Sheet material machining system and method for processing workpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11623266-B2
Application number	US-201916509499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2019
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A sheet material machining system includes a sheet material machining machine which is configured to machine a workpiece to produce a machined workpiece that includes a plurality of products and a residual material. The machined workpiece is configured to be placed on a sorting table. The plurality of products are configured to be placed on a temporary placement table. At least one product among the plurality of products are configured to be placed on a discharge table. A carrier includes an attracting actuator and a mobile actuator. The order management processor is configured to control the carrier and includes a storage configured to memorize a layout of the plurality of products in the workpiece. The plurality of products are associated with an attracting order.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet material machining system comprising:
a sheet material machining machine configured to machine a workpiece to produce a machined workpiece that includes a plurality of products and a residual material;
a sorting table on which the machined workpiece is configured to be placed;
a temporary placement table on which the plurality of products are configured to be placed;
a discharge table on which at least one product among the plurality of products are configured to be placed;
a carrier comprising:
an attracting actuator comprising a plurality of attracting portions; and
a mobile actuator to move the attracting actuator between the sorting table and the temporary placement table, and between the temporary placement table and the discharge table;

a controller configured to activate or deactivate each of the plurality of attracting portions individually; and
an order management processor configured to control the carrier and comprising a storage configured to memorize a layout of the plurality of products in the workpiece, the plurality of products being associated with an attracting order,
wherein the order management processor is configured to send a first control signal to the controller so that the plurality of attracting portions attract at least one first product among the plurality of products according to the attracting order, and
wherein the order management processor is configured to send a second control signal to the controller so that, after the at least one first product is conveyed to the discharge table, the plurality of attracting portions attract at least one second product among the plurality of products according to the attracting order.

2. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the attracting actuator is configured to attract all of the plurality of products placed on the sorting table, and
wherein the mobile actuator is configured to convey all of the plurality of products attracted by the attracting actuator from the sorting table to the temporary placement table at once.

3. The sheet material machining system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the temporary placement table is disposed between the sorting table and the discharge table.

4. The sheet material machining system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the carrier comprises a fork, and
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of grooves to accept the fork.

5. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the attracting actuator is configured to attract all of the at least one first product at once in accordance with the first control signal, and
wherein the mobile actuator is configured to convey the all of the at least one first product from the temporary placement table to the discharge table at once.

6. The sheet material machining system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the carrier is configured to convey the plurality of products according to the attracting order.

7. The sheet material machining system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the temporary placement table is disposed between the sorting table and the discharge table.

8. The sheet material machining system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the carrier comprises a fork, and
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of grooves to accept the fork.

9. The sheet material machining system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the temporary placement table is disposed between the sorting table and the discharge table.

10. The sheet material machining system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the carrier comprises a fork, and
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of grooves to accept the fork.

11. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary placement table is disposed between the sorting table and the discharge table.

12. The sheet material machining system according to claim 11 ,
wherein the carrier comprises a fork, and
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of grooves to accept the fork.

13. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the carrier comprises a fork, and
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of grooves to accept the fork.

14. The sheet material machining system according to claim 13 ,
wherein the sorting table comprises a plurality of projections that come into line contact with the machined workpiece when the machined workpiece is placed on the sorting table.

15. The sheet material machining system according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a determination processor configured to determine whether the machined workpiece is an unacceptable workpiece; and
an unacceptable workpiece withdrawal device configured to withdraw the unacceptable workpiece onto the discharge table.

16. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary placement table has an upper face which includes a flat surface such that the flat surface contacts an entire surface of the at least one product when the at least one product among the plurality of products is placed on the temporary placement table.

17. The sheet material machining system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of attracting portions are disposed so that tip surfaces of the plurality of attracting portions are flush with each other.

Assignees

• Yamazaki Mazak Corp

Inventors

• Morita Yukio
• Kuwayama Isao
• Hattori Tetsu
• Sakai Yoshihiko
• Nakamura Yoshihiro

Classifications

• B21D45/00

  Ejecting or stripping-off devices arranged in machines or tools dealt with in this subclass · CPC title

• B21D43/00

  Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or processing sheet metal, metal tubes or metal profiles; Associations therewith of cutting devices · CPC title

• B23Q7/12

  Sorting arrangements · CPC title

• B23Q7/00

  Arrangements for handling work specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools, e.g. for conveying, loading, positioning, discharging, sorting (incorporated in working-spindles B23B13/00) · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title