JP2002144196A - Production line system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the cycle time of the whole production line system by shortening the stand-by time of a pallet carrier at an automatic set-up station. SOLUTION: A transfer device 8A provided with a plurality of transfer tables 9a, 9b moving in the lateral direction is disposed in a position along the pallet carrier 3 for transferring a pallet 6 with a jig. The pallet 56 with the jig holding a workpiece W to be machined is placed on the transfer table 9b beforehand from an attaching/detaching table 22. When the pallet 6 with the jig holding the machined workpiece W is transferred to the transfer table 9a by the pallet carrier 3, the pallet carrier 3 immediately moves to the side of another transfer table 9b to transfer the pallet 6 with the jig holding a workpiece W to be machined, to a pallet stocker 5. Since the pallet 6 with the jig is immediately transferred, the stand-by time of the pallet carrier 3 at the set-up station 4A is shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for transferring a pallet holding a workpiece between an automatic setup station and a machining center smoothly, reducing the machining waiting time of the machining center and reducing the cycle time of the entire production line system. The present invention relates to a production line system configured to achieve improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 shows an example of such a production line system. The production line system 1 mainly includes a plurality of machining centers 2, a pallet carrier 3, an automatic setup station 4, a plurality of pallet stockers 5, various control devices, and the like.

The machining center 2 is a well-known one, and includes a pallet changer 7 for transferring a pallet 6 with a jig between the pallet carrier 3 and a table of the machining center 2. Also, the pallet carrier 3
The vehicle is guided by two parallel linear traveling rails 3a, 3a and travels by a driving device (not shown). Further, the workpiece W is held between the pallets 6 with jigs and transferred between the respective devices. The pallet stockers 5 are provided on the opposite side of the machining center 2 with the pallet carrier 3 therebetween, and are provided as a plurality of pallet stockers on both sides of the traveling rails 3a, 3a of the pallet carrier 3 in the longitudinal direction.
An automatic setup station 4 is arranged between the pallet stockers.

[0004] When the pallet carrier 3 on which the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W is placed comes to a position facing the transfer device 8, the transfer device 3b provided on the pallet carrier 3 repairs the pallet. The pallet 6 with tools is transferred from the pallet carrier 3 to the transfer table 9 of the transfer device 8. On the pallet 6 with a jig transferred to the transfer table 9, the workpiece W is attached and detached in the automatic setup station 4. In the automatic setup station 4, the pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W to be processed is returned to the transfer table 9 by the tilting device (not shown) provided in the transfer device 8. Next, the transfer device 3b provided in the pallet carrier 3
As a result, the pallet with jig 6 is transferred to the pallet carrier 3.

In such a production line system 1, a plurality of machining centers 2 are arranged along one side of the pallet carrier 3, and a plurality of pallet stockers 5 are arranged along the other side.
Since the automatic setup station 4 for attaching and detaching the workpiece W to and from the workpiece W is arranged, the pallet 6 with a jig holding the workpiece W processed by the machining center 2 is transferred to the pallet carrier via the pallet changer 7. Immediately after being transferred to the pallet carrier 3 by the transfer device 3b provided in the pallet 3 and stored in the original pallet stocker 5,
The pallet carrier 3 moves to the pallet stocker 5 to be processed next, transfers the pallet 6 with a jig, and smoothly transfers the pallet 6 to the empty machining center 2.

On the other hand, the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W stored in the pallet stocker 5 is transferred to the transfer device 8 by the pallet carrier 3 while the machining is performed in the machining center 2. The workpiece W is attached and detached at the automatic setup station 4.

[0007]

However, in the production line system 1 as shown in FIG. 10, the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W is transferred to the transfer table 9 and the automatic setup station 4 is operated. In the above, the pallet carrier 3 must be kept waiting until the pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W to be machined by attaching and detaching the workpiece W is returned to the transfer table 9.

