to the carrier receptacle can be designed so flexibly that a large number of different positions can be approached. For example, the at least one partial ammunition receptacle can be locked when assuming the receiving position and/or when assuming the processing position, so that the movement of the partial ammunition receptacle is temporarily prevented. It is clear that the position of the at least two ammunition parts in the receiving position or their orientation can also be such that processing of the at least two ammunition parts can also take place in the receiving position. The different adoptable positions of the ammunition part holder relative to the carrier base can differ by a different orientation and/or position in relation to the distance from the carrier base.

According to a further exemplary development, the workpiece carrier further has a coupling interface for connecting to a motor of the production line, in particular a motor-side coupling interface, in order to move the recording from the receiving position into the processing position, and in particular vice versa. The workpiece carrier itself can therefore be designed without a drive and/or a motor. The necessary activation or kinetic energy, which is necessary for moving the at least one partial ammunition holder, can in particular be supplied completely from outside, for example by a motor or drive of the production line.

According to a further exemplary development, the workpiece carrier-side coupling interface is designed in such a way, in particular in such a way that it is shaped and/or aligned with respect to a motor-side coupling interface, so that the workpiece carrier can move into the motor-side coupling interface for connecting to the motor. In this way, a coupling is particularly easy to implement piece carrier and energy source makes it possible without the workpiece carrier requiring its own energy supply in order to move the at least one recording.

In an exemplary embodiment, the rail/carriage arrangement comprises a drive system through which the multiple carriages can be driven individually, in particular in order to be able to experience different movement characteristics along the conveyor track independently of one another. This means that individual production stations can be approached with an individual movement profile for each carriage. This means that the manufacturing process is considerably more flexible than if the carriages were fixed together along the conveyor track.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drive system comprises at least one linear motor. The linear motor can have an arrangement of coils and permanent magnets. The carriage can be equipped with at least one permanent magnet. In principle, the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet assigned to the carriage can be combined or coordinated with one another in such a way that the carriage is in particular alternately pulled or repelled in order to move along the conveyor track. An advantage of the linear motor is its direct power transmission properties, whereby high accelerations and speeds as well as a high degree of precision can be achieved.

According to an exemplary development of the system according to the invention, the drive system comprises at least one linear spindle mounted on the conveyor device, which drives and/or positions the carriage, in particular without play.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the carriage is positively coupled to the rail and/or guided in a mobile manner. For example, the rail and carriage can have coordinated, in particular shape-coordinated, coupling interfaces which are designed for coupling the rail and carriage together and/or for guiding the rail and carriage along each other, in particular sliding along each other. For example, the positive coupling ensures that the rail and carriage are secured to one another, in particular secured against being removed from one another, with, for example, a predetermined dismantling orientation and/or direction being specified by the coupling to one another.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the carriage is guided on the rail in a rolling and/or sliding manner. For example, the carriage and rail can have coordinated rolling and/or sliding surfaces, which can be oriented in relation to the conveyor track along which the carriage is guided through the rail.

According to a further exemplary development of the system according to the invention, the carriage is designed to at least partially grip around the rail. For example, the carriage can have a substantially C-shape in cross-section and accommodate the rail between its C-legs. For example, the carriage has two guide devices for moving, in particular, sliding or rolling along the rail. For example, the guide devices can be arranged on mutually facing surfaces of the C-leg and can be designed for simultaneous, in particular sliding or rolling, contact with corresponding guide surfaces of the rail. For example, a dimension of the carriage, in particular the distance between the two C-guide legs, is matched to a dimension, in particular a vertical dimension, of the rail. Furthermore, it is possible for a distance between the guide legs of the carriage to be adjustable.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drive system is set up to move the carriages with different movement characteristics or profiles along the system into a rest position. It has been found that, depending on the processing status of the ammunition, in particular the individual ammunition parts, different movement profiles, in particular speeds and/or accelerations, are more advantageous in order to make the system significantly more flexible and reliable.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rest position can be approached with an absolute speed and/or a repeatability of at most 1 mm, in particular at most 0.5 mm or at most 0.1 mm.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, a travel distance between two production stations designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts is between 80 and 1200 mm, in particular between 100 and 1000 mm or in the range of 120 to 800 mm.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, a travel distance between two production stations designed as test positions is in the range of 10 mm to 60 mm.

