Patent ID: 12223465

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the mentioned figures, the automated plant for cutting and operating flat slabs according to the present invention, identified by the reference numeral10as a whole in the figures, comprises a plurality of macro-areas or working areas comprising, with reference to the preferred embodiment according to the figures, a first macro-area12defining an area suitable for storing the semi-finished products (the slabs), a second macro-area14which defines an area for storing auxiliary materials (such as, for instance, packing materials, consumable materials for cutting operations and the like), a third macro-area16defining a production area for the processing (cutting, control, etc.), packaging, and packing of the sub-slabs derived from the original slabs, and finally a fourth macro-area18defining a finished product area or store for the transit/accumulation (buffering) of the products coming from the third macro-area16.

The materials and products are moved between the mentioned macro-areas and internally thereto by way of automatic moving devices and, more specifically, by way of laser guide vehicles (LGVs) or other type of known guides, said handling devices being controlled by a central control unit whose characteristics will be better discussed below.

The first macro-area12, schematically shown in details inFIG.2, comprises an automated/robotized store, wherein original or semi-finished slabs coming from ceramic furnaces are stored, the mother-slabs having a natural or polished surface finishing (in this case, before being stored in the store, they are submitted to a polishing operation in a marble processing facility or a similar structure).

Said store comprises a plurality of shelves12′ comprising encoded storage positions (store position code) suitable for receiving mother-slabs provided with a code (product code) bound to the store position code.

The mother-slabs coming from the furnaces and/or from an external smoothing/polishing operation, if any, are characterized in having an identification code different from that which characterizes raw slabs, said codes (product codes) containing information on the dimensional characteristics of the mother-slabs, their material, color, and surface finishing.

This identification code of the mother-slabs is associated with a position-code identifying the position in the automated store in the first macro-area12.

The mother-slabs are stored and picked-up from the storage positions in the shelves12′ by using automatic handling devices (not shown) which are movable through said shelves; the mother-slabs are picked-up and positioned (in the case of store feeding) from and on the shelves of the store by means of an automatic handling device which reads the position-code.

In a preferred embodiment, the automatic store in the first macro-area12comprises, in every storage position, a pallet which contains a number of mother-slabs tendentially equal to forty-five mother-slabs having, purely as an indication, a thickness of 6 mm; however, it is to be understood that the number of slabs in a pallet can vary as a function of the thickness of the slabs comprised therein. The storage of the mother-slabs in the shelves of the automatic store in the first macro-area12is controlled, as better detailed below, by a central control unit in order to optimize the paths of the automatic handling devices on the basis of the time priorities of the work orders. More specifically, the store is optimized by storing the products (the mother-slabs) featuring a greater turn-over in those shelves which are located closer to the processing units in the third macro-area, as discussed below.

The second macro-area14, schematically shown in detail inFIG.3, comprises a further store14′ wherein there are stored the means for packing the sub-slabs (or daughter-slabs) obtained from cutting/processing said mother-slabs and consisting of crates, boxes, or racks (or even stands and layer pads); for this purpose, said further store will comprise different zones for storing different packing means, said zones being provided with different identification codes associated with the identification codes of the sub-slabs or daughter-slabs.

The same further store14′ comprises storage zones for storing consumable materials such as, for instance, sand for mother-slab cutting operations or otherwise known materials.

In this case too, the automatic handling devices are movable internally to said further store14′, the paths of said handling devices being controlled and optimized by the central unit on the basis of the order processed by the same.

The control of said further store14′ in the second macro-area14is optimized on the basis of the paths the automatic handling devices shall follow on the basis of the production schedules.

Such further store is provisioned manually by an operator who positions the product, provided with an identification code, on a roller conveyor located outside the further store, which is picked-up by the automatic handling device which receives a control from the central unit upon reading the product identification code or dimensionally reading the product or the position internally to the store14; said product is then picked-up from the roller conveyor by the automatic handling device and positioned in the further store in an encoded position which is associated with the product identification code located therein.

The third macro-area16, schematically shown in details inFIG.4, defines a production area wherein the mother-slabs coming from the first macro-area12are processed to obtain sub-slabs or daughter-slabs.

Said third macro-area16comprises at least one production line17wherein the mother-slabs are cut, cleaned, checked, and unloaded into crates or arranged on stands as better described below.

