WO2013021053A1

WO2013021053A1 - Method and device for the quick connection of a strip end to a strip beginning of metal strips

Info

Publication number: WO2013021053A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/065732
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ewald HUND
Original assignee: Arku Maschinenbau Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-08-11
Filing date: 2012-08-10
Publication date: 2013-02-14
Also published as: WO2013021053A8; DE202012012894U1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the quick connection of a strip end (11) of a metal strip (1) that is unwound from a coil and located in a processing process, to a strip beginning (15) that is unwound from a next coil, with a cutting or connecting line that is location-specific but contoured as desired being produced, said method having the following steps of: clamping the strip end (11) in a clamping device (45) with the aid of a first clamping tool (49) which has the contour of the cutting line (19) of the strip end, once the clamping tool (49) has been oriented with respect to the location-specific cutting or connecting line, clamping the strip beginning (15) in the clamping device (45) with the aid of a second clamping tool (57) which has the contour of the cutting line (23) of the strip beginning (15), introducing the cutting line (19, 23) into the strip end (11) and the strip beginning (15) along or substantially along the contour of the first or second clamping tool (49, 57) and thereby producing the connecting and welding line (35), moving the contoured strip beginning (15) towards the contoured strip end (11) and welding the strip end to the strip beginning along the connecting line (35) produced, and releasing the clamping. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a device for carrying out the method.

Description

Method and apparatus for quickly connecting a tape end to a tape recorder

Ribbon start of metal ribbons

The present invention relates to a method for rapidly joining a ribbon end of a metal strip undergoing a processing process, unwound from a coil, to the beginning of the strip unwound from a next coil to form a locally determined but arbitrarily contoured cutting line. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a device for rapidly connecting a ban end Dendes with a strip beginning to produce a location-specific, but arbitrarily contoured cutting or connecting line, which is particularly suitable for performing the method for quick connection.

For continuous material processing, for example in punching machines, the end of the strip of the metal strip unwound from one coil is connected to a strip beginning of the metal strip of the next coil, which is done in particular by welding. In the existing band end welding machines, the cutting or welding line is always a straight line. This generally runs perpendicular to the direction of movement of the belt (see Fig. 2) or obliquely (see Fig .. 8).

In this context, reference is made to the following terms used herein. "Cutting line" means the line along which the cutting or cutting of a remnant takes place at the end of the tape or at the beginning of the tape, which forms the contour of the end of the tape or the beginning of the tape which must coincide.The end of the tape and the beginning of the tape combine to form a "connecting line" after welding forms the "welding line".

The workpieces to be cut out in a processing station, in particular to be punched out or cut, often have no rectangular outer contour, but optionally have very complicated, irregular outer contours (compare Fig. 7). The outer contours often require an optimization or interleaving of the arrangement of the workpieces to be cut to achieve a reduction in material waste as much as possible. According to the arrangement of the workpieces in the metal strip results in a clocking of the tape transport and a corresponding tape transport per clock in the direction of passage. This leads to the following problems in the area of the connection between the end of the tape and the beginning of the tape. If at least part of the weld seam between the end of the strip and the beginning of the strip is located in the region of a workpiece to be cut in a continuous punching process, engagement of the punching tool in a region of the weld seam can lead to destruction of the tool. To avoid this, a larger conveyor path of the belt must be made, which leads to an interruption and readjustment of the otherwise continuous punching process. In addition, a larger amount of waste of unprocessable strip is also produced.

When interrupting the continuous machining process, the processing device must then be readjusted, which means a considerable amount of time with time loss of production. If the processing of the metal strip in a progressive composite, which means that the parts to be produced are produced in several steps, in particular the distance of the connecting line and after connecting the welding line between the tape end and beginning of the tape from the processing site is critical, since in any case must be avoided the processing tool encounters this welded connection line area.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for rapidly joining a ribbon end of a metal strip undergoing a processing process, unwound from a coil, to the strip beginning wound from a next coil, which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages whereby a continuous machining process without complicated Nacheinstellungsarbeiten (eg new punching) is made possible, in particular work interruptions, except during the connection process, and damage to the punch can be avoided, while optimally arranging the workpieces to be produced from the metal strip is made possible.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1 and 6, respectively. According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps: Clamping the band end in a clamping device with the aid of a first clamping tool, which has the contour of the cutting line of the band end after the clamping tool has been aligned with respect to the localized cutting line,

Clamping the beginning of the strip in the clamping device with the aid of a second clamping tool, which has the contour of the cutting line of the strip beginning,

Introducing the cutting line into the strip end and the strip beginning along or substantially along the contour of the first or second clamping tool and thus producing the connecting and welding line,

Moving the contoured beginning of the tape to the contoured tape end and welding the tape end to the tape beginning along the generated connecting line, and

Release the clamp.

