Multi-station material preparation sheet cutting machine and its working method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of sheet metal cutting machine technology, specifically to a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation and its working method, including a material preparation area, a working area, a frame, and front and rear pushers; the material preparation area, from right to left, consists of material preparation area A, material preparation area B, material preparation area C, two left and right pushers, positioning components, two material lifting devices, and front and rear pusher grippers. Its advantages include completing the material preparation work for the next batch of sheets in the material preparation area, effectively reducing waiting time in the working area, significantly improving processing efficiency, supporting the parallel cutting of multiple sheets, ensuring precise sheet positioning, guaranteeing dimensional accuracy in cutting, improving processing quality, achieving a fully automated processing flow without manual intervention, reducing labor costs, and increasing the degree of automation in processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sheet metal cutting machine technology, specifically to a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, sheet metal cutting machines, such as CNC saws, are commonly used in sheet metal processing, used to cut whole sheets into the required specifications according to set dimensions. Traditional sheet metal cutting machines typically employ a single-station material preparation and processing mode, meaning they only have a single material preparation station. During the sheet metal cutting process in the work area, the material preparation station cannot complete the preparation work for the next batch of sheets in advance. This results in significant waiting time as the work area waits for the material preparation station to complete the loading and positioning of the sheets after the current sheet is cut, leading to low processing efficiency. Furthermore, traditional cutting machines cannot simultaneously cut multiple sheets. When multiple sheets with the same cutting specifications exist, they can only be cut one by one, preventing simultaneous cutting of multiple sheets at once and further limiting processing efficiency. In addition, traditional feeding and positioning mechanisms are simple in structure, resulting in low positioning accuracy of the sheets during feeding, easily leading to dimensional deviations in the cutting process and affecting processing quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a multi-station material preparation board cutting machine and its working method. The material preparation work for the next batch of boards is completed in the material preparation area, which effectively reduces the waiting time in the work area, greatly improves the processing efficiency, supports the parallel cutting of multiple boards, and ensures the precise positioning of the boards, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy of the cutting and improving the processing quality. It can realize a fully automated processing flow without manual intervention, reducing labor costs and improving the degree of automation in the processing.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the first technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation, comprising: Material preparation area and working area; the material preparation area is divided into material preparation area A, material preparation area B and material preparation area C from right to left. The rear part of the working area is located at the front part of the material preparation area and is connected to material preparation area B. The front part of the working area is the cutting position. A frame and front and rear pushers; the front and rear pushers include a first front and rear drive assembly and a lifting pusher assembly. The frame is installed above the material preparation area and the working area in the front and rear direction. The first front and rear drive assembly is installed on the frame and can move along the frame in the front and rear direction. The lifting pusher assembly is installed on the first front and rear drive assembly. Two left and right pushers and positioning components; each of the two left and right pushers includes a left and right drive assembly and a pusher component. The left and right drive assemblies are respectively installed in the material preparation area and the working area. The pusher component is installed on the corresponding left and right drive assembly to push the plate in the material preparation area and the working area to the left. The positioning component is installed on the working area and located on the left side of the working area. The pusher component and the positioning component in the working area cooperate to position the plate. Two material stop lifters; each of the two material stop lifters includes a lifting drive assembly and a material stop plate, wherein one lifting drive assembly is located on the material preparation area and in front of the material preparation area B, and the other lifting drive assembly is located on the working area and behind the cutting position, and the material stop plate is mounted on the lifting drive assembly to allow the material stop plate to move up and down; and Front and rear pusher gripper; the front and rear pusher gripper includes a second front and rear drive assembly and a lifting gripping pusher assembly. The second front and rear drive assembly is mounted on the frame and can move along the frame in the front and rear direction. The lifting gripping pusher assembly is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly. The lifting gripping pusher assembly pushes or grips the sheet material located in the working area.

[0005] In this technical solution, the first front-to-back drive assembly and the second front-to-back drive assembly have the same structure. Both the first front-to-back drive assembly and the second front-to-back drive assembly include a drive frame, a drive assembly, and a pusher motor. The drive assembly and the pusher motor are respectively mounted on the drive frame. The output end of the pusher motor is connected to the input end of the drive assembly. The output end of the drive assembly cooperates with the frame to enable the first front-to-back drive assembly and the second front-to-back drive assembly to be mounted on the frame and to move back and forth.

[0006] In this technical solution, the lifting and pushing assembly includes a first lifting cylinder, a first lifting slide, a first lifting slider, and a pushing plate; the first lifting slide is installed on a first front and rear drive assembly, the first lifting slider is installed on the first lifting slide and moves up and down along the first lifting slide, the first lifting cylinder is installed on the first lifting slider, the output end of the first lifting cylinder is connected to the first lifting slide to drive the first lifting slider to move, and the pushing plate is installed at the lower part of the first lifting slider.

