GB2123579A

GB2123579A - A cutting system for sheet material

Info

Publication number: GB2123579A
Application number: GB08311297A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenji Ohishi
Original assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Current assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-30
Filing date: 1983-04-26
Publication date: 1984-02-01
Also published as: GB2123579B; DE3315515A1; DE3315515C2; FR2525946A1; IT8348171A0; GB8311297D0; FR2525946B1; KR840004374A; JPS58192712A; IT1205581B

Abstract

A cutting system for sheet material comprises a shearing machine (2) having a transfer apparatus (5) for the sheet (W) and a marking apparatus (8) disposed near the shearing machine. The marking apparatus applies a characteristic mark, e.g. label, stamp or impression, at given positions on a sheet which is to be cut into finished blanks, for example by shearing blades (15), to enable the blanks to be sorted out more easily. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A cutting system for sheet material This invention relates to a cutting system for sheet material, and more particularly to a system for cutting a sheet by a shearing machine after marking the sheet by means of a marking apparatus.

When a sheet of metal is cut by a shearing machine, finished blanks cut into various shapes from the sheet are dropped on the rear side of the shearing machine and are carried away by a conveyor to a storage station. At the storage station, workers sort out each of the finished blanks in accordance with their respective shapes in order to transfer them to a subsequent process or processes. In such a sorting-out operation, handling the large number of blanks greatly fatigues the workers. Moreover, when the blanks are of similar shapes or sizes, the workers cannot readily or quickly distinguish them apart.

Consequently, the sorting-out operation requires much time and labour and fatigue and errors can arise.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cutting system for sheet material which can improve this sorting-out operation.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a cutting system for sheet material, comprising: means for transferring a sheet to a predetermined position; means for marking a plurality of sections of the sheet prior to shearing; means for shearing the sheet into finished blanks; and means for controlling the operation of said transferring means, marking means and shearing means in accordance with a predetermined program.

The cutting system of this invention thus comprises a marking apparatus which applies a characteristic marking to each of the sections of the sheet to be cut and a shearing machine which cuts the sheet into finished blanks.

The shearing machine preferably includes a transfer apparatus for the sheet. The marking means is preferably provided near the shearing machine. The control means should supply the marking apparatus with data signals indicative of the characteristic markings and also supply the shearing machine with operational signals by which the transfer apparatus carries the sheet to the marking and shearing positions and then the shearing machine cuts the sheet into finished blanks.

A preferred embodiment of cutting system in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a sheet working line embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a shearing machine and a labelling apparatus; Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken along line Ill-Ill in Fig. 2 showing the labelling apparatus; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a control system; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing a characteristic label to be stuck on the sheet; and, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sheet showing both the positions to stick the labels and also the cutting lines.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 , the present invention is applied to a sheet working line in which a turret punch press machine 1 and a shearing machine 2 are provided in tandem.

Sheet W is mounted on a feeding roller table 3 by a loader (not shown) and is carried to the turret punch press machine 1. The turret punch press machine 1 makes holes having a predetermined shape at a given position or positions on sheet W.

Punched sheet W is then transferred on to a transfer table 5 of the shearing machine 2 by a conveyor roller 4. Reference number 6 is a numerical control device for the turret punch press machine 1.

Sheet W is then cut to predetermined shapes by the shearing machine 2 in accordance with the program in the numerical control device 7. A labelling apparatus 8 is provided on the side of the shearing machine 2 so that labels 9 having various different characteristic numbers and symbols (see Fig. 5) are stuck at predetermined positions on the sheet W before the sheet is cut.

Reference number 1 1 is a take-out conveyor for a finished blank w cut from sheet W by the shearing machine 2; reference number 12 is a computer which controls the whole operation of this working line and labelling apparatus 8; and reference number 13 is a computer which supplies the labelling apparatus 8 with printing data.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2 which shows the shearing machine 2 and the labelling apparatus 8 in detail. Reference number 14 shows a body of the shearing machine 2, while reference number 15 shows shearing blades crossing at right-angles in body 14. Sheet W clamped by clamps 16 is moved on the transfer table 5 in the directions of the X and Y-axes respectively so as to be positioned at a predetermined place to be cut by the shearing blade 1 5.

