EP2050523B1 - Machine assembly for sheet metal forming with a sheet metal forming unit and with a transport device - Google Patents

Abstract

The transport unit (2) includes workpiece carriers (8) on which the sheet metal workpieces (7) is laid. The workpiece is moved along a transport path running along first and second transport lines (X, Y). A transport track (3) is provided for each workpiece carrier, with guides parallel to each of the X and Y lines. Using a transfer device, the carrier is associated with either guide. The transport unit has a transporter for the carrier. During movement of the carrier along its path, it is loaded. After loading, the workpiece moves along the path with the carrier. Additionally or alternatively the carrier, by its movement along the path, is unloaded from the transporter. The track for the carrier is provided over the extent of at least one guide section on the transporter. A guide section of the transport track, which is provided on the transporter, is of identical construction with a part of the remaining track. The transport track for the workpiece carrier is formed in part by a guide for the transporter. The guide section on the transporter and the guide for the transporter are mutually offset in the vertical direction. The workpiece carrier is optionally assigned to the X or Y guide of the transport track during loading or unloading. The carrier and transporter have bearings, by means of which either or both is moved on the X or Y guides of the transport track. The workpiece carrier and/or the transporter have the X bearing associated with the X guidance and the Y bearing allocated with Y guidance. Further details of the arrangement are elaborated, in accordance with the foregoing principles. Salient feature include devices in the transfer unit, which are used to swing and lift between guidance of differing heights and orientations. Motorized- and chain drive systems are included. Pneumatic or hydraulic drives may be used.

Description

The invention relates to a machine arrangement for sheet metal processing with a sheet metal processing device and with a transport device for positioning of sheet metal workpieces relative to the sheet metal processing device, wherein the sheet metal workpieces along a first transport line X and an angle to the first transport line X arranged second transport line Y are horizontally movable by the Transport device has at least one workpiece carrier for supporting a sheet metal workpiece, wherein the workpiece carrier along a transport path is movable, which extends both along the first transport line X and along the second transport line Y and along which a transport path is provided for the workpiece carrier, both parallel to the Transport line X arranged guide (X-guide) and a parallel to the transport line Y arranged guide (Y-guide) has.

Transport devices for positioning sheet metal workpieces with respect to sheet metal processing devices with horizontal movement of the sheet metal workpieces along a first transport line X and a second transport line Y arranged at an angle to the first transport line X are used, for example, for the automated feeding and removal of sheet metal workpieces into or out of the working range of sheet metal processing equipment used. As sheet metal processing equipment in question are in particular laser cutting equipment for laser cutting of sheet metal panels or punching equipment for punching moldings from sheet metal panels.

The transport device leads the blank sheets to be processed starting from a loading position to the working area of the sheet processing device, positions the blank plates according to technical specifications in a processing position within the work area and performs in an unloading the products of sheet metal processing, namely finished parts and / or processing residues from the work area of the sheet metal processing device in an unloading position. The transport device promotes the horizontally mounted sheet metal workpieces substantially straight along a horizontal transport line. The mechanical arrangement for sheet metal processing in particular large blank sheets claimed as a result very much space, especially in arranged outside the work area loading and unloading position of the sheet metal workpieces.

In known machine arrangements with a space-saving transport concept, the sheet metal workpieces, resting on transport pallets, are fed along a transport line to the working area of a sheet metal processing device and removed after processing in the reverse direction along the same transport line. The loading position of the unprocessed sheet metal workpiece and the unloading position of the or the processing products are arranged in this case on one and the same side of the sheet processing device one above the other. A height-adjustable pallet changing device hereby alternately provides a receptacle for a pallet with the raw sheet to be processed (loading position) or for a pallet with the or the processing products (unloading position). The occupied in the changing direction transport path only allows a serial change of the pallets from or into the working area of the processing device. This requires a considerable changeover time, which is detrimental to the processing device as a large dead time fraction. Another problem is that in the logistic sequence unprocessed Rohbleche be run over by processing products, whereby contamination of the raw sheets can be done with adverse effect on the subsequent processing operation.

From the US 6,140,606 A a laser cutting assembly is known with a laser cutting head whose working area is accessible for loading and unloading in three different directions. Two of the access directions are oriented in a Y-axis. Another access direction runs in a 90 ° offset X-axis. The X-axis extends parallel to a portal which guides the laser cutting head. The transport of sheet metal workpieces into and out of the work area takes place in the Y-axis by means of a movable work table along this axis. It is also another, unspecified described external funding provided with which sheet metal workpieces along the X-axis to the working area of the laser cutting head or removed from the work area.

The corresponding document discloses the document EP 1 683 601 A1 , A loading unit in the form of a sheet feeding and clamping device conveys in this case sheets in a feed direction in the working range of a laser cutting head. A removal device, specified as a discharge fork, picks up the processing products and carries them out in a removal direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the loading unit.

A generic arrangement is described in US 2003/0179430 A1 , This document discloses a laser processing device and a cross table for storage and positioning of workpieces. In the usual way, the cross table comprises two superimposed units which are movably guided in mutually perpendicular axial directions.

The invention is based on the generic prior art, the object to provide a machine arrangement for sheet metal processing, which allows for low technical complexity improved workpiece logistics.

This object is achieved by a mechanical arrangement with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention according to claim 1 will become apparent from the dependent claims 2 to 20, the following description and the accompanying drawings.

