Method for operating a mechanical production plant, and mechanical production plant

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a mechanical production plant, in which method a number of storage pallets (8) that is required for a production process is provided for a pallet storage unit (10). The storage pallets (8) are transferred between a storage location (13 / 1, 13 / 2) on a storage rack (9) of the pallet storage unit (10) and a mechanical production device provided for carrying out the production process. The pallet storage unit (10) is designed to match the production process by means of the storage pallets (8). An existing configuration is changed in order to obtain a new configuration of the pallet storage unit (10) in that the storage height of at least one pallet storage location (13 / 1, 13 / 2) is changed by changing the number of storage pallets (8) in the pallet storage unit (10). A pallet supply (20) is provided, to which storage pallets (8) are transferred that are required for the existing configuration of the pallet storage unit (10) and that are not required for the new configuration of the pallet storage unit (10) and / or from which storage pallets (8) stored in the pallet supply (20) are removed that are required for the new configuration of the pallet storage unit (10) in addition to the storage pallets (8) required for the existing configuration of the pallet storage unit (10). The invention also relates to a mechanical production plant which is designed to carry out the above method.

Description

[0001] Method for operating a mechanical production plant and mechanical production plant

[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating a mechanical production plant,

[0003] • with a mechanical manufacturing device on which workpieces, preferably sheet metal, are machined in a manufacturing process by producing machining products from initial workpieces and

[0004] • with a pallet warehouse, which has a storage frame and storage pallets, wherein the storage frame has pairs of adjacent frame stringers with a mutual distance in the horizontal direction and pallet storage spaces, which are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction and which are formed by providing pallet supports on the mutually adjacent frame stringers of a pair of frame stringers, which are opposite each other with a mutual distance in the horizontal direction, wherein in the context of the method for operating the mechanical production plant

[0005] • a number of storage pallets required for the production process is provided for the pallet warehouse and • the storage pallets are transferred between a production-side position located towards the production device and a storage-side position, wherein the storage pallets are stored in the storage-side position on the pallet supports of a pallet storage location and define the storage height of a pallet storage location as the clear vertical distance between two storage pallets that are adjacent to one another in the storage-side position in the vertical direction or as the clear vertical distance between a storage pallet and another boundary of the pallet storage location that is adjacent to it in the vertical direction.

[0006] The invention also relates to a mechanical manufacturing plant designed to carry out the above method.

[0007] Prior art of this type is disclosed in EP 1 930 119 A1.

[0008] The prior art relates to a mechanical system comprising a workpiece storage system configured as a pallet warehouse, several machining units for workpiece processing, and a mechanical loading device. Storage pallets loaded with workpieces to be machined are picked up by the mechanical loading device from a storage frame of the workpiece storage system and then fed to the mechanical processing units. After workpiece processing is completed, the storage pallets loaded with processed products are transported back to the storage frame of the workpiece storage system by means of the mechanical loading device and stored there if necessary.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to enable continuous and trouble-free operation of generic mechanical production systems, regardless of the production process carried out.

[0010] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the method according to patent claim 1 and by the mechanical production system according to patent claim 8. In the case of the invention, the pallet warehouse is configured to match the production process carried out on the mechanical production device by adjusting the available storage height of the pallet storage locations and / or the total available storage height of the storage frame of the pallet warehouse as needed. For this purpose, the number of storage pallets transferred between the storage frame of the pallet warehouse and the production device to carry out the production process is adapted to the respective production process. According to the invention, a pallet storage device is provided for storage pallets that are no longer required or are additionally required due to the production process carried out. Storage pallets that are no longer required due to the process are transferred to the pallet storage device.Additional storage pallets required due to the production process are taken from the pallet storage.

[0011] Particular embodiments of the invention according to independent claims 1 and 8 result from dependent claims 2 to 7 and 9 to 12.

