Mechanical method and mechanical separating device for separating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces of a workpiece stack, and mechanical feeding device and mechanical assembly for workpiece machining
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023713683
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-04-07
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-12
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-03-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing mechanical loading devices struggle to reliably separate plastically deformable plate-like workpieces, such as sheets, from a stack due to issues like adhesion caused by oils or foils, leading to incomplete separation, especially when sheets are non-magnetizable like stainless steel or aluminum.
A mechanical method and device that applies force to the edge of adjacent workpieces to create a permanent thickening, inhibiting evasive movement and forming a reliable separation gap, using a forming tool with a forming element and drive to compress the workpiece edge, allowing for independent separation regardless of subsequent processing.
Ensures functionally reliable separation of workpieces, independent of sheet thickness and magnetizability, with the edge thickening remaining harmless as a residue, enabling efficient transfer and processing of separated workpieces.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Mechanical process and mechanical separation device for separating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces from a workpiece stack as well as mechanical feeding device and mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing
[0002] The invention relates to
[0003] • a mechanical method for separating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces from a workpiece stack, preferably from plastically deformable sheets from a sheet stack, in which workpieces, preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned with the workpiece main planes parallel to one another, wherein two workpieces adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack are separated from one another at a workpiece edge by producing a separation gap formed between the workpieces,
[0004] • a mechanical separation device for carrying out the above-mentioned process,
[0005] • a mechanical feeding device for feeding a functional unit of a mechanical arrangement for the processing of plastically deformable plate-like workpieces, preferably plastically deformable sheet metal, with a plastically deformable plate-like workpiece, preferably with a plastically deformable sheet metal and
[0006] • a mechanical arrangement for the processing of plastically deformable plate-like workpieces, preferably plastically deformable sheet metal, with a functional unit and with a mechanical feeding device of the above type for feeding the functional unit.
[0007] The prior art in this area is known from EP 0 639 519 A1. This document relates to a mechanical loading device for transferring previously separated sheets from a stack of sheets, intended for automating sheet metal production. The loading device has a suction frame to which holding suction cups and separating suction cups are mounted side by side. To pick up a sheet lying on top in a sheet stack, the suction frame with the holding suction cups and separating suction cups is placed on top of the sheet in such a way 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, with the sheet edge gripped by them, are pivoted upwards about an axis running parallel to a main plane of the sheet.Due to the pivoting movement, the sheet edge held by the suction cups is bent upwards, ideally separating it from the edge of the sheet below. However, especially with oiled and / or foil-coated sheets that are therefore stuck together, there is a risk that the sheet underneath the sheet directly contacted by the suction cups will be bent upwards together with the sheet directly gripped by the suction cups, and that the desired sheet separation will therefore not be achieved.
[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical method, a mechanical separation device, a mechanical loading device, and a mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing, in which the functionally reliable separation of plastically deformable plate-like workpieces from a workpiece stack, in particular of plastically deformable sheets from a sheet stack, is ensured. According to the invention, this object is achieved by the mechanical method according to claim 1, by the mechanical separation device according to claim 6, by the mechanical loading device according to claim 14, and by the mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing according to claim 16.
[0009] In the case of the invention, a functionally reliable separation of adjacent workpieces in a workpiece stack is achieved by applying a force to at least one of the adjacent workpieces on an end face of the workpiece edge parallel to the workpiece's main plane, thereby compressing it to form a thickened edge that protrudes perpendicular to the workpiece's main plane relative to the rest of the workpiece. Upon application of the force, the workpiece, which is plastically deformed under the lateral force, is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, from any evasive movement resulting from the application of the force.
[0010] To create the edge-side thickening of the workpiece in question, the separating device according to the invention comprises a forming tool as a separating device, which in turn has a forming element and a forming element drive. The forming element of the forming tool can be advanced into a ready-to-work position laterally next to the workpiece stack. The forming element drive moves the forming element, which has been advanced into the ready-to-work position, with a working movement from the ready-to-work position toward a front side of the workpiece edge of the workpiece to be separated, compressing the workpiece edge and creating the edge-side thickening.
