Compact robot unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a compact unit Z with a protective enclosure 3 for welding operations by means of a welding robot 15, the protective enclosure 3 comprising a roof 1, side walls 2, a front side 4A and a rear side 4B, said protective enclosure 3 being moved from a first position to a second position and back again by means of a guide rail 23 supported on pneumatic guide means 24, resulting in the possibility of closing a front work area A1 in the first position and a rear work area A2 in the second position, respectively. Furthermore, in each case, the front side 4A and the rear side 4B of the protective enclosure 3 comprise at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) which can open and close a roller blind (5A; 5B) which closes an entire side or a modularly combined roller blind (18; 20) on a respective roller blind mount (V1; V2; V3) integrated in the roof 1.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a compact unit with a protective enclosure for welding operations by means of a welding robot, wherein the working area to be enclosed can be adjusted in a modular manner by moving the protective enclosure. BACKGROUND

[0002] The general robot units known from the prior art for welding processes generally comprise one or more working areas which are embodied by a working surface or other receptacle for fixing the workpieces, a movable welding robot and an external enclosure which encloses the welding robot and the working surface, protects the welder during the welding operation of the welding robot and guides the resulting welding fumes into a set extraction device. The protective enclosure is generally equipped with a door, window or at least a curtain so that the welder can quickly reach the respective working area during workpiece exchange or for manual setup of the welding robot.

[0003] DE 21 20 120 00 203 U1 shows a unit enclosure for welding unit components with expandable wall structure elements, wherein in order to temporarily increase the movement range of the welding robot system, the individual wall geometries can be changed and adjusted according to the requirements of the robot movement.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to configure a general welding robot unit in such a way that it has the best possible accessibility to the respective working areas in as compact a shape as possible. Furthermore, it is an object to optimize the structure of the welding robot unit so that the available working areas can be used as optimally as possible without neglecting the protection of the welder. SUMMARY

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned objects, the features of the independent claims are proposed. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0006] A compact unit with a protective enclosure for welding operations and / or cutting operations by means of a welding robot can comprise a protective enclosure comprising at least a unit top and a unit side wall, which protective enclosure can be connected to a unit base frame by means of a guiding device, whereby the protective enclosure can be moved in two directions from a first position to a second position to enclose at least a first working area or a second working area integrated in the compact unit. The guiding device can preferably be controlled pneumatically, but in another preferred embodiment, the guiding device can also be controlled with a motor, electrically and / or pneumatically. Furthermore, the protective enclosure can comprise at least at the front and rear side a roller blind device, which is able to move a roller blind up and down in a modular manner to enclose the respective working area located in the protective enclosure, thereby providing a preferential access to the respective working area. The movement of the protective enclosure from one position to the next can also expose at least one working area to the welder, while the other working area can be completely enclosed by the protective enclosure, so that the other working area is used as a working surface for the welding robot installed in the compact unit. This configuration provides a cost-efficient and at the same time flexible configuration of the robotic welding unit. In particular, the movement of the protective enclosure and the resulting modular switchable working areas enable an optimized, safe parallel work of the welder during the welding operation of the robot, while at the same time a maximum working area ratio can be achieved. Furthermore, due to the advantageous design of this arrangement, this arrangement provides a high degree of compactness and transportability, so that it can be easily integrated into already existing systems and loaded from at least 3 of the 4 sides and from the top.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment, the protective enclosure comprises four side walls, each of which comprises at least one roller blind device. Thus, in this further embodiment, the above-mentioned unit side walls can be formed by the roller blind devices, so that a simple accessibility from all sides is possible. In this further embodiment, the protective enclosure is configured as an entrance on (preferably four) pillars, between each of which a roller blind device and / or a welding curtain can be arranged. It is particularly preferred that a welding curtain can also be arranged on at least one side, preferably on all sides, of the protective enclosure.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the first working area can be a front working area facing the front of the protective enclosure, and the second working area can be a rear working area facing the rear of the protective enclosure.

[0009] Furthermore, the unit side wall is preferably made in one piece and comprises iron or an aluminum alloy or a heat-resistant polymer and can preferably comprise a region for the attachment of a welding curtain. Furthermore, the side wall preferably comprises at least one viewing window which, in a further particularly preferred embodiment, can also comprise a heat-resistant and UV-filtering material and allows the observation of the enclosed work area. Thus, during a robotic welding operation, the working welder can be effectively protected from possible injuries (flying sparks, UV radiation, etc.) while being able to easily observe the welding operation and / or cutting operation through the window. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the viewing window can also be provided in a roller blind which is preferably attached to the unit side wall.

[0010] The side wall can preferably also be firmly connected to the unit top, preferably by a welded seam or a screw connection, thereby forming a mobile framework of the protective enclosure. A structure of the above-mentioned type has the advantage of guaranteeing a compact, lightweight and stable outer shape of the protective enclosure. Thus, a robust and at the same time cost-efficient main body can be provided for protecting the welder.

[0011] The unit top can also preferably be made of a heat-resistant material, preferably metal or plastic, and can preferably comprise a housing for the integration of additional elements.

[0012] Furthermore, at least one extraction opening can preferably be implemented on the unit top, so that an extraction device provided at the extraction opening, preferably integrated on the top, can be carried along when moving the protective enclosure. In this way, the extraction of harmful welding fumes at different work areas can be achieved by a single extraction device and can thus be effectively implemented.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment, the extraction device can be connected to the compact unit (or extraction opening) in other locations, such as externally (in a factory hall) and with a mobile hose. Similarly, the extraction device can also be integrated on the underside of the unit, for example on a welding table serving as a work surface or on the unit side wall. Furthermore, a downwardly directed extraction system, such as a mobile hose or a mobile tube system, can preferably be used for the extraction of the enclosed work space. The latter embodiment has the additional advantage of extracting only the desired areas through the mobile guiding system, which can further minimize the necessary extraction power and thus the energy costs.

[0014] Preferably, at least one front roller blind device can also be provided on the front side of the protective housing, one rear roller blind device can be located on the rear side of the protective housing, the protective housing provides at least one roller blind (preferably made of metal) on a roller blind mount which is preferably integrated in the top housing, and the protective housing guides the roller blinds to close from the top surface to the work surface and to open from the work surface to the top surface. Furthermore, the roller blinds can also preferably comprise an integrated roller blind grid and / or a window or window area (e.g. made of a welding protection glass) for observing the work area within the protective housing. When the roller blinds are closed or opened, they close flush with the side walls or the side of the protective housing described above, so that in the closed position of the two roller blind devices there is an enclosed space on all sides of the work area located below the protective housing, and the open position of at least one roller blind device allows access to the work area enclosed by the protective housing. This construction not only enables an effective closure of the respective work area, but also simplifies the access to the work area by partially opening and closing the roller blinds.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one roller blind device can also be integrated on three sides (particularly preferably on all four sides) of the protective housing described above, wherein preferably at least one roller blind on each roller blind device enables a complete closure of the respective side of the protective housing. This enables a complete enclosure of the respective work area located below the protective housing, wherein the additional roller blind devices enable an improved work area modularity as well as an optimized accessibility.

