JPH0523900B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a method for controlling the loading and unloading operations of an NC machine tool when carrying in a workpiece as a material, loading/unloading the machine, and unloading the product.

Conventional technology NC lathes are equipped with robots, loaders, etc., and are automated. However, when attaching large or heavy workpieces such as aluminum wheels to the chuck of the lathe using a loading/unloading device, the aluminum wheels are not as-cast. Because the chuck was still in a black state, the gripping part of the chuck was uneven and distorted, making it unstable to install during loading. Furthermore, mounting of heavy workpieces is unstable due to problems with the rigidity of the loading device, making automation difficult.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention For this reason, workers manually load and unload such workpieces with the help of auxiliary devices such as balancers, which is inefficient and unproductive. Moreover, there were also safety issues.

Means for solving the problem The loading and unloading operations for sequentially moving the material loading section 4, the processing machine 1, the product unloading section 6, and the workpiece, as well as the operations of each processing-related part of this machine, are incorporated into a sequence circuit. In the preparation process for carrying the material into the processing machine 1, each sequence operation is advanced by starting the steps by the switch 19, the sequence of attaching and detaching the workpiece to the processing machine is automatically proceeded, and the carrying-out process after the processing of the workpiece is completed. In this case, each operation of the sequence is advanced by step activation by the switch 20.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. A well-known NC lathe 1 has a power chuck 2 fitted to the end of a main shaft which is rotatably supported on a headstock by a bearing, and whose gripping claws are automatically opened and closed in response to a command. Further, the front surface of the lathe 1 is provided with covers 3a and 3b that are automatically opened and closed according to a command. In front of the headstock on the front left side of the lathe 1, there is a material conveyor 4 parallel to the main spindle.
is installed, and a contact plate 5 for defining the material receiving position is attached to the upper surface thereof. Further, in front of the tailstock on the right side of the front side, a product conveyor 6 is installed in correspondence with the material conveyor 4 to send the product to the next process. The loading device 7 that carries the material from the material conveyor 4 to the automatic chuck 2 of this machine and then to the product conveyor 6 can be moved and positioned in the direction of the spindle axis on the rail 8 that spans the upper front surface of the covers 3a and 3b. It is listed on. In this loading device 7, a first arm 10 is pivotally connected to a lift plate (not shown) that is moved up and down by an air cylinder (not shown) with respect to a carrier 9. This first
The second arm 11 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the arm, which is made up of parallel links within the cover.The first arm 10 is rotated in a vertical plane by an air cylinder (not shown), so that the second arm is configured as a parallel link. It is always moved up and down and back and forth in the same vertical position. A gripper arm 1 has grippers 12a and 12b at both ends as a hand portion at the lower end of the second arm 11.
3 is provided. The grippers 12a and 12b are provided so that the axes of the workpiece W gripped by the grippers can be rotated vertically and horizontally by 90 degrees and can be reversed by 180 degrees by means of an air cylinder (not shown). Furthermore, a safety shelf 14 is provided between the product conveyors 6 of the material conveyor 4 so that it can be opened by rotating 90 degrees toward the machine with one end as the center. Operating limit switches 15, 16 are provided and the safety shelf 14 is mechanically locked. Furthermore, safety shelves 17 and 18 are provided on the left and right sides outside the operating range of the loading device 7. Further, in order to operate the safety shelf 14 in a closed state, a foot switch 19 that performs the sequence operation of the material preparation process and a foot switch 20 that performs the product unloading sequence operation are provided on the left and right sides of the safety shelf 14, respectively. A foot switch 21 is provided for opening and closing the gripping claws of the automatic chuck 2 in the open state. Furthermore, a status display panel 22 is attached to the front of the headstock, and the display panel 22 is provided with lamps for automatic, manual, individual movement, and chuck failure (NG). Further, an operation panel 23 is attached to the upper part of the safety shelf 14, and is provided with a changeover switch for automatic, individual, and faulty switching, and a push button switch for start and emergency stop. In addition, an individual manual operation panel 24, which can be attached and removed, is installed alongside the operation panel 23, and a rotary switch is provided.

Operation The operation will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 which shows a loading and unloading time chart. A material, such as an aluminum wheel W, sent by the material conveyor 4 is positioned at a predetermined position by the contact plate 5, and the loading device 7 is in its original position on standby at the front of the machine, with the hand in the raised position and the gripper 12a. Assume that it is horizontal and open.

