JP5770430B2 - Bending machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention, bending relates to the processing equipment, specifically relates to a bending equipment for order to you produce member bent performing bending a metallic material elongated having a closed cross section.

  As is well known, a metal strength member, reinforcement member, or structural member having a bent shape used in automobiles or various machines is required to have high strength, light weight, and small size. Conventionally, this type of bending member has been manufactured by, for example, welding of a press-processed product, punching of a thick plate, and further forging. However, there is a limit to the weight reduction and size reduction of the bending member manufactured by these manufacturing methods, and the realization thereof is not easy.

  In recent years, for example, as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, it has been actively studied to manufacture this type of bending member by so-called tube hydroforming. As described on page 28 of Non-Patent Document 1, the tube hydroforming method has various problems such as the development of the material to be used and the expansion of the flexibility of the shape that can be formed. Development is necessary.

On the other hand, many inventions for bending a metal tube to produce a bending member having a desired shape have been proposed.
Patent Document 1 discloses an invention for bending a metal tube or the like while heat-treating, Patent Document 2 discloses an invention for producing a curved irregular cross-section spiral material, and Patent Document 3 discloses a push bending process. An invention relating to a high-frequency heating bender of the type is disclosed, and Patent Document 4 discloses an invention relating to a bending apparatus for a metal member.

  The present applicant also previously disclosed an invention relating to a bending method and a bending device for a metal material according to Patent Document 5. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an outline of the bending apparatus 0. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the present invention basically uses, for example, a ball screw, the steel pipe 1 supported by the support means 2 and the chuck mechanism 7 so as to be movable in the axial direction from the upstream side to the downstream side. The bending member 8 is manufactured using a bending method in which bending is performed downstream of the support means 2 while being fed by the feeding device 3. That is, the steel pipe 1 is rapidly heated to a temperature range in which the steel pipe 1 can be partially hardened by the high-frequency heating coil 5 downstream of the support means 2 and the steel pipe 1 is rapidly cooled by the water cooling device 6 disposed downstream of the high-frequency heating coil 5. . Then, the position of the movable roller die 4 having at least one pair of roll pairs 4a that can be supported while feeding the steel pipe 1 is changed two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally, and a bending moment is applied to the high temperature portion of the steel pipe 1 for bending. Do. For this reason, according to this invention, a bending member can be manufactured with high work efficiency, ensuring sufficient bending process precision.

JP 50-59263 A Japanese Patent No. 2816000 JP 2000-158048 A Japanese Patent No. 3195083 JP 2007-83304 A

Automotive Technology Vol. 57, no. 6,2003 23-28

  5 (a) to 5 (d) show the situation in which the bending member 13 is manufactured by the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494 in order to further improve the invention disclosed by the applicant of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing shown with time.

  As shown in FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D, the metal material 9 as the material is fed in the axial direction by the feeding device 10 and rapidly heated and cooled by the heating and cooling device 11. The gripping means 12 is supported by an industrial robot 14 of a mold, and the position of the gripping means 12 is changed to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional direction as indicated by a broken line arrow, and the heated high-temperature portion of the metal material 9 is changed. The bending member 13 is manufactured by giving a bending moment.

  However, in the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494, it is necessary to move the gripping means 12 over a wide range, and the industrial robot 14 that supports the gripping means 12 must use a robot with a long reach. The entire equipment must be enlarged.

  That is, not only the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494, but also any invention disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 5, the feeding direction of the metal material as the material is all the axial direction of the metal material and is bent. It is not changed during processing. For this reason, there is a problem that the installation space for the apparatus for bending is increased, the entire apparatus is enlarged, and this is contrary to the demand for space saving.

In the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494, the industrial robot 14 supporting the gripping means 12 is operated in a wide speed range from high speed to low speed, so that the change in the operation speed becomes large, and during operation, Vibration tends to occur, and the dimensional accuracy of the bending member 13 decreases. In order to suppress vibration, the operation speed may be set low, but this reduces the production speed, that is, productivity.
Furthermore, in this invention, the installation space of the supply apparatus of the metal material 9 which is a raw material will also increase.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and in particular, in the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494, the operating range of the gripping means can be reduced while reducing the installation space of the entire apparatus. It is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus and the equipment cost by suppressing as much as possible, and to suppress the change in the operation speed and the vibration during operation by suppressing the operation speed of the gripping means as much as possible. , to provide a bending equipment can produce bending member having excellent dimensional accuracy with high productivity and low cost, and an object.

