JP5241330B2 - Robot bending apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention detects the deviation between the actual mold position and the mold position on the program. When the deviation occurs, the robot operation program is corrected, and when the robot positions the workpiece. Further, the present invention relates to a robot bending method and a method thereof, which enables a desired product to be produced in any case by confirming the workpiece position and enables high-precision bending with high accuracy.

Conventionally, in order to perform a desired bending process by a bending apparatus, for example, a press brake, the following means are disclosed.

One is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2773717, and a sensor for detecting the position of the workpiece side is provided at the abutment of the back gauge, and using this sensor, the workpiece is fixed in the left-right direction on the mold. It is designed to be positioned.

The other is disclosed in, for example, the republished patent WO98 / 01243, where a bar code including a mold layout is assigned to each mold, and the contents of the bar code are read by a sensor such as a scanner. Thus, it can be understood which mold is installed at which position.
Japanese Patent No. 2773717 Republished patent WO98 / 01243

However, the means disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 2773717 is based on the premise that an actual mold is installed at a mold position on the program.

Therefore, if the actual mold is installed incorrectly, the workpiece cannot be accurately positioned with respect to the mold, so that the desired product cannot be produced and accurate bending cannot be performed. There is a risk.

Further, in the means disclosed in the republished patent WO 98/01243, it is not actually confirmed whether the workpiece is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the mold.

Therefore, if bending is performed on the workpiece while the workpiece is in the wrong position, similarly, a desired product cannot be produced, and accurate bending may not be possible.

An object of the present invention is to detect a deviation between an actual mold position and a mold position on a program, and when the deviation occurs, correct the robot operation program and position the workpiece by the robot. At the same time, by confirming the position of the workpiece, it is possible to provide a desired bending product in any case, and to provide a bending apparatus and method using a robot capable of high-precision bending with high accuracy.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention as described in claim 1,
The punch P mounted on the upper table 12 and the die D mounted on the lower table 13 are driven, and the upper table 12 or the lower table 13 is driven and controlled. A bending apparatus 1 by a robot that performs bending by
The actual left and right direction (X-axis direction) of the molds P and D mounted on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13
The first sensor 2A, 3A (FIG. 1) for detecting the position of the mold in the right direction, and the actual left-right direction with respect to the molds P, D of the workpiece W held by the robot 8 and supplied from between the upper and lower tables 12, 13 The second sensors 2B and 3B for detecting the workpiece position (in the X-axis direction) are provided. The bending order, the die layout and the workpiece position are determined in advance based on the product information, and the first sensors 2A and 3A The detected actual mold position is compared with a predetermined mold layout. If there is a deviation between the two, the robot operation program is corrected and the actual sensor detected by the second sensors 2B and 3B. When the workpiece position is compared with a predetermined workpiece position and there is a deviation between the two, the robot position is corrected, and the robot bending the workpiece W held by the robot 8 at the corrected position is bent. Processing device 1 (Fig. 1)
The first sensor 3 </ b> A and the second sensor 3 </ b> B are incorporated in the same housing 3, and a technical means called a robot bending process apparatus 1 is provided.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the first sensors 2A, 3A for detecting the actual mold position in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the molds P, D mounted on the upper and lower tables 12, 13 (see FIG. 1). ), Second sensors 2B and 3B are provided for detecting the actual position of the workpiece W in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) relative to the molds P and D of the workpiece W held by the robot 8 and supplied from between the upper and lower tables 12 and 13. Therefore, if the left and right positions of the molds P and D mounted on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13 are different from the predetermined mold layout (NO in step 106 in FIG. 9), the robot operation program is executed. When correction is made (step 111 in FIG. 9) and the workpiece W gripped by the robot 8 is positioned according to the corrected operation program (step 107 in FIG. 9), the horizontal position of the workpiece W is a predetermined position. When different from (Step 108 in FIG. 9 → NO in Step 109) By correcting the position of the robot 8 (Step 112 in FIG. 9), the position in the left-right direction of the workpiece W is also corrected correctly. If the workpieces W are bent by the punches P and dies D (step 110 in FIG. 9) by actuating 14 and 15, a desired product can be obtained, and therefore high-precision bending with high accuracy becomes possible.

