JPH0416301B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an FMC-oriented transport device that transports a transport unit that stores setup parts and workpieces in multiple stages from a setup station to a processing machine.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, in the harsh economic environment caused by the strong yen, there has been an increasing demand for high-mix, low-volume production in the manufacturing industry, regardless of whether the company is large or small.

The following needs have been aroused in the manufacturing industry toward this high-mix, low-volume production.

Small lots, unmanned production, space saving, reduced equipment costs [Problems to be solved by the invention] The present invention has been created in view of the above points, and it is suitable for small lots, unmanned production, space saving, and reduced equipment costs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyance device from a setup station to a processing machine that can achieve the following.

[Means for solving problems and their effects]

In order to solve the above needs, the present invention provides a transport device that transports a transport unit that stores a plurality of setup parts and workpieces in multiple stages from a setup station to a processing machine, in which the transport unit is transferred from the setup station to the shuttle unit. a first conveying means for transporting, a shuttle unit capable of positioning the conveying unit at a carry-in position and a carry-out position and adjusting the speed and time; a loading/unloading device provided on a lifter for taking out the tray; a lifter for raising/lowering the tray taken out by the loading/unloading device to an appropriate height according to the height of the setup parts and the workpiece; and a second conveyance means for taking out specific setup parts and workpieces from the tray and conveying them one by one to the processing machine.

By adopting the above configuration, information, jigs, and workpieces are transported together as a set from the setup station to the processing machine, allowing automatic setup and unmanned production of small lots, while also saving space. Equipment costs can be reduced.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire conveying device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the conveying device installed near a processing machine.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyance device A of the present invention consists of eight unique means for conveying information, workpieces W, and jigs and tools C from a setup station (not shown) to a processing machine B. . That is, these eight unique means are: placing a plurality of workpieces W and jigs and tools C suitable for the workpieces W on the tray 1;
The trays 1 are stacked and stored in multiple stages, and the rack 3 is a transport unit that has a memory card 2 on the top of which stores information such as the storage status and processing program, and the rack 3 is connected to a setup station ( (not shown) to the shuttle unit 4, and the rack 3.
a shuttle unit 4 that temporarily retains the rack, adjusts the transport speed and time, and positions the rack at the carry-in position or the carry-out position;
An information transmission device 6 located above reads information at the loading position of the shuttle unit 4, a computer (not shown) that issues subsequent operation instructions based on the information, and the rack 3 loaded into the shuttle unit 4. A loading/unloading device 8 provided on the lifter 7 takes out the tray 1 of a specific stage from inside, and a loading/unloading device 8 installed on the lifter 7 takes out the tray 1 taken out by the loading/unloading device 8. a lifter 7 that lifts and lowers to an appropriate height;
It is composed of a robot 9 that transports the jigs and tools C and workpieces W taken out one by one to the processing machine (lathe) B by swinging and moving in the vertical direction and in the direction parallel to the processing machine B. There is.

As shown in Fig. 2, this processing machine (lathe) B includes an automatic tool changer ATC, an automatic jaw changer AJC,
It is equipped with a C-axis indexing device D. Note that E is a rotary tool unit and F is a chip conveyor device.

Next, the unique means of the conveyance device A of the present invention will be sequentially explained.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the cart 5, shuttle unit 4, carry-in/out device 8, and lifter 7, Fig. 4 is a plan view, Fig. 5 a is a rear view of the rack 3, and b
is also a side view, FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of the X arrow in FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing the loading/unloading device 8 and the lifter 7.
FIG. 8 is a plan view, and FIG. 9 is a view taken along the Y arrow in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the rack 3 is formed of a rectangular parallelepiped frame, and trays 1 on which a plurality of workpieces W and jigs C are placed are housed in multiple stages. Shelf boards 10 are provided below the trays 1, and rollers 11 for sliding the trays 1 are rotatably fixed to the shelf boards 10, respectively.
An object to be detected is placed on the top end of the rack 3, into which a memory card 2, such as an IC card, into which information such as the storage status of the workpiece W and the tool C and the machining program are inserted is inserted. On the other hand, regulating members 13 for regulating the movement of the tray 1 within the rack 3 are provided above and below the frame on the rear end side of the rack 3, and are provided in holes 1a of each stage of the tray 1 of each stage. engaged. This regulating member 13 can be disengaged by lifting a knob 13a projecting from the upper part of the rack 3 upward and rotating it. At the center of each tray 1 is provided a ball notch 14 which performs another regulating action using spring bias. Note that 15 is a handle provided on the tray 1 on the front end side of the rack 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the trolley 5 is of a hand-pushed type with casters 16 and a handle 17, and a rack 3 is provided with a ball unit 18 provided on the side and a ball unit 18 provided on the bottom. Roller 19
It is designed to be guided and placed. The positioning of the rack 3 on the carriage 5 is carried out by contact between a positioning pin (not shown) on the side of the handle 17 and a damper 20 that absorbs shock. In order to transfer the rack 3 placed on the cart 5 to the shuttle unit 4, a positioning pin 21 is provided at the tip of the cart 5, and the pin 21 is connected to the hole 22a ( 6), and the stopper 22 is moved between the shaft member 24 and the arm 25 by rotation of the handle 23 on the handle 17 side of the trolley 5.
, the stopper 22 releases the restriction on the shuttle unit 4 side, and transfer is possible.

