EP0383168A2 - Multistage press for large articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention proposes a multistage press for large articles, having a plurality of tool stages arranged in series, in which the workpieces are guided through the length of the multistage press by means of crossmembers equipped with suction devices and supported on supporting rails leading through the tool space of the press. In order to be able to perform a change in the position of the workpieces between two adjacent tool stages, intermediate deposition stages or idle stages are provided between the said tool stages, with devices for performing a change in position. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a large-part step press according to the preamble of claim 1.

Transport devices for transporting workpieces in a large-part stepping press generally consist of two support rails that run in the transport direction, carry out a horizontal stroke in and against the transport direction and a vertical stroke, which pass through the tool space of the press and on which cross beams with suction cups fastened transversely to the transport direction, Magnetic holders or the like are attached, by means of which the workpieces are transported from one processing stage to the next one. The workflow here is such that all tool stages arranged one behind the other perform a common working stroke with their tools. After opening the two tool halves, the crossbars move with one half a horizontal stroke from a park position or rest position into the tool space and grasp the workpiece with a downward vertical stroke using the suction cups. An upward vertical stroke and a full horizontal stroke convey the workpiece to the next tool stage. In this next tool stage, the mounting rail again executes a downward vertical stroke and deposits the workpiece. This is followed by an upward vertical stroke and a half downward horizontal stroke into a parking position between the two tool stages. The upper parts of the tool can then be moved down together for the pressing process. The support rails that protrude through the entire large-part step press and are arranged on the side of the tools therefore carry full and half horizontal strokes between two adjacent tool steps for transporting the workpieces and for moving to a rest position and vertical strokes for lifting or lowering the workpieces with the cross-members equipped with suction cups out.

The suction cups on the crossbeams are adapted to the respective surface structure of the workpiece to be gripped. This is done when converting the system to another pressed part, the crossbars being replaced with suction cups adapted to the respective parts using the respective tool set. Once the crossbeams with suction cups have been installed, they can only transport a workpiece from one tool level to the other tool level in a constant geometric position. This is without disadvantage if this constant position is desired in the individual tool stages. However, there are cases where tool sets are used to machine the pressed parts, not specifically are designed for the special press so that the position of the workpieces can vary from tool level to tool level. A workpiece transport that is unchanged in its geometrical position by means of the crossbars equipped with suction pads could not do justice to these differently arranged tool sets, since the workpieces would not be properly inserted into the tool.

Furthermore, in spite of the guaranteed constant position of the workpieces from one tool stage to another, the use of expensive so-called slide tools is also necessary if a pressing direction oblique to the vertical pressing direction has to be carried out. This is necessary, for example, in the case of a corresponding part shape such as a motor vehicle tailgate or similarly curved parts, provided that the surface to be machined is not perpendicular or almost perpendicular to the pressing tool.

When setting up the lower tool, the position of the pressure bolts of the air cushions must also be taken into account when determining the required geometric position of the workpiece or tool, whereby an uneven transport step between two tool stages can occur.

The previously known designs of large-part step presses generally do not provide for a change in the position of the workpieces in the respective machining steps, since there are no empty steps between the tool steps. If there is space for this, however, no devices and measures for changing the position are provided. That is why it is so when working on these large-part step presses without empty steps always necessary between the tool stages that the same parts position is always maintained in the tool stages.

The invention has for its object to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages and to allow a variable position of the workpieces in the individual tool stages.

This object is achieved on the basis of a large-part step press according to the preamble of claim 1 by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Further expedient and advantageous configurations of the basic idea according to the invention are specified in the subclaims.

• 1. Heben und Senken des Werkstücks vertikal;
• 2. horizontales Verschieben in und gegen die Transportrichtung;
• 3. Verschieben nach rechts oder nach links quer zur Transportrichtung;
• 4. Kippen in und gegen die Transportrichtung;
• 5. Kippen nach rechts oder links quer zur Transportrichtung;

The core of the invention is based on the fact that between the individual tool stages in the stand area so-called empty stages or intermediate storage stages are provided, in which storage devices are present which allow the partial position to be changed to any degree of freedom. This makes it possible to change the position of the workpieces from tool level to tool level. This change in the position in the clipboard level can include, for example, the following changes:

• 1. lifting and lowering the workpiece vertically;
• 2. horizontal displacement in and against the transport direction;
• 3. Move right or left across the direction of transport;
• 4. Tilt in and against the direction of transport;
• 5. Tilt to the right or left across the direction of transport;

These change options make it possible to set up or adjust the workpiece during the insertion and removal process into and out of the tool. Readjustment of the workpieces is also possible if the tools in the large-part step press are not precisely aligned.

