CN112867575A

CN112867575A - Method for providing at least two bending tool sets

Info

Publication number: CN112867575A
Application number: CN201980067084.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 托马斯·容迈尔; 鲁道夫·库宾格; 约翰·迈尔霍费尔
Original assignee: Trumpf Maschinen Austria GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Trumpf Maschinen Austria GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2018-10-16
Filing date: 2019-10-14
Publication date: 2021-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-14
Also published as: EP3866991B1; EP3866991A1; AT521623B1; AT521623A4; CN112867575B; WO2020077374A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing at least two bending tool sets (14, 15) for a method for producing a workpiece from a sheet by a bending process on a bending machine (2, 3). The current position is stored in a bending tool data memory (12) for each individual bending tool (10) and a first bending tool set (14) is taken out of the tool magazine (4) and conveyed to the first bending machine (2) on the basis of first bending tool arrangement information of the first product information. The current orientation is updated in the bend tool data store (12). Then, it is determined whether the required bending tool (10) is located in the tool magazine (4) to form a second bending tool group (15) based on second bending tool arrangement information of the second product information. After successful determination, the bending tool (10) is removed from the tool magazine (4) as a second bending tool group (15).

Description

Method for providing at least two bending tool sets

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for providing at least two bending tool sets for producing workpieces made of sheet metal, in particular by shaping the sheet metal in a bending process.

Background

EP1925374B1 describes a bending device for bending a workpiece using a pair of tools, which bending device is composed of a punch and a die. The male die is mounted on the upper workbench and the female die is mounted on the lower workbench. The bending apparatus includes a processing information determination means for determining a bending order based on product information and for determining a tool and a tool layout and a working position for each of the bending orders. Accumulating in a tool management database a total number of actual bending passes for each tool based on the determined work positions, tools and tool layout. The actual bending process is determined by means of a tool usage amount detection device with reference to said tool management database. The display device is used for displaying various uses of the relevant predetermined tool. Tools with approximately the same number of uses as each other and, in connection therewith, approximately the same wear as each other can thus be spun together into one tool group.

EP1658908B1 describes a bending device which comprises an upper table and a lower table and which performs bending on a workpiece by means of a tool placed on said tables. The tool arrangement information is automatically determined based on the product information of the tool arrangement information determination device. In the tool holder, a tool is held which is required for bending and is designed separately. The tool is replaced between the tool placement device and the upper and lower tables by the tool replacement device. The tool arrangement information determination means is configured to determine the tool arrangement information automatically or manually based on the product information. The tool placement device is used for placing a tool group consisting of a plurality of equiaxed tools. The tool set is exchanged between the tool placement device and the upper and lower tables by means of the tool exchange device. The bending apparatus has a processing station configuration device that divides a tool group, which is transported from the tool placement device to the upper table and the lower table by the tool changer, into a plurality of tool component groups based on tool arrangement information of the tool arrangement information determination device. A plurality of processing stations are formed on each work table by dividing the tool group into a plurality of tool part groups. The station configuration apparatus includes a bulkhead mounted on a body of the rear stop, wherein the bulkhead is used in common by tools mounted on the upper and lower tables.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a method by means of which existing tools can be used more efficiently and cost-effectively. Furthermore, the productivity in the manufacturing equipment should also be improved.

The object is achieved by a method according to the claims.

The method according to the invention is used to provide at least two bending tool sets when manufacturing a workpiece from a sheet material. In this case, the sheet metal or the workpiece already prefabricated from the sheet metal is bent into a predetermined workpiece by a forming process, i.e. a bending process. The bending process can be carried out by means of a female die bending or also by means of a deflection or pendulum bending. In the method at least the following steps are carried out:

providing a first bender having a first upper press beam and a first lower press beam,

providing at least one second bender having a second upper press beam and a second lower press beam,

providing at least one tool magazine having a plurality of bending tools, in particular a male bending tool and a female bending tool, accommodated therein for forming at least one co-acting bending tool set for at least one bending machine,

