BASE UNIT FOR REMOVABLE FIXING OF WORKPIECE CARRIER

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a base unit for releasably securing workpiece carriers, each of which comprises at least one clamping bolt. Such workpiece carriers are particularly intended for use in 3D printing processes, wherein the workpieces to be printed are formed on the upper side of each workpiece carrier facing away from the base unit.

[0002] In so-called hybrid processes, such a workpiece carrier can already comprise part of a workpiece that has been manufactured in a different manufacturing process.

[0003] EP 2 613 902 A1 discloses a base unit for releasably fixing workpiece carriers according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of providing a base unit for releasably fixing workpiece carriers, each comprising at least one clamping bolt, which makes it possible to quickly and reliably create a workpiece support structure from a plurality of workpiece carriers on the upper side of the base unit, which has an overall workpiece support surface of a desired shape and size.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by a base unit according to claim.

[0006] The base unit includes the following: a base plate, a cover plate which is provided with cover plate through-openings through which a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can pass, a fixing element which is provided with fixing element through-openings through which a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can pass, and by means of which at least one clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can be fixed to the base unit when the fixing element is in a working position, and a movement device for moving the fixing element from a rest position into the working position and / or from the working position into the rest position.

[0007] The present invention makes it possible to simultaneously lock or unlock a plurality of workpiece carriers arranged on the upper side of the cover plate of the base unit to the base unit in a simple, quick and reliable manner.

[0008] The base unit according to the invention is suitable for use in all applications in which a workpiece must be fixed in its position with moderate holding forces, for example in a measuring machine, in a grinding machine or in a milling machine.

[0009] Furthermore, the base unit according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in a 3D printing process for the additive production of a workpiece.

[0010] This can in particular involve a metal 3D printing process.

[0011] The plurality of workpiece carriers, which may be arranged on the upper side of the cover plate of the base unit, can preferably be individually removed from the cover plate and further used in a machining process following the 3D printing process.

[0012] The multiple workpiece carriers may also have been used in previous machining processes before being fixed to the base unit.

[0013] The invention described here is also suitable for producing hybrid workpieces with precise positioning. It can be used to clamp both conventionally manufactured base bodies (by milling, turning, etc.), which are then further constructed using 3D printing in a subsequent process, and components that are first assembled onto the carrier plate (the workpiece carrier) using 3D printing and subsequently manufactured using deposition welding.

[0014] The cover plate through-openings of the cover plate of the base unit are preferably designed as fitting bores which are designed to fit precisely and complement a centering collar of a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier, so that the respective workpiece carrier can be precisely positioned and exactly aligned on the base unit through the interaction of the clamping bolt and the respective cover plate through-opening.

[0015] The combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers arranged on the base unit has the positioning accuracy of a zero-point clamping system.

[0016] If the combination of the base unit and several workpiece carriers arranged on it is integrated into a software for positioning workpiece carriers and / or workpieces in a 3D printer, the zero point (spatial reference point) of the 3D printing process can be transferred to further processing processes that follow the 3D printing process.

[0017] The cover plate and the base plate of the base unit together form a housing of the base unit, which preferably has a low installation height. The height of the housing can, for example, be at most 30 mm, in particular at most 20 mm, and particularly preferably at most 15 mm.

[0018] The workpiece carriers, each comprising at least one clamping bolt, can be held on a workpiece carrier holder of a processing device under sufficient holding forces in machining processes following the 3D printing process.

[0019] The simultaneous fixation of all clamping bolts of all workpiece carriers, which are arranged on the top side of the cover plate of the base unit, results in enormous time savings at the beginning and end of the 3D printing process.

[0020] In order to be suitable for a metal 3D printing process, it is preferably provided that the base unit is formed from materials which can withstand a high temperature load of at least 400°C, in particular of at least 500°C, particularly preferably of at least 650°C.

[0021] The base unit according to the invention is very easy to clean and has a very high repeatability for the positioning of the workpiece carriers on the top side of the cover plate of the base unit.

[0022] The workpiece carriers are held to the base unit with a high holding force via their clamping bolts when the fixing element is in the working position.

[0023] On the individual workpiece carriers, which can also be referred to as segments, workpieces with a positioning accuracy of 0.05 mm or better can be built in a metal 3D printer.

[0024] The workpiece carriers can be arranged in any combination and position on the top side of the cover plate of the base unit, as long as their clamping bolts can engage in one of the cover plate openings.

[0025] Workpiece carriers which comprise only a single clamping bolt can comprise, in addition to the clamping bolt, an anti-rotation element in order to be able to fix the workpiece carrier in question to the top side of the cover plate of the base unit in a rotation-proof manner.

[0026] Due to the sufficiently strong connection of the additively manufactured workpieces with the workpiece carrier, no additional clamping of the additively manufactured workpieces is necessary in machining processes following the 3D printing process.

[0027] A workpiece carrier provided with a clamping bolt can be clamped together with the workpiece additively manufactured on the workpiece carrier in machining processes following the 3D printing process using the clamping bolt with an accuracy of 0.005 mm or better.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the fixing element passage openings each have a chamfer or an edge region with a smaller radius of curvature and an edge region with a larger radius of curvature.

