System for the automated production of ammunition

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular ammunition consisting of cases, ignition elements, projectiles and propellants, comprising a plurality of production stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the production process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case formation station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station and / or a discharge station for transporting the produced ammunition from the production process of the system, and a transport device for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and transporting the plurality of ammunition parts to, from and / or between the plurality of production stations, the transport device defining a closed circulating transport path defining an interior space surrounded by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space, wherein at least one of the plurality of production stations, in particular a plurality of stations, is arranged in the interior space and / or the exterior space and acts on the transport device from the inside and / or the outside.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for the automated manufacture of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition components, particularly cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. [Background technology]

[0002] A system with a closed, circular conveyor path for the automated production of ammunition is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2019 094 000. The system described in U.S. Pat. No. 2019 094 000 comprises a conveyor device for ammunition parts with multiple stations where the ammunition parts are processed, loaded, handled, and / or received, and finally assembled to form the finished ammunition. The conveyor device for the individual ammunition parts is implemented by a continuous conveyor chain, which generally moves the individual ammunition parts between stations at a constant and identical conveying speed and stops once per cycle. Positioning of the individual production stations is performed taking into account the arrangement of the holding devices for the ammunition parts within the conveyor chain. The continuous conveyor chain requires only one positioning per cycle. However, this means that only a single cyclic movement profile can be processed, and as a result, all production stations must be approached in the same way.

[0003] The proposed system must be aligned and calibrated very precisely, resulting in operation susceptible to malfunctions. Furthermore, the predetermined, well-defined arrangement of processing stations increases the space requirements and flexibility of the machine, which ultimately has a negative impact on machine-related manufacturing overhead.

[0004] Furthermore, there is a need to process more ammunition parts in a shorter time (to increase production capacity). To this end, in known systems, the speed of the conveyor chain can be increased. However, the resulting faster starts and stops of the conveyor chain disproportionately increase the load on the individual bearings, thereby causing increased wear on the machine, especially its moving parts. In addition, the sensitivity of the entire system to feeding errors increases during faster conveyor chain movements, which results in an increase in rejects. This reduces the effectiveness of the entire system despite the higher production capacity.

[0005] Another challenge during ammunition production is the adaptability of the machines to produce different calibers. If the conveyor chain's movement is purely mechanically released and fixed, the case diameters specific to different calibers may not be properly taken into account. Furthermore, it is important for production quality that each production station is approached with its own appropriate movement profile, taking into account the total size of the ammunition being produced.

[0006] A linear cycle system for the automated production of ammunition is known from Korean Patent No. 101,482,449. This system comprises a longitudinally arranged conveyor device for ammunition components with multiple stations where the ammunition components are processed, loaded, manipulated, and / or received, and finally assembled to form a finished ammunition. The conveyor device is configured with a sled-like conveying unit and is designed to convey multiple, particularly identical, ammunition components. Production occurs continuously and in parallel at multiple different production stations, where multiple ammunition components are simultaneously placed on a tool sled and, in particular, further processed simultaneously. Production is distance-independent in only one direction. The positioning of the individual production stations is based on the sled's positioning. The transport of the individual sleds between positions is performed individually, requiring multiple positionings per cycle. This has the advantage of allowing for multiple movement profiles between production stations. This ultimately allows for the free selection of the positions of the individual production stations, thus allocating sufficient space for the production stations.

[0007] The proposed system consists of multiple production stations, where multiple ammunition components are processed in parallel, particularly simultaneously, into ammunition in a sled. In this case, the production stations are arranged structurally independent of the sled's transport device. This has the disadvantage that each production station must be oriented to receive the sled loaded with ammunition components, process them, and return them to the transport device, which significantly increases the complexity of the overall system.

[0008] Additionally, there is a need to process more ammunition parts in a shorter time (to increase production capacity). To this end, in known systems, the speed of transport can be increased. Furthermore, to increase production capacity, the number of ammunition receiving cavities in the sled can also be increased. Cycle time is the limiting factor for operations with passive sleds, since the sled functions entirely as a passive transport and holding device for the manufacturing steps performed in the manufacturing station.

[0009] A further challenge in strictly linear ammunition production is the return of the sled. In this case, a separate transport means is required that serves exclusively for the return of the sled and extends the entire production length. This results in excessive buffer space, and the passive sled is placed only on the conveyor-like return belt. This results in increased susceptibility to malfunctions and the need for multiple additional sleds that do not process ammunition and are passively unproductive. Furthermore, space requirements are increased by the external return unit. This ultimately negatively impacts machine-related manufacturing overhead. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 2019 094 000 [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent No. 101 482 449 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, in particular to provide a system for the automated production of ammunition which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, in particular has an increased production capacity and / or allows a more reliable production of ammunition, in particular without increasing space requirements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0013] Thus, a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition components, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants, is provided. The automated production system can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to create a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system can therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or manufacturing station and ultimately delivered to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged in succession along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the production line. The system may also be referred to as a linear transport system, which serves, for example, in ammunition assembly and automation technology, to transport ammunition parts with positional precision to processing and / or assembly stations located along a transport path.

[0014] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0015] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device, which may be called or include a workpiece carrier, for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between a plurality of manufacturing stations. The manufacturing station may handle at least one ammunition component, and in particular may be designed to manipulate, handle, interact with, or otherwise act on the ammunition component. The transport device therefore performs at least two functions: on the one hand, it can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual manufacturing stations; and on the other hand, it is responsible for the automated transport or transfer of the individual ammunition components along the manufacturing process defined by the multiple manufacturing stations. The transport device defines a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are at least partially transported depending on their impact on the manufacturing process, and which defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system comprises a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and of particularly identical configuration. In this case, the transport devices can be individually actuated and moved along the transport path so that each transport device can approach the manufacturing stations with an individual movement profile. As a result, the manufacturing process is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0016] According to a first aspect of the present invention, at least one of the plurality of production stations, in particular several, is arranged in the interior and / or exterior space and acts on the munitions components transported or conveyed from the inside and / or outside along the conveying device, in particular along the conveying device. The resulting lateral or horizontal working surface of the production station relative to the conveying device or the munitions components transported together with the conveying device allows for a space-saving and clean design of the system. Such lateral access to the conveying device allows for better fulfillment of high production capacity requirements. This is because, as a result of the lateral arrangement of the production stations with lateral access to the conveying device, the individual production stations can be designed completely independent of the conveying device and can be freely or flexibly positioned, repositioned, and exchanged relative to the conveying device.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the system of the present invention, at least one of the manufacturing stations comprises a robotic system, the support base of which is attached to a foundation located in the interior and / or exterior space, next to the transport path. The robotic system may comprise a sensor system, actuators, and information processing for coordinating and controlling a robot specifically designed for handling, manipulating, etc., munitions parts. In particular, the robotic system is designed to act on at least one of the munitions parts.

[0018] In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the support base has a support column and an extension arm that is dimensioned to extend over the transport path and to allow access to the transport device, in particular the munitions parts carried by the transport device, in particular from below or above. As a result, the extension arm can extend from a position transverse to the transport path to a position disposed above the transport path so that the extension arm can access or act on the munitions parts. The extension arm can also assume a passive or buffer position in which it is fully retracted relative to the transport path and positioned next to the transport path.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, at least one of the production stations has a munitions component loading device for loading a plurality of munitions components, in particular individually, into the transport device. The system can also have a plurality of munitions component loading devices, each designed to feed a plurality of munitions components of the same type or kind. The munitions component loading devices are designed in particular to feed the respective munitions components from the outer space and / or the inner space into the transport device, or to feed the respective munitions components laterally, in particular horizontally. For example, the munitions component loading devices are designed so that the munitions components can be fed exclusively laterally in the transport direction from the inner space or from the outer space.

[0020] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, several of the manufacturing stations are arranged in the interior and / or exterior space and, depending on the positioning of the manufacturing stations, act on a transport device that carries at least one of the munitions parts from the inside and / or the outside. The distribution of the manufacturing stations in the exterior space and their arrangement in the vicinity of the transport path results in a star-shaped structure in which the manufacturing stations form points of a star centered on the transport path.

