Mechanical assembly for separating a workpiece part, which is produced by cutting a plate-type workpiece, from a remaining workpiece of the workpiece cutting process
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TRUMPF WERKZEUGMASCHINEN GMBH & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for separating sheet metal parts from residual grids after machining face challenges such as sagging of the assembly under gravity, leading to incomplete separation and parts getting stuck on the residual grid due to horizontal orientation during the separation process.
A mechanical arrangement that aligns the workpiece assembly at an angle to the horizontal during the separation process, using a positioning device to ensure reliable separation by minimizing sagging and facilitating gravity-assisted removal of parts from the residual workpiece.
The solution ensures complete and efficient separation of workpiece parts from the residual workpiece, preventing sagging and ensuring all parts are removed without getting stuck, with the option for variable alignment to accommodate different applications.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025087094_02072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Applicant:
[0002] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG
[0003] Johann-Maus-Strasse 2
[0004] 71254 Ditzingen
[0005] Germany
[0006] Mechanical arrangement for separating a workpiece part produced by a separating workpiece machining operation on a plate-like workpiece from a residual workpiece from the separating workpiece machining operation
[0007] The invention relates to a mechanical arrangement for separating a workpiece part produced by a separating workpiece machining operation of a plate-like workpiece, in particular a sheet metal workpiece, from a residual workpiece also produced by the separating workpiece machining operation, with which the workpiece part has a residual connection after the separating workpiece machining operation and thereby forms a workpiece part composite.
[0008] • with a vibration generator by means of which the residual connection of the workpiece part with the remaining workpiece can be destroyed by means of the vibration generator, in which the workpiece part and the remaining workpiece are subjected to a separating vibration perpendicular to a main plane of the workpiece part assembly relative to each other.
[0009] The prior art of this type is disclosed in DE 10 2021 123 520 A.
[0010] In the prior art, sheet metal parts are produced by separating a sheet of metal. Immediately after the separation process, these parts are connected to each other and to a residual grid also generated during the separating process by nanojoints. To separate the sheet metal parts from each other and from the residual grid, the assembly of residual grid and sheet metal parts is fixed to a horizontally oriented separating device and then abruptly moved up and down by means of the separating device.
[0011] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO The horizontal orientation of the assembly consisting of the residual grid and sheet metal parts during the separation process poses the risk that the assembly will sag under the influence of gravity, thereby making it more difficult to detach the sheet metal parts from the residual grid remaining on the separation device. Furthermore, it is conceivable that sheet metal parts detached from the residual grid will not fall downwards but, due to the up-and-down movement of the assembly consisting of the residual grid and sheet metal parts, will come to rest on the top side of the residual grid, which remains horizontally oriented even after the sheet metal parts have been detached, and therefore will not be removed from the residual grid.
[0012] The object of the invention is to provide a machine arrangement of the type mentioned above in which a reliable separation of the workpiece parts produced by a separating workpiece machining process from the remaining workpiece of the workpiece machining process is ensured.
[0013] This problem is solved according to the invention by the mechanical arrangement according to claim 1.
[0014] In the case of the invention, a positioning device is provided by means of which the workpiece assembly, consisting of at least one workpiece part to be separated and a residual workpiece, for example a residual grid, can be aligned with its main plane at an angle to the horizontal during the separating vibration. Due to the alignment of the workpiece assembly according to the invention during the separation process, the sagging of the workpiece assembly, which would otherwise hinder the separation of the workpiece part from the residual workpiece, is at least reduced compared to the conditions when the workpiece assembly is horizontally aligned.
[0015] If the workpiece assembly is inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, even workpiece parts that accidentally land on the top side of the remaining workpiece after detachment are automatically removed from the remaining workpiece. For this purpose, the inclination angle of the workpiece assembly during the separation process simply needs to be dimensioned accordingly.
[0016] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO that the workpiece part detached from the remaining workpiece moves under the influence of gravity over the remaining workpiece and thereby becomes free from the remaining workpiece.
[0017] Special embodiments of the machine arrangement according to the invention as defined in claim 1 are set out in dependent claims 2 to 15.
[0018] The machine arrangement according to claim 2 ensures a particularly reliable separation process. In this design, the positioning device according to the invention aligns the workpiece assembly vertically during the separation process. Due to the vertical alignment of the workpiece assembly, sagging of the workpiece assembly during the separation process is completely prevented. Workpiece parts detached from the remaining workpiece preferably exit the remaining workpiece to both sides and are then removed by gravity.
