Patent Application
20220097117
The invention relates to sheet metal working machines and, in particular, it relates to a sheet metal working machine equipped with a hydraulic drive system adapted to drive a plurality of working tools in a separate and independent manner, for example punching tools and/or cutting tools.
Sheet metal working machines are known which are equipped with a multi-press or multi-tool punching apparatus and/or a single punching apparatus and/or a cutting or shearing apparatus, which can therefore perform a plurality of punching and cutting operations simultaneously and/or in sequence on the sheet metals to be machined.
The known multi-tool punching apparatuses comprise a plurality of punching tools or punches arranged adjacent and placed side by side on one or more rows, for example to form a parallel-row matrix structure, and driven linearly by respective presses constituted by linear actuators, typically hydraulic cylinders, in a separate and independent way to interact with the workpiece.
The multi-press punching apparatuses include all the tools necessary to execute in sequence the machinings required on the piece. In this way, it is not necessary to perform tool change operations during the production cycle, thus allowing to eliminate both stops for tool replacement (thus increasing the productivity of the machine) and automatic devices for setting up and replacing the tools (simplifying the structure of the machine).
Known cutting apparatuses or shearing units generally comprise two blades orthogonal to each other, independently movable along respective axes to perform cuts on the sheet metal. The blades or shears are driven by respective linear actuators, typically by hydraulic cylinders of adequate dimensions.
In combined machines, also called punching-shearing machines, which include a cutting apparatus and a multi-press punching apparatus, the latter one are often integrated into a single structure.
In order to correctly perform the punching and/or cutting machinings it is necessary to check the position, the displacement, or stroke, and the speed along a respective working axis of each tool, since these parameters depend on and are a function of the thickness and type of material of the workpiece and/or type of machining to be performed.
To drive and precisely control the movement of the punching and/or cutting tools, the known machines are provided with hydraulic drive systems capable of supplying and therefore driving in a separate and independent manner the hydraulic cylinders whose pistons are connected to and move the respective tools, so as to produce a single machining or a plurality of machinings on the piece in the same working phase.
Known hydraulic drive systems generally comprise one or more hydraulic pumps driven by an electric motor, which supply with a high-pressure (up to 300 bar) hydraulic fluid (oil) a supply circuit connected to each hydraulic cylinder by means of suitable by-pass and pressure regulation valves. By means of the aforementioned valves, it is therefore possible to select the hydraulic cylinder, that is the tool to be driven, the direction of movement of the piston of the cylinder, i.e. a working stroke or a return stroke of the piston/tool and the supply pressure of the hydraulic cylinder, i.e. the punching force that the tool exerts on the workpiece. The high pressure (up to 300 bar) with which the hydraulic pump feeds the supply circuit is calculated to ensure that one or more hydraulic cylinders of the punching apparatus exert maximum punching force on the workpieces.
However, in the usual working processes only a small part (about 20%) of the machinings performed on the pieces requires the application of the maximum punching or cutting force, that is the maximum supply pressure for the hydraulic cylinders, the normally required supply pressure being much smaller (60-100 bar).
A disadvantage of the machines provided with the aforementioned hydraulic drive systems therefore lies in the high power consumption (necessary for pumping the oil in the high-pressure supply circuit) and in the overall low power efficiency (the oil pressure must in fact be reduced in most machinings).
Another disadvantage lies in the fact that due to the high supply pressure and thermal dissipations due to the pressure reduction in the control valves of the hydraulic cylinders, the oil heats up and must therefore be appropriately cooled by cooling means, which make the machine more complex and expensive.
An object of the present invention is to improve the known sheet metal working machines and in particular the machines provided with a plurality of working tools to be driven in a separate and independent manner, for example punching tools and/or cutting tools.
Another object is to provide a machine having low power consumption and high power efficiency.
A further object is to provide a machine which allows the working tools to perform the working processes, for example punching and cutting, in an optimal manner, in particular capable of driving and controlling the position, displacement and speed of each tool along a respective working axis in a precise and accurate way.
A first aspect of the invention provides a sheet metal working machine according to claim 1.
A second aspect of the invention provides a method for driving working tools in a sheet metal working machine according to claim 9.