According to the present invention, a desired cutting or welding line can be produced with the aid of the method according to the invention, whereby the connecting and welding line can be adapted to the contours of the workpieces to be produced, in particular to be punched, so that an optimal utilization of the material of the metal strip is possible. The connecting line or point can thus always be placed in the region of the waste piece between the workpieces or stamped parts, which reliably prevents the machining tool from coming into contact with the welding line.

There is thus achieved the great advantage of reducing the distances between the workpieces to be produced, which leads to a reduction in the total amount of material used, which can lead to significant savings, especially in mass production.

When processing in the progressive assembly, in which several different tools produce the workpieces in several steps, in particular the advantage is achieved that the cutting or welding line at a predetermined and adjustable distance from Edit location of the metal strip can be fixed, so that the work process can be continued immediately after interruption for the connection process from the tape end and beginning of tape while avoiding further Nachjustierungsarbeiten, which are very time consuming and can take several hours.

The above-mentioned advantages are also achieved in the device according to the invention, which is equipped with the following elements: a clamping device comprising a first clamping tool and a second clamping tool, which is arranged movable relative to the first clamping tool, wherein the first clamping tool has an outer contour which corresponds to the contour to be generated along the cutting line of the strip end, the second clamping tool having an outer contour corresponding to the contour of the cutting line of the strip beginning to be generated, means for adjusting the location of the cutting line to be produced at the strip end depending on the processing of the metal strip, at least one cutting device for producing the cutting line from the end of the strip and the beginning of the strip, and a welding device for connecting the contoured strip end to the contoured strip beginning.

The respective subclaims have advantageous embodiments of the invention to the content.

Advantageously, the cutting line is cut with a small distance from the outer contour of the first and second clamping tool, which is preferably done with a laser cutting device. With such a laser cutting device can be produced in an outstanding manner exactly controlled arbitrary contours at the end of the tape or beginning of the tape. Either a laser cutting device can be provided, which processes both the end of the strip and the beginning of the strip, and several, preferably two laser cutting devices can be present, whereby the processing of the end of the strip and the beginning of the strip can take place simultaneously, for example, whereby the joining process continues from the end of the strip to the beginning of the strip can be shortened.

The distance of the cutting line from the outer contour of the respective clamping tool depends essentially on the thickness of the strip material to be cut, whereby it becomes correspondingly larger with increasing thickness of the strip material.

Advantageously, the distance between 0, 1 mm and 20 mm. It can also be larger depending on the material. Advantageously, the welding together of tape end and beginning of the tape by means of a laser welding device, which is known per se.

In a follow-on composite tool a so-called. Rastmaß is used to set the distances between the individual processing locations by the processing tools. Advantageously, the device according to the invention has a device for adapting the position of the first clamping tool to this locking dimension of the processing process, wherein this device is preferably rail-like.

With further advantage, a tape guide device is provided with lateral tape guide rollers, whereby the metal strip to be welded can be performed exactly by the device according to the invention.

In order to make the connection process as fast as possible, the device according to the invention further comprises a means for discharging the cutting waste, so that the area at the separated point as soon as possible free to bring the leading the tape end to the also contoured beginning of the tape Welding the two as fast as possible allows. Further details, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 shows the strip end of a metal strip unwound from a coil;

Fig. 2 shows the tape end of Figure 1 and the beginning of the tape of a new metal strip in a processing space. 3 shows the cutting or cutting line to be produced at the end of the strip and hatches the part surface resulting as waste;

4 additionally shows the cutting line or cutting line to be produced at the beginning of the strip and hatches the partial surface arising as waste;

Figure 5 shows the generated cutting lines at the end of the tape and beginning of the tape.

Fig. 6 the merged at the end of the tape top, which along the

Cutting line were welded in a weld line;

7 shows the contours of the workpieces to be punched out on the metal strip, to which the cutting and welding line are adapted from the end of the strip and the beginning of the strip; Fig. 8 shows an example not perpendicular to the band longitudinal edge extending straight

Cutting and welding line;

9 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention for fast connection of the strip end and strip beginning, but without metal strip.

