WO2024259464A1 - Device for processing material, having an at least manual feeding and/or operating function, and programming system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a programming system for processing material, having an at least manual feeding and/or operating function. The device comprises at least one tool (5, 6), an electronic controller (9), which is configured for selecting and/or positioning tools and for carrying out the material processing procedure, thereby changing the shape of the workpiece (13), an optical display unit (8, 10, 11, 13), and preferably a device for displaying the correct alignment of the workpiece for each processing procedure. The controller (9) is designed to determine and display an optimized grip position (15) on the workpiece (13) for each operation.

Description

DEVICE FOR MATERIAL PROCESSING WITH AT LEAST MANUAL LOADING AND/OR OPERATION, AS WELL AS PROGRAMMING SYSTEM

The invention relates to a device for material processing with manual loading and operation, in particular of metallic workpieces, especially a bending machine, according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as an offline programming system for generating control commands for controlling such devices, according to the preamble of claim 11.

For complex bent parts, it may be unclear in some bending steps how the part will behave during deformation. This can lead to increased hazards, especially for unskilled operators, as the bent part is then supported in unsuitable positions - including potential pinch points and/or shear points.

With the help of the applicant's offline programming system TecZone Bend, it is now possible to determine gripper positions for robot-assisted bending cells - here, too, possible collisions must already be taken into account in the design.

EP 2 590040 Bl discloses a bending machine in which two cameras are arranged on the press beam and in particular in the area of the work and manipulation space in front of the press beam. These cameras capture the work area in front of the machine, in particular the inserted sheet metal. The captured image is transmitted to a data processing device. This evaluates the orientation in which the sheet metal was inserted into the bending machine. If the sheet metal is incorrectly aligned for the next bending step to be carried out, position correction information is created and projected onto the sheet metal by a projector, which projector is also arranged on the press beam in the front work and manipulation space. The operator thus receives a representation on the sheet metal in front of him of the direction in which the sheet metal must be moved in order to be correctly inserted into the bending machine for the next work step.

EP 3507034 B1 discloses a bending machine with a bending information display device, which is formed by at least one projector and a display surface for the projected information. Among other things, the bending information can be displayed by at least one of the group workpiece contour, bending line, control panel, status data of the press beam, alignment information, target angle, piece counter and areas on the sheet to be formed with a increased risk of injury during the bending process. It is also possible to visualize those areas on the workpiece in which there is a risk of injury from the forming sheet metal during the bending process.

The object of the present invention was to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a device by means of which the operator can manipulate the workpiece to be processed in a low-risk and at the same time material-friendly manner.

This object is achieved by a device and a method according to the claims.

The device according to the invention is equipped with at least one tool and an electronic control with a memory in which control commands for the tool are stored, as well as with an optical display device.

To achieve the object, such a device is characterized in that the control is designed to determine an optimized gripping posture and/or an optimized gripping position on the workpiece for each work process and to output it on the optical display device.

In the bending view of a prepared bent part, for example, the operator can be shown in color those positions and/or surfaces where he can grip the bent part in the respective bending step and guide it safely during the forming process. In particular, those gripping positions and/or surfaces where there is a potential risk to the physical integrity of the operator should be excluded, or those positions and/or surfaces should be shown where this risk is minimal.

According to a first advantageous embodiment, it is provided that a design tool for determining the optimal gripping posture and/or optimal gripping position on the workpiece is implemented in the controller, in which the human gripping mechanism is represented. Preferably, for each work process, the optimized gripping posture and/or optimized gripping position on the workpiece can be stored together with the bending graphic in the memory of the controller and made available for output on the optical display device.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the memory of the control is designed so that for each work process the optimized gripping position and/or optimized gripping position on the workpiece can be stored together with bending graphics and made available for output on the optical display device.

A preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized by a device for reading information from a library which describes the shape changes of the workpiece and the trajectories of different regions of the workpiece during and after the machining process for workpieces of different initial shapes and for different machining processes.

Preferably, a device for predicting and/or determining the areas of the workpiece with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories is further integrated into or connected to the device.

Preferably, a device according to the invention also comprises a device for projecting optical markings onto the areas of the workpiece with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories.

An alternative embodiment according to the invention is characterized by a device for optically displaying the shape changes of the workpiece and the trajectories of different areas of the workpiece during and after the machining process.

