AUTOMATED STATION FOR CUTTING AND PROCESSING MATERIAL IN GENERAL

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an automated station for cutting and processing material in general. More in particular, the invention refers to a water-jet cutting station, suitable to carry out cuttings and/or workings in general on a shaped piece, such as, for example, a tire, by means of cutting heads assembled on trucks or manipulator robot arms appropriately positioned inside the station. Proceedings for the automated processing of materials are nowadays known.

Automatic methods for moving workpieces are also known, for example through the use of one or more mechanical manipulators, such as robots. According to these methods, the workpiece is usually fixed at a given support and placed in a prefixed position, so that a tool, assembled on the wrist of a robot, performs the desired operation in predetermined portions. However, such an operation is not at all accurate nor reliable, since the provided cutting,

constant in size, determines scraps and burrs which differ from piece to piece and/or from one side to the other side of the piece itself.

This leads to the fact that these burrs cannot be eliminated by means of a single action of cutting by the tool assembled on the wrist of the robot.

In this case, it is therefore necessary to adjust the cutting depth of the tool and/or program the robot in such a way as to the tool carries out the cutting operation for several times, consequently extending processing times and operating costs.

On the other hand, the burr operation which can be carried out with traditional methods, right because it cannot be adjusted and/or fitted to the particular to be finished, can also cause the removal of parts which actually belong to the workpiece.

Aim of the present invention is, therefore, to overcome the drawbacks mentioned and, in particular, to provide an automated station for cutting and processing material in general, which allows to perform adequately, reliably and safely, the desired cutting and/or working type in shaped pieces, so that the cutting tool can adjust its position, as well as the cutting strength and depth, to each workpiece in order to carry out the target operation.

Another aim of the present invention is to

provide an automated station for cutting and processing material in general, which allows to carry out workings on a number of pieces significantly higher, in a given time unit, than that of the traditional systems. Further aim of the invention is to provide an automated station for cutting and processing material in general, which allows to carry out cutting and/or other operations, such as incision, milling, finishing etc, on mechanical parts having any geometric shape and different sizes.

These and other aims are achieved by an automated station for cutting and processing material in general, as described, in an its generic and preferred embodiment, in the attached claim 1. The dependent claims contain other characteristics of detail of the invention.

In an advantageous way, the workpiece is assembled centrally to the station, fixed in position, while three cutting heads are arranged around the piece and are positioned according to a prefixed geometry, in order to carry out cuttings and/or other operations in the direction orthogonal with respect to the side surface of the piece.

The cutting and the working in general are carried out buy means of various technologies, such as jet of water and/or hydro-abrasive (water-jet) , laser,

plasma, oxygen lance cuttings, and/or chip removal known as "milling" ones, performed individually or in combination one with each other.

Therefore, thanks to a control system of the moving of the cutting heads (provided by an applicative numerical control (CNC) management software) , an interpolation of a desired number of Cartesian axes is obtained, so that each cutting head, associated with a moving truck cart or the wrist of a mechanical manipulator (robot) , performs the desired operation on the surface of the workpiece, at the portion to be removed and/or to be worked in general, at a prefixed speed and/or with a pre-arranged intensity, depending on the type of work to be carried out . The automated station according to the invention can also be expanded in modular way, simply providing the addition of one or more supports of further workpieces and keeping moreover constant the number of the cutting heads used and, consequently, the power systems, the moving trucks and/or the mechanical manipulators connected to them.

Further aims and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the description that follows, referred to an, illustrative and preferred, but not limited to, implementation example of the automated station for cutting and processing material

in general, which is the object of the present invention, and from the attached drawings, provided only for illustrative and not exhaustive way, where: figure 1 shows a perspective view of an implementation example of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general, according to the present invention; figures 2A and 2B show perspective views of an embodiment alternative to that one of figure 1 of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general, according to the present invention; figure 2C is a side view of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general of figures 2A and 2B, according to the present invention; figure 2D is a partly sectioned side view of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general of figures 2A and 2B; - figures 3A- 3C show schematic perspective views of further possible embodiments of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general, according to the present invention; figure 4 is a perspective view of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general of the scheme of figure 3C, according to the

invention .

