JPS5811285B2 - Apparatus for determining suitability of arrangement of two divided die cavities in a single station of a progressive die - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to the automatic design of a progressive die (a press device that performs one process on a single metal sheet at each station, and a series of processes at all stations). Then, at a particular station of these dice, the device determines whether there is a situation in which there is no opponent in the split of the dice.

A method for automatically designing a progressive die that distributes various cavities at sufficient intervals along a progressive station to allow sufficient metal to fit between the cavities depending on the cutting force of the cavities. is proposed.

In some types of die construction, this is the only criterion for cavity placement.

This is the case, for example, with machining methods, such as electrical discharge machining, in which separate, complex holes can be created in the die section, with milling and sanding methods, or with drilling methods.

However, by adding 10% to the cavity and dividing it into multiple sections, 2
It is often desired to create a final die segment by polishing each section with a grinder so that one or more die segments each contain a portion of the contour of a particular cavity.

When all of these segments are assembled correctly, they create a cavity from which several slits extend radially.

These splits may reach the outer edge of the die,
Alternatively, it may terminate within another cavity within the die.

The point(s) on the cavity profile at which the split is made depends on the method of processing and the shape of the cavity.

It is impractical to split the cavity to create such a recess in one of the sections, since it is not possible to insert a grinder into a deep or inaccessible recess.

Therefore, for example, a horizontally long rectangular space is divided by a horizontal line passing from the left end to the right end.

Similarly, a vertically deep rectangular cavity is divided by a vertical line passing from top to bottom.

More complex shapes generally require two or more points of division.

Additionally, the splits generally extend radially at right angles to the point on the profile where the split is made, to the edges, and avoid creating sharp points or corners on the die sections.

Since the die cavity cannot be arbitrarily broken, it may not be possible to arbitrarily arrange the die cavity within the die.

These arrangements mean that the space coming out of one cavity is placed in a nearby second cavity.
This is the case when it is geometrically impossible to terminate on the cut-in contour of the cavity.

Thus, for example, the two cavities mentioned above cannot be arranged close to each other side by side.

This is because the horizontal split extending from one cavity cannot terminate on the split side of the second cavity.

In order to complete the horizontal split correctly, a vertical split extending from the top to the bottom or a suitable further cavity(s) must be interposed.

In this case, the vertical split through the functional cavity can terminate at the top and bottom edges of the die structure.

Similarly, two cavities cannot be placed close together one above the other, since a vertical split through a deep cavity cannot terminate on the cutting side of a second cavity.

In such cases, an acceptable die structure can be created by providing an appropriate horizontal split or other cavity.

However, it should be noted that it may not be possible to provide such an intervening space or cavity within the gap between the two original cavities, thus making the entire such arrangement unfeasible. Should.

Conventionally, all die designs have been made based on the knowledge and experience of skilled die designers.

The purpose of the invention is to determine whether more than one cavity can be placed in a progressive die station, thereby making it possible to design a progressive die with as few stations as possible.

The problem solved by the present invention is to determine whether it is possible to place two die cavities (eg, A and B in FIG. 5) in a single station of a progressive die.

If possible, this could substantially reduce the overall cost of the die by reducing the number of stations that make up the die.

As shown in FIG. 5, the splits from cavity B emanate from its top and bottom sides, and the splits from cavity A emanate from its left and right sides.

The placement of cavity A at station N is not possible since the distribution of cavity A is not in line with the distribution of cavity B.

If splitting were to occur from the left and right sides of cavity B, as shown by dashed lines LB and RB, then splitting line RB would be oriented in the same direction as splitting line LA, and line R
B and LA are easily connected by line C, which conveniently divides the station into two parts ① and ②.

These die cavities can then be placed at the same station of the progressive die.

However, this is not the case in FIG. 5, so these cavities cannot be placed at the same station, and the progressive die must be provided with separate stations for cavities A and B, respectively.

In the present invention, the die cavity is temporarily placed at any station, and the desirability of its placement at that station is determined as described above.

That is, if the circuit of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4 tentatively places cavities at various stations of the progressive die, and the circuit determines that such placement is possible,
The information is output from the circuit, thereby utilizing the information in die manufacturing.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from this description.

When automatically designing dies, the various die cavity contours are
Each profile must be transferred to a specific stage or station and placed side by side on the die.

This process consists of passing the contour through an integer number of "feed" or "jump" distances.

This "feed" distance is equal to the distance that the metal strip or ribbon moves when handling the finished die.

The number of holes extending radially from one cavity is O (in the case of holes made by milling or electrical discharge machining), and may be 2, 3, 4, or more.

