Motoman, Inc.

Dematic Gmbh

Lorne A Weeter

Vanon D Pratt

Roland Fritzsche

Martin Dirks

Steven D McArthur

Steven D Mcarthur

A stacking apparatus and method of multi-layer stacking of objects of different sizes on a support to form a stacked support includes providing a support handler. A support is elevated with the support handler and objects of different sizes and shapes are stacked on the support to form a stacked support. A stacked support is removed and an empty support supplied with the support handler. A placeholder is provided above the support handler. The placeholder has a first mode for receiving objects on the placeholder. The placeholder has a second mode for providing access to a support on the support handler. The placeholder is put in the first mode while the support handler removes a stacked support and supplies an empty support. The placeholder is put in the second mode when the support handler is elevating a support being stacked with articles. Objects that have been received on the placeholder during the first mode are deposited from the placeholder to the support when changing the placeholder from the first mode to the second mode.

Stacking apparatus and method of multi-layer stacking of objects on a support

A light-tight laser enclosure system including an enclosure, a robotic laser, first and second pass through partitions, and first and second rotary positioners. The robotic laser is positioned within an interior volume of the enclosure and defines a processing envelope. The first pass through partition defines a first passage in selective communication with interior and exterior volumes of the enclosure, and is configured to maintain a light-tight configuration as the first passage is placed in selective communication with the interior and exterior volumes. The second pass through partition defines a second passage in selective communication with interior and exterior volumes of the enclosure, and is configured to maintain a light-tight configuration as the second passage is placed in selective communication with the interior and exterior volumes. The first and second rotary positioners are configured to secure a workpiece within the first and the second passages, respectively.

Workpiece enclosure system and robotic laser processing system including pass through partitions

A workpiece enclosure system of the present invention includes a workpiece loading section, a laser workstation cell, and a workpiece unloading section. The workpiece loading section includes a materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from an input conveyor to a light-tight pass-through enclosure in communication with the laser workstation cell. The laser workstation cell includes an additional materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the pass-through enclosure to one of two dual headstock/tailstock positioners for laser operations. Preferably, two sets of laser-cutting robots are arranged to perform laser-cutting operations on workpieces held by the headstock/tailstock positioners. The materials handling robot is further arranged to move workpieces from the headstock/tailstock positioners to an additional pass-through enclosure in communication with the workpiece unloading section. The workpiece unloading section includes a final materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the additional pass-through enclosure to an output conveyor. It is contemplated that the materials handling robots may be eliminated if a user desires to manually load and unload workpieces.

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Springboro, OH, United States of America

Lorne A Weeter