[0016] Furthermore, the individual roller blinds of the roller blind devices can preferably each be opened and closed independently by a drive module, and preferably comprise a safety device to prevent possible pinching of objects or body parts. In a particularly preferred form, the individual roller blinds can also be connected in a modular manner in order to divide the work area into different partial work areas by opening and closing individual roller blind combinations. This device allows a particularly efficient and fast expansion or adjustment of the corresponding work area, so that the used work flow can even be made more efficient. Preferably, at least one roller blind can also be provided on the front roller blind device and on the rear roller blind device, which can completely close the respective (front or rear) side of the protective housing in order to more quickly adjust these partial work areas.

[0017] Preferably, the roller blind devices also comprise at least one drive for opening and closing the roller blind devices and preferably at least one safety device for preventing pinching incidents. With these additional elements, the movement of the roller blinds can be more precisely defined due to the precise electrical control of the roller blinds, the safety standards of the roller blinds can be optimally optimized in all dimensions for parallel welding operations.

[0018] Furthermore, the roller blind devices can be opened and closed independently of one another, thereby enabling a further improved modularity of the construction.

[0019] For moving the protective shell from at least one position to another position and back, in a preferred configuration at least one guide rail can be attached to the underside of the roof and be arranged on a fixed, stationary guiding device. The guiding device can preferably be controlled pneumatically or (only) by pneumatic support, so that due to integrated sensors the risk of possible wear and damage during the movement of the protective shell is minimized. Alternatively, the control of the guiding device can be performed electrically or mechanically, which can lead to a more precise or simplified movement mechanism of the protective shell.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the device, the guiding device is also attached to at least one static base frame, so that the protective shell can be moved on the guiding device along the base frame at least from a first position for enclosing a first work area to a second position for enclosing a second work area and back. Such an embodiment allows the shape of the compact unit to be as optimal as possible, so that the geometry and size of the work area to be protected depends only on the shape of the base frame. Furthermore, during the movement of the protective shell from one position to another and back again, the base frame is preferably fixed within the side walls of the protective shell, so that important guiding elements are protected in a particularly effective manner during the movement, and also during the transport of the entire compact unit.

[0021] In particular, such a base frame enables optimal mobility of the protective shell even in more than two work areas. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compact unit can also comprise at least a first work area, a second work area and a third work area in succession along a longitudinal axis, wherein the protective shell can continue to enclose each individual work area by linear movement along the longitudinal axis defined by the base frame, so that the welder can continue to be optimally protected even in more complex configurations.

[0022] The guiding device is further preferably configured to enable alternating welding operations, i.e. the protective shell in the second position can completely enclose the second work area, wherein, for example, the welder is free to enter the first work area, when the protective shell is moved to the first position, the former work area becomes enclosable, while the latter work area is exposed. This enables the welder to work in parallel at any time, preparing for the next work step or welding piece, which further increases the efficiency of the welding operation. Furthermore, in a particularly preferred design, the walls and the roller blind of the protective shell can be flush with the frame of the work area in at least one position, resulting in advantageous transportability and compactness of the compact unit.

[0023] Thus, the guiding device can preferably be configured in such a way that after moving the protective shell from at least one position to another position, at least one work area is no longer enclosed by the protective shell from the respective sides.

[0024] Preferably, the base frame is further connected to at least one modular welding station, preferably on both sides of the station, wherein the base frame not only achieves further stability, but also can further optimize the used working area. For this purpose, the welding station is also preferably provided with a perforated grid panel, so that the welding station can be used as a support for at least one working area for the precise adjustment of work materials and other elements. In a particularly preferred embodiment, each working area further comprises at least one modular welding station or panel, wherein the welding station can comprise further elements, such as additional welding equipment for the welder, drawers or connection points to another working area, which can greatly facilitate the general welding operation within the compact unit and speed up production.

[0025] Furthermore, the modular welding station can preferably be configured with respect to the base frame in such a way that the modular welding station is enclosed in at least one position from all sides in a protective housing, which not only allows the best compactness or transportability of the compact unit to be achieved, but also provides improved protection for the welder.

[0026] Furthermore, the modular welding station also offers the possibility of further optimizing the preferred partitioning of the above-mentioned work surface. Thus, in a particularly preferred presentation mode, the perforated grid allows at least one other modular dividing wall oriented along the movement direction of the protective housing to be integrated into one of the working areas, and this at least one other modular dividing wall is combined with at least one of the modular roller blinds of the rear roller blind device or the front roller blind device. By means of such a device, the working area can thus be divided into smaller partial working areas in the closed position of the respective roller blind device, which can also be enclosed on all sides. Preferably, the dividing wall can also be realized by means of a roller blind, so that the respective working area can be assembled in a modular manner by opening and closing the respective roller blind.

[0027] The welding robot to be used can also preferably be positioned on the welding station, on the side wall of the protective housing or on the inner side of the unit top connected to the supports or tracks of the above-mentioned elements in at least one working area. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the welding robot can be chosen which is provided with a manipulator at at least one station and is movable on at least one rotational axis, which can also preferably be a cobot. With such a robot, therefore, more complex welding tasks can be performed, wherein the perforated grid incorporated on the welding station can make the positioning or fixing of the welding station more flexible, thus providing greater freedom for the welding system.

[0028] Compared to conventional industrial robot systems, the collaborative robot preferably weighs less than 40 kg, which means that it can be used flexibly wherever it is needed. When the robot is welding, the staff can step back, so that they do not have to inhale welding fumes. The collaborative robot is also very easy to program. Via a touch panel, manual guidance and operation is possible, so that new tasks can be taught after a very short training time. With the free-drive function, the collaborative robot or the welding torch can be moved easily by hand to its start and end position. The intermediate path points and segments are also programmed in this way. The collaborative robot (or collaborative robot) provides consistently high-quality welding, which almost never needs to be reworked.

