Press

0001The invention relates to a press for manufacturing a compact of powdered material, for example metal or ceramic powder. The powdered material is filled in a form recording a master disc and then compressed for example by an upper punch and a lower punch in the form of recording to a compact. Such press is known for example from<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE102011116552A1"><text>DE 10 2011 116 552 A1</text></patcit>, There is a need, the vertical position of the plates of the tool guide unit, particularly the upper and lower die plate and the die plate, to capture. A corresponding measuring device is designed for a different structure from the press<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="EP1849590B1"><text>EP 849 590 B1 1</text></patcit> known. Here, a single ruler is mounted in its longitudinal center at a designed as a vertical guide column vertical guide, said vertical guide column is located on one side of the guide column. To the plates to be measured measuring slide are arranged, which interact to measure the vertical position of the plates with the measuring ruler. The the ruler holding vertical guide column is mounted on a lower housing part of the press frame via a bearing plate. It is to be prevented by allowing a limited relative movement between the vertical guide column and the press frame that thermal and due pressing forces changes in length of the press frame to influence the measurement result. In operation, there may be a shift in position of the tool guide unit including the vertical guide column at high pressing forces and the associated deformation of the press frame, however. This position shift is matched by the ruler and require complex and compensated for in the evaluation. In addition, only vertical displacements of the holding plates, but not due to deformations of the retaining plates, in particular a bending of the holding plates can be detected with the known measuring device.

0002Starting from the described prior art, the invention aims to provide a press of the type mentioned, with the reliably detect the vertical position and a possible deformation of the upper and / or lower die plate and / or the die plate at high pressing forces can.

0003The invention achieves the object by the subject matter of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

0004The invention achieves the object by a press for manufacturing a compact of powdered material comprising<ul><li>a press frame with an upper and a lower holding plate which are interconnected by a plurality of vertical spacers, and with at least one arranged between the upper and lower holding plate supporting frame,</li><li>a tool guide unit having at least one upper die plate having at least one upper pressure ram and / or with at least one lower die plate having at least one lower pressing punch and a die plate having at least one receptacle for by the upper and / or lower press die to be compressed powdered material,</li><li>at least one upper drive unit for moving the upper punch plate in the vertical direction and / or at least a lower drive unit for moving the lower die plate and / or the die plate in the vertical direction,</li><li>wherein the top drive unit and / or the lower drive unit in such a manner are supported in operation on the supporting frame, that the reaction forces generated by the pressing forces generated during the pressing of the powdery material in the at least one receiving as an action forces, are introduced into the support frame,</li><li>wherein the supporting frame surrounding the die plate of the tool guide unit has at least in sections, and the frame-shaped die plate is secured to opposite sides of the support frame,</li><li>wherein a measuring ruler is secured in its thermal zero point and in a plane between the fixed die plate with the opposite sides of the supporting frame on the supporting frame, and</li><li>wherein on the upper die plate and / or on the lower die plate and the die plate corresponds to a measuring carriage is arranged, said measuring carriage in such a way to interact with the ruler, that a vertical movement and bending of the upper die plate and / or the lower die plate and / or the die plate can be measured.</li></ul>

0005The press according to the invention having a press frame with an upper and lower holding plate which are connected by vertical spacers, thus forming a frame or a housing of the press. Use the lower plate, the press stands at over feet or directly on the ground. The press also includes a tool guide unit, in particular a tool die set. This has one or more upper and / or lower punch plate (s) with at least one upper and / or lower punches. In addition, the tool guide unit has a die plate with a mold receptor, is filled in the powder to be compressed. The powdered material may be for example, metal or ceramic powder. Frequently, the press comprises at least one upper and lower punches which cooperate in the receiving of the die plate for pressing the filled powder. However, it is also conceivable in principle, for example, pre-pressing from above with just one punch, if the recording of the die plate has a closed bottom.

