Plate cutting equipment

Abstract

In a sheet material cutting device (10), an initial sheet material (32) is moved from a supply region (30) to a feed table (12) by means of a transport system (23) and from the feed table (12) to a cutting region (18) by means of the transport system (23) for cutting, and an intermediate workpiece (58) resulting from the cutting is moved from a take-out table (14) to a buffer device (34) by means of the transport system (23) and stored there, the intermediate workpiece (58) is moved from there again by the transport system (23) to the feed station (12) and further by the transport system (23) to the segmentation region (18) for further segmentation. According to the invention, the damping device (34) comprises at least one first damping region (36.1), which comprises the upper side of the supply region, in particular the upper side of the initial sheet material (32) stored in the supply region (30), and the intermediate workpieces (58, 62) are stored on the upper side of the supply region (30) by means of the transport system (23) and are moved there to the feed station (12) by means of the transport system (23).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to a kind of board segmentation equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] DE102014225074A1 and DE102015206824A1 disclose a board segmentation equipment for segmenting initial boards into intermediate workpieces and for further segmenting intermediate workpieces. To this end, the known board segmentation system has a supply area in which most of the large-format initial boards are supplied as a stack. The uppermost initial boards of the stack are each moved by a transport device of a transport system to a feed table. A further transport device of the transport system in the form of a program slide moves the initial boards on the feed table to a segmentation area, for example a segmentation saw. There, the initial boards are typically segmented into strip-shaped intermediate workpieces. These intermediate workpieces reach a take-off table, where the intermediate workpieces are transported by a further transport device of the transport system in the form of a robot to a lateral "active" buffer device. From there, the intermediate workpieces are returned to the feed table with the aid of a further transport device of the transport system, i.e. a transport device that is dedicated and assigned to the "active" buffer device in this respect, and further to the segmentation area for further segmentation. SUMMARY

[0003] The object is to provide a way for operating a board segmentation equipment that is particularly simple and thus effective in a technical sense.

[0004] The object is achieved by a board segmentation equipment according to the utility model. Advantageous refinements are mentioned in the detailed description.

[0005] In the board segmentation equipment according to the utility model, the "active" buffer device and the dedicated transport device assigned only to this buffer device can be dispensed with. According to the utility model, it has been recognized that the initial boards have to be moved relatively little from the supply area to the feed table. It has thus been recognized that the supply area, on which the initial boards or the stack of initial boards are placed, can be used as a buffer device for a long time during the operation of the board segmentation equipment. The supply area thus has a dual function due to the utility model, namely on the one hand to supply initial boards and on the other hand to buffer intermediate workpieces. Due to the position of the supply area laterally close to the feed table in the working area of a transport device of the transport system, for example in the form of a robot, it is possible to directly supply the machine with initial boards and to buffer intermediate workpieces by means of this transport device (the working area of the transport device is here and in the following at least approximately understood as the area in which the workpieces can be moved by the transport device). Here, in order to move the intermediate workpieces buffered in the supply area to the feed table, the same transport device of the transport system can be used with which the initial pieces are also moved from the supply area to the feed table.

[0006] In particular, in a board dividing apparatus, an initial board is moved from a supply area to a feed table by a transport system, which usually has a plurality of separate transport devices. Furthermore, the initial workpiece located on the feed table is moved from the feed table to a dividing area by the transport system for a first division. Usually, a first transport device of the transport system, with which the initial board is moved from the supply area to the feed table, is different from a second transport device of the transport system, with which the initial board is moved from the feed table to the dividing area. The last-mentioned second transport device is usually a gate program slide with a plurality of grippers, which act on the rear edge of the initial workpiece, viewed in the conveying direction towards the dividing area.

[0007] In the board dividing apparatus according to the application, the intermediate workpiece produced by the first division is moved from the take-off table to a buffer device and deposited there by the transport system, for example the first transport device mentioned above or another transport device. Usually, this intermediate workpiece is a so-called board strip or longitudinal strip, and the first division is usually referred to as longitudinal cutting.

