JP2017109285A - Workpiece conveyance system, laser processing system, and workpiece conveyance method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece conveyance system capable of dispensing with a labor required for classification between a product and a surplus material.SOLUTION: A workpiece conveyance system (2) includes a processing pallet (5) for holding a workpiece containing a product and a surplus material cut out by cutting process, a surplus material unloading area (AR2) into which the processing pallet holding the workpiece is carried in, and in which the surplus material is removed from the workpiece, and a product unloading area (AR3) into which the processing pallet from which the surplus material is removed, and in which the product is held is carried in, and from which the product on the processing pallet is collectively unloaded.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer system, a laser processing system, and a workpiece transfer method.

  As a system for manufacturing a product from a plate-shaped workpiece, a processing system using a laser processing machine or the like has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1 below). The thermal cutting system of Patent Document 1 is lifted by a thermal cutting machine that cuts a product from a workpiece on a workpiece support table, a workpiece lifting device that lifts the cut workpiece from the workpiece support table, and the workpiece lifting device. A product carry-out device for picking up a product from the workpiece and carrying it out of the machine.

International Publication No. 2014/077059

  In the processing system as described above, when the product and the remaining material are unloaded at once, for example, the user sorts the product and the remaining material, which requires a great deal of time for sorting the product and the remaining material. . The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a workpiece transfer system, a laser processing system, and a workpiece transfer method that can save labor required for sorting products and remaining materials. To do.

  The workpiece transfer system according to the present invention includes a processing pallet for holding a workpiece including a product and a remaining material cut by a cutting process, and a remaining material unloaded in which a processing pallet for holding the workpiece is loaded and the remaining material is removed from the workpiece. A loading area, and a product unloading area in which the processing pallet from which the remaining material is removed and the product is held is loaded, and the products on the processing pallet are unloaded collectively.

  The processing system of this invention is equipped with said workpiece conveyance system and the processing machine which performs a cutting process.

  The work conveying method of the present invention includes a work pallet for holding a work including a product and a remaining material cut by cutting, and a work pallet for holding the work, wherein the remaining material is removed from the work. Loading into the load area, and loading the processing pallet from which the remaining material is removed and holding the product into the product unloading area where the products on the processing pallet are unloaded collectively.

  In addition, the product unload area may be provided in a conveyance path between a processing machine that performs cutting and a remaining material unload area. In addition, the product pallet is loaded with a pre-machining work area before cutting, and the product unloading area is loaded compared to the remaining material unloading area. It may be provided near the area. Moreover, you may provide the 1st transfer apparatus arrange | positioned in a product unload area and receiving the product on a processing pallet collectively. The processing pallet includes a plurality of support plates that support the lower surface of the workpiece at a plurality of points, and the first transfer device includes a plurality of arm portions that are inserted between the plurality of support plates. The product may be received by moving upward relative to the processing pallet with a plurality of arms inserted between the support plates on the side. The first transfer device may transfer the product to a product pallet that accommodates the product by sliding the product on the plurality of arms. Also, a second transfer device that is disposed in the remaining material unload area and receives a workpiece from the processing pallet, and a remaining material that is disposed in the remaining material unload area and selectively removes the remaining material from the workpiece on the second transfer device. And a gripper.

  According to the present invention, a processing pallet that holds a workpiece including a product cut by cutting and a remaining material is carried into a remaining material unload area, and a processing pallet from which the remaining material is removed in the remaining material unload area Since the product is loaded into the product unloading area, the product is separated from the remaining material in the product unloading area, and the labor required for sorting the product and the remaining material can be saved.

