WO2009100947A2

WO2009100947A2 - Modular manufacturing plant

Info

Publication number: WO2009100947A2
Application number: PCT/EP2009/001072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Czinki; Andreas RÜB; Christian STADTMÜLLER
Original assignee: Fachhochschule Aschaffenburg
Priority date: 2008-02-15
Filing date: 2009-02-16
Publication date: 2009-08-20
Also published as: DE102009003492A1; WO2009100947A3

Abstract

A manufacturing plant is disclosed, which comprises at least one handling device and multiple modular manufacturing stations (6). The manufacturing stations (6) are detachably connected to a fixed plant environment. The plant environment has fastening points for the modular manufacturing stations (6), which are disposed according to a fixed one-dimensional or multidimensional raster.

Description

Modular manufacturing plant

The present invention relates to a manufacturing plant, comprising at least one handling device and a plurality of modular production stations.

Usually processing machines in manufacturing cells, or lines are firmly established and concatenated by conveyors together. From the literature manufacturing systems are known, which consist of manufacturing stations, which are detachably connected to the plant environment, the manufacturing stations depending on their task usually have very different dimensions and varying interfaces to the plant environment.

In response to the current trend in the economy following advancing automation, production forms such as flexible transfer lines or flexible manufacturing systems have been increasingly emerging in recent years. The flexibility of such systems is generally increased by redirecting the workpiece flow and retrofitting of the individual production machines in comparison to conventional systems, which is nevertheless insufficient in many cases. It is also known that the material flow between manufacturing stations can be completely or partially realized by handling devices, wherein the handling device or the handling devices can either be operated tool-guided or workpiece-operated.

The linking of production stations with the help of handling devices offers in many cases an increase in flexibility, as these enable a more variable flow of material (any sequence when approaching production stations possible, multiple start-up of a production station possible). From manufacturing technology, various clamping and fixing devices for the clamping of workpieces on workpiece carriers are known (swing clamp, centering or clamping cylinder, slewing tension, ...).

DE 27 56 422 C2 describes a production plant for components to be produced in several steps, which is composed of processing and assembly stations arranged along a conveying path. Each of the processing and assembly stations is provided in each case with a rectilinear conveying path section with lateral longitudinal guides and with its own independent drive and conveying device for component carriers and forms a structural unit. The longitudinal guide for the component carrier is characterized by formed edges cooperating sliding guides. The drive and conveyor consists of a force acting in the region of the longitudinal edges of the component carrier rotating friction drive.

From DE 35 02 820 C2 a production plant with several individual stations is known, which can serve for the production of two or more parts assembled workpieces. The individual stations are formed by mutually arranged machine tables, which are interconnected via coupling members and have devices for the transport of workpiece carriers. The devices for transporting the workpiece carriers are designed as modules which have identically arranged coupling members for connection to the machine tables, so that the modules on the machine tables are exchangeable. The machine tables are of similar design and have similarly arranged and formed coupling members, so that the machine tables are interchangeable.

DE 20 2004 009 415 U1 discloses a flexible manufacturing system for the machining of workpieces. There are several machine tools and facilities for transporting the workpieces between the machine tools and for the transfer or removal of the workpieces provided to or from the machine tools. The machine tools may be arranged side by side and / or opposite one another. Each machine tool is assigned a clamping device with workpiece-specific clamping locations for at least two workpieces with different geometries. Each machine tool is assigned an articulated arm robot with an interchangeable tool-specific gripper for the removal / transfer of workpieces from / to the clamping device. Between the machine tools, a buffer for storing the workpieces and / or the gripper is arranged in each case. The transport of the workpieces from one machine tool to the next by means of the articulated arm robot is to be carried out by a transfer / removal of the workpieces to / from the buffer (s).

As disadvantages of the known production facilities can be mentioned, inter alia, that often a fixed link of the plant parts is provided that many often very complex custom solutions are required (high engineering costs, high development risk).

