JPH05318355A - Position correction method and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a job for teaching work performable so easily in a short time by statistically processing assembleable or unassembleable data at each position in the circumference of an assembly target point to be obtained at the time of searching and then performing a positional correction for the assembly target point. CONSTITUTION:A peripheral area 1 of an assembly target point P1 is searched by an assembling robot 5 on the basis of assembly target data of this assembly target point P1 through a specified searching method. Next, assembleable or unassembleable data D2 at each position in the circumference of the assembly target point P1 to be obtained in time of this searching are statiscally processed and thereby a positional correction for the assembly target point P1 is carried out. On the basis of this positionally corrected data D1, the assembling robot 5 is driven and controlled by a robot controller 4, thus the specified assembly operation is executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[Table of Contents] The present invention will be described in the following order. Field of Industrial Application Conventional Technology Problems to be Solved by the Invention Means for Solving the Problems (FIGS. 1 and 3 to 7) Action Example (1) Overall configuration (FIGS. 1 to 3) (2) Position correction processing procedure (FIGS. 4 to 7) (3) Operation of the embodiment (4) Effects of the embodiment (5) Other embodiments (FIGS. 8 to 11) Effects of the invention

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a position correcting method and a position correcting apparatus, and is particularly suitable for application to a position correcting method and a position correcting apparatus for correcting an assembling position of an assembling apparatus for assembling a product with high accuracy. ..

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an assembling apparatus of an assembling factory, so-called teaching is performed to teach and adjust a new work content to the assembling apparatus whenever the work content is changed, such as when starting up an assembly line or switching product models. is necessary.

Usually, in this teaching work, an operator uses a controller to move one by one while teaching the assembling operation while considering the characteristics of each assembling apparatus, and then actually operates the assembling line to operate the assembling apparatus. It is designed to detect and adjust problems in the assembly work.

[0005]

However, since the teaching work is complicated as described above, there is a problem that it takes a long time from several weeks to one to two months and a lot of manpower is required from the start to the end of the teaching. It was Further, in the teaching work, since the worker teaches and adjusts the assembling operation to the assembling device while actually moving the machine in the vicinity of the assembling device, there is a problem in terms of the safety of the worker.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and provides a position correction method and a position correction device which can easily perform a teaching work in a short time and can release an operator from a dangerous teaching work. It is a proposal.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, in the first invention, the assembly robot 5 is designed to perform a predetermined assembly operation based on the assembly data supplied from the command input section 2. In the position correction method for correcting the assembly target data D1 of the device 1, the assembly robot 5 is searched for the periphery of the assembly target point based on the assembly target data of the assembly target point P1 using a predetermined search method, and is obtained at the time of searching. Assembleable or non-assembleable data D at each position around the assembly target point P1
2 is statistically processed to correct the position of the assembly target point P1.

In the second invention, the command input section 2
In the position correcting method for correcting the assembly target data D1 of the assembly apparatus 1 in which the assembly robot 5 performs a predetermined assembly operation based on the assembly data supplied from the assembly target data, the assembly target data of the assembly target point P1 is used for assembly. The assembly robot 5 is searched around the target point P1 using a predetermined search method, and the data D2 indicating whether or not the assembly is possible at each position around the assembly target point P1 obtained during the search is statistically processed and assembled. Target point P2
The robot controller 4 is provided for performing the position correction of No. 1 and executing the assembling work by the assembling robot 5 based on the corrected position data D1 thus corrected.

In the third invention, the search method is such that the assembly target point P1 is searched in a spiral shape.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, the search method is such that the search is performed concentrically around the assembly target point P1.

[0011]

Operation: The robot controller 4 sets the assembly target point P
The operation data D1 for searching for the possible assembly area AREA1 around 1 is sent to the assembly robot 5, and the data D2 obtained as a result is statistically processed to correct the position of the assembly target point P1. As a result, the correction device 1 can automatically and precisely and accurately correct the assembly target point P1 based on the data D2 obtained by the plurality of preceding assembling operations without the operator performing the teaching work, and thus easily. It is possible to realize the correction device 1 that can perform the teaching work.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Overall Structure In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates an assembly apparatus as a whole, and a command input unit 2 indicates position data of assembly operation instruction data and assembly operation target points (hereinafter referred to as assembly target points). Is supplied as assembly data D1 to the assembly robot 5 via the robot controller 4 of the correction device 3.

