JP2006341184A - Coating apparatus and coating program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating robot which conducts the rotation coating efficiently and is easy to instruct. <P>SOLUTION: A work piece is fitted to a rotor which is conveyed by a conveyer. The rotation direction of the rotor is reversed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the conversion point. The coating robot is fitted to the side of the conveyer. An operator conducts the teaching to the workpiece at the upstream side of the conversion point and inputs the center coordinate of the rotor to which the workpiece is fitted. The control data preparation apparatus automatically produces the data for the instruction of the actuation of the coating robot to the workpiece fitted to the rotor located at the more downstream side than the conversion point by conducting the mirror transform centering on the center coordinate inputted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for teaching an operation to a teaching reproduction type painting robot.

  2. Description of the Related Art A painting robot for painting a workpiece by controlling a multi-joint arm and a painting gun attached to the arm based on previously stored data is known.

  Patent Document 1 describes a spindle coating method and apparatus using a coating robot. The claim 1 is described as follows. In a method in which a rotating folder for placing a plurality of objects to be mounted is provided on a spindle continuously attached to a conveyor that is continuously fed, and the objects to be coated are sequentially and rotated and are coated by a painting robot. The rotating folder is rotated forward / reversely in the first half and the second half of the painting area, and is opposed to the rotating folders in both rotation areas, and each painted surface is painted with a spray gun that is mounted on a painting robot and operates synchronously. A painting method in which spraying is performed so that the painting process for each object is completed while passing through a rotating area.

In Patent Document 2, a work supply table to which a plurality of objects to be coated is fixed is rotated and moved by a conveyor or the like, and a spray gun is moved while following the movement of the work supply table to supply a specific work. There is described a coating method and a coating apparatus therefor, in which an object to be coated fixed on a table is coated, whereby a workpiece can be continuously coated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-33887 JP 2004-82068 A

An object of the present invention is to provide a painting robot that is easy to teach.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a painting robot that performs painting at high speed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a painting robot in which a workpiece is painted symmetrically with high accuracy.

  In the following, means for solving the problem will be described using the numbers used in [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention] in parentheses. These numbers are added to clarify the correspondence between the description of [Claims] and [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]. However, these numbers should not be used to interpret the technical scope of the invention described in [Claims].

  The painting robot control device (2) according to the present invention includes a teaching point coordinate (50) for specifying the operation of the arm (36) of the painting robot (16) and a platform ID (54) for specifying each of the plurality of platforms (20). Are stored in association with each other. A work (18) to be painted by a gun (38) included in the arm (36) is attached to each of the plurality of platforms (20). The painting robot control apparatus (2) further includes a table position table (40) for storing the table ID (58) and the coordinates (60) of the first position where the table is positioned, and the table (20) is the second. In order to specify an operation when the robot is located at a position, the teaching point coordinates (50) are used to set symmetrical teaching point coordinates that are symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position. A generating unit (44) for generating, and a communication unit (46) for transmitting the teaching point coordinates and the symmetrical teaching point coordinates to the control unit (14) for controlling the operation of the arm (36).

  According to such a painting robot control device, when an operation on a table in the first position is taught, data for instructing an operation on the table in the second position is automatically generated by mirror-converting the operation. The

  The painting apparatus according to the present invention includes a painting robot (16) including an arm (36), and a drive unit (30) that moves a plurality of platforms (20) along a predetermined flow line (24). A work (18) to be painted by a gun (38) included in the arm (36) is attached to each of the plurality of platforms (20). The painting apparatus further includes a painting robot control device (2) for controlling the operation of the arm (36). The painting robot control device (2) stores teaching point coordinates (50) for designating the operation of the arm (36) and a platform ID (54) for identifying each of the plurality of platforms (20) in association with each other. The table (41), the table ID (58), and the table position table (40) that stores the coordinates (60) of the first position where the table is located in association with each other, and the table (20) are positioned at the second position. Generator for generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position, using the teaching point coordinates (50) in order to specify an operation at the time (44) and a communication unit (46) for transmitting the teaching point coordinates and the symmetrical teaching point coordinates to the control unit (14).

  The coating apparatus according to the present invention includes a rotation drive unit (32) that rotates each of a plurality of platforms (20), and a switching unit that reverses the direction of rotation before and after the switching point (26) in the flow line (24). 34). The first position is located upstream of the switching point (26), and the second position is located downstream of the switching point (26).