[0021] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the conveying path of the conveying device comprises two straight sections connected by two diametrically opposed curved sections extending parallel to each other and in particular extending over substantially 180°, in order to form in particular a racetrack-shaped conveying path profile. Each of the two straight sections and the two opposed curved sections can be of identical configuration, resulting in a symmetrical conveying path.

[0022] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the shape of the closed circulating conveying path is in the form of a racetrack, in particular an oval or a circle, in which case the straight sections are reduced to a minimum.

[0023] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the manufacturing stations arranged in the interior space and / or the exterior space are arranged on the infeed longitudinal side or the outfeed longitudinal side of the closed conveying path, which means that the manufacturing stations are arranged at a uniform distance from one another, in particular along a straight section of the conveying path, or in the case of a circular embodiment of the conveying path, the manufacturing stations are arranged along the circular path shape.

[0024] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the transport path at least partially serves as a buffer zone for the transport device, particularly in the area of the curved section. A buffer zone can be understood to mean that no manufacturing, handling, or processing steps are performed on the munitions parts within the zone. In the buffer zone, the munitions parts transported by the transport path can be stationary and / or perform functions in the assembly process. For example, a buffer zone can be used, which can be equipped with a sensor system, e.g., an optical sensor system, and / or a further processing station. For example, a UV light source can be integrated into the buffer zone to cure the applied sealing lacquer. Furthermore, a sensor system can be located in the buffer zone to detect luminescence generated in the applied lacquer by excitation or physical changes using the UV light source. Thus, the presence of the lacquer and the quality of the complete seal can be checked.

[0025] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, if there is a malfunction in the operation of a production station, the production process is interrupted. All ammunition parts being processed at the production station are ejected. In this way, it is ensured that no defective ammunition is produced. In the event of a malfunction, further operation at the following stations can be interrupted. The transport device that has received the ammunition parts passes through the further stations without being processed. All ammunition parts received by the transport device are ejected only at the end of the production line, so that the rotational dynamics of the entire system are not interrupted.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition parts, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or inspection laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0027] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0028] The system according to the invention also comprises a plurality of transport devices, each of which holds a plurality of the plurality of ammunition parts and transports a plurality of the plurality of ammunition parts to, from and / or between the plurality of production stations, respectively. The transport devices therefore perform at least two functions: on the one hand, they can hold the ammunition parts required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition parts at the individual production stations, and on the other hand, they are responsible for the, in particular automated, transport or transfer of the individual ammunition parts along the production process defined by the multiple production stations.

[0029] According to a further aspect of the invention, the transport devices can move independently from and / or between the manufacturing stations. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, such as sleds, distributed along a transport path, and each of the transport devices can be independently actuated and moved along the transport path, such that each transport device can access the manufacturing stations with its own movement profile. As a result, the manufacturing process is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, each of the multiple transport devices has an individual movement profile according to which the transport device can move from, to, and / or between the multiple manufacturing stations.

[0031] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the transport device defines a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual munitions components are transported at least partially depending on their impact on the manufacturing process, the closed, circulating transport path defining an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path may have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition parts, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or inspection laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0033] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0034] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between the plurality of production stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the transport device can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual production stations. On the other hand, the transport device is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the production process defined by the plurality of production stations. The transport device can define a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported at least partially depending on their impact on the production process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0035] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the system includes at least two propellant filling stations arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction. The propellant filling stations are essentially designed to fill ammunition components, particularly cases, with propellant powder. The propellant filling stations of the present invention can be designed based on gravimetric or volumetric metering. Gravimetric metering allows for advantages in terms of the accuracy of the metered amounts. Volumetric metering allows for clear advantages in terms of processing speed, which has a positive effect on cycle speed, especially when the propellant filling stations of the present invention are incorporated into systems, particularly systems, for the automated production of ammunition. The device of the present invention is particularly useful for simultaneously filling at least two ammunition cases with propellant powder. This means that the filling of at least two ammunition cases is performed in a single filling operation. Simultaneous here does not necessarily have to be understood to mean that at least two ammunition cases are filled at exactly the same time, but rather that there is a fairly specific time offset between the filling, especially the complete filling, of ammunition cases arranged along the path. The apparatus according to the present invention can be designed to fill at least two cartridge cases with predetermined, particularly substantially identical, quantities in each case, taking into account the inherent imprecision of the process. The propellant powder can be, for example, a propellant powder for small-caliber ammunition, particularly those with calibers ranging from 4.5 mm to 13 mm, typically having a spherical, tubular, rod, or flake shape, and / or formed like a powder, typically of one or two bases. Alternatively, extruded propellant powder can be used. If the propellant powder is spherical, it can be, for example, rolled, and the propellant powder can have a ball diameter of 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm. In the case of rod-shaped propellant powder, for example for 5.56 mm caliber ammunition, the rod can have a length of up to 1.1 mm and / or a diameter of up to 0.7 mm. In the case of nitrocellulose (NC), the density of the propellant powder used can be, for example, 0.5 to 1 g / cm. 3 For such propellant powders, the bulk density may be in the range of 0.6-1 g / cm for ammunition cartridges. 3and for subsonic or blank cartridges, up to 0.4 g / cm 3 is At least two propellant filling stations arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction can also be part of a common unit with two separate propellant filling substations or units arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction, in which the propellant powder is dispensed in each case. In an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the at least two propellant filling stations are arranged at a distance from each other in the conveying direction so that at least one conveying device can remain in a buffer position between the at least two propellant filling stations. For example, processing steps such as quality control, e.g., checks by a sensor system based on optical imaging, can also be carried out in the buffer position.

[0036] It has been shown that having at least two propellant filling stations can increase the cycle time in a laboratory process. In principle, the system according to the present invention can function with only a single propellant filling station, but this limits the transit time and quantity of munitions parts, such as cases, to be filled. The inventors of the present invention have recognized this causal relationship between the filling time, the number of cases to be filled, and the number of propellant filling stations with respect to the cycle time and cycle speed associated with a typical system.

[0037] According to a further exemplary development of the system according to the invention, the at least two propellant loading stations and the conveying device are coordinated with one another so that the ammunition components held by the at least two propellant loading stations are loaded substantially simultaneously, whereby simultaneously does not necessarily have to be understood as meaning that the ammunition components are loaded at exactly the same time, but rather that there is a fairly specific time offset between the loading, in particular the complete loading, and rather that the loading of multiple ammunition components is carried out in one loading or processing operation.

[0038] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition components, such as cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system, and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0039] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0040] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between the plurality of production stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the transport device can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual production stations. On the other hand, the transport device is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the production process defined by the plurality of production stations. The transport device can define a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported at least partially depending on their impact on the production process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0041] According to a further aspect of the invention, one of the manufacturing stations is an ignition element insertion station for inserting ignition elements into the manufacturing process of the system, each inserted into a case. The ignition element insertion station may be designed to insert a plurality of ignition elements, in particular at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 ignition elements simultaneously, in particular in an insertion operation, into a corresponding number of cases.

[0042] According to an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the ignition element insertion station moves the ignition elements laterally towards the conveying device for insertion into the production process. In this case, the conveying path can define a horizontal conveying plane to a limited extent within this plane. Lateral insertion can be understood to mean that the ignition elements are inserted into the housing laterally from outside the conveying plane defined by the conveying path, i.e., in particular parallel to the orientation of the conveying plane.

[0043] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the ignition elements are arranged in cassettes or supplied as bulk material to the ignition element insertion station, whereby the cassettes can be adapted to the arrangement of the munition parts held by the carrier device, thereby simplifying the simultaneous insertion of several ignition elements in particular.

[0044] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the ignition element is inserted into the case from below or from above, in other words, the ignition element can first be brought transversely to the conveying device and finally inserted into the case with an insertion direction oriented transversely to the feed direction, in particular perpendicular to the feed direction.