[0012] In the case of the invention, the pallet storage unit can be integrated into the storage frame of the pallet warehouse. To ensure that the pallet storage unit blocks as little storage height as possible on the storage frame, the vertical distance between two adjacent storage pallets in the pallet storage unit is preferably smaller than the vertical distance between two storage pallets provided for carrying out a production process in the storage-side position on the storage frame of the pallet warehouse.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pallet storage is provided away from the storage frame of the pallet warehouse (claim 2). This embodiment of the invention avoids a reduction in the total available storage height on the storage frame due to temporarily unused storage pallets.

[0014] According to the invention, the configuration of the pallet warehouse can be adapted to the production process carried out on the production device during the ongoing production process (patent claim 3) and / or after completion of a production process and before the start of a new production process (patent claim 4).

[0015] In both cases, the trigger for a reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse is a change in the requirement for the storage height available at the individual storage locations of the storage structure and / or at the storage structure as a whole, due to the production process.

[0016] For example, as a manufacturing process progresses and / or as a manufacturing process follows a completed manufacturing process, the need for storage height to accommodate output workpieces may decrease and the need for storage height to accommodate machining products may increase.

[0017] For example, in the separating machining and forming of starting workpieces, such as raw sheet metal, the height of a stack of starting workpieces placed on a storage pallet used as a raw part pallet is often significantly lower than the height of the stack of the machining products produced from these starting workpieces.

[0018] During the ongoing production process, as the processing of the initial workpieces progresses, the number of raw part pallets stored on the storage rack decreases, and thus the need for pallet storage locations where only a relatively low storage height is sufficient. At the same time, the number of product pallets loaded with processed products increases, and thus the need for storage locations with a relatively high storage height. As part of the reconfiguration of the pallet storage system tailored to the production process, in the case of the invention, storage height is freed up during the ongoing production process by reducing the number of storage pallets on the storage rack. This storage height was previously blocked by the storage pallets transferred to the pallet storage system and is available as storage height for processed products after the reduction in the number of storage pallets (patent claim 5).

[0019] To optimize the time required for workpiece processing on the production system according to the invention, it is recommended to maximize the load capacity of the storage pallets and / or the pallet storage locations on the pallet storage rack. At maximum loading, the number of storage pallets that must be transferred between the pallet storage and the machine production device to carry out the production process is reduced to a minimum. However, the maximum loading height of a storage pallet can vary depending on the starting workpieces and processing products stored on the storage pallet. This is taken into account in an advantageous development of the invention according to patent claim 6.

[0020] In addition or alternatively, in a further development of the invention, use is made of the possibility of reconfiguring the pallet warehouse during the ongoing production process and / or after completion of a production process in the event of a change in the material of the initial workpieces to be processed (patent claim 7).

[0021] The material of the source workpieces, given the load capacity of a storage pallet and / or the load capacity of the pallet supports, determines the maximum loading height of the storage pallet and thus also the storage height of the pallet storage location for the storage pallet. This applies equally to raw part pallets and product pallets.

[0022] If, for example, aluminum workpieces are machined on the machine production device following the machining of steel workpieces, the maximum number of workpieces and also the maximum number of machining products that can be stacked on a storage pallet arranged at a storage location can be significantly increased. This means that a significantly greater storage height can be provided at a storage location of the storage frame to accommodate a storage pallet loaded with aluminum workpieces or machining products than previously possible for a storage pallet loaded with steel workpieces or machining products.In the case of the invention, this is achieved by arranging storage pallets that were previously loaded with steel starting workpieces and are no longer required for the aluminum starting workpieces now to be machined, closely stacked in the pallet storage provided on the storage frame, or transferring them from the storage frame to the external pallet storage. Due to the reduction in the number of storage pallets, the reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse advantageously results in an increase in the overall storage height available on the storage frame for starting workpieces and / or for processing products, and thus an increase in the storage capacity of the storage frame.

[0023] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the storage pallets have a uniform design, so that one and the same storage pallet can be used both as a raw part pallet and as a product pallet (patent claim 9).

[0024] The transfer of surplus storage pallets to the pallet storage and / or the removal of additionally required storage pallets from the pallet storage can be done manually.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mechanical pallet transport device is provided for this purpose (patent claim 10). In automated production facilities, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are particularly suitable as mechanical pallet transport devices.

