LASER PROCESSING MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WORKPIECES

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a laser processing machine according to the preamble of claim 1 (see, for example, DE 10 2016 120151 A1).

[0002] These types of laser processing machines are used for laser cutting of workpieces, particularly pipes, using a laser processing unit. The laser cutting is carried out in a work area of ​​the laser processing machine, which is enclosed in a housing. The housing serves to shield the area surrounding the laser processing machine from laser radiation emitted at a processing point on the workpiece inside the work area during the processing process.

[0003] A workpiece to be processed is fed into the working chamber through an inlet opening in the housing in an axial feed direction. Processed workpieces, produced by laser cutting inside the working chamber, are ejected from the chamber in an discharge area in a direction perpendicular to the workpiece feed direction.

[0004] After a final separation cut, the machined workpieces are initially drawn by gravity onto a discharge ramp of a discharge station located below the machining point in the unloading area. The machined workpieces then leave the work area via the discharge ramp and a parts tray of the discharge station situated in the direction of discharge.

[0005] DE 20 2017 107 190 U1 and DE 10 2016 204 161 B4 relate to a laser processing machine comprising a work area and an unloading area. Furthermore, DE 10 2016 120 151 A1 discloses a technique for removing laser-cut or punched workpiece parts from the processing area of ​​a machine tool by means of a folding mechanism. The object of the invention is to provide a laser processing machine that enables fast, reliable, and simple unloading of processed workpieces in the unloading station.

[0006] The problem is solved by a laser processing machine according to claim 1. Accordingly, a laser processing machine for processing workpieces is proposed, wherein the laser processing machine in particular provides that the parts tray has a parts tray surface with a parts opening for the processed workpieces and a closing element, wherein the closing element and the parts opening are arranged so that the parts opening is closed and opened by means of the closing element and that workpieces can be ejected through the opened parts opening.

[0007] The proposed laser processing machine, with its opening in the parts tray, enables quick, reliable, and easy unloading of processed workpieces at the discharge station. When the opening is no longer needed for unloading processed workpieces, it can be easily closed using the locking element. Subsequently, the closed opening can be easily reopened when the processed workpieces need to be unloaded again. With the opening closed, processed workpieces can continue to be unloaded at the discharge station by being collected on the parts tray, i.e., the closed parts tray.This provides a parts tray where the machined workpieces can either be ejected through the parts opening or collected on the tray. The parts opening can have a smaller area and / or a shorter length in the workpiece feed direction than the parts tray area. This allows smaller or shorter machined workpieces to be ejected through the parts opening and larger or longer workpieces to be collected on the parts tray area.

[0008] The workspace may have an inlet opening for inserting the workpieces to be processed and an enclosure surrounding the workspace.

[0009] Furthermore, a loading area can be provided for loading the workspace with workpieces, wherein the loading area is located upstream of the inlet opening of the workspace in a workpiece feed direction of the workpiece to be processed.

[0010] The closure element may be designed as a flap, preferably as a slide. The slide is designed to be displaceable, allowing it to close and open the part opening. In particular, the slide is designed to be displaceable in the ejection direction. Thus, the slide is pushed over the part opening to close it and moved away from it to open it.

[0011] In particular, the unloading area, viewed in the workpiece feed direction, can have a section extending into the work area and preferably a further section downstream of the work area. This can mean that the unloading area is located section by section within the enclosure of the work area and can additionally include a further enclosure downstream of the work area enclosure in the workpiece feed direction.

[0012] The workpieces can be, in particular, pipes. The cross-section of the pipes or pipe sections can be arbitrary, for example round, triangular, square, or the like.

[0013] The laser processing machine can also have workpiece supports in the loading area. Before processing begins, a workpiece can be placed on the workpiece supports with a loading movement performed transversely to the workpiece's longitudinal direction. The workpiece supports in the loading area can be guided on a machine bed so that they can be raised and lowered. The placement and unloading of the workpieces on the workpiece supports can be done manually from an operator side of the machine bed or by means of a loading device, which can be located on the rear side of the machine bed opposite the operator side. The workpiece placed on the workpiece supports extends along its longitudinal direction in a feed direction.Workpiece feed direction, in which the workpiece supported by the workpiece supports is positioned in front of the working area of ​​the laser processing machine, which is completely enclosed in the housing except for the inlet opening and the outlet opening.