In general, the inventors of the present invention have found that a travel path between two manufacturing stations designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts should be designed to be longer than a travel path between two manufacturing stations designed as test positions, in particular at which manipulation, processing, manufacturing processes or the like carried out are checked , recorded using sensors or otherwise subjected to quality checks and/or assurance.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the drive system is set up to move to a rest position before filling an ammunition part designed as a sleeve with a propellant charge with a different movement characteristic than after filling with the propellant charge. In other words, the drive system can be designed in such a way that, depending on the processing progress of the ammunition to be manufactured, the weight of the ammunition parts held by the carriages and/or the characteristics of the ammunition parts held by the carriages, the movement characteristics, in particular the travel speed and/or acceleration , varies, especially in this regard. For example, the drive system can be coupled to a sensor system. The sensor system can, for example, be set up to detect a state of the manufacturing process, such as a manufacturing progress, a movement characteristic, such as a movement speed and/or acceleration, the number and/or the weight of the ammunition parts held by the carriages, etc. Through such Measures according to the invention can be ensured in a particularly efficient manner that the carriages move as precisely as possible and/or with a high cycle rate between the individual production stations without affecting the manufacturing process and/or the quality of the ammunition to be manufactured.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the conveyor track is designed such that a time interval for feeding and/or removing at least one carriage to a production station designed in particular as a rest position is less than 5 seconds, in particular less than 3 seconds or less than 2 seconds. amounts. The high cycle rate is an essential means of increasing production capacity.

According to an exemplary development of the system according to the invention, a downtime at a production station designed as a processing station for manipulating the ammunition parts is between 500 ms and 3000 ms. Furthermore, the system can be designed or the drive system can be able to carry out manipulation operations on the ammunition parts held by the slides without the slides coming to a standstill. For example, when applying a coating, such as a sealing varnish, it can be provided that the carriage holding the components to be coated moves past the corresponding production station designed as a coating station at a particularly constant speed. In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, a downtime for a production station designed as a testing station is in the range of 30 ms to 80 ms. Because different movement characteristics can be set with the system according to the invention or the carriages can be moved with a different movement profile and the carriages can be moved independently of one another, it is also possible to significantly increase production capacity, since a machining process only has to take as long as the machining process lasts without the carriage having to wait for a longer machining process.

According to an exemplary development of the system according to the invention, this includes a control system which moves the carriages at a speed of up to 2 m/s, in particular up to 1.5 m/s, preferably up to 1 m/s and/or with an acceleration of up to 40 m/s ² , in particular up to 20 m/s ² , preferably up to 15 m/s ² , can actuate.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiment, there is a conveyor device for a system in particular according to the invention for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a sleeve, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge , exists, provided. The conveyor device can also be referred to as a workpiece carrier or can have this, for holding the multiple ammunition parts and for transporting the multiple ammunition parts to or from, to and/or between the multiple production stations. The conveyor device therefore fulfills at least two functions. On the one hand, the conveyor device can hold the ammunition parts necessary for the ammunition and enable the individual production stations to access the ammunition parts or enable processing of the ammunition parts at the individual production stations and, on the other hand, the conveyor device is for the particularly automated transport or conveyance of the individual ammunition parts along the manufacturing process defined by the multiple manufacturing stations responsible. The conveyor device according to the invention comprises a rail/slide arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveyor track system and a carriage is guided which accommodates at least some of the ammunition parts.

According to the further aspect of the present invention, the conveyor device has a rail/slide arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveyor path of the system and a carriage, in particular several carriages, is guided, which accommodates at least some of the ammunition parts. The carriage can be designed to hold the multiple pieces of ammunition and can be guided through and/or along the rail. The conveyor track can be designed to be closed and circumferential and delimit an interior space enclosed by the conveyor track and an external space delimited therefrom. The individual ammunition parts can be transported at least in sections along the conveyor track, depending on their influence on the manufacturing process. The conveyor track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system comprises several, in particular identically designed, carriages distributed along the conveyor track.

The rail/slide arrangement is based on the basic principle of a linear guide, according to which the slide, in particular the multiple slides, can be moved translationally relative to the particularly stationary rail. Each carriage can be set up to accommodate several ammunition parts, to fix them so that they can be processed at the production stations, and, if necessary, to displace ammunition parts relative to the carriage in order to set a desired positioning or orientation. For example, the carriage can have a so-called workpiece carrier, which can receive the ammunition parts necessary for the ammunition, enable the individual production stations to access the ammunition parts or enable processing of the ammunition parts at the individual processing stations and, on the other hand, the workpiece carrier can be used as a separate component The slide must be manufactured and designed individually for the respective ammunition part. Predefined interfaces can be provided for coupling the workpiece carrier and slide to one another.

