JP2013099801A - Assembling robot device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an assembling robot device which can construct a space-saving automated cell with an equivalent level to a personal cell while suppressing an amount of capital investment.SOLUTION: The assembling robot device for assembling a product includes: first, second and third robots 1, 2 and 3; an assembling stage 5 on which the product is assembled; and a 3D vision sensor installed in the third robot 3. The first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are arranged so that operating ranges 15, 16 partially overlap with each other. The assembling stage 5 is positioned in a region where the operating range 15 of the first robot 1 and the operating range 16 of the second robot 2 overlap with each other. The third robot 3 is positioned so that an operating range 18 overlaps with both the operating range 15 of the first robot 1 and the operating range 16 of the second robot 2. An area for arranging a bulk component box 10 in which components of the product are bulk-loaded is provided in the operating range 18 of the third robot 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembly robot apparatus for assembling electrical components.

  The production facilities have different production systems for facilities that perform mass production and facilities that perform multi-product small-quantity (variable-variable) production, depending on market demands. In general, mass production of industrial products is automated by line to reduce tact time (hereinafter also referred to as automated line), but because the equipment is large, it is difficult to handle a wide variety of products, There may be disadvantages such as a long setup time.

  On the other hand, in the case of high-mix low-volume production, if the line automation is used, the capital investment and the scale of the equipment will become too large, and the production of cells by humans will be carried out in order to flexibly respond to changes in product types and adjustments in the number of production ( (Hereinafter also referred to as a human cell), the amount of capital investment and the scale of equipment are kept as small as possible. However, since such a production method is based on human work, there may be disadvantages such as difficulty in securing quality and difficulty in securing skilled personnel.

  Therefore, it is desired to construct an automated cell in the form of an automated human cell. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an assembly apparatus in which an automated cell is constructed with a device configuration of a conventional robot system.

JP-A-6-226568

  However, according to the above-described conventional technology, it is necessary to align and cut out parts and supply them to the robot in order to efficiently perform the assembly process of a plurality of steps by a plurality of robots and a single robot. Further, in order for the robot to efficiently perform the assembly work, a jig for performing part insertion, part positioning, part front / back reversal, screw tightening and the like is required for each work.

  In addition, in order to supply and assemble a wide variety of parts, it is necessary to prepare dedicated machines and jigs for each part and operation, requiring a large layout space and capital investment that are not significantly different from automated lines.

  In this way, if the human cell assembly operation is to be replaced with an automated cell as it is, a component supply device such as a pallet changer, which is larger than the space of the human cell, is required in the component supply portion. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a dedicated machine and jig for the assembly part, and the scale of the facility is much larger than that of the human cell, and the investment amount is also increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an assembly robot apparatus capable of constructing a space-saving automated cell equivalent to a human cell while suppressing the amount of capital investment. To do. It is another object of the present invention to provide an assembly robot apparatus capable of facilitating multi-product production by facilitating recombination of equipment when changing production products.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is an assembly robot apparatus for assembling a product, wherein the first, second, and third robots, and the first and second robots An assembly stage on which assembly is performed, and a three-dimensional vision sensor provided in the third robot. The first robot and the second robot are arranged so that their operation ranges partially overlap each other, and the assembly stage Is arranged in an area where the movement range of the first robot and the movement range of the second robot overlap, and the third robot is arranged such that the movement range overlaps the movement range of the first robot and the movement range of the second robot. In addition, an area is provided in the operation range of the third robot, in which an area for placing a bulk component box in which parts constituting the product are bulk stacked is provided.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to construct a space-saving automated cell at the same level as a human cell while suppressing the capital investment. In addition, it is possible to facilitate multi-product production by facilitating recombination of equipment when changing production varieties.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the assembly robot apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view seen from the front side. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the assembly robot apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and is a perspective view seen from the back side. FIG. 3 is a top view showing the positional relationship of each robot in the assembly robot apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view showing an arrangement relationship of the robots in the assembly robot apparatus as a modification of the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an assembly robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the assembly robot apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view seen from the front side. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the assembly robot apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and is a perspective view seen from the back side.

  The assembly robot apparatus includes a first robot 1, a second robot 2, a third robot 3, a travel axis 4, an assembly stage 5, a delivery stage 6, an electric driver 7, a finger change 8, a parts supply pallet (flat pallet) 9, It comprises a bulk stacking part box 10, a robot ceiling mount 11, a 2D vision sensor 13, and a 3D vision sensor 14.