[0045] In one exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the system has two ignition element supply stations for loading ignition elements into the ignition element insertion station, the ignition element supply stations being arranged one behind the other in the transport direction. For example, the ignition element insertion station is arranged between the ignition element supply stations in the transport direction. This has the advantage that operations can be carried out in parallel, which significantly increases production capacity and, in particular, optimizes transit times and the amount of ammunition parts, such as cases, to be loaded.

[0046] According to a further exemplary development, the system includes a slide, which is translationally mounted, particularly along a back-and-forth movement, for receiving a plurality of ignition elements at the ignition element supply station and for transferring and securing the ignition elements to the ignition element insertion station. For example, the carrier is designed and / or dimensioned so that at least a section of the slide is located in the area of the ignition element supply station, and further, a section, particularly identically designed, is located in the area of the ignition element insertion station. Thus, substantially simultaneously, on the one hand, a group of ignition elements can be transferred to the slide in the area of the ignition element supply station, and on the other hand, ignition elements already transferred to the slide can be inserted into the case by the ignition element insertion station. For example, the slide has a plate-like elongated structure with a plurality of receptacles, particularly recesses, which are arranged, in particular, at uniform distances from each other and are designed and dimensioned to receive the ignition elements in each case.

[0047] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition components, namely, a case, an ignition element, a projectile, and a propellant. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, the ignition element, the projectile, and the propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or a laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged in succession along the rotary cycle or system, and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0048] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0049] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between the plurality of production stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the transport device can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual production stations. On the other hand, the transport device is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the production process defined by the plurality of production stations. The transport device can define a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported at least partially depending on their impact on the production process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0050] According to a further aspect of the invention, one of the manufacturing stations is a fluid application station, where a sealing compound is applied to the annular joint between the case and the ignition element housed therein and / or between the case and the projectile inserted therein, thereby sealing and / or marking the annular joint. It has been found that incorporating the application of the sealing compound into an automated manufacturing process entails considerable advantages in terms of manufacturing capacity and manufacturing precision. As a result of a system that ensures that the individual components are aligned with each other, the fluid application station can benefit from this predetermined alignment of the individual components with respect to each other and can apply the sealing compound very precisely.

[0051] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the conveying direction defines a closed, circulating conveying path defining an inner space enclosed by the conveying path and an outer space defined from the inner space, and fluid application stations arranged in the inner space and / or the outer space are acted upon from the outside and / or the inside via a robotic system. The robotic system may comprise a sensor system, actuators, and information processing for coordinating and controlling a robot specifically designed for handling, manipulating, etc., munitions parts. In particular, the robotic system is designed to act on at least one of the munitions parts.

[0052] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the fluid application station has at least one fluid applicator, in particular a plurality of fluid applicators, in particular the number of fluid applicators being adapted to the capacity of the case and / or the fluid applicators being microdosing valves. As a result of these measures, the fluid mass can be applied particularly efficiently and specifically in precisely metered amounts. The number of fluid applicators, in particular valves, required depends on the characteristics or specifications of the fluid applicators. For example, valves can be used that spray droplets in short pulses while the case is moving at a certain speed.

[0053] In a further exemplary embodiment, the fluid applicator dispenses a synthetic fluid, in particular a synthetic sealant, which means that the fluid applicator can be correspondingly designed and connected to a source of sealing compound.

[0054] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the fluid applicator dispenses multiple droplets of fluid into the annular joint between the ignition element and the case and / or between the case and the projectile inserted during the circular movement.

[0055] According to further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the droplets are dispensed at a tact in the range of 3 Hz to 4,000 Hz, in particular in the range of 50 Hz to 3,500 Hz, in the range of 100 Hz to 3,000 Hz, in the range of 250 Hz to 2,000 Hz or in the range of 300 Hz to 1,000 Hz.

[0056] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the fluid is distributed uniformly, with the annular layer having a circumferential width deviation of 20 nl / mm or less, in particular 1 nl / mm or less, preferably 0.1 nl / mm or less. For example, the metered amount per delivery process may be in the range of 50 nl to 500 nl. 1 to 10 individual sealing applications, in particular spray processes, may be possible per sealing process.

[0057] According to further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the fluid is uniformly distributed in a plurality of droplets, in particular the annular layer comprising an annular circumferential width of more than 0.2 drops / mm, in particular an annular circumferential width of more than 1 drop / mm, or an annular circumferential width of more than 2 drops / mm, or an annular circumferential width of more than 2 drops / mm.

[0058] In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a nozzle fluidly connected to a microdosing valve and having an outlet diameter in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, in particular in the range of 0.1 mm to 3 mm or in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.1 mm dispenses the annular joint lacquer.

[0059] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition parts, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or inspection laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0060] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0061] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between the plurality of production stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the transport device can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual production stations. On the other hand, the transport device is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the production process defined by the plurality of production stations. The transport device can define a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported at least partially depending on their impact on the production process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0062] According to a further aspect of the invention, one of the production stations is a quality control station, in which the cases and projectiles are individually monitored in each case before assembly, monitoring being understood to mean quality control with respect to predetermined parameters.

[0063] According to an exemplary development of the system according to the invention, the quality monitoring station comprises at least one light detection device, such as a camera.

[0064] In a further exemplary embodiment, an optical camera is aimed at the case and / or at least one further camera or the same camera is aimed at the projectile.

[0065] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the optical camera takes multiple images of each ammunition part of a carrier device carrying the ammunition part in order to assess the quality of the ammunition part based on the multiple images.

[0066] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition parts, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or inspection laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0067] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0068] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between a plurality of manufacturing stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, it can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual manufacturing stations. On the other hand, it is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the manufacturing process defined by the multiple manufacturing stations. The transport device defines a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported, at least partially depending on their impact on the manufacturing process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0069] According to a further aspect of the invention, the transport device and the manufacturing station are coordinated with one another in a clock cycle, and at least two, at least five, at least ten, or at least twelve ammunition parts are processed at the manufacturing station to form ammunition per clock cycle. The manufacturing capacity according to the invention is achieved, inter alia, by the parallel processing of multiple ammunition parts per clock cycle.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the conveying device conveys at a tact time in the range of 10 to 60 pieces / minute, in particular in the range of 20 to 50 pieces / minute, or in the range of 25 to 35 pieces / minute.

[0071] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the above-described aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a system for the automated production of ammunition consisting of multiple ammunition parts, in particular cases, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellants. The system for automated production can include all joining and assembly steps necessary to generate a complete ammunition unit from the case, ignition elements, projectiles, and propellant powder. The system may therefore also be referred to as an assembly system or inspection laboratory system. Individual ammunition components can be manufactured in an upstream manufacturing step and / or upstream manufacturing station and ultimately fed to an assembly system, where, in principle, the ammunition components are assembled according to proven techniques to form a complete ammunition or cartridge, which can then be sold immediately after passing through the system. The system is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or system, in which individual processing stations for assembling ammunition are arranged successively along the rotary cycle or system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to the conveying cycle of the manufacturing line.

[0072] The system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of manufacturing or processing stations in which different assembly or manufacturing steps are carried out. For example, the plurality of manufacturing stations may comprise an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and / or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, such as a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station, and / or a rejection station for transporting manufactured ammunition from the manufacturing process of the system. The rejection station may also serve to reject rejected products from the manufacturing process. The plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged with respect to the manufacturing process so that ammunition parts can be fed to the manufacturing stations one by one to enable the execution of manufacturing steps that build on each other.

