Strip-shaped part flexible stamping production line and production method

Abstract

The application relates to a flexible stamping production line and production method for strip parts, which comprises an uncoiler, a leveler, a feeder, a blanking press, a welding upper and lower material feeding manipulator, automatic welding equipment, a feeder, a forming press, a flexible stamping die, a forming blanking manipulator and a visual detection device; the flexible stamping die comprises an upper die holder, a female die plate, a lower die holder and two or more than two switching and pulling mechanisms, the female die plate is used for placing raw materials, the switching and pulling mechanisms comprise punches used for processing the raw materials on the female die plate; two or more than two switching and pulling mechanisms are arranged on the left and right sides of the female die plate, two or more than two switching and pulling mechanisms are arranged on the upper and lower ends of the female die plate, all the switching and pulling mechanisms are controlled by separate driving sources, and the application has the advantages of high universality, capable of processing various parts, and realizing stamping production automation and flexibility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to stamping technology, and in particular to a flexible stamping production line and method for strip parts. Background Technology

[0002] Stamping technology is an advanced mass forming process. There are many stamped parts used in industry. Currently, the loading and unloading of stamped parts are largely done manually. Manual operation has disadvantages such as low efficiency and poor safety, and it has been gradually phased out.

[0003] Currently, a single production line can generally only process one type of part without changing the mold. Furthermore, the automation level of existing stamping production lines is low, resulting in slow production efficiency. This increases production costs and makes it impossible to achieve automation and flexibility in stamping production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a flexible stamping production line and method for strip parts, in order to solve the technical problem that the same production line can only process one type of part without changing the mold, and cannot achieve automation and flexibility in stamping production.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a flexible stamping production line for strip parts, including an uncoiler, a leveler, a first feeder, a blanking punch, a welding and unloading robot, an automatic welding device, a second feeder, a forming press, a flexible stamping die, a forming and blanking robot, and a vision inspection device.

[0006] The uncoiler, the leveler, the first feeder, the blanking punch, the automatic welding equipment, the second feeder, the forming press, the forming blanking robot, and the vision inspection device are arranged sequentially along the production direction. The uncoiler is used to unwind the raw material, the leveler is used to level the raw material, the first feeder is used to automatically feed the raw material into the blanking punch at a set step distance, and the welding blanking robot is arranged opposite to the blanking punch and the automatic welding equipment on one side. The welding blanking robot is used to remove the raw material and feed it into the automatic welding equipment.

[0007] The second feeder is used to feed the raw material into the forming press. The flexible stamping die is set in the forming press and is used to stamp the raw material. The forming unloading robot is used to send the stamped workpiece into the vision inspection device. The vision inspection device is used to identify the stamped workpiece and determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system.

[0008] The flexible stamping die includes an upper die base, a concave die plate, a lower die base, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms. The upper die base, the concave die plate, and the lower die base are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The concave die plate is used to place raw materials, and the cutting and inserting mechanism includes a punch for processing the raw materials on the concave die plate.

[0009] Two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms are provided on both the left and right sides of the concave template, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the concave template. All cutting and inserting mechanisms are controlled by a separate drive source, which is used to control whether the punch of the cutting and inserting mechanism participates in the punching process.

[0010] As one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible stamping production line for strip parts further includes a cutting and unloading robot, a cutting punch, a blanking station and a scrap bin, wherein the cutting punch is located behind the production of the vision inspection device;

[0011] The cutting punch, the unloading station, and the scrap bin are arranged relative to the cutting and unloading robot. The cutting and unloading robot is used to put the workpiece in the vision inspection device into the cutting punch, the cutting punch is used to cut the workpiece, and then the cutting and unloading robot places the cut workpiece into the unloading station or the scrap bin.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the switching and inserting mechanism further includes a force-transmitting screw, a floating punch side wedge, a first punch pad, and a first punch fixing plate. The force-transmitting screw is slidably arranged in the horizontal direction and is connected to the floating punch side wedge in a driving connection. The first punch pad, the first punch fixing plate, and the punch are slidably arranged in the vertical direction in sequence. The floating punch side wedge cooperates with the first punch pad to convert the horizontal force of the force-transmitting screw into the vertical force of the punch.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible stamping die further includes an upper punch pad, an upper punch transition plate, an upper punch guide plate, a pressure edge fixing plate, and a pressure edge plate. The upper die base, the upper punch pad, the upper punch transition plate, the upper punch guide plate, and the pressure edge plate are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The pressure edge fixing plate is sleeved on the pressure edge plate. The concave die plate is arranged below the pressure edge plate. Two or more first switching and inserting mechanisms are provided on the left and right sides of the upper punch pad, the upper punch transition plate, the upper punch guide plate, and the pressure edge plate. The punches of the first switching and inserting mechanisms are arranged facing downwards.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible stamping die further includes a die punch fixing plate and a die punch pad. The die plate, the die punch fixing plate, the die punch pad, and the lower die base are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. Two or more second switching and inserting mechanisms are provided on the left and right sides of the die punch fixing plate and the die punch pad. The punches of the second switching and inserting mechanisms are arranged facing upwards.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the force transmission screw is controlled by an electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder. When the punch needs to participate in the punching process, the force transmission screw horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge to move inward, so that the punch pad drives the punch fixing plate and the punch to move downward or upward to participate in the punching process.