Due to the presence of an intermediate storage stage for changing the position of the workpieces between two tool stages, the horizontal feed step or horizontal stroke of the mounting rails or the cross members equipped with suction cups is half a working stage distance, i. H. half the distance between two tool levels. The distance between two adjacent tool stages is referred to as the entire working stage distance or the entire horizontal stroke.

Since the middle position between two tool stages is assumed by the intermediate storage stage according to the invention, in which the position of the workpieces can be changed, an additional position is required as a rest position for the cross members equipped with suction cups. This position is between the tool and the clipboard stage, i. H. at a quarter working distance from the tool.

If the cross-beam's entry path into the tool or the tool's exit path is only a quarter of a working step apart, the cross-beam can, under certain circumstances, come to rest in the tool area with its laterally protruding suction cups, which would impede the closing of the tools. This applies all the more, the wider the respective tool. In order to avoid a collision of the crossbeams with the tool during the closing process of the tools, in a further development of the invention the discharging crossbeams are in the return of the empty station in the direction of transport on the rails relative to these. The same applies to the crossbeams entering the workpieces when they exit the tool. Here the crossbeams are shifted relative to the direction of transport on the mounting rails. As a result, the distance between the crossbeams to one another is increased in the tool area or reduced in the intermediate storage area, which enables the tools to be closed. When the workpieces are moved into the tool or into the empty stations, this process is repeated in the opposite direction, so that when the workpieces are removed, the original distance, ie the same distance, exists between the crossbeams in order to be able to carry out the transport steps.

The movement of the crossbeams on the mounting rails can take place during the transport or return movement of the mounting rails themselves, i. H. a relative movement between the mounting rails and cross-members is generated. This is done using a programmable drive.

The above-mentioned relative displaceability between mounting rails and cross members can be omitted when machining smaller pressed parts or with smaller tools. The required displaceability is greatest when machining the maximum largest pressed part, since here the required free space for closing the tools is greatest.

When retrofitting the system with a tool change, the shift drive for the crossbeams is also brought to generate the relative movement, ie for moving the crossbeams on the mounting rails in the staking positions between the press stand and the closed tool. Here the slide drive is also used as a setup axis. In this position, the crossbeams are set out on the sliding tables on locking pins for tool change.

• Fig. 1 die ersten drei Arbeitsstufen einer Großteil-­Stufenpresse in einem Schnitt C-D aus Fig. 3 in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 2 einen Schnitt A-B in Fig. 3 in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 3 einen Schnitt E-F der Fig. 1 als Draufsicht,
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt I-K aus Fig. 6 in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 5 einen Schnitt G-H aus Fig. 6 in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt L-M aus Fig. 4 in Draufsicht,
• Fig. 7 einen Schnitt P-Q aus Fig. 4 bei der Bearbeitung von zwei Teilen
• Fig. 8 einen Schnitt N-O aus Fig. 1 bei der Bearbeitung von einem Teil,
• Fig. 9 eine Einzelheit "X" aus Fig. 1 und
• Fig. 10 eine Einzelheit "Y" aus Fig. 1 in Schräglage.

An advantageous and expedient embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description. Show it

• 1 shows the first three work stages of a large-part stage press in a section CD from FIG. 3 in side view,
• 2 shows a section AB in Fig. 3 in side view,
• 3 shows a section EF of FIG. 1 as a plan view,
• 4 shows a section IK from FIG. 6 in side view,
• 5 shows a section GH from FIG. 6 in side view,
• 6 shows a section LM from FIG. 4 in plan view,
• FIG. 7 shows a section PQ from FIG. 4 when machining two parts
• 8 shows a section NO from FIG. 1 during the machining of a part,
• Fig. 9 shows a detail "X" from Fig. 1 and
• Fig. 10 shows a detail "Y" from Fig. 1 in an inclined position.

Figures 1 to 6 each show the first three processing stages of a large-part stage press. The step press each has press tables 1 to 3, sliding tables 4 to 6 arranged above with lower tools 7 to 9 fastened thereon. In the upper part of the stage press there are the upper tools 10 to 12, the press rams 13 to 15 and the upper bars 16 to 18. These upper bars 16 to 18 are connected to the press tables 1 to 3 by the press stands 19 to 24, in which the press rams are also located 13 to 15 are performed.

