Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D5/00—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves
  • B21D5/004—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves with program control
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D37/00—Tools as parts of machines covered by this subclass
  • B21D37/14—Particular arrangements for handling and holding in place complete dies
  • B21D37/145—Die storage magazines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D43/00—Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
  • B21D43/02—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool
  • B21D43/026—Combination of two or more feeding devices provided for in B21D43/04 - B21D43/18
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D43/00—Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
  • B21D43/02—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool
  • B21D43/027—Combined feeding and ejecting devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D43/00—Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
  • B21D43/02—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool
  • B21D43/04—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool by means in mechanical engagement with the work
  • B21D43/10—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool by means in mechanical engagement with the work by grippers
  • B21D43/105—Manipulators, i.e. mechanical arms carrying a gripper element having several degrees of freedom
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D43/00—Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices
  • B21D43/02—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool
  • B21D43/04—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool by means in mechanical engagement with the work
  • B21D43/10—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool by means in mechanical engagement with the work by grippers
  • B21D43/11—Advancing work in relation to the stroke of the die or tool by means in mechanical engagement with the work by grippers for feeding sheet or strip material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D5/00—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves
  • B21D5/02—Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves on press brakes without making use of clamping means
  • B21D5/0209—Tools therefor
  • B21D5/0254—Tool exchanging
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B19/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B19/02—Program-control systems electric
  • G05B19/418—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
  • G05B19/41815—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
  • G05B19/41825—Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell machine tools and manipulators only, machining centre
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/45—Nc applications
  • G05B2219/45142—Press-line
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P90/00—Enabling technologies with a potential contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation
  • Y02P90/02—Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a coherent set of solutions or technical functions intended to very significantly increase the operating autonomy without human assistance, the flexibility as well as the productivity of one or more automated bending cells.
• the aim is to obtain “long-term” operating autonomy, that is to say automated operation without assistance other than the programming system, over a long period of time, typically at least 24 to 48 hours. (i.e. 3 to 6 consecutive work breaks).
• panel benders are unquestionably the technology closest to the 4.0 concept in terms of automation, they are also the most limiting in terms of implementation possibilities. For example, it has been found that, the specific activity of the inventors, less than 5% of the parts are compatible with the constraints of the paneling. Aware of these limits, manufacturers of panel benders now offer to couple them to a press brake, robotic or manual, but it is obviously impossible to balance the load of this tandem of machines, which compromises their profitability.
• Apron folding machines have now reached an excellent level of automation and offer more extensive forming possibilities than the paneling machines while being much slower however.
• the presence of an operator is essential and the possibilities of implementation remain too limited, in particular when the parts have folds on their backs or when they come from a punching machine where they have been object of deformation operations (punctures, small stampings, ribbing, etc.).
• tandem CNC press brake (numerically controlled machine tool) served by an operator is still most often the most flexible and profitable investment, all the more so if production is located in a country whose main labor is low cost.
• a robotized bending cell represents a heavy investment whose operating rate is still greatly limited by a low level of autonomy and by dependence on the human factor. This is the reason why the vast majority of workshops continue to favor the solution of a digital machine served by an operator.
• an automated store as well as all the auxiliary automated means, namely to transport the parts to be bent into the cell, to evacuate the bent parts and pallets out of the cell, or to transport empty pallets into the cell, etc., the exchange taking place here between the cell and the automated store;
• a store or set of shelves for bending tools and storage devices for storing, within the enclosure of the cell, at configurable locations, all the bending tools, grippers and accessories necessary to guarantee autonomy of operation without assistance of the cell for a determined period of time.
• Document US 2018/056357 A1 discloses a press brake system, with a manipulator having free movements on the ground (even in the absence of a fixed rail) allowing it to pass from one machine to another or to a tool magazine, a coupling allowing the attachment of the manipulator to a given machine when the machine is operational.
• the objective is to improve the movement flexibility of the manipulator compared to the press brake.
• this solution which is similar to the use of AGVs, is likely to greatly increase the footprint of the cell and to greatly complicate flow management.
