MACHINE METHOD AND MACHINE SINGLING DEVICE FOR SINGLING PLASTICLY DEFORMABLE PLATE-LIKE WORKPIECES FROM A WORKPIECE STACK, AS WELL AS MACHINE FEEDING DEVICE AND MACHINE ARRANGEMENT FOR WORKPIECE PROCESSING

Description

[0001] The invention relates A mechanical method for singulating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces from a stack of workpieces, preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, in which workpieces, preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned with their main workpiece planes parallel to one another, wherein two workpieces adjacent to one another in the stack of workpieces are separated at a workpiece edge by creating a separating gap between the workpieces, a mechanical singulation device for carrying out the aforementioned method, a mechanical feeding device for feeding a functional unit of a mechanical arrangement for processing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces, preferably plastically deformable sheets, with a plastically deformable plate-like workpiece,preferably with a plastically deformable sheet metal component, and a machine arrangement for processing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces, preferably plastically deformable sheets, with a functional unit and with a machine feeding device of the aforementioned type for feeding the functional unit.

[0002] The prior art is known from EP 0 639 519 A1. This document relates to a mechanical feeding device intended for the automation of sheet metal production, for transferring previously separated sheets from a stack of sheets. The feeding device has a suction frame on which holding suction cups and separating suction cups are mounted side by side. To pick up a sheet located at the top of a stack of sheets, the suction frame with the holding suction cups and separating suction cups is placed on the top of the sheet such that the holding suction cups are located inside the sheet and the separating suction cups are located at the edge of the sheet. After a vacuum is applied to the separating suction cups, the separating suction cups, along with the sheet edge they have drawn in, are pivoted upwards about an axis running parallel to a main plane of the sheet.Due to the pivoting motion, the edge of the sheet metal held by the suction cups is bent upwards, ideally separating it from the edge of the sheet metal below. However, particularly with oiled and / or foil-coated sheets that are therefore sticking together, there is a risk that the sheet metal below the sheet metal directly contacted by the suction cups will be bent upwards along with the sheet metal directly suctioned by the suction cups, and that the desired sheet metal separation will therefore not be achieved.

[0003] Further state of the art is disclosed in US 2019 / 0184442 A1 and in JP 2014 188538 A.

[0004] According to US 2019 / 0184442 A1, before stacking, sheets are deformed at points spaced from the sheet edge, with these deformations projecting perpendicularly to the main plane of the sheets relative to the respective remaining sheet. After stacking the sheets processed in this way, the deformations create a gap between sheets that are directly adjacent to each other in the stack, thus simplifying the singulation of the sheet stack.

[0005] According to JP 2014 188538 A, a sheet metal strip is formed along one longitudinal edge such that the upper edge of the strip is recessed downwards relative to the upper surface of the remaining strip, while its lower edge is flush with the lower surface of the remaining strip. After the strip is cut, the resulting sheets are stacked. Due to the preceding forming of the strip, a gap forms between the lower edge of the upper sheet and the upper edge of the lower sheet when the sheets are directly adjacent to each other in the stack. During the singulation of the stack, a fluid is sprayed into this gap parallel to the main plane of the adjacent sheets to facilitate the separation of the sheets.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical method, a mechanical singulation device, a mechanical feeding device and a mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing, in which a reliable singulation of plastically deformable plate-like workpieces from a stack of workpieces, in particular of plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, is ensured.

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by the machine method according to claim 1, by the machine singulation device according to claim 6, by the machine feeding device according to claim 14 and by the machine arrangement for workpiece processing according to claim 16.

[0008] In the case of the invention, a reliable separation of adjacent workpieces in a workpiece stack is achieved by applying force to at least one of the adjacent workpieces at an end face of the workpiece edge parallel to the main workpiece plane, thereby compressing it and forming a thickening at the edge that projects perpendicularly to the main workpiece plane relative to the rest of the workpiece. During the application of force, the workpiece, which is plastically deformed under the lateral force, is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement resulting from the force application.