[0007] In this technical solution, the lifting and clamping material pushing assembly includes a first vertical lifting structure, a second inclined lifting structure, and a clamping and pushing assembly. The first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure are respectively mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly. The two sets of clamping and pushing assemblies include a clamping cylinder, a clamping frame, an upper clamping hand, and a lower clamping hand. The clamping frame is respectively mounted on the first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure. The clamping cylinder is mounted on the upper part of the clamping frame, and the lower clamping hand is mounted on the lower part of the clamping frame. The middle part of the upper clamping hand is rotatably mounted in the clamping frame. The upper end of the upper clamping hand is connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder to make the upper clamping hand rotate. The lower end of the upper clamping hand cooperates with the front end of the lower clamping hand to clamp or release the material.

[0008] In this technical solution, the first vertical lifting structure includes a second lifting cylinder, a second lifting slide, and a second lifting carriage. The second lifting slide is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly, and the second lifting carriage is mounted on the second lifting slide to move vertically along the second lifting slide. The clamping frame is mounted on the lower part of the second lifting carriage. The second inclined lifting structure includes a third lifting cylinder, a third lifting slide, and a third lifting carriage. The third lifting slide is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly and tilts backward. The third lifting carriage is mounted on the third lifting slide to move obliquely along the third lifting slide. The clamping frame is mounted on the lower part of the third lifting carriage.

[0009] In this technical solution, the left and right drive assembly includes a side push fixing frame extending in the left and right direction, a side push slide rail, a side push rack, a side push motor, and a side push slide. The side push fixing frame is located in the material preparation area and the working area respectively. The side push slide rail and the side push rack are mounted on the side push fixing frame. The side push slide is mounted on the side push slide rail and can move along the side push slide rail. The side push motor is mounted on the side push slide. A side push gear that meshes with the side push rack is provided at the output end of the side push motor so that the side push motor drives the side push slide to move left and right. The material pushing component includes a side push lifting motor, a side push roller frame, and a material pushing roller. The side push roller frame is mounted on the side push slide and can move up and down. The side push lifting motor is mounted on the side push roller frame. The output shaft of the side push lifting motor is connected to the side push slide to drive the side push roller frame to move up and down. The material pushing roller is mounted on the upper part of the side push roller frame.

[0010] In this technical solution, the material blocking lifter includes a material blocking cylinder, a material blocking slide, a material blocking fixed frame, a material blocking lifting frame, and a material blocking plate; the material blocking fixed frame is located on the front side of the material preparation area B and the rear side of the cutting position, the material blocking slide is installed on the material blocking fixed frame, the material blocking lifting frame is installed on the material blocking slide and can move up and down along the material blocking slide, the material blocking cylinder is installed on the material blocking lifting frame, the output end of the material blocking cylinder is connected to the material blocking slide to drive the material blocking lifting frame to move up and down, and the material blocking plate is installed on the upper part of the material blocking lifting frame.

[0011] In this technical solution, the drive assembly includes a sliding seat, a pulley block, a pusher shaft, and a pusher gear; a pusher slide rail and a pusher rack are provided on the frame; the sliding seat is mounted on the drive frame, the pulley block is mounted on the sliding seat and located on the pusher slide rail, the pusher shaft is rotatably mounted on the sliding seat and connected to the output end of the pusher motor, and the pusher gear is mounted on the pusher shaft and meshes with the pusher rack so that the first front-to-back drive assembly and the second front-to-back drive assembly are mounted on the frame and can move back and forth.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the second technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: a working method of a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation includes the following steps: Step 1: The user uploads the cutting data to the control panel of the sheet metal machine; Step 2: Load the boards to be cut into preparation area A; Step 3: The control system automatically allocates the board flow path according to the current processing status of the work area and the board cutting specifications. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from preparation area A to preparation area B or preparation area C. When the work area is idle and there are no matching and cut-specification boards, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards directly from preparation area A to preparation area B. The baffle lifter at the front of preparation area B lowers the baffle plate to release the board. The front and rear pushers push the boards forward until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate at the front of preparation area B and then stop. The front and rear pushers then retract and reset. When the work area is processing, the baffle lifter on the front side of the material preparation area B raises the baffle plate to limit the material. The left and right pushers in the material preparation area push the board from the material preparation area A to the material preparation area B. The front and rear pushers push the board forward until the front end of the board touches the baffle plate on the front side of the material preparation area B and then stops. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. The baffle lifter on the front side of the material preparation area B lowers the baffle plate. After the work area finishes cutting the current board, the front and rear pushers push the board forward again until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate on the front side of the material preparation area B and then stops. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When there are multiple boards with the same cutting specifications, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards to the preparation area C for temporary storage. After the subsequent boards of the same specifications are loaded into the preparation area A, the boards in the preparation area C are first pushed to the preparation area B, and then the boards in the preparation area A are simultaneously pushed to the preparation area B to merge. According to the working status of the work area, the baffle lift and the front and rear pushers at the front of the preparation area B work together to push the boards forward until the rear end of the boards exceeds the baffle plate at the front of the preparation area B, and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. Step 4: The material stop lifter on the back of the cutting position in the work area raises the material stop plate, and the front and rear pusher clamps push the board forward until the front end of the board abuts against the material stop plate in the work area. Step 5, side positioning: The left and right pushers in the work area push the board to the left until it abuts against the positioning part on the left side of the board, thus completing the left and right positioning of the board. Step 6: Clamping and feeding. The lifting and clamping components of the front and rear pusher clamp the board, and the baffle lifter on the back of the cutting position in the working area lowers the baffle plate to release the board. The lifting and clamping pusher components accurately push the board to the cutting position according to the preset cutting step distance. Step 7: Cutting and processing. The cutting system completes the segmented cutting of the board according to the preset program. Step 8: Cycle the operation, repeating steps 1 to 7 to achieve continuous material preparation and cutting processing at multiple workstations.