The documentation of the systems is often very complex, since this is to be created individually for each system. The systems are sometimes very limited to changing Tasks customizable (time-consuming adjustments when changing or changing products). The customer often creates a high installation and / or conversion effort.

The testing of customer-specific solutions is very time-consuming and usually only possible for the customer. In addition, there are usually low test possibilities of plant supplements and extensions at the manufacturer (in particular a problem if plants are to be subsequently supplemented or extended).

This results in high set-up times, long downtimes during maintenance, product conversion, expansion or modification of the systems. The processing stations are i.a. optimized for a special system and can i.a. only with great effort for the alternative use in other plants convert. With small batch sizes and a high number of variants, frequent reconfigurations become necessary whose cost and time expenditure reduce the efficiency of the overall system.

Particularly in the supplementation of further manufacturing steps by additional processing machines or by using larger than the originally provided stations is usually a very high cost for their spatial, mechanical and control-side connection / redesign necessary.

Suboptimal use of the (often very limited) working space of the handling device used, as well as stations that are not needed in the current manufacturing process, remain in the plant

Quintessenz: The high flexibility of handling equipment is often high

Degree of inflexibility of the production facilities.

The invention is based on the object to provide a flexible manufacturing plant, which makes it possible that production processes with very different processing steps at the lowest possible setup and retooling - with the goal of low downtime and set-up times - can run highly automated. It has thus been a highly flexible manufacturing plant to develop, which makes it possible to achieve economical automation even with small lot sizes and low product life cycles and high product variations.

Here, the aspects of standardization, the simple modifiability, the individual equipment of the plant, a (re) usability of

Pay special attention to production stations in different plants as well as easy monitoring and maintenance of the plant. The object is achieved in that the available footprint is divided within the working space of the handling equipment used on the basis of a grid, whereby the associated manufacturing stations can be arranged there on a suitably designed positioning and / or clamping device in many ways and that this possibly also centrally or automatically connected to the insertion process, the parent production system can be automatically informed about the nature and location of the stations, or they independently determined the nature and location of the stations in a subsequent update cycle and that handling devices chain the stations flexible, where they Both tool and workpiece leader can be used. Standardization of the mechanical and / or energy and / or information technology interfaces between the system and the production stations makes it possible, if necessary, to introduce the stations into the system at different positions and possibly also in different positions. Through the additional use of intelligent control technology and possibly an associated networking of the stations and / or the host computer, an intelligent and flexible manufacturing unit can be set up.

The production stations are arranged in grid form and are detachably connected to the environment, whereby they can be removed as desired from the installation, replaced by other stations, or used again at another location. If the grid dimension is selected to be the same in several dimensions / directions, then the grid-shaped arrangement allows not only the position but also the orientation of the production stations to be varied. For the fixation of

Production stations on the ground is preferably a specially designed for this purpose clamping device used.

The following aspects, individually or in combination, may be advantageous and / or important for the invention, this list being to be understood as merely exemplary and in no way conclusive:

• stations can be operated separately from the plant;

• Arrangement of the stations in the grid;

• stations can be maintained separately;

• stations can be flexibly combined;

• precise positioning of stations; • Zero-point clamping of entire stations;

• Automatic recognition of the type and position of the production stations used;

• Automatic connection of power and signal cables.

The following features may be of importance individually or in any combination:

1. Releasable connection with the environment;

2. Uniform / standardized interfaces;

3. grid arrangement;

4. Material flow between the stations (handling system);

5. Material flow between the stations (robot-supported);

6. actuated by actuators locking the stations;

7. Central actuation of several actuators;

8. Interlocking of several stations by an actuator.

Further details on possible technical design of the clamping system can be found in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing plant comprising at least one handling device and a plurality of modular manufacturing stations detachably connected to a fixed plant environment, the plant environment having attachment points for the modular manufacturing stations arranged according to a fixed one-dimensional or multi-dimensional grid.

