Steel sheet conversion machine and working method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a steel sheet conversion machine and a working method thereof. The steel sheet conversion machine comprises a horizontal conveying assembly, a lifting conveying assembly, a transferring assembly and a temporary storage bin assembly. The horizontal conveying assembly and the lifting conveying assembly are arranged at intervals, the temporary storage bin assembly is arranged on one side of the horizontal conveying assembly, and the transferring assembly is used for transferring, taking and placing workpieces among the horizontal conveying assembly, the lifting conveying assembly and the temporary storage bin assembly; according to the technical scheme, automatic production is achieved, and the production line manufacturing process is continuous.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of automation, in particular to a steel sheet conversion machine and a working method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) production process, products such as circuit boards need to be transported and positioned by carriers, and there are differences in carrier protection requirements between different process links - for example, when switching between welding, detection and other processes, the cover plate or steel sheet on the carrier needs to be replaced in the middle to avoid damage to the surface elements of the product due to friction and collision, and to prevent dust and impurities from contaminating the product and ensuring process yield.

[0003] Currently, the replacement of carrier cover plates or steel sheets in the industry mostly adopts a manual operation mode: the operator needs to temporarily remove the carrier from the production line, manually disassemble the old cover plate / steel sheet and then assemble the new one, and then re-send the carrier back to the production line. This mode has two major problems: first, the production continuity is poor, and manual replacement of a set of carrier needs to interrupt the production line transportation process, leading to frequent shutdown of the production line and seriously reducing overall production efficiency; second, the production line has insufficient compatibility, and different sizes and types of carriers need to be matched with special cover plates / steel sheets, and the "carrier and accessories mismatch" problem is prone to occur during manual replacement, and the replacement tools and operation process need to be adjusted according to the carrier specifications, further increasing the complexity of production line switching, which is difficult to adapt to the flexible production needs of modern SMT production lines with multiple varieties and small batches. SUMMARY

[0004] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a steel sheet conversion machine and a working method thereof, which aims to realize automated production and continuous production line process.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the steel sheet conversion machine provided by the present application comprises a horizontal conveying assembly, a lifting conveying assembly, a transfer assembly and a temporary storage warehouse assembly; the horizontal conveying assembly and the lifting conveying assembly are arranged at intervals, the temporary storage warehouse assembly is arranged on one side of the horizontal conveying assembly, and the transfer assembly is used to transfer and take and place workpieces between the horizontal conveying assembly, the lifting conveying assembly and the temporary storage warehouse assembly. The horizontal conveying assembly comprises a first fixed track, a first movable track and a first limiting mechanism arranged in parallel, and the first fixed track and the first movable track form a first conveying channel; the first limiting mechanism is arranged in the first conveying channel, and the first limiting mechanism is used to block or avoid the carrier conveyed in the first conveying channel; The lifting conveying assembly comprises a lifting mechanism, a second fixed track, a second movable track, and a second limiting mechanism; the second fixed track and the second movable track form a second conveying channel; the second limiting mechanism is arranged in the second conveying channel and is used for blocking or avoiding the carriers conveyed by the second conveying channel; and the lifting mechanism is used for driving the second conveying channel to ascend or descend. The transfer assembly comprises a transfer mechanism and a grabbing mechanism; the transfer mechanism is in transmission connection with the grabbing mechanism; the transfer mechanism can drive the grabbing mechanism to move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction; and the grabbing mechanism can grab or unload the workpieces.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present application, the steel sheet converting machine further comprises a board separating assembly arranged below the horizontal conveying assembly; the board separating assembly comprises a stock frame, a jacking member, a separating mechanism, and a feeding mechanism. The stock frame is used for stacking the workpieces; the jacking member is used for jacking up the stacked workpieces in the stock frame; the separating mechanism is used for pushing and clamping the top workpiece of the stacked workpieces; and the feeding mechanism is in transmission connection with the separating mechanism and is used for driving the separating mechanism to approach or move away from the stock frame.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, the stock frame is provided with a width adjusting slide rail; the jacking member is arranged at the bottom of the stock frame and comprises a jacking motor and a jacking support plate; the separating mechanism is arranged at the discharging end of the stock frame and comprises a separating member used for separating the uppermost workpiece; and the feeding mechanism comprises a linear slide and a feeding push plate; one end of the feeding push plate is fixedly connected with the separating mechanism, and the other end of the feeding push plate is in transmission connection with the linear slide.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the horizontal conveying assembly further comprises a first distance adjusting mechanism and a first jacking mechanism; the first distance adjusting mechanism is used for driving the first movable track to move along the width direction of the first fixed track; and the first jacking mechanism is arranged between the first fixed track and the first movable track and is used for jacking up the carriers on the first conveying channel or descending to avoid the carrier conveying.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the lifting conveying assembly further comprises a second distance adjusting mechanism and a second jacking mechanism; the second distance adjusting mechanism is used for driving the second movable track to move along the width direction of the second fixed track; and the second jacking mechanism is arranged between the second fixed track and the second movable track and is used for jacking up the carriers on the second conveying channel or descending to avoid the carrier conveying.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the transfer mechanism includes a horizontal moving member, a vertical moving member, and a rotating member. The horizontal moving member is drivenly connected to the vertical moving member, the vertical moving member is drivenly connected to the rotating member, and the gripping mechanism is drivenly connected to the rotating member. The horizontal moving member can drive the vertical moving member to move horizontally, the vertical moving member can drive the rotating member to move vertically, and the rotating member can drive the gripping mechanism to rotate around a horizontal axis.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the gripping mechanism includes a first gripping member and a second gripping member disposed opposite to each other.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first gripping member is a suction cup unit, and the second gripping member is a clamping claw unit.

