EP4225514B1 - Method for monitoring and for changing the position of at least one moving crosshead of a metal press, and metal press - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for monitoring the position and/or adjusting the position of at least one component, in particular a running beam and/or pickup holder, which is slidably guided between abutments of a press frame within the press frame, wherein the method comprises the continuous measurement of a centric alignment of the slidably guided component within the press frame and the correction of the alignment of the slidably guided component within the press frame depending on the recorded measurement result with the aid of automatically adjustable guide elements of the sliding guides of the press.

The invention further relates to a press with a press frame and with crossbars that absorb the pressing forces during operation of the press, at least one component that slides within the press frame, in particular a slidingly guided running beam and / or pickup holder, with sliding guides provided on the guide columns and / or in engagement with them and with automatically adjustable guide elements of the sliding guides

Extrusion presses usually work in such a way that a block to be pressed is pressed by a punch towards a die (direct extrusion). Extrusion presses are also common in which a block receiver or receiver with a metal block is pressed against a hollow pressing punch (indirect extrusion). Such presses comprise, for example, a press frame with one or more piston-cylinder units acting between a cylinder beam and a counter beam, which apply the pressing force, as well as a receiver holder and a pressing punch. supporting beam. The beam and the pickup holder can be slid along the guide columns of the press frame. In addition, these are equipped with adjustable guide shoes that have guide surfaces aligned with the main axis of the press. For trouble-free operation of such an extrusion press and for high dimensional accuracy of the wall thickness of the hollow profiles produced, it is important that the pickup holder is centrally aligned with the press tools.

From the DE 39 01 961 A1 is a horizontal extruder with a receiver holder and running bar that can be moved axially in the press frame between the lower, weight-bearing and upper, holding-down guides. The pick-up holder and the running bar are provided with adjustable guide shoes for the aligned alignment of the pick-up holder and the pressing tools, which are flexibly connected to the pick-up holder and the running bar by pressure elements and are held in positive contact with the upper guides under the pressure force, with the pick-up holder and the Press frame sensors are provided for detecting and displaying an inclination of the pickup axis. The measuring sensors are arranged on the upper, holding down guide shoes to the pick-up holder and to the running bar between the guide shoes and the pick-up holder or running bar that carries them, measuring and indicating the distance between the guide shoes and the pick-up holder or running bar, parallel to the pressure elements and the pressure elements are themselves designed as measuring sensors . In the DE 39 01 961 A1 It is proposed that the sensors be associated with indicators on the control station of the press that indicate deviations that occur, so that the operating personnel can recognize the extent of the deviations and make corrections if necessary. Tilting, asymmetrical thermal expansion or the like lead to a change in the distance from the end pieces of the pickup holder or the running bar to the sliding guides, so that the guide shoes shift under the force of the plate spring packages provided on them. Any angular and transverse deviations in the aligned position of the transducer are reliably detected in this way, but the detection takes place indirectly via the measuring sensors on the individual guide shoes, which makes automated monitoring and center alignment of the transducer holder as well as the running bar of the press more difficult.

A generic process and such a press are also from the EP 3 677 356 A1 known. From the JP S63 132716 A is a method of alignment a sensor of a press within a sensor holder is described, in which an eccentricity between the sensor and a press stamp is determined, calculated and corrected using several laser light sources and photodetectors.

Further state of the art is available from the documents EP 3 003 701 B1 , CN107243586A , CN 201669364 U , JP 2020-99 930 A , US 6 259 110 B1 and JP H04 141 337 known.

The invention is based on the object of providing a method of the type mentioned at the outset, which enables a relatively simple monitoring of the center alignment of the components movably guided in the main axis of the press and an automatic correction of the center alignment of these components.

The object is achieved with the features of the method according to patent claim 1. The object is further achieved by a press with the features of patent claim 10. Advantageous variants of the invention are covered by the respective subclaims.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for monitoring the position and/or adjusting the position of at least one component, in particular a running beam, ram and/or a pickup holder, which is slidably guided between abutments of a press frame within the press frame, wherein the method comprises continuously measuring a centric alignment of the slidably guided component within the press frame and correcting the alignment of the slidably guided component within the press frame depending on the recorded measurement result using automatically adjustable guide elements of the slide guides of the press, characterized in that the centric alignment of the slidably guided component within the press frame is measured by position detection using two reference points of the slidably guided component in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal center axis of the press.

As a sliding component, the center alignment of which is to be monitored and corrected using the method according to the invention, a running beam of a Press. However, the method is not limited to this; the center alignment of a sensor holder on a press can also be monitored, displayed to a system operator and/or automatically corrected by an appropriate control or regulation. By measuring the position of the reference points, the centric alignment or position of the sliding component relative to the main axis of the press or to the longitudinal center axis of the press can be determined in an XY coordinate system. By comparing the target position with the actual position of the coordinates of the reference points, the required correction of the alignment of the sliding component can be determined. The method can be used regardless of the number of columns or pressure sleeves. This makes it possible to monitor and/or adjust the position of a guided component, for example on a 2- or 4-column press.