The daughter-slabs featuring smaller format are arranged on trays and said trays are subsequently put into crates; on the contrary, the daughter-slabs having bigger format (for instance “300(mm)×150(mm)” or “150(mm)×150(mm)” slabs) can be arranged in crates or on stands depending on the customer requirements (this operation is also performed automatically, the central unit controlling the arrangement of the slabs into crates or on stands depending on the parameters entered in the work order (as discussed in details below).

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in details inFIG.5said production lines17comprises each, and preferably with a linear and reciprocally sequential arrangement, a loading station20wherein the mother-slabs picked-up from the automatic store in the first macro-area12are loaded and transported thereto by using the automatic handling device, a cutting station22wherein the mother-slabs are split/cut into daughter-slabs having the requested formats, a brushing station24wherein the daughter-slabs coming from the cutting station22are cleaned out from any residues of the cutting operation, an inspection station26suitable for checking the dimensional and surface characteristics of the daughter-slabs by using an inspection device of an optical type or of another known type, an unloading station28wherein the daughter-slabs are unloaded into crates or pallets or are arranged on stands, as a function of the dimensions of the daughter-slabs themselves.

The mentioned production lines17are all identical for that which concerns the loading, cutting, and inspection stations and differ from each other for that which concerns the unloading station.

More specifically and with reference to the preferred embodiment according to the figures, two production lines (lines1and4) will process those daughter-slab formats which are smaller and suitable for being put on trays to be put in turn into crates, further two lines (lines3and5) are intended for handling bigger daughter-slab formats (for instance “300(mm)×150(mm)” or “150(mm)×150(mm)” slabs) which shall be put into crates without the presence of trays but include a layer pad between any two slabs or are to be arranged on stands, a further production line (line2) is suitable for handling both daughter-slab formats intended for being put on trays and daughter-slab formats that don't require such trays (such unit does not handle those formats which are intended for being put on stands), and a cutting line (line6) which is capable of handling any kinds of daughter-slab formats intended for being put on trays or directly into crates or arranged on stands.

The third macro-area16also comprises a sub-area19wherein the crates, before being closed and after placing the daughter-slabs (arranged on trays or not, depending on their formats) therein, are filled with foam or polyurethane foam materials used as elements for protecting the slabs during transportation and, also, wherein the crates and the daughter-slabs on stands undergo a wrapping operation by way of bands, tapes, and protective films, and wherein labels provided with an identification code are applied to said crates or stands (the automatic handling device reads such code, picks-up the crates or stands, and transfers them to the fourth macro-area18).

FIG.6shows in details the fourth macro-area18which comprises a finished products area or store through/in which the packed daughter-slabs coming from the third macro-area16pass or are buffered.

The store according to the fourth macro-area18comprises two sections, namely a first section18′ (also referred to as “block store” section) and a second section18″ (also referred to as “cantilever” section).

The first section18′ defines a finished product store which comprises finished products that make up a load, i.e. a set of packagings having the same identification code meant as a shipping code, irrespective of the shipment order, even if manufactured at different instants in time, where the crates or stands belonging to a uniform family (for instance one and the same order code) are stored.

The second section18″ defines a store suitable for temporarily storing (buffering) small orders or individual crates that are not suitable for being packed in the first section18′.

The storage of the finished products in the store (either in the first or second section18′ or18″) and the picking-up of the finished products themselves for their subsequent shipping is performed by way of automatic handling devices.

Said fourth macro-area is controlled by the same central control unit that controls the complete production and operating process of the plant according to the invention.

Also, the plant according to the invention comprises sensors (of a known type) the function of which is to continuously monitor all steps of the production cycle and the operation of the automatic handling devices; this in order to perform a feedback control of the production cycle and to adjust it on the basis of the cycle timings bound to the requested order of products, changes of format, downtimes, or the like.

The operation of a plant according to the invention, as described above with reference to its component parts, is described below.

All macro-areas that make-up the plant are managed and controlled by way of a central unit the function of which is to program, control, manage, and optimize all steps of the production cycle on the basis of work orders.