[0026] In cases where the production plant according to the invention has an external pallet storage, the pallet transfer device comprises a scaffold-side transfer unit and a production-side transfer unit, which simultaneously forms the pallet transport device (patent claim 11).

[0027] To automate the method according to the invention and the production system according to the invention, a programmable numerical control is provided for the pallet transfer device and / or for the pallet transport device (patent claim 12). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the programmable numerical control for the pallet transfer device and / or for the pallet transport device is integrated into a higher-level numerical system control of the production system according to the invention. The configuration or reconfiguration of the pallet storage system can then be automatically coordinated with the parameters stored in the system control of a production process to be carried out on the mechanical production system.

[0028] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary schematic representations.

[0029] They show:

[0030] Figure 1 shows a machine production plant for sheet metal production in plan view, with a laser flatbed machine, a pallet storage, a pallet transfer device and an external pallet storage,

[0031] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pallet warehouse of the type shown in Figure 1,

[0032] Figures to illustrate different possibilities

[0033] 3 and 4 for the configuration and reconfiguration of a pallet warehouse according to Figures 1 and 2.

[0034] According to Figure 1, a mechanical production system 1 for sheet metal production comprises, as a mechanical production device, a conventional laser flatbed machine 2 for separating sheet metal processing. A pallet changer 4 is arranged in the usual manner in front of a work area 3 of the laser flatbed machine 2.

[0035] On its upper side, the pallet changer 4 in Figure 1 stores three finished sheet metal parts 5 as processing products of a sheet metal processing operation performed on the laser flatbed machine 2. Inside the workspace 3 of the laser flatbed machine 2, a raw sheet 6 is separated as the starting workpiece. A mechanical handling device 7 of conventional design is provided for loading and unloading the pallet changer 4.

[0036] By means of the handling device 7, sheet metal parts produced from a raw sheet 6 are

[0037] Finished parts 5 are picked up at the pallet changer 4 and placed on a storage pallet 8 arranged below the pallet changer 4 in Figure 1 and forming a product pallet.

[0038] On the opposite side of the pallet changer 4, Figure 1 shows a storage pallet 8 loaded with raw sheets 6 and thus serving as a raw part pallet.

[0039] After unloading the pallet changer 4 and after depositing the finished sheet metal parts 5 on the lower storage pallet 8 in Figure 1, the handling device 7 picks up a raw sheet 6 on the upper storage pallet 8 in Figure 1 and loads the pallet changer 4 with it.

[0040] The storage pallet 8 loaded with the raw sheets 6 was previously removed from a storage frame 9 of a pallet warehouse 10 of the production plant 1.

[0041] The storage scaffold 9 has a pair of scaffold stringers with two scaffold stringers 11, 12 that are adjacent to each other at a mutual distance in the horizontal direction. As shown in Figure 2, pallet storage locations 13 are formed inside the storage scaffold 9 by supporting and guide rails 14 that are attached to the scaffold stringers 11, 12, forming pallet supports. Only the supporting and guide rails 14 on the scaffold stringer 12 are visible in Figure 2. The supporting and guide rails 14 of the scaffold stringer 12 are opposite the supporting and guide rails 14, which are attached to the scaffold stringer 11 and are concealed in Figure 2, and are spaced horizontally apart.

[0042] For the sake of clarity, only two storage pallets 8 are shown on the storage frame 9 in Figure 2. Raw sheets 6 are stacked on the lower storage pallet 8. Of the upper storage pallet 8 in Figure 2, only the frame equipped with guide rollers is shown. When the storage pallets 8 are loaded into and unloaded from the storage frame 9, the guide rollers of the storage pallets 8 roll on the support and guide rails 14 of the respective pallet storage location 13.

