JPH07124773A - Method for automatically classifying product and scrap in working machine and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:In a working machine such as a laser beam machine, etc., by which piercing is made and cutting is executed from the pierced part, a product and a scrap are automatically sorted by effectively utilising data of pierced positions without requiring a program for sorting or a picture processing system, etc., for product/scrap classification. CONSTITUTION:Data of cutting showing cutting outline (frames) and data of pierced positions are obtained and whether a pierced position is within a cutting outline or out of the cutting outline is discriminated by comparing the cutting data and pierced position data. When the pierced position is within the cutting outline, the cut piece is judged to be a scrap. When the pierced position is out of the cutting outline, the cut piece is judged to be a product.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically separating products and scraps in a processing machine, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for automatically separating products and scraps in a processing machine such as a laser processing machine which cuts out from pierce. It relates to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the cutting process, it is considered to automatically sort products and scraps in order to save labor.

Conventionally, for automatic sorting of products and scraps, a program for sorting by M code, G code, etc. is added to the machining program, or C
This is done by photographing the processed material with a CD camera or the like and separating the product and scrap by image processing.

[0004]

Conventionally, in order to automatically sort products and scraps, an expensive image processing system including a sorting program or a CCD camera is required. Therefore, the products and scraps are sorted. It is difficult to perform automatic sorting easily and at low cost. The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above problems.
In particular, in a processing machine such as a laser processing machine that processes piercing and cuts out from the piercing, it is necessary to effectively use the piercing position data and to use a program for sorting and an image processing system for sorting products / scraps. It is an object of the present invention to provide a product / scrap automatic sorting method and apparatus that enable products and scraps to be sorted automatically without doing so.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the above-described object is to provide a method for automatically separating a product from scrap in a processing machine in which a pierce is processed and cut out from the pierce. Acquires machining data and piercing position data, determines whether the piercing position is inside or outside of the cutout contour of the cutout processing by comparing the cutout processing data and the piercing position data, and the piercing position is inside the cutout contour. If it is, the cut-out processed piece is determined as scrap, and if the piercing position is outside the cut-out contour, the cut-out processed piece is determined as a product.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention is an automatic sorting apparatus for a product and a scrap in a processing machine in which piercing is processed and cutting is performed from the piercing. A data acquisition unit that acquires data and pierce position data, and whether the pierce position is inside or outside the cutout contour of the cutout processing by comparing the cutout processing data and the pierce position data acquired by the data acquisition unit. It has a product / scrap determination unit that determines the cut-out processed piece as scrap if the piercing position is inside the cut-out contour and judges the cut-out processed piece as the product if the pierce position is outside the cut-out contour. It is characterized by being.

[0007]

Since the piercing is always set in the scrap area, if there is piercing inside the cutout contour, the cut-out processed piece with the cutout contour is scrap, whereas if there is piercing outside the cutout contour, that is, If there is no piercing inside the cut-out contour, the cut-out processed piece according to the cut-out contour is a product, and based on this simple theory, the product and the scrap are separated only by the processing data and the piercing position data.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a laser processing apparatus to which the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention is applied. The laser processing apparatus includes a device main body 5 including a laser oscillator 1 and a control unit 3 by an NC, a horizontal work table part 7 connected to one side of the device main body 5, and a work clamp 9, and X, Y
The laser oscillator includes a work carriage 11 that is movable in the axial direction, and an upper horizontal arm 15 that extends horizontally from the upper portion of the apparatus body 5 to one of the workpiece carriage 11 and that has a laser beam nozzle 13 arranged at the tip thereof. A laser beam is given to the laser beam nozzle 13 from 1 and the workpiece clamped by the work clamp 9 and placed on the work table 7 is cut out by the laser beam.

In this cutting process, a pierce is processed at a position designated by a machining program by NC, and the pierce is used as a cutting start position to specify a contour of the cutting process, in other words, a cutting process tool locus (tool path). It is performed according to the processing data.

The work table section 7 has a product / scrap sorting function of a well-known structure as a product / scrap sorting device. This shooter receives an operation command signal from an automatic sorting device. It operates and sorts and discharges products and scraps.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention. The automatic sorting apparatus is generally designated by the reference numeral 17 in FIG. 1. The automatic sorting apparatus 17 includes a data acquisition unit 19 and a product / scrap determination unit 21 and is incorporated in the control unit 3.

