Plant and method for the automated production of ammunition and conveying device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant charge, comprising a plurality of production stations and a conveying device, which conveys the plurality of ammunition parts to and / or from the respective production station, wherein the conveying device is formed by a rail / carriage arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveying track of the plant and a plurality of carriages for holding the plurality of ammunition parts are guided by the rail.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a plant and a method for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, and a conveying device for such a plant.

[0002] Plants with a closed circulating conveyor track for the automated production of ammunition are known from US 2019 094 000 A1. The plant described in US 2019 094 000 A1 comprises a conveying device for ammunition parts with a plurality of stations at which ammunition parts are processed, mounted, manipulated and / or received and which are ultimately assembled to form the finished ammunition. The conveying device of the individual ammunition parts is implemented by means of a coherent conveying chain, wherein said conveying chain in principle moves the individual ammunition parts between the stations at a constant and identical conveying speed and comes to a standstill in each case once per cycle. The positioning with regard to the individual production stations takes place on account of the arrangement of the holding device for the ammunition parts in the conveying chain. The coherent conveying chain requires only one positioning per cycle. However, this means that only a single cyclic movement profile can be processed, as a result of which all production stations must be approached in the same manner.

[0003] The proposed plant must be orientated and calibrated very precisely, as a result of which the operation is susceptible to faults. Furthermore, the fixed and clearly defined arrangement of the processing stations increases the space requirement and the flexibility of the machine. This ultimately has a negative influence on the machine-dependent production overhead costs.

[0004] Furthermore, there is the need to process more ammunition parts in a shorter time (to increase the production capacity). For this purpose, the speed of the conveying chain can be increased in the known system. However, as a result, the loadings in the individual bearings increase disproportionately as a result of the faster starting and stopping of the conveying chain, which leads to increased wear of the machine, in particular of its movable parts. In addition, the susceptibility of the overall system to errors with regard to feeding increases during the faster movement of the conveying chain, which leads to increased rejects. This reduces the overall production effectiveness despite a higher production capacity.

[0005] A further challenge in the production of ammunition is the adaptability of the machine to the production of different calibers. In the case of a purely mechanically released and fixed displaceability of the conveying chain, the different, caliber-specific diameter of the case can be taken into account only inadequately. Furthermore, it is important for the production quality that the individual production stations are approached in their own and suitable movement profile and the total size of the ammunition to be produced is taken into account.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular to provide a plant which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular has an increased production capacity and / or enables a more reliable production of the ammunition, in particular without increasing the space requirement.

[0007] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0008] Accordingly, a plant for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, is provided. The plant for the automated production can comprise all joining and assembly steps which are necessary in order to generate a complete ammunition unit comprising a case, an ignition element, a projectile and the propellant charge powder. A plant can therefore also be referred to as an ammunition laboratory or assembly plant. The individual ammunition components can be produced in upstream production steps and / or upstream production stations and finally be added to the ammunition assembly plant, at which they are in principle assembled according to proven technology to form a complete ammunition or cartridge which, after passing through the plant, is therefore ready for sale. The plant is preferably realized as a rotary cycle or circulation system, in which the individual processing stations for assembling the ammunition are arranged in succession along the rotary cycle or circulation system and assemble ammunition units in an automated manner according to a conveying cycle of the production line. The plant can also be referred to as a linear transport system which, for example in assembly and automation technology for ammunition, serves to transport ammunition parts in a positionally accurate manner to processing and / or assembly stations which are positioned along the transport path.

[0009] The plant according to the invention comprises a plurality of production or processing stations, at which the different assembly or production steps can be carried out. The production stations can be configured to handle at least one ammunition part, in particular to manipulate, handle, interact with it or act on it in another manner. For example, the plurality of production stations 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 production process of the plant, a plurality of quality testing stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station, a propellant charge filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station and / or a discharge station for transporting the produced ammunition out of the production process of the plant. The discharge station can also serve to discharge rejects or waste from the production process. The plurality of production stations are arranged in relation to the production process in such a way that the ammunition parts can be supplied to the production stations one after the other in order to allow the production steps which build up one after the other to be carried out.

[0010] The plant according to the invention furthermore comprises a conveying device, which can also be referred to as a workpiece carrier or can have the latter, for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and for transporting the plurality of ammunition parts from, to and / or between the plurality of production stations. The conveying device accordingly performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the conveying device can hold the ammunition parts which are necessary for the ammunition and permit access of the individual production stations to the ammunition parts or permit processing of the ammunition parts at the individual production stations and, on the other hand, the conveying device is responsible for the in particular automated transporting or conveying of the individual ammunition parts along the production process which is defined by the plurality of production stations. The conveying device defines a closed circulating conveying track, along which the individual ammunition parts are conveyed at least in sections, depending on the influence thereof on the production process, and which delimits an interior space which is enclosed by the conveying track and an exterior space which is delimited therefrom. The conveying track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the plant comprises a plurality of conveying devices, such as carriages, which are distributed along the conveying track and are in particular of identical design. In this case, the plurality of conveying devices can be activated individually and can be moved along the conveying track in order that individual production stations can be approached with an individual movement profile for each conveying device. The production process is therefore considerably more flexible than when the conveying devices are fixed to one another along the conveying track.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the conveying device is formed by a rail / carriage arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveying track of the plant and a plurality of carriages, in particular each, for holding the plurality of ammunition parts are guided by and / or along the rail. The conveying track can be of closed circulating design and delimit an interior space which is enclosed by the conveying track and an exterior space which is delimited therefrom. The individual ammunition parts can be conveyed along the conveying track at least in sections, depending on the influence thereof on the production process. The conveying track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the plant comprises a plurality of carriages, in particular of identical design, which are distributed along the conveying track.