0006For vertically moving the upper and / or lower punch during the pressing operation, upper and / or lower drive units are provided. Basically it is possible more than one, for example two, top drive units and more than one, for example two, provide lower drive units. Two upper drive units and / or two lower drive units are provided, these may be located symmetrically on two opposing sides of the press frame. However, it is also conceivable to provide only one side of a drive unit and on the opposite side, only a guide unit. As explained, the lower drive unit can drive a lower punch plate or die plate in the vertical direction. It is an operation of the press both in the discharge process is possible in which the die plate is stationary and the upper and lower punches proceedings against the die plate, and in the withdrawal process in which the lower punch is stationary and the die plate and the punch are movable. Basically, the number of press axis and thus the compacts produced in parallel can be increased within wide limits in the press according to the invention.

0007The press frame of the press according to the invention has a disposed between the holding plates supporting frame. The support frame can be for example arranged centrally between the holding plates. The support frame is formed separately from the die plate and adapted to receive large forces. To the support frame, the tool guide unit is disposed. In addition, the top drive unit and / or the lower drive unit in operation on the supporting frame support from, in particular, directly and specifically such that the reaction forces generated by the pressing forces generated during compression of the powdery material in the at least one recording as action forces, at least be introduced for the most part in the supporting frame. In the course of a pressing operation upper and lower punches exert a considerable generated by the upper and / or lower drive unit pressing force to the to a pellet to be compressed powdered material. This pressing force generated as a reaction or action force against force acting in turn on the upper and lower punches to the upper and / or drive unit. This on the upper and lower punches in the upper and / or lower drive unit initiated reaction force is therefore inventively directed into the support frame. The remaining parts of the press frame, in particular the vertical spacing between the holding plates assume this power flow does not participate substantially. These forces are not introduced via the upper and / or lower drive unit assembly in the die plate. The press frame is in particular a pillar-less press frame, wherein the vertical spacing need not be designed to accommodate high pressing forces. Since the power flow is essentially not via the comparatively long columns of a press frame, there is a lower spring-back of the press. A bending of the press frame and the associated adverse effects on the pressing result can be largely avoided. Moreover, are advantageously only a few components of the press in the power flow. This results in only a few component tolerances add. The present in the flow of power components, in particular the support frame can be manufactured in a constructive inexpensively with low tolerances. With less design effort than in the prior art can therefore be achieved precise pressing result. In addition, the overall height of the press is low, since the drive units can be integrated into the press frame.

0008The tool guide unit forms a so-called adapter. The attachment of the tool guide on the supporting frame unit occurs in particular only over the die plate, namely by the die plate (only) is attached to two opposite sides of the support frame. Characterized the tool guide unit is coupled with the supporting frame. The supporting frame is in turn due to power management of the invention largely disconnect from a movement of the press frame, so that the tool guide unit is decoupled from movement of the press frame.

0009The support frame may be formed integrally. It surrounds the die plate at least in sections, for example, at least on three sides, like a frame. The ruler is in its thermal zero, ie, fixed in its longitudinal center to the support frame. Simultaneously, the support frame is located in the thermal zero point of the press. Thermally induced length changes will therefore have no effect on the measurement. The ruler is also mounted in particular only on the supporting frame. Thereby also the measuring ruler on the support frame by a movement of the press frame is decoupled. The ruler has only the measuring slide an indirect connection to the tool guide unit.

0010The ruler has a vertical measurement axis. It is attached in a plane between the fixed die plate with the opposite sides of the supporting frame on the supporting frame. It is understood that the measuring ruler having a transverse extent perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. The particular vertical plane in which the ruler is fixed to the supporting frame, for example, can be located centrally to the transverse extension of the ruler. By the attachment of the ruler between the secured with the die plate side of the support frame, in contrast to the prior art also a bending of the plates of the tool guide unit, in particular the upper and / or lower die plates and / or the die plate are measured. According to the invention can be measured directly, therefore, with high accuracy, the vertical positions and any deformation of the upper and / or lower die plates and the die plate. Possible errors, such as broken tools o. Ä., Are minimized.

