JPH04152045A - Pallet exchanger for machine tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a structure and efficiently exchange pallets by providing a rotary type pallet exchanger between pallet bogies with two setup stations and the machining station of a machine tool. CONSTITUTION:A rotary type pallet exchanger 6 is provided on this side of a machining table 3, and two setup stations 15, 16 are arranged on pallet bogies 11, 13. When one setup station 15 mounted with an unprocessed work pallet P0 is faced to the pallet exchanger 6, the unprocessed work pallet P0 and a processed work pallet P2 are exchanged between the setup station 15 and the machining station 3 by the pallet exchanger 6. The processed pallet P2 shifted onto the setup station 15 is discharged, and the unprocessed work pallet P0 is fed to the other setup station 16. The structure is relatively simplified, and pallets can be efficiently exchanged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a pallet changing device for a machine tool that transfers pallets with workpieces attached between a stacker crane installed in a multi-level automated warehouse and a machine tool such as a machining center. Regarding.

Conventional technology In order to make machining unmanned, a group of machine tools such as machining centers and NC lathes are installed in a multi-level automatic warehouse consisting of storage racks with numerous storage compartments and stacker cranes that move along the storage racks. Various combined machining automation systems have been developed.

In such a machining automation system, in order to increase the operating rate of the machine tool, it is necessary to efficiently transfer unprocessed work pallets and processed work pallets between the stacker crane and the machine tool.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Various proposals have been made regarding pallet changing devices for machine tools that transfer pallets (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2-7781, 2-7782, and 2-32104). There are advantages and disadvantages to those with complex structures,
There are problems such as the pallet exchange operation being complicated and time-consuming, and the positioning accuracy at the exchange position being problematic, and there are few methods that are fully satisfactory.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pallet changing device for a machine tool that has a relatively simple structure and can transfer pallets extremely efficiently.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the pallet changing device of the present invention is provided with a rotating pallet changing device in front of a processing station, which is a working position of a machine tool, and a stacker in front of the rotating pallet changing device. A pallet truck is provided which is movable in the left and right direction parallel to the traveling direction of the crane, and the pallet truck is equipped with two setup stations, one of which is the setup station on which the unprocessed work pallet is placed. When facing a pallet exchange device, the pallet exchange device transfers an unprocessed work pallet and a processed work pallet between the setup station and the processing station, and then the pallet truck moves laterally to a predetermined position. , the stacker crane is characterized in that the processed work pallet transferred to the setup station is discharged, and the unprocessed work pallet is supplied to the other setup station.

Effect With the above-described configuration, when the revolving pallet exchange device transfers and exchanges pallets between the processing station and one setup station, no pallet is placed on the other setup station, so the pallet exchange device There is nothing that interferes with the turning movement. Further, when a pallet truck carrying a processed work pallet on one of the work stations stops at a predetermined position, a stacker crane transfers the unprocessed work pallet to the pallet and discharges the processed work pallet. At this time, the stacker crane can supply and discharge the pallets by only slightly moving along the pallet truck.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. 1st
3 to 3 show a pallet changing device according to the present invention, in which 1 is the main body of a machine tool such as a machining center, 2 is its main shaft, and in front of the main shaft 2 is a processing station that is a working position for machining. A processing table 3 is provided. The processing table 3 is equipped with a clamp mechanism (not shown), and is capable of reciprocating in the X-axis direction along a guide rail 5.5 provided on the base 4, as shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a rotating pallet exchange device installed in front of the processing table 3, in which a rotating arm 8 attached to the upper end of a support shaft 7 can rotate around the support shaft 7 and can move up and down in the axial direction. , the tip portion 8a of the swing arm 8 engages with an engagement piece 9 protruding from the side of the pallet P, and the pallet P
By supporting it in a cantilevered structure, the exchange operation is performed. In addition, the rotating pallet exchange device 6
is filed by the applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-209171 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
Although the details are omitted, the turning radius is small and the entire device can be made compact.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a pallet truck installed in front of the rotating pallet exchange device 6, and a guide rail 1 arranged on a truck base 12.
3.13, and is provided so as to be movable in the left-right direction (X-axis direction).
and 16 are formed. The pallet truck 11 has a piston rod 1 of a hydraulic cylinder 17 fixed to one end thereof.
7a and the piston rod 18a of the hydraulic cylinder 18 fixed to the truck base 12 at the floating joint 19.
The hydraulic cylinders 17 and 18 are interlocked and connected to each other, and are moved back and forth in the left and right direction by the cooperative action of both hydraulic cylinders 17 and 18, and are stopped at an intermediate position between the left and right moving ends and approximately in the middle of the moving range. When the pallet truck 11 moves to the right end or left end, one of the setup stations 15 or 16 faces the rotating pallet exchange device 6.

