JP2020176323A - Quenching apparatus and quenching method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a plurality of workpieces having uniform quality by uniformly performing blast quenching on the plurality of workpieces which has been subjected to a solution heat treatment.SOLUTION: A quenching apparatus 20 performs a quenching process on a workpiece W which has been subjected to a solution treatment and taken out from a solution treatment furnace 10. The solution treatment furnace has a plurality of workpiece storage chambers 11 annularly arranged in parallel and vertically stacked and a plurality of workpiece take-out ports 12 corresponding to the workpiece storage chambers 11. The quenching apparatus is provided movably in accordance with positions of the workpiece take-out ports 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a quenching apparatus and a quenching method used when quenching a work taken out from a solution processing furnace.

Industrial heat treatment of metals is mainly performed using a furnace. For example, as the type of furnace used when heat-treating an aluminum alloy, a hot air circulation type furnace is used for the purpose of reducing variations in the temperature inside the furnace and stabilizing the quality, and a heat treatment facility. A multi-stage hearth rotary furnace is used for the purpose of saving space. Recently, a hot air circulation type multi-stage hearth rotary furnace that combines these features has been used for heat treatment of metals such as aluminum alloys. As prior art documents showing embodiments of this type of heat treatment furnace, for example, the following Patent Document 1 and the like exist.

By the way, in the case of a heat-treated alloy metal such as an aluminum alloy, for the purpose of obtaining a certain molded product by bending or pressing at the customer, a soft material is molded and then solution-treated, and then impulse-quenched. Many things are done. That is, a metal such as an aluminum alloy that has been solution-treated by a hot-air circulation type multi-stage hearth rotary furnace disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like below can be quenched by subsequent impulse quenching. It was done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-138916

However, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like described above, it is difficult to uniformly perform buoyancy quenching on a plurality of workpieces subjected to solution treatment for each of the plurality of workpieces, and for each of the plurality of workpieces. There was room for improvement in the quenching process by impulse quenching in order to obtain a workpiece with uniform quality.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to uniformly perform impulse quenching on a plurality of workpieces subjected to solution treatment for each of the plurality of workpieces. As a result, it is carried out using a quenching device capable of quenching by impulse quenching, which can obtain a work having uniform quality for each of a plurality of works, and the quenching device. The purpose is to realize the quenching method.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described. Reference numbers in the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

The quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention is from a solution processing furnace (10) having a plurality of work storage chambers (11) and a plurality of work outlets (12) corresponding to the work storage chambers (11). It is a quenching device (20) that performs quenching treatment on the work (W) after the solution treatment that has been taken out, and is characterized in that it is provided so as to be movable according to the position of the work outlet (12). Is to be.

Another quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention includes a plurality of work storage chambers (11) arranged in parallel in an annular shape and stacked in the vertical direction, and a plurality of work storage chambers (11) corresponding to the work storage chamber (11). A quenching apparatus (20) for quenching a work (W) after solution treatment taken out from a solution processing furnace (10) having a work outlet (12) of the above. It is characterized in that it is provided so as to be movable according to the position of the exit (12).

Further, the quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention has a work storage unit (21) for storing the work (W) taken out from the work outlet (12), and the work storage unit (21) has a work storage unit (21). An air-cooled fan (22) for air-cooling the stored work (W) can be provided.

Further, in the quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention, the work storage unit (21) may be provided with a shutter (24) that can be opened and closed at a position where the work (W) is taken in and out. it can.

Furthermore, the quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention may be provided with a rectifying plate (23) that rectifies the flow of air generated by the air cooling fan (22).

Furthermore, in the quenching apparatus (20) according to the present invention, a plurality of the work outlets (12) are provided in the vertical direction of the solution processing furnace (10), and the work outlets (12) are provided. It can be provided so that it can be moved up and down according to the position.

The quenching method according to the present invention is characterized in that the quenching treatment is performed using the quenching apparatus (20) described above.

According to the present invention, impulse quenching of a plurality of workpieces subjected to solution treatment can be uniformly performed for each of the plurality of workpieces, and as a result, a workpiece having uniform quality is obtained for each of the plurality of workpieces. It is possible to realize a quenching apparatus capable of performing quenching by impulse quenching, and a quenching method carried out by using the quenching apparatus.

It is a top view which shows the structural example of the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a front view which shows the structural example of the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the quenching method performed using the quenching apparatus which concerns on this embodiment.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to each claim, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the means for solving the invention. ..