Based on the assembly data D1, the assembly robot 5 carries out a predetermined assembly operation after carrying the parts to the assembly target point and, if the assembly operation is not successful, uses a predetermined search method. While the assembling operation is performed in the vicinity of the assembling target point, an area where the assembling operation can be correctly performed (hereinafter referred to as an assembling area) is searched, and the position of the parts conveying and assembling means at this time and success or failure of the assembling operation at each position Are sequentially sent to the robot controller 4 as search data D2.

The robot controller 4 searches the search data D2.
Is calculated statistically to calculate a representative point of the actual assembleable area (for example, the center of gravity of the assembleable area), and the assembly data D1 for executing the subsequent assembling operation by using the representative point as a new assembly target point. (The series of operations of the assembling robot 5 and the robot controller 4 are hereinafter referred to as a position correcting operation).

In the case of this embodiment, in the assembling apparatus 1, an assembling line for fitting a fitting member 11 as an assembling component to a projection 10A set up on a chassis 10 of a cassette tape recorder as shown in FIG. Is used for. In this case, in the assembling apparatus 1, the command input unit 2 can display a graphic image based on the input information as a CA.
D (computer aided design) is used, and thus the shape data of the assembly hand 23 (FIG. 3) as a component carrying and assembling means and the data necessary for the assembly work such as the position and shape of the protrusion 10A are input to the command input section 2. By doing so, the operator can program the assembling operation of the assembling robot 5 while visually confirming the displayed image.

As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly robot 5 comprises a rod-shaped main body portion 21 fixed to the top plate 20A of the base 20, and an arm-shaped support arm portion 22 attached above the main body portion 21. An assembly hand 23 including a plurality of rod-shaped hand members 23A is attached to the tip of the support arm portion 22, so that the fitting member 11 can be gripped and conveyed and assembled.

In this case, in the assembly robot 5, a sensor (not shown) is attached to the assembly hand 23, and thus it is possible to detect whether or not the fitting work by the assembly hand 23 has been performed correctly. .. The robot controller 4 is a microcomputer and executes a correction operation based on a predetermined program.

(2) Position correction processing procedure Here, when the robot controller 4 fails to perform the fitting operation correctly during the assembly operation, the assembly target to be supplied to the assembly robot 5 according to the position correction processing procedure shown in FIG. It is designed to correct the point position data. That is, when the robot controller 4 inputs the position data of the assembly target point from the command input section 2 in step SP1, the robot controller 4 proceeds to step SP2 and searches for an assembleable area around the assembly target point.

Here, in the case of the assembling apparatus 1, the assembling hand 23
As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the fitting operation is sequentially performed at intervals of about 0.2 [mm] while moving spirally around the target assembly point P1 (hereinafter referred to as search operation).
It is done like this. In this case, the assembly robot 5 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), the search operation is performed in a predetermined search area AR.
The search data D obtained as a result of the execution on EA1
Based on 2, the robot controller 4 detects the possible area AREA2 of the fitting operation, and the possible area AREA2 is detected.
The center of gravity P2 of 2 is calculated.

That is, the robot controller 4 sends to the assembling robot 5 the operation data D1 for executing the fitting operation after moving the assembling hand to the first search point P10 at step SP2, and then proceeds to step SP3 for searching. Based on the data D2, it is determined in step SP2 whether or not the fitting has been correctly performed. When the robot controller 4 obtains a negative result in step SP3, the robot controller 4 proceeds to step SP5 and determines whether or not the search operation for the search area AREA1 by the assembly robot 5 is completed.

On the other hand, the robot controller 4 is
If a positive result is obtained in step SP3, step SP
4, the position of the assembly hand 23 is stored, and then the process proceeds to step SP5. Here, obtaining a negative result at step SP5 means that the assembling area AREA2 has not been detected, and at this time, the robot controller 4
Returns to step SP2, and thereafter steps SP5-SP2-SP3-SP4 until a positive result is obtained at step SP5.
-Repeat the SP5 loop.

On the other hand, obtaining a negative result at step SP5 means that the assembling area AREA2 has been detected. At this time, the robot controller 4 proceeds to step SP6 and determines the center of gravity P2 of the assembling area AREA2. After the position is calculated, the process proceeds to step SP7, and the assembly data D1 that causes the assembly result to be used as a new assembly target point of the subsequent assembly operation is sent to the assembly robot 5, and the automatic correction processing procedure is completed at the subsequent step SP8. ..