Because the measuring arrangement preferably detects a position deviation of ≤ 2 mm, preferably ≤ 0.5 mm, even more preferably ≤ 0.1 mm, it is possible to correct even small deviations and thus improve the repeatability of the pressing process.

The method according to the invention has the advantage that the reference points or reference markings provided, for example, on the running bar of the press can be detected optically and therefore over a certain distance. The reference points are preferably arranged at two points as far apart as possible from each other around the longitudinal central axis of the press and preferably in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal central axis of the press.

Reference points can be, for example, markings that can be detected by laser. According to the invention, the position detection or location detection of the reference points is carried out by means of at least one measuring arrangement provided on the press frame. An image processing sensor system can be used as a measuring arrangement, for example. This can also be equipped with a laser triangulator for detecting depth information.

In an advantageous variant of the method according to the invention it is provided that the adjustment of the guide elements of the sliding guide takes place automatically depending on the recorded measurement result.

Preferably, the number of adjustment processes and/or the adjustment path covered and/or the position data associated with each adjustment process are recorded in a control and/or regulating device. The control and/or regulating device can primarily be designed to initiate an adjustment process on the guide elements of the sliding guide automatically, i.e. without the operator's intervention. However, the control and/or regulating device can also output appropriate information to the operator, who then initiates an adjustment process. In addition, the control and/or regulating device can, as mentioned above, also output information about the wear status of the sliding guide.

The press preferably forms metallic materials. In this application in particular, the processing forces that occur are high and the required tolerances of the finished pressed components are low. The position adjustment according to the invention reduces wear on the press and can compensate for deviations in order to comply with the required component tolerances.

The method is preferably used in open-die forging, drop forging, isothermal forging, ring blanking, deep-drawing, extrusion and/or hole or drawing presses.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a press is provided, with a press frame and cross bars which absorb the pressing forces when the press is in operation, at least one component which is slidably guided on guide columns within the press frame, in particular a running bar and/or a pickup holder, with and provided on the guide columns / or with these engaged sliding guides and with automatically adjustable guide elements of the sliding guides, whereby to carry out the method described above on the slidably guided component or on the running bar in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal central axis of the press at least two reference points arranged at a distance from one another, preferably optically detectable, are provided and at least one measuring arrangement for detecting the position of the reference points is provided on the press frame.

The press frame of the press can have as an abutment, for example a cylinder spar and a counter spar, which can be connected to one another via tie rods. The press according to the invention can be designed as a lying or standing direct extrusion press or a lying or standing indirect extrusion press.

Figur 1

einen Querschnitt durch eine Metallpresse gemäß der Erfindung und

Figur 2

eine Schnittansicht eines einstellbaren Führungselements an einer Presse gemäß der Erfindung.

The invention is explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

Figure 1

a cross section through a metal press according to the invention and

Figure 2

a sectional view of an adjustable guide element on a press according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a sectional view through a press 1 according to the invention from the direction of view of a measuring arrangement 20 arranged on a press frame 2 of the press 1. The measuring arrangement 20 is arranged between an upper beam or between a cylinder beam and a running beam 3 of the press 1. The running beam 3 is guided in a sliding manner on guide columns 5 of the press frame 2 with respect to a longitudinal center axis 4 of the press 1, which extends into the plane of the drawing. For this purpose, appropriately designed sliding guides 6 are provided on the running beam 3, which, as described below, have automatically adjustable guide elements 10. The position of the running beam 3 is constantly monitored by means of the measuring arrangement 20 provided on the press frame 2. The measuring arrangement 20 comprises laser sensors which are aligned with reference points 7 arranged at a distance from the longitudinal center axis 4 on a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal center axis 4 of the extrusion press 1. The measuring arrangement 20 detects the position or reference points relative to the longitudinal center axis 4 of the extrusion press 1 in a coordinate system, that by the in Figure 1 drawn axes X and Y. The reference points 7 are provided as optical markings on the beam 3. The measuring arrangement 20 is coupled to the adjustable guide elements 10 via a control and/or regulating device. If, for example, one-sided or asymmetrical wear of the sliding guides 6 leads to a misalignment of the beam 3, the measuring arrangement 20 detects a change in the position of the reference points 7 relative to the longitudinal center axis 4 of the press 1. The control and/or regulating device sends a corresponding control pulse to one or more guide elements 10, which bring about a corresponding correction of the position of the beam 3.

