JP2002331444A - Manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing device for inexpensively and easily rearranging a transfer line according to a change in a work. SOLUTION: This manufacturing device 1 is constituted by combining divided objects with respective units such as a carrying unit 10 having a carrying passage WR of the work, a machining unit 20 having a pressurizing device, and a part supply unit 30 having a robot and a part housing pallet in a 1 station S. A control device having a main control part and an operation part and a connector stand for electric wiring are arranged in the carrying unit 10, and are electrically connected in a single operation via a connector between the machining unit 20 and the control part of the part supply unit 30. A coupler stand for a fluid pipe is arranged in the carrying unit 10, and a fluid passage is connected via a coupler between the respective units.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer line in which a processing machine or an assembling machine is sequentially arranged on the basis of a transfer line. The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus having a robot for supplying parts to a vehicle, and a parts storage pallet arranged in the station for storing parts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a production factory is provided with a so-called transfer line in which, when a single part is manufactured as a product, human factors are reduced and automated.
In the transfer line, a processing machine such as a press machine or a processing machine for processing a part, or an assembling machine for assembling the processed part is arranged in each processing station, and a plurality of processing stations are arranged side by side. I have. And the first
One part is manufactured as a product by sequentially flowing parts from the station to the final station. Conventionally,
As shown in FIG. 6, stockers 41 for storing components are arranged on the transfer line 40, and components (normally, pallets) flowing from the stockers 41 are stored in a component storage space 43 provided in the processing station 42. Is stored). Then, the components are supplied to the processing machine 46 or the transport path 47 by the robot 44 or the parts feeder 45 disposed in the processing station 42 and processed.

[0005] In such a line, each processing station is dedicated, and a processing machine, a robot, a parts storage, a parts feeder, and the like are installed on a gantry for each processing station.

[0004]

However, since each station in the conventional transfer line is dedicated, and each equipment is constituted as an aggregate on one stand, the production amount is increased or decreased and the type of product is reduced. Each change requires equipment planning or equipment design / manufacturing, leading to a large increase in equipment costs and a prolonged production preparation period. For this reason, it has been required that the production line can be changed easily at a low cost of equipment so as to be able to respond immediately to an increase or decrease in production volume or a change in the type of product.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing apparatus capable of instantaneously changing a line at a low cost of equipment by forming a flexible line. I do.

[0006]

In the manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, in each transfer line station, the processing machine, the assembling machine, or the workpiece is provided. A robot that supplies a component to a workpiece in a transport path, and a component storage pallet that is disposed in the station and stores components, wherein at least one station is transported in each station in the transport line. A unit, a processing unit having the processing machine or the assembling machine, a component supply unit having the robot and the component storage pallet and supplying a part into the processing machine or the assembling machine or the work. Because it is divided into units, even if the production volume increases or decreases or the product type changes, one unit Instead of changing each unit, each unit can be replaced, so, for example, the unit common to the previous line can be left as it is, or even the unit to be changed can be replaced with a slight change, You can stop with minimal changes. Therefore, the line can be changed immediately at a low cost of equipment.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the fluid piping or electric wiring arranged in each unit is detachably connected between the units by a coupler or a connector means, it is possible to perform one-touch operation. The units can be attached and detached, the units can be replaced immediately, and the line can be made more flexible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since each of the units is provided with a control unit for controlling each unit, even if there is an increase or decrease in the production or a change in the type of the product, the most complicated operation is required. The control command can be instructed only by exchanging each unit. Therefore, the replacement process can be performed in a short time without any trouble.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in the simplified diagram of FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the embodiment is configured such that a transport unit 10, a processing unit 20, and a component supply unit 30 are assembled for each unit in one station S in a transfer line. ing. Each unit is provided with each processing device, a gantry on which each processing device is mounted, and a connector or coupler as joint means for connecting wiring or piping to another unit. The processing content of each station S of the transfer line differs depending on each station, and the processing content processed or assembled by the processing unit differs depending on the processing state and the assembled state of the transferred work, or the type of parts supplied. .

In the following description, an example of processing or assembling in one station S will be described, and the present invention is not limited to this.

In the case of the transport unit 10 in one station S of the embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the gantry 12 is disposed on a base plate 11 and has a transport gantry 121 and a base gantry for mounting each unit. And a pair of conveyors 1 for transporting the work with the feeding device 13 therebetween, above the transport gantry 121.
4.14 are arranged. A pair of conveyors 14
Forms a work transfer path WR together with the feeder 13,
It is configured to be driven by a motor to move the work along the transport direction, and to transfer the work to and from a feeder 13 disposed therebetween.
Further, in the embodiment, a return conveyor 15 is arranged in parallel with the feeder 13 and the conveyor 14,
The work sent by is returned as needed. Then, the feeding device 13 and the pair of conveyors 14
14. The transport drive of the return conveyor 15 is controlled by operating a motor, a fluid drive unit such as an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder by a control device 16 disposed on the transport gantry 12 side. The wiring from the control device 16 is connected to one of the connectors 171 of the electrical wiring connector base 17 disposed at the end of the base mounting part 122 through a duct 123 provided in the base mounting part 122. The pipe member 19 connected from the fluid driving unit is connected to the base mount 12.
2 is connected to any one of the couplers 181 of the fluid piping coupler stand 18 disposed at the side end of the fluid piping 2.

