MACHINING FACILITY AND METHOD FOR CHANGING A TOOL IN THE MACHINING FACILITY

Abstract

The invention relates to a processing plant (1) comprising: at least one first working spindle (2); a tool magazine (6) for storing different processing tools (4), wherein at least one storage plane (10) having several tool receiving spaces (11) arranged next to one another is provided in the tool magazine (6); a tool change device (5) comprising at least one first gripper device (13) for exchanging the processing tool (4) held in the working spindle (2), wherein the gripper device (13) comprises at least one first gripper unit (15) and one second gripper unit (16) which are positioned at a gripper-unit distance (17) from one another.

The gripper units (15, 16) can be displaced between the working spindle (2) and the tool magazine (6).

Claims

1. A method for performing a tool change on a processing plant (1) with at least one first working spindle (2); a tool magazine (6) for storing different processing tools (4), wherein at least one storage plane (10) having several tool receiving spaces (11) arranged next to one another is provided in the tool magazine (6); a tool change device (5) comprising at least one first gripper device (13) for exchanging the processing tool (4) held in the working spindle (2), wherein the gripper device (13) comprises at least one first gripper unit (15) and one second gripper unit (16) which are positioned at a gripper-unit distance (17) from one another, wherein the method comprises the following method steps: removing a processing tool (4) that has already been used from the working spindle (2) by means of the first gripper unit (15); inserting a processing tool (4) held in the second gripper unit (16) into the working spindle (2); moving the gripper device (13) to the tool magazine (6) for receiving a new processing tool (4) from the tool magazine (6) into the gripper device (13) and simultaneously placing the already used processing tool (4) from the gripper device (13) into the tool magazine (6); and simultaneously processing a workpiece by means of the processing tool (4) held in the working spindle (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a second working spindle (3) is arranged next to the first working spindle (2), wherein the working spindles (2, 3) are arranged in parallel to one another and serve for receiving one processing tool (4) each and that wherein the tool change device (5) comprises a second gripper device (14), wherein the two gripper devices (13, 14) are moved synchronously to one another and simultaneously serve the two working spindles (2, 3).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein for receiving a new processing tool (4) from the tool magazine (6) into the gripper device (13, 14) and simultaneous placing of the already used processing tool (4) from the gripper device (13, 14) into the tool magazine (6), the processing tools (4) are arranged in the storage plane (10) such that the new processing tool (4) is arranged in a first tool receiving space (11) and in the gripper-unit distance (17) to the first tool receiving space (11) a second tool receiving space (11), which serves for placing the already used processing tool (4) from the gripper device (13, 14) into the tool magazine (6), is free.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein processing tools (4) can be manually inserted in a tool insertion station (25) and in further consequence can be collected by means of a gripper unit (15, 16).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in selected processing operations, in particular in processing operations with a long processing time, the processing tools (4) stored in the tool magazine (6) are newly sorted by means of the gripper device (13, 14) during processing of the workpiece.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein processing tools (4) which in the processing sequence follow such processing tools (4) by means of which shorter processing steps are carried out are stored closer to the working spindle (2, 3) than processing tools (4) which in the processing sequence follow such processing tools (4) by means of which longer processing steps are carried out.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein processing tools (4) which are used more often are stored closer to the working spindle (2, 3) than processing tools (4), which are used less often.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the already used processing tool (4) after removal from the working spindle (2, 3) is guided to a measuring device (26), in which wear of the processing tool (4) is detected, by means of the gripper device (13, 14).

9. A processing plant (1) comprising: at least one first working spindle (2); a tool magazine (6) for storing different processing tools (4), wherein at least one storage plane (10) having several tool receiving spaces (11) arranged next to one another is provided in the tool magazine (6); a tool change device (5) comprising at least one first gripper device (13) for exchanging the processing tool (4) held in the working spindle (2), wherein the gripper device (13) comprises at least one first gripper unit (15) and one second gripper unit (16) which are positioned at a gripper-unit distance (17) from one another, wherein the gripper unit (15) can be displaced between the working spindle (2) and the tool magazine (6).

10. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein a second working spindle (3) is arranged next to the first working spindle (2), wherein the working spindles (2, 3) are arranged in parallel to one another and serve for receiving one processing tool (4) each and that wherein the tool change device (5) comprises a second gripper device (14), wherein the two gripper devices (13, 14) are coupled to one another.

11. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the distance (12) between two adjacent tool receiving spaces (11) of a storage plane (10) corresponds to the gripper-unit distance (17) or to a unit fraction of the gripper-unit distance (17).

12. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein several storage planes (10) are arranged on top of one another in the tool magazine (6), wherein the distance (12) between two adjacent tool receiving spaces (11) in the different storage planes (10) is of different size.

13. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the gripper devices (13, 14) are mounted on a gripper device cradle (18) so as to be displaceable in transverse direction (19).

14. The processing plant according to claim 13, wherein the gripper devices (13, 14) are displaceable in transverse direction (19) by means of a central drive motor (20) and are displaced in opposite directions to one another.

15. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the gripper devices (13, 14) are mounted on a gripper device cradle (18) so as to be pivotable with respect to a vertical axis (21).

16. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the gripper device cradle (18) is mounted on a height-adjustment device (22) so as to be adjustable in height.

17. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the height-adjustment device (22) is mounted so as to be displaceable in a longitudinal direction (24) extending in parallel to the spindle axis of the working spindle (2, 3) by means of a linear guide (23).

18. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the linear guide (23) is arranged at the center of the processing plant (1).

19. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein a first tool magazine section (7) is formed, which is assigned to the first working spindle (2), and a second tool magazine section (8) is formed, which is assigned to the second working spindle (3), wherein the two tool magazine sections (7, 8) are arranged on the processing plant (1) symmetrically with respect to a mid-plane (9).

20. The processing plant according to claim 9, wherein the tool magazine (6) comprises two storage systems arranged at a distance (12) from one another and each having several tool receiving spaces (11) arranged on top of one another, wherein the storage systems are adjustable in height relative to one another such that different pairings of tool receiving spaces (11) can be set.

Description

[0033] For the purpose of better understanding of the invention, it will be elucidated in more detail by means of the figures below.

[0034] These show in a respectively very simplified schematic representation:

[0035] FIG. 1 a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of a processing plant;

[0036] FIG. 2 a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of a tool change device;

[0037] FIG. 3 a schematic representation of a first processing step in a tool change operation;

[0038] FIG. 4 a schematic representation of a second processing step in a tool change operation;

[0039] FIG. 5 a schematic representation of a third processing step in a tool change operation;

[0040] FIG. 6 a schematic representation of a fourth processing step in a tool change operation.

[0041] First of all, it is to be noted that in the different embodiments described, equal parts are provided with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations, where the disclosures contained in the entire description may be analogously transferred to equal parts with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations. Moreover, the specifications of location, such as at the top, at the bottom, at the side, chosen in the description refer to the directly described and depicted figure and in case of a change of position, these specifications of location are to be analogously transferred to the new position.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the processing plant 1 in a schematic representation. The processing plant 1 particularly serves for machining workpieces, wherein a first workpiece 2 and a second working spindle 3 in which processing tools 4 can be received are formed. In order to represent the essence of the invention, essential components of the processing plant 1 are not shown. The first working spindle 2 is adumbrated schematically. The second working spindle 3 is merely adumbrated by a central line for reasons of clarity.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a tool change device 5 for changing the processing tools 4 and a tool magazine 6 for receiving the processing tools 4.

[0044] The tool magazine 6 in particular serves for providing and storing different processing tools 4 for different processing operations. As can be gathered from FIG. 1, it can be provided for that the tool magazine 6 comprises a first tool magazine section 7 and a second tool magazine section 8, which are formed symmetrically with respect to a mid-plane 9. It is thus provided for that the first tool magazine section 7 is assigned to the first working spindle 2 and that the second tool magazine section 8 is assigned to the second working spindle 3.