[0014] Furthermore, the laser processing machine can have a feed unit. The workpiece, which is placed on the workpiece supports, is gripped at its longitudinal end furthest from the working area of ​​the laser processing machine by the feed unit. This feed unit can be designed to move along the machine bed in the workpiece feed direction and in the opposite direction. Through a corresponding movement of the feed unit, the workpiece, which is fixed to it, is inserted into the working area through the inlet opening of the machine's housing. The desired processing is then carried out on the portion of the workpiece inserted into the working area by means of the laser processing device located within the working area.

[0015] The discharge station may have an additional enclosure and / or discharge ramp. The processed workpiece is then discharged from the discharge station, perpendicular to the workpiece feed direction, via the discharge ramp to the parts tray. The processed and discharged workpiece can then be removed from the parts tray.

[0016] The discharge station may include a parts container that can be positioned, or is already positioned, below the parts opening. The parts container collects the machined workpieces that are discharged or fall through the parts opening. When the parts container holds a predetermined number of machined workpieces of a specific size or length, or when it is full, it can simply be replaced with an empty one into which the machined workpieces can be discharged. The parts container may, for example, have rollers for transport or be guided on rails.

[0017] Furthermore, the locking element, and in particular the slide, may be designed to close the part opening flush with the surface. This means that when the part opening is closed, there is essentially no gap between the part opening and the slide. For this purpose, the locking element, and in particular the slide, and the part opening may have corresponding, and especially identical, contours and / or dimensions. This allows for optimal movement of the workpieces on the part support surface without the possibility of the workpieces becoming jammed in a gap between the slide and the part opening.

[0018] It can also be provided that the part opening and / or the closing element, and in particular the slide, have edges running towards each other in the ejection direction. These edges run diagonally from the part opening and / or the slide to the opposite direction of ejection. This prevents jamming or jamming when the slide is moved, which could otherwise occur due to chips or swarf present in the part tray.

[0019] Furthermore, the opening and / or the closing element, and in particular the slide, may be trapezoidal. Adjacent edges can form the sloping sides of the trapezoidal shape of the opening and / or the slide. This allows the opening to be closed without a gap using the slide. Of course, the closing element can also have a different geometry and, in particular, be square or rectangular in plan view and / or have rounded edges.

[0020] According to the invention, the part opening and the closing element, and in particular the slide, are arranged in a short section of the part tray, and the part tray has a long section with an additional part storage area, wherein the long section includes the short section. This allows short machined workpieces to be discharged from the short section and long machined workpieces from the long section in the same discharge station. In the short section, this is done in a particularly simple and quick manner by means of the part opening. The part opening can be closed to allow the large or long machined workpieces to be discharged and to prevent jamming or tilting of long machined workpieces in an open part opening. In particular, the long section can be designed such that it extends the short section in the workpiece feed direction.

[0021] Furthermore, it is provided that part of the long section is designed as a parts drawer that can be extended and retracted in the discharge direction.

[0022] It can be provided that, when the parts drawer is retracted, the additional parts storage area is retracted in the opposite direction to the discharge direction, and that when the parts drawer is extended, the parts storage area and the additional parts storage area form a single, unified storage area. Retracting the additional parts storage area in the opposite direction to the workpiece feed direction allows easy access to the discharge station, particularly to the shorter section in the opposite direction to the workpiece feed direction. This facilitates troubleshooting, retooling, maintenance, cleaning, and similar tasks at the discharge station. Furthermore, when extended, the entire combined parts storage area formed by the parts storage area and the additional parts storage area can be used for discharge, enabling the discharge of particularly large or long workpieces.

