Method for reel changing in automatic machines

Abstract

A method for reel changing in automatic machines including: preparing a carriage having a robotic arm including a gripped with a gripper at its free end for retaining a reel; the carriage has a support for the reel and a container for collecting cores of empty reels; positioning the reel on the support defining a predetermined position and memorised by the arm; moving the carriage forward toward a rotating shaft in a position allowing movement of the arm towards the shaft; reading a code on the shaft by a reading device on the arm; sending a signal by the reading device corresponding to the reading of the code to a processing unit with memorisation of the position of the shaft; picking up of an empty core from the rotating shaft and releasing the core in the container; picking up the reel; inserting the reel in the rotating shaft.

1 . A method for reel changing in automatic machines, the automatic machine comprising at least, on a machine front, a rotating shaft for supporting at least one reel of wound material; said shaft having a first identification code;
 wherein it comprises at least the following steps:
 preparing a mobile carriage having a robotic arm equipped with a gripper at its free end configured at least for retaining a reel; the mobile carriage having a support for the reel and a container for collecting cores of empty reels; the support for the reel and said container, being integral and mobile with the mobile carriage; 
 preparing a control and data processing unit for control, storage and processing of data concerning at least the position of the robotic arm and the mobile carriage; 
 positioning the reel on the support of the carriage defining a predetermined position and memorised by the control and data processing unit; 
 moving the carriage for moving the carriage towards the front of the machine in a first zone predetermined and memorised by control and data processing unit in the proximity of the at least one rotating shaft and in a position configured for allowing the movement of the robotic arm towards the rotating shaft; 
 reading the first identification code present on the rotating shaft by a reading device positioned on the robotic arm; 
 sending a signal by the reading device corresponding to the reading of the first identification code to the control and data processing unit with memorisation of the position of the rotating shaft; 
 picking up a core of an empty reel from the rotating shaft by the robotic arm using the gripper and releasing the core of an empty reel inside the container present on the carriage; 
 picking up the reel positioned on the support of the carriage by the gripper of the robotic arm; 
 inserting the reel, picked up from the support, in the rotating shaft of the machine. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising the following steps, prior to the step of positioning the reel on the support of the carriage:
 preparing at least one magazine of reels; the magazine being provided with a second identification code having as data at least the distance between the reel and the magazine;   moving the carriage towards the magazine of reels in a position configured for allowing the approach of the robotic arm both to the second identification code and to the reel;   reading the second identification code by the reading device positioned on the robotic arm;   sending a signal corresponding to the reading of the second identification code to the control and data processing unit positioned on the carriage for memorising and confirming the data;   positioning and picking up the reel from the magazine by the robotic arm by engaging the gripper, in the core of the reef to be picked up;   positioning and releasing of the reel on the support of the carriage.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps for moving the carriage take place in an operating area, above a treadable surface, predetermined around the automatic machine in which are positioned at least two zones (Z 1 , Z 2 ) memorised by the control unit corresponding to the zone in front of the at least one rotating shaft of the machine and a zone for waiting for or reloading the carriage with a reel. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of picking up a core of an empty reel from the rotating shaft by the robotic arm using the gripper is preceded by a step of pre-withdrawal of the core achieved by a manoeuvre of the robotic arm on the core. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the steps of moving the carriage take place in a delimited operating area also having a further zone memorised on a side of the magazine of full reels. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps of reading the reading device are achieved at least with one optical cell positioned on the robotic arm. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of picking up the reel from the support by the robotic arm is performed without reading the position of the reel. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps for gripping and releasing the full reels and the cores of empty reels are obtained with a gripper with two fingers radially movable towards and away from one another. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising a step of replacing the gripper on the robotic arm. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of replacing the gripper on the robotic arm is performed on the carriage; said carriage being provided with a container of grippers. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the unit for controlling, memorising and processing data is positioned or housed in the mobile carriage.