JPS6339375B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a workpiece feeding device of an NC-controlled processing device used for machining various types of workpieces.

(Prior Art) Various APCs (automatic pallet changers) have been proposed and put into practical use in order to implement FMS in the processing line of NC processing machines and to automate workpiece exchange.

Among various APCs, shuttle-type APCs have multiple NC processing machines arranged in a line, with a pallet work transfer line in front of them, and the pallets are sent in pitches in the conveyance direction. It is very good because it is short.

Conventionally, the above-mentioned shuttle-type workpiece feeding device, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-127636, has an engagement unit that is independent of the NC processing machine along the conveyance line, and the engagement member is attached to the pallet. It was common to use a cylinder to feed the pallet in pitches while it was engaged with the engaging portion.

However, in the above-mentioned workpiece feeding device, the above-mentioned engagement unit is installed at the front side of the conveyance line, that is, the side where the operator works, so as not to interfere with chip processing and to bring the conveyance line as close to the NC processing machine as possible. In addition to the disadvantage that it becomes difficult for the worker to approach the workpiece, which makes it difficult to perform tasks such as removing chips, replacing tools, and maintenance, and reducing work efficiency and work safety, the workpiece feeder is difficult to access. The engagement unit requires an expensive and large actuator such as a large-stroke hydraulic cylinder, and a driving device and control means for it, making the engagement unit extremely complex, large, and expensive. Since it is necessary to install one for every one or two NC processing machines, there is a drawback that the equipment cost is very high.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and utilizes a feeding mechanism in the X-axis direction (conveying direction) among the feeding mechanisms in the X, Y, and Z-axis directions of an NC processing machine. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a workpiece feeding device for an NC-controlled processing machine that can automatically feed the workpiece in pitches.

(Structure of the Invention) A workpiece feeding device of an NC-controlled processing device according to the present invention is a workpiece feeding device in which a workpiece transfer line using a pallet is provided on the front side of the NC-controlled processing device. An actuator is attached to a movable table having a main shaft and a tool changer that are movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor line, and an engagement member that is driven in and out by this actuator to move toward and away from the pallet. In addition to providing a rod, an engaging portion that engages with the engaging rod is provided on the pallet, and after the machining operation by the NC processing device and in parallel with the tool exchange operation, the engaging rod is protruded by the actuator to engage the engaging rod. After this engagement, the movable base is moved in the transport direction by a predetermined stroke to feed the pallet in pitches, and after this pitch feed, the actuator and movable base are controlled so that the actuator moves the engagement rod backward. It is equipped with a control means.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the present invention, since the engagement rod is attached to the movable table of the NC processing machine at the rear side of the workpiece conveyance line, sufficient work space can be secured at the front side of the workpiece conveyance line. It has excellent performance and improves work efficiency and work safety.

In addition, since the drive mechanism for the movable table of the NC processing machine is designed to feed the pallet in pitches at predetermined strokes, the large-stroke cylinder for pitch feed and its drive device can be omitted, making the transport mechanism smaller and simpler. Not only is it cheaper, but the drive mechanism of the movable platform allows pallets to be fed in pitches with high precision. Furthermore, since pallet transfer is carried out in parallel with the tool change operation via an engagement rod provided on a movable table having the spindle and tool changer above, the cycle time for pallet transfer is substantially reduced. It does not become long, and pallets can be transferred efficiently.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. A plurality of horizontal machining centers 1 (hereinafter referred to as processing machines) are arranged in rows at appropriate intervals on the left and right,
In front of it is a workpiece conveyance line 3 with pallets 2.
is provided, and the workpiece processed by the upstream processing machine 1 is sent through the workpiece conveyance line 3, and transferred to the next processing machine 1.
The workpiece is then further machined in a similar manner, and then multiple steps of machining are performed on each workpiece in the same manner.

A saddle 5 is mounted on the rear of the base 4 of each of the processing machines 1 mentioned above.
is supported so as to be movable in the X-axis direction (horizontal direction),
A column 6 is supported on the saddle 5 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction (back and forth), and a spindle head 7 is attached to the front surface of the column 6 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction (up and down).

Furthermore, the base 4 is mounted on the front side of the saddle 5.
An index table 8 is disposed in the workpiece conveyance line 3 above the center of the front part of the workpiece conveyance line 3.

The workpiece conveyance line 3 is arranged facing the X-axis direction, and allows the pallet 2 on which the workpiece is fixed to be linearly transported by the idle roller conveyor 9, and the pallet 2 is transferred at the location of each processing machine 1 as will be described later. The pallet 2 containing the workpiece to be processed by the processing machine 1 is fed from the right side onto the index table 8, and in parallel, the pallet 2 containing the work to be processed by the processing machine 1 is fed from the right side. A pallet 2 containing works is sent out from the index table 8 to the left.

