Method and processing assembly for processing profile beam parts each extending along a longitudinal axis

A processing assembly for processing a first profile beam and a second profile beam, each extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the processing assembly comprises:

• a machining station configured to machine at least the first profile beam;
• an in-feed transport system for transporting and in-feeding the first profile beam and the second profile beam along a transport direction axis to the machining station;
• an out-feed transport system for out-feeding the first profile beam and the second profile beam along longitudinal axes thereof in the transport direction away from the machining station, the out-feed transport system comprising a discharge position at a distance D from the machining station for discharging the first profile beam and the second profile beam from the out-feed transport system;
• and
• a controller configured:
• to control the in-feed transport system to in-feed a first profile beam simultaneously together with a second profile beam to the machining station with the in-feed transport system, wherein during in-feeding, the profile beams are co-linearly aligned along the longitudinal axes thereof, wherein the longitudinal axes are parallel to the transport direction axis;
• to control the machining station to subsequently machine the first profile beam in the machining station;
• to control the out-feed transport system to subsequently out-feed the first profile beam with the out-feed transport system from the machining station to an intermediate position between the discharge position and the machining station, wherein a distance X between the intermediate position and the discharge position is variable, wherein during out-feeding, the first profile beam and the second profile beam are co-linearly aligned along the longitudinal axes thereof, wherein the longitudinal axes remain parallel to the transport direction axis;
• and
• to control the in-feed transport system and the out-feed transport system to subsequently in-feed the second profile beam in the machining station with the in-feed transport system over a distance Y and simultaneously out-feed and transport the first profile beam over the distance X from the intermediate position to the discharge position, wherein during this simultaneous in-feeding and out-feeding the first profile beam and the second profile beam are co-linearly aligned along the longitudinal axes thereof, and wherein the longitudinal axes remain parallel to the transport direction axis,
• wherein the distance Y is chosen such that the second profile beam after having been moved over the distance Y is positioned relative to the machining station in a position in which a subsequent machining on the second profile beam must be performed, and
• to control the infeed-transport system and the out-feed transport system to simultaneously stop the out-feed transport system and the in-feed transport system when the first profile beam is at the discharge position and the second profile beam is at the position in which the subsequent machining on the second profile beam must be performed and the first profile beam is discharged from the out-feed transport system.

A method for processing a single integral profile beam, wherein the method comprises:

• providing a machining station configured to saw the single integral profile beam to separate the single integral profile beam in a first profile beam part having a longitudinal axis and a distinct second profile beam part having a longitudinal axis;
• providing an in-feed transport system for transporting the single integral profile beam along a transport direction axis to the machining station;
• providing an out-feed transport system for transporting the first profile beam part and the second profile beam part along the transport direction axis away from the machining station to a discharge position at a distance D from the machining station;
• in-feeding the single integral profile beam to the machining station with the in-feed transport system;
• subsequently, machining at least the single integral profile beam in the machining station, wherein the machining comprises sawing the single integral profile beam to separate the single integral profile beam in the first profile beam part and the second profile beam part;
• subsequently, out-feeding the first profile beam part with the out-feed transport system from the machining station to an intermediate position between the discharge position and the machining station, wherein a distance X between the intermediate position and the discharge position is variable, wherein during out-feeding, the first profile beam part and the second profile beam part are co-linearly aligned along the longitudinal axes thereof, wherein the longitudinal axes remain parallel to the transport direction axis;
• and
• subsequently, in-feeding the second profile beam part in the machining station with the in-feed transport system over a distance Y and simultaneously out-feeding the first profile beam part over the distance X from the intermediate position to the discharge position, wherein during this simultaneous in-feeding and out-feeding the first profile beam part and the second profile beam part are co-linearly aligned along the longitudinal axes thereof, and wherein the longitudinal axes remain parallel to the transport direction axis,
• wherein the distance Y is chosen such that the second profile beam part, after moving over the distance Y, is positioned relative to the machining station in a position in which a subsequent machining on the second profile beam part must be performed, and
• wherein the out-feed transport system and the in-feed transport system simultaneously stop when the first profile beam part is at the discharge position and the second profile beam part is at the position in which the subsequent machining on the second profile beam part must be performed and the first profile beam is discharged from the out-feed transport.