Punching/perforation machine and processing system comprising a frame mechanism for clamping the material unit

Abstract

A punching/perforation machine creates a predefined punching/perforation pattern in a material that is supplied in a direction of travel. The machine comprises a punching/perforation tool that includes an upper tool part which can be moved in a direction of stroke and which is equipped with a plurality of punching dies/perforation needles that are arranged in a predefined grid in a transverse direction and can be moved by a pressure beam that is operatively connected to a drive unit via a control device in order to produce a punching/perforation stroke. The material is supplied between the upper tool part and a lower tool part. The material is placed or clamped in a frame mechanism. The punching/perforation machine includes a frame accommodation/connection device for accommodating/connecting the frame mechanism, and the frame mechanism containing the material is supplied between the upper tool part and the lower tool part.

Claims

1. A punching/perforating machine (10) for generating a predefinable punching/perforation pattern in a material unit (M) supplied in a transport direction (T), comprising a punching/perforation tool (12) having a tool upper part (12.1), which is movable in a stroke direction (H) and which has a plurality of stamping punches/perforating needles (16) which are arranged in a predefined grid in a transverse direction (Q) and which are movable by a pressure beam (36) which is operatively connected via a control device (30) to a drive unit (18) for generating a punching/perforation stroke (H), and a stationary tool lower part (12.2)/female die, wherein the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2), wherein the material unit (M) is arranged or clamped in a frame apparatus (130), wherein the punching/perforating machine (10) comprises a frame accommodation/connection device (140) for accommodation/for connection of the frame apparatus (130), wherein the frame apparatus (130) with the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2) for perforation/punching of the material unit (M).

2. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame apparatus (130) comprises a changeable frame (120) having fixing units (26) for connecting or clamping an edge region of the material unit (M) in the changeable frame (120).

3. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the frame apparatus (130) comprises a cover frame (122) which is arranged on/connected to the changeable frame (120) to secure the connection of the edge region of the material unit (M).

4. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein means (70, 72) for generating a simultaneous relative movement of the frame apparatus (130) with material unit (M) relative to the punching/perforation tool (12) to a predefinable extent both in the transport direction (T) and in the transverse direction (Q) are present, such that the frame apparatus (130) with material unit (M) is positionable, prior to each punching/perforation stroke (H), in an individual predefinable position relative to the punching/perforation tool (12).

5. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means (70, 72) comprise a first drive unit (70), which brings about a movement of the frame apparatus (130) with material unit (M) in the transport direction (T), and a second drive unit (72), which brings about the movement of the frame apparatus (130) with material unit (M) in the transverse direction.

6. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first drive unit (70) and the second drive unit (72) are each formed as a servomotor.

7. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive units (70, 72) are connected via coupling members to the frame apparatuses (130) with material unit (M).

8. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a memory device (40), in which data for a geometry of the punching/perforation pattern with respect to position and diameter is stored, wherein the control device (30) is communicatively connected to the memory device (40), wherein the control device (30) is operatively connected to a control block (14) of the stamping punches/perforating needles (16) for actuation/activation/deactivation of the stamping punches/perforating needles (16) during a punching/perforating operation, wherein the control device (30) is communicatively connected to the means (70, 72) for generating a simultaneous relative movement of the material unit (M) and wherein the control device (30) initiates the corresponding activation of the means (70, 72) in dependence on the data stored in the memory device (40).

9. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the punching/perforation tool (12) comprises stamping punches/perforating needles (16) having different diameters.

10. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a control block (14), which comprises piston-cylinder units whose movements during the punching/perforation stroke are individually actuable via the control device (30) and are individually assigned to each stamping punch/each perforating needle (16); and a blocking slide (22), which is connected in each case to a corresponding piston rod (20) of the piston-cylinder unit, wherein the blocking slide (22) is displaceable into an activation or deactivation position by the movement of the piston rod (20), wherein, in the activation position, the blocking slide acts directly or indirectly on the stamping punch/the perforating needle (16) during execution of the stroke (H), wherein, in the deactivation position, the blocking slide does not exert any action on the stamping punch/the perforating needle (16), such that, in the activation position of the blocking slide (22), the blocking slide (22) acts on the stamping punch/perforating needle (16) during the stroke (H) and a perforation is carried out and, in the deactivation position of the blocking slide, no punching/perforation of the material unit (M) is effected.

11. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the piston-cylinder unit is formed as a double-acting piston-cylinder unit having a first pressure chamber (28) and a second pressure chamber (32), wherein a first pressure (P1) is applied permanently to the first pressure chamber (28) via the control device (30) and has the effect that the blocking slide (22) is located or retained in the deactivation position and, when carrying out punching or perforation, the control device (30) applies a second pressure (P2), which is higher than the first pressure (P1), to the second pressure chamber (32) when activated, such that the blocking slide (22) moves out into the activation position and, as a result, during the stroke (H), this movement is transmitted to the associated stamping punch/perforating needle, such that punching or perforation of the material unit (M) is carried out.

12. A punching/perforating machine (10) for generating a predefinable punching/perforation pattern in a material unit (M) supplied in a transport direction (T), comprising a punching/perforation tool (12) having a tool upper part (12.1), which is movable in a stroke direction (H) and which has a plurality of stamping punches/perforating needles (16) which are arranged in a predefined grid in a transverse direction (Q) and which are movable by a pressure beam (36) which is operatively connected via a control device (30) to a drive unit (18) for generating a punching/perforation stroke (H), and a stationary tool lower part (12.2)/female die, wherein the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2), wherein the material unit (M) is arranged or clamped in a frame apparatus (130), wherein the punching/perforating machine (10) comprises a frame accommodation/connection device (140) for accommodation/for connection of the frame apparatus (130), wherein the frame apparatus (130) with the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2) for perforation/punching of the material unit (M), and wherein the frame apparatus (130) comprises an electronically readable information unit which contains specific information for the respective punching/perforation pattern of the clamped material unit (M) and/or information for the further processing of the frame apparatus with material unit (M).

13. The punching/perforating machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame apparatus has a rectangular peripheral contour.

14. A processing installation (100) for standardized processing of material units (M), comprising: a punching/perforating machine (10) for generating a predefinable punching/perforation pattern in a material unit (M) supplied in a transport direction (T), comprising a punching/perforation tool (12) having a tool upper part (12.1), which is movable in a stroke direction (H) and which has a plurality of stamping punches/perforating needles (16) which are arranged in a predefined grid in a transverse direction (Q) and which are movable by a pressure beam (36) which is operatively connected via a control device (30) to a drive unit (18) for generating a punching/perforation stroke (H), and a stationary tool lower part (12.2)/female die, wherein the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2), wherein the material unit (M) is arranged or clamped in a frame apparatus (130), wherein the punching/perforating machine (10) comprises a frame accommodation/connection device (140) for accommodation/for connection of the frame apparatus (130), wherein the frame apparatus (130) with the material unit (M) is supplied between the tool upper part (12.1) and the tool lower part (12.2) for perforation/punching of the material unit (M); a first processing station (134), which comprises the punching/perforating machine (10), to which a respective standardized frame apparatus (130) with material unit (M) is supplied for generation of a predefined punching/perforation pattern; and a second processing station (150) to which the frame apparatus (130) with perforated/punched material unit (M) is supplied and which further processes the perforated/punched material unit (M).

15. The processing installation as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second processing station (150) comprises a sewing machine (151) having a transport frame (124)/holder for material to be sewn, into which the frame apparatus (130) with perforated material unit (M) is introduced, and the material unit (M) is provided with decorative seams and/or connection seams.

16. The processing installation as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one further processing station (160) is present, by which the frame apparatuses (130) with processed material unit (M) coming from the second processing station (150) are subjected to further processing.

17. The processing installation as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a first intermediate store (112), which is arranged upstream of the first processing station (134) and in which frame apparatuses (130) with material units (M) which have not yet been perforated/punched are stored, which are successively supplied to the first processing station (134).

