JP3012682B2 - Automatic processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an automatic machining apparatus for a workpiece by a machine tool.

<Conventional technology> As a system for automatically processing a workpiece by a machine tool, a three-dimensional warehouse is installed near the machine tool, and a workpiece brought in from the outside is temporarily installed on the pallet beside the machine tool. A loading platform is installed, a guide rail is laid on the floor between the machine tool and the three-dimensional warehouse and the loading platform, and the transport truck is moved along the guide rails. 2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus is used in which an object is carried into a three-dimensional warehouse from a loading stand, taken out of a three-dimensional warehouse, carried into a machine tool, and a processed workpiece is taken out of the machine tool and carried into a three-dimensional warehouse.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the automatic machining apparatus as described above, in order to realize unattended operation at night, the worker processes the workpiece to be machined unattended in the daytime before entering the unattended operation in a three-dimensional warehouse. Store it. However, the workpieces stored in the three-dimensional warehouse by the transport trolley are taken out and processed in the order of storage regardless of unmanned operation or manned operation. Therefore, for workpieces that the operator intentionally wants to perform during unmanned operations, such as workpieces that require a long machining time or workpieces that do not require changing the tool of the machine tool, the workpieces to be machined during manned operation are stored in a three-dimensional warehouse There is a problem that it has to be stored in a three-dimensional warehouse after being stored inside.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and it is possible to randomly store a workpiece for unmanned machining and a workpiece for manned machining, and to provide a workpiece for manned machining during manned operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic processing device that can select and process.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention has been made in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, and is to process a work carried into a carry-in table 51 when manned as shown in FIG. Or an identification giving means 1 for giving an identification as to whether or not to process when unattended,
Workpiece discriminating means 2 for judging whether a workpiece is to be machined when manned or unmanned based on the identification of this discriminating means 1, and by the workpiece discriminating means 2 when manned. A position storage means 3 for storing the position where the workpiece determined to be processed is stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30, and a workpiece stored in the storage position stored by the position storage means 3 when the person is manned. And a processing execution means 4 for processing.

<Operation> The identification providing means 1 gives identification of whether the loaded workpiece is to be machined when manned or unmanned, and the workpiece discriminating means 2 performs the machining based on the identification. It is determined whether the workpiece is to be machined when manned or to be machined when unmanned, and the workpiece determined to be machined when manned by the workpiece discriminating means 2 is:
When the workpiece cannot be carried into the machine tool due to processing of another workpiece, the workpiece is stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30, and the storage location is stored by the location storage means 3. When the machining of another workpiece is completed, the machining execution means 4 carries the workpiece stored at the position stored by the position storage means 3 into the machine tool for machining.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First
In FIG. 2 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a machining center as a machine tool. In front of the machining position, a workpiece changing device 80 for mounting the workpiece on the machine tool 10 is installed. A three-dimensional warehouse 30 is arranged facing the machine tool 10,
A guide rail 40 as a transfer device is disposed between the machine tool 10 and the three-dimensional warehouse 30, and a transfer cart 41 is disposed on the guide rail 40 so as to be able to run laterally. On one end of the guide rail 40, a workpiece is placed on a pallet P
A carry-in table 51 for attachment to the camera is arranged. A carry-in operation panel 52 is attached to the carry-in table 51, and the carried-in work panel 52 is used for performing a normal processing during the manned operation or an express processing during the manned operation. To select whether to perform machining during unmanned operation or not. An input mode selection button 53 and an attachment that informs a control device 60 to be described later that the work section has been installed on the pallet on the loading table 51. A completion button 54 is provided. Further, the above-described transport trolley 41 is provided with a fork (not shown) so that a workpiece can be loaded into and unloaded from the machine tool 10, the three-dimensional warehouse 30, and the loading table 51.

The three-dimensional warehouse 30 is divided into three floors as shown in the front view in the direction of the arrow, and the storage positions are numbered 401 to 421, respectively.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a control device of the automatic processing apparatus, which is mainly composed of a CPU 11, a ROM 12 storing a control program, and a RAM 13 storing input data and the like. A work data storage area 131 for storing data of the work carried into the three-dimensional warehouse 30 is formed in the RAM 13.