First, the configuration of the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration example of the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is shown as a view when the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment is viewed from the lower side to the upper side of the paper surface of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, two quenching devices 20a and 20b are installed in one solution processing furnace 10.

Here, the solution processing furnace 10 in which the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) according to the present embodiment is installed will be described. The solution processing furnace 10 of the present embodiment has a plurality of workpieces arranged in parallel in a ring shape. A storage chamber 11 is provided. Further, these plurality of work storage chambers 11 have a configuration in which they are stacked and arranged in the vertical direction, and in the case of the solution processing furnace 10 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, they are arranged in parallel in a ring in one stage. There are 16 work storage chambers 11, and the work storage chambers 11, which are 16 of the 16 chambers in one stage, are arranged in a stack of about 6 stages in the vertical direction.

In the work storage chamber 11 having 16 rooms x 6 stages = 96 rooms, a plurality of work outlets 12 corresponding to the work storage chamber 11 are formed for each stage. Further, with respect to the plurality of work outlets 12, movable lids 13 for closing or opening each outlet are arranged. That is, the movable lid 13 closes the work outlet 12 to close the outlet as shown on the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, or separates from the work outlet 12 as shown on the right side of the paper in FIG. It is possible to open the outlet.

Further, in the solution processing furnace 10 of the present embodiment, the work outlet 12 shown on the left side of the paper in FIG. 1 is the work outlet 12 provided in the second, fourth, and sixth stages, and is shown in FIG. The work outlet 12 shown on the right side of the paper is the work outlet 12 provided in the first, third, and fifth stages. That is, in the solution processing furnace 10 of the present embodiment, one work outlet 12 is provided for each stage with respect to the work storage chambers 11 of 16 chambers which are vertically arranged in 6 stages and arranged in parallel in a ring shape. A movable lid 13 is provided for each of these work outlets 12 for each stage, and further, when the solution processing furnace 10 is viewed in the vertical direction, the work outlets are alternately provided for each stage. 12 is provided.

Two quenching devices 20a and 20b are installed in the solution processing furnace 10 described above. In the present embodiment, the quenching device 20b shown on the left side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 is the work outlet 12 provided in the first, third, and fifth stages, and the quenching device shown on the right side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 20a is a work outlet 12 provided in the second, fourth, and sixth stages. That is, in the present embodiment, the quenching devices 20a and 20b and the work outlet 12 are cross-arranged so as to be reversed left and right for each stage. The reason for such a configuration is that a lead wire can be obtained so that the transfer of the work W from the work outlet 12 to the quenching devices 20a and 20b by the articulated robot arm 30 described later becomes smoother. Is.

As for the quenching devices 20a and 20b according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, one quenching device 20b for the first, third and fifth stages shown on the left side of the paper surface of FIG. 2 is installed. , One quenching device 20a for the second, fourth, and sixth stages shown on the right side of the paper in FIG. 2 is installed, and each of these two quenching devices 20a and 20b moves up and down according to the position of the work outlet 12. It is provided so that it can be moved up and down in the direction. That is, the quenching device 20b for the first, third, and fifth stages shown on the left side of the paper shown in FIG. 2 is located at a position substantially the same height as the work outlet 12 provided in the first, third, and fifth stages. It is possible to stop the quenching device 20a for the second, fourth, and sixth stages shown on the right side of the paper shown in FIG. 2, and the work outlet 12 provided at the second, fourth, and sixth stages. It is possible to stop at a position approximately the same height as. The vertical movement of the quenching devices 20a and 20b is realized by the moving means by the motor 25 and the chain 26.

Further, the quenching devices 20a and 20b according to the present embodiment have a work storage unit 21 for storing the work W taken out from the work outlet 12 of the solution processing furnace 10, and are above the work storage unit 21. At the position, an air cooling fan 22 for air cooling the work W stored in the work storage unit 21 is installed.

Further, two straightening vanes 23 for rectifying the air flow generated by the air cooling fan 22 are arranged directly under the air cooling fan 22, and further, the work W is taken in and out of the work storage portion 21. A shutter 24 that can be opened and closed is provided at a place where the operation is performed. By the action of the air cooling fan 22, the rectifying plate 23, and the shutter 24, an appropriately rectified wind is sent to the work storage unit 21 for storing the work W with respect to the work W carried out from the solution processing furnace 10. Therefore, it is possible to perform quenching by impulse quenching under uniform conditions at each work storage unit 21.