[0012] The rail / carriage arrangement is based on the basic principle of a linear guide, according to which the plurality of carriages can be moved translationally relative to the, in particular stationary, rail. Each carriage can be configured to receive and / or fix a plurality of ammunition parts such that the latter can be processed at the production stations, and, if appropriate, displace ammunition parts relative to the carriage in order to set a desired positioning or orientation. For example, the carriage can have a so-called workpiece carrier which can receive the ammunition parts which are necessary for the ammunition, permit access of the individual production stations to the ammunition parts or permit processing of the ammunition parts at the individual processing stations and, on the other hand, the workpiece carrier can be produced as a separate component with respect to the carriage and can be designed individually for the respective ammunition part. In this case, predefined interfaces for coupling the workpiece carrier and carriage to one another can be provided.

[0013] The workpiece carrier has a carrier base, such as a carriage, which is configured to be conveyed along the production line. The carrier base can accordingly be configured to be coupled, in particular releasably, to the automated production line in order to be conveyed by the latter in an automated manner from one processing station to the next. The carrier base can be configured, for example, to form a tongue-and-groove system with a connecting component of the automated production line.

[0014] The workpiece carrier furthermore comprises at least one receptacle, arranged on the carrier base, in particular preferably releasably fastened thereto, for holding at least two ammunition parts 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 for receiving a plurality of ammunition parts which are held such that they can be processed simultaneously or in parallel. By way of example, the receptacle is configured such that it can hold at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 15 ammunition parts of the same type. For example, the multiplicity of ammunition parts are held in a predetermined, in particular invariable, arrangement by the receptacle. For example, in a row and / or parallel arrangement, such as, for example, in an array field.

[0015] According to an exemplary development, the at least one ammunition part receptacle is mounted movably relative to the carrier base. It has been found that, in the laboratory work of ammunition, the individual ammunition parts have to be held in a different orientation depending on the processing station. While this was achieved in the prior art by elaborately and individually constructed processing stations which were able to access the rigid holding devices for the ammunition parts, the present invention departs from this concept to the effect that these requirements can be complied with at the expense of a more complex workpiece carrier. According to the invention, high flexibility is obtained in a simple manner by means of the movable mounting of the ammunition part receptacle relative to the carrier base. Owing to the movability of the material holder, it is possible for the latter to be brought into the respectively optimum orientation during the different processing steps or in the different processing stations. As a result, the individual processing stations can be significantly simplified in terms of construction, handling and actuation and can be significantly reduced in terms of the installation space thereof. The processing stations no longer require elaborately complex systems in order to be able to access the rigidly arranged ammunition parts or to be able to process the latter.

[0016] According to a further exemplary development, at least one of the ammunition part receptacles can be moved from a receiving position, in which the at least two ammunition parts can be supplied in particular simultaneously, into a processing position, in which the at least two ammunition parts can be processed in particular simultaneously. Owing to the fact that not necessarily all different ammunition parts types have to be able to be supplied to the same number of different processing stations and / or have to be able to be processed in different orientations or positions in each case, it is thus possible to provide a workpiece carrier which is more cost-effective and nevertheless significantly more flexible in comparison with the prior art. By combining the receptacles of the ammunition parts of different types required for the production of ammunition in one and the same workpiece carrier, considerable advantages can be generated, in particular with regard to the cycle rate. Consequently, the ammunition parts to be joined to one another can be provided, for example, in the direct vicinity of one another, but at any rate can be held by one and the same workpiece carrier, such that they are held in a locally concentrated manner on the workpiece carrier for simple handling and accessibility. The movability of the at least one ammunition part holder relative to the carrier holder can be of flexible configuration such that a multiplicity of different positions can be approached. For example, the at least one ammunition part receptacle can be locked when the receiving position is assumed and / or when the processing position is assumed, such that movability of the ammunition part receptacle is temporarily prevented. It is clear that the position of the at least two ammunition parts in the receiving position or the orientation thereof can furthermore be such that processing of the at least two ammunition parts can likewise take place in the receiving position. The different positions which can be assumed of the ammunition part receptacle relative to the carrier base can differ by a different orientation and / or position in relation to distance from the carrier base.

[0017] According to a further exemplary development, the workpiece carrier furthermore has a coupling interface for connecting to a motor of the production line, in particular a motor-side coupling interface, in order to move the receptacle from the receiving position into the processing position, and in particular vice versa. The workpiece carrier itself can accordingly be of drive-free and / or motorless design. The necessary activation or movement energy which is necessary for moving the at least one ammunition part receptacle can be fed in particular completely from outside, for example by a motor or drive of the production line.

[0018] According to a further exemplary development, the workpiece-carrier-side coupling interface is designed, in particular adapted and / or orientated with respect to a motor-side coupling interface, in such a way that the workpiece carrier can move into the motor-side coupling interface for connecting to the motor. In this way, coupling of the workpiece carrier and energy source to one another in a particularly simple manner is made possible without the workpiece carrier requiring its own energy supply in order to move the at least one receptacle.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the rail / carriage arrangement comprises a drive system, by means of which the plurality of carriages can be driven individually in order to be able to experience, in particular independently of one another, different movement characteristics along the conveying track. As a result, individual production stations can be approached with an individual movement profile for each carriage. The production process is therefore considerably more flexible than when the carriages are fixed to one another along the conveying track.

[0020] In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drive system comprises at least one linear motor. The linear motor can have an arrangement of coils and permanent magnets. In this case, the carriage can be equipped with at least one permanent magnet. In principle, the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet assigned to the carriage can be combined or adapted to one another in such a way that the carriage is in particular pulled or pushed off alternately, in order to move along the conveying track. One advantage of the linear motor consists in its direct force transmission property, wherein high accelerations and speeds and a high degree of precision can be achieved.