[0013] This invention also proposes a working method for a steel sheet conversion machine, including the aforementioned steel sheet conversion machine. The working method includes a first-use / changeover process, with the following specific steps: S1: The carrier enters the first conveying channel of the horizontal conveying assembly. The first limiting mechanism extends to block the carrier and restrict its movement. The conveying stops after the carrier is in place. The carrier includes old steel sheets, old cover plates and products. S2: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move above the vehicle, and the gripping mechanism grips the old steel sheet and old cover plate on the vehicle; S3: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move to the temporary storage bin assembly, and puts the old steel sheet and old cover plate into the temporary storage bin assembly for temporary storage; S4: The temporary storage bin assembly includes an old material storage area and a new material storage area. New steel sheets and new cover plates are stored on one side of the temporary storage bin assembly. The transfer mechanism drives the grabbing mechanism to move to one side of the temporary storage bin assembly to grab the new steel sheets and new cover plates, and then transfers them to the top of the carrier. The carrier is equipped with old steel sheets and old cover plates. S5: The first limiting mechanism avoids the first conveying channel, and the horizontal conveying component conveys the covered carrier to the back-end production line.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, a normal production process is also included, wherein the normal production process adds the following steps after step S3: S31: The lifting mechanism drives the second conveying channel to rise to the docking position with the aerial logistics line, and the second conveying channel receives the empty vehicle conveyed by the aerial logistics line. S32: The second limiting mechanism extends to block the empty vehicle to restrict its movement, and stops conveying after the empty vehicle is in place; S33: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to remove the old steel sheet and old cover plate from the temporary storage bin assembly, and transfers them to the top of the empty vehicle and closes them; And add the following after step S5: S6: The second limiting mechanism avoids the second conveying channel, and the lifting mechanism drives the second conveying channel to adjust to match the return height of the aerial logistics line. The second conveying channel pushes the empty vehicle covered with old steel sheets and old cover plates to the return of the aerial logistics line. S7: Repeat steps S1-S6 to achieve continuous replacement of steel plates and cover plates and vehicle circulation.