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the deviation between the actual mold position and the mold position on the program is detected, and when the deviation occurs, by correcting the robot operation program, Bending apparatus and method using a robot that enables high-precision bending with high accuracy so that a desired product can be produced in any case by checking the position of the workpiece when the robot positions the workpiece. The effect | action and effect of providing can be achieved.

Further, according to the configuration of the present invention, the first sensor 2A, 3A and the second sensor 2B, 3B (FIG. 1) are incorporated in the same housing 2, 3 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2), The operation is simplified, and according to the configuration of the present invention, the processing information determination unit 20D (FIG. 1) needs to perform processing such as mold layout based on product information (for example, CAD information (FIG. 7)) in advance. Since the information can be determined (step 101 → step 102 in FIG. 9) and stored in the storage unit 20C (FIG. 1) (FIG. 8), as in the past (for example, re-published patent WO 98/01243) Gazette) It is possible to achieve an effect that the troublesome information processing work of giving a barcode including a mold layout or the like to each mold becomes unnecessary.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings according to embodiments.
FIG. 1 is an overall view of the present invention.

The bending apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a press brake, for example, and the press brake has side plates 16 and 17 on both sides of the machine body.

An upper table 12 is attached to the upper portions of the side plates 16 and 17 via, for example, hydraulic cylinders 14 and 15 which are ram driving sources. A punch which is an upper die is attached to the upper table 12 via a punch holder 30. P is attached.

A lower table 13 is disposed below the side plates 16 and 17, and a die D as a lower mold is mounted on the lower table 13 via a die holder 31.

A robot 8 is installed on the base 9 in front of the lower table 13, and when an X-axis motor (not shown), a Y-axis motor (not shown) and a Z-axis motor (not shown) are driven, the robot 8 It can be moved in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction.

With this configuration, the gripper 8A at the end of the arm of the robot 8 (FIG. 2) grips the workpiece W, positions the workpiece W, etc. (step 107 in FIG. 9 and the like), and the hydraulic cylinder 14 ( If the upper table 12 is lowered by operating FIG. 1) and 15, the workpiece W gripped by the robot 8 by the punch P and the die D can be subjected to a predetermined bending process (step 110 in FIG. 9).

The first sensors 2A and 3A and the second sensors 2B and 3B are respectively provided behind the upper and lower tables 12 and 13, and the former includes the punch P and the die D mounted on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13, respectively. The position of the left and right direction (X axis direction) of the molds P and D is detected, and the latter detects the position of the work W with respect to the molds P and D in the left and right direction (X axis direction).

The first sensors 2A, 3A and the second sensors 2B, 3B all have the same structure. For example, details of the first sensor 3A and the second sensor 3B on the lower table 13 side are shown in FIG. .

In FIG. 2, the first sensor 3A and the second sensor 3B are incorporated in the same housing 3, and the housing 3 is provided on the slider 4, and the slider 4 is moved in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). It is screwed to a ball screw 5 that is extended and rotated by a servo motor M3, and is slidingly connected to a guide 6 that extends in the left-right direction (X-axis direction).

Each of the first sensor 3A and the second sensor 3B includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. For example, the first sensor 3A and the second sensor 3B emit laser light L and receive reflected light.

As shown in the figure, the first sensor 3A and the second sensor 3B are arranged perpendicular to each other. For example, if the first sensor 3A emits the laser light L in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction), the second sensor 3B emits laser light L in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

Hereinafter, details of the first sensor 3A will be described based on FIGS. 3 to 4, and details of the second sensor 3B will be described based on FIGS.

That is, in FIG. 3, the first sensor 3 is controlled by a sensor control unit 20F (FIG. 1) described later.
A is driven and controlled to move in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) while the laser beam L is emitted.

Thus, the first sensor 3A (FIG. 3) receives the reflected light from the rear part D1 while facing the rear part D1 of the mold D, and is in an ON state, for example.

However, when the first sensor 3A reaches the end D2 of the mold D as indicated by a broken line, the laser light L is not reflected, so the first sensor 3A does not receive light and is turned off.

Therefore, if the feedback signal FS (FIG. 4) from the encoder (not shown) of the servo motor M3 at that time is input to the sensor control unit 20F, the left end position of the mold D in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). XL can be detected.

On the other hand, the details of the second sensor 3B are shown in FIG. 5. For example, similarly, the second sensor 3B is driven and controlled by the sensor control unit 20F (FIG. 1), and the laser light L (FIG. 5) is emitted. To move left and right (X-axis direction).

