EP2524742A2 - Multi-stage press plant - Google Patents

Abstract

The clocked press plant (1) comprises multiple work stations, which are linked with each other by a workpiece transport system. A section (2,3) of the press plant is configured as rotary section, which is operated in a revolving manner, and a transport spin (6,7) swiveling around a vertical spinning axis (4,5). The transport spin has multiple spinning arms (8,9) projecting the spinning axis and has a workpiece gripper (10,11). The workpiece transport between the work compartments of the work stations is influenced in a transport cycle by the spinning arms. An independent claim is included for a method for operating a clocked press plant.

Description

The invention relates to a clocked press shop according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for operating a clocked press shop according to the preamble of claim 12.

The clocked pressing plant in question is used today, for example, in the mass production of ready-to-install serial parts. Areas of application for this are the automotive, electrical or household appliance industry or apparatus engineering.

Usually, the clocked press shop is equipped with a plurality of workstations, which are linked together by means of a workpiece transport system. Accordingly, a workpiece to be machined cyclically passes through the different workstations such that a new finished part is produced for each work cycle.

The known pressing plant ( DE 200 07 094 U1 ), from which the invention proceeds, is equipped with a transfer press, which has a series of pressing tools arranged one behind the other, each with upper tool and lower tool. For cyclically advancing the workpieces to be machined gripper rails are arranged on both sides of the respective working space of the pressing tools, carry the workpiece gripper. The feed movement of the gripper rails are synchronized with the movement of the press ram on which the upper tools are arranged here.

The known pressing plants with transfer presses are particularly suitable for such work sequences in which a single material is processed in a sequence of pure pressing steps to form a finished part. Then can be implemented with the known transfer press effective mass production.

The situation is more difficult if, in addition to pressing operations, also joining, measuring, gluing, rolling operations or the like are to be carried out during the production of the finished part. The same applies if the finished part results from the joint further processing of two semi-finished parts, whereby both semi-finished parts have previously gone through a series of pressing steps.

The reason for the above difficulties is u.a. The fact that the workpiece located in the respective pressing tool is usually difficult to access, so that one of the above processing steps and also any kind of feeding is hardly possible in the workpiece located in the pressing tool. Primarily, the usually provided workpiece transport system with gripper rails is the cause of the above, poor accessibility.

Although a whole series of alternatives for the linking of workstations of a production plant are known, which relate, for example, to the operation of a part of a production plant in a rotary cycle ( US Pat. No. 6,651,867 B2 ; GB 2 250 495 A ). However, the known workpiece transport systems are not suitable for feeding known pressing tools, since either the accessibility of the workstations or the collision freedom of the transport system with respect to the pressing tool is not guaranteed.

It therefore remains that with the known press shop a little flexibility in the design of the steps is achievable, resulting in a correspondingly limited scope.

The invention is based on the problem of designing the known press shop and further develop, that its scope is increased.

The above problem is solved in a press shop according to the preamble of claim 1 by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

The basic idea is that the design of at least one section of the press shop as a round cycle section, which can be operated in a round cycle, allows a simple flexibilization of the press shop, if the workpiece transport system is designed in a very special way.

It is essential that the workpiece transport system has a about a vertical axis spider motorized pivoting transport spider, based on the spider axis circumferentially distributed arranged workstations are assigned.

A proposed transport spider with its preferably rigid protruding from the spider axis spider arms, each of which a workpiece gripper is assigned, can be structurally particularly easy to implement.

From a control point of view, a proposed transport spider does not pose any major problems, since all spider arms always carry out the same transport movement. For the implementation of the transport cycle of the spider arms so control technology is a single motion to map.

An interesting feature of using a transport spider as part of a press shop is that the transport spider requires no additional space within the respective workstation, since the transport spider is mounted outside the respective workstation.

Of particular importance for the proposed solution, however, is the fact that outside a transport cycle, when the transport spider is thus in an idle state, the spider arms are pivoted each seen from above between the working spaces of two adjacent workstations of the rotary index section. This ensures that collisions between the respective pressing tools and the conveyor spider can not occur.

The above, provided outside a transport cycle positioning of the spider arms but has a very different advantage. With a proposed, spider-like structure of the workpiece transport system can namely ensure in a particularly simple manner that the working spaces of the workstations seen from above are free of the spider arms and, further, that the accessibility of the workstations is optimized (claim 2). The good accessibility of the workstations results in particular in that the workstations of the rotary indexing section are arranged circumferentially distributed with respect to the spider axis and the transport spider performs the workpiece transport from the inside, ie from the spider axis facing sides of the workstations ago.