[0073] The system according to the present invention also includes a transport device for holding a plurality of ammunition components and transporting them to, from, and / or between a plurality of manufacturing stations. The transport device thus performs at least two functions. On the one hand, it can hold the ammunition components required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition components at the individual manufacturing stations. On the other hand, it is responsible for the automated transport or transport of the individual ammunition components along the manufacturing process defined by the multiple manufacturing stations. The transport device defines a closed, circulating transport path along which the individual ammunition components are transported, at least partially depending on their impact on the manufacturing process. The closed, circulating transport path defines an interior space enclosed by the transport path and an exterior space defined from the interior space. The transport path can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the system includes a plurality of transport devices, e.g., sleds, distributed along the transport path and having, in particular, identical configurations. In this case, multiple transport devices can be independently actuated to move along the transport path, each with its own movement profile to access a manufacturing station, resulting in a manufacturing process that is much more flexible than if the transport devices were fixed to one another along the transport path.

[0074] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the transport path includes rails oriented toward the interior and / or exterior space, the rails extending along the transport path and securing the coupling interface of the transport device in a provision position. The coupling interface of the transport device is designed to connect to a motor of the production line, which motor is provided to drive the transport device, move the transport device between processing stations, and / or supply energy to the transport device, so that the transport device can perform an operating process, particularly the motor-side coupling interface, for transmitting energy to the motorless transport device. Thus, the transport device itself can be drive-free and / or motorless. The activation energy or movement energy required to move the transport device can be completely supplied externally, in particular by a motor or drive of the production line. Furthermore, the workpiece carrier-side coupling interface can be designed, particularly adapted in terms of shape, and / or aligned with the motor-side coupling interface, so that the workpiece carrier can be moved into the motor-side coupling interface to connect to the motor. In this way, the workpiece carrier and the energy source can be coupled to each other in a particularly simple manner, without the workpiece carrier needing its own energy supply to move the at least one receptacle. Furthermore, the transport device-side coupling interface is designed, particularly geometrically adapted, and / or aligned with the motor-side coupling interface so that the transport device can move into the motor-side coupling interface to connect to the motor. In this way, the transport device and the energy source can be coupled to each other in a particularly simple manner, without the transport device needing its own energy supply to move the at least one receptacle. According to exemplary embodiments of the transport device, the coupling interface is designed for form-fit engagement. For example, the coupling interface can be based on the tongue-and-groove principle. In a further exemplary embodiment of the transport device, the transport device-side coupling interface has a linear recess and a linear protrusion, the longitudinal extent of which is aligned parallel to the movement direction to couple the transport device and the motor to each other.The direction of movement of the conveying device for coupling together can correspond to the direction of movement defined by the production line, for example the rotation cycle or the rotation system.

[0075] Fixing the coupling interface of the conveying device, which can also be considered as the coupling position, in its provided position ensures that the coupling interface remains in that position in particular without shifting during movement of the conveying device along the conveying path, so that a reliable coupling is ensured.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the rails are manufactured from a material having a coefficient of sliding friction against steel of less than 0.20, in particular less than 0.10 or less than 0.08.

[0077] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the upper rail is manufactured from a wear-resistant plastic, in particular a thermoplastic polymer, in particular the plastic is selected from the group consisting of PEEK, POM, IGIDUR, PTFE, UHMWPE, PAI and mixtures thereof.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment applicable to all of the aforementioned aspects and exemplary embodiments, the transport device can also be referred to as a workpiece carrier, which can in principle fulfill two functions: on the one hand, the workpiece carrier can hold the ammunition parts required for the ammunition and enable access to or processing of the ammunition parts at the individual processing stations, and on the other hand, the workpiece carrier can form an interface to an automated production line, so that at least two ammunition parts can be passed through the automated production line by the workpiece carrier.

[0079] The workpiece carrier has a carrier base, such as a sled, configured to be transported along a manufacturing line. The carrier base can therefore be specifically configured to be removably coupled to an automated manufacturing line so that the workpiece carrier can be automatically transported from one processing station to the next by the automated manufacturing line. The carrier base can be designed, for example, to form a tongue-and-groove system with connecting components of the automated manufacturing line.

[0080] The workpiece carrier further comprises at least one receptacle arranged on the carrier base, particularly preferably removably fastened thereto, for holding at least two ammunition components of the same type, such as two ammunition cases, two ammunition projectiles, two ammunition cartridges, or two ammunition primers. An essential aspect of the workpiece carrier according to the invention is that it is designed to receive a plurality of ammunition components held therein so that they can be processed simultaneously or in parallel. For example, the receptacle may be designed to hold at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 15 ammunition components of the same type. For example, the plurality of ammunition components are held by the receptacle in a predetermined, particularly unalterable, arrangement, such as a row and / or a side-by-side arrangement, such as an array field.

[0081] According to an exemplary embodiment, at least one ammunition component receptacle is movably mounted relative to the carrier base. It has been found that during the assembly of ammunition, individual ammunition components must be held in different orientations depending on the processing station. While this has been solved in the prior art by complex, individually constructed processing stations with access to rigid holding devices for the ammunition components, the present invention departs from this concept by providing a more complex workpiece carrier to meet these requirements. According to the present invention, high flexibility is achieved in a simple manner through the movable mounting of the ammunition component receptacle relative to the carrier base. By making the material receptacle movable, it is possible to optimally orient the material receptacle during different processing steps or in different processing stations. As a result, the individual processing stations can be significantly simplified in terms of structure, handling, and control, and their installation space can be significantly reduced. Processing stations no longer require complex systems for accessing or processing rigidly arranged ammunition components.

[0082] According to a further exemplary embodiment, at least one of the ammunition component receptacles can be moved from a loading position, where at least two ammunition components can be simultaneously fed, to a processing position, where at least two ammunition components can be simultaneously processed. Because all different types of ammunition components do not necessarily need to be fed to the same number of different processing stations and / or processed in different orientations or positions, a cost-effective and significantly more flexible workpiece carrier can be provided compared to the prior art. Combining receptacles for different types of ammunition components required for ammunition production on one and the same workpiece carrier can yield significant advantages, particularly in terms of cycle speed. Thus, ammunition components to be joined together can be provided adjacent to each other, or at least held by the same workpiece carrier, so that the ammunition components are held locally on the workpiece carrier for easy handling and accessibility. The mobility of the at least one ammunition component receptacle relative to the carrier base can be designed to be flexible so that it can be accessed in a variety of different positions. For example, at least one ammunition component receptacle can be locked when assuming the loading and / or processing position, thereby temporarily preventing the mobility of the ammunition component receptacle. It is clear that the positions of the at least two ammunition components in the loading position or their orientations may be such that processing of the at least two ammunition components can take place in the loading position. The different positions that the ammunition component receptacle can assume relative to the carrier base may differ with respect to different orientations and / or positions relative to the distance from the carrier base.

[0083] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the workpiece carrier further comprises a coupling interface, in particular a motor-side coupling interface, for connection to a motor of a production line for moving the receptacle from the loading position to the processing position, in particular vice versa. The workpiece carrier itself can therefore be designed to be drive-free and / or motorless. The actuation or movement energy required to move the at least one munitions component receptacle can be completely supplied externally, for example by a motor or drive of the production line.

[0084] According to a further exemplary embodiment, the workpiece carrier-side coupling interface is designed, particularly adapted in terms of shape, and / or aligned with respect to the motor-side coupling interface so that the workpiece carrier can be moved into the motor-side coupling interface for connection to the motor, in this way allowing a particularly simple coupling of the workpiece carrier with the energy source, without the workpiece carrier needing its own energy supply to move the at least one receptacle.

[0085] In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system according to one of the aforementioned aspects or exemplary embodiments comprises a device for marking, in particular labeling, laser processing, embossing, printing, etc., at least one of the ammunition parts, in particular all ammunition parts held by the conveying device, in particular the case, such as the case bottom, and / or the base piece, such as the base piece bottom. For example, this can be a laser station. The laser station can be located immediately downstream of the case insertion station and / or integrated into the case insertion station. The device can serve to apply, in particular permanently, an individual identification to the ammunition part. For example, a downstream manufacturing station can have a device for reading the individual identification.