Thereby, while the 2nd sensor 3B is facing the lower surface W3 of the workpiece | work W, the reflected light from the lower surface W3 is received, and it assumes that it is an ON state, for example.

However, when the second sensor 3B reaches the position of the end face W1 of the workpiece W as indicated by a broken line, the laser light L is not reflected, so that the second sensor 3B does not receive light and is turned off.

Therefore, if the feedback signal FS (FIG. 6) from the encoder (not shown) of the servo motor M3 at that time is input to the sensor control unit 20F, the workpiece W
The left end position SL in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) can be detected.

The press brake control device having the above-described configuration is configured by, for example, the NC device 20 shown in FIG. 1, and the NC device 20 has a CPU 20A, an input unit 20B, a storage unit 20C, and machining information determination as shown in the figure. 20D, a robot operation program determination unit 20E, a sensor control unit 20F, a deviation detection unit 20G, a robot operation program correction unit 24H, a robot control unit 20J, and a bending process control unit 20K.

The CPU 20A performs overall control of the entire apparatus shown in FIG. 1, such as a machining information determination unit 20D and a robot operation program determination unit 24E, which will be described later, according to an operation procedure (for example, corresponding to FIG. 9) for carrying out the present invention.

The input unit 20B is configured by, for example, an operation panel that is movably attached to the upper table 12. For example, an operator manually inputs product information (step 101 in FIG. 9), and the input product information is described later. Is temporarily stored in the storage unit 20C and used for determining the bending order, the mold layout, and the like (step 102 in FIG. 9).

The product information in this case is, for example, CAD information, and includes information such as the thickness of the workpiece W (FIG. 7), the material, the length of the bending line, the bending angle of the product, and the flange dimensions. It is configured as an expanded view.

The storage unit 20C (FIG. 1) stores the product information as well as a database (FIG. 8) described later, a robot operation program, a processing program corresponding to the operation procedure according to the present invention, and the CPU 20A stores the processing program. All operations are controlled in accordance with (corresponding to FIG. 9).

Based on the product information, the machining information determination unit 20D determines the bending order of the workpiece W, the die P used for each bending order (bending process), the die layout of D, and the position of the workpiece W. In addition to determination, information necessary for processing such as D value and L value is determined (step 102 in FIGS. 8 and 9).

In this case, the mold layout is, as is well known, a predetermined shape (for example, a direct sword type or a gooseneck type) and a length of the mold P, D used for each bending order, and the mold P, The mounting positions of the upper and lower tables 12 and 13 for D are shown.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a flat work W is bent in four steps from bending order (1) to (4), and finally has flanges F1 to F4 shown at the right end of FIG. The product shall be processed.

In this case, the molds P1, D1 to P4, D4 used in the bending order (1) to (4) are, for example, straight swords, each length is a predetermined length, and the mounting position is When the left end position XL1, the right end position XR1 to the left end position XL4, and the right end position XR4 are set, these mold layouts are displayed as a to d as shown in the figure.

As shown in FIG. 8, the machining information is stored in the storage unit 20C as a database, and the CPU 20A (FIG. 1) drives the first sensor 3A via the sensor control unit 20F to obtain the mold position. Is detected (step 105 in FIG. 9), and when it is determined whether or not it is the same as the predetermined mold layout (step 106 in FIG. 9), the search is performed.

The workpiece position determined by the machining information determination unit 20D (FIG. 1) is
This is the position in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the workpiece W held by the gripper 8A of the robot 8 with respect to the dies P, D.

For example, when the left and right direction (X-axis direction) mold positions determined by the machining information determination unit 20D are the left end position XL1 and the right end position XR1, the workpiece positions are the left end position SL1 and the right end position SR1. (FIG. 8).

The robot operation program determination unit 24E (FIG. 1) determines the operation program of the robot 8 that grips the workpiece W, and the displacement detection unit 20G is determined in advance with, for example, the mold position detected by the first sensor 3A. The mold layout (FIG. 8) is compared to detect a deviation between the two.

Further, as described above, the robot operation program correction unit 24H compares, for example, the mold position detected by the first sensor 3A with a predetermined mold layout (FIG. 8), and the two are different (see FIG. No. 9 in step 106), if a deviation is detected, the robot operation program is corrected (step 111 in FIG. 9).

