# US 2021/0240169 A1 · Method for displaying workpiece-illustrations for supporting a sorting process

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- Number: US 2021/0240169 A1
- Document ID: US20210240169A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/233,604
- Filed: 2021-04-19
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-19
- Assignees: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
- Applicants: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung E.V.
- Inventors: Manuel Kiefer; Willi Poenitz; Dominik Bitto; Marc Teschner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240169A1

## CPC

- G05B 19/41815: {characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell}
- G05B 19/4183: {characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification}
- G05B 19/41865: {characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow}
- G05B 2219/39102: Manipulator cooperating with conveyor
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method for displaying a sequence of workpiece-illustrations and/or order information for supporting a sorting process during manufacturing of workpieces with a manufacturing system includes transporting manufactured workpieces with the conveyor system to the sorting point according to a sequence and arrangement specified by the processing plan. The method further includes receiving, in the processor of the display unit, workpiece image data and/or order data provided by the machine tool control system for the workpieces transported to the sorting point. The method additionally includes displaying the workpiece image data and/or the order data on the monitor of the display unit in a sequence and/or an arrangement such that the sequence and/or the arrangement of the workpiece image data and/or the order data corresponds to the sequence and/or the arrangement of the workpieces transported from the conveyor system to the sorting point.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for displaying a sequence of workpiece-illustrations and/or order information for supporting a sorting process during manufacturing of workpieces with a manufacturing system, the manufacturing system including a machine tool control system in which workpiece image data and/or order data associated with each of the workpieces are stored as part of a machine-readable processing plan, wherein for each workpiece, the workpiece image data include an illustration based on geometry data of the workpieces to be manufactured, and the order data include characteristic data of a manufacturing order associated with the workpiece; a flatbed machine tool with which the workpieces are manufactured from a plate-shaped starting material according to the machine-readable processing plan, a conveyor system that transports the workpieces as cut material to a sorting point for sorting the workpieces, the cut material being conveyed in a plate-like arrangement by the conveyor system; and a display unit with a processor for receiving data to be output on a monitor of the display unit, wherein the monitor is arranged in the area of the conveyor system, the method comprising:
transporting manufactured workpieces with the conveyor system to the sorting point according to a sequence and arrangement specified by the processing plan;
receiving, in the processor of the display unit, workpiece image data and/or order data provided by the machine tool control system for the workpieces transported to the sorting point; and
displaying the workpiece image data and/or the order data on the monitor of the display unit in a sequence and/or an arrangement such that the sequence and/or the arrangement of the workpiece image data and/or the order data corresponds to the sequence and/or the arrangement of the workpieces transported from the conveyor system to the sorting point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the workpiece image data is displayed on the monitor as a monitor image that includes or highlights complete or only partial workpiece-illustrations only of those workpieces that are located in an area that can be sorted by a worker.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the area that can be sorted by the worker is a transverse strip of a conveyor belt in an area of a conveyor belt reversal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the workpieces positioned for sorting at the sorting point, taking into account a cutting plan stored in the processing plan, the cutting plan determining the arrangement of manufactured workpieces in the plate-shaped starting material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein taking into account the cutting plan stored in the processing plan includes taking into account relative positions of the workpieces within the arrangement of manufactured workpieces and/or taking into account a feed value of a conveyor belt of the conveyor system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the workpiece image data is displayed with an orientation and/or at a position along a transverse direction of a conveyor belt of the conveyor system as workpiece-illustrations, wherein the orientation and/or position of one of the workpiece-illustrations is determined taking into account the processing plan and/or taking into account a transport path provided by the conveyor system for the sorting point.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
automatically booking, in response to the conveyor system being activated to assume a new feed position of a conveyor belt of the conveyor system in order to transport further workpieces to the sorting point, those further workpieces as having been sorted from the conveyor belt that had been transported to the sorting point at the previously assumed feed position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the activation of the conveyor system for assuming the new feed position is triggered automatically or is performed manually by a worker.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the activation of the conveyor system for assuming the new feed position is triggered automatically by a delayed release of a light barrier at an end of the conveyor belt.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, according to the processing plan, groups of workpieces to be sorted are generated, wherein a section of a residual grid surrounding the workpieces is associated to each of the groups and the workpieces to be sorted of a group are arranged within the respective section, and wherein successive sections of the residual grid are respectively separated from one another by a subdivision cut,
wherein the workpieces of a group are transported to the sorting point with a common feed position of a conveyor belt of the conveyor system,
the processor receives workpiece image data and/or order data for the workpieces of the group, which was last transported to the sorting point, and
the display unit displays the workpiece image data and/or order data of the workpieces of the group, which was last transported to the sorting point.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the section of the residual grid of a group has a leading edge that defines the feed position of a conveyor belt of the conveyor system for positioning the group at the sorting point,
wherein the conveyor belt of the conveyor system is moved until it is detected that the leading edge of the section of the residual grid has assumed a predetermined conveying position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
verifying of automated bookings of picked workpieces in the machine tool control system by image acquisition of the picked workpieces and/or a residual grid or a section of the residual grid, or
verifying, under control of a user, of automated bookings of picked workpieces in the machine tool control system, and

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting that all workpieces in the area of the sorting point have been sorted, and controlling the conveyor system to transport further workpieces to the sorting point.

### Claim 14

A manufacturing system for manufacturing workpieces, comprising:
a machine tool control system in which workpiece image data and/or order data associated with each of the workpieces to be manufactured are stored as part of a machine-readable processing plan, wherein, for each respective workpiece, the workpiece image data include a workpiece-illustration based on planning data of the workpieces, and wherein the order data include characteristic data of a manufacturing order associated with the workpiece;
a flatbed machine tool configured to manufacture the workpieces from a plate-shaped starting material according to the machine-readable processing plan;
a conveyor system configured to transport the workpieces as cut material to a sorting point for sorting the workpieces, the cut material being conveyed in a plate-like arrangement by the conveyor system; and
a display unit with a processor configured to receive data to be output on a monitor of the display unit,
wherein the monitor is arranged so as to be visible from the sorting point,
wherein the processor is configured to receive workpiece image data and/or order data provided by the machine tool control system for the workpieces transported to the sorting point, and
wherein the monitor is controllable such that the workpiece image data and/or the order data are displayed on the monitor in a sequence and/or in an arrangement such that the sequence and/or the arrangement of the workpiece image data and/or of the order data corresponds to a sequence and/or an arrangement of the workpieces transported by the conveyor system to the sorting point.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The manufacturing system of claim 14, wherein:
the monitor is arranged in the region of the conveyor system and/or in the region of the sorting point,
the monitor includes one or more small screens below a reversal point of a conveyor belt in the area of the sorting point, or
the display unit is configured as virtual reality glasses or as a heads-up display system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The manufacturing system of claim 15, wherein the monitor is arranged above the conveyor belt.