Regarding the loading and unloading of the work W with respect to the work storage chamber 11 of the solution heat treatment furnace 10 and the loading and unloading of the work W with respect to the work storage portion 21 of the quenching devices 20a and 20b, the substantially intermediate portion of the two quenching devices 20a and 20b It can be executed by the articulated robot arm 30 arranged in. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the main body 31 of the articulated robot arm 30 and the arm tip 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 are drawn separately, but the main body is originally drawn. The 31 and the arm tip 32 are in a connected state, and the arm tip 32 indicated by reference numerals 32a to 32d shows an example of a position that the arm tip 32 can take.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the arm tip portion 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 according to the present embodiment inserts the work W into the work storage chamber 11 indicated by the reference numeral 32b from the loading position of the work W indicated by the reference numeral 32a. It is possible to take a position, a position for taking out the work W from the work storage chamber 11 indicated by the reference numeral 32c, a position for carrying out the work W indicated by the reference numeral 32d, and the like. Further, the work W can be taken out from the work storage chamber 11 indicated by the reference numeral 32c, and the work W can be inserted and installed in the work storage portion 21 of the quenching device 20a. As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to carry out the transfer of the work W at the time of performing the quenching process in which the work W is solution-treated and the work W is subjected to the impulse quenching by one articulated robot arm 30. It has become.

The configuration of the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) according to the present embodiment has been described above. Next, the quenching method performed by using the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8 in addition to the reference drawings. Here, FIGS. 3 to 8 are schematic views for explaining a quenching method performed by using the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment. Regarding the articulated robot arm 30 in FIGS. 4 to 8, for convenience of explanation, the main body 31 of the articulated robot arm 30 is omitted, and only the arm tip 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 is shown. ing.

FIG. 3 shows a situation in which the arm tip portion 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 is scooping up and transporting the work W at the carry-in position. At this time, the movable lid 13 of the work outlet 12 on the right side of the paper surface provided in the first, third, and fifth stages of the solution processing furnace 10 opens, and the work outlet of the work storage chamber 11 in the first, third, and fifth stages opens. 12 is in an open state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the arm tip portion 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 conveys the work W, and the work W is carried into the work storage chamber 11 of the first, third, and fifth stages. After that, the arm tip portion 32 is retracted from the work storage chamber 11 and the movable lid 13 is closed, and the solution processing of the work W is executed by the solution processing furnace 10.

Similar to FIG. 4, also in the work storage chambers 11 in the second, fourth, and sixth stages shown in FIG. 5, the arm tip portion 32 of the articulated robot arm 30 conveys the work W in the second, fourth, and sixth stages. The work W is carried into the work storage chamber 11. After that, the arm tip portion 32 is retracted from the work storage chamber 11 and the movable lid 13 is closed, and the solution processing of the work W is executed by the solution processing furnace 10.

After that, the work W for which the solution treatment has been completed is sequentially carried out of the solution treatment furnace 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the movable lid 13 that closed the work outlet 12 of the work storage chamber 11 of the first, third, and fifth stages opens, and the work storage chamber 11 of the first, third, and fifth stages opens. The work outlet 12 is opened, and the work W in the first, third, and fifth stages of the work storage chamber 11 for which the solution treatment has been completed is carried out of the furnace by the arm tip portion 32. Then, the work W carried out from the work storage chamber 11 of the first, third and fifth stages is carried into the work storage unit 21 formed in the quenching device 20b for the first, third and fifth stages. At this time, since the quenching device 20b is controlled by a control device (not shown) so as to move to a height position corresponding to the number of stages of the work outlet 12 which is the carry-out destination, the articulated robot arm for transferring the work W The arm tip portion 32 of 30 can transfer the work W with almost no change in the position in the height direction. Further, since the quenching device 20b and the work outlet 12 are cross-arranged so as to be reversed left and right in a plan view, the work W is transferred from the work outlet 12 to the quenching device 20b by the articulated robot arm 30. The replacement is executed smoothly. Further, in the quenching apparatus 20b into which the work W is inserted, the solution processing furnace 10 is placed in the work storage unit 21 for storing the work W by the action of the air cooling fan 22, the rectifying plate 23, and the shutter 24 shown in FIG. Since an appropriately rectified air can be sent to the work W carried out from the work W, it is possible to carry out quenching by impulse quenching under uniform conditions in each work storage unit 21.