According to claim 1, a transport device for positioning of sheet metal workpieces is provided relative to a sheet metal processing device having at least one workpiece carrier for supporting at least one sheet metal workpiece which is movable along a transport path which extends both along the first transport line X and along the second transport line Y.

At a portion of the known transport devices for transporting sheet metal workpieces along different transport lines different means of transport are required. The change of direction of the movement of the sheet metal workpieces is done by transferring the sheet metal workpieces themselves from one means of transport to another. This requires a very complex and large overall construction of the previously known mechanical arrangements. In addition, with the transfer of sheet metal workpieces from one means of transport to another, the risk of inaccuracies in the positioning of the sheet metal workpieces connected, which may adversely affect the workpiece machining and workpiece transport.

According to claim 1, the workpiece carrier supports the sheet metal workpieces during the entire flow of material along the angularly extending transport lines.

A superposition of the transport routes of unprocessed and processed sheet metal workpieces is excluded. In particular, an exact assignment of the sheet metal workpieces with respect to the sheet metal processing device is guaranteed. Technical expenses for an additional repositioning of the sheet metal workpieces themselves and the associated with the transfer of workpieces from one means of transport to another risk of interference are avoided.

For the workpiece carrier along its transport path a transport path is provided, which has both at least two parallel to the transport line X arranged guides (X-guides) and at least two parallel to the transport line Y arranged guides (Y-guides), wherein the workpiece carrier by means of transfer between the X-guides and the Y-guides is movable. The guided in this way workpiece carrier has consistently - even with mutually angularly extending transport lines - a spatially exactly defined position. Thus, the spatial arrangement of defined on the workpiece carrier stored sheet metal workpieces at each point of the transport path is clearly defined and reproducible. The hereby achieved high positioning accuracy of the sheet metal workpieces at each point of their transport path allows a functionally reliable integration of other facilities, such as additional sheet metal processing equipment and handling components in the workpiece logistics. The same is claimed in claim 20 and explained in more detail below.

The at least two X-guides and the at least two Y-guides are arranged in such a way and by means of the transfer means coupled together such that the workpiece carrier is circumferentially movable along the X and Y guides.

By this arrangement according to the invention a closed transport path is formed, along which one or more workpiece carriers move in a circuit and can be positioned at different stations.

The workpiece carriers can pass staggered through different process stations, which are arranged along the transport lines X, Y and are thereby returned by a short path again. For example, in the cycle, starting from a work station at which a sheet located on the workpiece carrier is processed, an unloading station, at which the or the processing products are removed from the workpiece carrier and a loading station, on which the workpiece carrier is again filled with raw sheet, follow each other before the loaded workpiece carrier is retracted along the circulating transport path into the workstation again. If several workpiece carriers are used serially, after a workpiece carrier has left a station, it can immediately be occupied by a subsequent workpiece carrier. The sequence can be realized without significant dead times. This results in an acceleration of the material flow, which in turn requires a high degree of utilization of the processing device of the mechanical arrangement. By extending or branching off the guides, further sheet metal processing devices, such as laser marking devices, but also further handling components, such as sorting devices, labeling devices or maintenance and control devices for the workpiece carrier, in particular for its inspection and cleaning, can be connected in a variable arrangement to the circulating transport path , A modular design of the overall arrangement allows flexible adaptation to user-specific installation conditions and individual process sequences.

The material flow according to the invention offers the possibility of providing space-saving solutions for mechanical sheet metal processing with little technical effort.

If a plurality of workpiece carriers are provided along the transport path, operations such as the processing of sheet metal workpieces in the work area of the sheet processing device and the loading and unloading of sheet metal workpieces can be parallelized by handling components outside the work area. Thus, downtime of the sheet metal processing device can be reduced as well as the total duration of loading and unloading. According to claim 2, the transport device of the arrangement according to the invention in a further development of the invention, a transporter for the workpiece carrier, which can be loaded while moving the workpiece carrier along the transport path with the workpiece carrier and after loading together with the

Workpiece carrier along the transport path is movable. Additionally or alternatively, the workpiece carrier can be unloaded along its transport path of the transporter. This invention allows a simple way and with very little effort a flexible design of the transport path of the loaded with sheet metal workpiece carrier. Here, too, a material flow is ensured while maintaining a high accuracy in workpiece positioning. The direction of movement of a workpiece carrier can be changed without the sheet metal workpiece mounted on the workpiece carrier having to be converted. In particular, it is possible to move the workpiece carrier during loading of the transporter in the direction of one of the two transport lines and the loaded with the workpiece carrier transporter in the direction of the other transport line. In this case, the transporter represents the link between the first and the second transport line, thereby ensuring a material flow with high guidance accuracy.

If the transport path of the workpiece carrier is provided in the circumference of at least one guide section on the transporter (claim 3), the transporter can be loaded and unloaded without interrupting a uniform movement of the workpiece carrier. Of course, in this case it must be ensured that the guide section of the transport path provided on the transporter is positioned appropriately in relation to the remaining transport path.

A particularly accurately guided and uniform loading and / or unloading movement of the workpiece carrier is made possible if according to claim 4 provided on the transporter guide portion of the transport path for the workpiece carrier is identical to a subsequent to this guide portion guide portion of the remaining transport path.

According to the invention, it is conceivable that a guide for the transporter forms part of the guideway for the workpiece carrier.

