EP3223999A1

EP3223999A1 - Loading and unloading system

Info

Publication number: EP3223999A1
Application number: EP15794837.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Karl-Günther Roth; Johannes Lintner
Original assignee: Nagel Maschinen und Werkzeugfabrik GmbH
Current assignee: Nagel Maschinen und Werkzeugfabrik GmbH
Priority date: 2014-11-24
Filing date: 2015-10-27
Publication date: 2017-10-04
Also published as: WO2016083048A1; DE102014223887A1; CN107427980B; CN107427980A; DE102014223887B4

Abstract

A loading and unloading system, for transporting workpieces (W) between a workpiece conveying system (200) of a production plant and a workpiece holder (190) of a processing machine (100), comprises a lifting table (320) with a support device (325) which can be moved vertically and has first support structures on an upper side for providing support in a first support region on an underside of a workpiece (W). The loading and unloading system further comprises at least one loading basket (350) which is guided on a horizontal guiding system (360) in a horizontally moveable manner, and is open at the side for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces, and comprises second support structures for providing support in a second support region, lying outside of the first support region, on an underside of a workpiece (W).

Description

Loading and unloading system

AREA OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a loading and unloading system for transporting workpieces between a workpiece conveyor system of a manufacturing plant and a workpiece holder of a processing machine according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a production plant with a workpiece conveyor system for transporting workpieces, at least one processing machine for processing workpieces, and such a loading and unloading system. A possible field of application of the invention are production systems for machining cylinder crankcases, wherein at least one of the processing machines is a honing machine.

For the mass production of multi-stage components to be machined for engine or other purposes nowadays often manufacturing equipment are used, which allow to supply the workpieces to be machined at the right time for the different processing steps provided processing machines and resume after completion of processing and continue to transport , To reduce manufacturing costs, the transfer should be quick and trouble-free. In addition, the facilities required for the transfer should be robust and cost-effective for reliable operation.

German patent application DE 10 2004 053 503 A1 discloses a production plant for honing workpieces which has a plurality of workstations which are each configured to carry out at least one work step on a workpiece. At least a part of the workstation is set up as an honing station for carrying out at least one honing operation on a workpiece. A workpiece conveyor system is used to convey workpieces to the workstations and workstations. Each workstation is connected directly to the conveyor system. In one embodiment, the workstations are each configured as a work center with a work unit and a transfer unit for transferring workpieces between the conveyor system and the work unit. The transfer units each have a rotary table that includes a lift unit for vertically positioning a work piece by means of the transfer unit.

WO 2013/1 17482 A1 describes a production plant that can be used, for example, for machining cylinder crankcases, with a plurality of processing machines for processing a workpiece and with a conveying system for conveying workpieces to the processing machines. machines and machines. At least one of the processing machines is a honing machine which has a rotary table arranged on a machine base, which has a plurality of workpiece receivers that are offset from each other at a radial distance from the rotary table axis in the circumferential direction such that a workpiece received in a workpiece holder is rotated by rotation of the rotary table can be transported to different workstations of the honing machine. One of the workstations is provided as loading stations for loading and unloading the workpiece holder. For loading and unloading of the rotary table in the region of the loading station, in one embodiment a pendulum slide is provided which can be moved between an inner end position for loading and unloading the rotary table and an outer end position outside a working space of the honing machine. Characterized in that the outer end position is outside the working space of the honing machine, loading and unloading of the pendulum carriage can be performed from above, for example by means of a portal gripper.

TASK AND SOLUTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a generic loading and unloading system, which allows for a moderate cost, a fast and secure transport of workpieces between a workpiece conveyor system of a production position and a workpiece holder of a processing machine. A equipped with such a loading and unloading system manufacturing plant should therefore be able to operate trouble-free with high unit performance.

To solve these and other objects, the invention provides a loading and unloading system having the features of claim 1. Furthermore, a production system equipped with such a loading and unloading system is provided with the features of claim 13. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims. The wording of all claims is incorporated herein by reference.

The loading and unloading system has a lifting table with a vertically movable by means of a lifting table drive support means having on its upper side first support structures for supporting in a first support region on an underside of the workpiece. The lifting table can thus raise and lower a workpiece placed thereon in the vertical direction. The workpiece is thereby gripped from its underside.

Furthermore, the loading and unloading system has (at least) a loading basket which cooperates with the lifting table during workpiece transfer. The loading basket is attached to a horizontal guide system horizontally movable. The horizontally movable loading basket is designed so that it is laterally open on at least one side, so that a workpiece is laterally inserted horizontally through a lateral opening into a receiving space of the loading basket or from this receiving space in the lateral direction through a lateral opening (the same or another ) can be performed. The loading basket also has second support structures for supporting on a second support region located outside the first support region on a lower side of the workpiece. The workpiece can thus be held in the loading basket so that it is supported with its underside on the provided on the loading basket second support structures. Also for holding the workpiece in the receiving space of the loading basket is thus attacked from the bottom of the workpiece.