[0045] Several storage planes 10 each having several tool receiving spaces 11 can be formed in the individual tool magazine sections 7, 8. The tool receiving spaces 11 are arranged next to one another in the individual storage planes 10, wherein a distance 12 between two adjacent tool receiving spaces 11 in different storage planes 10 can be of different size. For example, it can be provided for that a storage plane 10 is formed for receiving large processing tools 4, wherein the distance 12 of the individual tool receiving spaces 11 to one another is twice as big as in a further storage plane in which smaller processing tools 4 are received.

[0046] As can further be gathered from FIG. 1, the tool change device 5 comprises a first gripper device 13 and a second gripper device 14. The first gripper device 13 serves for transferring processing tools 4, which are stored in the first tool magazine section 7, to the first working spindle 2. The second gripper device 14 serves for transferring processing tools 4, which are stored in the second tool magazine section 8, to the second working spindle 3.

[0047] As the processing steps of the working spindles 2, 3 take place in parallel and/or synchronously to one another, it is also provided for that the processing tools 4 of the two working spindles 2, 3 are changed simultaneously. Thus, the same processing tools 4 are stored symmetrically to one another in the first tool magazine section 7 and in the second tool magazine section 8.

[0048] As can further be gathered from FIG. 1, a first gripper unit 15 and a second gripper unit 16 are arranged both on the first gripper device 13 and on the second gripper device 14. The first gripper unit 15 and the second gripper unit 16 each serve for collecting the already used processing tool 4 from the working spindle 2, 3 and/or for inserting a new processing tool 4 into the working spindle 2, 3.

[0049] Due to the course of process of a tool change, the already used processing tool 4 is received alternately once in the first gripping unit 15 and once in the second gripping unit 16 in each case. The new processing tool 4 is provided in the respective other gripper unit 15, 16.

[0050] The two gripper units 15, 16 are arranged at a gripper-unit distance 17 from one another. The gripper-unit distance 17 and the distance 12 between two adjacent tool receiving spaces 11 can for example be of the same size. Moreover, it is also conceivable that the gripper-unit distance 17 corresponds to an integer multiple of the distance 12 between two adjacent tool receiving spaces 11. In other words, that the distance 12 between two adjacent tool receiving spaces 11 amounts to a fraction of the gripper-unit distance 17.

[0051] The first gripper device 13 and/or the second gripper device 14 are arranged on a gripper device cradle 18, which is described in more detail in FIG. 2 and/or explained by means of the representation in FIG. 2. The two gripper devices 13, 14 are displaceable in transverse direction 19 relative to one another and/or relative to the gripper device cradle 18. This can prefer-ably be achieved by means of a central drive motor 20.

[0052] Moreover, it is provided for that the two gripper devices 13, 14 are arranged on the gripper device cradle 18 so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis 21.

[0053] The gripper device cradle 18 is mounted on a height-adjustment device 22, by means of which it can be displaced in its height. Thereby, both the working spindles 2, 3 and the different storage planes 10 of the tool magazine 6 can be reached by means of the gripper devices 13, 14.

[0054] The height-adjustment device 22 is mounted on a linear guide 23, which extends in the longitudinal direction 24 of the processing plant 1. Hence, the gripper devices 13, 14 can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction 24.

[0055] The height-adjustment device 22 comprises guide rails on which the gripper device cradle 18 is displaceably mounted. An electric motor, in particular a servomotor, and an adjustment spindle connected thereto can for example serve as a drive for the height-adjustment device 22. Of course, other drive units, such as a timing belt, a toothed rack or the like can be used as well.

[0056] The linear guide 23 also comprises guide rails by means of which the height-adjustment device 22 is displaceably mounted on the base frame of the processing plant 1. As a drive for the linear guide 23, for example an electric motor which cooperates with a toothed rack can be used.

[0057] Moreover, as can be gathered from FIG. 1, it can be provided for that a tool insertion station 25 is formed, into which processing tools 4 can be inserted and can be gripped by the gripper devices 13, 14.