[0029] In the rest position of the fixing element, the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers preferably each pass through a section of a respective fixing element passage opening, which is bordered by the edge region with the larger radius of curvature.

[0030] In the working position of the fixing element, the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers preferably each pass through a section of the respectively assigned fixing element passage opening, which is bordered by the edge area with the smaller radius of curvature.

[0031] The fixing element can, for example, be designed as a fixing plate.

[0032] According to the invention, the fixing element comprises spring-mounted clamping frames, on each of which at least one fixing element passage opening is arranged.

[0033] According to the invention, each clamping frame is held on a base body of the fixing element by means of one or more resilient arms.

[0034] The centers of the cover plate openings are preferably arranged at the grid points of a regular grid.

[0035] This can be, for example, a rectangular grid, a square grid or a hexagonal grid.

[0036] It is particularly advantageous for precise positioning and alignment of the workpiece carriers on the base unit if a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can be centered by means of the cover plate through-openings when the clamping bolt extends through the relevant cover plate through-opening.

[0037] Preferably, the clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can be centered with little play by means of the cover plate through-openings when the clamping bolt extends through the cover plate through-opening in question.

[0038] The movement device of the base unit preferably comprises a mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical drive for moving the fixing element from the rest position to the working position and / or from the working position to the rest position.

[0039] For example, it can be provided that the movement device comprises a screw with a head that is fixedly mounted in the axial direction of the screw relative to the cover plate and / or relative to the base plate of the base unit.

[0040] The bearing of the head of the screw on the cover plate and / or on the base plate of the base unit can be achieved, for example, by means of one or more bearing washers and / or by means of a retaining ring.

[0041] Furthermore, it can be provided that the movement device comprises a driver which is coupled to the fixing element and engages with a drive element of the movement device.

[0042] For example, it can be provided that the driver is coupled to the fixing element by screwing.

[0043] Furthermore, it can be provided that the driver has a thread which preferably engages with a complementary thread of the screw.

[0044] The thread of the driver is preferably designed as an internal thread.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the base unit comprises an elastically deformable pressing element for pressing the fixing element against the cover plate.

[0046] Such a pressure element can, for example, be designed as a pressure mat.

[0047] The pressing element may, for example, comprise fibers, preferably glass fibers and / or ceramic fibers.

[0048] To improve the sliding properties of the driver and / or the fixing element, the pressure element can be formed from graphite and / or comprise a coating of a friction-reducing material, for example a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

[0049] The base plate of the base unit can comprise recesses or base plate through-openings for receiving a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier.

[0050] In order to be able to releasably fix the base unit to a surface or to a clamping device in a simple manner, it is advantageous if the base unit comprises at least one clamping bolt for releasably fixing the base unit to a surface or to a clamping device.

[0051] Preferably, the base unit comprises several such clamping bolts, for example four clamping bolts.

[0052] Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that the base unit comprises one or more through holes for receiving a screw each, which engages in a complementary threaded hole on a machine table.

[0053] The base unit according to the invention is particularly suitable as a component of a combination of a base unit according to the invention and at least one workpiece carrier which comprises at least one clamping bolt.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of such a combination, it is provided that the combination comprises a plurality of workpiece carriers which can be releasably fixed to the base unit in such a way that together they form an uninterrupted overall workpiece support surface or one interrupted only by narrow gaps.

[0055] The gap between the workpiece support surfaces of two adjacent workpiece carriers has a width of preferably less than 2.0 mm, particularly preferably less than 1.0 mm.

[0056] In order to reliably prevent rotation of a workpiece carrier fixed to the base unit relative to the base unit, it is preferably provided that at least one of the workpiece carriers comprises an anti-rotation element.

[0057] In principle, such an anti-rotation element can be formed by a second clamping bolt of the same workpiece carrier, which engages in a second cover plate passage opening when the workpiece carrier is mounted on the base unit.

[0058] Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that the anti-rotation element is different from a clamping bolt and preferably comprises an anti-rotation pin, for example a threaded pin, wherein the anti-rotation pin is fixed to the workpiece carrier and engages in a recess on the upper side of the cover plate of the base unit when the workpiece carrier is in the assembled state.

[0059] Such a recess can, for example, be designed as an anti-rotation groove.

[0060] Such an anti-rotation groove preferably extends parallel to a direction of movement along which the fixing element can be moved from the rest position to the working position and / or from the working position to the rest position, or parallel to a transverse direction of the base unit running perpendicular to the direction of movement.

[0061] Alternatively, it can also be provided that a recess, for example in the form of a groove, is present on the workpiece carrier as an anti-twist element, which interacts by means of a coupling element with an anti-twist groove on the upper side of the cover plate of the base unit.

[0062] Such a coupling element can, for example, be designed as a feather key which engages with the recess on the workpiece carrier and with the anti-rotation groove on the base unit.

