Schuler Pressen Gmbh & Co.

Stefan Veit

Kurt Metzger

Hans Hofele

Peter Klemm

Juergen Eltze

Martin Schmeink

Rudi Brandstetter

A multistation press, particularly a suction device press, for machining sheet metal parts is provided for the successive machining of workpieces in several stages. Several press stations are arranged behind one another so that workpieces pass through the stations successively. At least one transfer device transports the workpiece. A common driving device for all press stations has a drive shaft divided into shaft sections. At least one press station is assigned to each shaft section. Slides are driven by the drive shaft and are assigned to one press station, respectively. An adjustable coupling is provided between two successively arranged shaft sections for adjusting a specific phase shift between two successive press stations.

Multistation press

A transfer device 41 provided particularly for multistation presses 1 has a holding device 46, 47 which is carried by several rods 53, 54, 55; 83, 84, 85 and which can be swivelled in space and positioned by means of the rods 53, 54, 55; 83, 84, 85. The rods 53, 54, 55; 83, 84, 85 are preferably connected with linear driving devices 61, 62, 63; 86, 87, 88 which therefore jointly act upon the holding device 46, 47. In the case of an embodiment having six degrees of positioning freedom, three of the rods 53, 54, 55; 83, 84, 85 are applied to a first hinge point 49 of the holding device 46, 47. By means of their other ends, these rods 83, 84, 85 define a triangle. Of the remaining three rods 53, 54, 55, two 53, 54 are applied to another hinge point 56 and a third 55 is applied to a hinge point 57 situated away therefrom which again defines a triangle together with the other two hinge points 49, 56. In addition to the simple workpiece transfer, such a transfer device 41 permits complicated positioning tasks.

Flexible multi-axis transfer device

A transfer device is provided particularly for multistation presses and is arranged between two working stations. The transfer device has a suction bridge which extends transversely with respect to a transfer direction and which is guided on its ends by two control arm gearings synchronously along a predetermined transfer curve. The control arm gearings are formed by control arms or rods which are connected on the end side with the cross traverse and which, on their respective end situated away from the cross traverse 46, are held in preferably vertically aligned linear axles, in which case the control arms, in respective pairs, enclose the same angle with one another. By the targeted controlling of the linear axles, almost arbitrary transfer curves can be travelled within the scope of the range of the transfer device. All linear axles are directly supported on a stationary frame whereby a high stiffness and precision is achieved even at high accelerations.

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Donzdorf, Germany

Stefan Veit