Therefore, while the pallet carrier 3 is on standby, the pallet 6 with the jig which has been processed in the machining center 2 is transferred to the pallet stocker 5, and the jig with the jig holding the workpiece W to be processed next is transferred. There is a problem that the pallet 6 cannot be transferred to the machining center 2.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made to reduce the waiting time of a pallet carrier in an automatic setup station, and to efficiently transfer a pallet holding a workpiece to be machined to a machining center. The purpose is to improve the cycle time of the entire production line system by transferring.

[0010]

The present invention has the following features in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is,
The production line system according to claim 1 includes a pallet carrier for transferring a pallet holding a workpiece, a plurality of machining centers disposed along one side of the pallet carrier, and a plurality of machining centers disposed along the other side of the pallet carrier. An automatic setup station for attaching and detaching a plurality of pallet stockers and workpieces, a transfer device for transferring pallets to the automatic setup station on the pallet carrier, and a pallet transferred from the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station. In a production line system provided with a transfer device for mounting, the transfer device includes a detachable table for attaching and detaching a workpiece to and from a pallet, and a detachable table between the detachable table and the pallet carrier in a transfer direction of the pallet carrier. Along the pallet carrier. Wherein the plurality of transfer table for placing a transport pallet is provided.

According to the above-mentioned production line system, the pallet holding the workpiece to be processed transferred from the detachable table in the transfer device is placed on one transfer table in advance, and the other transfer table is placed on the pallet. Pallet transferred from the pallet carrier to the other pallet carrier, the pallet carrier immediately moves from the other transfer table side to the one transfer table side. As soon as the pallet is transferred to the pallet carrier without waiting and stored in the original pallet stocker, the pallet carrier
It can be moved to the next pallet stocker to be processed.

A production line system according to a second aspect of the present invention provides a pallet carrier for transferring a pallet holding a workpiece, a plurality of machining centers arranged along one side of the pallet carrier, and a plurality of machining centers along the other side of the pallet carrier. An automatic setup station for mounting and dismounting a plurality of pallet stockers and workpieces arranged thereon, and a transfer device for transferring pallets to the automatic setup station on the pallet carrier, and transferring the pallets from the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station. In a production line system having a transfer device for mounting a pallet, buffer stations are provided on both sides of the transfer device, and the buffer station has at least one pallet for mounting the pallet.
And a loading / unloading device for transferring a pallet from the buffer table to the transfer device.

In this production line system, buffer stations are provided on both sides of the transfer device.
In one buffer station, a pallet holding a workpiece to be processed in the automatic setup station is transferred from a transfer device and placed in advance, and in the other buffer station, the pallet is transferred by a pallet carrier. Therefore, the pallet carrier immediately moves from the other buffer table side to the one buffer table side, and the pallet carrier transfer device transfers the pallet to the pallet carrier without waiting time and stores it in the original pallet stocker. As soon as the pallet carrier can be moved to the next pallet stocker to be processed.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. 1 to 6 show a production line system 1A according to the present invention.
1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. Since the workpiece W has a complicated shape, the workpiece W is temporarily held by an automatic jig (not shown), and is fixed together with the automatic jig to a pallet 6 (hereinafter, referred to as a pallet with a jig). It is designed to be transferred between devices.

A transfer device 3b for performing a two-stage stroke is provided below the pallet carrier 3, and conical positioning pins with four conical tips are attached to four places on the upper surface of the upper stage of the transfer device 3b. . In addition, the transfer device 3
b is provided with elevating means (not shown) which moves up and down.

Both ends of a ball screw 13 are rotatably supported on the frame 12 of the transfer device 8A, and a servo motor 14 is mounted on one of the two via a joint, and the ball screw 13 is rotated by the servo motor 14. Have been. A pair of guides 15 are attached to the upper surface of the frame 12 of the transfer device 8A in the longitudinal direction in parallel with the width direction. Also, the transfer table 9A moves in the longitudinal direction of the guide 15 via the slide bearing 17, and on the upper surface of the transfer table 9A, the transfer tables 9a and 9b are arranged at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. Are located in Furthermore, a ball nut 18 screwed into the ball screw 13 is
The servo motor 1 is attached to the lower surface of the transfer table 9A.
4, the ball screw 13 is rotated, and the transfer table 9A moves in the longitudinal direction together with the ball nut 18.