[0063] If the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers arranged on the base unit are in engagement with a resilient structure of the fixing element in the working position of the fixing element, it is ensured that all clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers are in engagement with the fixing element evenly and simultaneously, thereby causing a pull-down effect which pulls the clamping bolts of the workpieces away from the top of the cover plate of the base unit towards the base plate of the base unit.

[0064] Preferably, the combination of the base unit and a plurality of workpiece carriers comprises workpiece carriers of different sizes, so that a plurality of workpiece support structures differing in size and shape can be modularly constructed from a plurality of such workpiece carriers. The modular design and the different sizes of the workpiece carriers enable the user to assemble workpieces of different shapes and sizes in the same installation space on a workpiece support structure fixed to the base unit, which comprises a plurality of workpiece carriers, each with at least one clamping bolt.

[0065] A combination of the base unit and a single workpiece carrier can also be provided, whereby the single workpiece carrier can cover all cover plate openings.

[0066] Furthermore, it can be provided that cover plate through-openings not covered by the workpiece carrier(s) are closed by means of a closure element to prevent contaminants from penetrating the interior of the base unit housing. The alignment and determination of the zero point (reference point) of the base unit and / or the workpiece carriers arranged on the base unit can be performed using software.

[0067] If the base unit includes a pressure mat, such a pressure mat can prevent contaminants from entering the interior of the base unit's housing.

[0068] In addition, such a pressure mat can ensure homogeneous heat dissipation.

[0069] Furthermore, such a pressure mat is particularly resistant to metal powder penetrating the interior of the base unit's housing. The workpiece carriers are preferably made of a material that can withstand high temperatures of preferably at least 400°C, in particular at least 500°C, and particularly preferably at least 650°C.

[0070] A base body of the workpiece carrier, on which a workpiece support surface of the workpiece carrier is formed, is preferably formed from a metallic material.

[0071] The one or more clamping bolts of the workpiece carrier can be formed, for example, from a metallic material or from a ceramic material.

[0072] The cover plate, the base plate, the fixing element, the driver and the screw of the base unit are preferably each made of a metallic material.

[0073] Clamping bolts, by means of which the base unit can be releasably fixed to a base or to a clamping device, are preferably made of a metallic material or a ceramic material.

[0074] Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawing of an embodiment.

[0075] The drawings show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a combination of a base unit for releasably fixing workpiece carriers, each comprising at least one clamping bolt, and several workpiece carriers of different sizes, each comprising one or more clamping bolts and being releasably fixed to the base unit in such a way that two of the workpiece carriers are arranged adjacent to each other and the workpiece carriers together form a nearly closed workpiece support surface, which is only interrupted by narrow gaps; Fig. 2 a plan view from above of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 a front view of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 and 2 , looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 a rear view of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 3 , looking in the direction of arrow 4 in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 5 a side view of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 4 , looking in the direction of arrow 5 in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 6 a section taken perpendicular to a top side of the base unit through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 5 , in the area of a driver of a movement device of the base unit, which serves to move a fixing element of the base unit from a rest position to a working position or from a working position to the rest position; Fig. 7 a plan view of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 6 from below, looking in the direction of arrow 7 in Fig. 3 ; Fig. 8 a cross-section taken parallel to the top of the base unit through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 7 , at the level of the fixing element, which is provided with fixing element through-openings through which a clamping bolt of a workpiece carrier can pass, and by means of which the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers can be fixed to the base unit, wherein the fixing element is in a working position in which the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers are locked to the base unit; Fig. 9 a parallel to the sectional plane of Fig. 6 taken further section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 8 , wherein the cutting plane is aligned perpendicular to the top of the base unit and passes through five of the workpiece carriers; Fig. 10 one of the Fig. 8 corresponding cross-section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 9 , at the height of the fixing element, wherein the fixing element is in a rest position in which the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers are not locked to the base unit; Fig. 11 one of the Fig. 9 corresponding section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers, wherein the fixing element is in the rest position in which the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers are not locked to the base unit; Fig. 12 a parallel to the cutting plane of the Fig. 8 and 10taken cross-section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers at a lower height, with a greater distance from the top of the base unit, wherein the cutting plane runs through the driver of the movement device of the base unit and the fixing element is in the working position in which the clamping bolts of the workpiece carriers are locked to the base unit; Fig. 13 a parallel to the cutting plane of the Fig. 9 and 11 taken section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers, in the area of the four rear workpiece carriers, along the line 13 - 13 in Fig. 12 ; Fig. 14 a perspective view of the fixing element of the base unit from the Fig. 1 bis 13 ; Fig. 15 a top view of the fixing element from Fig. 14 from above, onto a top side of the fixing element facing a cover plate of the base unit; Fig. 16 a perspective view of one of the workpiece carriers from the Fig. 1 bis 13 , which has a base body with a square outline and four clamping bolts, with the view towards an underside of the workpiece carrier facing the cover plate of the base unit in the assembled state of the workpiece carrier; Fig. 17 a front view of the workpiece carrier from Fig. 16 ; Fig. 18 a perspective view of a second embodiment of a combination of a base unit for releasably fixing workpiece carriers, each comprising at least one clamping bolt, and a plurality of workpiece carriers which are releasably fixed to the base unit; Fig. 19 a plan view from above of an upper side of the base plate of the base unit from Fig. 18 , which is provided with grooves for receiving anti-twist elements of the workpiece carriers; Fig. 20a perpendicular to the top of the cover plate of the base unit from the Fig. 18 and 19 taken section through the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 18 and 19 , in the area of one of the workpiece carriers with a square base, along the line 20 - 20 in Fig. 19 ; Fig. 21 a perspective view of one of the workpiece carriers of the combination of a base unit and several workpiece carriers from the Fig. 18 bis 20 , wherein the workpiece carrier comprises a base body with a square outline, a clamping bolt and an anti-rotation element, with the view towards an underside of the workpiece carrier facing the top side of the cover plate of the base unit in the assembled state of the workpiece carrier; Fig. 22 a plan view of the underside of the workpiece carrier from Fig. 21 ; and Fig. 23 a perpendicular to a workpiece support surface of the workpiece carrier from the Fig. 21 and 22 taken section through the workpiece carrier from the Fig. 21 and 22 , along the line 23 - 23 in Fig. 22 .

