JP2016023045A - Work-piece conveyance method and work-piece conveyance system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a work-piece conveyance method and a work-piece conveyance device with which one uppermost workpiece is taken out from stacked work-pieces one by one and then, the taken-out work-piece is conveyed and supplied to a next step.SOLUTION: In a work-piece conveyance method, stacked sheet-like work-pieces are lifted up one by one by a work-piece conveyance device and are conveyed to a next step. The work-piece conveyance method includes: a step (a) for lifting up an uppermost work-piece W of the stacked work-pieces by work-piece holding means 15c in the work-piece conveyance device 9; a step (b) for moving a work-piece receiving member 17 between the lifted-up work-piece and the laminated work-pieces; a step (c) for detecting whether or not the lifted-up work-piece is one sheet; a step (d) for separating the uppermost work-piece from a work-piece below the uppermost work-piece when the lifted-up work-pieces are two sheets or more; a step (e) for repeating the (c) step and the (d) step for the preset number of times; and a step (f) for conveying the lifted-up work-piece to the next step when the work-piece is detected to be one sheet at the (c) step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport method and a transport system for lifting the uppermost plate-shaped workpieces stacked (laminated) on a pallet, for example, one by a workpiece transport device such as a transport robot and transporting them to the next process. More specifically, when the uppermost workpiece is lifted, the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece are connected even if other workpieces are in close contact with the lower surface of the uppermost workpiece. The present invention relates to a workpiece transfer method and a workpiece transfer system that can transfer workpieces by separating them.

  Conventionally, a plate-shaped workpiece (material) that has been cut into a predetermined shape in advance, or a plate-shaped workpiece that has been subjected to primary processing such as punching or tapping in advance, is stacked (laminated) on a pallet, for example. It has been broken. And the said workpiece | work may be supplied to the board | plate material processing machine of next processes, such as a press brake, for example, and a secondary process may be performed. As described above, the uppermost stacked work is lifted by a work holding means in a work transfer device such as a transfer robot, and transferred to a secondary processing machine such as a press brake.

  As described above, when the uppermost workpiece is lifted and transferred by the workpiece transfer device, a separate workpiece may be brought into close contact with the lower surface of the lifted workpiece and lifted together. As described above, when the workpiece is transported in a state where the separate workpiece is in close contact with the lower surface of the lifted workpiece, the lower workpiece may fall during the transportation. Then, when conveying the uppermost workpiece | work with a workpiece conveyance apparatus, conveying after separating the uppermost workpiece | work from the lower workpiece | work is proposed (for example, refer patent document 1, 2).

JP 2001-72270 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-237751

  In the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when the uppermost stacked workpiece is sucked by the vacuum pad in the workpiece transfer device and transferred to the next process, the uppermost workpiece is set to the lower workpiece. Move horizontally to slide. As described above, when the uppermost workpiece is moved, a configuration in which the uppermost workpiece is pushed by the pusher body and a partition plate that prevents the lowermost workpiece from moving are provided. The uppermost work is configured to be pushed up to a certain height position. And it is the structure which blows air between the uppermost workpiece | work and the workpiece | work of the lower side, and isolate | separates a workpiece | work.

  According to the above configuration, it is less likely that separate workpieces are brought into close contact with the lower surface of the uppermost workpiece and simultaneously conveyed. However, it is not always the case that separate workpieces are in close contact with the lower surface of the uppermost workpiece and are not simultaneously conveyed, and sometimes a plurality of workpieces are conveyed in close contact with each other. In this case, if the lower workpiece falls during the conveyance of the workpiece, not only the workpiece is damaged, but also the surrounding equipment or the like may be damaged. Moreover, in the said structure, when raising the laminated | stacked uppermost workpiece | work, since it is the structure which isolate | separates one piece at a time, the structure of a workpiece | work lamination | stacking part becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and is a work transport method for lifting each stacked plate-shaped work by a work transport device and transporting it to the next process,
(A) a step of lifting the uppermost stacked workpiece by the workpiece holding means in the transport device;
(B) a step of moving the workpiece receiving member between the lifted workpiece and the stacked workpiece;
(C) a step of detecting whether or not the lifted workpiece is one piece,
(D) when there are two or more lifted workpieces, a step of separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece;
(E) a step of repeating the step (c) and the step (d) a preset number of times,
(F) a step of conveying the lifted workpiece to the next step when it is detected in the step (c) that the number of workpieces is one;
It is characterized by having.

