Multi-station high-speed cold and hot cycle molding equipment and process thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of thermoplastic material molding equipment, and discloses a multi-station high-speed cold and hot cycle molding equipment and a process thereof, which comprises a baking tray station, a hot pressing station, a plate lifting mechanism, a material moving mechanism, a transfer mechanism and a cold pressing station, the baking tray station preheats the material, the hot pressing station is arranged downstream of the baking tray station and hot-presses the preheated material, the plate lifting mechanism is arranged downstream of the hot pressing station and is used for feeding and clamping the material, and the material moving mechanism is arranged directly below the plate lifting mechanism.The present application integrates the baking tray station, the hot pressing station and the cold pressing station in the same equipment and forms a continuous process flow of 'preheating, hot pressing and cold pressing', so that the material can complete multiple processing procedures at a time after single clamping, repeated handling and repositioning between multiple equipment are avoided, the production rhythm is greatly shortened, and the production efficiency is greatly improved compared with traditional split single-station equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermoplastic material compression molding equipment, specifically a multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle compression molding equipment and its process. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of thermoplastic compression molding technology, the currently widely adopted process mainly includes three core steps: material preheating, hot pressing, and cooling. In existing technologies, these three steps are typically completed separately by a preheating oven, a hot press, and a cooling press. During production, operators must first place the material in the oven for preheating, then manually remove it and quickly transfer it to the hot press for pressing. After hot pressing, the semi-finished product is then transported to the cooling press for cooling and plasticization. The equipment is arranged in an isolated, island-like layout, resulting in long material flow paths between processes, high auxiliary transfer time, and the overall production cycle being severely constrained by the efficiency of equipment integration. Furthermore, to ensure spatial avoidance and coordinated movements between workstations, the separate equipment usually requires large safety distances and buffer areas, leading to a large floor area and high construction costs for the entire line.

[0003] Existing technologies generally suffer from the following problems: materials are repeatedly handled and repositioned between various independent devices, and the clamping datum is changed multiple times, leading to the accumulation of positioning errors in each process, which seriously affects the dimensional accuracy and yield of products; during the process of transferring materials from the preheating oven to the hot press, they inevitably come into contact with ambient air, and the temperature drops rapidly during the transfer, making the thermal process uncontrollable. This results in a deviation between the actual material temperature during hot pressing and the process setting value, making it difficult to accurately match the molding pressure and temperature, which directly affects the microstructure and mechanical properties of the product; after hot pressing, the material is in a high-temperature state. If the path to the cooling press is too long, the material will pre-cool and shrink in a free state without constraints, which can easily cause warping deformation and internal stress concentration. Even if the subsequent cold pressing process can compensate for the deformation to a certain extent, it is difficult to completely eliminate the residual stress that has been generated, resulting in unsatisfactory product shape stability and long-term service performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of existing discrete preheating ovens, hot presses and cooling presses mentioned in the background art, the present invention provides a multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment and its process, which has the advantages of seamless connection between processes, single clamping and full flow, high positioning accuracy, continuous control of temperature and pressure throughout the process, and effective thermal isolation between hot and cold stations, thus solving the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] This invention provides the following technical solution: a multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment and its process, comprising a baking tray station, a hot pressing station, a lifting mechanism, a material transfer mechanism, a conveying mechanism, and a cold pressing station. The baking tray station preheats the material. The hot pressing station is located downstream of the baking tray station and hot-presses the preheated material. The lifting mechanism is located downstream of the hot pressing station and is used for feeding and clamping the material. The material transfer mechanism is located directly below the lifting mechanism and transfers the material between the baking tray station and the hot pressing station. The conveying mechanism is located on one side of the material transfer mechanism. The cold pressing station is located downstream of the conveying mechanism and cools and shapes the hot-pressed material.

[0006] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a cylinder, a fixed plate, at least one guide shaft, at least one guide sleeve, and a clamping plate. The cylinder and the guide sleeve are fixed on the fixed plate. The guide shaft slides through the guide sleeve. The lower end of the guide shaft is fixedly connected to the clamping plate. The piston rod of the cylinder is connected to the clamping plate to drive the clamping plate to move up and down in the vertical direction.

