Method for processing panel-shaped workpieces

Abstract

A method for processing panel-shaped workpieces having the steps of providing a large-format panel, and feeding the large-format panel to a detachment station; detaching panel-shaped workpieces by dividing the large-format panel in the detachment station by making cuts in the large-format panel using a detachment unit; and feeding the workpieces thus detached to a downstream processing station in order to complete the panel-shaped workpiece. In step b) at least a part of each detached workpiece acquires from the detachment unit an alignment section for engaging gripping elements and/or introducing reference bores. After the workpiece provided with the alignment section has been detached it is taken over by a gripping element, engaging element or grasping element which engages the alignment section. After the workpiece is taken over, the gripping element, engaging element or grasping element engaging in a form-fitting manner on the alignment section of the workpiece runs through a cycle.

Claims

1. A method for processing panel-shaped workpieces (5), which are made of wood or wood substitutes, in which the following steps are carried out: a) providing a large-format panel (4), which is made of wood or wood substitute materials, and feeding (P1) the large-format panel (4) to a detachment station (1); b) detaching panel-shaped workpieces (5) by dividing the provided large-format panel (4) in the detachment station (1) by making cuts in the large-format panel (4) using at least one detachment unit (11), wherein at least a part of each of the workpieces (5) thus detached acquires from the detachment unit (11) an alignment section (5a) for engaging gripping elements (14, 15); and c) feeding the workpieces (5) thus detached to at least one downstream processing station (2, 3; 110, 111, 112) in order to complete the panel-shaped workpiece (5), wherein after the workpiece (5) has been provided with the alignment section (5a), the workpiece (5) is taken over by means of at least one of the gripping elements (14, 15) as an engaging element or grasping element which engages the alignment section (5a), wherein after the workpiece (5) is taken over, the at least one of the gripping elements (14, 15), engaging in a form-fitting manner on the alignment section (5a) of the workpiece (5), runs through a cycle (100), wherein the detachment unit (11), in addition to detaching the workpiece (5), is configured to introduce additional processing steps selected from the group consisting of introducing rabbets, introducing grooves, introducing bores, and introducing recesses into the workpiece.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the gripping elements (14, 15) as an engaging element or grasping element, comprises at least one of a gripper that engages the alignment section (5a) and a centering or aligning element (15c), wherein in step b) an alignment section recess in the form of a reference bore (5c) in which said centering or alignment element (15c) engages is introduced into the alignment section (5a).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one final cut (5b) is carried out by the detachment unit (11) in step b), wherein the alignment section (5a) is provided on a part of the individual detached workpiece which is free of final cuts.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detachment unit (11) comprises at least one milling unit and/or a sawing unit.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detachment station (1) comprises a processing table (12), wherein the detachment unit (11) is mounted thereon such that it is displaceable in a first direction (X, Y) on a gantry (10).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one detachment unit (11) is displaceable in a second direction (X) perpendicular to the first direction (Y).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a panel-shaped workpiece (5) is cut out of the large-format panel by bringing the detachment unit (11) into engagement with the large-format panel (4) and moving the large-format panel in the first direction (Y) and/or moving the detachment unit (11) in the second direction (X).

8. A method for processing panel-shaped workpieces (5), which are made of wood or wood substitutes, in which the following steps are carried out: a) providing a large-format panel (4), which is made of wood or wood substitute materials, and feeding (P1) the large-format panel (4) to a detachment station (1); b) detaching panel-shaped workpieces (5) by dividing the provided large-format panel (4) in the detachment station (1) by making cuts in the large-format panel (4) using at least one detachment unit (11), wherein at least a part of each of the workpieces (5) thus detached acquires from the detachment unit (11) an alignment section (5a) for engaging gripping elements (14, 15); and c) feeding the workpieces (5) thus detached to at least one downstream processing station (2, 3; 110, 111, 112) in order to complete the panel-shaped workpiece (5), wherein after the workpiece (5) has been provided with the alignment section (5a), the workpiece (5) is taken over by means of at least one of the gripping elements (14, 15) as an engaging element or grasping element which engages the alignment section (5a), wherein after the workpiece (5) is taken over, the at least one of the gripping elements (14, 15), engaging in a form-fitting manner on the alignment section (5a) of the workpiece (5), runs through a cycle (100), wherein at least one downstream processing station (2, 3;110, 111, 112) is arranged in the cycle (100) and is run through by the workpiece (5), and wherein at least one of the following processing steps is carried out at the at least one downstream processing station (2, 3; 110, 111, 112): i) picking up and aligning a detached workpiece (5) on the alignment section (5a); ii) coating a narrow side of the panel-shaped workpiece (5) with an edge strip; iii) carrying out a final cut on a not yet fully formatted narrow side of the panel-shaped workpiece (5); iv) introducing at least one bore into the panel-shaped workpiece (5), and v) providing the panel-shaped workpiece (5) with an edge strip and finishing the workpiece provided with an edge strip.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one downstream processing station (2, 3; 110, 111, 112) is selected from the group consisting of a processing center, a through-feed machine, a drilling machine, and a gantry.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein waste produced in the region of final cuts (5b) made in step b) is discarded before or during step c).