[0021] According to an exemplary development of the plant according to the invention, the drive system comprises at least one linear spindle, which is mounted on the conveying device and drives and / or positions the carriage in particular without play.

[0022] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the carriage is coupled to the rail in an interlocking manner and / or is guided movably. For example, rail and carriage can have coupling interfaces which are adapted to one another, in particular adapted in terms of shape, and are designed for coupling to one another and / or for guiding rail and carriage along one another, in particular sliding along one another. For example, the interlocking coupling ensures that rail and carriage are secured to one another, in particular are secured against being moved away from one another, wherein, for example, a predetermined disassembly orientation and / or disassembly direction is predefined by the coupling to one another.

[0023] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the carriage is guided on the rail in a rolling and / or sliding manner. For example, carriage and rail can have rolling and / or sliding surfaces which are adapted to one another and can be oriented in relation to the conveying track, along which the carriage is guided by the rail.

[0024] According to a further exemplary development of the plant according to the invention, the carriage is designed to encompass the rail at least in part. For example, the carriage can have a substantially C-shape in cross section and receive the rail between its C-limbs. For example, the carriage has two guide devices for moving along the rail in particular in a sliding or rolling manner. For example, the guide devices can be arranged on mutually facing surfaces of the C-limb and can be designed for contacting with corresponding guide surfaces of the rail simultaneously, in particular in a sliding or rolling manner. For example, a dimension of the carriage, in particular the spacing of the two C guide legs, is accordingly adapted to a dimension, in particular vertical dimension, of the rail. Furthermore, it is possible for a distance between the guide legs of the carriage to be settable.

[0025] In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drive system is configured to move the carriages with different movement characteristics or profiles along the plant into a rest position. It has been found that, depending on the processing state of the ammunition, in particular of the individual ammunition parts, different movement profiles, in particular speeds and / or accelerations, are more advantageous in order to configure the plant in a significantly more flexible and reliable manner.

[0026] In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rest position can be approached with an absolute speed and / or a repetition accuracy of at most 1 mm, in particular at most 0.5 mm or at most 0.1 mm.

[0027] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, a travel distance between two production stations, which are designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts, is between 80 and 1200 mm, in particular between 100 and 1000 mm or in the range from 120 to 800 mm.

[0028] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, a travel distance between two production stations, which are designed as testing positions, is in the range from 10 mm to 60 mm.

[0029] In general, the inventors of the present invention have found that a travel distance between two production stations, which are designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts, is to be designed to be longer than a travel distance between two production stations, which are designed as testing positions, in particular at which manipulation, processing, production processes or the like which have been carried out are checked, detected by means of sensors or otherwise subjected to a quality check and / or quality assurance.

[0030] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the drive system is configured to approach a rest position before a filling of an ammunition part designed as a case with a propellant charge with a different movement characteristic than after the filling with the propellant charge. In other words, the drive system can be designed such that it varies, in particular sets the movement characteristic, in particular the movement speed and / or acceleration, depending on the processing progress of the ammunition to be produced, the weight of the ammunition parts held by means of the carriages and / or the characteristic of the ammunition parts held by the carriages. For example, the drive system can be coupled to a sensor system. The sensor system can be configured, for example, to detect a state of the production process, such as, for example, a production progress, a movement characteristic, such as a movement speed and / or acceleration, the number and / or the weight of the ammunition parts held by means of the carriages, etc. By means of such measures according to the invention, it can be ensured in a particularly efficient manner that the carriages move as precisely as possible and / or with a high number of cycles between the individual production stations without the production process and / or the quality of the ammunition to be produced being impaired.

[0031] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the conveying track is designed such that a time interval for feeding and / or discharging at least one carriage to a production station designed in particular as a rest position is less than 5 seconds, in particular less than 3 seconds or less than 2 seconds. The high number of cycles is an essential means of increasing the production capacity.

[0032] According to an exemplary development of the plant according to the invention, a standstill time at a production station, which is designed as a processing station for manipulating the ammunition parts, is between 500 ms and 3000 ms. Furthermore, the plant can be designed such that the drive system is capable of carrying out manipulation operations on the ammunition parts held by the carriages without the carriages coming to a standstill. For example, when applying a coating, such as a sealing varnish, it can be provided that the carriage holding the components to be coated moves past the corresponding production station designed as a coating station at in particular constant speed. In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, a standstill time at a production station, which is designed as a testing station, is in the range from 30 ms to 80 ms. As a result of the fact that different movement characteristics can be set with the plant according to the invention or the carriages can be moved with a different movement profile and the carriages can be moved independently of one another, it is furthermore possible to significantly increase the production capacity since a processing operation only has to last as long as the processing operation lasts without the carriage having to wait for a longer-lasting processing operation.

[0033] According to an exemplary development of the plant according to the invention, the latter comprises a control system which can actuate the carriages at a speed of up to 2 m / s, in particular up to 1.5 m / s, preferably up to 1 m / s, and / or at an acceleration of up to 40 m / s2, in particular up to 20 m / s2, preferably up to 15 m / s2.

[0034] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the carriages are held on the rail by a magnetic holding force oriented in the horizontal direction. For example, no further fastening mechanisms acting in the horizontal direction are used. The horizontal, magnetic holding force can be supported by a support, which is oriented in the vertical direction, for a bearing interface on the conveying device side, which bearing interface slides along and / or rolls along the support during the movement of the conveying device relative to the support.

[0035] In a further exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention, the rail has at least one bearing and / or guide surface for the carriages. The bearing and / or guide surfaces support the movements of the conveying devices for the removal and / or transport of the plurality of ammunition parts from, to and / or between the plurality of production stations. For example, a guide surface oriented in the horizontal direction provides the magnetic holding force. The magnetic holding force can be achieved by a surface contact or by two bearing surfaces of the rail and conveying device arranged at a small distance from one another.

