EP3974360B1 - Production line with a plurality of machine units and a method for operating this production line - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a production line with several machine units according to claim 1 and a method for operating a production line according to claim 11.

Through the DE 10 2019 118647 B3 a production line for processing metal sheets is known, with several different machine units, at least one of these machine units being designed as a sheet metal printing machine or as a sheet metal painting machine, with at least two of these machine units each having at least one transport device for transporting at least one metal sheet resting individually on a transport level , wherein each of these separately arranged transport devices for the transport of the relevant metal sheet each has at least one transport belt, the transport belts of the relevant transport devices each being driven by an electric drive in such a way that transport belts arranged in different transport devices are synchronized with one another in their respective rotational speed, so that metal sheets transported by these transport belts are each transported at the same linear speed, with an air cushion being formed below these metal sheets in the transport plane of the metal sheets resting on the transport belts and these metal sheets being arranged to float in their transport plane by the air cushion.

Through the DE 10 2011 100210 A1 a device is known for the precise positioning of flat workpieces, in particular low-density material panels, such as insulation panels and the like, with at least one conveyor belt running around a housing and with one at least partially arranged in the housing or a vacuum device acting through the housing, which sucks in the workpieces and thereby presses them against a transport side of the conveyor belt facing away from the housing in order to hold them there in a precise position, the conveyor belt having a number of through holes which are arranged essentially in a row along its direction of movement and pass through the conveyor belt, wherein the housing has a longitudinal suction slot aligned with the through holes of the conveyor belt, and wherein the housing and / or the conveyor belt are provided with sealing surfaces arranged on both sides of the suction slot and / or on both sides of the series of through holes in order to be on the The conveyor belt resting on the housing is intended to seal a gap between the housing and the conveyor belt that borders on the one hand on the suction slot and on the other hand on the through holes, the through holes of the conveyor belt being subjected to negative pressure by the vacuum device via the suction slot in order to close the workpieces with negative pressure against the transport side of the conveyor belt press.

Through the JP S56 62355 U a paper feed belt is known. In connection with this paper feeding belt, a spherical head is used which gradually expands downwardly and has an inclined surface formed on the lower surface of this head and recessed upwardly, and which is integrated from the center of this inclined surface . The spherical head consists of a shaft part which is vertically suspended from the paper feed belt and fits into a mounting hole of the paper feed belt, and a skirt part which is formed so as to protrude in the radial direction from the lower end part of the shaft part.

Through DE 199 63 461 A1 a belt conveyor device is known for the hanging transport of components, in particular plate-shaped or panel-shaped components, with several vacuum elements arranged along a transport path and with a rotating conveyor belt, the components to be transported being sucked against the conveyor belt by means of the vacuum elements and by means of the Conveyor belt can be moved from a transfer point to a discharge point provided with a separately controllable vacuum element, the vacuum elements arranged along the transport path being able to be switched off at times when there is no component in their suction area.

Through the DE 196 36 086 A1 A magnetic belt conveyor for the hanging transport of sheets or the like is known, with several magnetic holding elements arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction and with an endless conveyor belt running under the magnet holding elements, with which the sheets or the like can be transported from a transfer point to a transfer point , wherein the conveyor belt is a vacuum conveyor belt and the magnetic belt conveyor is provided with a vacuum device.

Through the EP 2 520 520 A1 is a device for the precisely positioned transport of flat workpieces, in particular low-density material panels, such as insulation panels and the like, with at least one conveyor belt running around a housing and with a vacuum device which is at least partially arranged in the housing or acts through the housing and which sucks in the workpieces and thereby presses against a transport side of the conveyor belt facing away from the housing in order to hold it there in a precise position, the conveyor belt having a number of through holes which are arranged essentially in a row along its direction of movement and pass through the conveyor belt, the housing having a longitudinal, has a suction slot aligned with the through holes of the conveyor belt, and wherein the housing and / or the conveyor belt are provided with sealing surfaces arranged on both sides of the suction slot and / or on both sides of the series of through holes in order to rest on the housing Conveyor belt to seal a space between the housing and the conveyor belt which borders on the one hand on the suction slot and on the other hand on the through holes, the through holes of the conveyor belt being subjected to negative pressure by the vacuum device via the suction slot in order to press the workpieces with negative pressure against the transport side of the conveyor belt.

Through the DE 196 36 161 A1 a conveyor belt for an endless conveyor with a vacuum device is known, wherein a sealing layer arranged on the transport side of the conveyor belt has a plurality of vacuum depressions arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, a suction surface of the vacuum depressions being large in relation to their volume and the vacuum depressions having suction channels are accessible from the rear of the conveyor belt.

Through the DE 10 2016 208 074 A1 a conveyor belt for printed sheets is known, comprising troughs in which projections for supporting the printed sheets and a vacuum opening are arranged.

Through the DE 000P0040513DAZ a continuous dryer for drying metal sheets is known, the previously printed or painted metal sheets with their unprinted or unpainted edges standing up on the side of guide rollers being pushed individually along a transport path specified by these guide rollers by means of a driver chain and thus through which a hot gas-air mixture flows The drying room is passed through.

Through the EP 1 749 773 A2 a transport system of a sheet metal printing machine or sheet metal painting machine is known, with at least one moving front edge stop for the contact of the front edge of a transported sheet metal sheet, with a side alignment device for side alignment of the sheet metal sheet, with a feed drum, which has at least one positioning mark for the contact of the front edge of the metal sheet, and with a belt transport system having a plurality of belts for aligning the front edge of the metal sheet to the positioning mark, the belt transport system being assigned a holding means for pressing the metal sheet onto the belts, the belts of the belt transport system are designed as flat belts, with the holding means z. B. is a vacuum device or a magnetic device.

Through the JP H04-211 943 A a conveyor device for sheets with several synchronized conveyor belts arranged side by side is known.