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the alignment section (5a) of a panel-shaped workpiece (5) detached in step b) is used in the further processing process to align the workpiece (5) concerned.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alignment section (5a) is removed by a final cut or separating cut in or after step c).

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the alignment section (5a) is removed in the last of the at least one downstream processing station (2, 3, 110, 111, 112).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4H.

(2) FIG. 1A is a top view of an exemplary device with a connected cycle for carrying out the method according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 1B is a top view of part of a device according to the invention with further processing stations.

(4) FIG. 2A is a top view of an exemplary workpiece detached in the detachment station with an alignment section in a first embodiment.

(5) FIG. 2B is a top view of an exemplary workpiece detached in the detachment station with an alignment section in a second embodiment.

(6) FIG. 2C is a top view of an exemplary workpiece detached in the detachment station with an alignment section in a third embodiment.

(7) FIG. 2D is a top view of an exemplary workpiece detached in the detachment station with an alignment section in a fourth embodiment.

(8) FIG. 3A is a top view of an exemplary workpiece separated in the detachment station with an alignment section in a fifth embodiment in a perspective illustration.

(9) FIG. 3B is a perspective illustration of the workpiece from FIG. 3A, which is gripped by a gripping element, engaging element or gripping element in a form-fitting manner.

(10) FIG. 3C shows the situation of FIG. 3B in a top view.

(11) FIG. 3D shows the situation of FIG. 3B as a sectional view.

(12) FIG. 4A shows an enlarged detail of the detail A from FIG. 1B.

(13) FIG. 4B shows an enlarged detail of the detail B from FIG. 1B.

(14) FIG. 4C shows an enlarged detail of the detail C from FIG. 1B.

(15) FIG. 4D shows an enlarged detail of the detail D from FIG. 1B.

(16) FIG. 4E shows an enlarged detail of the detail E from FIG. 1B.

(17) FIG. 4F shows an enlarged detail of the detail F from FIG. 1B.

(18) FIG. 4G shows an enlarged detail of the detail G from FIG. 1.

(19) FIG. 4H shows an enlarged detail of the detail H from FIG. 1B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) FIG. 1A shows an overview of a possible device by means of which the method according to the invention can be carried out. Many other devices are also conceivable.

(21) The following description of individual components of the device shown in FIG. 1A is therefore given purely by way of example and the components described are optional with regard to the method according to the invention.

(22) The method according to the invention merely requires that, on the one hand, a detachment station 1 is provided, which effects the detachment of large-format panels 4 into individual detached workpieces 5 and, on the other hand, at least one processing station 16, 2, 3 arranged downstream of the detachment station 1 is provided, on which the detached workpiece 5 in any form is handled or otherwise processed. The panel-shaped workpieces in the sense of the invention are preferably those made of wood or wood substitutes. Other materials are conceivable in principle.

(23) In the example shown, the detachment station 1 has a gantry 10 on which a processing unit 11 is arranged such that it is displaceable back and forth in the direction X (direction of the arrow P3). The gantry 10 itself is preferably immovable perpendicular to its direction of extension, but can also be designed to be displaceable in the Y direction. However, the processing unit 11 does not necessarily have to be attached to a gantry 10; it can also be arranged movably in other ways on the detachment station 1 relative to the deposit table 12 of the detachment station 1.

(24) The large-format panel 4 is preferably pushed in the direction of the arrow P1 (parallel to the direction Y) onto the deposit surface of the deposit table 12 and is grasped and fixed there by grippers 13 which act on the transverse side of the large-format panel 4 in relation to the direction Y and/or by grippers 14 which act on the long side of the large-format panel 4 in relation to the direction Y. The grippers 13, 14 are preferably displaceable in the direction Y. For detachment, the processing unit 11, which may be a milling cutter or saw or some other processing unit, carries out, among other things, cuts by which a workpiece 5 is separated out from the large-format panel. In the example shown, this takes place at A (FIG. 4A).

(25) It is now essential for the implementation of the idea underlying the invention that the detached workpiece 5 acquires an alignment section in the separating station 1. With reference to FIGS. 2A to 2B and 3A to 3D, the examples explain what an alignment section may be.

(26) On the one hand, as shown in FIG. 2A, an alignment section 5a can be, for example, a material overhang which, unlike for example final cuts 5b in which the detached workpiece 5 already has its final format, still has to be separated from the detached workpiece 5 in a later process step. Alternatively or in addition, it is also possible, as shown for example in FIG. 2B, in which the workpiece 5 has a parallelogram shape and also in FIG. 2A, for example, to introduce or to apply alignment section recesses 5c into the workpiece 5 in the region of the detachment station during the detachment process. In the example shown, the alignment section recesses 5c are, for example, recesses introduced by milling or drilling in which, for example, corresponding centering elements or alignment elements of gripping devices which take over the detached workpiece 5 can engage. Such recesses are preferably not designed to be rotationally symmetrical, so that said gripping devices engage in a more or less form-fitting manner in the workpiece 5 that has been taken over and the gripping device can take up this workpiece with a defined reference position. The machine control then knows precisely how the workpiece 5 is aligned in the machine.

