Method for spatially arranging coils in a coil store, and combination of a processing machine and a coil store

Abstract

Method for spatially arranging coils, the method comprising: providing electronic data about an initial storage state, which electronic data contains information about a respective initial diameter of the coils and a respective initial spatial storage position of the coils in a coil store; transporting a selected coil from an initial storage position to a processing machine for processing at least a portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil; sensing a reduced diameter of the selected coil after the portion of the sheet metal has been removed from the selected coil for processing by the processing machine; storing the reduced diameter of the selected coil; transporting the selected coil having the reduced diameter to a depositing storage position which, depending on the reduced diameter, is selected to differ from the initial storage position in a manner that saves storage space; and storing the depositing storage position.

Claims

1. A method for spatially arranging coils in a coil store in which a plurality of coils can be stored, the method comprising the following steps: providing electronic data about an initial storage state, which electronic data contains information about a respective initial diameter (D.sub.A) of the coils and a respective initial spatial storage position of the coils in the coil store; transporting a selected coil from an initial storage position to a processing machine for processing at least a portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil; sensing a reduced diameter (D) of the selected coil after the portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil has been removed from the selected coil for processing by the processing machine; storing the reduced diameter (D) of the selected coil; transporting the selected coil having the reduced diameter (D) to a depositing storage position which, depending on the reduced diameter (D) of the selected coil, is selected to differ from the initial storage position in a manner that saves storage space such that a distance between a coil axis of the selected coil and a coil axis of a coil adjacent to the selected coil in the coil store is less in the depositing storage position than in the initial storage position; and storing the depositing storage position of the selected coil.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the transporting according to the transporting steps takes place by means of a coil transport device from which the portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil is unwound in the direction of the processing machine.

3. A combination of a processing machine and a coil store to keep a plurality of coils ready for processing the sheet metal of coils using the processing machine, comprising: a holding device for holding all the coils in storage at any point in the holding device; a memory device in which electronic data about an initial storage state can be stored, which electronic data contains information about a respective initial diameter (D.sub.A) of the coils and a respective initial spatial storage position of the coils in the coil store; a coil transport device for transporting a selected coil from an initial storage position at a first point on the holding device to the processing machine for processing at least a portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil, after which the selected coil has a reduced diameter (D), and for transporting the selected coil having the reduced diameter (D) to a second point on the holding device, which forms a depositing storage position and deviates from the first point on the holding device and, depending on the reduced diameter (D) of the selected coil is selected in a manner that saves storage space such that a distance between a coil axis of the selected coil and a coil axis of a coil adjacent to the selected coil in the coil store is less in the depositing storage position than in the initial storage position; and a sensor device for sensing the reduced diameter (D) of the selected coil after the portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil has been removed from the selected coil for processing by the processing machine.

4. The combination according to claim 3, characterised in that the coil transport device has an unwinding device for unwinding the portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil in the direction of the processing machine.

5. The combination according to claim 4, characterised in that the sensor device is arranged on the coil transport device.

6. The combination according to claim 3, characterised in that the holding device is formed by two elongated bearing supports, each having a horizontally extending upper edge, the bearing supports being spaced apart from one another in such a way that all the coils can be deposited at any desired point on the two upper edges to be kept ready for the processing machine.

7. The combination according to claim 6, characterised in that the sensor device is arranged on the coil transport device.

8. The combination according to claim 3, characterised in that the sensor device is arranged on the coil transport device.

Description

c) Embodiment

(1) An embodiment of the combination of processing machine and coil store according to the invention in connection with the method according to the invention will be described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1: is a side view of an embodiment of a combination according to the invention, the coil store being in an original initial storage state;

(3) FIG. 2: is a side view similar to FIG. 1, the coil transport device having transported a selected coil to the processing machine;

(4) FIG. 3: is a view from above of the combination shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4: is a side view similar to FIG. 1, the coil store being in a state reached by the continued processing of sheet metal.

(6) FIG. 5: is an enlarged view of the detail A denoted in FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 6: illustrates a sensor device performing a distance measurement for sensing the reduced diameter D of a selected coil.

(8) FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a coil store 7 and a processing machine 8 for processing the sheet metal wound in the form of coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 contain coiled sheet metal having different sheet thicknesses and/or different sheet compositions. The processing machine 8 by way of example is a slitting and cross-cutting system for slitting and cross-cutting sheet metal. An electronic, programmed system controller can be operated by an operator of the processing machine 8 with the aid of an operating unit 15.

(9) In FIG. 1, the coil store 7 is in an original initial storage state in which all six coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 each comprise an original initial sheet metal quantity. In the embodiment shown, they all have the same initial diameter D.sub.A which, in FIG. 1, is only shown by way of example for coil 4. Of course, two, some or all of coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 can also have different initial diameters in the initial storage state.