The two support rails 25, 26, which are guided vertically and horizontally in the guides 27 to 32 and which are driven by the levers 33, 34 and push rods 35, 36 in the horizontal direction, pass through the large-part step press.

In a housing 37 there are curves for driving the horizontal and vertical movement of the transport device.

Crossbars 38 to 42 are mounted in guides 43, 44 so as to be horizontally displaceable on the mounting rails 25, 26 and are programmably driven by spindles 45, 46 and electric drives 47, 48.

For tool change, the crossbeams 38 to 42 can be uncoupled from the mounting rails 25, 26 by means of couplings 49, 50 and are pinned on the sliding tables 4 to 6 by means of locking bolts 51, 52.

Boards 53, 53a for manufacturing the workpieces are fed from conveyor belts 54 and from a board lifter 55 raised to the insertion height and inserted into the lower tools 7, 7a by suction spiders 56, 56a of a loading feeder 57.

Further transport through the various work and empty stages takes place by means of suction spiders 58, 58a on the cross members 38 to 42.

Positions 59 to 59i show the machined workpieces in various work or empty stages.

In the representations in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 4 as well as in FIGS. 3 and 6, the lower half, i. H. to the right of the direction of travel 60, the crossbeams 38 to 42 are shown in the removal position above the processing or empty stages. In this case, the distance between the crossbeams is the same and corresponds to half the step distance between two processing steps 1, 2 or between two empty steps, or the step distance between processing and empty step.

2 and 5 and in the upper half of FIGS. 3 and 6, i. H. to the left of the direction of travel 60, the crossbeams 38 to 42 are shown in the waiting position or parking position between the processing and empty stages, the crossbeams in FIGS two cross beams in the area of the tool level or work level is larger than in the area of the empty level.

The between storage stages 61, 61a and 62, 62a as storage for the workpieces in the empty stage have up to five degrees of freedom, which are indicated by the direction of arrows 63 to 67.

When working with two tools per working level, two intermediate storage levels are also provided for the parts storage, as shown in FIG. 7, as shown in the working position. When working with only one tool per work stage, an intermediate storage stage in the work position and a second one in the park position or rest position is shown in FIG. 8. The double tools per work step or tool step are shown in plan view in FIGS. 3 and 6.

For the automatic conversion of template carriers 68, 69, 69a with deposit templates 70, 71, 71a adapted to the workpiece contour, these are staked out on frames 72, 73 fastened to the sliding tables 5, 6 and pins 74, 74a, 75 and 75a by moving in the vertical direction and changed with the tool kit.

The dash-dotted line with arrows 76, 76a shows the travel curves of the crossbeams when transporting the workpieces from one tool level to the next tool level.

The dash-dotted line with arrows 77, 77a shows the travel curve of the crossbeams when returning from the tool level or empty level to the respective waiting position.

The dash-dotted line with arrows 78, 78a shows the travel curve of the crossbeams when entering the empty position or the tool position.

The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment shown and described. Rather, it also includes all professional developments and modifications without their own inventive content.

Claims (5)

1. Large-part step press with a plurality of tool stages arranged one behind the other, in which at least one, in particular two, horizontal and vertical movement executing support rails are provided, which lead through the tool space of the press and on which cross members equipped with suction pads or the like are fastened, characterized in that an intermediate storage stage (61, 62) with a device for storing and / or changing the position of the workpieces is provided between two adjacent tool stages (1 to 3). 2. Large-part step press according to claim 1, characterized in that the change in the position of the workpieces takes place in one to five degrees of freedom (63 to 67). 3. Large step press in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross members (38 to 42) on the support rails (25, 26) are arranged longitudinally displaceable relative to these in and against the transport direction (60), the positional displacement of the cross members in such a way takes place that they assume a rest position laterally arranged when the tool is closed. 4. Large-part step press according to claim 3, characterized in that the relative longitudinal displaceability of the cross members (38 to 42) relative to the support rails (25, 26) by means of a programmable drive (47, 48). 5. Large-part step press according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that for changing the tool, the sliding drive for moving the cross members (38 to 42) on the mounting rails (25, 26) in a setting position with setting pins (74, 75) between the press stand (19 , 24) and closed tool can be moved.

Images