Trumpf Corporation

Friedrich Kilian

Stephen R Bolton

Joseph J Troiani

A laser work station has a base member, a laser head mounted on a laser head support carried on the base member for movement of the laser head relative to the base member, so that it is movable thereon in X, Y and Z axes. A guidance system effects precision movement of the laser head in the X, Y and Z axes to move the beam about a workpiece, and an optical sensor assembly comprising a light source and light sensors about the light source to detect light reflected from the surface of the workpiece. The sensor assembly is operable to detect reference formulations on the workpiece as it is moved thereabout. The computer control indexes the sensor assembly to a preselected position relative to the approximate position of a reference formation on the workpiece, and moves it in a predetermined path from the preselected position to sense passage of the beam over the edge of the reference formation, and the work station uses data obtained from such sensing of the passage of the beam over the edge of the reference formation to adjust the coordinates of the guidance system to reflect the actual position of the workpiece.

Laser work station with optical sensor for calibration of guidance system

A punch press has a frame with a rotatable ram having a tool mounting portion at its lower end and a rotatable die holder in the base of the frame, and it has a tool mounting portion. The tool mounting portions of the ram and die holder are aligned and have tool receiving passages at a point about their periphery. A work support table is provided about the work station and its upper surface provides a workpiece support. The press has a workpiece guidance system which includes an elongated rail and a multiplicity of tool holders supported on the rail for movement therewith. The press also includes a tool storage and transfer assembly at the outer end of the frame with a tool storage magazine rotatable about a horizontal axis and having tool holders spaced about the major portion of its periphery. Its periphery is truncated so that in one rotated position it does not extend above the work support surface, but, in the other rotated position, its tool holders are horizontally aligned with the tool receiving passages. The punch press includes a computer control which effects rotation of the lower portion of the ram and of the die holder to orient the tool receiving passages in the desired direction, effects rotation of the magazine and operation of its element to insert or retrieve tooling in the tool mounting portions and effects movement of the rail to effect transfer of tooling to and from its tool holders.

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Avon, CT, United States of America

Friedrich Kilian