[0086] In further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the manufacturing stations may be independently movable between a manufacturing position where the manufacturing stations can act on the munitions components and / or the transport device, and a passive position where the manufacturing stations are retracted relative to the munitions components and / or the transport device. The passive position may be, for example, a maintenance position where the respective manufacturing station is disconnected from the manufacturing process to perform maintenance, repairs, or other checks not directly related to the manufacture of munitions. For example, the manufacturing stations may be independently movable from the manufacturing position to the passive position away from the transport path.

[0087] According to an exemplary embodiment of the system of the present invention, each production station has a drive for moving the respective production station. For example, the drive is independent of the respective production station's specific operating devices for acting on ammunition parts and / or transport devices. In other words, the drive for moving the production station between the production position and the passive position can be constructed and controllable independently of the production station's specific operating devices that intervene in the production process and produce ammunition. For example, each production station has a removable coupling interface for connection to the respective fixed drive.

[0088] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the transport device is movably mounted on a rail extending along the transport path and is held on the rail by a horizontally oriented holding force, in particular a magnetic holding force. For example, no additional horizontally acting fastening mechanism is used. The horizontal, in particular magnetic, holding force can be supported by a vertically oriented support for a transport device-side bearing interface that slides and / or rolls along the support during movement of the transport device relative to the support.

[0089] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, the transport device is removably mounted on the rail. For example, removal can be achieved by overcoming a magnetic holding force between the transport device and the rail. The removal direction of the transport device away from the rail can be oriented horizontally.

[0090] In a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the rail has at least one support and / or guide surface for the transport device. The support and / or guide surface supports the movement of the transport device for transporting the munitions components from, to, and / or between the multiple production stations. For example, a horizontally oriented guide surface provides a magnetic holding force. The magnetic holding force can be achieved by surface contact of the rail and the transport device or by two support surfaces arranged at a small distance from each other.

[0091] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transport device and the rails extending along the transport path along which the transport device is movably guided form a magnetic levitation system.

[0092] According to a further aspect of the invention, which may be combined with the aforementioned aspects and exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method for automatically manufacturing ammunition consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile, and a propellant. According to the inventive method, the ammunition can be manufactured using a system designed according to one of the aforementioned aspects or exemplary embodiments, and / or the method can be designed such that the system according to the invention is capable of performing the method steps.

[0093] Preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

[0094] Further advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention will be explained by the following description of preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0095] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic principle diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention; [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic principle diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention; [Figure 3] 3 shows a schematic principle diagram of a further exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention in more detail; [Figure 4] FIG. 3 shows a schematic principle diagram of a section of the system according to the invention. [Figure 5] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 6] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 7] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 8] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 9] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 10] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 11] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 12] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 13] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 14] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 15] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 16] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 17] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 18] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; [Figure 19] 4 shows a further schematic principle diagram of a further section of the system of FIG. 3; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0096] In this description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system 1 according to the invention, also referred to as an assembly system 1 or inspection room system 1, is generally designated by the reference numeral 1, and a transport device 100 or workpiece carrier 100 for holding and transporting a plurality of munitions parts to, from and / or between a plurality of manufacturing stations is generally designated by the reference numeral 100. A completed munition 101 is designated by the reference numeral 101.

[0097] According to the exemplary embodiment of the assembly system 1 according to the invention of Figures 1 to 3, the assembly system 1 comprises at least the following production stations: a case insertion station 11 designed to insert the cases 3 into the carrier device 100; a projectile insertion station 13 designed to insert the projectiles 5 into the carrier device 100; a propellant filling station 15 designed to fill the cases 3 with propellant powder 9; an ignition element supply station 49 for supplying ignition elements 7; an ignition element insertion station 47 where the ignition elements 7 are inserted into the carrier device 100; several quality monitoring stations 59 and quality control stations 69 for optically and / or tactilely ensuring the quality of the ammunition 101; and a discharge station 25 for the final discharge of the finished ammunition 101.

[0098] A conveying device 100 for holding a plurality of ammunition parts and transporting the plurality of ammunition parts to, from, and / or between a plurality of manufacturing stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 defines a closed, circulating conveying path 29 defining an interior space 33 surrounded by the conveying path 29 and an exterior space 31 defined from the interior space 33. The conveying path 29 is composed of two parallel straight sections 27 connected by a curved section 43 to form a racetrack-shaped conveying path profile, according to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. The manufacturing stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 are disposed transversely to the conveying path 29 in the interior space 33 (FIG. 1) or the exterior space 31 (FIG. 2) of the conveying path 29.

[0099] 1 and 2, a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system 1 according to the present invention is shown. FIG. 1 illustrates a system configuration in which ammunition components are introduced into the system 1 from the outside. FIG. 2 illustrates the reverse approach, in which ammunition components are introduced from the interior space 33 into the transport device 100. The main manufacturing process is the same for both system configurations according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Both system configurations include the following manufacturing process: the transport device 100, located in the buffer zone 45, is fed to the case insertion station 11 via the curved section 43. This is followed by the projectile insertion station 13, where the projectile 5 is fed into the transport device 100. The entire transport device 100, with the projectile 5 and case 3 placed therein, is then optically inspected at the quality control station 59. In the subsequent stations, the ignition element 7 is first introduced into the system 1 via the ignition element supply station 49, then transported with a slide 51 in the ignition element insertion station 47, and finally inserted into the rear of the case 3. After insertion, the ignited case 3 is calibrated in the case-forming station 17 and then sealed with a ring joint lacquer in the fluid application station 53. The conveying device 100 is then guided through a second curved section 43 and then through another straight section 27, which leads to several manufacturing stations. Before the case 3 is filled with propellant powder 9 in the propellant filling station 15, the quality control station 59 checks whether the ignition element 7 has been properly received in the case 3. After filling, the filling level is checked, particularly tactilely, in the quality control station 69. The actual assembly of the projectile 5 and the case 3 is carried out in two stages: first, the projectile 5 is only lightly placed on the case 3 in the projectile insertion station 19, and finally, in the next step, it is pushed into the case 3 in the projectile assembly station 21. The final ammunition 101 is then checked in the quality control station 59 and / or the quality control station 69 and finally ejected via the ejection station 25.

[0100] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the system 1, illustrating certain features thereof. To increase production capacity or production safety, the system 1 can have at least two propellant filling stations 15 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. This special configuration allows two conveying devices 100 to be filled with propellant powder 9 in one cycle. This has the effect of increasing the time per cycle for the propellant powder 9 to drip into the case 3 and improving dosing accuracy. Labor-intensive stations can generally be duplicated in the system 1 according to the invention, so that the workload of one station is correspondingly halved. An example of a labor-intensive step is the supply and insertion of ignition elements 7 into the rear of the case 3. To this end, an exemplary embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3, which has two ignition element supply stations 49 for loading ignition elements 7 into the ignition element insertion station 47, arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. In FIG. 3, the ignition element insertion station 47 is arranged between the ignition element supply stations 49 in the conveying direction F. This has the advantage that operations can be carried out in parallel, thereby significantly increasing production capacity.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 4, a detailed cross-section of FIG. 3, several production stations are shown after the loading of the propellant powder 9. As already explained, after loading, the charge is measured by a sensor. This is done in a quality control station 69, which may be equipped with tactile and / or non-contact sensors. After this quality control station 69, the projectile 5 is applied to the case 3 in two stages. The transport device 100 can be fitted with a munitions component receptacle 75 in which the projectile 5 is placed and, optionally, with another munitions component receptacle 75 for the case 3, which are pivotally mounted relative to one another so that the projectile 5 can be placed on the case 3 by pivoting one of the munitions component receptacles 75 relative to the other at the projectile insertion station 19. As a result, the projectile 5 is coaxially centered above the case 3 and inserted into the case 3 by a multi-punch set in the projectile assembly station 21, in particular by simultaneous linear movement. A particular feature of the manufacturing process shown in FIG. 4 is that the rotational movement at the projectile insertion station 19 is performed by the ammunition component receptacle 75 of the motorless transport device 100. The motive or movement energy required to operate the transport device 100 can be provided externally, for example, by a motor 77. Furthermore, the transport device 100 is designed with, and is particularly adapted in terms of shape and / or aligned with, the motor-side coupling interface 65 so that the workpiece carrier 100 can move into the motor-side coupling interface 65 for connection to the motor 77. According to the embodiment of the transport device 100 shown in FIG. 4, the coupling interface 65 is designed for form-fitting engagement as a tongue-and-groove system 73. Furthermore, the case-forming station 17 is shown in FIG. 4, which secures the projectile 5 not only by force but also by form with the case 3. This case-forming process at the case-forming station 17 is also called crimping. Before the ammunition 101 can be discharged at the discharge station 25, it must be checked for its geometric condition at the quality control station 69.This process, also known as rate control, is typically performed tactilely, with each completed cartridge 101 being forced into a cavity representing the maximum allowable outer shape, also known as rate control using a rate gauge.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 5, which shows a detailed cross-section of FIG. 4 and therefore of FIG. 3, several production stations leading up to final discharge and transportation in the discharge direction A are shown. The view in FIG. 5 is tilted at an angle of approximately 45° and shows the carrier base 37 and the support 39. A robotic system 35 for discharging the munitions 101 is mounted on the support 39 according to FIG. 4. The discharge station 25 can function, on the one hand, to discharge rejected munitions from the production process and, on the other hand, to place the finished munitions 101 in parallel on a conveyor belt for final transportation in the discharge direction A. Another production station of the system 1 according to the invention is the projectile marking station 23 according to FIG. 5, which consists only of a fluid applicator 57. This fluid applicator 57 of the projectile marking station 23, mounted downstream of the charge ratio control, can apply various fluid connections and thus serve various purposes. In addition to marking the munitions 101 (e.g., tracer munitions), it is also conceivable to apply a sealing medium (e.g., Hernon or Permabond). Furthermore, it is conceivable that a medium may be applied to the gap between the projectile 5 and the case 3, making the ammunition 101 more weapon-friendly and / or accurate.