A flange 6 is provided on one side of the pallet 6 with a jig.
a is attached, and the other end is attached with a flange 6b. A transfer table 9A is provided below the flange 6a.
The hydraulic cylinder 20 is fixed to a frame 19a vertically mounted on the
Is in contact with the lower surface of the flange 6a.
Is provided with a conical positioning hole on the lower surface thereof. The rod 20a of the hydraulic cylinder 20 extends to extend the flange 6a.
The pallet 6 with jig is positioned by being fitted into a conical positioning hole on the lower surface of the pallet. Similarly, a conical positioning hole is provided on the lower surface of the flange 6b, and the rod 21a of the hydraulic cylinder 21 extends and is fitted into the conical positioning hole on the lower surface of the flange 6b. Transfer table 9
b, when the rod 21a of the hydraulic cylinder 21 extends and is fitted into the conical positioning hole on the lower surface of the flange 6b, the rod 20a of the hydraulic cylinder 20 contracts and becomes disengaged. 21 rods 21a
The pallet 6 with the jig fitted to is moved to the automatic setup station 4A side.

The automatic setup station 4A mainly includes a transfer device 8A, a robot 10, and a loading / unloading device 11. Transfer table 9 provided in transfer device 8A
a and 9b are moved together with the transfer table 9A via the ball nut 18 in the direction parallel to the traveling direction of the pallet carrier 3 (the left-right direction in the figure) by the distance between the centers (one stroke). It has become. The transfer device 8A is provided with a detachable table 22 protruding from the transfer table 9A at a position facing the robot 10. Here, the position at which the transfer table 9a has moved to the right end is referred to as the outlet 23, and the transfer table 9b at that time faces the detachable table 22, and the position of the transfer table 9b is referred to as the entrance 24. Call. However, the positions of the entrances and exits 23 and 24 are not limited to these and can be changed as appropriate. The pallet 6 with a jig is transferred between the pallet carrier 3 and the outlet 23, the entrance 24 by the transfer device 3b provided below the pallet carrier 3.

At both ends of the automatic setup station 4A, loading / unloading devices 11, 11 for appropriately storing the workpiece W are arranged. A robot 10 for attaching and detaching the workpiece W is disposed at a position substantially equidistant between the loading / unloading devices 11, 11 and the attaching / detaching table 22. Here, the portion of the attachment / detachment table 22 facing the robot 10 is referred to as an attachment / detachment port 25. Slot 25
In the above, the jig-mounted pallet 6 is placed such that the attachment / detachment surface of the automatic jig faces upward so that the workpiece W can be easily attached / detached.
In this state, the robot 10 is controlled by the robot controller 26 to attach and detach the workpiece W to and from the automatic jig,
Thereafter, the fluid coupling of the hydraulic and pneumatic device is automatically attached to and detached from the automatic jig by the auto coupler coupling device 27,
The workpiece W can be automatically clamped or unclamped by an automatic jig.

The pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W at the attachment / detachment port 25 is tilted and transferred to the transfer table 9b so as to be easily processed into the machining center 2 by a tilting device (not shown). Is placed. The tilting device (not shown) is controlled by a tilt control device 28.

At the right end of the pallet stocker 5, a manual setting station 29 is arranged, and the pallet 6 with jig is transferred from the pallet carrier 3 by a transfer device 3b provided below the pallet carrier 3. In the manual setup station 29, the pallet 6 with a jig is placed as a temporary spare or for inspection and repair when the automatic setup station 4A breaks down. Further, a tilting device (not shown) capable of tilting the pallet 6 manually is provided.

