WO1994027762A1

WO1994027762A1 - Device and process for producing ready-for-casting masks or core stacks

Info

Publication number: WO1994027762A1
Application number: PCT/DE1993/001036
Authority: WO
Inventors: Werner Landua; Werner Pichler
Original assignee: Adolf Hottinger Maschinenbau Gmbh
Priority date: 1993-06-02
Filing date: 1993-10-29
Publication date: 1994-12-08
Also published as: CA2163099A1; EP0701493A1; JPH08506276A; DE4318259C1

Abstract

A device is disclosed for producing ready-for-casting masks or core stacks with at least two in-line core shooters (1) or shooting stations, in which the core shooters (1) have at least slightly differing tool sets (4) consisting of a top (2) and a bottom (3), and identical transfer sections (5) act on the one hand as the tool bottom (3) of the first core shooter (1) and on the other to convey the core (6) or core stack through the device on a transfer path (7). It is designed to prevent reject cores and start-up times on tool changing in such a way that each core shooter (1) has at least one parking station (8) for the transfer section (5) with the cores (6) thereon, and that the parking station (8) has a transfer section (5) which is isolated from the transfer path (7) during tool changing and can be re-included in the transfer path (7) at every other tool change so that, on transfer path (7), there are only transfer sections (5) bearing cores (6) or core stacks produced by the tool set (4) currently in use and that, in the parking stations (8), there are only transfer sections (5) bearing cores (6) or core stacks produced by the idle tool set (4) in the parking stations (8).

Description

Device and method for producing ready-to-cast masks or core packages

The invention relates to a device for producing ready-to-cast masks or core packs, with at least two linearly arranged core shooting machines or shooting stations, the core shooting machines having two tool sets, each consisting of an upper part and a lower part, which are at least slightly different, and identical Transfer parts serve on the one hand as a lower tool part of the first core shooting machine and on the other hand for transporting the core or core package on a transfer path through the device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing ready-to-cast masks or core packages with a device according to the invention.

Basically, the present invention relates to the field of foundry technology. For the casting of moldings, foundry cores or molds are usually manufactured in separate parts, brought together and connected to one another to form a casting mold or a core package. These core packages are then filled with molten metal to produce, for example, a metallic workpiece, the series of core packages to be filled with molten metal passing through the production line in succession.

Devices for producing core packages of the type in question are already known from numerous publications. Reference is made to DE-OS 23 04 564 only by way of example. It is also known from practice to manufacture the cores to be connected to form a core package in a production line with a plurality of core shooting machines or shooting stations, the core package being supplemented by a further core at each shooting station. For this purpose, the cores are placed on a transfer part passing through the individual shooting stations, whereby this transfer part mostly serves as the lower part of the first shooting station.

Now the core sands used to manufacture the core packages are always mixed with binding agent, as a result of which the tools - tool upper part and tool lower part - are considerably contaminated. Accordingly, the tools are to be cleaned after a certain number of cycles and, for this purpose, exchanged at the shooting stations. However, such a tool change is extremely problematic in practice, since the tools of the individual shooting stations and thus the cores manufactured there are exactly matched to one another. In other words, the contours of the cores of a tool set to be stacked are coordinated with one another in such a way that they lie positively against one another during stacking. If there were even the slightest deviations in the contours of the surfaces of the cores to be stacked which were to be stacked, such stresses would occur during stacking that the cores would break with the greatest probability.

If, in the known device, a tool set is replaced due to contamination that has occurred, the transfer parts located in the line with the cores already produced on them must be removed as a whole, since namely a further packaging with cores manufactured by the replaced tool set due to the slightest deviations in the contours of the tool surfaces and thus also the surfaces of the cores then produced from the cores already produced, it is no longer possible for the reasons already mentioned. In other words, it is always necessary in the known device to start up the entire production line again after the tool has been changed and to remove or separate cores located in the production line. Apart from the waste of material due to the rejects, this causes a considerable loss of time and thus reduces the capacity of the manufacturing Road very considerably, which in turn increases the costs per core package considerably.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a device of the type mentioned at the outset and a corresponding method, according to which, on the one hand, reject cores caused by the tool change and, on the other hand, start-up times caused by the tool change for "filling" the production line are effectively avoided .

The device according to the invention achieves the above object by the features of patent claim 1. The device according to the invention is designed in such a way that each core shooting machine is assigned at least one parking station for the transfer part with the cores located thereon, and that the parking station receives a a first tool change that can be removed from the transfer path and can be inserted again into the transfer path when the tool is changed again, so that transfer parts carrying cores or core packages carrying the tool set in use are used on the transfer path and only the transfer parts in the parking stations Manufactured cores or transfer parts carrying core packages that are not in use are located.