  In the workpiece transfer method, the upper workpiece and the lower workpiece are separated from each other by a step of adsorbing the lower workpiece by the workpiece adsorption means provided in the workpiece receiving member. It is what.

  In the workpiece transfer method, when the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece are separated, the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece are separated by bringing the magnet floater relatively close to the lifted workpiece. The process is provided.

  Further, the work conveying method includes a step of blowing air between the uppermost work and the lower work separated by the magnet floater.

  Further, it is a workpiece transfer system that lifts each stacked plate-like workpiece one by one and transfers it to the next process, and a workpiece holding means that can lift the stacked uppermost workpiece in the X, Y, and Z axis directions. There are two or more workpiece transfer devices provided movably, a workpiece receiving member movable between the workpiece lifted by the workpiece holding means and the stacked workpiece, and two or more workpieces lifted by the workpiece holding means Two-piece picking detection means for detecting whether or not there is, and a work separating means for separating the uppermost work and the lower work when there are two or more lifted works. It is characterized by being.

  Further, in the work transport system, the work receiving member includes a work suction means for sucking the lower work when the uppermost work and the lower work are separated. It is.

  In the workpiece transfer system, the workpiece receiving member includes a magnet floater for separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece.

  In the workpiece transfer system, the workpiece receiving member includes air blowing means for blowing air between the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece separated vertically by the magnet floater. To do.

  Further, in the work transport system, the magnet floater and the air blowing means are provided so as to be movable in a direction approaching and moving away from the work lifted by the work holding means. It is.

  According to the present invention, when the stacked uppermost workpiece is lifted by the workpiece holding means in the workpiece transfer device, the workpiece receiving member moves between the lifted workpiece and the stacked workpiece. Then, it is detected whether or not the number of the lifted workpieces is one, and in the case of two or more workpieces, the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece are separated. Therefore, even when the lower workpiece that is in close contact with the uppermost workpiece falls, the dropped workpiece is received by the receiving member. And, since the workpiece is transported by detecting whether or not the lifted workpiece is one sheet, it is not transported with other workpieces in close contact with the uppermost workpiece, The problem described above can be solved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view conceptually and schematically showing an overall configuration of a work transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is front explanatory drawing of the workpiece conveyance system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is right side explanatory drawing of the workpiece conveyance system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a workpiece conveyance system. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a workpiece conveyance system. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a workpiece conveyance system.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a workpiece transfer system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting table arrangement area 5 in which a workpiece mounting table 3 such as a pallet can be arranged. On the workpiece mounting table 3 arranged in the mounting table arrangement region 5, a plate-like workpiece W subjected to primary processing such as cutting is stacked (integrated). The material table 7 is arranged at a position adjacent to the workpiece mounting table 3 in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction) in the mounting table placement area 5. The material table 7 is used to place and support the workpieces W in close contact when a plurality of the workpieces W are in close contact.

  A workpiece transfer device 9 such as a transfer robot made of an industrial robot or the like is arranged at a position close to the mounting table arrangement region 5 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction). The workpiece transfer device 9 has an action of lifting the uppermost workpieces W stacked on the workpiece mounting table 3 one by one and supplying them to the next step. The workpiece transfer device 9 has a configuration that is already well known as, for example, a robot for supplying workpieces arranged on the front side of the press brake.