According to an exemplary development of the conveyor device according to the invention, the rail/slide arrangement comprises a drive system which is set up to drive several carriages individually, in particular in order to independently communicate to the carriage different movement characteristics, such as speed and/or acceleration profiles, along the conveyor track.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the conveyor device according to the invention, the drive system is set up to move the carriage using a jerk-limited movement characteristic after filling the carriage with a propellant charge, in particular into a rest position. Because the drive system is able to communicate an individual movement profile to the carriage depending on the manufacturing progress, the type and/or the size and/or the weight of the ammunition parts held, it can be ensured that in sensitive phases, such as when If the propellant charge is filled into an ammunition case, be careful, i.e. H. with reduced speed and/or reduced acceleration. In a further exemplary embodiment of the conveyor device according to the invention, the drive system is set up to apply a force of up to 1000 N/slide.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiments, the use of a rail/slide arrangement for a system for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, namely a case, an ignition element, a Projectile, and a propellant charge is provided, the system comprising several production stations and a conveyor device designed in particular according to the invention.

In an exemplary embodiment, the system is used for an ammunition caliber range from 4.5 to 13 mm.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiments, a method for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge, is provided. According to the method according to the invention, the ammunition can be produced according to a system designed in accordance with one of the previously described aspects or exemplary embodiments and/or the method can be designed such that the system according to the invention can carry out the method steps.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

• 1, 2 schematische Prinzipskizzen zu beispielhaften Ausführungen einer erfindungsgemäßen Anlage;
• 3 eine schematische Prinzipskizze in höherer Detailtiefe einer weiteren beispielhaften Ausführung einer erfindungsgemäßen Anlage;
• 4-6 perspektivische Teilansichten der Anlage aus 3
• 7 ein Diagramm eines Streckenprofils einer beispielhaften Ausführung der erfindungsgemäßen Anlage;
• 8 ein Diagramm eines Geschwindigkeitsprofils einer beispielhaften Ausführung der erfindungsgemäßen Anlage; und
• 9 ein Diagramm eines Beschleunigungsprofil einer beispielhaften Ausführung der erfindungsgemäßen Anlage.

Further advantages, features and properties of the invention are explained by the following description of preferred embodiments of the accompanying drawings, in which:

• 1 , 2 schematic principle sketches of exemplary embodiments of a system according to the invention;
• 3 a schematic principle sketch in greater detail of a further exemplary embodiment of a system according to the invention;
• 4-6 perspective partial views of the system 3
• 7 a diagram of a route profile of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention;
• 8th a diagram of a speed profile of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention; and
• 9 a diagram of an acceleration profile of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention.

In the present description of exemplary embodiments of the present inventions, a system 1 according to the invention, also called loading system 1, is generally provided with the reference number 1, the conveyor device 100 or the workpiece carrier 63 for holding the several ammunition parts and for transporting the several ammunition parts in or out from and/or between the multiple manufacturing stations is generally identified by the reference numeral 100. The finished ammunition 101 is marked with the reference number 101.

According to the exemplary embodiments of the laboratory system 1 according to the invention in the 1-3 In any case, the loading system 1 comprises the following production stations: a sleeve insertion station 11, which is set up to introduce sleeves 3 into the conveyor device 100; a projectile introduction station 13, which is set up to introduce projectiles 5, also called projectiles 5, into the conveyor device 100; a propellant charge filling station 15, which is set up to fill sleeves 3 with propellant powder 9; an ignition element supply station 49 for supplying ignition elements 7 and an ignition element insertion station 47 in which the ignition elements 7 are inserted into the conveyors 100; several quality monitoring stations 59 and quality testing stations 69 for optical and/or tactile assurance of the quality of the ammunition 101 and a discharge station 25 for the final discharge of the finished ammunition 101.