The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate some exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments thereof, wherein:
With reference to
In particular, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures and described below, the machine 100 is, for example, a combined punching and cutting machine which comprises a multi-press punching apparatus 50, a single punching apparatus 150 and a cutting apparatus 60 and the hydraulic drive system 1 is arranged to drive in a separate and independent manner a plurality of punching working tools or punching tools 51 of the multi-press punching apparatus 50, a single punching working tool or punching tool 151 of the single punching apparatus 150 and one or more cutting working tools or cutting tools 61 of the cutting apparatus 60.
The machine 100 can also be a punching machine provided with the multi-press punching apparatus 50 only.
The punching tools 51 of the multi-press punching apparatus 50, of the known type, only one of which illustrated in the figures for ease of representation, are for example arranged on several rows side by side so as to form a matrix structure of punching tools 51.
The cutting apparatus 60 or shearing unit, of a known type, comprises, for example, two blades 61 orthogonal to each other, independently movable along respective axes to make cuts on the sheet metal, only one of which is illustrated for ease of representation in the figures.
The multi-press punching apparatus 50, the single punching apparatus 150 and the cutting apparatus 60 can work in sequence on the same piece 200 or on two or more pieces 200 simultaneously.
The hydraulic drive system 1 comprises a plurality of hydraulic cylinders or jacks 2, 102, 202 each of which is associated and arranged to drive a respective working tool 51, 151, 61. Each hydraulic cylinder comprises a respective piston 21, 121, 221 which forms inside the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 a thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 and a return chamber 23, 123, 223 and is associated with the corresponding working tool 51, 151, 61 to move it along a respective working axis A, B, C. More precisely, the piston 21, 121, 221 comprises a main body sliding inside the respective hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 to form the two chambers of variable volume and a stem which protrudes from the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 and is connected to the corresponding working tool 51, 151, 61 through connecting means, known and not shown in the figures.
With reference to the embodiment of
Finally, the hydraulic drive system 1 comprises at least one pair of third hydraulic cylinders 202 (of which only one is illustrated) for driving two cutting tools 61 of the cutting apparatus 60. Each third hydraulic cylinder 202 is provided with a respective third piston 221 which forms within the third hydraulic cylinder 202 a third thrust chamber 222 and a third return chamber 223 and is associated with the corresponding punching tool 61 to move it along a respective third working axis C.
The hydraulic drive system 1 further comprises a first pump 3 connected to the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202, in particular by means of a supply circuit 12 formed by a plurality of supply ducts. The first pump 3 of the reversible type is arranged to send fluid, in particular oil, at a supply pressure PA in one or more of said thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 so as to push the respective pistons 21, 121, 221 along a working direction and allowing the working tools 51, 151, 61 associated therewith to interact with the piece 200, in a driving phase, or to suck fluid from the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 to allow the respective pistons 21, 121, 221 to move along a return direction, opposite to the working direction, and to the working tools 51, 151, 61 to disengage and move away from the piece 200, in a return phase. In particular, in the driving phase the first pump 3 sends oil to a supply pressure PA which is a function of a desired force which the working tools must exert on the piece 200 to perform the required machining.
The hydraulic drive system 1 comprises a fluid or oil reservoir 15, at atmospheric pressure, which is connected to a mouth of the first pump 3 via a discharge circuit 14, the other mouth of the first pump 3 being connected to the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 through the supply circuit 12. In the driving phase, the first pump 3 draws oil from the reservoir 15 and sends it pressurized to the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202; in the return phase, the first pump 3 pours into the reservoir 15 the fluid sucked by the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202.
The hydraulic drive system 1 also includes a plurality of valves 4, in particular inserted in the supply circuit 12, each of which is associated with a respective hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202, interposed between the first pump 3 and the thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 of the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 and activable in opening to put the first pump 3 in flow connection with the thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 so as to drive the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 and the relevant working tool 51, 151, 61 in the working direction.
A hydraulic or pressurized accumulator 5 is connected to the return chambers 23, 123, 223 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202, in particular by means of a return circuit 13 formed by a plurality of return ducts. The hydraulic accumulator 5, of a known type and therefore not described further in detail, is arranged to keep the fluid at a defined preload pressure in the return chambers 23, 123, 223, in particular to move along the return direction one or more pistons 21, 121, 221 of respective hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 which are selectively driven by activating the corresponding valves 4.