  In the painting apparatus according to the present invention, the painting robot (16) includes a workpiece (2) mounted on two or more platforms (20) located upstream of the switching point (26) and two or more platforms (20) located downstream. Paint in parallel with 18).

  Since the coating apparatus according to the present invention generates symmetrical point coordinates with reference to the coordinates of the positions of the respective stands, mirror conversion is individually performed on the two or more stands on the upstream side, and two or more on the downstream side are obtained. The data for the table is calculated correctly.

  The painting data creation method according to the present invention includes a teaching point coordinate (50) for designating the operation of the arm (36) of the painting robot (16) and a workpiece (18) to be painted by the gun (38) provided in the arm (36). A step (S6, S8, S16, S18) for collecting and associating a table ID (54, 58) for identifying each of the plurality of tables (20) to which the table is attached, and a table ID (54, 58) In order to specify the step (S2, S4, S12, S14) of collecting the coordinates (60) of the first position where the table is positioned and the operation when the table (20) is positioned at the second position, the teaching point Using the coordinate (50), generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates symmetrical with respect to a plane whose normal is a line connecting the first position and the second position (S28, S32), and symmetrical with the teaching point coordinates Arm (using teaching point coordinates) Generating data (42) for controlling the operation of 6) and a step (S30, S34).

  The painting program (44, 45, 46) according to the present invention is painted by the teaching point coordinates (50) for specifying the operation of the arm (36) of the painting robot (16) and the gun (38) provided in the arm (36). Steps (S6, S8, S16, S16, S16, S16) of collecting and storing in the storage device (6) the table IDs (54, 58) for specifying each of the plurality of tables (20) to which the workpiece (18) to be mounted is associated S18), the step (S2, S4, S12, S14) of collecting the coordinates of the first position where the table (20) is located in association with the table ID (54, 58) and storing it in the storage device (6); In order to specify the operation when the platform (20) is positioned at the second position, the teaching point coordinates (50) are used to make a normal line from the line connecting the first position and the second position. Generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates ( 28, S32), a step (S30, S34) for generating data (42) for controlling the operation of the arm (36) using the teaching point coordinates and the symmetrical teaching point coordinates, and painting the data (42). The computer (2) is caused to execute a method including a step (S38) of transmitting to the control unit (14) that controls the robot (16).

According to the present invention, a painting robot that is easy to teach is provided.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a painting robot that performs painting at high speed is provided.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a painting robot is provided in which a workpiece is painted symmetrically with high accuracy.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a painting data creation device and a painting robot. The painting data creation device 2 includes a computer including a CPU 4, a storage device 6, an input device 8, an output device 10, and a communication device 12. The painting data creation device 2 is connected to the control unit 14 by a communication device 12 so as to be communicable. The control unit 14 is connected to the painting robot 16. The painting robot 16 sprays paint on the workpiece 18.

  FIG. 2 shows a line through which a workpiece is flowed and a painting robot. The line includes a conveyor 24 that continuously conveys the load in a set direction. The conveyor 24 conveys the rotating shaft 22 included in each of the plurality of rotating bodies 20. Each of the plurality of rotating bodies 20 is rotatable about a rotating shaft 22 that is oriented substantially in the vertical direction. The rotating body 20 has a substantially circular shape around the rotating shaft 22. A plurality of workpieces 18 are detachably attached to the vicinity of the outer edge of the rotating body 20.

  A line control device 28 is connected to the conveyor 24. The line control device 28 includes a control unit 30, a rotation drive unit 32, and a switching unit 34. The drive unit 30 drives the conveyor 24.

  The present invention is also applicable when the workpiece does not rotate. When the workpiece rotates as described below, the present invention can be applied more suitably. The rotation driving unit 32 rotates each of the plurality of rotating bodies 20 around the rotation shaft 22. The switching unit 34 is a rotating body centered on the rotating shaft 22 at a turning point 26 set at a predetermined position of the conveyor 24, as indicated by an arrow at a location where the rotating body 20 is illustrated. The direction of rotation of 20 is reversed. For example, if the rotating body 20 is rotated in the clockwise direction as viewed from above by the rotation driving unit 32 on the upstream side from the turning point 26, the switching unit 34 is arranged on the downstream side of the turning point 26. Controls the rotation drive unit 32 so as to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from above. The switching unit 34 may be included in the coating data creation device 6.

  A painting robot 16 is installed beside the conveyor 24. The painting robot 16 includes an articulated arm 36. A gun 38 for spraying paint onto the work 18 is attached to the tip of the arm 36.