[0015] This invention's technical solution utilizes a horizontal conveying component to stably transport materials from the front-end conveyor, a lifting conveying component to receive and return empty materials from the rear-end conveyor, a transfer component to transfer materials across components, and a temporary storage bin component to provide temporary storage space for both new and old materials. This avoids functional overlap and operational interference, ensuring the equipment can independently complete the entire process of "material arrival from conveyor - removal of old material - covering with new material - material flowout from conveyor - return of empty material" without relying on external equipment. The spacing between the horizontal and lifting conveying components prevents intersections between material arrival and return paths. The temporary storage bin component is positioned close to the horizontal conveying component, shortening the material transfer distance of the transfer component. The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move horizontally and vertically, fully covering the operating range of the horizontal, lifting, and temporary storage bin components, replacing traditional manual material transfer methods. This not only reduces labor intensity but also eliminates efficiency fluctuations associated with manual operation, resulting in a more stable material transfer cycle. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the steel sheet conversion machine of the present invention; Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the steel sheet conversion machine of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the steel sheet conversion machine of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the horizontal conveying assembly of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting and conveying assembly of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transfer component of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the board assembly of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of icon numbers: 1000 Steel sheet conversion machine; 1100 Aerial logistics line; 100 Horizontal conveying assembly; 110 First fixed track; 120 First movable track; 130 First limiting mechanism; 140 First adjusting mechanism; 150 First lifting mechanism; 200 Lifting and conveying assembly; 210 Lifting mechanism; 220 Second fixed track; 230 Second movable track; 240 Second limiting mechanism; 250 Second adjusting mechanism; 260 Second lifting mechanism; 300 Transfer assembly; 310. Transfer mechanism; 311. Horizontal moving component; 312. Vertical moving component; 320. Gripping mechanism; 321. First gripping component; 322. Second gripping component; 400. Temporary storage bin assembly; 500. Plate separating assembly; 510. Bin frame; 520. Lifting component; 521. Lifting motor; 522. Lifting pallet; 530. Separation mechanism; 531. Separation component; 540. Feeding mechanism; 541. Linear slide; 542. Feeding pusher plate; 550. Width adjustment slide rail; The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0021] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, the user should consider such a combination of technical solutions to be non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0022] Participation Figures 1-7 This invention proposes a steel sheet conversion machine 1000, which includes a horizontal conveying assembly 100, a lifting conveying assembly 200, a transfer assembly 300, and a temporary storage assembly 400. The horizontal conveying assembly 100 and the lifting conveying assembly 200 are arranged at intervals, the temporary storage assembly 400 is arranged on one side of the horizontal conveying assembly 100, and the transfer assembly 300 is used to transfer and pick up workpieces between the horizontal conveying assembly 100, the lifting conveying assembly 200, and the temporary storage assembly 400. The horizontal conveying assembly 100 includes a first fixed track 110, a first movable track 120 and a first limiting mechanism 130 arranged in parallel. The first fixed track 110 and the first movable track 120 form a first conveying channel. The first limiting mechanism 130 is disposed in the first conveying channel and is used to block or avoid the vehicle conveyed by the first conveying channel. The lifting and conveying assembly 200 includes a lifting mechanism 210, a second fixed rail 220, a second movable rail 230, and a second limiting mechanism 240. The second fixed rail 220 and the second movable rail 230 form a second conveying channel. The second limiting mechanism 240 is disposed in the second conveying channel and is used to block or avoid the vehicle being conveyed in the second conveying channel. The lifting mechanism 210 is used to drive the second conveying channel to rise or fall. The transfer assembly 300 includes a transfer mechanism 310 and a gripping mechanism 320. The transfer mechanism 310 and the gripping mechanism 320 are connected by a transmission. The transfer mechanism 310 can drive the gripping mechanism 320 to move in the horizontal and vertical directions. The gripping mechanism 320 can grip or unload the workpiece.

[0023] Based on the above technical features, the horizontal conveying component 100 is responsible for the stable conveying of the front-end material carrier, the lifting conveying component 200 is responsible for receiving and returning empty carriers at the rear, the transfer component 300 realizes cross-component material transfer, and the temporary storage bin component 400 provides temporary storage space for new and old materials. This avoids functional overlap and operational interference, ensuring that the equipment can independently complete the entire process of "carrier arrival - old material removal - new material covering - carrier outflow - empty carrier return" without relying on external equipment assistance; the spacing between the horizontal conveying component 100 and the lifting conveying component 200 avoids the intersection of carrier arrival and return paths; the temporary storage bin component 400 is arranged close to the horizontal conveying component 100, shortening the material transfer distance of the transfer component 300. The transfer mechanism 310 drives the gripping mechanism 320 to move in the horizontal and vertical directions, which can fully cover the working range of the horizontal conveying component 100, the lifting conveying component 200, and the temporary storage bin component 400. It replaces the traditional manual material transfer method, which not only reduces the intensity of manual labor, but also eliminates the efficiency fluctuations of manual operation, making the material transfer cycle more stable.

