Processing material moving device and pre-cut processing device

Abstract

To provide a processing material moving device and a pre-cut processing device that enable efficient production and shipping of a large number of processed materials.SOLUTION: A processing material moving device includes: loading means that can bring a plurality of processing materials to be processed by a processing machine into a state where the plurality of processing materials are arranged side by side on a horizontal side and a state where the plurality of processing materials are stacked in a plurality of stages on a vertical side, in a predetermined arrangement order in a predetermined accumulation area; and control means that determines whether, before the completion of loading of one or more processing materials onto a stage in the middle of loading, loading onto an upper stage of the stage is possible, and performs control so that loading onto the upper stage is also started, thereby causing a situation in which loading onto upper and lower two stages is in progress, if the loading onto the upper stage of the state is possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a workpiece moving device and a precutting device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a construction method has been adopted in which processed lumber (products) such as beams, columns, and shingles used in building structures such as houses are manufactured using wood processing equipment (precut processing equipment) at a precut factory, thereby eliminating the need for cutting at the construction site and efficiently manufacturing building structures. At the precut factory, processed lumber is manufactured by cutting sawn lumber using a processing machine. The sawn lumber and processed lumber are transported to the required location by a processed lumber transport device, and are finally stacked in multiple layers before being packaged with cable ties or the like. The packaged processed lumber is loaded onto the back of a truck or the like and shipped to the construction site (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6456543 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is still room for improvement in the configuration for efficiently manufacturing and shipping a large number of processed materials in a pre-cut factory.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a processed material moving device and a pre-cut processing device that enable a large number of processed materials to be efficiently manufactured and shipped. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To this end, the workpiece transfer device according to claim 1 comprises: A workpiece moving device equipped with a loading means capable of arranging a plurality of workpieces to be processed by a processing machine in a predetermined accumulation area in a predetermined arrangement order so that the workpieces are lined up in a plurality of rows on the horizontal side and stacked in a plurality of rows on the vertical side, Before completing loading of one or more processed materials on a tier, it is determined whether loading is possible on the tier above that tier, and if loading is possible on the tier above that tier, loading is also started on that tier, and a control means is provided to perform control so that a situation occurs in which loading is in progress on both the upper and lower tiers.

[0007] The workpiece moving device according to claim 2 is the workpiece moving device according to claim 1, The control means When determining whether loading is possible for the upper level, When processed materials are loaded onto the upper level, the system is configured to be able to determine that loading is possible if the processed materials to be loaded onto the upper level fit on the opposite side of one of the sides of the loaded processed materials located on the lower level that faces other processed materials scheduled to be loaded onto the lower level.

[0008] The pre-cut processing device according to claim 3 is A pre-cutting processing device comprising: a workpiece moving device according to claim 1 or 2; an input section into which workpieces before processing are input; and a processing machine capable of processing the workpieces input from the input section as the processing machine, When the loading means can load processed materials that were scheduled to be loaded on the upper level of a level where one or more processed materials are currently being loaded before the loading of that level is completed, the loading of the processed materials that were scheduled to be loaded on the upper level can be started, thereby creating a situation where loading is currently being performed on both the upper and lower levels. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The processed material moving device and pre-cutting device of the present invention have the effect of enabling a large number of processed materials to be efficiently manufactured and shipped. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] Plan view of the pre-cutting equipment [Figure 2] Flowchart showing packaging style determination process [Figure 3] 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which workpieces move from a conveying path to a stacking section of a loading device; FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the stacking section; and FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the stacking section when position change control is executed. [Figure 4] Flowchart showing transport processing [Figure 5] 1A is an explanatory diagram showing the process of the workpiece being moved along the conveying path until it stops moving; FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the workpiece has moved from the pre-movement position to the moving position on the conveying path; and FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the workpiece has moved from the moving position to the preparation position. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a schematic diagram of a wood chip collecting device that combines a conveying mechanism for conveying workpieces, a rotating mechanism for the workpieces, and a wood chip conveying mechanism, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process by which wood chips are discharged from the recessed portion of the workpiece by the rotation mechanism. (a) is the initial state when the workpiece is positioned on the conveying path, (b) is the state when the workpiece is in the middle of being turned over, and (c) is the state when the workpiece has completed being turned over. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a precut processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention, showing the precut processing apparatus 10 in a plan view. Note that electrical wiring connecting a processing machine 13 and a control device 15 is omitted in FIG. 1 . The direction of the arrows indicates the direction of travel of the input material (raw material) and the processed material, and different types of arrows facilitate understanding of the functional parts. Specifically, open arrows indicate the input position (input section 21) of the input material into the precut processing apparatus 10 and the output position (output section 22) of the processed material and input material from the precut processing apparatus 10. Black dots indicate branching points where the movement directions of the input material and processed material branch into multiple directions. Black arrows indicate the main direction of travel of the processed material, and hatched arrows indicate the portion of the processed material transported in the width direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the processed material. In addition, the processing machine 13 that processes the input material and processed material and the location of the input device 11 are shown with thick solid lines, the conveying device 14 that transports the input material and processed material and the control device 15 are shown with thin solid lines, and the loading and packaging section 23 and wood chip processing section 24, which are characteristic functional sections, are shown with thick dotted lines.

[0012] The precut processing device 10 processes materials (products) such as pillars, beams, cross members, and shingles used in housing, and is equipped with an input device 11, a printing device 12, a processing machine 13, a conveying device 14, and a control device 15. The control device 15 controls the operation of the conveying device 14 to convey the input materials and processed materials along a path (conveyance path) formed by the conveying device 14. The input materials input into the input section 21 are conveyed by the conveying device 14 to the printing device 12 and the processing machine 13. The control device 15 also controls the printing device 12 and the processing machine 13 to perform the necessary processing on the input materials to turn them into processed materials as products, and to print the necessary characters on the processed materials using the printing device 12. The control device 15 controls the operation of the conveying device 14 to discharge the completed processed materials from a discharge section 22 appropriate for each processed material. In the following, the configurations of the input unit 21, the processing machine 13, and the discharge unit 22 will be described in order, and then the characteristic configurations will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

[0013] The input section 21 is a section where input materials are input before being processed into workpieces. It is located on the most upstream side of the conveying path (lower right side in FIG. 1 ) of the precut processing device 10, corresponding to the most upstream portion. Separate from the input section 21, an input section 25 is located midway along the conveying path (upper left side in FIG. 1 ), where input materials to be processed by the special processing machine 13d can be input. The input sections 21 and 25 are each equipped with a conveying mechanism 14b that supports the underside of the input material and moves it in the conveying direction. The input sections 21 and 25 are configured so that the operator can input the input materials by arranging them so that their longitudinal directions are perpendicular to the conveying direction in the order in which they will be processed. It is not necessary to provide a separate input section 25 from the input section 21; there may be only one input section 21, or three or more input sections may be provided, such as an input section near another processing machine 13, such as the short-material-only machine 13e.

[0014] The input unit 21 is provided with an output device (not shown) that outputs the input order of the materials to be input. The output device outputs and displays to the worker information regarding input, such as the size and type of material, the number of inputs, and the input order (hereinafter referred to as "input information"), allowing the worker to input the appropriate type of material into the input unit 21 in the appropriate number and order based on the input information. The output device of the input unit 21 may be a display device that displays the input information using text and graphics on a display screen capable of displaying images, a printer that prints and outputs the input information on paper, or an information transmission device that wirelessly transmits the input information to a mobile device such as a mobile phone or smartphone carried by the worker, allowing the worker to check the input information. The output device may also be configured by combining multiple of the above devices. The output device may also be configured using the control device 15, for example, a personal computer that constitutes the control device 15.

[0015] The input section 21 is provided with an input device 11 that processes the input material. The input device 11 includes a measuring device capable of measuring the amount of warpage of the input material and an input material rotation mechanism capable of rotating the input material around the longitudinal direction of the input material, and is configured so that the input direction of the input material can be changed by the control device 15. If the measuring device of the input device 11 detects warpage of a certain amount or more, the direction of the warpage is changed depending on the part where the workpiece is used (the type of workpiece). For example, when the workpiece is placed with its lower portion supported by a foundation, such as a foundation, the input material is oriented so that the warped center portion is located at the bottom during construction and is transported in a direction that positions the warped center portion higher at the top when input into the processing machine 13. Furthermore, when the workpiece is placed with both ends supported by other workpieces, such as a beam girder, the input material is oriented so that the warped center portion is located at the top during construction and is transported in a direction that positions the warped center portion at the bottom when input into the processing machine 13.

[0016] Here, the direction in which the input material is fed into the processing machine 13 is preferably such that the bottom surface on which the input material is supported (for example, the surface supported by the rotating rollers for transport) becomes the reference surface that faces upward during construction at the construction site. In this way, by printing on the bottom surface, which does not fluctuate in height position, using the printing device 12, the printing position does not fluctuate even if the material composition fluctuates, and the printing can be easily confirmed during construction.

[0017] In addition, when the cross-sectional shape of the input material is rectangular rather than square, it is also possible to perform a warping assessment at least in the vertical direction (direction of material composition) of processed materials such as cross beams arranged horizontally, and determine the direction in which the input material will be input.

[0018] The charging device 11 is also provided with a lifting mechanism that lifts the rectangular cross-sectionally shaped input material so that its long side faces up. The lifting mechanism may, for example, lift the input material by placing it on an L-shaped section spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and rotating it 90 degrees. Alternatively, the lifting mechanism may include a conveyor that can lower a portion of the transport mechanism 14b by a distance equal to the width of the input material's cross-sectional shape. The conveyor may be lowered while a portion of the input material is still on the conveyor, gradually rotating the input material as it is loaded onto the conveyor. By configuring the input material to be transported to the processing machine 13 after being lifted by the lifting mechanism, the required path width in plan view can be reduced, even when processing workpieces with significantly varying composition. This allows for the narrow conveying device 14 to transport workpieces of various sizes. This allows for greater flexibility in layout, such as installing multiple processing machines 13 in a limited factory space.

[0019] Incidentally, the feeding section 21 may be provided with a feeding device capable of identifying the various types of materials and selecting and feeding materials corresponding to the feeding order, so that the materials are selected and fed by the feeding device capable of moving the materials rather than by human power. For example, individual information (e.g., a barcode or QR code (registered trademark)) recording the cross-sectional shape, length, material, etc. may be attached to the materials as an identification sticker, and the information on the identification sticker may be acquired by a multifunctional robot equipped with a suction pad and a camera at the tip of an arm movable in three dimensions, so that the materials are selected and fed into the precut processing device 10, and this multifunctional robot may be controlled by the control device 15 to operate based on the individual information of the materials.

[0020] It is also preferable to provide an identification function near the input section 21 that identifies whether the input material input from the input section 21 is correct. For example, the processing machine 13 that performs the first processing of the input material input from the input section 21 may be provided with at least one of a length detection mechanism that detects the length of the input material and a cross-section detection mechanism that detects the cross-sectional size (for example, the lengths in two orthogonal directions, specifically, the vertical length (lumber width) and the horizontal length (lumber width)), thereby adding an identification function that identifies whether the input material is suitable for the processing sequence of the processing machine 13 using the control device 15. In this embodiment, if the input material input from the input section 21 is correct, the cutting machine 13a performs the first length-changing cutting process, and if the input material is incorrect, the cutting machine 13a does not perform the cutting process, and a process to respond to an abnormal situation is carried out.