The distance between the mounting points of the manufacturing stations can be either a single or multiple of a grid size of the plant environment. In particular, it can be provided that the grid dimension occupies a fixed dimension in every dimension of the plant extension. The grid dimension can be approximately the same, in particular identical, in every dimension of the system expansion. An advantageous variant of the production plant according to the invention can be configured such that the production stations are unified with respect to their energy interfaces and / or mechanical and / or information technology interfaces to the extent that the manufacturing stations used at several or at any point within the system and connected to the system can be.

Preferably, the manufacturing stations automatically interfere with one or more of the connections to the system (mechanical, electrical connections, compressed air, signal and data connections, etc.) when they are inserted into the fixing positions.

Optionally, the production stations can be fixed in place in discrete locations in the production plant (and if necessary, take a variety of orientations). The fixation of the manufacturing stations can be done in each case by one or more fixing devices.

The fixation of the production stations can, for example. By swing clamp, centering or clamping cylinder, swing tensioner o.a. respectively.

The position or position of the production stations in the production plant can be defined by one or more position-defining or position-defining elements or assemblies. The position or position determination of the production stations can, for example, by one or more centering o.a. respectively. Optionally, the position or position of the stations can be made according to the principle of a zero point clamping system.

In addition, the position of the locking and or centering elements can be monitored by sensors. It is also possible to monitor the presence of the locking and or centering elements by sensors.

A further embodiment of the production system according to the invention can provide that the fixing and centering device are combined in an assembly or a component. Optionally, centering pins can be inserted on one side of the connection into centering holes on the other side of the connection. These centering pins can be secured, for example, by a positive locking element. Optionally, the centering pins can be designed to be retractable. It is also possible to bias the centering pins by elastic elements in one or more directions. Furthermore, it can be provided that the clamping forces of the elastic elements (eg spring packs) are designed to be adjustable. It can also be advantageous if several fixing and or centering devices are operated centrally.

The fixation of the production stations can be effected, for example, by a plurality of locking elements ("clamping plates") fastened to a common active body ("slide"). The common active body can be operated centrally. In addition, the common active body can be completely or partially protected by a housing ("tensioning rail").

The housing ("tensioning rail") can serve as a support for the production stations, in whole or in part, and the fixing forces can be wholly or partly passed through the housing ("tensioning rail").

Furthermore, it can be provided that the energetic and / or mechanical and / or information technology connections of the production stations are integrated into the base-side anchoring or its housing. In addition, the cable guides for the energy and information technology connections between system and

All or part of the manufacturing stations through which the bottom anchorage or its housing are performed.

It can also be advantageous if the production facility has recognition connections or sensors which permit automatic recognition of the type and / or position and / or orientation of the processing station used. The o.g. Detection of the production stations can be carried out in particular via an optical detection or measurement. The o.g. Detection may, for example, also take place via a coding of the energetic and / or the mechanical connection. An advantage in this context can be coupled with the detection automatic anchoring of the manufacturing stations.

A further embodiment variant of the production plant according to the invention can provide that the recognition of the type and / or the position and / or the orientation of an applied processing station via an information technology data exchange with the central control. Alternatively, the recognition of the type and / or position and / or orientation of the processing station used can also be robot-assisted, in which robot-own sensors and / or robot-own actuators or sensors and / or actuators specially used for this purpose can be used. It may also be useful to arrange the manufacturing station according to their size. Optionally, the manufacturing plant may also include manufacturing stations for storage or buffering of tools or for storage or buffering of the material flow.

To maintain the flow of material and / or as a supply to joining and / or machining processes, one or more handling devices can be used within the production plant. This may be a handling device whose first axis is a linear axis. The handling device may also be a gantry robot.