  That is, the workpiece transfer device 9 includes a turntable 13 that can be moved and positioned in the Y-axis direction on a guide base 11 that is long in the Y-axis direction and that can turn around a vertical axis. The swivel base 13 is provided with a first arm 15A that can be rotated up and down around a horizontal axis, and a second arm 15B is arranged around a horizontal axis at the tip of the first arm 15A. It is provided so that it can swing. A work holding means 15C capable of holding the work W on the work mounting table 3 is provided at the tip of the second arm 15B. The work holding means 15C is composed of, for example, a vacuum pad or the like, and is movably provided in the X-axis direction that is the front-rear direction, the Y-axis direction that is the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction that is the vertical direction. In addition, since the whole structure of the said workpiece conveyance apparatus 9 is a structure already known well as an industrial robot, the detailed description about the workpiece conveyance apparatus 9 is abbreviate | omitted.

  When the uppermost workpiece W stacked on the workpiece mounting table 3 is held and lifted by the workpiece holding means 15C in the workpiece transfer device 9, the workpiece lifted in close contact with the lower side of the uppermost workpiece W A workpiece receiving member 17 is provided for receiving when W is dropped. More specifically, a guide rail 19 that is long in the Y-axis direction is provided between the mounting table arrangement region 5 and the guide base 11. The work receiving member 17 is movably guided and supported on the guide rail 19. The movement of the workpiece receiving member 17 in the Y-axis direction is performed by controlling a servo motor (not shown) for moving the workpiece receiving member 17 in the Y-axis direction by a control means (not shown). is there.

  The workpiece receiving member 17 is guided by the guide rail 19 and can reciprocate between an upper position of the workpiece mounting table 3 and an upper position of the material table 7. That is, when the uppermost workpiece W on the workpiece mounting table 3 is held by the workpiece holding means 15C, the workpiece holding table 15 is retracted to the upper position of the material table 7 and the upper portion of the workpiece mounting table 3 is opened. When the workpiece holding means 15C holds and lifts the uppermost workpiece W, the workpiece holding means 15C moves between the lifted workpiece W and the workpiece mounting table 3, and is lifted in close contact with the lower surface of the lifted workpiece W. When the workpiece W falls, it acts to receive the falling workpiece W.

  Therefore, even when a separate workpiece W is in close contact with the lower surface of the workpiece W lifted by the workpiece holding means 15C, the lower workpiece W may fall and damage the workpiece W, It is possible to prevent the work W or the like laminated on the work mounting table 3 from being damaged.

  The workpiece receiving member 17 is provided with a vertical standing wall 21 on the rear side in the X-axis direction, that is, on the guide rail 19 side, and the front side of the standing wall 21 in the X-axis direction, that is, the workpiece transfer device 9. On the opposite side, a horizontal work receiving plate 23 that supports the work W is provided in a cantilever manner so as to protrude forward. The workpiece receiving plate 23 includes a fixed plate 23A that is integral with the standing wall portion 21, and a movable plate that can be tilted so that a tip end portion (left end portion in FIG. 2) in the Y-axis direction is lowered with respect to the fixed plate 23A. 23B.

  More specifically, the base end portion in the Y-axis direction of the movable plate 23B is pivotally supported by the fixed plate 23A via the pivot 25 (see FIG. 2) so as to move up and down. Then, in order to rotate (swing) the movable plate 23B up and down with respect to the fixed plate 23A, for example, a fluid pressure is provided between the bracket 27 provided on the lower surface of the fixed plate 23A and the movable plate 23B. A swinging actuator 29 such as a cylinder is provided. Therefore, by operating the swinging actuator 29, the movable plate 23B can be switched between a horizontal state and an inclined state in which the tip end side in the Y-axis direction is lowered (see the imaginary line in FIG. 1).

  Whether or not a plurality of workpieces W are simultaneously lifted when the uppermost workpiece W stacked on the workpiece mounting table 3 is held and lifted by the workpiece holding member 15 by the workpiece holding means 15C in the workpiece transfer device 9 A two-sheet pick-up detecting means 31 is provided for detecting the above. The two-sheet picking-up detection means 31 is provided at one end side in the Y-axis direction near the crossing position of the fixed plate 23A and the standing wall portion 21 in the work receiving member 17.