[0007] Preferably, the material transfer mechanism includes a feeding platform, a fixed plate, a guide rail, a platform lifting cylinder, a servo motor, and a ball screw. The guide rail is fixed to the fixed plate, the feeding platform is slidably disposed on the guide rail, the servo motor drives the feeding platform to move horizontally along the guide rail through the ball screw, and the platform lifting cylinder is disposed between the feeding platform and the fixed plate to drive the feeding platform to lift and move to different positions.

[0008] Preferably, the baking tray station includes a hand crank screw, an upper baking tray, a lower baking tray, at least one support column, and at least one heating element. The support column is supported between the upper baking tray and the lower baking tray. The hand crank screw is connected to the upper baking tray to adjust the distance between the upper baking tray and the lower baking tray. The heating element is built into the upper baking tray and / or the lower baking tray.

[0009] Preferably, the hot pressing station includes a top plate, an upper heat insulation layer, an upper heating plate, a lower heating plate, a lower heat insulation layer, a bottom plate, a hydraulic cylinder, and at least one guide column. The top plate, the upper heat insulation layer, the upper heating plate, the lower heating plate, the lower heat insulation layer, and the bottom plate are stacked sequentially from top to bottom. The hydraulic cylinder is located above the top plate to provide molding pressure, and the guide column is vertically inserted between the top plate and the bottom plate.

[0010] Preferably, the transfer mechanism includes a suction cup fixing plate, at least one vacuum suction cup, an X-axis servo drive, and a Y-axis electric cylinder. The vacuum suction cup is fixed on the lower surface of the suction cup fixing plate. The X-axis servo drive is driven to the suction cup fixing plate to drive the suction cup fixing plate to move along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis electric cylinder is driven to the suction cup fixing plate to drive the suction cup fixing plate to move along the Y-axis direction.

[0011] Preferably, the cold pressing station includes an upper cooling plate, a lower cooling plate, a guide rail, a lead screw, a servo motor, and a cooling water pipe. The upper cooling plate and / or the lower cooling plate are provided with the cooling water pipe. The servo motor drives the upper cooling plate and / or the lower cooling plate to move along the guide rail through the lead screw to press and cool the material.

[0012] A multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding process includes the following steps: S1: The lifting mechanism opens the clamping plate, places the material to be formed into it, and then closes the clamping plate; S2: The material transfer mechanism feeds the material from below the lifting plate mechanism into the baking tray station for preheating; S3: After preheating, the material transfer mechanism sends the material from the baking tray station to the hot pressing station for hot pressing and forming; S4: After hot pressing is completed, the material transfer mechanism will send the material from the hot pressing station back to the area below the lifting plate mechanism; S5: The lifting mechanism opens the clamping plate, and the transfer mechanism uses the vacuum suction cup to adsorb the material and transfer the material to the cold pressing station; S6: The cold pressing station performs cold pressing plasticity on the material; S7: Remove the finished product after cold pressing.

[0013] Preferably, the preheating temperature in step S2 is controlled by adjusting the power of the heating element and / or by adjusting the distance between the upper baking pan and the lower baking pan using the hand crank screw.

[0014] Preferably, in step S6, the cold pressing station achieves rapid cooling and plasticity by circulating cooling water into the cooling water pipe.

[0015] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention integrates the baking tray station, hot pressing station, and cold pressing station into the same equipment and forms a continuous process flow of "preheating, hot pressing, and cold pressing". This allows materials to complete multiple processing steps in one go after a single clamping, avoiding repeated handling and repositioning between multiple equipment, greatly shortening the production cycle, and significantly improving production efficiency compared to traditional split single-station equipment.