The robot control unit 20J (FIG. 1) drives and controls the robot 8 according to a robot operation program stored in advance in the storage unit 20C.

For example, the robot control unit 20J causes the robot 8 to grip the workpiece W, searches for the workpiece position stored in the storage unit 20C (FIG. 8), and moves the gripped workpiece W in the left-right direction (X It is positioned at a predetermined position (for example, the left end position SL1) in the axial direction (step 107 in FIG. 9). Then, the robot controller 20J compares the actual workpiece position detected by the second sensor 3B (FIG. 6) described above with a previously determined workpiece position, and if there is a deviation between the two (see FIG. 9 step 108 ⇒ step 109 NO), the position of the robot 8 is corrected (step 112 in FIG. 9).

  The bending processing control unit 20K (FIG. 1) drives and controls the upper table 12 or the lower table 13, and performs bending with the punch P and the die D on the workpiece W gripped by the robot 8 whose position is corrected.

The operation of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.

(1) Operation until the molds P and D are mounted on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13.
In step 101 of FIG. 9, product information is input, in step 102 bending order, mold layout and work position are determined, in step 103 a robot operation program is determined, in step 104 molds P and D are determined. Are mounted on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13.

  That is, when the operator inputs product information (FIG. 7) manually, for example, via the operation panel 20B (FIG. 1), the CPU 20A that detects it (FIG. 1) drives and controls the machining information determination unit 20D. The bending order of the workpiece W, and the mold layout for the molds P and D used for each bending sequence, the workpiece position are determined, and the robot operation program determining unit 24E is driven and controlled, and the robot operation program To decide.

And the said determination result is memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 20C (FIG. 8), and an operator mounts the predetermined metal mold | dies P and D in the predetermined position on the upper-and-lower tables 12 and 13 according to a metal mold | die layout.

(2) Operation until the position of the robot 8 is corrected.
In step 105 of FIG. 9, the mold position is detected by the first sensor 3A. In step 106, it is determined whether or not it is equal to a predetermined mold layout, and the detected mold position is determined in advance. If it is equal to the mold layout (YES), the process proceeds to step 107; otherwise (NO), the robot operation program is corrected in step 111.

That is, in step 104 of FIG. 9, when the operator mounts predetermined molds P and D at predetermined positions on the upper and lower tables 12 and 13 in each bending order, for example, a start button (not shown) is pressed, The CPU 20A is notified of the completion of mold mounting.

The CPU 20A that detects the completion of the mounting of the molds P and D (FIG. 1) drives, for example, the first sensor 3A via the sensor control unit 20F, and drives the servo motor M3 (FIG. 4) to drive the ball screw 5 While rotating the first sensor 3A, the first sensor 3A is moved in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), and the laser light L is emitted from the first sensor 3A.

Then, for example, for the molds P1 and D1 (FIG. 7) in the bending order (1), the mold positions are detected, and the mold positions are transmitted to the deviation detecting unit 20G and determined in advance. When there is a deviation between the two compared with the mold layout (FIG. 8), the robot operation program correction unit 24H (FIG. 1) is notified to that effect, and the robot operation program correction unit 24H corrects the robot operation program. Is done.

Thereafter, in step 107 of FIG. 9, the work W is positioned. In step 108, the work position is detected by the second sensor 3B. In step 109, it is determined whether or not the work position is a predetermined position. (YES), the process proceeds to step 110, and if not (NO), the position of the robot 8 is corrected in step 112.

That is, as a result of comparing the mold position detected by the first sensor 3A (FIGS. 3 to 4) with the predetermined mold layout (FIG. 8) in step 106 of FIG. 9, both are equal. If yes (YES) or if they are not equal (NO) and the robot operation program is corrected, the CPU 20A (FIG. 1) is notified of this.

Then, the CPU 20A that has received the notification (FIG. 1), this time, the robot controller 20
The robot 8 is controlled via J, and the gripper 8A (FIG. 6) of the robot 8 grips the workpiece W, and then the workpiece W is positioned.

In this case, since the workpiece position is determined by the machining information determination unit 20D (FIG. 1), the CPU 20A causes the robot control unit 20J to refer to the determination result (FIG. 8), and in accordance with the determination result. Then, the workpiece W is positioned.

