Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-06
2001-07-03
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256547
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The present invention refers to a process for the automatic generation of a sequence of controls (control program) for a bending machine for metal sheets, in particular for a numeric control bending machine, even more in particular a flexible bending machine capable to accomplish the bending of more sides of a metal sheet to obtain a metal sheet panel, in which the profile of a bent side is independent from the profile of the other sides, without any manual intervention of an operator.
A similar bending machine is described for example in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,898.
Metal sheet panels of this type have a wide utilisation for example in the manufacture of metal cabinets, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, shelving in general etceteras.
The known numeric control bending machines comprise a control system. Based on the design of the panel to be realised, the operator sets a sequence of controls that the control system translates into a sequence of operations that the bending machine will execute in order to get, from the metal sheet, to the panel.
Each bending machine is generally provided with its own control system, and it is programmed by means of a particular programming language.
Programming of the bending machine is therefore a complex process, that can be accomplished only by an expert operator capable to determine in advance the operations that the bending machine must perform in order to obtain the desirable result, for each bend present in the design of the panel.
In view of the state of the art described, object of the present invention is to provide for a process for the automatic generation of a sequence of controls for a bending machine that would make the programming of the bending machine quicker, without errors and accessible even for people who have not any specific knowledge of the programming language of the bending machine.
According to the present invention, such object is attained by means of a process for the automatic generation of a sequence of controls for a metal sheets bending machine, characterised by:
providing for a first plurality of configuration files of a plurality of bending machines, each file referring to a respective bending machine of said plurality and containing information on the configuration of the respective bending machine;
providing for a second plurality of files each referring to a respective bending machine and constituting a library of controls for the bending machine;
providing for a first database of geometrical shapes of mechanical organs, containing a geometrical representation of mechanical organs of the bending machines;
providing for a second database containing information of the behaviour of a plurality of materials when these are submitted to bending, and in that the process comprises the following stages:
a stage of geometrical design of a panel in a tridimensional CAD design environment in which a geometrical design of a panel is defined;
a configuration stage for the selection of a particular bending machine within said plurality of bending machines, in such a way as to select a first file among said first plurality of files, and a second file among said second plurality of files;
a stage of acquisition of the geometrical design of the panel for the individuation of the bends provided in said geometrical design of the panel;
a stage of preliminary verification of the geometrical design of the panel for the verification of the possibility of the panel manufacture by means of the selected bending machine;
a processing stage in which, by associating the first file with the first database, a virtual tridimensional representation of the selected bending machine is obtained and said virtual representation of the bending machine is associated with said second file and with said second database, in order to obtain a tridimensional simulation of the bending process of a metal sheet, said simulation determining the sequence of bending operations that the bending machine must execute in order to obtain the designed panel;
a stage of generation of the sequence of controls for the bending machine starting from the sequence of the bending operations, said sequence of controls allowing the bending machine to execute said sequence of bending operations.
The process according to the present invention shows the following main advantages:
flexibility: it allows to generate automatically a sequence of controls for a bending machine, starting from the geometrical design of a panel obtained in CAD (Computer Aid Design) design environment, whichever the panel to be produced;
independence of the geometrical design of the panel, made in the CAD environment, from the specific bending machine that is meant to be used: the panel is geometrically designed without having to take into account the characteristics of the bending machine that is meant to be used; the process generates automatically, starting from the geometrical design of the panel, the correct sequence of controls for the particular bending machine that is selected during the configuration stage;
it does not require a specific knowledge of the programming language of the bending machine that is meant to be used: the user, that is the designer of the panel, must not determine the sequence of operations that the bending machine has to perform in order to obtain the desired panel, and therefore translate such sequence of operations into a sequence of controls for the bending machine; it is sufficient to specify the tridimensional geometry of the panel;
it provides a support to the user in the design activity: during the preliminary verification stage, the process automatically detects possible errors in the panel design, for example shorn comers, and consents their correction; in addition, the process verifies the possibility of manufacturing of the designed panel by means of the selected bending machine.
Preferably, the process provides for a stage of generation of a geometrical representation of the plan development of the panel, after the processing stage. Said geometrical representation of the plan development of the panel can be used to generate automatically a sequence of controls for a metal sheets punching machine that would predispose the metal sheet (with the required shorn corners) to be fed to the bending machine.
In this way, the user (designer of the panel) must not have a specific knowledge of the precise definition of the geometry of the punched metal sheet to be fed to the bending machine in order to obtain the panel.
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Gain, Jr. Edward F.
Grant William
Salvagnini Italia S.p.A.
Senterfitt Akerman
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