0011In principle, the measuring slide can form, for example, measurement sensors or Monitoring institutions. then corresponding Monitoring institutions or measuring sensors can be arranged on the ruler. In principle largely arbitrary measurement methods are possible. The measurement can for example be optical. For this purpose the measuring ruler or measuring slide can have suitable optical sensors, which then receive an optical signal of a provided on the measuring slide or on the measuring ruler optical transmitting device. An appropriate evaluation evaluates the measured signals. But there are, for example, other measuring principles possible, for example, can Proximity Sensors o. ä. used.

0012According to a preferred embodiment of the measuring ruler in a centrally located between the fixed die plate with the opposite sides of the supporting frame level may be fixed to the support frame. Usually located centrally or centrally between the opposite sides of the supporting frame the greatest deformation of the die plate and the upper and / or lower punch plates before. By measuring there, a particularly high accuracy is achieved.

0013In a further embodiment the supporting frame may have a U-shape lying in a horizontal plane, wherein the die plate is secured to the opposite free legs of the supporting frame, and wherein the measuring ruler is secured to the connecting the free legs portion of the supporting frame, in particular centrally. The free legs may be parallel to each other and be joined together by a perpendicular to the free legs extending portion. The die plate may be rectangular, in particular square in plan view, be.

0014According to a further embodiment, the die plate and the support frame can be arranged in the same or a slightly spaced array plane. At the plane of arrangement is in particular about a horizontal plane. Both the die plate and the support frame generally have an extension in a direction perpendicular to the plane of arrangement, in particular a vertical direction on. The plane of arrangement can for example be located centrally to the vertical extent of the die plate and the support frame. The arrangement plane of the die plate forms a reference plane, in the case of this embodiment, both the attachment of the die plate and the mounting of the ruler on the support frame takes place.

0015According to another particularly suitable for practical use configuration tool guide unit can form a module which taken as a whole from the press and can be exchanged for another is also a module forming tool guide unit.

0016According to a further embodiment it can be provided that the top drive unit between the support frame and the upper die plate is arranged and / or that the lower drive unit between the support frame and the lower die plate, or the die plate is arranged, whereby the top drive unit directly or through an upper is power transmission member attached to the upper die plate and / or the lower drive unit is attached directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate or the die plate. Furthermore it can be provided that the upper power transmission member includes an upper power transmission bridge, wherein two upper drive units are provided which are fixed to the upper power transmission tower and / or that the lower force transmission element comprises a lower power transmission bridge, wherein two lower drive units are provided, which at the lower power transmission bridge are secured.

0017According to a further embodiment, the top drive unit may comprise at least a motor driven by an electric motor at least the upper spindle drive and / or may comprise at least a motor driven by at least an electric motor spindle drive lower the lower drive unit. At least an electric motor of the upper spindle drive can be fastened to the upper holding plate of the press frame and / or at least one electric motor of the lower spindle drive can be fixed to the lower plate of the press frame. Furthermore it can be provided that an upper bearing an upper spindle is mounted at least one upper spindle drive on the supporting frame and an upper spindle nut of at least one upper spindle drive is attached directly or via an upper force-transmitting element on the upper die plate and / or that a lower fixed bearing a lower spindle is attached to the support frame at least one lower spindle drive and a lower spindle nut of at least one lower spindle drive is attached directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate and / or the die plate. The at least one electric motor may be a hollow shaft motor.

0018It can further be provided that the electric motor is mounted on the support frame, wherein the electric motor has an upper spindle nut of the drives at least an upper spindle drive, an upper spindle of secured at least one upper spindle drive directly or through an upper power transmission member on the upper punch plate is. Also it can be provided that the electric motor drives a lower spindle nut of at least one lower spindle drive, a lower spindle of the secured at least a lower spindle drive directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate and / or the die plate.