The transport unit 10 includes a control unit 16
A main control unit and an operation unit for performing the processing in the station S are provided therein, and each unit is mounted on the base pedestal unit 122 and the electrical wiring connector 171 is provided.
After being connected to the fluid piping coupler 181, the motor and the fluid drive unit are operated to transport the work, and the feed device 13, the conveyors 14, 14, and the return conveyor 15 are transported and driven. Further, a signal such as a transfer speed and a transfer timing controlled according to the work is sent to each unit, and each command such as a processing command and a component supply command is sent to each unit.

In the case of the processing unit 20 of the embodiment, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, for example, a pressurizing device 22 as a processing device and a parts feeder 23 for supplying parts to the pressurizing device 22 are arranged on a gantry 21. The control device 24 for controlling the operation is
1 is attached to the side surface. The pressurizing device 22 is configured by, for example, any one of an air press, a hydraulic press, an electric press, and the like, and includes a pressurizing unit 221 and a movable parts holder that takes out parts of the parts feeder 23 and conveys the parts below the pressurizing unit 221. 222 and the pressurizing unit 2
When the movable parts holder 222 takes out the parts of the parts feeder 23 and is moved below the pressurizing unit 221, the pressurizing unit 2
When the movable part holder 222 is pressed by the operation of the part 21, the parts supplied from the parts feeder 23 are pressed against the work conveyed by the conveyance unit 10, whereby the work is assembled (or processed). .

The parts feeder 23 is provided with a parts feeder main body 231 for storing and sequentially transporting parts, and a parts guide 232 projecting from the parts feeder main body 231 toward the pressurizing device 22.
The component 2 is driven by the component transport drive unit 224 so as to move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction between two positions, that is, a position at which a component at the tip of the parts guide 232 is to be taken out and an axial center position of the pressure unit 221. Further, the gantry 21 is provided with a manifold 25 for connecting a fluid pipe as a relay point of the fluid pipe.

In the processing unit 20, the processing unit 20 is mounted on the transfer unit 10 so that the work path WR of the work of the transfer unit 10 is located below the pressing unit 221 of the processing unit 20.
Is operated so as to press parts on the work at a position where the work is conveyed by one pitch. Therefore, the control device 24 operates the parts feeder 23 to send the parts to the parts guide 232, and the movable part holder 222 takes out the parts at the tip of the parts guide 232, and the transport path WR
The circuit is configured to control the operation of transporting the work on the inside of the work and the operation of pressing the parts on the work via the movable part holder 222 by lowering the pressure unit 221.

The manifold 25 is connected to a pipe from a drive unit of the pressurizing unit 221 and the movable part holder 222, and a coupler 251 for connection to the outside is mounted via a pipe member to be conveyed. A connector 24 connected to the coupler 181 of the coupler base 18 for fluid piping of the unit 10 and connected to the outside from the controller 24.
1 is connected to the connector 171 of the electrical wiring connector base 17 of the transport unit 10.

In the case of the component supply unit 30 of the embodiment,
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a gantry 31 and a component supply robot (hereinafter, referred to as a robot) installed on the gantry 31
32 and parts storage pallet (hereinafter referred to as pallet) P
And a control device 34 for controlling the drive of the robot 32 and the pallet transporter 33. The components in the pallet P are moved to a predetermined position of the processing unit 10 or in the transport path WR. It is configured to be able to be put into a workpiece flowing.

The gantry 31 has an upper gantry 311 and a lower gantry 312, and, in front of the upper gantry 311, the work of the transport unit 10 when the component supply unit 30 is installed on the transport unit 10. A transport path WR is provided. A robot 32 is arranged above the upper gantry 311, and a pallet carrier 33 and a control device 34 are arranged above the lower gantry 312. A manifold 35 for a fluid pipe is mounted on a rear end surface of the lower gantry 312 as a pipe junction.

The robot 32 comprises a support portion 321 and an arm portion 322 rotatable with respect to the support portion 321, and a gripping device 3 for gripping a component at the tip of the arm portion 322.
23 is detachably arranged. In the embodiment, the gripping device 323 is operated so as to take out the component in the pallet P and put it on the work on the transport path WR by the rotation and the vertical movement of the arm 322 in the embodiment.

In the embodiment, the pallet conveyance body 33 is
The pallets P are arranged at a first position P1 where they are taken out by the robot 32 and a second position P2 where they are conveyed and supplied from a stocker (not shown). When all the components of the pallet P at the first position P1 are removed, the pallet P at the second position P2 is automatically conveyed and moved to the first position P1, and the robot 32 continues the component removal operation. And the empty pallet P
The pallet is replaced by a pallet P in which parts are newly stored by a pallet transport device (not shown).

A fluid pipe from the robot 32 or the pallet carrier 33 is connected to the manifold 35, and a coupler 351 extended from the manifold 35 is connected to the coupler 181 of the carrier unit 10. The connector 341 wired from the control device 34 is connected to the connector 171 of the transport unit 10.