[0023] Furthermore, the parts drawer may be equipped with a parts stop positioned at one end of the additional parts storage area, in the direction of ejection. The machined workpieces can be stopped by the parts stop during ejection, thus ensuring reliable collection of machined workpieces in the parts storage area.

[0024] Furthermore, the parts drawer can be designed with edges that run in opposite directions in the ejection direction. These edges run diagonally from the parts drawer position to the ejection direction. This prevents the parts drawer from jamming or becoming misaligned during insertion and removal.

[0025] Furthermore, the parts drawer and / or the additional parts storage area may be trapezoidal. The opposing edges can be the sloping sides of the trapezoidal shape of the parts drawer. Of course, the parts drawer and / or the additional parts storage area can also have a different geometry and, in particular, be square or rectangular in plan view and / or have rounded edges.

[0026] Finally, the additional parts storage area can be longer or shorter than the parts storage area in the workpiece feed direction. For example, the parts storage area in the workpiece feed direction can have a length of 1 m, and the additional parts storage area can have a length of 2 m. This allows workpieces up to 1 m long to be discharged using the parts storage area when the parts opening is open.

[0027] Further details and advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the following description, which provides further description and explanation of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0028] They show: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a laser processing machine according to the prior art, Figure 2 is a perspective view of an ejection station of a laser processing machine according to an embodiment of the invention with the parts drawer extended, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the ejection station from the Figure 2 with the parts drawer retracted, Figure 4 shows a top view of the parts tray of the reject station. Figure 2 and Figure 5, an oblique sectional view of the discharge station from Figure 2 and 3 with the part opening closed, and Figure 6 shows the oblique section view of the discharge station. Figure 5 with the part opening open.

[0029] According to the Figure 1 A laser processing machine 1 for pipe processing has a working area 2, a loading area 3, and an unloading area 4. The laser processing machine 1 shown corresponds to that described in DE 20 2017 107 190 U1. The laser processing machine 1 shown differs from an exemplary laser processing machine 1 according to the invention described in the Figures 2 to 6 in its discharge area 4. Consequently, an embodiment of a laser processing machine 1 according to the invention can have the features of the laser processing machine 1 according to Figure 1 with the exception of the features of the in Figure 1 The discharge area shown is 4.

[0030] In the working area 2 of the laser processing machine 1, there is a work chamber 6 enclosed within a housing 5. The housing 5 of the work chamber 6 is closed except for an inlet opening in the wall of the housing 5 facing the loading area 3, which is concealed in this view by a beam shielding tunnel 20 and therefore not shown, and except for an outlet opening in the wall of the housing 5 facing the unloading area 4, which is also concealed. A laser processing device, in this example a laser cutting device for the cutting processing of workpieces, in particular pipes, is arranged in the work chamber 6 inside the housing 5.

[0031] In the loading area 3 of the laser processing machine 1, a machine bed 8 is arranged as a support structure, extending on the work area side into the enclosure 5. Guide rails 9 are mounted on the top of the machine bed 8, running along its length. In addition, workpiece supports 10 of conventional design are guided vertically on the machine bed 8, allowing them to be raised and lowered.

[0032] A workpiece feed unit in the form of a feed unit 11 is movable along the machine bed 8. In a known manner, the feed unit 11 is provided on the work area side with a chuck for fixing a tube to be machined in the work area 6. The chuck is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece.

[0033] During its movements along the machine bed 8, the feed unit 11 is guided on the guide rails 9. A conventional rack and pinion drive is provided as the motor drive for the feed unit 11, with a rack running parallel to the guide rails 9 on the machine bed 8 (not shown for simplicity) and a motor-driven drive pinion on the feed unit 11, which meshes with the rack of the rack and pinion drive.

[0034] A motorized loading device 14 is installed on the rear side 13 of the machine bed 8, located opposite the operator side 12 of the machine bed 8, in the loading area 3 of the laser processing machine 1. A suitable loading device 14 could be, for example, a loading device such as the one sold by TRUMPF under the name "LoadMaster Tube".