• the document: https. //www trumpf.com/fr FR/produits/machines-systemes/systemes-de- stockaqe/maqasins-qrande-capacite-stopa/ is an extract from the website of
• the main objective is to make the bending cells compatible with the 4.0 concept, which they cannot claim today.
• the ideal cell should be able to operate, without any operator, on Saturdays and Sundays without discontinuity, i.e. 48 hours of total autonomy without any human assistance but with at least a level of productivity comparable to that of a latest generation press brake served by a competent and motivated operator.
• the automated warehouse is really the backbone of the sheet metal shop 4.0. It must also represent an important part of the solution if we want to bring robotized bending cells to a level equivalent to that of cutting machines. Aims of the invention
• This level of autonomy cannot in any case be conditioned by the presence of an operator, even intermittently.
• a first aspect of the present invention relates, according to the terms of claim 1, to an industrial installation comprising an automated sheet metal bending cell as well as an automated store, having a spatial and functional organization intended to automate the flow of materials entering and leaving said cell (1), with a view to very significantly increasing, in a reduced enclosure, the operating autonomy of the cell without human assistance, as well as the flexibility and productivity of the cell, said installation comprising at least, with a view to ensuring various functions of said cell: a press brake, a folding robot, a rail, generally called a "track", on which a carriage supporting the robot moves, a depositing system and recovery of parts during operation, a control system for indexing parts to be bent, mechanical or optical, a store or a set of shelves for bending tools , including punches and dies, at least one gripper attachment device, a programming and monitoring system for the press brake, a control console, an automated store, a supply area for parts to be bent and a zone for depositing parts after bending, the robot being capable of carrying out the
• palletizing and moving interface means which are either conveyed into the cell, or evacuated from the cell, by fully automated and programmable means; and which make it possible to increase, within the limits of the programming capacity of the operations, the presence of a quantity of elements necessary for the performance of operations carried out by the robot, said elements comprising standard, special or reserved for the exclusive use of a customer, order organizers, universal or specific grippers, accessories designed to optimize the stacking of complex bent parts and/or the protection of fragile parts, containers for bulk depositing weak parts dimensions, palletization systems intended either for supplying the cell with parts to be bent, or for receiving bent parts, mixed palletization systems for managing parts on the same movement interface and in a fully automated and programmable manner to bend, these same parts after folding and any accessories necessary for the operations to be carried out on these parts, this solution being particularly suitable for small cells equipped with 1 m or 1.5 m press brakes, without excluding the application of this option for cells equipped with larger press brakes, and/or standard or special tools intended for storage in the automated warehouse and intended
• the fully automated means for transporting parts or pallets into or removing them from the cell can include, for example, stacker cranes, horizontal or vertical chain or toothed belt conveyors, or even AGV type robots.
• the invention also relates to embodiments whose scope is limited by one of the characteristics described in secondary claims 2-19 or by an appropriate combination of several of these characteristics.
• Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of implementing an industrial installation comprising an automated sheet metal bending cell as well as an automated store, intended to increase the operating autonomy of the cell. without human assistance, as well as its flexibility and its productivity, according to the terms of claim 20.
• a 3m press brake is potentially capable of bending parts up to 3m in length, but this implies that, in order to be able to ensure automatic evacuation of parts of this length, the system can handle very long pallets both to transport the parts inside the cell only to evacuate them from it.
• a 1 m press brake will necessarily be dedicated to the production of smaller parts.
• the position of the additional equipment introduced into the cell is configurable in order to allow the programming of the movements of the robot.
• the raw in, raw out and sharing functions will either be separated and each associated with a connection of the cell with the magazine, or grouped together on a single connection from the cell to the store.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view and a plan view of a robotic sheet metal bending cell according to the state of the art.
• FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, with a tool shelf positioned perpendicular to the track.
• FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, with sliding shelves.
• FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, with a sliding shelf parallel to the press brake and provided with an access window to it.
• FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, with a splitting of the shelf of FIG. 4.
• FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, with several shelves juxtaposed parallel to each other and whose height is lower than that of the bottom apron of the press brake.
