METHOD AND ROBOT SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING TRANSFORMER CORE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a robot system (23) for producing transformer cores (12), sheets of metal (16) from which a transformer core is constructed being received on at least two stacking tables (18) by means of a multiaxial robot (22) of the robot system, the sheets of metal being supplied to the robot and stacked adjacent to the robot in at least two storage positions (31) for different sheets of metal by means of a conveyor device (29), the robot and the conveyor device being controlled by a control device (17), sheets of metal being collected from the storage positions and being stacked on the stacking tables by means of the robot disposed between and above the stacking tables.

Claims

1. A method for producing transformer cores (12) by means of a robot system (23), sheets of metal (16) from which a transformer core is constructed being received on at least two stacking tables (18) by means of a multiaxial robot (22) of the robot system (23), the sheets of metal being supplied to the robot and being stacked adjacent to the robot in at least two storage positions (31) for different sheets of metal by means of a conveyor device (29), the robot and the conveyor device being controlled by a control device (17), sheets of metal being collected from the storage positions and stacked on the stacking table by means of the robot disposed between and above the stacking tables.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (17) adjusts a stacking sequence of the sheets of metal (16) on the stacking tables (18) as a function of an availability of the sheets of metal in the storage positions (31).

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the robot (22) removes a single sheet of metal (16) or a sheet-metal bundle from the storage position (31).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of transformer cores (12) is constructed on one stacking table (12).

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the robot (24) positions and/or removes at least two threading bolts (20) and/or sheet-metal abutments as positioning aids for the sheets of metal (16) on and/or from a positioning surface (26) of the respective stacking table (18), the robot stacking the sheets of metal on the threading bolts and/or sheet-metal abutments after positioning the threading bolts and/or sheet-metal abutments.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that control commands are transmitted to the control device (17) by a control system (13) of an installation (10) for producing transformer cores (12) as a function of component data describing a transformer core.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that a positioning of threading bolts (20) and/or sheet-metal abutments on the stacking tables (18), the storage positions (31) for the respective sheets of metal (16) and/or a cutting sequence of a cutting device (30) for sheets of metal is identified by means of the control system (13).

8. A robot system (23) for producing transformer cores (12), the robot system comprising a multiaxial robot (22); at least two stacking tables (18) for receiving sheets of metal (16) from which a transformer core can be constructed; a conveyor device (29) for supplying sheets of metal; and a control device (17) for controlling the robot and the conveyor device, the conveyor device having at least two storage positions (31) intended for different sheets of metal and disposed adjacent to the robot, the respective sheets of metal being supplied to the storage positions and stacked in the storage positions, the robot being disposed between and above the stacking tables, sheets of metal being collected from the storage positions and stacked on the stacking tables by means of the robot.

9. The robot system according to claim 8, characterized in that the robot (22) is disposed between two parallel rows of at least two or more stacking tables (18) in each instance.

10. The robot system according to claim 9, characterized in that the robot (22) is realized so as to be displaceable parallel to the rows.

11. The robot system according to claim 9, characterized in that the robot system (23) comprises a plurality of robots (22) which are disposed in a displaceable manner between the rows and above the storage positions (31).

12. The robot system according to claim 8, characterized in that the conveyor device (29) forms one storage position (31) per stacking table (18), the storage position being disposed adjacent to the stacking table.

13. The robot system according to claim 8, characterized in that the storage position (31) is realized having abutments and/or a centering device for precisely disposing sheets of metal (16).

14. The robot system according to claim 8, characterized in that the stacking tables (18) each comprise at least two threading bolts (20) and/or sheet-metal abutments which serve as positioning aids for the sheets of metal (16), the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26) for the threading bolts and/or the sheet-metal abutments and being equipped with the threading bolts and/or the sheet-metal abutments.

15. The robot system according to claim 14, characterized in that the stacking table (18) and the threading bolts (20) and/or the sheet-metal abutments are realized such that a free positioning and location-independent fastening of the threading bolts and/or the sheet-metal abutments within the positioning surface (26) is possible at any position of the positioning surface.

16. The robot system according to claim 8, characterized in that the stacking table (18) is transported by means of a self-propelling cart (28) of the robot system (23).

Description

[0027] The FIGURE shows a schematic illustration of an installation 10 having a device 11 for producing transformer cores 12. Installation 10 comprises a control system 13 which serves for controlling installation 10. Component data 14 describing transformer cores 12 are processed using control system 13 by means of a so-called core configurator 15 so sheets of metal 16 from which transformer core 12 is constructed are calculated using their measurements. Control system 13 transmits control commands and/or data for producing transformer core 12 to a control device 17 which then initiates producing transformer core 12 using corresponding control commands.

[0028] Device 11 comprises among other elements a number of stacking tables 18 having a retaining system 19 for collecting sheets of metal 16. Retaining system 19 comprises at least two threading bolts 20 and, in this shown embodiment, substructions 21 for placing sheets of metal 16.

[0029] Sheets of metal 16 are realized having bores not illustrated in this instance and are placed and/or inserted on threading bolts 20. Sheets of metal 16 are placed on threading bolts 20 or rather on stacking table 18 by means of a robot 22 of a robot system 23. Threading bolts 20 are also positioned on a positioning surface 26 of stacking table 18 by means of a robot 24 of a positioning system 25. Positioning surface 26 is flat so a free positioning and a location-independent fastening of threading bolts 20 on positioning surface can be effected according to the specifications of control system 13. Threading bolts 20 are stored in a magazine 27 and are disposed on or removed from positioning surface 26 by means of robot 24. For this purpose, stacking table 18 is transported by means of a self-propelling cart 28. Cart 28 transports stacking table 18 to illustrated robot systems 23 at which stacking table 18 is equipped with sheets of metal 16 or rather sheets of metal 16 are stacked to construct transformer core 12. After transformer core 12 has been stacked, stacking table 18 is transported away from robot system 23 by cart 28.

[0030] A number of sheets of metal 16 is supplied to robot systems 23 from a cutting device 30 by means of a conveyor device 29 and are stacked adjacent to respective robot 22 in two storage positions 31 for different sheets of metal 16 in each instance. Robot 22 and/or storage position 31 is/are also controlled by means of control device 17. Robot 22 grapples sheets of metal 16 from respective storage positions 31 and positions them on threading bolts 20 on stacking table 18 until transformer core 12 is constructed. Robot 22 can be displaced above conveyor device 29 so that robot 22 can equip four stacking tables 18 with sheets of metal 16 simultaneously.

[0031] Only schematically illustrated cutting device 30 serves for cutting sheets of metal 16 and is controlled by control device 17. In cutting device 30, not-illustrated sheet-metal strips are cut such that sheets of metal 16 are yielded. Not-illustrated sheet-metal strips are supplied from steel-strip rolls to cutting device 30.