In addition, in the work conveyance line 3 between the processing machines 1, each pallet 2 is sequentially pushed leftward (downstream) by the upstream pallet 2 that is pitch-fed, and is driven by a drive means not shown. It is designed to be sent to a roller conveyor and transported.

The saddle 5 is driven in the X-axis direction by an X-axis drive motor 10 attached to the base 4 via a screw shaft 10a, etc., and the column 6 is driven in the X-axis direction by a Z-axis drive motor 11 attached to the saddle 5. The spindle head 7 having a spindle drive motor 12 is driven up and down by a Y-axis drive motor 13 attached to the top of the column 6. Furthermore, an ATC (automatic tool changer) 14 is provided at the upper part of the front surface of the column 6 and is driven by an ATC drive motor 15.

Next, a mechanism for pitch-feeding the pallet 2 along the workpiece conveyance line 3 will be described in detail.

A fixing member 16 is fixed to the upper part of the front end surface of the saddle 5 and extends over the entire width thereof, and a pair of brackets 17 are arranged symmetrically in an inverted eight shape when viewed from the front on the right and left parts of the front end surface of the fixing member 16. An engagement rod device 18 is secured to the upper end of each bracket 17.

This engaging rod device 18 is composed of a guide cylinder 19, an engaging rod 20, and a double-acting air cylinder 21, and is engaged with a guide hole of a guide cylinder 19 fixed horizontally to the rear surface of the bracket 17 so as to face forward and backward. The rod 20 is inserted horizontally so as to be slidable back and forth, and the distal end 20a of the engagement rod 20 slightly protrudes forward from the insertion hole of the bracket 17 and faces the center of the rear surface of the pallet 2, and the rear end of the guide tube 19. The front end of the piston rod of an air cylinder 21 coaxially fixed to the piston rod is screwed and fixed to the engagement rod 20, so that the engagement rod 20 can be driven to protrude and retreat by the air cylinder 21.

Furthermore, an engagement block 22 is protruded from the center of the front and rear surfaces of each pallet 2 of the workpiece conveyance line 3, and the tip 2 of the engagement rod 20 is attached to the outer end of the engagement block 22.
Engagement recess 22a into which 0a is horizontally inserted and removed from the rear
is formed.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, with respect to the pallet 2 at the processing position fixed to the index table 8 and subjected to machining, the pallet 2 with the unprocessed workpiece on the upstream side is placed on the index table 8. They are transported to a standby position separated by a pitch L and held at that position by means not shown in the drawings so as not to impede rotation, and the spacing between the centers of the engaging rod devices 18 is set to the pitch L. Equally composed.

The means for holding the pallet 2 with the unprocessed workpieces in the standby position is to install an air cylinder vertically in the workpiece conveyance line 3, and to fit the fitting portion of the upper end of the piston rod into the fitting hole on the bottom surface of the pallet 2. This air cylinder may be controlled at appropriate timing by the control unit 23 of the processing machine 1 in the same manner as the engagement rod device 18 as described later, or in addition to the above, a clamping means or a locking means may be used. The pallet 2 may be clamped or locked.

Next, the engaging rod device 18 is controlled via the control unit 23 of the processing machine 1, as shown in FIG.

That is, the cylinder drive device 21a, which has an air supply source for the air cylinder 21 of the engagement rod device 18 and a solenoid valve for switching the air flow path, can be automatically controlled by a command signal from the control unit 23. The pallet 2 with processed workpieces and the pallet 2 with unprocessed workpieces are simultaneously automatically moved to the left by the predetermined stroke L by the following sequence (1) to (7) via the control unit 23. It is pitch-fed and subjected to machining.

(1) Complete machining of the workpiece (2) Move the saddle 5 to its right limit position or approximately right limit position via the X-axis drive motor 10,
Engagement rod 20 of each left and right engagement rod device 18
The engagement recess 22a of the pallet 2 at each processing position
and the engagement recess 22a of the pallet 2 in the standby position.

(3) Cylinder drive device 2 of each engagement rod device 18
1a and the air cylinder 21, each engagement rod 20 is
The distal end portion 20a is inserted into the corresponding engagement recess 22.
Insert into a.

(4) By moving the saddle 5 to the left by a predetermined stroke L to the left limit position or approximately to the left limit position, the pallet 2 at the processing position is
is moved from the index table 8 to the adjacent position on the left, and the pallet 2 in the standby position is moved to the processing position on the index table 8.

(5) Retract each engagement rod 20 of each engagement rod device 18.

(6) Return the saddle 5 to the reference position behind the index table 8.