  In addition, when the product unload area is provided in the conveyance path between the processing machine for cutting and the remaining material unload area, for example, the processing pallet on which the product is unloaded can be quickly transferred to the processing machine. Can increase productivity. In addition, the processing pallet on which the product is unloaded is provided with a load area in which the workpiece before processing before cutting is loaded, and the product unload area is the same position as the load area or the remaining material unloading. When installed closer to the load area compared to the load area, the next unprocessed workpiece can be loaded on the processing pallet where the product has been unloaded, and the workpiece can be quickly transferred to the processing machine, increasing productivity. be able to. Moreover, when the 1st transfer apparatus which is arrange | positioned in a product unload area and receives the product on a processing pallet collectively is used, using a thing suitable for holding | maintaining a product rather than a processing pallet as a 1st transfer apparatus. Therefore, for example, the product can be stably held. The processing pallet includes a plurality of support plates that support the lower surface of the workpiece at a plurality of points, and the first transfer device includes a plurality of arm portions that are inserted between the plurality of support plates. When a product is received by moving upward relative to the processing pallet with a plurality of arms inserted between a plurality of support plates on the side, the product is stably held by the first transfer device. can do. The first transfer device can efficiently transfer the product to the product pallet when the product is slid on the plurality of arms to transfer the product to the product pallet containing the product. Also, a second transfer device that is disposed in the remaining material unload area and receives a workpiece from the processing pallet, and a remaining material that is disposed in the remaining material unload area and selectively removes the remaining material from the workpiece on the second transfer device. When the gripper is provided, a second transfer device that is more suitable for holding the product than the processing pallet can be used. For example, the remaining material can be removed while the product is stably held. .

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the processing system which concerns on embodiment, and a workpiece conveyance system. It is a top view which shows notionally the conveyance path | route of a workpiece conveyance system. It is a perspective view which shows a process pallet. It is a perspective view which shows a fork device. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of a fork device. It is a perspective view which shows a gripper and a fork device. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of a gripper. It is a perspective view which shows a 1st transfer apparatus. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of a 1st transfer apparatus. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the 1st transfer apparatus which continues from FIG. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the 1st transfer apparatus which continues from FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the processing method to which the workpiece conveyance method which concerns on embodiment is applied.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a machining system and a workpiece transfer system according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view conceptually showing a transfer route of the workpiece transfer system. In the following drawings, directions in the drawings will be described using an XYZ coordinate system. In this XYZ coordinate system, the vertical direction is the Z direction, and the horizontal direction is the X direction and the Y direction.

  The processing system 1 according to the present embodiment is a processing system that performs cutting processing on a workpiece. Here, description will be made assuming that the processing system 1 is a laser processing system that performs cutting processing by laser processing. The processing system 1 includes a workpiece transfer system 2, a laser processing machine 3, and a workpiece supply device 4. The workpiece conveyance system 2 includes a machining pallet 5 that holds the workpiece W, and conveys the workpiece W by the machining pallet 5. The workpiece transfer system 2 includes a load area AR1, a remaining material unload area AR2, and a product unload area AR3.

  The load area AR1 is disposed adjacent to a workpiece loading / unloading port (not shown) in the laser beam machine 3. Here, a workpiece loading / unloading port is provided on the + X side of the laser processing machine 3, and is disposed on the + X side with respect to the load area AR1 and the laser processing machine 3 (see FIG. 2). In the load area AR1, a work supply device 4 (work storage device, material stocker) is provided. For example, the workpiece supply device 4 sucks one workpiece W from a plurality of unprocessed workpieces stacked in a storage with a pad, lowers the workpiece W from above the machining pallet 5, and places the workpiece W on the machining pallet 5. Is placed. The configuration of the workpiece supply device 4 is not limited to the above configuration, and can be changed as appropriate. The workpiece supply device 4 may be incorporated in the workpiece conveyance system 2 or may be a device outside the processing system 1 (for example, factory equipment).

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the processing pallet 5. The processing pallet 5 includes a base plate 11 and a plurality of support plates 12. The plurality of support plates 12 extend substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the base plate 11 and are arranged in the X direction at a predetermined interval. Each of the plurality of support plates 12 has an upper end portion formed in a sawtooth shape. The plurality of support plates 12 support the lower surface of the work W at a plurality of points (sawtooth tips).

  The processing pallet 5 is provided with, for example, wheels that can move along the rail 15 (see FIG. 2), and the workpiece transfer system 2 pulls the processing pallet 5 to transfer the processing pallet 5 along the rail 15. To do. For example, a hook connected to a wire is hung on the processing pallet 5 and the processing pallet 5 is pulled by winding the wire around a drive unit (not shown). The mechanism for moving the processing pallet 5 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the processing pallet 5 may be self-propelled.