[0035] In a known manner, the loading device 14 has a workpiece magazine in which a larger number of workpieces to be machined can be held. The workpieces in the workpiece magazine run parallel to the machine bed 8 with their longitudinal direction. After one of the workpieces held in the workpiece magazine has been separated, this workpiece is transferred to the machine bed 8 in a known manner by means of a transfer device and placed onto the workpiece supports 10, which are extended at this time. Before being transferred to the workpiece supports 10, the workpiece passes through an optical detector (not shown).By means of the optical detector, whose detection direction runs parallel to the machine bed 8, it is checked whether the workpiece intended for transfer to the machine bed 8 actually has the cross-sectional geometry for which the laser processing device arranged in the work area 6 is set up at the relevant time.

[0036] An arrow 16 symbolizes the direction of the loading movement carried out automatically by means of the loading device 14, with which a workpiece to be machined is transferred to the machine bed 8 or to the extended tool supports 10.

[0037] Alternatively, the machine bed 8 can be manually loaded with a workpiece to be machined from the operator side 12. The direction of the manual loading movement, which also runs transversely to the workpiece, is indicated by an arrow 17.

[0038] The workpiece, transferred to the machine bed 8 and supported by the extended workpiece supports 10, is clamped at its longitudinal end furthest from the work area 6 by the chuck of the feed unit 11 in a known manner. The workpiece is then moved from its initial position in a workpiece feed direction 18 by means of the feed unit 11 and, in doing so, is inserted through the inlet opening of the housing 5 with its longitudinal end leading in the direction of movement into the work area 6 of the laser processing machine 1. In the work area 6, the workpiece is machined by the laser processing device located there. It is conceivable that the workpiece is moved by the feed unit 11 during the machining process. For example, when cutting out contours on the wall of a workpiece, the feed unit 11 moves in the workpiece feed direction 18 and in the opposite direction during the cutting process.At the same time, the pipe is rotated around the pipe axis by means of the chuck of the feed unit 11.

[0039] In the example shown, the workpiece is cut into smaller workpieces inside the work chamber 6 using the laser cutting device. After each cutting process, the workpieces are discharged through the outlet opening of the housing 5 in the longitudinal direction from the work chamber 6 into the discharge area 4 of the laser processing machine 1 in an discharge direction 19.

[0040] In this embodiment, the discharge area 4 of the laser processing machine 1 is covered by a beam protection hood 20, which can be made up of multiple parts and extends into the working area. The beam protection hood 20 shields the outlet opening of the housing 5 against the escape of laser radiation from the working area 6 into the area accessible to people around the laser processing machine 1.

[0041] In Figure 2is an embodiment of an ejection station 40 of a laser processing machine 1 according to the invention with a [missing information] compared to the Figure 1 The modified unloading area 4 is shown. The unloading area 4 has an ejection station 40 with a further enclosure 41, an ejection ramp 42, a parts container and a parts tray 50. The parts tray 50 is more clearly visible in the Figure 4 , which shows a top view of parts tray 50.

[0042] According to the Figure 2 The machined workpieces are conveyed in the discharge station 40 to the parts tray 50 by means of the discharge ramp 42. The parts tray 50 has a parts tray surface 51. The parts tray surface 51 in turn has a parts opening 52 (see Figure 6) with a locking element in the form of a slide 53. Instead of a slide 53, the locking element can also be designed differently, in particular as a flap. The functionality of the part opening 52 and the slide 53 will be described later with reference to the Figures 5 and 6 explained.

[0043] A short section 55 is integrated into the parts tray 51. The parts tray 50 can be used along its entire length for diverting long workpieces.

[0044] The parts tray 50 further comprises an elongated section 56 with an additional parts storage surface 57. In this case, part of the elongated section 56 is designed as a parts drawer 58 that can be extended and retracted, particularly manually, in the discharge direction 19. The parts drawer 58 has a parts stop 59 arranged in the discharge direction 19, which projects from the additional parts storage surface 57.