[0036] According to a further exemplary development, the rail / carriage arrangement is designed as a magnetic levitation system.

[0037] According to a further exemplary development of the plant according to the invention, the conveying device, in particular the carriage, is mounted removably on the rail. For example, the disassembly can be carried out by overcoming the magnetic holding force between the carriage and the rail. A dismantling direction of the conveying device away from the rail can in this case be oriented in the horizontal direction.

[0038] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiments, a conveying device for a plant, in particular according to the invention, for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, is provided. The conveying device can also be referred to as a workpiece carrier or can have the latter, for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and for transporting the plurality of ammunition parts from, to and / or between the plurality of production stations. The conveying device accordingly performs at least two functions. On the one hand, the conveying device can hold the ammunition parts which are necessary for the ammunition and permit access of the individual production stations to the ammunition parts or permit processing of the ammunition parts at the individual production stations and, on the other hand, the conveying device is responsible for the in particular automated transporting or conveying of the individual ammunition parts along the production process which is defined by the plurality of production stations. The conveying device according to the invention comprises a rail / carriage arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveying track plant and a carriage is guided, which carriage receives at least some of the ammunition parts.

[0039] According to the further aspect of the present invention, the conveying device has a rail / carriage arrangement, in which the rail defines a conveying track of the plant and a carriage, in particular a plurality of carriages, is guided, which carriage receives at least some of the ammunition parts. The carriage can be designed for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and can be guided by and / or along the rail. The conveying track can be of closed circulating design and delimit an interior space which is enclosed by the conveying track and an exterior space which is delimited therefrom. The individual ammunition parts can be conveyed along the conveying track at least in sections, depending on the influence thereof on the production process. The conveying track can have an endless racetrack-like structure or shape. In particular, the plant comprises a plurality of carriages, in particular of identical design, which are distributed along the conveying track.

[0040] The rail / carriage arrangement is based on the basic principle of a linear guide, according to which the carriage, in particular the plurality of carriages, can be moved translationally relative to the, in particular stationary, rail. Each carriage can be configured to receive and / or fix a plurality of ammunition parts such that the latter can be processed at the production stations, and, if appropriate, displace ammunition parts relative to the carriage in order to set a desired positioning or orientation. For example, the carriage can have a so-called workpiece carrier which can receive the ammunition parts which are necessary for the ammunition, permit access of the individual production stations to the ammunition parts or permit processing of the ammunition parts at the individual processing stations and, on the other hand, the workpiece carrier can be produced as a separate component with respect to the carriage and can be designed individually for the respective ammunition part. In this case, predefined interfaces for coupling the workpiece carrier and carriage to one another can be provided.

[0041] According to an exemplary development of the conveying device according to the invention, the rail / carriage arrangement comprises a drive system, which is configured to drive a plurality of carriages individually, in particular in order to transfer different movement characteristics, such as speed profiles and / or acceleration profiles, to the carriages independently of one another along the conveying track.

[0042] In a further exemplary embodiment of the conveying device according to the invention, the drive system is configured, after the filling of the carriage with a propellant charge, to move the carriage on the basis of a jerk-limited movement characteristic, in particular into a rest position. As a result of the fact that the drive system is capable of transferring an individual movement profile to the carriage depending on the production progress, the type and / or the size and / or the weight of the ammunition parts held, it can be ensured that, in sensitive phases, such as, for example, when a propellant charge is introduced into an ammunition case, a correspondingly cautious movement is carried out, i.e. with reduced speed and / or reduced acceleration. In a further exemplary embodiment of the conveying device according to the invention, the drive system is configured to apply a force of up to 1000 N / carriage.

[0043] In a further exemplary development of the conveying device according to the invention, the carriage is designed such that it can be guided in a magnetically floating manner on the rail, in this case, a gap can be formed between two mutually facing bearing / guide surfaces of carriage and rail, in particular for as low-friction a displacement as possible of the carriages relative to the rail.

[0044] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiments, use of a rail / carriage arrangement for a plant for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, namely a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, is provided, wherein the plant comprises a plurality of production stations and a conveying device designed in particular according to the invention.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the plant is used for an ammunition caliber range in the range from 4.5 to 13 mm.

[0046] According to a further aspect of the present invention, which can be combined with the preceding aspects and exemplary embodiments, a method for the automated production of ammunition, which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, is provided. According to the method according to the invention, the ammunition can be produced according to a plant designed in accordance with one of the aspects described above or exemplary embodiments and / or the method can be designed such that the plant according to the invention can carry out the method steps.

[0047] Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0048] Further advantages, features and properties of the invention will be explained by the following description of preferred embodiments of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0049] FIGS. 1, 2 schematic diagrams of exemplary embodiments of a plant according to the invention;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a further exemplary embodiment of a plant according to the invention in greater detail depth;

[0051] FIGS. 4-6 show perspective partial views of the plant from FIG. 3,

[0052] FIG. 7 shows FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a section profile of an exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention;

[0053] FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a speed profile of an exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention;

[0054] FIG. 9 shows a diagram of an acceleration profile of an exemplary embodiment of the plant according to the invention; and

[0055] FIGS. 10-13 show further schematic diagrams of further details of the plant from FIG. 3.

[0056] In the present description of exemplary embodiments of the present inventions, a plant 1 according to the invention, also referred to as an ammunition laboratory or assembly plant 1, is generally provided with the reference sign 1, the conveying device 100 or the workpiece carrier 63 for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and for transporting the plurality of ammunition parts from, to and / or between the plurality of production stations is generally referred to by the reference sign 100. The finished ammunition 101 is denoted by the reference sign 101.