It is pointless to extend just one splitter from the cavity.

This is because it is not possible in this way to divide the metal segments so that they are accessible to the grinder that shapes the cavity.

The apparatus of the invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises storage means 10 for storing coordinate representation signals defining each cavity contour and the number and direction of divisions extending therefrom.

The storage means 10 may be used to store the contours transferred to a particular stage (or station) of the die by adding to the X-coordinate signal a quantity representing the numerical product of the feed distance and the stage number.

The split at the edge of either contour has no counterpart (that is, the split surface of one contour does not face the split surface of the other contour).
A switching and control circuit 16 is also included for directing signals representative of the coordinates and plane of division to an analyzer circuit 18 in order to determine the 1 feed in storage means 12 and the stage number in multicell storage means 14. be done.

The number of cells in the multi-cell storage means 14 corresponds to the number of stage positions within the storage means 10.

The device of FIG. 1 is used by other equipment during sequential operation, so that the other equipment sets various stage numbers and uses the output of the device of FIG. It is determined whether or not the arrangement of the contours to be created is unrealizable because there is no other party to divide it into as described above.

This alignment test is typically performed in addition to other tests for die design, such as physical proximity of contours and other factors, and meets all requirements for die construction. The final shape is selected.

In the device of the invention, the contour coordinates are of many complex shapes.

For purposes of explanation, it is assumed that any contour is fully represented by four coordinates, which represent the maximum and minimum X coordinates and the maximum and minimum Y coordinates of the contour, respectively.3 These are shown in FIG. They are indicated by XX1XN and YxlYN.

These numerical coordinates may be stored as capacitor cell voltages (or other signals) proportional to the coordinates, or they may be digitally represented in binary form (or other forms) in magnetic core memory. ) may be accumulated.

It is assumed that the coordinates for explaining the operation of this storage means are stored as analog voltages proportional to the numerical values of the coordinates.

The information representing the surface to be cut can also be sufficiently represented by considering only the four directions: right, left, top and bottom (represented by R, L, T and B in FIG. 1, respectively).

The four cells used to represent these directions can be used in essentially binary mode.

That is, a non-zero voltage indicates that the split is coming from a particular plane, and a zero voltage indicates that the split is not coming from this plane.

For example, the voltage coming out of this plane is represented by storing a "positive" non-zero voltage in the appropriate storage cell.

It should be understood that, in general, more than four coordinates and more than four directions may be used.

However, in this case a total of eight cells are required to represent the data regarding each contour and its division.

Note also that there is no need to store these values in cells for this purpose, as long as they are available whenever you need them.

For example, each time these values are needed, the contour may be scanned and these values re-derived from values representing the coordinates of the entire contour.

Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the device.

The values representing the coordinates and direction of division of each contour are stored in the storage means 1, which is made up of a series of storage cells each consisting of 8 cells.
Accumulated within 0.

These eight cells each store the horizontal maximum value XX and minimum value XN, the vertical maximum value Yx and minimum value YN1, and an indication of the division in four directions: right R1 left L, top T, bottom B.

The storage means 10 consisting of a series of cells is connected to a switching and control circuit 16.
is connected to the analyzer circuit 18 by.

The circuit 16 itself includes multiplier and adder circuits and controls signals from and to the various storage means 10, 12, 14, input terminal 20, and analyzer circuit 18.

Reference is made to FIG. 4 for a more detailed description of the switching and control circuit 16.

The circuit 16 includes a bidirectional scanner 22 (inputs and outputs to which are shown in a simplified manner), and as the scanner 22 steps successively, input information representing the contour from terminal 20 is stored. Groups 10a, 10b, 1 of means 10 and 14
0c...and 14a, 14b, 14c... are successively accumulated.

The feed is also stored in the feed storage means 12.

The next mode of operation involves determining the actual coordinates of the contour.

That is, each contour is translated horizontally to a temporary station.

This is accomplished by the scanner 22 continuously reading information representative of the contours from the stored traces 10 and 14.

Each stage and each station number from the storage means 14 is transferred to the multiplier circuit 24 through the switch 26 which is closed at this point.
is applied to

Send is applied to multiplier circuit 24 through line 28.

The resulting product represents the distance of the horizontal coordinate to be moved and is sent via line 32 to summing circuit 30.

Also applied to the adder circuit 30 is the horizontal coordinate of the beginning of the contour currently being scanned by the substitute scanner 22.

These coordinates, which would define the horizontal position of the cavity or contour if it were located in the first stage of the die, are line 3
4 and is applied to the summing circuit 30 through the switch 36, which is closed at this point.

