Manipulation device and method for handling an object

Abstract

The invention relates to a manipulation device for handling an object made of metal or an alloy, in particular an object which is elongate at least in regions, such as a wire or a wire mesh, in particular a reinforcing element made of steel, wherein the manipulation device comprises a device for contacting the object, for example gripping and / or clamping the object. According to the invention, for the purpose of process reliability, the device for contacting the object comprises at least one pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor, and the manipulation device has an evaluation unit (11), measurement data recorded via the sensor during the contacting process being evaluable by means of the evaluation unit (11) in order to determine properties of the object in particular. The invention further relates to a method for handling an object made of a metal or an alloy, to a use of a sensor, to an automatic stirrup bender (1), and to a method for producing bent stirrups.

Description

[0001] Manipulation device and method for handling an object

[0002] The invention relates to a manipulation device for handling an object made of metal or an alloy, in particular an object that is at least partially elongated, such as a wire or a wire mesh, in particular a steel reinforcement element, wherein the manipulation device comprises a device for contacting, for example by gripping and / or clamping, the object.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for handling an object made of metal or an alloy, in particular an object that is at least partially elongated, such as a wire or a wire mesh, in particular a steel reinforcement element, wherein the object is contacted with a device, for example by being gripped and / or clamped.

[0004] Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of a pressure and / or temperature-sensitive sensor.

[0005] Finally, the invention relates to a method for producing bent stirrups, in particular reinforcing stirrups, using a stirrup bending machine, wherein wire is provided and bent with at least one bending head to produce at least one stirrup, in particular in a bending station, after which the at least one stirrup is cut to length and removed with a robot gripper of a robot arm by clamping the at least one stirrup.

[0006] Manipulation devices of the type mentioned above are known from the prior art. Such manipulation devices can, for example, be robot arms that grasp and clamp objects and move them over predetermined paths and, if necessary, position them.

[0007] In the processing of wire into reinforcement elements, such as wire stirrups, mesh panels, or similar products, it is regularly necessary to handle the wire at least at one point. For example, on a stirrup bending machine, this might involve removing a completed wire stirrup. In the production of mesh panels, it might involve gripping and advancing a mesh panel. Various handling devices are also required during the welding of longitudinal and transverse bars to form a mesh panel, or during other operations to create a reinforcement element. Depending on the reinforcement element, it may be desirable to be able to make statements about the handled or contacted object during a handling process. This is described below for the production of reinforcement stirrups, but it also applies to other areas of wire processing into reinforcement elements.

[0008] Reinforcing stirrups, as mentioned in the example, can be continuously manufactured for various applications in the construction industry by continuously feeding wire to a bending station with at least one bending head via a wire feed device. The wire is then bent by the bending head(s) and subsequently cut to length with a wire cutting device. Two wires can be bent simultaneously if high productivity is required.

[0009] Once the wires are bent into reinforcing stirrups, they must be removed from the bending station. Often, the stirrups are either hung on specially designed, mobile receiving stations or immediately sorted into so-called big bags. This removal of the finished stirrups can be done manually or automatically with a robotic arm. Manual removal poses a safety risk. Even with trained personnel, the metal stirrups have sharp edges and must be handled directly in the production area. This, combined with the high wire feed rate and potential complications at the bending station, presents a risk to the worker. Conveyor belts offer an alternative, but these do not allow for stacking and sorting the finished stirrups. Therefore, manual removal remains a common method today.

[0010] An alternative and safer option is acceptance testing using a robotic arm. Interestingly, manual acceptance testing is significantly faster than testing with a robotic arm. The skilled personnel are not only trained but also work in sync, taking into account the acoustics of the wire cutting device and the noise generated by the cutting action when a reinforcing stirrup is removed. On the other hand, robots also allow for so-called "ghost shifts" at night, which compensates for the productivity disadvantage. Furthermore, and even more importantly for the personnel, no one needs to be present in the safety-critical production area.

[0011] From a safety perspective, using a robotic arm for inspection offers an advantage, even in double stirrup production, where two stirrups are produced simultaneously. However, a disadvantage is that the position of individual reinforcing stirrups can vary significantly during clamping, which is important for stacking. Furthermore, immediate quality control is not possible, unlike with manual inspection by skilled personnel.

[0012] Similar problems, as exemplified above for stirrup bending machines, occur in various areas of the manufacture and manipulation of reinforcement elements, especially since wire is usually processed.