According to the invention, it was first recognized that, in the case of two tool sets used on each core shooting machine, it is not expedient, particularly from the point of view of the manufacturing costs, to "match" both tool sets exactly or to match one another in such a way that there are virtually no production tolerances between occur with different tool sets at the cores produced at the respective shooting stations. Rather, it is much more sensible to continue production with cores after a tool change that have already been produced with the tool set that has been replaced. For this purpose, each core shooting machine is assigned a parking station for the transfer part, so that when the tool is changed for the first time - changing to the second tool set - the cores or core packages currently located at the respective shooting stations - instead of being disposed of - are brought into the parking station ¬ the. Only when the tool is changed for the first time is the production line restarted in the empty state. If, on the other hand, a previously replaced and cleaned tool set is replaced again, the cores or transfer parts then located in the production line with the cores located thereon are brought into the parking station and the parked cores, which with the cleaned one and the tool set to be exchanged has already been manufactured beforehand, can be introduced into the transfer path again at appropriate points. As a result, on the transfer path there are only transfer parts carrying cores or core packages made with the tool set in use and in the parking stations only transfer parts carrying cores or core packages carrying the tool set not in use.

Due to the trick of replacing the cores or core packages produced in each case with the corresponding tool set, it is not necessary to restart the production line after changing the tool set. Rather, with the tool set being replaced again, production can be continued exactly where it was interrupted for the purpose of changing. Consequently, with the device according to the invention, production is only interrupted until the tool set on the one hand and the transfer parts on the other have been changed.

Each core shooting machine or each shooting station is advantageously assigned two parking stations. In the case of a tool change, one parking station then serves to eject a transfer part from the transfer path and the other Parking station - if a transfer part is already parked - for introducing the already parked transfer part into the transfer path. In this respect, the transfer parts could be removed and introduced without special deflection devices or manipulators, since a mutual obstruction of transfer parts to be introduced and removed is virtually impossible due to the provision of two parking stations. A flawless transfer of the transfer parts into and out of the parking stations is guaranteed if the parking stations for each core shooting machine or shooting station are arranged on both sides of the transfer path and thus on both sides of the core shooting rail or shooting station. A shuttle-like transfer of already shot cores from one parking station to the transfer path and from the transfer path to the other parking station would also be guaranteed.

So that the tool changing itself is not hindered by the parking stations, the parking stations are arranged in a particularly advantageous manner in the direction of the transfer path approximately in the middle between the core shooting machines or shooting stations, preferably relocated laterally. Consequently, the transfer part is moved a further half a cycle from the shooting stations and can then be brought to the respective parking station or from there again to the transfer path.

Furthermore, it is advantageous for unimpeded transfer if the parking stations are on one level below the transfer level. In the case of a tool change and thus in the case of a required transfer, on the one hand into the parking stations and on the other hand out of the parking stations, the transfer part carrying the core or the cores is first lowered out of the transfer level into the parking level and from there to the right or be moved out of the transfer path on the left. At the same time, a transfer part - on the parking level - is then transferred from the other parking station Moved transfer path and raised from there to the transfer level. An exchange of the transfer parts with cores located thereon is thus accomplished.

With regard to a structurally simple transfer of the transfer parts on the parking level, it is a further advantage if the parking level is formed by a roller conveyor extending orthogonally to the transfer path. For this purpose, the part of the roller conveyor located directly under the transfer path could preferably be raised to the transfer level by means of a cylinder-piston arrangement for moving the transfer part.

The transfer path, which extends linearly through the shooting stations, could be formed by rollers carrying the transfer parts. These roles should take the transfer part when it is lifted into the transfer plane. For this purpose, the rollers could laterally engage under the transfer parts or corresponding projections on the transfer parts, it being possible for the rolls carrying the transfer parts to be able to move towards and away from the transfer parts. To be more precise, the transfer parts could be released by moving the rollers apart to lower them into the parking level or, after lifting them out of the parking level, they could be picked up again in the transfer level by moving the rollers together.

In the course of core shooting at the individual shooting stations, it is a further advantage if the transfer parts can be brought under the upper tool carrying the shot core after lowering the lower tool - on the transfer level. It is essential that the upper tool is constructed in such a way that the shot core - after removal of the lower tool - remains attached to the upper tool. After the lower tool has been moved down, the transfer part is brought under the core, raised until the core contacts the upper tool, and moves in accordance with an ejection movement of one of the upper tools. Tool associated with the ejection tool downwards, the shot core resting on the transfer part or the cores already on it. The transfer part can accordingly be lifted out of the transfer plane in the direction of the upper tool part or core and, after taking over the core, can be lowered back onto the transfer plane. The transfer part could be raised and lowered in a very particularly advantageous manner by means of the lower tool, which was initially lowered, so that no further lifting device would be required.