  The first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are ceiling-suspended robots that are responsible for assembling electrical components (products). The first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are, for example, 2 kg portable small vertical 6-axis robots.

  The third robot 3 is a ceiling-suspended robot, and is a robot that plays a role of supplying each component constituting an electrical component to the first robot 1 and the second robot 2. The third robot 3 is, for example, a small vertical 6-axis robot that can carry 2 kg. The travel axis 4 supports the third robot 3 so as to be movable, and widens the movement range of the third robot 3 in the transverse direction. For example, the traveling shaft 4 has a traveling length of 1000 mm.

  In the assembly stage 5, the parts conveyed by the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are assembled. In the delivery stage 6, the parts taken out from the bulk parts box 10 by the third robot 3 are temporarily placed for delivery to the first robot 1 and the second robot 2.

  In the bulk stacking part box 10, parts constituting the electrical parts are stacked. Here, loose stacking means that a plurality of components are accommodated in a component box without being aligned. In the bulk stacking component box 10, the components often overlap each other.

  The electric screwdriver 7 is used when the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 tighten the screws during assembly. The finger change 8 is used for the finger portion of the electric hand 12 provided at the tip of each of the robots 1 to 3 so that it can be appropriately selected and exchanged so that appropriate handling (gripping) can be performed for each component. There are several available.

  The parts supply pallet 9 is a pallet for supplying parts used also in existing human cells. From the component supply pallet 9, for example, sub-assembled components are supplied. The robot ceiling mount 11 is a mount for installing the first robot 1, the second robot 2, and the third robot 3 on the ceiling. The parts supply pallet 9 is placed flat so that the parts constituting the electrical parts do not overlap.

  The two-dimensional vision sensor 13 is a sensor attached to the tip shaft (hand) of the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 and is a sensor for correcting the position of the component on the component supply pallet 9. The three-dimensional vision sensor 14 is a sensor attached to the tip shaft portion (hand) of the third robot 3 and is a sensor for recognizing the position of the components stacked in the bulk stacking component box 10. By using the three-dimensional vision sensor 14, the position of each part can be recognized even if the parts overlap each other.

  FIG. 3 is a top view showing the positional relationship of each robot in the assembly robot apparatus shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the movement range 15 seen from the upper surface of the first robot 1 to be assembled, the movement range 16 seen from the upper surface of the second robot 2 to be assembled, and the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are shown. An operation range 18 viewed from the upper surface of the third robot 3 for supplying parts is shown.

  As shown in the layout diagram, the assembly stage 5 is positioned so that both the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 can approach, so that the operation range 15 of the first robot 1 and the operation range 16 of the second robot 2 are as follows. Are arranged in the overlapping area. In the present embodiment, an assembly stage 5 is disposed between the first robot 1 and the second robot 2, and the assembly stage 5 is sandwiched between the first robot 1 and the second robot 2.

  The component supply pallet 9 is disposed in a region that is away from the assembly stage 5 and that is included in at least one of the operation range 15 and the operation range 16. The parts supply pallet 9 is preferably arranged on the side opposite to the side where the third robot 3 is arranged with respect to the first robot 1 and the second robot 2.

  The bulk stacking component box 10 is disposed in a region that is outside the assembly stage 5 and that is included in the operation range 18. The bulk stacking part box 10 is preferably disposed on the opposite side of the third robot 3 from the side on which the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are disposed.

  The delivery stage 6 includes two stages: a stage for delivering parts to the first robot 1 and a stage for delivering parts to the second robot 2. The delivery stage 6 for delivering parts to the first robot 1 is arranged in an area where the operation range 15 and the operation range 18 overlap, and the delivery stage 6 for delivering parts to the second robot 2 is provided with an operation range 16. And the operating range 18 are arranged in an overlapping region. That is, the third robot 3 is arranged on the opposite side of the delivery stage 6 from the side where the first robot 1 and the second robot 2 are arranged. The bulk stacking component box 10 is disposed within the operation range 18 of the third robot 3.

  According to the assembly robot apparatus according to the present embodiment described above, since the third robot 3 includes the three-dimensional vision sensor 14, the first robot 1 and the second robot are picked up from the bulk parts box 10. 2 parts can be delivered. Therefore, it is possible to omit an exclusive machine (part feeder, pallet, cassette supply device) for cutting out and aligning parts required for construction of a general automation cell, and an assembly robot apparatus that is inexpensive and requires a small layout space. It can be.

