Patent Application
20190262889
This invention relates to a device and a method for positioning of a bending tool by means of an electromagnet that can be displaced along a magnetic guide, which bending tool is held on a tool holder by a retaining carriage that can be displaced along a retaining-carriage guide and which bending tool comprises a magnet holder of a magnetizable material, wherein a magnetic force acts between the electromagnet and the magnet holder.
Machine tools for bending of workpieces usually have a machine frame, on which bending tools are disposed that are able to apply a machining force on a workpiece for forming of the workpiece. In order to permit a force transmission matched to the workpiece, the machine tools usually have tool holders, on which tool holders specifically designed bending tools can be arranged. For implementation of the individual machining stages on the workpiece, it is necessary to exchange the tools or to change them with respect to their position. For this purpose, usually the tool holder that holds the bending tools is unlocked, so that the bending tools arranged therein can be manipulated. In a bending machine, for example, the tool holder is linearly designed and extends over the entire length of the pressing bar.
In the case of a manual reconfiguration of the tool, the bending tool must be grasped by the machine operator and taken out of the tool holder or pushed into the tool holder. This is easily possible in the case of small bending tools for the machining of light materials, such as thin metal sheets, for example, whereas, in the case of tools for the machining of heavy structural parts, this requires a considerable exertion of force or is no longer possible manually.
According to the prior art, systems and devices are known in which tools, which in the following will be understood as bending tools, are picked up by means of a gripper at one location of the machine, removed from that location and consequently transferred. However, this requires a manipulating robot, which performs manipulating actions in one region of the machine. In this case, case it should be ensured that no persons are jeopardized by the manipulating actions.
It is further known how to push a group of inserted tools by means of an ejector device from the tool holder onto a pick-up device disposed laterally in longitudinal extent of the pressing bar, after which this pick-up device is moved into a parked position or into a tool magazine.
However, such systems are usually characterized by a great complexity and usually require larger modifications or extensions of the machine.
Furthermore, according to the prior art, changing devices are known in which the bending tools being used are usually of metal and thus can be held by a magnet. For this purpose, a retaining carriage is brought up to the tool holder of the bending tool, in order to pick up the tool by means of a retaining magnet disposed in the retaining carriage and to pull the bending tool along the tool holder and to change the position of the tool. Upon reaching of an end position, the magnetic force of the magnet is deactivated, whereby the bending tool and the retaining carriage detach from one another. In this situation, however, it is disadvantageous that, as a consequence of the acting magnetic field, a residual magnetism is built up in a metallic object, especially in the bending tool and also in the changing carriage. This may cause the retaining magnet and the bending tool to cling persistently to one another or to be capable of being detached from one another only by further actions. Furthermore, metallic debris, such as can be produced during the machining of metallic workpieces, may accumulate on the tools and on the changing carriage.
Furthermore, the problem exists that the magnetized bending tools and/or bending tools having a residual magnetism as well as the magnetized retaining magnet and/or the retaining magnet having a residual magnetism attract a magnetizable workpiece to be machined, such as a light metal sheet, for example. Hereby the magnetizable workpiece may be picked up or at least the alignment of the workpiece may be changed in relation to the machine tool. This may cause a defective machining of the workpiece due to an incorrect positioning of the workpiece.
EP2946846 discloses a tool-changing device for a forming press having a tool magazine and a transfer device for transfer of the forming tools from the tool magazine to the forming press, wherein the one transfer device comprises a drivable push chain. The transfer device further comprises an electromagnet for pick-up of the forming tool.
DE3212465 discloses a transport device having at least one holding magnet, in which transport device sensor units in the form of induction coils are disposed between the limbs or around the limbs in a manner symmetric relative to the center of the holding magnet. With the assistance of this sensor means, it is possible to detect the direction of the approach of the holding magnet toward a workpiece and to use the magnetic-field change detectable by the sensor means for control purposes. DE3212465 discloses the demagnetization of the magnet and the adaptation of the signal strength of the magnet to the workpiece to be picked up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,560 discloses a bending press together with a loading station. The read-out of codes is described, which codes are linked to data about the workpiece to be picked up.
The task of the invention now lies in providing a method that permits the exact and rapid positioning of magnetizable bending tools in a machine tool.
This task is accomplished by a method and a device according to the claims.
According to the invention, this is accomplished in that the electromagnet and the magnet holder have congruent polygonal shapes capable of being positioned one inside the other.