(10) Furthermore, a coil transport device in the form of a portal-like coil lifting device 9 can be seen that, in FIG. 1, can be moved by a motor from left to right or right to left on running rails 16. The coil lifting device 9 can lift a coil in a manner known per se and can move it over other coils in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1. The coil lifting device 9 includes a sensor device 10 for sensing the reduced diameter of the selected coil and an unwinding device 18 for unwinding a portion of the sheet metal of the selected coil to be processed in the direction of the processing machine 8.

(11) An exemplary order of the processing machine 8 is to cut sheet metal with exactly the sheet thickness that is wound on the coil 3. Accordingly, the operator has entered this at the operating unit 15. The electronic system controller accordingly controls the coil lifting device 9 in such a way that it moves towards the initial storage position of the coil 3 selected for processing the order, as shown in FIG. 1. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the coil lifting device 9 has already raised the selected coil 3 (for illustration purposes only, the coil lifting device 9 together with the lifted coil 3 are shown in FIG. 1 to the left of the initial storage position of the coil 3).

(12) In FIG. 1, the coil lifting device 9 now transports the selected coil 3 to the right and over coils 4, 5 and 6 until it has reached its unwinding position (shown in FIG. 2) just in front of the processing machine 8. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the coil lifting device 9 has already lowered the selected coil 3 into an unwinding position for unwinding the sheet metal into the processing machine 8. In FIG. 2, the initial diameter D.sub.A is marked on coil 2.

(13) The coil lifting device 9 is provided with an unwinding device 18 known per se (not shown in greater detail) that, in FIG. 2, unwinds the selected coil 3 in a clockwise direction in such a way that the unwound sheet metal reaches the processing machine 8 for cutting. The unwinding device is thus not arranged in a stationary manner, but always moves together with the coil lifting device 9. The coil lifting device 9 thus performs the functions of lifting and lowering the coils, translationally transporting the coils in the horizontal direction and unwinding a coil required at the processing machine 8.

(14) Between picking up the selected coil 3 from its initial storage position, unwinding the selected coil 3 in the region of the processing machine 8 and returning the selected coil 3′ having a reduced diameter D (see FIG. 4) to its position differing from the initial storage position, coil 3 or 3′ is thus not released by the coil lifting device 9. This is advantageous because no transfer to a stationary unwinding device is required, as in the prior art. An associated transfer risk of a mechanical malfunction and the associated transfer time for transferring the coil to the stationary unwinding device are thereby avoided.

(15) In FIG. 3, the coil store 7 shown in FIG. 2, the processing machine 8 and the coil lifting device 9 (including the sensor device 10) can be seen in a top view. Identical reference signs to those in FIG. 2 denote identical parts.

(16) After a portion of the sheet metal wound on the selected coil 3 has been fed to the processing machine 8 as a sheet metal web and the sheet metal processing order for the specific sheet metal according to coil 3 has been processed, coil 3′ has a diameter D that is reduced in comparison to its initial diameter D.sub.A, which is shown in FIG. 4. Coil 3′ having the reduced diameter D thus takes up less space than coil 3 having the initial diameter D.sub.A.

(17) The electronic system controller is programmed in such a way that it causes coil 3, 3′ to be transported back from its unwinding position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the aid of the coil lifting device 9 in such a way that coil 3′ is not deposited back at its original initial storage position. Instead, coil 3′ is deposited at a depositing storage position that is closer to coil 4 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The coil axis of coil 3′ deposited in the coil store 7 again is accordingly closer to the coil axis of coil 4. Coil 3′ is, in comparison with FIGS. 2 and 3 on the one hand and FIG. 4 on the other hand, moved slightly to the right in the direction of processing machine 8. This results initially in a greater distance between the cylindrical outer surfaces of coils 3′ and 2 in FIGS. 2-4 when coil 3′ is imagined to be deposited at its depositing storage position according to the invention, but is later reduced when the method according to the invention is carried out repeatedly.

(18) For example, if sheet metal of coil 2 is to be processed as part of the next sheet metal processing order, coil 2 becomes the ‘selected coil’ in the sense of the method according to the invention. After this order is completed, coil 2 now also has a reduced diameter and is transported back into the coil store 7 by the coil lifting device 9. In this case, the depositing storage position of coil 2 can be calculated by the system controller in such a way, for example, that the coil axis of coil 2, compared to its initial storage position, moves to the right towards coil 3′ in FIGS. 2-4 by the sum of half the diameter reduction of coil 2 and half the diameter reduction of coil 3′ required in the previous sheet metal processing order.

(19) FIG. 4 shows the state of the coil store 7 after the processing machine 8 has carried out a large number of sheet metal processing orders. As can be seen, coils 2 and 6 in this snapshot still have their initial diameter D.sub.A, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Coils 1′, 3′, 4′ and 5′ have significantly reduced diameters compared to their respective initial diameters D.sub.A. A reduced diameter D is shown by way of example for the selected coil 3′.