• FIGS. 7A-7C shows a sixth embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, where the shelves are doubled and rotatable.
• FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which the cell is automatically supplied with the part to be bent from the automated magazine.
• FIGS. 9A-9B represent another embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which there is both an automatic supply of the part to be bent and an automatic evacuation of the bent parts, via the magazine automated.
• FIGS. 10A-10B represent another embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which the previous solution is completed by the casting of a system for sharing tools/grippers with the automated magazine.
• FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which the raw in and the raw out are combined on one and the same pallet.
• FIGS. 12-13 each represent a global and complete embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which the identification of the parts is carried out by camera.
• FIGS. 14-15 each show an overall and complete embodiment of an automated sheet metal bending cell according to the present invention, in which a part repositioning frame is used.
• FIGS. 16A-16D illustrate in an elevation view and a plan view four variants for a compact cell associated with an automated store via a mixed or non-mixed palletization system.
• Palletization generally means placing goods on pallets or an organization based on the use of pallets.
• a palletizing system can therefore be any means allowing or replacing the use of pallets (support plates, mobile robots, etc.).
• a bending machine generally consisting of a press brake 2 accompanied by a system supposed to guarantee the precision of the bending angle over the entire length of the fold; sheet metal workshops, including robotic workshops, are generally equipped with several press brakes depending on the size of the parts to be produced;
• a robot 3 designed to adapt to all the positions required by the shaping of the parts and comprising a number of axes allowing it to achieve the functions arranged around the entire perimeter of the cell.
• the technical characteristics of the robot respond to the same logic as that which prevails for press brakes. Heavy parts and bulky ones will require a robot designed to handle heavy loads and with a wide range of motion. Conversely, a small bending cell will use a smaller and more agile robot, capable of high execution speed and dimensionally adapted to the compactness of the dimensions of the cell;
• the "track” can be placed on the ground or fixed to a wall or suspended from a supporting structure.
• the positioning mode of the "track” will also be related to the size of the press brake and the robot, a "track” placed on the ground being more suitable for large machines and a suspended “track” being more suitable for machines small in size;
• This space may simply consist of a more or less large deposit surface intended to receive a variable number of pallets of parts to be bent (flat parts).
• the logic of the machine templates developed in the previous points is also valid for this function of the cell;
• the storage capacity of tool magazines is limited and varies between 30 and 160 linear meters supporting punches and dies.
• the tool magazine can consist of a simple tool shelf and it is the bending robot which performs, using a suitable gripper, the assembly and disassembly of the tools.
• Some cells are equipped with a magazine of automated tools where auxiliary automatons carry out the assembly and the disassembly of the tools, the principal robot being inactive during these operations.
• the frequency of tool changes is directly related to the size of the series. Small series require very frequent tool changes. This is why tool magazines are usually positioned next to the press brake or integrated into it.
• the problem of bending is complex insofar as it must respond to a large number of constraints related to both the great diversity and the specificities of the parts to be manufactured. Note, however, that:
• a store dedicated to gripping tools 8 made up of grippers 9 with suction cups, pliers or even magnetic ones.
• the number of grippers required to ensure the automatic operation of the cell varies greatly depending on:
• an angular referencing frame 6 of the parts to be bent sometimes called a centering table.
• This function is sometimes replaced by an optical system (camera) placed on the head of the robot and allowing it to automatically correct the angle of grip;
• the thickness control system is sometimes associated with the angular referencing frame in order to combine the two operations in a single step;
• This depositing system generally consists of two parallel arms equipped with suction cups and whose spacing can vary, the spacing of the arms being programmable according to the dimensions of the part.
• the repositioning system is generally installed within the perimeter of the robot's radius of action when the robot is facing the press brake; - a programming and monitoring system 10 of the press brake;
• the preferred embodiments of the invention are based on the improvement of a current standard solution and its functions, such as for example the robotic bending cell proposed by the firm Bystronic (4922 Thunstetten, Switzerland) but in no way limiting or binding, insofar as most manufacturers offer the same functions for this type of cell.