  The two-sheet picking-up detection means 31 detects the plate thickness by sandwiching the edge of the work W held by the work holding means 15C from above and below, and detects whether or not the work W is a single piece. Is. In the technical field where the stacked plate-like workpieces are picked up one by one by a workpiece transfer device 9 such as a robot and supplied to an appropriate plate material processing machine, two-piece picking detection means having various configurations are provided. Since it is publicly known, a more detailed description of the configuration of the two-sheet picking-up detection means 31 is omitted.

  Further, when the two-sheet pick-up detecting means 31 detects the two-piece picking, the work receiving member 17 has the uppermost work W held by the work holding means 15C and the lower-side work W. Work separation means 33 for separating W is provided. More specifically, the workpiece separating means 33 is provided on the fixed plate 23A at a position avoiding the movable plate 23B.

  The workpiece separating means 33 is provided with a peeling protrusion 35 that is long in the X-axis direction. The peeling projection 35 has a function of separating the uppermost workpiece W from the workpiece W described below when a plurality of workpieces W are held by the workpiece holding means 15C. That is, when a plurality of workpieces W are held by the workpiece holding means 15C, the uppermost workpiece W held by the workpiece holding means 15C passes over the peeling protrusion 35, and the workpiece W below the workpiece W is held. Adjusts the height position of the workpiece holding means 15C to a height position where the workpiece abuts against the peeling projection 35.

  Then, by moving the workpiece receiving member 17 relative to the workpiece holding means 15C in the Y-axis direction, the uppermost workpiece W held by the workpiece holding means 15C and the workpiece W below it are moved. It can be shifted in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the uppermost workpiece W and the workpiece W below it can be separated. The lower workpiece W separated as described above is received by the movable plate 23 </ b> B in the workpiece receiving member 17.

  The workpiece separating means 33 is provided with a magnet floater (iron plate separator) 37 that is long in the Y-axis direction. The magnet floater 37 functions to separate the uppermost workpiece W from the lower workpiece W when a plurality of workpieces W are supported by the workpiece holding means 15C. An air jet 41 as an air blowing means for blowing air into the gap between the workpieces W separated vertically is provided between the magnet floater 37 and a plurality of magnets 39 provided at appropriate intervals in the Y-axis direction. It has been.

  The magnet floater 37 is movable in the X-axis direction, that is, movable in a direction approaching and separating from the workpiece W placed on the workpiece receiving plate 23 of the workpiece receiving member 17 by the workpiece holding means 15C. Is provided. In order to move the magnet floater 37 back and forth, the upright wall portion 21 of the work receiving member 17 is provided with a reciprocating device 43 (see FIG. 3) such as a small fluid pressure cylinder. A reciprocating member such as a piston rod provided in the device 43 so as to freely reciprocate is connected to the magnet floater 37.

  Therefore, by operating the reciprocating operation device 43, the magnet floater 37 can be reciprocated in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction), and the workpiece W placed on the workpiece receiving plate 23 of the workpiece receiving member 17 can be moved. It can be approached and separated.

  In order to adsorb the lower workpiece W after the separated workpiece W is separated by the magnet floater 37, the movable plate 23B of the workpiece receiving member 17 is used as an example of a workpiece adsorption means. A plurality of vacuum pads 45 are provided.

  In the configuration as described above, as shown in FIG. 1, one workpiece W stacked (integrated) on the workpiece mounting table 3 arranged in the mounting table arrangement region 5 is placed by the workpiece holding means 15 </ b> C in the workpiece transfer device 9. When taking out every time and supplying the workpiece | work W to the processing machine (illustration omitted) of the following process, it carries out as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece receiving member 17 is moved upward in the material table 7 arranged adjacent to the workpiece mounting table 3 in the Y-axis direction, so that the space above the workpiece mounting table 3 is moved. Is released.

  As described above, when the upper space of the workpiece mounting table 3 is open, the uppermost workpiece W is held (adsorbed) and lifted by the workpiece holding means 15C in the workpiece transfer device 9 ( (See FIG. 4A). Next, the workpiece receiving member 17 is immediately moved between the lifted workpiece W and the workpiece W stacked on the workpiece mounting table 3 (see FIGS. 2 and 4B). Accordingly, even when a plurality of workpieces W are lifted by the workpiece support means 15C and the lower workpiece W falls, the falling workpiece W can be received by the workpiece receiving member 17. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the falling workpiece W and the workpiece W on the workpiece mounting table 3.