[0057] According to the exemplary embodiments of the laboratory installation 1 according to the invention in FIGS. 1-3, the ammunition assembly plant 1 in any case comprises the following production stations: a case insertion station 11 which is configured to insert cases 3 into the conveying device 100; a projectile insertion station 13 which is configured to insert bullets 5, also referred to as projectiles 5, into the conveying device 100; a propellant charge filling station 15 which is configured to fill cases 3 with propellant charge powder 9; an ignition element feed station 49 for feeding ignition elements 7 and an ignition element insertion station 47 in which the ignition elements 7 are inserted into the conveying devices 100; a plurality of quality monitoring stations 59 and quality testing stations 69 for optically and / or tactilely ensuring the quality of the ammunition 101 and a discharge station 25 for finally discharging the produced ammunition 101.

[0058] The conveying device 100 for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and for transporting the plurality of ammunition parts from, to and / or between the plurality of production stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 defines a closed circulating conveying track 29, which delimits an interior space 33 which is enclosed by the conveying track 29 and an exterior space 31 which is delimited therefrom. According to the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1-3, the conveying track 29 comprises two parallel linear sections 27, which are connected by curved sections 43 in order to form a racetrack-shaped conveying track profile. The production stations 11, 13, 15, 59, 59, 25 are arranged laterally with respect to the conveying track 29 in the interior space 33 (FIG. 1) or in the exterior space 31 (FIG. 2) of the conveying track 29.

[0059] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, schematic diagrams of exemplary embodiments of a plant 1 according to the invention can be seen. FIG. 1 shows a plant arrangement, wherein the ammunition components are introduced into the plant 1 from the outside. FIG. 2 shows the rotated approach, wherein the ammunition components are delivered from the interior space 33 into the conveying devices 100. The principal production sequence is the same in both system arrangements according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Both system principles have the following production sequence: By means of a curved section 43, a conveying device 100 located in a buffer zone 45 is fed to the case insertion station 11. This is followed by a projectile insertion station 13, in which the projectiles 5 are fed to the conveying device 100. Thereafter, the entire conveying device 100 with the projectiles 5 and cases 3 located thereon is subjected to an optical inspection in a quality monitoring station 59. In the subsequent stations, an ignition element 7 is first introduced into the plant 1 via an ignition element feed station 49 in order then to be transferred by means of a slide 51 into an ignition element insertion station 47 in order ultimately to be introduced into the rear of the case 3. After the insertion, the fired cases 3 are calibrated at a case forming station 17 and subsequently sealed at the annular joint 55 with annular joint lacquer in a fluid application station 53. Subsequently, the conveying devices 100 are guided by means of a second curved section 43, after which a linear section 27 with a plurality of production stations is connected again. Before the cases 3 are filled with propellant charge powder 9 at the propellant charge filling station 15, a check is carried out in a quality monitoring station 59 to determine whether the ignition elements 7 were properly accommodated in the cases 3. After the filling, the filling level is checked at a quality testing station 69, in particular in a tactile manner. The actual assembly of projectile 5 and case 3 takes place in two stages; first, the projectile 5 is only brought onto the case 3 slightly at the projectile insertion station 19 in order ultimately to be pressed into the case 3 at the projectile assembly station 21 in the subsequent step. The finalized ammunition 101 is subsequently checked at a quality monitoring station 59 and / or a quality testing station 69 and subsequently discharged by means of a discharge station 25.

[0060] A detailed representation of the plant 1 can be seen from FIG. 3, wherein a special feature of the plant 1 can be seen. To increase the production capacity or the production safety, it is possible for the plant 1 to have at least two propellant charge filling stations 15 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. By means of this special arrangement, two conveying devices 100 can be filled with propellant charge powder 9 in one clock cycle. This has the effect that the propellant charge powder 9 has more time per cycle in order to trickle into the case 3, which leads to increased metering accuracy. In the plant 1 according to the invention, work-intensive stations can generally be of double design in order that the workload of a station is correspondingly halved. An example of a work-intensive step is the feeding and insertion of ignition elements 7 into the rear of the case 3. For this purpose, an exemplary development of the plant 1 according to the invention can be seen in FIG. 3, which has two ignition element feed stations 49 for equipping the ignition element insertion station 47 with ignition elements 7 and are 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 feed stations 49 in the conveying direction F. This has the advantage that the production capacity can be significantly increased since operations can be carried out in parallel.