With particular reference to the mentioned figure 1, showing a first embodiment, illustrative but not limiting, of the station object of the present invention, the automated station for cutting and processing material in general can be carried out using a base 10, rotating and possibly movable in vertical direction (according to the direction of the axis Z) , on which the workpiece 11 is placed. In particular, the piece 11 is placed on a platform 14, associated superiorly to the rotating base 10, and within a containment tank 12, usually circular, suitable to collect the working water at the bottom (in case the workings are carried out through the water jet at very high pressure technology) and the abrasive and/or piece 11 residuals, which are removed during the cutting and/or incision operations performed.

Moreover, the tank 12 presents openings 13, inside of which respective trucks 16, leading at the ends relative cutting and/or working in general heads 17, can be moved, both in vertical direction (axis Z) and in transverse direction, i.e. in direction orthogonal to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11. As mentioned, the heads 17 can perform, individually or in combination one with each other, predetermined cutting and/or incision operations on the

surface 15 of the workpiece 11, through common technologies, such as jet of water at high pressure (water-jet) , laser, plasma, abrasive, oxygen lance cuttings, "milling" type chip removal, etc. In particular, such technologies are used in order to carry out cross sliced cuttings, according to the direction of the axis X, of the workpiece 11, made whether of metallic material or insulating material, or in order to carry out incisions having set geometries on the piece 11, which, in such a case, may consist of a tire.

With this object in view, as clearly illustrated in figure 1, three heads 17 are preferably used, assembled on respective trucks 16, which may translate in vertical direction (axis Z), for set ways, along the relative vertical support structure 18 (for example, through toothed racks 19), which can be in turn translated, approaching or averting with respect to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11, along the axis X, thanks to the use of guides 20 which are fixed centrally to a bottom 21, below the rotating base 10.

According to an illustrative and preferred, but not limiting, embodiment of the automated station, according to the present invention, as shown in figure 1, three guides 20 are used, on which three respective support structures 18 of three trucks 16 and three

heads 17 of cutting and working in general of the piece 11 translate; furthermore, the guides are arranged transversely to the circular tank 12 and are spaced apart one from one another by circular sectors having substantially equal angles.

The same workings described above can be accomplished within the automated station for cutting and processing of material in general made as shown in figures 2A-2D, where a cabin 22 is shown, provided with inspection windows 27, accessible from the outside at one side, through a removable small ladder 26, within said cabin 22 being moved three heads 23, assembled on the wrist of respective mechanical manipulators or robots 24 which are applied above a support framework 25 provided on three sides of the cabin 22.

Similarly to what previously described, even in this case, the workpiece 11 is centrally located in the cabin 22, above a platform 14 which is associated with a base 10, rotating and further operated in vertical direction (along the axis Z) above a work top provided with a grill 28 in order to drain the process water (in case a technology of the water-jet type is used) and hold the material waste of the piece 11, emitted following to the suffered working. In particular, the rotating base 10 (and with it the rotating platform 14 and the piece 11) can be

raised up in vertical direction (axis Z) , with respect to a ground basement 29, through a lifting system 30, whether of hydraulic, pneumatic or electro-mechanical type; this is useful when continuous cuttings transversally to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11 or incisions with set geometries on the aforesaid side surface 15 have to be made, since it is possible to combine the movements of the manipulators 24, which are operated in the space inside the cabin 22, with the movement of the piece 11, which is upwardly moved by the lifting system 30.

In the attached figures 2A- 2D the pumping systems 31 (high pressure water, laser, plasma, oxygen lance cuttings, etc.) are also schematically visible, which allow the feeding of the heads 23 in order to carry out the workings provided on the piece 11.

In particular, the cutting or working in general operations on the piece 11 are carried out by running the heads 23, assembled on respective wrists of the manipulators 24, along certain trajectories, whose direction is, in practice, orthogonal to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11, while the speed and the positioning vary, controlled by a numerical control central unit, which further operates the operation of the manipulators 24 depending on the section depth of the portion of material to be removed from the

workpiece 11.

Also in this case, the portions 32 of the framework 25, with which the upper ends of the arms of the manipulators 24 are connected, are placed in certain space positions inside the cabin 22 and, in particular, are provided on opposing positions, one of which opposite to another and one placed frontally to the side of access of the cabin 22 (as visible in figure 2B) , so that the circular sectors defined by the aforesaid portions 32 have substantially equal and included between 90° and 120° central angles.