[0011] The edge-side thickening produced by means of the forming tool of the separating device according to the invention can protrude on one side or on both sides of the edge-deformed workpiece and consequently form a separating gap only to one or to both adjacent workpieces.
[0012] In any case, the plastic deformation of the workpiece edge creates a permanent separation gap between the edge-deformed workpiece and at least one workpiece adjacent to the edge-deformed workpiece in the workpiece stack. Due to the permanence of the separation gap, the workpiece separation can also take place independently of a subsequent workpiece transfer, for example, to a processing station of a mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing. For example, a workpiece stack with one or more edge-deformed workpieces, thus prepared for removal from the workpiece stack, can be stored in a workpiece storage area.
[0013] The method according to the invention and the separating device according to the invention are particularly suitable for separating stacked non-magnetizable workpieces, for example non-magnetizable sheets made of stainless steel or aluminum, which cannot be separated from one another by utilizing magnetic repulsion forces due to the lack of magnetizability.
[0014] The method according to the invention and the separating device according to the invention are also advantageous due to their sheet thickness-independent operation.
[0015] The permanent deformation of the workpiece edge is harmless to the result of a manufacturing process following workpiece separation if the workpiece edge remains as a workpiece residue at the end of the manufacturing process. This is the case, for example, in separating workpieces, where a residual skeleton is generated as a waste product, on which the edge thickening created during workpiece separation is located.
[0016] The loading device equipped with the separating device according to the invention is used to transfer workpieces previously picked up individually from a workpiece stack to a functional unit of a mechanical arrangement for workpiece processing. A workpiece storage unit or a processing device of the mechanical arrangement can be considered as a functional unit, for example. Particular embodiments of the method and the devices according to the independent patent claims are set out in the dependent patent claims 2 to 5, 7 to 13, and 15.
[0017] A functionally reliable production of the edge-side thickening on the force-loaded workpiece is ensured in particular when the front side of the workpiece edge is subjected to a force in an impact manner (patent claim 2).
[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the separating device according to the invention, the forming member drive of the forming tool has a drive means and a switchable drive lock for this purpose. The forming member, when moved into the ready-to-work position, is initially preloaded by the drive means for movement 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 released state, the forming member is released to execute the working movement (patent claim 7). A preloadable spring, for example, can be used as the drive means for the forming member drive. Due to its preload, after the drive lock is released on the forming member, this spring provides the necessary force to generate the edge thickening of the workpiece being acted upon.
[0019] In the interest of effective plastic deformation of the workpiece edge impacted by the forming element, the forming element can, in a further development of the invention, taper in the direction of its working movement generated by the forming element drive, for example, in a wedge shape (patent claim 8). Preferably, the forming element is flat on the workpiece side. According to the invention, a workpiece-side end face of the forming element with a rectangular contour is particularly conceivable.
[0020] A workpiece which is arranged at the top of a stack of workpieces arranged one above the other in the direction of gravity can be inhibited or blocked against an evasive movement under the effect of the force applied to the front side of the workpiece edge solely due to its weight and the resulting friction on a workpiece located underneath.Since the invention also makes it possible to act on workpieces arranged inside a vertical workpiece stack for workpiece separation, a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that the workpiece subjected to a force parallel to the main workpiece plane is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against an evasive movement carried out under the effect of the force application by applying a force to the workpiece parallel to the main workpiece plane when subjected to a load in the direction of gravity by at least one further workpiece of the workpiece stack arranged above the workpiece (patent claim 3). Additionally or alternatively, a mechanical stop for the workpiece can be provided on the end face of the workpiece remote from the force application.
[0021] 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 separating device according to the invention, it is possible to produce a thickening on the edge required for workpiece separation simultaneously on several workpieces adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack with a single working movement of the forming element (patent claims 4, 9).
[0022] To generate the working movement of the forming element of the forming tool, a forming element drive designed as a linear drive is preferred according to the invention, by means of which the forming element, which is fed 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 in question (patent claim 10).
[0023] According to the invention, the drive type considered is in particular an eccentric drive, a slider crank drive or a piston-cylinder drive.
[0024] In a further preferred embodiment of the separating device according to the invention, the feed movement with which the forming element of the forming tool is positioned laterally next to the workpiece stack in the ready-to-work position is also generated mechanically (patent claim 11). In a further development of the invention, the feed device provided for this purpose is equipped with a, preferably mechanical, guide device (patent claim 12).