18. The processing installation as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a second intermediate store (114), which is connected downstream of the first processing station (134) and in which frame apparatuses (130) with material units (M) which have been provided with a punching/perforation pattern are stored, which are successively supplied to the second processing station.

19. The processing installation as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a third intermediate store (116) is present, which is connected downstream of the second processing station (150) and in which the frame apparatuses (130) with processed material unit (M) are stored, which are successively supplied to a further processing station (160) for further processing.

20. The processing installation as claimed in claim 19, further comprising controllable handling units (152, 154, 156, 158), which remove the frame apparatuses (130) from the intermediate stores (112, 114, 116) and supply them to the processing stations and, after processing, deposit them into the corresponding intermediate stores (114, 116).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention and advantageous embodiments and developments thereof are described and explained in more detail below on the basis of the examples illustrated in the drawing. The features apparent from the description and the drawing may be applied individually on their own or multiply in any desired combination in accordance with the invention. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a changeable frame,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a changeable frame with material unit and cover frame in an exploded illustration,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a frame apparatus with changeable frame and cover frame and clamped material unit,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a transport frame (holder for material to be sewn) for a sewing machine,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of the transport frame, as per FIG. 4, with inserted frame apparatus, as per FIG. 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of the punching/perforating tool of a punching/perforating machine with queued or supplied frame apparatus, as per FIG. 3, with additional two servomotors which can displace the frame apparatus, during the punching/perforation operation of the material unit, into a predefinable position in the transport direction and/or in the transverse direction,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a highly schematized illustration of a punching/perforating machine with means for displacing a supplied frame apparatus with the material unit in the transport direction and/or transverse direction in a view as seen in the transverse direction,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a highly schematized illustration of a punching/perforating machine, as per FIG. 7, in a view as seen in the transport direction,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a highly schematized illustration of a punching/perforating machine, as per FIG. 7, with additionally illustrated design details,

(11) FIGS. 10 a-d show a schematized illustration of possible punching/perforation patterns using a punching/perforating machine as per FIGS. 7 to 9,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a schematic illustration of a perforation pattern using a punching/perforating machine as per FIGS. 7 to 9 which comprises stamping punches/perforating needles having different hole diameters, and

(13) FIG. 12 shows a schematic illustration of a processing installation of several processing stations, which are supplied, in each case from intermediate stores, with frame apparatuses with material units for processing purposes, with processing states of the material unit within the frame apparatus being illustrated underneath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) FIG. 1 shows a perspective of an exemplary embodiment of a flat changeable frame 120, which has a square peripheral contour in the exemplary embodiment. In the peripheral direction, fixing units 126 which are arranged in a grid-like manner and which are used to be able to connect, and thus exactly position, a material unit M to be processed (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are present on the changeable frame 120.

(15) FIG. 2 shows the changeable frame 120 with connected material unit M and, above that, in an illustration pulled apart from each other, a cover frame 122 which has substantially the same peripheral contour as the changeable frame 120 and can be plugged onto the latter for additional securing of the material unit M. In the plugged-on state as per FIG. 3, the two frames 120, 126 form a frame apparatus 130 with a material unit M fixed in a positionally accurate manner on the inner side.

(16) This frame apparatus 130 is supplied to a punching/perforating machine 10 for generation of a predefined punching/perforation pattern on the material unit M, which is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 and is described further below.

(17) The changeable frame 120 and the cover frame 122 may be made of metal or plastic, for example.

(18) Furthermore, FIG. 4 illustrates a known transport frame 124 which is used, for example, in sewing machines and is referred to as a holder for material to be sewn. This transport frame 124 comprises connection units 127, 128, 129 in order to be able to be mounted securely in a sewing machine.