[0061] In FIGS. 4 and 5, schematic diagrams of details of the plant according to FIG. 3 can be seen in a perspective view, wherein the focus is directed onto the rail / carriage arrangement 37, which has a plurality of carriages 39, which hold the plurality of ammunition parts and are guided by the plant 1 along a rail 41. In other words, the carriages39 are mounted movably relative to the rail 41 in order to be able to move the carriages 39 between the different movement stations of the plant 1, with the result that the different manipulation or processing steps can be carried out on the ammunition parts. The carriage 39 is in each case connected or combined to a workpiece carrier 63 which ultimately receives the ammunition parts and fixes them in the desired alignment and position during the processing and manipulation steps. The carriage 39 furthermore has a coupling interface 65 for connecting to a plant-side motor and for resting on and sliding along a guide section 71 of the plant 1. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the carriage 39 is of substantially C-shaped design in cross section and comprises two guide arms 73, 75 which extend parallel to one another and form the limbs of the C-shape and are designed for being guided along the rail 41 in particular in a sliding or rolling manner and are adapted with respect to the rail 41.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the carriages 39 which are mounted one behind the other and which are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. The detail shows how the conveying device 100 is formed by a rail / carriage arrangement 37, in which the rail 41 defines a conveying track 29 of the ammunition assembly plant 1 according to the invention and a plurality of carriages 39 are guided by the rail 41. In addition to the guidance of the carriage 39 with the aid of the two guide arms 73 and 75, the carriage 39 is additionally guided by a guide section 71. In this case, in particular the coupling interface 65 is held in the desired position, as a result of which precise positional fixing of the working state of the workpiece carrier 63 is made possible. In order to make an optimum positioning of the carriage 39 possible, a guide system which is as free of play as possible is required. The entire guide system consists, on the one hand, of the stationary structures, the rail 41 and the guide section 71 and, on the other hand, of the movable structures, the guide arms 73 and 75 and the coupling interface 65.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a further detailed view of the conveying device 100. The entire conveying track 29 has drive systems which are realized by linear motors and / or linear spindles. In this case, the carriages 39 are driven and / or positioned on the rail 41 without play. In this case, the carriage 39 is coupled to the rail 41 in an interlocking manner and / or is guided movably with the aid of at least one guide arm 73 or 75. FIG. 5 shows a curved section 43 of the conveying device 100, and the carriages 39 are also preferably guided without play on the curved sections of the conveying track 29. In addition to the guidance on the rail 41, in particular the upper part of the carriage 39 is guided at the guide section 71 via the coupling interface 65. This second guidance is also ensured by the guide section 71, which ensures fixing of the workpiece carrier 63 in a specific position, is in contact with the coupling interface 65 over the entire curved section 43 and ensures reliable production of the ammunition 101. In addition to the guidance function and the deflection function, the curved section 43 of the racetrack-shaped conveying device 100 also ensures the function of a buffer zone 45, wherein the carriages 39 can be retrieved individually, but one behind the other, from this buffer zone 45.

[0064] With reference to FIG. 6, which shows a greatly enlarged and perspective detail of FIG. 3, an optical quality monitoring station 59 is shown. According to FIG. 6, the quality monitoring station 59 is equipped with three cameras 61. The cameras 61 are directed both onto the case 3 and onto the projectile 5. It is thus possible to take a plurality of images of each case 3 and each projectile 5 in order to subsequently evaluate them mechanically, manually or using artificial intelligence (AI), “deep learning” or “machine learning”. The cameras 61 can be combined, for example, with a handling system or a robotic system 35 or can be moved and activated by the latter. For example, the cameras 61 are held via a support construction 77 which has a base 79 connected to a base and an angle support arm 81.

[0065] FIGS. 7-9 show diagrams of different physical variables of the same movement sequence. In principle, it is possible for the drive system to drive each carriage 39 individually. Accordingly, the movement sequences can be individual, as a result of which different movement characteristics arise. FIGS. 7-9 show representative diagrams for a typical movement sequence of a carriage 39 between the individual production stations. In the diagrams, the X axis in each case describes the time and the Y axis in each case describes a physical unit for describing a movement process. The region of the diagrams according to FIGS. 7-9, which is characterized by S, relates to a typical movement sequence, wherein all ammunition components which are mounted on the carriage 39 and are to be machined are machined, in particular simultaneously, in one process step. The region which is characterized by P relates to a typical movement sequence which takes place, for example, in the case of a fluid application station 53, a similar profile is also conceivable in the case of a testing station. The region which is characterized by C relates to a typical movement sequence in the case of a quality monitoring station 59. With a sufficiently high resolution rate of the camera 61, such a process can also take place continuously.

[0066] FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a section profile 110 of an exemplary embodiment of the plant 1 according to the invention. This section profile 110 is used to define the travel path 118 of the carriage 39 and to describe the distance between the processing stations as a function of time. The Y axis of the diagram illustrated indicates the distance s covered in meters. The starting point has been defined as 0 in order to increase the legibility. However, this does not mean that no processing steps take place upstream or downstream. On account of the, in particular, play-free configuration of the rail / carriage arrangement 37, the predefined process positions of the diagram which can be seen in FIG. 7 can be approached with an absolute accuracy of at most 1 mm. The time which elapses between the individual process steps and the time which elapses between the movements in the process itself can be inferred from the X axis in each case. This becomes apparent in particular in the testing region P, wherein a plurality of intermediate stages, also referred to as interprocess standstill times 120, are described. These intermediate stages in each case mean a brief standstill, wherein, for example, a pair of identical ammunition components is machined simultaneously. In the diagram according to FIG. 7, the travel path 118 between two production stations, which are designed as processing stations, can be read off. According to FIG. 7, this is approximately 0.27 m. The interprocess distance between the rest stations is approximately 30 mm. The path region S in FIG. 7 mainly shows a region in which the carriage 39 is at rest and which is left exclusively for movement into the next processing station. The path region P has a wavy path. In this case, the carriage 39 briefly remains at the same position in the process. Since, in this example, the process takes place only in one direction, that is to say the ammunition components are machined one after the other, no actual maxima arise in this case, but rather small path sections which build up one after the other continuously. However, the drive system would allow such a forward and backward positioning. The path region C shows a continuous movement profile with a continuously rising S-shaped line. The S-shaped position profile comes about on account of the travel path of the carriage 39.

[0067] FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a speed profile 112 of an exemplary embodiment of the plant 1 according to the invention. This speed profile 112 is used to define speed sections and to describe the speed between the processing stations as a function of time. The Y axis of the diagram illustrated shows a simulated profile of the speed profile 112 and indicates the speed v in meters per second (m / s). The time which elapses between the individual process steps and the time which the carriage 39 is at rest can be inferred from the X axis in each case. During the speed profile, the process standstill times 120 can be read particularly accurately, wherein these are approximately 50 milliseconds according to FIG. 8. If reference is made to the standstill time 120 shown in FIG. 8, it becomes apparent that the conveying track 29 is designed such that the time interval for feeding and discharging the carriage 39 is approximately 1.2 seconds. In relation to the region S, it becomes clear that, after a rest phase during which the ammunition components are machined, the travel path 118 is characterized by a particularly high travel speed, wherein approximately 1.3 m / s are achieved at the maximum. The speed profile 112 is characterized by short sections in the region P, wherein the speed goes back to 0, and short processing steps can generally take place during these short standstill times 120. The region C in FIG. 8 has a constant speed lasting more than 1 second. During this continuous speed phase 116 of the carriage 39, for example, image recordings for inspecting the ammunition quality can be made.