  As described above, when the workpiece receiving member 17 is moved between the lifted workpiece W and the workpiece W on the workpiece mounting table 3, the two-piece picking detection means 31 provided in the workpiece receiving member 17 lifts the workpiece W. It is detected whether or not two workpieces W have been removed (see FIG. 5A). Here, when the two-sheet taking detection means 31 does not detect the two-piece taking, the work W lifted up by the work holding means 15C is conveyed and supplied by the work conveying device 9 to the plate material processing machine of the next process, for example, a press brake. Is.

  When the two-sheet pick-up detecting means 31 detects the two-piece picking, the work W held by the work support means 15C is lowered onto the movable plate 23B in the work receiving member 17. Then, the lower workpiece W is sucked and held by the plurality of vacuum pads 45 provided on the movable plate 23B (see FIG. 5B). As described above, in the plurality of workpieces W lifted by the workpiece holding means 15C, when the lower workpiece W is attracted and held by the vacuum pad 45, the magnet floater 37 in the workpiece separating means 33 is moved back and forth. Is moved so as to come into contact with the workpiece W (see FIG. 6A).

  As described above, when the magnet floater 37 is brought into contact with the end portion of the plurality of workpieces W overlapped, the end portions of the plurality of workpieces W are separated vertically. Then, air is ejected from the air outlet 41 provided in the magnet floater 37 into the gap between the separated ends of the work W, and the uppermost work W and the lower work W are separated (separated). Will be promoted.

  As described above, after separating the uppermost workpiece W and the lower workpiece W, it is determined whether or not the number of the workpieces W held by the workpiece holding unit 15C is one. Again to detect. Here, when the number of the workpieces W is one, as described above, the workpieces W are conveyed and supplied to the next process by the workpiece conveying device 9. When the double picking detection unit 31 detects double picking when the double picking detection is performed again, the magnet floater 37 is superposed on the work W held by suction on the vacuum pad 45. The plate material separation is performed again.

  As described above, even if the separation of the plate material by the magnet floater 37 and the two-sheet taking detection by the two-sheet taking detecting unit 31 are alternately repeated a predetermined number of times (a plurality of times), the workpiece is held by the work holding unit 15C. When the workpiece W and the workpiece W below the workpiece W are not separated, the workpiece holding means 15C releases the holding of the workpiece W, and the workpiece receiving plate 23 in the workpiece receiving member 17 receives the overlapped workpiece W. Place on top. Then, the workpiece receiving member 17 is moved to a position above the material table 7. When the workpiece receiving member 17 is moved to the upper position of the material table 7 and the upper space of the workpiece mounting table 3 is opened, the uppermost layer stacked by the workpiece holding means 15C in the workpiece transfer device 9 is used. Hold and lift the workpiece W again.

  The workpiece receiving member 17 moved to a position above the material table 7 releases the suction of the workpiece W by the vacuum pad 45 and is inclined so as to descend the front end side of the movable plate 23B. The upper work W is placed on the material table 7. And it returns to the upper position of the said workpiece mounting base 3, and moves between the workpiece | work W lifted by the workpiece | work holding means 15C and the workpiece | work W laminated | stacked on the workpiece mounting base 3. FIG.

  By the way, when the workpiece W is placed on the material table 7 from the workpiece receiving member 17, the workpiece W is placed on the material table 7 when the workpiece receiving member 17 returns to the upper position of the workpiece placing table 3. It is desirable to do. That is, with this configuration, the length of the guide rail 19 in the Y-axis direction can be shortened, and the overall configuration can be made compact.