[0029] Furthermore, the collaborative robots are technically designed in such a way that they can work safely directly next to humans without a protective fence. The collaborative robots ensure the required safety in direct contact with the operator by means of a unique 6-fold force and torque monitoring system, which enables flexible interaction between the robot and its environment. The advantageous collaborative robot preferably corresponds to the collaborative type according to the technical specification ISO TS 15066.

[0030] If the compact unit or the collaborative robot welding unit is equipped with additional axes (positioning devices), the position points of the collaborative robot can be taught very quickly by manually moving the position points without programming knowledge, while the workpiece can be positioned in the optimal welding position by means of the additional axes, so that it can also be processed effectively on several sides. The collaborative robot performs the precise movement of the welding torch, and the welding system provides a perfect seam. Preferably, the collaborative robot comprises a learning mode for learning a work movement of the welding torch for processing the workpiece and a work mode for performing the work movement learned in the learning mode, the work mode enabling welding and cutting of the workpiece.

[0031] Furthermore, the positioning of the welding robot on the side wall of the protective housing or on the unit top enables the welding robot to be moved by moving the protective housing to enclose the respective work area and to process the workpiece located in this work area using the welding robot. Such embodiments thus not only provide the best compactness or space utilization of the compact unit (because more work areas can be realized on the relevant welding table by such fastening), but also prevent any restrictions that occur when moving the protective housing or by a fixed welding robot position.

[0032] Preferably, however, the guiding device of the protective housing is configured at least with respect to the position of the welding robot in such a way that the welding robot can be enclosed from each side by the protective housing of the first position, preferably also by the protective housing of the other positions, and that the welding robot automatically closes all sides before each welding operation. Such a design makes it possible to ensure the best possible safety for the welder without impairing the mobility of the protective housing.

[0033] In addition to the fixed installation of the welding robot, for example by means of screw fixings, the welding robot can preferably also be positioned on a robot guiding system, i.e. a track or an eccentric or concentric rotating shaft on the welding table, or in each case again on the side walls of the protective housing or on the unit top. In a very preferred embodiment, the welding robot can thus also be moved independently or switched between the above-mentioned modularly defined partial work areas via an external control system, thereby mastering more complex, spatially distributed work steps. The process steps can thus be further optimized by the selection of the robot guiding system, and additional work areas can be created by the minimum area requirement of, for example, rotating shafts.

[0034] Overall, the above-mentioned features make it possible to realize a compact welding unit, in particular due to the mobile protective housing and the resulting alternating welding operations, which not only allow an optimized process step with maximized utilization of the work area, but also provide the best possible protection for the respective welder at each stage of the process. In this case, the protective cover as a combination of at least one side wall and a top preferably initially serves primarily as a main protection device of the integrated element, wherein the roller blind device mounted on the roller blind mounting on the inner side of the protective housing can completely enclose the work area located below the protective housing, thereby protecting the welder from harmful influences during the welding operation. The protective housing is further supported on the pneumatic access guide on the base frame, so that it can be moved between a first position for enclosing a first work area and at least a second position for enclosing a second work area. In this design, as described above, the best possible alternating welding can be achieved. In addition, the guide can preferably be designed in such a way that the welding robot positioned in at least one work area and controllable by a plurality of degrees of freedom can be enclosed from all sides in at least one position, which not only ensures the best possible protection, but also the maximum possible work area of the robot. Other features, such as the modular welding table, also enable the individual adaptability required for the respective welding process, which can be further maximized by possibly dividing the work area into partial work areas by the combination of modular roller blind devices and partition walls.

[0035] Therefore, this compact unit offers the most possible customization with maximized compactness and transportability. Furthermore, the compact unit can preferably be a mobile compact unit including at least one fork slot for transport, such that, particularly at one of the two locations of the protective housing, the compact unit can be transported via the fork slot using a lifting transport vehicle, thereby facilitating the transport of the compact unit. Preferably, wheels can also be used on the underside of the compact unit. Attached Figure Description

[0036] FIG. 1A A first view of a compact unit according to the invention is shown, wherein the protective housing is in a first position.

[0037] FIG. 1B A side view of the compact unit is shown.

[0038] FIG. 1C A side view of the compact unit is shown, with the protective housing in the second position.

[0039] FIG. 2A A view of the compact unit is shown, with the protective housing in a first position, and one side of the compact unit is visible.

[0040] FIG. 2B It shows FIG. 2A A view of the compact unit, with the protective housing in the second position.

[0041] FIG. 3A A top view of the compact unit without a top structure is shown, with the protective shell in the first position.

[0042] FIG. 3B It shows FIG. 3A The top view shows the protective shell in the second position.

[0043] FIG. 4A A three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a compact unit is shown, wherein the compact unit has several roller shutters and partition walls, and the protective housing is in a first position.

[0044] FIG. 4B It shows FIG. 4A A three-dimensional view of an embodiment, wherein the protective housing is in a second position.

[0045] FIG. 5A It shows no top structure FIG. 4A A top view of the compact unit, with the protective housing in the first position.

[0046] FIG. 5B It shows FIG. 5A A top view of the compact unit, with the protective housing in the second position.

[0047] FIG. 6A A cross-sectional view is shown along the side axis of an embodiment of a compact unit with a roller blind device.

[0048] FIG. 6B A detail view of the guide device of FIG. 6A is shown.

[0049] FIG. 6C A view is shown of a representation of a compact unit without a protective housing.

[0050] FIG. 7 A top view is shown of another embodiment of a compact unit without a top structure and with a linear guide of a welding robot.

[0051] FIG. 8A A cross-sectional view is shown of the left side of another embodiment of a compact unit with a welding robot on an eccentric shaft and a protective housing in a first position.

[0052] FIG. 8B A cross-sectional view is shown of FIG. 8A with a protective housing in a second position.

[0053] FIG. 9A A cross-sectional view is shown of the left side of another embodiment of a compact unit with several roller blinds and a protective housing in a first position.

[0054] FIG. 9B A cross-sectional view is shown of FIG. 9A with a protective housing in a second position.

[0055] FIG. 10 A front view is shown of another embodiment of a compact unit with a welding robot on a connecting device attached to the underside of the top of the unit.

[0056] FIG. 11 A three-dimensional view is shown of an embodiment of FIG. 10 with a protective housing in a second position.

[0057] FIG. 12A A front view is shown of another embodiment of a compact unit with a welding robot on a linear guide attached to the underside of the top of the unit.

[0058] FIG. 12B A three-dimensional view is shown of the right side of an embodiment of FIG. 12A with a protective housing in a second position.

