WO2013037709A1

WO2013037709A1 - Cleaning machine for cleaning industrially produced components

Info

Publication number: WO2013037709A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/067510
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reiner Wittendorfer; Martin Armbruster
Original assignee: Tms Transport- Und Montagesysteme Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-09-12
Filing date: 2012-09-07
Publication date: 2013-03-21
Also published as: AT15316U1; AT511898A1

Abstract

In order to make an industrial cleaning machine flexible in the application thereof, according to the invention a first partial supply-air line (18) is arranged in the cleaning machine (1) and a first partial supply-air flow (I) of the supply air (II) opens into the cleaning machine (1) in the area of the bulkhead door (13, 36) in order to form an air curtain (24) by means of said first partial supply-air line (18).

Description

Cleaning machine for cleaning industrially manufactured components

The subject invention relates to a cleaning machine for cleaning industrially manufactured components with a main chamber in which a robot is arranged, and with a circulating air blower for removing exhaust air from the main chamber and for supplying supply air into the cleaning machine and at least one auxiliary cleaning chamber, which at the main chamber is arranged, wherein the main chamber and the auxiliary cleaning chamber are separated by a bulkhead door.

Components machined on machine tools often have to be cleaned, dried and / or deburred in industrial manufacturing processes prior to their further processing. The term "cleaning" will be understood below to mean either a washing process, a drying process or a deburring process For this purpose, industrial cleaning machines are known, for example from WO 2010/062 894 A1, which shows a cleaning machine with a main washing chamber in which a The main wash chamber can be modularly supplemented by a prewash chamber and a drying chamber, wherein the robot can also be used to transport the component into and out of the various chambers both the main wash chamber and the additional processing chambers use the same cleaning medium provided by a supply system, transporting the components into and out of the various cleaning chambers, for which a bulkhead door must be opened, is not a problem in itself.

In many cleaning processes, however, it is necessary to use not only pure water for cleaning, as in WO 2010/062 894 A1, but correspondingly prepared cleaning agent, for example a water of appropriate temperature mixed with a cleaner in precise concentration. For putting in addition, such cleaning processes are often prescribed different cleaning steps, each requiring different cleaning agents. A mixing of the various cleaning agents is to prevent, as this, the chemistry of the detergent is changed uncontrollably, which can lead to insufficient cleaning results and / or increased maintenance or operating costs. Such a cleaning process can therefore not be carried out with a cleaning machine according to WO 2010/062 894 A1, since, when the bulkhead doors are opened for transporting the component, an exchange of detergent swaths present in the cleaning chambers would occur. As a solution to this problem, several separate cleaning machines have hitherto simply been passed one behind the other, whereby an independent cleaning process is carried out in each cleaning machine. Since every cleaning In this way, the machine was able to fulfill the different requirements for the various cleaning processes. But it is understandable that this involves a considerable amount of space, which is not available in many cases. It is therefore often not possible, or only with great effort, to expand a cleaning process accordingly.

Likewise, installations are known in which a robot is arranged in a robot chamber. At the robot chamber a number of cleaning chamber are arranged. The robot grips a component to be cleaned and feeds it successively into the various cleaning chambers in which the desired cleaning, drying or deburring processes are carried out. As a result, detergent swaths pass from the cleaning chambers into the robot chamber. An associated problem is that the robots are specified with a certain level of protection, i. that the environmental conditions of the robot, e.g. Temperature, humidity, air quality, etc., are fixed. However, large robots for heavy components are not commercially available with high protection classes or are so expensive that their use would not be worthwhile. Thus, only robots for grippers with components of a certain weight, e.g. up to 250kg, as only those in the required environmental class are available. The applicability of such cleaning machines is therefore limited, in particular so that only components can be cleaned up to a certain weight. From JP 2009 192 201 A2 discloses a processing plant, in which a processing area is separated by an intermediate wall of a cleaning area. In the partition an opening is provided through which components can be passed. In order to prevent air from the cleaning area from entering the processing area, an air flow is directed from the processing area through the opening into the cleaning area. However, air is transferred from the processing area to the cleaning area.

US 5 655 954 A shows a cleaning system which is divided into a plurality of separate cleaning compartments. Parts to be cleaned can be exchanged through openings in the intermediate walls between the cleaning compartments, whereby an air curtain can also be provided in front of the openings. By controlling an additional air flow, which is introduced from above in the form of a laminar flow in the cleaning system, the pressure in the cleaning compartments can be adjusted so that a pressure gradient from the clean area in the less-clean area arises. In this way, contamination of each clean area should be avoided by inducing air flow from the clean area to the less clean area. There- But it also comes here to a targeted exchange of air between the individual cleaning compartments.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the known cleaning machines and in particular to achieve a flexibly applicable cleaning machine and to reduce the exchange of detergent swaths between individual chambers of the cleaning machine.