The CPU 11 is connected to the numerical controller of the machine tool 10 via the interface 16, and receives a work loading / unloading request signal from the machine tool 10. Further, a carry-in / out request signal from the carry-in table 51 is input to the CPU 11 via the interface 16.

The transfer cart 4 is also connected to the CPU 11 via the interface 17.
It is connected to the first control device and outputs a movement position command signal to the carrier 41. Further, an operation panel 22 is connected to the CPU 11 via an interface 18. The operation panel 22 displays a keyboard 23 for inputting data and data.
In addition to the CRT display device 21 being mounted, an operation switching button 24 for switching the automatic processing device to unmanned operation or manned operation is also mounted.

The operation of the numerical controller 20 having the above configuration will be described.

A flowchart shown in FIG. 3 shows an operation procedure of an operator when a workpiece is put into the automatic processing apparatus of the present embodiment. While the workpiece is being loaded into the automatic processing apparatus, the workpiece for manned processing by the machine tool 10 can be processed.

In step 100, the worker determines whether the workpiece carried to the loading table 51 is a workpiece processed during unmanned operation or a workpiece processed during manned operation. If the workpiece is to be machined during unattended operation (YES), step 102
And the unmanned mode of the input mode selection button 53 is selected. If the workpiece is to be machined during manned operation (NO), the process proceeds to step 104 and the input mode selection button 5
Choose 3 normal or express modes. The difference between the normal mode and the express mode during the manned operation will not be described in detail because the relationship with the present invention is small, but in the normal mode, the order in which the articles are stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 and the carrier 41 removes the workpiece. , While a workpiece is set on the machine tool 10 for machining, the workpiece specified in the express mode is the machine tool 10
Is to perform the machining as soon as the machining of the workpiece currently being machined is completed.

In step 106, the operator moves the pallet P
The control unit 60 is notified by the mounting completion button 54 that the mounting of the workpiece has been completed. When the control device 60 receives the signal from the installation completion button 54, the control device 60 reads the pallet number from the dog provided on the pallet P on which the workpiece is mounted, and presses the input mode selection button 53 to enter the unmanned mode or the normal mode. Or express mode, and the information is stored in the workpiece data storage area 131. Further, the control device 60 receives the signal of the installation completion button 54 and
Instruct the removal of the workpiece from 51, and
Either transport the workpiece taken out to 41 directly to the machine tool 10,
Or, it instructs whether to store it in the three-dimensional warehouse 30. If it is stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30, the storage positions 401 to 421 of this workpiece
Are stored in the workpiece data storage area 131 in association with the pallet numbers.

Next, the operation when the control device 60 in the automatic processing apparatus of this embodiment carries in a workpiece for unmanned processing during manned operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In step 200, it is confirmed whether the workpiece is for unmanned operation or manned operation by receiving a signal from the mounting completion button 54 in step 106 described above. If the workpiece is to be machined during unattended operation (YES), the process proceeds to step 202. If the workpiece is to be machined during manned operation (NO), the process proceeds to step 206, which is a process for performing normal machining.

Steps after step 206 described below are those performed during normal machining by a man.

In step 206, it is confirmed whether or not the workpiece exchange device 80 of the machine tool 10 is vacant using information from the numerical control device of the machine tool 10. If the workpiece changer 80 is empty (YES), the process proceeds to step 210, where the workpiece is directly placed on the workpiece changer 80 of the machine tool 10, and then step 212 is performed.
After the machining of the workpiece is completed, the process proceeds to step 214, and the completed workpiece is transferred to the loading platform 51 if the loading platform 51 is vacant, and if the machining platform is not empty, the process proceeds to step 214. It is stored in a vacant part of the storage positions 401 to 421 of the warehouse 30. After the above steps are completed, the process returns to step 200 to carry in the next workpiece.