[0025] Alternatively, manual positioning of the forming element or the forming tool is conceivable.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the loading device according to the invention, the forming tool of the separating device is provided on the support structure of the handling device of the loading device. Consequently, the forming element of the forming tool of the mechanical separating device can be moved into the ready-to-work position by means of the handling device (patent claim 15).
[0027] To support workpiece separation, in a further design of the separating device according to the invention, an additional separating device is provided in addition to the forming tool, by means of which the separating gap created by the plastic deformation of the workpiece edge can be expanded (patent claim 13). According to the invention, for example, a blow nozzle is provided as an additional separating device, which is arranged laterally next to the workpiece stack after the forming of the workpiece edge of the workpiece(s) to be separated. Compressed air is applied by means of the blow nozzle into the separating gap(s) formed by the edge-side thickening, which further separates 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.
[0028] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary schematic representations. They show:
[0029] Figure 1 shows a mechanical separating device of the first type for separating sheets from a stack of sheets,
[0030] Figure 2 shows a mechanical separating device of a second type for separating sheets from a stack of sheets, Figure 3 shows a feeding device of a mechanical arrangement for separating sheet metal processing, with a mechanical separating device of a third type for separating sheets from a stack of sheets,
[0031] Figure 4 shows a feeding device of a mechanical arrangement for separating sheet metal processing, with a mechanical separating device of the fourth type for separating sheets of a sheet stack,
[0032] Figure 5 shows a forming tool of the mechanical separating devices according to Figures 1 to 4 and
[0033] Figure 6 Representations to illustrate the functioning of the mechanical separation devices according to Figures 1 to 4.
[0034] According to Figure 1, a mechanical separating device 1 is arranged next to a sheet stack 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 sheets 3. The sheets 3 are aligned parallel to one another with a workpiece or sheet main plane 4 indicated by a dot-dash line in Figure 1. In the example shown, the sheet material is structural steel.
[0035] The separating device 1 serves to separate the sheets 3 of the sheet stack 2. For this purpose, the separating device 1 comprises a separating device in the form of a forming tool 6. The forming tool 6 is shown in detail in Figure 5.
[0036] As shown in Figure 5, the forming tool 6 has a wedge-shaped forming element
[0037] 7 and a forming element drive 9 arranged inside a drive housing 8.
[0038] In the example shown, 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 provided with the forming element 7 at one end and with a drive piston at the opposite end, concealed by the drive housing 8 in Figure 5. The drive piston is movably guided on the inner wall of the cylindrical drive housing 8 in a retraction direction 11 and in a direction 12 of a working movement of the forming element 7.
[0039] Further components of the forming element drive 9, which are also accommodated in the drive housing 8, are an electromagnet and a spring arranged on the side of the drive piston remote from the forming element 7.
[0040] In Figure 5, the 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 arranged on the side of the drive piston remote from the forming element 7 is compressed. The compressed spring preloads the piston of the forming element drive 9, and with it the forming element 7, to move in the direction 12 of the working movement of the forming element 7. The electromagnet of the forming element drive 9 thus forms a drive lock, which is switched to a locked state when the forming tool 6 is in the functional state shown in Figure 5.
[0041] The forming tool 6 is also in this functional state in Figure 1.
[0042] In Figure 1, the forming tool 6 is vertically advanced 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 separating device 1.
[0043] The feed device 13 comprises a motorized feed drive 14 of conventional design, 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 located 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 illustrated in Figure 1 by a double arrow 16.
[0044] To separate the sheet 3 located at the top of the sheet stack 2, based on the conditions shown in Figure 1, the electromagnet of the forming element drive 9 is first de-energized, thereby transferring the previously effective drive lock of the forming element drive 9 to a release state. As a result, the forming element 7 is driven in a jerky manner in the direction 12 of the working movement by the relaxing spring of the forming element drive 9.
[0045] The mode of operation of the forming tool 6 is illustrated in Figure 6 for a tool type whose forming element 7 has a forming element height on the sheet side, due to which the forming element 7 extends perpendicular to the sheet main plane 4 over several sheets 3 adjacent to one another in the sheet stack 2.