This object is achieved in that the supply air used is the dried and cleaned exhaust air, a first Teilluftuftleitung is arranged and a first Teilluftuftstrom the supply air to form an air curtain on this first

Partial air duct opens in the area of the bulkhead door in the cleaning machine. The formation of an air curtain in the region of the bulkhead door effectively reduces or prevents a detergent exchange or transport between the main chamber and the secondary cleaning chamber. On the one hand, this makes it possible to use a dry main chamber, in which no cleaning process takes place, since this only low robot protection classes are required and thus the use of large robots for large, heavy components is possible. On the other hand, in this way simply a secondary cleaning chamber, in which another cleaning medium and / or other cleaning parameters are necessary to be connected. The fact that this air curtain is generated by the circulating air makes the cleaning system also extremely energy efficient.

If a further outer bulkhead door is provided on at least one auxiliary cleaning chamber, via which the component is transportable into or out of the cleaning machine, a second partial air supply line is arranged and a second partial supply air of the supply air for forming an air curtain via this second partial air duct in the region of this outer bulkhead door in the Cleaning machine empties, can be prevented from penetrating outward of detergent swaths and thus a loss of resources or reduced, which makes the cleaning machine extremely resource efficient.

The flexibility of the cleaning machine is significantly improved if at least one auxiliary cleaning chamber is detachably arranged on the main chamber. In this way, very easily and quickly another or additional auxiliary cleaning chamber for implementing another cleaning task can be integrated.

The subject invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 3, which show exemplary advantageous, non-limiting embodiments of the invention. It shows 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a cleaning machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side view of this embodiment and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a cleaning machine according to the invention.

In a first embodiment of a cleaning machine according to the invention 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning machine 1 comprises a main chamber 2 and a plurality of auxiliary cleaning chambers 3, 4, 5, and a further auxiliary chamber 6. The number and position of the auxiliary cleaning chambers 3, 4, 5 and auxiliary chamber. 6 is arbitrary and depends on the cleaning process and its requirements. At least one of the auxiliary cleaning chambers 3, 4, 5 is detachably arranged on the main chamber 2, whereby the cleaning machine is very simple and modularly configurable or adaptable. Likewise, the auxiliary chamber 6 can be arranged detachably on the main chamber. In the present embodiment, only the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3 is detachably connected to the main chamber and the auxiliary cleaning chambers 4, 5 are fixedly connected to the main chamber 2 and are thus a fixed part of the cleaning machine. 1 The individual chambers can be separated from one another by bulkhead doors 13, 14, 15. To transport a component between the chambers, the respective bulkhead door 13, 14, 15 to open.

In the main chamber 2, a robot 7 is provided. The main chamber 2 in this example is designed as a cleaning chamber, i. that in the main chamber 2 at a suitable location not shown here and well-known cleaning devices, such as. Nozzle spray heads, immersion baths, drying blowers, etc., are arranged. The robot 7 is for manipulating a component 8, e.g. for transporting the component 8 between the individual chambers of the cleaning machine or for positioning the component 8 in front of cleaning nozzles or drying blowers and / or for holding cleaning nozzles or other processing units. In the auxiliary chamber 6 different robot tools, e.g. Robot gripper, cleaning nozzles and / or processing units, stored, which can be accessed by the robot 7 to perform different tasks.

Furthermore, a transport device 9 can be provided, with the components 8 are transported to the cleaning machine 1, or be transported away from this. For this purpose, the components 8 may be arranged, for example, on suitable means of transport 10. In front of the cleaning machine 1 or in front of the auxiliary cleaning chambers 4, 5, suitable transfer devices 11 may be provided in order to be able to transport the components 8 from the transporting means 10 into the cleaning machine 1 or vice versa. Such transport devices 9, transport means 10 and transfer devices 1 1 are well known, which is why will not be discussed here in detail. Furthermore, a supply chamber 12 can be connected to the cleaning machine 1, which can contain all devices and units for operating the cleaning machine 1, such as power supplies, tanks for cleaning agents, pumps, monitoring and control devices, etc. At the main chamber 2 of the cleaning machine 1 is further arranged a circulating air blower 16, is discharged with the exhaust air V _ab from the main chamber 2 and fresh supply air V is supplied _to an overflow air line 19 in the cleaning machine 1. Of course, the circulating air blower 16 can also extract exhaust air from a secondary cleaning chamber 3, 4, 5. The circulation fan 16 may be designed so that cleaning agent, water and / or heat from the exhaust air V _{ab is} recovered in order to operate the cleaning machine 1 energy-efficient, as described in more detail below. For this it is advantageous if the thus dried and cleaned exhaust air of the cleaning machine is _{to be} fed back as supply V 1, wherein V, the supply air can also be taken _to again advance to an appropriate temperature. Alternatively, the dehumidified and purified exhaust air V _{ab could} also be released to the environment and indoor air, preheated or not, be supplied as supply air V _zul .