The magnetic forces acting between the electromagnet and of the magnet holder are defined by the field strength of the magnet and by the size of the contact faces of the electromagnet and the magnet holder, among other factors. Due to the structure of the surface of the electromagnet and of the surface of the magnetic holder as congruent polygonal shapes capable of being inserted one inside the other, the area of contact acting between electromagnet and magnet holder is increased. Consequently, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the magnetic force is increased or maximized purely by the shape of the electromagnet and of the magnet holder. This in turn has the effect that the magnetic field strength that can be generated by energization of the electromagnet by means of a voltage can be adjusted to a weaker value, albeit with maintenance of the necessary magnetic force, whereby the influence of the applied magnetism on the bending machine may in turn be reduced.
The electromagnet and the magnet holder may be constructed as a hollow member or as a member capable of being introduced into the hollow member. The electromagnet and the magnet holder may be, for example, a shell or a hemisphere, wherein the hemisphere can be positioned in the interior of the shell. Likewise a structure as a hollow cone or cone is conceivable, wherein the cone can be positioned in the interior of the hollow cone.
In sub-regions, for example, the electromagnet may have a star-like shape. In this case, the magnet holder has, in these sub-regions, a shape congruent to the star-like shape of the electromagnet.
In the converse sense, the magnet holder may have a star-like shape and the electromagnet a shape congruent to the star-like shape of the magnet form.
The contact faces of the electromagnet and of the magnet holder may be spaced apart. In a semi-industrial system, which comprised an electromagnet having a star-like cross section and a magnet holder having a congruent negative shape, the inner contact area is 563.0 mm2 and the outer contact area is 1223.0 mm2 in size.
The electromagnet or the magnet holder may have a round shape in sub-regions. In this case, the magnet holder or the electromagnet has, in these sub-regions, an annular shape congruent to the round shape.
In a semi-industrial system, which comprises an electromagnet having an annular cross section and a magnet holder having a round cross section, the inner contact area was 653.0 mm2 and the outer contact area was 700.0 mm2 in size, wherein the contact faces were again spaced apart from one another.
The magnet holder may comprise one further electromagnet, which is able to magnetize the magnetizable material from which the magnet holder is formed.
The invention also relates to a method for positioning of a bending tool by means of an electromagnet, which bending tool is held on a tool holder by a retaining carriage that can be displaced along a retaining-carriage guide and which bending tool comprises a magnet holder of a magnetizable material, wherein the electromagnet can be displaced along a magnetic guide and the electromagnet and the magnet holder may have congruent shapes.
The method according to the invention, disclosed in the following, offers a solution to the technical task of keeping, as small as possible, the influence, on the bending machine and its components, of the electromagnets used for positioning of the bending tool along the retaining-carriage guide and of the magnetism generated by the electromagnets.
According to the invention, this is accomplished in that the electromagnet (2) is energized with a nominal voltage for generation of a nominal force as magnetic force, which nominal force, in dependence on
The technical solution disclosed within the scope of this invention provides that the magnetic force acting between the electromagnet and the magnet holder is adjusted in dependence on the above-mentioned influencing factors. This adaptation is further marked by the guiding principle of keeping the magnetic force or the nominal force so small that the nominal force as a magnetic force and the associated magnetic field cause no disturbances if at all possible.
The magnetic force acting between the electromagnet and the magnet holder may be a force of attraction or a force of repulsion.
In the case of action of the magnetic force as a force of repulsion, the bending tool is pushed by the displaceable electromagnet, wherein the magnet holder is always spaced apart in dependence on the magnitude of the magnetic force. Prior to attainment of the desired position of the bending tool in the bending machine, the pushing of the bending tool by the electromagnet must be adjusted such that the bending tool is able to come to a stop. If necessary, the bending tool must be braked.
In the case of action of the magnetic force as a force of attraction between the electromagnet and the magnet holder, the bending tool is coupled with the electromagnet.
For attainment of the nominal force, the first electromagnet, or more precisely the coil of the first electromagnet, is energized with the nominal voltage. In the case of a 12-V electromagnet, for example, the nominal voltage is 12 V.
The necessary magnetic force is dictated by, among other factors, the dead weight of the bending tool. In a test system, these dead weights vary between several hundred grams and 25 kilograms. A dead weight of a tool is measurable or can be regarded by the person skilled in the art as known or as determinable.
During the positioning in the bending machine, the bending tool is accelerated positively and negatively, wherein the bending tool may be pulled or pushed by the moving electromagnet. In order to suppress loosening or in general decoupling of the bending tool, especially of the magnet holder from the electromagnet, the inertial forces are to be taken into consideration, especially for heavy bending tools. This also includes being able temporarily to increase or decrease the nominal voltage for generation of the necessary magnetic force during the (negative or positive) acceleration of the bending tool.