The logic adopted for the operation and control of the plant according to the invention is based on a software which comprises a “smart” production scheduling algorithm, which starts from a receipt of an order from a customer which, after being loaded into the central unit is processed as a work order on the basis of a material output flow, i.e. on the basis of the daughter-slabs that shall be put in one and the same crate or arranged on trays to be put into crates or arranged on stands, according to finished product preparation and delivered modes (adjustment and management being made according to the data coming from the semi-finished product store in the first macro-area12, the data relevant to the use of the processing unit in the third macro-area16, the data coming from the finished product store in the fourth macro-areas, all of which allows to set the product delivery timings).

The central unit, by way of the scheduling logic as mentioned above, schedules, manages, and also optimizes the paths and the movement of the automatic handling devices within the macro-areas of the plant according to the entered order.

In addition, the data taken from the sensors of the plant is sent to the central unit, then to the above-mentioned software, in the light of a continuous functional feedback suitable for adjusting the production/processing steps and moving the automatic handling devices (as a function of the timings set forth by the order and/or in order to take account of any changes of format or downtimes).

Whenever a supply order is received for slabs (be it an order for a shipment to outside or an order for replenishing a store or for processing slabs in an external marble processing facility), the elements or parameters that characterize such order are entered/loaded into the management software of the plant; specifically, such characteristic elements possibly comprise slab format, color, surface finishing and/or material, number of slabs, any request for slabs having the same format but different colors and/or surface finishing, shipping and/or customer's collection, etc.; other parameters might also be considered, as appropriate for identifying an order for an external customer or for an internal supply to a store (for instance, in the case that raw-finished slabs are to be sent to a marble processing facility for polishing operations or similar surface processing).

Then order is processed by the central unit (i.e. by the software provided with the order processing algorithm) on the basis of such parameters, the availability of the material in the semi-finished product store in the first macro-area12, the processings necessary to obtain the daughter-slabs, and the processing unit setting times or downtimes, if any, and a hypothetic scheduling is generated for completing and delivering the finished products, and a production cycle or order is set wherein the paths of the automatic handling devices between the different macro-areas of the plant according to the invention are planned and managed on the basis of the entered and above considered parameter.

The central unit, by way of the software equipped with the order processing algorithm, will schedule the sequence of execution of the orders on the basis of the availability, or not, of the semi-finished products in the store, boxes/crates and/or stands for putting the daughter-slabs derived from the mother-slabs therein, the delivery and collection times, a priority being given to the orders on the basis of the above-mentioned characteristic elements.

The same central unit, by way of said software, will determine the type of processing unit17to be used and will assign a higher priority to those orders which need processings in the production line which can be carried out without any changes of format or reset; this takes place, for instance, in the case of an order for small quantities (boxed or on-stand products) in order not to be obliged to have a downtime because of a change of format.

Once an order is scheduled by the central unit, its execution takes place as described in details below.

In the case of a work order for replenishment of the automatic semi-finished product store, the pallets with the mother-slabs to be inserted in the automatic store in the first macro-area12(i.e. those pallets which comprise the slabs coming from the baking furnaces and/or from the marble processing facility) are positioned in correspondence with fixed reference points, so as to allow for an automatic handling device to pick-up said mother-slabs (after reading the identification code associated therewith) and transfer them to the automatic store and arrange them on the shelves associated with the identification code associated with said mother-slabs.

Once the customer/supplier-order is entered in and processed by the central unit, a work order is generated, on the basis of which the movement of the automatic handling devices, the provisioning of crates, trays, or stands, etc. are managed.

A work order can be derived from a customer-order or from a supplier-order (for instance, in the case that raw semi-finished mother-slabs are to be sent to an external marble processing facility for undergoing polishing operations and the like) and, consequently, the movements and the paths of the automatic handling devices will be different.

In the case of a supplier-order intended for provisioning processed (i.e. polished or the like) mother-slabs, the automatic handling devices, upon receipt of a movement-enabling signal from the central unit, pick-up mother-slabs from the automatic store and, specifically, they pick-up them from those shelves whose identification code is associated with those of the slabs and put them on fixed reference points arranged outside the automatic store, from which they are picked-up manually or in another known manner and transferred for being submitted to polishing/smoothing operations or the like.