Due to the interaction with the lifting table, the loading basket does not require a vertical axis, which allows a vertical lifting and lowering of the loading basket. Although a vertical axis may be provided, a controllable vertical axis is therefore preferably not provided. This simplifies the design and allows for robust, cost-effective solutions.

The loading basket has one or more lateral openings, over which the receiving space of the loading basket is accessible in the lateral direction, so that a workpiece in the horizontal direction can be introduced into the interior of the loading basket or led out in the horizontal direction from the receiving space. The workpiece can be lifted by means of the lifting table, introduced via suitable horizontal movement of the loading basket and / or lifting table in the receiving space of the loading basket and deposited there by a lowering movement of the lifting table. A removal of the workpiece from the loading basket takes place in the reverse direction by the workpiece is first lifted by means of the lifting table so far that it gets out of engagement with the second support structures, then then laterally in the horizontal direction via suitable horizontal movement of the loading basket and / or lifting table to be led out into the receiving space of the loading basket. The lifting table and the loading basket carry the workpiece at different points from its underside. The lift table can move the load basket directly, i. without additional auxiliary equipment, loading and unloading.

On the side of the processing machine, the workpiece received on the lift table can be raised by vertical movement of the support means of the lift table and directly, i. without the need for further auxiliary equipment, be deposited in corresponding support structures of a workpiece holder.

The loading and unloading system works without the conventionally provided grippers and the associated lifting axles, which usually have to be designed quite sturdy and heavy. so that even heavy workpieces can be gripped and moved reliably. Compared to such conventional solutions can be achieved, inter alia, a cost savings. In addition, a loading and unloading system according to the claimed invention requires no separate gripping points on the side of the workpiece. Furthermore, there are advantages in terms of the safety of the workpiece transfer. While in grippers often additional safety devices for securing gripped workpieces are provided against falling, such separate safety devices can be omitted in the proposed solution, since the workpiece can be reliably supported from its bottom and can be secured solely due to its own weight against falling. When depositing the workpiece in the loading basket, the same support structures can be used on the workpiece, which are also provided for settling of the workpiece in the workpiece holder of a processing machine.

In some embodiments, the at least one loading basket is constructed to be laterally open for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces on at least two sides. As a result, loading and unloading can take place both in a first direction and in a second direction. This increases the flexibility of the loading and unloading options.

Lateral openings may face each other, so that the first and the second direction parallel to each other or can be aligned. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible for the loading basket to be open laterally on at least two mutually perpendicular sides for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces. As a result, loading and unloading can take place both in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In some embodiments, the loading basket is laterally open at four mutually opposite sides, so that an all-round loading and unloading in two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions is possible. This further increases the flexibility of the loading possibilities. In one embodiment, the loading basket has a rectangular upper part to which a holder is secured for traversing in the horizontal guide rail, wherein at the corners of the rectangular upper part vertically downwardly projecting support arms are fixed, which have at their lower ends inwardly projecting support portions, at the tops of which elements of the second support structures are mounted.

The loading basket could be rotatable about a vertical axis to allow loading and unloading in multiple directions. Then a single side opening could be enough. Preferably, such a controllable axis of rotation is not provided. In some embodiments, it is provided that the second support structures on the loading tray have indexing devices for registering the workpiece in the loading basket in the correct position, wherein the indexing devices are designed corresponding to indexing devices on the workpiece holder of the processing machine. By this adaptation of the second support structures on the loading basket with corresponding structures on the workpiece holder, reliable, positionally accurate positioning of the workpiece both in the receiving space of the loading basket and in a workpiece holder of the processing machine is possible without further assistance measures. The indexing devices can be, for example, purely mechanical positioning aids, for example indexing bolts, which engage in settling of the workpiece in corresponding index bores on the workpiece.

The first support structures on the upper side of the lifting table can engage other support structures of the workpiece, namely those which lie in a first support region on the underside of the workpiece, this support region being spatially separated and thus located outside the second support region on the underside of the workpiece. By way of example, the first support region may lie in the region around the center of the underside of the workpiece, while the second support structures lie in a second support region which lies in the vicinity of the lateral edge of the underside of the workpiece.

An embodiment is characterized in that the horizontal guide system has a horizontally extending guide rail and the at least one loading basket is arranged suspended below the guide rail. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for large loads, since the load to be transported (loading basket or loading basket with the workpiece received) is located below the supporting guide rail. The guide rail can stand on stands, which are supported on the floor of a production hall or the like. It is also possible that the guide rail is fastened by means of lateral support structures on a vertical support wall. Optionally, the guide rail may also be suspended from a hall ceiling, so that the hall ceiling receives the load and the area below and laterally of the guide rail can remain free of support elements. The hanging arrangement also has the advantage that the loading basket can be accessible from all sides laterally.