The transfer table 5 comprises two stationary tables 5a and 5b fixed on a frame 17 and a movable table 5c which can move in the direction of the Y-axis. Movable table 5c is connected to a cross-carriage 18 which can move on frame 17 in the direction of the Y-axis. When a ball screw 21 is rotated by a servomotor 19 on frame 17, the cross-carriage 18 moves with movable table 5c along the Y-axis. Clamps 16 for the sheet W can move in the direction of the Xaxis in cross-carriage 18. When a ball screw 23 is rotated by a servomotor 22 on a cross-carriage 18, the clamps 16 move on cross-carriage 18 to carry sheet W in the direction of the X-axis.Once the sheet W has been gripped, retractable register sheet supports 33 are moved from a retracted position beneath the upper surface of the moveable table 5c to a raised condition. A motor 22 is then operated to rotate a ball screw 23 to move a common carriage 50 for the clamps 16 rearwardly or towards the left (as viewed in Fig.

2). This moves a trailing edge 51 of the sheet W into abutting engagement with the register sheet supports 52. Engagement of the trailing edge 51 of the sheet W with the register sheet supports 52 actuates a switch (not shown) to interrupt operation of the motor 22. This results in the sheet W being positioned in a predetermined orientation relative to the labelling apparatus 8 and blades 15 of the shearing machine 2.

Although the trailing edge of the register sheet supports 52 have been used in the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, it is contemplated that leading edge register members could be used in association with retractable clamp assemblies to register the sheet along its leading edge 53 and side edge 54 in the manner disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,297,927.

Once the sheet W has been registered, the register sheet supports 52 are retracted and the sheet W is positioned relative to the labelling apparatus 8 to enable identifying indicia to be placed at one or more preselected locations on the sheet. To position the sheet along the Y axis, a motor 19 is operated to rotate a ball screw 21 to move the transfer table 5 and a carriage 50 on which the clamps 16 are disposed, towards the labelling apparatus 8. Rotation of the ball screw 21 is effective to move the transfer table 5 and clamps 16 along a path, indicated by an arrow 55 in Fig.

2, which extends parallel to the Y axis, that is in the direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the ball screw 21. The sheet W is positioned relative to the labelling apparatus 8 along the X axis, that is in the directon indicated by arrow 56, by rotation of the ball screw 23.

Referring now to Fig. 3, this shows a conventional labelling apparatus 8. A tape 25 carrying labels 9 is wound on a reel 24 and is supplied from the reel 24 to a printer 26. A combination of appropriate numerals and symbols (in this case five numbers 0--9 and three alphabetic letters) is stamped on each of the labels 9 arranged in series on the tape 25 by the printer 26. Each stamped label 9 is fed into contact with a head 29 at the end of a piston rod 28 of an air cylinder 27. The head 29 takes up a stamped label 9 from the tape 25 by the downward movement and sticks the label 9 on to the sheet W on the transfer table 5. Preferably, a suction device (not shown) is connected to the head 29 so as to give a suction operation to the head 29.

Reference number 31 represents a guide bar for the piston rod 28; 32 a driving shaft for the reel 24; 33 sheet supports having rounded projections provided on the transfer table 5; and 34 an elongate support plate to prevent the sheet Wfrom deforming when applying the label 9 to the sheet W between the sheet supports 33.

Paste is applied to the back of the label 9. The label 9 is stuck positively to the sheet W by the punching action of the head 29 against the sheet W after the label 9 is stripped from the tape 25.

The controlling operation of the shearing machine 2 and the labelling apparatus 8 will now be explained.