[0016] 2. This invention uses a servo motor in the material transfer mechanism, in conjunction with a ball screw, to drive the material feeding platform for precise positioning between the baking tray station and the hot pressing station. Furthermore, the X-axis servo drive and Y-axis electric cylinder in the transfer mechanism work together to control the dual-axis positioning of the vacuum suction cup. These features significantly improve the transfer and positioning accuracy of materials between stations, thereby substantially enhancing product consistency and yield.

[0017] 3. This invention utilizes the three-pronged approach of preheating with a built-in heating element in the baking pan station, pressurizing with oil cylinders using upper and lower heating plates in the hot pressing station, and cooling with circulating water pipes in the cold pressing station. This ensures that the material remains under precisely controllable temperature and pressure throughout the entire process of "preheating, hot pressing, and cold pressing," effectively suppressing warping and deformation caused by temperature fluctuations or natural cooling, resulting in stable and reliable molding quality.

[0018] 4. The present invention uses a cylinder in the lifting mechanism to drive the clamping plate to move smoothly up and down along four guide shafts to achieve clamping opening and closing. Combined with the platform lifting cylinder in the material transfer mechanism, the material release platform can be lifted and positioned to avoid obstruction. This enables smooth and interference-free material transfer between workstations. The loading and unloading actions are simple and reliable, reducing manual intervention and operational risks.

[0019] 5. This invention features multiple adjustable designs, such as adjusting the distance between the upper and lower baking pans with a hand crank screw and controlling the cold pressing pressure with a servo motor torque. These features enable the equipment to flexibly adapt to thermoplastic materials of different thicknesses and types, balancing automated and efficient production with adjustable process parameters, thus expanding the equipment's applicable processing range. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a top view of the overall layout of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the transplanting platform mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the baking tray station structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hot pressing station structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the transplanting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cold pressing station structure of the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Baking tray station; 11. Hand-cranked screw; 12. Upper baking tray; 13. Lower baking tray; 14. Support column; 2. Hot pressing station; 21. Top plate; 22. Upper insulation layer; 23. Upper heating plate; 24. Lower heating plate; 25. Lower insulation layer; 26. Bottom plate; 3. Lifting mechanism; 31. Cylinder; 32. Fixing plate; 33. Guide shaft; 34. Guide sleeve; 35. Clamping plate; 4. Material transfer mechanism; 41. Discharge platform; 42. Fixing plate; 43. Guide rail; 5. Transfer mechanism; 51. Suction cup fixing plate; 52. Vacuum suction cup; 6. Cold pressing station; 61. Upper cooling plate; 62. Lower cooling plate; 63. Guide rail; 64. Screw. Detailed Implementation

[0022] 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 some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 A multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment, arranged in sequence along the production line direction according to the material processing flow, includes a baking tray station 1, a hot pressing station 2, a lifting plate mechanism 3, a material transfer mechanism 4, a transfer mechanism 5, and a cold pressing station 6. The six are integrated into a whole machine, forming an integrated continuous automated production line for feeding, preheating, hot pressing molding, cold pressing plasticizing, and unloading.

[0024] The machine consists of several stages: The baking tray station 1 is located upstream of the hot pressing station 2, used to preheat the material to ensure it reaches a suitable thermoforming temperature range before entering the hot pressing process. The hot pressing station 2 is located downstream of the baking tray station 1, receiving the preheated material and applying forming pressure and temperature to complete the hot pressing process. The lifting plate mechanism 3 is located downstream of the hot pressing station 2, situated to the side of both stations, and is used to open and close the clamping mechanism during material loading. The material transfer mechanism 4 is located directly below the lifting plate mechanism 3, used to transfer the material back and forth between the baking tray station 1 and the hot pressing station 2. The transfer mechanism 5 is located to one side of the transfer mechanism 4, near the cold pressing station 6, used to transfer the hot-pressed material from below the lifting plate mechanism 3 to the cold pressing station 6. The cold pressing station 6 is located downstream of the transfer mechanism 5, used to rapidly cool and solidify the hot-pressed material.

[0025] The aforementioned six-station layout enables a relay-style material transfer path between various processes, ensuring close connection between processes and short transfer distances, significantly improving production cycle time, while avoiding positioning errors and thermal loss caused by repeated clamping between multiple independent devices.

