Machine tool and method for the shaped manufacturing of an article

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine tool (1) for the profiled manufacture of an article, comprising a tool seat (2), a tool conveying device (3), a tool (5) repository (4) and a control device (6), wherein the machine tool (1) is configured to select a tool (5) from the repository (4) and to fix the tool (5) on the tool seat (2) depending on the article to be processed. The invention also relates to a method for the manufacture of an article using the machine tool.

Description

[0001] Invention Field

[0002] This invention relates to a forming machine tool for manufacturing articles, comprising a tool holder, a tool conveying device, a tool storage compartment, and a control device. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing articles. Background Technology

[0003] Machine tools have various uses in manufacturing technology. They are used to process and manufacture semi-finished products, articles, or commercially available objects. Among these, machine tools used for metalworking can be equipped with various tools suitable for handling different materials or manufacturing specific items. Known machine tools include cutting machine tools such as lathes and milling machines, and forming machine tools such as presses and punches. Stamping is a chipless process and is typically carried out on forming machine tools. Presses are similar in design to punches, but compared to presses, punches, especially automatic punches, are equipped with a feed device.

[0004] Generally, it is known that tool changing is done manually according to the item to be manufactured, which is relatively time-consuming. It is also known to equip machine tools with tool holders containing tool magazines, through which tools can be moved into the working position. However, the selection of usable tools is limited for these machine tools. Furthermore, this tool storage method is not suitable for all types of machine tools. Such tool storage devices are known to be found in cutting machine tools.

[0005] Especially when manufacturing small batches of items, the following problems arise: either small-batch manufacturing involves frequent tool changes, or large-batch manufacturing involves large-scale warehousing of manufactured items. Both solutions result in high costs.

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a forming machine tool that enables rapid tool switching.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, a machine tool for forming manufactured articles includes a tool holder, a tool conveying device, a tool storage compartment, and a control device, wherein the machine tool is configured to select a tool from the storage compartment according to the article to be manufactured and fix the tool on the tool holder.

[0008] According to the present invention, tools suitable for manufacturing articles are automatically selected, and the tools are also automatically secured to the tool holder. In this case, the tools can be secured by mechanical or hydraulic fixing members, wherein the fixing members are preferably constructed as clamps that cause force-fitting fixation of the tools on the tool holder. The position of the clamp can be monitored by a control device. For this purpose, sensors can be equipped on the clamp.

[0009] The method according to the invention is applicable herein to forming machine tools, and within the scope of the invention, punch presses or automatic stamping machines are also included. For cutting machine tools, low-cost and easily implemented tool changing schemes are known. Regarding cutting tools, the tools, and especially their interfaces to the tool holder, are often standardized, and machining parameters are easily adjustable, for example, by modifying the tool feed and speed. Therefore, automated tool changing is particularly easy to implement for cutting machine tools.

[0010] For forming machines (including punch presses and automatic stamping presses), tool changing is much more difficult. Tools are often very heavy, and tool holders are sometimes difficult to access; for example, they may need to be mounted overhead. Furthermore, many processing parameters are adjustable, such as feed, the force applied to the semi-finished product by the tool depending on the item, and the forming speed. Another problem is that, especially with automatic stamping presses, the stamping tools and their interfaces to the tool holders are often not standardized. Therefore, manual setup and adjustment are usually required, and for forming machines, the long-established automated switching methods of cutting machines, such as the werkzeugrevolver, are not considered.

[0011] Tools can be equipped with machine-readable codes. Preferably, these codes are remotely readable. The machine-readable codes can be automatically read by a reading device, where the control device stores the tool type corresponding to the code. This allows the machine tool to have a storage facility containing a large number of tools, which can be transported and read in using a suitable transport device. The codes can be read optically or electromagnetically. When optically readable, the tool is equipped with optically readable codes, such as barcodes or DM codes (data matrix codes). When electromagnetically readable, the code is read from an active or passive transmitter located on the tool. For this purpose, for example, an RFID tag can be provided on the tool.

[0012] To select items, the control device may include an input device. This input device can be implemented via an interface through which electronic item information can be transmitted to the machine tool. Alternatively, the input device can transmit a work task in the form of a list of items to be manufactured. In this case, the list contains information about the tools required to manufacture the items. If an item in the list needs to be manufactured, the machine tool can select a tool from the tool magazine based on the list and the tools given therein, and automatically fix the tool in the tool holder.

