JPH02185347A - Processing method for work - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute specified workings in order with loading a work on a pallet, by adjusting the clamp force for the work by the clamper provided on the pallet prior to the work being carried into a work station. CONSTITUTION:A positioning member 22 coming into contact with the end face of a work W is provided at the base seat part 21 fixed to a transfer base 20, two clampers 23, 24 are freely openable and closable centering around pins 25, 26 respectively and the respective tip is abutted to the specific position of the work W. In order to adjust the clamp force to the work W as well as opening and closing the clampers 23, 24, clamp pressure adjusting devices 27, 28 are provided at the base seat part 21. The work W is transferred in order to work station by a conveyor together with a pallet P and a specific clamp pressure is set by clamp pressure adjusting devices 27, 28 according to the load applied on the work W in case of working, prior to being carried into the respective work station.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is a method for transporting a workpiece having a portion where a relatively large amount of cutting is performed and a portion where a relatively small amount of cutting is performed to a plurality of processing stations. The present invention relates to a workpiece processing method that performs various processing such as cutting.

(Problems to be solved by conventional technology and inventions) When the workpiece is a mass-produced product such as an automobile part, commercialization is achieved by cutting or grinding the workpiece at multiple locations. In some cases, processing stations for performing processing such as cutting are arranged at predetermined intervals, and workpieces are sequentially transported to these stations by a conveyor.

Further, when cutting a predetermined portion of a workpiece, the workpiece is fastened to a support member such as a pallet using a clamper, and the workpiece is processed by a cutting machine in the fastened state. In this case, if the portion of the workpiece to be cut has a large amount of cutting, it is necessary to apply a strong clamping force to the workpiece against the load applied to the workpiece during machining.

However, when a workpiece is tightened with such a strong clamping force, distortion occurs inside the workpiece, and when this strong clamping force is released, the part of the workpiece that has been cut will be deformed on the order of μm. . In other words, if the clamping force is released after all the machining is performed on the workpiece while the workpiece is fastened with a strong clamping force,
Predetermined accuracy cannot be obtained in the machined part. For this,
In machining such as finishing to ensure final workpiece accuracy, it is necessary to clamp the workpiece relatively weakly.

Therefore, in the past, the cutting process was divided into multiple cutting loops according to the amount of cutting, and heavy cutting was performed with strong clamping force applied to supporting members such as pallets. To perform this, the workpiece is reloaded onto another support member. For this reason, there has been a problem in the past that it has not been possible to improve the machining efficiency of the workpiece.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to enable predetermined processing to be performed sequentially while workpieces are loaded on one pallet.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention to achieve the above-mentioned object cuts a workpiece having a heavy cutting area where the cutting amount is large and a light cutting area where the cutting amount is smaller than the heavy cutting area at predetermined intervals. A workpiece processing method in which the workpieces are conveyed to a plurality of arranged processing stations to perform processing such as cutting on the workpieces, the workpieces being clamped on a pallet to the plurality of processing stations arranged at predetermined intervals. a conveyance step of sequentially conveying the workpieces together with the pallet, a machining step of machining the workpieces carried into the machining station together with the pallet, and a clamper provided upstream of at least two machining stations among the respective machining stations. The workpiece processing method includes a clamping pressure adjusting step of adjusting the clamping force on the workpiece by a clamper provided on the pallet using an actuator before the workpiece is carried into the processing station.

(Function) The workpiece is sequentially conveyed to multiple processing stations, and each processing station.

At least two types of loads are applied to the workpiece during machining, depending on the degree necessary to change the clamping force for the load. If the clamping force on the workpiece by the clamper is to be changed during machining performed at the machining station before being carried into the machining station, the clamping force is adjusted to: J3 by the clamper actuating device. Therefore, when the amount of machining is large, a strong clamping force is applied to withstand the strong load, but when the amount of machining is small, the clamping force is weak enough that the machined part does not deform even if the clamping force is released. , it is possible to continuously process workpieces that have portions with different amounts of processing while transporting them.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated example of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a workpiece machining line according to an embodiment of the present invention embodying the workpiece machining method of the present invention.
As shown by arrow R, the workpiece is carried into a workpiece mounting station 1, where it is assembled onto a pallet, and the workpiece is transported together with the pallet to a workpiece removal station 2.