[0103] 6, which shows a more detailed cross section of FIG. 3, the ignition element insertion station 47 and the ignition element supply station 49 are shown arranged side by side in the conveying direction F. According to the embodiment of the system 1 shown in FIG. 6, the ignition elements 7 are supplied aligned in cassettes 79 in the ignition element insertion station 47. The cassettes 79 are adapted to the arrangement of the ammunition parts held by the conveying device 100, in particular so that the simultaneous insertion of several ignition elements 7 is simplified.

[0104] FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of a cross section of an assembly system 1 according to the present invention with parallel-acting propellant filling stations 15. The system 1 shown in FIG. 7 has two propellant filling stations 15 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. The propellant filling stations 15 operate volumetrically according to FIG. 7, which has a positive effect on the manufacturability of the assembly system 1. The propellant filling stations 15 simultaneously fill the cases 3 with propellant powder 9. This means that the cases 3 are filled in a single operation without changing direction. The propellant filling stations 15, which typically fill the ammunition 101 with mono- or di-basic spherical, tubular, rod-shaped, or flake-shaped powder, are designed for small-caliber ammunition. The two propellant filling stations 15 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F are part of a unit according to FIG. 7 that has two separate propellant filling stations 15 or units arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F, through which the propellant powder 9 is dispensed.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 8, which shows a detailed cross section of FIG. 3, several manufacturing stations are shown, in particular the case insertion station 11 and the projectile insertion station 13 for inserting ammunition parts. Here, the ammunition components are introduced laterally into the transport device 100 via a robotic system 35 designed as a slide. The case 3 is first introduced into the transport device 100 at the case opening in the case insertion station 11 according to FIG. 8. The case receiving cavity of the transport device 100 is rotated so that the case 3 and the case receiving cavity are aligned, allowing the robotic system 35 to slide the case 3 into the cavity from the side. The projectile insertion station 19 follows a similar principle. However, here the projectile 5 is slid by the robotic system 35 into the upper cavity of the transport device 100. According to FIG. 8 , a transfer station is located between the case insertion station 11 and the projectile insertion station 13, with a rail 63 oriented towards the interior space 33 extending along the conveying path 29 and having a coupling interface 65 designed similarly to the tongue and groove system 73 and capable of putting the conveying device 100 into a waiting position via a motor 77.

[0106] 9, which shows a greatly enlarged perspective detail cross-section of FIG. 3, an optical quality monitoring station 59 is shown. According to FIG. 9, the quality monitoring station 59 includes three cameras 61. The cameras 61 are aimed at both the case 3 and the projectile 5. Thus, multiple images of each case 3 and each projectile 5 can be taken and then evaluated mechanically, manually, or using artificial intelligence (AI), "deep learning," or "machine learning."

[0107] Another feature of the system 1 according to the present invention is a special type of sealing and / or marking of the annular joint 55 using fluid applicators 57 arranged side by side in the conveying direction F. According to the embodiment of the system 1 shown in FIG. 10, the fluid application station 53 has multiple fluid applicators 57, the number of which is adapted to the case capacity and / or the number of cases 3 held by the conveying device 100. The robot system 35 of the system 1 shown in FIG. 10 is capable of performing circular movements. These measures allow for particularly efficient and precisely metered application of the fluid mass. The fluid application station 53 of FIG. 10 can be equipped with a sealing medium and / or a color medium. The color medium is used for recognition purposes, especially in subsonic munitions. The fluid applicator 57 dispenses multiple droplets of the fluid mass onto the annular joint 55 during the circular movement. According to a further exemplary embodiment, at least one fluid applicator 57 is designed as a valve, from which a pulse falls onto the case 3. The transport apparatus 100 moves through the processing stations at a prescribed velocity profile within a station-specific total throughput time.

[0108] Figure 11 shows how at least part of the system 1 can be designed modularly. An extension arm 81 consisting of a carrier base 37 and a support post 39 can be equipped with a variety of end effectors. Possible modular end effectors that can be mounted on the support post 39 according to Figure 11 include a fluid applicator 57, a quality monitoring station 59, or a precision positioning device to which other actuators such as a motor 77 can be attached.

[0109] FIG. 13 shows another section in a perspective view of the system 1 according to the invention, focusing on the transport device 100 arranged on the rail 63. The embodiment according to FIG. 13 differs from the previous embodiment with regard to the coupling of the transport device 100 to the rail 63. As indicated diagrammatically by the arrow with reference sign M, there is a magnetic holding force between the transport device 100 and the rail 63, directed in the horizontal direction H, which holds the transport device 100 on the rail 63. According to the embodiment of FIG. 13, the transport device 100 does not have a form-fit or locking engagement with the rail 63. The coupling is achieved by pairs of support and / or guide surfaces 83, 87 and 85, 89 assigned to each other. The guide surface 85 of the rail 63 is formed by a support 91 for the transport device 100, i.e., a support projection 93 which protrudes from the flat magnetic support and / or guide surface 87 and rests on the support 91 together with its support and / or guide surface 89.

[0110] 13 in a top view. This shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. The rail 63 and the guide device 100 together form a magnetic levitation system, as evidenced by the narrow gap a between the opposing magnetic support and / or guide surfaces 83, 87. The transport device 100 is therefore at least vertically supported by the support protrusions 93 on the supports 91 and can otherwise float without contact or friction in the area of the opposing support and / or guide surfaces 87, 89 during relative movement of the transport device 100 with respect to the rail 63.

[0111] 15 and 16 relate to the same embodiment as in FIGS. 13 and 14, in which the transport device 100 has been partially detached from the rail 63. According to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 13-16, detachment can be achieved simply by overcoming the magnetic holding force (arrow M) between the transport device 100 and the rail 63. For subsequent reattachment of the transport device 100 to the rail 63, the transport device 100 is reintroduced into the rail in essentially the opposite direction until the magnetic holding force M begins to pull the transport device 100 towards the rail 63.