[0009] To generate the edge thickening of the workpiece in question, the singulation device according to the invention comprises, as a separating device, a forming tool which in turn has a forming element and a forming element drive. The forming element of the forming tool can be positioned laterally next to the stack of workpieces in a ready-to-use position. The forming element drive moves the forming element, positioned in the ready-to-use position, from this position against an end face of the workpiece edge of the workpiece to be singulated, thereby compressing the workpiece edge and generating the edge thickening.

[0010] The edge-side thickening produced by means of the forming tool of the singulation device according to the invention can protrude on one side or both sides of the workpiece deformed at the edge and consequently form a separation gap only to one or to both adjacent workpieces.

[0011] In any case, due to the plastic deformation of the workpiece edge, a permanent separation gap results between the workpiece deformed at the edge and at least one workpiece adjacent to the workpiece deformed at the edge in the workpiece stack.

[0012] Due to the durability of the separation gap, workpiece singulation can occur independently of any subsequent workpiece transfer, for example, to a processing station in a machine setup for workpiece machining. Thus, a stack of workpieces with one or more edge-deformed workpieces, prepared for removal from the stack, can be stored, for example, in a workpiece storage area.

[0013] The inventive method and the inventive singulation device are particularly suitable for singulating stacked non-magnetizable workpieces, for example non-magnetizable sheets of stainless steel or aluminum, which cannot be separated from each other by utilizing magnetic repulsion forces due to the lack of magnetizability.

[0014] The inventive method and singulation device are also advantageous due to their sheet thickness-independent functionality.

[0015] For the outcome of a manufacturing process following workpiece singulation, the permanent deformation of the workpiece edge is harmless if the workpiece edge remains as a workpiece residue at the end of the manufacturing process. This is the case, for example, with a separating workpiece machining process where a residual lattice is produced as waste, on which the edge thickening created during workpiece singulation is located.

[0016] The feeding device equipped with the singulation device according to the invention is used to transfer workpieces, previously picked up individually from a stack of workpieces, to a functional unit of a machine arrangement for workpiece processing. A suitable functional unit could be, for example, a workpiece storage unit or a processing device of the machine arrangement.

[0017] Specific embodiments of the method and the devices according to the independent patent claims are set forth in dependent patent claims 2 to 5, 7 to 13 and 15.

[0018] Reliable generation of the edge thickening on the workpiece under load is ensured in particular when the end face of the workpiece edge is subjected to a sudden impact (patent claim 2).

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the singulation device according to the invention, the forming element drive of the forming tool comprises a drive means and a switchable drive lock for this purpose. The forming element, positioned in the ready-to-work position, is initially pre-tensioned by the drive means to move in the direction of the working movement when the drive lock is switched to a locked state. By switching the drive lock from the locked state to a release state, the forming element is released to perform the working movement (claim 7). For example, a pre-tensioned spring is suitable as the drive means of the forming element drive, which, due to its pre-tension, provides the necessary force to generate the edge thickening of the workpiece after the drive lock is released.

[0020] In order to achieve effective plastic deformation of the workpiece edge acted upon by the forming element, the forming element, in a further development of the invention, can taper in the direction of its working movement generated by the forming element drive, for example in a wedge shape (claim 8). Preferably, the forming element is designed as a flat surface on the workpiece side. According to the invention, a workpiece-side end face of the forming element with a rectangular contour is particularly conceivable.

[0021] Against an evasive movement under the influence of the force applied to the end face of the workpiece edge, a workpiece that is located at the top of a stack of workpieces arranged one above the other in the direction of gravity can be inhibited or blocked solely due to its weight and the resulting friction against a workpiece below it.

[0022] Since the invention also allows for the singulation of workpieces arranged within a vertical stack, a preferred embodiment of the method provides that the workpiece, which is subjected to a force parallel to the main plane of the workpiece, is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement resulting from the force. This is achieved by subjecting the workpiece to a force acting in the direction of gravity from at least one further workpiece of the stack arranged above it, parallel to the main plane of the workpiece (claim 3). Additionally or alternatively, a mechanical stop for the workpiece can be provided on the end face of the workpiece opposite the point of force application.