[0021] For example, if the input materials are input in the wrong order, the control device 15 may be provided with a control to stop the progress of the subsequent input materials from the input section 21 and temporarily stop the cutting machine 13a so that the incorrect input materials are not processed. Alternatively, if the input materials are input in the wrong order but the next input material is input first, or if the input material is scheduled to be input as the subsequent input material, the control device 15 may be provided with a control to change the processing order, thereby changing the order of the processed materials.

[0022] Furthermore, the detection mechanism constituting the identification function may be configured to be at least partially installed in a parallel section of the processing machines 13 where multiple processing machines 13 of the same type are arranged in parallel (for example, a section where four end processing machines 13c are arranged in parallel), and for example, the length confirmation of the material height may be performed in the parallel section. In this case, the detection mechanism can share the burden of time-consuming processes by enabling parallel processing, making it easier to produce a large amount of processed material in a short period of time. Furthermore, the detection mechanism constituting the identification function may perform length detection of at least one of the items, such as material height, in two or more locations, and perform multiple identifications of the correctness of a single processed material.

[0023] The processing machines 13 are devices that process input materials and partially processed processed materials, and in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the pre-cut processing device 10 is configured using five types of processing machines 13. The five types of processing machines 13 include a cutting processing machine 13a, a side processing machine 13b, an end processing machine 13c, a special processing machine 13d, and a machine dedicated to short materials 13e.

[0024] The cutting machine 13a is a model capable of cutting the length of the input material in a shorter length direction, and is configured by a device using a blade such as a circular saw that can change its length. In this embodiment, the cutting machine 13a is installed at the most upstream location, closest to the input section 21, among the multiple processing machines 13 installed, and the cutting machine 13a is the first to cut the input material whose length has been confirmed by the identification function. The provision of the cutting machine 13a reduces the generation of large remnants of material individually after cutting in the side processing machine 13b located downstream, and allows the large remnants to be discharged together in the discharge section 22 (unprocessed material discharge section 22c) close to the cutting machine 13a.

[0025] The side processing machine 13b is a model capable of drilling recessed holes (for example, mortises) on the four sides (top, bottom, left, and right) of the workpiece, and forming through holes that penetrate from one side to the other, and is composed of devices using cutting tools such as drills, chisels, cutters, etc. The end processing machine 13c is a model capable of forming tenons and joints on both ends of the workpiece in the longitudinal direction, and is composed of devices using cutting tools such as drills and cutters.

[0026] The special processing machine 13d is a model capable of performing various processes on workpieces, such as an articulated robot with more than 10 types of interchangeable cutting tools, such as drills and cutters, attached to its tip, allowing it to process workpieces from any direction: front, back, top, bottom, left, or right. Workpieces are transported to the special processing machine 13d for special processing that is only required for certain workpieces (e.g., climbing beams, narrow slits, large openings that are rarely used, etc.). Installing the special processing machine 13d eliminates the need to add various functions to the other side processing machines 13b and 13c, thereby reducing the overall cost of the precut processing device 10 and providing a precut processing device 10 that can handle a variety of processes.

[0027] The short-length workpiece dedicated machine 13e is a model used when producing workpieces of a certain length or less, and is configured as a device capable of producing short-length workpieces by, for example, setting a short clamping interval for the workpiece. By providing the short-length workpiece dedicated machine 13e, the other side processing machines 13b and end processing machines 13c can be limited to producing only workpieces exceeding a certain length, thereby reducing production costs. Furthermore, by installing the short-length workpiece dedicated machine 13e at the most downstream position, far from the input section 21, the conveying device 14 can also handle workpieces exceeding a certain length, thereby reducing the cost of the conveying device 14. This reduces the overall cost of the precutting device 10 and provides a precutting device 10 that can produce workpieces of very short lengths.

[0028] Here, the types and number of the processing machines 13 described above are merely examples, and the types and number of the processing machines 13 may be determined depending on the size of the factory and the types and quantities of workpieces planned to be manufactured. For this reason, some of the types of processing machines described above may be omitted to set the number of types of processing machines to four or less, or other types may be added to configure the precut processing device 10 using six or more types of processing machines. For example, the precut processing device 10 may be configured by adding a pin driver as a processing machine that drives pins into workpieces to attach hardware (metal parts) that enable them to be joined to other workpieces.

[0029] The number of side processing machines 13b and end processing machines 13c to be installed is determined according to the type and quantity of processed materials planned to be manufactured. Specifically, in this example, a plurality of side processing machines 13b and end processing machines 13c are installed as processing machines 13 of the same type so that the number of machines installed reduces the waiting time for processing at each processing machine 13. Although the number of side processing machines 13b and end processing machines 13c is illustrated as a combination of four and three, other numbers may be used. Furthermore, while the example illustrates a case where there is one special processing machine 13d and one short material-only machine 13e, either or both may be set to two or more, or other numbers may be used.

[0030] Also, the example shows a case where a plurality of the same type of processing machines 13 are arranged in parallel on a path, and processing of input material can be performed by any of the side processing machines 13b and any of the end processing machines 13c. Note that the same type of processing machines 13 do not necessarily have to be arranged in parallel, and the configuration may include at least a portion where the same type of processing machines 13 are arranged in series, or may include a portion where all of the same type of processing machines 13 are arranged in series.

[0031] In addition, the short-length material dedicated machine 13e is illustrated as having a side processing machine 13b, an end processing machine 13c, and a special processing machine 13d located upstream near the input section 21. Therefore, even when using the short-length material dedicated machine 13e to manufacture short materials shorter than a certain length (e.g., 720 mm or less), it is preferable to use the side processing machine 13b located upstream to process some of the sides, or the end processing machine 13c to process one side of a material corresponding to the end of the material. This allows the short-length material dedicated machine 13e to be configured to receive processed materials that have only partially undergone the necessary processing (hereinafter also referred to as "intermediately processed materials"). This allows the processing required for short-length material production to be performed by utilizing the waiting time of the side processing machines 13b and end processing machines 13c, which are arranged in parallel. This makes it easier to install a small number of short-length material dedicated machines 13e, such as one.

[0032] It is preferable that the workpieces reaching the short-length material-dedicated machine 13e be transported at a length sufficiently longer than the actual length of the short material (e.g., a length exceeding 720 mm). To achieve a longer length, excess material may be combined with the workpiece to be produced. Alternatively, the control device 15 may determine the processing order of the workpieces and the allocation of the workpieces to the input materials so that multiple workpieces to be produced are transported to the short-length material-dedicated machine 13e as a single connected workpiece, which is then cut by the short-length material-dedicated machine 13e to produce multiple workpieces. For example, the control device 15 may be configured to transport an intermediate workpiece equivalent to the length of two connected workpieces to the short-length material-dedicated machine 13e, with the end processing machine 13c processing both ends of the intermediate workpiece, and the short-length material-dedicated machine 13e processing only the end portion located in the center and the end portion that will be cut.

[0033] Furthermore, in the processing machine 13, it is preferable that the vise mechanism that clamps the input material or workpiece from both sides in the horizontal direction be equipped with detection sensors that detect whether the movable parts on both sides of the workpiece are positioned in their initial positions before clamping, allowing the control device 15 to detect when either of the movable parts has not reached its initial position. This makes it easier to avoid situations where the movable parts of the vise mechanism begin clamping the workpiece when they are not positioned in their initial positions, resulting in a misalignment of the center position of the workpiece and preventing high-precision processing. For example, in the processing machine 13 that performs cutting, wood chips may remain on the side of the vise mechanism's movable part as it moves to its initial position. In this case, constantly detecting the position of the vise mechanism's movable part would likely require expensive detection sensors and complicate the control of the control device 15. In contrast, adding a detection sensor that detects when the movable part is positioned in its initial position would minimize the cost increase required for detecting the movable part, while enabling the vise mechanism to operate correctly from its initial position, making it easier to achieve high-precision processing.

[0034] The conveying device 14 is a device that conveys input materials and materials in the middle of processing to a processing position where they can be processed by the processing machine 13, and conveys (moves) processed materials that have been cut to a discharge position such as a discharge section. The conveying device 14 is equipped with a conveying table made up of many rotating rollers, clamps that hold the input materials and processed materials placed on the conveying table, and drive rollers and motors (not shown) that move the input materials and processed materials. The input materials are conveyed to the location where they should be processed by the processing machine 13, and the processed materials that have completed processing are conveyed (moved) by the conveying device 14 to a discharge section 22 appropriate for each processed material.

[0035] The conveying device 14 is configured by combining multiple mechanisms, specifically, a combination of multiple conveying mechanisms 14a that convey input materials, processed materials, and materials in the middle of processing (hereinafter also referred to as "input materials, etc.") along the longitudinal direction of the input materials, a conveying mechanism 14b that conveys input materials, etc. in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the input materials, etc., and three loading devices 14c that stack the processed materials in multiple layers so that they can be packaged (see Figure 3(b)). Note that the conveying device 14 does not necessarily have to be configured with all of the conveying mechanisms 14a, 14b and loading devices 14c; some components (e.g., part of the loading device 14c) may be omitted, or the conveying device 14 may be configured by combining other types of conveying mechanisms, such as a conveying mechanism that sorts and places processed materials on multiple part placement sections.

[0036] The discharge section 22 is a section that discharges input materials and processed materials discharged from the precut processing device 10. The discharge section 22 includes product discharge sections 22a and 22b that discharge processed materials that have been processed as products, unprocessed material discharge section 22c that discharges input materials that have been input but determined to be discharged unprocessed and remaining materials after cutting, shortened material discharge section 22d that discharges processed materials that have been shortened in length, special processed material discharge section 22e that discharges processed materials processed by special processing machine 13d, and short material discharge section 22f that discharges processed materials (short materials) processed by short material dedicated machine 13e. The product discharge sections 22a and 22b include individual product discharge section 22a that discharges processed materials one by one in sequence, and packaged product discharge section 22b that discharges multiple processed materials in a packageable state (packageable state). Many of the discharge sections 22 that discharge processed materials one by one are provided with a conveying mechanism 14b, and the processed materials are placed on a conveying table in a state where multiple processed materials are lined up in the width direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction, so that workers can manually transport the processed materials they need.

[0037] As the packed product discharge sections 22b, three packed product discharge sections 22b1 to 22b3 are provided corresponding to the three loading devices 14c, respectively. Note that it is not necessary to provide all of these various types of discharge sections 22; some may be omitted, or other types of discharge sections may be further provided, and the number of each discharge section 22 is not limited to the above, and a different number may be set. Furthermore, in this embodiment, loading devices 14c may be provided in at least some of the discharge sections 22 that are not provided with loading devices 14c, or at least some of the loading devices 14c of the discharge sections 22 that are provided with loading devices 14c may be omitted.

[0038] At branch points P1 to P9, the control device 15 determines to which of the branch destinations the processed material will be transported, and controls the transport of the processed material to the appropriate destination. Specifically, at branch points P1 and P2, it is determined whether the input material or the processed material after cutting is a material necessary for manufacturing the product, and the necessary material is advanced to the side of side processing machine 13b, while the input material, processed material, and remaining material that need to be discharged are controlled to be transported to the unprocessed material etc. discharge section 22c or shortened material discharge section 22d.

[0039] Two branch points P3 and P4 are provided at each location, and control is performed to select and transport the necessary input materials and processed materials to the multiple parallel processing machines 13. At branch point P5, control is performed to transport the processed materials by selecting whether to transport them to the special processing machine 13d side or to the downstream side where loading device 14c and the like are provided without passing through special processing machine 13d.

