APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AND TESTING WORKPIECES

Abstract

A method and an apparatus manufactures and tests workpieces. The apparatus is mountable on or includes a system for mixing or melting materials. The apparatus includes application units and a replacement system that is designed to automatically replace application units in respect of the position or function thereof.

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. Apparatus for manufacturing and testing workpieces, comprising a system (2) for mixing or melting materials having a material inlet and a material outlet (3), a pressure filter test device comprising application units in the form of filter modules, a sensor system for measuring pressure and a replacement system, wherein the filter modules can be positioned in the flow of the material melt, the replacement system being configured to automatically replace the filter modules in respect of the position thereof, and the pressure filter test device can be connected or is connected fixedly to the material outlet of the system for mixing or melting materials, and a dispensing device comprising application units in the form of supply modules (4) and a replacement system, wherein the dispensing device can be connected or is connected fixedly to the material inlet of the system (2) for mixing or melting materials, which supply modules (4) are disposed so that they are positioned or can be positioned above the material inlet of the system (2) for mixing or melting materials, and the replacement system is configured to automatically replace the supply modules (4) in respect of this position and/or in respect of the function thereof and empty the contents or a part of the contents of the supply modules (4) into the material inlet of the system (3) for melting or mixing materials.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the replacement system of the dispensing device comprises a holder structure for holding the supply modules (4), a moving system for moving the supply modules (4) and a control unit for controlling the replacement system of the dispensing device.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the replacement system of the dispensing device is configured such that its holder structure comprises supply modules in particular in the form of cartridges (4) or tanks, and at least one supply module (6) preferably contains a flushing material for cleaning the machine.

25. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the dispensing comprises a marker unit which is configured to automatically identify the supply modules (4), in particular by means of marks, bar codes, RFID elements, engraving or other patterns, and the dispensing device is configured in particular to scan markings on application units by means of a scanning element and a computer unit configured with operating software, and their position in the dispensing is determined on the basis of this scanned information or their position together with the scanned information is stored in a computer system.

26. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the supply modules (4) comprise structures for receiving materials and material outlets which can be automatically opened and closed, wherein preferred supply modules comprise cartridges (4) in which at least one material or material mixture can be placed or the supply modules (4) are provided on belts in particular or the apparatus comprises a suction unit.

27. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the supply modules (4) contain materials in the form of powders, granulates, liquids or gels or mixtures of films, molded parts, pipes, sections, production residues and waste and scraps thereof.

28. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the dispensing comprises, in particular for at least one or every supply module (4), a measuring unit for measuring the quantity of material that has been removed or dispensed, preferably volumetric and/or gravimetric measuring units, units for measuring the dispensing time or length of the dispensed material.

29. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the pressure filter test device comprises a storage unit configured for storing filter modules, and this storage unit is preferably configured to store a roller of a filter belt or separate filter modules, and the storage unit is configured in particular to condition filter modules as required, in particular so that they are dried, cooled, heated or wetted.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the replacement system of the pressure filter test device is configured to move filter modules out of the storage unit into an application unit and/or move them outside and/or transfer an application unit from outside into the storage unit and/or move it from outside into an application unit and/or back out again.

31. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the filter modules comprise filter-holder systems for screens/filters or for groups of screens/filters, in particular cartridges in which at least one filter/screen is disposed or the filter modules are preferably on belts, and preferred filter modules comprise screens and/or filters or combinations of filters and/or screens.

32. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the filter modules are regions of a belt-shaped screen or filter material, and preferred belts are ones with screen/filter structures selected from the group comprising woven or knitted screens/filters, glass fiber screens/filters, lasered, calendared or needled screens/filters, metal foils incorporating orifices, fleeces or combinations of the aforementioned structures next to one another and/or one on top of the other.

33. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the filter modules have a denser structure at their edges than at their center, and such a structure may be achieved in particular using a denser weave/knit or a specific shape with a lesser density of holes at the edges, or the seal is achieved in particular by means of metal foils, resins or other thermoplastic materials or thermosetting plastics that are resistant to high temperature, and the respective material is applied to or on the peripheral regions of the filter modules.

34. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the pressure filter test device comprises a tempering system configured to pre-heat the filter modules upstream of the measurement area and/or provide cooling after the measurement and, after having been ejected, the filter modules are preferably cooled and drop in an orderly manner into a magazine and are separated in particular.

35. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the pressure filter test device is configured so that it is not the entire flow that is measured and instead, a part of the melt flow is diverted and measured in the context of a filter pressure test, and this part is then preferably returned to the melt flow again.

36. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus is the system for melting or mixing a material, a mixing drum, a blown film line, a continuous casting machine, an extruder or a screw conveyor.

Description

[0100] Examples of preferred embodiments of the apparatus proposed by the invention are illustrated in the diagrams.

[0101] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment based on the prior art;

[0102] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of a filter pressure test apparatus;

[0103] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another preferred embodiment of a filter pressure test apparatus;

[0104] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of a metering apparatus;

[0105] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a detail of a metering apparatus.

[0106] FIG. 1 illustrates a measuring device for a filter pressure test based on the prior art, as described above.

[0107] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention for measuring plastic products with a filter pressure test apparatus comprising a sensor system 1. In a filling unit, such as the illustrated hopper, a plastic granulate or plastic powder is fed into a screw conveyor and conveyed forwards through it to an outlet 3. During the passage through the screw conveyor 2, a plastic melt is formed and leaves via the outlet 3. Disposed in front of this outlet 3 is a row of cartridges 4, each of which contains a filter module. Although a linear layout of cartridges 4 was chosen for this diagram, a radial layout (turntable or carousel) is also preferred. The cartridges 4 can be moved automatically from the top down or from the bottom up by means of a replacement system, although this is not illustrated here.

[0108] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention for measuring plastic products with another filter pressure test apparatus. Here too, a plastic melt is produced by means of the machine described above and leaves via the outlet 3. By contrast with FIG. 2, however, cartridges are not used for filter pressure testing but rather a belt 5 which is reeled in front of the outlet 3 and is moved up or down by a length for every measurement by means of the sensor system 1.

[0109] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of a metering apparatus on an extruder for manufacturing plastic and is configured so that it can be filled with substances via its material inlet. It comprises supply modules in the form of cartridges 4 which are disposed on a round surface in the form of a circle segment. In addition, another supply module is provided in the form of a tank 6 containing a cleaning product and completes the circuit. The supply segments are rotatable and can be individually positioned above the hopper of the machine where its contents can be completely or partially emptied by means of a replacement system.

[0110] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a detail of the metering apparatus used in FIG. 4. In this instance, a cut-away view of the tank 6 and one of the cartridges 4 is illustrated. By means of the cartridge opening 7, which can be automatically opened as and when necessary, the contents of the relevant cartridge, e.g. a plastic granulate, color pigments or additives, drop down and are directed via the funnel-shaped intake unit 8 through the material inlet of the machine.

[0111] The embodiments illustrated as examples represent possible variants of the invention, and it should be pointed out at this stage that the invention is not specifically limited to the variants specifically illustrated, and instead the individual variants may be used in different combinations with one another and these possible variations lie within the reach of the person skilled in this technical field given the disclosed technical teaching.

[0112] Furthermore, individual features or combinations of features from the different embodiments illustrated and described may be construed as independent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by the invention in their own right.

[0113] The objective underlying the independent inventive solutions may be found in the description. All the figures relating to ranges of values in the description should be construed as meaning that they include any and all part-ranges.

[0114] Above all, the individual embodiments of the subject matter illustrated in the drawings constitute independent solutions proposed by the invention in their own right. The objectives and associated solutions proposed by the invention may be found in the detailed descriptions of these drawings.

[0115] For the sake of good order, finally, it should be pointed out that, in order to provide a clearer understanding of the structure, some parts in the drawings are illustrated to a certain extent out of scale and/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0116] 1 Sensor system [0117] 2 Screw conveyor [0118] 3 Outlet [0119] 4 Cartridge [0120] 5 Belt [0121] 6 Tank [0122] 7 Cartridge opening [0123] 8 Intake unit