[0112] 12 shows another section of the system 1 according to the invention, namely an apparatus 95 for marking, in particular labeling, laser processing, embossing, printing, etc., at least one of the ammunition parts. According to the embodiment of FIG. 12, the apparatus 95 can be designed to mark all ammunition parts held by the transport device 100 in one process step. For example, the apparatus 95 can be designed to be located immediately after the case insertion station 11 and / or to mark the case bottoms with individual identification indicia that can be read by downstream production stations.

[0113] 17 to 19 show a further exemplary embodiment of the system 1 according to the invention. The individual production stations, exemplified in FIGS. 17 to 19 by the case insertion station 11 and the projectile insertion station 13, may be individually movable between a production position, indicated by reference character (A), in which the production stations 11, 13 can act on the ammunition components and / or the carrier device 100, and a passive position, indicated by reference character (B). The passive position (B) may also be understood as a maintenance position in which the respective production station can be subjected to maintenance, repair or other inspection or reworking procedures.

[0114] As can be seen by comparing Figures 18, 19 with Figure 17, the projectile insertion station 13 is retracted into a passive position (B) compared to the production position (A), i.e. moved away from the rail 63 on which the transport device 100 with the munitions parts is located. Each individual station has its own drive 103, 105 for moving the respective production station 11, 13. It can be seen that the drives 103, 105 are independent of the respective production station's specific operating devices 97, 99 for acting on the munitions parts or the transport device 100. Both the electronic controls and the mechanical power transmission components, such as gears, can be designed to be controllable independently of each other, in particular individually.

[0115] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the drawings and the claims may be important both individually and in any combination for realizing the invention in its various embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1 Assembly / Inspection Room System 3 Cases 5. Projectile 7 Ignition Elements 9. Propellant Powder 11 Case Insertion Station 13 Projectile Insertion Station 15 Propellant Filling Station 17 Case Forming Station 19. Projectile Insertion Station 21 Projectile Assembly Station 23 Projectile Marking Station 25 Discharge Station 27 Straight Section 29 Transport Route 31 Exterior Space 33 Interior Space 35 Robot Systems 37 Career-based 39 Pillar 43 curved section 45 Buffer Zone 47 Ignition Element Insertion Station 49 Ignition Element Supply Station 51 slides 53 Fluid Application Station 55 Annular joint 57 Fluid Applicator 59 Quality Monitoring Station 61 Camera 63 Rail 65 Bonding Interface 67 Provided position 69 Quality Control Station 71 Career-based 73 Tongue-and-groove system 75 Ammunition Parts Receptacle 77 Motor 79 cassettes 81 Extension Arm 83, 85, 87, 89 Support and / or guide surfaces 91 Support 93 Support protrusion 95 Marking equipment 97,99 Operating device 100 conveying device 101 Ammunition 103, 105 Drive V, H Vertical or horizontal direction a distance M magnetic force F Conveying direction A Discharge direction

Claims

1. A system (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (3) and a propellant, comprising: a plurality of manufacturing stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station (11) and / or a projectile insertion station (19), for inserting at least one of said plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of said system (1), a plurality of quality control stations (69), at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station (17), a propellant filling station (15), a projectile assembly station (21), a projectile marking station (23), and / or a discharge station (25) for transporting the manufactured ammunition (101) from the manufacturing process of said system (1); a conveying device (100) for holding said plurality of munitions parts and for transporting said plurality of munitions parts to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a closed, circulating conveying path (29) defining an interior space (33) surrounded by a conveying path (29) and an exterior space (31) defined from said interior space (33); In a system (1), A system (1) characterized in that at least one, in particular several, of the plurality of manufacturing stations are arranged in the interior space (33) and / or the exterior space (31) and act on the conveying device (100) from the inside and / or from the outside.

2. 2. The system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of manufacturing stations comprises a robot system (35), the support base (37) of which is attached to a foundation of the interior space (33) and / or the exterior space (31) located next to the transport path (29), and in particular the robot system (35) is designed to act on at least one of the munitions parts.

3. 3. The system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the support base (37) comprises a support post (39) and an extension arm (81) that extends over the transport path (29) and is dimensioned in such a way as to allow access from below or above to the transport device (100), in particular to the munitions parts carried by the transport device (100).

4. 4. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the production stations comprises an ammunition component loading device for loading the conveying device (100), in particular with the ammunition components individually, and in particular the ammunition component loading device is designed to feed the respective ammunition components from the external space (31) and / or the internal space (33) to the conveying device (100) or to feed the respective ammunition components laterally, in particular horizontally.

5. 5. A system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that several of the manufacturing stations are arranged in the interior space (33) and / or the exterior space (31) and act on the conveying device (100) that carries at least one of the munitions parts from the outside and / or the inside.

6. 6. The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the conveying path (29) of the conveying device (100) has two straight sections (27) connected by two diametrically opposed curved sections (43) extending parallel to each other and in particular extending over substantially 180°, in order to form a conveying path profile in particular in the shape of a racetrack.

7. 7. A system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shape of the closed circulating conveying path (29) is in the form of a racetrack, in particular an oval or circular shape.

8. 8. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the manufacturing stations arranged in the internal space (33) and / or the external space (31) are arranged on the infeed longitudinal side and / or the outfeed longitudinal side of the closed conveying path (29).

9. 9. The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the conveying path (29) at least partially serves as a buffer zone (45) for the conveying device (100), the buffer zone (45) being formed in particular in the region of the curved section (43).

10. 10. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein in the event of an operational malfunction at a manufacturing station, the manufacturing process is interrupted and all munitions components being processed are ejected separately.

11. A system (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile, and a propellant, comprising: a plurality of manufacturing stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station (11) and / or a projectile insertion station (19), for inserting at least one of said plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of said system (1), a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station (17), a propellant filling station (15), a projectile assembly station (21), a projectile marking station (23) and / or a discharge station (25) for transporting the manufactured ammunition (101) from said manufacturing process of said system (1); a plurality of conveying devices (100) for respectively holding a plurality of said plurality of munitions parts and for transporting said plurality of munitions parts to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, In a system (1) comprising: The system (1) is characterized in that the plurality of transport devices (100) are capable of moving independently of one another from, to, and / or between the plurality of manufacturing stations.

12. The system (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that each of the plurality of conveying devices (100) has an individual movement profile according to which the conveying device (100) can move from the plurality of manufacturing stations to the plurality of manufacturing stations and / or between the plurality of manufacturing stations, respectively.

13. The system (1) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the conveying device (100) defines a closed circulating conveying path (29) defining an inner space (33) surrounded by the conveying path (29) and an outer space (31) defined from the inner space (33).

14. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 13, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: - a plurality of production stations; a conveying device (100) for transporting said plurality of munitions components to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a conveying path (29); In a system (1) comprising: A system (1) characterized by at least two propellant filling stations (15) arranged one behind the other in a conveying direction F.

15. 15. The system (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that the at least two propellant filling stations (15) are arranged at a distance in the conveying direction F so that at least one conveying device (100) can remain in a buffer position between the at least two propellant filling stations (15).

16. 16. The system (1) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the at least two propellant loading stations (15) and the conveying device (100) are coordinated with each other so that the munitions components held by the at least two propellant loading stations (15) are loaded substantially simultaneously.

17. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 16, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a number of ammunition parts, such as a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: - a plurality of production stations; a conveying device (100) for transporting said plurality of munitions components to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a conveying path (29); The system (1), characterized in that one of the plurality of manufacturing stations is an ignition element insertion station (47) which inserts the ignition element (7) into the manufacturing process of the system (1) and in each case inserts the ignition element (7) into the case (3).

18. 18. The system (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that the ignition element insertion station (47) moves the ignition element (7) laterally towards the conveying device (100) for insertion into the manufacturing process.

19. 19. The system (1) according to any of claims 17 and 18, characterized in that the ignition elements (7) are supplied to the ignition element insertion station (47) aligned in cassettes (79) or as bulk material.

20. 20. System (1) according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the ignition element (7) is inserted into the case (3) from below or from above.