In the case of a customer-order, once a work order is generated, the central unit sets the missions of the automatic handling devices, said automatic handling devices picking-up the mother-slabs having the identification code specified in the order from the automatic store in the first macro-area12and transfer them to the third macro-area16, where they are loaded onto the production line appointed thereto.

It is to be understood that a supplier-order and a customer-order can be processed simultaneously, the central unit setting the missions of the automatic handling devices and of the different apparatuses in the macro-areas.

At the same time, further automatic handling devices pick-up the trays and/or crates and/or stands from the further store in the second macro-area14and transfer them to the appointed production lines in the third macro-area16; it is to be understood that, in this case too, the automatic handling devices read the identification code or the dimensions, or assesses the position of the trays/crates stands in order to pick-up that associated with the material according to the order.

The mother-slabs are processed in the production lines to obtain daughter-slabs which are arranged, depending on their formats, on trays that are subsequently put into crates, or are put directly into crates, or even are arranged on stands.

In this step, as described before, the mother-slabs are loaded in the appointed cutting lines for being processed (according to the work order), cut according to standard or non-standard formats to obtain daughter-slabs which are subsequently brushed, inspected, and finally unloaded onto trays or crates or stands.

At this point, the automatic handling devices transfer the crates and/or stands to the sub-area19in the third macro-area16, where they undergo a “winding” operation (film wrapping, insertion of foam into crates, application of labels on the crates and/or stands).

The central unit manages the work order processing cycle in the third macro-area16, by queueing said orders on the basis of the daughter-slab formats to be obtained from the mother-slabs (dimensions, color, surface finishing) even if they are orders belonging to different customers.

Also, the production cycle is optimized by feeding two or more containers to the appointed production lines simultaneously, so as to optimize the paths of the automatic handling devices.

The crates and/or stands provided with the daughter-slab, after passing through the sub-area19, are transferred by the automatic handling devices to the fourth macro-area18and stored in the finish product store.

The finished products remain stored in the store of the fourth macro-area18, from which they will subsequently be picked-up, also by the automatic handling devices, for being delivered and/or shipped.

As it can be inferred from the foregoing, apparent are the advantages that are achieved by a plant according to the invention, which implements the above-described process.

The plant according to the present invention as described above with reference to a preferred but not limitative embodiment thereof, makes it possible to manufacture slabs/tiles of different formats starting from smoothed/polished or raw mother-slabs in a fully automatic manner, the production/processing cycle management being characterized in comprising optimized production steps which advantageously allow to optimize the related production costs.

A further advantage consists in that the plant according to the invention does not comprise a finished product store in which quantities of finished products (i.e. tiles) are stored sorted according to the dimensional characteristics, type of material or color or surface finish or, even, subdivided according to the number of tiles comprising one package, but rather a finished product store the function of which is to define a short-term storage area for those finished products which define a customer-order; such configuration and management make it possible to cut the production costs and the storage costs which concur in defining the product costs.

A further advantage consists of the mode or logic used to manage the plant according to the invention, which allows to have an estimate of the delivery times of products and allows to optimize the steps of a production process as a result of processing of a plurality of parameters which define/generate a work order, said optimization of the steps of the production process comprising an optimized programming of the paths and of the handlings of the automatic handling devices which are moved between the different operating areas of the plant, an optimized preparation of crates and stands for accommodating the finished products, a management/occupancy of the processing units that define a production area wherein the slabs coming from the automatic store (mother-slabs) are processed to obtain daughter-slabs.

Further advantageous is the fact that the plant according to the invention, by means of which the process whereby slabs or tiles are manufactured starting from bigger-size slabs is implemented, makes it possible to process the work orders on a per job basis, which implies zeroing the costs bound to a finished product store for preparing an order, considering that the plant according to the invention and the process applied thereto make it possible to follow a just-in-time logic and don't require to create stocks of products ready for being sold.

Further advantageous is the fact that the plant according to the invention makes it possible to process orders of different types such as, for instance, a customer-order and a supplier-order simultaneously.

Even though the invention has been described above with a specific reference to one embodiment thereof provided for explanatory, non-limitative purposes only, numerous modifications and variants will be apparent to a person skilled in the art in the light of the above description.

Therefore, the present disclosure shall be construed to embrace any modifications and variants that fall within the scope of the following claims.