Evidently claim 6 are provided in a further embodiment of the invention for the workpiece carrier provided on the transporter guide portion and the guide for the van in the vertical direction against each other. For example, the guide section for the workpiece carrier can be arranged at the level of a work plane defined in the working area of a sheet metal processing device, while the guide for the transporter is at the level of the installation surface of the sheet metal processing device. With appropriate configuration, the van can run over objects arranged close to the ground. This makes it possible, for example, to store raw sheet stacks in a space-saving manner along the X-guide or the Y-guide. This logistical advantages are in so far as the result for the sheets of raw sheet stack very short loading and unloading paths. If the transporter stores the workpiece carrier to be transported on an impermeable surface, contamination from the workpiece carrier on the objects traversed by the transporter is prevented from falling off.

In the case of Erfindungsbauart according to claim 7, the workpiece carrier can optionally assign an X-guide or a Y-guide the transport path by the transporter with the workpiece carrier can be loaded or unloaded from the workpiece carrier.

Appropriately, according to claim 8, the workpiece carrier and / or the transporter bearing means by means of which the workpiece carrier and / or the transporter on an X-guide or on a Y-guide of the transport path is (are) movable. In this case, rollers are preferably used as the bearing means (claim 10). Rollers ensure a particularly low-friction and smooth movement of workpiece carriers and transporters. This minimizes the forces required to move the workpiece carrier and the transporter along the transport path.

In the interest of uncomplicated and functionally reliable movement of the workpiece carrier or the transporter in different directions, the workpiece carrier and / or the transporter according to claim 9 X-bearing associated X-bearing means and a Y-guide associated Y-bearing means. In this case, the bearing means are arranged and aligned such that in the process along the X-guide or the Y-guide exclusively provided for the respective direction of movement bearing means are effective.

Preferably, according to claim 11, the X and Y guides each comprise a rail or a pair of rails. A rail or preferably a pair of rails with rails arranged parallel to one another ensures exact guidance of workpiece carriers and at the same time can absorb large loads when guiding workpiece carriers.

Forming according to claim 12 rolls a row of rollers in the transport direction, so transitions between the X-guides and the Y-guides can be easily run over.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention according to claim 13, the transfer means comprise a lifting device by means of which an X-guide and a Y-guide are height-adjustable relative to one another. As a result of the lifting movement of a second guide relative to that guide which supports a workpiece carrier, the workpiece carrier can be lifted from the guide supporting it and taken over by the second guide. At the second guide, the workpiece carrier can then move along the transport line predetermined by the second guide.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the transfer means according to claim 14 comprise a pivoting device, by means of which an X-guide and a Y-guide are pivotable relative to each other. Analogous to the above lifting device, in this case, a second guide is pivoted relative to that guide on which a workpiece carrier is initially guided, and thereby the workpiece carrier is separated from the guide supporting it and taken over by the second guide. Along the second guide, which specifies a second transport line, the workpiece carrier can then be moved further. Advantageously, the pivot drive can be outside the working range of the sheet metal processing device and thus protected from harmful influences due to sheet metal processing processes order.

In a preferred development of the invention according to claim 15, the X-guide and the Y-guide are arranged at different heights, wherein by means of the transfer means provided as lifting means guide segments of the X-guide or guide segments of the Y-guide are height adjustable. Due to the segmentation, the loads to be lifted and consequently the lifting forces to be exerted by the lifting device are reduced, which has a favorable effect on the construction of the lifting device.

Alternatively, guide segments of the X-guide or guide segments of the Y-guide can be pivoted by means of the pivoting device, which reduces the required pivoting forces relative to the pivoting of the complete X-guide or Y-guide (claim 16).

Appropriately, according to claim 17, a drive for the workpiece carrier is provided, each having a X-guide, and / or a Y-guide associated drive means, preferably in each case a chain drive. The individual drives allow a selective conveying operation along the various guides or guide sections. The promotion realized by means of chain drive a particularly high reliability in the transport of workpiece carriers.

According to claim 18, the transporter on a motor drive, which makes it possible to control the movement of the transporter along the associated portion of the transport path and to match exactly to the positioning requirements.

In the interest of a precisely controllable drive of one or the transfer means are selectively actuated, preferably electric, pneumatic or hydraulic drives provided (claim 19).

Figur

1 eine Draufsicht auf eine maschinelle Anordnung ers- ter Bauart mit einer Laserschneideinrichtung und ei- ner Transportvorrichtung mit einer umlaufenden Transportbahn, einem Transfermittel in einer ersten Ausführung und zwei verfahrbaren Transportpaletten in einer ersten Stationierung,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht A der Transportvorrichtung mit Transfermittel nach Figur 1,

Figur 3

eine Draufsicht auf die maschinelle Anordnung nach Figur 1 mit den Transportpaletten in einer zweiten Stationierung,

Figur 4

eine Seitenansicht B der Transportvorrichtung mit Transfermittel nach Figur 3,

Figur 5

eine Draufsicht auf eine maschinelle Anordnung zwei- ter Bauart mit einer Laserschneideinrichtung und ei- ner Transportvorrichtung mit einer umlaufenden Transportbahn, einem Transfermittel in einer zweiten Ausführung und zwei verfahrbaren Transportpaletten in einer ersten Stationierung,

Figur 6

eine Seitenansicht A der Transportvorrichtung nach Figur 5 mit dem Transfermittel in einem ersten Funk- tionszustand,

Figur 7

eine Seitenansicht A der Transportvorrichtung nach Figur 5 mit dem Transfermittel in einem zweiten Funktionszustand,

Figur 8

eine Draufsicht auf die maschinelle Anordnung nach Figur 5 mit den Transportpaletten in einer zweiten Stationierung und

Figur 9

eine.Draufsicht auf eine Transportvorrichtung einer maschinellen Anordnung dritter Bauart mit einem Transporter in Form eines Transportwagens.

