Production line

• US 20060104751A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Arai, Shigehiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/222.10
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/0054 Means for adjusting the position of a machine tool with respect to its supporting surface B23Q1/262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 37/005 Modular base frames
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 37/007 Modular machining stations designed to be linked to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 39/04 the sub-assemblies being arranged to operate simultaneously at different stations, e.g. with an annular work-table moved in steps associations of machines connected only by work-transferring means B23Q41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 41/02 Features relating to transfer of work between machines arrangements for handling work for machine tools coordinated in production lines B23Q7/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/50 Convertible metal working machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5124 with means to feed work intermittently from one tool station to another
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/165 Plural machine tools, e.g., flexible manufacturing

Abstract

Provided is a production line which allows easy interchange of and maintenance on production devices and which is compact with a short line length. Split bases 3 for respective production devices 2 arranged in a production line are formed in a uniform unit module width W, and the production devices 2 are connected to each other. A machine 4 on each split base 3 is drawn out forwards under the guide of a movement guide 8 for maintenance operation, or is interchanged with another machine 4. During the maintenance operation on or interchange of the machines 4, the machine 4 drawn out, and a control device 5 and fluid supply devices 6 and 7 are placed onto a caster-equipped cart to undergo maintenance operation on the caster-equipped cart or to be carried to another location.

Claims

1. A production line comprising:

a base;

a plurality of machines that machine a workpiece and are arranged in a line on the base;

an inter-machine workpiece conveying device that delivers the workpiece between a workpiece delivery position of one of the plurality of machines and a workpiece receiving position of another one of the plurality of machines;

positioning/fixing means for positioning and fixing the machine in the line onto a top surface of the base; and

moving means provided between the base and the machine, for moving the machine along the top surface of the base.

2. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of machines have a common base frame width.

3. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of machines are arranged at a common spacing.

4. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the moving means has a structure and dimensions, which are common among the plurality of machines.

5. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the positioning/fixing means has a structure and dimensions, which are common among the plurality of machines.

6. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the moving means has a V-groove rail extending along a movement direction of the machine, a ball that engages with the V-groove rail, and a hydropneumatic device for urging the ball toward the V-groove rail to lift the machine from the top surface of the base.

7. A production line according to claim 6, wherein the V-groove rail is provided on the base side, and wherein the ball and the hydropneumatic device are provided on the machine side.

8. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the positioning/fixing means has positioning means comprising:

a V-groove rail extending along a movement direction of the machines;

a ball that engages with the V-groove rail; and

a stopper provided with respect to the movement direction.

9. A production line according to claim 1, further comprising a maintenance stand onto which the machine slidingly drawn out of the top surface of the base by the moving means is placed, the maintenance stand having a rigidity and vibration-proof property that are equivalent to those of the base,

wherein the maintenance stand includes:

a machine placing surface for directly placing thereon the machine, which is slidingly drawn out of a machine placing surface of the base, by arranging the machine placing surface of the maintenance stand in contact with the machine placing surface of the base;

height adjusting means for adjusting leveling and height of the machine placing surface;

positioning means for positioning the machine on the machine placing surface; and

fixing means for fixing the positioned machine onto the maintenance stand.

10. A production line according to claim 9, wherein the positioning means comprises a fence surrounding the machine and provided along three peripheral sides of the machine placing surface excluding a machine receiving side.

11. A production line according to claim 9, further comprising a control device connected to the machine through a detachable cable, for controlling activation of the machine,

wherein when the machine is slidingly drawn out of the top surface of the base and placed on to the maintenance table, the machine and the control device are connected to each other via an extension cable.

12. A production line according to claim 9, further comprising a fluid supply device connected to the machine through detachable piping, for supplying a fluid to the machine,

wherein when the machine is slidingly drawn out of the top surface of the base and placed onto the maintenance table, the machine and the fluid supply device are connected to each other via a flexible extension tube.

13. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the positioning/fixing means has fixing means comprising screw-coupling means for fastening the base and the machine to each other.

14. A production line according to claim 13, further comprising:

a maintenance stand onto which each of the machines slidingly drawn out of the top surface of the base by the moving means is placed, the maintenance stand having the same height as the base; and

screw-coupling means provided between the maintenance stand and the machine and having a structure and dimensions common to the screw-coupling means of the fixing means.

15. A production line according to claim 9, wherein the maintenance stand is a caster-equipped cart.

16. A production line according to claim 15, wherein the caster-equipped cart comprises a control device accommodating portion that accommodates a control device for controlling activation of the machine.

17. A production line according to claim 15, wherein the caster-equipped cart comprises a fluid supply device accommodating portion that accommodates a fluid supply device for supplying a fluid to the machine.

18. A production line according to claim 9, wherein:

the base is split into a plurality of split bases;

the plurality of split bases are detachably connected to each other by connection means; and

the maintenance stand comprises connection means common to the plurality of the split bases.

19. A production line according to claim 1, wherein the base is split into a plurality of split bases, and wherein the plurality of split bases are detachably connected to each other by connection means.

20. A production line according to claim 19, wherein respective machine placing surfaces of the plurality of split bases-are the same in height.

21. A production line according to claim 19, wherein the connection means have a structure and dimensions which are common among the plurality of split bases.

22. A production line according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of machines is a large machine having a base frame width larger than a standard base frame width of the other ones of the plurality of machines, and wherein the large machine is fixed onto the base by plural ones of the positioning/fixing means provided for the machines having the standard base frame width.

23. A production line according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of machines is a large machine having a base frame width larger than a standard base frame width of the other ones of the plurality of machines, and wherein the large machine is made movable with respect to the base by plural ones of the moving means provided for the machines having the standard base frame width.

24. A production line according to claim 1, wherein a machine at a first station of the production line comprises a bar cutting device, and wherein a bar is supplied along a workpiece principal axis, and after a distal end of the bar is machined to produce a workpiece, the produced workpiece is cut out from the bar by the bar cutting device and delivered to a next production process.

25. A production line according to claim 14, wherein:

the base is split into a plurality of split bases;

the plurality of split bases are detachably connected to each other by connection means; and

the maintenance stand comprises connection means common to the plurality of the split bases.

26. A production line according to claim 14, wherein the maintenance stand is a caster-equipped cart.