  In addition, the third robot 3 can take out the parts from the bulk parts box 10 regardless of the assembly work of the first robot 1 and the second robot 2, so that the work efficiency of the entire system (tact time can be reduced). (Shortening).

  The assembly work is performed by the two robots, the first robot 1 and the second robot 2, on the assembly stage 5 within the common operation range of both robots. Is possible. Large assembly jigs generally required for system construction of an assembly robot apparatus can be omitted, and assembly can be performed while assisting robots.

  Further, by directly delivering the parts when delivering the parts between the robots, it is easy to reverse the front and back of the parts and to correct the position. Therefore, a large dedicated machine such as a component insertion device, a component positioning device, or a component front / back reversing mechanism can be omitted. By omitting the dedicated machine, the capital investment can be reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a dedicated machine installation space outside the robot operating range, a compact layout can be constructed.

  Furthermore, since dedicated machines and jigs depending on the parts can be omitted, the production type can be changed by simply changing the parts to be supplied, the electric hand 12 (finger), and the assembly stage. Therefore, recombination of facilities when changing production varieties is facilitated, and multi-product production can be facilitated.

  Further, by omitting the dedicated machine and jig, it is possible to obtain the merit of automation such as operation for 24 hours and constant quality while approaching versatility and compactness similar to those of a human cell. For example, in automating a human cell that requires a plane space of 1.2 m × 1.5 m, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, it is stored in a plane space of 1.5 m × 1.65 m. ing. Furthermore, when this cell is manufactured using a dedicated component supply device or jig, a planar space of about 2.5 m × 2.5 m is required.

  Also, in processes that do not require cooperative work, the robot performs assembly work for each. For example, when one robot is working on the assembly stage 5, the other robot picks up a part from the parts supply pallet 9 within its own operation area, or from the third robot 3. It is possible to perform operations such as changing parts to the front end (finger) of the electric hand 12 corresponding to each part by the finger change 8 for the delivery of parts or the next assembling operation. Thereby, the stop time of the robot can be reduced, and the efficiency of the assembly work and the shortening of the assembly time can be achieved.

  Note that the first to third robots 1 to 3 are not limited to a ceiling-suspended robot, and other general-purpose robots may be used.

  FIG. 4 is a top view showing an arrangement relationship of the robots in the assembly robot apparatus as a modification of the first embodiment. In the present modification, the travel axis 4 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is not provided for the third robot 3. Therefore, the operation range 17 of the third robot 3 is narrower than when the travel axis 4 is provided.

  As the operation range 17 of the third robot 3 is narrowed, the number of bulk parts boxes 10 that can be installed in the operation range 17 is reduced, but as with the case where the traveling shaft 4 is provided, the amount of capital investment is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to construct a space-saving automated cell equivalent to a human cell and facilitate multi-product production.

  As described above, the assembly robot apparatus according to the present invention is useful for an assembly robot apparatus including a plurality of robots.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st robot 2 2nd robot 3 3rd robot 4 Travel axis 5 Assembly stage 6 Delivery stage 7 Electric screwdriver 8 Finger change 9 Parts supply pallet (flat pallet)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Bulk parts box 11 Robot ceiling mount 12 Electric hand 13 Two-dimensional vision sensor 14 Three-dimensional vision sensor 15-18 Operation range

Claims (5)

An assembly robot apparatus for assembling products,
First, second and third robots;
An assembly stage on which the product is assembled by the first and second robots;
A three-dimensional vision sensor provided in the third robot,
The first robot and the second robot are arranged such that their movement ranges partially overlap each other,
The assembly stage is disposed in an area where the operation range of the first robot and the operation range of the second robot overlap.
The third robot is arranged such that the operation range overlaps the operation range of the first robot and the operation range of the second robot,
An assembly robot apparatus characterized in that an area for arranging a bulk stacking part box in which parts constituting the product are stacked is provided within an operation range of the third robot.   The assembly robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assembly stage is disposed between the first robot and the second robot. A two-dimensional vision sensor provided on each of the first and second robots;
2. An area for placing a flat pallet on which parts constituting the product are laid flat is provided in at least one of the movement range of the first robot and the movement range of the second robot. Or the assembly robot apparatus of 2.   The assembly robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third robots are ceiling-suspended robots.   The assembly robot apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a travel axis that movably supports the third robot.

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