[0040] At branch point P6, control is exercised to select whether the processed material processed by the special processing machine 13d is discharged from the special processed material discharge section 22e or transported downstream where the loading device 14c and the like are provided. At branch point P7, control is exercised to select whether the processed material is transported to the short material dedicated machine 13e side or to the side where the loading device 14c and the like are provided. At branch point P8, control is exercised to select whether the processed material is discharged to the individual product discharge section 22a or transported downstream where the loading device 14c is provided, and at branch point P9, control is exercised to select which loading device 14c the processed material is transported to and transport the processed material to the appropriate destination.

[0041] The control device 15 is configured using, for example, a personal computer and is equipped with a processing unit that performs various calculations, a storage device that stores various programs and drive control information and stores information necessary for executing the programs, an input / output device that transfers data with the processing machine 13 and the transport device 14 as external devices, operation devices such as a mouse and keyboard that allow the worker to input the processing order of the material to be processed, and a display device that displays progress information such as the processing order and processing results of the material. Processing data (pre-cut processing data) required to process the material to be processed is input to the control device 15 by part of the input / output device (for example, a device that can read data from an external storage device as a storage medium), and the operation of the processing machine 13, transport device 14, etc. is controlled based on the input wood processing data.

[0042] Next, the function of loading and packing processed materials in the loading and packing section 23 will be described. In the precut processing apparatus 10, loading and packing is performed in the loading and packing section 23, whereby a plurality of processed materials are stacked in multiple layers in a state that makes packing easy. The loading and packing is a function realized by combining the control device 15 and the conveying device 14 (loading device 14c) of the precut processing apparatus 10. Below, an example of loading and packing control by the control device 15 that reduces the burden on the worker and enables packing will be described with reference to FIG. 1, and then specific control will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0043] The loading device 14c is a device that prepares multiple workpieces for packaging in the packaged product discharge section 22b, and is configured by a device that can stack one workpiece on top of another. For example, the loading device 14c is configured using a mechanism that contacts the upper surface of the workpiece while generating negative pressure on the lower surface of a suction pad 34 (see FIG. 3(a)), which is movable horizontally and vertically, and can lift and move the workpiece. Note that the loading device 14c does not necessarily have to use a mechanism that lifts and moves the workpiece upward. Instead, or in addition, the loading device 14c may be configured by a mechanism that can move the height position of the lower workpiece downward and horizontally move and stack the workpiece toward a height position corresponding to the upper level.

[0044] In addition, multiple loading devices 14c are arranged in a row along the path of movement of the processed material by the conveying device 14. Each loading device 14c can stack a group of processed material equivalent to one package in multiple locations. In this embodiment, it is configured to be able to generate three packages in parallel at three locations. In this embodiment, the processing machine 13 has multiple paths, such as multiple parallel paths, a path that passes through the special processing machine 13d, and a path that does not pass through the special processing machine 13d, and the order in which the input materials are fed and the order in which the finished processed materials are discharged may be reversed. Furthermore, there is a possibility that multiple types of processed material, such as those with different cross-sectional shapes or materials, may be processed simultaneously. In such a situation, by configuring the precut processing device 10 to generate packages in multiple locations, it becomes easier to operate the precut processing device 10 continuously and efficiently produce large quantities of processed material.

[0045] The setting of packing multiple processed materials into two or more packages can be realized by inputting packing setting information into the control program of the control device 15. In this embodiment, the conditions for separating the packages are set such that the packages are generated based on the length of one side of the square or rectangular cross section of the input material (material width), and that when there are a certain amount or more of short processed materials that are less than a certain length, the short processed materials are grouped together into one or more packages.

[0046] As a specific mode of packaging, the state in which which processed materials are placed on each tier (hereinafter also referred to as "packaging style") may be set one by one by an operator, but it is preferable that candidate packaging styles be selected by the control program of the control device 15. Below, a preferred setting example for the control device 15 to determine candidate packaging styles will first be described.

[0047] To determine the packaging style, processed materials are first separated into those that are eligible for packaging and those that are not, and a packaging style is selected for the processed materials that are eligible for packaging. Examples of processed materials that are not eligible for packaging include processed materials that are less than a certain length (e.g., less than 720 millimeters) (e.g., joists and rafters that support floor joists), processed materials that are longer than a certain length (e.g., longer than 4 meters), processed materials (decorative materials) whose surface scratches affect their marketability, and processed materials that require post-processing, such as the need to attach metal parts to joints for metalworking. Some processed materials are not eligible for packaging and are discharged to the individual product discharge section 22a. This makes it easier to limit the processed materials eligible for packaging to those that are easy to package and to determine candidate packaging styles. The criteria for excluding processed materials from packaging are not limited to those described above, and other criteria may be set instead of or in addition to these. For example, conditions may be set to exclude processed materials processed by special processing machine 13d from packaging.

[0048] The control device 15 has a packaging control function, and by loading processing data for a single architectural structure (building), it determines a group into which processed materials to be stacked in the same package will be grouped, and classifies all processed materials into one of multiple groups. Each group contains materials with common processing content and conditions. For example, materials with a uniform width are grouped together. Here, it is preferable that each group also contains materials that are not subject to packaging as described above. This makes it easier for processed materials set as a common group to include a large number of processed materials with different lengths, making it easier to allocate multiple processed materials with high yields from a single input material, thereby enabling efficient production of processed materials.

[0049] The grouping condition preferably requires that all lumber to be loaded into the same package be grouped together. For example, if lumber with a uniform width are grouped together, lumber of different types may also be grouped together. For example, lumber of different types (sills, joists, beams, purlins, etc.) may be grouped together in one group, or lumber of different input wood species (e.g., Douglas fir, Dry Beam®, laminated lumber) may be grouped together in one group, or lumber from different floors in a two-story or higher building may be grouped together in one group. In this way, when lumber meets the condition for belonging to a group (e.g., lumber width), grouping lumber of different types (e.g., floors) into a single group increases the number of lumber belonging to a single group, enabling greater packaging flexibility and higher processing yields. Note that other conditions than those mentioned above may be set as necessary conditions for belonging to a single group, or two or more conditions may be set to form a group. It is also preferable that the operator can select conditions belonging to one group by performing an input operation on the control device 15.

[0050] When the control device 15 classifies the materials to be processed for one building into groups, it displays a screen for accepting reservation operations to the worker, and allows the worker to reserve the order in which the groups will be processed. Note that the order in which the groups will be processed does not necessarily have to be selected by a selection operation, and the control device 15 may be configured to display a processing order pre-selected by the control device 15, allowing processing to begin in that order, and accepting a change operation if a different order is desired.

[0051] When a reservation for processing a group is accepted, the control device 15 selects a packaging style from the processed materials belonging to the group, excluding those that are not to be packaged. The following conditions are preferably used to select the packaging style.

[0052] The packing style is determined so that priority is given to the position that results in the most efficient loading order (arrangement order) of processed materials when they are processed consecutively. The loading order is based on the principle that processed materials are lined up horizontally starting from one side of the lowest tier, and then new processed materials are lined up on the tier (upper tier) above the previously lined processed materials. The packing style is also determined so that materials are arranged in close positions on the same tier, and if they cannot be arranged on the same tier, materials are arranged in the adjacent upper or lower tier in the closest loading order. Examples of processed materials that are efficient when processed consecutively include materials that have a common raw material and materials that have a common cross-sectional size (width and height) of the input materials.

[0053] In addition, the packing style is determined so that longer processed materials are placed lower than shorter ones. Also, when there are multiple beams or girders made of the same material, the packing style is determined so that beams or girders on the same floor are easily placed in close positions.

[0054] In determining the packaging style, it is preferable to estimate the number of packages in advance based on the processed materials belonging to one group, and select the packaging style for the estimated number of packages. For example, the number of packages can be estimated based on the length, cross-sectional shape, and number of processed materials. By estimating the number of packages in advance, it is easier to reliably place long processed materials on the bottom tier, making it easier to create packages that are stable when moved. For example, if it seems necessary to use three packages, it is preferable to select the long processed materials to be placed on the bottom tier of the three packages in advance, and then place the processed materials located above them in order to determine the packaging style.

[0055] Furthermore, when determining the packaging style, if multiple packages can be created using only one material width (package height) dimension in a group, it is preferable to configure one group using material widths of one dimension. Even if the material composition varies, determining the packaging style so that the material composition is horizontal and the processed materials are stacked can maintain a consistent material width in the height direction. This makes it easier to create packages that are less likely to tilt, and even if the processed materials are rearranged to different tiers, height fluctuations can be prevented, making it easier to create stable packages. Note that it is not necessary to limit the material width to one per group; control may also be included to allow two or more material widths to belong to one group. In this case, it is preferable to form each tier (tiers of the same height) using processed materials of the same width, and to place processed materials of different widths on different tiers.

[0056] Furthermore, when determining the packaging style, the control device 15 may be configured to include control to generate one or more short packages that combine only short processed materials if there are a certain number or more processed materials in a group that are shorter than a certain length. For example, if there are a certain number or more processed materials with lengths between 720 mm and 1799 mm, short packages may be generated first, and a package with a large number of long processed materials (long packages) may be generated using the remaining processed materials. In other words, it may be possible to generate only long packages that combine long and short processed materials regardless of length, but by including short packages, short processed materials can be combined into short packages, and the remaining processed materials can be made into more stable packages by using a larger number of longer ones. Furthermore, reducing the degree of freedom in packaging makes it easier to determine the packaging style in a short time.

[0057] Furthermore, when generating multiple packages, including necessarily short packages, control may be performed to generate packages by prioritizing long packages rather than short packages, or control may be performed to prioritize generating long packages (normal package control), including control to prioritize arranging long processed materials and placing short processed materials that meet the conditions for short packages in gaps, and control to generate short packages when short packages can be generated with the remaining processed materials. Also, control may be performed that includes generating long packages before and after generating one or more short packages, or control may be performed that includes generating short packages before and after generating one or more long packages.

[0058] Furthermore, when determining the packaging style, it is preferable to configure the control device 15 so that it includes a control to select the length of the processed material and determine the packaging style so that the processed material placed at both ends at a height position of the second or higher tier, which corresponds to the height above the lowest tier, is located at a position where it will come into contact with the band that binds the package from the outside. In this case, if the processed material is located at a position where the band will be placed, the packaging style may be determined so that two processed materials are lined up lengthwise.

[0059] Furthermore, when determining the packaging style, it is preferable to configure the control device 15 so that it includes a control to prioritize the placement of processed materials that can be manufactured with the remaining material from the first tier on the second tier, which corresponds to the tier above the bottom tier, in order to reduce the number of situations where temporary storage is required. Also, it is preferable to configure the control device 15 so that it includes a control to prioritize the placement of short processed materials on the top tier, in order to simplify the control to determine the packaging style and facilitate stable packaging.

[0060] Furthermore, it is preferable that the width of one package be a width that can easily fit into the bed of a truck. For example, since the width of a 4-ton truck is about 2 meters, the control device 15 may include a control to generate a package with a length of about 1 meter (for example, 960 mm) so that two packages are lined up, or the control device 15 may be configured to include a control that allows the width of the package to be selected and input.

[0061] Furthermore, when multiple packages can be made by one group, if the height of any of the packages is less than a certain height (for example, a certain percentage (for example, 50%) of the upper limit height (for example, 960 mm)), the control device 15 may be configured to include control to reduce the processed materials set for the other packages to make the package heights closer to uniform. Also, the control device 15 may be configured to allow a smaller number of processed materials for the last package, and to include control to count a package as one even if it uses a smaller number of processed materials.