[0043] A conventional pallet lift 15 is used for the automated storage and retrieval of storage pallets 8 on the storage frame 9. A loading and unloading unit 17 is driven and movable in the vertical direction in the usual way on a support frame 16 of the pallet lift 15. To retrieve a storage pallet 8, the loading and unloading unit 17 of the pallet lift 15 moves vertically to the height of the relevant pallet storage location 13. The storage pallet 8 to be unloaded is then pulled from the storage frame 9 onto the loading and unloading unit 17 of the pallet lift 15. For storage on the storage frame 9, the storage pallet 8 to be stored is pushed from the loading and unloading unit 17 arranged at the height of the relevant pallet storage location 13 onto the support and guide rails 14 of the relevant pallet storage location 13, which are attached to the frame cheeks 11, 12.

[0044] The pallet lift 15 forms a scaffold-side transfer unit of a pallet transfer device 21. In addition to the pallet lift 15, the pallet transfer device 21 comprises a production-side transfer unit with two automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 18, 19 (Figure 1).

[0045] In Figure 1, the transport vehicle 18 is loaded with the storage pallet 8 intended as a raw part pallet and the raw sheets 6 placed thereon. The storage pallet 8 with the raw sheets 6 was previously removed from the storage frame 9 of the pallet warehouse 10 by means of the pallet lift 15 and placed in a transfer position on the transport vehicle 18.

[0046] The transport vehicle 19 in Figure 1 stores the storage pallet 8 intended as a product pallet with the finished sheet metal parts 5. As soon as the entire sheet stack of the storage pallet 8 loaded with the raw sheets 6 has been processed by the laser flatbed machine 2 and the finished sheet metal parts 5 produced in this way have been deposited on the storage pallet 8 intended as a product pallet on the transport vehicle 19, the transport vehicle 19 moves together with the storage pallet 8 loaded with the finished sheet metal parts 5 to the storage frame 9. There, the storage pallet 8 loaded with the finished sheet metal parts 5 is taken over by the pallet lift 15 arranged in the transfer position and then stored on the storage frame 9. The transport vehicle 19 is then loaded with a storage pallet 8 on which raw sheets 6 are stacked by means of the pallet lift 15.Meanwhile, the transport vehicle 18, now loaded with an empty storage pallet 8, changes from the position shown in Figure 1 above the pallet changer 4 to the position below the pallet changer 4, which has since been vacated by the transport vehicle 19.

[0047] The transport vehicle 19 loaded with the raw part pallet and the raw sheets 6 stacked thereon moves from the transfer position on the storage frame 9 to the laser flatbed machine 2 into the position above the pallet changer 4, which has been temporarily vacated by the transport vehicle 18.

[0048] In the manner described above, the raw sheets 6 stacked on the storage pallet 8 on the transport vehicle 19 are now separated by means of the laser flatbed machine 2, and the finished sheet metal parts 5 produced in this way are placed on the storage pallet 8, which is now provided as a product pallet, on the transport vehicle 18.

[0049] The pallet warehouse 10 of the mechanical production system 1 can be configured to match the production process performed on the laser flatbed machine 2. An existing configuration of the pallet warehouse 10 can be modified as needed.

[0050] Just like the other essential functions of the production plant 1, the configuration of the pallet warehouse 10 is also controlled by means of a programmable numerical control 22 of the production plant 1.

[0051] Examples of configurations and reconfigurations of the pallet warehouse 10 are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

[0052] According to the left partial illustration of Figure 3, before the start of a separating sheet metal processing on the laser flatbed machine 2, six storage locations 13 / 1 on the storage frame 9 of the pallet storage 10 are occupied by storage pallets 8 with raw sheets 6 (raw part pallets).

[0053] Above the pallet storage locations 13 / 1 for raw sheet metal 6, two storage locations 13 / 2 for finished sheet metal parts 5 are provided, which at the time shown are still occupied by unloaded storage pallets 8 (product pallets). Accordingly, a total of eight storage pallets 8 were provided for the upcoming production process.