[0013] The control device may include a memory storing a list of items to be manufactured, and assigning tools and corresponding machine-readable codes to each item. The list can be input into the control device using an input device. The list establishes a mapping between tools and items to be manufactured. The list can be generated using the input device, or it can be transmitted to the control device via the input device.

[0014] A reading device for reading codes can be assigned to the tool conveyor. The tool conveyor preferably also includes a transport device for transporting tools. This transport device can simultaneously transport tools and act as a tool storage unit. For example, the transport device can be configured as a conveyor belt on which tools are arranged. Tools can be transported cyclically. In this case, tools pass through the reading device, and the machine tool automatically selects the tool assigned to the item to be manufactured. Alternatively, a separate tool storage unit can be assigned to the transport device, where tools can be automatically stored and retrieved. Furthermore, tool transport between the tool storage unit and the tool conveyor can be achieved using an unmanned automated transport system.

[0015] The tool is then automatically secured to the tool holder. Accordingly, the tool can pass through a reading device during transport using a transport device, where the reading device detects a code.

[0016] The control device may have an input device for selecting the item to be manufactured, wherein the control device determines the tools required to manufacture the item based on the list. This operation is automated, enabling the entire tool changeover and setup process to be completed without human intervention.

[0017] The machine tool can be an automatic stamping press. To date, tool changes on automatic stamping presses have been particularly complex, resulting in only a limited number of tool changes per shift. Consequently, it has been impossible to manufacture small batches of items economically and without the need for warehousing. With a machine tool in the form of an automatic stamping press according to the invention, stamping tools can be changed quickly and automatically. This significantly increases the number of tool changes per shift, thereby enabling economical small-batch production without the need for extensive warehousing of manufactured items.

[0018] In the method for manufacturing articles using a machine tool according to the present invention, the article to be manufactured and the tools required for manufacturing are determined in the first step; the tools are selected from the tool storage in the second step; the tools are fixed to the tool holder in the third step; and manufacturing parameters for a specific article are provided from the control device in the fourth step. After manufacturing a predetermined number of articles, the tools can be removed from the tool holder in the fifth step, and the tools can be returned to the tool storage in the sixth step.

[0019] The machine tool is preferably a punch press. The tool storage unit includes a transport device for transporting the tool and a reading device for reading the code located on the punch press.

[0020] To manufacture an item, a list of items to be manufactured is stored in the memory of the control device. This list includes a tool assigned to each item and a machine-readable code corresponding to that tool. Tools are transported via a transport device, and during transport, the reading device reads the tools. If the reading device detects a tool corresponding to an item to be manufactured, it retrieves the tool from its storage and attaches it to the tool transport device. The item can then be manufactured.

[0021] If a predetermined number of items to be manufactured have been produced, select the next type of item and the corresponding tool from the list. In this case, first remove the previous tool as described above, then take the next tool from the tool storage and secure it to the tool holder.

[0022] The design scheme of the machine tool according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 A punch press in the form of an automatic punching machine is shown schematically.

[0024] Figure 1 Machine tool 1 is shown, which is configured as an automatic stamping machine. In machine tool 1, a semi-finished product in the form of metal strip (Blechband) is formed into an article using the automatic stamping machine. Machine tool 1 can, for example, be configured to manufacture a metal support ring for a seal using the metal strip.

[0025] Machine tool 1 includes tool holder 2, tool conveying device 3, tool storage 4, and control device 6.

[0026] Tool 5 is equipped with machine-readable code 7, wherein code 7 is preferably constructed as a barcode or DM code and is therefore optically readable.

[0027] The control device 6 includes a memory that can store a list of items to be manufactured. This list can store the type of item to be manufactured, the quantity of items to be manufactured, the tool 5 corresponding to each item, and the machine-readable code 7 corresponding to each tool 5.

[0028] The control device 6 is connected to the input device 8. The input device 8 has an operation panel for selecting items stored in the memory 1. Furthermore, the input device 8 is equipped with an interface through which a list containing items to be manufactured can be transferred to the memory.

