DEVICE FOR PRODUCING COMPONENTS AND PRODUCTION METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and to a method for producing components which are to be used, for example in the field of furniture and components industry. These components can be for example, tables, chairs, cabinets, furniture fronts, frame elements or similar.

Claims

1. A device for producing components, the device comprising: a workpiece holder for accommodating a workpiece; a handling device, which has a handling unit to pick up, raise and/or move a workpiece provided on the workpiece holder; and a unit for forming a three-dimensional body by means of an additive method, using a paste-like compound.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the unit for forming a three-dimensional body is an extruder, wherein the extruder has an extruder screw accommodated in a main body; and wherein the extruder is configured to convey a filament, or the extruder is configured to convey a foam material.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the unit for forming a three-dimensional body is moveable in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction relative to the workpiece holder, and wherein the unit for forming the three-dimensional body is pivotable around at least one axis.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the handling unit comprises a suction clamp or a workpiece gripper.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the handling device is configured multi jointed and/or pivotable around at least one axis.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the handling device is attached to a first moveable unit, in particular a cantilever or a gantry, and/or the unit for forming a three-dimensional body is attached to a second moveable unit, in particular a cantilever or a gantry, wherein the first and/or second unit is or are moveable along a guide provided or attached to the workpiece holder.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a machining device having a tool for machining, in particular a milling tool, a saw or a drill, wherein the machining device is attached to a first moveable unit, and wherein the handling device is attached to the first moveable unit.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece holder has a workpiece support surface for accommodating a workpiece which is plate-like, and wherein the workpiece support surface has suction ports in order to hold the plate-like workpiece on the workpiece support surface.

9. A method for producing a component by using a device according to claim 1, having the steps: providing a workpiece; and creating a three-dimensional body by means of an additive method, the three-dimensional body being formed on the workpiece or connected with it.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the additive method is a melt layer method.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the workpiece has a retaining structure, in particular a recess, a through hole or a projection, wherein the three-dimensional body is created starting from the retaining structure of the workpiece, or the workpiece and the three-dimensional body are pushed against one another in such a manner that the three-dimensional body, in particular a paste-like compound of the three-dimensional body, is formed at least partially around the retaining structure of the workpiece or penetrates into it.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the three-dimensional body has free-form surfaces in sections and/or the workpiece is carved, in particular cut, from a workpiece which is plate-like.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the workpiece is a particle board, an MDF board, an HDF board, a lightweight board, a metal foam board, a synthetic material board or a composite material board.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein a material for creating the three-dimensional body by means of an additive method comprises a biological polymer which in particular has lignin and/or natural fibers, the natural fibers further being formed from wood, flax, hemp, sisal, jute and/or other plant fibers, or a material for creating the three-dimensional body by means of an additive method has a metallic or mineral paste and/or a paste-like, in particular thermoplastic or duroplastic, synthetic material compound, the synthetic material compound further having fibers, or a material for creating the three-dimensional body by means of an additive method comprises a foam, in particular PU foam, metal foam or wood foam.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein firstly one or several three-dimensional bodies are created and subsequently a further layer of the material for creating the three-dimensional body, in particular the paste-like compound, is applied to the one three-dimensional body or the several three-dimensional bodies, in order to connect the three-dimensional body with a workpiece.

16. The method according to claim 9, characterized by the steps: creating a three-dimensional body by means of an additive method, subsequently providing the workpiece and connecting the workpiece with the three-dimensional body, and subsequent creation of a further three-dimensional body on the workpiece, wherein a further workpiece is attached to the further three-dimensional body.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein for providing the workpiece, the workpiece is carved, in particular separated, from an initial workpiece.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the components comprise furniture pieces.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece holder comprises a machine bed.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece is plate-like.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the additive method uses a paste-like compound.

22. The method according to claim 9, wherein the component comprises a furniture piece.

23. The method according to claim 9, wherein the workpiece is plate-like.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a further stage of the method when using the device according to FIG. 1.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a view with which a further stage of the method is shown.