The guide element 10 comprises a housing 12, in which a spindle 13 extends, which is rotatably mounted in a bushing 14. The spindle 13 extends through first and second threaded bores 16, 17 of an adjusting wedge 15, which can be displaced within the housing 12 by rotating the spindle 13. The thread of the threaded holes 16, 17 is a movement thread that is complementary to the thread of the spindle 14. The adjusting wedge 15 rests against a guide wedge 18, which is connected to a sliding block 19 or a sliding plate. The sliding block 19, which forms part of the sliding guide 6, is designed as a wearing part and is adjustable parallel to the longitudinal central axis 4 or to the main axis of the press 1.

The spindle 13 is provided at its end protruding from the housing 12 with an engagement 11 for the drive axle of a drive unit (not shown). A drive unit can be, for example, a direct-acting electric motor or consist of a motor with a gear. In order to adjust the position of the sliding block 19, the spindle 13 is rotated with a corresponding drive unit. The rotary movement allows the adjusting wedge 15 to slide in or against the direction of the arrow A shown, whereby the guide wedge thereby slides in or against the direction of the arrow B and either increases or decreases the distance S between the guide column 5 and the sliding block 19.

List of reference symbols

1

Extrusion press

2

Press frame

3

Running beam

4

Longitudinal center axis of the press

5

Leadership pillars

6

Sliding guide

7

Reference points

8th

Reference symbol not assigned

9

Reference symbols not assigned

10

Leadership element

11

intervention

12

Housing

13

spindle

14

Rifle

15

adjusting wedge

16

first threaded hole

17

second threaded hole

18

Guide wedge

19

Sliding block

20

Measuring arrangement

A

Arrow

B

Arrow

S

Distance

Claims (14)

1. Method for positional monitoring and/or positional adjustment of at least one component slidably guided within a press frame (2) between counter-bearings of the press frame (2), particularly of a moving crosshead (3) and/or of a receiver holder, wherein the method comprises continuous measurement of a central orientation of the slidably guided component within the press frame (2) and correction of the orientation of the slidably guided component within the press frame (2) in dependence on the detected measurement result with the help of automatically settable guide elements (10) of sliding guides of the press, characterised in that measurement of the central orientation of the slidably guided component within the press frame (2) is carried out by positional detection by means of two reference points (7) of the slidably guided component in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal centre axis (4) of the press, wherein the positional detection of the reference points (7) is carried out by means of at least one measuring arrangement (20) provided at the press frame (2).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the position of the reference points (7) is detected by means of laser sensors.
3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the position of the reference points (7) relative to the longitudinal centre axis (4) of the press is detected.
4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the adjustment of the guide elements (10) of the sliding guide (6) is carried out automatically in dependence on the detected measurement result.
5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the number of adjustment processes and/or the adjustment path covered and/or the positional data associated with each adjustment process is or are detected in a controlling and/or regulating device.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that wear of the sliding guide (6) is determined from the number of adjusting processes and/or the adjustment path covered and is supplied to the operator of the press.
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the measuring arrangement detects a positional deviation ≤ 0.2 millimetres, preferably ≤ 0.5 millimetres, even more preferably ≤ 0.1 millimetres.
8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the press reshapes metallic materials.
9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the press produces freeform-forged, drop-forged, isothermally forged annular blanks, presses deep-drawn components, extrudes, and/or presses perforated and drawn components.
10. Press with a press frame (2) and cross beams accepting pressing forces during operation of the press, at least one component slidably guided within the press frame on guide columns (5), particularly a moving crosshead (3) and/or a receiver holder, with sliding guides (6), which are provided at the guide columns (5) and/or disposed in engagement therewith, and with automatically adjustable guide elements (10) of the sliding guides (5), wherein for performance of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 at least two reference points (7) arranged at a spacing from one another and preferably optically detectable are provided at the slidably guided component in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal centre axis (4) of the press and wherein at least one measuring arrangement (20) for positional detection of the reference points (7) is provided at the press frame (2).
11. Press according to claim 10, characterised in that the measuring arrangement (20) is coupled with the settable guide elements (10) by way of at least one controlling and/or regulating device in such a way that a control signal for activation of the automatically settable guide elements (10) can be generated from the detected measurement signals so that correction of the orientation of the slidably guided component within the press frame (2) can be automatically produced in dependence on the detected measurement result.
12. Press according to one of claims 10 and 11, characterised in that at least one adjustable guide element (10) comprises at least one slide block (19) adjustable transversely to the movement direction of the slidably guided component of the press, at least one setting wedge (15) and at least one guide wedge (18), the adjustment of which relative to one another produces displacement of the slide block (19) transversely to the movement direction of the slidably guided component, wherein the setting wedge (15) is steplessly adjustable by means of at least one spindle drive.
13. Press according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the press is constructed for reshaping metalling materials.
14. Press according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterised in that the press is constructed as a freeform-forging press, drop-forging press, isothermally forging press, annular blank press, perforating or drawing press, deep-drawing press and/or extruder.

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