  The processing pallet 5 holding the workpiece W is carried into the laser processing machine 3 (see FIG. 1). The laser processing machine 3 irradiates the workpiece W on the processing pallet 5 with a laser beam to cut the workpiece W. The laser processing machine 3 has a laser head (not shown) and a head drive unit (not shown). The laser head emits laser light downward. The laser head is connected to a laser light source (not shown) through an optical transmission body such as an optical fiber (not shown). The laser light source is, for example, a solid-state laser light source such as a fiber laser, and can obtain laser light having a higher heat density than a carbon dioxide laser or the like. Therefore, the laser beam machine 3 using a fiber laser can perform cutting or the like at high speed. Although the workpiece W and the support plate 12 of the processing pallet 5 may be welded by laser processing, since the support plate 12 supports the workpiece W at a plurality of points, the welded portion between the support plate 12 and the workpiece W is reduced. Can do.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the workpiece W is cut into a plurality of products Wa and a remaining material Wb (skeleton, peripheral portion of the product Wa) by laser processing. The processing pallet 5 holds the workpiece W including the product Wa and the remaining material Wb even after laser processing. The processing system 1 may use a processing machine such as a punch press that cuts a workpiece with a cutting blade, or may use a laser processing machine 3 and a punch press.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the workpiece conveyance system 2 carries the processing pallet 5 holding the workpiece W subjected to the cutting processing into the remaining material unload area AR2. The remaining material unload area AR2 is disposed adjacent to the load area AR1 (see FIG. 2). The load area AR1 is arranged on the conveyance path between the laser beam machine 3 and the remaining material unload area AR2, and the machining pallet 5 is transferred from the laser beam machine 3 via the load area AR1 to the remaining material unload area. Carried to AR2. Here, the laser beam machine 3, the load area AR1, and the remaining material unload area AR2 are arranged side by side in the X direction, and the workpiece W is along a conveyance path (rail 15 shown in FIG. 2) parallel to the X direction. Are transported. In the remaining material unload area AR2, the remaining material Wb is removed from the workpiece W after laser processing. In the remaining material unload area AR2, a fork device 21 (second transfer device) and a gripper 22 are provided.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the fork device 21. The fork device 21 has a base portion 25 and a plurality of arm portions 26. The base portion 25 has a plate shape extending in the X direction, and the plurality of arm portions 26 each have a rod shape extending from the base portion 25 in the + Y direction. The plurality of arm portions 26 are arranged in the X direction at a pitch (center distance) substantially equal to the support plate 12 of the processing pallet 5 shown in FIG. The width of each arm 26 is set to be narrower than the gap between two adjacent support plates 12 in the processing pallet 5, and each arm 26 can be inserted between two adjacent support plates 12. The fork device 21 includes a drive unit (not shown) that drives the base 25 and a guide 27. The guides 27 are disposed on both sides of the base portion 25 in the X direction and extend in the Y direction. The drive unit of the fork device 21 moves the base 25 and the plurality of arms 26 along the guide 27 in the Y direction.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the fork device 21. As shown in FIG. 5A, the fork device 21 moves the plurality of arm portions 26 toward the + Y side toward the machining pallet 5 holding the workpiece W in the remaining material unload area AR2. The height of the plurality of arm portions 26 is set above the upper surface of the base plate 11 of the processing pallet 5 and below the lower surface of the work W. The plurality of arm portions 26 are set to the support plate 12 of the processing pallet 5. Between the workpiece W and the workpiece W. In the state of FIG. 5A, the workpiece W is supported by a plurality of support plates 12 of the processing pallet 5. As shown in FIG. 5B, the processing pallet 5 moves downward with respect to the plurality of arm portions 26 in a state where the plurality of arm portions 26 are arranged below the workpiece W, and the workpiece W has a plurality of workpieces W. It is handed over the arm part 26.