The handling devices may be programmed to perform a predetermined manufacturing operation regardless of the position and / or location of the manufacturing stations within the plant. Optionally, the handling devices can be used workpiece or tool leading. The working space of the handling device is preferably divided into several areas, wherein the handling device access to a part of the working space can be denied. The working space, to which the handling device can not be accessed, can be used for the maintenance, replacement or manual operation of production stations.

It can be of advantage if the different working spaces meet different purity requirements (dirt area / measuring range, etc.).

Optionally, the manufacturing stations may have their own controller that allows them to control the manufacturing processes of the manufacturing station and to communicate with other manufacturing stations or a higher-level controller. In this case, it may be advantageous if the processing station automatically logs on to the other production stations and or to a central controller after insertion and connection into the system. The manufacturing stations can diagnose themselves and / or each other with regard to their system status. The manufacturing stations can diagnose the higher-level control and vice versa with regard to their system state.

A further variant may provide that the system monitors the state of the production stations and automatically performs or initiates the replacement of production stations for maintenance or repair requirements. Optionally, if one of the participating controllers fails, their function can be taken over by another involved controller. Another option may be that the system and / or the production stations can be maintained remotely via an information technology interface.

According to a further variant, the production stations can be operated both within the production plant and outside the production plant (stand-alone solution without the need for a control technology link with the plant control).

The modular manufacturing stations are preferably designed to be stackable for better transportation or storage.

A further advantageous variant of the production plant according to the invention may consist in that the plant is designed such that the replacement of the modular production stations by the used / used handling equipment can be done. In addition, the modular production stations can be designed so that they can be moved in a simple manner with the common industrial trucks.

In addition, the system can be linked to a driverless transport system so that the replacement of the modular production stations can be automated.

The modular manufacturing stations can also be designed so that you have your own housing.

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The modular production stations can optionally be designed so that they are hermetically sealed or closed in one or more directions. The modular production stations can use one

Opening mechanism that allows the modular production stations automated and / or robot-assisted to open or close. The modular production stations can be designed so that they allow their own air conditioning of the interior. The modular manufacturing stations can be designed so that they meet clean room conditions (climate, over or under pressure in the

Inner space,...). The modular production stations can also be designed so that they allow the storage, handling or production of components of microsystems technology or the handling of bodies and components of biotechnology or hazardous substances.

There may be multiple redundant modular manufacturing stations for important or wear-prone or fail-safe functions, which equipment may optionally access them so that each one modular manufacturing station operates and one or more others can be maintained or modified (example: automatic Change to the redundant modular manufacturing station). The redundant (nodular production stations can either be kept in the system or can only be added to the system if necessary.

The present invention further comprises methods for positioning attachment points of the plant environment or the production stations, wherein the

Fixing points in the plant environment are determined by a running as a positioning frame device. A variant of the method may provide that the station-side fastening points are determined by a device designed as a positioning frame. Furthermore, it can be provided that the device for fixing the station-side fastening points and the device for fixing the environmental fixing points are integrated in a device and / or a component or that these devices are identical.

Depending on the chosen embodiment, the invention offers one or more of the following advantages, whereby this list is again not conclusive:

> Modules can be produced cost-effectively as standardized and therefore many identical parts;

> Low engineering effort to create new manufacturing functionality within a plant (standardization makes equipment use economical), thereby saving costs, time and quality;

I> Saving of floor space: In case of using suitable robot systems - like e.g. Gantry robots - can be linked to a chain by conveyor belts o.a. be omitted, so that the space requirement of the latter units can be saved

> Standardization of the modules / modular production stations leads to high quantities: Standard modulesMations can be produced in larger batch sizes and, if necessary, kept in such a way that after receiving an order for a specific modular production station, a standard module only has to be assembled for the respective task (time advantage , Cost advantage, ...);

> Standardization simplifies documentation processes (manufacturer documentation (eg drawing management), plant documentation for customers, execution and documentation of hazard analyzes, ...); > Standard modules / modular production stations can be easily programmed (due to the standardized interfaces and dimensions) at the manufacturer before shipment in a factory-side system, tested and possibly optimized;

