Method for projecting a production process and computer program and computer system for carrying out the method

Abstract

A method for projecting a production process for producing a workpiece with a desired formation of a characteristic feature of the workpiece is implemented by a computer system. Using the method, the desired formation of the characteristic feature of the workpiece is detected and compared with formations of the characteristic feature of preceding workpieces. The formations of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces are stored in a formation database and a production parameter that is stored in a parameter database. When a formation of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece that is relevant to the desired formation of the characteristic feature is established with reference to the definition of the production parameter, the production parameter is defined for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the characteristic feature.

Claims

1. A method for projecting a production process for producing a workpiece based on an appropriately defined production parameter with a desired formation of a characteristic feature of the workpiece, is implemented by a computer system including a formation database and a parameter database, the method comprising the steps of: detecting the desired formation of the characteristic feature of the workpiece to be produced; comparing the detected desired formation of the characteristic feature with formations of the characteristic feature of preceding workpieces that have been produced during earlier production processes with the respective formation of the characteristic feature and formations of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces that are stored in the formation database of the computer system; associating in each case, a production parameter that is stored in the parameter database of the computer system and that is defined to carry out the relevant formation of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece, with the formations stored in the formation database of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces; when a formation of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece that is relevant to the desired formation of the characteristic feature and is identical to the desired formation of the characteristic feature or from which, the desired formation of the characteristic feature can be derived, is established, with reference to the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpiece, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the characteristic feature.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein if a plurality of relevant formations of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece is established, selecting one of the relevant formations as a preferred relevant formation in accordance with a selection criterion, and, based on the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the preferred relevant formation of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpiece, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the characteristic feature.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising using a selection criterion during the selection of one of the relevant formations of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece as a preferred relevant formation, selected from the following group of selection criteria: a degree of similarity between the relevant formation of the characteristic feature and the desired formation of the characteristic feature; wear on a tool by which the preceding workpiece has been produced with the relevant formation, which wear is connected with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature; a value of a processing force that is connected with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature and that has been applied during the production of the preceding workpiece to produce the relevant formation of the characteristic feature; a process duration that is connected with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature, to produce the preceding workpiece with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature; a requirement for production devices that is connected with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature, to produce the preceding workpiece with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature; and a material from which the preceding workpiece has been produced with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of selection criteria is used during the selection of one of the relevant formations of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece as a preferred relevant formation.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selection criteria are weighted differently.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, in the context of the production process that is intended to be prepared, producing a workpiece based on an appropriately defined production parameter with a desired formation of the workpiece geometry provided as the characteristic feature.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of: detecting the desired formation of the workpiece geometry of the workpiece to be produced by the desired formation of partial workpiece geometries that form the workpiece geometry being detected; comparing the detected desired formation of a partial workpiece geometry with formations of the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces stored in the formation database of the computer system; associating in each case, a production parameter that is stored in the parameter database of the computer system and that is defined in an appropriate manner to carry out the relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece with the formations stored in the formation database of the computer system, with the partial workpiece geometry; when a formation of the partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is relevant to the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry, is established, with reference to the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the preceding workpiece, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the desired formation of two mutually adjacent and mutually different partial workpiece geometries is detected, the method comprising the following steps: in addition to detecting the desired formation of the two partial workpiece geometries, detecting a desired geometric relationship between the two partial workpiece geometries; in addition to the comparing of the detected desired formation of the two partial workpiece geometries with the formations stored in the formation database for the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces, comparing the detected desired geometric relationship between the two partial workpiece geometries geometric relationships that are stored in a relationship database of the computer system between mutually adjacent partial workpiece geometries of a preceding workpiece; associating a production parameter that is stored in the parameter database of the computer system and which is defined in an appropriate manner to produce the geometric relationship with the geometric relationships that are stored in the relationship database of the computer system between mutually adjacent partial workpiece geometries, respectively, and when a geometric relationship that is relevant to the desired geometric relationship between mutually adjacent partial workpiece geometries of a preceding workpiece is established based on the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the relevant geometric relationship, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired geometric relationship of the mutually adjacent partial workpiece geometries.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising; when a plurality of relevant formations of the partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is established, selecting one of the relevant formations as a preferred relevant formation in accordance with a selection criterion; and based on the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the preferred relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the preceding workpiece, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: comparing the detected desired formation of a plurality of partial workpiece geometries with formations stored in the formation database of the computer system with respect of the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces; and for each of the partial workpiece geometries, if a plurality of relevant formations of the partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece are established, selecting one of the relevant formations as a preferred relevant formation in accordance with a selection criterion; wherein the same selection criterion is used during the selection of the preferred relevant formation for at least two partial workpiece geometries.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein finished components or intermediate products are provided as preceding workpieces.