  Thus, the fork device 21 (second transfer device) receives the workpiece W from the processing pallet 5 in the remaining material unload area AR2. When the workpiece W and the processing pallet 5 are welded by laser processing, the welding is peeled off by moving the processing pallet 5 downward while the workpiece W is supported by the plurality of arm portions 26, and the workpiece W is removed. Can be separated from the processing pallet 5. Further, the fork device 21 can support the workpiece W at multiple points or a wide contact area as compared with the plurality of support plates 12, and can stably hold the workpiece W.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the fork device 21 and the gripper 22. After the fork device 21 receives the workpiece W on the plurality of arm portions 26 from the processing pallet 5 (see FIG. 5B), the drive unit (not shown) moves the plurality of arm portions 26 to the −Y side. The workpieces W on the plurality of arm portions 26 are disposed below the gripper 22 as shown in FIG. The gripper 22 includes a plurality of grip portions 31 arranged in the X direction. The plurality of gripping portions 31 are arranged, for example, at end portions in the Y direction of the support base 32. FIG. 6 shows a plurality of gripping portions 31 arranged in a line on the −Y side of the support base 32, but a plurality of gripping portions 31 are similarly arranged on the + Y side of the support base 32. (Shown later in FIG. 7). The gripper 22 can move the plurality of gripping portions 31 in the Z direction and the X direction. The positions and dimensions of the plurality of gripping portions 31 are set so that each gripping portion 31 passes between two adjacent arm portions 26 in the fork device 21 when moved downward.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the gripper 22. The grip portion 31 has a substantially C-shaped planar shape when viewed from the X direction, and includes a lower portion 41, a side portion 42, and an upper portion 43. The upper portion 43 is provided with a movable portion 44 that is movable in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 7A, the gripper 22 moves the plurality of gripping portions 31 downward, and arranges the plurality of gripping portions 31 on the + Y side and the −Y side of the workpiece W. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, the gripper 22 moves the grip part 31 on the −Y side of the work W to the + Y side, and moves the grip part 31 on the + Y side of the work W to the −Y side. As shown in FIG. 7C, the gripper 22 moves the grip portion 31 to a position where the remaining material Wb of the workpiece W is disposed between the lower portion 41 and the upper portion 43 of the grip portion 31.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7D, the movable portion 44 provided on the upper portion 43 moves downward, and the lower portion 41 and the movable portion 44 grip the remaining material Wb of the workpiece W. The gripper 22 moves upward while gripping the remaining material Wb, and removes the remaining material Wb from the arm portion 26 of the fork device 21. On the arm portion 26, only the product Wa of the workpiece W is held. Thus, the gripper 22 selectively removes the remaining material Wb from the workpiece W on the fork device 21 (second transfer device) in the remaining material unload area AR2. After the remaining material Wb is removed from the arm portion 26, the fork device 21 moves the arm portion 26 holding the product Wa from the upper side to the lower side of the processing pallet 5, so that the product Wa is placed on the support plate 12 of the processing pallet 5. Is transferred. Thereby, only the product Wa among the workpieces W is held on the processing pallet 5 (shown later in FIG. 8A).

  In the present embodiment, the fork device 21 is used as the second transfer device that receives the workpiece W from the processing pallet 5, but the configuration of the second transfer device is not limited to the configuration of the fork device 21 described above. For example, the second transfer device may be configured such that a plurality of columnar members move up and down between the plurality of support plates 12 of the processing pallet 5 and these columnar members lift the workpiece W. Further, the workpiece conveyance system 2 may not include the fork device 21 (second transfer device), and the gripper 22 may selectively remove the remaining material Wb from the workpiece W held on the processing pallet 5. Good. Further, the fork device 21 (second transfer device) may be a device external to the work transfer system 2, and may be, for example, a facility (eg, factory) device in which the work transfer system 2 is installed. Moreover, the workpiece conveyance system 2 may not include the gripper 22. For example, the gripper 22 may be an apparatus of a facility (for example, a factory) in which the workpiece conveyance system 2 is installed.

  The processing pallet 5 from which the remaining material Wb is removed and holds the product Wa is carried into the product unload area AR3 as shown in FIG. A plurality of products Wa (see FIG. 7D) on the processing pallet 5 are unloaded from the processing pallet 5 in a batch in the product unload area AR3. Product Unload Area AR3 The product unload area AR3 is provided in the conveyance path between the laser processing machine 3 that performs laser processing and the remaining material unload area AR2. The product unload area AR3 is provided, for example, in the same area as the load area AR1, and the processing pallet 5 is supplied with the workpiece before processing in the load area AR1 after the product Wa is unloaded, and again to the laser processing machine 3. It is brought in. Thereby, the laser processing machine 3 can efficiently laser-process the workpiece W, and the productivity is increased. The product unload area AR3 may be provided at a position closer to the load area compared to the remaining material unload area AR2, and in this case, the productivity is high. The product unload area AR3 is provided with a fork device 45 (first transfer device) that collectively receives the products Wa on the processing pallet 5. The product Wa is collected from the fork device 45.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the fork device 45. The fork device 45 includes a first placement portion 51, a second placement portion 52, a connecting device 53, and a drive device 54. The fork device 45 receives the product Wa on the processing pallet 5 by the first placement unit 51 (shown later in FIG. 8), and transfers the product Wa from the first placement unit 51 to the second placement unit 52.