[0026] like Figure 4 As shown, the lifting mechanism 3 includes a cylinder 31, a fixed plate 32, at least one guide shaft 33, at least one guide sleeve 34, and a clamping plate 35. In a preferred embodiment, there are two guide shafts 33, which are symmetrically distributed, and the number of guide sleeves 34 corresponds one-to-one with the number of guide shafts 33.

[0027] The fixing plate 32 is a horizontally positioned rectangular metal plate. A cylinder 31 is fixedly mounted on its upper surface. The cylinder body of the cylinder 31 is fixed to the center of the fixing plate 32 by bolts, and the piston rod of the cylinder 31 passes downward through the central hole of the fixing plate 32. Mounting holes are provided at the four corners of the fixing plate 32, and a guide sleeve 34 is fixedly embedded in each mounting hole. The guide sleeve 34 is preferably a self-lubricating copper sleeve or a linear bearing. Each guide shaft 33 slides through the corresponding guide sleeve 34. The upper end of the guide shaft 33 extends above the fixing plate 32, and the lower end of the guide shaft 33 extends downward and is fixedly connected to a horizontally positioned clamping plate 35 by bolts. The lower end of the piston rod of the cylinder 31 is also fixedly connected to the upper surface of the clamping plate 35. Thus, the extension and retraction of the cylinder 31 drives the clamping plate 35 to smoothly rise and fall along the vertical direction defined by the four guide shafts 33, realizing the opening and closing action of the clamping plate 35 and completing the insertion and clamping of materials.

[0028] like Figure 5 As shown, the material transfer mechanism 4 is located directly below the lifting mechanism 3, and includes a material feeding platform 41, a fixed plate 42, a guide rail 43, a platform lifting cylinder, a servo motor, and a ball screw.

[0029] A fixed plate 42 is fixedly installed on the lower frame of the equipment, and one or two parallel guide rails 43 are laid on its upper surface in the horizontal direction. A feeding platform 41 is slidably mounted on the guide rails 43 via a slider, and its upper surface is used to support materials. The ball screw nut is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the feeding platform 41, and the ball screw body is arranged along the length of the guide rails 43, with one end connected to the output shaft of a servo motor via a coupling. The servo motor drives the ball screw to rotate, thereby causing the feeding platform 41 to move precisely horizontally along the guide rails 43 between the position below the baking tray station 1 and the position below the hot pressing station 2.

[0030] A platform lifting cylinder is vertically positioned between the feeding platform 41 and the fixed plate 42. The cylinder body is fixed to the fixed plate 42, and the top of its piston rod is connected to the lower surface of the feeding platform 41 to drive the feeding platform 41 to rise and fall in the vertical direction. When the material transfer mechanism 4 moves below the baking tray station 1 or the hot pressing station 2, the platform lifting cylinder 44 lifts the feeding platform 41 to allow the material to enter the station, completing the material transfer. During the movement, the platform lifting cylinder 44 retracts to lower the feeding platform 41 to avoid interference with the upper mechanism. The start-stop precision control of the servo motor, combined with the precision transmission of the ball screw, can control the horizontal positioning accuracy of the feeding platform 41 within ±0.1mm.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the baking tray station 1 includes a hand crank screw 11, an upper baking tray 12, a lower baking tray 13, support columns 14, and at least one heating element. In a preferred embodiment, there are four support columns 14, which are respectively arranged at the four corners.

[0032] Both the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13 are rectangular flat plates made of metal, and they are arranged opposite each other. The material is placed in the gap between the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13 for non-contact or contact preheating. The upper end of the hand crank screw 11 is equipped with a handwheel, and the screw part of the hand crank screw 11 is vertically inserted into the upper baking pan 12. The lower end of the screw is engaged with the transmission nut in the upper baking pan 12. By manually rotating the handwheel of the hand crank screw 11, the upper baking pan 12 can be driven to make slight up and down adjustments along the support column 14, thereby adjusting the distance between the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13 to accommodate materials of different thicknesses.