In the particularly preferred embodiments according to claims 3 to 5, the at least one transport spider is completely integrated into the respective round cycle section. Surprisingly, such an integration of a transport spider in a proposed pressing plant is possible without the intrinsically bulky structure of the transport spider requires additional space.

In the further preferred embodiments according to claims 6 and 7, it is provided that the at least one transport spider is linked with further round-cycle sections and / or transfer sections. This shows the flexibility associated with the proposed solution to a particular extent.

According to another teaching according to claim 12, which also has independent significance, a method for the operation of a clocked pressing plant with a plurality of workstations, which are at least partially linked together by means of a workpiece transport system, is claimed.

The proposed method is directed in particular to the operation of an above, according to the proposed press shop. Essential here is the fact that outside a transport cycle, the spider arms, each seen from above, are pivoted between the working spaces of two adjacent workstations of the rotary indexing section. In that regard, reference may be made to the explanations concerning the functioning of the proposed press shop.

In the particularly preferred embodiment according to claim 13, the concatenation of two sections of the press shop is provided such that two different semi-finished parts, which have already been pre-processed in both sections, are then further processed in at least one joint step to finished parts. The above-mentioned flexibility of the press shop for the proposed method can be optimally used to produce composite workpieces in a simple manner.

Fig. 1

a) bis c) insgesamt drei Ausführungsformen eines vorschlagsgemäßen Presswerks jeweils in einer Ansicht von oben, jeweils ohne Pressenstößel und Oberwerkzeuge,

Fig. 2

a) den in Fig. 1a) gezeigten Rundtaktabschnitt in einer Ansicht von oben ohne Pressenstößel und ohne Oberwerkzeuge und
b) eine schematische Darstellung eines Transportzyklus im Schnittbereich II-II, Fig. 3 a) eine Detailansicht des in 1a) gezeigten Rundtaktabschnitts und b) eine Schnittansicht entlang der Schnittlinien III-III.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to illustrative drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a) to c) a total of three embodiments of a proposed press shop in each case in a view from above, in each case without press ram and upper tools,

Fig. 2

a) the in Fig. 1a ) shown in a round top section in a view from above without press ram and without upper tools and
b) a schematic representation of a transport cycle in the section area II-II, Fig. 3 a) a detailed view of the rotary cycle section shown in FIG. 1a) and b) a sectional view along the sectional lines III-III.

The in the Fig. 1 a), b) and c) shown preferred embodiments of a proposed clocked press shop 1 each have a plurality of workstations a _n , b _n , c _n and C _n , which are at least partially configured as a press workstations. As far as the workstations in general is mentioned, only the reference symbol "ac" is used in the following for this purpose.

The workstations a-c are at least partially interlinked by means of a workpiece transport system. The design of the workpiece transport system with transport spider is present in the foreground.

Fig. 1 shows that in all variants, at least a portion of the press shop 1 is designed as a round cycle section 2, 3, which is operable in a rotary cycle. For this purpose, on the one hand to a vertical spider axis 4, 5 pivotable transport spider 6, 7 and on the other hand relative to the respective spider axis 4, 5 distributed distributed work stations ac are provided. A synopsis of Fig. 2 and 3 shows that the proposed transport spider 6, 7 has a number of the spider axis 4, 5 projecting spider arms 8, 9, which are each equipped with a workpiece gripper 10, 11. The term "protrude" is to be understood here broadly and includes any type of arrangement of spider arms 8, 9 extending radially outward. As can be seen from the drawing, it is also not necessary for the spider arms 8, 9 to start directly from the geometric spider axis 4, 5.

Fig. 1 shows that a pivoting of the proposed transport spider 6, 7, the respective workpiece grippers 10, 11 in the working spaces a'-c 'of the work stations ac are movable. As a result, workpiece transport between the work spaces a'-c 'of the workstations ac of the respective rotary cycle section 2, 3 can be effected via the spider arms 8, 9 in a transport cycle T.

What is essential now is the fact that, outside a transport cycle T, the spider arms 8, 9 are each pivoted between the work spaces a'-c 'of two adjacent workstations ac of the rotary cycle section 2, 3, viewed from above. This state outside the transport cycle T, that is, when the transport spider 6, 7 is in the idle state, is in the transport spiders 6, 7 for all transport spiders Fig. 1 and 2 shown.