[0013] One object of the invention is to further develop a manipulation device of the type mentioned above in such a way that statements can be made about the properties of a manipulated reinforcement element, including its position.

[0014] Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to further develop a method of the type mentioned above in such a way that it makes it possible to determine the properties of an object while this object is in contact with a device.

[0015] A manipulation device according to the invention can be designed in a variety of ways. For example, the manipulation device can be a welding system for the production of reinforcement elements such as mesh panels. At least one device for contacting the object is equipped with a pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor. Optionally, several sensors may be present. The properties of the contacted object, for example, the object that is gripped or clamped, can be determined from the measurement data acquired by the sensor(s). The object is usually either a wire or a structure made of several wires. "Wire" is to be understood in a comprehensive sense and also includes rods such as those used in the production of reinforcement elements. However, other objects such as pipes can also be handled, which is why the use of the manipulation device is not limited to wires.

[0016] In the contact area, at least one sensor is positioned so that pressure and / or temperature changes can be measured, for example, when a wire is clamped, as is particularly possible with piezoelectric sensors. The resulting measurement data allows for the determination of the object's properties, and especially its position. The latter can be particularly important for process reliability, enabling the identification of wire misalignments, process errors or malfunctions, or rejects. Generally, based on the determined properties, which include shape, weight, surface finish, and the relative position to the contacting device, a decision is made regarding further handling of the object. This includes, in particular, the sorting out of rejects or the correction of operating parameters.The measurement data and the determined properties can thus be used to control the manufacturing process of a reinforcement element. For example, if it is found that the production of reinforcement stirrups leads to increased scrap, the production parameters can be changed. Similarly, a welding system can be controlled if the handling device is a welding system for the production of reinforcement meshes.

[0017] One or more sensors can be provided. Each sensor can have several independent sensor areas that separately record measurement data.

[0018] The contact between the object and the contacting device can occur in various ways. The object can be actively grasped and clamped by the device, particularly for further manipulation. Alternatively, the object can passively come into contact with the device, for example, by being placed on it. The contacting device can be, in particular, a clamp, preferably a robotic clamp. The robotic clamp is connected to a robot arm and has a predetermined number of degrees of freedom for desired movements. Specifically, it can be a robotic clamp that is freely movable in all three spatial directions. For example, the robotic clamp can be linearly displaceable in the x, y, and / or z directions.The robot gripper can also be rotatable or pivotable around one or more axes, in particular around all spatial axes, i.e., the x, y, and z axes. However, simpler applications are also conceivable, for example, grippers that can only move in one spatial direction, such as horizontally or vertically. Alternatively, it is also possible that the clamping effect is achieved with only one movable clamping partner, if one of the two parts is stationary for clamping.

[0019] The contacting device can have several, in particular two, clamping jaws. Two clamping jaws are sufficient, for example, to clamp a wire. The one or, if applicable, several clamping jaws can be mounted to move relative to each other, in particular to pivot relative to each other. The clamping jaws are preferably identical to ensure the simplest possible conditions for obtaining the measurement data. Furthermore, this allows for quick replacement if one of the clamping jaws needs to be replaced, for example, due to wear.

[0020] The clamping jaws can be designed in multiple parts, consisting of a carrier body and an external wear element. The carrier body can be attached to the robot arm or gripper by positive and / or non-positive locking. Typically, the carrier body is made of a highly wear-resistant material such as steel. An external wear element is provided, which is usually made of a significantly softer material, as this external wear element comes into contact with the surface of the jaws and should not damage it. Elastomers, for example, are suitable materials for the wear element(s). In this design, the pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor can be positioned between the carrier body and the wear element.Since the wear element is usually relatively thin (a few millimeters thick are sufficient), the sensor is very close to the wire surface when a wire of a reinforcement element is clamped with the robotic clamp. This applies analogously to pipes made of a metal or alloy. Therefore, the recorded measurement data reflects the respective clamping situation as accurately as possible.

[0021] It is advantageous if at least one sensor has several separate sensor areas from which measured values ​​can be obtained. A sensor can have an array or matrix with multiple sensor areas. A matrix can, for example, be a square matrix of 3 x 3 or 5 x 5. If the clamping jaws are rectangular, the sensor is also preferably rectangular, for example, as a matrix with 3 x 5 sensor areas. In this context, it is beneficial if the sensor, with its individual sensor areas, covers the entire cross-section of the clamping jaw that grips a wire. This ensures that the entire available area is used for acquiring measurement data.Dividing the sensor into individual sensor areas with independent measurement data offers advantages not only for position determination but also for properties such as wire diameters up to 20 mm or quality differences based on given signal patterns, as a large amount of measurement data is available. However, other sensor area arrangements are also possible, for example, a honeycomb pattern.