The shuttle unit 4 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4,
As shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to store two racks 3.
A rail 27 provided on a base 26 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the items are transferred, a table 29 with wheels 28 movable on the rail 27, and a rack 3 placed on the table 29. The main body is mounted on a base that is positioned at the carry-in position and the carry-out position, and the tip of the piston rod is attached to the bracket 30.
A hydraulic cylinder 31 is attached to the table 29 via a hydraulic cylinder 31. Of course, the rack 3 on the table 29 of the shuttle unit 4 is guided on its side by the ball unit 32, the guide plate 33, and the partition plate 34, and is positioned by the stopper 35 and positioning pin 36 (FIG. 7).
In addition, at the loading position of the shuttle unit 4,
An information transmission device 6 located above the frame of the shuttle unit 4 reads information and inputs it into the computer.

The loading/unloading device 8 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7.
8 and 9, it is provided on the table 37 of the lifter 7, and is composed of a chain 41 stretched over two sprockets 38, 39 and one tensioner 40 in the longitudinal direction of the table 37. , tray 1 is attached to one of the links of the chain 41.
A cam follower 42 that engages with the handle 15 at the tip is provided, and the sprocket 3 on the tip side of the table 37
As the cam follower 42 moves, the tray 1
to be carried in and out. Note that 47 is a proximity switch, and 48 is a ball unit. table 37
Above is a stopper 4 that positions the tip of tray 1.
9, a swing clamp 50 for positioning the rear end of the tray 1, and a cylinder 51 for positioning the width direction of the tray 1.

The lifter 7 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7,
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, rails 54 and 55 are installed on the left and right sides (FIG. 7) respectively on the surface of a vertical wall 53 erected on a base 52, and vertical a ball screw 56 supported by a wall 53;
A bracket 57 (the ninth one) is screwed onto the ball screw 56.
It consists of a ball nut 58 that supports the table 37 of the loading/unloading device 8 via the pulley 59 fitted to the upper end of the ball screw 56, and the belt 6
0, is connected to a DC servo motor 62 via a pulley 61.

The computer is configured to move the table 37 of the lifter 7 to a specific stage of the rack 3 in the shuttle unit 4 in accordance with instructions from the memory card 2, and to pull out the tray 1 by means of the loading/unloading device 8.

The robot 9 delivers the work W and the tool C one by one to the processing machine (lathe) B, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The command from the computer determines the vertical position of the lifter 7 according to the height of the workpiece W or jig C, and all that is left to do is to move the robot 9 in a direction parallel to the processing machine B to lift the workpiece in the tray 1. All W or jigs and tools C are processed by the processing machine B by the same swinging motion of the robot 9.
transported to. When reversing the workpiece W, use the reversing table unit 63 located on the tip side of the lifter 7.
(Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 8). In the figure, the reversing table is shown in the exchange position with the robot and the loading/unloading device 8 is in the standby position, but normally the reversing table is in the standby position at the rear.