  FIG. 3 shows data stored in the storage device 6. The storage device 6 stores a rotating body position table 40, a teaching table 41, a trajectory table 42, a symmetric data generation program 44, and a data transfer program 46.

  FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the rotating body position table 40. The rotating body position table 40 stores the group 58 and the center point coordinate 60 in association with each other. The group 58 is an identifier that identifies each of the plurality of rotating bodies 20. The center point coordinates 60 are coordinates of the rotation center of the rotator 20.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the teaching table 41. The teaching table 41 includes a plurality of records specified by the teaching point ID 48, and each of the records stores a coordinate 50, a rotation direction 52, and a group 54 in association with each other. FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the trajectory table 42. The teaching table 42 stores a teaching point ID 48, coordinates 50, a rotation direction 52, and an area 56 in association with each other.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the painting robot and the line in the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, an operation that the CPU 4 reads a program stored in the storage device 6 and executes according to a procedure described in the program is described as an operation performed by the program itself.

  In FIG. 2, four rotating bodies 20 are depicted. In the following description, the four rotating bodies 20 are described as a rotating body A, a rotating body B, a rotating body C, and a rotating body D in order from the upstream side, that is, the left side of the drawing. The rotator A and the rotator B are located upstream of the turning point 26. The rotating body C and the rotating body D are located downstream of the turning point 26. The painting robot 16 performs time-sharing on the workpieces 18 attached to the four rotary bodies 20 of the rotary body A, the rotary body B, the rotary body C, and the rotary body D, and simultaneously paints in parallel. Do. For example, coating is performed in the order of A → B → C → D → C → B → A. By performing the coating in such a procedure, the operation of the robot 16 is less wasted than when the coating is completed for one or two rotating bodies 20 and then the next rotating body is shifted to the coating, Painting is speeded up.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure in which the operator teaches the operation to the painting robot 16. At this time, the conveyor 24 is stopped in a state where the rotating bodies A, B, C, and D are set within a range where the arm 36 of the robot 16 can work. The painting robot 16 is set to the teaching mode.

  Step S2: The teaching information collection program 45 refers to the rotating body position table 40, and proceeds to step S6 when the center position of the rotating body A is registered, and to step S4 when not registered.

  Step S4: The operator inputs the coordinates of the rotator A via the input device 8. The teaching information collection program 45 registers the input coordinates in the rotating body position table 40. Further, the operator registers the rotation direction of the rotating body A as “forward rotation” in the rotation direction 52 of the rotating body position table 40.

  Step S6: When the operator teaches an operation to be performed on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body A by the painting robot 16, an identifier for specifying that the workpiece 18 is attached to the rotating body A is input. Input from 8. The teaching information collection program 45 registers the input identifier as a group 54 in the teaching table 41.

  Step S8: The operator designates a teaching point for teaching an operation to be performed by the arm 36 on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body A by the input device 8 or by direct teaching. The teaching information collection program 45 associates the coordinates of the designated teaching point with the group 54 registered in step S6 and associates the teaching point ID indicating the order designated as the teaching point with the teaching table as the coordinate 50. 41. The coordinates 50 are coordinates having the origin at the center point coordinates 60 (X1, Y1, Z1 in FIG. 4) of the record in which the group 58 in the rotating body position table 40 is A. The operator further inputs information for controlling the movement speed of the gun 38, the ejection of paint, and the like and registers them in the teaching table 41. In the area 56 in the teaching table 41, “A” is recorded when the area where the rotating body 20 is present when painting is an area corresponding to the rotating body A at the time of teaching.

  Step S10: When the operator once finishes teaching the operation on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body A, the operator performs a specific input operation instructing this. When the specific input operation is not performed, the teaching information collection program 45 proceeds to step S8 and waits for the input of the coordinates of the next teaching point. When the specific input operation is performed, the process proceeds to step S12.

  Step S12: The teaching information collection program 45 refers to the rotating body position table 40, and shifts the process to step S16 when the center position of the rotating body B is registered, and to step S14 when not registered.

  Step S14: The operator inputs the coordinates of the rotating body B via the input device 8. The teaching information collection program 45 registers the input coordinates in the rotating body position table 40. Further, the operator registers the rotation direction of the rotating body B as “forward rotation” in the rotation direction 52 of the rotating body position table 40.