• This cell will be referred to hereafter as the “standard cell”. It is this type of cell that is represented in FIG. 1 .
• a first technical objective is to ensure the availability of the tools necessary to guarantee a very long autonomy of the cell (see “conceptual objectives" above).
• press brake 2 is offset from track 4 (or moved from the current configuration of the standard cell) and tool shelf 7 is positioned perpendicular to the track.
• This layout allows the robot to position itself so that its vertical axis of rotation is equidistant from the tool shelf and the press brake.
• a simple 90° rotation allows the robot to be alternately facing the shelf or facing the press brake.
• the estimated time saving compared to the current standard cell, is 50 to 60%;
• FIG. 3 there is a solution which differs from the previous one in that it comprises two juxtaposed shelves 7A, 7B parallel to each other.
• the shelf located in the foreground 7A with respect to track 4 is divided into two elements 7A1 and 7A2. These two elements are mounted on a rolling rail 70 placed on the ground and are guided by a guide rail in their upper part (not shown).
• the two elements 7A1 and 7A2 are mobile and can move inwards or outwards on the rail by any mechanical means (motorized or not) in order to allow the robot to access the tools of the shelf located at the bottom. 'background.
• a solution with more than two shelving planes is also possible.
• each shelving plan would make it possible to store a large quantity of tools (for example 50m for shelves 3m high);
• the solution is modular and can be adapted to the customer's needs
• the tool shelf 7 is positioned in a plane parallel to the plane of the front face of the press brake 2.
• the tool shelf 7 is mounted on a rolling rail 70 placed on the ground and is guided by a guide rail 71 in its upper part.
• the shelf 7 is mobile and can be moved by any mechanical means (with or without motorization) in order to position itself opposite the press brake 2, parallel to the aprons of the machine.
• the shelf 7 is provided with a window 72 allowing access to the grooves for fixing the punches and dies (not shown) on the press brake 2.
• FIG. 5 As a variant of the third preferred embodiment, according to a fourth preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, there is a doubling of the shelves 7A, 7B and a positioning thereof to the left and to the right of the machine respectively.
• the shelves 7A, 7B are both movable as indicated above to allow their displacement vis-à-vis the press brake 2.
• the system differs from proposal No. 3 in that it comprises several shelves 7C juxtaposed parallel to each other and whose height is less than that of the bottom apron 25 of the press brake 2.
• the shelves 7C are surrounded by a supporting structure provided with a device making it possible to position each of them opposite a raceway 70 parallel to the lower apron 25 of the press brake 2.
• the system is composed of two juxtaposed shelves 7.
• Each shelf is equipped with tools on both sides 7A, 7B.
• the shelves are placed on a base allowing their rotation at 180°.
• the tools on both sides of the shelf are thus made accessible to the robot.
• the rotation of the shelves is motorized and controlled by the cell software according to the tools called by the bending program.
• Each shelf has for example a storage capacity of 40 m.
• the storage capacity is for example of the order of 80 m;
• the angle of inclination of the shelves makes it possible to optimize the movements of the robot.
• N 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.
• the capacity in number of tools increases by 50%.
• the advantage of these compact configurations is to provide a lot of possibilities in a small space.
• the advantage of this eighth solution is in particular the possibility of coupling different functions on the same shelf, such as, for example, bending tools on one side, grippers on the other or a "regrip" system on one side. face and a thickness control on the other, etc.
• the inventors have estimated that the number of grippers to be plan should be 30-40 pieces.
• Automated store means (linear) an automated storage system comprising storage spaces arranged along aisles on the ground and / or height.
• the automated store is in fact composed of storage towers (see for example FIG. 16, reference 143) juxtaposed and arranged in line over a variable length in relation to the dimensions of the workshop and to the number of machines connected to the store.
• the magazine can generally comprise two rows of parallel towers. Each tower can accommodate a certain number of pallets 141 , the total number of these pallets depending on the height of the towers.
• the standardized pallets of the automated warehouse can be used as support for other forms of palletization, such as euro-pallets.