• eine Platte, versehen mit Bohrlöchern, welche eine erste und eine zweite Reihe von Bohrlöchern bilden;
• Blasmittel, welche mit der ersten Reihe von Bohrlöchern der Platte unter Bestimmung mindestens eines Blasbereichs verbunden sind;
• mindestens zwei Förderbänder, welche derart angeordnet sind, dass sie auf der genannten Platte in der Vorwärtsbewegungsrichtung der Bogen gleiten, wobei die genannten Förderbänder im Wesentlichen parallel zueinander sind und wobei der Spalt zwischen den Förderbändern einen Blasbereich umfasst;
• Absaugmittel, welche mit der zweiten Reihe von Bohrlöchern der Platte verbunden sind, welche unterhalb der Förderbänder unter Bestimmung von Absaugbereichen angeordnet sind, wobei die Förderbänder mit Löchern entlang der gesamten Länge derselben versehen sind, welche intermittierend und während der Vorwärtsbewegung des Förderbandes die verschiedenen Bohrlöcher der zweiten Reihe von Bohrlöchern freilegen, wobei die Förderplatte Trennungsbarrieren zwischen den Blasbereichen und den Absaugbereichen umfasst, welche zu jeder Seite von jedem Förderband benachbart angeordnet sind, auf dessen oberen Kanten sich der Bogen während der Verschiebung desselben auf die Platte stützt.

Through the EP 2 505 532 A2 a device for conveying sheets is known, comprising:

• a plate provided with drilled holes forming first and second rows of drilled holes;
• blowing means connected to the first row of drill holes of the plate to define at least one blowing area;
• at least two conveyor belts arranged to slide on said platen in the direction of advance of the sheets, said conveyor belts being substantially parallel to each other and wherein the gap between the conveyor belts includes a blowing region;
• Suction means connected to the second series of drill holes of the plate, which are arranged below the conveyor belts to define suction areas, the conveyor belts being provided with holes along the entire length thereof which intermittently and during the forward movement of the conveyor belt the various drill holes of the second series of boreholes, the conveyor plate comprising separation barriers between the blowing areas and the suction areas, which are arranged adjacent to each side of each conveyor belt, on the upper edges of which the sheet is supported on the plate during the displacement thereof.

Through the DE 10 2017 215 374 A1 a conveyor device for flat material is known, with a table top, at least one conveyor belt resting on the table top and driven in its longitudinal direction, at least one blowing nozzle being arranged in the table top under the conveyor belt, the at least one blowing nozzle being designed as a Bernoulli nozzle.

Through the EP 1 588 967 A2 a device is known on a conveyor table, preferably on a suction belt table, for transporting sheet-shaped material in a sheet stream lying underneath from a sheet feeder to a sheet-processing machine, in particular a sheet-fed rotary printing machine, with one or more conveyor belts, for example suction belts which can be acted upon by suction air, the Suction belts can be driven and are guided endlessly around the conveyor table, with a blowing device which blows air under the sheet stream outside the guide area of the conveyor belts in the area of guide areas of the conveyor table arranged laterally and parallel to the conveyor belts, at least in the guide areas on the outside of the conveyor belts A plurality of individual ventilation openings distributed essentially over the entire surface of the guide areas is provided and a blown air supply is provided in such a way that it is at least partially coupled to ventilation openings, such that the guide areas can be supplied with blown air essentially in partial areas or over the entire surface, preferably in the guide areas and/or in a central guide area which is arranged between the conveyor belts, ventilation openings are provided and wherein the ventilation openings z. B. are designed as nozzles, in particular as blow-suction nozzles.

The invention is based on the object of creating a production line with several machine units and a method for operating this production line, at least one of these machine units having a device for transporting painted sheet metal panels, with this device avoiding a coating of paint and the resulting contamination of its transport belts.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a production line with the features of claim 1 and by a method with the features of claim 11. The respective dependent claims each show advantageous configurations and/or designs of the solution found.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention are, in particular, that paint contamination and the resulting contamination of the transport belts of this transport device is avoided.

The solution found also has the advantage that the respective transport device of a relevant machine unit is variable in width and is suitable for the transport of metal sheets of different widths without any structural adjustment. The width of a metal sheet extends transversely to its respective transport direction.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are described in more detail below, which shows even further advantages of the solution found.

Fig. 1

eine Produktionslinie zur Bearbeitung von Blechtafeln mit mehreren Maschineneinheiten;

Fig. 2

eine Blechtafel;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf eine Transportvorrichtung;

Fig. 4

die Transportvorrichtung in einer perspektivischen Darstellung;

Fig. 5

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Transportvorrichtung;

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Beladestation mit einem vorgeordneten Transportmodul;

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht auf die Beladestation der Fig. 6;

Fig. 8

eine Draufsicht auf eine Entladestation;

Fig. 9

einen Transportriemen der Transportvorrichtung in einer Einzelteildarstellung;

Fig. 10

eine Transportvorrichtung mit einem doppelten Riemenpaar.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a production line for processing metal sheets with several machine units;

Fig. 2

a sheet of metal;

Fig. 3

a top view of a transport device;

Fig. 4

the transport device in a perspective view;

Fig. 5

an enlarged view of the transport device;

Fig. 6

a perspective view of a loading station with an upstream transport module;

Fig. 7

a top view of the loading station Fig. 6 ;

Fig. 8

a top view of an unloading station;

Fig. 9

a transport belt of the transport device in an individual part representation;

Fig. 10

a transport device with a double pair of belts.