On the other hand, if the workpiece exchange device is not empty in step 206 (NO), the process proceeds to step 208, where the device is stored in an empty location among the storage positions 401 to 421 of the multi-dimensional warehouse 30, and then returns to step 200.

The steps after step 202 described below correspond to the case where it is determined in step 200 that the workpiece is for unmanned operation during manned operation.

In step 202, the workpieces loaded into the loading table 51 are stored in the storage positions 401 to 421 of the three-dimensional warehouse 30 until unmanned operation is started.
Is stored in an empty location.

In step 204, it is determined whether all the workpieces to be machined during unmanned operation are carried in and whether or not unmanned operation is to be started.
That is, if the operation switching button 24 has been switched to unmanned operation by the operator (YES), the process proceeds to step 216 to execute unmanned operation. If the operation has not been switched to the unmanned operation (NO), the process returns to step 200 to carry in the next workpiece.

Steps after step 216 describe the state of unmanned operation.

In the following steps, the order in which the workpieces are taken out of the three-dimensional warehouse 30 is determined as follows. That is, when starting the unmanned operation, the workpiece stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 includes the workpiece set to the unmanned mode in step 102 and the workpiece set to the normal mode in step 104. However, during unmanned operation, there is no need to specially distinguish these workpieces, and the workpieces are taken out in the order in which the transport trolley 41 stores the workpieces in the storage position.

In step 216, it is determined whether or not the workpiece is an unprocessed workpiece in the three-dimensional warehouse 30. Information on whether the processing of the workpiece has been completed is stored in the workpiece data storage area 131 together with the storage position of the workpiece in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 and the number of the pallet on which the workpiece is mounted. If there is an unprocessed workpiece in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 (YES), the process proceeds to step 218 to remove the workpiece from the three-dimensional warehouse 30 and place the workpiece on the workpiece changing device 80 of the machine tool 10. After that, the processing of the workpiece is executed in step 220, and after the processing is completed, the process proceeds to step 222, and the processed workpiece is returned to the storage position of the three-dimensional warehouse 30 from which the workpiece was taken out. . After the above steps are completed, the process returns to step 216 to process the next workpiece.

On the other hand, if there is no unprocessed workpiece in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 in step 216 (NO), the unmanned operation ends.

As described above, the automatic processing apparatus of the present embodiment identifies whether a workpiece for unmanned processing or a workpiece for manned processing is stored in the three-dimensional warehouse 30 at the time of loading, and stores the workpiece for manned processing. The workpiece can be randomly processed without considering the loading order of the workpieces.
Can be stored.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, at the time of carry-in, whether a workpiece for unmanned processing or a workpiece for manned processing is identified and stored in a three-dimensional warehouse, and a workpiece for manned processing is stored. Can be selected and processed, so that the workpiece can be stored in the three-dimensional warehouse at random without considering the order of loading the workpiece. Therefore, a workpiece for unmanned machining can be carried in during manned operation, so that the work efficiency of the worker can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims. 2 to 4 show an embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the automatic machining apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the present embodiment. 1 identification providing means 2 work determination means 3 work data storage determination means 4 processing execution means 10
Machine tools, 30 ... three-dimensional warehouse, 40 ... guide rails, 41 ...
... Transportation trolley, 51 ... Loading table, 60 ... Control device.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23Q 41/00 B65G 1/137

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A machine tool, a three-dimensional warehouse installed near the machine tool for storing a workpiece, a loading table for temporarily installing a workpiece loaded from the outside, the machine tool, the three-dimensional warehouse, An automatic processing apparatus comprising a work carriage transporting laterally on a floor between the carry-in platform and a work carried in the carry-in platform when manned or unmanned. Identification giving means for giving an identification of whether the workpiece is to be machined when manned or to be machined unattended based on the identification of the identification giving means; ,
A work piece determined to be processed when manned by the work piece discriminating means is stored in the storage position stored by the position storage means for storing a position stored in the three-dimensional warehouse; An automatic processing apparatus comprising: a processing execution unit configured to process a workpiece when manned.