[0008] The necessity of the buffer is related to the fact that usually these longitudinal strips have to be divided by at least one further division process, usually referred to as transverse cutting, in order to produce the desired end workpiece (or again another intermediate workpiece to be divided or processed) in this way. However, these transverse cuttings can only be carried out when the dividing area is free, i.e. for example, no longitudinal cutting of an initial workpiece is carried out in the dividing area, i.e. the initial workpiece is completely divided. Before this, the longitudinal strips or further intermediate workpieces are buffered in the buffer device.

[0009] If the dividing area is free again, the (further) intermediate workpiece is moved from the buffer device back to the feed table by the transport system, for example the first transport device mentioned above, and further to the dividing area by the transport system, for example the second transport device mentioned above, for at least a second division. According to the application, the buffer device comprises at least one first buffer area, which comprises the upper side of the supply area, in particular the upper side of the initial board deposited in the supply area.

[0010] After the manufacture of the intermediate workpiece, for example the board strip, by longitudinal cutting, this board strip is thus simply deposited on the upper side of the supply area by the transport system, preferably the first transport device mentioned above. If the dividing area is free again, the intermediate workpiece deposited there is moved to the feed table by the transport system, preferably again by the first transport device mentioned above, for further division (for example transverse cutting).

[0011] Here, the upper side of the supply area can be formed by the upper side of a depositing location for large-format initial workpieces, for example a supply table, or can be formed by the upper side of the uppermost large-format initial workpiece located in the supply area. Thus, in this case, the intermediate workpiece is simply placed on the upper side of the uppermost large-format initial workpiece in the supply area.

[0012] In an improvement it is provided that the current vertical position of the upper side of the supply area is taken into account when depositing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side by means of the transport system. Thereby, it is prevented that the intermediate workpiece "falls" onto the upper side of the transport system and is thus not accurately positioned.

[0013] Here, alternatively or additionally, a reference point for the accurate depositing in horizontal direction can be determined. Such a reference point can for example be an edge of the upper side of the supply area or an edge of an initial workpiece located on the supply area. The reference point can for example be selected by an operator or the reference point can be set automatically by the control device. If the exact position and size of the intermediate workpiece is known, at least one further intermediate workpiece can for example be deposited and temporarily stored on the upper side.

[0014] In an improvement it is provided that the vertical position is determined taking into account the number and thickness of the initial sheets stored in the supply area and / or that the vertical position is determined based on the vertical position before the last initial sheet or intermediate workpiece is removed and the thickness of the removed initial sheet or the removed intermediate workpiece. Thereby, the fact is taken into account that there is usually a stack of initial workpieces in the supply area. From this stack, the uppermost initial workpiece is moved to the feed table for segmentation, respectively. After the uppermost initial workpiece is moved to the feed table, the upper side of the supply area is lowered by the thickness of the removed initial workpiece. This is taken into account when depositing the intermediate workpiece. Preferably, the height reference of the stack is re-determined and approached at each sheet extraction process.

[0015] In an improvement it is provided that the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area can be changed in a controlled manner and that the stack of initial sheets stored in the supply area is raised by the thickness of the removed workpiece after the workpiece is removed. The thickness of the removed workpiece can be known to the control device controlling the actuator to prevent the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area, for example based on a cutting plan, or can be informed to the control device by means of a sensor. This facilitates the depositing of the intermediate workpiece in the supply area by the transport system, preferably its first transport device.

[0016] In an improvement it is provided that the buffer device comprises at least one second buffer area in addition to the first buffer area, and that the control device automatically decides, depending on at least one operating parameter, in which buffer area or in which buffer area the intermediate workpiece is to be deposited. For example, the second buffer area can be provided above the dividing area. A third buffer area can be provided by enlarging the removal table. A fourth buffer area can be provided by adding a lateral depositing surface and / or at least one already existing de-stacking position, for example a de-stacking lift which can temporarily be used as a buffer area. Thereby, the flexibility in the operation of the plate dividing device is again increased.