10 is a schematic plan view of the clamping device with the first and second

Clamping tool, clamp the beginning of the tape or tape end of the metal strip; Figure 1 1 is a view similar to that of Figure 10, but with already contoured band beginning and end of the band after removal of the separation waste. and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to that of Figs. 10 and 11, but with the strip beginning merged to the contoured ribbon end and the resulting bond and weld line.

In the following description with reference to the figures, like elements are designated by like reference numerals.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 to 8, which in principle show individual method steps which will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. In Fig. 1, a tape end 1 1 of a unwound from a coil metal strip 1 is shown in plan view. The metal band moves in the direction of passage according to arrow 3 from left to right. Perpendicular to the direction of passage of the metal strip 1, the band end 1 1 has a cutting line 13 which is formed as a straight line. In Fig. 2, a band beginning 15 of a next metal strip 2 is shown behind the band end 1 1 of Fig. 1, which also has a straight and perpendicular to the passage direction cutting line 17, which was produced by the metal strip manufacturer.

Fig. 3 shows a to be generated, having a contour cutting line 19, whereby a waste surface to be separated or partial surface 21 at the belt end 1 1 is formed, which is shown hatched in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 4 at the beginning of the tape 15 a cutting line 23 is shown, which leads to a waste surface or partial surface 25 at the beginning of the tape 15.

Fig. 5 shows the resulting after generating the cutting lines 19 and 23 contours at the tape end 1 and the beginning of the tape 2, which, as shown in FIG. 5, complementary complement, ie match. In Fig. 6, the cutting lines 19 and 23 are brought together, wherein the beginning of the tape 15 has been moved to the tape end 1 1 as shown in arrow 4 and tape end 1 1 with the tape head 15 along the cutting lines 19 and 23 were welded together, creating a common connecting line is formed.

Fig. 7 shows the welded band end 1 1 and band beginning 15 and schematically the contours of three workpieces 31, which are identical, and in the context of a continuous punching process, which is a continuous punching process to be punched out. From Fig. 7 it can be seen that the cutting lines 19 and 23 result from the contour of the adjacent workpiece 31, wherein it can be seen that the cutting lines 19 and 23, which join together to a joint and weld line 35 of FIG. 6, exactly fit between two workpieces 31 and the distance between the three workpieces 31 thus remains constant. The cycled conveying path of the metal bands 1 and 2 can thus remain constant and the punching process without interruption and readjustment and without damaging the punching done. The resulting benefits have been described and are obvious.

In addition to the illustrated large workpieces 31, of course, smaller workpieces can be produced or, in the case of wider metal strips 1 and 2, the workpieces, for example 31, can also be arranged next to one another ("multiply falling").

In Fig. 8, which serves only for explanation, is an oblique, but straight course of the cutting lines and the weld line 25, as explained above, shown.

Reference is now made to Fig. 9, in which a device 41 according to the invention for fast connection of a tape end and a tape beginning is shown. The device 41 comprises a height-adjustable lifting table 43, on which a clamping device 45 is arranged.

The clamping device 45 has a first clamping bar 47 on which a first clamping tool 49 is arranged. The first clamping tool 49 has an upper clamping pliers 51 and a lower clamping pliers 53, between which the metal strip is clamped with the strip beginning 15 (not shown). The clamping device 45 furthermore has a second clamping bar 55 with a second clamping tool 57 with an upper clamping tongs 58 and a lower clamping tongs 59. A tape guide device 61 is provided, which serves for introducing the new beginning of the tape (not shown), unwound from a coil, wherein tape guide rollers 63 are provided for lateral guidance of the tape beginning and the subsequent subsequent metal band.

The clamping device 45 is longitudinally displaceable on the lateral rails 64 and 65, wherein the rails advantageously have a latching measure, which (not shown) fits the Rastmaß of the processing device, so that the clamping device 45 is arranged at a predetermined distance from the processing machine and latched , Thus, the weld line to be generated 35 can be determined in a location-specific manner.

In addition, a lateral adjustment direction (not shown) of the clamping device 45 is provided, which can be aligned either manually with a knurled screw or by means of a motorized adjustment.

The individual steps of the method according to the invention and the mode of operation of the device 41 according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.

In Fig. 10, the clamping device is shown schematically in plan view. The band end 1 1 of the metal strip 1 is clamped by the first clamping tool 49, mounted in the first clamping bar 47. The first clamping tool 49 clamps the band end 1 1 with a sufficiently large waste surface or partial surface 21 and has the cutting line 19 corresponding outer contour.