[0033] Heating elements are embedded in the internal channels of the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13. In a preferred embodiment, multiple parallel heating elements are embedded in both the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13. The heating elements are preferably electric heating elements, which, through electrical connection with an external temperature control system, can precisely control the baking pan temperature within the required preheating temperature range for the material. The preheating temperature can be jointly controlled by adjusting the heating power of the heating elements and / or by adjusting the distance between the upper baking pan 12 and the lower baking pan 13 using a hand crank screw 11. In one specific embodiment, the preheating temperature is controlled between 150°C and 250°C, specifically adjusted according to the type of thermoplastic material being processed.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the hot pressing station 2 includes a top plate 21, an upper heat insulation layer 22, an upper heating plate 23, a lower heating plate 24, a lower heat insulation layer 25, a bottom plate 26, a hydraulic cylinder, and at least one guide column. In a preferred embodiment, there are four guide columns, distributed at the four corners of the station.

[0035] The top plate 21, upper heat insulation layer 22, upper heating plate 23, lower heating plate 24, lower heat insulation layer 25, and bottom plate 26 are stacked sequentially from top to bottom to form a multi-layer composite structure. Specifically, the top plate 21 is located at the top, the upper heat insulation layer 22 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the top plate 21 and the mounting base of the hydraulic cylinder, the upper heating plate 23 is attached to the lower surface of the top plate 21, the lower heating plate 24 is attached to the upper surface of the bottom plate 26, and the lower heat insulation layer 25 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the bottom plate 26 and the lower frame. Both the upper heating plate 23 and the lower heating plate 24 have built-in heating elements, allowing for independent temperature control and ensuring that the hot pressing temperature is precisely maintained within the optimal forming temperature range of the material. In one specific embodiment, the hot pressing temperature is controlled between 180°C and 350°C. The upper insulation layer 22 and the lower insulation layer 25 are made of insulation materials such as asbestos board and ceramic fiber board to prevent heat from being transferred upward to the oil cylinder and downward to the frame, thus ensuring the effective use of heat and equipment safety.

[0036] The hydraulic cylinder is fixedly mounted on the machine frame, with its piston rod extending downwards and connecting to the upper surface of the top plate 21. The upper heat insulation layer 22 has a through hole for the piston rod to pass through. The hydraulic cylinder provides stable molding pressure through an external hydraulic system, driving the top plate 21 and the upper heating plate 23 to press downwards, applying pressure to the material placed between the upper heating plate 23 and the lower heating plate 24. Guide columns are vertically inserted into guide holes between the top plate 21 and the bottom plate 26, providing precise guidance for the lifting and lowering movement of the top plate 21 and ensuring parallelism and alignment during the pressurization process. In one specific embodiment, the maximum molding pressure that the hydraulic cylinder can provide is 50 tons to 300 tons, specifically configured according to the product size and material characteristics.

[0037] like Figure 6 As shown, the transfer mechanism 5 includes a suction cup fixing plate 51, at least one vacuum suction cup 52, an X-axis servo drive, and a Y-axis electric cylinder. In a preferred embodiment, the number of vacuum suction cups 52 is four to eight, distributed in a matrix on the lower surface of the suction cup fixing plate 51.

[0038] The suction cup fixing plate 51 is a horizontally positioned metal plate. Multiple vacuum suction cups 52 are fixedly mounted on its lower surface using bolts or suction cup brackets. These vacuum suction cups 52 are connected to an external vacuum generator via air pipes, generating negative pressure suction to achieve stable and damage-free material removal after hot pressing. The X-axis servo drive includes an X-axis servo motor and an X-axis transmission mechanism, which can be a lead screw or synchronous belt. The X-axis servo drive is connected to the suction cup fixing plate 51 to drive it to move horizontally along the X-axis between the position below the lifting mechanism 3 and above the cold pressing position 6. The Y-axis electric cylinder is connected to the suction cup fixing plate 51 to drive it to move along the Y-axis, achieving vertical lifting and unloading of materials. The cooperation between the X-axis servo drive and the Y-axis electric cylinder enables the transfer mechanism 5 to have positioning capabilities in the XY dual-axis plane, allowing for precise removal of materials from the unloading platform 41 below the lifting mechanism 3 and placement at the designated position in the cold pressing position 6.

