Device and method for producing transformer cores

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (11) and a method for producing transformer cores (12), the device comprising a retaining system (19) having a stacking table (18) for collecting sheets of metal (16) from which a transformer core (12) is constructed and having at least two positioning aids for the sheets, the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26) for the positioning aids and being equipped with the positioning aids, the stacking table and the positioning aids being realized such that a free positioning and a location-independent fastening of the positioning aids within the positioning surface is possible, the device having a positioning system (25) by means of which the positioning aids can be disposed on and/or be removed from the stacking table.

Claims

1. A device (11) for producing transformer cores (12), the device comprising a retaining system (19) having a stacking table (18, 33, 52) for collecting sheets of metal (16, 35) from which a transformer core is formed and having at least two positioning aids for the sheets of metal, the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26, 37, 51) for the positioning aids and being equipped with the positioning aids, wherein the stacking table and the positioning aids are adapted to allow free positioning and location-independent fastening of the positioning aids within the positioning surface at any position within the positioning surface, the device having a positioning system (25) including a multiaxial robot (24), the multiaxial robot adapted to automatically position the positioning aids on the stacking table and is further adapted to automatically remove the positioning aids from the stacking table.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that as positioning aids for the sheets of metal, the retaining system (19) has a threading bolt (20, 32, 50) which can be positioned within the positioning surface (26, 37, 51); a sheet-metal abutment for laterally contacting the sheets of metal (16, 35); a substruction (21) which can be positioned within the positioning surface and serves for stacking the sheets of metal; and/or a superstruction for covering the sheets of metal.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that by means of the positioning system (25), the threading bolt (20, 32, 50), the sheet-metal abutment and the substruction (21) can be positioned on and/or removed from the threading table (18, 33, 52) and/or the superstruction can be positioned on and/or removed from the sheets of metal (16, 35).

4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the positioning system (25) has a magazine (27) having threading bolts (20, 32, 50), sheet-metal abutments, substructions (21) and/or superstructions.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning aids are each realized having a retaining device (36, 53) for fastening the positioning aids on the positioning surface (26, 37, 51).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the retaining device (36, 53) comprises a magnetic clamping unit (55), a vacuum clamping unit (38) or a mechanical clamping unit for fastening the positioning aid on the positioning surface (26, 37, 51).

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the magnetic clamping unit (55) has an accumulator (57) and a coil.

8. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the vacuum clamping unit (38) comprises a vacuum pump and/or a vacuum accumulator.

9. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the retaining device (36, 53) comprises an energy storage for forming a retaining force.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the stacking table (18, 33, 52) comprises a magnetizable clamping plate or a vacuum clamping plate which forms the positioning surface (26, 37, 51).

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning surface (26, 37, 51) is entirely flat.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (11) has a plurality of stacking tables (18, 33, 52) which can be moved in an automated manner.

13. A method for producing transformer cores (12) using a device (11), sheets of metal (16, 35) from which a transformer core is constructed being collected on a stacking table (18, 33, 52) of a retaining system (19) of the device and by means of at least two positioning aids of the retaining system for the sheets of metal, the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26, 37, 51) for the positioning aids and being equipped with the positioning aids, wherein the positioning aids are adapted to be freely positioned and fastened independently of location at any position within the position surface, the positioning aids being disposed on or removed from the stacking table by means of a positioning system (25), wherein the positioning system includes a multiaxial robot adapted to automatically position the positioning aids on the position surface and remove the positioning aids from the position surface.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that a position of the positioning aids within the positioning surface (26, 37, 51) is determined by means of a control device (17) of the device as a function of a shape of the transformer core (12) to be produced.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that control commands are transmitted to the control device from a control system (13) of an installation (10) for producing transformer cores (12) as a function of component data describing a transformer core.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the positioning of positioning aids on the stacking tables (18, 33, 52), storage positions (31) adjacent to the positioning system (25) and intended for the respective sheets of metal, and/or a cutting sequence of a cutting device (30) for sheets of metal are determined by means of the control system (13).

17. The method 13, characterized in that the positioning aids are disposed on and/or removed from the stacking table (18, 33, 52) in an automated manner within the positioning surface (26, 37, 51) by means of the determined position of the positioning aids.

18. The method according to 13, characterized in that the positioning aids are positioned on and/or removed from the stacking table (18, 33, 52) by means of a multiaxial robot of the positioning system, the robot stacking the sheets of metal (16, 35) on the positioning aids after positioning the positioning aids.

19. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the positioning aids are positioned on and/or removed from the stacking table (18, 33, 52) by means of a multiaxial robot (24) of the positioning system, a further multiaxial robot (22) stacking the sheets of metal (16, 35) on the positioning aids after positioning the positioning aids.

20. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that a plurality of transformer cores (12) are constructed on one stacking table (18, 33, 52).

21. The method according claim 13, characterized in that the positioning aids each have a transponder (46, 47, 59, 60), a transmitter-receiver unit of a retaining system (19) identifying the positioning aids by means of the transponder.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the retaining system (19) communicates with the transponders (46, 47, 59, 60) in such a manner that a fastening or loosening of the positioning aids on the positioning surface (26, 37, 51) is caused by means of a retaining device (36, 53) of the positioning aids.

23. A device (11) for producing transformer cores (12), the device comprising: a retaining system (19) having a stacking table (18, 33, 52) for collecting sheets of metal (16, 35) from which a transformer core is formed and having at least two positioning aids for the sheets of metal, the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26, 37, 51) for the positioning aids and being equipped with the positioning aids, and a positioning system (25) including a multiaxial robot (24), said multiaxial robot adapted to freely position and fasten the positioning aids on the stacking table in a location-independent manner.