(19) Furthermore, the transport frame 124 has an insert inner contour 132, the profile of which corresponds to the outer contour profile of the frame apparatus 130 as per FIG. 3. The frame apparatus 130 with a material unit M which already has a punching/perforation pattern is inserted into this insert inner contour 132 and can then be further processed, for example for production of decorative seams on the material unit M, in the sewing machine without any further modifications.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a perspective of a detail of a punching/perforating machine 10 with a punching/perforation tool 12 having a tool upper part 12.1 and a tool lower part 12.2. A frame apparatus 130 with an unpunched or unperforated material unit M, as per FIG. 3, is queued in front of the punching/perforation tool 12 and is connected to a frame accommodation/connection device 140. The frame apparatus 130 is supplied between the tool upper part 12.1 and the tool lower part 12.2. The punching/perforation tool 12 then cyclically carries out the corresponding punching or perforation. Prior to each punching/perforation cycle, the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M is moved in the transport direction T and possibly also in the transverse direction Q depending on the punching/perforation pattern to be produced. For this purpose, a first drive unit 70 and a second drive unit 72 are present, which are both formed for example as servomotors. The first drive unit 70 enables a movement of the frame apparatus 130 in the transport direction T, and the second drive unit 72 enables a displacement of the frame apparatus 130 in the transverse direction Q. Both drive units 70, 72 are connected via corresponding coupling members 74, 76 to the frame accommodation/connection device 140 or the frame apparatus 130.

(21) The drive units 70, 72 are actuated via a control device which is not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 6.

(22) The individual sequences in the production of the punching/perforation pattern, and the further components of a punching and perforating machine, are described below with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9.

(23) A punching/perforating machine 10, which is illustrated in highly schematized form in FIGS. 7 and 8, comprises a machine upper part 54 and a machine lower part 56. In the machine upper part 54, a pressure beam 36 which is acted on by a drive unit 18 for generation of a punching/perforation stroke H is arranged on the top side. Below the pressure beam 36, and spaced apart, is a tool upper part 12.1 of a punching/perforation tool 12, in which stamping punches/perforating needles 16 are arranged.

(24) Present between the pressure beam 36 and the punching/perforation tool 12 are blocking slides 22 which are connected to a control block 14. The blocking slides 22 are of extendable and retractable form and assigned in each case to a stamping punch or a perforating needle 16. In the extended state, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the associated stamping punch/perforating needle 16 is activated, such that a supplied material unit M is perforated during execution of the punching/perforation stroke H. The material unit M is clamped within the frame apparatus 130.

(25) The machine lower part 56 comprises, on the top side, a tool lower part 12.2 of the punching/perforation tool 12, in which the stamping punch/the perforating needle 16 are guided, for example. Spaced apart on the bottom side is a base plate 62. The frame apparatus with material unit M is supplied between the tool lower part 12.2 of the punching/perforation tool 12 and the base plate 62. The transport direction of the material unit M is denoted in FIG. 7 by the reference designation T.

(26) Furthermore, a memory device 40 is present, in which all the data concerning the geometry of the patterns to be perforated or to be punched in the material unit M is stored, such as for example position and diameter of the perforation/punching apertures. The memory device 40 is communicatively connected to a control device 30, wherein the control device 30 actuates the punching/perforating machine 10 in dependence on the data stored in the memory device 40. For instance, the control device activates the drive unit 18 for activation of the punching/perforation stroke H. Furthermore, the control device 30 is communicatively connected to a first drive unit 70 and a second drive unit 72. The first drive unit 70 acts on the material unit M, in such a way that when the first drive unit 70 is activated, the material unit M carries out a movement in the transport direction T to a predefinable extent. Furthermore, the second drive unit 72 also acts on the material unit M, in such a way that when the second drive unit 72 is activated, the material unit M carries out a displacement in the transverse direction Q (see FIG. 8) to a predefinable extent. The activation of the displacement of the material unit M prior to each punching/perforation stroke H is initiated by the control device 30, which uses information retrieved from the memory device 40 as a basis for determining the extent of the displacement of the material unit M in the transport direction T and/or in the transverse direction Q for the respective punching/perforation stroke H.

(27) The punching/perforating machine 10 illustrated in schematized form in FIG. 9 represents an exemplary design embodiment—also partially in a highly schematized illustration—of the punching/perforating machine 10 as per FIGS. 7 and 8. Identical components bear the same reference designations and are not explained again.