[0039] like Figure 7 As shown, the cold pressing station 6 includes an upper cooling plate 61, a lower cooling plate 62, a guide rail 63, a lead screw 64, a servo motor, and cooling water pipes.

[0040] The upper cooling plate 61 and lower cooling plate 62 are rectangular flat plates made of metal, arranged opposite each other. The hot-pressed material is placed in the gap between the upper cooling plate 61 and the lower cooling plate 62. The upper cooling plate 61 and / or the lower cooling plate 62 have serpentine or parallel cooling channels inside. Cooling water pipes are connected to the inlet and outlet of the cooling channels via connectors, and the other end of the cooling water pipes is connected to an external circulating cooling water system. Rapid cooling and plasticization are achieved by circulating cooling water into the cooling water pipes. In one specific embodiment, the cooling water temperature is controlled between 5°C and 25°C, and the material can only be removed after the temperature of the cold-pressed material drops below 40°C.

[0041] A servo motor is fixedly mounted on the frame of the cold pressing station 6. Its output shaft is connected to one end of a lead screw 64 via a coupling. The lead screw nut of the lead screw 64 is fixedly connected to the movable seat of the upper cooling plate 61 and / or the lower cooling plate 62. A guide rail 63 is laid on the frame of the cold pressing station 6 in a vertical or horizontal direction. The upper cooling plate 61 and / or the lower cooling plate 62 are slidably mounted on the guide rail 63 via sliders. When the servo motor 65 rotates, it drives the lead screw 64 to rotate, thereby moving the upper cooling plate 61 and / or the lower cooling plate 62 along the guide rail 63, realizing the pressing and separating of the upper and lower cooling plates, and performing cold pressing plasticity on the material. The torque control mode of the servo motor can precisely adjust the cold pressing pressure to ensure that the material maintains dimensional stability during the cooling process.

[0042] The following combination Figure 1 and Figures 2 to 7This paper provides a detailed description of the multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding process of the present invention. This process uses the aforementioned multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment and processes thermoplastic material sheets, specifically comprising seven steps.

[0043] Step S1: Loading and clamping. The piston rod of cylinder 31 of lifting mechanism 3 retracts, driving clamping plate 35 to lift upward along guide shaft 33, thus opening clamping plate 35; the operator or loading robot places the material to be formed at a predetermined position between clamping plate 35 and unloading platform 41; then the piston rod of cylinder 31 extends, driving clamping plate 35 to close downward, clamping and fixing the material between clamping plate 35 and unloading platform 41, completing loading.

[0044] Step S2: Preheating. The servo motor of the material transfer mechanism 4 starts, driving the feeding platform 41 to move horizontally along the guide rail 43 via the ball screw, feeding the material carried below the lifting mechanism 3 into the gap between the upper baking tray 12 and the lower baking tray 13 of the baking tray station 1; the platform lifting cylinder lifts the feeding platform 41, allowing the material to enter the preheating area of ​​the baking tray station 1; the heating element 15 in the baking tray station 1 is energized to preheat the material, raising its temperature to the temperature range required for thermoforming. The preheating temperature is controlled by adjusting the power of the heating element 15 and / or by adjusting the distance between the upper baking tray 12 and the lower baking tray 13 via the hand crank screw 11, to adapt to the heat conduction efficiency and preheating uniformity requirements of materials of different thicknesses.

[0045] Step S3: Hot pressing. After preheating, the platform lifting cylinder of the material transfer mechanism 4 descends, and the material feeding platform 41 descends to avoid the preheated material and leaves the baking tray station 1. The servo motor drives the material feeding platform 41 to continue moving forward along the guide rail 43, sending the material from the baking tray station 1 between the upper heating plate 23 and the lower heating plate 24 of the hot pressing station 2. The platform lifting cylinder lifts again to place the material on the upper surface of the lower heating plate 24. The hydraulic cylinder drives the top plate 21 and the upper heating plate 23 to move downward along the guide column, applying forming pressure to the material. At the same time, the upper heating plate 23 and the lower heating plate 24 provide the thermoforming temperature to complete the hot pressing.