[0016] When the punch is not required to participate in the punching process, the force transmission screw horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge to retract outward, so that the punch pad has space to move upward or downward. During the punching process, the punch is pushed back by the material and thus does not participate in the punching process.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first switching and inserting mechanisms on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other, and the second switching and inserting mechanisms on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other. The first switching and inserting mechanisms and the second switching and inserting mechanisms are staggered in the vertical direction.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the concave template is provided with two or more material support pins, two or more material guide pins, and two or more die inserts. The two or more material support pins and the two or more material guide pins are arranged in two rows along the horizontal direction on the concave template, and the two or more die inserts are embedded in the concave template along the horizontal direction. The die inserts are provided with a second through hole for the punch to pass through.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the die plate is provided with a die cutting edge oblique groove, the die cutting edge oblique groove is provided opposite to the die insert, and the die punch fixing plate, the die punch pad plate, and the lower die base are respectively provided with a third through hole, a fourth through hole, and a fifth through hole, the second through hole, the third through hole, the fourth through hole, and the fifth through hole are connected in sequence;

[0020] The lower mold base is provided with a negative pressure groove, which is connected to the fifth through hole. The negative pressure groove is used to introduce compressed air to generate negative pressure in the fifth through hole.

[0021] Unlike existing technologies, the above technical solution uses an uncoiler to unwind the raw material, a leveler to level it, and a feeder to automatically feed it into a blanking press at a set step distance for punching. The punched material is then removed by a welding loading / unloading robot and sent to an automatic welding device. The automatic welding device welds the workpiece, and upon completion, sends a welding completion signal. The workpiece is then fed into the flexible stamping die of a forming press by a feeder to begin the forming process. The stamping steps of the forming press and the flexible stamping die are controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), which precisely controls and adjusts the process according to preset programs and parameters. Some cutting and inserting mechanisms use a separate drive source to control whether the punch participates in the punching process, so that the punch forms a cutting effect without manual intervention, thereby completing flexible forming of strips of various specifications. After stamping, the forming and unloading robot picks up the strip workpiece and moves it to the parts visual inspection station containing a vision inspection device. The vision inspection device starts the optical vision inspection program to perform feature recognition and determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system. The robot performs the loading and unloading of stamped parts. It has strong versatility and can process a variety of parts, realizing the automation and flexibility of stamping production.

[0022] To achieve the above objectives, in a second aspect, the inventors provide a method for producing flexible stamping of strip-shaped parts, comprising a flexible stamping production line for strip-shaped parts as described in any one of the above claims, including the following steps:

[0023] Uncoiling and leveling → Blanking → Automatic welding → Automatic feeding → Stamping with flexible stamping die → Forming and blanking robot picks up part → Part visual inspection → Cutting and unloading robot feeding → Cutting → Cutting and unloading robot blanking process.

[0024] Unlike existing technologies, the technical solution of this application does not require human intervention, thus completing flexible forming of strips of various specifications. The loading and unloading of stamped parts are carried out by a robotic arm. It has strong versatility and can process a variety of parts, realizing the automation and flexibility of stamping production.

[0025] The above description of the invention is merely an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this application and to implement it based on the description and drawings, and to make the above-mentioned objectives and other objectives, features and advantages of this application easier to understand, the following description is provided in conjunction with the specific embodiments and drawings of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings are only used to illustrate the principles, implementation methods, applications, features, and effects of specific embodiments of this application and other related content, and should not be considered as limitations on this application.

[0027] In the accompanying drawings of the instruction manual:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a front view of a flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a top view of a flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a flexible stamping die according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a side view of a flexible stamping die according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a top view of a flexible stamping die according to an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of a flexible stamping die according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a front view of a flexible stamping die according to an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the cross section at point AA;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a concave template according to an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the upper punch pad, upper punch transition plate, and switching insertion mechanism according to an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a switching insertion mechanism according to an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-material jumping structure according to an embodiment of this application.