[0059] FIG. 12C A cross-sectional view is shown of the right side of an embodiment of FIG. 12A with a protective housing in a first position.

[0060] FIG. 13A A side view of another embodiment of the compact unit is shown, in which three working areas are located one behind the other, and the protective housing is in a second position.

[0061] FIG. 13B It shows FIG. 13A A side view of an embodiment of the protective casing.

[0062] FIG. 13C It shows FIG. 13A A three-dimensional view of an embodiment of the compact unit.

[0063] FIG. 13D A three-dimensional view of another embodiment of the compact unit is shown, in which three working areas are located one behind the other, the manipulator is mounted on the working area, and the protective housing is in the third position.

[0064] FIG. 13E It shows FIG. 13D A three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a compact unit, wherein the protective housing is in a second position.

[0065] FIG. 13F It shows FIG. 13D Two front views of an embodiment of the compact unit, with the protective housing in the third position (top) and the second position (bottom).

[0066] FIG. 14A It shows FIG. 13A A front view of an embodiment of the compact unit, wherein the protective housing is in a third position.

[0067] FIG. 14B It shows FIG. 14A A three-dimensional representation of an embodiment of a compact unit. Detailed Implementation

[0068] In the following, embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the exemplary accompanying drawings. Features of the embodiments may be combined in whole or in part, and the invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Furthermore, to the extent possible, reference numerals with the same names refer to the same features of the invention in all the drawings.

[0069] FIG. 1A The external visible form of the first embodiment of this compact unit Z, together with the protective housing 3, is shown. The protective housing 3 includes a top 1 and side walls 2, which are securely connected to each other, and the protective housing 3 encloses a modular welding station 8, which can be used as a working surface. The side walls 2 of the protective housing 3 are preferably provided with at least one window 7 for observing welding operations within the compact unit Z, and the top 1 includes an extraction port 6 through which harmful welding fumes can be discharged by means of an extraction device.

[0070] In addition, roller shutter devices 22A and 22B (not shown in the figure, see example) FIG. 6A The safety devices 5A and 5B are integrated into the front and rear sides 4A and 4B of the protective housing 3, allowing the front side 4A and the protective housing 3 flush with the side wall 2 to be closed by the front roller shutter 5A, and the rear side 4B (not shown) to be closed by the rear roller shutter 5B. This design allows the working area located below the protective housing 3 to be enclosed from all sides. However, a preferred integrated safety device (not shown) prevents the roller shutters 5A and 5B from moving when an element is detected below or between them, thereby preventing damage or injury due to pinching events during normal operation.

[0071] The modular welding station further includes a drawer device 9 for tools and materials, as well as an additional welding device 10, which can further optimize the welding operations performed in the compact unit Z.

[0072] FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C The possible locations of the protective casing 3 and the corresponding working areas A1 and A2 are shown. FIG. 1B In this configuration, the protective housing 3 is positioned in a first position, meaning that the front of the modular welding station 8, along with the first working area A1, can be enclosed on all sides by the protective housing 3, thus forming a welding area safe for the welder. In this configuration, the movement of the protective housing 3 is arranged such that, in the first position of the protective housing 3, the rear working area A2 is fully exposed, allowing the welder to use the rear working area A2 to prepare for or separately process the first workpiece 11 in parallel with welding operations within the protective housing 3. In this embodiment, the rear working area A2 also includes an adjustable worktable 12 with grid openings, which is securely connected to the welding station 8 to optimize workflow.

[0073] FIG. 1C It has been shown that FIG. 1BThe embodiment of the compact unit Z shown in the figure has now been moved to a second position. In this case, the rear working area A2 is positioned within the protective housing 3, so that the rear working area A2 can be closed from all sides by closing the roller shutters 5A, 5B on the front side 4A and rear side 4B of the protective housing 3. Conversely, in this position of the protective housing 3, the front working area A1 is exposed, so that the welder can use the front working area A1 to process or remove the second workpiece 13, where the first workpiece 11 in the closed working area A2 can be processed in parallel by a welding robot within the protective housing 3. Thus, this change in the position of the protective housing 3 makes it possible to achieve optimized alternating welding operations, in which the welder can perform or prepare for the next work step at any time in one working area, in addition to the welding operations performed by the robot. Other combinations (such as welding equipment embedded in the welding table 8 or perforated grids embedded in the table surface 14 as shown in this embodiment) also allow for further personalization of the respective working areas. Furthermore, the designation of the first and second positions is not limited to the exemplary allocation of the exemplary embodiments. Opposite definitions between front and rear or between the first and second positions are also possible. Preferably, the manipulator can be freely positioned at different locations on the perforated grid platform (tabletop 14). Preferably, the cooperative robot can also be mounted on the perforated grid platform for easy positioning. The perforated grid system is preferably threadless to ensure easy positioning.

[0074] FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B The advantages of the movable protective shell 3, shown in a three-dimensional representation rotated to the left, are illustrated. FIG. 2A The protective housing 3, also known as the protective cover, is shown in its first position. The closed front roller shutter 5A, flush with the unit sidewall 2 and welding station 8, provides an almost cubic structure best suited for transport or integration into existing systems.

[0075] exist FIG. 2B In the second position, the protective housing 3 is shown, exposing the front working area A1. The perforated grid table 14, embedded in the modular welding station 8, can be used to position the workpiece 13 to be processed in the correct shape or to integrate any components to support the welding operation. A cavity also formed between the table 14 and the base of the station 8 can be used to embed other equipment into the first working area A1, further optimizing the workflow. The protective housing 3 in the second position can further close any possible openings in this cavity, ensuring optimal protection for integrated components.

[0076] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B The interior and connecting elements of the compact unit Z in an embodiment of a fixed welding robot are shown. FIG. 3A ( FIG. 3AThe compact unit Z is shown from above (with the protective housing 3 in the first position). A welding robot 15 is mounted on a support 16 fixed to a perforated grid on a welding table 8, allowing the robot to move within the first working area A1 via manipulators positioned on various arm joints, while its base remains fixed to the table 8. Furthermore, adjustment of the welding plate 12 in the second working area A2 relative to the welding table 8 is performed by means of a movable rotating arm 21, which is securely attached to the table 8 via connecting elements 28 for precise positioning. With this device, the worktable 12 of the second working area A2 can be modularly interchanged with the welding table 8 and folded or removed for transport purposes, further enhancing the compactness and efficiency of the compact unit Z.