  The first placement unit 51 can place the workpiece W thereon. The first placement portion 51 includes a frame 55, a plurality of arm portions 56, a winding member 57, a cross bar 58, a tension bar 59, and a lifting device 60. The frame 55 is a member extending in the X direction, and holds a plurality of arm portions 56. Further, the frame 55 is movable in the vertical direction by a guide portion (not shown) in the vertical direction. The elevating device 60 elevates and lowers the first placement unit 51 by elevating the frame 55. The plurality of arm portions 56 are arranged along the frame 55 in the X direction, and extend from the frame 55 to the −Y side.

  The plurality of arm portions 56 each have a longitudinal direction parallel to the Y direction, and the length in the Y direction is substantially the same. The width of each arm portion 56 in the Y direction is set to a width that can be inserted between the support plates 12 of the processing pallet 5 (see FIG. 3A). The winding member 57 is a belt-shaped (strip-shaped) member. The winding member 57 is wound around each of the arm portions 56. The winding member 57 is wound around the arm portion 56 from the vicinity of the frame 55 to the tip on the + Y side, and is wound around the arm portion 56 around the X axis. A pulley (not shown) is disposed at the tip and end of the arm portion 56, and the winding member 57 is wound around the pulley. The winding member 57 is wound around the upper surface of the arm portion 56, both end portions of the arm portion 56 in the Y direction, and the lower surface of the arm portion 56 (the surface on the −Z side). The upper surface of the winding member 57 is disposed along the upper surface of each arm portion 56.

  The cross bar 58 and the tension bar 59 each extend in the X direction so as to straddle between the plurality of arm portions 56. Each of the cross bar 58 and the tension bar 59 is fixed to the plurality of winding members 57 and is movable in the Y direction independently of the plurality of arm portions 56. The plurality of winding members 57 are integrated via a cross bar 58 and a tension bar 59, and when the cross bar 58 and the tension bar 59 move in the Y direction, the plurality of winding members 57 also move in the Y direction. . An end portion 58 a on the + X side of the cross bar 58 protrudes to the + X side from the arm portion 56. The tension bar 59 is disposed on the + Y side with respect to the cross bar 58. The tension bar 59 is fixed to the cross bar 58 by a fixing member such as a bolt while being separated from the cross bar 58 by a predetermined distance in the Y direction. The tension of the winding member 57 can be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the tension bar 59 and the cross bar 58.

  The second placement unit 52 can place the product Wa. The second placement unit 52 includes a movable carriage 61 and a product pallet 62. The movable carriage 61 has a base 61a and wheels 61b. A product pallet 62 is placed on the upper surface of the base 61a. The wheel 61b is movable along a guide 64 formed on the floor surface. The guide 64 extends in the Y direction on the floor surface, and the movable carriage 61 is movable along the guide 64 in the Y direction. The product pallet 62 has a base 62a and wheels 62b. The product is placed on the upper surface of the base 62a. It should be noted that a carrying member such as a wooden frame used for carrying out the product may be placed on the upper surface of the base 62a, and the product may be placed on the carrying member. The wheel 62b is movable along a guide 65 formed on the upper surface (+ Z side surface) of the base 61a. The guide 65 extends in the Y direction, and the product pallet 62 can move relative to the movable carriage 61 along the guide 65 in the Y direction.

  The connecting device 53 connects the winding member 57 and the second placement unit 52. The connecting device 53 includes a rod-shaped member 66 and a hole 67. The rod-shaped member 66 is provided on the base 61 a of the moving carriage 61. The rod-like member 66 protrudes upward (+ Z direction) from the upper surface of the base 61a, and is fixed to the base 61a. The rod-shaped member 66 is, for example, a columnar member, and the upper end portion thereof has a tapered shape in which the diameter of the cross section decreases upward. A plate-like member 58b protruding from the end 58a to the −Y side is provided below the −X side end 58a of the cross bar 58. The hole 67 is provided in a portion protruding to the −Y side of the plate-like member 58 b and can be inserted through the rod-like member 66. The hole 67 and the rod-shaped member 66 are aligned by movement of at least one of the cross bar 58 and the movable carriage 61 in the Y direction. In a state where the hole 67 and the rod-shaped member 66 are aligned, the lifting device 60 lowers the first placement portion 51, whereby the rod-shaped member 66 is inserted into the hole 67, and the winding member 57 and the second member 57 The mounting part 52 is connected. When the second placement portion 52 is moved in the Y direction in this state, the rod-shaped member 66 moves the winding member 57 in the Y direction via the cross bar 58.