> Complete test and parameterization of mechanics, electrics and software before delivery possible;

> Modification, maintenance and extension can be realized with minimal downtimes (reinstallation = installation in the plant, establish connections if necessary (mechanical, energy, information technology), if necessary adapt the software of the modular production stations / the central control (software is also possible is modular!);

> Simplified maintenance through remote monitoring and maintenance of modular manufacturing stations possible;

> Setup time optimization;

> Reduction of the risk of installation at non-factory sites (far abroad, poor availability of workshops, skilled workers, ...);

> Simple compilation of new systems (modular system); j

> Greater security in the calculation of new projects, since costs for manufacturing stations known from other applications;

> Systematic maintenance and further development of production stations ("systematic product maintenance");

> Assignment of responsibilities individually for each individual, modular manufacturing station possible (responsibility: at the manufacturer, at the user, ...);

> Modularization enables the plant operator to adopt new strategies in plant design: gradual plant expansion, needs-based expansion, success-oriented plant expansion, etc .;

> Modularization allows manufacturing facility manufacturers new manufacturing and sales strategies: o leasing, module rental / modular manufacturing stations;

o Repurchase and resale of modules / modular

Manufacturing stations (e.g., with interim repair or re-packaging);

o module-specific or station-specific maintenance and service contracts;

o outsourcing the development and / or production of individual modules / individual production stations;

o Development and production of modules / modular manufacturing stations in different locations (eg: sophisticated modules are developed in the development center, less technically advanced modules are created in a subordinate development site);

o Development and production of individual system components at different locations (for example: basic modules are manufactured at a subordinate location in a particularly cost-effective manner, the expansion or the customer-specific assembly of the modules is carried out in the central development and development department

Manufacturing site);

o sale of equipment together with basic modules, the application-specific packaging of the modules can also be carried out by the customer if necessary;

> Easy, fast and inexpensive maintainability;

> Minimization of system downtimes (redundancy of individual modular production stations (if one station fails, a redundancy station can be approached quickly and with little effort));

> Instead of using a service technician for the system on site, a faulty or serviceable modular production station may also be brought to the manufacturer (or exchanged for a functioning, modular production station);

> Production plant can be set up optimally for each task (optimum position and / or orientation, only the production stations in the plant that are actually needed); > Manufacturing stations can be exchanged between different systems;

> Control can recognize production stations and - based on this information - independently define a meaningful production process;

> Locking actuator may be attached to central rails -> an actuator can be used for several stations, no power supply to the modular production stations is necessary (for example for locking or unlocking), actuators do not load the production stations with their own weight / small installation space requirements / costs;

> if the modular manufacturing stations are designed to allow their own air conditioning and / or have special protection devices: suitable for handling dangerous substances, for raising animals and

Plants or for use under clean room conditions;

> Manufacturing stations can be flexibly combined;

> exact placement of production stations;

> Zero point clamping of entire production stations;

> Automatic recognition of the type and position of the modular production stations used;

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> Automatic connection of power and signal cables;

> Automated clamping of production stations;

> Automatic integration of production stations into a control process.

For the above-mentioned so-called "zero-point clamping" of the entire manufacturing station, however, it should be noted that this possible embodiment is not always meaningfully applicable, since it is relatively expensive, so that it can be dispensed with for cost reasons in many embodiments.

A previously not mentioned advantage can also be that defined on the slide rails positions can be specified, the exact

Position positioning and / or initialization of a handling system and / or gantry robot allow. Possibly. can by the slide rail positions only one Preliminary or rough pre-initialization / -pistionierung be given, which can be supplemented before commissioning of the system by a fine adjustment or Feininitialisierung.

It should also be mentioned that the terms "production station", "module", "box" etc. are not always clearly distinguished, but are to be understood as synonymous in some cases "may also be replaced by other terms for the modules to be used modularly and to be combined without it being intended to mean another item.