Further, the robot controller 4 executes the position correction processing procedure shown in FIG. 6 for the position correction of the assembly target point when there are a plurality of parts transport plate 12 (FIG. 2) or fitting parts 11 lots. To do. That is, the robot controller 4 starts the assembling operation at step SP10, and then at step SP11, the above-mentioned steps SP0 to SP0.
When the position correction processing shown in SP8 ends, step SP1
Proceeding to step 2, it is determined whether or not the assembly robot 5 has completed all the fitting operations for the plurality of cassette tape recorder chassis 10 placed on one component carrying plate 12.

If the robot controller 4 obtains a negative result in step SP12, it returns to step SP11, and if it obtains a positive result, it returns to step SP13.
Then, it is judged whether all the parts in one of the fitting members 11 are finished. When the robot controller 4 obtains a negative result in this step SP13, the robot controller 4 proceeds to step SP14 and stores variables such as the correction position data of the assembly target point on the component transport plate 12 (hereinafter referred to as platen variables) and then initializes the setting. Then, the process returns to step SP10, and the fitting operation for each cassette tape player chassis 10 placed on the component transport plate 12 is executed.

On the other hand, the robot controller 4 is
If a positive result is obtained in step SP12, step S
Proceeding to P14, based on the platen variable, the assembleable area A of each component transport plate 12 as a whole as shown in FIG.
The REAs 3A to 3C are calculated, and the center of gravity P3 of the area AREA10 (shaded area) common to the respective assembleable areas AREA3A to 3C (hereinafter referred to as the common assembly center of gravity) is calculated. Further, in step SP14, the robot controller 4 calculates the correlation of the positional error between the assembly target point P1 and the assembly center of gravity P1 of each component carrying plate 12 when the fitting member 11 of the relevant lot is used, and the assembly of each component carrying plate 12 Statistical processing such as calculation of a standard deviation value for the corrected position of the target point P1 is executed, and thus an assembly target point P1 that can deal with the lots of the plurality of component transport plates 12 and the fitting member 11 is obtained.

After that, the robot controller 4 proceeds to step SP15 and sets the common assembly center of gravity P3 obtained at step SP14 as the correction position of the final assembly target point P1 (hereinafter referred to as the final correction position). Of operation data D1 which is used as a new target point for assembling a new lot of different lots, is sent to the assembling robot 5, and at step SP16, the parts conveying plate 1
2 or the position correction processing procedure in the case where there are a plurality of lots of the fitting member 11 ends.

(3) Operation of the Embodiment In the above configuration, the robot controller 4 of the assembling apparatus 1 receives from the command input section 2 the assembling target point P when the assembling operation by the assembling robot 5 fails.
After inputting the position data of 1 (step SP1), the assembly data D1 based on the position data is sent to the assembly robot 5, and the assembly robot 5 executes the assembly operation at the assembly target point P1 based on the assembly data D1.
Information as to whether or not the fitting is correctly performed is sent to the robot controller 4 as search data D2.

If this fitting operation cannot be performed correctly,
The robot controller 4 sends to the assembling robot 5 the assembling data D1 which moves in a spiral around the initial target point P1 at successive intervals of 0.2 [mm] while the assembling robot 5 moves at this time. The result of successful fitting and the position of the assembly hand 23 are sequentially transmitted to the robot controller 4 as search data D2 (step SP).
2). At this time, the robot controller 4 determines based on the search data D2 whether or not assembling can be sequentially performed (step SP3), and at the same time, a point P10 at which the fitting operation is possible,
The position of P11, ... Is memorized (step SP
4) The search operation is repeated for the predetermined area AREA2 (steps SP5-SP2-SP3-SP4-S).
P5).

After this, the robot controller 4 calculates the center of gravity P2 of the possible area AREA2 of the fitting operation based on the data obtained when the search operation is completed (step SP
6) Then, the operation data D1 for executing the assembling operation is sent to the assembling robot 5 with this as a new assembling target point of the following assembling operation, and the automatic correction process is completed (step SP8). On the other hand, the robot controller 4 corrects the assembly target point P1 of the assembly hand 23 by the same procedure as the above-described automatic correction processing when there are a plurality of lots of the component transport plate 12 or the fitting member (step S).
P10), and then whether all the assembly operations for each cassette tape recorder chassis 10 on one component transport plate 12 have been completed, and all parts in one of the lots of the plurality of fitting members 11 have been completed. It is determined whether or not (steps SP11 and SP12).

In this case, when the robot controller 4 completes all the assembling operations for each cassette tape recorder chassis 10 on one component carrying plate 12, it is set based on the data obtained by a plurality of searching operations. Variables such as the center of gravity P1 of the possible fitting area AREA2 for the component carrying plate 12 are initialized (step SP13).