In industrial sheet metal printing, metal sheets are usually produced in a production line by applying at least one printing fluid using a sheet metal coating machine, e.g. B. to protect the respective surface of the relevant metal sheets or at least a previously printed image and / or z. B. to create a white background and / or a glossy effect painted over the entire surface or partially with at least one printing fluid. The pressure fluid to be applied to at least one surface, ie to the top and/or bottom of the metal sheets in question, is therefore z. B. designed as a varnish, with the application of the printing fluid usually being subjected to a subsequent drying process. The metal sheets to be processed in this way have a format e.g. B. between 500 mm x 650 mm and 1,000 mm x 1,250 mm and each have a sheet thickness of e.g. B. between 0.1 mm and 1.5 mm, preferably between 0.14 mm and 0.5 mm. Each of these metal sheets can be made depending on their format and material - whether made of tin-plated sheet steel or tin-free

Sheet steel or aluminum - thus a mass e.g. B. from a few hundred grams to a few kilograms, e.g. B. from at least 300 grams to five kilograms or more. Especially in the production of sheet metal packaging, i.e. H. in sheet metal packaging printing, sheet metal sheets of this type are mass-produced industrially at a production rate of several thousand sheet metal sheets per hour, e.g. B. printed and/or painted at least 6,000 metal sheets per hour or even 9,000 metal sheets per hour.

In practice it has been shown that such metal sheets, which are to be transported individually at a high speed through the production line, tend to cause disruptions during their transport, in particular due to friction effects in their respective transport plane and/or due to contamination on their respective transport route. Disturbing friction effects also occur, for example. B. in the event of excessive wear or aging of a belt transport system used to transport the metal sheets. Each of these undesirable influences can lead to, for example: B. several metal sheets transported individually and one after the other through the production line unintentionally come into contact with one another and/or become jammed or caught. Metal sheets can also be rotated out of their linear transport path in their respective transport level and thereby, for example. B. cause a collision with other metal sheets and/or a component of one of the machine units of this production line. And even if no collision occurs, despite a constant production speed in the production line, at least a free distance between successively transported metal sheets, ie the distance between the rear edge of a first metal sheet and the front edge of a next, subsequent second metal sheet, can change, so that a so-called Synchronization point shifts, which means that in particular the front edge position of a metal sheet shifts relative to devices arranged in various machine units of the production line. By shifting the synchronization point in this way, the sheet metal in question can be transported through the Production line e.g. B. in connection with the sheet metal painting machine and / or with a sheet metal printing machine provided acceleration and / or deceleration processes get out of order, whereby in particular an interaction of system components linked together in the production process, each forming a machine unit, such as. B. the sheet metal painting machine, a transport module, a loading station, a continuous dryer, a cooling zone and an unloading station is disturbed. Such events lead to an undesirable impairment of production and/or damage or even a loss of production due to a malfunction-related machine downtime. In particular, the machine units of the loading station, the continuous dryer, the optionally provided cooling zone and the unloading station, which are arranged one behind the other in the production line in the transport direction of the metal sheets to be processed, are always linked to one another, not only in terms of control technology and / or functionally, but also physically, since these are also through at least one traction device provided for transporting the metal sheets, e.g. B. are mechanically linked to one another in the form of at least one chain running through preferably all of these machine units.

In a preferred embodiment, the production line transports the metal sheets through this production line by means of their respective transport devices, at least in sections, preferably largely floating on an air cushion. The metal sheets to be transported only rest on at least one transport belt, with the transport belt in question or the several transport belts arranged in particular parallel to one another being arranged in particular only in a central region of the respective transport device which extends longitudinally to the transport direction of these metal sheets. Otherwise, these metal sheets have no direct contact, especially on their respective belt-free edge areas, due to the air cushion that supports them. B. to a plate of the relevant transport device which is stationary in its transport plane.

Due to this configuration, a largely friction-free and/or slip-free transport of the metal sheets along their transport route through the production line is possible.

Fig. 1 shows, in a highly simplified schematic representation, an example of a production line 01 for processing metal sheets, in which several are usually structurally different from one another and each in their own frame 19; 21 ( Fig. 6 ) trained machine units are each arranged one behind the other in a row. These machine units are functionally linked to one another for the joint execution of a metal sheet 08 processing production, with the functional linking relating in particular to an orderly, uniform process flow. Adjacent, ie immediately successive, machine units have a common joint. In the production line 01 for processing metal sheets in the transport direction T of the metal sheets to be processed 08 ( Fig. 2 ) consecutively e.g. B. a sheet metal printing machine 03, at least one sheet metal painting machine 06, at least one transport module 04, a loading station 02, a continuous dryer 17 optionally with a downstream cooling zone 18 and an unloading station 07. At least two of these machine units are each designed as an independent machine unit, which means that these machine units are each designed in their own frame. In a generic production line 01 with a sheet metal printing machine 03 and with a sheet metal painting machine 06, these can also be combined in a single machine unit. However, it can also be provided that the generic production line 01 only has a sheet metal painting machine 06 - without a sheet metal printing machine 03. The machine unit designed as a continuous dryer 17 is z. B. designed as a hot air dryer. At least the transport module 04 and/or the loading station 02 and/or the unloading station 07 each have at least one transport device 09 ( Fig. 3 ) for the transport of the metal sheets 08. A transport route through this production line 01 is e.g. B. linear and/or designed horizontally. At least the machine units designed as a loading station 02 or as a continuous dryer 17 or as an unloading station 07 and arranged one behind the other in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 to be processed are also connected in the preferred embodiment by at least one common traction means running through these machine units, each provided for the transport of the metal sheets 08 chained, e.g. B. by at least one chain rotating through these machine units.

Fig. 2 shows an example of a preferably rectangular, usually flexible metal sheet 08, a large number of which are to be transported one after the other individually along the transport path leading through the production line 01. Each of these metal sheets 08 has a length L in the transport direction T intended for it and a width B transversely to this transport direction T, with a format of the respective metal sheet 08 being defined by specifying its length L times its width B. Therefore, the length L is also referred to as the format length L and the width B as the format width B.

Fig. 3 shows, in a top view, an example of one of the transport devices 09 arranged in at least two different machine units of the production line 01. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of one of these transport devices 09, such as this. B. is arranged in the transport module 04.