On the other hand, the same processing as in FIG. 6 can be executed for the work W in which the solution processing is executed in the work storage chambers 11 of the second, fourth, and sixth stages shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the movable lid 13 that closed the work outlet 12 of the work storage chamber 11 of the second, fourth, and sixth stages is opened, and the work storage chamber 11 of the second, fourth, and sixth stages is opened. The work outlet 12 is opened, and the work W in the second, fourth, and sixth stages of the work storage chamber 11 for which the solution treatment has been completed is carried out of the furnace by the arm tip portion 32. Then, the work W carried out from the work storage chamber 11 of the second, fourth, and sixth stages is carried into the work storage portion 21 formed in the quenching device 20a for the second, fourth, and sixth stages. At this time, since the quenching device 20a is controlled by a control device (not shown) so as to move to a height position corresponding to the number of stages of the work outlet 12 which is the carry-out destination, the articulated robot arm for transferring the work W The arm tip portion 32 of 30 can transfer the work W with almost no change in the position in the height direction. Further, since the quenching device 20a and the work outlet 12 are cross-arranged so as to be reversed left and right in a plan view, the work W is transferred from the work outlet 12 to the quenching device 20a by the articulated robot arm 30. The replacement is executed smoothly. Further, in the quenching apparatus 20a into which the work W is inserted, the solution processing furnace 10 is placed in the work storage unit 21 for storing the work W by the action of the air cooling fan 22, the rectifying plate 23, and the shutter 24 shown in FIG. Since an appropriately rectified air can be sent to the work W carried out from the work W, it is possible to carry out quenching by impulse quenching under uniform conditions in each work storage unit 21.

After that, the work W is sequentially carried out of the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) from the work W for which the quenching process by the impulse quenching has been completed. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the work W for which quenching by impulse quenching has been completed in the work storage portion 21 of the quenching device 20 (20a, 20b) is transferred to the carry-out position and the articulated robot arm. When the arm tip portion 32 of 30 is retracted from the work W, a series of quenching processing steps is completed.

By executing the quenching method described above, all the workpieces W can be blast-quenched by the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) within 10 seconds after the work W is taken out from the solution heat treatment furnace 10. This is possible, and this impulse quenching can be performed under substantially the same conditions for all work Ws. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, there is no quenching delay of the work W, and a uniform quenching process can be performed, so that the quality of the work W can be stabilized.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. Various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments.

For example, the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) of the above-described embodiment is for performing air-cooled impulse quenching, but the quenching apparatus of the present invention is a water-cooled type or oil-cooled type quenching. It can be a device.

Further, the above-mentioned solution processing furnace 10 has a structure in which the work storage chambers are arranged in a ring shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a type of solution processing furnace in which the work storage chamber (tray) on which the work is placed moves linearly by a belt conveyor or the like, a so-called straight type solution processing furnace in which a plurality of these belt conveyors are arranged in parallel. The present invention is also applicable to other types of solution treatment furnaces.

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the work storage unit 21 of the quenching apparatus 20 (20a, 20b) is configured to move in the immediate vicinity of the work outlet 12, but from any of the work outlets 12. The work storage unit 21 may be configured to move to a certain distance. It is the essence of the present invention to eliminate the variation in the quenching treatment to the work W due to the difference in the work outlet 12.

It is clear from the description of the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

10 solution processing furnace, 11 work storage chamber, 12 work outlet, 13 movable lid, 20, 20a, 20b quenching device, 21 work storage, 22 air cooling fan, 23 rectifying plate, 24 shutter, 25 motor, 26 chain , 30 articulated robot arm, 31 main body, 32, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d arm tip, W work.

Claims (7)

It is a quenching device that performs quenching treatment on the work after solution treatment taken out from a solution processing furnace having a plurality of work storage chambers and a plurality of work outlets corresponding to the work storage chambers.
A quenching device characterized in that it is provided so as to be movable according to the position of the work outlet. Work after solution treatment taken out from a solution heat treatment furnace having a plurality of work storage chambers arranged in parallel in an annular shape and stacked in the vertical direction and a plurality of work outlets corresponding to the work storage chamber. It is a quenching device that performs quenching processing on
A quenching device characterized in that it is provided so as to be movable according to the position of the work outlet. In the quenching apparatus according to claim 2,
It has a work storage unit that stores the work taken out from the work outlet.
A quenching device including an air-cooling fan for air-cooling the work stored in the work storage unit. In the quenching apparatus according to claim 3,
A quenching device characterized in that the work storage portion is provided with a shutter that can be opened and closed at a place where the work is taken in and out. In the quenching apparatus according to claim 3 or 4.
A quenching apparatus including a rectifying plate that rectifies the flow of air generated by the air cooling fan. In the quenching apparatus according to claim 2,
A plurality of work outlets are provided in the vertical direction of the solution processing furnace.
A quenching device characterized in that it is provided so as to be movable up and down according to the position of the work outlet. A quenching method, which comprises performing a quenching treatment using the quenching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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