At this station 2, the workpiece is removed from the pallet and carried outside in the direction shown by arrow S.

A conveyor 3 for transporting the workpiece is installed between the workpiece mounting station 1 and the workpiece removal station 2, and only the pallet from which the workpiece has been removed at the workpiece removal station 2 is returned to the workpiece mounting station 1. For this reason, a pallet return line 4 is installed between these stations.

In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of processing stations are provided on the conveyor 3 at predetermined intervals.

What is processed at these processing stations is a knuckle steering wheel, which is an automobile part, and its side profile is shown in FIG. This workpiece W is subjected to cutting at machining parts indicated by symbols A-E. The first station 11 shown in FIG. 1 is a station for milling part A, that is, the upper boss part shown in FIG. 3, and the second station 12 is for milling part B, that is, the side rod part. The third station 13 is a station for milling the C part, that is, the lower boss part, and the fourth station 14 is a station for milling the D part.
This is a station for rough machining the inner diameter of the cylindrical part. Further, the fifth station 15 is a station for drilling holes in the E section, that is, a part of the caliper, the sixth station 16 is a station for drilling holes in the F section, that is, a part of the stopper, and the 17th station is for finishing the above-mentioned part. This is the station.

Among these stations, heavy cutting with a relatively large amount of cutting is performed at stations 11 to 14, but the amount of cutting in each cutting process is different. Further, from station 15 to station 17, light cutting with a relatively small amount of cutting is performed, but as in the case of heavy cutting, the amount of cutting at each station is different.

3 and 4 are diagrams showing a pallet P loaded with a workpiece W, and a pedestal portion 21 fixed to a transport base 20 is provided with a positioning member 22 that contacts the end surface of the workpiece W. There is. In addition, two clampers 23 are provided on the pedestal portion 21.
．． 24 can be freely opened and closed around the bins 25 and 26, and the tips of the respective clampers 23 and 24 are brought into contact with a predetermined position of the workpiece W. still,
In FIG. 2, only a part of the overall shape of the workpiece W shown in FIG. 3 is shown for convenience of illustration. In order to open and close one clamper 23 and adjust the clamping force of this clamper 23 against the workpiece W, a clamp pressure regulator 27 is provided on the pedestal 21, and to open and close the other clamper 24, This clamper 2
In order to adjust the clamping force for the workpiece W of No. 4, the pedestal section 21 is provided with a clamping pressure 2g device 28.

One of the clamp pressure regulators 27 includes a rotating shaft 30 having a rotating part 29 at its end, and a screw screw that is assembled to the rotating shaft 30 and has an engaging part 31 at its tip with which the rear end of the clamper 23 engages. A sleeve 33 is formed of a shaft 32 and has a female threaded portion that engages with a male threaded portion formed on the threaded shaft 32.
Fixed. Furthermore, the other clamp pressure regulator 28
has a rotating part 35 at the negative end and a clamper 2 at the other end.
A screw shaft 37 having an engaging portion 36 with which the rear end of the screw shaft 37 engages is rotatably attached to the pedestal portion 21.
A sleeve 38 is fixed to the pedestal portion 21, and has a female threaded portion that engages with a male threaded portion formed on the pedestal portion 21.

The respective clampers 23, 24 are opened and closed by operating the respective clamping pressure devices 27, 28, and the clamping force against the workpiece W is adjusted. In order to operate the respective clamping pressure:A devices 27 and 28, a clamper actuating device 11a is provided upstream of each of the processing stations 11 to 17 shown in FIG.
-18a is provided. The workpiece mounting station 1, which is the first station on the processing line, applies a clamping pressure to the workpiece W carried into the station 11 at: A
It also serves as a clamper actuating device 11a for adjusting the position. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, a predetermined clamping pressure is applied to the work W carried into all seven stations:! ! 4e, but the cutting amount for the work W can be classified into two, heavy cutting and light cutting, and it is unnecessary to change the clamp pressure at all stations where heavy cutting is performed. If the clamping pressure can be made lower than that for heavy cutting at all stations where light cutting is performed, and it is not necessary to change the clamping pressure, at least two clamper actuating devices may be provided. In that case, a clamper actuation device is provided upstream of the first station to set it to heavy cutting, and a clamper actuation device is provided upstream of the station where the first light cutting is performed after heavy cutting is completed, to set it to light cutting. It would be sufficient to provide a clamper actuating device.