[0029] Control unit 6 monitors the production process and detects when the production task ends. Once the production task ends, control unit 6 initiates the tool changeover for tool 5. To change tool 5, control unit 6 stores the processing steps and parameters for the changeover process. Control unit 6 sends corresponding signals to tool holder 2, transport device 9, and machine tool 1 to implement the movements necessary for tool changeover. Tool changeover includes both parameters for tool removal and parameters for tool loading. Control unit 6 also provides parameters to the cutting device, which performs fixed-length shearing on the strip-shaped semi-finished product.

[0030] Control unit 6 also ensures the correct positioning of tool 5 and pressure bar (sometimes called press slide). Furthermore, control unit 6 provides manufacturing parameters for producing new articles, such as feed rate and forming speed. Accordingly, control unit 6 contains parameters for both tool changing and manufacturing process parameters. In this regard, machine tool 1 may have a first control unit for tool changing and a second control unit for the production process. The first control unit stores the parameters for tool changing, and the second control unit stores the parameters for the production process. Both control units have access to a common memory where the parameters are stored.

[0031] The tool conveying device 3 includes a conveyor 9 for transporting the tool 5. This conveyor is configured as a conveyor belt, on which the tool 5 is circulated. The tool conveying device 3 is also equipped with a reading device 10 for reading the machine-readable code 7 disposed on the tool 5.

[0032] To replace tool 5, tool 5 is continuously transported via transport device 9 until reading device 10 detects tool 5 corresponding to the item to be manufactured in the current production task. This tool is then selected and automatically transported to tool holder 2 via a conveyor corresponding to tool transport device 3, where it is automatically secured. By transporting tool 5 via transport device 9 and checking for a production task assigned to each tool 5 passing through reading device 10, setup time can be shortened. If a production task exists, tool 5 is selected and installed. Otherwise, transporting tool 5 continues.

[0033] The conveying device includes a pneumatic adjustment component, which enables the tool 5 to move towards the tool holder 2. In this design, the tool holder 2 includes a pneumatic clamp, which secures the tool 5 to the tool holder 2 using both form and force fit. The clamp is equipped with a sensor and can be controlled by a control device 6.

[0034] If a predetermined number of items have been manufactured, the list of the next items is retrieved, and after the previous tool 5 is removed, the corresponding tool 5 is fixed onto the tool holder 2. In this case, the switching of tool 5 and the adjustment of manufacturing parameters are performed automatically without any manual intervention.

[0035] Most of the items manufactured using machine tool 1 are transported to transport containers such as boxes. For this purpose, machine tool 1 is equipped with an ejection device, for example, a blower unit. Control unit 6 can be configured to cause the transport container to be replaced when a tool change is performed. This ensures that the manufactured items are stored and transported according to their type. In this case, the transport container can move within a device similar to transport device 9. The capacity of the transport container depends on the size of the item. The size information of the item is stored in control unit 6, so when the capacity is exhausted, the transport container can be automatically replaced.

Claims

1. A machine tool (1) for forming and manufacturing articles, said machine tool (1) comprising a tool holder (2), a tool conveying device (3), a tool (5) storage (4), and a control device (6), wherein, The machine tool (1) is configured to select a tool (5) from the storage (4) according to the item to be processed and fix the tool (5) on the tool holder (2); The tool (5) is equipped with machine-readable code (7), and the control device (6) includes a memory that stores a list of items to be manufactured, and assigns a tool (5) and machine-readable code (7) corresponding to the tool (5) to the items to be manufactured. The tool conveying device (3) includes a conveying device (9) for conveying the tool (5); and In order to read the code (7), a reading device (10) is assigned to the tool delivery device (3); The tool (5) passes through the reading device (10) during transportation using the transport device (9), wherein the reading device (10) detects the code (7), and when the reading device (10) detects the tool (5) corresponding to the item to be manufactured in the current production task, it selects the tool (5).

2. The machine tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, The code (7) can be read remotely.

3. The machine tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, In order to select the article to be manufactured, the control device (6) includes an input device (8).

4. The machine tool according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The control device (6) determines the tools (5) required to manufacture the article based on the list.

5. The machine tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The machine tool (1) is an automatic punching machine.

6. A method for manufacturing articles using the machine tool (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, In the first step, the article to be manufactured and the tools (5) required for manufacturing are determined; in the second step, the tools (5) are selected from the tool (5) storage (4); in the third step, the tools (5) are fixed on the tool holder (2); and in the fourth step, manufacturing parameters for a specific article are provided from the control device (6).

Images