[0024] Furthermore, the steel sheet conversion machine 1000 also includes a plate-separating assembly 500 disposed below the horizontal conveying assembly 100. The plate-separating assembly 500 includes a hopper frame 510, a lifting component 520, a separating mechanism 530, and a feeding mechanism 540. The hopper frame 510 is used to stack workpieces, the lifting component 520 is used to lift the stacked workpieces within the hopper frame 510, the separating mechanism 530 is used to push and separate the top workpiece of the stacked workpieces, and the feeding mechanism 540 is connected to the separating mechanism 530 for transmission. The feeding mechanism 540 is used to drive the separating mechanism 530 to move closer to or away from the hopper frame 510. Through the integrated action of stacking cover plates in the hopper frame 510, gradually lifting by the lifting component 520, separating single pieces by the separating mechanism 530, and precisely conveying by the feeding mechanism 540, the plate-separating assembly 500 transforms batch-stacked cover plates into single, orderly material supply, completely replacing the traditional mode of manual single-piece picking and placement. It reduces the risk of cover plate contamination and damage caused by manual intervention and avoids equipment downtime due to untimely manual material supply; the PCB assembly 500 is set below the horizontal conveyor assembly 100, making full use of the vertical space of the equipment without occupying additional production line floor area, adapting to the layout requirements of compact production lines such as SMT, and avoiding the encroachment of new equipment on the existing production line space.

[0025] Specifically, the hopper frame 510 is equipped with a width-adjustable slide rail 550; a lifting component 520 is located at the bottom of the hopper frame 510, and the lifting component 520 includes a lifting motor 521 and a lifting support plate 522; a separation mechanism 530 is located at the discharge end of the hopper frame 510, and the separation mechanism 530 includes a separation component 531, which is used to separate the uppermost workpiece; a feeding mechanism 540 includes a linear slide table 541 and a feeding push plate 542, one end of the feeding push plate 542 is fixedly connected to the separation mechanism 530, and the other end of the feeding push plate 542 is drivenly connected to the linear slide table 541; the width-adjustable slide rail 550 of the hopper frame 510 can be flexibly adjusted according to the width of different specifications of cover plates to meet the production switching needs of multiple product varieties and reduce the structural adjustment time and cost when changing equipment. The lifting component 520 precisely controls the lifting height through the motor speed, ensuring that the top layer of the stacked cover plates is always at the optimal working height of the separation mechanism 530, thus avoiding the problem of height fluctuation in pneumatic lifting. The feeding mechanism 540 drives the feeding pusher 542 through the linear slide 541, which can accurately push the separated cover plates to the preset picking position with small positioning deviation. It seamlessly connects with the gripping action of the transfer component 300 without the need for secondary adjustment.

[0026] Furthermore, when the cover plate is magnetic, the internal space of the hopper can be adjusted by the automatic length adjustment component and the automatic width adjustment component, so that the stacked magnetic cover plates are abutted and fixed in both length and width directions within the hopper, forming a neat stacked state and reducing the magnetic adsorption and adhesion caused by disordered positions. Then, the stacked magnetic cover plates are precisely lifted by the hopper lifting component, so that the top cover plate is in a position that facilitates the operation of the cover plate separating component 500. Then, the separating component 531 pushes out the top magnetic cover plate, thereby overcoming the adsorption force between the magnetic cover plates and realizing the smooth separation and subsequent conveying of individual magnetic cover plates. This ensures the material sorting and picking effect of special materials with magnetic cover plates and expands the material adaptability of the equipment.

[0027] In this embodiment, the separation mechanism 530 adopts a composite action structure of pushing and clamping. It can break the adsorption force between the cover plates by pushing, and then separate the top single cover plate by clamping. This effectively solves the problem of multiple covers sticking together due to the smooth surface and electrostatic adsorption of thin cover plates, ensuring that only a single cover plate is supplied to the transfer component 300 each time, thus ensuring the accuracy of subsequent cover-making operations.

[0028] Furthermore, the horizontal conveying assembly 100 also includes a first adjusting mechanism 140 and a first lifting mechanism 150; the first adjusting mechanism 140 is used to drive the first movable track 120 to move along the width direction of the first fixed track 110; the first lifting mechanism 150 is disposed between the first fixed track 110 and the first movable track 120, and is used to lift the carrier on the first conveying channel or lower it to avoid the conveying of the carrier; the first adjusting mechanism 140 can drive the first movable track 120 to move along the width direction of the first fixed track 110, and adjust the track gauge according to the width requirements of the carrier, so as to adapt to carriers of different sizes without changing the conveying track; the first lifting mechanism 150 is disposed between the first fixed track 110 and the first movable track 120. When the carrier is blocked in place by the limiting mechanism, the lifting mechanism lifts the carrier to make it leave the conveying track, so as to avoid interference between the track and the gripping action of the transfer assembly 300; when the material is changed, the lifting mechanism lowers to avoid the carrier, and the carrier falls back to the track and is conveyed to the back-end production line.

