Introduce the feeding device of numerical control press

In the efficient operation system of numerical control presss, the feeding device is a key link to ensure production continuity and stability. As the starting point of the automated production process of numerical control presss, it undertakes the important task of accurately and quickly transporting raw materials to designated processing positions. The numerical control press feeding device integrates advanced mechanical design, automation control, and sensor technology. Through precise positioning and stable conveying mechanism, it ensures that every feeding can meet the requirements of machining accuracy and production efficiency. Next, we will delve into the structure, working principle, and significant impact of the numerical control press feeding device on the production process.

1. Introduction

As an indispensable processing equipment in modern manufacturing, numerical control presss are widely used in the field of metal sheet processing due to their high precision and efficiency. In the workflow of numerical control presss, the feeding device is a key link to ensure production continuity and stability. It is responsible for accurately and efficiently transporting the boards to be processed to the working area of the punch press, providing reliable material support for subsequent stamping processing.

2. Classification of feeding devices for numerical control presss

（1） Manual feeding device
The manual feeding device is the most basic form, mainly relying on operators to manually place the sheet metal onto the worktable of the punch press. This device has a simple structure, low cost, and is suitable for small-scale production or situations where production efficiency is not high. However, manual feeding has disadvantages such as high labor intensity, slow feeding speed, and difficulty in ensuring positioning accuracy, which can easily lead to low production efficiency and unstable product quality.
（2） Semi automatic feeding device
The semi-automatic feeding device has reduced the labor intensity of operators to a certain extent and improved the feeding efficiency. Common semi-automatic feeding devices include magnetic separators, vacuum suction cup feeding machines, etc. The magnetic separator uses magnetic force to separate stacked sheets, making it easier for operators to take out materials one by one; The vacuum suction cup feeding machine uses a vacuum suction cup to adsorb the sheet metal, lift it up, and transport it to the punch press worktable. Although the semi-automatic feeding device has improved the automation level of feeding, it still requires operators to perform certain auxiliary operations, such as initial positioning of the board and starting the feeding program.
（3） Fully automatic feeding device

The fully automatic feeding device is the development direction of numerical control press feeding device, which can achieve automatic storage, transportation, positioning and feeding of sheets without the need for operators to directly participate in the feeding process. The fully automatic feeding device usually consists of a material warehouse, a conveying mechanism, a positioning system, and a control system. The material warehouse is used to store the boards to be processed and can be designed in multiple layers or columns according to different production needs; The conveying mechanism is responsible for taking out the sheet from the material warehouse and conveying it to the punching machine worktable. Common conveying methods include chain conveying, belt conveying, and mechanical arm grasping; The positioning system can accurately locate the sheet metal within the working area of the punch press, ensuring the accuracy of stamping processing; The control system automates and monitors the entire feeding process, achieving collaborative work between the feeding device and the numerical control press.

3. Composition and working principle of fully automatic feeding device

（1） Material warehouse
The material warehouse is an important component of the fully automatic feeding device, providing storage space for the boards to be processed. The design of the material warehouse needs to consider factors such as the specifications, quantity, and storage method of the boards. Generally speaking, material storage can be divided into upper storage, lower storage, and back storage. The upper warehouse adopts a single row multi-layer structure, which can store various specifications, thicknesses, and materials of sheets, making it convenient to quickly replace sheets according to production needs; The lower warehouse and the back warehouse are set up in parallel. The lower warehouse is used to temporarily store the boards to be loaded, while the back warehouse is used to store the processed boards. The framework form of the material warehouse ensures its structural stability and load-bearing capacity. There are hydraulic lifting platform front and rear moving guide rails between the lower and rear warehouses, which facilitate the movement and operation of the hydraulic lifting platform.
（2） Conveyor mechanism
Z. X-direction transport device: The Z and X-direction transport devices are located on the outer side of the upper and lower warehouses, mainly including upper and lower material retrievals carts, front and rear material retrievals carts, pallets, and wooden frames. The front and rear material picking carts are connected to the upper part of the upper and lower material picking carts, and are driven by a motor to achieve Y-direction transportation; The tray is connected to the front and rear material picking carts through the bottom tray roller, which can be separated from the front and rear material picking carts, facilitating the loading and unloading of the board. The up and down material retrievals cart can move vertically to retrieve or place pallets and boards from different levels of the material warehouse.
mobiles hydraulic lifting platform: The mobiles hydraulic lifting platform located at the bottom of the lower warehouse adopts a scissor type structure, and the Y-direction guide rail allows the mobiles hydraulic lifting platform to move forward and backward into the rear warehouse. The upper and lower lifting motion control is accurate, convenient and concise, and can lift the board from the lower warehouse to the specified height, which is convenient for subsequent transportation and positioning.
Feeding vacuum suction cup device: The feeding vacuum suction cup device includes a feeding suction cup running beam parallel to the X direction, a feeding vacuum suction cup, a suction cup frame, and a suction cup frame running device. The feeding vacuum suction cup is fixedly connected to the suction cup frame, and the suction cup frame is flexibly connected to the feeding suction cup running beam. The suction cup frame running device drives the suction cup frame to move back and forth on the feeding suction cup running beam through a chain. When the hydraulic lifting platform is moved to lift the sheet to the appropriate height, the feeding vacuum suction cup picks up one end of the sheet and transports it to the feeding position of the CNC turret punch press.
（3） Positioning system
Plate end face detection device: The plate end face detection device can be used to detect the accurate position of the feeding vacuum suction cup running along the feeding suction cup beam, ensuring that the plate can be accurately conveyed to the working area of the punch press. Real time monitoring of the position information of the board through sensors, and feedback of the data to the control system. The control system adjusts the operating speed and position of the feeding vacuum suction cup based on the feedback information to ensure the accuracy of feeding.
Magnetic layering device: During the feeding process, in order to prevent sheet adhesion and ensure that the feeding vacuum suction cup can only pick up one sheet at a time, the magnetic layering device uses the principle of magnetic field to separate two sheets at one corner. When the sheet is transported to the vicinity of the magnetic layering device, the magnetic field acts to separate the upper sheet from the lower sheet, ensuring the accuracy and stability of feeding.
（4） Control system