Further, when the robot operation program is corrected in step 111 of FIG. 9, it is assumed that the workpiece position (FIG. 8) which is the content of the robot operation program is also corrected.

The CPU 20A that has detected that the positioning of the workpiece W has been completed (FIG. 1), this time drives and controls the second sensor 3B via the sensor control unit 20F, and similarly drives the servo motor M3 (FIG. 6). The second sensor 3B is moved in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) while rotating the ball screw 5, and the laser light L (FIG. 5) is emitted from the second sensor 3B.

Then, for example, the bending work is performed using the molds P1 and D1 (FIG. 7) in the bending order (1), and the position of the work W when the flange F1 is raised is detected. , Transmitted to the displacement detection unit 20G (FIG. 1), compared with a predetermined workpiece position (FIG. 8), and if there is a displacement between them, the robot control unit 20J (FIG. 1) is notified to that effect. Thus, the position of the robot 8 is corrected.

As a result, the position of the workpiece W held by the gripper 8A of the robot 8 (FIG. 6) with respect to the mold D is also corrected, so that the workpiece W is positioned at an accurate position with respect to the mold D. Become.

(3) Bending operation.
In step 110 of FIG. 9, bending is performed.

That is, the CPU 20A (FIG. 1) performs the second sensor 3 in step 109 of FIG.
The workpiece position detected by B (FIGS. 5 to 6) and the workpiece position determined in advance.
As a result of comparing (FIG. 8), when both are equal (YES), or when they are not equal (NO), and the robot position is corrected, the fact is notified.

Then, the CPU 20A that has received the notification (FIG. 1) finally controls the hydraulic cylinders 14 and 15 via the bending control unit 20K, and is held by the robot 8 by lowering the upper table 12, for example. The workpiece W positioned at an accurate position is bent by the punch P mounted on the upper table 12 and the die D mounted on the lower table 13.

In this way, the operation related to the bending order (1) is completed. Next, the same operations (2) and (3) are repeated regarding the bending order (2) until the bending order (4) (FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) When completed, all the operations are completed (END in FIG. 9).

The present invention detects the deviation between the actual mold position and the mold position on the program. When the deviation occurs, the robot operation program is corrected, and when the robot positions the workpiece. , By confirming the position of the workpiece, in any case, the desired product can be produced, and it is used in a robot bending apparatus and method for enabling high-precision bending with high accuracy. The present invention is applicable not only to a descending press brake in which the upper table descends during bending, but also to an ascending press brake in which the lower table rises during bending, and is extremely useful in any case.

1 is an overall view of the present invention. 1 is an overall view of a sensor constituting the present invention. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a first sensor 3A in FIG. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a second sensor 3 </ b> B in FIG. 2. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of FIG. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the bending process by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the content of the memory | storage part 20C which comprises this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bending apparatus 2, 3 Housing | casing 2A, 3A 1st sensor 2B, 3B 2nd sensor 4 Slider 5 Ball screw 6 Guide 8 Robot 8A Gripper 9 Base 12 Upper table 13 Lower table 14, 15 Hydraulic cylinder 16, 17 Side plate 20 NC unit 20A CPU
20B Input unit 20C Storage unit 20D Machining information determination unit 20E Robot operation program determination unit 20F Sensor control unit 20G Deviation detection unit 20H Robot operation program correction unit 20J Robot control unit 20K Ram drive source control unit 30 Punch holder 31 Die holder D Die P Punch W Work

Claims (1)

A robot bending machine that has a punch mounted on the upper table and a die mounted on the lower table, drives and controls the upper table or lower table, and bends the workpiece gripped by the robot with the punch and die. Because
A first sensor for detecting an actual left and right mold position of a mold mounted on the upper and lower tables, and an actual left and right workpiece position of the workpiece held by the robot and supplied from between the upper and lower tables. It has a second sensor to detect, the bending order, the mold layout and the work position are determined in advance based on product information, and the actual mold position detected by the first sensor and the predetermined mold If the layouts of the molds are compared and there is a gap between them, the robot operation program is corrected, the actual workpiece position detected by the second sensor is compared with a predetermined workpiece position, and the gap between the two is offset. If there is a robot, the robot position is corrected, and the robot bending process is performed on the workpiece held by the robot at the corrected position.
A bending apparatus using a robot, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are incorporated in the same housing.

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