24. A method for producing transformer cores (12) using a device (11) comprising the steps of: providing a retaining system (19) including a stacking table (18, 33, 52), the stacking table forming a positioning surface (26, 37, 51); providing a positioning system (25) including a multiaxial robot (24); adding at least two positioning aids to the positioning surface with the multiaxial robot, including freely positioning and fastening said positioning aids to the positioning surface in a location-independent manner; and collecting and stacking sheets of metal (16, 35) to form the transformer core on the stacking table (18, 33, 52).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) In the following, an embodiment of the invention is further described with reference to the attached drawing.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an installation for producing transformer cores;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross section of an embodiment of a threading bolt;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section of a further embodiment of a threading bolt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an installation 10 having a device 11 for producing transformer cores 12. Installation 10 comprises a control system 13 which serves for controlling installation 10. Component data 14 describing transformer cores 12 are processed using control system 13 by means of a so-called core configurator 15 so sheets of metal 16 from which transformer core 12 is constructed are calculated using their measurements. Control system 13 transmits control commands and/or data for producing transformer core 12 to a control device 17 which then initiates producing transformer core 12 using corresponding control commands.

(6) Device 11 comprises among other elements a number of stacking tables 18 having a retaining system 19 for collecting sheets of metal 16. Retaining system 19 comprises at least two threading bolts 20 and, in this shown embodiment, substructions 21 for placing sheets of metal 16. Sheets of metal 16 are realized having bores not illustrated in this instance and are placed and/or inserted on threading bolts 20. Sheets of metal 16 are placed on threading bolts 20 or rather on stacking table 18 by means of a robot 22 of a robot system 23. Threading bolts 20 are also positioned on a positioning surface 26 of stacking table 18 by means of a robot 24 of a positioning system 25. Positioning surface 26 is flat so a free positioning and a location-independent fastening of threading bolts 20 on positioning surface can be effected according to the specifications of control system 13. Threading bolts 20 are stored in a magazine 27 and are disposed on or removed from positioning surface 26 by means of robot 24. For this purpose, stacking table 18 is transported by means of a self-propelling cart 28. Cart 28 transports stacking table 18 to illustrated robot systems 23 at which stacking table 18 is equipped with sheets of metal 16 or rather sheets of metal 16 are stacked to construct transformer core 12. After transformer core 12 has been stacked, stacking table 18 is transported away from robot system 23 by cart 28.

(7) A number of sheets of metal 16 is supplied to robot systems 23 from a cutting device 30 by means of a conveyor device 29 and are stacked adjacent to respective robot 22 in two storage positions 31 for different sheets of metal 16 in each instance. Robot 22 and/or storage position 31 is/are also controlled by means of control device 17. Robot 22 grapples sheets of metal 16 from respective storage positions 31 and positions them on threading bolts 20 on stacking table 18 until transformer core 12 is constructed. Robot 22 can be displaced above conveyor device 29 so that robot 22 can equip four stacking tables 18 with sheets of metal 16 simultaneously.

(8) Only schematically illustrated cutting device 30 serves for cutting sheets of metal 16 and is controlled by control device 17. In cutting device 30, not-illustrated sheet-metal strips are cut such that sheets of metal 16 are yielded. Not-illustrated sheet-metal strips are supplied from steel-strip rolls to cutting device 30.

(9) FIG. 2 shows in a longitudinal cross section an embodiment of a threading bolt 32 having a stacking table 33 and a sheet-metal stack 34 of sheets of metal 35 for producing a transformer core. Threading bolt 32 is realized having a retaining device 36 for fastening threading bolt 32 on a positioning surface 37 of stacking table 33. Retaining device 36 has a vacuum clamping unit 38 having a not further illustrated vacuum pump. Retaining device 36 further has an annular channel 39, in which a vacuum can be generated, and a rubber bellows 40 so a lower side 41 of retaining device 36 can be fastened on positioning surface 37 in a sealing manner by means of a retaining force generated by the vacuum. A bolt 42 of threading bolt 32 is disposed in a fixed manner on retaining device 36, a substructure 44 being placed on an upper side 43 of retaining device 36 for placing sheets of metal 35. Sheets of metal 35 all have a bore 45 which each enable an exact positioning of sheets of metal 35 on bolt 42 of threading bolt 32.

(10) Retaining device 36 further has an RFID transponder 46 available for identifying threading bolt 32 as well as a further transponder 47 by means of which control commands of not-illustrated control device can be received. By means of a drive 48, a check valve 49 can be actuated via transponder 47 so that the vacuum generated in annular channel 39 can be reversed by supplying ambient air. Removing threading bolt 32 from stacking table 33 can thus be carried out easily.

(11) FIG. 3 shows in a cut view another embodiment of threading bolt 32 on a positioning surface 51 of a stacking table 52. Threading bolt 50 comprises a retaining device 53 having a bolt 54 disposed thereon for collecting not-illustrated sheets of metal of a transformer core. The retaining device is realized as a magnetic clamping unit 55 having an electromagnet 56. Electromagnet 56 is powered via an accumulator 57 and can be displaced by means of a drive 58 relative to positioning surface 51. For identifying threading bolt 50, it further comprises an RFID transponder 59. Via a transponder 60, receiving control signals of a not-illustrated control device for actuating retaining device 53 is possible.