[0013] The advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are as follows: the preparation of the next batch of boards is completed in the preparation area, which effectively reduces the waiting time in the work area, greatly improves the processing efficiency, supports the parallel cutting of multiple boards, ensures the precise positioning of the boards, guarantees the dimensional accuracy of the cutting, improves the processing quality, and enables a fully automated processing flow without manual intervention, reducing labor costs and improving the degree of automation in processing. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a sheet metal cutting machine; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front and rear pushers of the present invention; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top-down view of the structural layout; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the front and rear pusher gripper of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first vertical lifting structure and the clamping and pushing component of the present invention; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A half-section view; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the second inclined lifting structure and the clamping and pushing component of the present invention; Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A half-section view; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the left and right pushers of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the material lifting device of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure of the present invention; Figure 12 yes Figure 11 Enlarged structural diagram of section A in the middle; Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the rear-view orientation; Figure 14 It is the human-machine interface control unit of the sheet metal cutting machine; Figure 15 This is a flowchart illustrating the working method of a sheet metal cutting machine. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these descriptions are for the purpose of aiding understanding the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0016] Example 1, as Figures 1 to 13 The machine shown is a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation, including: Material preparation area and working area 3; In the material preparation area, from right to left, there are material preparation area A 11, material preparation area B 12 and material preparation area C 13. The rear part of the working area 3 is located at the front part of the material preparation area and communicates with material preparation area B 12. The front part of the working area 3 is the cutting position 31. The frame 2 and the front and rear pushers; the front and rear pushers include a first front and rear drive assembly and a lifting pusher assembly. The frame 2 is installed above the material preparation area and the working area 3 in the front and rear direction. The first front and rear drive assembly is installed on the frame 2 and can move along the frame 2 in the front and rear direction. The lifting pusher assembly is installed on the first front and rear drive assembly. Two left and right pushers and positioning components 32; each of the two left and right pushers includes a left and right drive assembly and a pusher. The left and right drive assemblies are respectively installed in the material preparation area and the working area 3. The pusher is installed on the corresponding left and right drive assembly to push the plate in the material preparation area and the working area 3 to the left. The positioning component 32 is installed on the working area 3 and is located on the left side of the working area 3. The pusher in the working area 3 cooperates with the positioning component 32 to position the plate. Two material stop lifters; each of the two material stop lifters includes a lifting drive assembly and a material stop plate 105, wherein one lifting drive assembly is located on the material preparation area and in front of the material preparation area B 12, and the other lifting drive assembly is located on the working area 3 and in front of the cutting position 31, and the material stop plate 105 is mounted on the lifting drive assembly to allow the material stop plate 105 to move up and down; and Front and rear pusher gripper; the front and rear pusher gripper includes a second front and rear drive assembly and a lifting gripping pusher assembly. The second front and rear drive assembly is mounted on the frame 2 and can move along the frame 2 in the front and rear direction. The lifting gripping pusher assembly is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly. The lifting gripping pusher assembly pushes or grips the sheet material located in the working area 3.

[0017] When in use, the processing steps are as follows: Step 1, the user uploads the cutting data to the control board of the sheet metal machine; Step 2: Load the boards to be cut into preparation area A 11; Step 3: The control system automatically allocates the board flow path according to the current processing status of work area 3 and the board cutting specifications. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12 or preparation area C 13. When work area 3 is idle and there are no matching and cut boards, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards directly from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12. The baffle lift in front of preparation area B 12 lowers the baffle plate 105 to release the board. The front and rear pushers push the boards forward until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate 105 in front of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When work area 3 is processing, the baffle lifter on the front side of preparation area B 12 raises the baffle plate 105 to limit the movement. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12. The front and rear pushers push the board forward until the front end of the board touches the baffle plate 105 on the front side of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. The baffle lifter on the front side of preparation area B 12 lowers the baffle plate 105. After work area 3 finishes cutting the current board, the front and rear pushers push the board forward again until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate 105 on the front side of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When there are multiple boards with the same cutting specifications, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards to the preparation area C 13 for temporary storage. After the subsequent boards of the same specifications are loaded into the preparation area A 11, the boards in the preparation area C 13 are first pushed to the preparation area B 12, and then the boards in the preparation area A 11 are simultaneously pushed to the preparation area B 12 to meet. According to the working status of the work area 3, the baffle lift and the front and rear pushers on the front side of the preparation area B 12 work together to push the boards forward until the rear end of the boards exceeds the baffle plate 105 on the front side of the preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. Step 4: The material lifting device on the back side of the cutting position 31 in the work area 3 raises the material blocking plate 105, and the front and rear pusher clamps push the board forward until the front end of the board abuts against the material blocking plate 105 in the work area 3. Step 5, side positioning: The left and right pushers in work area 3 push the board to the left until it abuts against the positioning part 32 on the left side of the board, thus completing the left and right positioning of the board. Step 6, clamping and feeding: the lifting and clamping pusher of the front and rear pusher clamps the board, the baffle lifter on the back of the cutting position 31 in the working area 3 lowers the baffle plate 105 to release the board, and the lifting and clamping pusher precisely pushes the board to the cutting position 31 according to the preset cutting step distance. Step 7: Cutting and processing. The cutting system completes the segmented cutting of the board according to the preset program. Step 8: Cycle the operation, repeating steps 1 to 7 to achieve continuous material preparation and cutting processing at multiple workstations.