[0062] In addition, if some processed materials are ultimately discharged separately because they could not be packaged, it is preferable to add an output function to the precut processing device 10 that outputs information (individual discharge information) corresponding to the situation in which a package could not be created. For example, the display screen of the control device 15 may display individual discharge information such as "There are three remaining processed materials that could not be packaged due to an insufficient number of processed materials." The remaining processed materials may be made visible, or the reason why a package could not be created may be output as individual discharge information. Examples of reasons for package failure include outputting a reason based on the number of processed materials, such as "The number of remaining processed materials does not meet the minimum number of packages (e.g., 5)," or outputting a reason based on the number of layers, such as "The number of layers does not meet the minimum number of layers (e.g., 1.7 layers, i.e., the first layer is entirely filled with processed materials and the second layer is 70% filled with processed materials)."

[0063] Once the packaging style is determined by the control device 15, the processing order is determined so that processed materials are produced from the bottom of the packaging style in order to the top. When determining this processing order, it is preferable to determine the processing order by including in the control device 15 a control that enables processing with a high yield by producing multiple processed materials from a single input material. This processing order may be the same as the order in which the packaging style was determined, but the control device 15 may also be configured to include control that causes the processing order to differ from the order in which the packaging style was determined, such as by prioritizing processing long packages even when the packaging style was determined with short packages being prioritized.

[0064] In this embodiment, three loading devices 14c are provided, enabling short and long packages to be produced in parallel. Therefore, even if a long processed material and a short processed material are produced from a single input material, the two processed materials can be simultaneously transported to two loading devices 14c that produce two packages, enabling separate packages to be produced. This reduces the temporary storage time and facilitates high-yield processing.

[0065] When the processing order of the workpieces is determined by the control device 15, the order in which the input materials are fed is also determined. This determines the type and quantity of input materials for each group, and enables the operator to be instructed on the input materials to be fed into the feeding section 21, so that the workpieces can be processed in the order in which they were fed.

[0066] If the processing of some processed materials is significantly delayed during the processing of the processed materials after the packaging has been determined, it may be impossible to arrange all the processed materials that were supposed to be arranged in order, and the creation of the package may not progress. In this case, the processed materials are temporarily placed in the temporary storage area 32 set in each loading device 14c, but there is a possibility that the temporary storage area 32 will also become full. It is preferable to provide the control device 15 with a control to reduce the possibility of this situation occurring. For example, to reduce the possibility of the temporary storage area 32 becoming full, if there is another processed material (pre-completed processed material) that was completed before the processed material scheduled to be loaded (the processed material to be loaded), the pre-completed processed material may be placed in the planned placement position of the processed material to be loaded (arrangement change control).

[0067] The placement change control may involve comparing the processed materials to be loaded with the previously completed processed materials and swapping their placement positions if conditions for swapping their placement positions are met (e.g., the difference in length and cross-sectional shape must be within a certain range). Alternatively, or in addition, the placement change control may involve re-determining (re-determining) the package style including the placement positions of the processed materials to be loaded, the previously completed processed materials, and the other processed materials. This placement change control may be performed every time the previously completed processed materials are completed before the processed materials to be loaded and are ready for loading. Alternatively, the control may proceed in the order of temporary placement in the temporary storage area 32 when a change in placement position through re-determination is not possible. In this case, the number of processed materials temporarily stored in the temporary storage area 32 can be reduced, and the temporary storage area 32 can be used for processed materials to be placed at both ends of the package or for processed materials with an absolute desired placement location.

[0068] In addition, as a control for when the temporary storage area becomes full, the control device 15 may be configured to determine the remaining space in the temporary storage area 32 upstream of the location where the loading device 14c is installed, separate from the loading device 14c, and to exclude the item from being packed without allowing it to proceed to the loading device 14c side.

[0069] In the precut processing apparatus 10 of this embodiment, a determination is made at the branch point P8 as to whether the processed material can proceed toward the loading device 14c. The processed material is advanced from the branch point P8 toward the loading device 14c only if the circumstances permit. On the other hand, if the processed material cannot be placed in the temporary storage area 32 even when advanced toward the loading device 14c, the control device 15 advances the processed material toward the individual product discharge area 22a, removes the processed material from the packaging target, and re-determines the packaging style to create a package using the remaining processed material. This allows the processing of the upstream processing machine 13 to be performed at its maximum capacity without delaying the processing, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency of the precut processing apparatus 10. The process of determining the direction of travel at the branch point P8 does not necessarily have to be performed after the branch point P8 is reached; the process of determining the direction of travel may be performed upstream of the branch point P8.

[0070] Next, the process of determining the packaging style (packaging style determination process) in the precut processing device 10 will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the packaging style determination process executed by the control device 15. The control device 15 is configured by a personal computer installed in the precut factory, and the packaging style determination process is stored in the control device 15 as part of a program.

[0071] The packaging style determination process is executed when a worker reserves a group of materials to be processed after the materials for a building have been sorted into groups. The packaging style determination process selects a packaging style suitable for the precut processing device 10, whose operation is controlled by the control device 15, after basic specifications for the precut processing device 10, such as the number of loading devices 14c and the size of the packages, have been input. In this embodiment, three loading devices 14c are provided, allowing three packages to be created simultaneously, enabling efficient use of the three loading devices 14c. Of the three loading devices 14c, the loading device 14c located upstream (packaged product discharge unit 22b1) is used preferentially. If the upstream loading device 14c is unavailable, the loading device 14c to be used is preferably selected in the order of the downstream loading devices 14c (packaged product discharge units 22b2, 22b3). This shortens the length of the transport path and enables packaging to be completed in a short time.

[0072] When the packaging style determination process begins, short-length products (processed materials) that can be used as short packages are extracted from the group to be processed (S11). Here, the processed materials that have been processed are transported to the construction site as products to be used in the construction of a building, and the processed materials that are transported to the loading device 14c as finished products are usable as products. Note that the processed materials that have been processed do not have to be limited to processed materials that are finished products that do not require any post-processing at the construction site, but may also include products that require post-processing at the construction site.

[0073] After the process of S11, it is determined whether short packages can be created using the extracted products (S12), and if it is determined that short packages can be created (S12: Y), the placement positions of the products determined to be able to create short packages are determined (S13). By the process of S13, the placement order is determined, numbered from one end of the bottom row according to the placement positions.

[0074] For the products whose placement order has been determined by the process of S13, packaging information and placement data are set (S14). The packaging information is information for associating the location where packaging will be performed with the processing data of the parts that will be precut as processed materials, and is composed of, for example, the name of the group to be processed and the number of the package within the group. Specifically, the group name is given as "material width 100", and the package number is given as "material width 100-1 / 3", which is a combination of "3", which corresponds to the total number of packages that make up the group, and "1", which corresponds to the number within that package.

[0075] The placement data is data that can identify the position where the product is placed within one package. For example, the placement data can be data that combines values ​​that represent height, such as "1" for the bottom row, "2" and "3" in succession, with alphabets such as "a" and "b" as placement numbers for each height, starting from the edge of the package (for example, "1b" or "3c") (see Figure 3(b)).

[0076] By associating the packaging information and placement data with the product through the process of S14, the control device 15 can identify to which loading device 14c the processed product needs to be transported. This allows the control device 15 to control the transport device 14 to transport the product to a destination suitable for generating packaging.

[0077] In the process of S15, it is determined whether another short package can be generated from the remaining products, excluding the products whose placement positions have been determined by the processes of S13 and S14, among the products extracted in the process of S11 (S15), and if another short package can be generated (S15: Y), the process from S13 is repeated again to execute control to generate another short package.

[0078] If it is determined in the process of S12 that a short package cannot be created with the extracted product (S12: N), or if it is determined in the process of S15 that another short package cannot be created (S15: N), the process proceeds to the process of S21. The determination of when a short package cannot be created can be set in advance in the control device 15 as a condition for not creating a package, and for example, this can be exemplified by a case where the extracted product does not satisfy a condition based on a threshold set as the minimum number of packages or the minimum number of layers (for example, 5 or less, 2 or less layers, etc.).

[0079] In the process of S21, it is determined whether a long package can be created from a product for which packaging information has not yet been set from the group to be processed (S21), and if it is determined that a long package can be created (S21: Y), the placement position of the product determined to be able to create a long package is determined (S22), and the packaging information and placement data are set (S23). A long package is a package that is stacked and includes processed materials that exceed a predetermined length (for example, 1799 mm) and are not included in short packages, and is a package that includes processed materials that are longer than short packages.

[0080] After the process of S23, the process returns to the process of S21 to determine whether another long package can be created (S21). If it is determined that another long package cannot be created (S21: N), data corresponding to the discharge destination (discharge destination data) is set for the remaining products for which packaging information has not been set (S24). Examples of the discharge destination data include the individual product discharge unit 22a and the shortened material discharge unit 22d, and information (material width 100-a) that can identify the discharge destination (e.g., individual product discharge unit 22a) is set to associate with product information. For products that are not to be packaged (e.g., products longer than 4 meters), discharge destination data is set using the process of S24. The discharge destination data may be set by referring to a data group that associates discharge destinations with product types and lengths, which is stored in advance in the control device 15.

[0081] By executing the packing style determination process, the multiple pieces of workpieces to be packaged, among the workpieces processed by the processing machine 13, are transported toward the accumulation area (accumulation section 33) where the loading device 14c is provided, by the control device 15 controlling the transport device 14. The workpieces transported to the loading device 14c are arranged in multiple rows horizontally and stacked in multiple layers vertically in the arrangement order determined by the packing style determination process, and preparation for packaging of the workpieces that make up each group is completed.

[0082] In this way, the control device 15 is configured to be able to execute the following controls to stack the many processed materials that make up one building structure in a state where multiple packages are possible: short packing control, in which only processed materials that are less than a predetermined length (for example, less than 1799 mm) are stacked in the order determined by the packing style determination process, and long packing control, in which processed materials that exceed the predetermined length are stacked in the order determined by the packing style determination process, so that the many processed materials that make up one building structure can be organized into multiple packages including short packages and long packages. Therefore, by grouping short processed materials into short packages, it is possible to easily extract the products needed at the construction site, and by putting a large number of longer products in long packages, it is possible to make stable packages.

[0083] The precut processing device 10 is also configured with multiple loading devices 14c (accumulation sections 33) as accumulation areas where products are transported, allowing multiple packages to be produced in parallel. That is, by producing short packages using one loading device 14c while producing long packages using another loading device 14c, processed materials can be stacked in parallel in multiple accumulation areas. Therefore, a single input material can be cut to produce long products (processed materials) that cannot be included in short packages and short products that can be included in short packages, and these can be added to the short and long packages produced by the two loading devices 14c at the same time. This allows a single input material to be cut to produce more processed materials, enabling high-yield processing. Furthermore, processed products can be quickly transported to the final stacked position. This reduces the number of products requiring temporary storage, effectively utilizing limited factory space and facilitating high-yield processing.

[0084] The length limited as the upper limit of a short package (short package upper limit length) is preferably set to a length that is less than half the length set as the upper limit of a long package (long package upper limit length), and is preferably set to approximately half the length. Specifically, the short package upper limit length is preferably set to a predetermined length that is within a range that differs by approximately 15% from half the long package upper limit length, and is preferably set to a predetermined length that is within a range that differs by approximately 10%. This allows the length of two short packages lined up in the loading area of ​​a truck or the like to be approximately the same as the length of one long package, reducing wasted space and allowing packaged products (processed materials) to be arranged efficiently within a limited area.