  Step S16: When the operator teaches the operation to be performed on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body B by the painting robot 16, an identifier for specifying that the workpiece 18 is attached to the rotating body B is input. Input from 8. The teaching information collection program 45 registers the input identifier as a group 54 in the teaching table 41.

  Step S18: The operator designates a teaching point for teaching an operation that the arm 36 should perform on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body B by the input device 8 or by direct teaching. The teaching information collection program 45 associates the coordinates of the designated teaching point with the group 54 registered in step S16 and associates the teaching point ID indicating the order designated as the teaching point with the teaching table 41 as the coordinate 50. Register with. The coordinates 50 are coordinates having the origin of the center point coordinates 60 (X2, Y2, Z2 in FIG. 4) of the record in which the group 58 in the rotating body position table 40 is B. The operator further inputs information for controlling the movement speed of the gun 38, the ejection of paint, and the like and registers them in the teaching table 41.

  Step S20: When the operator once finishes teaching the operation on the workpiece 18 attached to the rotating body B, the operator performs a specific input operation instructing this. When the specific input operation is not performed, the teaching information collection program 45 proceeds to step S18 and waits for the input of the coordinates of the next teaching point. When the specific input operation is performed, the process proceeds to step S22.

  Step S22: When the operator continues to teach the rotating bodies A and B, the operator performs a specific input operation for instructing that. The teaching information collection program 45 completes data collection when the specific input operation is not performed. When the specific input operation is performed, the teaching information collection program 45 returns to step S2 and accepts the teaching of the operation for the rotating body A.

  Since the operation for the rotating body A can be taught again after the operation for the rotating body B is taught, it is possible to freely set the operation in which the arm 36 moves back and forth between the rotating body A and the rotating body B. When such teaching is performed, the group 54 of the teaching table 41 has a pattern in which, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, A is arranged, B is arranged, A is arranged again, and B is arranged again.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the symmetric data generation program 44.

  Step S24: When the data collection is completed in step S22, the symmetrical data generation program 44 sequentially reads the records of the teaching table 41 one by one and registers them in the trajectory table 42.

  Step S26: The symmetrical data generation program 44 refers to the group 54 of the read records to determine which rotator 20 corresponds to the record. If the group 54 corresponds to the rotating body A, the process proceeds to step S28. If the group 54 corresponds to the rotating body B, the process proceeds to step S32.

  Step S28: The symmetric data generation program 44 mirror-transforms the coordinates 50 of the read record. The rotation direction stored in the rotation direction 52 is converted from “forward rotation” to “reverse rotation”. The mirror conversion is performed so as to be symmetric with respect to a plane passing through the center point coordinates 60 of the rotating body 20 and having the traveling direction of the conveyor 24 as a normal line. Alternatively, when the teaching data of the second rotating body is to be generated from the teaching data of the first rotating body, the coordinates of the center point of the first rotating body and the coordinates of the center point of the second rotating body are connected. It is performed so as to be symmetric with respect to a plane whose normal is a line.

  Step S30: The symmetrical data generation program 44 registers the data obtained by the mirror conversion in step S28 in the trajectory table 42 as the coordinates 50 of the rotating body C. The coordinate 50 means a coordinate having the origin of the center of the rotator C. Further, “reverse rotation” obtained in step S 28 is registered in the rotation direction 52.

  Data obtained by mirror conversion is registered in the trajectory table 42 in the same order as the teaching table 41. For example, data created from the 1st to 15th records of the teaching table 41 is registered in the 16th to 30th records of the trajectory table 42 without changing the order.

  Step S32: The symmetric data generation program 44 mirror-transforms the coordinates 50 of the read record. The rotation direction stored in the rotation direction 52 is converted from “forward rotation” to “reverse rotation”. The mirror conversion is performed so as to be symmetric with respect to a plane whose normal is the traveling direction of the conveyor 24.

  Step S34: The symmetrical data generation program 44 registers the data obtained by the mirror conversion in step S28 in the trajectory table 42 as the coordinates 50 of the rotating body D. The coordinate 50 means a coordinate with the center of the rotating body D as the origin. Further, “reverse rotation” obtained in step S 28 is registered in the rotation direction 52.

  Step S36: If there is a record registered in the teaching table 41 that has not been read yet, the symmetric data generation program 44 returns to step S24 to read a new record, and when all records have been read, the process is completed. Exit. By instructing the operation for the workpiece upstream of the turning point 26 by the above operation, data for instructing the operation for the workpiece downstream of the turning point 26 is also created. This makes teaching easier and takes less time. Furthermore, since symmetrical data is obtained on the upstream side and the downstream side of the turning point 26, uniform coating with no left-right variation is performed.