With regard to the production of engine blocks, it is very particularly advantageous to provide a total of eight core shooters or shooting machines with associated tool sets, transfer parts and parking stations. 24 transfer parts would then be required for fully automatic operation. The tool change required for cleaning then takes place after 140 cycles of 45 seconds, i.e. after 105 minutes.

With regard to the method according to the invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by the features of patent claim 16. The method according to the invention for producing ready-to-cast masks or core packages with a device according to the invention is characterized by the following method steps:

First, a first core is shot at a first shooting station, the shot core being transported to the next shooting station on the transfer part serving as the lower tool part of the first core shooting machine. Then a second core is shot at the second shooting station. The lower part of the tool is lowered and the transfer part with the first core already placed thereon can be placed under the upper part of the tool at the second shooting station, the core shot here hanging on the upper part of the tool. Furthermore, the second core is placed on the first core located on the transfer part, the ejection movement on the part of the The upper part of the tool is accompanied by a lowering movement of the transfer part initially raised to the upper part of the tool.

If a first tool change or a complete tool set is now carried out on each core shooter, all the transfer parts in the line with the cores located thereon are brought into the respective parking station. Transfer parts which may already have been produced and are located in the parking stations are then introduced into the transfer path, which are cores which are produced with the tool set now exchanged. Accordingly, the transfer path contains only transfer parts carrying cores or core packages made with the tool set in use, and in the parking stations only transfer parts carrying core or core packages made with the tool set not in use are stored.

With regard to the method according to the invention, it is extremely advantageous if two core parking stations are assigned to each core shooting machine. Then, when a tool is changed into one of the parking stations, a transfer part can be removed from the transfer path and an already parked transfer part can be introduced into the transfer path from the other parking station.

There are various possibilities for advantageously designing and developing the teaching of the present invention. For this purpose, reference is made on the one hand to the claims subordinate to patent claim 1, and on the other hand to the following explanation of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing. In connection with the explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing, generally preferred configurations and developments of the teaching are also explained. In the drawing shows 1 in a block diagram, schematically, a device according to the Invention with eight core shooters, two complete tool sets and two parking stations arranged on both sides between the core shooters,

2 shows a schematic plan view, in sections, of a device according to the invention,

3 in a cross section, schematically, the device according to the invention in the area of a shooting station with the transfer part retracted and

4 shows a schematic cross section of the device according to the invention in the area of a parking station with a shooting station located in front of or behind it and the transfer part located on the transfer path.

1 shows schematically and in the sense of a block diagram a device for producing ready-to-cast masks or core package with a total of eight core shooters 1 or core shooting stations arranged linearly. The core shooters 1 have two tool sets 4, each consisting of an upper tool part 2 and a lower tool part 3, which differ at least slightly. Identical transfer parts 5 serve on the one hand as the lower tool part of the first core shooting machine and on the other hand for transporting the core 6 or core package on a transfer path 7 through the device.

According to the invention, each core shooting machine 1 is assigned two parking stations 8 for the transfer part 5 with the cores 6 located thereon. The parking station 8 serves to receive a transfer part 5 which can be removed from the transfer path 7 when the tool is changed for the first time and which can be transferred back to the transfer path 7 when the tool is changed again. Consequently, after a start-up phase, the transfer parts 5 are in operation.

4, two transfer parts 5 located in the parking stations 8 are shown, whereby only the parking stations 8 are highlighted. During production, however, only one of the parking stations 8 is occupied with a transfer part 5, while the transfer part 5 assigned to the tool set in use is located in the transfer path 7.

3 further shows that the transfer parts 5, after the lower tool part 3 has been lowered - on the transfer plane 10 - can be brought under the upper tool part 2 carrying the shot core 6. The transfer part 5 can be raised from the transfer plane 10 in the direction of the upper tool part 3 or the core 6 adhering there and can be lowered again onto the transfer plane 10 after taking over the core 6 by means of a further cylinder-piston arrangement 15. Likewise, the transfer part 5 could be raised and lowered by means of the lowered lower tool part 3.

Within the scope of the exemplary embodiment selected in FIG. 1, a total of eight core shooting machines 1 or shooting stations with associated tool sets 4, transfer parts 5 and parking stations 8 are provided. A total of 24 transfer parts 5 are then required for fully automatic operation, so that a tool change required for cleaning after 140 cycles of 45 seconds each, i.e. after 105 minutes.