[0019] The workpiece assembly can simply be placed against the positioning device according to the invention for alignment at an angle to the horizontal.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the machine arrangement according to the invention, a positioning device with a holder is provided by means of which the remaining workpiece of the workpiece assembly can be fixed to the positioning device in such a way that the workpiece assembly is aligned with its main plane at an angle to the horizontal during the separating vibration (claim 3).
[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, the mounting of the positioning device on the workpiece assembly can be arranged on one side of a residual workpiece of the workpiece assembly that forms an edge of the workpiece assembly. Furthermore, the positioning device releases the workpiece assembly for a deflection perpendicular to its main plane (claim 4). Due to the fixation of the workpiece assembly on only one
[0022] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO At its edges, the workpiece component assembly can perform a separating vibration over a large area.
[0023] Due to the inherent rigidity of the workpiece assembly, the edge of the workpiece assembly can be fixed at any point using the holder of the positioning device.
[0024] According to claim 5, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting of the positioning device is arranged on an upper edge of the remaining workpiece of the workpiece assembly in the direction of gravity. The workpiece assembly is otherwise suspended freely with its main plane vertically oriented. Regarding the advantages of a vertical orientation of the workpiece assembly during the separation process, reference is made to the preceding explanations concerning claim 2.
[0025] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the positioning device is used to generate the separating vibration (claim 6). Optionally, for this purpose, the mounting of the positioning device can form the vibration generator of the machine arrangement according to the invention (claim 7).
[0026] In a further embodiment of the machine arrangement according to the invention, a self-operating vibration generator is provided for generating the separating vibration (claim 8). This vibration generator is moved manually or mechanically into a separating position relative to the workpiece assembly, in which it can excite the workpiece part and / or the remaining workpiece to perform the separating vibration.
[0027] In order for a workpiece part detached from the workpiece assembly to be removed perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece assembly from the remaining workpiece on both sides, in the case of the inventive design according to claim 9, a [missing word] is required perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece assembly.
[0028] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WOleverbunds provides a free space on both sides of the workpiece assembly aligned by means of the positioning device for the removal of the workpiece part detached from the remaining workpiece.
[0029] The machine arrangement according to claim 10 has a parts tray for the orderly depositing of the separated workpiece parts under the influence of gravity, which is arranged below the workpiece part assembly during the separating vibration of the workpiece part and / or the rest of the workpiece in the direction of gravity.
[0030] The inventive design according to claim 11 is characterized in that the angle at which the workpiece assembly is aligned with its main plane relative to the horizontal during the separating vibration can be variably adjusted. Tailored to the specific application, the workpiece assembly can be aligned such that its main plane runs perpendicular to the horizontal or at an application-specific acute angle during the separation process. The alignment of the workpiece assembly can be performed manually or mechanically.
[0031] In a further development of the invention, the positioning device for variable adjustment of the angle at which the workpiece assembly is aligned with its main plane relative to the horizontal during the separating vibration has a support structure on which the workpiece assembly can be mounted with a defined orientation of its main plane relative to the support structure and which can be adjusted to different angular positions relative to the horizontal (claim 12).
[0032] According to claim 13, the defined storage of the workpiece assembly on the support structure of the positioning device is preferably carried out by means of the holder which is provided for fixing the workpiece assembly on the positioning device.
[0033] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the positioning device used for aligning the workpiece assembly is simultaneously used as
[0034] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238W vibration generator is used by mounting the holder of the positioning device intended for the remaining workpiece of the workpiece assembly on the support structure of the positioning device perpendicular to the main plane of the workpiece assembly in a vibration-capable manner (patent claim 14).
[0035] Claim 15 relates to a compact design of the machine arrangement according to the invention. The support structure of the positioning device is mounted on the parts tray of the machine arrangement so that it can be adjusted to different angular positions about a horizontal axis.
[0036] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary and highly schematic illustrations. These show:
[0037] Figure 1 shows a first design of a mechanical arrangement for separating sheet metal parts from a separating sheet metal processing from a residual grid of the separating sheet metal processing.