21. 21. The system (1) according to any one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that two ignition element supply stations (49) for loading the ignition element (7) into the ignition element insertion station (47) are arranged one after the other in the conveying direction F, in particular the ignition element insertion station (47) is arranged between the ignition element supply stations (49) in the conveying direction F.

22. 22. The system (1) according to claim 21, characterized in that the at least two ignition element supply stations (49) are arranged at a distance in the conveying direction F so that at least one conveying device (100) can remain in a buffer position between the at least two ignition element supply stations (49).

23. 23. The system (1) according to claim 21 or 22, characterized by a translationally mounted slide (51) for receiving a plurality of ignition elements (7) at the ignition element supply station (49) and for transporting and fixing the ignition elements (7) to the ignition element insertion station (47).

24. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 23, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, namely a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: - a plurality of production stations; a conveying device (100) for transporting said plurality of munitions components to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a conveying path (29); In a system (1) comprising: The system (1) is characterized in that one of the plurality of manufacturing stations is a fluid application station (53), in which a sealing compound is applied into an annular joint (55) between the case (3) and the ignition element (7) housed in the case (3) and / or between the case (3) and the projectile inserted in the case (3), and the annular joint (55) is sealed and / or marked.

25. The system (1) described in claim 24, characterized in that the conveying device (100) defines a closed circulating conveying path (29) defining an inner space (33) surrounded by the conveying path (29) and an outer space (31) defined from this inner space (33), and the fluid application stations (53) arranged in the inner space (33) and / or the outer space (31) act from the outside and / or the inside via a robot system (35).

26. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 or 25, characterized in that the fluid application station (53) comprises at least one fluid applicator (57), in particular a plurality of fluid applicators (57), in particular the number of fluid applicators (57) being adapted to the case capacity and / or the fluid applicators (57) are microdosing valves.

27. 27. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 26, characterized in that the fluid applicator (57) dispenses a synthetic fluid, in particular a synthetic sealant.

28. 28. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that the fluid applicator (57) dispenses a plurality of droplets of the fluid into the annular joint between the ignition element (7) and the case (3) during a circular movement.

29. 26. The system (1) according to any one of claims 21 to 25, characterized in that the droplets are dispensed with a tact in the range of 3 Hz to 4000 Hz, in particular in the range of 50 Hz to 3500 Hz, in the range of 100 Hz to 3000 Hz, in the range of 250 Hz to 2000 Hz or in the range of 300 Hz to 1000 Hz.

30. 30. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 29, characterized in that the fluid is uniformly distributed and the annular layer has a deviation in annular circumferential width of 20 nl / mm or less, in particular 1 nl / mm or less, preferably 0.1 nl / mm or less.

31. 31. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 30, characterized in that the fluid is uniformly distributed in a plurality of droplets, in particular the annular layer comprising an annular circumferential width of more than 0.2 drops / mm, in particular an annular circumferential width of more than 1 drop / mm, preferably an annular circumferential width of more than 2 drops / mm.

32. 32. The system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 31, characterized in that a nozzle fluidly connected to the microdosing valve and having an outlet diameter in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, in particular in the range of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, or in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.1 mm dispenses the annular joint lacquer.

33. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 32, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: - a plurality of production stations; a conveying device (100) for transporting said plurality of munitions components to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a conveying path (29); In a system (1) comprising: The system (1) is characterized in that one of the plurality of manufacturing stations is a quality control station (59), in which the cases (3) and the projectiles are individually monitored before assembly.

34. 34. System (1) according to claim 33, characterized in that said quality monitoring station (59) is equipped with at least one optical detection device such as a camera (61).

35. A system (1) according to claims 33 to 34, characterized in that an optical camera (61) is directed towards the case (3).

36. 36. The system (1) according to any one of claims 33 to 35, characterized in that the optical camera (61) takes a plurality of images of each ammunition part of the transport device (100) carrying the ammunition part in order to assess the quality of the ammunition part based on the plurality of images.

37. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 36, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: a plurality of manufacturing stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station (11) and / or a projectile insertion station (19), for inserting at least one of said plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of said system (1), a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station (17), a propellant filling station (15), a projectile assembly station (21), a projectile marking station (23) and / or a discharge station (25) for transporting the manufactured ammunition (101) from said manufacturing process of said system (1); a conveying device (100) for holding said plurality of munitions parts and for transporting said plurality of munitions parts to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a closed, circulating conveying path (29) defining an interior space (33) surrounded by a conveying path (29) and an exterior space (31) defined from said interior space (33); In a system (1) comprising: The system (1) is characterized in that the conveying device (100) and the manufacturing station are coordinated with each other in a clock cycle, and at least 2, 5, 10 or 12 ammunition parts are processed at the manufacturing station to form ammunition (101) per clock cycle.

38. The system (1) according to claim 37, characterized in that the conveying device (100) is transferred to the next production station with a tact time in the range of 10 h / min to 60 h / min, in particular in the range of 20 h / min to 50 h / min, preferably in the range of 25 h / min to 35 h / min.

39. A system (1), in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 38, for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, comprising: a plurality of manufacturing stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station (11) and / or a projectile insertion station (19), for inserting at least one of said plurality of ammunition parts into the manufacturing process of said system (1), a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station (17), a propellant filling station (15), a projectile assembly station (21), a projectile marking station (23) and / or a discharge station (25) for transporting the manufactured ammunition (101) from said manufacturing process of said system (1); a conveying device (100) for holding said plurality of munitions parts and for transporting said plurality of munitions parts to, from and / or between said plurality of manufacturing stations, said conveying device (100) defining a closed, circulating conveying path (29) defining an interior space (33) surrounded by a conveying path (29) and an exterior space (31) defined from said interior space (33); In a system (1) comprising: The system (1) is characterized in that the conveying path (29) has a rail (63) oriented toward the interior space (33) and / or the exterior space (31), the rail extending along the conveying path (29) and fixing a coupling interface (65) of the conveying device (100) in a presentation position (67).

40. 40. The system (1) according to claim 39, wherein the rail (63) is manufactured from a material having a coefficient of sliding friction against steel of less than 0.20, in particular less than 0.1 or less than 0.

08.

41. 41. The system (1) according to any one of claims 39 to 40, wherein the upper rail (63) is manufactured from a wear-resistant plastic, in particular from a thermoplastic polymer, in particular the plastic is selected from the group consisting of PEEK, POM, Iglidur, PTFE, UHMWPE, PAI and mixtures thereof.

42. 42. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a device for marking, in particular writing, lasing, embossing or printing, at least one of the ammunition parts, in particular all of the ammunition parts held by the transport device (100).

43. The system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 42, wherein the manufacturing stations can be moved individually between a manufacturing position, in particular where the manufacturing stations can act on the munitions parts and / or the transport device (100), and a passive position, such as a maintenance position, where the manufacturing stations are retracted relative to the munitions parts and / or the transport device.

44. 44. The system (1) according to claim 43, wherein each of the production stations (100) comprises a drive for moving the respective production station, in particular the drive being independent of the respective production station's own operating device for acting on the munitions parts and / or the transport device.

45. A system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 44, wherein the conveying device (100) is movably mounted on a rail (63) extending along the conveying path (29), in particular is guided on the rail (63) and is held on the rail (63) in particular by a holding force directed in the horizontal direction.

46. The system (1) according to claim 45, wherein the transport device (100) is removably mounted on the rail (63), in particular by overcoming a holding force, in particular a magnetic holding force, between the transport device (100) and the rail (63).

47. A system (1) according to claim 45 or 46, wherein the rail (63) comprises at least one support and / or guide surface (83, 85) for the conveying device (100), in particular the horizontally oriented guide surface (83, 85) providing the holding force, in particular a magnetic holding force.

48. A system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 47, wherein the transport device (100) and a rail (63) extending along the transport path (29) and on which the transport device (100) is mounted, in particular in a movably guided manner, form a magnetic levitation system.

49. A method for the automated production of ammunition (101) consisting of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile and a propellant, by a system (1) designed in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 41, wherein the system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 48 is designed to be able to carry out the steps of said method.

Images