A stacker crane 21 runs along a rail 22.22 laid on the floor adjacent to the pallet truck 11 in parallel with the guide rail 13.13.

As shown in FIG. 9, the stacker crane 21 is installed in a multi-level automated warehouse 23, and has the functions of traveling, lifting and lowering, and forking.

The three-dimensional automatic warehouse 23 is installed in parallel with the machine tool main body 1, and is also installed above the machine tool main body 1, and a large number of three-dimensional automatic warehouses 23 are arranged in connection with each other. As will be described later, the stacker crane 21 takes out pallets (unprocessed work pallets) Pe each containing unprocessed workpieces stored in a large number of storage racks 24 one by one, and places them on one side of the pallet truck 11. After supplying the workpieces to the work station 15 or 16, the pallet (processed workpiece pallet) P on which the processed workpieces placed on the other workstation 16 or 15 are attached is taken out and discharged from the machine, and placed in a storage rack. It is designed to be stored in 24.

Next, a pallet exchanging operation by the pallet exchanging device having the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4a shows a standby state in which the pallet truck 11 is stopped at an intermediate position, and a pallet PI on which a workpiece being processed is attached is located on the processing table (processing station) 3. While the workpieces on this pallet P are being processed, the stacker crane 21 supplies the unprocessed workpiece pallet P to one of the setup stations 15, and supports it on the four supports 14 (FIG. 4b). Next, the pallet truck 11 moves to the right end, and the setup station 15 stops at a position facing the rotating pallet exchange device 6 (FIG. 4C). During this time, the machining of the workpieces on the pallet P1 is completed and the workpiece pallet P2 has been processed. In this state, the pallet exchange device 6 rotates to exchange the processed work pallet P and the unprocessed work pallet P, and the processed work pallet P2 is placed on the setup station 15, and the pallet P, is placed on the processing table 3 (Fig. 4d). After the unprocessed work pallet P is clamped to the processing table 3 by a clamp mechanism (not shown), processing is started. Subsequently, the pallet truck 11 moves to the left, stops at an intermediate position, and enters a standby state (fourth
Figure e).

Therefore, the unprocessed work pallet P on the processing table 3,
While processing the workpiece, the stacker crane 21
takes out the next raw work pallet P0 from the storage rack and supplies it to the vacant setup station 16 (
Figure 4 f). Next, the stacker crane 21 picks up the processed work pallet P placed on the setup station 15.
2 and store it in the storage rack (Figure 4g).

Next, the pallet truck 11 moves to the left end, and the setup station 16 on which the unprocessed work pallet P6 is placed stops facing the rotating pallet exchange device 6 (FIG. 4h). During this time, processing of the workpieces on the pallet on the processing table 3 has been completed, and the pallet has become a processed workpiece pallet P2. In this state, the pallet exchange device 6 rotates again, the processed work pallet P2 and the unprocessed work pallet P are exchanged (FIG. 4i), and the processed work pallet P is placed on the setup station 16. At the same time, the unprocessed work pallet P is placed on the processing table 3. After the unprocessed work pallet P is clamped by a clamp mechanism (not shown), processing is started. Subsequently, the pallet truck 11 moves to the right, stops at an intermediate position, and enters a standby state (FIG. 4j).

Thereafter, the same operation as described above is repeated, but the raw work pallets P are alternately supplied to the two setup stations 15 and 16.

5 to 7 show a pallet truck 31 having a structure different from that of the pallet truck 11 in the above-described embodiment, and its pallet exchange operation.

The pallet truck 31 has two setup stations 32 and 33 on both the left and right sides, and is provided with a long hole 34 extending in the moving direction in the center. The pallet truck 31 is movable in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) along guide rails 37. It is now possible to move the

On the other hand, the truck base 36 is movable up and down by a hydraulic cylinder 40 disposed on the base 39, and is configured to raise and lower the pallet truck 31. Further, a support 41 fixed to the center of the base 39 projects upwardly through an opening 42 provided in the truck base 36 and a long hole 34 of the pallet truck 31, and a pallet support 43 is formed at the upper end thereof. There is. The pallet support stand 43 is located in the movement range of the pallet truck at an exchange position opposite to the rotating pallet exchange device 6, and as shown in FIG. 6, when the pallet truck 31 is in the lowered position, the pallet P support,
As shown in FIG. 7, when the pallet truck 31 is in the raised position, the pallet P is separated from the pallet support base 43 and is supported by the setup station 32 or 33 of the pallet truck 31. Note that the pallet truck 31 moves in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) without interfering with the support columns 41 through the elongated holes 34.

Next, a pallet exchanging operation using the pallet truck 31 having the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIG. 8.

Note that the configuration other than the pallet truck 31 is the same as that shown in the previous embodiment.