Fig. 5 shows the transport device 09 again in a plan view in an enlarged view. In a preferred embodiment, the transport device 09 has at least one, preferably two, transport belts 11 only in its central region M, which extends longitudinally to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08, the transport belt or belts 11 each being z. B. is or are designed as a flat belt, in particular made of a flexible material, in the form of an endless loop. The z. B. between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably about 2 mm thick flat belts have one Width B11 e.g. B. between 30 mm and 250 mm, preferably about 40 mm or 80 mm. The z. B. table-shaped transport device 09 has a flat plate 12 arranged in a stationary manner in the transport plane of the metal sheets 08 ( Fig. 4 ), whose width B12, which extends transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08, is at least as large as the width B of the maximum format of the metal sheets 08 to be transported with the transport device 09. The usually strip-shaped central region M of the transport device 09 extends with its narrow side e.g. B. over a maximum of 60%, preferably over a maximum of 30% of the width B12 of the plate 12 of this transport device 09, in particular over 10% to 20% of the width B12 of the plate 12 of the transport device 09, particularly preferably about 15% of the width B12 of the plate 12 the transport device 09, and extends with its long side longitudinally in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 to be transported. The plate 12 of this transport device 09 has a length L12, which is preferably at least as long as the length L of the maximum format of the transport device 09 to be transported metal sheets 08. However, there can alternatively be several in the production line 01, e.g. B. two transport modules 04 each with a plate 12 can be arranged directly one behind the other, with the individual lengths of the respective plates 12 adding up to the length L of the maximum format of the metal sheets 08 to be transported with the transport device 09.

The respective transport belt 11 of the transport device 09 is preferably arranged on deflection rollers with its respective load strand along the transport plane in such a way that each rests on the respective load strand of the transport belt 11, ie on its respective transport side and on the relevant transport belt 11 z. B. also held metal sheet 08 can be transported relative to the relevant stationary plate 12 along a linear transport route, this transport route z. B. extends at least over the length L12 of the transport device 09. The holding force required to hold a metal sheet 08 resting on the relevant transport belt 11 is carried out, for example. B. by a suction, whereby the required Sog e.g. B. is generated by a suction box arranged below the plate 12 of the transport device 09 in conjunction with a suction pump connected to it. The suction pump can preferably be switched on and/or switched off as required. Alternatively or additionally, magnetic holding means can also be provided for holding a metal sheet 08 resting on the relevant transport belt 11, which are preferably also switchable. The transport device 09 in question can also have several, e.g. B. have two transport belts 11 each arranged parallel to one another.

In the production line 01, at least two of these transport devices 09 are preferably arranged separately from one another, ie as independent structural units in different machine units, with one of these transport devices 09 being arranged in particular in the loading station 02 or in a transport module 04 or in the unloading station 07. In the production line 01, a transport module 04 is arranged immediately upstream of the loading station 02 and/or a further transport module 04 is arranged immediately downstream of the unloading station 07. The transport belts 11 of the relevant transport devices 09 are each driven by an electric drive 16 in such a way that transport belts 11 arranged in different transport devices 09 are preferably synchronized with one another in their respective rotation speed, so that metal sheets 08 transported by these transport belts 11 each have permissible minor tolerances Apart from the same linear speed, these metal sheets 08 are transported on these transport belts 11, for example. B. are held by suction and / or magnetically. The transport of the metal sheets 08 resting on the transport belt 11 takes place in their transport plane, ie in particular with respect to the plate 12 of the transport device 09, each largely floating on an air cushion and is therefore almost friction-free, but at least extremely low-friction and practically slip-free, because the respective Metal sheets 08 only stand in one with the comparatively narrow transport belts 11 Touch contact. The respective electric drive 16 of the relevant transport devices 09 is z. B. each designed as an electric motor and preferably each connected at least in terms of data technology to a control unit, in particular a machine control system of the production line 01 that is superordinate to the individual machine units, so e.g. B. with a control center of this production line 01.

Transport belts 11 arranged in different transport devices 09 are preferably driven by their respective electric drive 16 in such a way that they z. B. rotate continuously, especially in synchronism. Alternatively, these transport belts 11 can also be driven in a clocked manner. It can also be provided that the transport belts 11 have a z. B. arranged in the loading station 02 transport device 09 is clocked and / or a metal sheet 08 resting on its transport belt 11 is temporarily driven to brake in its linear speed, whereas the transport belt 11 is driven by a z. B. transport device 09 arranged in the unloading station 07 is clocked and / or a metal sheet 08 resting on its transport belt 11 is temporarily driven in an accelerating manner in its linear speed. The synchronous operation of the transport belts 11 arranged in different transport devices 09 and thus, above all, the synchronous operation of the metal sheets 08 held by these transport belts 11 is particularly advantageous when the machine units of this production line 01 are ramped up or shut down. For a trouble-free transport of the metal sheets 08 through the production line 01, the synchronous operation of the transport belts 11 arranged in different transport devices 09 and thus also the metal sheets 08, but in particular also at the transitions between the machine units of this production line 01 involved in the production process, must be ensured, for example. B. when transitioning to the sheet metal painting machine 06 and/or when transitioning to the continuous dryer 17.

The plate 12 of the relevant transport device 09 has on both sides respective central area M each has a belt-free edge area R1; R2, these edge areas R1; R2 has a width which extends transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 and is preferably of the same width and is preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal extent of the transport device 09 in question. At least in the belt-free edge areas R1; R2, e.g. B. but also in the central region M of the relevant transport device 09, at least one nozzle field 13, each with several nozzles 14, is formed. The nozzles 14 arranged there are operated in such a way that, to form the air cushion, blown air is blown from them against the underside of a metal sheet 08 resting on the at least one transport belt 11 of the relevant transport device 09 and held on the relevant transport belt or belts 11. In an advantageous embodiment, at least some of the nozzles 14 of the nozzle fields 13 are z. B. each designed as Venturi nozzles. In the respective nozzle fields 13 there are z. B. a first subset of individual nozzles 14 and / or a second subset of individual nozzles 14 are each arranged such that the first subset of nozzles 14 directs the blown air obliquely outwards in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 at an acute angle, ie in each direction of the nearest edge of the relevant transport device 09 extending along the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 and / or the second subset of nozzles 14 blow out the blown air vertically upwards.