The conveyor device 100 for holding the multiple ammunition parts and for transporting the multiple ammunition parts to and/or from, to and/or between the multiple manufacturing stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 defines a closed circulating conveyor track 29, which has one of the conveyor track 29 enclosed interior 33 and an external space 31 delimited therefrom. According to the exemplary embodiment, the conveyor track 29 is in 1-3 constructed from two parallel linear sections 27, which are connected by curve sections 43 to form a racetrack-shaped conveyor track. The production stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 are to the side of the conveyor track 29 in the interior 33 ( 1 ) or in the outside area 31 ( 2 ) of the conveyor track 29 arranged.

Referring to 1 and 2 schematic principle sketches for exemplary embodiments of a system 1 according to the invention can be seen. The 1 shows a system arrangement, with the ammunition components being introduced into system 1 from outside. The 2 shows the rotated approach, with the ammunition components being brought out of the interior 33 into the conveying devices 100. The basic production process is the same for both system arrangements 1 and 2 even. Both system principles have the following production process: A conveyor 100 located in a buffer zone 45 is fed to the sleeve insertion station 11 via a curve section 43. This is followed by a projectile introduction station 13, in which the projectiles 5 are fed to the conveyor device 100. The entire conveyor device 100 with the projectiles 5 and sleeves 3 located thereon is then subjected to an optical inspection in a quality monitoring station 59. At the following stations, an ignition element 7 is first introduced into the system 1 via an ignition element feed station 49, in order to then be transferred with a slide 51 to an ignition element insertion station 47, in order to finally be introduced into the rear of the sleeve 3. After insertion, the fired sleeves 3 are calibrated at a sleeve forming station 17 and then sealed at the annular joint 55 with ring joint paint at a fluid application station 53. The conveying devices 100 are then guided over a second curve section 43, after which a linear section 27 follows again with several production stations. Before the sleeves 3 are filled with propellant powder 9 at the propellant charge filling station 15, a quality monitoring station 59 checks whether the ignition elements 7 have been properly received in the sleeves 3. After filling, the filling level is checked, in particular tactilely, at a quality testing station 69. The actual assembly of projectile 5 and sleeve 3 takes place in two stages, first the projectile 5 is only lightly brought onto the sleeve 3 at the projectile insertion station 19 in order to finally be pressed into the sleeve 3 in the subsequent step at the projectile assembly station 21. The thus finalized ammunition 101 is then sent to a quality monitoring station 59 and/or a quality testing station 69 checked and then discharged via a discharge station 25.

Out of 3 a detailed representation of Appendix 1 can be seen, whereby a special feature of Appendix 1 can be seen. To increase production capacity or production reliability, it is possible for the system 1 to have at least two propellant charge filling stations 15 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. This special arrangement allows two conveyors 100 to be filled with propellant powder 9 in one cycle. This has the effect that the propellant powder 9 has more time per cycle to trickle into the sleeve 3, which leads to increased metering accuracy. Labor-intensive stations can generally be implemented twice in the system 1 according to the invention, so that the workload of a station is halved accordingly. An example of a labor-intensive step is the feeding and introduction of ignition elements 7 into the rear of the sleeve 3. This is shown in 3 an exemplary development of the system 1 according to the invention can be seen, which has two ignition element feed stations 49 for equipping the ignition element insertion station 47 with ignition elements 7 and are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. In 3 the ignition element insertion station 47 is arranged in the conveying direction F between the ignition element feed stations 49. This has the advantage that production capacity can be significantly increased because processes can be carried out in parallel.

In the 4 and 5 are schematic principle sketches in a perspective view of sections of the system 3 can be seen, with the focus being on the rail/slide arrangement 37, which has a plurality of slides 39 which hold the plurality of ammunition parts and are guided along a rail 41 through the system 1. In other words, the carriages 39 are mounted movably relative to the rail 41 in order to be able to move the carriages 39 between the different movement stations of the system 1, so that the different manipulation or processing operations can be carried out on the ammunition parts. The carriage 39 is connected or combined with a workpiece carrier 63, which ultimately receives the ammunition parts and fixes them in the desired orientation and position during the processing and manipulation processes. The carriage 39 also has a coupling interface 65 for connecting to a motor on the system side and for resting and sliding along a guide section 71 of the system 1. As in the 4 and 5 can be seen, the carriage 39 is essentially C-shaped in cross section and comprises two guide arms 73, 75 which extend parallel to one another and form the legs of the C-shape and which are designed to be guided in particular sliding or rolling along the rail 41 and with respect to the Rail 41 are coordinated.