In FIG. 8g, the pallet truck 31 has moved to the left end and is in the lowered position, and the unprocessed work pallet P is placed on the pallet support stand 43 within the area of the setup station 33. On the other hand, no pallet P exists at the setup station 32. In this state, the revolving pallet exchange device 6 rotates, and the processed work pallet P2 on the processing table 3 and the unprocessed work pallet P0 on the support base 43 are exchanged. The unprocessed work pallet P0 is then clamped to the processing table 3 by a clamp mechanism (not shown) and then processed. During this time, the stacker crane 21 carries out the next unprocessed work pallet P6 from the storage rack and supplies it to the vacant setup station 32, and then the stacker crane 21 moves to a predetermined position on the right side (FIG. 8b). Subsequently, the pallet truck 31 rises and transfers the processed workpiece pallet P2 placed on the support stand 43 to the setup station 33, after which the pallet truck 31 moves to the right end and stops as shown in FIG. 8C. do. At this time, the unprocessed work pallet P placed on the setup station 32 is aligned and positioned on the support base 43. In this state, the pallet truck 31 is lowered, and the unprocessed work pallet P placed on the setup station 32 is transferred to the support stand 43 in preparation for the next delivery. On the other hand, the processed work pallet P2 placed on the setup station 33 is discharged by the stacker crane 21 and stored in a storage rack.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8d, when the pallet truck 31 moves to the left end in the lowered state and stops, the unprocessed work pallet P placed on the pallet support stand 43 aligns with the setup station 33. , the state shown in FIG. 8a is reached.

Thereafter, the same operations as described above are repeated to sequentially exchange the unprocessed work pallet P6 and the processed work pallet P2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a rotating pallet changing device is provided between a pallet truck provided with two setup stations and a machining station of a machine tool.
The pallet truck only needs to support the pallet and move it laterally in the left and right direction, so the structure is simple and the positioning accuracy can be high. Moreover, when a pallet is transferred by the rotating pallet exchange device, only the pallet to be exchanged is placed on the pallet truck, so there is nothing that interferes with the rotation operation of the pallet exchange device. This not only allows the two setup stations on the pallet truck to be placed close together, which has the advantage of reducing the size of the pallet truck, but also allows the stacker crane to move the unprocessed material to one of the setup stations on the pallet truck. This has the effect that the work pallet can be supplied and the processed work pallet placed on the other setup station can be delivered very efficiently.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a pallet exchange device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of a pallet exchange device according to the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a right side view of the same, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the pallet exchange operation, Fig. 5 is a plan view showing another example of the pallet truck, Fig. 6 is the 6 of Fig. 5. -6 line, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the operating state, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the pallet exchange operation, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the FMS equipped with the pallet exchange device according to the present invention. It is. 1... Machine tool main body 2... Main spindle 3... Machining table (processing station) 6... Rotating pallet exchange device 11.13... Pallet truck 12.36... Truck base 15.16 and 32. 33... Setup station 21... Stacker crane 23... Multi-level automated warehouse 43... Pallet support stand P... Pallet P,...
・Unprocessed work pallet P, ... Work pallet under processing P, ... Processed work pallet No. q E σ;

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A rotating pallet exchange device is provided in front of the processing station, which is the working position of the machine tool, and a pallet truck movable in the left and right directions parallel to the running direction of the stacker crane is provided in front of the device, and the pallet The trolley is equipped with two setup stations, and when one setup station on which an unprocessed work pallet is placed faces the revolving pallet exchange device, the pallet exchange device separates the setup station from the processing station. The unprocessed work pallet and the processed work pallet are transferred between the machines, and then the pallet truck is moved laterally to a predetermined position, and the processed work pallet that has been transferred to the setup station is discharged by the stacker crane. A pallet changing device for a machine tool, characterized in that the unprocessed workpiece pallet is also supplied to the other setup station. (2) The pallet changing device for a machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the pallet is delivered by the stacker crane when the pallet truck stops at a substantially intermediate position of its movement range. (3) A pallet support stand is fixedly installed at a position facing the rotating pallet exchange device within the movement range of the pallet truck, and the unprocessed work pallet placed on the pallet support stand and the processed workpiece at the processing station. While a work pallet is transferred by the rotating pallet exchange device, when the pallet truck moves to one moving end, one setup station is aligned with the pallet support base and is placed on the pallet support base. Transfer the processed work pallet to the one set-up station, and supply the unprocessed work pallet to the other set-up station by the stacker crane, and when the pallet truck moves to the other moving end, A setup station is aligned with the pallet support base, a raw work pallet placed on the setup station is transferred to the pallet support base, and the unprocessed work pallet is placed on the one setup station by the stacker crane. 2. The pallet changing device for a machine tool according to claim 1, wherein the machine tool pallet changing device discharges a processed work pallet.