In the embodiment shown, the auxiliary cleaning chambers 4, 5 are operated with the same cleaning medium as the main chamber 2. The auxiliary cleaning chamber 3, however, is a closed cleaning circuit, which is mixed with another cleaning medium and with other cleaning parameters, e.g. different temperature or chemistry of the cleaning medium, works. For this purpose, a separate supply chamber 17 is provided at the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3, in which all facilities and units for operating the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3 are included. During operation of the cleaning machine 1, it is to be avoided, or at least as far as possible, to prevent the cleaning media of the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3 and the remaining cleaning machine 1 from being opened

Mix bulkhead door 13. To avoid this, a partial air flow V _zu2 from the supply air

V _zul branched off and fed via a partial air supply line 18 in the cleaning machine 1, wherein the partial air supply line 18 is arranged so that it opens in the region of the bulkhead door 13 in the cleaning machine 1, either in the main chamber 2 and / or in the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3 , It is thereby achieved that the partial supply air flow V _zu2 in the region of the bulkhead door 13 forms an air curtain, which causes an exchange of the cleaning medium swaths between the main chamber 2 and auxiliary cleaning chamber 3, for example caused by a pressure difference. Preference between the two chambers, prevents or significantly reduced. It is irrelevant whether the partial supply air flow V _{zu2 is supplied} from above, below or from the side.

In order to prevent a Nachau ßendringen of Reinigungsmediumschwaden and thus a loss of resources (to detergent, water, heat), it can be provided that also in the area of externa ßeren bulkhead doors 20, 21 of the cleaning machine 1, a further partial air duct 22 opens, to here an air curtain form, as indicated in Fig. 1. Thus, the components 8 can be supplied and removed in a resource-saving manner. This additional partial air flow V _zu3 is advantageously diverted again from the supply air V _zul .

It can also be provided that the entire supply air V is used _for only the formation of the air curtains, ie that the entire supply air to the partial air flows V _zu2 , V _zu3

{V _zul = 0) is divided.

The cleaning machine 1 according to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 can now be operated as follows.

A component 8 is transported by means of the transport device 9 and a transfer device 1 1 in a secondary cleaning chamber 4, for which the outer bulkhead door 20 is opened and then closed again. An air curtain formed from the supply air V _to3 prevents Nachau ßendringen of Reinigungsmediumschwaden. In the auxiliary cleaning chamber 4, for example, a required pre-cleaning process is performed. Subsequently, the bulkhead door 14 is opened and the component 8 is received by the robot 7. For this purpose, the robot 7 can first remove a suitable robot gripper from the auxiliary chamber 6. In the

Main chamber 2 now takes place another cleaning process. For this purpose, the component 8 can be stored on suitable shelves or the robot 7 holds the component 8 in front of the provided cleaning devices. After completion of this main cleaning of the component 8 is transported by the robot 7 through the bulkhead door 13 in the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3, in which, for example, a fine cleaning process is implemented with a different cleaning medium. An air curtain formed from the supply air V _to2 prevents replacement of the various cleaning _media . Finally, the component 8 is conveyed by the robot 7 from the auxiliary cleaning chamber 3 into the auxiliary cleaning chamber 5, in which, for example, a vacuum drying process is implemented. Thereafter, the component 8 via the transfer device 1 1 again placed on a transport means 10 and transported away by means of the transport device 9, wherein on the externa ßeren bulkhead door again an air curtain can be provided. FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a cleaning machine 1 according to the invention. At a main chamber 2 again different auxiliary cleaning chambers 30, 31, 32, 33 are arranged, which are preferably detachably connected to the main chamber 2. In the main chamber 2, a robot 7 is again arranged. The main chamber 2 is here but not designed as a cleaning chamber, but here serves only the inclusion of the robot 7 and as a transfer room within the cleaning machine. 1 The circulation fan 16 ensures that clean, dried and tempered air according to the protection class of the robot 7 is located in the main chamber 2. In the auxiliary cleaning chamber 32, an independent, completed cleaning process can again be implemented. In the area of the bulkhead door 36 to this auxiliary cleaning chamber 32 again opens a partial air duct 18 for supplying a Teilzuluftstrom V _zu2 to form an air curtain. Likewise, such an air curtain may be provided on the other inner bulkhead doors 35, 37, 38. Also, in the area of the outer bulkhead doors 20, 21, a further partial air duct 22 can open, in order to form a further air curtain another