[0038] Figure 2 shows a second design of a mechanical arrangement for separating sheet metal parts from a separating sheet metal processing operation from a residual grid of the separating sheet metal processing operation.
[0039] Figure 3 shows a third type of machine arrangement for separating sheet metal parts from a separating sheet metal processing operation from a residual grid of the separating sheet metal processing operation and
[0040] Figures show a fourth design of a mechanical arrangement for separating sheet metal parts 4 and 5 from a separating sheet metal processing from a residual grid of the separating sheet metal processing.
[0041] Figure 1 shows a machine arrangement 1 for separating workpiece parts in the form of good parts 2 from a residual workpiece 3. The good parts 2 and the residual workpiece 3 were produced by separating a sheet metal part. The sheet metal part separating was performed on a conventional laser cutting machine.
[0042] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO During the separating sheet metal processing, nanojoints were left as residual connections both between the good parts 2 and between the good parts 2 on the one hand and the residual grid 3 on the other. Due to this residual connection, the good parts 2 and the residual grid 3 form a workpiece component composite 4.
[0043] After completion of the separating sheet metal processing, the workpiece assembly 4 was fixed to a positioning device 5 of the machine arrangement 1. Figure 1 shows only two supports 6 of the positioning device 5, which hold the workpiece assembly 4 exclusively at an upper edge 7 of the remaining grid 3. The workpiece assembly 4 hangs freely from the supports 6 in a vertical orientation. A main plane 8 of the workpiece assembly 4 is indicated by a dashed line in Figure 1.
[0044] The positioning device 5 is simultaneously a vibration generator 9 of the machine arrangement 1, which serves to generate a separating vibration, as a result of which the nanojoints remaining between the good parts 2 and between the good parts 2 and the residual grid 3 during the separating sheet metal processing are destroyed and thereby the good parts 2 are separated from each other and from the residual grid 3.
[0045] In the example shown in Figure 1, the separating vibration is achieved by setting the clamping brackets 6 of the positioning device 5, which are fixed to the upper edge 7 of the workpiece assembly 4, into a horizontal vibration, indicated by double arrows, thereby carrying the upper edge 7 of the vertically oriented workpiece assembly 4 with them. This results in an oscillating movement for the freely suspended workpiece assembly 4 as a whole, comparable to shaking out a cloth.
[0046] The good parts 2, which are detached from the residual grid 3 as a result of the separating vibration of the workpiece assembly 4, leave the residual grid 3 perpendicular to the main plane 8 of the workpiece assembly 4 in both directions. Since the workpiece assembly 4 is vertically aligned during the separating vibration and sufficient clearance is available on both sides of the workpiece assembly 4 at the machine arrangement 1, the parts 2 are detached from the residual grid 3 perpendicular to the main plane 8 of the workpiece assembly 4.
[0047] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WOdem residual grid 3 released good parts 2 after leaving the residual grid 3 under the influence of gravity automatically onto a parts tray 10 arranged below the workpiece assembly 4.
[0048] Figure 1 shows four of the good parts 2 produced during the separating sheet metal processing and detached from the residual grid 3 on their way to the parts storage 10. The remaining good parts 2 are still connected to the residual grid 3 via nanojoints.
[0049] A design of the machine arrangement 1 shown in Figure 2 differs from the design according to Figure 1 by the fixing of the workpiece assembly 4 to the positioning device 5 and by the technical provisions for generating the separating vibration.
[0050] In Figure 2, the workpiece assembly 4 is also vertically aligned with its main plane 8 by means of the positioning device 5. However, unlike in Figure 1, in Figure 2 the workpiece assembly 4 is clamped to the positioning device 5 at both its upper edge 7 and a lower edge 11 of the remaining grid 3 by means of clamps 6. All clamps 6 in Figure 2 are stationary.
[0051] To generate the separating vibration, the machine arrangement 1 according to Figure 2 has a separate vibration exciter 12 of conventional design as a vibration generator, which can be arranged manually or automatically on a good part 2 of the workpiece assembly 4 in a separating position. In the separating position, after being switched on, the vibration exciter 12 excites the good part 2 assigned to it to perform the separating vibration relative to the residual grid 3, which is fixed at the upper edge 7 and the lower edge 11.
[0052] Figure 2 also shows four of the good parts 2 produced during the separating sheet metal processing on their way from the residual grid 3 to the parts storage 10. The remaining good parts 2 are still connected to the residual grid 3 via nanojoints in Figure 2 as well.