• the pallets are equipped with hooks allowing their extraction by various devices located either on the side of the internal face of the towers, or on the side of their external face.
• a device generally referred to as a stacker crane 144 moves longitudinally along the towers along the entire length of the store.
• the stacker crane is equipped with a chain conveyor system that can move vertically over the entire height of the towers and allows the pallets to be extracted with a view to moving them to another location in the store. The combination of vertical and horizontal movements allows the stacker crane to access all of the pallet housings in the store and to distribute the pallets from one housing to another, at any location in the store.
• the inputs and outputs of the automated warehouse equipment are carried out by any machine whose movement coordination and guidance are carried out by management software.
• These machines can be for example not only stacker cranes, but also conveyors, gantries, carousels, etc. that can move parts, pallets, trays, crates, etc.
• the stocked material may consist of lengths of flat sheets, bent parts, pallets including grippers, bending tools or inserts, storage boxes for finished parts with small dimensions, etc.
• the solution consists of an automatic supply of the cell with parts to be bent (in a specific zone 11 called raw in).
• the supply is carried out from the 141 towers of the 14 automated warehouse, generally on 15 incoming part deposit pallets.
• the solution consists, next to the supply of the aforementioned sheets from the automated store 14 in the raw in zone 11, in an automatic evacuation of the folded parts to the automated store 14, from pallets 16 located in the zone for depositing the bent parts (called raw out) 12, with a view to storing them or dispatching them to another station in the workshop.
• the solution consists in coupling to the automated magazine 14 a system for sharing tools and grippers 17 which also interfaces with the cell, just like the raw in and raw out (Tools & Grippers Sharing System).
• the direct connection of the folding cell 1 to the automated store 14 could find a particularly interesting technical advantage in the fact of allowing sharing between several cells 1, connected to the store 14 of the folding tools and grippers.
• at least three storage towers 141 equipped with a transfer system would be necessary.
• the grippers respectively the tools, dedicated to a customer or to a specific product could be shared between several cells and managed according to the workload of each machine;
• this solution makes it possible to limit the stock of necessary tools and therefore to reduce the cost of immobilized equipment. This remark is valid both for the bending tools and for the grippers and other accessories related to the stacking or the “dropping” of the bent parts.
• the solution consists of a combination of raw in and raw out on a single pallet 15, 16. This solution is particularly advantageous for mini-cells where the press brake is small (1 - 1.5 m ).
• the present proposal consists in grouping together on a single and same pallet 15, 16 the various elements to be introduced into the cell and to evacuate from the cell.
• a chain conveyor provides the cell with everything it needs to perform a given task: the parts to be bent 20, a deposit "surface” for the folded pieces 21 or “drop box” type containers 19, the specific tools 17 required for folding or gripping the pieces, spacers 18 for stacking the folded pieces in layers, etc.
• the grippers will be arranged flat in the automated store and vertically on the shelves of the cell.
• the pallet introduced into the cell is prepared according to a precise plan and configured so that the robot can identify, with the required level of precision, the position of the elements that it will have to handle;
• the “regrip system” 5 is positioned to the far left of the cell. All the current operations are accessible to the perimeter of rotation of the robot 3. For example, it slides the tool shelf (in this case there are two sliding shelves 7A, 7B), takes the sheet metal to be bent coming from the automated store and returns the piece once folded to the latter.
• the store has two entrances 11, 12. We also see on the far right two double rotating shelves 7A, 7B with grippers 9 on both sides.
• the automated store has three inputs 11, 12, 17, respectively one for the flat parts, another for the bent parts and finally a third for specific tools or grippers and the inserts intended for the stacking of bent parts.
• Track 4 is longer than in the first case.
• the grippers are located on a horizontal or vertical wall, where they are housed by the robot, from the magazine.
• the grippers 9 can advantageously be fixed to the sheet metal of the wall using four-finger intermediate fixing plates (not shown). To do this, the sheet has regular perforations on the abscissa and ordinate (eg every 5cm), which will promote optimized nesting of the grippers.