[0017] In an improvement it is provided that the operating parameter is at least one of the following group: available free area for depositing the intermediate workpiece in the first buffer area and in the second buffer area; number of intermediate workpieces which are subsequently still produced from the initial plate; size of the intermediate workpieces which are subsequently still produced from the initial plate; shape of the intermediate workpieces which are subsequently still produced from the initial plate; complexity parameter of the cutting plan (for example sequence of intermediate workpieces in the cutting plan, desired sequence of finished workpieces for further transport or de-stacking). These operating parameters are generally known to the typical machine controller of a plate dividing device and can be easily processed. Particularly preferred is the first parameter mentioned above (available free area).

[0018] In an improvement it is provided that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before depositing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, which upper side has at least one dimension (length and / or width) which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece. Thereby, the adhesion between the intermediate workpiece and the upper side of the supply area is reduced, which facilitates lifting the intermediate workpiece. As a spacer, it is conceivable to use a scrap piece which is produced in advance when dividing by the dividing device. If a supply area is used which can change the vertical position from its upper side, the vertical dimension of the spacer can be taken into account, for example when adjusting the vertical position.

[0019] In an improvement it is provided that the workpiece, preferably the initial plate, is detached by a detachment device before moving it from the upper side of the supply area. Thereby, the adhesion between the workpiece located on the upper side of the supply area and the upper side is also reduced. For example, the workpiece located on the upper side of the supply area can be lifted / removed at least partially / segmentally away from the upper side of the supply area by the detachment device, which has the effect that the adhesion is reduced when being lifted by the transport system. Here, the use of the detachment device can also depend on the material type of the initial plate, etc.

[0020] In one refinement it is provided that the transport system comprises a transport device in the form of a robot and that the initial sheet material is moved from the supply area to the infeed table and the intermediate workpieces are moved from the take-off table to the buffer device and from the buffer device to the infeed table by means of the robot. The "first" transport device referred to above as a robot is formed by the robot which carries out or can at least carry out all the transport movements described above. The robot can for example be a handling robot, in particular an articulated-arm robot with a robot arm having at least two arm sections which can be displaced relative to one another.

[0021] Such a robot is usually arranged in the extension of the segmentation area at the side of the segmentation area, so that the robot can reach not only the take-off table but also the infeed table and the supply area with the robot arm. In one alternative design the robot can also be arranged in the area of the take-off table, for example at the side of the take-off table. In such an arrangement the robot must for example be designed by means of a corresponding length dimension of the robot arm, so that the working area of the robot still at least partially covers the infeed table and the supply area. The advantage of such an arrangement is that the robot can cover a larger de-piling area, thereby providing greater flexibility when stacking the finished workpieces.

[0022] In any case, the basic principle of such a refinement is that the working area of the robot covers not only the infeed table and the take-off table but also the supply area. Thus, in the best case a single transport device, namely for example the robot described, is sufficient to move the workpieces to the supply area and the infeed table. For the transport of the workpieces which are located on the infeed table and are to be segmented by the segmentation device, a gantry program slide which also belongs to the transport system is usually used, which can also be referred to as a "second" transport device, and which is equipped with pneumatic grippers which act on the rear edge of the workpieces when viewed in the direction of feed towards the segmentation device and which convey the initial workpieces or intermediate workpieces located on the infeed table to the segmentation device.

[0023] In one refinement of the sheet segmentation device it is provided that the supply area comprises at least one sensor device with which the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area can be detected, so that the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area is taken into account when depositing intermediate workpieces on the upper side by means of the transport system, so that a reference point for depositing the intermediate workpieces positionally accurately in the horizontal direction can preferably be determined by means of the sensor device.

[0024] The sheet segmentation device can also be set up and configured in such a way that the vertical position is determined by means of the sensor device, taking into account the number and thickness of the initial sheet material stored in the supply area, and / or that the vertical position is determined on the basis of the vertical position before the last initial sheet material or intermediate workpiece is removed and the thickness of the removed initial sheet material or the removed intermediate workpiece.