[0023] Due to a corresponding dimensioning of the forming element perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece, in the case of a further design of the singulation device according to the invention it is possible to produce an edge thickening required for workpiece singulation on several workpieces adjacent to each other in the workpiece stack with a single working movement of the forming element (patent claims 4, 9).

[0024] According to the invention, a forming element drive designed as a linear drive is preferred to generate the working movement of the forming element of the forming tool, by means of which the forming element, which has been moved into the ready-to-work position, can be moved with a linear working movement against the end face of the workpiece edge of the workpiece to be concerned (patent claim 10).

[0025] According to the invention, the drive type to be considered is in particular an eccentric drive, a push-crank drive or a piston-cylinder drive.

[0026] In a further preferred embodiment of the singulation device according to the invention, the feed movement, with which the forming element of the forming tool is arranged laterally next to the stack of workpieces in the work-ready position, is also generated mechanically (patent claim 11).

[0027] In a further development of the invention, the delivery device provided for this purpose is equipped with a guide device, preferably mechanical (claim 12).

[0028] Alternatively, manual positioning of the forming element or forming tool is conceivable.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the feeding device according to the invention, the forming tool of the singulation device is provided on the support structure of the handling device of the feeding device. Consequently, the forming element of the forming tool of the machine singulation device can be moved into the ready-to-use position by means of the handling device (claim 15).

[0030] To support workpiece singulation, in a further embodiment of the singulation device according to the invention, an additional separating device is provided alongside the forming tool, by means of which the separation gap generated by the plastic deformation of the workpiece edge can be widened (claim 13). According to the invention, an additional separating device is, for example, a blow nozzle, which is arranged laterally next to the stack of workpieces after the workpiece edge of the workpiece(s) to be singulated has been formed. Compressed air is introduced into the separation gap(s) formed by the edge thickening via the blow nozzle, which causes further separation of the adjacent workpieces. In the case of the feeding device according to the invention, the additional separating device can also be attached to the support structure of the handling device.

[0031] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary schematic diagrams. These show: Figure 1: A mechanical singulation device of the first type for singulating sheets from a stack of sheets; Figure 2: A mechanical singulation device of the second type for singulating sheets from a stack of sheets; Figure 3: A feeding device of a mechanical arrangement for sheet metal cutting, with a mechanical singulation device of the third type for singulating sheets from a stack of sheets; Figure 4: A feeding device of a mechanical arrangement for sheet metal cutting, with a mechanical singulation device of the fourth type for singulating sheets from a stack of sheets; Figure 5: A forming tool of the mechanical singulation devices according to the Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 6 Illustrations to demonstrate the operation of the mechanical singulation devices according to the Figures 1 to 4 .

[0032] According to Figure 1 A mechanical singulation device 1 is arranged next to a stack of sheet metal 2 intended as a workpiece stack, consisting of workpieces arranged one above the other in the direction of gravity in the form of plastically deformable sheet metal 3. The sheet metal 3 is equipped with a Figure 1 The workpiece or sheet metal main plane 4, indicated by a dashed line, is aligned parallel to each other. In the example shown, the sheet metal material is structural steel.

[0033] The singulation device 1 serves to singulate the sheets 3 of the sheet stack 2. For this purpose, the singulation device 1 comprises a separating device in the form of a forming tool 6.

[0034] The forming tool 6 is detailed in Figure 5 depicted.

[0035] Evidentiously Figure 5The forming tool 6 has a wedge-shaped forming element 7 and a forming element drive 9 arranged inside a drive housing 8.

[0036] In the illustrated example, the forming element drive 9 is designed as a linear drive, specifically as a piston-cylinder drive. A piston rod 10 of the forming element drive 9 is connected at one end to the forming element 7 and at the opposite end, in Figure 5 The end concealed by the drive housing 8 is provided with a drive piston. The drive piston is movably guided on the inner wall of the cylindrical drive housing 8 in a retraction direction 11 and in a working direction 12 of the forming element 7.

[0037] Other components of the forming element drive 9, also housed in the drive housing 8, are an electromagnet and a spring arranged on the side of the drive piston furthest from the forming element 7.