The present invention relates to a heating / cooling unit having a clamp for fixing one end of a hollow metal material having a closed cross section, a heating means for heating the metal material, and a cooling means for cooling a portion heated by the heating means. A first manipulator that holds the other end of the metal material and applies a bending moment to the high temperature portion heated by the heating means in the metal material, and supports the space between the high temperature portion and the one end side of the metal material. A support mechanism that reduces bending and provides a reaction force against a load applied to the metal material, and a heating / cooling unit is held, and when the first manipulator gives a bending moment, the heating / cooling unit is moved to a predetermined portion of the metal material. have a second manipulator for moving the first manipulator has at least six degrees of freedom, a load of three translational degrees of freedom and three rotational degrees of freedom to the other end portion of the metal material Give it, and the second manipulator, the position of the heating means and cooling means, a bending device and having to change to a position close to one end from the other end.

  According to the present invention, it is not necessary to provide a feeding device as compared with the invention proposed by Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494, while reducing the installation space of the entire apparatus for manufacturing the bending member. By suppressing the operating range of the means as much as possible, the apparatus is made compact and the equipment cost is reduced, and the operating speed is changed by suppressing the operating speed of the gripping means as much as possible, and vibration during operation is suppressed. be able to.

As a result, a bending member having excellent dimensional accuracy can be manufactured with high productivity and an increase in equipment cost as much as possible.
For this reason, according to the present invention, a metal strength member, reinforcement member or structural member having a bent shape, for example, for an automobile can be supplied with excellent dimensional accuracy and at low cost. The above significance is extremely remarkable.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the whole structure of the bending apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the whole structure of the bending apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are explanatory views showing the situation over time of manufacturing a bending member by the bending apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of the bending apparatus disclosed by patent document 5. FIG. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D are explanatory views showing the situation of manufacturing a bending member according to the invention proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494 over time.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the case where the “hollow metal material having a closed cross section” in the present invention is a steel pipe is taken as an example. However, the application target of the present invention is not limited to a steel pipe, and a closed cross section is used. The hollow metal material is equally applicable to other than steel pipes.

[overall structure]
1 and 2 are explanatory views schematically showing the overall configuration of a bending apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the bending apparatus 20 includes a clamp 22, a heating / cooling unit 23, a first manipulator 24, and a second manipulator 29.

[Clamp 22]
The clamp 22 has a chucking device attached to a base erected from the floor, and is configured so that one end side of the steel pipe 25 is held and fixed. In other words, the clamp 22 applies a sufficient reaction force to a load (including a moment load) applied to the held steel pipe 25.

  The clamp 22 holds both ends of the steel pipe 25 together with a first manipulator 24 described later, gives a bending moment to the steel pipe 25, and bends and deforms the portion heated by the heating / cooling unit 23 to preset the steel pipe 25. It is for bending into a formed shape.

[First manipulator 24]
The first manipulator 24 is a seven-axis vertical articulated robot, and includes a base 30 fixed to the floor, and a first structural member 31, a second structural member 32, and a third in order from the base 30 to the tip. Rotation in which the structural member 33, the fourth structural member 34, the fifth structural member 35, the sixth structural member 36, and the flange 37 are formed by the first to seventh actuators (here, configured with a servo motor). It is connected via joints (first to seventh joints).

  More specifically, the base 30 and the arm structure material 31 are connected via a first actuator (not shown), and the arm structure material 31 is rotated by driving the first actuator. Yes. The arm structure material 31 and the arm structure material 32 are connected via a second actuator (not shown), and the arm structure material 32 is turned by driving the second actuator.

  The arm structure material 32 and the arm structure material 33 are connected via a third actuator (not shown), and the arm structure material 33 is rotated by driving the third actuator. The arm structure member 33 and the arm structure member 34 are connected via a fourth actuator (not shown), and the arm structure member 34 is turned by driving the fourth actuator.

  The arm structure member 34 and the arm structure member 35 are connected via a fifth actuator (not shown), and the arm structure member 35 is rotated by driving the fifth actuator. The arm structure member 35 and the arm structure member 36 are connected via a sixth actuator (not shown), and the arm structure member 36 is turned by driving the sixth actuator.

  The arm structural member 36 and the flange 37 are connected via a seventh actuator (not shown), and the flange 37 is rotated by driving the seventh actuator.

  The first manipulator 24 is attached with an end effector 24A that holds the other end side (opposite side of one end side) of the steel pipe 25 to the flange 37 at the tip end. A bending moment can be given three-dimensionally to the end side.