The guide rail is in some embodiments a rectilinear guide rail. The guide rail can also have one or more curved sections in order to be able to travel, for example, more complex transport paths with one or more curves. This results in a high degree of flexibility with regard to possible spatial arrangements of the system components involved in workpiece transport. The transfer between the workpiece conveyor system and the workpiece holder on the processing machine can be achieved in different ways.

In some embodiments, the lift table is disposed on a shuttle carriage reciprocable between a first end position and a second end position, wherein the first end position is associated with a loading station or processing station of the processing machine and the second end position with a transfer station on the workpiece conveyor system , The charging station or the processing station on the one hand and the transfer station on the other hand, in these variants spatially separated by far apart, the pendulum carriage bridges the distance. This results in greater flexibility in the spatial arrangement of the machine tool relative to the workpiece conveyor system.

In other embodiments, the lifting table is arranged on a loading station of the processing machine and a travel distance of the loading basket on the horizontal guide system leads to the charging station. The loading basket can drive directly over the workpiece holder. This allows direct loading. The lifting table can be arranged stationary in this case, which simplifies the construction. The location of the charging station (for transfer between lifting table and workpiece holder) is identical to the location of the transfer station (for transfer between lifting table and loading basket)

At the processing machine, a single workpiece holder may be present. It is also possible that the processing machine has a plurality of (two or more) workpiece holders which can be selectively moved to the loading station. For example, a rotary table may be provided with a plurality of workpiece holders.

There are different possibilities for the construction of the workpiece conveyor system. The workpiece conveyor system may comprise, for example, conveyor belts, roller conveyors or combinations thereof. An embodiment is characterized in that the workpiece conveyor system comprises a horizontal conveyor and is provided for transfer between the horizontal conveyor and a loading basket a lifting table with a base member and a relation to the base member vertically movable support means for engaging on a bottom of the workpiece. The conveying plane of the horizontal conveyor is preferably below the conveying plane of the loading basket. The lift table allows a simple change of plane for the workpiece.

In particular, it may be that the horizontal conveyor is designed as a roller conveyor at least in the region of a transfer station and the support means of the lifting table more having vertically movable support elements which are guided or can be passed between adjacent rollers of the roller conveyor. A bearing on the rollers of the roller conveyor workpiece can thus be grasped and lifted between the rollers from below. In the reverse direction settling of the workpiece on rollers of the roller conveyor by lowering the lifting table is possible. The support means may have the same or similar support structures as the lifting table of the pendulum carriage, so that the support means of this lifting table can be supported on the underside of the workpiece in the first support area.

A particularly high flexibility in the supply of unprocessed workpieces and in the removal of machined in the processing machine workpieces is achieved in some embodiments in that a first transfer station for transferring workpieces to be machined between the workpiece conveyor system and a loading basket and a separate second transfer station for Transfer of processed by means of the processing machine workpieces is provided by a loading basket to the conveyor system. As a result, loading and unloading processes can be better decoupled and coordinated spatially and temporally, in order to enable a high workpiece throughput.

A particularly high throughput of workpieces can be achieved in one embodiment by providing a first loading basket and a second loading basket separate therefrom. As a result, a time-synchronized loading and unloading is possible. The load baskets can have an identical structure, but this is not mandatory.

The invention also relates to a generic manufacturing plant having at least one loading and unloading system according to the claimed invention.

By means of the loading and unloading system different processing machines can be loaded and unloaded, for example honing machines, fine boring machines, rough drilling machines or the like.

In one embodiment, the processing machine with which the loading and unloading system cooperates is a honing machine for performing one or more honing operations on at least one bore in a workpiece. The loading and unloading system is intended to promote a workpiece to be honed to the workpiece holder of the machine and later, after processing, transported away from the workpiece holder. In one embodiment, the processing machine has a rotary table, which is rotatable about a vertical rotary table axis and a plurality of workpiece holders, which are arranged at a radial distance from the rotary table axis in the circumferential direction offset from each other arranged such that a workpiece received in a workpiece holder by rotation of the rotary table in succession different workstations of the processing machine is transportable, wherein at least one of the workstations is a processing station having at least machining unit having a spindle which is rotatable about a vertical spindle axis and parallel to the spindle axis back and forth. Another workstation is the charging station.

The rotary table can, where a workpiece holder is provided, have a radially outwardly open recess, which is dimensioned such that the support means of the lifting table passes through collision-free during the vertical lifting movement. As a result, a direct transfer or acceptance of the workpiece between rotary table and lifting table is easily possible.