  9 to 11 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the fork device 45. In FIG. 9, the second mounting portion 52 of the fork device 45 and the like are omitted in order to make the drawing easier to see. Portions that are not shown will be described with reference to FIG. 8 as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 9A, the processing pallet 5 holding only the product Wa of the workpiece W is carried into the product unload area AR3 from the remaining material unload area AR2. When the processing pallet 5 is carried into the product unload area AR3, the fork device 45 is retracted in the Y direction (+ Y side in FIG. 9) with respect to the loading position of the processing pallet 5. After the processing pallet 5 is disposed at the loading position, the fork device 45 moves the plurality of arm portions 56 toward the processing pallet 5. At this time, the height of the plurality of arm portions 56 is set above the upper surface of the base plate 11 of the processing pallet 5 and below the lower surface of the product Wa.

  As shown in FIG. 9B, each of the plurality of arm portions 56 is inserted between two adjacent support plates 12 in the processing pallet 5 and is disposed below the product Wa supported by the support plate 12. The The processing pallet 5 moves downward relative to the plurality of arm portions 56, and a plurality of products Wa are collectively delivered from the processing pallet 5 onto the plurality of arm portions 56 as shown in FIG. 9C. It is. When delivering the product Wa from the processing pallet 5 to the plurality of arm portions 56, the processing pallet 5 may be moved downward, or the plurality of arm portions 56 are moved upward by the lifting device 60 (see FIG. 8). You may let them. The fork device 45 holds the delivered products Wa on the arms 56. Compared with the support plate 12 of the processing pallet 5, the fork device 45 supports the workpiece W at a number of points or a wide contact area, and can stably hold the workpiece W.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the fork device 45 holds the product Wa on the arm portion 56, and then aligns the rod-like member 66 and the hole portion 67 of the connecting device 53. Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the fork device 45 drives the lifting device 60 to lower the first placement portion 51. Due to the lowering of the first mounting portion 51, the first mounting portion 51 comes close to the second mounting portion 52, and the rod-like member 66 of the coupling device 53 is inserted into the hole portion 67.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, the driving device 54 is driven to move the second placement unit 52 to the −Y side with respect to the first placement unit 51. As a result, the cross bar 58 moves to the −Y side via the coupling device 53 and moves the upper surface side of the winding member 57 to the −Y side. The product Wa placed on the upper surface of the winding member 57 moves to the −Y side, and eventually protrudes from the arm portion 56 to the −Y side and falls downward. Below the arm portion 56, the second placement portion 52 moves to the −Y side in synchronization with the winding member 57 and the product Wa, and the product Wa that has dropped from the arm portion 56 is the base of the product pallet 62. It is accommodated (eg, bulked) on 62a. The product Wa on the arm portion 56 is transferred to the product pallet 62 as shown in FIG. 11B by a series of operations in which the second placement portion 52 moves to the −Y side by a predetermined distance. In this way, the fork device 45 (first transfer device) slides the product Wa on the plurality of arm portions 56 and transfers the product Wa to the product pallet 62 that accommodates the product Wa. Therefore, for example, a plurality of products Wa on the fork device 45 can be collectively transferred by a series of operations in which the second placement unit 52 moves, and the products Wa can be efficiently collected.

  Note that the fork device 45 (first transfer device) is not limited to the above configuration, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the first transfer device includes a support member on which a plurality of products Wa are placed, and the plurality of products Wa are transferred to the product pallet 62 by tilting the support member and sliding the plurality of products Wa. May be. Further, the workpiece transfer system 2 may not include the fork device 45 (first transfer device). For example, the fork device 45 may be a device of a facility (for example, a factory) where the workpiece transfer system 2 is installed. .