[0040] The reference numerals used in the above figures are explained as follows:

[0041] 1. Unwinding machine

[0042] 2. Leveling machine

[0043] 3. The first feeder,

[0044] 4. Material feeding punch press,

[0045] 5. Welding loading and unloading robot,

[0046] 6. Automatic welding equipment,

[0047] 7. Second feeder,

[0048] 8. Forming press,

[0049] 9. Flexible stamping die; 91. Upper die base; 92. Die plate; 921. Material support pin; 922. Material guide pin; 923. Die insert; 924. Second through hole; 925. Die cutting edge oblique groove; 93. Lower die base; 931. Negative pressure groove; 932. Fifth through hole; 94. Switching and inserting mechanism; 941. Punch; 942. Force transmission screw; 943. Floating punch side wedge; 944. First punch. 945. Head pad plate; 95. First punch fixing plate; 96. Upper punch pad plate; 97. Upper punch transition plate; 98. Upper punch guide plate; 99. Pressure plate; 90. Die punch fixing plate; 991. Third through hole; 100. Die punch pad plate; 101. First switching and inserting mechanism; 102. Second switching and inserting mechanism; 103. Fourth through hole; 105. Pressure plate fixing plate; 106. First receiving cavity.

[0050] 10. Forming and unloading robot,

[0051] 11. Visual inspection device,

[0052] 12. Cutting and unloading robot arm,

[0053] 13. Cut off the punch press,

[0054] 14. Material unloading station

[0055] 15. Waste bin. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To illustrate the possible application scenarios, technical principles, implementable specific solutions, and achievable objectives and effects of this application in detail, the following description, in conjunction with the listed specific embodiments and accompanying drawings, provides a detailed explanation. The embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0057] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The term "embodiment" appearing in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it specifically limit its independence or connection with other embodiments. In principle, in this application, as long as there are no technical contradictions or conflicts, the technical features mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way to form corresponding implementable technical solutions.

[0058] Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the use of related terms herein is merely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit this application.

[0059] In the description of this application, the term "and / or" is used to describe the logical relationship between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, X and / or Y means: X exists, Y exists, and X and Y exist simultaneously. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following objects have an "or" logical relationship.

[0060] In this application, terms such as “first” and “second” are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual quantity, hierarchy or order relationship between these entities or operations.

[0061] Unless otherwise specified, the use of terms such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” or other similar expressions in this application is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, which does not exclude the presence of additional elements in a process, method, or product that includes the stated elements, such that a process, method, or product that includes a list of elements may include not only those defined elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, or product.

[0062] Similar to the understanding in the Examination Guidelines, in this application, expressions such as "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number; expressions such as "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments in this application, "multiple" means two or more (including two), and similar expressions related to "multiple" are also understood in this way, such as "multiple groups" and "multiple times," unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0063] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the space-related expressions used, such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "vertical," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the specific embodiments or drawings. They are only for the purpose of describing the specific embodiments of this application or for the reader's understanding, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific position, a specific orientation, or be constructed or operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0064] Unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," and "setting," as used in the description of the embodiments of this application, should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral setting; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art to which this application pertains, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0065] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 1 to 12 This embodiment relates to a flexible stamping production line for strip parts, including an uncoiler 1, a leveler 2, a first feeder 3, a blanking punch 4, a welding loading and unloading robot 5, an automatic welding equipment 6, a second feeder 7, a forming press 8, a flexible stamping die 9, a forming blanking robot 10, and a vision inspection device 11.

[0066] The uncoiling machine 1, leveling machine 2, first feeder 3, blanking punch 4, automatic welding equipment 6, second feeder 7, forming press 8, forming blanking robot 10, and vision inspection device 11 are arranged sequentially along the production direction. The uncoiling machine 1 is used to unwind the raw material, the leveling machine 2 is used to level the raw material, the first feeder 3 is used to automatically feed the raw material into the blanking punch 4 according to the set step distance, and the welding blanking robot 5 is arranged opposite to the blanking punch 4 and the automatic welding equipment 6 on one side. The welding blanking robot 5 is used to take out the raw material and feed it into the automatic welding equipment 6.

[0067] The second feeder 7 is used to feed the raw material into the forming press 8. The flexible stamping die 9 is set in the forming press 8 and is used to stamp the raw material. The forming unloading robot 10 is used to send the stamped workpiece into the vision inspection device 11. The vision inspection device 11 is used to identify the stamped workpiece and determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system.

[0068] The flexible stamping die 9 includes an upper die base 91, a concave die plate 92, a lower die base 93, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms 94. The upper die base 91, the concave die plate 92, and the lower die base 93 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The concave die plate 92 is used to place the raw material, and the cutting and inserting mechanism 94 includes a punch 941 for processing the raw material on the concave die plate 92.

[0069] Two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms 94 are provided on both the left and right sides of the concave template 92, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms 94 are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the concave template 92. All cutting and inserting mechanisms 94 are controlled by a separate drive source. The drive source is used to control whether the punch 941 of the cutting and inserting mechanism 94 participates in the punching process.

[0070] In this embodiment, the uncoiler 1 unfolds the raw material, and after being leveled by the leveler 2, the first feeder 3 automatically feeds it into the blanking punch 4 according to the set step distance and performs the punching operation.

