Method and apparatus for separating bulk material-like smooth unit loads and blunt parts, especially after a machining process

Abstract

Feeding a mixture to be separated, consisting of bulk-like smooth pieces and blunt parts, onto an inclined plane with a rough top surface, wherein the inclined plane is set in a periodically reciprocating, in particular horizontal, motion, whereby the blunt parts are conveyed by means of the inclined plane in the horizontal direction, while the smooth pieces slide down the inclined plane, and a device for separating bulk material-like smooth pieces and blunt parts, comprising: - a linear vibrating conveyor with a, preferably bolted, conveying trough for conveying bulk material in the horizontal direction and - a trough that is mounted transversely to the conveying direction (F) of the linear vibrating conveyor on the conveying trough as an inclined plane with a rough top surface.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a device for separating smooth, bulk-like pieces from blunt parts, particularly after a processing operation. The smooth pieces have a smooth surface, especially without sharp-edged protrusions. The blunt parts have a blunt or rough surface, especially with sharp-edged protrusions.

[0002] The problem underlying the present invention will be described using the example of problems with cutting waste in laser cutting.

[0003] Sheet metal parts are used extensively in mechanical engineering and other industries. These parts are often assembled into subassemblies and typically combined with attachments to create finished products.

[0004] The cutting of sheet metal parts is primarily carried out on automated laser cutting systems. For this purpose, sheet metal sheets are placed manually or automatically onto the laser cutting machines. The laser cutting systems have movable carriages with a serrated metal grid on which the sheet metal sheets are placed.

[0005] The individual sheets of the metal grid are spaced approximately 100 mm apart. The serrations are integrated into the sheets to minimize the contact area of ​​the metal sheets on the grid.

[0006] A carriage is then automatically moved into a laser processing center. There, individual pieces are cut to size using a laser beam according to specifications.

[0007] During the processing procedure (laser cutting), it is unavoidable that individual sheet metal blanks and slag fall through the sheet metal grate.

[0008] Modern laser processing centers have appropriate conveyor technology for this purpose, which removes the slag and sheet metal parts (material waste) from the laser processing center.

[0009] The sheet metal parts and the slag come in all imaginable sizes, but are limited by the sheet metal spacing of the sheet metal grate with a maximum edge length of 100 mm.

[0010] Approximately 30 tons of slag per year can be generated per laser processing center in two-shift operation. On average, the distribution ratio is about 1:2 (one part slag to two parts sheet metal). Furthermore, the slag is lighter than the sheet metal parts.

[0011] From a pessimistic perspective, one can therefore assume that 20 t / a of usable scrap material is generated.

[0012] Because manual selection of the slag from the sheet metal parts is not worthwhile and common methods (sieving, magnetic separation (the slag is magnetic and can be as large as the sheets), etc.) are not worthwhile or fail technically due to the nature of the individual parts, both components are disposed of as a mixture.

[0013] The main problem is that approximately 20 tons of steel per year have to be disposed of as waste. If the metal could be recycled separately, operators of such plants would generate a scrap metal price of approximately €200.00 per ton. With an estimated 20 tons per year, operators of such plants are currently foregoing €4,000.00 in revenue annually.

[0014] JP 2017 35 641 A discloses a method according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0015] Another problem is the negative environmental impact of disposing of mixed materials.

[0016] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of enabling single-stream disposal.

[0017] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method for separating bulk-like smooth pieces and blunt parts, in particular after a machining process, comprising: Feeding a mixture of bulk-like smooth particles and blunt particles onto an inclined plane with a rough surface, wherein the inclined plane is set in a periodically reciprocating, in particular horizontal, motion, whereby the blunt particles are conveyed by means of the inclined plane in the horizontal direction, while the smooth particles slide down the inclined plane, characterized in that the inclined plane is part of a trough (20). In particular, the rough surface can be a rough surface with sharp-edged protrusions.

[0018] Furthermore, this task is solved by a device for separating bulk material-like smooth pieces and blunt parts, comprising: - a linear vibrating conveyor with a, preferably bolted, conveying trough for conveying bulk material in the horizontal direction and - a trough that is mounted transversely to the conveying direction (F) of the linear vibrating conveyor on the conveying trough as an inclined plane with a rough top surface.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment, the method may provide that the inclined plane is covered with a needle-felt surface.

[0020] In particular, it may be provided that the trough is mounted on a conveying trough of a linear vibrating conveyor transversely to the conveying direction of the same.

[0021] According to another special embodiment, the smooth components and the rough parts are transported into special containers or onto special conveying equipment.

[0022] Furthermore, the smooth, individual items can be metal parts, especially sheet metal parts.

[0023] In particular, it may be provided that the metal parts are material waste from thermal cutting, especially laser cutting.

[0024] Furthermore, it may be specifically stipulated that the rough parts are slag.

[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the device, a needle-felt surface covering is arranged on the inclined plane to form the rough upper surface.

[0026] Furthermore, it may be provided that the conveying trough has a discharge edge and / or the trough has a discharge edge.

[0027] Finally, it may be expedient to provide that the device includes a material feeding device.