0019Alternatively it can be provided that the electric motor is attached directly or via an upper force-transmitting element on the upper die plate and an upper spindle nut of the drives at least an upper spindle drive, and that an upper spindle of at least one upper spindle drive is attached to the support frame. Also it can be provided that the electric motor is attached directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate and / or the die plate and a lower spindle nut of the drives at least a lower spindle drive, a lower spindle of the secured at least one lower spindle drive on the supporting frame is.

0020Further alternatively, it can be provided that the electric motor is attached to the support frame and that the electric motor has an axially movable upper spindle of at least one upper spindle drive drives in rotation, and that an upper bearing of at least one upper spindle drive directly or via an upper force-transmitting element is attached to the upper die plate and / or the electric motor, an axially movable lower spindle of at least one lower spindle drive drives in rotation, and that a lower bearing of at least one lower spindle drive directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate and / or the die plate is secured.

0021Also it can be provided that the electric motor is attached directly or via an upper force-transmitting element on the upper die plate and an axially movable upper spindle of at least one upper spindle drive drives in rotation, and that an upper bearing of at least one upper spindle drive is attached to the support frame and / or that the electric motor is attached directly or via a lower force transmission element to the lower die plate and / or the die plate and an axially movable lower spindle of at least one lower spindle drive drives in rotation, and that a lower bearing of at least one lower spindle drive on the support frame is attached.

0022In principle it is naturally also possible that the top drive unit comprises at least one upper hydraulic or electro-hydraulic drive and / or that the lower drive unit comprises at least one lower hydraulic or electro-hydraulic drive.

0023An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to figures. Schematically:<dl id="dl0001"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a press according to the invention at rest, in a perspective view from the front,</dd><dt>FIG. 2</dt><dd>the press of <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> in a perspective view from the rear,</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>from view <figref idrefs="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> in an operating condition of the press, and</dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>from view <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> in an operating condition of the press.</dd></dl>

0024Unless otherwise stated, refer to the figures, like reference numerals designate like items. The press according to the invention has a press frame 10 with an upper plate 12 and a lower plate 14. Over in the example shown four runs in the vertical direction spacers 16 are the upper and lower holding plates 12, 14 with each other and with a between the upper and lower plate 12 , 14 approximately centrally disposed supporting frame 18 is connected. The supporting frame 18 is integrally formed in the example shown, and has a in a horizontal plane, an arrangement and extension plane, horizontal U-profile. In particular, the support frame 18 has two mutually parallel free legs and the free legs at one end with each connecting portion, the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the free legs. The lower holding plate 14 is connected via four support legs 20 on the ground. The press has furthermore designed as a module tool guide unit with an upper punch plate 22 with a not shown upper punch, a lower punch plate 24 with a lower ram, also not shown, and arranged between the upper die plate 22 and the lower die plate 24 die plate 26 with a not shown recording for to be compressed by the upper and lower punches powder, such as metal or ceramic powder. The upper punch plate 22, the lower die plate 24 and die plate 26 are connected in the example shown four vertical guide columns 28th The die plate 26 is fixed in the example shown, on the opposite inner sides of the free legs of the support frame 18 directly. The tool guide unit replaceable as an entity from the press frame 10 and can be removed by another tool guide unit.

0025The press also includes about two upper drive units for vertical movement of the upper punch plate 22 and two lower drive units for vertical movement of the lower die plate 24. The upper and lower drive units are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the press frame 10th The upper drive units each comprise a on the upper holding plate 12 disposed upper electric motor 30 and an upper spindle drive. In the example shown, an upper bearing 32 of the upper spindle drives is directly fixed at the top of the support frame 18th On the upper spindles 34 an upper spindle nut 36 is axially movable in each case. During a rotation of the upper spindle 34 there is an axial movement of the respective upper spindle nut 36. The upper spindle nuts 36 of the upper drive units are attached to an upper force transfer bridge 38 which is connected to an upper force-transmitting element 40 with the upper die plate 22nd In this way an axial movement of the upper spindle nuts 36 is transmitted to the upper die plate 22 so that this is also moved in the axial direction.