[0058] The tool insertion station 25 can comprise conveying devices, by means of which the processing tools 4 at an insertion position can be conveyed to a further position, in which the processing tools 4 can be gripped by means of the gripper devices 13, 14. In particular, it is also conceivable that merely one tool insertion station 25 is provided, in which tools can be inserted for both the first tool magazine section 7 and the second tool magazine section 8.

[0059] In addition to this, it can be provided for that a measuring device 26 is formed, which serves for measuring used processing tools 4. In this regard, it can in particular be provided for that after removal from the working spindles 2, 3 the processing tools 4 are moved to the measuring device 26 by means of the gripper devices 13, 14 and are measured there. In particular, it can be provided for that the measuring device 26 is formed in proximity to the working spindles 2, 3.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the processing plant 1, wherein again, equal reference numbers and/or component designations are used for equal parts as before in FIG. 1. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, it is pointed to/reference is made to the detailed description in FIG. 1 preceding it.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of an exemplary embodiment of the gripper device cradle 18 along with the first gripper device 13 and the second gripper device 14. As can well be seen from FIG. 2, the gripper devices 13, 14 are mounted on the gripper device cradle 18 so as to be displaceable by means of a guide rail 27. Hence, the gripper devices 13, 14 can be displaced in transverse direction 19. In particular, it can be provided for that the drive motor 20, for displacing the gripper devices 13, 14, is coupled to a timing belt 28, wherein the timing belt 28 is connected to a first driver element 29 and to a second driver element 30. The first driver element 29 cooperates with the first gripper device 13 and the second driver element 30 cooperates with the second gripper device 14.

[0062] As can be gathered from FIG. 2, the two driver elements 29, 30 are arranged on opposite sides of the timing belt 28, whereby when the timing belt 28 is moved, the two gripper devices 13, 14 are displaced in opposite directions to one another by means of the drive motor 20.

[0063] As can well be gathered from FIG. 2, it can in particular be provided for that the gripper devices 13, 14 are arranged on a first displacement unit 31 and/or on a second displacement unit 32, which are displaceable relative to the gripper device cradle 18. The gripper units 15, 16 can be rotatable relative to the displacement units 31, 32 and thus relative to the gripper device cradle 18 with respect to a vertical axis 21. In particular, it can be provided for that a separate rotation motor 33, by means of which the gripper devices 13, 14 can be rotated relative to the displacement unit 31, 32, is provided for each gripper device 13, 14. The rotation motor 33 can be coupled to the gripper device 13, 14 either directly or by means of a gear wheel or a gear. In addition to this, the rotation motor 33 can be received and/or held on the displacement unit 31, 32.

[0064] FIGS. 3 to 6 show a further and possibly independent embodiment of the processing plant 1, wherein again, equal reference numbers and/or component designations are used for equal parts as in FIGS. 1 and 2 above. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, it is pointed to/reference is made to the detailed description in FIGS. 1 and 2 preceding it.

[0065] FIGS. 3 to 6 show the processing plant 1 in a highly simplified representation, wherein individual method steps of carrying out a tool change are represented.

[0066] As can be gathered from FIG. 3, a new processing tool 4, which is to be used in the next processing step, is in each case located in the first gripper unit 15 of the two gripper device 13, 14, and the second gripper units 16 are free. The gripper devices 13, 14 are moved to the working spindles 2, 3 such that the processing tool 4 currently held in the working spindle 2, 3 can be gripped by means of the second gripper unit 16 in each case and can be removed from the working spindle 2, 3.

[0067] Subsequently, according to the representation in FIG. 4, the two gripper devices 13, 14 are displaced in transverse direction 19 such that the new processing tool, which is held in the first gripper units 15, can be inserted into the working spindle 2, 3.

[0068] Once the processing tool 4 has been inserted into the working spindle 2, 3, the processing tool 4 received in the second gripper unit 16 can be brought to the tool magazine 6, as is shown in FIG. 5.