[0018] The following advantages are achieved: three-station material preparation is realized, and cutting in work area 3 and feeding in the material preparation area can be carried out in parallel, eliminating the waiting time of traditional single-station cutting machines and improving processing efficiency; parallel cutting processing mode is supported, and boards of the same specification can be cut simultaneously, which greatly improves batch processing efficiency; independent control of front and rear pushing and left and right pushing ensures high positioning accuracy; dual-bar lifting devices control the board limit of the material preparation area and work area 3 respectively, realizing independent control of material preparation storage and cutting processing.

[0019] In this embodiment, the first and second front-to-back drive components have identical structures. Both include a drive frame 41, a drive component, and a pusher motor 45. The drive component and the pusher motor 45 are respectively mounted on the drive frame 41. The output end of the pusher motor 45 is connected to the input end of the drive component. The output end of the drive component cooperates with the frame 2 to allow the first and second front-to-back drive components to be mounted on the frame 2 and to move back and forth. In use, the pusher motor 45 starts, driving the drive component through its output end. The drive component cooperates with the transmission structure on the frame 2, driving the drive frame 41 to move along the front-to-back direction of the frame 2. The first front-to-back drive component drives the lifting pusher component to push the sheet metal in the preparation area, and the second front-to-back drive component drives the lifting clamping pusher component to feed the material in the working area 3. The two sets of drive components have identical structures, strong component interchangeability, and reduced manufacturing and maintenance costs. Independent drive control allows for synchronous or independent actions, meeting the needs of different processing modes. Direct motor drive results in high transmission efficiency, fast response speed, and high feeding accuracy.

[0020] In this embodiment, the lifting and pushing assembly includes a first lifting cylinder 51, a first lifting slide block 52, a first lifting slider 53, and a pushing plate 54. The first lifting slide block 52 is mounted on a first front and rear drive assembly. The first lifting slider 53 is mounted on the first lifting slide block 52 and moves up and down along the first lifting slide block 52. The first lifting cylinder 51 is mounted on the first lifting slider 53. The output end of the first lifting cylinder 51 is connected to the first lifting slide block 52 to drive the first lifting slider 53 to move. The pushing plate 54 is mounted on the lower part of the first lifting slider 53. In use, the first lifting cylinder 51 drives the first lifting slider 53 to move up and down along the first lifting slide block 52, thereby raising and lowering the pusher plate 54. When a material needs to be pushed, the pusher plate 54 descends. After pushing, the pusher plate 54 rises, and the drive assembly drives the whole to retreat and reset. The first front and rear drive assembly drives the whole to move back and forth, and the front end of the pusher plate 54 pushes the material along the table. The lifting pusher structure descends to contact the material during pushing and rises to avoid interference between the pusher plate and the material during reset. The cylinder-driven lifting has a fast response and accurate positioning. The slide block guide structure ensures smooth operation and no shaking during pushing, thus guaranteeing the positional accuracy of the material.

[0021] In this embodiment, the lifting and clamping material pushing assembly includes a first vertical lifting structure, a second inclined lifting structure, and a clamping and pushing assembly. The first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure are respectively mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly. The two sets of clamping and pushing assemblies include a clamping cylinder 71, a clamping frame 72, an upper clamping hand 73, and a lower clamping hand 74. The clamping frame 72 is respectively mounted on the first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure. The clamping cylinder 71 is mounted on the upper part of the clamping frame 72. The lower clamping hand 74 is mounted on the lower part of the clamping frame 72. The middle part of the upper clamping hand 73 is rotatably mounted in the clamping frame 72. The upper end of the upper clamping hand 73 is connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder 71, thereby causing the upper clamping hand 73 to rotate. The lower end of the upper clamping hand 73 cooperates with the front end of the lower clamping hand 74 to clamp or release the material. In use, the first vertical lifting structure enables the vertical lifting of the clamping and pushing component, and the second inclined lifting structure enables the inclined lifting of the clamping and pushing component. The clamping cylinder 71 extends, driving the upper clamping hand 73 to rotate. The lower end of the upper clamping hand 73 cooperates with the front end of the lower clamping hand 74 to clamp the plate. The clamping cylinder 71 retracts, and the upper clamping hand 73 rotates in the opposite direction to release the plate. The dual lifting structure design allows for both vertical and inclined lifting for obstacle avoidance and feeding in special positions, providing strong adaptability. The lever-type clamping structure provides strong clamping force and secure gripping, preventing plate slippage during feeding. The two sets of clamping and pushing components can work independently or in tandem, supporting single-plate feeding and double-plate parallel cutting feeding.