  Next, a processing method to which the workpiece transfer method according to the embodiment is applied based on the configuration of the above-described processing system will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing method to which the workpiece transfer method according to the embodiment is applied. In step S1, the processing pallet 5 is arranged in the load area AR1 (see FIG. 1), the workpiece supply device 4 supplies the workpiece before processing to the processing pallet 5, and the processing pallet 5 holds the workpiece before processing. To do. In step S2, the workpiece transfer system 2 carries the processing pallet 5 holding the workpiece before processing into a processing machine (eg, laser processing machine 3). In step S <b> 3, the processing machine (e.g., laser processing machine 3) performs a cutting process (e.g., laser processing) on the unprocessed work held on the processing pallet 5. Thereby, the workpiece before processing is cut into the product Wa and the remaining material Wb (see FIG. 3B).

  In step S4, the workpiece transfer system 2 carries the processing pallet 5 holding the processed workpiece W into the remaining material unload area AR2. In step S5, the gripper 22 removes the remaining material Wb from the workpiece W in the remaining material unload area AR2 (see FIGS. 5 to 7). For example, the fork device 21 receives the workpiece W from the processing pallet 5, the gripper 22 removes the remaining material Wb from the workpiece W held by the fork device 21, and the fork device 21 transfers only the product Wa to the processing pallet 5. hand over. In step S6, the workpiece transfer system 2 carries the processing pallet 5 holding the product Wa into the product unload area AR3. In step S7, the fork device 45 unloads the products Wa from the processing pallet 5 in the product unload area AR3 (see FIG. 9). For example, the fork device 45 collectively receives the products Wa from the processing pallet 5 and transfers the products Wa to the product pallet 62 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

  The processing system 1 can efficiently produce the product Wa by repeating the processing from step S1 to step S7 using the processing pallet 5 on which the product Wa is unloaded. The workpiece conveyance method according to the embodiment includes at least steps S1, S4, and S7 among steps S1 to S7 described above.

  The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the aspects described in the above-described embodiments. One or more of the requirements described in the above embodiments and the like may be omitted. In addition, the requirements described in the above-described embodiments and the like can be combined as appropriate. In addition, as long as it is permitted by law, the disclosure of all documents cited in the above-described embodiments and the like is incorporated as a part of the description of the text.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Processing system 2 ... Work conveyance system 3 ... Laser processing machine (processing machine)
5 ... Processing pallet 21 ... Fork device (second transfer device)
22 ... gripper 45 ... fork device (first transfer device)
62 ... Product pallet W ... Work Wa ... Product Wb ... Remaining material AR1 ... Load area AR2 ... Remaining material unloading area AR3 ... Product unloading area

Claims (9)

A processing pallet for holding a workpiece including the product and the remaining material cut by cutting;
Remaining material unload area where the processing pallet holding the work is carried in and the remaining material is removed from the work,
A workpiece transfer system comprising: a product unloading area in which the processing pallet holding the product is removed and the product on the processing pallet is unloaded in a batch.   The workpiece transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the product unload area is provided in a transfer path between a processing machine that performs the cutting process and the remaining material unload area. With respect to the processing pallet on which the product is unloaded, a load area in which a workpiece before processing before the cutting processing is applied is loaded,
The workpiece unloading area according to claim 2, wherein the product unloading area is provided at the same position as the loading area or at a position closer to the loading area compared to the remaining material unloading area.   The work transfer system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a first transfer device that is disposed in the product unload area and receives the products on the processing pallet collectively. The processing pallet includes a plurality of support plates that support the lower surface of the workpiece at a plurality of points,
The first transfer device includes a plurality of arm portions inserted between the plurality of support plates, and the plurality of arm portions are inserted between the plurality of support plates on the lower surface side of the product. The workpiece transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the workpiece is received by moving upward relative to the processing pallet.   The workpiece transfer system according to claim 5, wherein the first transfer device slides the product on the plurality of arms and transfers the product to a product pallet that accommodates the product. A second transfer device disposed in the remaining material unload area and receiving the workpiece from the processing pallet;
A gripper that is disposed in the remaining material unload area and selectively removes the remaining material from the workpiece on the second transfer device. Work transfer system. The work conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
And a processing system that performs the cutting process. Holding the workpiece including the product and the remaining material cut by cutting on the processing pallet;
Carrying the processing pallet holding the workpiece into a remaining material unloading area where the remaining material is removed from the workpiece;
Carrying the processing pallet from which the remaining material has been removed and holding the product into a product unloading area where the products on the processing pallet are unloaded all at once.

Images