[0029] The lifting and conveying assembly 200 also includes a second adjusting mechanism 250 and a second lifting mechanism 260. The second adjusting mechanism 250 is used to drive the second movable track 230 to move along the width direction of the second fixed track 220. The second lifting mechanism 260 is located between the second fixed track 220 and the second movable track 230. The second lifting mechanism 260 is used to lift the carrier on the second conveying channel or lower it to avoid the carrier being transported. The second adjusting mechanism 250 has the same structure and adjustment logic as the first adjusting mechanism 140 of the horizontal conveying assembly 100. It can adjust the track gauge of the second conveying channel according to the specifications of the incoming carrier to ensure that the returned empty carrier is completely matched with the specifications of the conveying channel, and avoid the problem of jamming or offset of the empty carrier due to the mismatch of track gauge. The second lifting mechanism 260 can lift the returned empty carrier, so that the transfer assembly 300 can cover the temporarily stored old steel sheets and old cover plates onto the empty carrier. The lifting mechanism 210 drives the second conveying channel to rise and fall, and can accurately adjust the channel height so that it can dock with the aerial logistics line 1100 at different heights.

[0030] In this embodiment, the transfer mechanism 310 includes a horizontal moving component 311, a vertical moving component 312, and a rotating component. The horizontal moving component 311 is connected to the vertical moving component 312, the vertical moving component 312 is connected to the rotating component, and the gripping mechanism 320 is connected to the rotating component. The horizontal moving component 311 can drive the vertical moving component 312 to move horizontally, the vertical moving component 312 can drive the rotating component to move vertically, and the rotating component can drive the gripping mechanism 320 to rotate around a horizontal axis. The horizontal moving component, the vertical moving component 312, and the rotating component are sequentially connected to form a complete multi-axis drive link. Through the coordinated action of each component, the horizontal position, vertical height and rotation angle of the gripping mechanism 320 can be precisely controlled, effectively improving the accuracy of removing old materials and covering with new materials; the rotating component can drive the gripping mechanism 320 to rotate around the horizontal axis, enabling the gripping mechanism 320 to quickly switch working postures, and can complete the gripping of materials in different directions without adjusting the overall position of the transfer mechanism 310, which greatly shortens the transfer path and working time and improves the overall working efficiency.

[0031] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 320 includes a first gripping component 321 and a second gripping component 322 arranged opposite to each other. The two gripping components arranged opposite to each other can be designed with gripping methods for the different physical characteristics of steel sheets and cover plates, avoiding the problem that a single gripping component cannot be compatible with two materials. This ensures that both steel sheets and cover plates can be gripped stably. With the flipping function of the transfer mechanism 310, the gripping component can be switched in one flip without stopping the machine to change the gripping tool, which greatly reduces the auxiliary time in the material transfer process and improves the continuity of operation.

[0032] Specifically, the first gripping component 321 is a suction cup unit, and the second gripping component 322 is a claw unit. The suction cup unit grips the cover plate through the principle of vacuum adsorption, which is suitable for the flat surface and thin texture of the cover plate. It can provide stable adsorption force without damaging the surface of the cover plate, and avoid the cover plate from deforming or falling off during the transfer process. The claw unit grips the steel sheet by clamping the edge, which is suitable for the steel sheet's strong rigidity and easy edge clamping. The clamping force can be flexibly adjusted according to the thickness of the steel sheet, ensuring that the steel sheet will not be displaced or damaged during the transfer process, while avoiding the problem of the suction cup being unable to grip the steel sheet stably.

[0033] It should be noted that the transfer component 300 can also have two gripping mechanisms 320 operating simultaneously, enabling simultaneous gripping of cover plates or steel sheets at different locations. Furthermore, the gripping mechanisms 320 can be suction cup units or gripper units, and are not limited to a single gripping mechanism arranged opposite to each other.