[0048] FIGS. 4a and 4b are examples of components manufactured with the device according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0049] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below by means of the enclosed figures. Further modifications cited in this context can each be combined with one another in order to form new embodiments.

[0050] In FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a machining device according to the invention is shown by means of a schematic illustration. The machining device comprises a machine bed/machine table 30 (workpiece holder) which has a support surface 31 upon which the workpieces can be placed and machined. In the present embodiment, the support surface 31 is depicted by way of illustration as a flat surface which, according to one variant of the embodiment described here, is provided with vacuum openings.

[0051] However, according to a further modification, the support surface can be provided or configured with vacuum suction cups arranged on carrier members (so-called consoles). The carrier member and/or the vacuum suction cups can be configured moveably.

[0052] Although the embodiment described by means of the figures is directed at a stationary support surface 31, a moveable support surface or conveying element, in particular a conveyor band, one or more conveyor belts, one or more conveyor chains or moveable retaining elements can be provided within the scope of further embodiments, instead of the support surface on the machine bed 30.

[0053] Further, the present invention also comprises an embodiment in which clamping elements are attached to or placed on the support surface 31 in order to accommodate and, optionally, hold the workpieces described below. The support surface 31 can also have several areas which have different support surfaces or different holding and clamping mechanisms in order to pick up, and optionally to hold, workpieces.

[0054] In the present embodiment, two gantry units, namely a first gantry unit 10 and a second gantry unit 20, are provided along the machine bed 30. Both gantry units 10, 20 are movable along the machine bed 30.

[0055] It is evident that, instead of a gantry unit (or both gantry units), a cantilever unit which is only attached to a longitudinal side of the machine bed 30 can also be used. This relates to the first gantry unit 10 shown in the president embodiment as well as the second gantry unit 20.

[0056] The gantry unit 10 comprises a gantry carrier 11 which extends over the machine bed 30. Attached to the gantry carrier 11 is a first moveable unit 12 which, in the present embodiment, has a handling device 13 which is configured multi jointed corresponding to a robotic arm. The handling device 13 further comprises a handling unit 14, for example, a suction clamp, of a workpiece gripper, or the like, in order to, as described below, pick up, raise and/or move workpieces.

[0057] Further, a machining device 15 is provided on the moveable unit 12, in order to machine workpieces within the scope of a nesting method. A workpiece is thereby cut or milled from a plate-like semi-finished product. Several individual elements can also be carved from a plate-like workpiece. Accordingly, two workpieces are provided in the present embodiment example, namely a workpiece W1 and workpiece W2 which were cut from a shared initial workpiece.

[0058] The machining device 15 is accommodated in a tool holding fixture (not shown in detail) of the moveable unit 12. Since the moveable unit 12 comprises a tool holding fixture in which the machining device 15 is accommodated, it is further possible to exchange the machining device 15 for a different machining device. For example, in this manner, bores having a certain diameter can be produced in a workpiece.

[0059] The second gantry unit 20 comprises a carrier 21 which extends over the machine bed 30. Attached to this carrier is an extruder unit 22 with which a paste-like compound is discharged and a three-dimensional body can be created in the course of a melt layer method.

[0060] The extruder unit 22 comprises a motor 23 for driving an extruder screw as well as a main body 24 which accommodates the extruder screw. The main body 24 extends in the vertical direction. At an end section of the main body 24 facing the machine bed 30, a nozzle 25 is mounted, said nozzle 25 having an opening. The paste-like compound leaves the opening of the nozzle.

[0061] An exemplary method sequence is explained below using the FIGS. 1-3.

[0062] Firstly, an initial workpiece which is not shown in the figures is placed on the support surface 31 of the machine bed 30 and divided by means of the machining device 15 into plate-like workpieces W1 and W2. This approach is carried out within the scope of a nesting method. Alternatively, it is possible to use several initial workpieces to produce the plate-like workpieces W1 and W2 or to place the plate-like workpieces W1 and W2 already shown with the contour in the figures on the support surface 31 of the machine bed 30.