A workpiece holder on the rotary table can be loaded and unloaded directly or with the interposition of a pendulum carriage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the claims and from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the figures. Showing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a part of a manufacturing plant for fine machining of cylinder crankcases for internal combustion engines according to an embodiment of the invention;

2 shows a plan view of a workpiece holder on the rotary table and a support device of the lifting table of the pendulum carriage in the region of the loading station of the processing machine;

Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the loading basket with recorded

Cylinder crankcase;

4A to 4Q an example of a loading and unloading using a loading and unloading system with pendulum slide in successive phases; 5 shows a plan view in FIG. 5A, a front view in FIG. 5B and a side view of the embodiment with pendulum slides in FIG. 5C;

Fig. 6 is a plan view in Fig. 6A, a front view in Fig. 6B and a side view of another embodiment with entrance table in Fig. 6C;

7A is a top view in FIG. 7A, a front view in FIG. 7B and a side view of a direct loading embodiment in FIG. 7C; and

8A to 8J an example of loading and unloading in a loading and unloading system with two baskets in successive phases.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The schematic Fig. 1 shows a side view of a part of a manufacturing plant for fine machining of workpieces W in the form of cylinder crankcases for internal combustion engines. The production plant comprises a plurality of processing machines, of which only one processing machine 100 in the form of a honing machine is shown in FIG. At the honing machine, the quality-determining finishing of the cylinder bores takes place by honing. The production plant includes further processing machines upstream of the material flow, such as fine boring machines for fine boring the cylinder bores in preparation for downstream honing.

The honing machine has several independently controllable processing units in the form of honing units and is set up to machine the cylinder bores of cylinder crankcases first by pre-honing and then by finish honing.

The honing machine has a rectangular in plan machine base 1 10, which carries all the mechanical components of the honing machine. On the top of the machine base four vertical stand 1 12 are attached in the corners. The stands carry a horizontally oriented, torsion-resistant, plate-shaped machine head 120, which has a rectangular basic shape and rests with its underside on the tops of the stand.

The area lying between the machine head and the machine base area forms the working space 15 of the honing machine. This is largely completed by the top of the machine, from the sides of the work space in the areas between the uprights 1 12 accessible. The machine head carries the honing units (one or more). A honing unit 180 has a honing spindle that is rotatable about a vertical spindle axis and reciprocable parallel to the spindle axis. The lower end of the honing spindle protrudes into the working space 1 15 and carries a honing tool in operation.

On the machine base, a rotary table 130 is mounted, which is infinitely rotatable about a vertical rotary table axis 134 by means of a arranged below the rotary table rotary drive 132. At the edge of the rotary table four workpiece holders 190 are provided at equal angular intervals of 90 ° to each other and at equal radial distances from the rotary table axis. Each workpiece holder serves to receive a single cylinder crankcase, which is firmly clamped on or in the workpiece holder. The cylinder crankcase is oriented so that the mutually parallel cylinder axes of the cylinder bores arranged in series lie in a common tangential plane to a concentric with the rotary table axis reference circle. The rotary table serves as a machine-internal transfer system in such a way that a recorded in a workpiece holder workpiece can be transported by rotation of the rotary table successively at different workstations of the honing machine.

The honing units with the vertical honing spindles contained therein can be moved as a whole in the horizontal direction parallel to the x-axis of the machine coordinate system by means of a carriage arranged on the upper side of the upper part. The honing spindles thereby move along a line which runs tangentially to a reference circle extending concentrically with the rotary table axis 134. The travel paths are designed so that each honing spindle can approach every hole in a workpiece. This makes it possible, without moving the workpiece on a workpiece first to edit a first bore, then withdraw the honing spindle to move the honing unit as a whole in a longitudinal movement parallel to the x-direction and to position coaxial with a second bore to be machined thereafter, to process the second hole with the same honing unit. Horizontal longitudinal movements can also be used to move the honing units to a tool changing device 180 arranged in line with the longitudinal movement.

In the honing machine a total of four workstations can be approached simultaneously by workpieces in the selected here division of the rotary table with four workpiece holders. Centered on the front transverse side is the loading station 140, which serves to transfer in each case a workpiece from outside the working space to an empty workpiece holder on the rotary table and / or to transfer a workpiece to be unloaded from a workpiece holder in the interior of the working space to the outside. The honing machine can correspond with respect to its basic structure to one of the honing machines described in WO 2013/1 17482 A1. The disclosure of this document is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The rotary table 130 has, where a workpiece holder is provided, a radially outwardly open, substantially rectangular recess or recess 195. The recess is dimensioned in the radial direction and in the circumferential direction such that the support device 325 of a lifting table 320 arranged on a pendulum carriage 310 passes through it without collision during the vertical lifting movement (see FIG. At the same time, the width of the recess in the circumferential direction is smaller than the length of the workpiece W, so that the workpiece can be supported on the rotary table at least with the edge regions lying on its narrow side. As a result, a direct transfer or takeover of the workpiece between rotary table and lifting table or pendulum carriage is easily possible.

Supporting structures 192 with indexing devices (indexing pins and / or indexing holes) are provided near the circumferentially located edges of the recess in order to be able to receive a workpiece with exact position in the tool holder.

A workpiece conveyor system 200 is used to transport workpieces to be processed to the individual processing machines and machined workpieces away from the processing machines to downstream processing machines, for transport or for other purposes. The workpiece conveyor system 200 comprises in the example case a horizontal conveyor in the form of a roller conveyor, which will be explained later in detail.