Fig. 6 shows, by way of example, a perspective view of the loading station 02 arranged in the production line 01 together with a transport module 04 arranged immediately upstream in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08. Both the loading station 02 and the transport module 04 each have their own frame 19; 21, these two machine units being joined together seamlessly, so that the frame 21 of the loading station 02 and the frame 19 of the transport module 04 form a common joint. The transport module 04 has a transport device 09 with a plate 12, with one on the plate 12 indicated by a directional arrow Transport direction T metal sheet 08 to be transported is shown in both its largest format and its smallest format. For this purpose, the metal sheet 08 only rests on the transport belt 11, which extends longitudinally in the transport direction T and runs around deflection rollers, and is otherwise kept floating above the plate 12 by an air cushion generated by means of nozzles 14. In contrast to the version of the transport module 04 according to Fig. 3 and 4 shows the in the Fig. 6 illustrated embodiment variant of the transport device 09 only has a single transport belt 11 arranged longitudinally in the middle of the plate 12.

Fig. 7 shows a top view of the in the Fig. 6 Loading station 02 shown. The loading station 02 has a transport device 09 for feeding metal sheets 08 lying flat individually in a transport level of this transport device 09 to the continuous dryer 17. The loading station 02 also has at least one wire frame 22 which can be pivoted, usually in a circle, about an axis of rotation 23 which extends transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 to be transported, each of the wire frames 22 being designed in such a way that it is the transport plane of the metal sheets lying flat therein 08 passes through in a pivoting movement from bottom to top and with this pivoting movement vertically erects a flat metal sheet 08 to be transported through the continuous dryer 17 from the transport plane. In a preferred embodiment of the loading station 02, two z. B. clocked and braking driven transport belts 11 arranged, which z. B. hold a metal sheet 08 lying flat on this transport belt 11 by suction and / or a magnetic holding force and a sheet metal sheet 08 lying flat e.g. B. up to a stop 24 extending transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 to be transported, this stop 24 z. B. is formed by rubber buffers arranged on the rotation axis 23. The transport device 09 of the loading station 02 preferably also has - as before in connection with the Fig. 5 described - two belt-free edge areas R1; R2, in each of which a nozzle field 13 is formed.

In the respective nozzle fields 13, several nozzles 14 are arranged to form an air cushion carrying a metal sheet 08 lying flat on the transport belt 11, of which z. B. ejects a first portion of blown air in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 at an acute angle, directed obliquely outwards and / or z. B. a second portion of blown air is blown out vertically upwards towards the underside of a metal sheet 08 resting on the transport belt 11. On the wire frame 22 there are z. B. arranged laterally in the direction of the nearest edge of the relevant transport device 09 extending along the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08. Arms 26 are arranged, each of which extends into one of the edge regions R1; R2 inserted recess 27 grab, these recesses 27 in order to avoid hooking of the metal sheets 08 to be transported by the transport device 09, preferably an acute angle against the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 in the direction of the nearest edge of the relevant edge extending along the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 Transport device 09 running bevel 28 z. B. in the form of at least one correspondingly extending edge.

Fig. 8 shows an example of a plan view of an unloading station 07 arranged in the production line 01. The transport device 09 of the unloading station 07 is constructed similarly to the transport device 09 of the loading station 02, so that the same reference numbers are used below for the same components. The unloading station 07 also has at least one wire frame 22 which can be pivoted, usually in a circle, about an axis of rotation 23 which extends transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 to be transported, each of the wire frames 22 being designed in such a way that it corresponds to the transport plane of the transport device 09 transporting metal sheets 08 in a pivoting movement from top to bottom and with this pivoting movement one of the metal sheets 08 transported vertically upright through the continuous dryer 17 is placed flat in the transport plane of the transport device 09 of the unloading station 07. In the preferred embodiment the unloading station 07 is in the middle area M of their transport device 09, two z. parallel to one another. B. arranged in synchronization or clocked and accelerating transport belts 11, which z. B. hold a metal sheet 08 lying flat on this transport belt 11 by suction and / or a magnetic holding force. The transport device 09 of the unloading station 07 preferably also has - as before in connection with the Fig. 5 described - two belt-free edge areas R1; R2, in each of which a nozzle field 13 is formed. In the respective nozzle fields 13, several nozzles 14 are arranged to form an air cushion carrying a metal sheet 08 lying flat on the transport belt 11, of which z. B. ejects a first portion of blown air in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 at an acute angle, directed obliquely outwards and / or z. B. a second portion of blown air is blown out vertically upwards towards the underside of a metal sheet 08 lying flat on the transport belt 11. On the wire frame 22 there are z. B. arranged laterally in the direction of the nearest edge of the relevant transport device 09 extending along the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08. Arms 26 are arranged, each of which extends into one of the edge regions R1; R2 inserted recess 27 grab, these recesses 27 to avoid hooking of the metal sheets 08 to be transported by the transport device 09 preferably an acute angle in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 in the direction of the nearest edge of the relevant transport device extending along the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 09 running bevel 28 z. B. in the form of at least one correspondingly extending edge.