The sum of these two forces, which is the horizontal coordinate of the contour (transferred to the station) represented by the number of the storage means 14, is transferred back to the storage means 1 through the switch 38 and the scanner 22.
Accumulated within 0.

Therefore, when the scanning operation is completed, all the horizontal coordinates of each wheel whose stage number is not zero will have been moved to their designated stage number and stored in the storage means 10.

In some cases, the profile is not assigned a run number until it is ready for testing.

In another case, all contours are first assigned stage numbers, and the apparatus of the present invention is used to determine whether there is an undesired split in any cavity.

In the next mode of operation, an actual test run is performed on one or more contours to determine if any undesired splits exist.

For example, suppose that a predetermined contour, such as that stored in the cell group 10c, is to be tested.

Presetting means 40 step scanner 22 to select this contour and store it in register 42 through switch 46 and line 44, which is now closed.

The scanner 22 is then reset to scan all the contours stored in the storage means 10 and the associated stage numbers stored in the storage means 14.

The stage number is tested successively in blocks 48 and 50, so that the contour currently being scanned is: (2) whether it is the same as the contour previously stored in register 42;

If the contour currently being scanned does not satisfy any of these tests, it is sent via line 54 to register 52.
The method of this comparison, which is sent to the analyzer 18 and compared with the contour stored in the register 42, will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each contour within the storage means 10 can be stored together with other contours within the storage means 10 in the manner described above.

In summary, the operation of switching and control circuit 16 is as follows.

That is, 1. A signal representing the coordinates of each contour and the direction of division is sent to the storage means 10 and stored therein.

2. Send the advance and stage number of each contour from the input terminal 20 to the storage means 12 and 14, respectively.

3. The scanner 22 scans the coordinates of each contour, the group representing the direction of division, and the cell representing the stage number.

In each group circuit 16 senses two X coordinates, circuit 1
The product of the feed and the stage number created in the multiplication circuit 24 in 6 is added to these X coordinates in the addition circuit 30.

The coordinates stored in the storage means 10 at this point represent the arrangement of the contours arranged on the surface of the die.

A contour that is not tested is a contour with a stage number of zero.

4. Scanner 22 scans the groups representing the coordinates and direction of division and sends these signals to analyzer circuit 18 for comparison with the corresponding signals from the contour under test stored in register 42.

At this time, an input signal from the presetting means 40 determines which contour number is to be used for the test comparison.

The circuit 16 selects each group (except for the group whose stage number is zero and the comparison group itself).

Analyzer circuit 18 does not generate an output if, as a result of all comparisons, it is determined that the combination of divisions is valid.

If there is an invalid combination, an output signal is generated indicating that the tentative position of the test contour is not compatible with other contours based on whether there is an unmatched split on the cutting edge.

Before describing the internal operation of analyzer circuit 18 and its connections to registers 42 and 52, let us further consider the use of the present apparatus in automatic dice design.

Typically, at an intermediate stage in the die design process,
I have placed some outlines in a limited row with dice.

Other contours (indicated by a stage value of zero) have not been placed and one of these has been tentatively tested at various stages to see where it fits.

The first test is based on geometric proximity to other contours and/or material strength analysis.

Once a feasible provisional ratio is found based on these analyses, the circuitry described in this description is used to make the provisional placement of a particular contour feasible on the basis of the split partner.

The detailed connections obtained by the switching and control circuit 16 are
As shown in the figure.

Registers 42 and 52 respectively store the comparison group and coordinates and other groups from the coordinate and division direction storage means 10 (e.g. 10c).
) is supported.

The connections between the various cells of the registers 42 and 52 and the terminals of the four internal analyzer units 56, 58, 60° 62 include all connections for the first analyzer unit 56 and for the other analyzer units 58 to 62. Regarding 63, for the sake of simplification, which cell is connected to which terminal of the analyzer unit is indicated by letters.

The outputs of the four analyzer units are connected to a common output terminal 64 via diodes.

The circuitry of analyzer units 56-62 is shown in FIG. 3, each analyzer unit having eight input terminals 66-80 as shown in FIGS.

These input terminals are connected to differential amplifiers 82-90, the output voltage of each differential amplifier being proportional to the algebraic difference of the input signals applied to its positive and negative input terminals.

Therefore, the output signal of differential amplifier 82 will be positive only if the signal applied to terminal 66 is algebraically greater than the signal applied to terminal 68.

