Method and system for efficient recovery of residual material

Abstract

This invention relates to an efficient method (12) and system (10) for recycling residual material (16), wherein a recycler (22) transfers the desired amount of residual material (16) to a workpiece processor, particularly a workpiece processor computer (44). Additionally, information (32) regarding the residual material (16) actually generated by the workpiece processor can be transmitted to the recycler (22), particularly the recycler computer (34). This can significantly improve the circular economy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering residual materials from workpiece processing. Background Technology

[0002] Waste or residual materials generated during workpiece processing are typically collected and mixed with other residual materials before being transferred to recyclers. However, the fact that residual materials are mixed together makes recycling difficult. This is because recyclers often lack reliable information about the material (metallurgical) composition of the residual materials. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for recovering residual materials in a significantly more efficient manner.

[0004] According to the invention, this objective is achieved by the method according to claim 1 and the system according to claim 13. Preferred improvements are proposed in the dependent claims.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is achieved by a recycling method in which information regarding the desired material family of the residual material, the tolerable accompanying materials (impurities) in the residual material, and / or the dimensions of the various portions of the residual material is transmitted from the recycler of the residual material to the workpiece processor. The material family should be understood, in particular, as a combination of multiple standardized material numbers in a container. Alternatively or additionally, the recycler may transmit information regarding desired quality and claim criteria to the workpiece processor.

[0006] This information is transmitted from the recycler's computer to the workpiece processor's computer. The residual material is generated by the workpiece processor when processing the workpiece using a processing machine. This residual material is then collected in a container based on previously obtained information and, in particular, transported to the recycler.

[0007] Therefore, within the scope of this invention, the recycler transmits very specific specifications of the desired residual material (“the customer’s voice”) to the workpiece processor. Because the recycler is not required to recycle “any random” type of residual material and is not required to perform any possible reprocessing, recycling can be performed particularly efficiently. This also enables the workpiece processor to obtain higher prices for the residual material, thus achieving both ecological and economic benefits.

[0008] Within the scope of this invention, information can be transmitted via a data connection in which connection partners are respectively connected to the Internet and / or an intranet via a network interface. Recyclers can take the form of scrap dealers, smelters, steel mills, and / or foundries. The workpiece processor computer and / or recycler computer can be configured to be at least partially cloud-based.

[0009] The workpiece processor computer is preferably part of a production planning and control system (PPS). This PPS may include an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and / or a Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The workpiece processor computer may have a workpiece processor algorithm, particularly a workpiece processor algorithm with an artificial intelligence system. The artificial intelligence system may have a trained neural network. Alternatively or additionally, the workpiece processor computer may have a display device on which the recycler's desired material information is displayed at the workpiece processor.

[0010] Preferably, after the workpiece is processed, information about the actual residual material generated is transmitted to the recycler's computer. This information preferably includes information about the material family of the residual material, the accompanying materials, the container's fill level, and / or the dimensions of the residual material portion. The container's fill level can be determined using a weighing scale.

[0011] The recycler computer can have a recycler algorithm that uses information about the actual residual material produced to determine which additional residual material to request. This additional residual material can then be requested in subsequent method steps by transmitting information to the workpiece processor. This completes the information loop between the workpiece processor and the recycler.

[0012] The recycler algorithm can incorporate an artificial intelligence (AI) system. The AI ​​system can have a trained neural network.

[0013] In a particularly preferred design of the invention, the residual material is shredded by a shredder before being collected. By reducing the size of the residual material portions, it becomes easier to store, transport, and process the residual material at the recycler's location.

[0014] Information about the actual residual material produced can be stored on a tracker in the tracking system. The tracker can be positioned or formed on the container. In this case, the tracker in the tracking system should be understood as a tag detectable by a positioning system (particularly GPS and / or indoor positioning systems). The tracker can be located by one or more scanners, and the tracker can be recorded in those scanners. Preferably, the tracker can be located using an anchor by performing a time-of-flight measurement on the signal between the tracker and the anchor, and then determining the tracker's position by triangulation. The tracking system is designed to trace the position of the tracker and thus implicitly track the position of the residual material in the container.