[0022] The evaluation unit is preferably configured to determine the position of the object during clamping with the contacting device, based on measurement data from at least one sensor. The measurement data for this purpose is supplied by the sensor(s).

[0023] At least one sensor can be designed as a sensor film. Such sensor films are inexpensive to manufacture and have a low thickness. This allows the sensor film, or possibly several sensor films, to be placed close to the point of contact with the contacting device, thus obtaining the most realistic measurement data possible. The sensor film is usually integrated into the contacting device. It is advantageous for the sensor film to cover the entire contact area. This also applies if the sensor is printed directly onto a contacting device, which is also possible. In this case, it is advisable to cover the printed sensor with a protective layer, such as a film, to minimize wear when in contact with reinforcement elements.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the manipulation device can be configured as a stirrup bending machine for producing bent stirrups, particularly reinforcing stirrups. The stirrup bending machine can comprise a bending station with a wire feed device and at least one bending head configured to bend the fed wire, as well as a wire cutting device with which bent wire can be cut to length to create the stirrups, and a robot arm with which cut stirrups can be removed from the bending station and placed at another position. The robot arm has at least one robot gripper for grasping and clamping at least one stirrup. By providing a pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor, such as a sensor film, in the area of ​​the robot gripper, it is possible to measure pressure and / or temperature during clamping.This can be achieved relatively easily using a sensor that operates on the basis of the piezoelectric effect. Such sensors can be used in printed form and allow for the measurement of pressure and / or temperature changes with minimal space requirements. The corresponding measurement data can be analyzed using the provided evaluation unit, determining, in particular, the position of the stirrup during clamping, as well as stirrup properties, such as, but not limited to, wire diameter, wire surface properties, and potential rejection criteria. If the bending machine is designed to simultaneously produce several reinforcing stirrups side by side, multiple stirrups are picked up simultaneously by the robot arm, and an individual analysis is performed for each stirrup. For example, two reinforcing stirrups can be produced and their measurement data evaluated simultaneously.

[0025] Recording measurement data with the pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor also enables automated process control, particularly during so-called "ghost shifts," i.e., especially at night. Since measurement data for wire removal is available, intervention is possible in the event of predetermined deviations from target values. This intervention can also be automated, for example, by changing the clamping force of the robotic gripper and / or its exact removal position and / or its angle of attack. Once the measurement data is available and analyzed, it can be used for operational monitoring and, if necessary, for changing the operating state. The evaluation unit can be configured to determine the position of a wire during clamping with the robotic gripper based on measurement data from at least one sensor.

[0026] Furthermore, the evaluation unit can be set up to determine a wire diameter from measurement data of at least one sensor.

[0027] The evaluation unit can also be configured to determine the number of clamped wires, such as clips, from measurement data of at least one sensor. This is particularly important when, for example, double clip production is underway and it needs to be ensured that two clips are clamped.

[0028] At least one sensor is advantageously a printed sensor film, as this results in a very small footprint. The sensor film also advantageously comprises several piezoelectric sensor areas. The sensor can also be printed directly onto a device for contacting an object. The sensor is expediently designed as a flat surface. The sensor can comprise several sensor areas, each of which can independently acquire measurement data. The flat sensor advantageously covers at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more advantageously more than 70%, particularly more than 75%, for example, more than 80% or 90% of the contact surface of the device for contacting the object. The contact surface is the area available on the device for contacting the object.

[0029] The further objective is achieved by using a pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor, such as a sensor film, to assess the properties of a wire and / or its condition during contact with a device for contacting the wire, such as pliers, particularly robotic pliers. The use of a pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor, for example, a sensor film or a sensor printed directly onto a device for contacting an object, for assessing the properties of a wire and / or its condition during clamping with pliers, such as robotic pliers, has proven advantageous for the automated operation of bending machines for manufacturing stirrups, as well as other wire manipulation devices, in order to minimize safety risks.The pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor offers the advantage that, due to its small cross-sectional dimensions, it can be installed in close proximity to the robot's gripping surface with minimal design effort and, in particular, without requiring additional space. At the same time, it can withstand the adverse conditions in which such manipulation devices, like bending machines, are operated. These devices are typically used in large halls where there is a relatively high level of dust, temperature fluctuations, and potentially high humidity. Most importantly, these sensors can also withstand the vibrations that occur, for example, due to the impact of cutting reinforcing stirrups.