(28) The punching/perforating machine 10 comprises a punching/perforation tool 12 with a tool upper part 12.1, a tool lower part 12.2 and a control block 14. In the punching/perforating machine 10 which is driven by a servo-hydraulic system, the control block 14 is connected to a pressure beam 36, that is to say introduced in a control block guide groove 42 present on the pressure beam 36 and centered. A drive unit 18 moves the pressure beam 36 upward and downward in the stroke direction H. Located under the control block 14 is the corresponding tool upper part 12.1 of the punching/perforation tool 12, said tool upper part having a grid arrangement for the perforating needles 16 that is identical to that of the control block. The tool upper part 12.1 of the punching/perforation tool 12 comprises a needle holder 34 which is introduced in a needle holder guide groove 44 in the control block. The tool lower part 12.2 of the punching/perforation tool 12 having the female dies is centered by means of a centering pin (not illustrated in any more detail). This tool lower part 12.2 of the punching/perforation tool 12 is also placed in a tool guide groove 46. The needle holder 34 forms, together with the needle guide which is fixedly connected to the punching/perforation tool 12, a unit, namely the punching/perforation tool 12.

(29) Located on the needle holder 34 is a spacer plate 60 which, firstly, facilitates the disassembly of the punching/perforation tool 12 and, secondly, permits the use of further standard tools with the same tool profile but different pitch. Here, the open spacer plate 60, which is provided with grid holes, is replaced by a closed variant without grid holes.

(30) The perforating needles 16 are arranged in a predefined grid in the transverse direction Q, which runs perpendicularly to the plane of the illustration of FIG. 9. The perforating needles 16 can either be activated or deactivated individually during each punching/perforation stroke H. This individual actuation is implemented in that a control device 30 is present, which is communicatively connected to a memory device 40 in which the geometrical data of the punching/perforation pattern to be created on a material unit M supplied to the punching/perforation tool 12 is stored.

(31) The control device 30 is communicatively connected to a valve device 26, wherein the valve device 26 comprises valve units which are each individually communicatively connected to piston-cylinder units arranged on the control block 14. The piston-cylinder units are formed as double-acting piston-cylinder units, having a cylinder 24, a piston 21 and a piston rod 20. A first pressure chamber 28 and a second pressure chamber 32 are present in each piston-cylinder unit.

(32) Each piston rod 20 is connected, in its free end region, to a blocking slide 22, which is displaceable in the sliding direction S transversely to the stroke direction H from an activation position (extended state) and a deactivation position (retracted state) when corresponding pressure is applied to the piston-cylinder unit. Furthermore, a first pressure accumulator 28.1 and a second pressure accumulator 32.1 are present, which communicate with the valve device 26. The first pressure chamber 28 provides a pressure P1, and the second pressure chamber 32 provides a pressure P2, which is higher than the pressure P1.

(33) Each perforating needle 16 is assigned a blocking slide 22 with associated actuable piston-cylinder unit. The blocking slide 22 is spaced apart from the upper head end of the perforating needle 16. Below the blocking slide 22, an extension profile 48 is present in the control block 14 in a corresponding guide, wherein the bottom side of the extension profile 48 bears on the head of the assigned perforating needle 16, and the upper end side of the extension profile 48 is arranged at the height level of the bottom side of the blocking slide 22. In the extended state of the blocking slide 22, the latter rests on the extension profile 48 such that when the stroke movement H of the control block 14 is carried out, the perforating needle 16 is moved downward and triggers a perforation on the material unit M.

(34) In the case of a retracted blocking slide 22, there is no contact between the extension profile 48 and the blocking slide 22 since the bottom side of the blocking slide 22 is beside the bottom side of the extension profile 48. If a punching/perforation stroke is carried out in the retracted position of the blocking slide 22, the extension profile 48 has no movement applied to it by the blocking slide 22, such that the assigned perforating needle 16 does not carry out a perforation.