It should be noted that the fluid preload pressure in the return chambers 23, 123, 223 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 confers greater rigidity to the latter ones and to the supply circuit 12 and return circuit 13, i.e. to the entire hydraulic drive system 1 which is in this way more reactive and precise in the movements of the pistons 21, 121, 221 and therefore of the working tools 51, 151, 61 during the machinings performed on the piece 200.
It should also be noted that, in each hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202, the force that the working tool 51, 151, 61 is able to exert on the piece 200 is given by the difference between a thrust force in the working direction obtained in the thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 from the fluid at the supply pressure acting on the piston 21, 121, 221 and an opposite contrast force in the return direction obtained in the return chamber 23, 123, 223 from the fluid to the preload pressure acting on the piston 21, 121, 221.
The hydraulic drive system 1 comprises an electric motor 6 controlled by a control unit 10 of the machine 100 and arranged to drive the first pump 3 of the reversible type in both rotation directions and in such a way that the first pump 3 delivers a defined flow rate of pressurized fluid. More precisely, the control unit 10 regulates the operation of the electric motor 6, in particular by varying the rotation torque, speed and acceleration of the motor shaft 6a which drives the first pump 3 according to the working conditions, such as for example the number of working tools 51, 151, 61 (i.e. hydraulic cylinders) to be driven, the force to be exerted on the workpiece 200 (i.e. oil supply pressure to the hydraulic cylinders). For this purpose, the hydraulic drive system 1 comprises a plurality of pressure sensors 17 inserted in the supply circuit 12, each of which is associated with a respective hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 and capable of measuring a pressure of the fluid in the thrust chamber 3, 103, 203. The pressure sensors 17 are connected to the control unit 10 to send to it signals relating to the detected pressures.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the hydraulic drive system 1 of the machine 100 of the invention comprises a second pump 7, also of the reversible type, coupled and connected to the first pump 3, in particular by means of a transmission shaft and substantially identical to the first pump 3. The two pumps 3, 7 are driven by the same electric motor 6 controlled by the control unit 10 so as to rotate together at the same speed and deliver a defined flow rate of pressurized oil to the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202.
In a variant of the machine 100 of the invention not shown in the figures, the first pump 3 and the second pump 7 of the hydraulic drive system 1 are integrated in a single pump provided with two combined pumping units.
A first differential valve 8 is interposed between the second pump 7 and the thrust chambers 22 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 and activable when the supply pressure PA exceeds a first working pressure P1 in at least one of the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 so as to connect the second pump 7 to the oil reservoir 15 and by-pass or place into recirculation the second pump 7 and allow to transfer all the power of the electric motor 6 to the first pump 3 which is thus able to push and compress the oil at higher pressure values. The first differential valve 8 is for example a three-way valve inserted in the supply circuit 12 and connected to the reservoir 15 via a first discharge duct 16. The first differential valve 8 is for example controlled and activated by the control unit 10 on the basis of the pressure signals sent by the pressure sensors 17. Alternatively, the first differential valve 8 can be a servo-valve driven by a pilot valve activated by the pressure of the fluid in the supply circuit 12.
The hydraulic drive system 1 further comprises a second differential valve 9 interposed between the hydraulic accumulator 5 and the return chambers 23, 123, 223 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 and activable when the supply pressure PA exceeds a second working pressure P2 in at least one of the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 so as to connect the return chambers 23, 123, 223 to the reservoir 15 and put the latter into discharge, i.e. at atmospheric pressure. In this way, although the supply pressure PA of the fluid in the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 remains constant, the punching and/or cutting force increases as the pressure in the return chambers 23, 123, 223 decreases to the atmospheric value. It is therefore possible in this way to contain the value of the supply pressure PA and reduce power consumption of the first pump 3.
The value of the second working pressure P2 is greater than that of the first working pressure P1.
The second differential valve 9 is, for example, a three-way valve inserted in the return circuit 13 and connected to the reservoir 15 via a second discharge duct 18. The second differential valve 9 is for example controlled and activated by the control unit 10 on the basis of the pressure signals sent by the pressure sensors 17. Alternatively, the second differential valve 9 can be a servo-valve driven by a pilot valve activated by the pressure of the fluid in the supply circuit 12.