[0030] The further objective of the invention is achieved if, in a method of the type mentioned at the outset, measurement data are recorded in the device for contacting the object using at least one pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor, and the measurement data thus obtained are evaluated in order to determine, in particular, properties of the object.

[0031] By analyzing pressure and / or temperature changes, the position of individual objects, especially elongated objects like wires or pipes, can be determined during clamping with the robotic gripper. Furthermore, properties of the object(s) can be ascertained, which are particularly important for quality assessment and thus also for the automated evaluation of rejects.

[0032] It is also advantageous that the derived properties of the object, especially a wire, can be used to control a production process. For this purpose, the determined properties of the wire can be compared with target values, and process adjustments can be made based on this comparison if necessary. In particular, pressure and / or temperature changes can be measured during contacting, especially during clamping, of at least one wire, and the resulting measurement data can be evaluated. For example, the position of a wire relative to the contacting device can be determined from the measured data.

[0033] The further objective of the invention is achieved if, in a method of the type mentioned at the outset, pressure and / or temperature changes are measured on the robot gripper, particularly during the clamping of at least one jaw, and the measurement data obtained in this way are evaluated.

[0034] By analyzing pressure and / or temperature changes, the position of individual clamps can be determined during clamping with the robotic gripper. Furthermore, properties of the clamp(s) can be ascertained, which are particularly important for quality assessment and thus also for the automated evaluation of rejects.

[0035] The method according to the invention is preferably used in the operation of a stirrup bending machine according to the invention. Conversely, the stirrup bending machine is specifically designed to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0036] The measurement data can be used to determine the position of at least one bracket during clamping. In double-bracket production, the robot gripper can also simultaneously remove two brackets from the bending station. In this case, the position of both brackets relative to the robot gripper can be determined.

[0037] It is also possible to determine the diameter of at least one of the brackets from the measurement data. The number of clamped brackets can also be determined from the measurement data, which is particularly useful in the production of double brackets.

[0038] Furthermore, it can be provided that the measured data is compared with target data and that the robot arm's control is automatically adjusted if the measured data deviates from the target data by a predetermined amount. For example, the position of individual brackets can be determined from the measured data. If this position deviates from the target values ​​in a predetermined way or by a predetermined amount, this deviation can be used to initiate a change in the robot arm's control.

[0039] It is advantageous to measure pressure and / or temperature changes separately in several areas. Such measurements can be performed using a suitable sensor film based on the piezoelectric effect. The clamping force of the robot gripper causes pressure changes that can be detected via the piezoelectric effect. This allows for the tracking of movements, namely the clamping during removal and the subsequent lateral placement or dropping. The same applies to temperature changes, where the pyroelectric effect can be utilized. By using a suitable sensor film, particularly in the area of ​​a clamping jaw of the robot gripper, corresponding measurement data can be generated with relatively little equipment and subsequently processed by an evaluation unit.

[0040] It is particularly advantageous to measure pressure and / or temperature changes in a matrix of multiple sensor areas. The matrix can be designed as printed sensor areas on a sensor film. Individual, independent measurement data for each sensor area can be acquired and evaluated via the individual sensor areas of the matrix, for example, a matrix with 3 x 5 sensor areas. This offers advantages in terms of the informative value of the evaluated measurement data, as it allows for precise location determination in spaced-apart areas. Of course, instead of a single sensor film with multiple sensor areas, several individual sensor films can also be used.

[0041] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiment described below. The drawings referred to therein show:

[0042] Fig. 1 is a highly schematic representation of a stirrup bending machine; Fig. 2 is a view of a robot gripper with end-mounted clamping jaw;

[0043] Fig. 3 different positions when clamping a removed reinforcement stirrup.