[0038] In Figure 5The drive piston is held in a rear end position located in the retraction direction 11 by the activated electromagnet. In the rear end position, the spring located on the side of the drive piston furthest from the forming element 7 is compressed. The compressed spring biases the piston of the forming element drive 9, and with it the forming element 7, for movement in the direction 12 of the working movement of the forming element 7. The electromagnet of the forming element drive 9 therefore forms a drive lock, which, in the operating state of the forming tool 6 according to Figure 5 is switched to a locked state.

[0039] The forming tool 6 is also in this functional state in Figure 1 .

[0040] In Figure 1The forming tool 6 is moved vertically into a tool position in which the forming element 7 of the forming tool 6 is in a ready-to-work position relative to the sheet 3 located at the top of the sheet stack 2. The forming tool 6 was moved into this position by means of a mechanical feed device 13 of the singulation device 1.

[0041] The feed device 13 comprises a conventional motorized feed drive 14, by means of which the forming tool 6 can be positioned along a guide rail 15 extending vertically and serving as a guide device. In a ready-to-work position relative to a sheet 3 near the bottom of the sheet stack 2, the forming tool 6 is shown in dashed lines in Figure 1. The vertical feed direction of the forming tool 6 is shown in Figure 1 illustrated by a double arrow 16.

[0042] To separate the sheet 3 arranged at the top of the stack of sheets 2, the following is carried out based on the conditions according to Figure 1 First, the electromagnet of the forming element drive 9 is de-energized, thereby switching the previously active drive lock of the forming element drive 9 into a release state. As a result, the forming element 7 is driven abruptly in the direction 12 of the working movement by the relaxing spring of the forming element drive 9.

[0043] The operating principle of the forming tool 6 is described in Figure 6 illustrated for a tool design whose forming element 7 has a forming element height on the sheet metal side, due to which the forming element 7 extends perpendicularly to the main sheet metal plane 4 over several adjacent sheets 3 in the sheet metal stack 2.

[0044] Due to its height, the forming element 7 of Figure 6During its working movement in direction 12, the forming element 7 simultaneously acts on several sheets 3 superimposed in the sheet stack 2, impacting the end face of a workpiece or sheet edge 17. Due to the plastic deformability of the sheets 3 and the fact that the forming element 7 has a greater hardness than the sheets 3, the sheets 3 are compressed by the forming element 7, forming edge thickenings 18. The sheets 3 acted upon by the forming element 7 are blocked against lateral slippage due to their weight.

[0045] The edge-side thickenings 18 produced by means of the forming element 7 are perpendicular to the main sheet plane 4 opposite the respective remaining sheet 3, on the two upper sheets 3 in Figure 6with an overhang on both sides. The thickenings 18 at the edges of the sheets 3 thereby cause the formation of separation gaps 19 between adjacent sheets 3.

[0046] In Figure 1 A separation gap is created accordingly between the sheet 3 lying at the top of the stack of sheets 2 and the sheet 3 lying directly below it.

[0047] Evidentiously Figure 6 The forming element 7 has a triangular contour in a plane parallel to the main sheet plane 4. Consequently, at the end of the working movement of the forming element 7, a line contact occurs between the forming element 7 and the sheets 3 acted upon by the forming element 7. Instead of the triangular contour, for example, a contour in Figure 6The forming element 7 is shown with a dashed line indicating a trapezoidal contour in the plane parallel to the main sheet plane 4. In the case of a trapezoidal contour, the forming element meets the end face of the sheet edges 17 with a rectangular surface.

[0048] In both cases, the forming element 7 tapers in the direction 12 of its working movement.

[0049] The forming tool 6 of a in Figure 2 The illustrated mechanical singulation device 100 differs from the forming tool 6 of the singulation device 1 according to Figure 1 manually positioned into a tool position in which the forming element 7 assumes the ready-to-work position. Instead of the mechanical feeding device 13 according to Figure 1The forming tool 6 of the singulation device 100 has a handle 20 by means of which the forming tool 6 can be positioned by an operator in the desired manner relative to the sheets 3 of the sheet stack 2 to be singulated.