The illustrations according to Fig. 1 and 2 also show that outside the transport cycle T, the working spaces a'-c 'of the work stations ac are free from the spider arms 8, 9 as seen from above. It shows Fig. 2 It is particularly clear that outside of the transport cycle T, the radially outer regions a "-e" of the work stations ac are accessible for processing and / or feeding with respect to the spider axis 4, 5. It is therefore readily possible for the workpieces W located in the work stations to be replaced by an additional processing or loading unit 12, which is located in Fig. 2a ) is shown in dashed line, is applied.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be achieved with the proposed solution that, outside of the transport cycle T, the regions a "'- e"' of the workstations a-c facing the spider arms 8, 9 are partly accessible for processing and / or charging. Correspondingly, an additional processing or charging unit (not shown) can also be provided here.

Fig. 2a ) further shows that the above accessibility of the respective areas a "-b" and a "'-b"' is particularly pronounced by the circulatingly distributed work stations ac in combination with the inner transport spider 6, 7.

It has already been pointed out that at least some of the work stations A-C are designed as press workstations. In a particularly preferred embodiment but also other workstations A-c are provided which can serve the gluing, rolling, straightening o. The like.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the transport spiders 6, 7 are each integrated into the press shop 1. This has been accomplished by the workstations A-C to a certain extent sharing a press table 13 with the transport spider 6, 7. In general, at least one work station A-C is assigned a press table 13, wherein the at least one transport spider 6, 7 is arranged on the press table 13. Here and preferably it is the case that several, in the illustrated embodiments, even all workstations A-c, a common press table 13 is assigned, on which the at least one transport spider 6, 7 is arranged.

At this point it turns out that by using the press table 13 as a carrier for both the workstations A-C and for the transport spiders 6, 7 can easily achieve a modular design. For this purpose, the common press table 13 is equipped with a plurality of mechanical interfaces for an optional fixation of optional workstations A-C and / or transport spiders 6, 7, so that the press shop 1 can be modularly constructed on the press table 13. By a suitable structuring of the mechanical interfaces can be realized for the press shop 1 a kind of modular system.

Fig. 3 shows a measure for further integration of the transport spiders 6, 7 in the press shop. 1 Fig. 3b ) shows that the local workstation a _{5 has} a pressing tool with upper tool 14 and lower tool 15, wherein here and preferably the upper tool 14 of the workstation a ₅ a press ram 16 is associated. The press ram 16 is guided here and preferably by a ram guide 17.

A comparison of Fig. 1 and 3 shows that all pressing tools of the press shop 1, here all upper tools 14 of the press shop 1, one and the same common press ram 16 is assigned. It is also conceivable that only a part of the pressing tools, such as the pressing tools of a rotary cycle section 2, 3 or the rotary indexing sections 2, 3, one and the same press ram 16 is assigned.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, it is such that the common press ram 16 is designed as a ram plate 18 which extends at least partially over the work stations A-C and the at least one transport spider 6, 7. The at least one transport spider 6, 7 is thus found, depending on the position of the press ram 16 completely between the press ram 16 on the one hand and the press table 13 on the other.

The plunger plate 18 passes through during a pressing cycle in a conventional manner in Fig. 3b shown upper Pressentotpunkt and a lower Pressentotpunkt not shown. Here, the plunger plate 18 here and preferably in the upper Pressentotpunkt ( Fig. 3b )) positioned above the at least one transport spider 6, 7, while the plunger plate 18 in the lower, not shown Pressentotpunkt below at least a portion of the at least one transport spider 6, 7 is positioned. To avoid a collision of the plunger plate 18 with the at least one transport spider 6, 7 outside the transport cycle and during a press cycle, the plunger plate 18 is correspondingly cut free in the region of the at least one transport spider 6, 7. This can be done according to the illustration Fig. 3a ) remove.

The advantages that can be achieved with the proposed solution are described below on the basis of the mode of operation in Fig. 1 illustrated variants a) - c) explained.

At the in Fig. 1a ) illustrated embodiment, a transfer section 19 with the workstations a ₁ -a _{4 are} provided, which are concatenated together in the manner of a transfer press and each have pressing tools with upper tool and lower tool. The transfer press 19 is here and preferably acted upon with starting material W ₁ in the form of coil material. In principle, however, this may also be a starting material W ₁ in the form of board material.