A loading and unloading system 300 is used for transporting workpieces between a transfer station 370 on the workpiece conveyor system 200 and the spatially separate charging station 140, which is designed to implement workpieces from or into a workpiece holder 190 of the processing machine. The loading and unloading system comprises a pendulum carriage 310, which can be moved back and forth in a rectilinear horizontal movement between a first end position assigned to the loading station 140 and a second end position assigned to the transfer station 370. An electric drive provided for this purpose is not shown.

The pendulum carriage 310 has a lifting table 320 with a vertically displaceable, plate-shaped support means 325, which has on its substantially horizontally oriented upper side 326 first support structures 327 with indexing pins and / or indexing bores for supporting in a first support area on the underside of a workpiece (cf. 2). The first support Structures correspond with complementary structures in the central region of the underside of the workpiece W in such a way that the workpiece rests on the support device in the correct position due to the interlocking support structures of the support device and the workpiece. In this case, the workpiece projects laterally on all sides for the outer edge of the support device 325, so that the edge regions of the underside of the workpiece are freely accessible from below. In these edge regions of the bottom there are indexing devices (index holes or the like), which correspond to indexing devices of the support structures 192 on the workpiece holder 190 of the processing machine and ensure a correct positioning of the workpiece in the workpiece holder for processing.

The devices which are configured for loading and unloading the pendulum carriage at the transfer station, comprise at least one loading basket 350, which is guided horizontally movable on a horizontal guide system 360. The horizontal guide system 360 comprises a horizontally extending guide rail 362, which is suspended, for example, from the hall ceiling. The loading basket 350 hangs below the guide rail and is horizontally movable along the guide rail by means of an electric drive, not shown. The loading basket 350 is laterally open in such a way that workpieces in the horizontal direction in a receiving space in the interior of the loading basket can be inserted horizontally and also in the lateral direction from this receiving space can be performed. The loading basket has second support structures 358 which serve to support the workpiece W with complementary structures on the underside on the second support structures within the loading basket. The second support structures are mounted in the corner region of the generally parallelepiped loading basket and can thus engage in complementary structures in the edge region of the underside of the workpiece when the workpiece is deposited in the loading basket.

The loading basket 350 thus has support structures or receiving structures that correspond to the support structures or receiving structures of the workpiece holder 190 with regard to the arrangement of indexing devices.

In the exemplary embodiment, the loading basket 350 has a plate-shaped, rectangular upper part 352, on the upper side of which a holder is secured for traversing in the horizontal guide rail 362. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 3, vertically downwardly projecting support arms 354 are attached to the four corners of the rectangular top. At the lower ends of the support arms inwardly projecting support portions 356 are mounted in the diagonal direction, on the tops of which elements of the second support structures are mounted. These elements enclose or delimit a parallelepiped-shaped receiving space, which is dimensioned so that the workpiece (cylinder crankcase) is completely received in the receiving space can be. The clear distance A between vertical support arms in the longitudinal direction of the loading cage (parallel to the horizontal guide rail) is greater than the length of the cylinder crankcase (measured parallel to the row of cylinder bores), while the clear distance B in the perpendicular transverse direction is greater than the width of the cylinder crankcase. The clear height is greater than the height of the workpiece. In this way, the cylinder crankcase can be inserted both in the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the interior or taken out of the interior and lifted from the support structures or placed on this. At the same time, the loading basket is also open at the bottom, because there is a rectangular clearance between the inwardly projecting support portions 356. This is dimensioned so that, for example, drive the vertical support means 325 of the lifting table on the pendulum slide from below into the receiving space and raise the workpiece there or can settle.

The workpiece conveyor system 200 (see Fig. 4) comprises two roller conveyors arranged in alignment with one another, namely the first roller conveyor 210 and a second roller conveyor 220, which run parallel to the horizontal guide rail 362 underneath in the region of the processing machine such that the end areas facing one another are arranged in the travel range of the loading basket 350 so that the loading basket can travel both over the end region of the first roller conveyor and over the end region of the second roller conveyor. The first roller conveyor 210 is used for transporting or for supplying not yet honored cylinder crankcase, while the second roller conveyor is used for removing the finished honed cylinder crankcase.

A first lifting table 230 and a second lifting table 240 are respectively mounted below the mutually facing end regions of the roller conveyors. Each lift table has a vertically movable support means with upstanding, rod-shaped support members 235 which can engage between adjacent rollers of the roller conveyor. Support structures are mounted on top of each of the four support members, which together correspond to the first support structures 327 on the top 326 of the support means 325 of the shuttle table lift table 320 so that they can engage the same structures on the underside of the workpiece.