  By the way, the workpiece W is, for example, Al. Cu. When a non-magnetic material such as SUS cannot be separated by the magnetic floater 37 or when the work W has strong adhesion, the work holding is performed as follows. The uppermost workpiece W held by the means 15C and the lower workpiece W can be separated. That is, only the uppermost workpiece W held by the workpiece holding means 15C passes over the peeling projection 35, and the lower workpiece W positions the workpiece holding means 15C at a height position where it abuts against the peeling projection 35. . Then, by moving the workpiece receiving member 17 relative to the workpiece holding means 15C in the Y-axis direction, the uppermost workpiece W and the lower workpiece W are shifted in the Y-axis direction and separated. It is something that can be done.

  As can be understood from the above description, when the workpiece W is held and lifted by the workpiece holding means 15C of the workpiece transfer device 9, the workpiece receiving member 17 moves to the lower side of the lifted workpiece W. Even if there are a plurality of workpieces W and the lower workpiece W falls, the falling workpiece W is received by the workpiece receiving member 17. Therefore, the falling workpiece W and surrounding equipment are not damaged. Further, since the work receiving member 17 is provided with a vacuum pad 45 and the lowermost work W is attracted and held, the end of the work W is separated vertically by the magnet floater 37, so that the work holding means 15C Even when a plurality of workpieces W are lifted in an overlapping state, the overlap of the workpieces W can be easily released, and it is easy to transport only one workpiece W by the workpiece holding means 15C. It can be done.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Work conveying system 3 Work mounting base 7 Material base 9 Work conveying apparatus 17 Work receiving member 21 Standing wall part 23 Work receiving plate 23A Fixed plate 23B Movable plate 31 Two-sheet picking detection means 33 Work separation means 35 Separation protrusion 37 Magnet floater 41 Air Spout 43 Reciprocating device 45 Vacuum pad

Claims (9)

A workpiece transfer method for lifting each stacked plate-like workpiece by a workpiece transfer device and transferring it to the next process,
(A) a step of lifting the uppermost stacked workpiece by the workpiece holding means in the transport device;
(B) a step of moving the workpiece receiving member between the lifted workpiece and the stacked workpiece;
(C) a step of detecting whether or not the lifted workpiece is one piece,
(D) when there are two or more lifted workpieces, a step of separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece;
(E) a step of repeating the step (c) and the step (d) a preset number of times,
(F) a step of transporting the lifted workpiece to the next step when it is detected in the step (c) that the number of workpieces is one;
A workpiece transfer method comprising:   The workpiece conveying method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of adsorbing the lower workpiece by a workpiece adsorption means provided in the workpiece receiving member when separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece. A workpiece conveying method characterized by the above.   3. The workpiece transfer method according to claim 1, wherein when separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece, the magnet floater is relatively close to the lifted workpiece and the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece are separated from each other. A method of conveying a workpiece, comprising a step of separating the workpiece.   The work transfer method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of blowing air between the uppermost work and the lower work separated by the magnet floater.   A workpiece transfer system that lifts each stacked plate-like workpiece and conveys it to the next process. The workpiece holding means that can lift the stacked uppermost workpiece is movable in the X, Y, and Z axis directions. Whether there are two or more workpieces lifted by the workpiece holding device, a workpiece receiving member movable between the workpiece lifted by the workpiece holding means and the stacked workpiece, and the workpiece lifting means A two-piece detection means for detecting whether or not, and a work separating means for separating the uppermost work and the lower work when there are two or more lifted works. A workpiece transfer system characterized by   6. The workpiece transfer system according to claim 5, wherein the workpiece receiving member includes a workpiece suction unit that sucks the lower workpiece when separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece. Work transfer system.   7. The workpiece transfer system according to claim 5, wherein the workpiece receiving member includes a magnet floater for separating the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece.   8. The workpiece transfer system according to claim 7, wherein the workpiece receiving member includes air blowing means for blowing air between the uppermost workpiece and the lower workpiece separated vertically by the magnet floater. A workpiece transfer system characterized by   9. The workpiece transfer system according to claim 8, wherein the magnet floater and the air blowing unit are provided so as to be movable in a direction in which the magnet floater and the air blowing unit are relatively moved toward and away from the workpiece lifted by the workpiece holding unit. Work transfer system.

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