[0071] The punched sheet material is taken out by the welding loading and unloading robot 5 with vacuum suction cup, rotated 90 degrees and sent to the automatic welding equipment 6;

[0072] The automatic welding equipment 6 has two modes: "automatic" and "single automatic". In "automatic" mode, after receiving the "material handling complete" signal from the integrated control system, it performs one feeding and punching action, and sends a "material handling permission" signal after the slider returns to the top dead center. In "single automatic" mode, the operator presses the buttons once with both hands, and the production line completes one feeding and punching operation.

[0073] After being punched and cut by the blanking punch 4 and welded by the automatic welding equipment 6, the original raw material, which was fed parallel to the rolling direction, is transformed into a strip that is fed perpendicular to the rolling direction.

[0074] After welding is completed, the automatic welding equipment 6 sends a welding completion signal, and the material is automatically fed into the stamping progressive mold cavity of the forming press 8 through the second feeder 7, and then the forming process begins; after the material is stamped, it is re-welded into a long strip, and the second feeder 7 drives the conveyor belt by controlling the rotation of the motor through a combination of rollers and motor to realize the material transportation.

[0075] The forming press has two mold lifting rails installed in the T-slot of the worktable pad. The upper surface of the rails is equipped with rollers, and the rails have built-in miniature hydraulic cylinders. When pressurized oil is introduced, the rails float the mold frame away from the worktable, facilitating mold loading and unloading operations.

[0076] The stamping steps of the forming press 8 and the flexible stamping die 9 are controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC). Precise control and adjustment are performed according to preset programs and parameters. The PDC controls whether the punch 941 participates in the blanking process, enabling the punch 941 to achieve a cutting effect without manual intervention, thus completing flexible forming of various strip shapes of different specifications.

[0077] Upon entering the "automatic stamping" mode, after each strip stamping is completed, the integrated control system confirms that the slide of the blanking press 4 has stopped at the top dead center and issues a "stamping interruption" signal, notifying the welding loading robot to feed in a sheet material. The welding loading robot takes the sheet material punched out by the blanking section from the blanking ejector plate through a vacuum suction cup and feeds it into the welding positioning clamping fixture. The automatic welding equipment 6 then automatically performs two-degree-of-freedom motion (approaching the welding line → straight welding → return stroke) and completes the welding. After the automatic welding equipment 6 returns, it sends a "welding completed" signal to the integrated control system, which serves as one of the trigger conditions for starting the continuous stamping of the next part.

[0078] After the integrated control system receives the "welding completed" signal, the forming and unloading robot 10 sends the "part removal completed" signal, and other signals indicating normal press status and production line safety, the continuous stamping process of the forming press 8 is initiated: the second feeder 7 feeds material at the set step distance for continuous stamping. The integrated control system counts, and after the individual part is stamped and the slide returns to the top dead center, the clutch of the forming press 8 disengages and the brake engages. The forming press 8 is in a state of flywheel idling and slide movement stopped, and sends a "continuous stamping interruption" signal to the integrated control system. If the integrated control system receives an "emergency stop," "fault," or unexpected shutdown signal during continuous stamping, the system records the current status and resumes the original stamping process after the "emergency stop" is lifted or work resumes.

[0079] After the strip is stamped and blanked, the flexible stamping die 9 stops stamping, and the forming and blanking robot 10 accurately picks up the strip. After picking up, the forming and blanking robot 10 moves the formed part to the part vision inspection station containing the vision inspection device 11.

[0080] After receiving the "part removal complete" signal from the forming and unloading robot 10, the vision inspection device 11 starts the optical vision inspection program to perform feature recognition, determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system, and determine whether the mold ejector plate action is correct. If the judgment is normal, a "normal" signal is issued; otherwise, an "abnormal" signal is issued and the production line is notified to stop running.

[0081] Thus, in this embodiment, a robotic arm is used for loading and unloading, achieving automatic loading and unloading. The punch 941 can be controlled to participate in the punching process according to the actual situation, so that the punch 941 can form a cutting effect. There is no need to change the mold, and it can process a variety of parts, realizing the automation and flexibility of stamping production.

[0082] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the flexible stamping production line for strip parts also includes a cutting and unloading robot 12, a cutting punch 13, an unloading station 14, and a scrap bin 15, with the cutting punch 13 located behind the visual inspection device 11.

[0083] The cutting punch 13, the unloading station 14, and the scrap bin 15 are set relative to the cutting and unloading robot 12. The cutting and unloading robot 12 is used to put the workpiece in the vision inspection device 11 into the cutting punch 13. The cutting punch 13 is used to cut the workpiece. Then, the cutting and unloading robot 12 places the cut workpiece into the unloading station 14 or the scrap bin 15.

[0084] In this embodiment, the qualified strip-shaped parts are placed into the cutting die cavity of the open punch press by the cutting and unloading robot 12 according to the part number. The parts to be cut are precisely cut in the cutting die cavity. After being punched, they are automatically placed to the unloading station 14 by the cutting and unloading robot 12.