An example of a loading and unloading operation using the loading and unloading system will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4A to 4P. The individual figures show temporally successive phases of the loading and unloading process. 4A shows an initial situation in which a finished workpiece W1 is received in the associated workpiece holder 190 on the rotary table 130 of the processing machine. The workpiece holder is already rotated in the area of the charging station. The pendulum carriage 310 is moved in the first end position associated with the loading station, so that its lifting table is located below the workpiece. The support means 325 of the lifting table is now moved up through the recess 195 on the rotary table, so that the workpiece W1 is gripped and lifted from below. In this case, the first support structures engage on the upper side of the support device in complementary structures in the central region of the underside of the workpiece W1, so that the workpiece remains positively secured in the desired position.

After lifting the support means of the lifting table, the workpiece rests on the lifting table solely by its own weight (FIG. 4B).

The pendulum slide is now moved over the intermediate position shown in Fig. 4C in the direction of the loading basket 350, which is located at the intersection of the travel distance of the shuttle carriage 310 with the transport direction of the horizontal conveyor perpendicular thereto. Before the feed and / or during the feed of the pendulum carriage in the direction of the loading basket, the support device is lifted so far that the workpiece W1 is at the level of the round table facing the lateral opening of the loading basket in such a way that the underside of the workpiece is on a vertical Level is slightly above the level of the inwardly angled support portions of the loading basket. Upon further advancement of the pendulum carriage, the workpiece is then moved between lateral support arms on the longitudinal side of the loading basket into the receiving space of the loading basket (FIG. 4D).

Thereafter, the support means of the lift table is lowered, so that the workpiece is lowered onto the second support structures on the underside of the loading basket. In this case, the second support structures engage in complementary structures on the edge of the underside of the workpiece, so that the workpiece is secured in a form-fitting manner and in the correct position in the loading basket (FIG. 4E).

Now the finished workpiece is moved by horizontal movement of the loading basket along the horizontal guide rail 362 to the second transfer station above the lifting table associated therewith (FIG. 4F).

For removal of the workpiece from the loading basket then the drive of the lifting table is actuated, so that its upstanding, rod-shaped support means 235 by the Rol- Move the roller conveyor upwards and lift the workpiece inside the receiving space (Fig. 4G). The support structures engage at the top of the vertical struts in the central region of the underside of the workpiece and thereby ensure the correct position of the workpiece.

Now the loading basket can be moved back horizontally, so that the workpiece leaves the loading basket through the opening on the narrow side (Fig. 4H).

As soon as the workpiece has been released from the loading basket, by lowering the supporting device of the second lifting table, the workpiece can be deposited on the rollers of the roller conveyor and removed (FIG. 41). The loading basket is now free for a next phase of the loading and unloading process.

In the example case, a new workpiece W2 is transported to the first transfer station (FIG. 4J) and raised by means of the associated first lifting table 230 to an upper level (FIG. 4K) which permits a lateral introduction in the horizontal direction through the opening in the narrow side of the loading basket. The loading basket then travels with it in time or thereafter in the direction of the first transfer station to the local end position, in which the workpiece is arranged completely in the receiving space of the loading basket (FIG. 4L).

By lowering the support device of the first lifting table, the workpiece is then deposited inside the loading basket (FIG. 4M).

Thereafter, the loading basket with the workpiece received therein moves into its middle position for the transfer of the workpiece to the lifting table of the pendulum carriage, which is still in the second end position (FIG. 4N).

The pendulum carriage then takes over the workpiece by moving the support means 325 of the lift table 320 upwards until the workpiece is gripped and raised within the receiving space (FIG. 40).

When the workpiece is free within the loading basket, the shuttle carriage 310 moves towards its first end position until the workpiece is located in the region of the loading station above a workpiece holder located there (FIG. 4P).

By lowering the support means of the lifting table 320, the workpiece is then inserted into the workpiece holder, wherein the indexing in the workpiece holder in engage the corresponding structures on the edge of the underside of the workpiece and thus the workpiece is taken position correct in the workpiece holder (Fig. 4Q).

5 shows a top view in FIG. 5B, a front view in FIG. 5C and a side view of the exemplary embodiment, which has a rotary table 130 on the processing machine whose four tool holders are fitted and unloaded by means of a pendulum carriage 310 with an integrated lifting table. The pendulum carriage moves horizontally between the charging station 140 and the transfer station 370 remote therefrom, at which the horizontal travel path of the shuttle carriage reaches the horizontal travel path of the loading basket 350. The conveyor line runs parallel to the travel axis of the loading basket and perpendicular to the travel axis of the shuttle carriage. In Fig. 5B, the vertical travel paths of the support means of the three lifting tables 320 (on the shuttle carriage) and 230 and 240 (at the respective ends of the roller conveyor) are clearly visible by means of the double arrows.