The frictional force acting between the tool holder and the retaining carriage may act counter to the inertial force acting on the bending machine or may act in a substantially equal direction as that inertial force. The person skilled in the art is able to determine the frictional force substantially from the dead weight of the bending tool and a coefficient of friction to be applied. If necessary, a distinction must be made between a static friction and a sliding friction.
The direction of movement of the retaining carriage and consequently of the bending tool is predetermined by the retaining-carriage guide. In no case does the movement of the bending tool that takes place during the positioning of the bending tool always have to be linear; the bending tool may also be brought into the desired position in a curved movement.
The movement of bending tool and electromagnet along a polygonal movement track has a relative displacement of electromagnet and magnet holder as a consequence, whereby a change of the orientation of the magnetic force in relation to the movement direction also occurs. This may necessitate having to increase the magnetic force.
The influencing factors mentioned above can be represented as vector variables. The person skilled in the art obtains the necessary magnetic force by summation of these vector variables with fulfillment of an equilibrium condition by application of common science. If necessary, the person skilled in the art multiplies the summation of the vector variables with a factor of safety.
In summary, it follows that the sum of the forces acting on the contact faces must be smaller than or equal to the magnetic force.
A pick-up of the tool on the retaining carriage by means of the retaining magnets has the advantage that no pick-up takes place via a mechanical coupling. A tool holder that is attracted by the retaining magnets according to the method according to the invention does not have to be remachined even after multiple use.
Furthermore, the extension of the magnetic field of the electromagnet into regions having further magnetizable workpieces, such as, for example, the workpiece to be machined with the assistance of the bending tool, is taken into consideration. If the electromagnet is sufficiently far removed from the further workpieces, so that the magnetic field created by the electromagnet does not extend into regions of further workpieces, a reduction of the nominal force to the necessary minimum magnetic force may no longer be needed.
The person skilled in the art is able, by application of common science, to calculate a sufficiently large distance of the magnetic field or a sufficiently small field strength of the magnetic field for an attraction of a further magnetizable workpiece, since restraining forces have to be overcome for attraction of a further magnetizable workpiece. These restraining forces may be the dead weights of the further magnetizable workpieces.
The person skilled in the art may use statistical values to define a maximum expected dead weight of a further magnetizable workpiece.
The method according to the invention may comprise routines, by means of which a driving force is measured that is necessary for movement of the retaining carriage, if necessary together with the tool. A change of the driving force or of the necessary driving power or of the traction force may be a sign that a further magnetizable workpiece has been picked up by the electromagnet. Furthermore, a deviation of the driving force and/or of the driving power from reference values may provide such an indication.
The method according to the invention may comprise further routines for continuous measurement of the forces acting on electromagnets. A sudden increase of the forces acting on the electromagnet, especially the weight forces, may be an indication that a further magnetizable workpiece has been attracted by the magnet.
For simpler measurement of a change of the driving force and/or of the necessary driving power, sub-stretches of the stretch along which the retaining carriage is movable by means of the guide may be defined, in which sub-stretches external influences such as, for example, a soiling, are suppressed by suitable measures according to the prior art.
The method according to the invention may be characterized in that the nominal force is increased or decreased in levels.
In a semi-industrial system, seven levels 1 to 7 are provided, wherein level 4 relates to the case that the magnetic force corresponds to the nominal force. Levels 1 to 3 relate to a decreased nominal force and levels 5 to 7 to an increased nominal force.
The introduction of levels may have the advantage that groups of tools are allocated to a certain level.
The method according to the invention may further comprise that the tool weight and/or the eccentricity are measured by means of measuring devices and/or are retrieved from a database, and the magnetic force is adjusted in dependence on the eccentricity.
A center of gravity of the bending tool that is eccentric relative to the retaining-carriage guide influences the forces acting in the holding-carriage guide and thereby the friction acting in the retaining-carriage guide.
The method according to the invention may be characterized in that the nominal force is increased or decreased in dependence on the position of the retaining carriage and/or of the passage of time.
For example, if the electromagnet is traveling through a region adjacent to further magnetizable workpieces, the magnetic force may be reduced, for example at a constant speed, since on the one hand no inertial forces develop as a consequence of an acceleration and on the other hand an attraction of the further workpieces may be avoided hereby in the case that the magnetic field extends to the further workpieces.
Within the scope of the method according to the invention, the bending tool may be demagnetized at least partly.
Due to the demagnetization of the bending tool it is prevented that a residual magnetization remaining in the bending tool picks up further magnetizable workpieces or the position of the workpiece to be machined with the tool is changed by the residual magnetic field.