providing at least one bending tool changing device configured for transporting bending tools of the cooperating bending tool set between a tool magazine and a respective one of the bending machines,

providing a bending tool data store in which for each individual one of the bending tools a respective current orientation is stored,

providing a bending tool arrangement determination device configured for determining first bending tool arrangement information based on the first product information and at least one second bending tool arrangement information based on the second product information,

based on the first bending tool arrangement information determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means, at least one first bending tool group comprising a plurality of bending tools is put together by taking the bending tools determined therefor out of the tool magazine,

transferring the at least one first bending tool set from the tool magazine to the first bending machine by means of the bending tool changing device and arranging the at least one first bending tool set on a first press beam of the first bending machine,

updating the respective new orientation in the bending tool data storage of those bending tools of the at least one first bending tool group that have been transported from the tool magazine to the first bending machine,

determining the presence of a plurality of bending tools required in the tool magazine is carried out by means of a bending tool arrangement determination device on the basis of at least one second product information on the basis of the positions stored in the bending tool data memory from among the positions of those bending tools currently located in the tool magazine,

after determining that all the required bending tools are completely present to form a co-acting second bending tool set, the second bending tool set is put together by taking the bending tools determined for this purpose out of the tool magazine according to the second bending tool arrangement information determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means.

In the method steps selected here, it is advantageous if, as a result, bending tools which are still present in the tool magazine and are currently not required for the first bending machine can be put together into a second bending tool group or into a further bending tool group. Since the current position of each individual bending tool is always stored in the bending tool data memory, it can be determined by the bending tool arrangement determination device, on the basis of the second product information for the planned implementation of the bending process in the second bending machine, whether those bending tools for forming the second bending tool set are actually still present in the tool magazine. It has been determined that all of the bending tools required for forming the cooperating second bending tool set are in fact still located in the tool magazine, and that the second bending tool set is brought together by removing the bending tools required for this purpose from the tool magazine. In this way, higher load capacities and associated downtimes can be avoided in a plurality of bending machines, since the tools that are currently present but not currently needed can be removed from the tool magazine and provided. However, since in other cases bending tools which are not needed at present are used and at least one second bending machine is used, the acquisition costs for the bending tools remain low, while in the other bending machine, i.e. the first bending machine, the bending process is already carried out on the sheet material.

Furthermore, a method is advantageous in which the second bending tool set which is to be put together is transported from the at least one tool magazine to a second bending machine by means of a bending tool changing device and is arranged on the second bending machine. The downtime of the at least one second bending machine can thus be minimized, since the bending tools, which are respectively located in the tool magazine, can then be supplied to a plurality of bending machines by the at least one tool magazine.

Another advantageous method is characterized in that after the bending tools of the second bending tool set have been removed from the at least one tool library, the respective current new orientation of the removed bending tools of the second bending tool set is updated in the bending tool data memory. Thus, by always updating the position of the bending tool taken from the tool magazine, it is always possible to check and determine whether a combination of another bending tool set is possible at the present time.

A method variant is also advantageous in which at least one intermediate tool magazine is provided in which bending tools belonging to the bending tool group are brought together and provided for transport to one of the bending machines as a function of the bending tool arrangement information. Thus, a pre-grouping of the next desired bending tools in the region of the tool library may have been implemented to form one or more bending tool groups of those currently located in the tool library.

Another method is characterized in that only those bending tools which are outside the forming process specified in the first bending machine for the sheet material of the workpiece to be produced and contained in the bending tool arrangement information are selected from the bending tool arrangement determination device and are also removed from the at least one tool magazine. It is thus possible to avoid that the bending process can no longer be continued in the first bending machine due to the absence of at least one bending tool. Thus also ensuring or enabling the replacement of the bending tool in the first bending machine. Thus, production interruptions and unnecessary downtime can be prevented.

Furthermore, a method is advantageous in which, in those bending tools which are consumed by means of the bending tool changing device from one of the bending machines back into the at least one tool magazine, the respective new orientation of each bending tool is updated in the bending tool data memory. This enables a quick and reliable determination of which bending tools are actually present in the tool library and, if appropriate, can be put together to form another bending tool group.