12. A computer program comprising a set of computer readable instructions for carrying out all the steps of the method for projecting a production process for producing a workpiece based on an appropriately defined production parameter with a desired formation of a characteristic feature of the workpiece according to claim 1, when the computer system processes the set of computer readable instructions.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing a set of computer readable instructions that when operated upon by a processor or computer system, implement the method for projecting a production process for producing a workpiece based on an appropriately defined production parameter with a desired formation of a characteristic feature of the workpiece, according to claim 1.

14. A computer system for carrying out the method for projecting a production process for producing a workpiece based on an appropriately defined production parameter with a desired formation of a characteristic feature of the workpiece, comprising: a detection unit for detecting the desired characteristic feature of the workpiece that is intended to be produced; a comparison unit for comparing the detected desired formation of the characteristic feature with formations of the characteristic feature of preceding workpieces that have been produced in the context of earlier production processes with the respective formation of the characteristic feature; a first data store in which the formations of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces are stored in a formation database; a second data store in which a production parameter that is defined in an appropriate manner to carry out the formation of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces and that is associated with a formation which is stored in the formation database with respect of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpieces, is stored in a parameter database; and an evaluation unit for, when a formation of the characteristic feature of a preceding workpiece is relevant to the desired formation of the characteristic feature and is identical to the desired formation of the characteristic feature or from which the desired formation of the characteristic feature can be derived is established, with reference to the definition of the production parameter that is associated with the relevant formation of the characteristic feature of the preceding workpiece, defining the production parameter for the production process for producing the workpiece with the desired formation of the characteristic feature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments that follows, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a workpiece for the production of which a production process is intended to be projected,

[0034] FIG. 2 shows the workpiece according to FIG. 1 with indicated splitting into partial workpiece geometries, and

[0035] FIG. 3 is a highly schematic illustration of a computer system for projecting the production process for producing the workpiece according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] The following is a detailed description of example embodiments of the invention depicted in the accompanying drawings. The example embodiments are presented in such detail as to clearly communicate the invention and are designed to make such embodiments obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

[0037] A production process is intended to be projected for producing a workpiece, in the present exemplary case for producing a rotationally symmetrical hollow shaft 1. The exemplary production process is intended to be a rotary swaging method, wherein the following description is also intended to be understood by way of example in this regard. An object of the production process that is intended to be projected is to produce hollow shafts with the formation of the workpiece geometry as carried out in the case of the hollow shaft 1 according to FIG. 1 (characteristic feature).

[0038] On the hollow shaft 1, the following components are sequential in an axial direction: a first cylindrical end portion 2, a first conical transition portion 3, a first cylindrical intermediate portion 4, a second conical transition portion 5, a second cylindrical intermediate portion 6, a third conical transition portion 7, a third cylindrical intermediate portion 8, a fourth conical transition portion 9, a fourth cylindrical intermediate portion 10, a fifth conical transition portion 11 and a second cylindrical end portion 12 (the last item with an inner tooth arrangement).

[0039] The production process is intended to be developed by a computer system 13, which is schematically shown in FIG. 3 and based on the technical workpiece drawing according to FIG. 1. For this purpose, initially the entire workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1 is detected based on the technical drawing by a detection unit 14 of the computer system 13. In this case, the technical drawing is formally reproduced in tabular form. This is carried out by the characteristic points of the workpiece geometry the points A to L according to FIG. 2, being defined in a computer-supported manner by their coordinates in a Cartesian coordinate system with an x axis and a z axis. The z axis extends parallel with the axis of symmetry of the rotationally symmetrical hollow shaft 1. The points A and L mark the start and end of the workpiece geometry. At the points B to K, a coordinate jump occurs in the case of the x coordinate.

[0040] Based on the table that describes the workpiece geometry, the workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1 is split into partial workpiece geometries in the detection unit 14 of the computer system 13, wherein each of the partial workpiece geometries is delimited according to FIG. 2 by two mutually adjacent points of the points A to L.