[0076] Identical or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0077] One in the Fig. 1 bis 15 shown, designated as a whole by 100, for releasably fixing workpiece carriers 102, each of which comprises one or more clamping bolts 104 (see, for example, the one shown in the Fig. 16 and 17 illustrated workpiece carrier 102), comprises a housing 106 which comprises a base plate 108 and a cover plate 110 (see for example Fig. 6 ).

[0078] For example, Fig. 2 As can be seen, the cover plate 110 is provided with cover plate passage openings 112 through which a clamping bolt 104 of a workpiece carrier 102 can pass when the workpiece carrier 102 in question is arranged on an upper side 114 of the cover plate 110.

[0079] The centers 116 of the cover plate through-openings 112 are preferably arranged at the grid points of a regular grid. In the illustrated embodiment, the centers 116 of the cover plate through-openings 112 are arranged at the grid points of a square grid.

[0080] The square grid comprises, for example, eight rows and eight columns of cover plate openings 112, so a total of, for example, 8 x 8 = 64 cover plate openings 112.

[0081] How best to Fig. 7 As can be seen, in this exemplary embodiment the base plate 108 is also provided with through openings, namely with base plate through openings 118, and the clamping bolts 104 of workpiece carriers 102, which are arranged on the upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100, extend into one of these base plate through openings 118.

[0082] The centers 120 of the base plate passage openings 118 are also preferably arranged at the grid points of a regular grid.

[0083] In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the centers 120 of the base plate passage openings 118 are arranged in a square grid.

[0084] The square grid of the base plate passage openings 118 comprises, for example, eight rows and eight columns of base plate passage openings 118, i.e. a total of, for example, 8 x 8 = 64 base plate passage openings 118.

[0085] As also from Fig. 7 and for example Fig. 6 As can be seen, the base unit 100 further comprises a plurality of clamping bolts 122, four in the illustrated embodiment, by means of which the base unit 100 can be releasably fixed to a base or to a clamping device (not shown).

[0086] Such a clamping device can, for example, comprise one or more zero-point clamping systems, each having a receptacle into which a clamping bolt 122 can be inserted and locked there, for example by spring force or by the action of a pressurized fluid on a piston.

[0087] The base unit 100 further comprises a fixing element 124, which is arranged in the interior space 126 of the housing 106 of the base unit 100, which is surrounded by the base plate 108 and the cover plate 110.

[0088] The fixing element 124 is in the Fig. 14 and15 shown separately and designed, for example, as a fixing plate 128.

[0089] The fixing element 124 has an associated fixing plate through-opening 130 for each cover plate through-opening 112 in the cover plate 110, which is aligned with the associated cover plate through-opening 112.

[0090] How best to Fig. 15 As can be seen, each fixing element passage opening 130 has an edge region 132 which has a smaller radius of curvature and an edge region 134 which has a larger radius of curvature.

[0091] As from Fig. 10 which represents the base unit 100 in a rest position of the fixing element 124, the clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carriers 102 extend in this rest position of the fixing element 124 through a section of the respectively associated fixing element passage opening 130, which is bordered by the edge region 134 with the larger radius of curvature, wherein the clamping bolts 104 are not clamped by the fixing element 124 and are preferably not in contact with the fixing element 124 anywhere.

[0092] In the Fig. 8 In the illustrated working position of the fixing element 124, however, the fixing element 124 is displaced relative to the clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carriers 102 in such a way that the clamping bolts 104 extend through a section of the respectively associated fixing element passage opening 130, which is bordered by the edge region 132 with the smaller radius of curvature.

[0093] In this working position of the fixing element 124, each clamping bolt 104 is in contact with the fixing element 124 at two clamping points, at the edge of the fixing element through-opening 130 respectively assigned to the clamping bolt 104, so that the respective clamping bolt 104 is clamped by the fixing element 124, whereby the clamping bolt 104 is pulled downwards into the respectively assigned base plate through-opening 118 and locked to the base unit 100 by positive engagement.