(27) As shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, in particular if alignment section 5a and alignment section recesses 5c are combined with each other, after the detachment in the detachment station any shapes (rectangle in FIG. 2C or oval in FIG. 2D) can be transferred to subsequent processing units for further processing steps.

(28) In FIG. 3A, the alignment section recesses 5c are, for example, simple bores, which can be, for example, cylindrical bores, through bores or cup bores, into which an alignment element of the gripping element, engaging element or grasping element 15 engages in a form-fitting manner, as can be seen in FIGS. 3B to 3D. In the example shown, the element 15 engages with two cantilevers 15a and 15b, each of which has an alignment element 15c, in the corresponding alignment section recesses 5c. The alignment element 15c can be clearly seen in FIG. 3D, for example, as it penetrates into the alignment section recesses 5c. In the example shown, the alignment element 15c is a pin or mandrel which lies in a form-fitting manner in the alignment section recesses 5c. In this way, the workpiece 5 can be pulled along by the element 15 and transported through the further device.

(29) A corresponding first transfer is shown, for example, in section B of FIGS. 1A and 1B and the associated FIG. 4B. Identical components or similar components of FIGS. 1A and 1B are designated by the same reference signs. In the figures shown, the already detached workpiece is picked up in section B, for example, by a processing station 16 in the form of a rotating device and is rotated by 90° and then transferred to the gripping element, engaging element or grasping element 15, which is preferably at least initially displaceable in the direction Y and takes over the workpiece 5 at the corresponding alignment section and, if necessary, transports it through the further device. According to the invention, the element 15 will then pass through the cycle 100 so that it can pick up the next workpiece 5 in section B after it has passed through (arrows P100, P101, P102, P103, P104).

(30) One or a plurality of processing stations 110, 111, 112 can be run through in the cycle, which in the example shown are designed as gantries with processing units 110a, 111a, 112a. However, the processing station(s) in the cycle 100 can also be different processing stations, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1B and explained in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4H. The positive engagement of the element 15 on the corresponding alignment section has the particular advantage that in this way the workpiece can be guided very easily through the cycle 100 and can be processed there from all sides. The workpieces can be ejected from the cycle (arrow P0). Of course, the workpiece can also completely run through the cycle 100 and, for example, without being reintroduced into the cycle at the station B, but instead can continue straight ahead in the direction Y (see FIG. 1B) and can run through further stations C to H.

(31) Once the workpiece has been picked up by the element 15, from this point the machine control knows exactly the orientation in which the workpiece 5 lies in the machine and can run the further processing program based on this. Instead of the devices 15, 16, it is also possible in the corresponding device at this point (B) to use a robot which, on the one hand, rotates the workpiece into a certain position and, on the other hand, can grip the workpiece 5 accordingly on the alignment section 5a or by the final cut 5b.

(32) Rotation is of course optional. The subsequent processing steps—whether they take place in the cycle 100 or at the stations C to H—can be combined with one another as desired or individual processing steps can be omitted. For example, at C (according to FIG. 4C), milling or drilling can be carried out with a corresponding unit 17 (if necessary from the underside of workpiece 5), wherein the above-mentioned grippers 15 can be used to hold the workpiece 5 during this processing step. This can also be achieved by a robot traveling along in the direction Y.

(33) At station D (FIG. 4D) the workpiece 5 can, for example, be placed on a vacuum table 19 or in a buffer and, if necessary, can be taken over by a further group of grippers or clamps which are movable in the direction Y. At the same time or in addition, the transfer of the workpiece 5 to the transport system or a protection system of the subsequent processing station can take place at this point.

(34) There, for example, optionally at F (FIG. 4F), a further processing unit such as a tool changer or a row drilling head 26 or a gluing unit can be provided, which performs processing steps on the workpiece 5.

(35) Likewise, the workpiece 5 at station E (FIG. 4E) can be held by corresponding grippers or clamps 23, 24 and/or shifted in the direction Y, wherein, for example, post-processing can be carried out from the top of the workpiece 5.

(36) A further optional station is the station G (FIG. 4G). At this point, for example, it is possible to arrange a gluing unit 21 or an attaching unit which is supplied by an edge magazine 22 and is designed for attaching edge bands to the narrow side of the workpiece 5. In theory, it can be attached to three narrow sides of the workpiece, namely wherever the workpiece 5 is not held.

(37) In particular, further final cuts can be made, if required, on the workpiece 5 in stations B to F.

(38) At the station H shown in more detail in FIG. 4H (i.e., preferably at the end of processing), the alignment section 5a can then be removed and the workpiece can be completed at the end for transport. For this purpose, a saw or a milling machine 20 can be provided at this point.

(39) Of course, stations two and three can contain both a through-feed machine and processing centers or can be designed as such.

(40) With the arrangement according to the invention, processing procedures can be optimized because auxiliary measures for the later alignment and referencing of the workpiece 5 detached from the large-format panel 4 can be carried out before the actual processing, so that corresponding set-up times for the actual workpiece processing can be avoided.