[0034] Preferably, in terms of optimizing information recognition and positioning accuracy, by setting up barcode scanning components on the carrier inlet side of the horizontal conveying component 100 and on the gripping path of the steel sheet picking and placing module, the identification information of the incoming carrier (such as material number and batch) and the information of the gripped steel sheet / cover plate can be automatically scanned, realizing the information matching and verification of "carrier-material", effectively avoiding production defects caused by material mismatch. At the same time, the equipment adds CCD offset detection and visual correction functions. By setting up visual acquisition components at the gripping position of the steel sheet picking and placing module and the carrier cover position, the position images of the carrier and steel sheet / cover plate are acquired in real time, and the deviation between the actual position and the preset benchmark is compared and detected. Then, the deviation is automatically compensated by the multi-axis linkage of the transfer mechanism 310, which significantly improves the overall positioning accuracy and meets the needs of high-precision production scenarios.

[0035] This invention also proposes a working method for a steel sheet conversion machine 1000, including the aforementioned steel sheet conversion machine 1000. The working method includes a first-use / changeover process, and the specific steps are as follows: S1: The carrier enters the first conveying channel of the horizontal conveying assembly 100. The first limiting mechanism 130 extends to block the carrier and restrict its movement. The conveying stops after the carrier is in place. The carrier includes old steel sheets, old cover plates and products. S2: The transfer mechanism 310 drives the gripping mechanism 320 to move above the vehicle, and the gripping mechanism 320 grips the old steel sheet and old cover plate on the vehicle; S3: The transfer mechanism 310 drives the gripping mechanism 320 to move to the temporary storage bin assembly 400, and puts the old steel sheet and old cover plate into the temporary storage bin assembly 400 for temporary storage; S4: The temporary storage bin assembly 400 includes an old material temporary storage area and a new material storage area. New steel sheets and new cover plates are stored on one side of the temporary storage bin assembly 400. The transfer mechanism 310 drives the gripping mechanism 320 to move to one side of the temporary storage bin assembly 400 to grip the new steel sheets and new cover plates, and then transfer them to the top of the carrier. The carrier is equipped with old steel sheets and old cover plates. S5: The first limiting mechanism 130 avoids the first conveying channel, and the horizontal conveying component 100 conveys the completed carrier to the back-end production line.

[0036] Based on the aforementioned technical features, the precise positioning of the carrier by the first limiting mechanism 130 provides a unified benchmark for the removal of old materials and the covering of new materials, avoiding operational deviations in the initial stage of changeover from the source. On the other hand, relying on the automated gripping of the transfer component 300 and the partitioned design of the temporary storage bin, the entire process of old material cleaning and new material switching is completed without human intervention, avoiding material handling errors caused by mixing old and new materials and reducing material damage caused by manual contact. At the same time, the process forms a complete closed loop from carrier material arrival, positioning, material replacement to final release, and can be connected to the back-end production without additional debugging, significantly shortening changeover downtime and ensuring that the equipment can quickly enter a stable operating state.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, a normal production process is also included, wherein the normal production process adds the following steps after step S3: S31: The lifting mechanism 210 drives the second conveying channel to rise to the docking position with the aerial logistics line 1100, and the second conveying channel receives the empty vehicle conveyed by the aerial logistics line 1100. S32: The second limiting mechanism 240 extends to block the empty vehicle to restrict its movement, and stops conveying after the empty vehicle is in place; S33: The transfer mechanism 310 drives the gripping mechanism 320 to remove the old steel sheet and old cover plate from the temporary storage bin assembly 400, transfer them to the top of the empty vehicle and close them; And add the following after step S5: S6: The second limiting mechanism 240 avoids the second conveying channel, and the lifting mechanism 210 drives the second conveying channel to adjust to match the return height of the aerial logistics line 1100. The second conveying channel pushes the empty vehicle covered with the old steel sheet and old cover plate to the return of the aerial logistics line 1100. S7: Repeat steps S1-S6 to achieve continuous replacement of steel plates and cover plates and vehicle circulation.