Finally, it should be mentioned that a clamping actuator can not only be mounted on the environment side, but also on the module side or production station side. Basically, the invention encompasses both variants, so that at this point it should once again be expressly pointed out that such a kinematic reversal is taken into consideration by the person skilled in the art and, when considering one of the two variants, is basically "thought through" as interchangeable.

The invention will be described below with reference to embodiments

With reference to the accompanying drawings explained in more detail.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a production plant according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of simple pitch and double pitch fabrication stations on a pair of busbars.

Fig. 3 shows an example of a grid design.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a rail-type tensioning device.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the module side Teis a clamping and centering unit.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of an environmental side clamping and

Centering unit.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of a clamping and centering pin together with a clamping plate. The schematic representation of Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a manufacturing plant according to the invention 2. Shown is an embodiment with bottom side mounted locking rails on which the regularly grouped manufacturing modules are anchored. The structure shows an exemplary implementation of a production plant according to the invention in an industrial manufacturing context. Advantageously, a gantry robot 4 (linear) gantry design is used here. According to the invention, there are several production stations 6 in the installation, which completely or partially extend into the working space of the handling device. The illustration shows an equipment with standard stations. Application-specific structures and attachments of the manufacturing stations 4 are not shown in the figure shown for reasons of clarity.

The schematic representation of Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of manufacturing stations 6 with single pitch (left) and double pitch (right) on a pair of clamping rails (bottom). It may be advantageous if the (individual) dimensions of the various modules are based on an integer multiple of a basic module. The basic module may, for example, have a square base. Accordingly, double-sized modules may have a base area with the same narrow side and double-long longitudinal side, as shown in FIG. Of course, other modules, for example. With triple, quadruple or multiple base area possible.

The schematic representation of Fig. 3 shows an example of a grid design.

In the example shown, one to three production stations can be arranged on the grid. The reference numeral 10 denotes a tensioning rail, the reference numeral 12 a further, shorter tensioning rail and the reference numeral 14 a box or a module which can be arranged laterally offset from other modules. The length dimensions a and b entered in FIG. 3 illustrate the typical dimensions of a

Module as well as the distance between two modules. With a suitable design of the two dimensions a) and b), the modules can be introduced with different orientations in the system and locked there. The mounting rails can be arranged in pairs with a distance between the rail pairs, for example. Alternatively, however, the rails can also be arranged at a constant distance from each other, which then allows a suitable overall design to use elongate modules also transversely to the rails. In the absence of a fixation by rails, the equivalent said here applies to the arrangement of the environment-side fasteners / fixings. The schematic detail of Fig. 4 shows an example of a rail-like clamping device. Each module has in the case shown four feet, which can be clamped from below with the clamping rail and / or screwed. Preferably, they are immovably braced, so that a defined position is ensured.

The detailed sectional view of Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a clamping and

Centering unit for fixing the production stations 6 and their modules 14 on the slide rails (not shown here). Possibly. The clamping bolts can provide different functions with respect to the location of the manufacturing stations and be designed accordingly different. Shown is the station-side part of the clamping and centering unit, the different clamping bolt geometries (20,22), a base plate 24, a bearing bush 26, a plate spring 28, a coil spring 30, a guide box 32 and screws 34 for the guide box 32 and screws 36 for includes the foot plate 24. The foot plate 24 serves for resting on a clamping rail on which it can be positioned and fixed by means of the clamping bolts 20.

The schematic representation of Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a clamping and centering unit. Shown is a so-called environment-side unit, i. a rail system to which the feet of the modules (see Fig. 5) are anchored. The reference numeral 40 of Fig. 5 denotes a pneumatic cylinder, the reference numeral 42 a displaceable by the pneumatic cylinder 40 in the rail longitudinal direction slide, the reference numeral 44 a clamping plate which cooperates with a clamping bolt 46 and a clamping leg 48. Clamping plate 44, clamping bolt 46 and clamping foot 48 are components of a foot of a module (not shown). Finally, reference numeral 50 designates a square tube which can form the stabilizing base for the bottom rail.