The optical display can be formed by AR (augmented reality) glasses and/or by a screen.

Another device according to the invention for solving the problem set at the beginning is an offline programming system for creating control commands for controlling devices according to one of the preceding paragraphs. It is equipped with a data Input device and an optical display device, as well as a data interface to the device for material processing and/or to a storage medium.

According to the invention, this system is characterized in that the data input device is designed to input gripping postures and/or gripping positions on the workpiece.

It is preferably provided that the data input device and the data interface and/or the storage medium are designed to write the optimized gripping position and/or optimized gripping position on the workpiece together with bending graphics into the memory of the device and/or onto the storage medium for each work process.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized by a design tool for the optimal gripping posture and/or optimal gripping position on the workpiece, in which the human gripping mechanism is represented.

For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures.

They show in a highly simplified, schematic representation:

Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a bending machine with an optical bending information display device;

Fig. 2 a view of AR glasses from the user's perspective, for the configuration shown in Fig. 1

To begin with, it should be noted that in the different embodiments described, identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols or identical component designations, whereby the disclosures contained in the entire description can be transferred analogously to identical parts with identical reference symbols or identical component designations. The position information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., also refers to the figure directly described and shown, and these position information must be transferred analogously to the new position if the position changes.

Fig. 1 shows a bending machine 1 as a preferred example of a device according to the invention for material processing with manual loading and operation. The bending machine 1 is equipped with a sensor and display unit 2 and at least one Tool, here an upper press beam 6, which is movably guided relative to the machine frame 3 with its two side parts 4 and the machine table 5, wherein the relative movement is carried out by a drive means not shown. The machine table 5 and a lower tool 7 are arranged below the press beam 6. The control of the movement sequences of the bending machine 1, including the receipt of the operator inputs and the display of all process-relevant information on a screen 8 as an example of an optical display device, is carried out by an electronic control 9 with a memory in which control commands for the at least one tool 6, 7 are stored. Another alternative for an optical display device is AR (augmented reality) glasses 10 worn by the machine operator, which receives the information to be displayed from the electrical control 9 via cable or wireless connection. Another possibility for displaying process-relevant information is projection onto display surfaces 11, preferably designed to be reflective and color-neutral, for example on the machine table 5, for which purpose a projector 12 is attached to the machine frame 3 or the press beam 6. The workpiece 13 itself could also serve as a projection surface as soon as it is in its intended position in the area of the lower tool 7 and/or the press beam 6. Combinations of all projection or optical display variants are also possible.

The control system 9 of the bending machine 1 is now designed in such a way that the deformations that occur are determined in advance, preferably using a simulation algorithm, either by manually entering the parameters of the workpiece 13, its position and/or the bending process, and taking these into account, an optimized gripping position, the optimized positioning of the hands and arms 14 of the operator and/or an optimized gripping position on the workpiece for each work process and outputting them on the optical display device 8, 10, 11, 13. In the bending view of a prepared workpiece 13, for example, those positions and/or surfaces at which the operator can grip the workpiece 13 in the respective bending step and guide it safely during the forming process can be shown in color.

For this purpose, the control 9 can contain a design tool for determining the optimal gripping position and/or optimal gripping position 15 on the workpiece 13, in which the human gripping mechanism is represented. Preferably, for each work process on the bending machine 1, taking into account the specific design of the press beam 6 and/or of the lower tool 7, the optimized gripping position and/or optimized gripping position 15 on the workpiece 13 together with a bending graphic are stored in the memory of the controller 9 and made available for output on the optical display device 8, 10, 11, 13.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the memory of the control is designed such that for each work process the optimized gripping position and/or optimized gripping position 15 on the workpiece 13 can be stored together with bending graphics and made available for output on the optical display device 8, 10, 11, 13.

Fig. 2 shows a view of AR glasses 10 from the perspective of the wearer of the glasses 10, in particular a view of the display surface 16. The objects and machine areas in the field of view are shown on it, in the same way as when looking through conventional safety glasses. The operator of the bending machine 1 can see, for example, the lower tool 7, the machine table 5 and the workpiece 13 as well as his own arms and hands 14. In the sense of the present invention, the information explained above is displayed in this image, as determined in the control system 9, in particular those positions and/or surfaces at which the operator can grip the workpiece 13 in the respective bending step and guide it safely during the forming process.