The transfer section 19 is linked via a conveyor belt or the like to the workstation a ₅ , which is associated with the transport spider 7. Thus, the workpiece W, starting from the supply of coil material, passes through the workstations a ₁ -a ₄ the transfer press 19 is then transferred to the work station a ₅ and guided by the transport spider 7 through the work stations a ₆ -a ₁₂ . From the workstation a ₁₂ finally goes from a conveyor belt 20 for the removal of the finished part.

To be highlighted at the in Fig. 1a ) illustrated embodiment is the fact that in the area of the transport spider 6, 7 largely arbitrary steps on the workpiece W can be made. This is because the workstations a ₅ -a ₁₂ do not necessarily have to be press workstations. Furthermore, it is possible here, by the above-mentioned accessibility of the workstations a ₆ -a _{12 to} perform additional processing and / or loading. The transfer section 19 can also be preceded by any other workstations.

The further preferred embodiment according to Fig. 1b ) allows the implementation of a variety of different steps. Here are preferably two rotary cycle sections 2, 3 are provided, which are linked together by a linear unit 21. Here, and preferably the starting material W ₁ is fed as a coil material of the workstation b ₁ . Again, in principle, starting material W ₁ can be supplied in the form of board material. After the supply of the starting material W ₁ , the workpiece W is guided by means of the transport spider 6 through the work stations b ₁ -b ₈ and from there to the linear unit 21. From there, the workpiece W reaches the workstation b ₉ and is guided by means of the transport spider 7 through the work stations b ₉ -b ₁₃ . The finished part is finally removed from the workstation b ₁₃ via a conveyor belt 20.

This in Fig. 1c ) shown embodiment is also characterized in that the transport spider 7 shown on the right has a smaller number of spider arms 9 than the transport spider 6 shown on the left. This shows the achievable with the proposed solution degree of flexibility in the construction of the press shop. 1

In the Fig. 1c ) embodiment shows that the transport spiders 6, 7, an admission of the workstations c with different materials W ₁ , W ₂ , here coil material on the one hand and board material on the other hand, allow. This is essentially because the above-mentioned accessibility of the workstations c is achieved with the proposed solution. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1d), the round cycle section 2 shown on the left is acted upon with a coil material and the round cycle section 3 shown on the right with a circuit board material. Due to the different options with regard to the supplied starting material W ₁ , W ₂ , the mentioned flexibility in the design of the press shop 1 is further increased. Depending on the design of the two transport spiders 6, 7, it is conceivable that the cyclic workpiece transport in the rotary indexing sections 2, 3 takes place in opposite directions or in the same direction to each other.

Particularly interesting is the in Fig. 1c ) shown variant with respect to the local operating method. In general, a first section 2 of the press shop 1, in this case the round cycle section 2 shown on the left, is charged with a first starting material W ₁ , here in the form of a coil material, while a second section 3 of the press shop 1, here the round cycle section 3 shown on the right a second starting material W ₂ , here in the form of board material, is charged. The two rotary cycle sections 2, 3 are now preferably linked in such a way that semi-finished parts of both rotary cycle sections 2, 3 are processed into finished parts in at least one joint step, here in the common steps c ₉ , c ₁₀ , c ₁₁ and c ₁₂ . The semi-finished parts arise here in the steps c ₁ -c ₈ from the coil material W ₁ and in the steps C ₁ -C ₄ from the board material W ₂ . Again, the workpiece transport between the two rotary index sections 2, 3 in opposite directions.

In the Fig. 1c ) and the operating method that can be implemented therewith are very well suited for a hybrid construction, in which the finished parts consist of at least two different semi-finished parts. These finished parts can be metal components, but in particular also thermoplastic composite components and fiber composite components.

For the structural design of the at least one transport spider 6, 7 numerous advantageous variants are conceivable. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the transport spider 6, 7 is not only pivotable by motor, but for picking up and placing a workpiece W and motor vertically between an upper position and a lower position movable. Fig. 3b ) shows the upper position in a solid line and the lower position in a dashed line.

The vertical adjustability of the transport spider 6, 7 brings a particular advantage for the design of the workstations A-c, in particular of the pressing tools, with it. As a result, it is possible to dispense with any workpiece lifting devices within the work stations a-c.