[0050] One in Figure 3 The mechanical singulation device 200 shown is integrated into a mechanical feeding device 21. For this purpose, the forming tool 6 of the singulation device 200 is attached to a support structure of a handling device 23 designed as a suction frame 22. The suction frame 22 is additionally provided with sheet metal holding devices in the form of conventional suction cups 24.

[0051] The loading device 21 is part of a machine arrangement 25 for sheet metal processing and serves to load a sheet metal processing machine 26, which is provided as a functional unit of the machine arrangement 25. To load the sheet metal processing machine 26 with the sheet 3 located at the top of the sheet stack 2, the forming tool 6 of the singulation device 200 is moved into a tool position relative to the sheet 3 to be singulated by means of the handling device 23, which is used as a machine feed device, in which the forming element 7 of the forming tool 6 is in the ready-to-work position relative to the sheet 3 in question.

[0052] After the sheet 3 at the top of the stack 2 has been separated, the suction frame 22 of the handling device 23 with the holding suction cups 24 is lowered onto the top of the separated sheet 3. Subsequently, a vacuum is applied to the holding suction cups 24 in the usual manner, and the sheet 3, which is thus secured to the handling device 23, can be transported to the sheet metal processing machine 26 by a corresponding traversing movement of the handling device 23.

[0053] One in Figure 4 The mechanical singulation device 300 shown differs from the singulation device 200 according to Figure 3This is achieved simply by providing an additional separating device in the form of a blow nozzle 27, in addition to the forming tool 6. The blow nozzle 27 is pivotally mounted on the suction frame 22 of the handling device 23. After a separation gap has been created by the forming tool 6, the blow nozzle 27 is pivoted laterally next to the stack of sheets 2 into a position in which it can blow compressed air into the existing separation gap, thereby widening it. The introduction of compressed air via the blow nozzle 27 occurs simultaneously with the commencement of the combined movement of the suction frame 22 and the sheet 3, which is held on the suction frame 22 by means of the holding suction cups 24.

Claims

1. Mechanical method for singularizing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a workpiece stack (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, in which workpieces (3), preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned with workpiece main planes (4) parallel to one another, wherein two workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2) are separated from one another by creating, at a workpiece edge (17), a separating gap (19) formed between the workpieces (3), characterized in that the separating gap (19) between the workpieces (3) is created by applying force to at least one of the workpieces (3) adjacent to one another on an end face of the workpiece edge (17) of the workpiece (3) parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece and thereby compressing it, forming a thickening (18) on the edge side, which thickening (18) protrudes perpendicular to the main plane (4) of the workpiece from the rest of the workpiece (3), wherein during the application of force, the workpiece (3) is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement carried out under the effect of the force.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the workpiece (3) is subjected, at the end face of the workpiece edge (17), to a sudden impact force parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece.

3. Method according to either of the preceding claims for singularizing workpieces (3) which are arranged one above the other in the workpiece stack (2) in the direction of gravity, characterized in that the workpiece (3), which is subjected to force parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece, is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement carried out under the effect of the force by applying force to the workpiece (3) parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece when a load acting in the direction of gravity is applied by at least one further workpiece (3) of the workpiece stack (2) arranged above the workpiece (3).

4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the workpiece (3) is subjected to force at the end face of the workpiece edge (17) parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece and is thereby compressed, forming an edge-side thickening (18), • by moving a forming element (7) of a forming tool (6) beside the workpiece stack (2) into a ready-to-work position and • by the forming element (7) being moved from the ready-to-work position with a working movement against the end face of the workpiece edge (17) and creating the edge-side thickening (18) on the workpiece (3) as a result of the working movement.

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2) are simultaneously subjected to force on an end face of a workpiece edge (17) parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece and thereby compressed, forming an edge-side thickening (18).

