SYSTEM FOR MACHINING WORKPIECES

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for machining work-pieces (W), which preferably consist, at least in some sections, of wood, wood materials, plastic or the like, comprising: a machining device (B1, B2, B3) for carrying out the workpiece machining, which machining device has a control apparatus having a data transfer interface; and a terminal (10), which has a data transfer interface, which is designed to communicate with the data transfer interface of the machining device (B1, B2, B3) by means of a data connection (15). The control apparatus is designed to forward state information of the machining device (B1, B2, B3) to the terminal (10) via the data transfer interface.

Claims

1. System for machining workpieces which consist, at least in some sections, of wood, wood materials, plastic or the like, comprising: a machining device for carrying out the workpiece machining, which machining device has a control apparatus having a data transfer interface, and a terminal which has a data transfer interface that is designed to communicate with the data transfer interface of the machining device by means of a data connection, wherein the control apparatus is designed to relay status information of the machining device to the terminal via the data transfer interface.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises multiple terminals and/or multiple machining devices, each having a data transfer interface.

3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one terminal is mobile and preferably has means for carrying the terminal on the body of an operator, in particular on the arm or in the head region.

4. System according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one terminal has information output means which are selected from image output means, sound output means and touch output means, in particular vibration output means.

5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the image output of at least one terminal includes a virtual or projected representation.

6. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the control apparatus is designed to relay action instructions to the terminal, via the data transfer interface, for output to an operator.

7. System according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one terminal has information input means which are preferably selected from touch input means, in particular a keyboard or touchscreen, sound input means, in particular speech recognition means, and motion detection means, in particular gesture detection means or a virtual touchscreen.

8. System according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one control apparatus is designed to receive, via the data transfer interface, control commands for the respective machining device which have been input at at least one terminal by an operator.

9. System according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one terminal has a wireless data transfer interface.

10. Method for machining workpieces which consist, at least in some sections, of wood, wood materials, plastic or the like, in particular using a system according to one of the preceding claims, said method comprising the steps: establishing a data connection between a terminal and a machining device for carrying out the workpiece machining, and outputting status information of the machining device and/or action instructions by means of the terminal.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that, based on the status information and/or action instruction that is output, an action is performed on the machining device.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that a control command which is input by an operator is relayed from at least one terminal to at least one machining device by means of the data connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of one embodiment of the system according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 schematically shows another embodiment of the system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. Additional modifications of particular individual features which are mentioned in this connection can each be combined with one another in order to form new embodiments.

[0024] A system 1 for machining workpieces according to one embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in FIG. 1. The system 1 serves for machining a workpiece which consists, at least in some sections, of wood, wood materials, plastic or the like, for example a solid wood panel, a plywood panel, a chipboard panel, an MDF panel, an HDF panel or the like. Such workpieces are preferably used in the furniture and components industry. Purely by way of example, it may be a kitchen worktop, a shelf, a floor panel, door, or the like.

[0025] The system 1 in the present embodiment comprises, purely by way of example, three machining devices B1, B2 and B3, each of which serves to carry out a workpiece machining. Each of the machining devices has a control apparatus (not shown) having a data transfer interface.

[0026] The system in the present embodiment additionally comprises one terminal 10, although multiple terminals 10 may also be provided. The terminal 10 has a data transfer interface (not shown) which serves and is designed to communicate with the respective data transfer interfaces of the machining devices B1, B2 and B3. The connection takes place by means of a data connection 15, which in the present embodiment is configured as a wireless data connection. The data connection 15 may be configured in the manner of a so-called cloud and to this end may optionally also have a dedicated server 20. The wireless data connection itself may be based on various technologies, such as for example WLAN, Bluetooth or a mobile telephone connection.

[0027] The control apparatuses of the respective machining devices B1, B2 and B3 are designed to relay status information of the respective machining device to the terminal 10 via the associated data transfer interface. The status information may be a wide variety of information, such as for example the machining status of a workpiece (in particular including the remaining machining time), the operating status or maintenance status of the respective machining device, error messages, or various other status information.