[0045] In Figure 2Is the parts drawer 58 in one in the direction of the in Figure 3 The arrow indicates the extended position, i.e., in the discharge direction 19. In this extended position, the parts storage area 51 and the additional parts storage area 57 are used as a common parts storage area for placing machined workpieces onto the parts storage area 50. This allows long machined workpieces to be discharged along the entire length of the parts storage area 50, consisting of the length of the parts storage area 51 and the additional parts storage area 57, in the workpiece feed direction 18. These can then be easily removed from the parts storage area 50.

[0046] In Figure 3 Is the parts drawer 58 in one in the direction of the in Figure 2 The arrow shown indicates the retracted state, i.e., opposite the exit direction 19. Compared to the Figure 2A radiation-safe discharge of workpieces is no longer possible. However, easy access to the discharge station 40 and the parts storage area 51 is provided, allowing for maintenance, conversion, or cleaning of the discharge station 40, for example.

[0047] In Figure 4 In the top view of the parts tray 50, the slide 53 can be seen, which in this arrangement opens the parts opening 52 (see Figure 6 ) flush with the surface. It can also be seen that the slide 53, the part opening 52 and the part drawer 58 are trapezoidal in shape. The edges 54.1, 54.2, 54.3, 54.4 of the slide 53, part opening 52 and part drawer 58 with the additional part storage surface 57 converge towards each other, particularly in the direction of travel of the part drawer.

[0048] In Figure 5 The arrangement of the parts tray 50 with the closed parts opening 52 is shown again in an oblique sectional view. Figure 6However, slider 53 is in the direction of the in Figure 5 The slide 53 has been moved in the direction of the arrow shown, i.e., against the ejection direction 19, in order to open the part opening 52. To close the part opening 52 again, the slide 53 can be moved in the direction of the arrow shown. Figure 6 The arrow shown, i.e., shifted in the direction of ejection 19.

[0049] With the part opening 52 open, short machined workpieces can be easily and quickly discharged through the part opening 52 into the part container.

Claims

1. A laser processing machine (1) for processing workpieces (7), wherein the laser processing machine (1) has: - a working space (6) with a laser processing device arranged therein for processing workpieces (7) in the working space (6), - a discharge area (4) with an ejection station (40) connected to the working space (6) for discharging workpieces processed in the working space (6), wherein the ejection station (40) has a parts tray (50), wherein the parts tray (50) has a parts tray surface (51) with a parts opening (52) for the processed workpieces and a closure element (53), wherein the closure element (53) and the parts opening (52) are designed to close and open the parts opening (52) by means of the closure element (53) and that workpieces can be discharged through the opened parts opening (52), characterized in that the parts opening (52) and the closure element (53) are arranged in a short partial section (55) of the parts tray (50), and the parts tray (50) has a long partial section (56) with an additional parts tray surface (57), wherein the long partial section (56) has the short partial section (55), wherein a part of the long partial section (56) is designed as a parts drawer (58) which can be moved in and out in the discharge direction (19).

2. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ejection station (40) has a parts container that can be arranged or is arranged below the parts opening (52).

3. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the closure element (53) is designed as a flap or slide.

4. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (53) is designed to close the parts opening (52) flush with the surface.

5. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts opening (52) and / or the closure element (53) has edges (54) that run towards each other in the discharge direction (19).

6. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts opening (52) and / or the closure element (53) are designed in a trapezoidal shape.

7. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional parts tray surface (57) is retracted in the retracted state of the parts drawer (58) against the discharge direction (19), and the parts tray surface (51) and the additional parts tray surface (57) form a common parts tray surface in the extended state of the parts drawer (58).

8. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts drawer (58) has a parts stop (59) arranged in the discharge direction (19) at one end of the additional parts tray surface (57).

9. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts drawer (58) has edges (54) that run towards each other in the discharge direction (19).

10. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parts drawer (58) and / or the additional parts tray surface (57) are designed in a trapezoidal shape.

11. The laser processing machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional parts tray surface (57) is longer or shorter than the parts tray surface (51) in the workpiece feed direction (18).