Another advantageous method is characterized in that the determination of the presence of the required plurality of bending tools for forming the second bending tool set is carried out immediately after the updating of the respective new orientation in the bending tool data memory. Thus, it may be avoided that when putting together at least one further bending tool set, access to a database is no longer current.

A method variant is advantageous in which the determination of the presence of the required plurality of bending tools for forming the second bending tool set is carried out directly during or after the transport of the first bending tool set to the first bending machine. This reliably prevents a possible incorrect removal.

Another method is characterized in that during the forming process of the sheet material into the workpiece to be manufactured, the presence of a plurality of bending tools required for forming a second bending tool set is determined simultaneously. This ensures that the current data is always accessible.

Furthermore, a method is advantageous in which the transport movement of the bending tool changer is carried out by its own drive mechanism and/or manually. Thus, transport can optionally be carried out automatically or, if desired, also manually.

Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following drawings which illustrate the invention in detail.

Wherein, the following are respectively shown in a simplified schematic diagram:

fig. 1 shows a view of a production plant with at least two bending machines, at least one tool magazine and a bending tool changer.

Detailed Description

It should be noted that, in the case of differently described embodiments, identical components have the same reference numerals or the same component names, and the disclosure contained in the entire description can be transferred reasonably to identical components having the same reference numerals or the same component names. The positional references selected in the description, such as, for example, upper, lower, lateral, etc., also relate to the currently described and illustrated figures and can be appropriately transferred to the new position when the position changes.

In the following, the term "in particular" is to be understood as it may relate to possible more specific embodiments and more detailed descriptions of the subject matter or method steps, but does not necessarily represent a mandatory preferred embodiment of the subject matter or method steps or methods.

Fig. 1 shows a very simplified production plant 1, which is designed for producing at least one workpiece from a sheet metal. The production of the at least one workpiece can be carried out by forming in a so-called free bending process by means of a die bending. However, it is also possible to carry out the shaping process, in particular the bending process, by means of a deflection bending machine during the deflection or oscillation bending process.

In the production plant 1 shown here, it is provided that it comprises a first bending machine 2, at least one second bending machine 3, at least one tool magazine 4 and at least one bending tool changing device 5. In a known manner, the first bending machine 2 comprises a frame, not shown in detail, and on which a first upper pressure beam 6 and a first lower pressure beam 7 are arranged. One of the pressure beams 6, 7 is adjustably guided thereon relative to the frame.

In this exemplary embodiment, the second bending machine 3 is likewise embodied as a free-bending machine or a die-bending machine and comprises a second upper press beam 8 and a second lower press beam 9. The second press beams 8, 9 are also adjustably guided thereon relative to the frame of the second bending machine 3.

Regardless of this, however, the

bending machines

2, 3 may also be designed as deflection bending machines instead of as free bending machines or female bending machines. In this case, the pressing beams 6, 7; 8. 9 hold the sheet material to be formed between them in a clamped manner and fix it in a predetermined position for the bending process. In this case, the pressing beams 6, 7; 8. 9 may be referred to as a clamping beam. However, in order to carry out the bending process, a bending unit of its own is provided. It should therefore be noted that the method for forming can be carried out in bending processes different from one another by means of the production plant 1 with the bending machines respectively associated therewith.

However, only the method of the

bending machines

2, 3 configured as free-bending machines or die-bending machines is described in detail below and is transposed in terms of meaning to other machine types.

To carry out the forming process, i.e. the bending process, a plurality of bending tools 10 are provided for this purpose as required, which are accommodated in the tool magazine 4 and are ready for use. During free-bending or female-die bending, the bending tool 10 comprises at least one male die or bending die and at least one female die, female die or bending die cooperating therewith. In general, the bending tool 10 has different cross-sectional shapes and/or different lengths or widths in the direction of its bending edge. The different lengths or widths serve to enable the bending length or bending edge to be formed by the bending tool 10 to be coordinated with the workpiece to be produced. The respective cross-sectional shape depends on the curvature and/or the spatial conditions in the workpiece to be produced. All bending tools 10, in particular the bending tools 10 in the tool magazine 4, are shown only schematically and in a simplified manner.