The material warehouse adopts a separate CNC system that can communicate online with the control system of the CNC turret punch press. The numerical control system of the material warehouse generally adopts Mitsubishi system, with a touch screen operation interface, which is convenient for operators to set parameters and monitor. All transmission motors in the material warehouse are equipped with brake motors to ensure the stability of the stopping position. The CNC turret punch press adopts specialized systems such as FANUC-0iP system, which can meet the requirements of punch press operation. The control system realizes the automation control of various parts of the feeding device through programming, coordinates the movements of various mechanisms, and ensures the efficient and accurate feeding process.

4. Performance characteristics of numerical control press feeding device

（1） Improve production efficiency
The fully automatic feeding device can achieve continuous and automatic feeding of sheets, greatly reducing feeding time and improving production efficiency. Compared with manual feeding and semi-automatic feeding, the fully automatic feeding device can complete the feeding process without human intervention, reducing the waiting time of operators and enabling numerical control presss to continuously perform stamping processing, thereby improving equipment utilization and production output.
（2） Ensure machining accuracy
The positioning system in the feeding device can accurately position the sheet metal in the working area of the punch press, ensuring the accuracy of stamping processing. The use of auxiliary devices such as plate end face detection device and magnetic layering device further improves the accuracy and stability of feeding, avoids processing quality problems caused by inaccurate positioning or adhesion of plates, and ensures product quality consistency.
（3） Reduce labor intensity
The application of fully automatic feeding devices frees operators from heavy physical labor. Operators only need to set relevant parameters in the control system, monitor the operation status of the feeding device, and do not need to manually transport and position the boards, greatly reducing labor intensity and improving the working environment.
（4） Strong adaptability

The numerical control press feeding device can be customized and adjusted according to different production needs. The design of the material warehouse can accommodate the storage of boards of various specifications and materials; The conveying mechanism and positioning system can be adjusted according to the size and shape of the board to meet the processing requirements of different products. In addition, the feeding device can also be integrated with other automated equipment to achieve automated production on the production line.

5. The development trend of numerical control press feeding device

（1） Intelligentization
With the continuous development of artificial intelligence and sensor technology, the feeding device of numerical control presss will move towards intelligence. The future feeding device will have the ability of self diagnosis, self adjustment, and self optimization, which can automatically adjust the feeding parameters according to the actual situation of the board and changes in the production environment, improving the efficiency and accuracy of feeding. Meanwhile, through deep integration with numerical control presss, intelligent monitoring and fault warning of the production process can be achieved, further improving the stability and reliability of production.
（2） High speed
In order to improve production efficiency, the numerical control press feeding device will continuously increase the conveying speed and positioning accuracy. By using high-speed motors, high-performance transmission components, and advanced control algorithms, the rapid and accurate feeding of sheet metal is achieved. At the same time, optimizing the structural design of the feeding device, reducing the inertia and friction of moving parts, improving the dynamic response capability of the device, and meeting the needs of high-speed stamping processing.
（3） Greening

In the context of increasingly strict environmental requirements, the numerical control press feeding device will focus on green development. Adopting energy-saving motors and drive systems to reduce energy consumption; Optimize the structural design of the device to reduce the use of materials and the generation of waste; Choose environmentally friendly materials and lubricants to reduce the impact on the environment.

6. Conclusion

The feeding device of numerical control press is an important component of numerical control press, and its development is of great significance for improving the production efficiency, processing accuracy and automation level of numerical control press. From manual feeding to fully automatic feeding, the feeding device is constantly developing towards intelligence, high speed, and green direction. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, the feeding device of numerical control presss will become more efficient, accurate, and reliable, providing stronger support for the development of the manufacturing industry.