The machine arrangement according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to three exemplary embodiments. The accompanying drawings show in schematic representation in

figure

1 shows a plan view of a first arrangement of a machine with a laser cutting device and a transport device with a circulating transport path, a transfer device in a first embodiment and two movable transport pallets in a first stationing,

FIG. 2

a side view A of the transport device with transfer means FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3

a plan view of the machine arrangement according to FIG. 1 with the transport pallets in a second deployment,

FIG. 4

a side view B of the transport device with transfer means FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5

2 is a plan view of a second-stage machine arrangement with a laser cutting device and a transport device with a circulating transport path, a transfer device in a second embodiment and two movable transport pallets in a first stationing,

FIG. 6

a side view A of the transport device according to FIG. 5 with the transfer means in a first functional state,

FIG. 7

a side view A of the transport device according to FIG. 5 with the transfer agent in a second functional state,

FIG. 8

a plan view of the machine arrangement according to FIG. 5 with the transport pallets in a second deployment and

FIG. 9

a.Dehransicht of a transport device of a third-party machine arrangement with a van in the form of a trolley.

FIG. 1 shows a machine arrangement with a sheet metal processing device in the form of a laser cutting machine 1 and with a transport device 2 for feeding the laser cutting machine 1, wherein the transport device 2 includes a rail guided circulating transport path 3. Of the laser cutting machine 1 only schematically illustrated, a machine frame 4 with a rectangular plan view can be seen, which in each case has an opening 5 for the passage of the transport path 3 on two sides. Within the machine frame 4, a work area 6 of the laser cutting machine 1 is formed, in which one or more laser cutting heads, not shown are arranged to be movable for laser cutting as a sheet metal plate 7 'present sheet metal workpiece.

A first and a second workpiece carrier, which are designed as rectangular transport pallets 8 ', 8 "with a flat workpiece support, can be moved along the transport path 3 defining the transport path 3. The metal sheet 7' to be processed is arranged on the transport pallet 8 ' 8 "stores a likewise to be processed sheet metal plate 7." The transport pallets 8 ', 8 "with the metal sheets 7', 7" are only hinted at by a rectangle.

The transport path 3 consists of four rectilinear pairs of rails 9 ', 9 ", 10', 10", which adjoin each other rectangular. The pairs of rails 9 ', 9 "run parallel to transport lines X and accordingly form two X-guides The pairs of rails 10', 10" extend as Y-guides in each case parallel to a transport line Y. The transport lines X run parallel to one in the present exemplary embodiment Longitudinal axis of the laser cutting machine 1. The transport lines Y extend parallel to a transverse axis of the laser cutting machine. 1

The transport lines X and the transport lines Y enclose an angle of 90 ° with each other. The same applies to the rail pairs 9 ', 9 "of the X-guides and the rail pairs 10', 10" of the Y-guides. The pairs of rails 9 ', 9 "of the X-guides on the one hand and the pairs of rails 10', 10" of the Y-guides on the other hand have a different height level, the rail pairs 9 ', 9 "slightly lower than the pairs of rails 10', 10" are arranged.

In the area of the transition from a pair of rails 9 ', 9 "to a pair of rails 10', 10", one transfer means is provided in each case. Thus, the transfer of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 " between the pairs of rails 9 ', 9 "and the pairs of rails 10', 10", so that the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "can pass over the crossing region of the rail pairs 9', 9", 10 ', 10 " 11, 12, 13, 14. Each of the lifting devices 11, 12, 13, 14 comprises four height-adjustable rail segments 15'-15 "", 16 "-16"",17" -17 "" and 18 "-18"". which are integrated in the rail pairs 10 ', 10 ".

The operation of the lifting devices 11, 14 results from FIG. 2 ,

The lifting devices 11 and 14 - indicated only by directional arrows - raise and lower the rail segments 15 'to 15 "" or the rail segments 18' to 18 "". The rail pairs 9 ', 9 "of the X-guides are perpendicular to the plane of the drawing FIG. 2 recognizable crossing regions of the rail pairs 9 'and 10' or the rail pairs 9 "and 10 'are the two transport pallets 8', 8". Each of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "has both roller pairs (X rollers 19) associated with the X guides and roller pairs (Y rollers 20) associated with the Y guides, so that the transport pallets 8', 8" on the one hand on the pairs of rails 9 ', 9 "of the X-guides and on the other hand on the pairs of rails 10', 10" of the Y-guides can roll.

For transverse travel of the transport pallet 8 "along the rail pair 10 'of in FIG. 2 shown Y-guide in a transport direction 21, the four rail segments 18 'to 18 "" simultaneously lifted by the lifting device 14 to the height level of the rail pair 10'. As a result, the X-rollers 19 of the transport pallet 8 "are lifted out of the rails of the rail pair 9" of the X-guide, so that only the Y-rollers 20 are mounted on the rail pair 10 'of the Y-guide. In the transverse travel of the transport pallet 8 "on the higher rail pair 10 'of the Y-guide are by means of the pairs of rollers 20 run over the lower rails of the rail pairs 9 ', 9 "of the X-guide.