Terminals 18 and 80 are cross-coupled to the inputs of differential amplifiers 88 and 90, so that no matter which signal on terminals 78 and 80 is greater than the other, if there is a difference between the signals on both terminals, One of the two amplifiers produces a positive output.

That is, amplifiers 88 and 90 perform an exclusive-OR function.

The outputs of amplifiers 82-90 are passed through small, equal resistors RA to clamping diodes 92-100 and clamping voltage sources RA.

It is connected to the.

Therefore, the human signal is ■. Even though the output voltage at this point differs by a much larger amount than the minimum difference that matches the value of V.

will not exceed. The five clamped outputs of differential amplifiers 82-90 are connected to a common point 102 through five equal resistors RA.

This common point 102 is connected to the output 64 through a diode 104.
It is also connected to a negative reference voltage -N through a resistor RB.

Resistors RA and RB are clamped voltages from any four or more of the five differential amplifiers 82-90.

is chosen such that it produces a positive voltage at common point 102 and allows the resulting signal to pass through output diode 104.

For example, if ■. is 1 volt, -■, is -3,5
For bolts, RA = 1,000 for this purpose.
Ohm, RB=LOOOohm is suitable.

The operation of the analyzer unit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, if contour B is completely to the left of contour A, one contour is not completely above or below the other, and the cutting edge (ie, the split from one contour to the other does not match the split from the other), the analyzer unit 56 generates an output signal.

That is, in FIG. 5, XAN is larger than XBX, indicating that contour B is completely to the left of contour A.

Since this is detected by differential amplifier 82, at least 1 volt (using the numerical example given above) is applied to common point 102.

Since YAX>YBN and YBX>YAN, neither contour is completely above or below the other.

Since these two conditions are detected by differential amplifiers 84 and 86, respectively, at least an additional 2 volts are added to common point 102.

Since RB does not exist (there is no split on the right side of contour B) and LA does exist (there is a split on the left side of contour A), the exclusion of differential amplifiers 88 and 90 The logical OR function is satisfied and an additional 1 volt is added to the common point 102 for a total voltage of 4 volts.

Therefore, the output voltage generated at output terminal 64 indicates that a no-mate condition is occurring.

This instruction can be used in several ways as described above.

The other three analyzer units 58-62 generate output signals when contour B is to the right of contour A, below contour A, and above contour A, respectively, as can be seen from the connections in FIG. do.

It is clear that these tests can be carried out using completely digital equipment, in which all the values used in the analog circuits described above can be calculated and stored in read/write memory under the control of program step control signals. It is.

When using other coordinates and directions as an extension of the four coordinate examples, it is simply necessary to add similar circuitry in the analog case, or to further repeat the operation in the purely digital case. Bye.

From the above description, it is clear that the invention is susceptible to many variations.

It will also be apparent from this description that the present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the placement of a split die cavity to achieve the objects and advantages set forth above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the entire device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the analyzer circuit used in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one of the analyzer circuits in FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the switching and control circuit used in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the analyzer unit shown in FIG. 3. It is a schematic diagram. X, Y: Contour coordinate signal, R, L, T, B: Division direction signal, 42: First register means, 52: Second register means, 18: Analyzer means, 10: First storage means, 2
2, 40, 44, 46: means for selecting the first group, 22
, 48, 50, 54: means for scanning the remaining group, 14:
Second (stage number) storage means, 12: Third (feed) storage means, 24.26, 3'0, 34, 36: Transition means, 2
4: Multiplication means, 30: Addition means, 66.68, 70°7
2.74, 76.82, 84, 86: Contour comparison means, 7
8, 80, 88, 90: Comparison means, 102.104
．． RA, RB, -VN: determination means, 56.58, 60,
62: Comparison unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Each cavity is defined by some contour coordinate signals that define predetermined coordinates of the contour of the cavity of the progressive die, and by a splitting direction signal that defines the plane of the cavity profile from which the splitting will occur. In an apparatus for determining whether to place two slotted die cavities in a single station of a progressive die having a plurality of stations, first register means 42 for storing a first group of contour coordinate signals and a split direction signal; a second group of contour coordinate signals and a split direction signal corresponding to a second split die cavity; second register means 52 for comparing the first group of contour coordinate signals and the second group of contour coordinate signals and registering the first and second divided die cavity splitting direction signals; The plane determined by the splitting direction signal of the die cavity containing the first split becomes the splitting direction signal of the die cavity containing the second split. a single station for a die cavity with a second split corresponding to a second signal group of the die cavity with a first split corresponding to the first signal group if oriented in the plane defined by analyzer means 56, 58, 60 for determining that the tentative placement at is the correct placement;
.