Punch press system

• US 5,478,301 A
• Filed: 08/02/1994
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amada Engineering & Service Co., Inc (Amada Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Amada Engineering & Service Co., Inc (Amada Company Limited)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIGGS, WILLIAM R
• Application Number:
  US08/284,164
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 483/1, 483/28, 483/29, 483/8, 483/9, 483/4, 483/5, 483/11, 483/10, 364/474.21, 83/552
• US Class Current: 483/11
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 28/12 Punching using rotatable carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15573 the tool being taken from a storage device and transferred to a tool holder by means of transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40938 Tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36357 Tool line up, select right order of tool, optimal tool order loading, tool file
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37251 Selfcorrecting, counter for tool life adapts correction
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45131 Turret punch press
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50237 Detect wear by comparing coded value on tool with real value, grind tool
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50276 Detect wear or defect tool, breakage and change tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/10 Process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/138 including means to monitor and control, i.e., adaptive machining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1729 Reciprocating tool machine tool [e.g., broaching machine, shaping machine, etc.]

Abstract

To watch the condition of tools mounted on a turret punch press and an automatic tool changing unit, a control device performs a simulation of a punch processing on the basis of an NC program for the turret punch press. On the basis of the simulation, the control device calculate the number of times for which each tool mounted on the punch press performs punchings in the workpiece during the punch processing. From the number of times, the control device determine the abrasion loss of the tools mounted on the punch press and the automatic tool changing unit. The control device is also adapted to store a length by which a tool is shortened by a grinding processing to be made in a tool to sharpen the same.

Claims

1. A punch press system comprising:

a punch press for performing punch processing in a sheet workpiece, the punch press being equipped with a plurality of tools removably mounted thereon;

a punch press control device for controlling the punch press, the punch press control device being adapted to store data for identifying the tools mounted on the punch press;

an automatic tool changing apparatus for automatically changing tools mounted on the punch press; and

an ATC control device for controlling the automatic tool changing apparatus, the ATC control device being connected to the punch press control device and adapted to receive data identifying tools mounted on the punch press, the ATC control device being further adapted to receive the data identifying tools to be used in a punch processing in the punch press, and the ATC control device being still further adapted to perform the steps of;

(a) receiving from the punch press control, device the data identifying the tools mounted on the punch press,

(b) comparing the data identifying the tools mounted on the punch press with the data identifying the tools to be used in the punch processing,

(c) detecting tools included in the tools to be used in the punch processing and not included in the tools mounted on the punch press,

(d) controlling the automatic tool changing apparatus so that the tools detected in the step (c) are mounted on the punch press.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ATC control device further performs the steps of:

(e) after the step (b), detecting tools that are included in the tools mounted on the punch press but not included in the tools to be used in the punch processing,

(f) controlling the automatic tool changing apparatus so that the tools detected in the step (e) are removed from the punch press.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the punch press is a turret punch press equipped with rotatable turrets for supporting the tools, and when tools on the turrets are to be changed, the turrets are rotated so that the tools to be changed are moved to a tool changing position to which the automatic tool changing apparatus is accessible to change the tools.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automatic tool changing apparatus comprises a tool tower for storing a plurality of tools, and a transfer unit movable between the tool tower and the punch press.