[0053] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO In the case of a design of the machine arrangement 1 shown in Figure 3, the separating vibration is generated by means of the positioning device 5, as in the case of the machine arrangement 1 according to Figure 1. In contrast to the arrangement designs according to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the positioning device 5 in Figure 3 aligns the workpiece assembly 4 for separating the good parts 2 with its main plane 8 not vertically, but at an acute angle to the horizontal. According to Figure 3, the lower edge 11 of the workpiece assembly 4 is fixed by means of supports 6 of the positioning device 5, which are also used to generate the separating vibration of the workpiece assembly 4 and are moved back and forth in the direction of the double arrows with high frequency and small amplitude for this purpose.Alternatively, of the four supports 6 in Figure 3, either the upper support pair or the lower support pair or a lateral support pair is stationary and the workpiece assembly 4 is excited to perform the separating vibration exclusively by means of the other support pair.
[0054] Figure 3 shows the conditions at the machine setup 1 before the start of the separation process. Accordingly, in Figure 3 all good parts 2 are still connected to the residual lattice 3 by nanojoints.
[0055] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the angle at which the workpiece assembly 4 is aligned with its main plane 8 relative to the horizontal during the separating vibration can be variably adjusted by means of the positioning device 5 of a further design of the machine arrangement 1.
[0056] For this purpose, the positioning device 5 of Figures 4 and 5 has a rectangular support frame 13 as its supporting structure, which is mounted on the parts tray 10 of the machine arrangement 1 so that it can be adjusted to different angular positions about a horizontal axis. In Figure 4, the support frame 13 is oriented vertically; in Figure 5, the support frame 13 runs at an acute angle to the horizontal.
[0057] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO In both figures, the support frame 13 extends perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The workpiece assembly 4 is fixed to the upper and lower frame legs of the support frame 13 with the upper edge 7 and the lower edge 11 of the remaining grid 3. The remainder of the workpiece assembly 4 lies at the level of the free space enclosed by the frame legs of the support frame 13.
[0058] To fix the workpiece assembly 4 to the support frame 13, brackets 6 of the positioning device 5 are arranged at the four corners of the support frame 13. The workpiece assembly 4 is aligned with its main plane 8 relative to the support frame 13 by means of the brackets 6, in the illustrated example parallel to the support frame 13. The brackets 6 are resiliently mounted to the support frame 13 perpendicular to the main plane 8 of the workpiece assembly 4 and are therefore capable of oscillation.
[0059] The positioning device 5 of Figures 4 and 5 also forms the vibration generator 9. To generate the separating vibration of the workpiece assembly 4, excitation units 14 of the vibration generator 9 act on the supports 6. The supports 6, together with the workpiece assembly 4 fixed to the supports 6, are thereby set into a vibration, indicated by double arrows, which is executed with high frequency and small amplitude perpendicular to the main plane 8 of the workpiece assembly 4.
[0060] Due to the separating vibration, the good parts 2 are separated from the residual grid 3 of the workpiece component assembly 4.
[0061] If the workpiece assembly 4 is vertically aligned by means of the support frame 13, as shown in Figure 4, the good parts 2 released from the workpiece assembly 4 fall freely onto the parts tray 10 on both sides of the residual grid 3 remaining on the support frame 13.
[0062] If the support frame 13 and the workpiece assembly 4 are inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, it is possible that not all good parts 2 will fall freely onto the parts tray 10 after being detached from the residual grid 3, but that individual good parts 2 – as shown in Figure 5 – will land on the top side of the residual grid 3 after being detached.
[0063] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WOD However, the good part 2, which is arranged on the top of the residual grid 3 in Figure 5, also moves automatically onto the parts tray 10. This is because the angle of inclination of the support frame 13 and the workpiece assembly 4 during the separation process is dimensioned such that the good part 2, which has reached the top of the residual grid 3, slides over the residual grid 3 under the influence of gravity and finally falls onto the parts tray 10.