[0085] Next, mainly with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a configuration for making the processed materials ready for packaging by the loading device 14c and an example of control for conveying the processed materials to the packaged product discharge section 22b will be described.

[0086] A plurality of loading devices 14c are provided in the precut processing device 10, and each loading device 14c can generate one possible packing state (a possible packing state), and Fig. 1 illustrates a case in which three possible packing states can be generated in parallel by three loading devices 14c. Note that it is not necessary to configure one loading device 14c to generate a possible packing state corresponding to one package, and control may be included in which one loading device 14c generates possible packing states corresponding to multiple packages (e.g., two) in two separate locations. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which short packages are generated side by side in two locations by one loading device 14c, and the control device 15 controls the loading device 14c to generate one long package across the area in which the two short packages are generated.

[0087] Fig. 3(a) is a schematic diagram for explaining the process of the workpiece moving from the conveying path L to the accumulation area (accumulation section 33) of the loading device 14c, and illustrates the configuration of one loading device 14c that constitutes the loading and packaging section 23. In Fig. 3(a), the conveying mechanism 14a (conveying path L), preparation section 31, and temporary placement section 32 are indicated by thin dashed lines, and the moving mechanism that moves the suction pad 34 is omitted.

[0088] The loading device 14c is installed so as to be located in the width direction (lateral direction) of the workpiece with respect to the conveying path L along which the conveying mechanism 14a conveys the workpiece in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece. The loading device 14c includes a preparation section 31 that supports the workpiece at a preparation position before lifting and moving the workpiece, a temporary storage section 32 that temporarily stores the workpiece, and a stacking section 33 that forms a stacking area where the workpiece is loaded in a state ready for packaging.

[0089] The preparation unit 31 includes a positioning mechanism 14e (see FIG. 5) that positions the workpiece in the longitudinal direction and a rotation mechanism (not shown) that rotates the workpiece. The positioning mechanism 14e will be described later with reference to FIG. 5. The rotation mechanism rotates the workpiece so that the vertical direction (material construction direction) of the cross members during construction is horizontal, which facilitates packaging, and rotates the workpiece so that the printed information, such as the workpiece's placement position and the name of the building structure, is easily visible (other than downward). The workpieces are printed on their undersides by the printing device 12 before being transported. The preparation unit 31 rotates the workpieces so that the printed surface faces horizontally or upward, and then transports them to the accumulation unit 33. Various rotation mechanisms can be used, such as an L-shaped rotating tool that lifts the bottom and rotates the workpiece, or a cloth that rotates the workpiece.

[0090] The loading device 14c is equipped with a crane-type moving mechanism (not shown) that can move along rails arranged continuously on the horizontal side above the accumulation section 33, and a suction pad 34 that is suspended by the moving mechanism and can move horizontally and up and down. The suction pad 34 comes into contact from above with one workpiece arranged on the side of the preparation section 31 closest to the temporary storage section 32, and creates a negative pressure on the underside of the suction pad 34 so that the workpiece is adsorbed to the suction pad 34. Then, the workpiece is transported to the accumulation section 33 or the temporary storage section 32 by the moving mechanism.

[0091] The loading device 14c is not limited to the above configuration, and may be configured to be capable of lifting and moving the workpiece. It may be configured using a multi-joint robot that can rotate an arm connected by multiple axes to move the suction pad 34 attached to the tip, or it may be configured using a device that includes other mechanisms, such as a mechanism that moves the workpiece by clamping both horizontal sides that intersect with the longitudinal direction of the workpiece.

[0092] The suction pad 34 used in the loading device 14c is configured as a row of suction pads 34 divided into multiple pieces (three pieces in this embodiment). The divided suction pads 34 contact the top surface of the workpiece with their longitudinal direction aligned with the longitudinal direction of the workpiece. The workpieces include cross beams whose composition varies greatly, and these workpieces are transported in an orientation (sideways) such that the material width is in the vertical direction and the horizontal width is in the direction of the material composition, and are placed sideways in the preparation section 31.

[0093] The control device 15 controls the suction pads 34, selecting whether to activate only the one at the end, two including the central one, or all three, and for workpieces with large composition (for example, workpieces with a composition of 800 mm), all three suction pads 34 are activated to move the workpiece. The control device 15 can identify the size of the composition from the processing data of the workpiece, and the number of suction pads 34 to be activated can be varied based on the processing data.

[0094] The operation of the suction pad 34 is preferably controlled so that one end of the suction pad 34 (the end on the left side of FIG. 3(a)) corresponding to the side where the accumulation unit 33 is provided is aligned with one end of the workpiece (the end on the left side of FIG. 3(a)), or the workpiece protrudes slightly toward the accumulation unit 33 beyond the suction pad 34, and the workpiece is moved by being sucked onto the suction pad 34. This allows the workpieces to be arranged in order from the back side of the accumulation unit 33 (the left side of FIG. 3(a)) and the workpieces to be arranged in order or stacked on top of each other without the suction pad 34 coming into contact with adjacent workpieces.

[0095] Furthermore, the control device 15 preferably controls the operation of the suction pad 34 so as to raise the workpiece when it detects that a certain percentage or more of the workpiece area is covered by the workpiece in contact with the lower surface, resulting in a state in which the workpiece is suctioned over a certain range or more. For example, the state in which the workpiece is suctioned over a certain percentage or more (e.g., 50% or more) of the entire suction area (the lower surface of the suction pad 34) may be detected by measuring the pressure of the passageway of the fluid generating the negative pressure. In this case, the pressure value of the negative pressure before suction is set to an initial value, and the pressure value when the entire suction area is covered by the workpiece is set to a maximum value. The state in which the workpiece is suctioned over a certain range or more may be determined by detecting that the pressure value has changed by a certain percentage or more (e.g., 50% or more) from the initial value to the maximum value.

[0096] Furthermore, when two suction pads 34 are operated, it may be determined that the movement operation is possible by detecting a state in which the workpiece is suctioned over a certain amount or more (for example, 50% or more) of the entire range of the two suction areas, and then the control may be performed accordingly. Furthermore, the number of suction pads 34 to operate may be determined based on the percentage (range) of the workpiece located under the suction pad 34. For example, it may be configured so that the suction pad 34 with the workpiece located on the lower side is operated when more than half of the lower surface of the suction pad 34 is covered with the workpiece.

[0097] The movement of the suction pads 34 may be changed depending on the weight of the workpiece, and it is preferable to control the movement of the suction pads 34 by the control device 15, including control to take a longer time to move a heavier product than a lighter product even when moving the same distance, and to vary the speed more slowly for heavier products. In this case, it is preferable to set a larger ratio of time to distance in the movement control for horizontal movement than for vertical movement, as this can reduce the influence of the inertial force generated by the weight of the workpiece itself.

[0098] The stacking unit 33 is exemplified by a case in which two support tables are arranged at a distance from each other in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the workpieces. Each support table is preferably configured as a conveyor whose upper surface is movable in the transport direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3(a)) along which the workpieces are transported when loaded, and is configured to have a length in the transport direction that allows two or more packages to be created on its upper surface. This allows the conveyor to be operated once preparation for one package is complete, moving the workpiece for which preparation for packaging has been completed to the far side in the transport direction, thereby quickly creating a space in the stacking unit 33 closer to the transport path L for the start of a new package. The number of support tables is not limited to two; a single wide support table may be used, or three or more support tables may be provided on one loading device 14c. In addition, in the accumulation section 33, a movable guide member and a drive mechanism may be provided at the tip of the processed material in the longitudinal direction so that a wall-shaped guide member can be positioned as needed, and the guide member and drive mechanism may be controlled by the control device 15. In particular, in the case of short packaging, it is preferable that the guide members can be positioned so that they are located on both sides of the processed material in the longitudinal direction.

[0099] FIG. 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example of the accumulation unit 33. FIG. 3(b) illustrates a state in which a long package has been generated across two support tables, and characters corresponding to the arrangement data are displayed for reference. The long package illustrates a case in which only materials with the same width (vertical direction in FIG. 3(b)) are grouped together, and the height of the top surface of each tier does not change. The bottom tier is prioritized for placement of processed materials with large material composition and long longitudinal lengths, while the upper tier is prioritized for placement of processed materials with smaller material composition and shorter lengths. The top tier also illustrates a case in which surplus processed materials that could not be placed into short packages are lined up.

[0100] FIG. 3(c) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the stacking unit 33 when the control device 15 executes the repositioning control. FIG. 3(c) illustrates an example of a packaging style in which the positions of the processed materials indicated by the arrows differ from those in FIG. 3(b) (when the packaging order is changed). For reference, the updated repositioning data is displayed as text corresponding to the repositioning data. As shown in FIG. 1, the precut processing device 10 has multiple routes for transporting processed materials by the conveying device 14, including multiple parallel routes and routes that pass through the special processing machine 13d and routes that do not. This can lead to cases in which the order in which the input materials are introduced does not match the order in which the processed materials arrive at the loading device 14c after processing. In this case, the control device 15 is configured to execute the repositioning control to change the packaging style as needed.

[0101] 4 is a flowchart showing the conveying process executed by the control device 15. The conveying process is stored as part of a program in the control device 15. The conveying process functions as a position change control that changes the packaging style when processing of the workpieces is completed in an order different from the arrangement order that constitutes the package.

[0102] The conveying process is a process that is performed when the workpiece approaches the branch point under the control of the control device 15. The timing when the workpiece approaches the branch point can always be identified by the control device 15 through the control of processing by the processing machine 13 and the operation control of the conveying device 14, and the control device 15 always manages the position at which each workpiece is being conveyed.

[0103] When the conveying process is started, it is determined whether any product is approaching the short material branch point (branch point P7 in FIG. 1) (S31). If it is determined that a product is approaching the short material branch point (S32: Y), it is determined whether the approaching product is a short material that needs to be conveyed to the short material dedicated machine 13e (S32). If it is determined in the process of S32 that the product is not a short material (S32: N), control is performed to convey the product to the side where the loading device 14c is located (S33). If it is determined in the process of S32 that the product is a short material (S32: Y), control is performed to convey the product to the side of the short material dedicated machine 13e (S34).

[0104] If it is determined in the process of S31 that the product is not approaching the short material branch point (branch point P7 in FIG. 1), or after the process of S33 or S34 has been performed, the process of S41 is performed. In the process of S41, it is determined whether any product is approaching the non-loading branch point (branch point P8 in FIG. 1) (S41), and if it is determined that one product is approaching the non-loading branch point (S41: Y), it is determined whether the approaching product is a product (non-loading product) that is to be loaded (packaged) by the loading device 14c (S42). If it is determined in the process of S42 that it is a non-loading product (S42: Y), control is performed to transport the product to the individual product discharge section 22a, which discharges non-loading products.

[0105] If the process of S42 determines that the product is not a non-loaded product (S42: N), it is determined whether the product is in the loading order (S43), and if it is determined that the product is in the loading order, the control to change the arrangement of the processed material from S44 to S47 is skipped and the process proceeds to S48.

[0106] In the process of S48, it is determined whether the product is for short packaging (S48), and if it is for short packaging, control is performed to transport the product to the stacking section 33 (loading device 14c) for short packaging (S49). On the other hand, if the product is not for short packaging, control is performed to transport the product to the stacking section 33 (loading device 14c) for long packaging that is not short packaging (S50).