[0063] Several three-dimensional bodies W3-W6 constituting intermediate struts of a table in the embodiment example described here are produced in a further area of the support surface 31 by means of the extruder unit 22. Due to the used 3D printing method (here: melt layer method), the struts W3-W6 can be formed as free-form bodies. A fixation of the struts W3-W6 can be pressed onto/applied to one or more plates (not shown).

[0064] Subsequently, the handling device 13 is used in order to firstly pick up the plate-like workpiece W1 by means of the handling unit 14 and to place on the struts W3-W6. In this regard, the plate-like workpiece W1 is firstly picked up, then the first gantry unit 10 is moved in the direction of the second gantry unit 20, and subsequently the first plate-like workpiece W1 is placed on the end sections of the struts W3-W6.

[0065] Ideally, this occurs after in a final method step at each of the struts W3-W6 a layer of the paste-like compound has once more been applied, which is in an as yet uncured state at the time the first plate-like workpiece W1 is applied. Consequently, after the curing of the paste-like compound after the plate-like workpiece W1 has been applied, an adhesive bond between the plate-like workpiece W1 and the struts W3-W6 is produced.

[0066] Advantageously, bores are provided on the plate-like workpiece W1 on its side facing the support surface 31, into which the paste-like compound of the struts W3-W6 can penetrate. These can be through holes which have an opening on the upper side as well as the lower side of the workpiece W1.

[0067] The first plate-like workpiece W1 comprises, in the shown embodiment, several bores (optionally, upper through holes) on the main surface pointing upwards in the vertical direction. Starting from these bores, in a subsequent method step, further struts W7-W10 are formed by means of the extruder unit 22. During this process, the gantry unit 10 is driven back to the starting position (left side in FIG. 1), so that the second gantry unit 20 can be moved over the plate-like workpiece W1.

[0068] After the further struts W7-W10 have been produced in a melt layer method, a melt layer which is not yet completely cured during the application of the second plate-like workpiece W2 is applied again to their end sections pointing upwards in the vertical direction. Consequently, the second plate-like workpiece which is picked up by the handling device 13 by means of the handling unit 14 is placed and pressed onto the further struts W7-W10. During the curing of the previously applied melt layer, an adhesive bond is produced between the second plate-like workpiece W2 and the struts W7-W10.

[0069] The table produced in this manner is shown in FIG. 4a. Consequently, this could be produced through a hybrid method in which free-form bodies (struts W3-W10) are produced by means of a melt layer method, whereas simple elements (the plate-like workpieces W1 and W2) are connected with the struts. The paste-like compound for forming the struts W3-W10 is thereby further used as an adhesive in order produce a connection between the corresponding elements.

[0070] A further example is shown in FIG. 4b. Hereby, a first, rod-shaped workpiece B1 is produced by means of a melt layer method and subsequently placed on a plate-like workpiece B2 and connected with it. Starting from the plate-like workpiece B2, a further three-dimensional body B3 which is dome-shaped starting from the plate-like workpiece B2 can be created with a melt layer method. Since the plate-like workpiece B2 has a larger diameter than the first rod-shaped workpiece B1, a recess can be produced. With conventional methods, the recess can only be produced with large effort.

[0071] Even if the use of the paste-like compound was described as an adhesive means within the scope of the above-described embodiment, it is evident that other connection techniques or connecting means can also be used for this method step. For example, pins having an undercut or a retaining structure which are subsequently transformed by the paste-like compound can be inserted into the plate-like workpieces. It is also possible to use an adhesive in order to connect a plate-like workpiece with a strut or a different workpiece produced in a melt layer method.

[0072] The type and design of the described workpieces W1-W10 and B1-B3 is an example. In addition to plate-like workpieces, workpieces can also be used which have been machined using a milling method in order to already form a structure.