Fig. 6 shows in the three sub-figures 6A, 6B and 6C is a plan view, a front view and a side view of another embodiment, in which the horizontal travel of the loading tray 650 is spaced from the position of a workpiece holder 695 of the processing machine. There is no rotary table here, the workpiece holder 695 is the only workpiece holder of the processing machine. For loading and unloading the workpiece holder, a pendulum slide 610 is provided with an integrated lift table 620. Analogous to the variant of the previous exemplary embodiment, the pendulum carriage reciprocates by means of a horizontal travel axis between the loading station 640 on the workpiece holder and a transfer station 670. At the transfer station 670, the transfer of workpieces to be processed from the loading bin 650 in the direction of the workpiece holder and the transfer of processed workpieces from the lifting table into the loading bin takes place by means of the lifting table 620. The loading and unloading operations on the loading basket are substantially analogous to the described processes of the previous example, but in the variant with entrance table, a new workpiece can be transported to the workpiece holder only when the processed previous workpiece brought back to the workpiece conveyor system and has been unloaded there. A special feature of variants with entrance table is that possibly the workpiece for machining can remain on the lift table. In this case, the end position associated with the processing machine is at the same time a processing station of the processing machine, a transfer between the lifting table and the processing machine can be dispensed with.

Based on Fig. 7, an embodiment is explained, which allows a direct loading of workpiece holders on a rotary table of a processing machine without intermediate shuttle carriage. FIG. 7A is a plan view, FIG. 7B is a front view, and FIG. 7C is a side view of this embodiment with direct loading. The horizontal travel path of the loading basket 750 in this case runs above the workpiece receptacle 790 to be loaded or unloaded on the rotary table 730. The location of the loading station 740 in which the workpiece receptacle is loaded and unloaded coincides here with the location of the transfer station 770, in which loading basket 750 is loaded and unloaded. For both tasks, a stationary lifting table 720 is provided, which is arranged between the ends of the roller conveyor in alignment with the workpiece conveyor link and by means of vertical movement movements of its support means 725 causes the loading and unloading at loading station and transfer station. For the individual steps when loading and unloading new, not yet machined workpieces and finished workpieces, reference is made to the above description. In the case of direct loading, there is no need for horizontal transport between the transfer station and the loading station, so no pendulum carriage is provided.

In the previous embodiments, the loading and unloading system has only a single loading basket. There are also embodiments which have a first loading basket and a second loading basket which is guided on the same horizontal guide rail and along which e.g. can be moved synchronously with the first loading basket. As a result, different phases of two loading and unloading processes can take place synchronized in time, whereby the throughput of the loading and unloading process can be increased.

An exemplary embodiment with two identical loading baskets 850-1, 850-2, which can be moved synchronously along a horizontal guide rail 862 of a horizontal guidance system, will be described with reference to FIG. The straight-line travel path of the loading baskets thereby crosses the location of a transfer station 870, at which unprocessed and processed workpieces are loaded into one of the loading baskets and / or unloaded from one of the loading baskets. The workpiece conveyor system with lifting tables 830, 840 under the ends of roller conveyors corresponds in structure and function to the workpiece conveyor system 200 of the previous examples. The processing machine has a rotary table, not shown, which is operated by means of a horizontally movable pendulum carriage with integrated lifting table 820. In that regard, reference is made to the description of the first embodiment. A loading and unloading process can, for example, proceed as follows.

In the initial situation in Fig. 8A, a first workpiece W1 is in a waiting position at the end of a roller conveyor above the first lifting table 830. For loading the first loading tray 850-1, the workpiece is raised by means of the first lifting table 830 to an upper position allows lateral insertion into the first loading basket. The loading baskets 850-1, 850-2 then move synchronously horizontally in the direction of the first workpiece, so that the first workpiece W1, without itself being horizontally moved, enters the accommodating space of the first loading tray 850-1 (FIG. 8C). By lowering the support means of the first lifting table 830, the first workpiece W1 is lowered in the first loading basket 850-1 and now sits in the correct position on the second supporting means there.

Overlapping in time, an already finished second workpiece W2 is moved by means of the pendulum carriage and its lifting table 820 into the raised position shown in FIG. 8D at the transfer station 870. The pair of loading bins then moves in the direction of the transfer station, wherein the second workpiece W2 passes through a lateral opening on a narrow side of the second loading basket 850-2 into its receiving space (FIG. 8E). By lowering the supporting device of the lifting table 820, the second workpiece in the second loading basket 850-2 is set down on its second supporting means (FIG. 8E).

After the supporting device of the lifting table 820 (FIG. 8F) has been lowered, the moving-coupled loading baskets 850-1, 850-2 move synchronously into the position shown in FIG. 8G, in which the first loading basket 850-1 with the one held therein first workpiece W1 is located at the transfer station 870. By lifting the support means of the lift table, the first workpiece W1 is raised so far within the receiving space of the loading basket (FIG. 8H) that the first workpiece W1 by moving the two loading baskets in the direction of the second lifting table, the first loading tray 850-1 through a lateral opening leaves on the narrow side (Fig. 81). The second workpiece is positioned above the second lift table 840.