For longitudinal travel of the transport pallet 8 'along the rail pair 9' (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2 ), the four rail segments 15 'to 15 "" lowered by the lifting device 11. As a result, the X-rollers 19 of the transport pallet 8 'come into contact with the rail pair 9', at the same time the Y-rollers 20 from the rail segments 15 'to 15 "" free. During the longitudinal travel of the transport pallet 8 'on the rail pair 9' of the X-guide, the lowered rail segments 15 'to 15 "allow the rail pair 10' to be passed without collision from the transport pallet 8 '.

In the manner described, in the interplay of the lifting devices 11, 12, 13, 14, the two transport pallets 8 ', 8 "in a clockwise cycle (indicated by the arrows 21 in FIG FIG. 1 ) along the circulating transport path 3. Likewise, the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "along a in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 3 suggestively illustrated branch 22 of the rail pair 9 'of the X-guide in the direction of arrow 23 out of the cycle, or it can - in the reverse direction - another, not shown transport pallet are integrated into the circuit. Of course, the cycle of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "may also be directed counterclockwise.

The drive of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "takes place by means not shown in detail chain drives, wherein driving elements motor-driven conveyor chains in driver of the transport pallets 8', 8" intervene. Dabei.ist each track pair 9 ', 9 "and each pair of rails 10', 10" each own chain drive associated with a conveyor chain.

In each crossing region of the X and Y guides a process station 24 is provided, on which the transport pallets One of the crossing areas is located in the working area 6 of the laser cutting machine 1, where a cutting station 25 for laser cutting of the metal sheets is formed the automatic unloading of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 ", for the automatic loading of the transport pallets 8', 8" with blank panels 7 ', 7 "and for a temporary parking of the transport pallets 8', 8" are determined.

For example, previously cut sheet metal parts can be selectively unloaded at an unloading station 26 by means of an external sorting device which is not shown, whereby a residual grid of the processed metal sheet 7 ', 7 "remains on the relevant workpiece carrier. not shown) are stationed, which initially automatically labeled the cut sheet metal parts before they are removed from the skeleton.

• In Figur 1 befindet sich die Transportpalette 8' in der Schneidstation 25. Die Blechtafel 7' wird bearbeitet. Die zweite Transportpalette 8" ist an der als Beladestation 28 genützten Prozessstation angeordnet, und wird zeitgleich mit der schneidenden Bearbeitung der Blechtafel 7' mit einer Blechtafel 7" beladen. Das Beladen der Transportpalette 8" kann beispielsweise mittels eines Saugerrahmens einer nicht gezeigten automatischen Beladeeinrichtung erfolgen.

The functional sequence of the mechanical arrangement according to the FIGS. 1 to 4 Is as follows:

• In FIG. 1 is the transport pallet 8 'in the cutting station 25. The metal sheet 7' is processed. The second transport pallet 8 "is arranged at the process station used as loading station 28, and is simultaneously loaded with a metal sheet 7" with the cutting processing of the metal sheet 7 '. The loading of the transport pallet 8 "can be done for example by means of a suction frame of an automatic loading device, not shown.

After processing the metal sheet 7 'in the cutting station 25, the transport pallet 8' is moved with a longitudinal travel in the direction of arrow 21 in the unloading station 26. To do this First, the four rail segments 15 'to 15 "" lowered by the lifting device 11 together with the transport pallet 8', so that the X-rollers 19 of the transport pallet 8 'come to lie on the rail pair 9' of the X-guide and the Y-rollers 20 of the pair of rails 10 'free ( FIG. 2 ). At the same time or immediately following, the rail segments 16 'to 16 "" at the unloading station 26 are also lowered by the lifting device 12. To promote the transport pallet 8 'with longitudinal travel grab driving elements of the rail pair 9' operated conveyor chain in driver on the transport pallet 8 'a.

As soon as the transport pallet 8 'has left the cutting station 25, the rail segments 15' to 15 "" are raised again to the height level of the rail pair 10 'of the Y guide, so that the transport pallet 8 "" with raised rail segments 18' to 18 "" out the loading station 28 can travel with a transverse travel along the Y-guide into the cutting station 25. In this case, the Y-rollers 20 of the transport pallet 8 "move over a respective rail of the rail pairs 9" and 9. "The transport pallet 8" is driven over Driving elements of along the pair of rails 10 'operated conveyor chain, which engage in driver of the transport pallet 8 ".

All in all, the conditions according to FIG. 3 , The transport pallet 8 'is located at the unloading station 26, while the transport pallet 8 "is stationed with the metal sheet 7" at the cutting station 25 in the working area 6 of the laser cutting machine 1.

At the unloading station 26, the previously cut prefabricated parts are automatically removed from the skeleton grid of the metal sheet 7 'and under certain circumstances also labeled automatically.

For the transverse movement of the transport pallet 8 'along the rail pair 10 "of the Y-guide into the process station 24 used as a further unloading station 27, the rail segments 16', 16" are first of all "and the transport pallet 8 'raised to the height level of the pair of rails 10" of the Y-guide, so that the X-rollers 19 of the transport pallet 8' of the rail pair 9 'of the X-guide are free and the transport pallet 8' along the rail pair 10th "can ( FIG. 4 ). In this case, the transport pallet 8 'rolls over one rail of the pairs of rails 9', 9 "with the Y-rollers 20. Before reaching the unloading station 27, the rail segments 17 'to 17""are raised by the associated lifting device 13 (cf. FIG. 4 ). To promote the transport pallet 8 'engage carrier elements along the pair of rails 10 "operated conveyor chain in driver on the transport pallet 8' a.