[0085] Parts that do not require cutting are automatically placed into the unloading station 14 by the cutting and unloading robot 12. Defective parts are placed into the scrap bin 15 by the cutting and unloading robot 12.

[0086] In this way, the material is unloaded by the cutting and unloading robot 12 without human intervention, thus improving production efficiency.

[0087] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 11 As shown, the switching and inserting mechanism 94 also includes a force transmission screw 942, a floating punch side wedge 943, a first punch pad 944, and a first punch fixing plate 945. The force transmission screw 942 is slidably arranged in the horizontal direction and is connected to the floating punch side wedge 943 in a transmission connection. The first punch pad 944, the first punch fixing plate 945, and the punch 941 are slidably arranged in the vertical direction in sequence. The floating punch side wedge 943 cooperates with the first punch pad 944 to convert the horizontal force of the force transmission screw 942 into the vertical force of the punch 941.

[0088] Thus, by driving the horizontal movement of the force transmission screw 942, the floating punch side wedge 943, the first punch pad 944, and the first punch fixing plate 945 can be moved, ultimately realizing the vertical movement of the punch 941.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the flexible stamping die 9 also includes an upper punch pad 95, an upper punch transition plate 96, an upper punch guide plate 97, a pressure edge fixing plate 105, and a pressure edge plate 98. The upper die base 91, upper punch pad 95, upper punch transition plate 96, upper punch guide plate 97, and pressure edge plate 98 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The pressure edge fixing plate 105 is sleeved on the pressure edge plate 98. The concave template 92 is arranged below the pressure edge plate 98. Two or more first switching and inserting mechanisms 101 are arranged on the left and right sides of the upper punch pad 95, upper punch transition plate 96, upper punch guide plate 97, and pressure edge plate 98. The punches 941 of the first switching and inserting mechanisms 101 are arranged downwards.

[0090] In this embodiment, the mold base is made of mold steel, and the punch and die inserts are made of cemented carbide. The upper mold base 91 mainly houses the outer guide sleeve, limit post, unloading spring, and other structures, and is fixed to the press by screws or hydraulic clamps.

[0091] The upper punch pad 95 moves in a fixed horizontal direction via a floating punch side wedge 943 driven by an electric or pneumatic structure, bearing the force return of the switching and inserting mechanism 94 during the stamping process, thus preventing the upper die holder 91 from denting and deforming. The upper punch transition plate 96 holds the first punch pad 944 and fixes the pressure plate spring. The upper punch guide plate 97 fixes various punches 941 and the first punch fixing plate 945, ensuring the working position and accuracy of the parts. The pressure plate fixing plate 105 is used to fix the gear ring plate. During the stamping process, the pressure plate 98 presses the material tightly against the die plate 92 by force, preventing the material from tearing in the shearing zone and the lateral flow of metal.

[0092] like Figure 10 As shown, the upper punch pad 95, upper punch transition plate 96, and upper punch guide plate 97 are provided with a first receiving cavity 106. The first switching and inserting mechanism 101 is disposed in the first receiving cavity 106, and the pressing plate 98 has a first through hole for the punch 941 to pass through. The punch 941 of the first switching and inserting mechanism 101 is vertically downward, facing the concave template 92.

[0093] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the flexible stamping die 9 also includes a die punch fixing plate 99 and a die punch pad 100. The die template 92, the die punch fixing plate 99, the die punch pad 100, and the lower die base 93 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. Two or more second switching and inserting mechanisms 102 are provided on the left and right sides of the die punch fixing plate 99 and the die punch pad 100. The punches 941 of the second switching and inserting mechanisms 102 are arranged facing upwards.

[0094] The die punch fixing plate 99 fixes the die insert 923, the forming punch 941, and the first punch fixing plate 945, ensuring the working position and accuracy of the parts. The die punch pad 100 allows the floating punch side wedge 943, driven by an electric or pneumatic structure, to move in a fixed horizontal direction, bearing the force and yielding of the switching and inserting mechanism 94 during the stamping process, preventing the lower die holder 93 from being recessed and deformed. The lower die holder 93 houses the outer guide post, limit post, and spring, and is fixed to the press by screws or hydraulic clamps.

[0095] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 6As shown, two or more second cutting and inserting mechanisms 102 are provided on both the left and right sides of the die punch fixing plate 99 and the die punch pad plate 100. The punch 941 of the second cutting and inserting mechanism 102 is vertically upward and faces the die plate 92.

[0096] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the force transmission screw 942 is controlled by an electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder. When the punch 941 needs to participate in the punching process, the force transmission screw 942 horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge 943 to move inward, so that the first punch pad 944 drives the first punch fixing plate 945 and the punch 941 to move downward or upward to participate in the punching process.