[0028] In the present embodiment, the terminal 10 is a mobile terminal which is designed to be worn on the body of an operator. One preferred embodiment of such a terminal 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2, which likewise shows an embodiment of the system according to the invention. In this embodiment, the terminal 10 is configured as so-called smart glasses, which are worn on the head of an operator via a frame 12. Here, the terminal 10 has both an image output and a sound output for relaying information to the operator. In addition, the terminal 10 could also have vibration output means.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the image output also includes the outputting of a virtual image 10a, which is shown schematically in FIG. 2. This may be a projected representation which, for example, is actually projected onto a background or optionally also onto a body part of the user. Otherwise, the projected representation may also take place in the smart glasses themselves, but may appear to the user to float freely in space.

[0030] The representation of the smart glasses may also take place in the manner of a Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality. In the latter case, reality and virtual representation are presented in a superimposed manner such that they complement one another to form a whole picture.

[0031] By virtue of these information output means, the terminal 10 is able to display, in addition to the status information, also further information, such as action instructions in particular, for the respective operator. Such action instructions may be, for example, an operator guide to the machine for various action and set-up activities. To this end, various presentation forms can be displayed on the terminal 10, including camera images, GPS data, virtual representations, projections or the like.

[0032] In addition to the aforementioned information output means, the terminal 10 in the present embodiment has various information input means, such as for example a microphone, which may optionally also enable speech recognition, as well as a physical or virtual keyboard or touchscreen. A virtual touchscreen may be based on gesture detection, whereby the operator moves for example one hand into certain areas of the virtual representation 10a and this movement is used to input information.

[0033] In this way, not only can the operator be provided with status information for the respective machining device, but the operator can also pass control commands back to the respective machining device. To this end, the control apparatuses of the respective machining devices B1, B2, B3 are designed to receive, via the data transfer interface, control commands which have been input at the at least one terminal 10 by an operator.

[0034] The system 1 according to the invention is operated for example as follows. First, an operator, as shown in FIG. 2, carries out a machine operation on a machine tool (for example B1) and, when doing so, follows action instructions which are displayed to the operator by means of the terminal 10 via the virtual representation 10a. By way of example, the operator places a particular workpiece W into the machining device B1. Once this process is complete, the operator confirms this by a virtual input in the virtual representation 10a. The machining device B1 then carries out a machining operation, during which the operator need not intervene for a certain period of time.

[0035] The operator can now turn to the machining devices B2 or B3 or also to other activities. The status information of the respective machining devices B1, B2 and B3 is displayed to the operator by means of the terminal 10 so that the operator can decide whether any intervention or actions are currently required on the machining devices.

[0036] If no interventions or actions are currently required on the machining devices B1, B2 or B3, the operator can carry out further value-adding activities. However, as soon as measures must be taken on a machining device B1, B2, B3, said measures are displayed to the operator by means of the terminal, or the operator can regularly check that the machining devices are operating properly by means of a status display in the terminal.

[0037] To this end, the operator can call up different status views as required. Overall, therefore, this can be referred to as a production navigation system, as it were, in which the operator (or optionally multiple operators) has a complete overview of the status of the individual machining devices at all times, and thus also of the system as a whole, by means of the (at least one) terminal 10.

[0038] As soon as a machining device requires intervention by the operator, this is displayed to the operator in the terminal 10. Said intervention may be, for example, simply inputting a control command on a machining device, without the operator having to take himself over to the machining device in question. By way of example, the control apparatus of the machining device in question may request, from the operator, approval for a particular machine mode or the next batch of workpieces. As an alternative or in addition, it is also possible that a particular action instruction is displayed to the operator by means of the terminal 10, for example to return to a particular machining device and for example insert new workpieces therein, swap tools, make repairs, etc.

[0039] In the context of the present invention, a wide variety of mobile or stationary terminals can be used instead of the smart glasses described above. The range extends from simple headsets (optionally with a microphone and voice control) to highly complex smart devices which can cover the entire range of input and output means.

[0040] In addition, the terminal 10 may also have at least one sensor relating to the characteristics of the operator. Various safety and comfort functions can be carried out by means of this at least one sensor, for example detecting fatigue of the operator, but also simply identifying the operator so as to make various operator-specific (comfort) adjustments to the respective machining device based on the recognized operator.