[0094] Each fixing element passage opening 130 is arranged on a clamping frame 136, which is held elastically spring-loaded on a base body 140 of the fixing element 124 via two spring-loaded arms 138.

[0095] The base body 140, the resilient arms 138 and the clamping frames 136 of the fixing element 124 are preferably all formed integrally with one another.

[0096] The mobility of the clamping frames 136 relative to the base body 140 of the fixing element 124 is achieved in that each clamping frame 136 and each of the resilient arms 138 is separated from the base body 140 by two contour cuts 142.

[0097] Furthermore, the contour cuts 142 also separate sections of the clamping frame 136 from adjacent sections of the resilient arms 138.

[0098] The fixing element 124 is produced from a flat starting material, for example from a metal sheet, by making the contour cuts 142 in the flat starting material and separating the fixing element passage openings 130 from the flat starting material, for example by punching them out or cutting them out, for example by means of a laser.

[0099] The elastically spring-loaded mounting of the clamping frame 136 relative to the base body 140 of the fixing element 124 and the floating mounting of the fixing element 124 in the interior 126 of the housing 106 of the base unit 100 compensate for tolerances in the position of the clamping bolts 104 relative to the position of the fixing element 124 and tolerances in the position and shape of the cover plate through-openings 112 with respect to the position of the fixing element through-openings 130. This makes it possible to clamp all clamping bolts 104 of workpiece carriers 102 arranged on the upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 simultaneously and equally firmly to the base unit 100 and to fix them in position on the base unit 100.

[0100] The base unit 100 further comprises an elastically deformable pressing element 144 by means of which the fixing element 124 can be pressed against the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 (see, for example, Fig. 6 ).

[0101] The pressure element 144 is designed, for example, as a pressure mat 146.

[0102] The pressure mat 146 is preferably designed as a flexible heat-resistant fiber mat.

[0103] For each fixing element through-opening 130, the pressing element 144 has a pressing element through-opening associated with the same, through which a clamping bolt 104 of a workpiece carrier 102 received in the fixing element through-opening 130 can extend.

[0104] The pre-tensioning of the fixing element 124 against the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 by means of the elastically deformable pressure element 144 ensures that the clamping contours of the fixing element passage openings 130 can always engage with the respectively assigned clamping bolt 104 of a workpiece carrier 102.

[0105] In addition, the pressure element 144 prevents - at least partially - the penetration of contaminants into the interior 126 of the housing 106 of the base unit 100 and / or a further spread of contaminants in the interior 126 of the housing 106 of the base unit 100.

[0106] Such contaminants may, for example, include metal powder particles that arise when a workpiece is built up on one or more of the workpiece carriers 102 in a 3D printing process.

[0107] In order to remove the fixing element 124 of the base unit 100 from the Fig. 10 and 11 shown rest position, in which the workpiece carriers 102 can be lifted from the base unit 100, into the Fig. 8 and 9In order to move the workpiece carrier 102 into the working position shown, in which the clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carrier 102 are fixed and locked by means of the fixing element 124, the base unit 100 comprises a movement device 148 which comprises a mechanical, pneumatic or electrical drive for moving the fixing element 124 from the rest position into the working position and / or from the working position into the rest position.

[0108] In the embodiment of a base unit 100 shown in the drawing, the movement device 148 comprises a mechanical drive for moving the fixing element 124 from the rest position into the working position along a movement direction 150 (see, for example, the Fig. 8 and 10 ).

[0109] How best to Fig. 12 As can be seen, the movement device 148 comprises, for example, a screw 152, the shaft 154 of which extends parallel to the direction of movement 150 and the head 156 of which is fixed in the axial direction, but is mounted on the housing 106 of the base unit 100, that is to say on the cover plate 110 and / or on the base plate 108, so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the screw 152.

[0110] The bearing of the head 156 of the screw 152 can be effected, for example, by means of bearing washers 158, which bear against an underside or an upper side of the head 156.

[0111] These bearing discs 158 can be made of brass, for example.

[0112] The screw 152 is held in its predetermined axial position by means of a retaining ring 160.

[0113] The head 156 of the screw 152 is provided with a receptacle 157 for an operating tool.

[0114] This receptacle may in particular have a polygonal cross-section, for example a hexagonal cross-section.

[0115] The external thread of the screw 152 on the shaft 154 engages with a complementary internal thread of a driver 162, which has, for example, the shape of a web-shaped slider 164, which extends in a transverse direction 166 of the base unit 100 perpendicular to the direction of movement 150.

[0116] The driver 162 is coupled to the fixing element 124 at one or more, for example four, coupling points 168 (see Fig. 6 ).

[0117] The coupling between the driver 162 and the fixing element 124 can be produced, for example, by screwing using coupling screws 170, by riveting or by means of a material bond, for example by welding, soldering or gluing.