[0077] FIG. 3B It shows FIG. 3A In another embodiment, the protective housing 3 has been moved to a second position. In this case, the protective housing 3 is configured such that in this position, the protective housing 3 can enclose the second working area A1, and the welding robot 15, together with the support 16, remains within the protective housing 3. In this way, optimal protection for the welder can be achieved during the movement of the protective housing 3 and in both end positions. The freedom of movement of the welding robot 15 also allows the welding head to be freely repositioned from the second workpiece 13 in the first working area A1 to the workpiece 11 in the second working area A2, thereby ensuring a simplified transition of work operations from one working area to another.

[0078] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B Another embodiment of the compact unit Z is shown, wherein the first working area A1 can be divided into modular partial working areas AB1 and AB2 by introducing independent modular roller shutters 18, 20 and partition walls 19. By implementing such a configuration, the working area used by the welding robot 15 or the welder can be further personalized, resulting in optimized utilization of the corresponding working areas A1, A2.

[0079] exist FIG. 4A(Where the protective housing 3 can be seen again in the first position) In the illustration shown, the front of the protective housing 3 includes, for example, two preferably equal-sized, independent modular roller shutters 18, 20, wherein only the left modular roller shutter 18 is closed, and the roller shutter 18 is modified by an additional partition wall 19 (this can also be achieved by a roller shutter with the welding station 8 embedded in the center) to form a separated, additional partial working area AB2 for the welding robot. On the other hand, the open right roller shutter 20 allows the welder to work in parallel in the right partial working area AB1 (e.g., on the third workpiece 17), thereby enabling work on both sides (in the partial working area AB1 and the rear working area A2) in the first position of the protective housing 3 in this embodiment, i.e., multiple welding operations can be performed simultaneously in parallel. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the individual modular roller shutters 18, 20 and the partition wall 19 can be connected, separated, opened, and closed independently of each other, thereby ensuring optimal access to the respective partial working areas AB1, AB2 or working areas A1, A2.

[0080] FIG. 4B It was shown again FIG. 4A In this embodiment, the protective housing 3 is in the second position, in which case both the left roller shutter 18 and the right modular roller shutter 20 are closed. The continuing partition wall 19 repeatedly forms two partial working areas AB1 and AB2; however, in this case, partial working areas AB1 and AB2 are clearly separated from the second working area A2 and the welding robot 15 by the enclosure of the protective housing 3, and from the corresponding robot working area. Therefore, in this embodiment, by utilizing a corresponding number of partition walls, even two or more partial working spaces can be achieved so that welding operations can be performed by a single welder.

[0081] As FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B Top view of the embodiment shown, FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B The position and function of the welding robot 15 relative to the aforementioned modular roller shutters 18, 20 and partition wall 19 are specified in detail.

[0082] FIG. 5A A welding robot 15 is shown with a support member 16 having the aforementioned functions, the support member 16 being positioned at... FIG. 4AThe support 16 of the welding robot 15 is attached to the table top 14 in such a way that there is a minimum distance between the welding robot 15 and the partition wall 19 at which the welding robot can still reach the entire space of the partial work area AB2 enclosed by the partition wall 19 and the left roller blind 18. Similarly, the illustrated embodiment can also be designed in such a way that the welding robot 15 can move between the two partial work areas AB1, AB2, with the partition wall 19 remaining in place to protect the welder on the side of the partial work area not currently used by the welding robot 15 throughout all welding operations. In this case, therefore, an extremely compact alternating welding method can be implemented, which can be used on one side only, in which the welder and the welding robot 15 can be continuously alternated between the first partial work area AB1 and the second partial work area AB2. Such a method is advantageous, for example, if another welding operation is simultaneously prepared at the second work area A2, the protective housing 3 cannot be moved from the first position to the second position.

[0083] FIG. 5B The use of FIG. 4B The same welding robot 15 introduced in the illustrated embodiment is modified for the welding operation individually. Since the welding robot 15 can weld independently in the second work area A2 and the workpieces 11, 13, 17 can be exchanged by different welders by opening and closing the modular roller blinds 18, 20 likewise independently, such a device, in particular the partition wall 19 introduced in the front work area A1, also allows the implementation of a 2-person alternating welding system without any problems.

[0084] FIG. 6A The cross section of the compact unit Z is shown with the protective housing 3 in the first position, also according to FIG. 4A , FIG. 4B and FIG. 5A , FIG. 5B The roller blind devices 22A, 22B of the illustrated embodiment for opening and closing the modular roller blinds 18, 20 located in the front 4A and the roller blind 5B of the protective housing 3 located in the rear 4B. In this case, the respective roller blinds 18, 20, 5B are initially attached to the roller blind mounts V1, V2, V3, which are integrated in the roof 1 or the cavity structure 29A, 29B of the roof 1 so that they can be stored as protected as possible during the movement of the protective housing 3 or the welding process in general. The opening and closing of the roller blinds 18, 20, 5B is controlled by a motor (not shown in the figures) with a control unit linked to the roller blind devices 22A, 22B.

[0085] FIG. 6A The guide structure for moving the protective housing 3 is also shown, FIG. 6BThe guiding structure is also enlarged in the middle. In order to move the protective housing 3 in a precise manner, two linear guide rails 23 are attached to the underside of the top 1 or the underside of the above-mentioned cavity structure frame along the front axis of the protective housing 3, wherein the length of the guide rails 23 defines the travel length of the associated protective housing 3. Furthermore, the same guide rails 23 are each located on a pneumatically controllable guiding device 24, which moves the protective housing 3 in the respective direction via the guide rails 23 in order to move the protective housing 3 from the first position to the second position and back. In order to improve the stability of the moving mechanism, the respective guiding device is also firmly connected to a base frame 25 and, via the further connection of the base frame 25 to the respective side wall of the welding station 8, also to the welding station 8 on both sides. Such a structure enables an optimal stabilization of the process of the protective housing 3, while at the same time maintaining the compactness of the compact unit Z due to the close fitting of the base frame 25 to the welding station 8.

[0086] Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 of the embodiment of the compact unit Z is shown in a three-dimensional view and without the protective housing 3 FIG. 6C In the middle, the structure of the base frame 25 is also shown in more detail. In this case, the base frame 25 is firmly connected to the respective outer side of the welding station 8 on both sides and forms a beam structure at the rear end of the welding station 8, which is arranged on the rear corners of the welding station 8 for additional stabilization and defines the height of the respective protective housing 3. Thus, at the upper end of the beam structure, the pneumatically controllable guiding devices 24 for moving the supported protective housing 3 are mounted, so that the movement of the protective housing 3 further benefits from the stability of the base frame 25 when the guide rails 23 of the protective housing 3 are placed in position.