The bending tools 10 present in the tool magazine 4 are brought together and form at least one

bending tool group

14 or 15 which is coordinated and interacts with the bending process to be carried out. Those bending tools 10 which constitute at least one

bending tool group

14 or 15 are selected and put together by means of the bending tool arrangement determination means 11. The bending tool arrangement determination means 11 are designed to determine first bending tool arrangement information on the basis of first product information relating to the bending process to be carried out. At least one second bending tool arrangement information is determined by means of the bending tool arrangement determination means 11, but also on the basis of the second product information. The first product information is determined for the first bending machine 2 and the second product information is determined for the second bending machine 3.

Furthermore, a bending tool data memory 12 is provided which is communicatively connected to the bending tool arrangement determination device 11. Thus, an information exchange and/or a command exchange can be carried out or carried out between the stop elements. For better clarity, illustrations of the operator terminal or other input or control devices have been omitted. The bending tool changer 5 can also be integrated into the communication connection. The term "communication link" is understood to mean any technical possibility for communication. The bending tool data memory 12 is configured to store a respective current orientation for each individual bending tool of the bending tools 10 of the manufacturing apparatus 1. The term "orientation" is understood to mean the sojourn point or current position of each individual bending tool 10. The orientation may be, for example, a tool magazine 4, a first bending machine 2, a second bending machine 3 or a bending tool changer 5.

By means of the bending tool changing device 5, at least one co-operating

bending tool group

14, 15 can be transported between each and one of the

bending machines

2, 3 and vice versa. The bending tool changing device 5 is shown here as a robot, but can also be formed by a device different from this.

It is assumed that at the start of the described method all bending tools 10 are present in the tool library 4 and that the tool library 4 is also stored in the bending tool data storage 12 as the orientation of all bending tools 10. This eliminates the check whether all of the bending tools 10 necessary for the bending process to be carried out for forming the first bending tool group 14 are actually located in the tool magazine 4. If this is not the case, a preliminary check is carried out whether the respectively desired bending tool 10 is actually stored in the tool magazine 4.

Once the first bending tool arrangement information has been determined or determined by the bending tool arrangement determination device 11, a first bending tool group 14, which comprises a plurality of bending tools 10, is placed together on the basis of the bending tool arrangement information and the bending tools 10 required for this purpose are removed from the tool magazine 4. This can be achieved, for example, already by the bending tool changing device 5 or a supply device cooperating therewith.

Once the at least one first bending tool group 14 has been brought together, the tool magazine 4 is transported to the first bending machine 2 by means of the bending tool changing device 5. This is shown by the arrow. If transport takes place and, in connection therewith, orientation changes take place, the at least one first bending tool set 14 is arranged on the first press beams 6, 7 of the first bending machine 2 and remains positioned correspondingly on these press beams. Next, at least one bending process can already be carried out in a known manner by means of the first bending machine 2. During the deflection bending process, a clamping process is carried out between the co-acting bending tools, which may subsequently be referred to as clamping tools.

In order to store the always current position of the respective orientation of each bending tool 10 in the bending tool data memory 12, the respective new orientation of the bending tool 10 retrieved and currently located on the first bending machine 2 may be updated. All those bending tools 10 that have been transported from the tool magazine 4 to the first bending machine 2 are involved.

Depending on the number of bending tools 10 required in the first bending machine 2, a certain remaining number of currently unneeded bending tools 10 is kept in the tool magazine 4. If all the further required bending tools 10 are present, a second bending tool set 15 can be put together and formed from these remaining number of bending tools 10. Thus, for example, the second bending machine 3 can be equipped with the respectively required bending tool 10 for one of the bending processes to be carried out.