An advantageous embodiment of a generic production line 01 for processing metal sheets 08 has several different machine units, with at least one of these machine units being designed in particular as a continuous dryer 17. In this case, the continuous dryer 17 is designed in such a way that metal sheets 08 to be dried are vertically erected in this continuous dryer 17 and as a rule. spaced from one another, with the continuous dryer 17 being preceded by a loading station 02 which is lying flat in a transport plane of a transport device 09 and/or the continuous dryer 17 by a metal sheet 08 which is transported vertically upright in a transport plane of a transport device 09 and which is lying flat unloading station 07 is subordinate. The distance between metal sheets 08 transported vertically upright through the continuous dryer 17 is only a few centimeters, e.g. B. between 1 cm and 5 cm, especially less than 3 cm. At least one printing fluid was previously applied to at least one surface of the metal sheets 08 to be dried in the continuous dryer 17, ie on one or both sides, in at least one machine unit designed as a metal sheet printing machine 03 or as a sheet metal painting machine 06. The printed and/or painted metal sheets 08 are fed to the continuous dryer 17 one after the other, these metal sheets 08 being erected vertically from their position in the loading station 02, which is otherwise lying flat in their transport plane in this production line 01, before being fed to the continuous dryer 17. The vertical erection here is e.g. B. an erection of the individual metal sheets 08 previously lying flat in the transport plane of the respective transport device 09 with a tolerance of less than ±30°, preferably less than ±15° in each case to the vertical, these verticals preferably being on the transport plane of the respective transport device 09 is related. After being transported vertically upright through the continuous dryer 17, the metal sheets 08 are placed flat one after the other in the unloading station 07 in the transport plane of a transport device 09. In a further embodiment of the production line 01, a cooling zone 18, e.g. B. designed in the form of a cooling device in order to cool the metal sheets 08, which are strongly heated during their passage through the continuous dryer 17, to a significantly lower temperature.

In a preferred embodiment, at least two machine units of this production line 01 are each in their own frame 19; 21 designed and functionally linked together for the joint execution of a production, these at least two machine units each having at least one transport device 09 for transporting at least one sheet metal sheet 08 lying flat individually in the respective transport plane, each of these separately arranged transport devices 09 for the transport of the respective metal sheet 08 each has at least one transport belt 11. The transport belts 11 of the relevant transport devices 09 are each preferably driven by an electric drive 16, in particular in such a way that transport belts 11 arranged in different transport devices 09 are synchronized with one another in their respective rotational speed, so that metal sheets 08 transported by these transport belts 11 are each transported at least almost equal amount, d. H. be transported with minimal permissible tolerances apart from the same linear speed. In the transport plane of the metal sheets 08 lying flat on the transport belt 11, an air cushion is preferably formed below these metal sheets 08 and these metal sheets 08 are arranged to float in their transport plane by the air cushion.

A particular problem arises when metal sheets 08 to be transported have been painted in the sheet metal painting machine 06 up to their front edge 29 and/or rear edge 31 relative to their transport direction T ( Fig. 2 ) and are transported while freshly painted, ie when the paint is still wet, resting on one of the transport belts 11 arranged in one of the transport devices 09. This problem consists in the fact that the paint application carried out on the front edge 29 and/or on the rear edge 31 of the metal sheet 08 in question can be transferred to the at least one transport belt 11 during the transport of this metal sheet 08, and as a result the transport belt 11 in question becomes dirty. This undesirable transfer of paint to a transport belt 11 and/or to another Further facilities of the transport devices 09 involved in the transport are referred to as paint grips. The undesirable paint wrap can occur in all machine units downstream in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 of the metal painting machine 06.

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that on the transport side of the relevant transport belt 11, i.e. H. on the side facing the metal sheet 08 to be transported, raised areas designated as webs 32 and lowered areas designated as depressions 33 are formed, each metal sheet 08 transported on the relevant transport belt 11 being arranged resting on at least one arrangement of webs 32 of the relevant transport belt 11 is. The transport belt 11 in question is from the z. B. control unit designed as a control center of the production line 01 depending on a format length L extending in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 is controlled in its rotation in such a way that the respective front edge 29 and / or rear edge 31 of each metal sheet 08 to be transported is in the area between two adjacent webs 32 formed depression 33 is arranged. The webs 32, which extend transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08, can each be used as continuous transverse ribs or interrupted as a point support, for example. B. be designed in the form of knobs. In any case, it is provided that the respective front edge 29 and/or rear edge 31 of each metal sheet 08 to be transported resting on the transport side of the transport belt 11 in question is arranged to float freely in order to avoid the paint getting caught up in it.

Like the one in the Fig. 9 transport belt 11 of the transport device 09 shown as an example as an individual part, the transport belt 11 in question can, in a particularly advantageous embodiment, have on its transport side in addition to the at least one arrangement of webs 32 at least one suction element 34, each with a self-contained raised contour 36, whereby one on the The metal sheet 08 to be transported lying on the relevant transport belt 11 is held there by means of a negative pressure exerted by the relevant suction element 34 on the relevant metal sheet 08. In addition, the transport belt 11 in question can also have a lowered area 37 with a minimum back height that is not necessarily limited by webs 32 on its transport side, this back height being designed to be lower than the respective height of the webs 32 and/or the respective height of the raised contour 36 of the at least a suction element 34. Alternatively or additionally, a metal sheet 08 to be transported can be held on the relevant transport belt 11 by means of a magnetic holding force. In the case of holding a metal sheet 08 to be transported by suction, ie by means of negative pressure, the flat plate 12 is arranged stationary in the transport plane of the metal sheets 08 in the transport device 09 in question ( Fig. 4 ) a suction box extending longitudinally to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08 is arranged, which is eliminated in the case of holding a metal sheet 08 to be transported by a magnetic holding force. The at least one suction element 34 of the relevant transport belt 11 has at least one hole or a corresponding opening directed towards the suction box arranged below the plate 12, so that the at least one suction element 34 of the relevant transport belt 11 and the suction box arranged below the plate 12 at least in the operating state of the Holding a metal sheet 08 resting on the transport side of the relevant transport belt 11 has a fluidic connection to one another. At least in the belt-free edge areas R1; R2 of the plate 12 arranged nozzles 14 are each connected to a compressed air source, so that blown air flowing out of these nozzles 14 against the underside of a metal sheet 08 resting on the at least one transport belt 11 of the relevant transport device 09 forms an air cushion, by means of which the relevant one on the at least A metal sheet 08 resting on a transport belt 11 is kept floating above the plate 12 and thus, apart from its resting on the respective transport side of the at least one transport belt 11, to the relevant transport device 09 is contact-free.