When the foot switch 19 is stepped on, the carrier 9 of the loading device 7 moves to the left and stops on the material positioned by the contact plate 5. Foot switch 1
When step 9 is pressed again, the first arm 10 rotates, the hand part descends, and is stopped at the position where the material W is gripped. When the foot switch 19 is stepped on again, the gripper 12a closes and grips the material W. Foot switch 1 again
When you step on 9, the hand part will rise to a predetermined position. When the foot switch 19 is pressed again, the carrier 9 moves to the right and stops at the original position. Note that if the foot switch 19 is continued to be depressed from the beginning to this point, the above-mentioned operations will be performed continuously. Also, automatic check 2 during operation of these
The material attached to the machine is being cut using an automatic machining cycle. When the carrier 9 stops at the original position, the gripper arm 13 of the hand part is turned from the horizontal to the vertical position facing the chuck 2 by an air cylinder (not shown), and is on standby, and when the AND condition of completion of this state and completion of machining of the material W is satisfied. Move to automatic sequence. The first arm 10 of the loading device 7 is pivoted to position an empty gripper 12b in front of the automatic chuck 2. Next, the carrier 9 is positioned to the left to grip the processed product. Gripper 12b is then closed to grip the product in the chuck. The claw of automatic chuck 2 is opened. At the same time, air is blown toward the material from a nozzle of an air blowing device (not shown), and the nozzle is moved up and down by inching. Next, the carrier 9 moves to the right to pull out the product. Next, the hand part
Flip 180° and the material of gripper 12a becomes chuck 2.
Come right in front of. Next, the carrier 9 moves to the left to insert the material W into the chuck 2. Then check 2
is closed. During this time, the outer periphery of the material, the gripper gripping claws, the chuck claws, and the chuck reference surface are blown with air. Then the gripper 12a opens and the carrier 9
moves to the right. At this point, the main shaft of the lathe 1 enters an automatic inching operation and is rotated at a low speed. On the other hand, the first arm 10 turns and comes out of the machine. Press the automatic start button on the operation panel 23 of the safety shelf 14. When this button is pressed, the inching operation is stopped, and if the first arm 10 rotates and comes out of the covers 3a, 3b, the AND condition is satisfied and the covers 3a, 3b are automatically closed.
Then the automatic processing cycle begins. After this, when the user enters the step operation and steps on the foot switch 20 on the right side, the hand section falls horizontally. Then, when the foot switch 20 is stepped on, the carrier 9 moves to the right. Next, when the foot switch 20 is stepped on, the first arm 10 rotates, the hand portion is lowered, and is positioned at a position on the product conveyor 6 with a slight gap. Then, when the foot switch 20 is stepped on, the gripper 12b opens and discharges the product onto the product conveyor 6. Then, when the foot switch 20 is stepped on, the first arm 10 pivots and the hand section rises to a predetermined position. Next, when the foot switch 20 is stepped on, the carrier 9 moves to the left to its original position. If the foot switch 20 is continued to be depressed after gripping the product, the operations will be performed continuously. When this left movement is completed, the hand section is automatically reversed 180 degrees.

Effects As detailed above, in the present invention, the process of preparing the material to the processing machine and the process of carrying out the product are activated by a switch to perform sequence operations, and the sequence of loading and unloading the workpiece to and from the processing machine automatically proceeds. As a result, it is possible to automate the processing of workpieces with unstable loading, which facilitates attachment and detachment, reduces time, improves work efficiency, and has the effect of improving productivity and safety.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a time chart of loading and unloading, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the loading device of the present machine, a conveyor, and a safety shelf, and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. 2... Automatic chuck, 3a, 3b... Chip protection cover, 4... Material conveyor, 5... Plate, 6...
...Product conveyor, 7...Loading device, 9...
...Carrier, 10...1st arm, 11...2nd arm
Arm, 12a, 12b...Gritzpa, 13...
Gritspa arm, 14...safety fence, 19,20,
21...Foot switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Loading and unloading to move the workpiece sequentially to the material loading section, the processing machine, and the product unloading section, and the operation of each processing-related part of this machine are incorporated into a sequence circuit, and in the preparation process for loading the material to the processing machine. Each sequence operation is progressed by starting a step by a switch, and the sequence operation is automatically progressed when a workpiece is attached to and removed from a processing machine.
A control method for a machine tool equipped with a loading device, characterized in that in the unloading process after completion of machining of a workpiece, each sequence of operations is advanced by starting steps by a switch.