  As described above, since the first manipulator 24 has seven degrees of freedom by seven actuators, the end effector 24A is made to translate three axes (X, Y, Z) and three rotation axes (θX, θY, It can be operated with 6 degrees of freedom (θZ). In addition to the above-described six degrees of freedom, there is one degree of freedom, so that the posture of each arm structural member 31 to 36 of the first manipulator 24 is appropriately changed while the end effector 24A is moved at six degrees of freedom. Therefore, the arm structural members 31 to 36 can be folded in a compact manner so as to avoid interference with surrounding objects such as the steel pipe 25 and the heating / cooling unit 23 to be bent.

[Heating and cooling unit 23]
The heating / cooling unit 23 is in the first position with respect to the feeding direction of the steel pipe 25 (the direction in which the steel pipe 25 is fed relative to the heating / cooling unit 23 and from the one end side toward the multi-end side of the steel pipe 25). A heating unit that is disposed at a second position B downstream of A and that heats part or all of the steel pipe 25; and a third position C downstream of the second position B in the feed direction of the steel pipe 25 The cooling means which is arrange | positioned and cools the part heated with the heating means in the steel pipe 25 is comprised.

  A support mechanism 26 is supported by a second manipulator 29 in the vicinity of one end side (upstream side) of the heating / cooling unit 23. The support mechanism 26 is configured by two sets of support rollers that are rotatably arranged in the same manner as the support means 2 in FIG. 4, and supports the steel pipe 25 to reduce bending caused by the weight of the steel pipe 25 and the like. It is like that. Further, the support mechanism 26 applies a sufficient reaction force to the load (including moment load) applied to the steel pipe 25.

  In addition, although the description this time has taken an example in which the support mechanism 26 is configured by two sets of rotatable support rollers, it is only necessary to have a mechanism for supporting the workpiece, and the dimensions of the workpiece can be reduced. It is good also as a thing of the system which presses the match | combined hole type | mold by both sides or several directions with hydraulic pressure or air.

In addition, in order to simplify description, in this description, although it shows integrally as the heating-cooling unit 23, it cannot be overemphasized that a heating means and a cooling means are independent apparatuses.
The heating means is for heating a part or all of the steel pipe 25 to be sent. In the present invention, as the heating means, an induction heating device (for example, a high frequency) having a heating coil arranged around the steel pipe 25 is provided. Use a heating device. Since this type of heating coil is well known to those skilled in the art, further description of the heating coil is omitted.

  The cooling means is for cooling the portion of the steel pipe 25 heated by the heating means. In the present invention, a water cooling device having a cooling water injection nozzle disposed away from the outer surface of the steel pipe 25 is used as the cooling means. Since such a cooling water injection nozzle is well known to those skilled in the art, further explanation regarding the water cooling device is omitted.

  In addition, the heating / cooling unit 23 manufactures the bending member 21 while changing its arrangement position to a position approaching the position of the clamp 22, in other words, the heating / cooling unit 23 determines the arrangement position of the clamp member 22. 22 has a function of changing to a position approaching 22. For this reason, the bending apparatus 20 according to the present invention saves space. Depending on the shape of the product, for example, by moving the heating / cooling unit 23 in the axial direction, the space for the conventional feeder becomes unnecessary, so the installation space is reduced to about 1/2 to 2/3. Can do.

[Second manipulator 29]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second manipulator 29 is a 6-axis vertical articulated robot, and includes a base 40 fixed to the floor, and a first structural material in order from the base 40 to the tip. 41, the second structural member 42, the third structural member 43, the fourth structural member 44, the fifth structural member (not shown), and the flange (not shown) formed by the first to sixth actuators (the first joint). -6 joints).

  An end effector (not shown) for holding the heating / cooling unit 23 is attached to the flange of the second manipulator 29. As a result, the heating / cooling unit 23 is supported by the second manipulator 29, and the heating / cooling unit 23 is driven by the actuators of the second manipulator 29 so that the three-axis translation (X, Y, Z) and the three rotation axes (θX, Operation is possible with six degrees of freedom (θY, θZ).

[Description of operation]
The bending apparatus 20 according to the present invention is configured as described above. Next, a situation where the bending member 21 is manufactured by the bending apparatus 20 will be described.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are explanatory views showing the situation in which the bending member 21 is manufactured by the bending apparatus 20 over time.
First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the first manipulator 24 holds the other end side of the steel pipe 25 in a stocker (not shown), takes out the steel pipe 25, and holds the one end side of the steel pipe 25 on the clamp 22. Then, the second manipulator 29 operates to position the heating / cooling unit 23 at the start position on the other end side of the steel pipe 25.