The operation of the sheet metal working machine 100 of the invention provided with the hydraulic drive system 1 provides for moving the tool or the working tools 51, 151, 61 necessary to perform the required machinings on the piece 200. For example, in the exemplary working configuration of
The hydraulic drive system 1 is also capable of simultaneously moving multiple tools of the plurality of punching tools 51 of the multi-press punching apparatus 50 by driving the respective first hydraulic cylinders 2, or of driving the single punching tool 151 of the single punching apparatus 150 by driving the second hydraulic cylinder 102 or even of driving at least one cutting tool 61 of the cutting apparatus 60 by driving the respective third hydraulic cylinder 202, the operation being the same as the one described below for the single punching tool 51 of the multi-press punching apparatus 50.
Since the (punching or cutting) force, which depends on the type of tool used (shape, size, . . . ), on the specific machining to be performed (drilling, cutting, deformation, . . . ) and on the material of the piece 200, can vary, in particular increase during performance of the machining, in general also the supply pressure PA can vary (increase) inside the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222, thus causing an increase in the torque or power that the electric motor 6 must supply the pumps 3, 7 so that the latter ones supply the required supply pressure PA. Once the machining has been performed on the piece 200, the punching tool 51 is disengaged and moved away from the latter by moving the first piston 21 of the first hydraulic cylinder 2 in the return direction. This is achieved by reversing the rotation direction of the electric motor 2 that is by rotating the pumps 3, 7 in a second rotation direction, opposite to the first rotation direction, so as to suck oil from the first thrust chamber 22 and convey it towards the reservoir 15. In this way, the pressure of the fluid in the first thrust chamber 22 is reduced (to a value close to that of the atmospheric pressure) allowing the fluid contained in the first return chamber 23 at the preload pressure (secured by the hydraulic accumulator 5) to push the first piston 21 in the return direction.
It should be noted that the use of the hydraulic accumulator 5 to move the pistons 21, 121, 221 in the return direction allows the hydraulic drive system 1 to be simplified and made more economical since it avoids the use of further valves to convey the fluid dispensed from the pumps 3, 7 to the return chambers 23, 123, 223. Moreover, the power consumption of the electric motor 6 and of the pumps 3, 7, substantially driven to connect the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 to the reservoir 15, are minimum and lower than those that would be necessary for the pumps 3, 7 to move the pistons 21, 121, 221 in the return direction.
Proceeding with the machining, if the driving force increases further and with it the supply pressure PA inside the thrust chamber 22, when the second working pressure P2 is exceeded, the second differential valve 9 is activated, which puts in flow connection the first return chamber 23 with the reservoir 15, i.e., puts the return chamber 23 into discharge, at atmospheric pressure. In this way, the supply pressure PA of the fluid in the thrust chamber 22 can remain substantially constant (equal to the second working pressure P2) or increase limitedly, but the effective force exerted on the first piston 21 in the working direction, i.e. the driving force, increases considerably since the pressure in the first return chamber 23 decreases to the atmospheric value, i.e., the contrast force of the piston in the return direction decreases. In other words, by discharging the second return chamber 23 by means of the second differential valve 9, it is possible to considerably increase the driving force without the need to increase the supply pressure PA or to increase the power of the electric motor 2, thereby allowing to contain power consumption of the machine 100.
Also in this case, once the machining on the workpiece 200 has been ended, the punching tool 51 is disengaged and moved away from the workpiece 200 by moving the first piston 21 in the return direction, in particular by rotating the pumps 3, 7 in the second rotation direction in such a way as to suck fluid from the first thrust chamber 22 and convey it towards the reservoir 15 and deactivating the second differential valve 9 so as to connect the first return chamber 23 to the hydraulic accumulator 5 again. In this way, the pressure of the fluid in the first thrust chamber 22 is reduced, allowing the fluid contained in the first return chamber 23 at the preload pressure (guaranteed by the hydraulic accumulator 5) to push the first piston 21 in the return direction.
An analogous operation can be obtained in the case in which the hydraulic drive system 1 of the machine 100 of the invention is arranged to simultaneously move several tools of the plurality of punching tools 51 of the multi-press punching apparatus 50 by driving the respective first hydraulic cylinders 2 or to move the single punching tool 151 of the single punching apparatus 150 by driving the second hydraulic cylinder 102 or even to drive at least one cutting tool 61 of the cutting apparatus 60 by driving the respective third hydraulic cylinder 202.