[0025] In one refinement of the plate dividing apparatus it is provided that the plate dividing system has an electric drive which is constructed and arranged to change the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area in a controlled manner. For example, the stack of initial plates stored in the supply area can be raised by the thickness of the initial plate removed after the removal of the initial plate.

[0026] In one refinement of the plate dividing apparatus it is provided that the transport system comprises a first transport device in the form of a robot having a first work area and a second transport device in the form of a program slide assigned to the feed table having a second work area, the first work area and the second work area at least partially overlap and the first work area at least partially overlaps the supply area.

[0027] The plate dividing apparatus can be further arranged and constructed such that the transport system comprises a transport device in the form of a robot and that the initial plates can be moved from the supply area to the feed table and the intermediate workpieces can be moved from the removal table to the buffer device and from the buffer device to the feed table by the robot.

[0028] In one refinement it is provided that the plate dividing apparatus comprises a control device having a processor and a memory, on which a computer program product is stored, the computer program product comprising instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by the control device, cause the control device to control the movement of the initial plates from the supply area to the feed table and from the feed table to the dividing area for division by the transport system and that the intermediate workpieces produced by the division are moved from the removal table to the buffer device and deposited there by the transport system, from where the intermediate workpieces are moved again to the feed table by the transport system and further to the dividing area for further division by the transport system and that the buffer device comprises at least one first buffer area which comprises the upper side of the supply area, in particular the upper side of the initial plates stored in the supply area, and that the intermediate workpieces are deposited on the upper side of the supply area by the transport system and moved from there to the feed table by the transport system. The plate dividing system according to the application is constructed in a particularly space-saving manner by using the supply area as a buffer area for the intermediate workpieces, i.e. the novel "feed" of the plate dividing system.

[0029] The plate dividing system can be further arranged and constructed such that the buffer device comprises at least one second buffer area in addition to the first buffer area and the control device is constructed and arranged such that the control device automatically decides on which buffer area the intermediate workpieces are to be deposited depending on at least one operating parameter.

[0030] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that the operating parameters are at least one of the following group: available free area for storing the intermediate workpieces in the first buffer area and in the second buffer area; number of intermediate workpieces to be produced; size of the intermediate workpieces to be produced; shape of the intermediate workpieces to be produced; complexity parameter of the cutting plan.

[0031] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0032] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0033] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0034] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0035] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0036] The plate dividing system can also be arranged and configured such that at least one spacer is placed onto the upper side of the initial plate stored in the supply area before storing the intermediate workpiece on the upper side, the upper side having at least one dimension which is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0037] One aspect of this invention relates to the above-described aspect, wherein the buffer device includes at least one second buffer area in addition to the first buffer area, and the control device automatically determines which buffer area the intermediate workpiece should be stored in based on at least one operating parameter.

[0038] One aspect of this utility model relates to the above aspect, wherein the operating parameters are at least one of the following: available free area for storing intermediate workpieces (58, 62) in a first buffer area (36.1) and a second buffer area (36.2, 36.3, 36.4); the number of intermediate workpieces (58, 62) to be generated; the size of the intermediate workpieces (58, 62) to be generated; the shape of the subsequent intermediate workpieces (58, 62); and the complexity parameters of the cutting plan.

[0039] One aspect of this invention relates to a method according to the above, wherein at least one spacer is placed on the upper side of an initial sheet stored in a supply area before an intermediate workpiece is placed thereon, the upper side having at least one dimension smaller than the corresponding dimension of the intermediate workpiece.

[0040] One aspect of this utility model relates to, according to the above aspect, wherein the workpiece is separated from the upper side of the supply area by a separating device before the workpiece is moved.

[0041] One aspect of this utility model relates to a transport system according to the above aspects, wherein the transport system includes a transport device in the form of a robot, and the robot moves an initial sheet from a supply area to a feed table and moves an intermediate workpiece from a take-out table to a buffer device and moves the intermediate workpiece from the buffer device to the feed table. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The embodiments of this utility model are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 A top view of the plate-splitting device, schematically shown, at a first point in time during its operation is shown.