[0068] FIG. 9 shows a diagram of an acceleration profile 114 of an exemplary embodiment of the plant 1 according to the invention. This acceleration profile 114 is used to define acceleration sections and to describe the accelerations occurring between the processing stations as a function of time. The acceleration profile 114 represents the derivative of the speed profile 112 which can be seen in FIG. 8 and the second derivative of the section profile 110 which can be seen in FIG. 7. On account of the steep flanks, this is a simulated acceleration profile 114 which, however, also represents the main characteristics of a real acceleration profile 114 of the conveying device 100. The Y axis of the diagram illustrated in FIG. 9 shows a maximum acceleration value 122 of approximately 12 m / s2 in the region S. This acceleration value means the greatest loading for the carriage 39 and the ammunition components mounted thereon. In the case of such accelerations, in particular the method of cases 3 provided with propellant charge powder 9 is a challenge since this could be spilled or could be checked inaccurately. In principle, it is conceivable for the rest positions to be approached with a different acceleration characteristic before the testing of the propellant charge powder level than after the testing. In order to prevent this, the acceleration profile 114 is preferably configured in a jerk-free manner. The region P has a short acceleration flank which follows one after the other. Configuring an acceleration profile 114 according to region C intrinsically means a challenge with regard to regulation and with regard to vibration resistance since the carriage 39 has to be accelerated and braked within a short time. No significant accelerations arise during the processing in continuous processing stations (region C).

[0069] FIG. 10 shows a further detail in a perspective view of a plant 1 according to the invention with focus on a conveying device 100 with carriage 39 arranged on the rail 41. The embodiment according to FIG. 10 differs from the preceding embodiments with regard to the coupling of conveying device 100 and rail 41 to one another. As is indicated schematically by the arrow with the reference sign M, a magnetic holding force which is oriented in the horizontal direction H and holds the conveying device 100 on the rail 41 prevails between the conveying device 100 and the rail 41. According to the embodiment in FIG. 13, the conveying device 100 is free of an interlocking or latching engagement with the rail 41. The coupling is carried out by pairs of bearing and / or guide surfaces 83, 87 and 85, 89 which are assigned to one another. The guide surface 85 of the rail 41 is formed by a support 91 for the conveying device 100, namely for a bearing projection 93, which projects from the planar, magnetic bearing and / or guide surface 87 and rests with its bearing and / or guide surface 89 on the support 91.

[0070] FIG. 11 shows the print from FIG. 10 in a view from above. A particularly preferred embodiment of the plant 1 according to the invention emerges therefrom. The rail 41 and the guide device 100 together form a magnetic levitation system, which emerges from the narrow gap a between the mutually facing magnetic bearing and / or guide surfaces 83, 87. The conveying device 100 is thus supported vertically by the support 91 at least via the bearing projection 93 and can otherwise float past in a contact-free and friction-free manner in the region of the mutually facing bearing and / or guide surfaces 87, 89 during a relative movement of the conveying device 100 relative to the rail 41.

[0071] FIGS. 12 and 13 relate to the same embodiment as FIGS. 10 and 11, wherein the conveying device 100 is partially disassembled from the rail 41. According to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 13-16, the disassembly can be carried out simply by overcoming the magnetic holding force (arrow M) between the conveying device 100 and the rail 41. For the subsequent reassembly of the conveying device100 on the rail 41, the conveying device 100 is to be fed back to the rail substantially in the opposite direction, in particular until the magnetic holding force M begins to pull the conveying device 100 in the direction of the rail 41.

[0072] The features disclosed in the preceding description, the figures and the claims can be significant both individually and in any desired combination for the realization of the invention in different configurations.REFERENCE SIGNS1 Ammunition laboratory or assembly plant

