Machines for the Separative Machining of Plate-Shaped Workpieces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016311069-A1
Application number	US-201615186797-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to machines and methods for separative machining of plate-shaped workpieces by a processing beam. The machines include a first movement unit configured to move the workpiece in a first direction and a second movement unit including a machining head configured to emit the processing beam. The second movement unit is configured to move the machining head in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to direct the processing beam onto the workpiece. The machines include a first workpiece support unit including a first workpiece-bearing face and a second workpiece support unit including a second workpiece-bearing face spaced apart by a gap from the first workpiece support unit and the first workpiece-bearing face. The gap extends along the second direction. The machines include at least one support slide arranged to move in the second direction within the gap and including a support slide bearing face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine for the separative machining of a plate-shaped workpiece by a processing beam, the machine comprising:
a first movement unit configured to move the plate-shaped workpiece in a first direction (X); a second movement unit comprising a machining head configured to emit the processing beam, wherein the second movement unit is configured to move the machining head in a second direction (Y) perpendicular to the first direction (X) to direct the processing beam onto the workpiece; a first workpiece support unit including a first workpiece-bearing face for supporting the workpiece; a second workpiece support unit including a second workpiece-bearing face for supporting the workpiece, wherein the first workpiece support unit and the first workpiece bearing face are spaced apart by a gap from the second workpiece support unit and the second workpiece-bearing face, wherein the gap extends along the second direction (Y); and at least one support slide arranged to move freely in the second direction (Y) within the gap, wherein the at least one support slide comprises a support slide bearing face for supporting workpiece parts that are cut in the course of the separative machining.

2 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising a drive unit configured to displace the at least one support slide in a controlled manner within the gap independent of movement of the machining head.

3 . The machine of claim 2 , wherein the drive unit is configured to displace the at least one support slide in a controlled manner in the first direction (X) within the gap.

4 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the machine comprises a third movement unit for moving the machining head in the first direction (X) within the gap.

5 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support slide includes at least one opening in the support slide bearing face to enable passage of the processing beam.

6 . The machine of claim 5 , wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings of at least one of various sizes and various geometries.

7 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein at least two of the openings are interconnected by a channel.

8 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein at least one opening in the plurality of openings is connected to an external edge of the bearing face of the at least one support slide.

9 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support slide is displaceable in the second direction (Y) to a parking position (Y P ) outside of a displacement range of the machining head.

10 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein one or more of at least one part-region of the bearing face of the at least one support slide and the at least one support slide itself is at least one of displaceable in the direction of gravity (Z) and downwardly pivotable.

11 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising a discharge flap arranged adjacent to the gap wherein the at least one support slide is displaceable along the discharge flap and is arranged to pivot downwards conjointly with the discharge flap.

12 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the bearing face of the at least one support slide forms the upper side of a suction box for suctioning residual process materials.

13 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a small-parts container and a parts chute attached to the at least one support slide.

14 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising a controller unit configured to determine the position (Y U , X U ) of the at least one support slide in the gap so as to depend on one or more of a size, a shape, and a thickness of a workpiece part to be cut off from the workpiece in the separative machining.

15 . The machine of claim 14 , wherein the controller unit is configured to determine at least one of the position (X U ) of the at least one support slide and of the opening of the bearing face in the first direction (X) so as to depend on the position (X S ) of the machining head in the first direction (X).

16 . A method for the separative machining of a workpiece in a machine, the method comprising:
selecting a position (Y U , X U ) of a support slide arranged to move freely within a gap between a first workpiece-bearing face of a first workpiece support unit and a second workpiece-bearing face of a second workpiece support unit of the machine, wherein the machine comprises a first movement unit configured to move the workpiece in a first direction (X), a second movement unit comprising a machining head configured to emit the processing beam and configured to move the machining head in a second direction (Y) perpendicular to the first direction (X) to direct the processing beam onto the workpiece, wherein the support slide is arranged to move freely within the gap in the second direction (Y) and includes a support slide bearing face for supporting workpiece parts that are cut in the course of the separative machining, and wherein the position (Y U , X U ) of the support slide is selected based on one or more of a size, a shape, and a thickness of a workpiece part to be cut off from the workpiece in the separative machining; and machining the workpiece via the processing beam.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein selecting the position (Y U , X U ) of the support slide comprises selecting one or more of a position (X U ) of the support slide in the first direction (X) and selecting a position of an opening in a support slide bearing face in the first direction (X) and where selecting the position (Y U , X U ) of the support slide is performed in dependence of a position (X S ) of the machining head in the first direction (X).

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning the support slide below a workpiece part to be cut off.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a separating cut position (FP) along a cutting contour of a workpiece part to be cut off, and the position of one or more of the support slide and of the opening in the support slide bearing face are chosen such that one or more of a maximum planar support of the workpiece part to be cut off is performed by the bearing face and one or more of the bearing elements and the support slide bearing face provide positional stability of the workpiece part during the separating cut process.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
discharging the cut off workpiece part by generating relative movement between the cut off workpiece part and the support slide.

21 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
discharging the cut off workpiece part by one or more of pivoting at least one part-region of the bearing face and pivoting the support slide.

22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
discharging the cut off workpiece part by lowering the support slide in the direction of gravity (Z); displacing the support slide in the second direction (Y); and subsequent to displacing the support slide in the second direction (Y), generating relative movement between the cut off workpiece part and the support slide.

23 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing computer executable instructions for regulating separative machining of a workpiece in a machine that, if executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to:
select a position (Y U , X U ) of a support slide arranged to move freely within a gap between a first workpiece-bearing face of a first workpiece support unit and a second workpie

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Deiss Magnus
• Epperlein Peter
• Ockenfuss Simon
• Schmauder Frank
• Wolf Dennis

Classifications

• B26D7/20

  Cutting beds {(B26D7/018 takes precedence; supporting beds for severing by means of a fluid jet B26F3/008)} · CPC title

• B23K26/083

  Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction · CPC title

• B23K26/146

  the fluid stream containing a liquid · CPC title

• B26F3/004

  by means of a fluid jet (methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26) · CPC title

• B23K10/00

  Welding or cutting by means of a plasma · CPC title