[0097] When punch 941 is not needed to participate in punching, the force transmission screw 942 horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge 943 to retract outward, so that the first punch pad 944 has space to move upward or downward. When punching, punch 941 is pushed back by the material, so it does not participate in the punching process.

[0098] In this embodiment, if the floating punch side wedge 943 is retracted, the punch 941 will be pushed back by the material during punching and will not retract actively. The punch 941 will not participate in the punching process.

[0099] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the switching and inserting mechanism 94 is controlled by an electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, or it can be hydraulically driven, all within the protection scope of this embodiment. Thus, since the force transmission screw 942 of each switching and inserting mechanism 94 is driven independently, the switching and inserting mechanism 94 can be individually set to operate according to the specific characteristics of the part, and the number of switches is determined by the total number of features of the part. The designed mold, following the forming sequence, after the material enters the forming press 8, undergoes the following blanking steps:

[0100] 1) Punch guide pin holes;

[0101] 2) The first switching and inserting mechanism 94 is working, stamping feature 1;

[0102] 3) The second switching and inserting mechanism 94 is working, stamping feature 2;

[0103] 5) The Nth switching and inserting mechanism 94 is working, stamping feature N;

[0104] 6) Trim the edges;

[0105] 7), cut off;

[0106] The stamping process is controlled by a PLC, enabling different punches (941) to create a switching effect, thus producing dozens of different strip-shaped parts. No manual die changes are required; the same die can produce dozens of strip-shaped parts, achieving automated and flexible stamping production and reducing production costs.

[0107] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first switching and inserting mechanisms 101 on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other, the second switching and inserting mechanisms 102 on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other, and the first switching and inserting mechanisms 101 and the second switching and inserting mechanisms 102 are staggered in the vertical direction.

[0108] Thus, as Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the first and second switching and inserting mechanisms 101 and 102 on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other. They also do not interfere vertically with each other; if the first switching and inserting mechanism 101 is on top, there is no second switching and inserting mechanism 102 below, and vice versa. This allows for the convenient layout of two or more first switching and inserting mechanisms 101 and two or more second switching and inserting mechanisms 102, enabling the production and processing of dozens of strip-shaped parts using the same mold.

[0109] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 9 As shown, the concave template 92 is provided with two or more material support pins 921, two or more material guide pins 922, and two or more die inserts 923. The two or more material support pins 921 and two or more material guide pins 922 are arranged in two rows along the horizontal direction on the concave template 92, and the two or more die inserts 923 are embedded in the concave template 92 along the horizontal direction. The die inserts 923 are provided with a second through hole 924 for the punch 941 to pass through.

[0110] like Figure 9 As shown, the base is a die cavity with multiple die inserts 923. A punch 941 engages with the die inserts 923, passing through a second through hole 924 on the die insert 923 to perform stamping on the workpiece. The die cavity is equipped with a material support pin 921 to support the material strip. After the parts are fed by the second feeder 7, they fall and are positioned by guide pins 922, ensuring accurate placement of the parts during continuous stamping and improving part precision.

[0111] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, such as Figure 12 As shown, the die template 92 is provided with a die cutting edge oblique groove 925, which is positioned opposite to the die insert 923. The die punch fixing plate 99, the die punch pad plate 100, and the lower die base 93 are respectively provided with a third through hole 991, a fourth through hole 103, and a fifth through hole 932. The second through hole 924, the third through hole 991, the fourth through hole 103, and the fifth through hole 932 are connected in sequence.

[0112] The lower mold base 93 is provided with a negative pressure groove 931, which is connected to the fifth through hole 932. The negative pressure groove 931 is used to introduce compressed air to generate negative pressure in the fifth through hole 932.

[0113] Thus, blanking can be performed through the third through hole 991, the fourth through hole 103, and the fifth through hole 932, facilitating processing. The oblique groove 925 on the die cutting edge increases the friction between the scrap and the inner surface of the die, preventing the scrap from bouncing back. Figure 12 As shown, the inclined groove 925 of the die cutting edge is machined on the inner side of the die, with the inclined groove machined from the center in the opposite direction. This increases the friction between the scrap and the inner side of the die, preventing the scrap from bouncing back. The scrap is siphoned, and a negative pressure groove 931 is opened at the scrap discharge hole (fifth through hole 932) of the lower die holder 93 to introduce compressed air. When the air flows downward, a negative pressure is generated in the scrap discharge hole (second through hole 924) of the die, which strengthens the scrap discharge force and prevents scrap accumulation.