[0044] Figure 1 shows a highly schematic representation of a stirrup bending machine 1. The stirrup bending machine 1 is used for the production of stirrups, in particular reinforcing stirrups 2. For this purpose, the stirrup bending machine 1 has a bending station 3 into which wire 6 is fed. The wire 6 is fed from a wire reservoir by a wire feed device 4, which is only indicated in Figure 1. The wire feed device 4 is usually a feed unit with which the wire 6 can be transferred towards the bending station 3. Optionally, a straightening station for straightening the wire 6 can also be provided between the wire reservoir for the wire 6 and the wire feed device 4. The bending station 3 comprises several bending heads 5 with which the fed wire 6 can be bent to produce the reinforcing stirrups 2, as is known from the prior art.Two parallel wires 6 can be fed in simultaneously to create two reinforcing stirrups 2 at the same time. A wire cutting device 7 is arranged in the bending station 3, which is activated as soon as a reinforcing stirrup 2 has been created by bending with the provided bending heads 5. When this is the case, the wire cutting device 7 cuts the reinforcing stirrup 2 from the fed wire 6 with a single stroke. The reinforcing stirrup 2 is then removed by a robot arm 8, which has a robot gripper 9 at one end. The robot gripper 9 clamps the reinforcing stirrup 2 and then places it down, for example, by dropping it into a big bag.

[0045] The robot gripper 9 has two clamping jaws 12, one of which is shown in more detail in Fig. 2. Both clamping jaws 12 are identical. The clamping jaw 12 is multi-part and is positively and, if necessary, force-fitted in a clamping jaw receptacle 13 of the robot gripper 9. The clamping jaw 12 comprises a support body 14, which is positively attached to one end of the robot gripper 9. On its outer side, and thus also on the side facing the reinforcement stirrups 2, the clamping jaw 12 comprises a wear element 15. While the wear element 15 is made of a relatively soft material, for example, an elastomer, the support body 14 is made of a significantly harder material, for example, steel. A pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor film 10 is arranged between the wear element 15 and the support body 14, the sensor areas of which are indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 2.The sensor film 10 is typically a printed sensor film 10 that operates on the basis of the piezoelectric effect. This makes it possible to adapt the clamping jaw 12 for obtaining the desired measurement data with a very small footprint, which is important because there is little space for modifications in the relevant area. Simultaneously, it is possible to route the cabling along the robot arm 9 to the sensor film 10 in order to supply the measurement data to an evaluation unit 11. The evaluation unit 11 is typically an electronic data processing system. If required, the data can also be processed after transmission via radio.Since the wear body 15 is relatively thin and typically only a few millimeters thick, the sensor film 10 lies very close to the surface of the removed reinforcing stirrup 2 during its removal, ensuring good data quality and measurements as close as possible to the object being examined. The sensor arrangement 10 preferably has several individual, independent sensor areas, allowing measurement data to be collected over essentially the entire surface of the wear body 15, as shown in Fig. 2. Because the measurement covers almost the entire surface, a multitude of properties, and in particular the position of individual reinforcing stirrups 2 during clamping during removal, can be determined based on the measurement data. This makes it possible to determine whether a stirrup is clamped at all and whether, for example, a stirrup was picked up at an angle by the robot gripper 9. In Fig.Figure 3 shows different situational scenarios that can only be determined as examples.

[0046] Furthermore, the shape of the hanger can also provide information, at least in part, and thus ultimately determine whether a hanger should be rejected. This can be verified, in particular, by various signal patterns, whereby the hanger bending machine 1 can be trained accordingly if necessary. The clamping function and clamping force of the robot gripper 9 can also be determined, for example, using a test piece and adjusted if necessary. It is also possible to detect hanger movement during a movement of the robot arm 8. Finally, the collected measurement data can also be used to change operating parameters for ongoing operation and thus ultimately achieve automatic optimization of the removal process by the robot arm 8.For this purpose, threshold values ​​can be specified for individual parameters, within which, for example, the reinforcement stirrups 2 must be positioned when removing and clamping them. If these threshold values ​​are exceeded, a corresponding adjustment is made by modifying the control of the robot arm 8.

[0047] The use of a pressure and / or temperature sensitive sensor film 10 in the area of ​​a clamping jaw 12 of a robot pliers 9 has proven to be robust and reliable even under production conditions with temperature and humidity fluctuations as well as partially increased dust.