[0074] 3 Case

[0075] 5 Projectile

[0076] 7 Ignition element

[0077] 9 Propellant charge powder

[0078] 11 Case insertion station

[0079] 13 Projectile insertion station

[0080] 15 Propellant charge filling station

[0081] 17 Case forming station

[0082] 19 Projectile insertion station

[0083] 21 Projectile assembly station

[0084] 23 Projectile marking station

[0085] 25 Discharge station

[0086] 27 Linear section

[0087] 29 Conveying track

[0088] 31 Exterior space

[0089] 33 Interior space

[0090] 35 Robotics

[0091] 37 Rail / Carriage Arrangement

[0092] 39 Carriage

[0093] 41 Rail

[0094] 43 Curved section

[0095] 45 Buffer zone

[0096] 47 Ignition element insertion station

[0097] 49 Ignition element feed station

[0098] 51 Slide

[0099] 53 Fluid application station

[0100] 55 Annular joint

[0101] 57 Fluid applicator

[0102] 59 Quality monitoring station

[0103] 61 Camera

[0104] 63 Workpiece carrier

[0105] 65 Coupling interface

[0106] 69 Quality testing station

[0107] 71 Guide section

[0108] 73, 75 Guide arm

[0109] 77 Support construction

[0110] 79 Basis

[0111] 81 Angle arm

[0112] 83.85, 87.89 Guide and / or bearing surface

[0113] 91 Support

[0114] 93 Bearing projection

[0115] 100 Conveying device

[0116] 101 Ammunition

[0117] 110 Section profile

[0118] 112 Speed profile

[0119] 114 Acceleration profile

[0120] 116 Continuous speed phase

[0121] 118 Travel Path

[0122] 120 Interprocess standstill time

[0123] 122 Maximum acceleration value

[0124] F Conveying direction

[0125] A Removal direction

[0126] S Process region

[0127] P Testing region

[0128] C Continuous region

[0129] X X-axis

[0130] Y Y-axis

[0131] M Magnetic force

[0132] V, H Vertical direction or horizontal direction

[0133] a Spacing

Claims

1. Plant (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a propellant charge (9), comprising a plurality of production stations and a conveying device (100), which is designed in particular according to one of claims 21 to 25 and conveys the plurality of ammunition parts to and / or from the respective production station, characterized in thatthe conveying device (100) is formed by a rail / carriage arrangement (37), in which the rail (41) defines a conveying track (29) of the plant (1) and a plurality of carriages (39) for holding the plurality of ammunition parts are guided by the rail (41).

2. Plant (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rail / carriage arrangement (37) comprises a drive system, by means of which the plurality of carriages (39) can be driven individually in order to be able to experience, in particular independently of one another, different movement characteristics along the conveying track (29).

3. Plant (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive system comprises at least one linear motor, wherein in particular the linear motor comprises an arrangement of coils and permanent magnets, wherein in particular the carriage (39) is equipped with at least one permanent magnet.

4. Plant (1) according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the drive system comprises at least one linear spindle, which is mounted on the conveying device (100) and drives and / or positions the carriage (39) in particular without play.

5. Plant (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the carriage (39) is coupled to the rail (41) in an interlocking manner and / or is guided movably.

6. Plant (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the carriage (39) is guided on the rail (41) in a rolling and / or sliding and / or floating manner.

7. Plant (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the carriage (39) is designed to encompass the rail (41) at least in part, wherein in particular the carriage (39) has two guide devices for moving along the rail (41) in particular in a sliding or rolling manner.

8. Plant (1) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the drive system is configured to move the carriages (39) with different movement characteristics into a rest position.

9. Plant (1) according to one of claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the rest position can be approached with an absolute accuracy and / or repetition accuracy of at most 1 mm, in particular at most 0.5 mm, preferably at most 0.1 mm.

10. Plant (1) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a travel distance (118) between two production stations, which are designed as processing stations for manipulating the ammunition parts, is between 80 mm and 1200 mm, in particular between 100 and 1000 mm or between 120 and 800 mm.

11. Plant (1) according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that a travel distance between two production stations, which are designed as testing positions, is between 10 mm and 60 mm.

12. System (1) according to one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the drive system is configured to approach a rest position before a filling of an ammunition part designed as a case (3) with a propellant charge (9) with a different movement characteristic than after the filling with the propellant charge (9).

13. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying track (29) is designed such that a time interval for feeding and / or discharging at least one carriage (39) to a production station designed in particular as a rest position is less than 5 s, in particular less than 3 s or less than 2 s.

14. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a standstill time at a production station, which is designed as a processing station for manipulating the ammunition parts, is between 500 and 3000 milliseconds.

15. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a standstill time (120) at a production station, which is designed as a testing station, is in the range from 30 to 80 milliseconds.

16. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control system which can actuate the carriages (39) at a speed of up to 2 m / s, in particular up to 1.5 m / s, preferably up to 1 m / s, and / or at an acceleration (122) of up to 40 m / s2, in particular up to 20 m / s2, preferably up to 15 m / s2.

17. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carriages (39) are held on the rail (41) by a magnetic holding force oriented in the horizontal direction.

18. Plant (1) according to claim 17, wherein the rail (41) has at least one bearing and / or guide surface (83, 85) for the carriages (39), wherein a guide surface (83, 85) oriented in particular in the horizontal direction provides the magnetic holding force.

19. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rail / carriage arrangement (37) is designed as a magnetic levitation system.

20. Plant (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (100), in particular the carriage (39), is mounted removably on the rail (41), in particular by overcoming the magnetic holding force between the carriage (39) and the rail (41).

21. Conveying device (100) for a plant (1) designed in particular according to one of claims 1 to 20 for the automated production of ammunition (101), characterized by a rail / carriage arrangement (37), in which the rail (41) defines a conveying track (29) of the plant (1) and a carriage (39) is guided, which carriage (39) receives at least some of the ammunition parts.

22. Conveying device (100) according to claim 21, characterized in that the rail / carriage arrangement (37) comprises a drive system, which is configured to drive a plurality of carriages (39) individually, in particular in order to transfer different movement characteristics along the conveying track (29) to the carriages (39) independently of one another.

23. Conveying device (100) according to claim 22, characterized in that the movement characteristic is freely programmable and the carriages (39) can be moved in synchronous and / or asynchronous operation, in particular by means of a linear motor or spindle drive.

24. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 22 to 23, characterized in that the drive system is configured, after the filling of the carriage (39) with a propellant charge (9), to move the carriage (39) by means of a jerk-limited movement characteristic, in particular into a rest position.

25. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the drive system is configured to apply a force of up to 1000 N per carriage (39).

26. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the carriage (39) is designed such that it can be guided in a magnetically floating manner on the rail (41).

27. Use of a rail / carriage arrangement (37) for a plant (1) for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, namely a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a propellant charge (9), wherein the plant comprises a plurality of production stations and a conveying device (100) designed in particular according to one of claims 21 to 26.

28. Use according to claim 27 for an ammunition caliber range of 4.5 to 13 mm.

29. Method for the automated production of ammunition (101), which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case (3), an ignition element (7), a projectile (5) and a propellant charge (9), in particular by means of a plant (1) designed according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 19, wherein the method is designed such that the plant (1) according to one of claims 1 to 19 carries out the method steps.

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