4 shows a detailed view of the carriages 39 mounted one behind the other, which are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. The detail shows how the conveyor device 100 is formed by a rail/slide arrangement 37, in which the rail 41 defines a conveyor track 29 of the laboratory system 1 according to the invention and several slides 39 are guided through the rail 41. In addition to guiding the carriage 39 using the two guide arms 73 and 75, the carriage 39 is also guided by a guide section 71. In particular, the coupling interface 65 is held in the desired position, thereby enabling a precise position fixation of the working state of the workpiece carrier 63. In order to enable optimal positioning of the carriage 39, a guide system with as little play as possible is required; the entire guide system consists, on the one hand, of the stationary structures, the rail 41 and the guide section 71, and, on the other hand, of the movable structures, the guide arms 73 and 75 and the coupling interface 65 .

5 shows a further detailed view of the conveyor device 100. The entire conveyor track 29 has drive systems which are implemented by linear motors and / or linear spindles. The carriages 39 are driven and/or positioned on the rail 41 without play. The carriage 39 is positively coupled and/or movably guided with the rail 41 using at least one guide arm 73 or 75. 5 shows a curve section 43 of the conveyor device 100, the carriages 39 are also preferably guided without play on the curved sections of the conveyor track 29. In addition to the guidance on the rail 41, the upper part of the carriage 39 in particular is guided at the guide section 71 via the coupling interface 65. This second guide is also guaranteed by the guide section 71, which ensures that the workpiece carrier 63 is fixed in a certain position, is in contact with the coupling interface 65 over the entire curve section 43 and ensures reliable production of the ammunition 101. In addition to the guide function and the deflection function, this is guaranteed the curve section 43 of the racetrack-shaped conveyor device 100 also functions as a buffer zone 45, whereby the carriages 39 can be retrieved individually, but one after the other, from this buffer zone 45.

Referring to 6 , which shows a greatly enlarged and perspective detail of the 3 shows is an optical quality control Chung station 59 shown. According to 6 the quality monitoring station 59 is equipped with three cameras 61. The cameras 61 are aimed at both the sleeve 3 and the projectile 5. It is therefore possible to take several images of each sleeve 3 and each projectile 5 in order to then evaluate them mechanically, manually or using artificial intelligence (AI), “deep learning” or “machine learning”. The cameras 61 can, for example, be combined with a handling or robotics 35 or moved and controlled by them. For example, the cameras 61 are held via a support structure 77, which consists of a base 79 connected to a base and an angle support arm 81.

The 7-9 show diagrams of various physical quantities of the same movement sequence. In principle, it is possible for the drive system to drive each carriage 39 individually. Accordingly, the movement sequences can be individual, resulting in different movement characteristics. The 7-9 show representative diagrams for a typical movement sequence of a carriage 39 between the individual production stations. In the diagrams, the x-axis describes time and the y-axis describes a physical unit for describing a movement process. The area marked S in the diagrams according to 7-9 refers to a typical movement sequence, with all ammunition components stored on the carriage 39 and to be processed being processed in one process step, in particular simultaneously. The area marked P refers to a typical movement sequence that takes place, for example, at a fluid application station 53; a similar course is also conceivable at a testing station. The area marked C refers to a typical movement sequence at a quality monitoring station 59. If the resolution rate of the camera 61 is high enough, such a process can also take place continuously.

7 shows a diagram of a route profile 110 of an exemplary embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. This route profile 110 is used to define the travel path 118 of the carriage 39 and to describe the route as a function of the time between the processing stations. The Y-axis of the diagram shown shows the distance s traveled in meters. The starting point was set to 0 to increase readability. However, this does not mean that no processing steps take place upstream or downstream. Due to the particular backlash-free design of the rail/slide arrangement 37, the predefined process positions of the in 7 can be approached with an absolute accuracy of a maximum of 1 mm as shown in the diagram. The X-axis shows the time that elapses between the individual process steps and the time that elapses between the movements in the process itself. This is particularly evident in the test area P, whereby several intermediate stages, also called interprocess downtimes 120, are described. These intermediate stages each mean a short standstill, with, for example, a pair of identical ammunition components being processed simultaneously. According to the diagram 7 The travel path 118 can be read between two production stations designed as processing stations. This is according to 7 approx. 0.27 m. The interprocess distance between the rest stations is approx. 30 mm. The route area S in 7 mainly shows an area in which the carriage 39 is at rest, which is only left for movement to the next processing station. The route area P has a wave-shaped route. The carriage 39 remains briefly in the same position during the process. Since in this example the process only takes place in one direction, i.e. the ammunition components are processed one after the other, no actual maxima are created, but small sections of path that continuously build on one another. However, the drive system would allow such forward and backward positioning. The route area C shows a continuous movement with a constantly rising S-shaped line. The S-shaped position curve comes about due to the approach path of the carriage 39.