[0054] For the reconfiguration of the pallet storage 10 adapted to the ongoing production process, it should be noted that the finished sheet metal parts 5 produced from the raw sheets 6 in the example case shown are significantly higher than the raw sheets 6. Consequently, at the end of the production process, a total storage height must be available for storing the finished sheet metal parts 5 on the storage frame 9 that is greater than the total storage height of the storage frame 9 at the start of the production process resulting from the sum of the storage heights of the pallet storage locations 13 / 1 and 13 / 2 in the left partial illustration of Figure 3.

[0055] The resulting additional storage height requirement at the end of the production process is covered, as shown in the two partial representations on the right in Figure 3, depending on the production process, by reducing the number of storage pallets 8 provided for the production process from an initial total of eight storage pallets 8 to five storage pallets 8 for finished sheet metal parts 5 (new configuration (1) in Figure 3) or to four storage pallets 8 for finished sheet metal parts 5 (new configuration (2) in Figure 3).

[0056] The storage pallets 8 that are no longer available for the production process are deposited in a pallet storage 20.

[0057] The pallet storage 20 can be provided away from the storage frame 9 (reconfiguration (1) in Figure 3). In this case, the removal of storage pallets 8 provided for the production process on the storage frame 9 for finished sheet metal parts 5 frees up storage height that was originally blocked by the storage pallets 8 now transferred to the pallet storage 20.

[0058] Alternatively, it is possible to integrate the pallet storage 20 into the storage frame 9 (new configuration (2) in Figure 3). The increase in storage height on the storage frame 9 results from the fact that the storage pallets 8 in the pallet storage 20 are arranged directly above one another and therefore block less storage height on the storage frame 9 than at the beginning of the production process. The transport vehicles 18, 19 are used to transport storage pallets 8 to the pallet storage 20. Accordingly, in addition to their function as a production-side transfer unit of the pallet transfer device 21, they also serve as a pallet transport device. When the pallet storage 20 is integrated into the storage frame 9, the storage pallets 8 no longer available for the production process are unloaded from the transport vehicles 18, 19 by means of the pallet lift and deposited in the pallet storage 20.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a case in which a reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse 10 is carried out after completion of a production process on the laser flatbed machine 2 and before the start of the next production process because the material of the raw sheets 6 to be processed changes.

[0060] In the application case illustrated in Figure 4, both raw sheets 6 made of steel and raw sheets 6 made of aluminum are processed in an upcoming manufacturing process.

[0061] In the case of configuration (1) of the pallet warehouse 10, the three upper loaded storage pallets 8 on the storage frame 9 store raw steel sheets 6, while the three storage pallets 8 arranged below are loaded with raw aluminum sheets 6. All pallet storage locations 13 of the storage frame 9 occupied by loaded storage pallets 8 have the same storage height. This circumstance is disadvantageous in that, although the maximum load capacity of the storage pallets 8 loaded with raw steel sheets 6 is utilized, the maximum load capacity of the storage pallets 8 loaded with raw aluminum sheets 6 is not. The consequence is that in order to process the raw aluminum sheets 6, more storage pallets 8 than necessary must be unloaded from the storage frame 9 and transferred to the laser flatbed machine 2.

[0062] To avoid this disadvantage, configuration (1) of the pallet storage 10 is changed to configuration (2). For this purpose, a storage pallet 8, which is provided for the production process in configuration (1), is deactivated and deposited in an external pallet storage 20. This frees up storage height on the storage frame 9, which was blocked in configuration (1) by the now deactivated storage pallet 8 and which, in the case of configuration (2), is used to accommodate additional raw sheets 6.

[0063] Configuration (2) of the pallet warehouse 10 is optimized compared to configuration (1) in that, in the case of configuration (2), the maximum load capacity of the respective storage pallet 8 is also utilized when storing the raw sheets 6 made of aluminum. Due to their lower weight, raw sheets 6 made of aluminum allow a greater storage height of a pallet storage location 13 than raw sheets 6 made of steel.