The new beginning of the strip 15 of the metal strip 2 is clamped in the clamping bar 55 by means of the second clamping tool 57, whereby the waste surface or partial surface 25 is formed. The second clamping tool 57 has an outer contour corresponding to the cutting line 23.

After generating the cutting lines 19 and 23, that is, after separating the waste surfaces 21 and 25, the representation of FIG. 1 1 results. In FIG. 12, the strip beginning 15 in the figure is brought together to the right to the stationary strip end 1 1, so that the cutting lines 19 and 23 are opposite and by means of preferably a laser welding device (not shown), the contoured weld line 35 can be generated. Thereafter, the clamping tools 49 and 57 are released and the connected metal bands 1 and 2 can be supplied to the machining process.

For the cutting process, the processing by means of one or more lasers was preferred. Alternatively, however, the cutting processing by means of water, plasma or by tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) or metal active gas welding (MAG) take place.

The contours of the cutting or welding lines are arbitrary. They may have straight and rounded sections. Basically, any combination of it is possible.

To produce them, a laser deflection by means of a mirror can be provided when machining with a laser, with which even complicated contours can be generated. Laser machining can be used for cutting as well as for welding. Instead of laser deflection by means of mirrors, conventional laser robots can also be used.

Advantageously, the present invention provides a method and a device for rapidly connecting the strip end and strip beginning of metal strips unwound by coils, by means of which a material-saving arrangement of the workpieces to be produced can be realized and at the same time a production-safe production method of the workpieces is achieved, without endangering the tools used, as stated above. Depending on the material conditions of the metal strip, the cutting line from the strip end and beginning of the strip can follow the contour of the first and second clamping tool exactly or only substantially, so that not a corresponding clamping tool must exist for each form of connecting line to be generated.

Claims

claims

Method for rapidly connecting a band end (1 1) of a metal strip (1) being processed by a coil, with the strip beginning (15) unwound from a next coil, producing a locally determined but arbitrarily contoured cutting edge (15) Connecting line comprising the following steps:

- Clamping the band end (1 1) in a clamping device (45) by means of a first clamping tool (49) having the contour of the cutting line (19) of the band end after the clamping tool (49) aligned with respect to the localized cutting or connecting line has been,

- Clamping the strip beginning (15) in the clamping device (45) by means of a second clamping tool (57) having the contour of the cutting line (23) of the strip beginning (15),

- Introducing the cutting line (19, 23) in the band end (1 1) and the strip beginning (15) along or substantially along the contour of the first and second clamping tool (49, 57) and thus generating the connecting and welding line (35 )

- Moving the contoured band beginning (15) on the contoured band end (1 1) and welding the band end with the band beginning along the generated connecting line (35), and

- Release the clamp.

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting line (19, 23) with only a small distance from the outer contour of the first and second clamping tool (49, 57) is cut, this preferably takes place with a laser cutting device. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the distance depends on the thickness of the strip material to be cut, wherein it increases with increasing thickness of the Bandmateriais.

A method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the distance between 0.1 mm and 20 mm.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the welding together of the strip end and beginning of the strip by means of a laser welding device.

Device (41) for rapidly connecting a band end (1 1) of a metal strip (1) being processed in a processing process, unwound from a coil, to the beginning of the strip (15) unwound from a next coil, producing a locally determined but arbitrarily contoured cutting edge (15) Connecting line (19, 23), and in particular for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, with:

- A clamping device (45) having a first clamping tool (49) and a second clamping tool (57) which is arranged to be movable relative to the first clamping tool (49), wherein the first clamping tool (49) has an outer contour, the Contour of the cutting line (19) of the band end (1 1) corresponds, wherein the second clamping tool (57) has an outer contour corresponding to the contour to be generated of the cutting line (23) of the strip beginning (15),

- A device for adjusting the location of the cutting line to be generated (19) at the tape end (1 1) depending on the processing of the metal strip, at least one cutting device for generating the cutting line (19, 23) of the tape end (1 1) and beginning of tape (15) , and a welding device for connecting the contoured band end (1 1) with the contoured band beginning (15) along the generated connecting line (35).

Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a preferably rail-like device (64, 65) for adapting the position of the first clamping tool (49) to a latching measure of the processing process.

Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the at least one cutting device comprises a laser cutting device.

Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the welding device is designed as a laser welding device.

Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a tape guide means (61) with lateral tape guide rollers (63).

Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means for discharging the cutting waste.