[0022] In this embodiment, the first vertical lifting structure includes a second lifting cylinder 61, a second lifting slide 62, and a second lifting carriage 63. The second lifting slide 62 is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly, and the second lifting carriage 63 is mounted on the second lifting slide 62 to move vertically along the second lifting slide 62. The clamping frame 72 is mounted on the lower part of the second lifting carriage 63. The second inclined lifting structure includes a third lifting cylinder 81, a third lifting slide 82, and a third lifting carriage 83. The third lifting slide 82 is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly and tilts backward. The third lifting carriage 83 is mounted on the third lifting slide 82 to move obliquely along the third lifting slide 82. The clamping frame 72 is mounted on the lower part of the third lifting carriage 83. In use, the second lifting cylinder 61 drives the second lifting slide 63 to move vertically up and down along the second lifting slide 62, realizing the vertical lifting of the clamping frame 72; the third lifting cylinder 81 drives the third lifting slide 83 to move obliquely along the third lifting slide 82, realizing the oblique lifting of the clamping frame 72; the oblique lifting structure is arranged backward, which effectively utilizes the space at the rear of the frame and has a compact structure; the two lifting modes are controlled independently, and the appropriate lifting method can be selected according to the thickness of the sheet and the cutting position.

[0023] In this embodiment, the left and right drive assembly includes a side push fixing frame 91 extending in the left and right direction, a side push slide rail 92, a side push rack 93, a side push motor 94, and a side push slide 95. The side push fixing frame 91 is located in the material preparation area and the working area 3 respectively. The side push slide rail 92 and the side push rack 93 are mounted on the side push fixing frame 91. The side push slide 95 is mounted on the side push slide rail 92 and can move along the side push slide rail 92. The side push motor 94 is mounted on the side push slide 95. A [missing information - likely a design feature] is provided at the output end of the side push motor 94. A side-push gear meshes with the side-push rack 93, causing the side-push motor 94 to drive the side-push slide 95 to move left and right; the pushing component includes a side-push lifting motor 96, a side-push roller frame 97, and a pushing roller 98; the side-push roller frame 97 is mounted on the side-push slide 95 and can move up and down, the side-push lifting motor 96 is mounted on the side-push roller frame 97, the output shaft of the side-push lifting motor 96 is connected to the side-push slide 95 to drive the side-push roller frame 97 to move up and down, and the pushing roller 98 is mounted on the upper part of the side-push roller frame 97. In use, the side push motor 94 starts, and through the meshing of the side push gear and the side push rack 93, it drives the side push slide 95 to move left and right along the side push slide rail 92; the side push material lifting motor 96 drives the side push roller frame 97 to move up and down, realizing the lifting and lowering of the push roller 98; when the push roller 98 rises to the height of the side of the board, the side push slide 95 moves to the left, and the push roller 98 pushes the board to the left to the positioning part 32 to complete the positioning; the gear and rack drive has high transmission accuracy and accurate side push positioning; the lifting push roller structure rises to contact the board when pushing and falls to avoid interference between the push roller and the board when resetting; the preparation area and the working area 3 are respectively equipped with left and right pushers, which can be controlled independently to realize independent operation of preparation flow and cutting positioning.

[0024] In this embodiment, the material blocking lifter includes a material blocking cylinder 101, a material blocking slide 102, a material blocking fixing frame 103, a material blocking lifting frame 104, and a material blocking plate 105. The material blocking fixing frame 103 is located on the front side of the material preparation area B 12 and the rear side of the cutting position 31. The material blocking slide 102 is mounted on the material blocking fixing frame 103. The material blocking lifting frame 104 is mounted on the material blocking slide 102 and can move up and down along the material blocking slide 102. The material blocking cylinder 101 is mounted on the material blocking lifting frame 104. The output end of the material blocking cylinder 101 is connected to the material blocking slide 102 to drive the material blocking lifting frame 104 to move up and down. The material blocking plate 105 is mounted on the upper part of the material blocking lifting frame 104. In use, the stop cylinder 101 is activated, driving the stop lifting frame 104 to move up and down along the stop slide 102, thereby raising and lowering the stop plate 105. When the stop plate 105 is raised, it limits the front end of the board. When the stop plate 105 is lowered, it allows the board to pass through. The stop lifting device on the front side of the preparation area B 12 controls the temporary storage and release of the board in the preparation area, and the stop lifting device on the rear side of the cutting position 31 controls the front end positioning of the board in the working area 3. The slide guide structure ensures smooth operation, no shaking of the stop plate, and high limiting accuracy. The dual stop devices are independently controlled, realizing the separate control of temporary storage and cutting positioning, and supporting the advance preparation of the preparation area during processing in the working area 3.