[0048] The concept according to the invention is explained above for a stirrup bending machine 1, but is also applicable in other areas of wire processing into reinforcement elements. Other wholly or partially elongated objects such as pipes can also be handled analogously, whereby statements about the production operation and product quality can be made based on the measured data, which in turn makes it possible to control production.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Manipulation device for handling an object made of metal or an alloy, in particular an object that is at least partially elongated, such as a wire or a wire mesh, in particular a steel reinforcement element, wherein the manipulation device comprises a device for contacting, for example by gripping and / or clamping, the object, characterized in that the device for contacting the object comprises at least one pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor and the manipulation device comprises an evaluation unit (11), wherein measurement data recorded via the sensor during contact can be evaluated with the evaluation unit (11) in order to determine, in particular, properties of the object.

2. Manipulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for contacting the object is a pair of pliers.

3. Manipulation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pliers are robot pliers (9).

4. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the contacting device has several, in particular two, clamping jaws (12).

5. Manipulation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the clamping jaws (12) are arranged in clamping jaw receptacles (13) and the at least one sensor is positioned between a clamping jaw (12) and a clamping jaw receptacle (13).

6. Manipulation device according to claim 5, characterized in that a sensor is provided between each pair of a clamping jaw (12) and a clamping jaw receptacle (13).

7. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least one sensor has several separate sensor areas from which measured values ​​can be obtained.

8. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the evaluation unit (11) is configured to determine the position of the object during clamping with the contacting device from measurement data of the at least one sensor.

9. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one sensor is designed as a sensor film (10).

10. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the manipulation device is a stirrup bending machine (1) for the production of bent stirrups, in particular reinforcing stirrups (2).

11. Manipulation device according to claim 10, characterized in that the stirrup bending machine (1) comprises a bending station (3) with a wire feed device (4) and at least one bending head (5) configured to bend fed wire (6), as well as a wire cutting device (7) with which bent wire (6) can be cut to length to create the stirrups, and a robot arm (8) with which cut stirrups can be removed from the bending station (3) and placed at another position, wherein the robot arm (8) has at least one robot gripper (9) for gripping and clamping at least one stirrup.

12. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the evaluation unit (11) is configured to determine the position of a wire during clamping with the robot pliers (9) from measurement data of the at least one sensor.

13. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the evaluation unit (11) is configured to determine a wire diameter from measurement data of the at least one sensor.

14. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the evaluation unit (11) is configured to determine a number of clamped wires such as clips from measurement data of the at least one sensor.

15. Manipulation device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the evaluation unit (11) is configured to recognize rejects from measurement data of the at least one sensor.

16. Use of a pressure and / or temperature sensitive sensor such as a sensor film (10) to assess properties of a wire.

17. Use of a pressure and / or temperature sensitive sensor such as a sensor film for assessing the condition of a wire during contact with a device for contacting the wire such as pliers, in particular robot pliers (9).

18. Method for handling an object made of metal or an alloy, in particular an object that is at least partially elongated, such as a wire or a wire mesh, in particular a steel reinforcement element, wherein the object is contacted with a device, for example by gripping and / or clamping, characterized in that measurement data is recorded when the object is touched using at least one pressure- and / or temperature-sensitive sensor in the device for contacting the object, and the measurement data thus obtained are evaluated in order to determine, in particular, properties of the object.

19. Method according to claim 18, characterized in that during contacting, in particular during clamping, at least one wire, pressure and / or temperature changes are measured and the measurement data obtained are evaluated.

20. Method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that a position of a wire relative to the contacting device is determined from measured measurement data.

21. Method for producing bent stirrups, in particular reinforcing stirrups (2), with a stirrup bending machine (1), in particular a stirrup bending machine (1) according to one of claims 10 or 11, wherein wire (6) is provided and bent with at least one bending head (5) to produce at least one stirrup, in particular in a bending station (3), after which the at least one stirrup is cut to length and removed with a robot gripper (9) of a robot arm (8) by clamping the at least one stirrup, characterized in that pressure and / or temperature changes are measured at the robot gripper (9), in particular during the clamping of at least one stirrup, and the measurement data obtained in this way are evaluated.

22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the position of at least one bracket during clamping is determined from the measurement data.

23. Method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that a diameter of at least one bracket is determined from the measurement data.

24. Method according to one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that a number of clamped brackets is determined from the measurement data.

25. Method according to one of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the determined measurement data are compared with target data and the control of the robot arm (8) is changed, in particular automatically, if there is a predetermined deviation of the measurement data from the target data.

26. Method according to one of claims 21 to 25, characterized in that pressure and / or temperature changes are measured separately in several areas.

27. Method according to claim 26, characterized in that pressure and / or temperature changes are measured in a matrix of several sensor areas.

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