[0069] Optionally, the wear of the processing tool 4 can be determined by means of the measuring device 26 prior to this.

[0070] When the gripper devices 13, 14 are moved to the tool magazine 6, the first gripper unit 15 is free and the already used processing tool 4 is held in the second gripper unit 16. The gripper devices 13, 14 are, according to the representation in FIG. 6, displaced to a storage plane 10 such that the already used processing tool 4 can be placed in a free tool receiving space 11 and simultaneously, a new processing tool 4 envisaged for the next processing step can be received at a tool receiving space 11 that is spaced at the gripper-unit distance 17. In the course of this, the second gripper unit 16 is opened so as to place down the processing tool 4 held therein and the first gripper unit 15 is closed so as to receive the new processing tool 4. Subsequently, the gripper device 13, 14 can be moved back to the working spindles 2, 3 to insert the new processing tool 4.

[0071] The insertion of the new processing tool 4 takes place analogously to the already described method steps, wherein now, not the second gripper unit 16 but the first gripper unit 15 serves for receiving the processing tool already held in the working spindle 2, 3.

[0072] It is thus provided for that in each second method round, the first gripper unit 15 serves for receiving the processing tool clamped in the working spindle 2 and in each second processing operation the second gripper unit 16 serves for receiving the processing tool 4 clamped in the working spindle 2, 3.

[0073] Furthermore, the gripper devices 13, 14 can be used for resorting the processing tools 4 in the tool magazine 6 during longer processing operations.

[0074] As can be gathered from FIGS. 1 to 6, the tool receiving spaces 11 can be formed by a storage rail, which can receive the processing tools 4. Where an individual storage rail is used, the processing tool 4 must be stored such in the storage rail that by means of a positively locked connection secure hold of the processing tool 4 in the storage rail can be achieved. Where two storage rails arranged at a distance from one another are used, the processing tool 4 can rest on both storage rails.

[0075] The exemplary embodiments show possible embodiment variants, and it should be noted in this respect that the invention is not restricted to these particular illustrated embodiment variants of it, but that rather also various combinations of the individual embodiment variants are possible and that this possibility of variation owing to the teaching for technical action provided by the present invention lies within the ability of the person skilled in the art in this technical field.

[0076] The scope of protection is determined by the claims. However, the description and the drawings are to be adduced for construing the claims. Individual features or feature combinations from the different exemplary embodiments shown and described may represent independent inventive solutions. The object underlying the independent inventive solutions may be gathered from the description.

[0077] All indications regarding ranges of values in the present description are to be understood such that these also comprise random and all partial ranges from it, for example, the indication 1 to 10 is to be understood such that it comprises all partial ranges based on the lower limit 1 and the upper limit 10, i.e. all partial ranges start with a lower limit of 1 or larger and end with an upper limit of 10 or less, for example 1 through 1.7, or 3.2 through 8.1, or 5.5 through 10.

[0078] Finally, as a matter of form, it should be noted that for ease of understanding of the structure, elements are partially not depicted to scale and/or are enlarged and/or are reduced in size.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0079] 1 processing plant [0080] 2 first working spindle [0081] 3 second working spindle [0082] 4 processing tool [0083] 5 tool change device [0084] 6 tool magazine [0085] 7 first tool magazine section [0086] 8 second tool magazine section [0087] 9 mid-plane [0088] 10 storage plane [0089] 11 tool receiving space [0090] 12 distance [0091] 13 first gripper device [0092] 14 second gripper device [0093] 15 first gripper unit [0094] 16 second gripper unit [0095] 17 gripper-unit distance [0096] 18 gripper device cradle [0097] 19 transverse direction [0098] 20 drive motor [0099] 21 vertical axis [0100] 22 height-adjustment device [0101] 23 linear guide [0102] 24 longitudinal direction [0103] 25 tool insertion station [0104] 26 measuring device [0105] 27 guide rail [0106] 28 timing belt [0107] 29 first driver element [0108] 30 second driver element [0109] 31 first displacement unit [0110] 32 second displacement unit [0111] 33 rotation motor