HANDLING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A HANDLING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a handling device and method for monitoring a handling device having a holding device, in particular a vacuum gripping device or a vacuum tensioning device, for fixing a workpiece, and having a sensor device for detecting vibrations and for generating measured values therefrom. The sensor device is situated on the holding device and is configured for detecting vibrations of the workpiece that is fixed to the holding device.

Claims

1. A handling device having a holding device, in particular a vacuum gripping device or a vacuum tensioning device, for fixing a workpiece, and having a sensor device for detecting vibrations and for generating measured values therefrom, the sensor device being situated on the holding device and being configured and positioned in such a way that vibrations of the workpiece that is fixed to the holding device are detected.

2. The handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that an evaluation device is provided which is supplied with the measured values as input values, the evaluation device being situated on the holding device.

3. The handling device according to claim 2, characterized in that the evaluation device is designed for processing the measured values by means of a data processing program stored in the evaluation device, and for generating an error signal in the event of noncompliance with a limit value criterion stored in the evaluation device.

4. The handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device has at least one absorber element that is designed for absorbing and/or damping vibrations that are transmitted from the workpiece to the holding device.

5. The handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device has a drivable vibration actuator that is designed for actively generating vibrations at the holding device in order to compensate for vibrations of the fixed workpiece.

6. The handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device has a resonance device that may be set into resonance with vibrations of a defined frequency range.

7. The handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device has data transmission means for communication, in particular wireless communication, with a higher-level control device.

8. A method for monitoring the operation of a handling device during the handling of a workpiece, having a holding device for fixing a workpiece, and having a sensor device for detecting vibrations, wherein the method comprises, detecting vibrations of the workpiece that is fixed to the holding device by means of the sensor device.

Description

[0037] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the figures, which show the following:

[0038] FIG. 1: shows a schematic illustration of a machining facility with a handling device according to the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 2: shows a schematic illustration of a handling device according to the invention.

[0040] The same reference numerals are used in each case for identical or corresponding features in the following description and in the figures.

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a machining facility 10 for machining a plate-like workpiece 12, for example. The machining facility 10 includes a machining device 14, which in the illustrated example is designed as a milling device 16 having an actively driven milling tool 18.

[0042] In addition to the machining of the workpiece 12 with the machining device 14, handling of the workpiece 12 also takes place in the machining facility 10. For this purpose, a handling device 20 is provided, by means of which the workpiece 12 may be fixed. For example, the workpiece 12 is fixed, and by means of a movement actuator (not illustrated) of the handling device 20 the workpiece is repositioned, and, for example, taken to another machining station. In this case, the handling device includes a gripping device. On the other hand, the handling device 20 may fix the workpiece while it is being machined, the handling device including a tensioning device.

[0043] In the illustrated example, while being machined the workpiece 12 is fixed by means of a holding device 21 of the handling device 20. The holding device 21 is thus designed as a vacuum tensioning device 22 in the illustrated example. The vacuum tensioning device 22 is situated on a machine table 24 so that the workpiece 12 is stationarily fixable during the machining.

[0044] For controlling the machining device 14 and/or the holding device 21, in the illustrated example a higher-level control device 26 is provided as a machine controller, which communicates with the machining device 14 and/or the holding device 21 via appropriate signal transmission paths 28.

[0045] The holding device 21 schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 has a housing 30, whose side facing the workpiece 12 is provided with a schematically illustrated suction plate 32. In the illustrated example, the suction plate 32 forms a contact section of the holding device 21. The contact section (in the present case, the suction plate 32) in the illustrated example has a schematically illustrated suction opening 34 that is connected to a vacuum supply system, not illustrated in greater detail. When the workpiece 12 is resting against the contact section 32, the workpiece 12 may be fixed by the action of a vacuum on the suction opening 34.

[0046] In the illustrated example, the holding device 21 has a sensor device 36 and a further sensor device 36a. The sensor device 36 is situated on an area of the holding device 21 facing the contact section 32, and is preferably integrated into the housing 30. The sensor device 36a is situated on a section of the holding device 21 facing away from the contact section (preferably likewise integrated into the housing 30, but at a farther distance from the contact section 32 than the sensor device 36). The sensor devices 36, 36a are sensors for detecting vibrations. Based on the detected vibrations, the sensor devices generate measured values that may be supplied to an evaluation device 38 (signal paths are depicted by dashed lines).

[0047] In particular, the sensor device 36 is situated in such a way that vibrations of the workpiece 12 resting against the contact section 32 may be detected. The vibrations are symbolized in the figures by double lines at the corners of the workpiece. For transmitting the vibrations of the workpiece 12 to the sensor device 36, the holding device 21 may have appropriate transmission portions 40. The further sensor device 36a allows, for example, reference measurements to be carried out and/or the vibrations of the workpiece 12 to be more accurately measured.

[0048] The holding device, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, has means 42 for damping, intensifying, or influencing in a defined manner the vibrations or certain vibration components acting on the holding device. For example, these means 42 may include an absorber element with which certain vibrations or oscillations may be absorbed. The means 42 may also have a resonance device that may be brought into resonance with vibrations of a defined frequency range. As an alternative or in addition to such passive means, the means 42 may also have an active design in order to act on the vibration. For example, the means 42 may include a drivable vibration actuator 44 which has, for example, an actively driven inertia weight for generating counter-vibrations.

[0049] As explained above, the evaluation unit 38 is designed for evaluating the measured values of the sensor device 36 (and optionally 36a). In particular, it is provided that the evaluation device 36 generates an error signal when the evaluated results do not comply with a defined limit value criterion (for example, when the detected vibrations have an excessively high deflection, amplitude, speed, or acceleration). It is also conceivable for the evaluation device 38 to control the vibration actuator 44 in order to generate a corresponding counter-vibration for compensating for the detected vibration.

[0050] The holding device 21 may have a data output unit 46, by means of which evaluation results of the evaluation unit 38 and/or the mentioned error signals may be output. For example, this may be a visual or acoustic data output.

[0051] The holding device 21 may also have data transmission means 48, for example to communicate with the control device 26. The data transmission means 48 may be designed, for example, as a bus interface or as an interface for wireless communication.