[0114] Unlike existing technologies, the above technical solution uses an uncoiler 1 to unwind the raw material, followed by leveling by a leveler 2. The first feeder 3 automatically feeds the material into the blanking press 4 at a set step distance, where it performs a punching operation. The punched material is then removed by a welding loading / unloading robot 5 and sent to an automatic welding equipment 6. The automatic welding equipment 6 welds the workpiece. After welding is completed, the automatic welding equipment 6 sends a welding completion signal, and the workpiece is fed into the flexible stamping die 9 of the forming press 8 via a second feeder 7 to begin the forming process. The stamping steps of the forming press 8 and the flexible stamping die 9 are controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), which performs precise control and adjustment according to preset programs and parameters. All the cutting and inserting mechanisms 94 are driven by separate sources to control whether the punch 941 participates in the punching process, so that the punch 941 forms a cutting effect without manual intervention, thereby completing flexible forming of strips of various specifications. After the stamping is completed, the forming and unloading robot 10 picks up the strip workpiece and moves the workpiece to the part vision inspection station containing the vision inspection device 11. The vision inspection device 11 starts the optical vision inspection program to perform feature recognition and determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system. The robot performs the loading and unloading of the stamped parts. It has strong versatility and can process a variety of parts, realizing the automation and flexibility of stamping production.

[0115] This embodiment also relates to a flexible stamping production method for strip-shaped parts, including a flexible stamping production line for strip-shaped parts as described in any of the above, comprising the following steps:

[0116] Uncoiling and leveling → Blanking → Automatic welding → Automatic feeding → Stamping with flexible stamping die → Forming and blanking robot picks up part → Part visual inspection → Cutting and unloading robot feeding → Cutting → Cutting and unloading robot blanking process.

[0117] Uncoiling and leveling: This is the initial stage of the production line. The raw material is a steel coil with a width of 180mm and a thickness of 0.3mm, which is placed on a material rack. The uncoiling and leveling machine 2 smoothly unfolds and levels the coil, providing continuous raw materials for subsequent processes.

[0118] Blanking punch 4: After uncoiling, the raw material passes through a blanking punch 4. The punch cuts the raw material into 174.3mm×42mm sheets according to the predetermined width, and punches positioning holes and welding positioning holes at the same time, for connecting into strips with a width of 42mm.

[0119] The cut sheets are placed under the welding machine by a robotic arm and then welded using a laser welding machine. This welding method is reliable and does not increase the thickness dimension. After welding, the raw material is transformed into a 42mm strip.

[0120] After welding is completed, the welding machine sends a welding completion signal, and the strip is automatically fed into the forming continuous die via the second feeder 7 to begin the forming process, ensuring high efficiency and continuity of production. During strip stamping, feeding is carried out perpendicular to the rolling direction.

[0121] The strip material is punched and shaped through a progressive die to form a strip-shaped part. The stamping process is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), which precisely controls and adjusts the process according to preset programs and parameters, thereby automatically forming the strip. This allows the punch 941 to achieve a cutting effect without human intervention. The entire progressive die stamping process for forming different types of strips is highly automated, requiring no manual intervention from the input of the strip material to the output of the finished product.

[0122] After the material strip is stamped and separated, the forming continuous die stops stamping, and the forming unloading robot 10 accurately picks up the formed part. After picking up, the forming unloading robot 10 moves the formed part to the part visual inspection station.

[0123] After the forming and unloading robot 10 picks up the formed part and places it at the visual inspection station, the visual inspection system begins to inspect the quality of the formed part. Using a high-resolution camera and a precise lighting system, the system captures and acquires images of the formed part from all angles. These images are processed and analyzed to extract the features and shape information of the formed part. Based on this feature and shape information, the visual inspection system can determine the part's model and analyze its quality.

[0124] Qualified parts are placed into the die cavity of the open punch press by a loading / unloading robot. The parts are then punched in the die cavity to meet the final requirements. After punching, they are placed to the unloading station 14 by the punching loading / unloading robot. Defective parts are placed into the scrap bin 15 by the punching loading / unloading robot.

[0125] The above is the complete strip stamping production process. The stamping production process can be switched between automatic and manual modes. When it is necessary to switch the processing strip type, the manual mode can be selected to stamp the remaining strip material in the mold or to stamp it completely.

[0126] Unlike existing technologies, the technical solution of this application does not require human intervention, thus completing flexible forming of strips of various specifications. The loading and unloading of stamped parts are carried out by a robotic arm. It has strong versatility and can process a variety of parts, realizing the automation and flexibility of stamping production.