Now overlapping several processes can occur. The pendulum carriage can move with the raised first workpiece W1 in the direction of the rotary table to the first end position, where the workpiece is then deposited by lowering the support means on or in a workpiece holder. At the same time or offset in time, the second workpiece W2 can be raised within the second loading basket 850-2 by means of the second lifting table 840, so that it is released from the receiving space of the second loading tray 850-2 by horizontal movement of the two loading baskets without its own horizontal movement that it can subsequently be lowered onto the roller conveyor by lowering the support means of the second lift table (FIG. 8J).

Since in this variant loading and unloading operations at the transfer station 870 and at the spatially separate charging station can sometimes run parallel in time, loading and unloading operations can be carried out particularly quickly, so that particularly high piece rates are possible.

Claims

claims

1 . Loading and unloading system for transporting workpieces (W) between a workpiece conveyor system (200) of a production line and a workpiece holder (190) of a processing machine, in particular a honing machine, characterized by a lifting table (320) with a vertically displaceable support device (325), the first supporting structures (327) on an upper side for supporting in a first support area on a lower side of a workpiece (W); and

a loading basket (350, 650, 750, 850-1, 850-2), the

on a horizontal guide system (360) is guided horizontally movable;

is open to the side for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces; and

second support structures (358) for supporting in a lying outside the first support region second support region on an underside of a workpiece (W).

2. loading and unloading system according to claim 1, characterized in that the loading basket (350, 650, 750, 850-1, 850-2) is constructed so that it for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces on at least two sides laterally is open.

3. loading and unloading system according to claim 2, characterized in that the loading basket (350, 650, 750, 850-1, 850-2) is open for horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces on at least two mutually perpendicular sides laterally and / or that lateral openings of the loading basket are opposite to each other, so that the first and the second direction are aligned with each other.

4. loading and unloading system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the loading basket (350) has a rectangular upper part (352) on which a holder is secured for traversing on a horizontal guide rail of the horizontal guide system (360), wherein at corners the rectangular upper part are fixed vertically downwardly projecting support arms (354), which at their lower ends inwardly projecting support portions (356), on the upper side elements of the second support structures (358) are mounted.

5. loading and unloading system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second support structures (358) on the loading basket (350) Indexiereinrichtungen for positionally correct recording of a workpiece in the loading basket, wherein the indexing corresponding to indexing on the workpiece holder (190) of Machining machine are designed.

6. Loading and unloading system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the horizontal guide system (360) has a guide rail (362) and the loading basket (350, 650, 750, 850-1, 850-2) arranged suspended under the guide rail is.

7. Loading and unloading system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the workpiece conveyor system comprises a horizontal conveyor and for transfer between the horizontal conveyor and the loading basket a lifting table (230, 240) with a base member and a relative to the base member vertically movable support means for engaging with a bottom of the workpiece.

8. loading and unloading system according to claim 7, characterized in that the horizontal conveyor is designed at least in the region of a transfer station as a roller conveyor and the support means a plurality of vertically movable support elements (235) which are guided between adjacent rollers of the roller conveyor.

9. Loading and unloading system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first transfer station for the transfer of workpieces to be machined between the workpiece conveyor system and a loading basket (350) and a separate second transfer station for the transfer of processed by means of the processing machine workpieces of a loading basket is provided to the workpiece conveyor system.

10. Loading and unloading system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first loading basket (850-1) and a separate second loading basket (850-2) is provided.

1 1. Loading and unloading system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting table (320) on a pendulum slide (310) is arranged, which is movable between a first end position and second end position back and forth, wherein the first end position of a charging station (140 ) or a processing station of the processing machine and the second end position of a transfer station (370) is assigned to the workpiece conveyor system (200).

12. Loading and unloading system according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lifting table (720) at a loading station (740) of the processing machine is arranged and a trajectory of the loading basket (750) leads to the horizontal guide system to the charging station.

13. Production plant with:

a workpiece conveyor system (200) for transporting workpieces;

at least one processing machine (100) for processing workpieces; and a loading and unloading system (300) for transporting workpieces between the workpiece conveying system and a workpiece holder (190) of the processing machine, wherein the loading and unloading system (300) is designed according to one of the preceding claims.

14. Production plant according to claim 13, characterized in that the processing machine has a rotary table (130) which is rotatable about a vertical rotary table axis (134) and a plurality of workpiece holders (190) arranged offset with radial distance to the rotary table axis in the circumferential direction to each other such are that a recorded in a workpiece holder workpiece by rotation of the rotary table successively to different workstations of the processing machine is transportable, wherein a workstation a loading station (140) for moving workpieces from or into a workpiece holder (190) and at least one of the other workstations Processing station is having at least one processing unit (180) having a spindle which is rotatable about a vertical spindle axis and parallel to the spindle axis back and forth, wherein preferably the processing machine (100) is a honing machine for performing Hon operations on at least one bore in a workpiece (W), in particular for honing cylinder bores in a cylinder crankcase.

15. Production plant according to claim 14, characterized in that the rotary table (130) at the location of a workpiece holder (190) has a radially outwardly open recess (195) which is dimensioned such that the support means (325) of the lifting table (320) a collision-free vertical movement.