If the transport pallet 8 'has left the unloading station 26, the rail elements 16' to 16 "" are lowered again. This permits a longitudinal travel of the transport pallet 8 "which now follows into the unloading station 26. From the transport pallet 8 'which has arrived at the unloading station 27 in the meantime, the residual grid of the metal sheet 7' is removed by means of a removal rake of an automated unloading device.

With a subsequent longitudinal travel along the pair of rails 9 ", the transport pallet 8 'at lowered rail segments 17' to 17" "and 18 'to 18" "to the loading station 28, where the transport pallet 8' is loaded again with a raw sheet metal.

The immediate vicinity of the unloading station 27 and the loading station 28 along the transport path 3 allows a direct and space-saving connection of the illustrated machine arrangement to a workpiece storage. The efficiency of Overall arrangement and in particular the degree of utilization of the laser cutting machine 1 increases further when the four process stations 24 along the transport path 3 of a further, not shown transport pallet are passed through serially.

The transport device 2 of the machine arrangement according to FIGS. 5 to 8 comprises a along a transport path encircling transport path 3 for transport pallets 8 ', 8 "analogous to FIGS. 1 to 4 , Like reference numerals denote like parts.

The embodiment according to the FIGS. 5 to 8 differs from the above-described embodiment in the embodiment of the transfer means. Instead of the four lifting devices 11, 12, 13, 14, two pivoting devices 29, 30 are provided as transfer means, by means of which a complete pair of rails 10 'and 10 "of the Y-guides can be pivoted, with one pivoting device 29, 30 each the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "at two intersection regions of the rail pairs 9', 9", 10 ', 10 "are realized.

The FIGS. 6 and 7 , each showing a side view of a rail of the pair of rails 10 ', illustrate the operation of the pivoting devices 29, 30. The pairs of rails 9', 9 "are also perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

The pivoting device 29 pivots the pair of rails 10 'about a pivot axis 31 with a pivot angle α slightly below a horizontal level 32 of the fixed rail pairs 9', 9 "(FIG. FIG. 6 ) and with a pivoting angle β slightly above the horizontal level 32 of the fixed rail pairs 9 ', 9 "(FIG. FIG. 7 ). With the pivoting of the rail pair 10 'at the same time on the rail pair 10' located transport pallets 8 ', 8 "with respect to the rail pairs 9', 9" The pivot axis 31 and also the drives of the pivoting devices 29, 30 are protected outside the process stations 24, in particular outside the working area 6 of FIG Cutting station 25 of the laser cutting machine. 1

• In Figur 6 befinden sich die Transportpaletten 8', 8" entsprechend ihrer Anordnung nach Figur 5 in den Kreuzungsbereichen der Schienenpaare 9', 9" mit dem Schienenpaar 10', wobei beide Transportpaletten 8', 8" mit ihren X-Rollen 19 jeweils auf den Schienenpaaren 9', 9" lagern. Die Schwenkeinrichtung 29 hat das Schienenpaar 10' mit einem Schwenkwinkel α von ca. 5 ° unter das Höhenniveau 32 der feststehenden Schienenpaare 9', 9" abgesenkt. Bei dieser Stellung des Schienenpaares 10' kann zunächst kollisionsfrei die Längsfahrt der Transportpalette 8' entlang des Schienenpaares 9' erfolgen.

The functional sequence of the arrangement according to the FIGS. 5 to 8 Is as follows:

• In FIG. 6 are the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "according to their arrangement FIG. 5 in the intersection regions of the pairs of rails 9 ', 9 "with the pair of rails 10', both transport pallets 8 ', 8" with their X-rollers 19 being respectively supported on the pairs of rails 9', 9 "The pivoting device 29 has the pair of rails 10 ' 5 ° below the height level 32 of the stationary rail pairs 9 ', 9 "lowered. In this position of the rail pair 10 ', the longitudinal travel of the transport pallet 8' along the rail pair 9 'can first take place without collision.

As soon as the transport pallet 8 'has moved out of the crossing region, the pair of rails 10' is swiveled by means of the pivoting device 29 with a swivel angle β over the height level 32 of the fixed rail pairs 9 ', 9 "(cf. FIG. 7 ). The pivoting angle β of approximately 5 ° is sufficient for the X-rollers 19 of the transport pallet 8 "to be lifted out of the rails of the rail pair 9", so that the transport pallet 8 "with a transverse travel along the rail pair 10 'without collision over the rail pairs 9'. 9 "can proceed.

In the manner described, a transport pallet 8 'located in the cutting station 25 can first be moved longitudinally to the subsequent unloading station 26, the pair of rails 10 "also being moved to a position below the rail pairs 9', 9" by means of the second pivoting device 30. is lowered (tilt angle α). The transverse movement of the transport pallet 8 "from the loading station 28 into the cutting station 25 takes place along the rail pair 10 'which has meanwhile been raised again at a swivel angle β via the horizontal height level 32 of the rail pairs 9', 9" (cf. FIG. 7 ).

FIG. 8 shows the transport device 2 after FIG. 5 with advanced stationing of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 ".The transport pallet 8' is located in the unloading station 26, while now the transport pallet 8" is stationed at the cutting station 25 in the working area 6 of the laser cutting machine 1.

The serial continuation of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "in the unloading station 27 and subsequently in the loading station 28 is analogous to the above procedures using the pivoting devices 29, 30, by means of which the rail pairs 10', 10" are alternately raised and lowered.