[0118] The driver 162 is thus fixed to the fixing element 124 and engages with the screw 152, which serves as a drive element 172.

[0119] The driver 162 thus enables a transmission of force from the drive element 172, for example the screw 152, to the fixing element 124.

[0120] One of the workpiece carriers 102 is shown as an example in the Fig. 16 and 17 shown.

[0121] Each workpiece carrier 102 comprises a base body 174, which is preferably substantially cuboid-shaped.

[0122] An upper side 176 of the base body 174 serves as a workpiece support surface 178 of the workpiece carrier 102, on which a workpiece or a part of a workpiece can be built up by a build-up process, for example by a 3D printing process.

[0123] One or more clamping bolts 104 are arranged on an underside 180 of the workpiece carrier 102 facing away from the workpiece support surface 178 of the workpiece carrier 102.

[0124] These clamping bolts 104 can be constructed in the same way as the clamping bolts 122, which are arranged on the underside of the base plate 108 of the base unit 100 and are shown in section in Fig. 13 are shown, to which reference is made below.

[0125] Each clamping bolt 104 or 122 includes a fitting projection 182, a centering collar 184, a necking portion 186, and a thickened end portion 188, wherein the necking portion 186 has a smaller outer diameter than the thickened end portion 188 and the centering collar 184.

[0126] Each clamping bolt 104 or 122 is penetrated by a central stepped bore 190, which accommodates a catch screw 192 when the clamping bolt 104, 122 is mounted.

[0127] In the assembled state of the clamping bolt 104, 122, the retaining screw 192 extends with its external thread into a complementary internal thread which is formed on the base body 174 of the workpiece carrier 102 or on the base plate 108 of the base unit 100.

[0128] The threaded hole of the workpiece carrier 102 or the base plate 108 provided with this internal thread is surrounded by a fitting bore 194 which, in the mounted state of the clamping bolt 104, 122, receives the fitting projection 182 of the clamping bolt 104, 122 which is designed to be complementary thereto and thereby enables a precise alignment of the clamping bolt 104, 122 parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the threaded hole.

[0129] In the assembled state of the clamping bolt 104, 122, the centering collar 184 of the clamping bolt 104, 122 rests on the underside 180 of the workpiece carrier 102 or on the underside of the base plate 108 of the base unit 100.

[0130] Each of the workpiece carriers 102 is preferably provided with at least two clamping bolts 104, whereby the workpiece carrier 102 is secured against rotation when the at least two clamping bolts 104 are fixed and locked in respectively associated fixing element passage openings 130 of the base unit 100.

[0131] As can be seen from the Fig. 1 bis 5 As can be seen, the plurality of workpiece carriers 102, whose base bodies 174 are all of the same height and whose workpiece support surface edges have the same length as the edge of another workpiece support surface 178 or an integer multiple of the length of the edge of another workpiece support surface 178, form a modular workpiece carrier system which allows a workpiece support structure 196 to be formed on the upper side 114 of the base plate 108, in which the workpiece support surfaces 178 of the workpiece carriers 102 together form a continuous overall workpiece support surface 200 (apart from narrow gaps 198).

[0132] By adding or removing workpiece carriers 102, this overall workpiece support surface 200 can be adapted to the respective requirements in terms of its shape and size.

[0133] In particular, it can be provided that substantially the entire upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 is covered by workpiece carriers 102, which together have a total workpiece support surface 200, the surface area of which substantially corresponds to the surface area of the upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100.

[0134] The base bodies 174 of the workpiece carriers 102 are preferably formed from a heat-resistant metallic material.

[0135] The clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carriers 102 are preferably made of a heat-resistant ceramic material.

[0136] On the overall workpiece support surface 200 formed by the workpiece support structure 196, one or more workpieces can be formed in a build-up process, for example by metal 3D printing.

[0137] After carrying out the assembly process, one or more of the workpiece carriers 102 can be detached from the base unit 100 together with the assembled workpiece and then fixed and locked by means of their clamping bolts 104 in a tool device (not shown) for carrying out a machining operation, for example a cutting operation, of the assembled workpiece.

[0138] As a result, a workpiece mounted on the overall workpiece support surface 200 can be further processed and / or measured conventionally in a subsequent process, for example.

[0139] By dividing the overall workpiece support surface 200 between the workpiece support surfaces 178 of a plurality of modular workpiece carriers 102, any desired shape of the overall workpiece support surface 200 can be composed of different workpiece support surfaces 178 of different workpiece carriers 102, which each form segments of the overall workpiece support surface 200.

[0140] The workpiece carriers 102 are each placed on the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 in such a way that their clamping bolts 104 each engage in a cover plate through-opening 112 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100.

[0141] The outer diameters of the centering collars 184 of the clamping bolts 104 on the one hand and the inner diameters of the cover plate through-openings 112 of the cover plate 110 on the other hand correspond to one another so precisely that a centering of the clamping bolts 104 with respect to the cover plate through-openings 112 is achieved.

