JPH10328842A - Torch position adjustment device of plasma automatic cutting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate setting/change of a torch height, to conduct uniform cutting and to stabilize precision by using an air cylinder drive method for torch position setting of a copying position control type cutting machine. SOLUTION: By retracting a cylinder rod 401 of an air cylinder 4 mounted to a device base material 1 and retreating an elevation member 3, which mounts a torch mounting member 8 and mounts a work copying guide 24 to its lower end, to a chained line position, a material W to be cut is placed on a work table. Next, by protruding the cylinder rod 401 and abutting the work copying guide 24 on the material to be cut, the guide 24 is made into a floating state together with the elevation member 3. At this state, by driving an air cylinder rod 121 up/down, positioning of a descend end/a ascend end of the torch mounting member 8, that is, positioning of a torch 23 of a cutting height, piercing height, is conducted through lower part/upper part up/down adjustment mechanisms 18, 14. When cutting, the cylinder rod 401 is protruted, the cylinder rod 121 is retracted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a torch position adjusting device for an automatic plasma cutting machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an automatic plasma cutting machine,
A cutting operation is performed while maintaining a desired distance between the tip of the plasma arc torch and the surface of the workpiece.

[0003] By the way, the conventional plasma automatic cutting machine,
As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a moving member 82, which is restricted by guide members 81, 81 provided on the base material 1 and is movable in the vertical direction, and a female screw 8 screwed to the moving member 82.
21 and a male screw member 83
, A plasma arc torch 85 attached to the moving member 82, and an optical eye tracer, that is, an optical sensor 86.

At the time of this cutting operation, a so-called piercing process is performed in which a through hole is formed in the workpiece W by a plasma jet ejected from the plasma arc torch 85. After the piercing process, the plasma arc torch 85 is connected to the piercing process. The plasma cutting is performed while appropriately moving the workpiece W relatively, for example, in the horizontal direction.

In the piercing and cutting processes, the plasma arc torch 85 for the material W to be cut is used.
The height of each of the piercing height and cutting height is
It is set to a desired value corresponding to the thickness of the workpiece W. To cope with this, the motor 84 is driven while detecting the surface of the material W to be cut by the optical sensor 86, and the position of the plasma arc torch 85 is adjusted to the desired piercing height and cutting height. Is controlled. Of course, in the above-described conventional plasma automatic cutting machine, the detection signal of the optical sensor 86 and the motor 84 based on the detection signal are used.
A fine cutting operation is performed by the control.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned conventional configuration has the following problems. That is, at the time of the cutting operation, cut high-temperature melt, so-called spatter, high-temperature plasma jet, and fumes of the material to be cut are generated, and these sputters and fumes adhere to the optical sensor 86. By the way, in the automatic machine, since the plasma cutting operation is continuously performed, the amount of spatter or fume adhering to the optical sensor 86 is surely increased. The sensor function of the sensor 86 decreases. Of course, if the sensor function deteriorates, it is not possible to control the position of the plasma arc torch so that the piercing height and the cutting height are accurate. The operation of removing the extraneous matter must be performed, and the operation of removing the extraneous matter is troublesome.

Further, an electric control mechanism including an optical sensor is not only complicated and expensive, but also has an electric control mechanism including a connection portion caused by fumes or high-temperature spatter of a material to be cut generated at the time of cutting. It was apt to break down and repair was troublesome.

[0008] Furthermore, when the optical sensor is broken by another device by mistake when the optical sensor is brought into contact with the optical sensor at the time of cutting or before and after the cutting, the expensive optical sensor must be replaced. Was.

Further, during the cutting operation, since the plasma arc heat is transmitted to the material to be cut, the thin plate is undulated or warped particularly when the thin plate is cut. In this case, since the sensing state of the optical sensor with respect to the workpiece is different from the initial state, the piercing height and the cutting height of the plasma arc torch are different from the initial state, that is, the desired height, and the cutting result is not constant. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to enable the height of a plasma arc torch to be easily set in accordance with the thickness of a material to be cut, and to be inexpensive and In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a torch position adjusting device for an automatic plasma cutting machine capable of uniformly cutting a thin plate.