[0107] If it is determined in the process of S43 that the loading order is not in accordance with the order (S43: N), it is determined whether the product in question is a product whose packing order can be changed (S44). The determination in S44 is made by checking whether there are any products (late-processed materials) whose packing order can be changed that are scheduled to proceed toward the loading device 14c earlier than the product in question and that have not yet reached the non-loading branch point (late-processed materials). This check is made by checking whether there are any late-processed materials that satisfy multiple switching conditions, such as whether the cross-sectional dimensions are the same or within a certain range where they are almost the same, whether the lengths are the same or within a certain range where they are almost the same, whether they belong to the same group, and whether the materials are the same.

[0108] If it is determined that the packing order can be changed (S44: Y), a change process is performed to change the packing order of the product and the delayed processed materials (S45), and the packaging style is changed. As a result, even if the processing completion order is changed from the plan that determined the original packaging style, the packaging order of the delayed processed materials can be delayed, and the packaging preparation for the earlier completed products can be accelerated.

[0109] In the process of S44, if it is determined that the product is not one for which the packaging order can be changed (S44: N), it is determined whether there is space available for temporary placement in the temporary placement section 32, and if temporary placement is possible, the destination is set to the temporary placement section 32 and the product is transported (S47).

[0110] If it is determined in the process of S46 that temporary placement is not possible (S46: N), the product is transported to the individual product discharge section 22a (S51), and the process proceeds to the process of S52.

[0111] In the process of S52, other processes such as processes when a product arrives at another branch point are executed, and then the conveying process ends. When a product to be packed is conveyed to the individual product discharge section 22a, processes such as excluding the product from the packing targets and reconstructing the packaging are executed.

[0112] Here, a preferred control example other than the above will be described.

[0113] If it is determined in the processing of S46 that temporary storage is not possible, since a large number of products have been temporarily stored in the temporary storage section 32, control may be implemented to re-determine the packaging style. In this case, it is preferable to include control to exclude late-processed materials from being packed or to reposition them to a later location, such as the upper shelf, and it is also preferable to determine the packaging style by giving priority to products that have arrived at the temporary storage section 32 and loading them in the earliest order.

[0114] In the process of S44, when controlling to change the packing order, if the packing style is set as shown in Figure 3(b), and the part to be loaded fourth from the back in the third row from the bottom, corresponding to "3d", is a delayed processed material, and the part that was scheduled to be placed in "4a" in Figure 3(b) arrives first, the packing order is changed and the packing style is updated by the process of S45.

[0115] In this case, if a product of a different length is replaced, the length relationship with the product located above it may change. Furthermore, while Figure 3(b) and other figures illustrate an example of a packaging style in which only one product is arranged longitudinally, multiple products may be arranged side by side. In this case, changing the packaging order may result in a loss of balance. Therefore, when determining or changing the packaging style, it is preferable to include control to check the balance taking into account the weight of the products. For example, it is preferable to determine the packaging style by using a physics calculation engine as a control program to simulate the balance of the packaging and, if a certain weight is placed on the longitudinal end of the product and the balance is not lost, to perform the replacement.

[0116] Furthermore, the loading order does not necessarily have to be controlled so that loading of one level is completed before loading of the upper level, but rather multiple loading positions may be provided, and loading control may be performed such that, before loading of one or more processed materials is completed on a level where loading is in progress, it is determined whether loading is possible on the level above that level, and if loading is possible on the level above that level, loading may also begin on that level, resulting in a situation where loading is in progress on both the upper and lower levels.For example, in Figure 3(c), if loading of up to product "3b," the second product from the back on the third level from the bottom, has been completed, "3c" is the next target in the packing order, but "4a" may also be determined to be a packable product because it can be loaded above the third level. In this case, it is preferable to determine that a product can be loaded only when the product being placed on top is completely recessed (on the left side of Figure 3(c)) beyond the front side (on the right side of Figure 3(c)) of the product placed below, or until the front sides are flush with each other, and that products larger than this (for example, product "3b" protruding forward compared to product "2a") cannot be loaded.

[0117] Furthermore, the packaging style is preferably configured to be visually verifiable at the factory where the precut processing device 10 is installed before processing begins. Preferably, the packaging style can be confirmed on the display screen of the control device 15, the set packaging style can be output to paper media by printing, or packaging style data can be output to a mobile device such as a smartphone so that workers can check it. The packaging style data preferably includes control to output the final packaging style on paper media or output information as packaging style data so that construction workers who open the packages and perform construction at the construction site can easily understand it. Furthermore, the control device 15 may be configured to output packaging style data including information such as the product's placement position within the package, its length, cross-sectional shape, etc., to easily search for the target product, such as by outputting the packaging style data in a data format that allows the package to be displayed in a three-dimensional virtual space, with products searched for using text information displayed in different colors. By allowing contractors to check the three-dimensional data as needed, construction workers can easily confirm which package and where the required product is located, even at construction sites where a large number of products (processed materials) are required for large building structures.

[0118] In this manner, the control device 15's placement change control using the transport process determines whether a workpiece and another workpiece satisfy a predetermined replacement condition. If the replacement condition is satisfied, the process at S45, which functions as a change control means, controls the placement of another workpiece in place of the first workpiece at the planned location of the first workpiece. Therefore, the stacking section 33 of the loading device 14c can not only be stacked in a predetermined order for packing using the loading device 14c, but also be stacked in a different order using the change control means. Therefore, if the order of the workpieces arriving at the stacking section 33 of the loading device 14c is the predetermined order, the loading device 14c can be used as is, and if the arrival order is different from the predetermined order, the change control means can be used to stack the workpieces in a different order. In other words, by enabling packing in an order appropriate to the situation, the time required to prepare the workpieces for packing is shortened, the space required for loading is suppressed, and the processing machine can easily process each workpiece in the shortest time.

[0119] Furthermore, the precut processing device 10 is configured to be able to transport processed materials processed by the processing machine 13 to the accumulation section 33, the temporary storage section 32, and a discharge area (individual product discharge section 22a) where the processed materials can be transported in different directions at a branch point P8 (see FIG. 1) that is farther upstream from the accumulation section 33 than the temporary storage section 32. In a situation where the processed material can be advanced toward the individual product discharge section 22a, it is determined whether a predetermined replacement condition is met, and if it is determined that the replacement condition is met, another processed material is placed in the predetermined position where one processed material is to be stacked. If the processed material that was to be placed in the accumulation section 33 cannot be placed in the accumulation section 33 or the temporary storage section 32, the control device 15 executes the processes of S44, S46, and S51 as discharge control means to control the processed material to advance toward the individual product discharge section 22a. Therefore, it is possible to easily avoid a situation where there is no place to store the products and the processing machine 13 has to be stopped simply by changing the packaging style due to replacement, and it is possible to make the precut processing device 10 with high production capacity, which makes it easy to give priority to processing by the processing machine 13.

[0120] The pre-cutting device 10 includes an input section 21 into which unprocessed workpieces (input materials) are input, and multiple processing machines 13 (identical processing machines) 13, including a side processing machine 13b and an end processing machine 13c, capable of performing the same processing on the workpieces input from the input section 21 (see FIG. 1). Multiple paths are provided as routes from the input section 21 to the stacking section 33 via the multiple identical processing machines. The change control means (processing of S45 in FIG. 4) is configured to arrange, when a workpiece is transported along one path and another workpiece is transported along a path different from the path along which the first workpiece is transported, the other workpiece in the predetermined position where the first workpiece is to be stacked. Although the installation of multiple identical processing machines makes it easier for a delayed workpiece to be overtaken by another workpiece depending on the processing content, by executing the arrangement change control, the packaging style can be updated to a suitable arrangement according to the situation.

[0121] The precut processing device 10 is also provided with multiple paths of different lengths that travel from the input section 21 to the stacking section 33 via multiple identical processing machines. The change control means (processing S45 in FIG. 4) is configured to, when a processed material is transported along one path and another processed material is transported along a shorter path, place the other processed material in the predetermined stacking position where the first processed material is to be stacked. If the processed material moves too quickly, dents may form on the surface of the wood or thinned portions may be damaged. Therefore, differences in path length can easily cause other processed material to overtake another processed material. The greater the number of identical processing machines, the greater the difference in path length. However, by executing the placement change control, the packaging order can be updated to suit the situation.

[0122] The precut processing device 10 also includes a conveying device 14 as a processed material moving device, an input section 21 into which unprocessed processed materials are input, and a processing machine 13, which is a predetermined processing machine (special processing machine 13d) capable of processing some of the processed materials input from the input section 21. Multiple paths are provided from the input section 21 to the stacking section 33, with different path lengths depending on whether the path goes through the special processing machine 13d or not. The change control means (processing of S45 in FIG. 4) is configured to, when a processed material is transported along one path and another processed material is transported along another path shorter than the first path, arrange the other processed material in the predetermined position where the first processed material is to be stacked. If only some of the processed materials are processed by the special processing machine 13d, other processed materials are likely to overtake the first processed material. However, by executing the arrangement change control, the packaging order can be updated to a more appropriate order depending on the situation.

[0123] Next, referring mainly to FIG. 5, a configuration for suitably moving the workpiece from the conveying path L to the loading device 14c will be described. FIG. 5(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the process of the workpiece until it stops moving on the conveying path L, FIG. 5(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the workpiece moving from the pre-movement position S2 on the conveying path L to the moving position S3, and FIG. 5(c) is a schematic diagram showing the workpiece moving from the moving position S3 to the preparation position S4. In FIG. 5, the conveying mechanism 14a (conveying path L) and the preparation unit 31 are indicated by thin dashed lines, the detection sensor F that detects the leading end position of the workpiece on the conveying path L is indicated by a black circle, and the movement direction of the workpiece, the movement direction of the movable part (push-out unit 14d1) of the push-out mechanism 14d, and the movement direction of the movable part (positioning unit 14e1) of the positioning mechanism 14e are indicated by arrows.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 1, the precut processing apparatus 10 is provided with three loading devices 14c. The loading device 14c located most upstream (the loading device 14c on the left side in FIG. 1) is reached by traveling a short distance along the conveying path L, while the loading device 14c located most downstream (the loading device 14c on the right side in FIG. 1) is reached by traveling the longest distance. The conveying path L leading to the most upstream loading device 14c is shared by all loading devices 14c. If the conveying path L is being used to transport a workpiece in the most upstream loading device 14c, the conveying path L cannot be used even if a workpiece to be transported downstream is waiting. In contrast, the conveying device 14 of this embodiment minimizes the use of the conveying path L shared with the downstream side, and each loading device 14c can move for loading based on the exact position of the workpiece. The following will specifically explain the configuration for utilizing the transport path L in a short time and for controlling movement based on the accurate position of the workpiece.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 1 , the conveying device 14 functions as a moving device capable of moving, along a predetermined path, workpieces processed by a processing machine 13, which serves as processing means capable of performing various processes, and input materials before the workpieces are processed by the processing machine 13, as materials to be moved. A detection sensor F serving as position detection means capable of detecting the position of the workpieces to be moved is provided as part of the conveying device 14, along a portion of the conveying device 14 along the way of the workpieces to be moved by the conveying device 14. Examples of the detection sensor F include a reflective photoelectric sensor and a transmissive photoelectric sensor, and also examples of sensors configured with a contact switch equipped with a movable piece that moves when it comes into contact with the workpieces. When the detection sensor F detects a workpiece, the detection result is input to the control device 15, which then controls the operation of a power source, such as a drive motor, of the conveying device 14 in accordance with the detection result.

[0126] The conveying device 14 is equipped with a conveying mechanism 14a near the loading device 14c, which moves the processed material from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveying path L (from the left side to the right side in Figure 5(a)) along the longitudinal direction of the processed material, as shown in Figure 5(a), an extrusion mechanism 14d, and a positioning mechanism 14e.