[0015] Information about the actual residual material produced can be stored on a tracker via the shredder.

[0016] The information transmitted to the workpiece processor may include information about the price of residual material, enabling the workpiece processor algorithm stored in the workpiece processor's computer to determine which type of crushing of the residual material is profitable during workpiece processing within the machine's master time. Preferably, the workpiece processor algorithm checks whether crushing is profitable, and if so, checks to which size of residual material portion to crush.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, a workpiece processor algorithm stored in the workpiece processor's computer can use provided information about the price of the residual material to determine which type of shredding of the residual material with a shredder is profitable, i.e., in parallel with the machine's master time. The workpiece processor algorithm preferably checks whether shredding is profitable, and if so, checks to what size of residual material portion to shred. Yield is associated with technical optimization because the workpiece processor requires significantly less expense to perform appropriate shredding compared to the recycler. This is because the residual material is typically already in a machinable form at the workpiece processor, such as a flat sheet of metal in a machine tool, while at the recycler the residual material is often disordered or warped and requires additional processing steps, such as sorting and shredding.

[0018] The residual material can take the form of residual mesh from sheet metal processing or sheet metal fabrication processes. The method of the present invention can be particularly meaningful in this case because the residual material generated during sheet metal processing has the highest quality (“new waste”) and is therefore particularly attractive to recyclers.

[0019] In this case, shredding is preferably performed by a shredder in the form of a residual mesh cutter.

[0020] Workpiece machining can be achieved by separating sheet metal parts from sheet metal panels. This produces residual material in the form of a residual mesh. The separation can be performed using a machining machine in the form of a machine tool. Preferably, the machine tool is designed as a stamping press and / or a laser cutting machine.

[0021] Information stored on the tracker can be transferred from the machine tool to the residual mesh cutter in advance. Alternatively or as a supplement, the information stored on the tracker can be applied to the residual mesh in the form of code or encoding and read by the camera of the residual mesh cutter.

[0022] Furthermore, the object of the present invention is achieved by a system for recycling residual materials, and in particular by a system for performing the methods described herein. The system has a connection from a recycler computer to a workpiece processor computer. Furthermore, the system includes a processing machine for processing workpieces, thereby generating residual materials. The system includes a logistics facility that can collect the residual materials in containers based on information transmitted to the workpiece processor computer and, in particular, transport the residual materials to the recycler.

[0023] The processing machine is preferably designed as a machine tool for processing sheet metal, wherein residual material exists, in particular, in the form of residual mesh.

[0024] The container can be fed through the system's shredder. The shredder is preferably designed as a residual mesh cutter.

[0025] The workpiece processor computer may have a workpiece processor algorithm that determines the yield of shredding residual material with a processing machine during the main machine time based on the transmitted information.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the workpiece processor computer may have a workpiece processor algorithm designed to determine the yield rate of shredding residual material using a shredder based on information transmitted to the workpiece processor computer. As previously mentioned, high yield rates are often accompanied by technological optimization.

[0027] The system can have a scale or weighing scale to determine the filling status of the container, which can be stored on a tracker. Furthermore, the filling weight can be used to verify that the container has not been altered (no subsequent doping) upon arrival at the recipient.

[0028] The system can have a cloud-based server to which information about residual materials can be transmitted. For this purpose, the cloud-based server can be connected wirelessly and / or via wired connection to the crusher, processing machine, and / or tracker.

[0029] In addition, the system can have an online marketplace where information about residual materials can be displayed.

[0030] Further advantages of the invention become apparent from the specification and drawings. Similarly, according to the invention, the above-described features and those yet to be further explained can be used individually or in any desired combination. The illustrated and described embodiments should not be construed as exhaustive, but rather as having exemplary features for summarizing the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 The system and method according to the invention are illustrated schematically. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Figure 1 A system 10 for performing method 12 is shown. Figure 1 In the diagram, material flow is represented by solid arrows, and information flow is represented by dashed arrows.