On the other hand, the robot controller 4 is
When the assembly operation for each cassette tape recorder chassis 10 on all the component transport plates 12 and all the parts in one of the lots of the plurality of fitting members 11 are completed, Using the position data of the assembly target point P1 obtained by the correction work, the statistical processing such as the correlation calculation of the position error of the component transport plate 12 and the lot, the standard deviation value calculation of the assembly position for each component transport plate 12 is executed. (Step S
P14), an assembly target point P1 that can correspond to a plurality of component transport plates and a lot, and supplies this to the assembly robot 5 as instruction data of a new assembly operation and position data of the target point P1 (step SP15).

(4) Effects of the Embodiments According to the above configuration, when the robot controller 4 does not succeed in the assembling operation of the assembling robot 5 at the assembling target point P1, the periphery of the assembling target point P1 is spiral. While sending the operation data D1 for searching the possible area of the assembling operation to the assembling robot 5 and statistically processing the search data D2 obtained as a result, the assembling area AREA2 of the most assembling operation and the center of gravity of the possible area AREA2. By detecting P1 and using it in the subsequent assembling operation, the correction device 1 automatically and precisely and accurately based on the data obtained in the preceding assembling operations without the operator performing the teaching work. It is possible to realize the correction device 1 that can detect the assembly target point P1 and thus can easily perform the teaching operation.

(5) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the assembly area 23 in which the assembly hand 23 can be fitted spirally around the target point P1 is ARE.
Although the case where the A2 is searched has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the assembleable area AREA2 has an elliptical shape or a parallelogram shape, the searching method as shown in FIG. 8 is performed. May be. That is, the midpoint of the X coordinate of the assembleable area AREA2 is detected while changing only the X coordinate of the assembly target point P1 based on the position data of the assembly target point P1 supplied from the command input unit 2.
Next, the midpoint of the Y coordinate of the assembleable area AREA2 is detected while changing only the Y coordinate of the midpoint of the X coordinate.

After that, after detecting the midpoint of the X coordinate of the assembleable area AREA2 while changing only the X coordinate of the midpoint of the Y coordinate, assembling can be performed while changing only the Y coordinate of the midpoint of the X coordinate. The action of detecting the midpoint of the Y coordinate of the area AREA2 is repeated a predetermined number of times, and the X coordinate and the Y coordinate are both 1
The point converged to the point may be set as the correction position of the assembly target point P1.

In this case, the search may be started by changing the Y coordinate. In the above embodiment,
The case where the assembling robot 5 does not succeed in the assembling operation at the assembling target point P1 and the assembling hand 23 searches the assembling area AREA2 spirally around the assembling target point P1 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the assembly hand 23 searches in a radial pattern centered on the assembly target point P1 as shown in FIG. 9 or in a concentric circle pattern centered on the assembly target point P1 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, various other methods can be applied as the search method.

Further, in the above embodiment, when the assembling robot 5 does not succeed in the assembling operation at the assembling target point P1, the assembling hand searches for the target point P1 at an interval of 0.2 [mm]. Although the case has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the search interval is 0.2 [m
Other than m], the point is that the search interval may be adjusted according to the target of the assembling operation.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where CAD is used as the command input section 2 has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this, and other information transmission means other than CAD can be used as long as the data necessary for the assembly operation can be supplied to the assembly robot 5.

In this case, as the information transmission means, for example, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the operator 30 may manually manually give the assembly robot 5 position information of the assembly target point P1.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the common assembly center of gravity of each preceding component carrying plate is calculated by the correction operation for the plurality of component carrying plates 12 or the plurality of lots, and this is set as the new assembly target point P1. The case of sending to the assembly robot 5 has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this, and detects a range in which the variation from the initial target point P1 of the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the assembly target point P1 obtained for each part does not exceed a predetermined number of parts. The final assembly target point P1 may be set based on the search data data up to when the range can be detected.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the assembling hand 23 is spirally fitted around the target point P1 in all cases where the assembling robot 5 does not succeed in the assembling operation at the assembling target point P1. Possible area AR
Although the case where the EA2 is searched has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the robot controller 4 uses the working position (or posture) of the assembly robot 5, the assembly hand 23, the fitting member 12, etc. as parameters for initial assembly. The tendency of positional deviation between the target point P1 and the final correction position P3 is statistically detected, and the assembly hand 23 is oriented in a direction in which it is easy to search for the assembly target point P1 before starting the spiral search operation based on the detection result. It is also possible to generate motion data for moving the robot and send it to the assembly robot 5.