[0142] The geometry of the clamping bolts 104 on the workpiece carriers 102 and the geometry of the cover plate passage openings 112 allow the workpiece carriers 102 to be precisely aligned with respect to the direction of movement 150 and with respect to the transverse direction 166 of the base unit 100.

[0143] When placing the workpiece carrier 102 on the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100, the fixing element 124 of the base unit 100 is in its Fig. 10 and 11 shown rest position.

[0144] By means of the movement device 148 of the base unit 100, the fixing element 124 is displaced in the locking direction 202, which is aligned parallel to the movement direction 150, in order to move the fixing element 124 from the position shown in the Fig. 10 and 11 shown rest position into the position shown in the Fig. 8 and 9 to transfer the working position shown.

[0145] This is achieved by an operator using an actuating tool that engages the head 156 of the screw 152 of the movement device 148 to rotate the screw 152 about its longitudinal axis in such a way that the driver 162 engaging with the external thread of the screw 152 moves in the locking direction 202 relative to the housing 106 of the base unit 100.

[0146] Since the driver 162 is coupled to the fixing element 124, the fixing element 124 is also displaced along the locking direction 202.

[0147] The stroke of the displacement movement of the fixing element 124 from the rest position to the working position (or from the working position to the rest position) is preferably at least 2.0 mm, in particular at least 3.0 mm, particularly preferably at least 4.0 mm.

[0148] During this movement of the fixing element 124, the clamping frames 136 of the fixing element 124, whose fixing element through-openings 130 are each penetrated by a clamping bolt 104 of a workpiece carrier 102, engage with the clamping bolts 104 and press them downwards, in the direction of the base plate 108 of the base unit 100, so that the clamping bolts 104 penetrate even deeper into the base plate through-openings 118.

[0149] As a result, the workpiece carriers 102 are pulled downwards against the upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100, whereby they assume a fixed, defined position on the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100.

[0150] In order to release the workpiece carriers 102 from the base unit 100, the fixing element 124 is removed from the Fig. 8 and 9 shown working position into the one shown in the Fig. 10 and 11shown rest position by the screw 152 of the movement device 148 being rotated by the operator by means of a suitable actuating tool in a direction of rotation about the longitudinal axis of the screw 152 which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the screw 152 during the movement of the fixing element 124 from the rest position into the working position.

[0151] As a result, the fixing element 124 is moved in the unlocking direction 204, which is opposite to the locking direction 202, from the Fig. 8 and 9 shown working position into the one shown in the Fig. 10 and 11 shown rest position shifted.

[0152] In the rest position of the fixing element 124, the clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carriers 102 are fixed to the base unit 100 neither by positive locking nor by frictional locking, so that the workpiece carriers 102 can be removed from the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100, wherein the clamping bolts 104 of the workpiece carriers 102 come out of the respectively assigned base plate through-opening 118, the respectively assigned fixing element through-opening 130 and the respectively assigned cover plate through-opening 112.

[0153] One in the Fig. 18 bis 23 The second embodiment of a combination of a base unit 100 for releasably fixing workpiece carriers 102 and a plurality of such workpiece carriers 102 shown in FIG. 1 differs from the Fig. 1 bis 17 illustrated first embodiment in that the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 is not substantially flat, but is provided with anti-rotation grooves 206 which are formed on the upper side 114 of the cover plate 110.

[0154] In this case, each cover plate passage opening 112 is assigned two first anti-rotation grooves 206a, which extend on opposite sides of the respective cover plate passage opening 112 parallel to the direction of movement 150 of the base unit 100, and two second anti-rotation grooves 206b are assigned to each cover plate passage opening 112, which extend on opposite sides of the respective cover plate passage opening 112 parallel to the transverse direction 166 of the base unit 100.

[0155] In this way, almost all cover plate through-openings 112 are surrounded by a rectangular, preferably square, anti-rotation groove structure 208 (except for some cover plate through-openings 112 which are arranged near the screw 152 of the movement device 148), wherein the anti-rotation groove structure 208 comprises two sections of first anti-rotation grooves 206a and two sections of second anti-rotation grooves 206b.

[0156] How best to Fig. 20 As can be seen, the anti-rotation grooves 206 of the base unit 100 interact with anti-rotation elements 210 which are arranged on the workpiece carriers 102.

[0157] In the Fig. 21 bis 23 A workpiece carrier 102 with a square workpiece support surface 178 is shown as an example.

[0158] On the underside 180 of this workpiece carrier 102, only a single clamping bolt 104 is arranged, and this clamping bolt 104 is assigned an anti-rotation element 110, which can be designed, for example, as a threaded pin 212, which is screwed into a threaded blind hole 214 on the underside 180 of the base body 174 of the workpiece carrier 102 (see Fig. 23 ).

[0159] The longitudinal central axis 216 of the anti-rotation element 210 is offset from the longitudinal central axis 218 of the respectively associated clamping bolt 104 in an offset direction 220, which is preferably aligned parallel to an edge of the base body 174 of the workpiece carrier 102, particularly preferably parallel to an edge of the workpiece support surface 178 of the workpiece carrier.