The embodiment according to FIG. 9 relates to a transport device 2 of the laser cutting machine 1, which combines a transport path 3 running along a transport path analogous to the preceding embodiment with a transport designed as a transport vehicle 35 transporter. Of the laser cutting machine 1, only the working area 6 at the cutting station 25 is indicated by dashed lines in this illustration. Like reference numerals also designate like parts.

The transport track 3 comprises in the usual way two X-guides and two Y-guides for the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "not shown in detail A part 33 of the X-guides is formed by pairs of rails 9', 9". As a further part of the X-guides is provided on the trolley 35 guide portion 40, which is designed as a pair of rails 41. The pair of rails 41 is at the top of a Table 38 of the trolley 35 mounted. It is identical with the rail pairs 9 ', 9 ".

As Y-guides the transport path 3 according to FIG. 9 the pair of rails 10 'and a pair of rails 36 are provided. The pair of rails 10 'can be pivoted to transfer the transport pallets 8', 8 "in the manner described above relative to the rail pairs 9 ', 9". While the rail pair 41 at the top of the trolley 35 is arranged at the same height as the rail pairs 9 ', 9 ", the rail pair 36 is mounted at a lower level, preferably directly on the footprint of the laser cutting machine 1. The trolley rests with foot parts 39 35 serve as bearing means on the foot parts 39 of the trolley 35. In this way, the rail pair 36 serves as a guide for the trolley 35 along one of the Y-transport lines of the transport pallets 8 ', 8 ".

Does the dolly 35 the in FIG. 9 shown position, so the pair of rails 41 aligned on the table 38 of the trolley 35 with the pair of rails 9 'at the cutting station 25 of the laser cutting machine 1. As a result, a transport pallet 8' and 8 "by longitudinal travel along the in FIG. 9 upper X-guide of the cutting station 25 to the trolley 35 are passed. Correspondingly, it would be possible to transfer a transport pallet 8 'or 8 "arranged on the transport carriage 35 to the cutting station 25. For moving the transport pallet 8', 8", a chain drive arranged along the upper X guide is used, by means of which the transport carriage 35 with the relevant transport pallet 8 ', 8 "can be loaded or by means of which the transport pallet 8', 8" from the transport carriage 35 can be discharged.

The trolley 35 can be driven by a motor along the in FIG. 9 be moved right Y-leadership. The relevant movement can be carried out as empty travel; Alternatively, the trolley 35 with a transport pallet 8 ', 8 "loaded and carry them piggyback.

At the bottom of the table 38 there is a resulting between the foot parts 39 empty space for logistical purposes, for example, for the storage of a raw sheet stack 42 available. If der.Rohblechstapel 42 disposed in the region of the unloading station 27, it is always freely accessible for supply and removal components when the trolley 35 in the position according to FIG. 9 (Unloading station 26) is located. During the movement of the trolley 35 into the unloading station 27, the raw sheet stack 42 is passed over by the trolley 35 without collision. After the table 38 of the trolley 35 forms an impermeable table surface, it is excluded that 35 located on the top of the trolley dirt, such as slag or other cutting waste, when passing over the raw sheet stack 42 get to this.

• Auch die Transportvorrichtung 2 gemäß Figur 1 realisiert einen umlaufenden Betrieb der Transportpaletten 8', 8" . Befindet sich eine Transportpalette 8' an der Schneidstation 25 der Laserschneidmaschine 1, so wird nach Abschluss der Werkstückbearbeitung das Schienenpaar 10' mittels der Schwenkeinrichtung 29 abgesenkt. Infolgedessen kann die Transportpalette 8' mit dem geschnittenen Blech 7' längs des Schienenpaares 9' verfahren und dabei das Schienenpaar 10' kollisionsfrei passieren. Bei ihrer Ausfahrt aus dem Arbeitsbereich 6 der Schneidstation 25 wird die Transportpalette 8' mittels des betreffenden Kettentriebes auf den Führungsabschnitt 40 des sich gemäß Figur 9 an der Entladestation 26 befindenden Transportwagens 35 aufgeschoben.

In detail, the functional sequence of the mechanical arrangement is according to FIG. 9 as follows:

• Also, the transport device 2 according to FIG. 1 If a transport pallet 8 'is located at the cutting station 25 of the laser cutting machine 1, the pair of rails 10' is lowered by means of the pivoting device 29 after completion of the workpiece machining cut sheet 7 'along the pair of rails 9' and thereby pass the pair of rails 10 'collision-free .On their exit from the work area 6 of the cutting station 25, the transport pallet 8' by means of the relevant chain drive on the guide portion 40 of the according FIG. 9 pushed on the unloading station 26 transport carriage 35 postponed.

Subsequently, at the unloading station 26 in the manner described above, the cut finished parts are removed from the skeletal grid of the metal sheet 7 '. With a cross travel of the transport vehicle 35 then spends the transport pallet 8 'mounted thereon with the skeleton of the metal sheet 7' to the unloading station 27. In this transverse movement, the transport vehicle 35 moves along the rail pair 36. At the unloading station 27, the transport carriage 35 with the transport pallet 8 'and the skeletal grid of the metal sheet 7' immediately above the raw sheet stack 42. It will now in the manner described above, the skeleton of the metal sheet 7 'from the transport pallet 8' removed.

If the transport carriage 35 is located at the unloading station 27, the rail pair 41 is aligned with the pair of rails 9 "on its upper side. As a result, the transport pallet 8 'can be unloaded by the transporting carriage 35 with the aid of the relevant chain drive and pulled into the loading station 28 The pair of rails 10 'is lowered with the help of the pivoting device 29.