7 shows an embodiment of a clamping and centering pin 54 together with a clamping plate 52. The reference numeral 56 denotes the two screws 56 left and right of the anchoring of the clamping bolt 54th

The schematic representations of Figures 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the rastergemäße design of a manufacturing plant with manufacturing stations in two different sizes, and the installation of stations on bottom-side recordings, here in the form of a so-called. Coupling rail pair. The enlarged sectional view shows a possible centering device, in which in the case shown advantageously additionally a fixing function has been integrated, so that the introduced stations can be reliably and with high accuracy connected to the plant environment. The clamping operation takes place in the embodiment shown centrally via pressurized with compressed air cylinder, of which in each case one is attached to each rail in the embodiment shown. The cylinders move slides, on which preferably a clamping plate per receptacle are attached as a locking element, by means of which the station side mounted clamping and positioning bolts can be included. Due to the wedge-shaped cross-section and the correspondingly shaped contour of the opening in the clamping plate, it is possible to clamp the bolts against the force of resilient elements - in this case spring elements - and fix them self-holding in the end position. Elastic elements (here coil springs) provide a bias of the fastening bolts; At the same time, however, they also allow the retraction of the fastening bolts when parking the stations outside the clamping device (eg on a level floor).

As a precaution should be mentioned again at this point that a clamping actuator or a clamping device can be mounted not only on the environment side, but also on the module side or production station side. Basically, the invention encompasses both variants, so that at this point it should once again be expressly pointed out that such a kinematic reversal is taken into consideration by the person skilled in the art and, when considering one of the two variants, is basically "thought through" as interchangeable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2 production plant

4 gantry robots

6 manufacturing station

10 tensioning rail

12 more shorter clamping rails

14 module (box)

20 clamping bolts type A / B

22 Clamping bolts type C

24 foot plate

26 bearing bush

28 plate spring

30 coil spring

32 guide box

34 screw for 32

36 screw for 24

40 pneumatic cylinders

42 pushers (active body)

44 clamping plate (locking elements)

46 clamping bolts

48 Feet

50 square tube

52 clamping plate

54 clamping bolts

56 Screw a Distance a b Distance b

Claims

claims

1. Production plant (2), comprising at least one handling device and a plurality of modular manufacturing stations (6), which are detachably connected to a fixed plant environment, characterized in that the plant environment

Attachment points for the modular manufacturing stations (6), which are arranged according to a fixed one- or multi-dimensional grid.

2. Production plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance of the attachment points of the production stations (6) is a single or multiple of a grid dimension of the plant environment.

3. Production plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the grid in each dimension of the plant extension takes a fixed degree and / or that the grid dimension in each dimension of the plant extension is approximately equal, in particular identical.

4. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the manufacturing stations (6) with respect. Their energy interfaces and / or mechanical and / or information technology interfaces are unified so far that the manufacturing stations (6) at several or at any point can be used within the system and connected to the system.

5. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the manufacturing stations (6) when inserted into the fixing positions automatically to one or more of the connections to the system (mechanical connection, compressed air, electricity, network, etc.) couple.

6. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the modular production stations (6) in the manufacturing plant (2) are fixed in place at discrete locations, the fixation with respect to their orientations are variable.

7. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fixation of the stations is carried out by one or more fixing devices, wherein the fixing devices comprise pivoting clamps, centering or clamping cylinders and / or slewing tensioning devices or the like.

8. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the position or position of the modular manufacturing stations (6) in the manufacturing plant (2) by one or more position or position defining

Elements or assemblies can be specified.

9. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the position or Lagegfestlegung the manufacturing stations (6) by one or more centering o.a. he follows.

10. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the position or Lagegestitude of the manufacturing stations (6) takes place according to the principle of a zero point clamping system.

11. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the position and / or the presence of the locking and or centering elements are monitored by sensors.

12. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the fixing and centering device (s) are combined in an assembly or a component.

13. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that centering pins on one side of the compound in centering holes on the other

Side of the connection are insertable.

14. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the centering pins are secured by a positive locking element and / or that the centering pins are designed to be retractable.

15. Production line according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the centering pins are biased by elastic elements in one or more directions.

16. Production line according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the clamping forces of the elastic elements are designed to be adjustable.

17. Production line according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that a plurality of fixing and or centering devices are centrally actuated.

18. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the fixing of the manufacturing stations (6) a plurality of a common active body or slide (42) fastened locking elements or clamping plates

(44).

19. Production plant according to claim 18, characterized in that the common active body (42) is centrally actuated.

20. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the common active body (42) of a housing or of a clamping rail completely or partially wrapped and / or protected.

21. Production plant according to claim 20, characterized in that the housing or the clamping rail wholly or partly serves as a support for the production stations (6).

22. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the fixing forces are wholly or partially passed through the housing or the clamping rail or recorded.

23. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the energetic and / or mechanical and / or information technology connections of the modular manufacturing stations (6) are integrated in the bottom-side anchorage or its housing.

24. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the cable guides for the energy and information technology connections between the system and the modular manufacturing stations (6) are guided wholly or partially by the bottom-side anchoring or its housing.

25. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the manufacturing plant (2) has recognition terminals or sensors, which allows automatic detection of the type and / or the position and / or orientation of the manufacturing station used (6) the detection takes place in particular via a coding of the energetic and / or the mechanical connection.

26. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that the detection of the modular manufacturing stations (6) via an optical detection or measurement.

27. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the system also stations for storage or buffering of tools or for

Storage or buffering of the material flow includes.

28. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that one or more handling devices are provided to maintain the flow of material and / or as a supply to joining and / or machining processes within the manufacturing plant (2).

29. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the working space of the handling device is divided into several areas, wherein for the handling device / handling devices access to a portion of the working space can be blocked.

30. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that the manufacturing stations (6) have their own control that allows them to control the manufacturing processes of the manufacturing station (6) and or with other manufacturing stations (6) or one to communicate with higher-level control.

31. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 30, characterized in that the manufacturing station (6) after insertion and connection in the system automatically log on to the other production stations (6) and or a central control.

32. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 31, characterized in that the modular manufacturing stations (6) themselves and or with respect to each other. Your

Diagnose system state and / or that the modular manufacturing stations (6) diagnose the higher-level control and vice versa with respect to their system state.

33. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 32, characterized in that the system monitors the state of the modular manufacturing stations (6) and at

Maintenance or repair needs the replacement of modular manufacturing stations (6) automatically makes or causes.

34. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 33, characterized in that the modular manufacturing stations (6) both within the manufacturing plant (2) and outside of the manufacturing plant (2) are operable.

35. Production plant according to one of claims 1 to 34, characterized in that the system is designed so that the replacement of the modular

Manufacturing stations (6) can be done by the used / used handling equipment.

36. Manufacturing plant according to one of claims 1 to 35, characterized in that a plurality of redundant modular manufacturing stations (6) are present for important or wear-or failure-prone functions and the system optionally on this

Has access, so that each is a modular manufacturing station (6) in function and one or more others can be maintained or modified, possibly with automatic change to redundant modular manufacturing station (6).

37. Method for positioning fastening points of the plant environment or of the production stations (6), characterized in that the fastening points in the plant environment are defined by a device designed as a positioning frame.

38. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that the station-side fastening points are determined by a running as a positioning frame device.

39. The method according to claim 37 or 38, characterized in that the device for fixing the station-side fixing points and the device for fixing the environmental fixing points are integrated in a device and / or a component or that these devices are identical.