A preferred embodiment further comprises a device for reading information from a library which describes the shape changes of the workpiece 13 and the trajectories of various areas of the workpiece 13 during and after the machining process for workpieces 13 of different initial shapes and for different machining processes, i.e. also taking into account the tools used. Advantageously, a device for predicting and/or determining the areas of the workpiece 13 with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories can be integrated into the device or connected to it, in particular a simulation tool for the respective machining type and process.

The display of the optimized gripping position can thus also be realized by providing a device for projecting optical markings onto the areas of the workpiece 13 with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories in or on the bending machine 1. A further alternative is a device for optically displaying the shape changes of the workpiece 13 and the trajectories of various areas of the workpiece 13 during and after the machining process. The design of the bending machine 1 explained above or of any similarly designed device for material processing enables the determination and display of optimized gripping positions of the workpiece 13 directly during processing. By using suitable simulation tools, it is also possible to provide the same functionality using an offline programming system for creating control commands for the controller 9 of such devices. A corresponding system is equipped with a data input device and an optical display device, as well as with a data interface to the device for material processing, for example a bending machine 1 and/or to a storage medium, with which the control commands can be made available for and imported into any controller 9 equipped with corresponding interfaces.

The data input device is preferably designed to input gripping postures and/or gripping positions on the workpiece. A further embodiment of the invention provides a design of the data input device and the data interface and/or the storage medium that writes the optimized gripping posture and/or optimized gripping position on the workpiece together with a bending graphic into the memory of the device and/or onto the storage medium for each work process. A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized by a design tool for the optimal gripping posture and/or optimal gripping position on the workpiece, in which the human gripping mechanism is depicted.

reference symbol list

bending machine

sensor and display unit

machine frame

side panel

machine table

press beam

lower tool

Screen

Steering

AR glasses

display area

projector

workpiece

arm and hand

gripping position

display area

Claims

patent claims 1. Device for material processing with at least manual loading and/or operation, in particular for processing metallic workpieces (13), specifically a bending machine (1), with at least one tool (5, 6) and an electronic control device (9) which is configured for selecting and/or positioning tools and for carrying out the processing process with a change in the shape of the workpiece (13), as well as with an optical display device (8, 10, 11, 13), and preferably a device for displaying the correct alignment of the workpiece for the respective processing process, characterized in that the control (9) is designed to determine and display an optimized gripping position and/or an optimized gripping position (15) on the workpiece (13) for each work process. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a design tool for determining the optimal gripping posture and/or optimal gripping position (15) on the workpiece (13) is implemented in the controller (9), in which the human gripping mechanism is mapped. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that for each work process the optimized gripping posture and/or optimized gripping position (15) on the workpiece (13) is stored together with bending graphics in the memory of the controller (9) and is made available for output on the optical display device (8, 10, 11, 13). 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the memory of the control (9) is designed such that for each work process the optimized gripping posture and/or optimized gripping position (15) on the workpiece (13) can be stored together with bending graphics and made available for output on the optical display device (8, 10, 11, 13). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by a device for reading information from a library which is available for workpieces (13) different initial shapes and for different machining operations, the shape changes of the workpiece (13) and the trajectories of different areas of the workpiece during and after the machining operation. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized by a device for predicting and/or determining the regions of the workpiece (13) with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized by a device for projecting optical markings (15) onto the areas of the workpiece (13) with no or little shape changes and/or short trajectories. 8. Device according to claim 6, characterized by a device (8, 10, 11, 13) for optically displaying the changes in shape of the workpiece (13) and the trajectories of different regions of the workpiece during and after the machining process. 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the optical display is formed by AR (augmented reality) glasses (10). 10. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the optical display is formed by a screen (8). 11. Offline programming system for generating control commands for controlling devices according to one of claims 1 to 10, with a data input device and an optical display device, as well as with a data interface to the device for material processing and/or to a storage medium, characterized in that the data input device is designed for entering gripping postures and/or gripping positions on the workpiece. 12. Programming system according to claim 11, characterized in that the data input device and the data interface and/or the storage medium are designed to write the optimized gripping position and/or optimized gripping position on the workpiece together with the bending graphic into the memory of the device and/or onto the storage medium for each work process. 13. Programming system according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by a design tool for the optimal gripping position and/or optimal gripping position on the workpiece, in which the human gripping mechanism is depicted.