[0033] The processing machine 14 is shown here in the form of a machine tool, particularly a laser cutter or a stamping machine, which performs workpiece processing to produce product parts. In addition to the product parts, residual material 16 is generated, here in the form of residual mesh. In the present case, the residual material 16 is crushed in a shredder 18, thereby making it easier to store and transport and / or recycle.

[0034] The residual material 16 is transported to the recycler 22 via logistics facility 20. Logistics facility 20 has at least one container 24 for transporting the residual material 16.

[0035] The transport of container 24 can be tracked by tracker 26. Tracker 26 is part of tracking and tracing system 28. In this case, tracking and tracing system 26 may include at least one scanner 30, and / or may be part of an indoor positioning system. In this case, the indoor positioning system may have multiple anchors to determine the location of tracker 24. Tracker 26 may also be referred to as a tag for the indoor positioning system.

[0036] Tracker 26 can obtain information 32 about the actual residual material 16 produced from crusher 18 wirelessly and / or via wired means. Furthermore, crusher 18 can obtain information 32 about the actual residual material 16 produced from processing machine 14 wirelessly and / or via wired means. In particular, the information 32 about the actual residual material 16 produced can be stored in the material list of processing machine 14.

[0037] Information 32 regarding the actual amount of residual material 16 generated can be transmitted from the processing machine 14 and / or the shredder 18 to the recycler's computer 34 and / or the online marketplace 36.

[0038] The recycler computer 34 may have a recycler algorithm 38, particularly a recycler algorithm with an artificial intelligence system 40. The recycler computer 34 may be designed to receive information from an online marketplace 36. The recycler algorithm 38 is designed to determine the demand for remaining residual material 16 based on available information and attempt to acquire that residual material 16 for the recycler 22 at an attractive price. Additionally, the recycler may redefine the material family (particularly the standardized material number aggregated in the container) at any time based on current demand. Alternatively, the recycler may define it based on exclusion criteria, such as the maximum permissible manganese content.

[0039] For this purpose, the recycler computer 34 can transmit information 42 about the desired material (i.e., the desired material family of the residual material 16, the acceptable accompanying materials in the residual material 16, and / or the dimensions of the desired residual material portion) to the workpiece processor computer 44.

[0040] The workpiece processor computer 44 may include a display device 46. Alternatively or additionally, the workpiece processor computer 44 may be part of a production planning and control system (PPS), an enterprise resource planning system (ERP), and / or a manufacturing execution system (MES). The workpiece processor computer 44 is preferably designed to control the logistics facility 20 such that residual material 16 is collected based on information 42 and, in particular, supplied to the recycler 22. Alternatively or additionally, the workpiece processor computer 44 may be designed to control the processing machine 14 and / or the shredder 18. For this purpose, the workpiece processor computer 44 may have a workpiece processor algorithm 48, particularly a workpiece processor algorithm with an artificial intelligence system 50. The artificial intelligence system 50 may have a trained neural network.

[0041] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the present invention relates to an efficient method 12 and system 10 for recycling residual material 16, wherein a recycler 22 transmits the desired material composition of the residual material 16 to a workpiece processor, particularly a workpiece processor computer 44. Additionally, information 32 regarding the residual material 16 actually generated by the workpiece processor can be transmitted to the recycler 22, particularly to the recycler computer 34. This significantly improves the circular economy. "Compared to a cooking recipe," the recycler 22 (smelter / foundry / steel mill) knows more precisely the composition to be supplied to the blast furnace due to the information provided by the workpiece processor. This allows less energy to be consumed to bring the melt to the desired specifications. The environment also benefits from reduced CO2 emissions. Simultaneously, process time is reduced. These are factors that particularly demonstrate higher waste revenue.