[0064] TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO
Claims
Patent claims 1. A mechanical arrangement for separating a workpiece part (2) produced by a separating workpiece machining operation of a plate-like workpiece, in particular a sheet metal workpiece, from a residual workpiece (3) also produced by the separating workpiece machining operation, with which the workpiece part (2) has a residual connection after the separating workpiece machining operation and thereby forms a workpiece part assembly (4), • with a vibration generator (9, 12), by means of which the residual connection of the workpiece part (2) with the residual workpiece (3) can be destroyed by means of the vibration generator (9, 12), which the workpiece part (2) and the residual workpiece (3) perform relative to each other perpendicular to a principal plane (8) of the workpiece part assembly (4), characterized in that the machine arrangement has a positioning device (5) by means of which the workpiece assembly (4) can be aligned with its main plane (8) at an angle to the horizontal during the separating vibration.
2. Machine arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the workpiece assembly (4) can be aligned by means of the positioning device (5) such that the main plane (8) of the workpiece assembly (4) runs vertically, wherein the workpiece part (2) and / or the remaining workpiece (3) can be deflected from the vertical during the separating vibration.
3. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning device (5) has a holder (6) by means of which the remaining workpiece (3) of the workpiece assembly (4) can be fixed to the positioning device (5) in such a way that the workpiece assembly (4) is aligned with its main plane (8) at an angle to the horizontal.
4. Machine arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the holder (6) of the positioning device (5) is attached to the workpiece part. TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO(4) can be arranged on one side on a residual workpiece (3) of the workpiece assembly (4) forming an edge (7) of the workpiece assembly (4), wherein the workpiece assembly (4) is otherwise free for a separating vibration perpendicular to its main plane (8).
5. Machine arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the holder (6) of the positioning device (5) can be arranged on one side of the workpiece assembly (4) on a remaining workpiece (3) of the workpiece assembly (4) forming an upper edge (7) in the direction of gravity, wherein the workpiece assembly (4) extends otherwise freely suspended with a vertical orientation of its main plane (8).
6. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning device (5) forms the vibration generator (9).
7. Machine arrangement according to claim 6 and according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the positioning device (5) forms the vibration generator (9) in that the holder (6) of the positioning device (5) arranged on the remaining workpiece (3) of the workpiece assembly (4) is designed to perform a vibration perpendicular to the main plane (8) of the workpiece assembly (4).
8. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration generator (12) and the workpiece assembly (4) aligned by means of the positioning device (5) can be moved relative to each other into a separation position in which the workpiece part (2) and / or the remaining workpiece (3) can be excited by means of the vibration generator (12) to perform the separating vibration.
9. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that perpendicular to the main plane (8) of the workpiece part- TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO A clearance is provided on both sides of the workpiece assembly (4) aligned by means of the positioning device (5) for the removal of the workpiece part (2) separated from the remaining workpiece (3).
10. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a parts tray (10) is provided which is arranged below the workpiece assembly (4) during the separating vibration of the workpiece part (2) and / or the remaining workpiece (3) in the direction of gravity and on which the separated workpiece part (2) can be placed under the influence of gravity.
11. Machine arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning device (5) is designed for variable adjustment of the angle at which the workpiece assembly (4) is aligned with its main plane (8) relative to the horizontal during the separating vibration.
12. Machine arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that the positioning device (5) is designed for variable adjustment of the angle at which the workpiece assembly (4) is aligned with its main plane (8) relative to the horizontal during the separating vibration, • by the positioning device (5) for the workpiece assembly (4) having a support structure (13) on which the workpiece assembly (4) can be stored with a defined orientation of its main plane (8) relative to the support structure (13) and • by making the supporting structure (13) adjustable to different angular positions relative to the horizontal.
13. Machine arrangement according to claim 12 and claim 3 characterized in that the workpiece assembly (4) can be stored on the support structure (13) of the positioning device (5) by means of the holder (6) of the positioning device (5) with a defined orientation of its main plane (8) relative to the support structure (13). TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO14. Machine arrangement according to claim 13 and claim 7, characterized in that the holder (6) of the positioning device (5) arranged on the remaining workpiece (3) of the workpiece assembly (4) is mounted on the support structure (13) of the positioning device (5) perpendicular to the main plane (8) of the workpiece assembly (4) in a vibration-capable manner.
15. Machine arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 14 and according to claim 10, characterized in that the support structure (13) of the positioning device (5) is mounted on the parts tray (10) so as to be adjustable to different angular positions about a horizontal axis. TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG 2024P00238WO