[0064] To store the same number of raw aluminum sheets 6 as in configuration (1), only a single storage pallet 8 is provided in configuration (2). Accordingly, in configuration (2), only a single storage pallet 8 needs to be unloaded from the storage frame 9 and transferred to the laser flatbed machine 2 to process the raw aluminum sheets 6. This results in a significant simplification and acceleration of the process.

[0065] In addition, storage height that was intended for raw sheets 6 made of aluminum in configuration (1) can be used for additional raw sheets 6 made of steel in configuration (2).

[0066] In contrast to the example described above, changing configuration (1) of Figure 4 to configuration (2) could also serve to change the material-related designation of a pallet storage location 13. This would be the case if, in configuration (1), the two lower pallet storage locations 13 were occupied with raw steel sheets 6.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for operating a mechanical production plant (1), • with a mechanical manufacturing device (2) on which workpieces, preferably sheet metal, are machined in a manufacturing process by producing machining products (5) from starting workpieces (6) and • with a pallet warehouse (10) comprising a storage frame (9) and storage pallets (8), wherein the storage frame (9) comprises pairs of adjacent frame cheeks (11, 12) spaced apart in the horizontal direction, as well as pallet storage locations (13) which are adjacent to one another in the vertical direction and which are formed by providing pallet supports (14) on the adjacent frame cheeks (11, 12) of a pair of frame cheeks, which are opposite one another at a mutual distance in the horizontal direction, wherein in the context of the method for operating the mechanical production plant • a number of storage pallets (8) required for the production process is provided for the pallet warehouse (10) and • the storage pallets (8) are transferred between a production-side position located towards the production device (2) and a storage-side position, wherein the storage pallets (8) are stored in the storage-side position on the pallet supports (14) of a pallet storage location (13) and define the storage height of a pallet storage location (13) as the clear vertical distance between two storage pallets (8) that are adjacent to each other in the storage-side position in the vertical direction or as the clear vertical distance between a storage pallet (8) and another boundary of the pallet storage location (13) that is adjacent to it in the vertical direction, characterized in • that the pallet warehouse (10) is configured by means of the storage pallets (8) in accordance with the production process carried out on the mechanical production device (2), wherein by changing an existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) a new configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) is carried out by changing the storage height of at least one pallet storage location (13) by changing the number of storage pallets (8) of the pallet warehouse (10) and • that a pallet storage (20) is provided, - to which storage pallets (8) are handed over that are required for the existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) and that are not required for the new configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) and / or - from which storage pallets (8) held in the pallet storage (20) are removed, which are required for the new configuration of the pallet storage (10) in addition to the storage pallets (8) required for the existing configuration of the pallet storage (10).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pallet storage (20) is provided away from the storage frame (9) of the pallet warehouse (10).

3. Method according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse (10) is carried out during an ongoing manufacturing process.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse (10) is carried out after completion of a manufacturing process for a subsequent manufacturing process, • wherein the storage pallets (8) required for the completed production process are transferred to the pallet storage (20) and / or • wherein storage pallets (8) held in the pallet storage (20) are removed from the pallet storage (20), which are required for the subsequent production process in addition to the storage pallets (8) required for the completed production process.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that • that the pallet warehouse (10) is configured by means of the storage pallets (8) in a manner adapted to the manufacturing process carried out on the mechanical manufacturing device (2), in that the storage pallets (8) provided for the manufacturing process are provided partly for use as active raw part pallets for starting workpieces (6) and partly for use as active product pallets for machining products (5), and in that pallet storage locations (13) intended for the raw part pallets and pallet storage locations (13) intended for the product pallets are provided on the storage frame (9), wherein the storage height of a pallet storage location (13) intended for a raw part pallet differs from the storage height of a pallet storage location (13) intended for a product pallet, and • that when the pallet warehouse (10) is reconfigured, the purpose of a pallet storage location (13) is changed by changing the storage height of this pallet storage location (13).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse (10) by changing the storage height of a pallet storage location (13), a maximum loading height of a storage pallet (8) arranged at this pallet storage location (13) is changed.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that • that pallet storage locations (13) are provided on the storage frame (9) with a storage height due to which the pallet storage locations (13) have a have a material-related determination for the material of the starting workpieces (6) and the processed products (5) and • that when the pallet warehouse (10) is reconfigured, the material-related determination of this pallet storage location (13) is changed by changing the storage height of a pallet storage location (13).