[0046] Due to its overall height, the forming element 7 of Figure 6, during its working movement in the direction 12, simultaneously strikes the end face of a workpiece or sheet edge 17 on several sheets 3 lying one above the other in the sheet stack 2. Due to the plastic deformability of the sheets 3 and due to 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-side thickenings 18. The sheets 3 acted upon by the forming element 7 are blocked by their weight to prevent lateral slippage under the action of the forming element 7.
[0047] The edge-side thickenings 18 created by the forming device 7 protrude perpendicularly to the main sheet plane 4 relative to the respective remaining sheet 3, with a projection on both sides on the two upper sheets 3 in Figure 6. The edge-side thickenings 18 on the sheets 3 thereby cause the formation of separating gaps 19 between adjacent sheets 3. In Figure 1, a separating gap is created in a corresponding manner between the sheet 3 lying on top in the sheet stack 2 and the sheet 3 immediately below it.
[0048] As shown in Figure 6, the forming element 7 has a triangular contour in a plane parallel to the main sheet plane 4. As a result, at the end of the working movement of the forming element 7, a linear contact occurs between the forming element 7 and the sheets 3 acted upon by the forming element 7. Instead of the triangular contour, a trapezoidal contour of the forming element 7 in the plane parallel to the main sheet plane 4, indicated by dashed lines in Figure 6, would also be conceivable. In the case of a trapezoidal contour, the forming element strikes the end face of the sheet edges 17 with a rectangular surface.
[0049] In both cases, the forming element 7 tapers in the direction 12 of its working movement.
[0050] Unlike the forming tool 6 of the separating device 1 shown in Figure 1, the forming tool 6 of a mechanical separating device 100 shown in Figure 2 is manually advanced into a tool position in which the forming element 7 assumes the ready-to-work position. Instead of the mechanical advance device 13 shown in Figure 1, the forming tool 6 of the separating 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 separated.
[0051] A mechanical separating device 200 shown in Figure 3 is integrated into a mechanical loading device 21. For this purpose, the forming tool 6 of the separating 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 holding suction cups 24 of conventional design.
[0052] The loading device 21 is part of a mechanical arrangement 25 for sheet metal processing and serves to load a sheet metal processing machine 26 provided as a functional unit of the mechanical arrangement 25. In order to load the sheet metal processing machine 26 with the sheet 3 lying on top in the sheet stack 2, the forming tool 6 of the separating device 200 is advanced by means of the handling device 23 used as a mechanical advance device relative to the sheet 3 to be separated into a tool position 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.
[0053] After the sheet 3 lying on top of the sheet 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 consequently secured to the handling device 23, can be transported to the sheet metal processing machine 26 by a corresponding movement of the handling device 23.
[0054] A mechanical separating device 300 shown in Figure 4 differs from the separating device 200 according to Figure 3 only in that, in addition to the forming tool 6, an additional separating device in the form of a blow nozzle 27 is provided. The blow nozzle 27 is pivotally mounted on the suction frame 22 of the handling device 23. After a separating gap has been created by means of the forming tool 6, the blow nozzle 27 is pivoted laterally next to the sheet stack 2 into a position in which the blow nozzle 27 can inject compressed air into the existing separating gap, thereby expanding the existing separating gap. The application of compressed air by means of the blow nozzle 27 occurs simultaneously with the commencement of the joint movement of the suction frame 22 and the sheet 3 held to the suction frame 22 by means of the holding suction cups 24.
