Plant and procedure for the automated production of truss structures

Abstract

Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures and the process, which includes a zone for positioning the tubes (A) according to the required geometry, a manufacturing zone made up of a zone for joining the heads of the tubes ( 8 ) and a zone for shaping and welding the transverse tubes ( 9 ), a collection station for the structures ( 10 ), a zone for the inspection and painting of the structures ( 12 ), a loading and shipping zone and an assembly zone, these latter two are situated in the exterior of the manufacturing plant. This plant enables the manufacture of truss structures of any required size and geometry, avoiding all manual manipulations, increasing quality and reducing costs.

1 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures that includes a zone for placing the tubes (A) according to the required geometry, a manufacturing zone comprising of a zone for joining tubes at the extremes ( 8 ), a zone for shaping and welding the transverse tubes ( 9 ), a collection station for the structures ( 10 ), an inspection and painting zone ( 12 ), a loading and shipping zone and an assembly zone, these latter two situated in the exterior of the factory. The zone for the positioning of the tubes (A) includes a bridge crane and a series of tracks ( 3 ) parallel to the tracks of the bridge crane ( 1 ), on which pillars ( 4 ) are vertically placed, containing devices ( 6 ,  6 ′) to support the tubes, arranged along the length of the pillar ( 4 ). The pillars ( 4 ) themselves can move along the tracks ( 3 ) to alter the distance between them, and the devices to support the tubes ( 6 ,  6 ′) can move up and down the length of the pillars ( 4 ) for the same reason. 
     
     
         2 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1 , characterized in that the bridge crane has three trollies ( 14 ) that can move along the bridge and each of the trollies has a magnet ( 15 ) to pick up the tubes, two of them will hold the tube at the extremes and the third in the center, and the magnets at the extremes will have a security system consisting of an axis that is introduced inside the tubes so that, in the case of a failure in the magnetic support system, under no circumstances will the tubes fall. 
     
     
         3 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the devices for the support of the tubes ( 6 ,  6 ′) are bobbins. 
     
     
         4 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the pillars ( 4 ) are placed on platforms ( 13 ′) with articulations activated by mechanical rotary actuators that allow a variable angle and thus enable the creation of flat plane, triangular or square geometries. 
     
     
         5 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the pillars ( 4 ) are constructed from individual components joined together, so that the height can be adapted to requirements in each case. 
     
     
         6 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the zone for joining tubes at the extremes ( 8 ) has tracks with pillars with clamps installed to hold the tubes that are going to be soldered together lengthways. 
     
     
         7 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the zone for shaping and welding the transverse tubes ( 9 ) includes a series of tracks with pillars similar to those in the positioning zone, and which also have hydraulic cylinders ( 18 ) to bend the transverse tubes ( 17 ) in diagonal between the longitudinal tubes ( 16 ) and an arc welder to weld them once they are in place. 
     
     
         8 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the collecting station ( 10 ) stores the structures coming out of the zone for shaping and welding ( 9 ) and consists of a set of parallel tracks with motorized devices ( 11 ) to move the structures lengthways and rack and pinion type transmission elements, to move the entire structure sideways. 
     
     
         9 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in  claim 1  characterized in that the inspection and painting zone ( 12 ) is a closed and protected space where there is equipment to inspect the welding and for painting and protecting the structure against corrosion. 
     
     
         10 . Plant for the automated manufacture of truss structures as described in the claims above, characterized in that it includes the following operations:
 Moving the containers ( 2 ) that contain the longitudinal tubes and the containers ( 2 ′) that contain the tubes to form the transverse structure, using a system of pneumatic supports or omnidirectional rollers;   a computer controlled system receives the static calculations defining the geometry of the truss structure to be manufactured and activates a bridge crane;   the bridge crane takes a longitudinal tube ( 16 ) that is lying horizontally in the container ( 2 ) and it takes it, maintaining the horizontal position, to the positioning area where it is positioned on bobbin-style supports ( 6 ) located on movable platforms ( 13 ) on the pillars ( 4 );   once the first tube is in place, the bridge crane continues the operation until all the longitudinal tubes ( 16 ) are in place;   once these are in place, the bridge crane takes the transverse tubes ( 17 ) from the container ( 2 ′) and it places them on the smaller bobbins ( 6 ′) located on movable platforms ( 13 ) on the pillars ( 4 );   once the transverse tubes ( 17 ) are in place for the base and the sides of the structure, telescopic brackets ( 7 ) located on movable platforms placed vertically on the pillars fold down 90° or they expand, placing bobbins ( 6 ′) into the position required for the placing of the transverse tubes ( 17 ) on the upper face;   once all the tubes are placed in accordance with the geometry of the project, the structure is moved from the positioning zone to the zone for the shaping and welding of the transverse tubes ( 9 ) where hydraulic pistons ( 18 ) push the transverse tube ( 17 ) located between the two longitudinal tubes ( 16 ), bending it until the transverse tube ( 17 ) butts against the corresponding longitudinal tube ( 16 ), so that the transverse tube ( 17 ) is pressed against the longitudinal tube ( 16 ) at the required angle;   then some double induction arc welders approach and weld both tubes, The hydraulic piston ( 18 ) maintains the pressure for the programmed cooling time, and then retracts and lowers the piston ( 18 ) to allow the structure to move forward;   this operation is repeated the full length of the transverse tube ( 17 );   at this point, the bridge crane takes new tubes and places them in the positioning zone, and the motorized bobbins push them to the zone for joining tubes at the extremes ( 8 ) where a clamp holds the ends of the tube in the welded structure and another clamp holds the new tube, they are pressed together and an arc welder approaches to weld them together;   the extended structure continues to advance into the zone for the shaping and welding of the extended tube. As it is finished it leaves the manufacturing area ( 9 ) and passes to the collection station ( 10 );   in the collection station ( 10 ) the finished structures with the programmed length and geometry are transferred from the collection station ( 10 ) to the inspection and painting zone ( 12 );   in the inspection and painting zone ( 12 ) the welding is inspected and the structure is painted and protected against corrosion;   the completely finished structure is then taken outside to the loading and shipping zone or to the assembly zone.