[0025] In this embodiment, the drive assembly includes a sliding seat 42, a pulley block 43, a pusher shaft 44, and a pusher gear 46; a pusher slide rail 33 and a pusher rack 34 are provided on the frame 2; the sliding seat 42 is mounted on the drive frame 41, the pulley block 43 is mounted on the sliding seat 42 and located on the pusher slide rail 33, the pusher shaft 44 is rotatably mounted on the sliding seat 42 and is connected to the output end of the pusher motor 45, and the pusher gear 46 is mounted on the pusher shaft 44 and meshes with the pusher rack 34 so that the first front-to-back drive assembly and the second front-to-back drive assembly are mounted on the frame 2 and can move back and forth. In use, the pusher motor 45 drives the pusher shaft 44 to rotate, the pusher gear 46 meshes with the pusher rack 34, and drives the sliding seat 42 to move along the pusher slide rail 33; the pulley block 43 rolls on the pusher slide rail 33 to support and guide the sliding seat 42; by controlling the number of rotations and the speed of the pusher motor 45, the moving distance and speed of the drive component are precisely controlled; the gear and rack drive has high transmission accuracy and accurate feeding step distance, ensuring the cutting size accuracy; the pulley block support has low running resistance, smooth movement, and low noise; the slide rail rack is arranged in parallel, the guidance and transmission are separated, the structure is stable, and the load-bearing capacity is strong.

[0026] Example 2, as Figure 14 and Figure 15 The diagram illustrates the working method of a multi-station material preparation sheet cutting machine, including the following steps: Step 1: The user uploads the cutting data to the control panel of the sheet metal machine; Step 2: Load the boards to be cut into preparation area A 11; Step 3: The control system automatically allocates the board flow path according to the current processing status of work area 3 and the board cutting specifications. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12 or preparation area C 13. When work area 3 is idle and there are no matching and cut boards, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards directly from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12. The baffle lift in front of preparation area B 12 lowers the baffle plate 105 to release the board. The front and rear pushers push the boards forward until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate 105 in front of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When work area 3 is processing, the baffle lifter on the front side of preparation area B 12 raises the baffle plate 105 to limit the movement. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from preparation area A 11 to preparation area B 12. The front and rear pushers push the board forward until the front end of the board touches the baffle plate 105 on the front side of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. The baffle lifter on the front side of preparation area B 12 lowers the baffle plate 105. After work area 3 finishes cutting the current board, the front and rear pushers push the board forward again until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate 105 on the front side of preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When there are multiple boards with the same cutting specifications, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards to the preparation area C 13 for temporary storage. After the subsequent boards of the same specifications are loaded into the preparation area A 11, the boards in the preparation area C 13 are first pushed to the preparation area B 12, and then the boards in the preparation area A 11 are simultaneously pushed to the preparation area B 12 to meet. According to the working status of the work area 3, the baffle lift and the front and rear pushers on the front side of the preparation area B 12 work together to push the boards forward until the rear end of the boards exceeds the baffle plate 105 on the front side of the preparation area B 12 and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. Step 4: The material lifting device on the back side of the cutting position 31 in the work area 3 raises the material blocking plate 105, and the front and rear pusher clamps push the board forward until the front end of the board abuts against the material blocking plate 105 in the work area 3. Step 5, side positioning: The left and right pushers in work area 3 push the board to the left until it abuts against the positioning part 32 on the left side of the board, thus completing the left and right positioning of the board. Step 6, clamping and feeding: the lifting and clamping pusher of the front and rear pusher clamps the board, the baffle lifter on the back of the cutting position 31 in the working area 3 lowers the baffle plate 105 to release the board, and the lifting and clamping pusher precisely pushes the board to the cutting position 31 according to the preset cutting step distance. Step 7: Cutting and processing. The cutting system completes the segmented cutting of the board according to the preset program. Step 8: Cyclic operation, repeating steps 1 to 7 to achieve continuous material preparation and cutting processing at multiple workstations. In use, it achieves three-station material preparation, with cutting in work area 3 and material loading in the preparation area proceeding in parallel, eliminating the waiting time of traditional single-station cutting machines and improving processing efficiency. It supports parallel cutting mode, allowing for simultaneous cutting of boards of the same specifications, significantly improving batch processing efficiency. Front and rear pushing and left and right pushing are independently controlled, ensuring high positioning accuracy. Dual-gauge lifting devices control the board limits in the preparation area and work area 3 respectively, achieving independent control of material preparation storage and cutting processing.

[0027] In this embodiment, a human-machine interaction control unit is also included. This control unit comprises a mouse and keyboard, an industrial computer, a factory local area network (LAN), an Ethernet communication module, and a programmable controller (PLC). The mouse and keyboard are connected to the industrial computer, allowing the user to manually input cutting data. The industrial computer receives cutting data imported from optimization software via the LAN, performs data checks, and generates control commands upon successful verification. The industrial computer communicates with the PLC via the Ethernet communication module, sending control commands to the PLC. The PLC, acting as a lower-level controller, is connected to the feeding device control unit, the material preparation area retaining lift, the working area retaining lift, the front and rear pushers, the front and rear pusher grippers, the left and right pushers in the material preparation area, and the left and right pushers in the working area, controlling the timing and motion parameters of each actuator according to the control commands issued by the industrial computer. During use, the workflow of the human-machine interface control unit is as follows: After power-on, each actuator returns to its origin; the user manually inputs cutting data via mouse and keyboard or imports cutting data from the optimization software to the industrial control computer via the factory LAN; the industrial control computer checks the cutting data, and after passing the check, waits for the user to press the program start button; the industrial control computer sends a board feeding signal to the programmable controller, which sequentially controls the left and right pushers in the material preparation area, the front and rear pushers, the front and rear pushers and clamps, the left and right pushers in the working area for side positioning, the lifting and lowering actions of each material stop lifter, and the retraction action of the side positioning device according to the preset program, realizing the fully automatic flow and positioning of the board from the material preparation area to the cutting position; after cutting is completed, the programmable controller sends a completion signal back to the industrial control computer, and enters the next cycle; the industrial control computer, as the host computer, is responsible for data management, path planning, and human-machine interaction, while the programmable controller, as the slave computer, is responsible for the real-time control of the actuators. The division of labor and cooperation between the host and slave computers realizes the separation of data processing and motion control, improving the system's response speed and reliability.