Next, the illustrated workpiece machining process according to the present invention will be explained. The work W is loaded onto the pallet by loading the work W in the direction indicated by arrow R onto the pallet that has been conveyed from the pallet return line 4 to the work mounting station 1. This station 1
Since the clamper actuating device 11a is also provided,
The workpiece W is assembled on the pallet by the device 11a, and the clamping pressure of the clamper 23.24 against the workpiece W is adjusted to Hg by the clamping pressure adjuster 27.28 so that the clamping pressure becomes a predetermined clamping pressure. At this time, the rotating parts 29.35 of each regulator 27.28,
A rotating means (not shown) engages and rotates these. In this state, the workpiece W is conveyed along with the pallet P to the station 11 by the conveyor 3, where the upper boss portion A is milled.

In this way, the workpiece W is sequentially transported along with the pallet P to seven stations 11 to 17 by the conveyor 3.Then, each station performs the above-mentioned processing. Before being carried into the station, each clamp pressure regulator 27.
28.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another specific example of the clamp pressure regulator 27, 28 in the present invention, in which the piston 4
The tip of the rod 41 with which the piston 40 is integrated is engaged with the clamper, and the hydraulic cylinder 42 accommodates the piston 40.
The clamper is opened and closed by supplying hydraulic pressure to the inside from ports 43 and 44. rod 4
A hydraulic pressure supply pipe 45 is connected to the port 44 for advancing the motor 1, and this pipe 45 is provided with a check valve 46 and an accumulator 47. In this case, each of the clamper operation bags fM11a to 17a.

Then, the clamp pressure is set by supplying hydraulic pressure at a set pressure into the cylinder 42.

In the illustrated processing line, cutting is performed entirely, but grinding may be performed at some stations.

In addition, in normal machining, heavy cutting is performed at the upstream station, and light cutting is performed at the downstream station, but depending on the shape of the workpiece W and the part to be processed, light cutting of a specific part is completed. After that, heavy cutting of other parts may be performed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, a workpiece supported on a pallet is transported together with the pallet to a plurality of processing stations, and a predetermined processing is performed at each station. Before cutting, the clamping pressure of the clamper for fastening the workpiece to the pallet is adjusted in front of at least some stations, so the desired clamping pressure is adjusted according to the amount of cutting. The workpiece will be supported by the pallet. Therefore, while the workpiece is being transported, machining with a relatively large amount of cutting and machining with a relatively small amount of cutting can be performed, and the machining efficiency of the workpiece can be greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a workpiece machining line that embodies the workpiece machining method of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing a pallet being transported with workpieces supported on the machining line shown in Figure 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another specific example of a 2U clamp pressure device built into a pallet. 3... Conveyor, 11-17... Processing station, 23.24... Clamper, 27.28... Clamp pressure 2 regulator, 11a-17a... Clamper operating device. P...Pallet, W...Work.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A workpiece having a heavy cutting area with a large amount of cutting and a light cutting area with a smaller amount of cutting is transported to a plurality of processing stations arranged at predetermined intervals, and processes such as cutting are performed on the workpiece. A workpiece processing method in which a plurality of processing stations arranged at predetermined intervals,
a conveying process in which workpieces clamped on a pallet are sequentially conveyed together with the pallet; a machining process in which the workpieces carried into the machining station together with the pallet are processed; and upstream of at least two of the respective machining stations. A workpiece processing method comprising: adjusting a clamping force of a clamper provided on the pallet against the workpiece by a clamper actuating device provided on the pallet before the workpiece is carried into the processing station.