[0011]

The first invention is applied to a torch position adjusting device of an automatic plasma cutting machine. The feature is that an elevating member which is constrained by a guide member provided on the base material and is movable in the vertical direction, and the cylinder rod is movable vertically with respect to the elevating member, and when the cylinder rod is retracted. A fluid pressure operating cylinder that lifts the elevating member against gravity, a torch mounting member mounted on the elevating member and supported movably in the vertical direction,
A drive mechanism for moving the torch mounting member up and down, and upper and lower adjustments which are arranged above and below the torch mounting member and which can contact the torch mounting member to be moved up and down to set the vertical position of the torch mounting member freely. A mechanism, a plasma arc torch attached to the torch attachment member, and a workpiece copying guide attached to a lower portion of the elevating member and protruding toward the workpiece from the tip of the plasma arc torch. .

[0012] The second invention is the first invention, wherein
A spring member for urging the lifting member upward is interposed between the base material and the lifting member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the drive mechanism uses a hydraulic cylinder.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. 1 through 6, 3, is constrained by a guide member 2 provided on the substrate 1, a vertical direction, i.e. in a freely elevating member move in the Z direction, the lower portion of the Y ₁ direction of the lifting member 1 Is provided with a first hole 301 penetrating in the Z direction.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a fluid pressure operating cylinder, for example, an air cylinder attached to the base material 1, and a tip fitting 5 is integrally attached to a cylinder rod 401 of the air cylinder 4. The end fitting 5 has a columnar portion 501 that is inserted into the first hole 301 and is movable with respect to the first hole 301, and a flange portion 502 that is wider than the columnar portion 501.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a spring member interposed between the base member 1 and the elevating member 3 to urge the elevating member 3 upward. For example, the spring member 6 A tension spring stretched between them is used.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a torch mounting member which is mounted on the elevating member 3 and supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction. ing.

A driving mechanism 11 is attached to the elevating member 3 and moves the torch attaching member 8 up and down. For example, a fluid pressure operating cylinder, preferably an air cylinder 12, and a tip attached to a cylinder rod 121 of the air cylinder 12 are provided. The drive mechanism 11 is constituted by the metal fitting 13.
In the case shown, the tip fitting 13 is attached integrally with the torch attachment member 8.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a position above the torch mounting member 8,
An upper / lower adjustment mechanism provided on the elevating member 3, for example, the upper / lower adjustment mechanism 14 includes an adjusting rod 15 with a handle, which is disposed on the elevating member 3 so as to be capable of vertically moving.
It is constituted by a setting tool capable of appropriately setting the tip position of the adjusting rod 15, for example, a so-called lock nut 16 which is screwed into the male screw 151 of the adjusting rod 15. In order to be able to grasp the position of the tip of the adjustment rod 15, for example, a large-diameter collar, that is, a pointer 152 is provided on the handle of the adjustment rod 15.
It is preferable to provide a scale plate 17 from which the position 2 can be read.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a position below the torch mounting member 8,
For example, the lower vertical adjustment mechanism 18 disposed on the elevating member 3 is disposed so that the long axis is in the Y direction, and is rotatably supported by the elevating member 3. An adjustment rod 19 with a lock and a male screw 19 of the adjustment rod 19 which is restrained by the elevating member 3 so as to be movable in the Y direction.
Adjustment piece 2 screwed to 1 and the position in the Y direction is appropriately set
1. Incidentally, the upper surface of the adjusting piece 21 is tapered surface 211 down to Y ₁ direction is formed. Of course, like the upper and lower adjustment mechanism 14, the adjustment piece 21
It is preferable to provide a pointer and a scale plate relatively to the lifting member 3.

A contact piece 22 is fixed to the lower end of the torch mounting member 8 facing the adjustment piece 21, and is formed on the lower surface of the contact piece 22 when the torch mounting member 8 is lowered. tapered surface 221 down to Y ₁ direction is brought into contact with tapered surface 211 of the adjusting piece 21.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a plasma arc torch attached to the torch attachment member 8, and reference numeral 24 denotes a work copying guide detachably attached to a lower portion of the elevating member 3, and a plurality of the workpiece copying guides 24, for example, a plasma arc torch. 2
Two are disposed at positions opposing each other across three.

The workpiece copying guide 24 is provided with the workpiece W
It is preferable to attach a rotatable spherical body, a so-called free bearing, to the tip of the workpiece copying guide 24 in order to move in the horizontal direction relatively to the workpiece W while abutting on the surface of the workpiece.