[0044] Figure 2 It shows the relationship at the second time point. Figure 1 Similar diagrams;

[0045] Figure 3 It shows the relationship at the third time point. Figure 1 Similar diagrams;

[0046] Figure 4 It shows the relationship at the fourth time point. Figure 1 Similar diagrams; and

[0047] Figure 5 The figure at the fifth time point is shown. Figure 1Similar figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In the following, functionally equivalent elements and areas in different figures have the same reference numerals. They are usually only explained in detail at first mention. Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity, Figures 2 to 5 not all reference numerals are mentioned in the following description.

[0049] The board dividing apparatus has the reference numeral 10 in the figure. The board dividing apparatus comprises a feed table 12, a take-off table 14, and a machine table 16 arranged between the feed table 12 and the take-off table 14. In the present case, the machine table 16 has a dividing area 18 indicated by a dashed line. Above the machine table 16, a pressure beam 20 is arranged. In the present case, the dividing area 18 in turn exemplarily comprises a dividing saw, not shown, which can be moved along a double arrow 22 in a saw slot in the machine table 16.

[0050] The board separating apparatus 10 comprises a transport system 23 which comprises a plurality of individual transport devices. The feed table 12 is assigned such a transport device in the form of a door-like program slide 24 which has a plurality of pneumatically actuated clamps 26. As will be explained below, the program slide 24 can move a workpiece located on the feed table 12 in a transport direction (arrow 28) towards the dividing area 18 (and can also move a workpiece located in the feed table 12 against the transport direction 28). The work area of the program slide 24, indicated by a dashed line, has the reference numeral 29.

[0051] The board dividing system 10 further comprises a supply area 30 which, in the present case, is exemplarily arranged at the side of the feed table 12 and generally comprises a relatively low supply table (without separate reference numeral). In the supply area 30, a plurality of large-format initial boards 32 can be supplied which are stacked on top of one another, in the present case exemplarily indicated by dashed lines. These initial boards 32 are for example brought to the supply area 30 by a gantry robot or by a belt conveyor or with the aid of a forklift truck (arrow 53 in the figure). Figure 1

[0052] ​As already mentioned above, the supply area 30 can be formed, for example, by a supply table. The supply table can be a passive table, which in this respect can be horizontally and vertically immovable. However, the supply table can also be an active table, which is vertically movable, for example, by means of an electric lifting device 31. Due to the vertical movability, the vertical position of the upper side of the table can be adapted, for example, when the initial board 32 has been removed from the supply area 30. The vertical position of the table can also be adapted to the stack height of the initial boards 32 stored on the table. For this purpose, a corresponding sensor device 33, for example, an image detection device or a laser or ultrasound sensor, can be provided, which detects the height of the stack and / or the thickness of the stack boards and provides a corresponding signal for automatically changing the vertical position. However, as will be explained further below, the supply area 30 is not only used for supplying large-format initial boards 32 ("raw boards"), but also serves as a buffer area for temporarily storing processed boards ("intermediate workpieces") to be processed again.

[0053] Furthermore, the board segmentation device 10 comprises a buffer device 34, which in the present case in turn exemplarily has a plurality of buffer areas, which are generally designated by the reference numeral 36. The buffer areas include a first buffer area 36.1, which comprises or is formed by the upper side of the supply area 30, as will be described in further detail below. Furthermore, in the present case, the buffer device exemplarily has a second buffer area 36.2, which in the present case is exemplarily formed by a deposit surface arranged above the pressure beam 20. Furthermore, in the present case, the buffer device 34 exemplarily comprises an optional third buffer area 36.3, which in the present case is exemplarily formed by the removal table 14, which for this purpose is enlarged compared to the previously known removal table 14 and is configured as a contiguous surface, instead of being divided into separate elongated segments as before. Finally, there is also an optional fourth buffer area 36.4, which in the present case is exemplarily formed by a buffer table arranged at the side of the removal table 14. Alternatively or additionally, the fourth buffer area 36.4 can also be formed by a deposit area for segmented finished workpieces (see below), which temporarily serves as a buffer table.