(35) The blocking slide 22 has, in its free end region, a contour 52 which runs at an angle to the punching/perforation stroke direction H and which ensures that if the extension profile 48 or the perforating needle 16 protrudes upward when the blocking slide 22 is being extended, the extension profile 48 is pushed downward and is not sheared off or damaged. As a result, permanently reliable functionality is ensured.

(36) During operation of the punching/perforating machine, the first pressure chamber 28 and second pressure chamber 32 are actuated individually as follows via the valve device 26 and the control device 30, taking account of the stored punching/perforation pattern data. The first pressure chamber 28 has the pressure P1 applied permanently via the first pressure accumulator 28.1, that is to say, under the action of the pressure P1, the blocking slide 22 is in the retracted position such that when the punching/perforation stroke H is carried out, the assigned perforating needle 16 does not carry out a perforation.

(37) If a perforating needle 16 is to be activated during a punching/perforation stroke H, the control device 30 causes the valve device 26 to apply the pressure P2 to the second pressure chamber 32 via the second pressure accumulator 32.1, said pressure P2 being higher than the permanently present pressure P1 in the first pressure chamber 28, such that the blocking slide 22 moves out and, when the punching/perforation stroke H is carried out, the assigned perforating needle 16, in conjunction with the extension profile 48, carries out a punching/perforation stroke H and produces a perforation on the material unit M.

(38) On the control block 14 there are thus individually actuated piston-cylinder units which are under a permanent first pressure P1 which, so to speak, forms an air spring on the return stroke, wherein for each perforating needle 16 to be actuated in the punching/perforation tool 12, a piston rod 20 of the corresponding piston-cylinder unit is assigned and is activated, that is to say extended, by application of the pressure P2.

(39) As a result of the mutually separated structure of control block 14 and punching/perforation tool 12 in conjunction with the piston-cylinder units arranged offset in the stroke direction H and in the transverse direction Q within a housing 38, it is possible to achieve a minimum spacing with respect to the grid size between the perforating needles 16 in the tool 12, which corresponds for example to a standard perforation in automobile construction. From this, for example a maximum number of 1024 needles with a perforation width of 1.9456 mm can be achieved.

(40) This high number of needles per unit area cannot be achieved in the known systems.

(41) As already described above, the extension profile 48 is arranged between the head of the individual perforating needles 16 and blocking slides 22. The extension profile 48 consists, for example, of a hardened round material with a stepped diameter, which rests loosely on the head of the perforating needle 16. The stepped outer diameter prevents any movement of the vertically installed extension profile 48 in the control block 14 during installation or removal of the tool. At the same time, the extension profile 48 is retained in a fixedly defined position above the needle head by this step.

(42) In order to compensate for the difference between the predefined needle diameter or needle spacing and the necessarily wider blocking slide 22 with the associated piston rod 20, these mechanical extension profiles 48 are inserted with different lengths in the control block 14 and assigned accordingly to the blocking slides 22.

(43) The individual piston-cylinder units are present on both sides of the control block 14 as special cylinders and are actuated individually by control valves 26. These special cylinders are arranged within the machine, for example in housings 38 each having four piston-cylinder units, in order to protect them against damage or access. These housings 38 contain the complete electronic and pneumatic actuation system (valve terminals, pressure regulators, pressure monitoring, etc.). These housings 38 are connected by means of a coupling system constructed for this purpose to the valve device 26 with its individually assigned control valves. Alternatively, however, the control valves of the valve device 26 can also be mounted flexibly on appropriate transport frames, in order to use same on different punching machines. As a result, there is no restriction to only one working area.

(44) As a result of the permanently present counter-pressure P1 in the return stroke of the piston rod 20 of the piston-cylinder units, the switching time between the punching operations can be reduced greatly. This results in a substantially higher cycle rate (for example 160 to 180 per minute) of the punching unit compared with the known punching/perforating machines.