The data acquisition unit 19 acquires from the control unit 3 the cutout processing data indicating the cutout contour and the pierce position data.

The product / scrap determination unit 21 determines whether the piercing position is inside or outside the cutout contour of the cutout processing by comparing the cutout processing data acquired by the data acquisition unit 19 with the piercing position data. If the piercing position is inside the cutout contour, the cutout piece is judged to be scrap, and if the piercing position is outside the cutout contour, the cutout piece is judged to be a product, and based on that judgment, the operation command signal is sent to the above-mentioned product. / Product such as a shooter with a scrap sorting function / output to the scrap sorting device 23.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the operation flow of the automatic sorting apparatus according to the present invention. In this operation flow,
First, check the piercing position, and then check the coordinate values Xp, Yp of the piercing P.
Is stored by a macro instruction or the like (step 100).

Next, if cutting is started (step 11)
0), the maximum values Xmax and Xmin of the X and Y axis coordinates and the minimum values Ymax and Y of the cutting position in the cutting process.
min and are sequentially stored (step 120).

As a result, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, (Xmin, Ymin), (Xmax, Y
min), (Xmin, Ymax), (Xmax, Ym
The coordinate data of the quadrangular frame F representing the cutout contour is obtained with ax) as the corners.

When the cutting, that is, the cutout is completed (step 130), the shutter is closed (step 140) and whether the piercing position is in the frame F or not is determined by the coordinate value X of the piercing P.
It is detected by comparing p and Yp with the coordinate data of the frame F (step 150).

If the piercing position is within the frame F (see FIG. 3)
In the case of (a)), scrap determination is performed and a scrap discharge operation command is output (step 160). As a result, the shooter opens to the scrap side, and the cut-out piece is discharged as scrap (step 170).

Depending on the size of the scrap, the shooter may not discharge it. In this case, the area of the frame F is calculated, and if this area is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the shooter operation is performed. You may set it so that it is not protected.

On the other hand, if the piercing position is not in the frame F (case of FIG. 3B), product determination is performed and a product discharge operation command is output (step 180). As a result, the shooter opens to the product side, and the cut-out piece is discharged as a product (step 190). In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0022]

As can be understood from the above description, according to the method and apparatus for automatically separating the product and the scrap in the processing machine according to the present invention, the piercing position is inside or outside of the cutout contour of the cutting work. Whether or not the cut-out processed piece is scrap or product is determined by determining whether the cut-out processed piece is a scrap product or an image processing system for product / scrap separation according to the determination result. , Products and scraps can be automatically sorted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic product / scrap separating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of an operation flow of an automatic product / scrap separating apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a principle of separating products and scraps according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of a laser processing apparatus to which the automatic product / scrap separating apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Laser Oscillator 3 Control Unit 5 Device Main Body 7 Work Table Part 11 Work Carriage 13 Laser Beam Nozzle 17 Automatic Sorting Device 19 Data Acquisition Unit 21 Product / Scrap Judgment Unit 23 Product / Scrap Sorting Device

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location B23K 26/10 B23Q 7/12 7411-3C G05B 19/4155

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of automatically separating products and scraps in a processing machine that processes piercings and performs cutting processing from the piercings, obtains cutting processing data indicating cutting contours and piercing position data, and cut processing data and piercings. By comparing with the position data, it is determined whether the piercing position is inside or outside of the cutout contour of the cutout process, and if the piercing position is inside the cutout contour, the cutout piece is judged as scrap, and the piercing is performed based on the cutout contour. If the position is on the outside, the cut-out processed piece is determined as a product, which is an automatic classification method. 2. A data acquisition unit for acquiring cutout processing data indicating cutout contours and pierce position data in an automatic product / scrap separating apparatus in a processing machine that processes piercings and cuts out from the piercings. By comparing the cutout processing data and the pierce position data acquired by the data acquisition unit, it is determined whether the piercing position is inside or outside the cutout contour of the cutout processing, and if the piercing position is inside the cutout contour, the cutout processing is performed. An automatic sorting apparatus comprising: a product / scrap determination unit that determines a piece as scrap and determines a cut-out processed piece as a product if the piercing position is outside the cutout contour.