For a further bending process to be carried out in the second bending machine 3, at least one second bending tool arrangement information which has been described previously is determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means 11 on the basis of the second product information. Since all those bending tools 10 which are still currently located in the tool magazine 4 are known in the bending tool data memory 12, it can be determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means 11 in cooperation with the bending tool data memory 12 whether all bending tools 10 for forming the at least one second bending tool group 15 are still present.

Determining the presence of the required plurality of bending tools 10 for forming the second bending tool set 15 may be performed, for example, immediately after updating the respective new orientation in the bending tool data store 12. Independently of this, the determination can also be carried out during the transport of the first bending tool set 14 to the first bending machine 2 or immediately after the transport of the first bending tool set 14 to the first bending machine 2. It is also possible, however, to simultaneously determine the presence of a plurality of bending tools 10 required for forming the second bending tool group 15 during the forming process of the sheet material into the workpiece to be produced.

If it is determined that all necessary bending tools 10 are still present, the bending tools 10 are put together into a second bending tool group 15 by retrieving the bending tools 10 determined therefor from the tool magazine 4 on the basis of the second bending tool arrangement information determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means 11.

Once brought together, the second bending tool set 15 can be transported from the tool magazine 4 by means of the bending tool changing device 5 towards the second bending machine 3. This is also shown by the arrows. In order to again store or store the current orientation of the retrieved bending tool 10 of the second bending tool set 15 in the bending tool data memory 12, the orientation in the bending tool data memory 12 needs to be updated. For example, the update may be performed immediately after the bend tool 10 is removed from the tool library 4.

In order to bring together the first bending tool set 14 and/or the at least one second bending tool set 15, at least one intermediate tool magazine 13 can be arranged in at least one tool magazine 4 or in the region of at least one tool magazine 4. In the at least one intermediate tool magazine 13, those bending tools 10 associated with one of the

bending tool groups

14, 15 can be put together and provided for transport to one of the

bending machines

2, 3 according to the bending tool arrangement information.

In order to avoid the removal of the bending tools 10 required for this purpose or needed for the subsequent bending process in the first bending machine 2 from the tool magazine 4 for forming the second bending tool set 15 for the further bending machine 3, only those bending tools 10 which are outside the specified forming process contained in the bending tool arrangement information for the sheet material of the workpiece to be produced in the first bending machine 2 have to be selected by the bending tool arrangement determination device 11. Despite the presence in the tool magazine 4, the bending tools 10 required for the bending process immediately following the first bending machine 2 are then not allowed to be removed to form the second bending tool set 15 for the second bending machine 3 and are therefore held in the tool magazine 4.

When a bending tool 10 is moved from one of the

bending machines

2, 3 back into at least one tool magazine 4 and/or into one of the intermediate tool magazines 13 by means of the bending tool changer 5, the new orientation of each reset bending tool 10 is updated accordingly in the bending tool data memory 12.

The transport movement of the bending tool changer 5 can be carried out by its own drive mechanism and/or manually. Preferably, this is done automatically, in order to reduce the burden on the operator on the one hand and to ensure a safe and rapid transport on the other hand.

The examples show possible embodiment variants, it being noted here that the invention is not limited to the specifically shown embodiment variants themselves, but rather various combinations of the individual embodiment variants with one another are also possible and the variant possibilities are within the ability of the person skilled in the art of the invention on the basis of the teaching regarding technical treatment.

The scope of protection is determined by the claims. The specification and drawings are used to interpret the claims. Individual, inventive solutions are shown in the individual features or combinations of features of the different embodiments shown and described. The task on which the independent inventive solution is based can be gathered from the description.

To comply with the regulations, it is finally pointed out that the components are partly not shown to scale and/or are shown enlarged and/or reduced for a better understanding of the construction.