Figures 3A-3C and 4 refer, finally, to embodiments of automated stations of the type of the one described and illustrated in figure 1, where the support structures 18 and the trucks 16 which support the heads 17 are replaced by arms of manipulators 24, of the kind of those described in figures 2A-2D, leading heads of cutting and processing in general 23, and where the ends of the manipulators are connected below the guides 20, so that each head 23 can be operated in the space through the wrist of each manipulator 24 and, at the same time, every manipulator 24 can be translated, along the respective guide 20, in direction transverse to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11 (axis X) and in vertical direction (axis Z) , in order to combine in various ways the movements

of the manipulators 24, the heads 23 and the workpieces 11 and so carry out different varieties of operations on the piece 11.

More specifically, as in the embodiments previously described, the manipulators 24 are assembled on the guides 20, so that the circular sectors underlying such guides 20 define central angles having substantially the same measure, equal to about 120°; the basic structure, formed by the workpiece 11, the guides 20 and their manipulators 24, then takes a substantially Y geometric shape, as evidenced by the same figures 3A- 3C and 4 and as already provided in the embodiments of figures 1 and 2A- 2D.

Thus, assuming having to carry out one or more cutting operations in direction transverse to the side surface 15 of the workpiece 11, using a rotating base 10 to support the piece 11, three manipulators 24, three respective pumping systems 31 and three relative working heads 23 (as in the example illustrated in figure 3A) , it is possible to perform the cut through all the three manipulators 24, which cut the same ring on different portions of the piece 11, or through only one manipulator 24, which cuts a single ring.

Alternatively, using two rotating bases 10 and elements 21 to support two relative workpieces 11 and the same three manipulators 24 , with three respective

pumping systems 31 and three working heads 23 (as in the example illustrated in figure 3B) , it is possible to carry out the cut through all three manipulators 24, which cut the same ring on the first workpiece 11, or through only one manipulator 24, which cuts a single ring on the first workpiece 11, or through two manipulators 24, which cut the same ring on the first workpiece 11, and the other manipulator 24, which cuts a ring on the second workpiece 11, or even through two manipulators 24, which cut a single ring on the second workpiece 11, and the other manipulator 24, which cuts a ring on the first workpiece 11.

Still alternatively, using three rotating bases 10 and elements 21 to support three respective workpieces 11 and the same three manipulators 24, with three respective pumping systems 31 and three relative working heads 23 (as in example illustrated in figure 3C) , it is possible to carry out the cut in accordance with the following alternative modes: - three manipulators 24 cut the same ring on the first workpiece 11; each manipulator 24 cuts a single ring on the first workpiece 11; two manipulators 24 cut the same ring on the first workpiece 11, while the other manipulator 24 cuts a ring on the second or third workpiece 11;

two manipulators 24 cut a single ring on the second or third workpiece 11, while the other manipulator 24 cuts a ring on the first workpiece 11; each manipulator 24 cuts a ring on a respective workpiece 11.

Finally, figure 4 shows a constructive mode of a cabin 22 which can be associated with the schematic embodiment of the automated station of cutting and processing in general shown in figure 3C, from which the geometric Y shape of the structure is immediately- visible, at the centre of the branches of which at least one of the workpieces 11 is positioned, and in which the three manipulators 24 are assembled on the respective three guides 20, which are just Y arranged and angularly spaced apart by relative angles having substantially the same measures and equal to about 120° in the space .

In such a way, it is possible to reach the maximum interpolation of axes and provide a highly flexible and innovative automated station, since the combination of the possible movements of the working heads 23 is maximum; the heads 23, therefore, whether applied to manipulators 24 or to moving trucks 16, can be provided in a minimum number within the same station and carry out several types of workings on different pieces 11, without being moved from the aforesaid

station .

From the description made the characteristics of the automated station for cutting and processing material in general, which is the object of the present invention, as well as the resulting benefits, are clear.

It is, finally, clear that several other variations can be made to the automated station in question, without for this reason going out of the novelty principles inherent of the inventive idea as it is clear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, materials, shapes and sizes of the illustrated details can be any, depending on the needs, and the same can be replaced with others technically equivalent.