(7) Start machining of the unprocessed workpiece However, since the tool change by the ATC 14 is performed in parallel with the above sequences (3) to (5), the cycle time is not increased due to the transfer of the pallet 2. The pallet 2 can be transferred efficiently.

In addition, the air cylinder 2 of the engagement rod device 18
1 may be a hydraulic cylinder, or the engagement block 22 may be omitted and the engagement recess 22a may be provided in the end face of the pallet 2.

It is also conceivable to separately provide a detection means for detecting the engagement and disengagement between the engagement rod 20 and the engagement recess 22a and outputting the detected result to the control unit 23, if necessary.

In addition, when applying the above-mentioned workpiece conveyance device to an existing processing machine 1, a control unit for the conveyance device is added to the existing control unit, signals are exchanged between the former and the latter, and the latter performs the sequence ( It may be configured to perform the controls in 3) and (5).

With the above configuration, while the workpiece fixed to the pallet 2 at the processing position on the index table 8 is being processed, the pallet 2 with the unprocessed workpiece is prepared at the standby position to the right of the workpiece, and the pallet 2 at the processing position is When the machining of the workpieces on pallet 2 is completed, the control unit 23 performs the control as in the above sequences (1) to (6) based on the numerical control information previously input to the control unit 23, and the saddle 5 and the engaging rod are Via the device 18, the pallet 2 in the processing position and the pallet 2 in the standby position are simultaneously pitch-fed to the left by a predetermined stroke L, and as a result, the pallet 2 with the processed workpiece is moved to the position adjacent to the left of the processing position. Also, pallet 2 with unprocessed workpiece
is moved to a processing position on the index table 8.

After the pallet 2 that has arrived at the processing position on the index table 8 is positioned, it is clamped by the clamping means, and machining of the unprocessed workpiece is started.

The above series of operations is performed by the control unit 23.
automatically controlled.

According to the workpiece conveyance device of the above embodiment, the engagement rod device 18, its cylinder drive device 21a, and the engagement block 22 of simple structure are provided, and the cylinder drive device 21a is connected to the control unit 23. Pitch feeding of pallets 2 on workpiece conveyance line 3 is possible by simply inputting the necessary control information into the pallet conveyance mechanism.
The advantages of cost reduction due to simplification, improvement of work efficiency due to securing of work space on the front side of the conveyance line 3, and improvement of pitch feeding accuracy of the pallet 2 can be obtained.

Here, the configuration of the above embodiment may be partially modified as follows.

First modification: Of the above-mentioned engaging rod devices 18, the left-hand engaging rod device 18 is omitted, and the pallet 2 with the unprocessed workpiece is sent in pitch to the left by the right-hand engaging rod device 18. The pallet 2 in the processing position is pushed to the left.

Second modification: the above-mentioned engaging rod device 18 is omitted, and an engaging rod member is fixed to the lower part of the column 6,
When the saddle 5 is at approximately the right limit position and the column 6 is at approximately the front limit position, the tip of the engagement rod member engages with the engagement recess 22a of the engagement block 22 of the pallet 2 in the standby position. Configure. In this case, the Z-axis drive motor 11 also serves as an actuator for the engagement rod member.

Third modification: The engagement rod 20 of the engagement rod device 18 is driven in and out by an electric motor instead of the air cylinder 21.

Fourth variation: The processing machine 1 may be a vertical NC machine tool, in which case the workpiece transfer line 3 is arranged in front of a movable table that moves in the X-axis direction,
An engagement rod device 18 is attached to the movable table. However, a separate means for exchanging the pallets 2 between the workpiece transport line 3 and the movable table is required.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a plan view, FIG. 2 is a side view, FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of main parts, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system. 1...Horizontal machining center, 2...Pallet, 3...Work transfer line, 5...Saddle, 6
. . . Column, 16 . ...Engagement block, 22a...Engagement recess, 23...Control unit, L...Predetermined stroke.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a workpiece feeding device in which a pallet-based workpiece transfer line is provided on the front side of an NC-controlled processing device, the NC processing device is movable at least along the transfer line, and moves upward in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the transfer line. A movable base that is capable of having a main shaft and a tool changer is provided with an actuator and an engagement rod that is driven forward and backward by the actuator to move toward and away from the pallet, and an engagement portion that engages with the engagement rod on the pallet. After the processing work by the NC processing device and in parallel with the tool exchange work, the engaging rod is projected by the actuator and engaged with the engaging portion, and after this engagement, the movable table is transported by a predetermined stroke. A work feed of an NC-controlled processing device, characterized in that a control means is provided for controlling an actuator and a movable base so that the pallet is pitch-feeded by moving the pallet in the direction, and after the pitch-feeding, the actuator moves the engagement rod backward. Device.