0026The construction of the two lower drive units is the extent identical. Thus, the lower drive units each one arranged on the bottom plate 14 lower electric motor 42, which in each case an axially fixed lower spindle drives 44, in each case a lower bearing 46 of the lower spindle drives directly attached to the underside of the support frame 18th Also, a fastening at the top is again possible. In turn is disposed on the lower mounts 44 are each a lower spindle nut 50th The lower spindle nuts 50 are in turn connected to a lower power transmission bridge 52, which is connected via a lower power transmission member 54 with the lower punch plate 24th Drive the lower electric motors 42, the lower mounts 44 rotatingly, it comes in turn to an axial movement of the lower spindle nuts 50, which is transmitted to the lower punch plate 24 above the lower force transmission bridge 52 and the lower force transmission member 54, so that this also in the axial direction is moved. In addition it should be noted that the upper spindle nuts 36 and the lower spindle nuts 50 are each connected via pivoted compensating elements 37, 51 with the upper and lower power transmission bridge 38, 52nd The compensating elements 37, 51 ensure that an occurring during operation under high pressing forces deforming the power transmission bridges 38, 52 is not transmitted to the spindle drives.

0027As seen in the figures, the top drive units are braced on their upper bearing 32 and the lower drive units on their lower bearing 46 respectively directly to the support frame 18th In a pressing process thus takes a power flow between the punch in the upper punch plate 22, of this over the top power transmission member 40 and the upper power transmission bridge 38 in the top two drive units, especially the upper spindles 34 and the upper bearing 32 and from these into the supporting frame 18. Accordingly, a power flow of the lower punch in the lower die plate 24 and the lower power transmission member 54 and the lower power transmission bridge 52 in the lower drive units, in particular the lower spindles 44 and the lower bearing of this turn in the support frame 18 takes place 46 and it thus are only a few components in the power flow, so that also add up accordingly few component tolerances. Since the plane of arrangement of the supporting frame 18 in the same horizontal plane as the die plate 26, or in one of these only slightly spaced plane and the vertical spacers 16 do not participate in the power flow, in essence, there is only a minimal spring-back, and thus bending of the press frame 10 . Unless there yet any deformation of the press frame 10, this does not lead in any case to a deformation of the support frame 18, which is the extent decoupled from deformations of the press frame 10. Due to the exclusive fixing of the tool guide unit on the die plate 26 to the support frame 18 and the tool guide unit of a possible deformation of the press frame 10 is decoupled.

0028In the illustrated example centrically the free legs of the connecting support frame section 18, a measuring ruler 56 secured to the vertical measurement axis, in its longitudinal center, ie in its thermal zero. The ruler 56 is fixed exclusively to the support frame 18, so that this is decoupled from a possible deformation of the press frame 10 in the course of a pressing operation. At the upper punch plate 22, the lower die plate 24 and die plate 26 corresponds to a measuring carriage 58, 60, 62 is attached. The measuring slide 58, 60, 62 act to together with the ruler 56 that both a vertical movement, so the vertical position, as well as a possible deformation, such as bending, the upper punch plate 22, the lower die plate 24 and die plate 26 measured can be. For this purpose, largely arbitrary and are conventional measuring devices are used, for example, optical sensors, proximity sensors or the like.

0029In the <figref idrefs="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> and <figref idrefs="f0004">4</figref> is shown greatly exaggerated one as part of a pressing operation occurring due to the high pressing forces bending the upper and lower punches plates 22, 24 and the die plate 26 for illustrative purposes. Due to the central arrangement of the ruler 56 of the greatest bending is measured in. Moreover, since the ruler 56 is fixed in its thermal zero point on the support frame 18 and further the carrier frame 18 and thus also the die plate 26 are arranged in the thermal zero point of the press, and thermal influences have no effect on the measurement carried out.