Thanks to the hydraulic supply system 1 of the sheet metal working machine 100 of the invention it is therefore possible to drive in a precise and accurate way, individually and independently, a plurality of working tools to perform one or more workings at the same time on the piece 200. More precisely, by activating the valves 4 it is possible to select one or more hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 to be driven to move the respective working tools, and in particular at least one of a single punching tool 151 of a single punching apparatus 150, one or more cutting tools 61 of a cutting apparatus 60 and at least one of a plurality of punching tools 51 of a multi-press punching apparatus 50.
Adjusting the speed of rotation of the pumps 3, 7 by acting on the electric motor 6 controlled by the control unit 10, it is possible to adjust the flow rate and the supply pressure of the fluid in the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 and therefore it is possible to precisely and accurately control the position, displacement and speed of the pistons 21 and the respective punching tools 51 along the working axes A, B, C. The precision and reactivity, i.e. the ability to react to the commands and the adjustments (changes in the flow rate and/or pressure of the fluid in the cylinders) of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 and of the entire hydraulic drive system 1 of the invention are also ensured by the rigidity of the latter obtained, as already highlighted, connecting the return chambers 23, 123, 223 of the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 to the hydraulic accumulator 5 which maintains the fluid at a defined preload pressure.
The hydraulic accumulator 5 which allows to move the pistons 21, 121, 221 in the return direction also makes it possible to simplify and make less costly the hydraulic drive system 1 since it avoids the use of further valves to convey the fluid supplied by the pumps 3, 7 to the return chambers 23, 123, 223 and reduces the power consumption of the electric motor 6 and of the pumps 3, 7 which must not deliver pressurized fluid to move the aforementioned pistons 21, 121, 221 in the return direction.
The hydraulic drive system 1 of the machine 100 of the invention also has reduced power consumption and high power efficiency thanks to the use of the two differential valves 8, 9 which are activated when the supply pressure PA in the hydraulic cylinders 2, 102, 202 respectively reaches a first working pressure P1 and a second working pressure P2. More precisely, when the supply pressure PA exceeds the first working pressure P1, the second pump 7 is placed into recirculation, that is connected in delivery to the oil reservoir 15, activating the first differential valve 8, so that the electric motor 6 in fact drives only the first pump 3. It is therefore possible to guarantee the required increase in the supply pressure PA without increasing the power and therefore the power consumption of the electric motor 6.
When the supply pressure PA exceeds the second working pressure P2 the second differential valve 9, that puts the return chambers 23 and the reservoir 15 in flow connection, is also activated. Thus, the supply pressure PA of the fluid in the thrust chambers 22, 122, 222 can remain substantially constant or increase limitedly, since the effective force exerted on the piston 21, 121, 221 in the working direction, i.e. the punching/cutting force, increases by decreasing the pressure in the return chambers 23, 123, 223. The punching/cutting force is increased without the need to increase the supply pressure PA that is increase the power of the electric motor 2.
Thanks to the hydraulic drive system 1 the machine 100 of the invention is therefore more efficient in power consumption than the known sheet metal working machines.
It should also be noted that the use of the hydraulic drive system 1 which comprises a limited number of valves and a normal hydraulic accumulator is simple and economical and with reduced and compact dimensions and space requirements.
The method according to the invention for driving in a separate and independent manner a plurality of working tools 51, 151, 61 of a sheet metal working machine 100 provided with the hydraulic drive system 1 described above and illustrated in
The method also involves, during the driving of the first pump 3, driving in the first rotation direction also a second pump 7 of the reversible type, in particular coupled and connected to the first pump 3, in order to send fluid to the thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 of the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 up to a first working pressure P1, over which the second pump 7 is placed into recirculation being connected to the reservoir 15, in which the fluid is sent, by activating the first differential valve 8.
During the driving of the first reversible pump 3, connecting the return chamber 23, 123, 223 of the hydraulic cylinder 2, 102, 202 to the reservoir 15, by activating the second differential valve 9, when the pressure of the fluid in the thrust chamber 22, 122, 222 exceeds a second working pressure P2, is also involved.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102018000009060 | Oct 2018 | IT | national |
| 102019000010191 | Jun 2019 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2019/058284 | 9/30/2019 | WO | 00 |