In the component supply unit 30, the control device 34 controls the movement of the pallet P between two positions and the movement of the robot 32.
The circuit is configured to control the operation of picking up components from the pallet P, loading components into the work, detecting the presence or absence of components in the pallet P, and the like.

The processing unit 20 and the component supply unit 30 are respectively connected to the base mount 1 of the transport unit 10.
When the processing unit 2 is mounted on the work 22, the state shown in FIG.
The axis of the zero pressure unit 221 passes through. The connector 241 of the processing unit 20 and the connector 341 of the component supply unit 30 are connected to the connector 171 of the electrical wiring connector table 17 of the transport unit 10, and the coupler 18 of the fluid piping coupler table 18 of the transport unit 10 is connected.
1, the coupler 251 of the processing unit 20 and the coupler 351 of the component supply unit 30 are connected.

The connector 241 of the processing unit 20 and the connector 341 of the component supply unit 30 are
After the connection to the connector 171, the operation of the station S is performed by a control command from the main control unit of the transport unit 10, and the respective parts of the processing unit 20 and the component supply unit 30 are sequentially activated. That is, the control unit 24 of the processing unit 20 and the control unit 34 of the component supply unit respectively transfer the processing unit 20 and the component supply unit 30 to and from the transport unit 10 in advance according to the specifications of the component to be processed. Because of the circuit configuration, the connector 24 of the processing unit 20
1. The connection of the connector 341 of the component supply unit 30 with the connector 171 of the transport unit 10 is performed simply by ON / OFF for opening and closing the circuits of the control device 24 of the processing unit 20 and the control device 34 of the component supply device 30. The processing unit 20 or the component supply unit 3
The circuit of each control device 24, 34 is not modified when 0 is replaced.

Therefore, the controller 16 of the transport unit 10
With the operation of the operation unit, the transport unit 10 and the feeder 13
Is activated, and the workpieces are sequentially conveyed to the processing unit 20.
Then, the parts feeder 2
3, the workpiece is processed or assembled by the pressurizing device 22, and the component supply unit 30
The parts are taken out of the pallet according to a command from the control device 34, and the parts are put into the work being conveyed, and are conveyed to the next station.

In order to replace each unit in response to an increase or decrease in the production amount or a change in the design of the work, the respective units are simply removed from the respective couplers and connectors.

As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, at least one station has at least the transport unit 10 transported in each station S on the transport path WR, the processing unit 20 having the processing machine or the assembling machine 22, Since the component supply unit 30 that has the robot 32 and the pallet transport body 33 and supplies components to the work in the transport path WR is divided and configured as one unit,
Even if the production volume changes or the product type changes, 1
Since each unit can be replaced instead of being changed for each station, it is possible to minimize the change. Therefore, the line can be changed immediately at a low cost of equipment.

Further, since the fluid piping or electric wiring arranged in each unit is detachably connected between each unit by a coupler or a connector, it is possible to detach and attach each unit with one touch. In addition, the units can be immediately replaced, and the line can be made more flexible.

Further, since each unit is provided with a control unit for controlling each unit, even if there is an increase or decrease in production or a change in product type, the most complicated control command is issued.
It can be instructed simply by exchanging within each unit. Therefore, the replacement process can be performed in a short time without any trouble.

Each unit of the embodiment is merely an example, and each unit constituting the manufacturing apparatus is not limited to the above.
What constitutes a necessary unit other than the processing unit and the component supply unit 30, for example, a second component supply unit,
Alternatively, if there is a second processing unit or the like, it can be configured as a new unit.

Further, since the configuration in each unit differs depending on each station, necessary parts can be appropriately configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view showing a manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the same type of transport unit.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a processing unit of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a component supply unit of the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the manufacturing apparatus in a state where each unit is assembled.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Manufacturing apparatus 10 ... Conveying unit 12 ... Stand 16 ... Control apparatus 17 ... Connector board for electrical wiring 171 ... Connector 18 ... Coupler stand for fluid piping 181 ... Coupler 20 ... Processing unit 21 ... Stand 22 ... Pressurizing device 221 ... Addition Pressure unit 23 ... Parts feeder 24 ... Control device 241 ... Connector 25 ... Manifold 251 ... Coupler 30 ... Part supply unit 31 ... Mounting stand 32 ... Robot 33 ... Pallet carrier 34 ... Control device 341 ... Connector 35 ... Manifold 351 ... Coupler S ... Station P… Pallet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A robot for supplying parts to a processing machine or an assembling machine or a work in a work transfer path at each station of a transfer line in which a processing machine or an assembling machine is sequentially arranged based on a transport line. And a component storage pallet arranged in the station for storing components, wherein at least a transport unit transported in each station in the transport line, the processing machine or the assembling machine. A manufacturing unit having the processing unit, the robot and the component storage pallet, and each of the stations is divided into the processing machine or the assembling machine or a component supply unit for supplying a component into the work. apparatus. 2. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a fluid pipe or an electric wiring disposed in each of the units is detachably connected between the units by a coupler or a connector. 3. A control unit for controlling each unit is provided in each unit.
Or the manufacturing apparatus according to 2.