[0160] The distance s between the longitudinal center axis 216 of the anti-rotation element 210 and the longitudinal center axis 218 of the clamping bolt 104 corresponds to the distance of the center point 222 of a cover plate through-opening 112 from the center axis 224 of an anti-rotation groove 206 adjacent to the cover plate through-opening 112 in question. This ensures that the workpiece carrier 102 can be placed on the (profiled) upper side 114 of the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100 in such a way that the clamping bolt 104 of the workpiece carrier 102 is received centered in one of the cover plate through-openings 112 and at the same time the anti-rotation element 210 engages in one of the anti-rotation grooves 206 adjacent to the cover plate through-opening 112 in question.

[0161] Since the offset direction 220, along which the anti-rotation element 210 is offset relative to the clamping bolt 104, is parallel to an edge of the base body 174 of the workpiece carrier 102, it is ensured that the edges of the cuboid base body 174 of the workpiece carrier 102 are all aligned parallel to one of the anti-rotation grooves 206 and thus all parallel to the direction of movement 150 or parallel to the transverse direction 166 of the base unit 100.

[0162] Unlike the one in the Fig. 1 bis 17 The first embodiment of a combination of a base unit 100 and several workpiece carriers 102 shown in FIG. Fig. 18 bis 23 In the second embodiment of such a combination shown, only one clamping bolt 104 and one anti-rotation element 210 are required to prevent rotation of the workpiece carriers 102 relative to the cover plate 110 of the base unit 100, whereas in the first embodiment, at least two clamping bolts 104 must be present on each workpiece carrier 102 to prevent rotation.

[0163] In the second embodiment, the number of clamping bolts 104 required for a precise and rotationally secure arrangement of the workpiece carriers 102 on the base unit 100 is therefore significantly reduced.

[0164] Furthermore, the Fig. 18 bis 23 illustrated second embodiment of a combination of a base unit 100 and several workpiece carriers 102 in terms of structure, function and method of manufacture with the Fig. 1 bis 17illustrated first embodiment, to the above description of which reference is made in this respect.

Claims

1. Base unit for releasably fixing workpiece supports (102), which each comprise at least one clamping bolt (104), wherein the base unit comprises the following: a base plate (108), a cover plate (110), which is provided with cover plate through-openings (112) through each of which a clamping bolt (104) of a workpiece support (102) is able to pass, a fixing element (124), by means of which at least one clamping bolt (104) of a workpiece support (102) is fixable to the base unit (100) when the fixing element (124) is located in a working position, and a movement device (148) for moving the fixing element (124) from a rest position into the working position and / or from the working position into the rest position, characterized in that the fixing element (124) is provided with fixing element through-openings (130) through each of which a clamping bolt (104) of a workpiece support (102) is able to pass, wherein the fixing element (124) comprises resiliently held clamping frames (136) on each of which at least one fixing element through-opening (130) is arranged, wherein each clamping frame (136) is held on a basic body (140) of the fixing element (124) by means of one or more resiliently elastic arms (138).

2. Base unit in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing element through-openings (130) each comprise a chamfer or each comprise a rim region (132) with a smaller radius of curvature and a rim region (134) with a greater radius of curvature.

3. Base unit in accordance with either of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the fixing element (124) is produced from a flat starting material and the fixing element through-openings (130) are separated out of the flat starting material.

4. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the midpoints (116) of the cover plate through-openings (112) are arranged at the grid points of a regular grid.

5. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a clamping bolt (104) of a workpiece support (102) is centered by means of each of the cover plate through-openings (112) when the clamping bolt (104) extends through the respective cover plate through-opening (112).

6. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the movement device (148) comprises a mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric drive for the movement of the fixing element (124) from the rest position into the working position and / or from the working position into the rest position.

7. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the movement device (148) comprises a screw (152) with a head (156) that is stationarily mounted in the axial direction of the screw (152) relative to the cover plate (110) and / or relative to the base plate (108) of the base unit (100).

8. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movement device (148) comprises a driver (162), which is coupled to the fixing element (124) and is in engagement with a drive element (172) of the movement device (148), wherein the driver (162) preferably comprises a thread.

9. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the base unit (100) comprises an elastically deformable pressing element (144) for pressing the fixing element (124) against the cover plate (110).

10. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the base plate (108) comprises recesses or base plate through-openings (118) for each accommodating a clamping bolt (104) of a workpiece support (102).

11. Base unit in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the base unit (100) comprise at least one clamping bolt (122) for releasably fixing the base unit (100) to a supporting base or to a clamping device.

12. Combination of a base unit (100) in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 11 and at least one workpiece support (102) that comprises at least one clamping bolt (104).

13. Combination in accordance with Claim 12, characterized in that the combination comprises a plurality of workpiece supports (102), which are releasably fixable to the base unit (100) in such a way that they together form an uninterrupted total workpiece support face (200) or a total workpiece support face (200) that is interrupted only by narrow gaps (198).

14. Combination in accordance with either of Claims 12 or 13, characterized in that at least one of the workpiece supports (102) comprises an anti-rotation element (210).