[0042] List of reference numerals

[0043] 10 System

[0044] 12 methods

[0045] 14. Processing machines

[0046] 16 Residual materials

[0047] 18 Crusher

[0048] 20 Logistics facilities

[0049] 22 Recyclers

[0050] 24 Containers

[0051] 26 trackers

[0052] 28. Tracking and Traceability System

[0053] 30 Scanners

[0054] 32. Information regarding the actual residual materials generated.

[0055] 34 Recycler Computer

[0056] 36 Online Marketplaces

[0057] 38 Recycler Algorithm

[0058] 40 Artificial Intelligence Systems

[0059] 42 Information about expected materials

[0060] 44. Workpiece Processor Computer

[0061] 46 Display devices

[0062] 48. Workpiece Processor Algorithm

[0063] 50. Artificial intelligence systems.

Claims

1. A method (12) for recovering residual material (16) from workpiece machining, wherein, This method (12) is executed by system (10) and has the following method steps: A) The workpiece processor computer (44) receives information (42) from the recycler computer (34) regarding the desired material family of the residual material (16), the permissible accompanying materials in the residual material (16), and / or the desired residual material portion size. B) The workpiece is processed by a processing machine (14) while generating residual material (16), wherein, during the workpiece processing, the sheet metal parts are separated from the sheet metal panels by the processing machine (14) while generating residual mesh as residual material. Method steps A) and B) can be executed in any order or simultaneously, and the following method steps are executed after method step B): D) Based on the transmitted information (42), the workpiece processor computer (44) controls the logistics facility (20) to collect the residual material (16) in the container (24) so ​​that it can be subsequently transported to the recycler (22). Among them, the workpiece processor algorithm (48) stored in the workpiece processor computer (44) determines which type of crushing of the residual material (16) during workpiece processing is profitable during machine master time based on the information about the price of the residual material (16) transmitted to the workpiece processor computer (44), and / or, the workpiece processor algorithm (48) stored in the workpiece processor computer (44) determines which type of crushing of the residual material (16) with the crusher (18) is profitable based on the information about the price of the residual material (16) transmitted to the workpiece processor computer (44).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, After method step B), information (32) about the actual residual material (16) produced is transmitted to the recycler computer (34).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The recycler computer (34) has a recycler algorithm (38) that determines optimized information (42) to be transmitted in a subsequent method step A).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Information (32) about the actual residual material (16) generated is stored on a tracker (26) of the tracking system (28) of the logistics facility (20), wherein the tracker (26) is arranged or formed on the container (24).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, Information (32) about the actual residual material (16) produced is stored on the tracker (26) via the crusher (18).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The pulverization of residual material (16) in the form of residual mesh is carried out by a pulverizer (18) in the form of a residual mesh cutter.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, During the workpiece processing in step B), the sheet metal parts are separated from the sheet metal panels using a processing machine (14) in the form of a machine tool while generating residual mesh.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein, During the workpiece processing in step B), the sheet metal parts are separated from the sheet metal panels using a processing machine (14) in the form of a machine tool, while residual mesh is generated. The residual material (16) in the form of residual mesh is pulverized by a shredder (18) in the form of a residual mesh cutter. The information stored on the tracker (26) has previously been transferred from the machine tool to the residual mesh cutter, and / or The information stored on the tracker (26) is applied to the residual mesh in an encoded form and read by the camera of the residual mesh cutter.

9. A system (10) for recovering residual material (16) from a workpiece during processing, for performing the method (12) as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the system (10) has the following characteristics: a) Wireless and / or wired connection between the recycler computer (34) and the workpiece processor computer (44); b) A processing machine (14) for processing the workpiece while producing residual material (16); d) Logistics facility (20) designed to collect residual material (16) in container (24) of system (10) in the case of evaluating information (42) transmitted to workpiece processor computer (44).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein, The system (10) includes the following: c) A crusher (18) for feeding the container (24).

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein, The workpiece processor computer (44) has a workpiece processor algorithm (48) designed to determine the yield of using the processing machine (14) to crush the residual material (16) based on information (42) transmitted to the workpiece processor computer (44).

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