The tool may be partly demagnetized in dependence on the temporary position of the retaining carriage or of the tool.
The invention disclosed here is in no case restricted to the demagnetization of the bending tool in the stationary condition and/or in a position such as the residence of the bending tool in a tool store or in a position introduced into the bending machine. The demagnetization may already be begun before the arrival of the tool being moved into the positions, in order to avoid idle times of a bending machine. The demagnetization during the positioning of the bending tool always has to take place with maintenance of the necessary magnetic force.
The bending tool may be demagnetized at least partly before and/or during and/or after the positioning of the bending tool.
The demagnetization parameters may be adjusted in dependence on the movement of the bending tool and/or of the speed of movement of the tool.
The demagnetization parameters may be loaded from a database.
The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of the following figures and of the following description of the figures, wherein the figures and the description of the figures relate merely to possible embodiments, which in no case restrict the protective subject matter defined by the claims. The person skilled in the art is capable of combining the figures and the relevant parts of the description of the figures with the general text of the description presented above.
In the figures, the following elements are denoted by the reference symbols preceding them:
In the embodiment illustrated in
The bending tool 1 comprises a magnet holder 5 of a magnetizable material, wherein a magnetic force acts between the electromagnet 2 and the magnet holder 5 upon energization of the electromagnet with a voltage.
The bending tool 1 comprises bending forms 6, which, for forming of a workpiece, not illustrated in
The bending tool 1 is retained on a tool holder 4 on a retaining carriage 3. The retention of the bending tool 1 takes place via a detachable mechanical connection, wherein the type of construction of this mechanical connection has no influence on the device according to the invention.
The retaining carriage 3 is mounted displaceably in a manner normal to the plane of the diagram along a retaining-carriage guide, not illustrated in
The positioning of the bending tool 1 in a direction normal to the plane of the diagram of
The electromagnet 2 is designed as a hollow member, wherein the magnet holder 5 is introduced into the inner region of the hollow member 2. The electromagnet 2 and the magnet holder 5 have—as is visible in the sectional diagram of
In particular, the magnet holder 5 has a star-like cross-sectional shape. The electromagnet 2 has, in cross section, a negative shape congruent to this.
The contact face 7 of the electromagnet 2 and the contact face 8 of the magnet holder 5 are spaced apart from one another. Accordingly, the contact faces 7, 8 are of different sizes.
The shaping, according to the invention, of electromagnet 2 and magnet holder 5 may permit the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet 2 to be adjusted to such a weak value that it does not extend into sub-regions of the tool holder 4. The magnetic field may be limited substantially to sub-regions of the bending forms 6 directly adjacent to the electromagnet 2.
The bending tool 1 comprises bending forms 6, which, for forming of a workpiece, not illustrated in
The bending tool 1 is retained on a tool holder 4 on a retaining carriage 3. The retention of the bending tool 1 takes place via a detachable mechanical connection, wherein the type of construction of this mechanical connection has no influence on the device according to the invention.
The retaining carriage 3 is mounted displaceably in a manner normal to the plane of the diagram along a retaining-carriage guide, not illustrated in
The positioning of the bending tool 1 in a direction normal to the plane of the diagram of
The electromagnet 2 is designed as a round hollow member, wherein the magnet holder 5 is introduced into the inner region of the hollow member 2. The electromagnet 2 and the magnet holder 5 have—as is visible in the sectional diagram of
In particular, the magnet holder 5 has a circular cross-sectional shape. The electromagnet 2 has an annular cross-section shape as a congruent shape.
The inertial forces, not indicated in
As follows from
A working cycle 12 takes place following an idle time 15. During the working cycle 12, the electromagnet 2 is energized at least partly with a voltage, so that a magnetic force is generated.
The method according to the invention may—as illustrated in
The first nominal voltage and the second nominal voltage are different. Due to the alternating nominal voltages, it results that the electromagnet 2 is energized, during a retention cycle 11, for a shorter time in total with the higher first nominal voltage than during an energization with a high nominal voltage over the entire time period of the working cycle 11. Due to the inertia of the electromagnet 2, the magnetic force generated by the alternating energization with the first nominal voltage and the second nominal voltage remains substantially constant. Since the electromagnet 2 is energized with a high first voltage only over short first time periods 13, no overheating of the electromagnet takes place. The problem of the overheating of the electromagnet occurs—as is evident from the table in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 50960/2016 | Oct 2016 | AT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AT2017/060278 | 10/19/2017 | WO | 00 |