The above 1 to 24 constitute a torch position adjusting device of the plasma automatic cutting machine. The operation of the torch position adjusting device of the automatic plasma cutting machine having the above configuration will be described. Note that, depending on the current value for plasma generation supplied at the time of cutting, the piercing height of the plasma arc torch; H ₁ + H ₂ and the cutting height H ₁ , for example, values shown in Table 1 are employed. .

[0025]

[Table 1]

1 to 6, first, the air cylinder 4 is driven so that the cylinder rod 401 is retracted. In this case, the flange portion 502 of the tip fitting 5 attached to the cylinder rod 401 comes into contact with the lower end surface of the first hole 301 formed in the elevating member 3. The lifting member 3 is supported by the guide member 2 so as to be movable in the vertical direction while being restrained by the guide member 2.
Is in contact with the lower surface of the first hole 301, and the tip fitting 5 and the elevating member 3
_The elevating member 3 is moved in _two directions and retracts to the position of the stroke end of the air cylinder 4. That is, in this case, the workpiece copying guide 24 retreats to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

In this state, for example, a thin workpiece W is placed on, for example, a sword-shaped work table. After this,
The air cylinder 4 is driven so that the cylinder rod 401 projects. That is, when the elevating member 3 the tip fitting 5 which is locked in the Z ₂ direction is moved in the Z ₁ direction, by the weight of the weight and the lifting member 3 of each unit mounted on the lift member 3 is vertically movable member 3 It descends to the Z ₁ direction,
The workpiece copying guide 24 comes into contact with the surface of the workpiece W.

In this state, the upper surface of the flange portion 502 of the tip fitting 5 is located, for example, several mm below the lower end surface of the first hole 301 formed in the elevating member 3. That is, while the workpiece copying guide 24 attached to the elevating member 3 is in contact with the surface of the workpiece W,
The work copying guide 24 is disposed in a so-called floating state so as to be vertically displaceable.

In this state or before or after this state, the adjusting rod 19 is appropriately operated so that the lower end of the plasma arc torch 23 is moved from the surface of the workpiece W, for example, from the relation between the pointer and the scale plate. position of the adjusting piece 21 is set to be the upper position by a distance H _1.

When the air cylinder 12 is driven so that the cylinder rod 121 projects in a state where the position of the adjustment piece 21 is set as described above, the contact piece 22 fixed to the torch mounting member 8 causes the adjustment piece 22 to move. 21 to abut the lower end and the surface and the distance H ₁ of workpiece W of the plasma arc torch 23, the torch 23 is positioned so cutting the height H ₁ position.

That is, the position of the lowering end of the torch mounting member 8 with respect to the elevating member 3 is set by the lower vertical adjustment mechanism 18.

In this state or before or after this state, the adjusting rod 15 and the lock nut 16 are appropriately rotated, and the distance between the tip of the adjusting rod 15 and the upper surface of the torch mounting member 8 becomes H. It is set to be _2. in this case,
May be measured a distance H _2, but the pointer 152 and the scale plate 17
And, the position of the adjusting rod 15 is set so that the distance H _2.

That is, the amount of rise H ₂ of the torch mounting member 8 is set by the upper and lower adjustment mechanism 14.

Therefore, when the air cylinder 12 is driven so that the cylinder rod 121 is retracted, the plasma arc torch 23 is positioned at a position where the upper surface of the torch mounting member 8 is in contact with the adjusting rod 15. The surface of this case, since the plasma arc torch 23 located above the surface of the workpiece W by the distance H ₁ is positioned displaced upwards further by a distance H _2, eventually lower the workpiece W of the plasma arc torch 23 DOO spacing; H ₁ + H _2, so-called piercing height; H ₁ + torch 2 in H ₂ a position
3 is positioned.

As described above, the piercing process is performed by the plasma arc in a state where the air cylinder 4 is driven so that the cylinder rod 401 protrudes and the air cylinder 12 is driven so that the cylinder rod 121 is retracted.

In this case, the torch mounting member 8 is
, The plasma arc torch 23 is positioned at a position of the so-called piercing height; H ₁ + H ₂ ,
Piercing is started.