  The heating coil of the heating / cooling unit 23 has a circular outer shape because the heating object is the steel pipe 25 having a circular cross section. Therefore, (i) the second manipulator 29 is operated before the one end side of the steel pipe 25 is held by the clamp and the steel pipe 25 is passed through the heating coil, or (ii) the one end side of the steel pipe 25 is held by the clamp. After that, it is necessary that the first manipulator 24 is once separated from the steel pipe 25 and the second manipulator 29 is operated to pass the steel pipe 25 through the heating coil.

  And the 2nd manipulator 29 moves the heating / cooling unit 23 to the clamp 22 side. At the same time, the steel pipe 25 is partially and rapidly heated and cooled by the heating / cooling unit 23.

  At this time, as shown by a broken line arrow in FIG. 3B, the first manipulator 24 is operated to apply a load in the direction taught in advance to the other end side of the steel pipe 25 to give a bending moment to the steel pipe 25. Thus, the portion heated by the heating / cooling unit 23 is bent and deformed, and thereafter the portion bent and deformed by the movement of the heating / cooling unit 23 is rapidly cooled.

  Further, by changing the arrangement angle of the heating / cooling unit 23 according to the change in the main axis direction of the steel pipe 25 by the operation of the second manipulator 29, as shown in FIG. Bending is performed.

  According to this, the steel pipe 25 is heated while the heating / cooling unit 23 moves from the other end side to the one end side (clamp 22 side) of the steel pipe 25, and the first manipulator 24 changes the steel pipe 25 to the steel pipe 25 according to the heating location of the steel pipe 25. By applying a bending moment, the steel pipe 25 can be bent in any direction. Moreover, since the arrangement angle of the heating / cooling unit 23 is also changed according to the change of the angle (main axis direction) of the steel pipe 25, the desired bending process is performed while suppressing the operation range of the first manipulator 24 as much as possible. Can do.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the arrangement position of the heating / cooling unit 23 is changed to a position approaching the position of the clamp 22, and further, as shown in FIGS. 3 (c) and 3 (d). The second bending process is performed on the steel pipe 25 by changing the heating position in two or three dimensions and changing the position of the first manipulator 24 in two or three dimensions.

  According to this, since the second bending process is performed while changing the arrangement position of the heating / cooling unit 23 to a position approaching the clamp 22 side, the operation range of the first manipulator 24 can be suppressed as much as possible.

  For this reason, according to the bending apparatus 20 according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce vibration during operation by reducing the size of the apparatus and reducing the equipment cost and by improving the operation modes of the first manipulator 24 and the second manipulator 29. Therefore, the bending member 21 having excellent dimensional accuracy can be manufactured with high productivity and at low cost.

  In this way, according to the present invention, the operating range of the gripping means 24 in the invention proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-276494 is suppressed as much as possible while reducing the overall installation space of the bending apparatus 20. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus and the equipment cost, and to reduce the operating speed of the gripping means 24 as much as possible, thereby suppressing the change in the operating speed and the vibration during the operation. The bending member 21 having excellent accuracy can be manufactured with high productivity while suppressing an increase in equipment cost as much as possible.

  For this reason, according to the present invention, a metal strength member, reinforcement member or structural member having a bent shape, for example, for an automobile can be supplied with excellent dimensional accuracy and at low cost.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 0 Bending apparatus 1 Steel pipe 2 Support means 3 Feeding device 4 Movable roller die 4a Roll pair 5 High frequency heating coil 6 Water cooling device 8 Bending member 9 Metal material 10 Feeding device 11 Heating and cooling device 12 Holding means 13 Bending member 14 Industrial robot 20 Bending device 21 Bending member 22 Clamp 23 Heating / cooling unit (heating means, cooling means)
24 first manipulator 25 steel pipe 26 support mechanism 29 second manipulator

Claims (1)

A clamp for fixing one end of a hollow metal material having a closed cross-section;
A heating / cooling unit having heating means for heating the metal material, and cooling means for cooling a portion heated by the heating means;
A first manipulator that holds the other end of the metal material and gives a bending moment to a high-temperature portion heated by the heating means in the metal material;
A support mechanism for supporting a reaction force against a load applied to the metal material while supporting between the high temperature portion and the one end side in the metal material to reduce bending of the metal material ;
Wherein the heating and cooling unit holds, when the first manipulator providing the bending moment, have a second manipulator for moving the heating and cooling unit to a predetermined portion of said metal member,
The first manipulator has at least 6 degrees of freedom, and applies a load of translational 3 degrees of freedom and rotational 3 degrees of freedom to the other end of the metal material; and
The second manipulator changes the arrangement position of the heating means and the cooling means from the other end side to a position approaching the one end side .

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