[0041] Each of the partial workpiece geometries of the hollow shaft 1 to be produced must have a specific formation, a so-called desired formation. The desired formation of a partial workpiece geometry is described in a computer-supported manner, on the one hand, by the coordinates that are obtained in the event of the detection of the entire workpiece geometry in respect of the points that delimit the partial workpiece geometry and the dimensions of the partial workpiece geometry derived therefrom and, on the other hand, by general premises such as, for example, the rotational symmetry and the wall thickness of the partial workpiece geometry.

[0042] If a description of the desired formation of a partial workpiece geometry is produced, a comparison is carried out by a comparison unit 15 of the computer system 13 between the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1 that is intended to be produced and accordingly described formations of partial workpiece geometries of preceding workpieces that have been produced in the context of production processes that have already been projected and/or carried out. The formations of partial workpiece geometries of preceding workpieces are stored in a first data store 16 of the computer system 13 in the form of a formation database. The comparison unit 15 of the computer system 13 has access to the first data store 16.

[0043] Defined production parameters of a parameter database that is contained in a second data store 17 of the computer system 13 are associated with the formations stored in the first data store 16 in respect of partial workpiece geometries of preceding workpieces. The definition of the production parameters caused in the context of the earlier production methods the relevant formations of the partial workpiece geometries to be produced on the preceding workpieces.

[0044] Significant production parameters are the process method (for example, rotary swaging), the type of machine on which the production process is carried out, the type and quality of the production tool (for example, rotary swaging tool in conjunction with or without an inner mandrel) and/or the values of the process forces which are applied during the production method.

[0045] If, in the case of the comparison carried out by the comparison unit 15, a relevant formation of a partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is established that relevant formation corresponds identically to the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft that is intended to be produced, the definition of the production parameters of the earlier production process is taken up in an unchanged state for the production process that is intended to be projected. An evaluation unit 18 of the computer system 13 defines the production parameters of the future production process accordingly.

[0046] If, in the case of the comparison that is carried out by the comparison unit 15, a relevant formation of a partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is established and, which relevant formation does not correspond identically to the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1 that is intended to be produced, but is similar in the sense that the definition of the production parameters of the production process that is intended to be projected can be derived by a modification of that definition of the production parameters that resulted in the context of the earlier production process in a formation of the partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece similar to the desired formation, a check is initially carried out as to how the diameter of a workpiece blank that is processed in order to produce the partial workpiece geometry of the preceding workpiece relates to the diameter of the partial workpiece geometry that is intended to be produced with the desired formation. The diameter information with respect to the preceding workpiece also is stored in the computer system 13.

[0047] The diameter comparison mentioned is specific in cases of the present type in which the production process that is intended to be projected is a method, in the context of which an increase of workpiece cross-sections is impossible as a result of the process. Consequently, only a formation of the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces that has been produced based on a blank diameter which is equal to or greater than the diameter of the partial workpiece geometry that is intended to be produced with the desired formation may be relevant to the desired formation of the considered partial workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1.

[0048] If a formation of a partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is established, which formation is relevant in this sense, the evaluation unit 18 of the computer system 13 defines the production parameters of the future production process based on the definition of the production parameters of the earlier production process, which definition is associated with this formation.

[0049] If, in the case of the comparison that is carried out by the comparison unit 15, a plurality of relevant formations of a partial workpiece geometry of a preceding workpiece is established and they are similar to the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry of the hollow shaft 1 that is intended to be produced, a formation is selected as a preferred relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry from that plurality of formations of the partial workpiece geometry using a selection criterion. Selection criteria may include the degree of similarity between the known formation of the partial workpiece geometry and the desired formation of the partial workpiece geometry. Based on the definition of the production parameters that are associated with the preferred relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces, the evaluation unit 18 of the computer system 13 defines the production parameters of the future production process.

[0050] In the last case mentioned, it also is conceivable for a plurality of selection criteria that can be weighted differently to be used to establish the preferred relevant formation of the partial workpiece geometry of preceding workpieces.

[0051] In the manner described, the production parameters for carrying out the desired formation of all the partial workpiece geometries of the hollow shaft 1 that is intended to be produced are defined. Subsequently, the definitions of the production parameters that are associated with the partial workpiece geometries are combined with each other for the comprehensive definition of the production parameters, based on which the hollow shaft 1 with the desired formation of the entire workpiece geometry is produced in the context of the production process which is intended to be projected.

[0052] As will be evident to persons skilled in the art, the foregoing detailed description and figures are presented as examples of the invention, and that variations are contemplated that do not depart from the fair scope of the teachings and descriptions set forth in this disclosure. The foregoing is not intended to limit what has been invented, except to the extent that the following claims so limit that.