[0087] FIG. 7 Another embodiment of the compact unit Z is shown in a top view, wherein the protective housing 3 is shown in the first position and is provided with the roller blind structure already shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 5A In this case, in particular, the welding robot 15 is adjusted on linear guide rails 26 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the welding station 8, so that the welding robot 15 can be moved in a simplified manner between the two partial work areas AB1, AB2 of the first work area Al and reaches the partial work areas AB1, AB2 or the individual areas of the workpieces 13, 17 in an improved manner. Furthermore, the support 30 of the welding robot 15, which is connected to the guide rails 26, is rotatably mounted, whereby in the case of a change in the position of the protective housing 3, a likewise simplified approach to the second work area A2 or the workpieces 11 mounted in the second work area A2 can be achieved. The control unit (not shown) of the motor connected to the guide rails 26 also enables a programmable work flow of the welding robot 15.

[0088] FIG. 8A and FIG. 8BAnother embodiment of the welding robot support 27 in a side view of the embodiments of the protective enclosure 3 already shown in Figures 1-3 is also shown, in which FIG. 8A the protective enclosure 3 is held in the first position, in which FIG. 8B the protective enclosure 3 is held in the second position. In this embodiment, the welding robot 15 is adjusted on the eccentrically mounted rotary axis support 27, which is attached to the welding table 14, so that the welding robot 15, as an additional degree of freedom, can also be moved in the direction of the front or rear side 4A, 4B of the protective enclosure 3, so that it can be moved to the respective workpiece 11, 13 in a more precise and simplified manner. Similarly, compared to the fixed linear guide 26 shown in FIG. 7 , the work surface to be used can be used even more effectively by means of the eccentric rotary axis 27, which further optimizes the shown embodiment compared to the previously shown embodiments.

[0089] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B another embodiment of the welding robot support 27 shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B is also shown, in which a modular curtain 18, 20 is provided in the embodiment of the protective enclosure 3, as shown in FIG. 4A , FIG. 4B and FIG. 5A , FIG. 5B , FIG. 9A a corresponding protective enclosure 3 in the first position is shown, FIG. 9B a corresponding protective enclosure 3 in the second position is shown. In this case, the high modularity of the work area divided by the individually positionable curtains 18, 20, 5B is combined with the precise control of the workpiece 11 by the welding robot 15 via the eccentrically mounted support rotary axis 27. Furthermore, none of the shown embodiments interferes with the movement of the protective enclosure 3 in the direction of the first or second position, which also proves the high modularity of the shown invention.

[0090] FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 Another embodiment of the compact unit Z is described, in which the welding robot 15 can be positioned above the welding table by means of a connection device 30 permanently attached to the unit top 1 in the embodiment of the protective enclosure 3 already shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0091] FIG. 10A front view of the above described embodiment is shown, wherein in particular the positioning of the welding robot 15 above the workpieces 13 to be processed ensures an improved accessibility of the workpieces 13 to the welding robot 15, so that the precision of the welding operations involved can be further optimized. Furthermore, this embodiment offers the advantage that by attachment to the movable protective housing 3, the welding robot 15 can be moved with the protective housing 3, whereby not only any restrictions regarding the movement of the protective housing around the position of the stationary welding robot 15 can be bypassed, but also the welding robot 3 can be brought closer to the respective workpieces 11, 13, 17 by means of the control unit attached to the protective housing 3.

[0092] FIG. 11 An embodiment described in FIG. 10 is also shown in a three-dimensional representation from the bottom of the compact unit Z. In particular, the position of the connecting device 30, at which the welding robot 15 is connected to the unit top 1, is again elucidated in more detail in this representation. Furthermore, it can be seen that by attaching the welding robot 15 to the protective housing 3, more work surface can be realized on the welding table 8, which further optimizes the work-to-unit area ratio of the compact unit Z.

[0093] FIG. 12A-FIG. 12C Another embodiment of the welding robot positioning is described, wherein the welding robot 15 is additionally connected via the connecting device 30 to a linear guide 31, which is attached to the top of the protective housing 3 and is combined with the embodiment of the protective housing 3 with the welding table 8 already shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0094] FIG. 12A A front view of the compact unit Z is shown, wherein the welding robot 15 can be moved via the linear guide 31 (which is aligned parallel to the front roller blind) between the two partial work areas AB1, AB2, so as to optimally reach the workpieces 13, 17, which are separated from each other by the partition wall 19. Furthermore, the positioning of the welding robot 15 to the unit top 1 of the protective housing 3 also produces the advantage that the work surface of the partial work areas AB1, AB2 present on the welding table 8 is not additionally reduced in size by the welding robot 15 or the corresponding guide 31, which can move more precisely to the respective workpieces by moving with the protective housing 3 during its movement.

[0095] In another aspect, FIG. 12B and FIG. 12C An embodiment of the compact unit Z already shown in FIG. 12A is described in cross section, wherein FIG. 12B the protective housing 3 is shown in the second position, FIG. 12CThe same device is shown with the protective housing in the first position. In addition to the advantages described above, it is particularly apparent that in this embodiment the movement of the protective housing 3 is defined by the geometry of the base frame 25 or the dimensions of the guide rails 23, so that there are no further restrictions (e.g. maximum travel length due to elements fixed on the welding table 8). Thus, a greater compact unit Z or a more compact unit Z, which can be modeled in a geometrically free manner, can also be realized by this embodiment.

[0096] FIG. 13A-FIG. 13C Another embodiment of the compact unit Z is shown, in which the aforementioned design of the protective housing 3 with the welding robot 15 attached to the top of the unit 1 is combined with a welding table consisting of three work areas Al, A2, A3.

[0097] Figure 13 shows a side view of the compact unit Z, in which the protective housing 3 is in the second position, i.e. enclosing the second work area A2. In contrast to the previously described embodiments, in this embodiment the work areas Al, A2, A3 are not defined by two or more welding plates, but are arranged one after the other and overlap each other on a single welding table 8. Here, the first work area Al is again described with respect to the front side 4A of the protective housing 3 (see e.g. FIG. 12C The front work area Al, the second work area A2 and the third work area A3 of the compact unit Z are described with respect to the invention, respectively.

