Apparatus for collecting oblong products, preferably metal products, comprising a first containing device (11) mobile between a work position, in which it is able to receive a plurality of oblong products (P) from a working machine, and a delivery position, in which said metal products (P) are picked up. The present invention also concerns a method to collect said oblong products (P) and a plant (100) for working them.

Apparatus for collecting oblong products, preferably metal products, comprising a first containing device (11) mobile between a work position, in which it is able to receive a plurality of oblong products (P) from a working machine, and a delivery position, in which said metal products (P) are picked up. The present invention also concerns a method to collect said oblong products (P) and a plant (100) for working them.

A machine arrangement for manufacturing sheet metal includes a workpiece carrier configured to store a sheet metal workpiece and/or a sheet metal manufacturing product, and three spatially separate functional units. The functional units include two manufacturing units and a secondary functional unit. Each manufacturing unit includes a manufacturing apparatus that has a work area. The workpiece carrier is arrangeable in the work area in a manufacturing position. The secondary functional unit has a functional area. The workpiece carrier is arrangeable in the functional area in a functional position. The machine arrangement further includes a transporting unit movable in a driven manner together with the workpiece carrier between the functional units, thereby enabling the workpiece carrier to be transferred between the functional units. The workpiece carrier is a universal workpiece carrier arrangeable at the two manufacturing units in the manufacturing position and at the secondary functional unit in the functional position.

A metal-cutting machine for flat material parts comprises metal-cutting tools (21, 22, 23), held on a machine frame, and a support unit (10), on which a flat material part to be machined can be placed for a positioning in the metal-cutting machine. The support unit comprises a feed table (10), which is clamped remote from the beams and on one side about a pivot axis that is pivotable parallel to the beam orientation (39) and the free end (26) of which feed table in the parking position rests on a support surface (27) assigned to the lower beam (21), which support surface is connected via a sliding surface (28) to the top side (29) of the lower beam (21). The clamped end (36) of the feed table (10) is here movable by means of a drive (40), in the direction of extension (45), into its loading and removal position, wherein the bottom edge (25) of the feed table slides from the support surface (27) over the sliding surface (28) and beyond the top side (29) of the lower beam, and the top side (29) forms the support for the bottom side (16) of the feed table (10) in the loading and removal position for a flat material part.

A metal-cutting machine for flat material parts comprises metal-cutting tools (21, 22, 23), held on a machine frame, and a support unit (10), on which a flat material part to be machined can be placed for a positioning in the metal-cutting machine. The support unit comprises a feed table (10), which is clamped remote from the beams and on one side about a pivot axis that is pivotable parallel to the beam orientation (39) and the free end (26) of which feed table in the parking position rests on a support surface (27) assigned to the lower beam (21), which support surface is connected via a sliding surface (28) to the top side (29) of the lower beam (21). The clamped end (36) of the feed table (10) is here movable by means of a drive (40), in the direction of extension (45), into its loading and removal position, wherein the bottom edge (25) of the feed table slides from the support surface (27) over the sliding surface (28) and beyond the top side (29) of the lower beam, and the top side (29) forms the support for the bottom side (16) of the feed table (10) in the loading and removal position for a flat material part.

A hot metal gas forming and quenching system and process therefor are provided. The system includes a hydraulic press, a die assembly, a rapid heating module and a rapid cooling module. The die assembly includes a progressive die which can realize the hot gas bulging and rapid cooling of the workpiece. Through the above system and the process, making pipes with uncoated plates has a lower cost than with coated and plated steel plates, with fewer structural defects and process risks. By using a progressive die, a resistance heating process, and hot gas bulging and quenching processes are performed in parallel, and the material is loaded progressively, thereby having a fast pace and a greatly improved efficiency. A heating state of parts is fully protected, oxidation is avoided, and no coating is required. After the workpiece is formed, it can be directly welded to a car body without shot blasting.

A hot metal gas forming and quenching system and process therefor are provided. The system includes a hydraulic press, a die assembly, a rapid heating module and a rapid cooling module. The die assembly includes a progressive die which can realize the hot gas bulging and rapid cooling of the workpiece. Through the above system and the process, making pipes with uncoated plates has a lower cost than with coated and plated steel plates, with fewer structural defects and process risks. By using a progressive die, a resistance heating process, and hot gas bulging and quenching processes are performed in parallel, and the material is loaded progressively, thereby having a fast pace and a greatly improved efficiency. A heating state of parts is fully protected, oxidation is avoided, and no coating is required. After the workpiece is formed, it can be directly welded to a car body without shot blasting.

A hot metal gas forming and quenching system and process thereof are provided. The system includes a hydraulic press, a die assembly, a rapid heating module, and a rapid cooling module. The die assembly includes a progressive die realizing the hot gas bulging and rapid cooling of the workpiece. Through the above system and the process, making pipes with uncoated plates has a lower cost than with coated and plated steel plates, with fewer structural defects and process risks. By using a progressive die, a resistance heating process and hot gas bulging and quenching processes are performed in parallel, and the material is loaded progressively, thereby having a fast pace and a greatly improved efficiency. A heating state of parts is fully protected, oxidation is avoided, and no coating is required. After the workpiece is formed, it can be directly welded to a car body without shot blasting.

A hot metal gas forming and quenching system and process thereof are provided. The system includes a hydraulic press, a die assembly, a rapid heating module, and a rapid cooling module. The die assembly includes a progressive die realizing the hot gas bulging and rapid cooling of the workpiece. Through the above system and the process, making pipes with uncoated plates has a lower cost than with coated and plated steel plates, with fewer structural defects and process risks. By using a progressive die, a resistance heating process and hot gas bulging and quenching processes are performed in parallel, and the material is loaded progressively, thereby having a fast pace and a greatly improved efficiency. A heating state of parts is fully protected, oxidation is avoided, and no coating is required. After the workpiece is formed, it can be directly welded to a car body without shot blasting.

The underlying invention relates in particular to a production module for a production line which is modularly populatable with production modules. In embodiments, provision is made whereby the production module comprises at least one manipulator unit with which a workpiece or a workpiece component is, during the production process, transferable between a deposit position and a production position in the production space of a production module which, for the execution of a production step, is positioned directly downstream in a production direction (R) along the production line.