(20) Each time the method according to the invention is carried out, the coil axis of the coil selected in each case for a processing order moves to the right in FIGS. 1 to 4 by the amount of half the diameter reduction caused by the unwinding of sheet metal required for processing the order. As a result, as is shown in FIG. 4, a state is repeatedly achieved in which the distances between the cylindrical outer surfaces of adjacent coils are constant. In contrast, the distances of the coil axes of adjacent coils are generally not equidistant because the coils located in the coil store 7 generally have diameters of different sizes. For example, the axial distance A.sub.4-5 between the coil axes of coils 4 and 5 shown in FIG. 4 is significantly smaller than the axial distance A.sub.5-6 of the coil axes of coils 5 and 6 shown in FIG. 4.

(21) In FIG. 4, to the left of the coil 1′, the gain in space for storing additional coils can be seen and results from the multiple executions of the method according to the invention.

(22) In the exemplary illustration in FIG. 4, coil 2 is shown with its initial diameter D.sub.A and, despite this, in a depositing storage position moved to the right. The system controller can be programmed in such a way that a scanner unit provided on the coil lifting device 9 can electronically enter the geometric state of the coil store 7 into the system controller as required. Coils not required for a processing order for a given, relatively long period of time, in this case coil 2, are then moved by the coil lifting device 9 to the right in FIGS. 1-4 in the sense of clearing the coil store 7, without approaching the processing machine 8 with the coil in question.

(23) In FIGS. 1 to 4, two elongated bearing supports 11 and 12 can be seen in the form of elongated bearing walls. Said supports form the holding device for holding all the coils in storage in the coil store 7 in the sense of the present invention. The wall-like bearing supports 11 and 12 have horizontally extending upper edges 13 and 14 on which coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 can be deposited at any point provided that, at the corresponding point, there is no fear of a mechanical collision between the coil to be deposited and other coils that are already being stored.

(24) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged representation of the detail A identified in FIG. 4. In particular, a portion of the upper edge 13 of the wall-like bearing support 11 can clearly be seen. A rear grip bar 17 protrudes upwards from the narrow upper edge 13 on the rear side of the wall-like bearing support 11 in the viewing direction of FIG. 5. Said rear grip bar 17 can be gripped from above by a bearing shoe 36 that supports the axle stub 26, marked in FIG. 3, of coil 6. The bearing shoe 36 is an example for all the other axle stubs 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, marked in FIG. 3, of coils 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The upper edge 14 of the wall-like bearing support 12 opposite the wall-like bearing support 11 has a rear grip bar that is not visible in FIG. 5 and is designed and arranged analogously to the rear grip bar 13.

(25) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the upper edges 13 and 14 of the wall-like bearing supports 11 and 12 run in a straight line parallel to one another and are spaced apart such that the coil lifting device 9 can always mount the coils in such a way that the bearing shoes (see the bearing shoe 36 in FIG. 5) of coils 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 grip behind the rear grip bars (see the rear grip bar 17 in FIG. 5) along the upper edges 13 and 14 and thereby secure the coils on the bearing supports 11 and 12 in the axial direction in a positive-locking manner.

(26) FIG. 6 illustrates the sensor device 10 (e.g., by using an optical laser sensor) performing a distance measurement for sensing the reduced diameter D of the selected coil 3′. The distance measurement can indicate the initial diameter D.sub.A of the selected coil 3 and the reduced diameter D of the selected coil 3′. As explained herein above, a portion of the sheet metal wound on the selected coil 3 has been fed to the processing machine 8 as a sheet metal web and the sheet metal processing order for the specific sheet metal according to coil 3 has been processed, coil 3′ has a diameter D that is reduced in comparison to its initial diameter D.sub.A.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(27) 1 Coil 1′ Coil 1 with a reduced diameter 2 Coil 3 Selected coil 3′ Selected coil 3 with a reduced diameter D 4 Coil 4′ Coil 4 with a reduced diameter 5 Coil 5′ Coil 5 with a reduced diameter 6 Coil 7 Coil store 8 Processing machine 9 Coil lifting device 10 11 Bearing support 12 Bearing support 13 Upper edge of bearing support 11 14 Upper edge of bearing support 12 15 Control unit 16 Running rail of coil lifting device 9 17 Rear grip bar 21 Axle stub of coil 1 22 Axle stub of coil 2 23 Axle stub of coil 3 24 Axle stub of coil 4 25 Axle stub of coil 5 26 Axle stub of coil 6 36 Bearing shoe of coil 6 D.sub.A Initial diameter D Reduced diameter of coil 3′ A.sub.4-5 Axial distance between coil axes of coils 4 and 5 A.sub.5-6 Axial distance between coil axes of coils 5 and 6