At the right end of the pallet stocker 5, the pallet carrier 3 is placed on the pallet 6
A carrier control panel 30 for controlling the position of the pallet stocker 5, the pallet changer 7, or the entrance / exit ports 23 and 24. A system controller 31 that controls each device of the production line system 1A based on a processing procedure manual is disposed adjacent to the carrier control panel 30.

Next, a method for carrying the workpiece W into and out of the machining center 2 will be described. Pallet carrier 3
The pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W to be processed based on the processing procedure manual is moved to a position facing the pallet stocker 5 on which the pallet 6 is mounted. Here, the pallet with jig 6 is transferred from the pallet stocker 5 to the pallet carrier 3 and is transferred from the pallet carrier 3 to the machining center 2 to be processed via the pallet changer 7 for processing. On the other hand, in the machining center 2 where machining has been completed, the pallet carrier 3 moves to a position facing the pallet changer 7 and the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W is moved from the machining center 2 to the pallet changer 7.
Is transferred to the pallet carrier 3 and transferred to the original pallet stocker 5. Thus, the workpieces W to be sequentially processed are transferred to the machining center 2 and processed.

A method for transferring the jig-mounted pallet 6 at the automatic setup station 4A will be described with reference to FIGS. In the attachment / detachment table 22 of the automatic setup station 4A, the pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W to be machined is moved out of the outlet port 24 via a tilting device (not shown).
Is transferred to and placed on the transfer table 9b which is waiting at the first position. On the other hand, a pallet 6 with a jig holding the processed workpiece W
The pallet carrier 3 moves to the pallet stocker 5 on which the pallet 6 is placed, the pallet 6 with jig is transferred from the pallet stocker 5 by the transfer device 3b, and transferred to the transfer table 9a waiting at the entrance 23. (FIG. 4).

After the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W is transferred to the transfer table 9a, the empty pallet carrier 3 moves to the outlet 24 and is mounted on the transfer table 9b. The jig-equipped pallet 6 holding the placed workpiece W to be machined is transferred by the transfer device 3b and, at the same time, transferred and stored in the original pallet stocker 5 (FIG. 5).

On the other hand, as soon as the pallet 6 with the jig is unloaded from the transfer table 9b, the transfer tables 9a and 9b move one stroke to the left, and the transfer table 9a stops at the position facing the detachable table 22. I do. Then, a tilting device (not shown) is operated, and the workpiece W is turned upside down while the pallet 6 with a jig is tilted so that the workpiece W can be easily attached and detached by the robot 10. 25
It is transported and placed nearby (FIG. 6). In the first embodiment, two transfer tables are provided. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more transfer tables may be provided.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show a second embodiment of the production line system according to the present invention. In this production line system 1B, buffer stations 32 and 33 are arranged on both sides of a transfer device 8B at a predetermined distance. In these buffer stations 32 and 33,
Buffer tables 32a and 33a on which the pallets 6 with jigs are placed, and buffer tables 32a and 33
and a transfer device 40 for transferring the jig-equipped pallet 6 between the transfer device 8B and the transfer device 8B.

On the upper surface of the frame 41 of the transfer device 8B,
A pair of guides 42 are attached in the longitudinal direction in parallel with the width direction. Hydraulic cylinders 44 are provided on one side of each of brackets 43 vertically attached to both ends of the frame 41. The buffer tables 32a and 33a move in the longitudinal direction of the guide 42 via slide bearings 45, and the rods 44a and 44a of the hydraulic cylinders 44 and 44
33a is fixed to each side. As described above, the loading / unloading device 40 allows the one of the buffer tables 32a and 33a to move by extending and retracting the rods 44a and 44a of the hydraulic cylinders 44 and 44, respectively.
It is configured to be moved to a position facing the detachable table 22. The pallet 6 with a jig is transferred to the detachable table 22 side by a tilting device (not shown) at a position facing the detachable table 22.