[0127] It should be noted that although the above embodiments have been described herein, this does not limit the scope of patent protection of the present invention. Therefore, any changes and modifications made to the embodiments described herein based on the innovative concept of the present invention, or equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, directly or indirectly applying the above technical solutions to other related technical fields, are all included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible stamping production line for strip parts, characterized in that, It includes an uncoiler, a leveler, a first feeder, a blanking punch, a welding loading and unloading robot, an automatic welding equipment, a second feeder, a forming press, a flexible stamping die, a forming blanking robot, and a vision inspection device; The uncoiler, the leveler, the first feeder, the blanking punch, the automatic welding equipment, the second feeder, the forming press, the forming blanking robot, and the vision inspection device are arranged sequentially along the production direction. The uncoiler is used to unwind the raw material, the leveler is used to level the raw material, the first feeder is used to automatically feed the raw material into the blanking punch at a set step distance, and the welding blanking robot is arranged opposite to the blanking punch and the automatic welding equipment on one side. The welding blanking robot is used to remove the raw material and feed it into the automatic welding equipment. The second feeder is used to feed the raw material into the forming press. The flexible stamping die is set in the forming press and is used to stamp the raw material. The forming unloading robot is used to send the stamped workpiece into the vision inspection device. The vision inspection device is used to identify the stamped workpiece and determine whether the produced workpiece is consistent with the workpiece set by the system. The flexible stamping die includes an upper die base, a concave die plate, a lower die base, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms. The upper die base, the concave die plate, and the lower die base are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The concave die plate is used to place raw materials, and the cutting and inserting mechanism includes a punch for processing the raw materials on the concave die plate. Two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms are provided on both the left and right sides of the concave template, and two or more cutting and inserting mechanisms are provided at both the upper and lower ends of the concave template. All cutting and inserting mechanisms are controlled by a separate drive source. The drive source is used to control whether the punch of the cutting and inserting mechanism participates in the punching process. The switching and inserting mechanism also includes a force transmission screw, a floating punch side wedge, a first punch pad, and a first punch fixing plate. The force transmission screw is slidably arranged in the horizontal direction and is connected to the floating punch side wedge in a driving connection. The first punch pad, the first punch fixing plate, and the punch are slidably arranged in the vertical direction in sequence. The floating punch side wedge cooperates with the first punch pad to convert the horizontal force of the force transmission screw into the vertical force of the punch. The flexible stamping die also includes an upper punch pad, an upper punch transition plate, an upper punch guide plate, a blank holder fixing plate, and a blank holder plate. The upper die base, upper punch pad, upper punch transition plate, upper punch guide plate, and blank holder plate are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The blank holder fixing plate is sleeved on the blank holder plate. The concave template is arranged below the blank holder plate. Two or more first switching and inserting mechanisms are arranged on the left and right sides of the upper punch pad, upper punch transition plate, upper punch guide plate, and blank holder plate. The punches of the first switching and inserting mechanisms are arranged facing downwards. The flexible stamping die also includes a die punch fixing plate and a die punch pad. The die plate, die punch fixing plate, die punch pad, and lower die base are arranged in order from top to bottom. The die punch fixing plate and the die punch pad are provided with two or more second cutting and pulling mechanisms on the left and right sides. The punches of the second cutting and pulling mechanisms are arranged facing upwards. The first cutting and pulling mechanism and the second cutting and pulling mechanism are staggered in the vertical direction. The die plate is provided with a die cutting edge oblique groove, which is set opposite to the die insert. The die punch fixing plate, the die punch pad plate, and the lower die base are respectively provided with a third through hole, a fourth through hole, and a fifth through hole. The second through hole, the third through hole, the fourth through hole, and the fifth through hole are connected in sequence. The lower die base is provided with a negative pressure groove, which is connected to the fifth through hole. The negative pressure groove is used to introduce compressed air to generate negative pressure in the fifth through hole.

2. The flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible stamping production line for strip parts also includes a cutting and unloading robot, a cutting punch, a blanking station, and a scrap bin. The cutting punch is located behind the production line of the vision inspection device. The cutting punch, the unloading station, and the scrap bin are arranged relative to the cutting and unloading robot. The cutting and unloading robot is used to put the workpiece in the vision inspection device into the cutting punch, the cutting punch is used to cut the workpiece, and then the cutting and unloading robot places the cut workpiece into the unloading station or the scrap bin.

3. The flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The force transmission screw is controlled by an electric cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder. When the punch needs to participate in the punching process, the force transmission screw horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge to move inward, so that the punch pad drives the punch fixing plate and the punch to move downward or upward to participate in the punching process. When the punch is not required to participate in the punching process, the force transmission screw horizontally drives the floating punch side wedge to retract outward, so that the punch pad has space to move upward or downward. During the punching process, the punch is pushed back by the material and thus does not participate in the punching process.

4. The flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first switching and insertion mechanisms on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other, and the second switching and insertion mechanisms on the left and right sides do not interfere with each other.

5. The flexible stamping production line for strip parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The concave template is provided with two or more material support pins, two or more material guide pins, and two or more die inserts. The two or more material support pins and two or more material guide pins are arranged in two rows along the horizontal direction on the concave template. The two or more die inserts are embedded in the concave template along the horizontal direction. The die inserts are provided with a second through hole for the punch to pass through.

6. A flexible stamping production method for strip-shaped parts, characterized in that, The flexible stamping production line for strip parts as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 includes the following steps: Uncoiling and leveling → Blanking → Automatic welding → Automatic feeding → Stamping with flexible stamping die → Forming and blanking robot picks up part → Part visual inspection → Cutting and unloading robot feeding → Cutting → Cutting and unloading robot blanking process.

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