[0127] The transport mechanism 14a is a mechanism for moving the workpiece along a path (first path) that continues in the direction of travel along the transport path L (the right side in FIG. 5(a)), and is composed of transport rollers, a drive motor that drives the transport rollers, etc. The workpiece is supported on its underside by the transport rollers, and the rotation of the drive motor is controlled by the control device 15, so that the workpiece can be moved a required amount along the transport path L and then stopped.

[0128] Two detection sensors F are provided above the conveying path L as part of the conveying mechanism 14a. When the detection sensor F (detection sensor F1) installed upstream on the conveying path L detects a workpiece to be moved toward the loading device 14c on the conveying path L, it starts deceleration control of the conveying mechanism 14a and controls the conveying mechanism 14a to stop when it has moved a certain distance. The downstream detection sensor F (detection sensor F2) detects that the workpiece has reached a detection range after being decelerated at a deceleration start position S1 where deceleration begins, and controls the conveying mechanism 14a to stop at a pre-movement position S2 that corresponds to a certain range near that position.

[0129] The extrusion mechanism 14d moves the workpiece from a pre-movement position S2 on the conveying path L to a transfer position S3 off the conveying path L along a path (second path) that branches off in a second direction (upward in FIG. 5(a)) that intersects with the conveying path L in the direction of travel. The extrusion mechanism 14d includes a long and narrow extrusion unit 14d1 formed along the conveying path L, and a drive source (e.g., a motor or a combination of an air cylinder and a pump operated by air pressure) that operates the extrusion unit 14d1 in the transfer direction (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5(b)). The control device 15 operates the drive motor of the extrusion mechanism 14d to control the movement of the workpiece from the pre-movement position S2 to the transfer position S3. The extrusion mechanism 14d controls the movement of the workpiece when the downstream detection sensor F2 detects the workpiece.

[0130] The positioning mechanism 14e is a mechanism that comes into contact with the workpiece moved to the movement position S3 by the pushing operation unit 14d1 and moves the workpiece in a direction along the conveying path L, in a direction opposite to the movement direction of the workpiece on the conveying path L, and is a mechanism that can move and position the workpiece to the preparation position S4 that serves as a reference for starting movement in the loading device 14c. The positioning mechanism 14e is configured to include a positioning operation unit 14e1 that is located in the forward direction of the movement direction of the workpiece along the conveying path L and comes into contact with the workpiece, and a drive source (for example, a combination of an air cylinder and a pump) that operates the positioning operation unit 14e1 in the direction of the arrow.

[0131] As shown in Figure 5(c), positioning unit 14e1 contacts the leading edge of the workpiece and moves it slightly backward in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the workpiece. Positioning unit 14e1 moves at a slow speed so that the workpiece is not thrown away by the force of its movement, and the movement of positioning unit 14e1 is controlled so that the workpiece stops with the positioning unit 14e1 and the workpiece in contact with each other when positioning unit 14e1 stops. As a result, the leading edge of the workpiece coincides with the operating position at which positioning unit 14e1 was activated, and control unit 15 identifies the longitudinal center position of the workpiece from the processing data of the workpiece based on this operating position, and can lift the workpiece with suction pad 34 of loading device 14c so that it contacts this center position.

[0132] By moving the suction pad 34 in this way and controlling the loading of the workpieces so that they are packaged, it is possible to easily position the workpieces accurately when the loading device 14c moves them to the accumulation section 33, and it is also possible to move the workpieces in a stable state, making it easier to set high-speed movement. Note that Fig. 5(c) illustrates an example in which the workpieces are moved from the preparation position S4 to the lifting position S5 while being rotated, and then the suction pad 34 comes into contact with the workpieces at the lifting position S5 to lift them up.

[0133] Here, by providing the conveying mechanism 14a, the loading device 14c, and the pushing mechanism 14d, some of the processed materials that have moved to the pre-movement position S2 can be further advanced by the conveying mechanism 14a, which serves as the first moving means, so as to move straight in the direction of travel along the conveying path L (the right side of FIG. 5(a)). Also, some of the processed materials that have moved to the pre-movement position S2 can be changed course by the pushing mechanism 14d, which serves as the second moving means, to move to a direction intersecting the conveying path L and to a moving position S3, where they can be positioned at a preparation position S4 by the positioning mechanism 14e, and then moved to a separate position, a stacking section 33, by the loading device 14c, which serves as a device installed in a subsequent process.

[0134] In this case, the push-out mechanism 14d moves the workpiece to a transfer position S3 set in a direction away from the conveying path L, and then performs a positioning operation on the workpiece to the preparation position S4. Therefore, even while the positioning operation of one workpiece is being performed, space can be secured on the conveying path L to allow another workpiece to be moved, enabling the movement of another workpiece along the conveying path L to be performed at an early timing. The control device 15 can be configured to control the start of transport of another workpiece when the conveying path L becomes clear, to transport another workpiece to the pre-movement position S2 while the positioning operation unit 14e1 is operating, or to transport another workpiece toward the loading device 14c located downstream. These controls enable efficient movement of multiple workpieces and facilitate the setting of a relatively long time for the positioning operation, enabling highly accurate positioning.

[0135] The equipment (post-process equipment) installed in the post-process after positioning is not limited to the loading device 14c, but may instead or in addition include processing means for cutting the processed material or the input material. For example, a processing machine 13 (e.g., a short material processing machine) may be provided as the post-process equipment.

[0136] Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide detection sensors F in two locations, and the workpiece may be controlled to decelerate and stop based on the detection result of one of them. Even in this case, by performing separate positioning, it is possible to perform processing in later steps based on an accurate position. Furthermore, it is not necessary to decelerate the workpiece until it stops on the conveying path L when the leading edge of the workpiece is detected by detection sensor F; the extrusion mechanism 14d may be operated while the workpiece is moving slowly to move the workpiece to a position off the conveying path L.

[0137] Furthermore, the detection sensor F does not necessarily have to be configured to detect the leading end of the workpiece in the direction of movement along the conveying path L. Instead, or in addition, it may be configured to detect the rear end of the workpiece and perform control to slow down or stop the workpiece. In this case, the positioning mechanism 14e may be configured to position the workpiece by having the positioning operation unit contact the rear end portion of the workpiece (the left end portion in Figure 5(a)) and proceed in a direction that matches the direction of movement on the conveying path L (to the right in Figure 5(a)).

[0138] Furthermore, the arrangement of the conveying mechanism 14a, the extrusion mechanism 14d, and the positioning mechanism 14e does not necessarily have to be such that the positioning mechanism 14e positions the processed material at a position off the conveying path L of the conveying mechanism 14a.The positioning mechanism 14e may be provided further along the conveying path L of the conveying mechanism 14a than the branch point P8 to perform positioning, so that a subsequent process device processes the processed material, and the extrusion mechanism 14d may convey the processed material in a different direction off the conveying path L.

[0139] Furthermore, the positioning mechanism 14e does not necessarily need to be configured to position the workpiece by contacting the end portion of the workpiece and moving it; other mechanisms may be used as long as they are capable of positioning the workpiece. For example, the positioning mechanism 14e may not include a mechanism for operating the positioning unit, but may be configured to position the workpiece at a position corresponding to the initial position before the positioning unit operates, and the workpiece may be positioned (aligned) by moving toward and contacting the initial position. In this case, the positioning unit may be fixed, and a moving means may be provided to apply a moving force to the workpiece so that the workpiece moves slowly toward this position. This moving means may be configured using rollers (transport rollers) that contact the underside of the workpiece to apply a moving force to the workpiece, or rollers (feed rollers) that contact the top surface of the workpiece to apply a moving force to the workpiece.

[0140] Next, the configuration of the wood chip processing unit 24 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a wood chip collection device 40 as a wood processing-related device, with Figure 6(a) being a plan view of the wood chip collection device 40 and Figure 6(b) being a side view of the wood chip collection device 40. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process by which wood chips are discharged from recessed holes 42 in the workpiece M by the rotation mechanism 41. Figure 7(a) shows the initial state in which the workpiece M is positioned above the conveying mechanism 14a, Figure 7(b) shows the state in which the workpiece M is in the middle of being turned over, and Figure 7(c) shows the state in which the workpiece M has been turned over. In Figures 6 and 7, the conveying mechanism 14a (conveying path L) is indicated by a thin dashed line, and in Figure 6, the conveying mechanism 14b is also indicated by a thin dashed line.

[0141] As shown in Fig. 1, the wood chip processing section 24 is provided at a branch point P8 along a transport path L on which processed lumber M, as a finished product, is transported toward the loading and packaging section 23 (loading device 14c). The wood chip processing section 24 is provided with a wood chip collection device 40, which is configured as a device that discharges wood chips remaining in recessed holes 42 in the processed lumber M after the wood chip collection device 40 has completed processing, and can collect the discharged wood chips. Examples of the recessed holes 42 include recessed holes 42 formed by a square chisel and recessed holes 42 formed by a drill bit, and examples of uses for the recessed holes 42 include a box hole for a nut to be inserted, and a mortise hole for a tenon to be inserted.

[0142] The wood chip collecting device 40 is a device formed by combining part of the transport device 14 and a wood chip collecting mechanism 43, and specifically includes transport mechanisms 14a, 14b that transport the workpiece M, a rotation mechanism 41 for the workpiece M, and a wood chip collecting mechanism 43. The workpiece M is processed by the processing machine 13, including cutting a hole-shaped or groove-shaped mortise hole recessed downward with the vertical side as the depth direction, and wood chips remaining in a recessed hole 42 formed on the upper side of the workpiece by the cutting process are removed by the wood chip collecting device 40.

[0143] Most of the processed material M that has been processed by the processing machine 13 is transported by the transport mechanism 14a along the transport path L toward the loading and packaging section 23, where the accumulation section 33 of the loading device 14c is provided. Wood chips remaining in the processed material M are discharged from the processed material M by the rotation mechanism 41 of the processed material M in the wood chip processing section 24, located upstream of the loading and packaging section 23, and are transported by conveyors 43a, 43b of the wood chip collection mechanism 43, which can collect the discharged wood chips, and collected at a wood chip collection point. A collection box 46 with an open top is installed at the wood chip collection point so that the wood chips can be collected, and workers can easily dispose of the wood chips collected in the collection box 46.

[0144] As shown in Fig. 6(b), a rotating body 44 is provided at branch point P8, with a portion of the rotating body 44 located below the workpiece M that can be transported along the transport path L by transport mechanism 14a. Rotating body 44 is provided so as to be rotatable 180 degrees about rotation axis 45 from the initial state shown in Fig. 7(a) to the inversion completion state shown in Fig. 7(c). Rotating body 44 is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross section including a first support portion 44a located below the workpiece M in the initial state, a second support portion 44b located above first support portion 44a and spaced a distance longer than the height (material composition) of workpiece M, and a third support portion 44c located on a lateral side of workpiece M.

[0145] When the rotating body 44 rotates from the initial state, the first support portion 44a, which was positioned below the workpiece M in the initial state, rotates as if lifting the workpiece M, and as the workpiece M rotates, the workpiece M comes into contact with the third support portion 44c and is supported on the underside, and then the workpiece M moves to come into contact with the second support portion 44b and is flipped over so that its top and bottom are reversed.