Also interesting is the in Fig. 2b ) illustrated variant of a transport cycle T, which fully utilizes the two described degrees of freedom of movement of the transport spider 6, 7. It is so that in the course of a transport cycle T, the spider arms 8, 9 is created in each case from the starting position shown in a solid line in the working space a ₁₁ 'of the workstation a ₁₁ for receiving a workpiece W (movement A). To pick up the workpiece W, the spider arms 8, 9 are moved vertically downwards (movement B). In the case of the workpiece grippers 10, 11, which are preferably designed as vacuum grippers, a negative pressure is subsequently switched to the workpiece gripper 10, 11, so that the workpiece W is gripped. For picking up the workpiece W, a vertical movement follows (movement C). Finally, the workpiece W is moved into the working space a ₁₂ 'of the workstation a ₁₂ , in which the workpiece W is deposited accordingly (movements D, E, F). Finally, the spider arms 8, 9 swing back into the starting position (movement G), in which the spider arms 8, 9 remain until the next transport cycle T.

As explained above, the position of the starting position is of particular importance. To ensure that outside of a transport cycle T the desired accessibility of the workstations AC is given, it is preferably provided that the starting position is located here between the work spaces a ₁₁ 'and a ₁₂ ' of the two adjacent workstations a ₁₁ , a ₁₂ .

So far, it has been assumed that the at least one transport spider 6, 7 has only two degrees of freedom of movement, namely the pivotability about the spider axis 4, 5 and the vertical adjustability. In a particularly preferred embodiment, however, it is provided that the workpiece grippers 10, 11 of the spider arms 8, 9 each have a motor about a further pivot axis 22nd are pivotable, wherein the pivot axis 22 is aligned in each case parallel to the extension of the respective spider arm 8, 9. In a further preferred embodiment, the pivot axis 22 is arranged in the spider arm 8, 9, as shown in FIG Fig. 3b ) can be seen.

The further pivot axis 22 can be used, for example, in the context of additional machining of the workpiece W. For example, the workpiece W can be provisionally transferred in the pivoted state to an additional, above-mentioned processing station 12.

On the one hand to keep the weight of the at least one transport spider 6, 7 low and on the other hand to be able to reduce the tendency to vibration by a suitable structural design with low cost, it is preferably provided that at least the spider arms 8, 9 of the at least one transport spider 6, 7 in Substantially consist of a plastic material, here and preferably made of a fiber composite material.

The structural design of the at least one transport spider 6, 7 is extremely simple. The spider arms 8, 9 converge in the area of the spider axis 4, 5 and are integrated into one component. This can be realized with the above embodiment of the spider arms 8, 9 essentially of a plastic material in a particularly simple manner.

Even with the above, additional pivot axis 22, the transport spider 6, 7 implement easily constructive. This is essentially due to the fact that the spider arms 8, 9 are rigidly connected to each other in the area of the spider axis 4, 5, so that an elaborate articulation of the spider arms 8, 9 in the area of the spider axis 4, 5 can be dispensed with.

The at least one transport spider 6, 7 is equipped with a spider receptacle 23, 24, which is arranged on the common press table 13 and which is pivotably coupled to the spider arms 8, 9. Preferably, a drive assembly, not shown, for the motorized pivoting about the spider axis 4, 5 and for the motorized vertical adjustment of the transport spider 6, 7 in the spider receiving 23, 24 housed.

According to another teaching, which also has independent significance, the described method is claimed for the operation of a clocked pressing plant 1 with a plurality of work stations a-c, which are at least partially interlinked by means of a workpiece transport system. Essential here is the fact that outside the transport cycle T, the spider arms 8, 9 each seen from above, between the work spaces a'-c 'of two adjacent workstations a-c of the rotary index section 2, 3 are pivoted. For an explanation of this further teaching, reference should be made to all explanations on the mode of operation of the proposed stamping plant 1.

Claims (14)