The labelling apparatus 8 is controlled by the control device 35 (see Fig. 2). The control device 35, the computers 12 and 13, and the NC device 7 of the shearing machine 2 are electrically connected to each other. As shown in Fig. 4, a data demand signal 36 is applied to computer 12 from control device 35 and is sent on to computer 13 through computer 12. Then, computer 13 applies a data signal 37 to be stamped on a label 9 by printer 26 (in this instance five numbers and three letters) and a strobe signal 38 from computer 13 is applied to the control device 35 in response to the data command signal 36.

According to the data signal 37, the printer 26 of the labelling apparatus 8 immediately stamps a characteristic mark comprising numbers or numbers and alphabetic letters on the label 9, for example as shown in Fig. 5.

The NC device 7 controls the transfer of the sheet W, as usual, by moving the cross-carriage 1 8 and the clamps 1 6 in the directions of the Y and X-axes respectively, in accordance with input data signals. Input data signals include data which can move a given portion of the sheet W to which a label 9 is stuck (in this instance the righthand lower corner part of the sheet W) to a position just below the head 29 of the labelling apparatus 8. After moving and positioning the sheet W, a labelling signal 39 from the NC device 7 is applied to the control device 35. The air cylinder 27 of the labelling apparatus 8 is actuated by the labelling signal 39 from the control device 35, and a stamped label 9 is immediately stuck on to the given position on the sheet W. The control device 35 applies an interlock signal 41 to the NC device 7.The interlock signal 41 confirms whether the piston rod 28 has returned to the upper position, i.e.

whether the head 29 is not in contact with the sheet W and then permits the NC device 7 to transfer the sheet W.

After the labelling apparatus 8 has stuck a label or labels 9 at the given position or positions on the sheet W, a labelling completion signal 42 is applied from the labelling apparatus 8 through the control device 35 to the NC device 7. The NC device 7 reads subsequent data and applies a timing signal 46 to the shearing machine 2 so that the clamps 1 6 carry the sheet W to the predetermined position and so that the shearing blades 15 cut the sheet W into finished blanks as shown by the chain-dotted lines in Fig. 6.

An alarm signal 43 is applied to computer 12 from the control device 35 if any extraordinary operation happens to the labelling apparatus 8, so as to ring an alarm bell or light an alarm lamp (not shown). A semi-mode signal 44 is applied to the control device 35 from computer 12 to stop the control device 35 from demanding the data for computers 12 and 13. Then, the control device 35 controls the labelling apparatus 8 so as to stamp successive numbers beginning at 1 on successive labels 9 on the tape 25.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the sheet W is punched with variously shaped holes 45 at predetermined places by the turret punch press machine 1, and is then moved to the transfer table 5 of the shearing machine 2 and is clamped at an edge by the clamps 16. The first section S1 to be cut at the right-hand corner as shown in Fig. 6 is moved to just below the head 29 of the labelling apparatus 8. A label 9 stamped with a characteristic marking, for example "AEN00001" is stuck on the first section S1.

After sticking a label 9 on to the first section S1, the sheet W is moved so that the first cutting lines a and b coincide with the shearing blades 15 of the shearing machine 2, which then cuts off the first finished blank w.

Cutting of the second section S2, the third section S3,... is performed similarly. Labels 9 are applied to the sections S2, S3 . . ., and then each of the sections is cut along cutting lines c, d, e, f, ... from the sheets W, successively. In this instance, successive characteristic markings such as "AEN00001", "AEN00002", . . . are stamped on the labels 9, and the stamped labels 9 are stuck to the first section So, the second section 52,... successively. These characteristic markings can be changed freely by varying the input data to computer 13.For example, labels having the same marking may be stuck to all sections having the same shape, or labels having the same marking may be stuck to all the sections cut from a particular single sheet W, or the stamping of symbols may be effected in accordance with any other suitable and convenient plan or scheme.