[0038] This process, based on the initial use / replacement process, adds empty carrier return and recycling logic, constructing a fully closed-loop production mode of "carrier arrival - material replacement - empty carrier recovery - recycling". The lifting mechanism 210 adjusts the height of the second conveyor channel to achieve precise docking with the overhead logistics line 1100, automatically receiving returned empty carriers. Relying on the second limit mechanism 240 for positioning and the linkage with the transfer component 300, the old material is neatly covered and recycled to the empty carrier. Finally, the empty carrier is returned through channel pushing, forming carrier recycling and reducing procurement and management costs. By repeating the "incoming material - processing - return" logic, the process eliminates process interruptions such as manual replenishment and recycling, ensuring continuous 24-hour operation of the equipment. This maintains a stable production rhythm, increases unit time capacity, and reduces the risk of failure due to human intervention through component coordinated action, ensuring the reliability and economy of the production process.

[0039] Preferably, two steel sheet conversion machines 1000 can be set up opposite each other. Setting the two steel sheet conversion machines 1000 opposite each other can realize a highly efficient production layout of "two-way material inflow - synchronous operation - collaborative return". This layout can simultaneously meet the material inflow needs of the carriers on both sides of the production line. The transfer components 300 of the two machines handle the steel sheet and cover plate replacement operations on their respective sides, which greatly increases the carrier processing capacity per unit time. At the same time, the opposite arrangement can share the aerial logistics line 1100 and temporary storage resources in the middle area. The lifting and conveying components 200 of the two machines can collaboratively receive and return empty carriers, reducing the cost of redundant logistics line layout. In addition, the symmetrical layout makes it easy for operators to centrally monitor the operating status of the two machines in the middle area, reducing the difficulty of inspection. When one machine needs temporary maintenance, the other machine can continue to operate, reducing the risk of overall production line downtime and significantly improving the continuity and economy of production.

[0040] In summary, the steel sheet conversion machine 1000 and its working method of this application, through modular and collaborative design, effectively solve the technical pain points of "excessive manual intervention, low conversion efficiency, and discontinuous production" in the traditional steel sheet and cover plate replacement process. The interval layout of the horizontal conveying component 100 and the lifting conveying component 200, combined with the dual-track conveying channel, ensures stable carrier flow; the multi-axis linkage and dual-grip component design of the transfer component 300 achieves precise and rapid transfer of different materials; the automated material distribution of the plate separating component 500 and the zoned management of the temporary storage bin ensure orderly supply of new materials and isolation between new and old materials; the addition of the distance adjustment mechanism and the lifting mechanism further improves the equipment's adaptability to multiple specifications of carriers and materials. The initial use / conversion process forms a closed loop through precise positioning and automatic material changing, significantly shortening the conversion downtime; the normal production process constructs a "material-processing-return" system through the empty carrier recycling design. This continuous production mode reduces the cost of carrier procurement. Simultaneously, the optimal layout of the two machines facing each other enables bidirectional operation and resource sharing, further improving the overall efficiency of the production line. The steel sheet conversion machine 1000 and its working method described in this application have a compact overall structure, a high degree of automation, and strong compatibility, making them widely adaptable to the steel sheet and cover plate replacement needs in fields such as SMT, demonstrating significant practicality and economic benefits.

[0041] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steel sheet conversion machine, characterized in that, The steel sheet conversion machine includes a horizontal conveying assembly, a lifting conveying assembly, a transfer assembly, and a temporary storage bin assembly; the horizontal conveying assembly and the lifting conveying assembly are arranged at intervals, the temporary storage bin assembly is arranged on one side of the horizontal conveying assembly, and the transfer assembly is used to transfer and pick up / place workpieces between the horizontal conveying assembly, the lifting conveying assembly, and the temporary storage bin assembly. The horizontal conveying assembly includes a first fixed track, a first movable track, and a first limiting mechanism arranged in parallel. The first fixed track and the first movable track form a first conveying channel. The first limiting mechanism is disposed in the first conveying channel and is used to block or avoid the vehicle conveyed by the first conveying channel. The lifting and conveying assembly includes a lifting mechanism, a second fixed rail, a second movable rail, and a second limiting mechanism. The second fixed rail and the second movable rail form a second conveying channel. The second limiting mechanism is disposed in the second conveying channel and is used to block or avoid the vehicle conveyed by the second conveying channel. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the second conveying channel to rise or fall. The transfer assembly includes a transfer mechanism and a gripping mechanism. The transfer mechanism is connected to the gripping mechanism in a transmission manner. The transfer mechanism can drive the gripping mechanism to move in the horizontal and vertical directions. The gripping mechanism can grip or unload the workpiece.

2. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steel sheet conversion machine also includes a plate-separating assembly disposed below the horizontal conveying assembly. The plate-separating assembly includes a hopper frame, a lifting component, a separation mechanism, and a feeding mechanism. The hopper frame is used to stack workpieces, the lifting member is used to lift the stacked workpieces in the hopper frame, the separating mechanism is used to push and clamp the top workpiece of the stacked workpieces, the feeding mechanism is connected to the separating mechanism in a transmission manner, and the feeding mechanism is used to drive the separating mechanism to move closer to or away from the hopper frame.

3. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The hopper frame is equipped with a width-adjustable slide rail; the lifting component is located at the bottom of the hopper frame, and the lifting component includes a lifting motor and a lifting support plate; the separation mechanism is located at the discharge end of the hopper frame, and the separation mechanism includes a separation component for separating the uppermost workpiece; the feeding mechanism includes a linear slide and a feeding pusher plate, one end of the feeding pusher plate is fixedly connected to the separation mechanism, and the other end of the feeding pusher plate is drivenly connected to the linear slide.

4. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal conveying assembly further includes a first adjusting mechanism and a first lifting mechanism; the first adjusting mechanism is used to drive the first movable track to move along the width direction of the first fixed track; the first lifting mechanism is disposed between the first fixed track and the first movable track, and the first lifting mechanism is used to lift the vehicle on the first conveying channel or lower it to avoid the conveying of the vehicle.

5. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and conveying assembly further includes a second adjusting mechanism and a second lifting mechanism; the second adjusting mechanism is used to drive the second movable track to move along the width direction of the second fixed track; the second lifting mechanism is disposed between the second fixed track and the second movable track, and is used to lift the vehicle on the second conveying channel or lower it to avoid the conveying of the vehicle.

6. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer mechanism includes a horizontal moving component, a vertical moving component, and a rotating component. The horizontal moving component is driven by the vertical moving component, the vertical moving component is driven by the rotating component, and the gripping mechanism is driven by the rotating component. The horizontal moving component can drive the vertical moving component to move horizontally, the vertical moving component can drive the rotating component to move vertically, and the rotating component can drive the gripping mechanism to rotate around a horizontal axis.

7. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The gripping mechanism includes a first gripping component and a second gripping component arranged opposite to each other.

8. The steel sheet conversion machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first gripping component is a suction cup unit, and the second gripping component is a clamping claw unit.

9. A method for operating a steel sheet conversion machine, characterized in that, Including the steel sheet conversion machine as described in any one of claims 1-8, the working method includes a first-use / changeover process, specifically comprising the following steps: S1: The carrier enters the first conveying channel of the horizontal conveying assembly. The first limiting mechanism extends to block the carrier and restrict its movement. The conveying stops after the carrier is in place. The carrier is equipped with old steel sheets and old cover plates. S2: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move above the vehicle, and the gripping mechanism grips the old steel sheet and old cover plate on the vehicle; S3: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move to the temporary storage bin assembly, and puts the old steel sheet and old cover plate into the temporary storage bin assembly for temporary storage; S4: The temporary storage bin assembly includes an old material storage area and a new material storage area. New steel sheets and new cover plates are stored on one side of the temporary storage bin assembly. The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to move to one side of the temporary storage bin assembly to grip the new steel sheets and new cover plates, and then transfers them to the top of the carrier to cover the new steel sheets and new cover plates onto the carrier. S5: The first limiting mechanism avoids the first conveying channel, and the horizontal conveying component conveys the covered carrier to the back-end production line.

10. The working method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes the normal production process, which, after step S3, adds the following steps: S31: The lifting mechanism drives the second conveying channel to rise to the docking position with the aerial logistics line, and the second conveying channel receives the empty vehicle conveyed by the aerial logistics line. S32: The second limiting mechanism extends to block the empty vehicle to restrict its movement, and stops conveying after the empty vehicle is in place; S33: The transfer mechanism drives the gripping mechanism to remove the old steel sheet and old cover plate from the temporary storage bin assembly, and transfers them to the top of the empty vehicle and closes them; And add the following after step S5: S6: The second limiting mechanism avoids the second conveying channel, and the lifting mechanism drives the second conveying channel to adjust to match the return height of the aerial logistics line. The second conveying channel pushes the empty vehicle covered with old steel sheets and old cover plates to the return of the aerial logistics line. S7: Repeat steps S1-S6 to achieve continuous replacement of steel plates and cover plates and vehicle circulation.

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