[0046] Step S4: Return after hot pressing. After hot pressing is completed, the hydraulic cylinder is depressurized and returns, the upper heating plate 23 rises and separates from the material; the platform lifting cylinder of the material transfer mechanism 4 lifts and supports the formed material, and the servo motor drives the unloading platform 41 to move in the opposite direction along the guide rail 43, sending the material from the hot pressing station 2 back to the initial position below the lifting plate mechanism 3.

[0047] Step S5: Transfer. The piston rod of cylinder 31 of lifting mechanism 3 retracts, driving clamping plate 35 to open and release the clamping of the material; the Y-axis electric cylinder of transfer mechanism 5 drives suction cup fixing plate 51 to descend, so that vacuum suction cup 52 contacts the upper surface of the material; vacuum suction cup 52 generates negative pressure adsorption force through external vacuum generator to firmly adsorb the material; the Y-axis electric cylinder drives suction cup fixing plate 51 to rise and lift the material, and the X-axis servo drives suction cup fixing plate 51 to move horizontally along the X-axis direction, transferring the material between the upper cooling plate 61 and the lower cooling plate 62 of cold pressing station 6; the Y-axis electric cylinder drives suction cup fixing plate 51 to descend, placing the material on the upper surface of lower cooling plate 62, vacuum suction cup 52 breaks the vacuum to release the material, and the Y-axis electric cylinder drives suction cup fixing plate 51 to rise and reset.

[0048] Step S6: Cold Press Plasticizing. The servo motor of the cold pressing station 6 is started, driving the upper cooling plate 61 to move downward along the guide rail 63 via the lead screw 64, applying cold pressing pressure to the material; at the same time, circulating cooling water is introduced into the cooling water pipe, and the cooling water circulates in the cooling channels of the upper cooling plate 61 and the lower cooling plate 62, carrying away the heat of the material and achieving rapid cooling and plasticizing; the cold pressing plasticizing process cools and shapes the material under pressure, effectively suppressing warping deformation and dimensional shrinkage that may occur during the natural cooling process of the material, ensuring the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the product.

[0049] Step S7: Material Retrieval. After cold pressing is completed, the servo motor drives the upper cooling plate 61 to rise and reset, exposing the finished material; the operator or material retrieval robot takes out the finished product from the cold pressing station 6, completing a complete processing cycle.

[0050] The above seven steps are automatically coordinated and executed by the equipment control system according to a preset program. The timing and connection of actions between each workstation are uniformly scheduled by PLC or industrial control computer to achieve fully automated continuous production. The cycle time of the entire process, from material input to finished product output, is significantly shortened. Compared with traditional split-type single-workstation equipment, production efficiency is greatly improved, and product consistency and yield are significantly enhanced.

[0051] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment, characterized in that: The device includes a baking tray station (1), a hot pressing station (2), a lifting mechanism (3), a material transfer mechanism (4), a transfer mechanism (5), and a cold pressing station (6). The baking tray station (1) preheats the material. The hot pressing station (2) is located downstream of the baking tray station (1) and hot-presses the preheated material. The lifting mechanism (3) is located downstream of the hot pressing station (2) and is used for feeding and clamping the material. The material transfer mechanism (4) is located directly below the lifting mechanism (3) and transfers the material between the baking tray station (1) and the hot pressing station (2). The transfer mechanism (5) is located on one side of the material transfer mechanism (4). The cold pressing station (6) is located downstream of the transfer mechanism (5) and cools and shapes the hot-pressed material.

2. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism (3) includes a cylinder (31), a fixed plate (32), at least one guide shaft (33), at least one guide sleeve (34), and a clamping plate (35). The cylinder (31) and the guide sleeve (34) are fixed on the fixed plate (32). The guide shaft (33) is slidably passed through the guide sleeve (34). The lower end of the guide shaft (33) is fixedly connected to the clamping plate (35). The piston rod of the cylinder (31) is connected to the clamping plate (35) to drive the clamping plate (35) to move up and down in the vertical direction.

3. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material transfer mechanism (4) includes a feeding platform (41), a fixed plate (42), a guide rail (43), a platform lifting cylinder, a servo motor, and a ball screw. The guide rail (43) is fixed on the fixed plate (42), and the feeding platform (41) is slidably disposed on the guide rail (43). The servo motor drives the feeding platform (41) to move horizontally along the guide rail (43) through the ball screw. The platform lifting cylinder is disposed between the feeding platform (41) and the fixed plate (42) to drive the feeding platform (41) to rise and fall.

4. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baking tray station (1) includes a hand crank screw (11), an upper baking tray (12), a lower baking tray (13), a support column (14), and at least one heating tube. The support column (14) is supported between the upper baking tray (12) and the lower baking tray (13). The hand crank screw (11) is connected to the upper baking tray (12) to adjust the distance between the upper baking tray (12) and the lower baking tray (13). The heating tube (15) is built into the upper baking tray (12) and / or the lower baking tray (13).

5. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hot pressing station (2) includes a top plate (21), an upper heat insulation layer (22), an upper heating plate (23), a lower heating plate (24), a lower heat insulation layer (25), a bottom plate (26), an oil cylinder, and at least one guide column. The top plate (21), the upper heat insulation layer (22), the upper heating plate (23), the lower heating plate (24), the lower heat insulation layer (25), and the bottom plate (26) are stacked sequentially from top to bottom. The oil cylinder is located above the top plate (21) to provide molding pressure. The guide column is vertically inserted between the top plate (21) and the bottom plate (26).

6. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer mechanism (5) includes a suction cup fixing plate (51), at least one vacuum suction cup (52), an X-axis servo drive, and a Y-axis electric cylinder. The vacuum suction cup (52) is fixed on the lower surface of the suction cup fixing plate (51). The X-axis servo drive is connected to the suction cup fixing plate (51) to drive the suction cup fixing plate (51) to move along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis electric cylinder is connected to the suction cup fixing plate (51) to drive the suction cup fixing plate (51) to move along the Y-axis direction.

7. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cold pressing station (6) includes an upper cooling plate (61), a lower cooling plate (62), a guide rail (63), a lead screw (64), a servo motor, and a cooling water pipe. The upper cooling plate (61) and / or the lower cooling plate (62) are provided with the cooling water pipe. The servo motor drives the upper cooling plate (61) and / or the lower cooling plate (62) to move along the guide rail (63) through the lead screw (64) to press and cool the material.

8. A multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding process, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The lifting mechanism (3) opens the clamping plate (35), puts the material to be formed into it, and then closes the clamping plate (35). S2: The material transfer mechanism (4) sends the material from below the lifting plate mechanism (3) into the baking tray station (1) for preheating; S3: After preheating, the material transfer mechanism (4) sends the material from the baking tray station (1) to the hot pressing station (2) for hot pressing and forming; S4: After hot pressing is completed, the material transfer mechanism (4) sends the material from the hot pressing station (2) back to the bottom of the lifting plate mechanism (3); S5: The lifting mechanism (3) opens the clamping plate (35), and the transfer mechanism (5) uses the vacuum suction cup (52) to adsorb the material and transfer the material to the cold pressing station (6). S6: The cold pressing station (6) performs cold pressing plasticity on the material; S7: Remove the finished product after cold pressing.

9. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding process according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step S2, the preheating temperature is controlled by adjusting the power of the heating element and / or by adjusting the distance between the upper baking pan (12) and the lower baking pan (13) by the hand crank screw (11).

10. The multi-station high-speed hot and cold cycle molding process according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step S6, the cold pressing station (6) achieves rapid cooling and plasticity by circulating cooling water into the cooling water pipe.

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