8th shows a diagram of a speed profile 112 of an exemplary embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. This speed profile 112 is used to define speed sections and to describe the speed as a function of the time between the processing stations. The Y-axis of the diagram shown shows a simulated course of the speed profile 112 and displays the speed v in meters per second (m/s). The X-axis shows how much time elapses between the individual process steps and how long the carriage 39 is at rest. In the speed curve, the procedural downtimes 120 can be read particularly precisely, and these are in accordance with 8th approximately 50 milliseconds. If you refer to the in 8th Standstill time 120 shown shows that the conveyor track 29 is designed so that the time interval for feeding and removing the carriage 39 is approximately 1.2 seconds. With regard to the area S, it is clear that after a rest phase during which the ammunition components are processed, the travel path 118 is characterized by a special high travel speed, with a maximum of approx. 1.3 m/s being achieved. The speed profile 112 is characterized by short sections in the area P, with the speed returning to 0. During these short standstill times 120, entertaining processing steps can generally take place. The area C of the 8th has a constant speed lasting more than 1 second. During this continuous speed phase 116 of the carriage 39, for example, images can be taken to check the quality of the ammunition.

9 shows a diagram of an acceleration profile 114 of an exemplary embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. This acceleration profile 114 is used to define acceleration sections and to describe the accelerations that occur as a function of the time between the processing stations. The acceleration profile 114 represents the derivation of the in 8th apparent velocity profile 112 and the second derivative of the in 7 visible route profile 110. Due to the steep flanks, it is a simulated acceleration profile 114, which also represents the main characteristics of a real acceleration profile 114 of the conveyor device 100. The Y axis of the in 9 The diagram shown shows a maximum acceleration value 122 of approximately 12 m/s ² in area S. This acceleration value places the greatest stress on the carriage 39 and the ammunition components stored on it. With such accelerations, the process with sleeves 3 provided with propellant powder 9 is particularly challenging, as this could be spilled or checked inaccurately. In principle, it is conceivable that the rest positions can be approached with a different acceleration characteristic before checking the propellant powder level than after checking. To prevent this, the acceleration profile 114 is preferably designed to be jerk-free. The area P has short, successive acceleration edges. Designing an acceleration profile 114 according to area C represents a system-intrinsic challenge in terms of control and vibration resistance, since the carriage 39 must be accelerated and decelerated within a short time. No significant accelerations occur during processing in continuous processing stations (area C).

The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims can be important both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention in various embodiments.

Reference symbol list

1

Laboratories

3

sleeve

5

bullet

7

Ignition element

9

Propellant powder

11

Sleeve insertion station

13

Bullet insertion station

15

Propellant filling station

17

Sleeve forming station

19

Projectile introduction station

21

Projectile assembly station

23

Projectile marking station

25

discharge station

27

Linear section

29

conveyor track

31

Outdoor space

33

inner space

35

robotics

37

Rail/slide arrangement

39

Sleds

41

rail

43

Curve section

45

Buffer zone

47

Ignition element insertion station

49

Ignition element feed station

51

Slider

53

Fluid application station

55

Ring joint

57

Fluid applicator

59

Quality monitoring station

61

camera

63

Workpiece carrier

65

Coupling interface

69

Quality inspection station

71

Leadership section

73, 75

Guide arm

77

Supporting structure

79

Base

81

Angle arm

100

funding facility

101

ammunition

110

Route profile

112

Speed profile

114

Acceleration profile

116

continuous speed phase

118

travel path

120

intra-process downtime

122

maximum acceleration value

F

Direction of conveyance

A

Removal direction

S

Process area

P

Test area

C

continuous area

X

X axis

Y

Y axis

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 2019094000 A1 [0002]

Claims (24)