Further, in the above embodiment, one fitting member 11 is used for the projection 10A of one cassette tape recorder chassis 10 to execute the steps SP1 to SP8 of the automatic correction processing procedure to assemble the assembly target. Although the case where the correction position P2 of the point P1 is calculated has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the steps SP1 to SP1 of the automatic correction processing procedure using a plurality of fitting members 11 for the protrusion 10A. While executing SP8, as shown in FIG. 12, the average value of X and Y coordinates or the weighted average value when the corrected position P2 obtained for each part is arranged on the XY plane is calculated, and this is the final value. Alternatively, the correction position P3 of the target assembly point P1 may be set.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the correction device 1 makes the assembling hand spiral around the target point P1 in all cases where the assembling robot 5 does not succeed in the assembling operation at the assembling target point P1. Search area A
Although the case of having only the function of searching the REA1 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the case where the correction position P2 position is not optimum due to the automatic correction operation preceding the correction device 1 or the mechanical system, for example. When there is an increase in assembly mistakes while continuing the assembly work, such as when there is a change over time and a deviation occurs, a learning function is provided to automatically adjust the correction amount according to the history of past work mistakes. May be.

In this case, if the correction device 1 has failed in fitting three times during the past 50 assembling operations, the correction position P2 is shifted by 100 [μm] in a predetermined direction, and the correcting device P is fitted ten times or more. If there is a failure, the correction position P2 may be determined so as to be shifted by 200 [μm] in the predetermined direction. After this, the changed result should be fed back so that both the moving direction and the adjustment amount can be learned. This can reduce the burden on the coordinator.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the position at which the assembly robot corrects the assembly target data of the assembly apparatus adapted to perform the predetermined assembly work based on the assembly data supplied from the command input section. In the correction method, the robot controller sends operation instruction data to the assembly robot around the assembly target point to search for a successful assembly operation range, and statistically processes the resulting data to correct the position of the assembly target point. By doing so, the correction device can automatically and precisely correct the assembly target point based on the data obtained by a plurality of preceding assembly operations without the operator performing the teaching work,
Thus, it is possible to realize a correction device that can easily perform teaching work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an assembling apparatus using a correction device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a projection and a fitting member of the cassette tape recorder chassis.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an assembly robot.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an automatic correction processing procedure.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a method for searching an assembly hand.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an automatic correction processing procedure.

FIG. 7 is a plan view for explaining a detection method of final correction 1.

FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining a modified example of the method for detecting an assembly target point.

FIG. 9 is a plan view for explaining a modification of the method for detecting an assembly target point.

FIG. 10 is a plan view for explaining a modified example of the method for detecting an assembly target point.

FIG. 11 is a plan view for explaining a modified example of the means for supplying the assembly data to the assembly robot.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the correction data calculation method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Assembly device, 2 ... Command input unit, 3 ... Position correction device, 4 ... Robot controller, 5 ... Assembly robot, 10 ... Cassette tape recorder chassis, 10
A ... Protrusion, 11 ... Fitting member, 12 ... Component transport plate, 23 ... Assembly hand, D1 ... Operation data, D2
…… Search data, P1 …… Assembly target points, P2 ……
Corrected position, P3 ... Final corrected position, AREA1 ... Search area, AREA2 ... Assembleable area.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Motohiro Kobayashi 6-735 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Keiichi Nakamachi 6-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Hideo Store Network 6-7-35 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A position correction method for correcting assembly target data of an assembly apparatus, wherein an assembly robot is designed to perform a predetermined assembly operation based on assembly data supplied from a command input section, wherein an assembly target at an assembly target point is set. Based on the data, the assembling robot is searched around the assembling target point by using a predetermined searching method, and the assembling or unassembling data at each position around the assembling target point obtained at the time of the searching is statistically calculated. A position correction method comprising processing and correcting the position of an assembly target point. 2. A position correction method for correcting the assembly target data of an assembly apparatus in which an assembly robot is designed to perform a predetermined assembly operation based on the assembly data supplied from a command input section. Based on the data, the assembling robot is searched around the assembling target point by using a predetermined searching method, and the assembling or unassembling data at each position around the assembling target point obtained at the time of the searching is statistically calculated. A position correcting apparatus comprising a robot controller which processes and corrects the position of an assembly target point and executes the assembling operation by the assembling robot based on the corrected position data. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the searching method spirally searches around the assembly target point.
Position correction method described in. 4. The position correction method according to claim 1, wherein the search method is a concentric search centered on the assembly target point.