Next, the operation of the conveyance device A of the present invention will be explained. Information from the setup station (not shown),
A rack 3 loaded with workpieces W and jigs and tools C is placed on a cart 5 and transported to a shuttle unit 4. The shuttle unit 4 can store two racks and adjusts the transport speed and time. For example, if one rack has 4 trays, each tray has 6 trays.
Assuming that there are several workpieces placed on the machine and the machining time for one workpiece is 10 minutes, it is possible to operate unattended for 8 hours, thereby saving time. While positioning the truck 5 to the stopper 22 of the shuttle unit using the positioning pin 21,
Handle 2 of trolley 5 sets regulations on the shuttle unit side.
3, the stopper 22 is swung and released via the positioning pin, and the rack 3 is transferred to the shuttle unit 4 side. Shuttle unit 4
The rack 3 transferred thereto is released from the restriction of the movement restricting member 13 of the tray 1, and is positioned at the carry-in position by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 31. At this loading position, the memory card 2 on the top of the rack 3 is attached to the information transmission device 6 above the shuttle unit.
The information is read by the computer, inputted into the computer, and subsequent operations are performed according to computer commands. The table 37 of the lifter 7 is moved to the rack 3 in the shuttle unit 4 according to a command from the computer.
The cam follower 4 is mounted on the chain 41 of the carry-in/out device 8 on the table 37.
2 and the handle 15, the tray 1 is pulled out and positioned on the table 37. Furthermore, the lifter 7 is adjusted according to the height of the work W or the jig C.
The lifting and lowering position of the robot 9 is determined, and the workpieces W are successively fed to the processing machine by the swinging and moving movements of the robot 9, and the workpieces are processed.The finished product is returned to the tray 1 and transported into the rack in the reverse order of the above-mentioned operation. be done.

Therefore, according to the conveyance device of the present invention, information, jigs, and workpieces are conveyed as a set from the setup station to the processing machine, so automatic setup can be performed in conjunction with the automatic jaw change device AJC of the processing machine, and small It can respond to the need for unmanned lottery tickets. In addition, a multi-functional robot is integrated into a second transport device that performs set-up and workpiece changes to the processing machine, and the racks for loading information, jigs, and workpieces are multi-tiered, resulting in savings. You can measure the space. Furthermore, since the conveyance device for conveying information, jigs, and workpieces is common, equipment costs can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the first conveyance means is a hand truck, but it goes without saying that transportation can be brought closer to the FMS by using an unmanned truck or a line conveyor. Further, in the embodiment, the conveyance device of the present invention is applied to a turning cell, but it is of course applicable to other processing machines such as a machining center cell.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the conveying device of the present invention, small lots can be unmanned, space can be saved, equipment costs can be reduced, and a wide variety of products can be produced in small quantities. This conveyance device is intended for FMC that matches the set production method.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire conveying device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the conveying device installed near the processing machine, and FIG. 3 shows the cart, shuttle unit, loading/unloading device, and lifter. Side view shown, 4th
The figure is also a plan view, and Figure 5a is a rear view of the rack.
b is the same side view, Fig. 6 is a view taken from the X arrow in Fig. 3,
FIG. 7 is a side view showing the loading/unloading device and the lifter, FIG. 8 is a plan view, and FIG. 9 is a view taken along the Y arrow in FIG. 8. A...Transport device, B...Processing machine, C...Jig and tool, W
...Work, 1...Tray, 2...Memory card, 3
...Rack, 4...Shuttle unit, 5...Dolly, 6
...Information transmission device, 7.. Lifter, 8.. Loading/unloading device, 9.. Robot, 16.. Caster, 22.. Stopper, 23.. Handle, 29.. Table, 31
...Hydraulic cylinder, 37...Table, 38, 39...
Sprocket, 40... Tensioner, 41... Chain, 42... Cam follower, 46... Reversible motor, 47... Proximity switch, 50... Swing clamp, 51... Cylinder, 53... Vertical wall, 56...
Ball screw, 58...Ball nut, 62...DC servo motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport device that transports a transport unit that stores a plurality of setup parts and workpieces in multiple stages from a setup station to a processing machine, comprising a first transport means that transports the transport unit from the setup station to a shuttle unit, and a transport unit that transports the transport unit. A shuttle unit capable of positioning the trays at a position and an unloading position as well as adjusting speed and time, and a loading/unloading device provided on a lifter for taking out trays of a specific stage from within the conveying unit carried onto the shuttle unit. , a lifter that raises and lowers the tray taken out by the loading/unloading device to an appropriate height according to the height of the setup parts and workpieces, and a lifter that takes out specific setup parts and workpieces from the tray taken out on the lifter. A conveying device comprising a second conveying means for conveying one by one to a processing machine.