System (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a propellant charge (9), comprising several production stations and a especially after one of the Claims 17 until 21 trained conveyor device (100), which conveys the plurality of ammunition parts to and/or from the respective production station, characterized in that the conveyor device (100) is formed by a rail/slide arrangement (37), in which the rail (41) is a Conveyor track (29) of the system (1) is defined and several carriages (39) are guided through the rail (41) for holding the several ammunition parts. Appendix (1). Claim 1 , characterized in that the rail/slide arrangement (37) comprises a drive system through which the plurality of slides (39) can be driven individually in order to be able to experience different movement characteristics along the conveyor track (29), in particular independently of one another. Appendix (1). Claim 2 , characterized in that the drive system comprises at least one linear motor, in particular the linear motor comprising an arrangement of coils and permanent magnets, in particular the carriage (39) being equipped with at least one permanent magnet. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 2 until 3 , characterized in that the drive system comprises at least one linear spindle mounted on the conveyor device (100), which drives and/or positions the carriage (39), in particular without play. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the carriage (39) is positively coupled to the rail (41) and / or movably guided. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , characterized in that the carriage (39) is guided in a rolling and/or sliding manner on the rail (41). Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the carriage (39) is designed to at least partially encompass the rail (41), in particular the carriage (39) having two guide devices for, in particular, sliding or rolling movement along the rail (41). Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 2 until 7 , characterized in that the drive system is set up to move the carriage (39) into a rest position with different movement characteristics. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 7 or 8th , characterized in that the rest position can be approached with an absolute accuracy and/or repeatability of at most 1 mm, in particular at most 0.5 mm, preferably at most 0.1 mm. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 7 until 9 , characterized in that a travel path (118) between two production stations designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts is between 80 mm and 1200 mm, in particular between 100 and 1000 mm or between 120 and 800 mm. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 7 until 10 , characterized in that a travel distance between two production stations designed as test positions is between 10 mm and 60 mm. Appendix (1) according to one of the Claims 2 until 11 , characterized in that the drive system is set up to move to a rest position before filling an ammunition part designed as a sleeve (3) with a propellant charge (9) with a different movement characteristic than after filling with the propellant charge (9). System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor track (29) is designed such that a time interval for feeding and/or removing at least one carriage (39) to a production station designed in particular as a rest position is less than 5 s , in particular less than 3 s or less than 2 s. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a downtime at a production station designed as a processing station for manipulating the ammunition parts is between 500 and 3000 milliseconds. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a downtime (120) for a production station designed as a testing station is in the range of 30 to 80 milliseconds. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control system which advances the carriages (39) at a speed of up to 2 m/s, in particular up to 1.5 m/s preferably up to 1 m/s, and/or with an acceleration (122) of up to 40 m/s ² , in particular up to 20 m/s ² , preferably up to 15 m/s ² . Conveyor device (100) for one in particular according to one of the Claims 1 until 16 trained system (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101), characterized by a rail/slide arrangement (37), in which the rail (41) defines a conveyor track (29) of the system (1) and a slide (39) is guided, which holds at least some of the ammunition parts. Conveyor device (100). Claim 17 , characterized in that the rail/slide arrangement (37) comprises a drive system which is set up to drive several slides (39) individually, in particular in order to independently communicate different movement characteristics to the slide (39) along the conveyor track (29). Conveyor device (100). Claim 18 , characterized in that the movement characteristics are freely programmable and the carriages (39) can be moved in synchronous and/or asynchronous operation, in particular by means of a linear motor or spindle drive. Conveyor device (100) according to one of the Claims 18 until 19 , characterized in that the drive system is set up to move the carriage (39) through a jerk-limited movement characteristic after filling the carriage (39) with a propellant charge (9), in particular into a rest position. Conveyor device (100) according to one of the Claims 18 until 20 , characterized in that the drive system is set up to apply a force of up to 1000 N per carriage (39). Use of a rail/slide arrangement (37) for a system (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of several ammunition parts, namely a sleeve (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a Propellant charge (9), whereby the system has several production stations and one in particular according to one of the Claims 17 until 21 trained conveyor device (100). Use after Claim 22 for an ammunition caliber range from 4.5 to 13 mm. Method for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of several ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a propellant charge (9), in particular by means of one according to one of the above Claims 1 until 16 trained system (1), the method being designed so that the system (1) according to one of Claims 1 until 16 carries out the procedural steps.

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