The production sequence is briefly described again with reference to the figures. At the first core shooting machine 1 or shooting station, the so-called core box or tool consists of an upper tool part 2 and a lower tool part 3, the lower tool part 3 - in the case of the first core shooting machine 1 - being the transfer part 5 . The transfer part 5 serving as the lower tool part is raised to manufacture the first core 6, the core 6 is shot, gassed, etc. When the transfer part 5 is lowered, the

The cores that have already been manufactured, with the transfer parts carrying them, are parked in a parking position until the tool is changed again.

Finally, it should be emphasized that the exemplary embodiment mentioned above merely by way of example only explains the teaching according to the invention, but does not restrict it to the exemplary embodiment.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Device for the production of ready-to-cast masks or core packages, with at least two linearly arranged core shooting machines (1) or shooting stations, the core shooting machines (1) having at least two tool upper parts (2) and lower tool parts (3) have slightly different tool sets (4) and identical transfer parts (5) serve on the one hand as the lower tool part (2) of the first core shooter (1) and on the other hand for transporting the core (6) or core package on a transfer path (7) through the device , characterized in that each core shooting machine (1) is assigned at least one parking station (8) for the transfer part (5) with the cores (6) located thereon, and in that the parking station (8) is adapted to receive one during a first tool change transfer part which can be discharged from the transfer path (7) and which can be inserted again into the transfer path (7) if the tool is changed again (5) is used so that there are only cores (6) or transfer parts (5) carrying core packages made on the transfer path (7) with the tool set (4) in use and only in the parking stations (8) with the one not in use located tool set (4) manufactured cores (6) or transfer parts (5) carrying core packages.

2. ^' Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each core shooting machine (1) two parking stations (8) are assigned and that in a tool change the one parking station (8) for discharging a transfer part (5) from the transfer path (7) and Another parking station (8) is used to introduce a transfer part (5) that has already been parked into the transfer path (7).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the parking stations (8) on both sides of the transfer path (7) are angeord¬ net.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized ge indicates that the parking station (8) in the direction of the Transfer¬ path (7) is arranged approximately centrally between the core shooting machines (1) or shooting stations.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized ge indicates that the parking stations (8) in a parking level (9) are below the transfer level (10).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the parking level (9) by an orthogonal to the Transfer¬ path (7) extending roller conveyor (11) is formed.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the part of the roller conveyor (11) located directly under the transfer path (7) is preferably by means of a cylinder-piston arrangement (12) for moving the transfer part (5) to the transfer plane (10 ) can be raised.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized ge indicates that the linearly through the shooting stations (1) extending through the transfer path (7) through the transfer parts (5) carrying rollers (13) is formed.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the rollers (13) engage under the transfer parts (5) or corresponding projections (14) of the transfer parts (5) laterally.

10. The device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the transfer parts (5) can be released by lowering the rollers (13) for lowering into the parking level (9).

11. The device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized ge indicates that the transfer parts (5) after lowering the lower tool part (3) - on the transfer plane (10) - under the tool core (6) carrying the shot core (6) can be brought.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the transfer part (5) from the transfer plane (10) in the direction of the upper tool part (2) or core (6) can be raised and after takeover of the core (6) back to the transfer level (10) can be lowered.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the lifting and lowering of the transfer part (5) by means of the lowered tool lower part (3).

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized ge indicates that a total of eight core shooters (1) or shooting stations with associated tool sets (4), Transfer¬ parts (5) and parking stations (8) are provided.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that 24 transfer parts (5) are provided for fully automatic operation.

16. Process for the production of ready-to-cast masks or core packages with a device according to one of claims 1 to 15, g e k e n n z e i c h n e t d u r c h following process steps:

Shooting a first core (6) at a first shooting station (1), the shot core (6) on the transfer part (5) serving as the lower tool part (3) of the first core shooting machine (1) to the next shooting station (1 ) is spent;

Shooting the second core (6) at the second shooting station (1), lowering the lower tool part (3), moving the Transfer part (5) with the first core (6) under the upper tool part (2) of the second shooting station (1) and placing the second core (6) on the first core (6) located on the transfer part (5), etc;

Carrying out a first tool change by changing a complete tool set (4) on each core shooter

(i);

Removal of all transfer parts (5) with the cores (6) on them into the respective parking station (8) and, if necessary, transfer of transfer parts (5) located in the parking stations into the transfer path (7), so that the transfer path ( 7) cores (6) or transfer parts (5) carrying core packages made exclusively with the tool set (4) in use and in the parking stations (8) exclusively with the tool set (4) not in use manufactured cores (6) or transfer parts (5) carrying core packages.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each core shooting machine (1) two parking stations (8) are assigned, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that when changing tools in a parking station (8), a transfer part (5) from the transfer path (7) and ejected an already parked transfer part (5) is introduced into the transfer path (7) from the other parking station (8).