[0054] Part of the transport system 23 is also a further transport device in the form of a robot 38. The robot 38 comprises a stationary base 40 which is arranged in the side of the machine table 16 in the extension of the dividing area 18. On the base 40 a multi-joint robot arm is fastened. The robot 38 is thus a so-called "articulated-arm robot". At the protruding end of the robot arm 42 a so-called suction crosspiece 44 is fastened. In the present case, it exemplarily refers to an approximately rectangular frame at the underside of which a plurality of suction devices (not visible) are arranged which can act on the upper side of the workpieces or initial sheets. Instead of a suction crosspiece, other devices can also be fastened at the robot arm 42 which enable the robot 38 to move the sheet-like workpieces. It is also conceivable in principle to use a portal robot instead of an articulated-arm robot as in the present case.

[0055] The working area 45 of the robot 38 with the suction crosspiece 44 enables the robot 38 to move workpieces from the supply area 30 to the infeed table 12, from the take-off table 14 to one of the buffer areas 36.1 to 36.4 of the buffer device 34 and from there again to the infeed table 12 or the take-off table 14. In addition, the robot 38 can move workpieces to the storage area 46. The "first" working area 45 of the robot 38 thus at least partially overlaps the "second" working area 29 of the program slide 24 in that the "first" working area 45 at least partially covers the infeed table 12. In addition, the "first" working area 45 at least partially covers the storage area 30 or the buffer areas 36.1 formed by the storage area 30. In the present case, the "first" working area 45 also at least partially covers the take-off table 14, the buffer areas 36.2 to 36.4 and the storage area 46. The storage area 46 is usually connected to a further, not shown transport device for further transport of finished workpieces.

[0056] The sheet dividing apparatus 10 also has a control device 48, for example in the form of a computer. The control device 48 comprises a processor 50 and a memory 52 on which a computer program product is stored. The computer program product in turn comprises instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by the control device 48, cause the control device 48 to perform the type of operations described below.

[0057] The sheet dividing system 10 can be used or operated, for example, as follows: As Figure 1 is shown, the initial sheets 32 can correspond to Figure 1 as shown by the arrows 53 in the supply area 30 are supplied in a stacked manner for division. From Figure 2As can be seen, the top initial plate 32 can be moved from the supply area 30 to the feed table 12 by the robot 38 corresponding to arrow 54. In order to facilitate the lifting of the top initial plate 32 from the stack by the robot 38, a separation device 56 is provided, which separates the top initial plate 32 before it is moved by the robot 38.

[0058] The separation device 56 may include, in a known manner, an air nozzle, a wedge, or a slider, by which the uppermost initial plate 32 is at least partially lifted and / or displaced from the surface or other initial plates 32, thereby at least reducing the adhesive force between the uppermost initial plate 31 and the surface and / or other initial plates 32. Therefore, the uppermost initial plate 32 can be easily lifted by the suction lateral member 44 and the robot 38, and undesirable movement of other workpieces is prevented.

[0059] from Figure 3 As can be seen, the rear edge of the initial sheet 32, when viewed along the transport direction 28, is held there by the clamp 26 of the program slider 24. Then, the initial sheet 32 ​​is moved by the program slider 24 along the transport direction 28 toward the dividing area 18 and there is continuously divided into strip-shaped intermediate workpieces 58 ("strips") by a first division ("longitudinal cut"). Thus, the intermediate workpieces 58 are produced by this (first) division. It goes without saying that, in the current case, this division of the initial sheet 32 ​​in the dividing area 18 by the dividing device, for example for producing straight edges (so-called "edge trimming"), can precede the actual division.