During the piercing process until a through hole is formed in the workpiece W, the plasma jet ejected from the plasma arc torch 23 comes into contact with the surface of the workpiece W, and the rebound jet and Spatter scatters upward. For this reason, when the workpiece W and the plasma arc torch 23 are relatively moved during the piercing so that the plasma arc torch 23 is displaced in the horizontal direction, it is possible to prevent adhesion of spatter to the plasma arc torch 23 and to speed up the piercing. I can do it.

Needless to say, the piercing time is as short as several seconds, and the plasma arc torch 23 descends as the surface of the workpiece W is gradually cut from the start of the piercing, in order to cut immediately after the piercing. Then, the cylinder 12 is driven at a low speed.

As described above, when the through-hole is formed in the workpiece W, the contact piece 22 comes into contact with the adjustment piece 21 around the same time. While this state is maintained, that is, while the plasma arc torch 23 is positioned so as to have the above-described cutting height H ₁ , the cutting is performed while the plasma arc torch 23 and the workpiece W are relatively moved in the horizontal direction. Processing is performed.

By the way, as the cutting work proceeds, if the material to be cut W is a thin plate, the material to be cut W is wavy or warped. In this case, as described above, while the workpiece copying guide 24 is in contact with the surface of the workpiece W, the elevating member 3 and the workpiece copying guide 24 are arranged so as to be vertically displaceable. Even if the surface condition changes, the workpiece copying guide 24 follows. For this reason, the interval H _{1 with} respect to the workpiece copying guide 24.
Arc torch 23 positioned only above
The height of the workpiece W and the distance H ₁ is being maintained, cutting is performed.

By the way, although the state slightly varies depending on the arrangement interval of the work supporting blades on the work table and the width and length of the material W to be cut, the material W to be cut during the plasma processing is usually above the workpiece supporting blades. It will be in a deformed state.
That is, the guide member 2 that guides the elevating member 3 in the vertical direction.
In a position spaced X ₁ direction relative, the workpiece scanning guide 24 abuts against the workpiece W to be deformed up and down.

As described above, a force against the weight of each part mounted on the elevating member 3 and the own weight of the elevating member 3 acts on the contact point between the workpiece copying guide 24 and the workpiece W,
The workpiece copying guide 24 and the elevating member 3 are moved up and down along the workpiece W.

That is, since the elevating member 3 is guided while a rotational moment force acts on the guide member 2, the guide member 2 and the elevating member 3 are slid smoothly. It is preferable to employ a sliding mechanism that combines the provided guide rail and a large number of ball bearing units that come into contact with the guide rail while rolling.

If, for example, a spring member 6 for urging the elevating member 3 upward is interposed between the base material 1 and the elevating member 3, the weight of each part mounted on the elevating member 3 and the elevating By offsetting a part or most of the weight of the member 3 by the spring member 6, the workpiece copying guide 24
In addition, the elevating member 3 is smoothly moved up and down.

Of course, when the workpiece copying guide 24 moves upward, a relatively small rotational moment force offset by the spring member 6 acts on the guide member 2.
As a result, the guide member 2 can be made small and inexpensive.

As described above, the plasma arc torch 23 cuts the workpiece W by the workpiece copying guide 24 while maintaining the desired cutting height H _1. After the cutting, the cylinder rod 401 is moved. The air cylinder 4 is driven to be retracted, and the workpiece copying guide 2
4 and the plasma arc torch 23 are positioned at the upper retreat position, and the plasma cutting operation is completed.

As shown in FIG. 6, opposing projections are provided on the upper portion of the base material 1 and the lower portion of the elevating member 3, and a tension spring member 6 is interposed between the projection portions. The lifting member 3 can be urged upward by the spring member 6.

In the above description, the lower vertical adjustment mechanism 18 is provided with an adjustment rod 19 that is rotated and adjusted in the horizontal direction.
Adjustment piece 21 whose position is adjusted in the horizontal direction by this adjustment rod
The vertical adjustment allowance can be finely set. For this reason, if the upper and lower adjustment mechanism 14 has the same configuration as the lower and upper adjustment mechanism 18, fine vertical adjustment can be performed.

Of course, regardless of this, the lower vertical adjustment mechanism 18 can be configured similarly to the upper vertical adjustment mechanism 14.