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations of these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation, characterized in that, include: Material preparation area and working area (3); In the material preparation area, from right to left, there are material preparation area A (11), material preparation area B (12) and material preparation area C (13). The rear part of the working area (3) is located in front of the material preparation area and is connected to material preparation area B (12). The front part of the working area (3) is the cutting position (31). The frame (2) and the front and rear pushers; the front and rear pushers include a first front and rear drive assembly and a lifting pusher assembly. The frame (2) is installed above the material preparation area and the working area (3) in the front and rear direction. The first front and rear drive assembly is installed on the frame (2) and can move along the frame (2) in the front and rear direction. The lifting pusher assembly is installed on the first front and rear drive assembly. Two left and right pushers and positioning components (32); each of the two left and right pushers includes left and right drive components and pusher components. The left and right drive components are respectively installed in the material preparation area and the working area (3). The pusher components are installed on the corresponding left and right drive components to push the plate in the material preparation area and the working area (3) to the left. The positioning component (32) is installed on the working area (3) and located on the left side of the working area (3). The pusher component in the working area (3) cooperates with the positioning component (32) to position the plate. Two material stop lifters; the two material stop lifters include a lifting drive assembly and a material stop plate (105), wherein one lifting drive assembly is located on the material preparation area and in front of the material preparation area B (12), and the other lifting drive assembly is located on the working area (3) and in front of the cutting position (31), the material stop plate (105) is mounted on the lifting drive assembly so that the material stop plate (105) can move up and down; and Front and rear pusher clamp; the front and rear pusher clamp includes a second front and rear drive assembly and a lifting clamping push assembly. The second front and rear drive assembly is mounted on the frame (2) and can move along the frame (2) in the front and rear direction. The lifting clamping push assembly is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly. The lifting clamping push assembly pushes or clamps the plate located in the working area (3).

2. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second front and rear drive components have the same structure. Both the first and second front and rear drive components include a drive frame (41), a drive component, and a pusher motor (45). The drive component and the pusher motor (45) are respectively mounted on the drive frame (41). The output end of the pusher motor (45) is connected to the input end of the drive component. The output end of the drive component cooperates with the frame (2) to enable the first and second front and rear drive components to be mounted on the frame (2) and to move back and forth.

3. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and pushing assembly includes a first lifting cylinder (51), a first lifting slide (52), a first lifting slider (53), and a pushing plate (54); the first lifting slide (52) is installed on the first front and rear drive assembly, the first lifting slider (53) is installed on the first lifting slide (52) and moves up and down along the first lifting slide (52), the first lifting cylinder (51) is installed on the first lifting slider (53), the output end of the first lifting cylinder (51) is connected to the first lifting slide (52) to drive the first lifting slider (53) to move, and the pushing plate (54) is installed on the lower part of the first lifting slider (53).

4. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting and clamping push assembly includes a first vertical lifting structure, a second inclined lifting structure, and a clamping and pushing assembly. The first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure are respectively installed on the second front and rear drive assembly. The two sets of clamping and pushing assemblies include a clamping cylinder (71), a clamping frame (72), an upper clamping hand (73), and a lower clamping hand (74). The clamping frame (72) is respectively installed on the first vertical lifting structure and the second inclined lifting structure. The clamping cylinder (71) is installed on the upper part of the clamping frame (72). The lower clamping hand (74) is installed on the lower part of the clamping frame (72). The middle part of the upper clamping hand (73) is rotatably installed in the clamping frame (72). The upper end of the upper clamping hand (73) is connected to the output end of the clamping cylinder (71) so that the upper clamping hand (73) rotates. The lower end of the upper clamping hand (73) cooperates with the front end of the lower clamping hand (74) to clamp or put down the plate.

5. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first vertical lifting structure includes a second lifting cylinder (61), a second lifting slide (62), and a second lifting carriage (63). The second lifting slide (62) is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly, and the second lifting carriage (63) is mounted on the second lifting slide (62) to move vertically along the second lifting slide (62). The clamping frame (72) is mounted on the lower part of the second lifting carriage (63). The second inclined lifting structure includes a third lifting cylinder (81), a third lifting slide (82), and a third lifting carriage (83). The third lifting slide (82) is mounted on the second front and rear drive assembly and tilts backward. The third lifting carriage (83) is mounted on the third lifting slide (82) to move obliquely along the third lifting slide (82). The clamping frame (72) is mounted on the lower part of the third lifting carriage (83).

6. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left and right drive assembly includes a side push fixing frame (91) extending in the left and right directions, a side push slide rail (92), a side push rack (93), a side push motor (94), and a side push slide (95); the side push fixing frame (91) is located in the material preparation area and the working area (3) respectively; the side push slide rail (92) and the side push rack (93) are mounted on the side push fixing frame (91); the side push slide (95) is mounted on the side push slide rail (92) and can move along the side push slide rail (92); the side push motor (94) is mounted on the side push slide (95); and the output end of the side push motor (94) is provided with a side push mounting bracket (95). The side push gear meshed with the push rack (93) causes the side push motor (94) to drive the side push slide (95) to move left and right; the push component includes a side push lifting motor (96), a side push roller frame (97) and a push roller (98); the side push roller frame (97) is installed on the side push slide (95) and can move up and down, the side push lifting motor (96) is installed on the side push roller frame (97), the output shaft of the side push lifting motor (96) is connected to the side push slide (95) to drive the side push roller frame (97) to move up and down, and the push roller (98) is installed on the upper part of the side push roller frame (97).

7. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material blocking lifter includes a material blocking cylinder (101), a material blocking slide (102), a material blocking fixing frame (103), a material blocking lifting frame (104), and a material blocking plate (105). The material blocking fixing frame (103) is located on the front side of the material preparation area B (12) and the rear side of the cutting position (31). The material blocking slide (102) is installed on the material blocking fixing frame (103). The material blocking lifting frame (104) is installed on the material blocking slide (102) and can move up and down along the material blocking slide (102). The material blocking cylinder (101) is installed on the material blocking lifting frame (104). The output end of the material blocking cylinder (101) is connected to the material blocking slide (102) to drive the material blocking lifting frame (104) to move up and down. The material blocking plate (105) is installed on the upper part of the material blocking lifting frame (104).

8. The sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes a sliding seat (42), a pulley block (43), a pusher shaft (44), and a pusher gear (46); a pusher slide rail (33) and a pusher rack (34) are provided on the frame (2); the sliding seat (42) is mounted on the drive frame (41), the pulley block (43) is mounted on the sliding seat (42) and located on the pusher slide rail (33), the pusher shaft (44) is rotatably mounted on the sliding seat (42), and the pusher shaft (44) is connected to the output end of the pusher motor (45), the pusher gear (46) is mounted on the pusher shaft (44) and meshes with the pusher rack (34) so ​​that the first front and rear drive assembly and the second front and rear drive assembly are mounted on the frame (2) and can move back and forth.

9. A method for operating a sheet metal cutting machine with multi-station material preparation as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: The user uploads the cutting data to the control panel of the sheet metal machine; Step 2: Load the board to be cut into the material preparation area A (11). Step 3: The control system automatically allocates the board flow path according to the processing status of the current work area (3) and the board cutting specifications. The left and right pushers in the preparation area push the board from the preparation area A (11) to the preparation area B (12) or the preparation area C (13). When the work area (3) is idle and there are no matching and cut specifications of boards, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards directly from the preparation area A (11) to the preparation area B (12). The baffle lifter on the front side of the preparation area B (12) lowers the baffle plate (105) to release the board. The front and rear pushers push the boards forward until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate (105) on the front side of the preparation area B (12) and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When the work area (3) is processing, the baffle lifter on the front side of the preparation area B (12) raises the baffle plate (105) to limit the movement. The left and right pushers of the preparation area push the board from the preparation area A (11) to the preparation area B (12). The front and rear pushers push the board forward until the front end of the board touches the baffle plate (105) on the front side of the preparation area B (12) and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. The baffle lifter on the front side of the preparation area B (12) lowers the baffle plate (105). After the work area (3) finishes cutting the current board, the front and rear pushers push the board forward again until the rear end of the board exceeds the baffle plate (105) on the front side of the preparation area B (12) and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. When there are multiple boards with the same cutting specifications, the left and right pushers in the preparation area push the boards to the preparation area C (13) for temporary storage. After the boards of the same specifications are loaded into the preparation area A (11), the boards in the preparation area C (13) are pushed to the preparation area B (12) first, and then the boards in the preparation area A (11) are pushed to the preparation area B (12) at the same time to meet. According to the working status of the work area (3), the baffle lift and the front and rear pushers in front of the preparation area B (12) work together to push the boards forward until the rear end of the boards exceeds the baffle plate (105) in front of the preparation area B (12) and then stop. The front and rear pushers retract and reset. Step 4: The material lifting device on the back side of the cutting position (31) in the work area (3) raises the material plate (105), and the front and rear pusher clamps push the board forward to the front end of the board against the material plate (105) in the work area (3). Step 5, side positioning: The left and right pushers of the working area (3) push the plate to the left until it abuts against the positioning part (32) on the left side of the plate, thus completing the left and right positioning of the plate. Step 6, clamping and feeding: the lifting and clamping pusher of the front and rear pusher clamps the board, and the baffle lifter on the back of the cutting position (31) in the working area (3) lowers the baffle plate (105) to release the board. The lifting and clamping pusher precisely pushes the board to the cutting position (31) according to the preset cutting step distance. Step 7: Cutting and processing. The cutting system completes the segmented cutting of the board according to the preset program. Step 8: Cycle the operation, repeating steps 1 to 7 to achieve continuous material preparation and cutting processing at multiple workstations.

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