• the fingers of these plates are terminated by tapered turned parts (or shouldered pins).
• a repositioning frame is placed at the far left of the track.
• the robot carriage which moves along the rack is extended compared to the previous solutions and supports at its rightmost end the "regrip" system 5. Again all the functions are accessible within the robot's rotation perimeter (e.g. workpiece thickness measurement).
• the store comprises three entries 11, 12, 17 instead of two entries 11, 12.
• the nature of the tool/gripper shelves 7, 7A, 7B (sliding, rotating ) as well as their arrangement in the cell are similar to the situation in the first two embodiments.
• the supply can be done via a connection to the automated store by a small automated kart capable of supporting a pallet for example by means of a pantograph and moving by means of a GPS (or any other guidance system) under the shelves of the automated warehouse.
• the track in this case is miniaturized and the robot has much faster movements, and is very close to all functions/areas (fetch parts to bend, retrieve bent parts, etc.).
• FIGS. 16A to 16D show another preferably compact variant for a folding cell associated with an automated store (respectively called “small”, “medium” and “large” cell according to an arbitrary/relative classification).
• the palletizing system is mixed (a single input/output).
• a conveyor/chain pallet extractor 142 ensures the transfer of the parts (to bend, bent) and of the tools or other accessories from the automated store 14 to the cell 1 and vice versa.
• an intermediate raw in/raw out zone 11, 12 can be used advantageously for the transfer between the store and the cell (and vice versa).
• the automated store 14 consists of two parallel rows of towers 141 for the storage of pallets 143 in height, the storage positions being accessible by means of an elevator 144 (and/or an AGV) which can also move longitudinally along the store.
• the robot 3 moves on a track 4 with an axis parallel both to the apron of the press brake 2 and to the external face (cell side) of the automated store, so that the robot 3 is always brought to face the press brake 2 and the automated store 14.
• the axis of the track 4 is approximately equidistant from the press brake 2 and the automated store 14. This configuration allows a compactness of the cell.
• the track 4 is advantageously suspended, so that a conflict is avoided between the space of the robot and that of the pallet puller 142.
• the outer face of the latter can advantageously be provided with supports for grippers or bending tools (not shown).
• This configuration is particularly suitable for cells equipped with 1-1.5 m press brakes, but it is not excluded in the case of cells equipped with larger press brakes.
• Figure 16D shows a layout where, in the case of a cell where space permits, the press brake is approximately centered on the width of the cell rather than be aligned on one of the towers of the store. In the latter case, one can advantageously arrange tool shelves 7 (sliding, rotating, etc.) on each side of the press brake.
• Gripper 0 programming and monitoring system 1 supply area (raw in') 2 area for depositing bent parts (raw out) 3 control console 4 automated warehouse 5 pallet or deposit area for incoming parts (raw in) 6 pallet or surface for placing outgoing parts (raw out) 7 specific grippers/tools (automated store) 8 spacer 9 drop box 0 part to be bent 1 deposit surface for bent parts lower apron of the press brake running rail on the floor of the shelves upper guide rail of the shelves window in the shelf storage tower in the automated warehouse pallet chain conveyor / extractor pallet Elevator or stacker crane

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Quality & Reliability (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Bending Of Plates, Rods, And Pipes (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Mounting, Exchange, And Manufacturing Of Dies (AREA)

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• 2021
  • 2021-10-26 EP EP21799050.6A patent/EP4017658B1/fr active Active
  • 2021-10-26 US US18/250,375 patent/US20230405659A1/en active Pending
  • 2021-10-26 CA CA3200279A patent/CA3200279A1/en active Pending
  • 2021-10-26 JP JP2023527255A patent/JP2023547546A/ja active Pending
  • 2021-10-26 EP EP22212978.5A patent/EP4186606A3/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2021-10-26 WO PCT/EP2021/079727 patent/WO2022090258A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2021-10-27 EP EP21801493.4A patent/EP4017659B1/fr active Active
  • 2021-10-27 WO PCT/EP2021/079776 patent/WO2022090287A1/fr not_active Ceased

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