[0146] The rotation mechanism 41 has rotating bodies 44 spaced apart at multiple locations along the longitudinal direction of the workpiece M. The spacing between the rotating bodies 44 is set so that the spacing between the rotating bodies 44 gradually increases on both sides, starting from the shortest point. This makes it easy to support even short workpieces by utilizing the short spacing, and also makes it easy to support long workpieces with the rotating bodies 44 at positions near both ends.

[0147] Here, when recessed holes 42 recessed from the top to the bottom are provided in the workpiece, there is a possibility that the workpiece may be transported with sawdust remaining in the holes, and the sawdust may become an obstacle when manufacturing a building structure or may make it impossible to fit the workpiece together. For this reason, in the precut processing device 10, even workpieces that can proceed toward the loading device 14c are first turned upside down by the rotation mechanism 41, so that the sawdust falls, thereby reducing the possibility of sawdust remaining in the workpiece, including the workpiece to be packed by the loading device 14c.

[0148] As shown in Fig. 6, the sawdust collecting mechanism 43 is provided so that the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a and 43b as the upper surface portion are located below the position where the workpiece M turned by the rotation mechanism 41 as the turning means is placed. In Fig. 6(b), the position where the workpiece M turned by the rotor 44 is placed is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0149] The sawdust collection mechanism 43 is composed of two conveyors 43a, 43b whose upper surfaces can move in one direction (the direction of arrow G in FIG. 6(b)) by rotating, a drive motor (not shown) that drives the conveyors 43a, 43b, and a collection box 46. Any sawdust remaining in the hole- or groove-shaped areas of the workpiece M falls onto the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a, 43b and is supported thereon, and is configured to be able to transport the sawdust in the discharge direction in which the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a, 43b move as the conveyors 43a, 43b operate.

[0150] Of the processed materials M that have been inverted by the rotation mechanism 41, those that are transported to the loading and packaging section 23 are again reversed by the rotation mechanism 41 so as to return to their original orientation before inversion, and are moved to a position close to the position before inversion. Note that the mechanism that inverts the processed materials M and the mechanism that returns them to their position before inversion do not necessarily need to use the same rotation mechanism 41, and separate rotation mechanisms may be provided.

[0151] The conveying device 14 is provided with a conveying mechanism 14a that conveys the processed material M, which has been placed by the rotation mechanism 41 in a position close to its position before inversion, to the loading and packaging section 23. The conveying device 14 is also provided with a conveying mechanism 14b (see FIG. 1) that conveys the processed material M, which has been inverted by the rotation mechanism 41 to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6(b), to the individual product discharge section 22a, which is set in a different direction away from the conveying path L, without reversing the rotation mechanism 41. Therefore, for some processed materials M, it is possible to discharge them from the precut processing device 10 without performing the return operation after removing sawdust. In other words, the precut processing device 10 can be configured to efficiently transport processed materials M to the individual product discharge section 22a and to perform sawdust removal processing on a large number of processed materials M.

[0152] 7(b), when the workpiece M is being rotated by the rotation mechanism 41, even if the workpiece M is supported at its lower side by the third support portion 44c of the rotor 44 and the second support portion 44b is positioned lower than the first support portion 44a, the workpiece M is preferably maintained in contact with the first support portion 44a until a predetermined inclination angle is reached. That is, the workpiece M is preferably maintained in contact with the first support portion 44a until the state in which the workpiece M is supported at an oblique angle by the third support portion 44c reaches or exceeds a certain angle close to the inversion of the workpiece M (for example, a rotation angle of 135 degrees or more), and once the angle is reached or exceeds the certain angle, the workpiece M moves (falls) obliquely downward and is supported by the second support portion 44b of the rotor 44. This makes it easy to prevent the workpiece M from falling off the rotating body 44, and also makes it easy to discharge the sawdust from the recessed hole 42, since the workpiece M moves a certain distance while supported by the rotating body 44 and then suddenly stops with momentum.

[0153] The angle at which the workpiece M starts to move may be adjusted by controlling the rotation speed of the rotor 44 using the control device 15. The angle at which the workpiece M starts to move can also be adjusted by changing the material, shape, and size of the part of the rotor 44 that comes into contact with the workpiece M, and at least a part of the part of the rotor 44 that comes into contact with the workpiece M may be made of an elastic material such as an elastomer.

[0154] As described above, the wood chip collecting device 40 includes conveying mechanisms 14a, 14b as a means for transporting the workpiece M, a rotation mechanism 41 that can flip the workpiece M upside down while moving it horizontally, and a wood chip collecting mechanism 43. Conveyors 43a, 43b are provided as part of the wood chip collecting mechanism 43 below a predetermined position where the workpiece M flipped by the rotation mechanism 41 is placed, and wood chips remaining in the hole- or groove-shaped portions of the workpiece M can be supported on the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a, 43b, and the wood chips are transported by the conveyors 43a, 43b in the discharge direction. This makes it easier to remove wood chips that may remain in the workpiece M, improving the quality of the workpiece M as a product, and the removed wood chips can be collected in a collection box 46 by the conveyors 43a, 43b of the wood chip collecting mechanism 43 for efficient disposal.

[0155] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be modified as described below. In this case, each of the configurations described below may be applied to the above-described embodiments, or multiple configurations described below may be combined and applied to the above-described embodiments.

[0156] In the above embodiment, the multiple conveyors 43a, 43b constituting the wood chip collecting mechanism 43 are linearly arranged. However, instead of or in addition to this, the conveyors may include a section in which they are arranged in a broken line, a section in which multiple conveyors are arranged in parallel, or a curved section. Furthermore, while the collection box 46 of the wood chip collecting mechanism 43 is arranged in one location, wood chips may be collected in two or more collection locations. Furthermore, as part of the wood chip collecting mechanism 43, a guide means for guiding wood chips toward the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a, 43b may be added to a portion of the height section from a position corresponding to the underside of the workpiece M after rotation to the upper surfaces of the conveyors 43a, 43b. For example, the guide means may be configured such that two metal plates are arranged inclined along the conveying direction of the conveyors 43a, 43b with a wide gap at the upper side, thereby guiding the wood chips so that they can be easily placed on the conveyors 43a, 43b. Also, the wood chip collecting mechanism 43 does not necessarily have to be configured to collect only wood chips that fall from the workpiece rotated by the rotation mechanism 41. Instead of or in addition to this, the wood chip collecting mechanism may include a wood chip collecting mechanism using a separate conveyor installed in a position where wood chips generated from at least a part of the processing machine 13 fall so that wood chips are collected.

[0157] In addition, in the above embodiment, the pre-cut processing device 10 is described as being equipped with a loading and packaging section 23, a wood chip processing section 24, and a positioning mechanism 14e for the conveying device 14, but any of the functional sections may be omitted.

[0158] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the control device 15 is installed in one location has been described, but control devices may be installed in two or more locations, and the operation of the precut processing device 10 may be controlled using the multiple control devices. Also, the control device may be configured to include a computer installed in a location other than the precut factory, and for example, the computer of the manufacturer of the precut processing device and the computer of the precut factory may be connected via a network such as the Internet, and the precut processing device 10 may be controlled by including the control device on the manufacturer's side.

[0159] Furthermore, the invention described as the above embodiment may be specified so as to have the configuration of each of the characteristics described below.

[0160] <Feature 1> A workpiece moving device equipped with a loading means capable of arranging a plurality of workpieces to be processed by a processing machine in a predetermined accumulation area in a predetermined arrangement order so that the workpieces are lined up in a plurality of rows on the horizontal side and stacked in a plurality of rows on the vertical side, a change control means for controlling the placement of one processed material at the predetermined position where the first processed material is to be stacked when the other processed material is to be stacked at the predetermined position in the predetermined accumulation area and the other processed material that is different from the one processed material and is to be stacked at the predetermined accumulation area after the one processed material, satisfies a predetermined exchange condition; A workpiece moving device, characterized in that it is configured so that the workpieces can be loaded into the predetermined accumulation area in an arrangement order different from the predetermined arrangement order.

[0161] <Feature 2> the predetermined accumulation area; a temporary storage area provided separately from the predetermined accumulation area; a discharge area capable of conveying the processed material at a branching position away from the predetermined accumulation area on the upstream side than the temporary storage area, It is determined whether the predetermined replacement condition is satisfied in a situation where the processed material can be advanced toward the discharge area, and when it is determined that the predetermined replacement condition is satisfied, the other processed material is placed at the predetermined position where the first processed material is to be stacked; The processed material moving device described in Feature 1 is characterized in that it is provided with a discharge control means that controls the processed material to move toward the discharge area when the processed material that was scheduled to be placed in the specified accumulation area cannot be placed in the specified accumulation area or the temporary storage area.

[0162] <Feature 3> A pre-cutting processing device including the workpiece moving device according to feature 1 or 2, an input section into which workpieces to be processed are input, and a plurality of identical processing machines as the processing machines, each capable of performing the same processing on the workpieces input from the input section, A plurality of paths are provided as paths from the input section to the predetermined accumulation area via the plurality of identical processing machines, The pre-cut processing device is characterized in that the change control means is configured to be able to place the other processed material at the specified position where the first processed material is intended to be stacked when the first processed material is transported along one route and the other processed material is transported along a route different from the route along which the first processed material is transported.

[0163] <Feature 4> A plurality of paths having different path lengths from the input portion to the predetermined accumulation area via the plurality of identical processing machines are provided, The pre-cut processing device described as feature 3 is characterized in that the change control means is configured to be able to place the other processed material at the predetermined position where the first processed material is intended to be stacked when the first processed material is transported along one route and the other processed material is transported along another route that is shorter in length than the first route.

[0164] <Feature 5> A precut processing device comprising the workpiece moving device described in feature 1 or 2, an input section into which workpieces before processing are input, and the processing machine. [Industrial Applicability]

[0165] As described above, the present invention is suitable for a workpiece moving device and a pre-cutting device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0166] 10: Pre-cut processing device, 13: Processing machine, 13b: Side processing machine, 13c: End processing machine, 14: Conveying device (processed material moving device), 14c: Loading device (loading means), 15: Control device (control means), 21: Input section, 22a: Individual product discharge section, 32: Temporary storage section, 33: Accumulation section

Claims

1. A workpiece moving device equipped with a loading means capable of arranging a plurality of workpieces to be processed by a processing machine in a predetermined accumulation area in a predetermined arrangement order so that the workpieces are lined up in a plurality of rows on the horizontal side and stacked in a plurality of rows on the vertical side, A processed material moving device characterized by having a control means that determines whether loading is possible for the tier above the tier before loading is completed on a tier where one or more processed materials are in the middle of being loaded, and if loading is possible on the tier above the tier, loading is started on the upper tier as well, thereby causing a situation where loading is in the middle of being done on both the upper and lower tiers.

2. The control means When determining whether loading is possible for the upper level, The processed material moving device described in claim 1 is configured to be able to determine that loading is possible when, when processed material is loaded on the upper level, the processed material to be loaded on the upper level fits on the opposite side of one of the sides of the loaded processed material located on the lower level that faces other processed material scheduled to be loaded on the lower level.

3. 3. A pre-cutting processing device comprising: a workpiece moving device according to claim 1 or 2; an input section into which workpieces to be processed are input; and a processing machine capable of processing the workpieces input from the input section as the processing machine, This pre-cut processing device is characterized in that, when the loading means can load processed materials that were scheduled to be loaded on an upper level of a level where one or more processed materials are in the middle of loading before the loading of that level is completed, the device starts loading the processed materials that were scheduled to be loaded on the upper level, thereby creating a situation where loading is in the middle of being loaded on both the upper and lower levels.

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