(45) Furthermore, a first drive unit 70 and a second drive unit 72 are illustrated, also in highly schematized form, in FIG. 9. These two drive units 70, 72 are actuated and activated or deactivated by the control device 30 prior to each punching/perforation stroke H. The first drive unit 70, which is formed for example as a servomotor, is connected via coupling members (not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 9) to the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M. The second drive unit 72, which is formed for example as a servomotor, is likewise connected via coupling members (not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 9) to the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M. When the first drive unit 70 is activated by the control device 30 in dependence on the data stored in the memory device 40, the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M carries out a displacement in the transport direction T to the respectively currently predefined extent. When the second drive unit 72 is activated by the control device 30, the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M carries out a movement in the transverse direction Q to the respectively currently predefined extent.

(46) By virtue of the fact that the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M can be arranged relative to the punching/perforation tool 12 both in the transport direction T and in the transverse direction Q individually for each punching/perforation stroke H, virtually any desired punching/perforation patterns can be generated.

(47) Punching/perforation patterns are indicated, by way of example, in FIGS. 10a, b, c and d. In principle, the displaceability of the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M makes it possible to place the holes in any desired manner.

(48) As illustrated in FIG. 11, different hole diameters can also be generated by means of perforating needles 16 of different diameter which are arranged in the punching/perforation tool 12 and by corresponding displacement of the frame apparatus 10 with material unit M. Prior to the respective punching/perforation stroke H, software is used to determine the perforating needles of corresponding diameter that are closest to the perforation position and to displace the material unit M by the corresponding extent.

(49) The mechanical structure of the punching/perforation tool 12 described by way of example makes it possible, as a function of the system, to perform any desired advancing movements in the transport direction T and in the transverse direction Q by coupling the frame apparatus 130 with material unit M to the first and second drive units 70, 72. As a result, there is, inter alia, the possibility of also producing curved and circular contours (see, for example, FIG. 10a). Overall, there are virtually unlimited possibilities for the representation of punching/perforation patterns according to any desired design. It is necessary merely for the corresponding data files containing the information about the geometry of the punching/perforation pattern, in particular in terms of the position and size, to be read into the memory device 40.

(50) In FIG. 12, an exemplary embodiment of a processing installation 100 is illustrated in highly schematized form, which shows the use of the frame apparatus 130 in various processing operations.

(51) In this case, there is a first processing station 134 which is formed as a punching/perforating machine 10. Connected downstream of the first processing station 134 is a second processing station 150 which is, for example, a sewing machine 151. There may also be a further processing station 160 after that for further processing.

(52) Connected upstream of the first processing station 134 is a first intermediate store 112 in which individual frame apparatuses 130, each with a clamped material unit M having no punching/perforation pattern, are stored.

(53) The frame apparatuses 130 are individually removed from this first intermediate store 112 and supplied to the perforation machine 10, which generates a punching/perforation pattern 66 in the material unit M. Thereafter, the frame apparatus 130 with perforated/punched material unit is stored in a second intermediate store 114. The frame apparatuses 130 are then removed from the second intermediate store 114 and supplied to the second processing station 150 or the sewing machine 151 and, in this case, inserted into a transport frame 124 (holder for material to be sewn). The sewing machine 151 then produces, for example, decorative seams 68 on the punched/perforated material unit M. The thus processed material unit M together with the frame apparatus 130 is then stored in a third intermediate store 116 and can be removed for processing in a further processing station 160.

(54) The frame apparatuses 130 can be removed from the intermediate stores 112, 114, 116 for example by means of handling units 152, 154, 156, 158, which are illustrated in highly schematized form in FIG. 12 and which also remove the processed frame apparatus 130 from the processing stations 134, 150 for storage in the intermediate stores 114, 116.

(55) The handling units 152, 154, 156, 158 may for example be robot units which are equipped with corresponding gripper units.

(56) The illustrated processing installation 100 can be used to implement economical, automatic and reliable processing (punching, embossing, sewing or the like) of material such as for example leather, synthetic leather, films, paper or the like, for example in the automotive industry and paper processing. With the illustrated solutions, a material unit to be processed can, with the aid of the frame apparatus, be punched, embossed, sewn, or the like, in any form whatsoever with a high level of accuracy. The frame apparatus can be designed in a variable manner such that it can be used in different machines (punching/perforating, embossing and sewing machines, and the like).