If the transport pallet 8 'has left the transport carriage 35, it is returned to the unloading station 26 with an empty run, in order to be able to pick up a transport pallet 8 "following from the cutting station 25. The transport pallet 8' is meanwhile transported to the loading station 28 with raw sheet metal This raw sheet is fed to the transport pallet 8 'from the sheet stack 42, which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the loading station 28.

The loaded with the raw sheet transport pallet 8 'finally moves with a transverse drive from the loading station 28 in the cutting station 25. The pair of rails 10' is by means of the pivoting device 29 relative to the rail pairs 9 ', 9 "raised.

In the manner described, the transport pallets 8 ', 8 "move circumferentially through the individual process stations 24.

All the described embodiments relate to arrangements with four process stations 24 and with two circulating transport pallets 8 ', 8 ", but the invention is not limited to this, but other numbers and combinations of process stations 24 are conceivable. Also the number of circulating transport pallets is individual selectable and limited only by the number of assignable process stations 24.

The transport lines X, Y have in the case of the described embodiments, a rectilinear and mutually perpendicular course. However, the invention also includes the possibility of moving transport pallets 8 ', 8 "along curved transport lines X, Y and / or arranging the transport lines X, Y at an angle deviating from one another at a right angle.

Claims (20)

1. Mechanical arrangement for processing sheet metal, having a sheet metal processing device (1) and a transport device (2) for positioning sheet metal workpieces (7', 7") relative to the sheet metal processing device (1), with the sheet metal workpieces (7', 7") being movable horizontally along a first transport line (X) and a second transport line (Y) which is arranged at an angle relative to the first transport line (X), in that the transport device (2) has at least one workpiece carrier (8', 8") for supporting a sheet metal workpiece (7', 7"), with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") being movable along a transport path which extends both along the first transport line (X) and along the second transport line (Y) and along which there is provided for the workpiece carrier (8', 8") a transport course (3) which has both a guide (X guide) which is arranged parallel with the transport line (X) and a guide (Y guide) which is arranged parallel with the transport line (Y), characterised in that at least one additional X guide and at least one additional Y guide are provided and in that the at least two X guides and at least two Y guides consequently provided are arranged and connected to each other by means of transfer means in such a manner that the workpiece carrier (8', 8") can be moved so as to circulate along the X guides and the Y guides, with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") optionally being able to be associated with the X guides or the Y guides by means of the transfer means.
2. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the transport device (2) has a transporter (35) for the workpiece carrier (8', 8"), with the transporter (35) being able to be loaded with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") whilst the workpiece carrier (8', 8") moves along its transport path, and being movable along its transport path together with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") after the loading operation and/or with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") being able to be unloaded from the transporter (35) which is loaded with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") whilst the workpiece carrier (8', 8") moves along its transport path.
3. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the transport course (3) for the workpiece carrier (8', 8") is provided with at least one guide portion (40) on the transporter (35).
4. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a guide portion (40) of the transport course (3) provided on the transporter (35) is structurally identical to a portion (33) of the remainder of the transport course (3).
5. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the transport course (3) for the workpiece carrier (8', 8") is partially formed by a guide (36) for the transporter (35).
6. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 3 or claim 4 and according to claim 5, characterised in that the guide portion (40) on the transporter (35) and the guide (36) for the transporter (35) are displaced relative to each other in a vertical direction.
7. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the workpiece carrier (8', 8") can optionally be associated with an X guide or a Y guide of the transport course (3) in that the transporter (35) can be loaded with the workpiece carrier (8', 8") or can have the workpiece carrier (8', 8") unloaded.
8. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the workpiece carrier (8', 8") and/or the transporter (35) has/have bearing means, by means of which the workpiece carrier (8', 8") and/or the transporter (35) can be moved on an X guide or a Y guide of the transport course (3).
9. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 8, characterised in that the workpiece carrier (8', 8") and/or the transporter (34) has/have X bearing means (19) which are associated with an X guide and Y bearing means (20) which are associated with a Y guide.
10. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterised in that rollers are provided as bearing means.
11. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each of the X guides and the Y guides comprises a rail or a rail pair (9', 9", 10', 10" , 36, 41).
12. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that rollers for supporting the workpiece carrier (8', 8") and/or the transporter (35) on the X guides or the Y guides form a roller pair which is arranged in a row in the transport direction (21).
13. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transfer means comprise a lifting device (11, 12, 13, 14), by means of which an X guide and a Y guide can be vertically adjusted relative to each other.
14. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transfer means comprise a pivot device (29, 30), by means of which an X guide and a Y guide can be pivoted relative to each other.
15. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 13, characterised in that the X guide and the Y guide are arranged at different heights and in that guide segments of the X guide or guide segments (15' to 15"", 16' to 16"", 17' to 17"", 18' to 18"") of the Y guide are vertically adjustable by means of the lifting device (11, 12, 13, 14) which is provided as the transfer means.
16. Mechanical arrangement according to claim 14, characterised in that guide segments of the X guide or guide segments of the Y guide can be pivoted by means of the pivot device (29, 30) which is provided as the transfer means.
17. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that there is provided for the workpiece carrier (8', 8") a drive which has a drive means, preferably a chain drive, which is associated with an X guide and/or a Y guide.
18. Mechanical arrangement at least according to claim 2, characterised in that the transporter (35) has a motorised drive.
19. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a or the transfer means can be driven selectively and preferably electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically.
20. Mechanical arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a plurality of sheet metal processing devices (1) and/or handling components are arranged along the transport lines (X, Y).

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