Further, if the lifting member 3 and the torch mounting member 8 are driven by the air cylinders 4 and 12, respectively,
Each lifting mechanism is simple and can be raised and lowered quickly. Of course, these air cylinders 4 and 12 can be hydraulic cylinders, for example hydraulic cylinders.

Further, the drive mechanism 11 of the torch mounting member 8 includes a rotary screw shaft, a nut member screwed to the screw shaft, and a hydraulic or electric rotary drive for rotating the screw shaft. Can be configured.

In short, according to the present invention, the height of the plasma arc torch can be easily set in accordance with the thickness of the material to be cut, as compared with the conventional optical sensor type device.
It is possible to realize a torch position adjusting device of an automatic plasma cutting machine which is inexpensive and can cut even a thin plate uniformly.

[0053]

As is apparent from the above description, the torch position adjusting device of the automatic plasma cutting machine according to the first invention is restrained by the guide member provided on the base material and is movable vertically. An elevating member, a fluid-operated cylinder in which the cylinder rod is vertically movable with respect to the elevating member, and lifts the elevating member against gravity when the cylinder rod is retracted, and is mounted on the elevating member and moves vertically. A freely supported torch mounting member, a drive mechanism for moving the torch mounting member up and down, and an upper and lower position of the torch mounting member arranged above and below the torch mounting member and in contact with the torch mounting member to be moved up and down. Can be set up and down vertically adjusting mechanism, a plasma arc torch attached to the torch attachment member, and a plasma arc attached to the lower part of the elevating member The workpiece piercing guide protruding from the tip of the workpiece to the material to be cut is provided, so that the piercing height and cutting height of the plasma arc torch can be freely set by the upper and lower adjustment mechanisms. ,
Even if the surface condition of the workpiece changes, the height of the plasma arc torch is maintained in a desired state by following the change in the surface condition by the work copying guide. Therefore, even with a very thin workpiece, desired plasma processing can be performed at a desired piercing height and cutting height.

According to the second invention, in the first invention,
Because a spring member for urging the elevating member upward is interposed between the base material and the elevating member, a part or most of the weight of each part mounted on the elevating member and the own weight of the elevating member is reduced. By offsetting by the spring member, the work copying guide and the elevating member are smoothly moved up and down. Of course, when the workpiece copying guide moves up, the relatively small rotational moment force offset by the spring member acts on the guide member, and as a result, the guide member can be manufactured small and inexpensively. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, since the drive mechanism uses a hydraulic cylinder, the mechanism can be simply and quickly driven.

In short, according to the present invention, the height of the plasma arc torch can be easily set according to the thickness of the material to be cut, as compared with the conventional optical sensor type device.
It is possible to realize a torch position adjusting device of an automatic plasma cutting machine which is inexpensive and can cut even a thin plate uniformly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG.

6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a left side view of FIG. 7;

9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 base member 2 guide member for elevating member 3 elevating member 4 fluid pressure operating cylinder 6 spring member elastically provided between base material 1 and elevating member 3 8 torch mounting member 9 guide member for torch mounting member 11 torch mounting member Drive mechanism for raising / lowering 8 14 Upper / lower vertical adjustment mechanism for torch mounting member 18 Lower vertical adjustment mechanism for torch mounting member 23 Plasma arc torch 24 Work copying guide

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Toshihiko Okada 2-1-1-11 Tagawa, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka Inside Daihen Corporation

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A torch position adjusting device for an automatic plasma cutting machine, wherein an elevating member restrained by a guide member provided on a base material and movable in a vertical direction, and a cylinder rod movable up and down with respect to the elevating member. There is a hydraulic cylinder that raises the lifting member against the gravity when the cylinder rod is retracted, a torch mounting member mounted on the lifting member and supported in a vertically movable manner, and moving the torch mounting member up and down An upper and lower vertical adjustment mechanism which is disposed above and below the torch mounting member, abuts on the torch mounting member to be moved up and down, and allows the vertical position of the torch mounting member to be set freely, and a torch mounting member A plasma arc torch attached to the workpiece and a workpiece attached to the lower part of the elevating member and projecting toward the workpiece from the tip of the plasma arc torch. A torch position adjusting device for an automatic plasma cutting machine comprising a scanning guide. 2. The torch position adjusting device for an automatic plasma cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein a spring member for urging the lifting member upward is interposed between the base member and the lifting member. 3. The torch position adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism uses a hydraulic cylinder.