[0060] The strip-shaped intermediate workpiece 58 arrives at the take-out table 14 first after the first division, from... Figure 3 This can be seen from the text. For example... Figure 4 As exemplarily shown, the intermediate workpiece 58 is moved by the robot 38 from the take-out table 14 to the buffer area 36.1 of the buffer device 34, which is formed on the upper side of the supply area 30. In the present case, since the initial sheet 32 ​​is still present in the supply area 30, the buffer area 36.1 is formed on the upper side of the uppermost output sheet 32 ​​in the supply area 30.

[0061] Here, the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area 30 is taken into account by the control device 48 when the intermediate workpiece 58 is placed on that upper side by the robot 38. This can be achieved, for example, by determining the quantity and thickness of the initial sheet material 32 still stored in the supply area 30. Alternatively, the vertical position can be determined based on the final vertical position before the initial sheet material 32 or the intermediate workpiece 58 is finally removed by the robot 38, and the thickness of the removed initial sheet material 32 or the removed intermediate workpiece 58.

[0062] Here, it is also possible to determine a reference point for depositing the intermediate workpieces 58 positionally precisely in the horizontal direction. This reference point can be, for example, an edge of the upper side 36.1 of the supply area 30 or an edge of the initial sheet material 32 located on the supply area 30. The reference point can be selected, for example, by an operator, or the reference point can be set automatically by the control device and monitored by means of the sensor device 33, for example, by image detection. If the exact position and size of the deposited intermediate workpieces 58 are known, it is possible, for example, to deposit and temporarily store at least one further intermediate workpiece 58 on the upper side 36.1.

[0063] As Figure 4 shown, strip-shaped intermediate workpieces 58 are also deposited in the buffer areas 36.2, 36.3 and 36.4, which are also moved by the robot 38 from the take-off table 14 to the buffer areas 36.2, 36.3 and 36.4. Here, the control device 48 decides, depending on at least one operating parameter, in which buffer area 36 the current intermediate workpiece 58 is to be deposited. These operating parameters can include, for example, the available free area for depositing intermediate workpieces 58 in the buffer areas 36.1, 36.2, 36.3 and 36.4, the number of intermediate workpieces 58 still to be produced from the initial sheet material 32, the size of the intermediate workpieces 58 still to be produced from the initial sheet material 32 and, finally, the shape of the intermediate workpieces 58 still to be produced from the initial sheet material 32. The complexity parameter of the cutting plan in which the initial sheet material 32 is to be divided can also be such a parameter. Here, the area on the take-off table 16 or on the buffer area 36.3 is calculated and released dynamically by the control device 48. It is decisive here that the subsequent production of strip-shaped intermediate workpieces 58 and the subsequent size, for example, the predetermined order for removal or stacking of the finished workpieces 60. Depending on the width of the take-off table 14 and the maximum length of the initial sheet material 32 to be processed, the left-hand part of the figure of the take-off table 14 can be permanently provided for buffering.

[0064] The buffering of the intermediate workpieces 58 in the buffer areas 36 is necessary because the intermediate workpieces 58 are to be further processed or divided. This is only possible, however, when the division area 18 is available for this further processing. This, in turn, is only provided after the initial sheet material 32 has been completely divided by the first division (longitudinal cut).

[0065] From Figure 5As can be seen, for example, an intermediate workpiece 58 stored in buffer area 36.1, i.e., on the initial sheet 32 ​​in supply area 30, can be moved by robot 38 to feed table 12. Then, the clamp 26 of program slider 24 can act on the rear edge of intermediate workpiece 58 when viewed along transport direction 28. Then, program slider 24 can move intermediate workpiece 58 located on feed table 12 along transport direction 28 to dividing area 18, where intermediate workpiece 58 is continuously divided into finished workpiece 60 or another intermediate workpiece 62 by a second dividing ("lateral cutting"). Finished workpiece 60 is moved by robot 38 to storage area 46, where finished workpiece 60 is conveyed, for example, by means of roller conveyor. Figure 5 Arrow 64 in the middle.