In order to ensure a trouble-free movement sequence during the sequential individual transport of the metal sheets 08 in a generic production line 01 with several machine units, it may be necessary to accelerate or brake individual metal sheets 08 in certain sections of this production line 01 in relation to the production speed applicable to this production line 01, whereby The mentioned sections of the production line 01 refer in particular to machine units arranged in direct succession in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08, and a previously described transport device 09 is arranged in at least one of these machine units. For this purpose, it is proposed to have at least one pair of belts 38 in at least one of the transport devices 09 of the machine units of this production line 01, which are arranged in direct succession, in addition to or instead of a single transport belt 11, preferably - as in the Fig. 10 shown as an example - to provide a double pair of belts 38, the transport belts 11 of the relevant pair of belts 38 being independent of their respective electric drive 16 from at least one other transport belt 11 arranged in this transport device 09, i.e. not belonging to the relevant pair of belts 38, or independently of another in The pair of belts 38 arranged in this transport device 09 are driven and their respective rotational speed is adjusted or at least adjustable by the control unit independently of the at least one other transport belt 11 arranged in this transport device 09 or of the other pair of belts 38 arranged in this transport device 09. In addition, it can be provided that the individual transport belts 11 of a specific pair of belts 38, which are preferably arranged immediately adjacent, are each driven independently of one another by their respective electric drive 16 and their respective rotational speeds are set or at least adjustable independently of one another by the control unit. On the relevant transport device 09 Arranged individual transport belts 11 and/or pairs of belts 38 can then act alternately with respect to a metal sheet 08 to be transported, ie they transport a metal sheet 08 to be transported alternately. The metal sheets 08 to be transported can be synchronized with the production speed in the production line 01 from an upstream machine unit, e.g. B. taken over by the sheet metal painting machine 06 and transferred synchronously to a downstream machine unit, with the respective transfer of the sheet metal sheets 08 then preferably taking place largely without slippage. A metal sheet 08 to be transported through several different machine units of the generic production line 01 is held in these machine units by means of at least one suction element 34 and/or a magnetic holding force, resting on the relevant transport belt 11 or pair of belts 38. The respective holding of the relevant metal sheet 08 in the relevant machine unit begins at its z. B. synchronous takeover from the upstream machine unit and ends with its z. B. synchronous transfer to the downstream machine unit.

This results in a production line 01 with several machine units, with at least one of these machine units having a device for transporting painted metal sheets 08, this device having at least one transport belt 11 which transports the metal sheets 08 individually sequentially, the transport belt 11 in question being in an endless loop is arranged circumferentially and has at least one arrangement of several webs 32, each spaced apart by a depression 33 and extending transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 08, at least on its transport side facing the relevant metal sheet 08 to be transported, each metal sheet 08 transported on the relevant transport belt 11 at least one of these arrangements of webs 32 of the transport belt 11 in question is arranged lying on it, a control unit controlling the circulation of the transport belt 11 in question being provided. This is one of the Machine units are designed as a sheet metal painting machine 06, wherein the sheet metal painting machine 06 is designed to paint the metal sheets 08 to be transported by the device up to their front edge 29 and/or rear edge 31 related to their transport direction T, the relevant transport belt 11 of the device for transporting the painted sheet metal sheets 08 is controlled in its rotation by the control unit depending on a format length L extending in the transport direction T of these metal sheets 08 in such a way that the respective front edge 29 and / or rear edge 31 of each metal sheet 08 to be transported is in the area of one between two adjacent webs 32 formed depression 33 is arranged.

Furthermore, there is also a method for operating a production line 01 with several machine units, with at least one of these machine units having a device for transporting painted metal sheets 08, this device transporting the metal sheets 08 individually sequentially with at least one transport belt 11, the transport belt in question 11 rotates in an endless loop and at least on its transport side facing the relevant sheet metal sheet 08 to be transported has at least one arrangement of several webs 32, each spaced apart by a depression 33 and extending transversely to the transport direction T of the sheet metal sheets 08, each sheet metal sheet transported on the relevant transport belt 11 08 rests on at least one of these arrangements of webs 32 of the relevant transport belt 11, with a control unit controlling the rotation of the relevant transport belt 11, one of the machine units being designed as a sheet metal painting machine 06, the sheet metal painting machine 06 carrying the metal sheets 08 to 10 to be transported by the device painted on its front edge 29 and/or rear edge 31 related to its transport direction T, the control unit controlling the relevant transport belt 11 of the device for transporting the painted metal sheets 08 in its circulation in this way depending on a format length L extending in the transport direction T of these metal sheets 08 that the respective front edge 29 and/or rear edge 31 of each metal sheet 08 to be transported each is arranged in the area of a depression 33 formed between two adjacent webs 32.