Also, the labelling positions on each section S1, S2,... of the sheet W can be changed freely by varying the input data to the NC device 7. For example, labels 9 may be stuck on at the centre position of each section, or labels 9 may be stuck on at different positions on each section S1, S2, .. while avoiding holes 45 made by the punch press machine 1 at the preceding stage.

Furthermore, for example when the labelling positions of the first and second sections S1 and S2 are adjacent to each other, the first and second labelling processes may be performed continuously and the cutting of the first and second sections S1 and S2 may be performed continuously. In this case, the distance that the sheet W has to be moved is reduced and the working time can be shortened.

Similarly, it will be understood that after all the labels have been stuck on to all the labelling positions on a single sheet W, cutting of all the sections can be performed.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the labelling apparatus 8 is used as a marking apparatus. Alternatively, a stamping apparatus (not shown) in which symbol-stamping heads can be changed by a control device may be used so that characteristic marks are stamped directly on to the sheet by the stamping apparatus.

Furthermore, instead of the stamping apparatus, a marking press (not shown) in which symbolpressing heads can be changed may be used so that characteristic marks are pressed directly into the sheet. This can be done if irregularities on the face of the sheet will not harm subsequent processes.

According to the present invention, since a characteristic mark is given to a finished blank cut from the sheet by the shearing machine, the sorting-out operation of the finished blanks becomes extremely easy, discrimination between finished blanks having similar shapes can be made accurately and speedily, the sorting operation can be performed by only a few people and quickly, and the fatigue factor can be reduced or even eliminated.

Claims

1. A cutting system for sheet material, comprising: means for transferring a sheet to a predetermined position; means for marking a plurality of sections of the sheet prior to shearing; means for shearing the sheet into finished blanks; and means for controlling the operation of said transferring means, marking means and shearing means in accordance with a predetermined program.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes a transfer table comprising stationary tables fixed on a frame and a movable table movable along the Y-axis, a cross-carriage connected to the movable table, a ball screw for movement of the moving table and the cross-carriage, and clamp means for the sheet movable along the X-axis in the cross-carriage by a ball screw mounted on the cross-carriage.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said marking means comprises a labelling apparatus which sticks at least one label having a characteristic mark at a predetermined position on a section or sections of the sheet.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said marking means comprises a stamping apparatus which stamps a characteristic mark or marks at a predetermined position or positions on a section or sections of the sheet.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said controlling means includes: a computer for supplying data signals indicative of characteristic marks; a numerical control device for controlling the operation of said shearing means and transferring means; and a control device for controlling the operation of said numerical control device and said marking means.

6. An apparatus for cutting a sheet of material into a plurality of indicia bearing sections, said apparatus comprising applicator means for applying indicia to portions of a sheet of material, cutter means for cutting indicia bearing sections from the sheet of material, transfer means for positioning the sheet of material relative to said applicator means to enable said applicator means to apply indicia to a predetermined portion of the sheet of material and for positioning the sheet of material with the indicia thereon relative to said cutter means, and control means for effecting operation of said cutter means to cut an indicia bearing section from the sheet of material.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said transfer means includes clamp means for clamping the sheet of material during the application of indicia to the sheet of material by said applicator means and for clamping the sheet of material during operation of said cutter means to cut an indica bearing section from the sheet of material, said control means including means for effecting operation of said clamp means to maintain a continuous grip on the sheet of material from a time prior to the application of indicia to the sheet of material by said applicator means until after the indicia bearing section has been cut from the sheet of material.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, further including means for cutting openings in the sheet of material prior to the application of indicia to the sheet of material by said applicator means, said control means including means for effecting operation of said transfer means to position the sheet of material relative to said applicator means so that operation of said applicator means applies indicia to the sheet of material at a location spaced from an opening in the sheet of material.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein said transfer means includes support means disposed adjacent to said applicator means for engaging a first portion of a sheet of material to support the sheet of material during the application of indicia to the sheet of material and for engaging a second portion of the sheet of material to support the sheet of material during operation of said cutter means.

10. A cutting system for sheet material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.