[0066] The additional intermediate workpiece 62 can be moved again by the robot 38 to one of the buffer areas 36, in the current case, for example, to buffer area 36.2. From there, the additional intermediate workpiece 62 can be moved again by the robot 38 to the feed table 12 so that it can be divided again by a third division (“post-cut” or “third cut”) into, for example, finished workpiece 60.

[0067] from Figure 4 and Figure 5 As can be seen, before storing the intermediate workpiece 58 on the upper side of the supply area 30, i.e., in the buffer area 36.1, at least one spacer 66 can be placed on this upper side. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It can be clearly seen that the length and width dimensions of the spacer 6 are significantly smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the intermediate workpiece 58. The intermediate workpiece 58 is then placed on these two spacers 66, and their upper sides form the upper side of the supply area 30 or the first buffer area 36.1. This also facilitates the removal of the intermediate workpiece 58 from the upper side of the supply area 30.

Claims

1. A board dividing apparatus comprising: A supply area (30) for initial sheets (32), a feed table (12), a dividing area (18), a removal table (41), a buffer device (34) for divided intermediate pieces, and a transport system (23) for moving the initial sheets (32) from the supply area (30) to the feed table (12), for moving the initial sheets (32) from the feed table (12) to the dividing area (18) for dividing, for moving the intermediate pieces produced by the dividing from the removal table (14) to the buffer device (34), and for moving the intermediate pieces from the buffer device (34) to the feed table (12), characterized in that the upper side of the supply area (30) forms a first buffer area of the buffer device (34), and the sheet dividing device (10) is arranged and constructed in such a way that the transport system (23) can deposit the intermediate pieces on the upper side of the supply area (30) and move them therefrom to the feed table (12).

2. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The supply area (30) comprises at least one sensor device (33) with which the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area (30) can be detected.

3. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The sheet dividing device (10) has an electric drive (31) which is constructed and arranged in such a way that it changes the vertical position of the upper side of the supply area (30) in a controlled manner.

4. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by The transport system (23) comprises a first transport device in the form of a robot (38) having a first work area (45) and a second transport device in the form of a program slide (24) assigned to the feed table (12) having a second work area (29), the first work area (45) and the second work area (29) at least partially overlap, and the first work area (45) at least partially overlaps the supply area (30).

5. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The sheet dividing apparatus (10) comprises a control device (48) having a processor (50) and a memory (52), on which a computer program product is stored, the computer program product comprising instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by the control device (48), cause the control device (48) to control the movement of the initial sheet (32) from the supply area (30) to the feed table (12) by means of the transport system (23) and from the feed table (12) to the dividing area (18) by means of the transport system (23) for division, and wherein the intermediate workpieces produced by the division are moved from the take-off table (14) to the buffer device (34) by means of the transport system (23) and deposited there, from where they are moved again to the feed table (12) by means of the transport system (32) and further to the dividing area (18) by means of the transport system (23) for further division, and wherein the buffer device (34) comprises at least the first buffer area, which comprises the upper side of the supply area, and wherein the intermediate workpieces are deposited on the upper side of the supply area (30) by means of the transport system (23) and moved therefrom to the feed table (12) by means of the transport system (23).

6. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein The buffer device (34) comprises at least one second buffer area in addition to the first buffer area, and the control device (48) automatically decides on which buffer area the intermediate workpieces are to be deposited in dependence on at least one operating parameter.

7. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein The operating parameter is at least one of the following group: available free area for depositing the intermediate workpieces in the first and second buffer areas; number of intermediate workpieces to be produced; size of the intermediate workpieces to be produced; shape of the intermediate workpieces to be produced subsequently; complexity parameter of the cutting plan.

8. The board dividing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The sheet dividing apparatus (10) comprises a separating device (56) by means of which the intermediate workpieces can be separated from the upper side of the supply area (30) before moving the intermediate workpieces. The sheet dividing apparatus (10) comprises a separating device (56) by means of which the intermediate workpieces can be separated from the upper side of the supply area (30) before moving the intermediate workpieces.

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