8. Mechanical production plant, • with a mechanical manufacturing device (2) which is designed to carry out a manufacturing process in the course of which workpieces, preferably sheet metal, are machined by producing machining products (5) from starting workpieces (6), • with a pallet warehouse (10) which has a storage frame (9) and storage pallets (8), - wherein the storage scaffold (9) comprises scaffolding cheeks (11, 12) which are adjacent to one another in pairs at a mutual distance in the horizontal direction, as well as pallet storage spaces (13) which are adjacent to one another in the vertical direction and which are formed by providing pallet supports (14) on the adjacent scaffolding cheeks (11, 12) of a scaffolding cheek pair, which are opposite one another at a mutual distance in the horizontal direction, and - wherein a number of storage pallets (8) required for the production process is provided for the pallet warehouse (10) and • with a pallet transfer device (21), by means of which the storage pallets (8) can be transferred between a production-side position located towards the production device (2) and a storage-side position, wherein the storage pallets (8) are stored in the storage-side position on the pallet supports (14) of a pallet storage location (13) and define the storage height of a pallet storage location (13) as the clear vertical distance between two storage pallets (8) which are adjacent to each other in the storage-side position in the vertical direction or as the clear vertical distance between a storage pallet (8) and one of these in the vertical direction adjacent other boundary of the pallet storage area (13), characterized in that • that the pallet warehouse (10) is configurable by means of the storage pallets (8) in accordance with the production process carried out on the mechanical production device (2), wherein an existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) can be changed into a new configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) by changing the storage height of at least one pallet storage location (13) by changing the number of storage pallets (8) of the pallet warehouse (10) and • that a pallet storage (20) is provided, - to which storage pallets (8) can be transferred that are required for the existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) and that are not required for the new configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) and / or - from which storage pallets (8) held in the pallet storage (20) can be removed, which are required for the new configuration of the pallet storage (10) in addition to the storage pallets (8) required for the existing configuration of the pallet storage (10).

9. Mechanical production plant according to claim 8, characterized in that • that the storage pallets (8) are intended partly as raw part pallets for starting workpieces (6) and partly as product pallets (8) for processed products (5) and • that the raw part pallets and the product pallets are identical in construction.

10. Mechanical production plant according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that a mechanical pallet transport device (18, 19) is provided, by means of which - the storage pallets (8) required for the existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) and not required for the new configuration of the pallet warehouse (10) can be transferred to the pallet storage (20) and / or - which, for the reconfiguration of the pallet warehouse (10), in addition to the storage pallets (8) required for the existing configuration of the pallet warehouse (10), can be removed from the pallet storage (20) for provision for the production process.

11. Mechanical production plant according to claim 10, characterized in that • that the pallet storage (20) is arranged away from the storage frame (9) of the pallet storage (10) and • that the pallet transfer device (21) has a scaffold-side transfer unit (15) and a production-side transfer unit, - wherein, by means of the scaffold-side transfer unit (15) of the pallet transfer device (21), storage pallets (8) can be arranged in the storage scaffold (9) of the pallet warehouse (10) in the storage-side position or can be removed from the storage scaffold (9) of the pallet warehouse (10) and arranged in a transfer position outside the storage scaffold (9), - wherein storage pallets (8) can be transferred between the transfer position and the mechanical production device (2) by means of the production-side transfer unit of the pallet transfer device (21) and - wherein the production-side transfer unit of the pallet transfer device (21) forms the pallet transport device (18, 19).

12. Mechanical production plant according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that a programmable numerical control (22) is provided for the pallet transfer device (21) and / or for the pallet transport device (18, 19), by means of which the pallet transfer device (21) and / or the pallet transport device (18, 19) can be controlled to carry out the configuration of the pallet storage (10) tailored to the production process.

Images