6. Mechanical singularization device for singularizing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a workpiece stack (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, in which workpieces (3), preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned with workpiece main planes (4) parallel to one another, comprising a separating device designed to separate two workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2) at a workpiece edge (17) by creating a separating gap (19) formed between the workpieces (3), characterized • in that a forming tool (6) is provided as a separating device, which has a forming element (7) and a mechanical forming element drive (9), • in that the forming element (7) of the forming tool (6) can be moved into a ready-to-work position beside the workpiece stack (2) and • in that the forming element (7), which has been moved into the ready-to-work position, can be moved from the ready-to-work position by means of the forming element drive (9) with a working movement parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece against an end face of the workpiece edge (17) of at least one of the workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2), whereby the workpiece edge (17) is compressed and an edge-side thickening (18) of the workpiece edge (17) is created, which edge-side thickening projects perpendicular to the main plane (4) of the workpiece relative to the rest of the workpiece (3), wherein during the working movement of the forming element (7), the workpiece (3) is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement carried out under the effect of the working movement of the forming element (7).

7. Singularization device according to claim 6, characterized • in that the forming element drive (9) has a drive means and a switchable drive lock, • in that the forming element (7) in the ready-to-work position with the drive lock switched to a locking state is pre-tensioned by means of the drive means for movement in a direction (12) of the working movement and • in that the forming element (7), which is pre-tensioned in the ready-to-work position for movement in the direction (12) of the working movement, can be released for carrying out the working movement by switching the drive lock from the locking state to a release state.

8. Singularization device according to claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that the forming element (7) tapers in the direction (12) of the working movement.

9. Singularization device according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the forming element (7) has a forming element height on the workpiece side, due to which the forming element (7) extends perpendicular to the main plane (4) of the workpiece over a plurality of workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2).

10. Singularization device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the forming element drive (9) is designed as a linear drive, by means of which the forming element (7) which has been moved into the ready-to-work position can be moved with a linear working movement against the end face of the workpiece edge (17) of the workpiece (3).

11. Singularization device according to any of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that a mechanical positioning device (13, 23) is provided by means of which the forming element (7) of the forming tool (6) can be moved into the ready-to-work position.

12. Singularization device according to claim 11, characterized in that the positioning device (13) comprises a guide device (15) by means of which the forming tool (6) can be guided into a tool position associated with the ready-to-work position of the forming element (7).

13. Singularization device according to any of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that in addition to the forming tool (6), an additional separating device (27) is provided, by means of which the separating gap (19) created by the forming tool (6) can be increased.

14. Mechanical feeding device for feeding a functional unit (26) of a mechanical arrangement (25) for processing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3), preferably plastically deformable sheets, with a plastically deformable plate-like workpiece (3), preferably with a plastically deformable sheet, • comprising a mechanical singularization device (200, 300) for singularizing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a workpiece stack (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, as well as • comprising a handling device (23) by means of which a workpiece (3) singularized by means of the singularization device (200, 300) can be moved to the functional unit (26) of the mechanical arrangement (25), characterized in that the mechanical singularization device (200, 300) according to claim 10 or claim 11 is provided as a singularization device (200, 300), wherein the handling device (23) of the mechanical feeding device is provided as a mechanical positioning device (23) of the singularization device (200, 300).

15. Feeding device according to claim 14, characterized • in that the handling device (23) has a support structure (22) with holding devices (24) for fixing a workpiece (3) to be moved to the functional unit (26) of the mechanical arrangement (25), • in that the forming tool (6) of the mechanical singularization device (200, 300) is provided on the support structure (22) of the handling device (23) and • in that the forming element (7) of the forming tool (6) of the singularization device (200, 300) can be moved into the ready-to-work position by a positioning movement of the support structure (22) of the handling device (23).

16. Mechanical arrangement for processing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3), preferably plastically deformable sheets, • comprising a functional unit (26), preferably having a workpiece store and / or having a processing device for workpiece processing, as well as • comprising a mechanical feeding device (21) for feeding the functional unit (26) of the mechanical arrangement with a plastically deformable plate-like workpiece (3), preferably with a plastically deformable sheet, characterized in that the feeding device (21) according to claim 14 or claim 15 is provided as the mechanical feeding device (21).