A method of transferring the workpiece W to be processed and the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W will be described. The pallet 6 with a jig holding the workpiece W to be machined by being attached and detached at the automatic setup station 4B is placed on one buffer table 33a. After the pallet 6 with the jig holding the processed workpiece W transferred from the pallet stocker 5 is transferred to and mounted on the other buffer table 32a by the pallet carrier 3 transfer device 3b, the pallet carrier 3 is The pallet 6 with the jig holding the workpiece W to be processed is immediately transferred to the pallet carrier 3. In the second embodiment, the buffer stations 32 and 33 are provided on both sides of the transfer device 8B. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the buffer stations 32 and 33 may be provided only on one of the transfer devices 8B. Good.

[0030]

As described above, in the production line system having the features of the first aspect, the pallet holding the workpiece to be machined transferred from the detachable table is previously mounted on one of the transfer tables. Since the pallet holding the processed workpiece can be placed on the other transfer table while the pallet is being placed, the pallet carrier immediately transfers the pallet to the other transfer table. By moving to the transfer table side, the pallets can be transferred and stored in the original pallet stocker. In the meantime, the automatic setup station side independently attaches and detaches the workpiece,
A pallet holding a workpiece to be processed can be placed on one transfer table. As described above, the standby time of the pallet carrier on the automatic setup station side is reduced, and the pallets are efficiently transferred from the pallet stocker to the machining center, so that the cycle time of the entire production system can be improved. Claim 2
According to the production line system having the above feature, the same effect as that of the first aspect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a production system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the transfer device.

FIG. 3 is a view of the transfer device in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the transfer device in a state where the transfer table has moved to the right end.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the transfer device in a state where the pallet carrier transfers pallets.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the transfer device with the transfer table moved to the left end.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the production system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a buffer station.

FIG. 9 is a BB of the buffer station in FIG. 8;
FIG.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a conventional production line system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Production line system 1A Production line system 1B Production line system 2 Machining center 3 Pallet carrier 3a Travel rail 3b Transfer device 4 Automatic setup station 4A Automatic setup station 4B Automatic setup station 5 Pallet stocker 6 Pallet with jig 7 Pallet changer Reference Signs List 8 transfer device 8A transfer device 8B transfer device 9 transfer table 9A transfer table 9a transfer table 9b transfer table 10 robot 11 loading / unloading device 22 detachable table 29 manual setup station 32 buffer station 32a buffer table 33 buffer Station 33a Buffer table 40 Loading / unloading device 44 Hydraulic cylinder W Workpiece

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pallet carrier for transferring a pallet holding a workpiece, a plurality of machining centers arranged along one side of the pallet carrier, a plurality of pallet stockers arranged along the other side of the pallet carrier, and An automatic setup station for attaching and detaching a workpiece, a transfer device for transferring a pallet to the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station, and a transfer for placing a pallet transferred from the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station. In a production line system provided with a device, the transfer device includes a detachable table for attaching and detaching a workpiece to and from a pallet, and is disposed between the detachable table and the pallet carrier, and is movable along a transfer direction of the pallet carrier. Pallets installed in the pallet and transferred from the pallet carrier Production line system characterized by a plurality of transfer tables to be placed is provided. 2. A pallet carrier for transferring a pallet holding a workpiece, a plurality of machining centers arranged along one side of the pallet carrier, a plurality of pallet stockers arranged along the other side of the pallet carrier, and An automatic setup station for attaching and detaching a workpiece, a transfer device for transferring a pallet to the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station, and a transfer for placing a pallet transferred from the pallet carrier to the automatic setup station. In a production line system provided with a device, buffer stations are provided on both sides of the transfer device, the buffer station has at least one buffer table on which pallets are mounted, and the transfer of pallets from the buffer table. Equipped with a loading / unloading device to transfer to the device Production line system, wherein the door.