Claims
Claims: A mechanical method for separating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a stack of workpieces (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, in which workpieces (3), preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned parallel to one another with workpiece main planes (4), wherein two workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the stack of workpieces (2) are separated from one another at a workpiece edge (17) by generating a separation gap (19) formed between the workpieces (3), characterized in that the separation gap (19) between the workpieces (3) is generated by applying force to at least one of the adjacent workpieces (3) at an end face of the workpiece edge (17) of the workpiece (3) parallel to the workpiece main plane (4) and thereby compressing it, forming an edge-side thickening (18).which projects perpendicularly to the main plane (4) of the workpiece relative to the rest of the workpiece (3), wherein the workpiece (3) is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement carried out under the influence of the force. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the workpiece (3) is subjected to a force impact at the end face of the workpiece edge (17) parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece. Method according to any of the preceding claims for singulating 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) subjected to a force parallel to the main plane (4) of the workpiece is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against any evasive movement carried out under the influence of the force.by subjecting the workpiece (3) to a load acting in the direction of gravity by at least one further workpiece (3) of the workpiece arranged above the workpiece (3), The stack of pieces (2) is subjected to force parallel to the main plane of the workpiece (4). A method according to one 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 of the workpiece (4) and is thereby compressed, forming an edge-side thickening (18). • by positioning a forming element (7) of a forming tool (6) laterally next to the stack of workpieces (2) into a ready-to-work position and • by moving the forming element (7) from the ready-to-work position with a working movement against the end face of the workpiece edge (17) and, as a result of the working movement, creating the edge-side thickening (18) on the workpiece (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several 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 workpiece plane (4) and are thereby compressed, forming an edge-side thickening (18).A mechanical singulation device for singulating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a stack of workpieces (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets in which workpieces (3), preferably sheets, are arranged adjacent to one another and aligned parallel to one another with workpiece main planes (4), with a separating device designed to separate two workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the stack of workpieces (2) at a workpiece edge (17) by creating a separating gap (19) formed between the workpieces (3), characterized in that. • that a forming tool (6) is provided as a separating device, which has a forming element (7) and a mechanical forming element drive (9), • that the forming element (7) of the forming tool (6) can be moved into a ready-to-work position to the side of the workpiece stack (2) and • 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 each other in the stack of workpieces (2), compressing the edge of the workpiece (17) and creating a thickening (18) on the edge of the workpiece (17), which projects perpendicular to the main plane (4) of the workpiece relative to the rest of the workpiece (3), wherein the workpiece (3) is at least inhibited, preferably blocked, against an evasive movement carried out under the influence of the working movement of the forming element (7) during the working movement of the forming element (7).
7. Singulation device according to claim 6, characterized in that, • that the forming element drive (9) has a drive means and a switchable drive lock, • 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 to move in one direction (12) of the working movement and • that the forming element (7), which is pre-tensioned in the work readiness position for movement in the direction (12) of the work movement, can be released for the execution of the work movement by switching the drive lock from the locking state to a release state.
8. Singulation 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. Singulation device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the forming element (7) has a forming element on the workpiece side a height such that the forming element (7) extends perpendicularly to the main workpiece plane (4) over several workpieces (3) adjacent to one another in the workpiece stack (2). Singulation device according to one 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), positioned in 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). Singulation device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that a mechanical feeding 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.Singulation device according to claim 11, characterized in that the feed 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). Singulation device according to any one 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) produced by the forming tool (6) can be increased. Machine feeding device for feeding a functional unit (26) of a machine 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. • with a mechanical singulation device (200, 300) for singulating plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3) from a stack of workpieces (2), preferably plastically deformable sheets from a stack of sheets, as well as • with a handling device (23) by means of which a workpiece (3) separated by the singulation device (200, 300) can be moved to the functional unit (26) of the machine arrangement (25), characterized in that the machine singulation device (200, 300) according to claim 10 or claim 11 is provided as the singulation device (200, 300), wherein the handling device (23) of the machine feeding device is provided as the machine feeder (23) of the singulation device (200, 300). Feeding device according to claim 14, characterized in that • 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 machine arrangement (25), • that the forming tool (6) of the machine singulation device (200, 300) is provided on the support structure (22) of the handling device (23) and • that the forming element (7) of the forming tool (6) of the singulation device (200, 300) can be moved into the ready-to-work position by a feed movement of the support structure (22) of the handling device (23). Machine arrangement for processing plastically deformable plate-like workpieces (3), preferably plastically deformable sheets, • with a functional unit (26), preferably with a workpiece bearing and / or with a machining device for workpiece machining as well as • with a mechanical feeding device (21) for feeding the functional unit (26) of the machine arrangement with a plastically deformable plate-like workpiece (3), preferably with a plastically deformable sheet, characterized in that as a mechanical feeding device (21) the feeding device (21) according to claim 14 or claim 15 is provided.