[0098] Furthermore, in this case the aforementioned base frame 25 or guide device 24 is configured in such a way that the protective housing 3 can be moved from the first position for enclosing the first work area Al via the second position for enclosing the second work area A2 successively to at least the third position for enclosing the third work area A3 and back, so that at least each area of the welding table 8 located underneath the protective housing 3 can be enclosed once by the movement of the protective housing 3 and only the area not enclosed is exposed. This has the advantage that an arbitrary number of work areas can be provided, so that not only one or two welders can prepare or process workpieces 11, 13, 17 in parallel with the welding robot, but the compact unit Z can also be assembled as required depending on the requirements of the respective welding operation. Preferably, the movement of the protective housing 3 can also be defined more precisely by a control unit, so that the position of the protective housing 3 can be redefined at any time before the respective welding operation.

[0099] FIG. 13BThe protective enclosure 3 of this embodiment is described in more detail. The respective roller blind 5A, 5B, 5C can also comprise protective curtains 32A, 32C, such that when the roller blind 5A, 5B, 5C is lowered, protection of the welder is ensured, but at the same time the interior of the protective enclosure 3 can be observed. Furthermore, these protective curtains (or roller blind grating structures) 32A, 32B can preferably be automatically closed when the welding robot 15 located within the protective enclosure 3 is performing a welding operation, such that a complete prevention of spark jumps or possible welding fume emissions is possible.

[0100] FIG. 13C A three-dimensional view of the same embodiment is also shown, in which the roller blinds 5A, 5C of the protective enclosure 3 are still closed. In particular, it can be seen here that in this embodiment, a compact unit can be provided from each side, the respective protective enclosure 3 can be accessed via at least one roller blind 5A, 5C on three of the four sides of the protective enclosure 3. This device thus provides optimal accessibility, in particular in the case of parallel welding operations with welding robots 15.

[0101] FIG. 13D-FIG. 13F Another embodiment of a compact unit Z with three working areas Al, A2, A3 is described, in which an additional base with a manipulator 32 has been added, which is aligned along the longitudinal axis of the welding table 14 and is positioned on the first and second working areas.

[0102] FIG. 13D This embodiment is shown in a three-dimensional view, in which the protective enclosure 3 is located in a third position, above the third working area A3. In this case, the manipulator 32 is equipped with a rotary axis for clamping a workpiece 33, which is aligned along the long side of the welding table 14, which rotatably supports the workpiece 33, such that the welding robot 15 can be approached to the workpiece 33 from various sides during the welding operation. Here, the shape and degrees of freedom of the manipulator 32 are not limited to FIG. 13D-FIG. 13F the embodiment shown. Thus, in another embodiment, the manipulator 32 can also preferably translate the workpiece 33 or rotate the workpiece 33 in more than one axis relative to the original position of the workpiece 33, thus ensuring optimal handling of the workpiece 33 by the welding robot 15. Furthermore, a plurality of manipulators 32 can also be implemented, preferably also on a plurality of welding tables 14.

[0103] Furthermore, the side walls 4C, 4D of the protective enclosure 3 are provided with lightweight welding curtains for optimizing the movement of the protective enclosure 3 and protecting the manipulator 32 from possible contact damage, such that in particular when moving the protective enclosure 3 from the working area A3 without a manipulator 32 (see FIG. 13D ) to the working areas Al, A2 provided with a manipulator 32 (as FIG. 13EAt the same time, even if the side walls 4C, 4D are lowered, it is not possible to damage the workpiece 33, which is embedded into the manipulator 32, at the time of the welding operation (as shown in the illustration in Fig. 3). In addition, it is preferred that, in a further embodiment of the protective housing 3, it is possible to follow the shape of the manipulator 32 or the workpiece 33 to set openings or hole hatches on the side walls 4C, 4D, whereby it is possible to perform the closure of the manipulator 32 or the workpiece 33 or parts of the workpiece 33 without any contact with the protective housing 3.

[0104] By means of such a structure, it is possible to handle the workpiece 33 more precisely by the welding robot 15, in particular due to the integrated manipulator 32. In addition, due to the modularly adjustable work areas Al, A2, A3, and the freely selectable dimensions of the manipulator 32, it is also possible to perform partial handling steps on the same workpiece 33.

[0105] FIG. 13F The illustration in Fig. 3 (in FIG. 13F , FIG. 13D and FIG. 13E The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 again is shown as a front view) allows to show in more detail the following feature: Since the workpiece, which is embedded into the manipulator 32, for example by moving the protective housing 3 into the second position (lower part of FIG. 13F , can only be partially closed by the protective housing 3, it can also only be partially handled by the welding robot 15, which is mounted on the roof 1, the welder (for example in the first work area Al) still has the freedom to prepare and further modify the still free parts of the workpiece 33. This means that it is also possible to perform parallel welding operations on larger workpieces, even complex handling steps, which require a multi-stage preparation or handling process of the workpiece, can be realized without any problems.

[0106] FIG. 13E The protective housing shown comprises four side faces, on two side faces there are welding curtains, on the other two side faces there is one roller shutter device each. Thus, in this further embodiment, it is possible to form the unit side walls from the welding curtains or the roller shutters, so that an easy accessibility from all sides of the protective housing is possible. The protective housing in this further embodiment is configured as a movable / displaceable portal on four uprights, wherein the roller shutter devices and / or the welding curtains can preferably be provided between each of these uprights.

[0107] FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B Further described FIG. 13A-FIG. 13CAn embodiment of the compact unit Z has already been shown, in which the three roller shutters 5A, 5C of the protective housing are opened and the protective housing 3 is moved over the third position or third work area A3. Due to the welding robot 15 positioned on the unit top 1 by means of the connecting device 31, the workpiece 11 can be optimally processed again, while the welding robot 15, by virtue of the additional movement of the protective housing 3, allows the welding robot 15 to be positioned in another work area Al, A2 after the work has been completed. Preferably, this process can be automated, for example by means of the control unit (not shown) described above, so that optimal work chains can be possible. This embodiment of the compact unit Z thus achieves optimal accessibility of the individual work areas and combines the possibility of extending and automating parallel welding operations as required.

Claims

1. A compact unit (Z) having a protective enclosure (3) for welding operations and / or cutting operations by means of a welding robot (15), the compact unit (Z) comprising: a unit roof (1) and at least one unit side wall (2), wherein the unit side wall (2) is connected to the unit roof (1); the protective enclosure (3) comprising at least the unit roof (1) and the at least one unit side wall (2); and at least a first working area (Al) and a second working area (A2) for welding operations; wherein the protective enclosure (3) is configured to be movable in at least two directions and to enclose the first working area (Al) and to expose the second working area (A2) in a first position and to enclose the second working area (A2) and to expose the first working area (Al) in a second position.

2. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1, wherein The protective enclosure (3) comprises at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) which in an open position allows access to one of the first working area and the second working area enclosed by the protective enclosure (3) and which in a closed position closes the one working area for welding operations.

3. The compact unit (Z) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The welding robot (15) is received on the protective enclosure (3) such that the welding robot (15) can be moved together with the protective enclosure (3).

4. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 3, wherein The welding robot (15) is received on the unit roof (1) and / or on the unit side wall (2).

5. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 3, wherein The welding robot (15) is a collaborative robot.

6. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The protective enclosure (3) adjacent to the unit side wall (2) comprises at least a unit front side (4A) with a front roller blind device (22A) and a unit rear side (4B) with a rear roller blind device (22B), and wherein the protective enclosure (3) can be closed at least partially by the front and / or rear roller blind device (22A; 22B).

7. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1, wherein The protective enclosure (3) comprises at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) and / or a welding robot (15) received on the unit roof (1) and / or unit side wall (2), in a closed position of the at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) the protective enclosure (3) allows to close one of the first working area and the second working area on all sides, and wherein the roller blind devices (22A; 22B) can be opened and closed independently from each other.

8. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1, 2 or 7, wherein The compact unit (Z) is provided for alternating welding operations such that the protective enclosure (3) in the second position encloses the second working area (A2) for welding operations and simultaneously exposes the first working area (Al) for access by an operator to set up or exchange workpieces in the first working area, and The compact unit (Z) is provided for alternating welding operations such that the protective enclosure (3) in the second position encloses the second working area (A2) for welding operations and simultaneously exposes the first working area (Al) for access by an operator to set up or exchange workpieces in the first working area, and wherein said protective enclosure (3) is movable at least from said second position to said first position for a change of work area, for closing said first work area (Al) while exposing at least said second work area (A2).

9. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1, 2 or 7, wherein arranged in succession along a longitudinal axis at least a first work area (Al), a second work area (A2) and at least a further work area (A3), and said protective enclosure (3) closes one of said first work area, said second work area and said further work area by continuous movement in linear direction along said longitudinal axis.

10. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein One of said first work area and said second work area exposed by said protective enclosure (3) is accessible from at least one side of said one work area and from the top of said one work area, enabling said one work area to be loaded from above by a crane.

11. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 2, wherein said roller blind device (22A; 22B) comprises at least one roller blind (5A; 5B; 5C) capable of completely closing a front side (4A) or a rear side (4B) of said protective enclosure (3); and the roller blinds (18; 20) of said roller blind device (22A; 22B) are interconnectable to further divide said one work area into sub work areas (AB1; AB2).

12. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 2, wherein, said roller blind device (22A; 22B) comprises at least one roller blind mount (VI; V2; V3) arranged within said unit roof (1), wherein said roller blind mount (VI; V2; V3) moves a roller blind (5A; 5B; 5C; 18; 20) from said unit roof (1) to the bottom of said one work area to close said protective enclosure (3) and moves said roller blind (5A; 5B; 5C; 18; 20) from the bottom of said one work area to said unit roof (1) to open said protective enclosure (3).

13. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 2, wherein said one work area is dividable into additional partial work areas (AB1; AB2) by at least one further partition wall (19).

14. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 13, wherein said at least one further partition wall (19) is a roller blind.

15. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 13, wherein said partial work areas (AB1; AB2) are closable from all sides by respective roller blinds (18; 20) of said roller blind device (22A; 22B), said partition walls (19) of said protective enclosure (3) and said roller blinds (18; 20) of said partial work areas (AB1; AB2) are independently openable and closable from each other.

16. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 1, wherein Each work area comprises at least one modular welding station (8), wherein said modular welding station (8) comprises a table (14) with a perforated grid for precise positioning of a workpiece (11; 13; 17), a manipulator and / or said welding robot (15).

17. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 2, wherein, said protective enclosure (3) comprises at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) on each of the three sides, and said roller blind devices (22A; 22B) are able to completely close the three sides of the protective enclosure (3) in each case by means of at least one roller blind (5A; 5B; 5C), so that the roller blinds (5A; 5B; 5C) and the unit side walls (2) are able to enclose the one work area located beneath the protective enclosure (3) from all sides.

18. Compact unit (Z) according to claim 17, wherein said protective enclosure (3) comprises at least one roller blind device (22A; 22B) on each of the four sides (4A; 4B; 4C; 4D), and said roller blind devices (22A; 22B) are able to completely close the four sides (4A; 4B; 4C; 4D) of the protective enclosure (3) in each case by means of at least one roller blind (5A; 5B; 5C), so that the roller blinds (5A; 5B; 5C) and the unit side walls (2) are able to enclose the one work area located beneath the protective enclosure (3) from all sides.

19. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 16, wherein a welding robot (15) is arranged in one of the first work area and the second work area; the welding robot (15) is able to be enclosed from all sides by the protective enclosure (3) at least in the first position and / or by the protective enclosure (3) in the second position.

20. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 19, wherein said welding robot (15) is moved along at least one axis by a base (16; 26; 27; 30); and said base (16; 26; 27; 30) is configured in such a way that the welding robot (15) is able to be positioned in all work areas located in the protective enclosure (3), and said base is arranged on the table top (14) or on the unit top (1) or on the unit side walls (2).

21. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 20, wherein said base (16; 26; 27; 30) comprises a linear guide (26; 31) and / or an eccentric shaft (27).

22. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 16, wherein said protective enclosure (3) comprises at least one linear guide rail (23) for movement, which is arranged on the underside of the unit top (1) and on at least one guide device (24).

23. The compact unit (Z) according to claim 22, wherein said guide device (24) is fixedly connected to a static base frame (25), said protective enclosure (3) is pneumatically displaceable, and wherein the base frame (25) is fixedly connected to the modular welding table (8).

24. The compact unit (Z) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 7, 15 and 19-23, wherein, said unit top (1) comprises at least one extraction opening (6) and / or a movable extraction device, which is able to be moved by the movement of the protective enclosure (3).

25. A method for configuring a protective enclosure (3) for welding operations and / or cutting operations by means of a welding robot (15), wherein a compact unit (Z) comprises a unit top (1) and at least one unit side wall (2), which are connected to one another and form a protective enclosure (3), wherein said compact unit (Z) comprises at least a first work area (A1) and a second work area (A2) for welding operations; and said protective enclosure (3) is configured to be movable in at least two directions, the method comprising the steps of: moving said protective enclosure (3) from a first position to a second position to enclose one work area and simultaneously expose the other work area.

Images