Method and apparatus for continuously producing sheet metal blanks.

摘要

A method and apparatus for automatically and continuously producing multiple blanks from a coil (24) of sheet material (22) with a minimum of scrap. The apparatus utilizes pinch rolls (40,42) to advance and retract the sheet material (22) from a coil (24), while simultaneously a cutter, such as plasma torch (52), moves transversely to the moving sheet material (22). Movement of the cutter (52) and sheet material (22) is controlled and coordinated so as to make the desired cuts in the sheet material (22) and produce the blanks of the desired configuration.