List of reference numerals

1 manufacturing apparatus

2 first bending machine

3 second bending machine

4 tool library

5 bending tool changing device

6 first upper pressure beam

7 first lower pressing beam

8 second upper press beam

9 second lower compression beam

10 bending tool

11 bending tool arrangement determining device

12 bend tool data storage

13 intermediate tool library

14 first bending tool set

15 second bending tool set

Claims

1. Method for providing at least two bending tool sets (14, 15) for a method for manufacturing a workpiece from a sheet material, in particular by shaping the sheet material in a bending process, wherein the following steps are carried out:

providing a first bending machine (2) having a first upper press beam (6) and a first lower press beam (7),

providing at least one second bending machine (3) having a second upper press beam (8) and a second lower press beam (9),

providing at least one tool magazine (4) having a plurality of bending tools (10), in particular a male bending tool and a female bending tool, accommodated therein for forming at least one co-acting bending tool group (14, 15) for at least one bending machine (2, 3),

providing at least one bending tool changing device (5) which is designed to transport bending tools (10) of the cooperating bending tool group (14, 15) between a tool magazine (4) and a respective one of the bending machines (2, 3),

providing a bending tool data storage (12), in which bending tool data storage (12) a respective current orientation is stored for each individual one of the bending tools (10),

providing bending tool arrangement determination means (11), the bending tool arrangement determination means (11) being configured for determining first bending tool arrangement information based on the first product information and at least one second bending tool arrangement information based on the second product information,

-bringing together at least one first bending tool group (14) comprising a plurality of bending tools (10) by taking the bending tools (10) determined therefor out of the tool magazine (4) in dependence of the first bending tool arrangement information determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means (11),

transferring the at least one first bending tool set (14) from the tool magazine (4) to the first bending machine (2) by means of the bending tool changing device (5) and arranging the at least one first bending tool set (14) on a first press beam (6, 7) of the first bending machine (2),

updating respective new orientations in the bending tool data memory (12) of those bending tools (10) of the at least one first bending tool group (14) that have been transported from the tool magazine (4) to the first bending machine (2),

determining the presence of a plurality of bending tools (10) required in the tool magazine (4) on the basis of at least one second product information by means of a bending tool arrangement determination device (11) depending on the positions stored in a bending tool data memory (12) in the positions of those bending tools (10) currently located in the tool magazine (4),

after determining that all required bending tools (10) are completely present to form a cooperating second bending tool group (15), the second bending tool group (15) is put together by removing the bending tools (10) determined for this from the tool magazine (4) on the basis of the second bending tool arrangement information determined by the bending tool arrangement determination means (11).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a second bending tool group (15) to be put together is transported from the at least one tool magazine (4) to a second bending machine (3) by means of a bending tool changing device (5) and is set up on the second bending machine.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after the bending tools (10) of the second bending tool group (15) are taken out of the at least one tool library (4), the respective current new orientation of the taken out bending tools (10) of the second bending tool group (15) is updated in the bending tool data storage (12).

4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one intermediate tool magazine (13) is provided in the at least one tool magazine (4), in which at least one intermediate tool magazine (13) those bending tools (10) belonging to a bending tool group (14, 15) are put together and provided for transport to one of the bending machines (2, 3) according to bending tool arrangement information.

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that only those bending tools (10) which are outside the defined forming process contained in the bending tool arrangement information for the sheet material of the workpiece to be manufactured in the first bending machine (2) are selected from the bending tool arrangement determination device (11) and are also taken out of the at least one tool magazine (4).

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in those bending tools (10) which are consumed back into the at least one tool magazine (4) from one of the bending machines (2, 3) by means of the bending tool changing device (5), the respective new orientation of each bending tool (10) is updated in the bending tool data storage (12).

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determination of the presence of the required plurality of bending tools (10) for forming the second bending tool set (15) is carried out immediately after the updating of the respective new orientation in the bending tool data memory (12).

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the determination of the presence of the required plurality of bending tools (10) for forming the second bending tool set (15) is carried out directly during the transport of the first bending tool set (14) to the first bending machine (2) or after the transport of the first bending tool set (14) to the first bending machine (2).

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that during the forming process of the sheet material into the workpiece to be manufactured, the presence of the required plurality of bending tools (10) for forming the second bending tool group (15) is determined simultaneously.

10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport movement of the bending tool changer (5) is carried out by its own drive mechanism and/or manually.