Supply partial air flow V _zu3 . The procedure in this cleaning machine 1 is similar to that described above. The component successively passes through the auxiliary cleaning chambers 30, 31, 32, 33, in each of which different cleaning processes are implemented. In this case, the component is advantageously held by the robot 7 and guided successively into the individual auxiliary cleaning chambers 30, 31, 32, 33. The cleaning machine 1 can be easily changed, are arranged in the other or more auxiliary cleaning chambers. For this purpose, further bulkhead doors 38 can be provided on the main chamber 2, to which additional auxiliary cleaning chamber can be connected, or secondary cleaning chambers, in particular those which contain closed cleaning systems, are replaced by others. In this way, we obtain a modular design and easily customizable cleaning machine. 1

The circulating air blower 16 may also be equipped with a recovery device 23 for recovering resources contained in the extracted cleaning medium swaths, such as heat, detergent, water, etc. as indicated in FIG. 1. In the recovery device 23, for example, a cryostat (evaporator of a refrigerator) is arranged, via which the discharged from the main chamber 2 (or from the cleaning machine 1) exhaust air V is guided _from . In the cooling register, the exhaust air is cooled V _on what a

Condensation of the cleaning agent contained in the exhaust air V _from causes. The condensed cleaning agent is returned via a condensate line in a detergent container. In this way, the cleaning agent contained in the exhaust air V _from the largest Part recovered. The cooled, dried exhaust air V _ab is further passed into a heat register (condenser of the refrigerator) where the exhaust air V _{ab is} heated, substantially to the interior temperature in the main chamber 2, for example to 55 ° C. The heated exhaust air V _ab is now supplied via the supply air line 19 and / or partial air supply lines 18, 22 in the form of a dried, preheated supply air V _to the cleaning machine 1 again. In this way, a recirculation mode is realized in which nothing has to be delivered to the environment. It is thus a closed cycle realized in which almost no resources are lost. In order to be able to efficiently use and recover the amount of heat contained in the exhaust air V _ab , a refrigerating machine can also be provided in the recovery device 23. The refrigerating machine includes the refrigerating register (evaporator), a compressor (eg, a compressor), a cooling unit, eg, a heat exchanger, and the heat register connected to each other through piping in which a suitable refrigerant is supplied. The refrigerant flows through the cooling register and takes in the cooling register by the condensation heat from the exhaust air _from V, where the refrigerant can thereby pass into the gaseous state. The heated refrigerant is compressed in the compressor and thus further heated and fed to the heat register. There, the refrigerant releases the heat previously extracted from the exhaust air to the supply air and thus heats it, whereby the refrigerant can be liquefied again. The refrigerant is further passed through a heat exchanger, in which the refrigerant is further cooled to increase the temperature difference between refrigerant and exhaust air temperature.

From the heat exchanger, the refrigerant is returned to the refrigeration register, whereby the refrigerant circuit is closed. The heat exchanger serves to compensate for the forcibly existing losses in the refrigerant circuit, which is necessary if the supply air V is _to be brought _to advantageous substantially at the same temperature as the exhaust air V _from . The heat from the exhaust air _from V _becomes used herein in its entirety for preheating the supply air V, which is energetically very favorable. Instead of the heat exchanger could be arranged as a cooling unit in the chiller and an evaporator another chiller, which also the remaining heat in the refrigerant after the heat register heat could be supplied to a further use.

Claims

claims

1 . Cleaning machine for cleaning industrially manufactured components (8) with a main chamber (2) in which a robot (7) is arranged, and with a circulating-air blower (1 6) for removing exhaust air (V _ab ) from the main chamber (2) and for supplying supply air (V _to ) in the cleaning machine (1) and at least one auxiliary cleaning chamber (3, 32) which is arranged on the main chamber (2), wherein the main chamber (2) and the auxiliary cleaning chamber (3, 32) a bulkhead door (13, 36) are separated from each other, characterized in that as a supply air (V _to ) the dried and purified exhaust air (V _ab ) is used and that a first Teilzuluftleitung (18) is arranged and a first Teilzuuftstrom (V _{to 2} ) of the supply air

(V _to ) for forming an air curtain (24) via this first partial air supply line (1 8) in the region of the bulkhead door (1 3, 36) in the cleaning machine (1) opens.

2. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that on at least one secondary cleaning chamber (4, 5, 30, 33) is provided a further outer partition door (20, 21) over which the component (8) into or out of the Cleaning machine (1) is transportable, a second partial air supply line (22) is arranged and a second Teilzuuftstrom (V _zu3 ) of the

Supply air {V _to ) to form an air curtain (24) via this second partial air supply line (22) in the region of this externa ßeren bulkhead door (20, 21) in the cleaning machine (2) opens.

3. Cleaning machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one auxiliary cleaning chamber (3, 4, 5, 30, 33) is detachably arranged on the main chamber (2).

4. Cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on the main chamber (2) at least one auxiliary chamber (6) is arranged for receiving robot tools.

5. Cleaning machine according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the circulation fan (16) and for the removal of exhaust air from a secondary cleaning chamber (3, 32) is provided.