Reference symbol list

01

production line

02

loading station

03

Sheet metal printing machine

04

Transport module

05

-

06

Sheet metal painting machine

07

Unloading station

08

Sheet metal

09

Transport device

10

-

11

Transport belt

12

plate

13

Nozzle field

14

jet

15

-

16

drive

17

Continuous dryer

18

Cooling zone

19

frame

20

-

21

frame

22

Wire frame

23

Axis of rotation

24

attack

25

-

26

poor

27

recess

28

bevel

29

leading edge

30

-

31

trailing edge

32

web

33

sink

34

Suction element

35

-

36

contour

37

sunken area

38

Pair of straps

b

Width; Format width

B11

Width

B12

Width

L

Length; Format length

L12

length

M

midrange

R1; R2

Edge area

T

Transport direction

Claims (15)

1. A production line (01) with a plurality of machine units, wherein at least one of these machine units has a device for transporting respectively coated sheet metal plates (08), wherein this device has at least one transport belt (11) sequentially transporting the sheet metal plates (08) individually, wherein the relevant transport belt (11) is circumferentially arranged in an endless loop, wherein a control unit controlling the revolution of the relevant transport belt (11) is provided, wherein one of the machine units is configured as a sheet metal coating machine (06), characterized in that the relevant transport belt (11) has at least one arrangement of a plurality of webs (32) extending perpendicular to the transport direction (T) of the sheet metal plates (08) respectively spaced apart from one another by a sink (33) at least on its transport side facing the relevant sheet metal plate (08) to be transported, wherein each sheet metal plate (08) transported on the relevant transport belt (11) is arranged resting on at least one of these arrangements of webs (32) of the relevant transport belt (11), wherein the sheet metal coating machine (06) is configured coating the sheet metal plates (08) transported by the device up to their front edge (29) and/or rear edge (31) with respect to their transport direction (T), wherein the relevant transport belt (11) of the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) is controlled by the control unit depending on a format length (L) extending in transport direction (T) of these sheet metal plates (08) such that the respective front edge (29) and/or rear edge (31) of each sheet metal plate (08) to be transported is respectively arranged in the region of a sink (33) formed between two adjacent webs (32).
2. The production line (01) according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine unit having the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) is arranged in transport direction (T) downstream of the sheet metal plates (08) of the machine unit configured as a sheet metal coating machine (06).
3. The production line (01) according to claim 2, characterized in that the machine configured as a sheet metal coating machine (06) and the machine unit having the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) are arranged in direct succession one after the other.
4. The production line (01) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the webs (32) of the relevant transport belt (11) are configured either as continuous cross-ribs or interrupted as a respective punctual support.
5. The production line (01) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that, in addition to the at least one arrangement of webs (32), the relevant transport belt (11) has at least one suction element (34) respectively having a self-contained raised contour (36), wherein a sheet metal plate (08) to be transported resting on the relevant transport belt (11) is held there by means of a negative pressure exerted by the relevant suction element (34) on the relevant sheet metal plate (08) .
6. The production line (01) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, characterized in that the relevant transport belt (11) has on its transport side a lowered region (37) not delimited by webs (32) having a lower back height in comparison to the height of the webs (32) and/or to the height of the contour (36) of the at least one suction element (34).
7. The production line (01) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6, characterized in that a sheet metal plate (08) to be transported is held by means of a magnetic holding force on the relevant transport belt (11).
8. The production line (01) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7, characterized in that, in addition to or in place of the at least one individual transport belt (11), at least one belt pair (38) is provided, wherein the transport belt (11) of the relevant belt pair (38) is driven independently by at least one other transport belt (11) arranged in this device or by another belt pair (38) arranged in this device or is set or at least can be set in its respective revolution speed by the control unit independently from the at least one other transport belt (11) or by another belt pair (38) arranged in this device.
9. The production line (01) according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8, characterized in that this production line (01) has a sheet metal printing machine (03) in addition to the sheet metal coating machine (06) and/or that this production line (01) arranged downstream of the machine unit having the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) has a loading station (02), a continuous dryer (17) and an unloading station (07) in succession as further machine units and/or that this production line (01) has at least one transport module (04).
10. The production line (01) according to claim 9, characterized in that the loading station (02) and/or the unloading station (07) and/or the relevant transport module (04) respectively have an aforementioned device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08).
11. A method for operating a production line (01) with a plurality of machine units, wherein at least one of these machine units has a device for transporting respective coated sheet metal plates (08), wherein this device with at least one transport belt (11) sequentially transports the sheet metal plates (08) individually, wherein the relevant transport belt (11) revolves in an endless loop and has at least on its transport side facing the relevant sheet metal plate (08) to be transported at least one arrangement of a plurality of webs (32) respectively extending through a sink (33) spaced apart perpendicular to the transport direction (T) of the sheet metal plates (08), wherein each sheet metal plate (08) transported on the relevant transport belt (11) lies upon at least one of these arrangements of webs (32) of the relevant transport belt (11), wherein a control unit controls the revolution of the relevant transport belt (11), wherein one of the machine units is configured as a sheet metal coating machine (06), wherein the sheet metal coating machine (06) coats the sheet metal plates (08) to be transported by the device up to their front edge (29) and/or rear edge (31) with respect to their transport direction (T), wherein the control unit controls the relevant transport belt (11) of the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) depending on a format length (L) extending in the transport direction (T) of these sheet metal plates (08) in its revolution such that the respective front edge (29) and/or rear edge (31) of each sheet metal plate (08) to be transported is respectively arranged in the region of a sink (33) formed between two adjacent webs (32).
12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that sheet metal plates (08) to be transported by the device are synchronously received at a current production speed in the production line (01) by the machine unit configured as a sheet metal coating machine (06) arranged upstream of the machine unit with this device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) and synchronously passed to a machine unit which is arranged downstream of the machine unit with the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08).
13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, in addition to or in place of the at least one individual transport belt (11), at least one belt pair (38) is provided, wherein the transport belt (11) of the relevant belt pair (38) is driven independently by at least one other transport belt (11) arranged in the device for transporting the coated sheet metal plates (08) or by another belt pair (38) arranged in this device or is set or at least can be set in its respective revolution speed by the control unit independently from the at least one other transport belt (11) or by another belt pair (38) arranged in this device.
14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the individual transport belts (11) arranged immediately adjacent of a belt pair (38) respectively reciprocally transport one of the sheet metal plates (08) to be transported.
15. The method according to claim 11 or 12 or 13 or 14, characterized in that a respective holding of the sheet metal plates (08) lying on the relevant transport belt (11) or belt pair (38) in the relevant machine unit begins with its receipt from the machine unit arranged upstream and ends with its transfer to the machine unit arranged downstream.

Images