Clocked pressing plant with a plurality of workstations (ac), which are at least partially linked together by means of a workpiece transport system,
characterized,
in that at least one section (2, 3) of the press shop (1) is designed as a round cycle section which can be operated in a rotary cycle, and in that respect a transporting spider (6, 7) which can be pivoted about a vertical spindle axis (4, 5) and with respect to Spider axis (4, 5) circumferentially distributed work stations (ac) are provided, that the transport spider (6, 7) a number of the spider axis (4, 5) protruding spider arms (8, 9) each with workpiece gripper (10, 11) in that a workpiece transport between the work spaces (a'-c ') of the workstations (ac) of the rotary indexing section (2, 3) can be effected via the spider arms (8, 9) in a transport cycle (T) and that outside a transport cycle (T) the spider arms (8, 9) each seen from above between the working spaces (a'-c ') of two adjacent workstations (ac) of the rotary index portion (2, 3) are pivoted. Press plant according to claim 1, characterized in that outside the transport cycle (T) with respect to the spider axis (4, 5) radially outer regions (a "-e") of the workstations (ac) are accessible for processing and / or loading, and / or that, outside the transport cycle (T), the regions (a "'- e"') of the workstations (ac) facing the spider arms (8, 9) are at least partially accessible for processing and / or loading. Pressing plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one workstation (ac) is assigned a press table (13) and that the at least one transport spider (6, 7) is arranged on the press table (13), preferably that a plurality, preferably all, workstations (ac) is associated with a common press table (13) on which the at least one transporting spider (6, 7) is arranged, preferably that the common press table (13) has a plurality of mechanical interfaces for selectively fixing optional workstations (13). ac) and / or transport spiders (6, 7), so that the press shop (1) can be modularly constructed on the press table (13). Pressing plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a part of the workstations (ac) have pressing tools each with upper tool (14) and lower tool (15) that the upper tool (14) or the lower tool (15) of the workstations (ac) in each case a press ram (16) is assigned and that at least a part of the pressing tools, preferably the pressing tools of a rotary cycle section (2, 3) or the rotary indexing sections (2, 3), more preferably all pressing tools of the press shop (1), one and the same common press ram (16) is assigned. Press plant according to claim 4, characterized in that the common press ram (16) is designed as a ram plate (18) and extends at least partially over the work stations (ac) and the at least one transport spider (6, 7), preferably that the ram plate ( 18) is positioned in the upper press dead center above the at least one transport spider (6, 7) and that the plunger plate (18) is positioned below at least part of the at least one transport spider (6, 7) in the lower press dead center and in the region of the at least one transport spider ( 6, 7) is cut free accordingly. Press shop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transfer section (19) with work stations (a) is provided, which are linked together in the manner of a transfer press and have pressing tools with upper tool and lower tool. Press shop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two rotary cycle sections (2, 3) are provided, which are linked together in particular via a linear unit (21), preferably that the rotary cycle sections (2, 3) transport spiders (6, 7) have a different number of spider arms (8, 9). Pressing plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one transport spider (6, 7) for receiving and Depositing a workpiece (W) is vertically movable by motor between an upper position and a lower position. Press shop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the workpiece grippers (10, 11) of the spider arms (8, 9) are each pivotable about a pivot axis (22) and that the pivot axis (22) each parallel to the extension of the respective spider arm (8, 9) is aligned, preferably, that the pivot axis (22) in the respective spider arm (8, 9) is arranged. Press shop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spider arms (8, 9) of the at least one transport spider (6, 7) consist essentially of a plastic material, in particular of a fiber composite material. Press shop according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport spider (6, 7) has a spider receptacle (23, 24) which is arranged on the press table (13) and is pivotably coupled to the spider arms (8, 9). Method for the operation of a clocked pressing plant (1) having a plurality of workstations (ac), which are at least partially linked together by means of a workpiece transport system, in particular a stamping plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that at least one section (2, 3) of the press shop (1) is designed as a round cycle section, which is operated in a rotary cycle, and that for this purpose a transport spider (6, 7) which can be pivoted about a vertical spider axis (4, 5) and with respect to Spider axis (4, 5) circumferentially distributed work stations (ac) are provided, that the transport spider (6, 7) a number of the spider axis (4, 5) protruding spider arms (8, 9) each with workpiece gripper (10, 11) in that a workpiece transport between the work spaces (a'-c ') of the workstations (ac) of the rotary indexing section (2, 3) can be effected via the spider arms (8, 9) in a transport cycle (T) and that outside a transport cycle (T) the spider arms (8, 9) each seen from above between the working spaces (a'-c ') of two adjacent workstations (ac) of the rotary indexing section (2, 3) are pivoted. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that a first section (2, 3) of the press shop (1), in particular a first round cycle section (2, 3), with a first starting material W ₁ , in particular in the form of a coil material, is charged that a second section (2, 3) of the press shop (1), in particular a second rotary index section (2, 3), with a second starting material W ₂ , in particular in the form of board material, is charged and that the two sections (2, 3) so are concatenated that semi-finished parts of both sections (2, 3) are processed in at least one joint step to finished parts. A method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that in the course of a transport cycle (T) the spider arms (8, 9) each from an initial position in the working space (a'-c ') of a first workstation (ac) for receiving a workpiece (W), then in the working space (a'-c ') of a second workstation (ac) for depositing the workpiece (W) and finally moved back to the starting position.

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