  Step S38: The data transfer program 46 transfers the trajectory table 42 to the control unit 14. The control unit 14 controls the painting robot 16 using data recorded in the trajectory table 42 and data regarding the position of the rotating body 20.

  The present invention can be applied even if the number of rotating bodies 20 is larger. In that case, when the operator teaches the operation for the n rotating bodies (n ≧ 3) upstream from the turning point 26, the data for instructing the operation for the n rotating bodies downstream is automatically generated. Is done.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a painting data creation device and a painting robot. FIG. 2 shows a line through which a workpiece is flowed and a painting robot. FIG. 3 shows data stored in the storage device 6. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the rotating body position table. FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the teaching table. FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the trajectory table. FIG. 7 shows a procedure in which the operator teaches the operation to the painting robot. FIG. 8 shows the operation of the symmetric data generation program.

Explanation of symbols

2 ... Control data creation device 6 ... Storage device 16 ... Painting robot 18 ... Work 20 ... Rotating body 22 ... Rotating shaft 24 ... Conveyor 26 ... Turning point 28 ... Line control device 36 ... Arm 38 ... Gun 40 ... Rotating body position table 41 ... Teaching table 42 ... Track table 48 ... Teaching point ID
50 ... Coordinate 52 ... Direction of rotation 54 ... Group 56 ... Area 58 ... Group 60 ... Center point coordinate

Claims (6)

A teaching table that stores teaching point coordinates that specify the operation of the arm of the painting robot and a base ID that specifies each of the plurality of bases in association with each other, and each of the plurality of bases is painted by a gun included in the arm. Is attached,
A table position table for storing the table ID and the coordinates of the first position where the table is located;
In order to specify the operation when the platform is located at the second position, the teaching point coordinates are used to be symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position. A generator for generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates;
A painting robot control device comprising: a communication unit that transmits the teaching point coordinates and the symmetric teaching point coordinates to a control unit that controls the operation of the arm. A painting robot with arms,
A drive unit that moves a plurality of platforms along a predetermined flow line, and a work to be painted by a gun included in the arm is attached to each of the plurality of platforms,
A painting robot control device for controlling the operation of the arm,
The painting robot controller is
A teaching table that associates and stores teaching point coordinates that specify the operation of the arm and a platform ID that identifies each of the plurality of platforms;
A table position table for storing the table ID and the coordinates of the first position where the table is located;
In order to specify the operation when the platform is located at the second position, the teaching point coordinates are used to be symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position. A generator for generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates;
A communication apparatus comprising: a communication unit that transmits the teaching point coordinates and the symmetrical teaching point coordinates to a control unit that controls the operation of the arm. A coating apparatus according to claim 2,
Furthermore, a rotation drive unit that applies rotation to each of the plurality of platforms,
A switching unit for reversing the direction of the rotation before and after the switching point in the flow line,
The first position is located upstream of the switching point, and the second position is located downstream of the switching point. A coating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The coating robot performs coating in parallel on two or more of the platforms positioned upstream of the switching point and a workpiece attached to the two or more platforms positioned downstream of the switching point. Collecting the teaching point coordinates that specify the operation of the arm of the painting robot in association with the platform ID that identifies each of the plurality of platforms on which the workpiece to be painted by the gun included in the arm is attached;
Collecting the coordinates of the first position where the table is located in association with the table ID;
In order to specify the operation when the platform is located at the second position, the teaching point coordinates are used to be symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position. Generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates;
Generating paint data for controlling the operation of the arm using the teaching point coordinates and the symmetric teaching point coordinates. The teaching point coordinates that specify the operation of the arm of the painting robot and the platform IDs that identify each of the plurality of platforms to which the workpiece to be painted by the gun provided in the arm is associated are collected and stored in the storage device. Steps,
Collecting the coordinates of the first position where the table is located in association with the table ID and storing it in the storage device;
In order to specify the operation when the platform is located at the second position, the teaching point coordinates are used to be symmetric with respect to a plane having a normal line connecting the first position and the second position. Generating symmetrical teaching point coordinates;
Generating data for controlling the operation of the arm using the teaching point coordinates and the symmetrical teaching point coordinates;
A painting program for causing a computer to execute a method comprising: transmitting the data to a control unit that controls the painting robot.

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