[0028] The present invention is based on the surprising finding that different surface roughness / smoothness of the parts to be separated and gravity can be used to carry out separation by means of linear vibratory conveyor technology.

[0029] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the attached claims and the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the schematic drawings. These show: Fig. 1. A perspective view of a device for separating smooth bulk materials and blunt parts according to a particular embodiment of the present invention, taken obliquely from above; and Fig. 2 the device of Fig. 1 in side view.

[0030] As can be seen from the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, a device 10 for separating smooth, bulk-like components from blunt parts comprises a linear vibratory conveyor 12, of which a vibratory drive 14 and a conveying trough 16 driven by the vibratory drive 14 to vibrate are shown. The conveying trough 16 conveys bulk material in a conveying direction F, which in this example corresponds to the horizontal direction x. The conveying trough 16 is driven by the vibratory drive 14 to a reciprocating motion in the horizontal direction x, which in this example corresponds to the longitudinal extent of the bottom 18 of the conveying trough 16. Alternatively, a conveying channel, for example, could be used instead of a conveying trough.

[0031] Furthermore, the device 10 has a trough 20 which is mounted transversely to the conveying direction of the linear vibratory conveyor 12 on the conveyor trough 16. In this example, the angle between the trough 20 and the conveyor trough 16 is 90°. However, it can also be a non-90° angle. The trough 20 has a bottom 22 which forms an inclined plane. In this example, the inclined plane has an angle of 26° to the horizontal direction x. Depending on, for example, the weight and surface roughness of the blunt parts and / or, for example, the weight and surface smoothness of the smooth components, the angle can also have different values ​​in the range of 1° to 89°, preferably 10° to 80°, and even more preferably 20° to 70°, to the horizontal direction x.

[0032] In this example, the bottom 22 of the trough 20 is provided with a needle felt surface covering 24.

[0033] A drop edge 26 is provided at the lower end of the floor 22.

[0034] The conveying trough 16 also has a discharge edge 28 at its front end in the conveying direction F. The side wall 23 of the trough 20, located in the conveying direction F, does not extend over the entire length of the trough, but is designed so that objects can fall into the conveying trough 16 during operation of the linear vibratory conveyor 12.

[0035] A material feeding device (not shown) can be arranged in the area of ​​the upper end of the inclined plane.

[0036] The device 10 can, for example, be operated on a laser cutting system (not shown) or centrally at another location.

[0037] By means of the linear vibratory conveyor 12 with vibratory drive 14, the conveyor trough 16 and thus also the trough 20 can be driven, for example, approximately 50 times per second with a amplitude of approximately 1 millimeter. This causes the product to be conveyed to be thrown a small distance forward (in the conveying direction F) with each throw.

[0038] Using the example of separating sheet metal parts (bulk-like smooth components) cut by means of a laser cutting system and slag (rough parts), a method according to a particular embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example.

[0039] The mixture to be separated is fed onto the trough 20 with the needle-felt surface covering 24. Due to the inclined plane and the smooth surface of the sheet metal parts, the sheet metal parts (not shown) slide – hardly influenced by the conveying direction F of the linear vibratory conveyor 12 – over the needle-felt surface covering 24 and exit the linear vibratory conveyor 12 perpendicular to the conveying direction (main conveying direction) F.

[0040] The slag (not shown), on the other hand, is prevented from sliding on the inclined plane by the needle-felt surface covering 24 and its rough surface. Thus, the slag particles are conveyed on the linear vibratory conveyor 12 in the conveying direction F of the conveying trough 16 and exit the conveying trough 16 via the discharge edge 28, also in the conveying direction F.

[0041] The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination.

Claims

[1] Method for separating bulk-like smooth pieces and blunt parts, especially after a machining process, comprising: Feeding a mixture of bulk-like smooth pieces and blunt parts to be separated onto an inclined plane with a rough top surface, wherein the inclined plane is set in a periodically reciprocating, in particular horizontal, motion, This causes the blunt parts to be conveyed horizontally via the inclined plane, while the smooth items slide down the inclined plane. characterized by , that the inclined plane is part of a trough (20). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the inclined plane is provided with a needle felt surface covering (24). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trough (20) is mounted on a conveying trough (16) of a linear vibrating conveyor (12) transversely to the conveying direction (F) of the same. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the smooth components and the rough parts are transported into special containers or onto special conveying equipment. [5] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the smooth components are metal parts, in particular sheet metal parts. [6] Method according to claim 5, wherein the metal parts are material waste from thermal cutting, in particular laser cutting. [7] Method according to claim 6, wherein the rough parts are slag. [8] Device (10) for separating bulk-like smooth pieces of bulk material from blunt parts, comprising: - a linear vibrating conveyor (12) with a, preferably bolted, conveying trough (16) for conveying bulk material in the horizontal direction and - a trough (20) which is mounted transversely to the conveying direction F of the linear vibrating conveyor (12) on the conveying trough (16) as an inclined plane with a rough top surface. [9] Device (10) according to claim 8, wherein a needle felt surface covering (24) is arranged on the inclined plane to form the rough top surface. [10] Device (10) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the conveying trough (16) has a discharge edge (26) and / or the trough (20) has a discharge edge (28). [11] Device (10) according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein it has a material feeding device.

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