JP2017177244A - Assembly device and production line - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a configuration of an assembly device capable of saving synchronous and exclusive operation controls as much as possible for multiple orthogonal robots provided on a base, as well as configuring a production line that can perform fast operations with a small system load while saving space at a low cost.SOLUTION: A assembly device comprises: XY robots 200 and 300 (first and second orthogonal robots) for moving assembly hands (203 and 303: first and second assembly tools) on different horizontal planes, provided on a base 102. A work-piece platform 124 movable using a Z table 115 (lifting device), is vertically moved in a work area which is below the respective XY robots, and which can be accessed by the assembly tools. The control device (600) causes the orthogonal robots, the assembly tools and the work-piece platform to operate while avoiding interference among them to control assembly processing for work-pieces placed on the work-piece platform 124, using the assembly tools.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembly apparatus using an orthogonal robot and a production line.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an assembly apparatus using an orthogonal robot has been used at a manufacturing site for various articles. In addition, a production line using this type of assembly apparatus is known in which a plurality of assembly apparatuses are arranged as robot cells in order to perform a plurality of assembly processes.

  In this type of robot cell, for example, when high-precision assembly is performed, an assembly process executed in the cell may be complicated. For example, when assembling parts are acquired in order to assemble parts, and when high-accuracy assembly is required, temporary placement, position confirmation, and position of the assembling parts are performed in order to increase the acquisition accuracy of the acquired assembly parts. Operations such as adjustment and reacquisition are combined. For this reason, the processing time required for all the processes executed in one cell tends to increase as high-precision assembly is required. Also, since the next assembly part is usually acquired after the assembly operation of the assembly part to the assembly target part is completed, especially in cells where long-term operation such as high-precision assembly occurs. Processing time increases. This causes a problem that the cycle time of the entire production line becomes longer due to the processing time of the cell that becomes the bottleneck.

  In order to solve the above problem, it is necessary to speed up the assembly process particularly in a robot cell that performs a relatively complicated assembly process that becomes a bottleneck. For this purpose, for example, the process of shortening the cycle time by dividing the process of one robot cell and performing assembly using two or more robot cells, and the cycle time by installing a plurality of identical robot cells. A method of reducing the level is conceivable.

  Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which cycle time is shortened by avoiding movement of the component holding unit in the conveyance direction during receiving and delivery of components between a plurality of orthogonal robots (for example, Patent Document 1 below). . In addition, in an automatic assembly apparatus in which a plurality of orthogonal robots are arranged, a configuration has been proposed in which a common operation area of each orthogonal robot is expanded within a certain space (for example, Patent Document 2 below).

JP 2006-256743 A JP-A-7-124823

  However, with the configurations proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is difficult to control the operations of a plurality of orthogonal robots without mutual interference. For example, in a configuration such as Patent Documents 1 and 2, in a work area (work space) that can be accessed by a plurality of orthogonal robots, exclusive control is performed so that the operations of all the orthogonal robots are synchronous and do not cause interference. There is a need to. This complicates the control of each orthogonal robot. In the configurations of Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, on one robot cell, there is a large space in which the operations of a plurality of orthogonal robots must be controlled synchronously and exclusively, and such a control period becomes long. Tend to. For this reason, it becomes difficult to shorten the cycle time of the assembly process to be executed. In general, a control program for synchronously and exclusively controlling a plurality of orthogonal robots tends to be complicated to write, and the more such description points, the longer the development time.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration of an assembling apparatus in which synchronous and exclusive operation control of a plurality of arranged orthogonal robots is minimized. Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to shorten the cycle time with a small burden on the control system and to construct a space-saving and low-cost production line.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, a first orthogonal robot that moves a first assembly tool within a first horizontal movable range, and a second assembly tool that has the first horizontal movable range and a height. A second orthogonal robot that moves in a second horizontal movable range different from each other, and the first orthogonal robot that is below the first and second horizontal movable ranges and is moved by the first or second orthogonal robot. Alternatively, a lifting device that lifts and lowers a work table on which a workpiece can be placed in an area accessible by the second assembly tool, the first and second orthogonal robots, and a base that supports the lifting device, and the first The operations of one orthogonal robot and assembly tool, the second orthogonal robot and assembly tool, and the work table and the lifting device are the same as those of the orthogonal robot, assembly tool, or work table. A control device that executes an assembly control for controlling an assembly process performed on the workpiece placed on the workpiece table by using the first or second assembly tool while avoiding mutual interference; The configuration provided was adopted.

  According to the above configuration, the first and second assembly tools are moved by the first and second orthogonal robots to the first horizontal movable range and the second horizontal movable range whose height is different from the first horizontal movable range. Move with. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly reduce the timing and period of occurrence of a control state that requires avoidance control for avoiding mutual interference between the first and second assembly tools and the orthogonal robot. Therefore, the synchronous and exclusive operation control of a plurality of orthogonal (XY) robots arranged on the base of the assembly apparatus can be reduced, the control burden can be reduced, and the assembly apparatus can be operated at high speed. Further, by arranging the above assembling apparatuses adjacent to each other, a space-saving and low-cost production line that can operate at high speed with a small control system load can be configured.

It is the perspective view which showed the external appearance structure of the assembly apparatus which can implement this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the structural example of the control apparatus of the assembly apparatus of FIG. It is the flowchart figure which showed the control procedure in the control apparatus of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed the example of arrangement | positioning of the member on the base of the assembly apparatus of FIG. 1 from the upper surface. (A)-(g) is explanatory drawing which showed the assembly process performed by the base on the style based on FIG. 4, and the base of an assembly apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which showed an example of the production line comprised by the assembly apparatus of FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. The following embodiment is merely an example, and for example, a detailed configuration can be appropriately changed by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention. Moreover, the numerical value taken up by this embodiment is a reference numerical value, Comprising: This invention is not limited.

<Example>
(Assembly device (robot cell))
FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration of an assembling apparatus 100 capable of forming a production apparatus line by arranging a plurality of arrangements as an embodiment of the present invention. An assembly apparatus 100 as shown in the figure may be provided as a product having a name such as “assembly robot cell”.

  The assembling apparatus 100 is configured by disposing a work operation unit including the following parts on a base 102 (base), thereby performing an assembling operation on a work (an assembly part or a part to be assembled). Although the work operation unit may be configured by a multi-axis multi-joint robot such as a vertical or parallel configuration, in this embodiment, an orthogonal robot using an XY table (XY stage) is employed.

  Although how to take the three axes (X, Y, Z) of the orthogonal coordinate system used for the control of the assembly apparatus 100 is arbitrary, in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. X, Y, Z) are taken. The upper surface of the base 102 is arranged to take a posture parallel to the XY axes. Although detailed illustration is omitted in FIG. 1, the base 102 is installed on the installation floor surface at an appropriate arrangement height by a leg (or a column or the like) arranged at the lower part thereof.

  In the present embodiment, in particular, a plurality of orthogonal robots are arranged on the base 102 in order to speed up the process on the production line performed by the assembling apparatus 100. In this embodiment, an XY robot composed of two XY tables (XY stage) is arranged. In FIG. 1, these orthogonal robots are an XY robot 200 and an XY robot 300. Note that the XY table constituting this type of orthogonal robot is sometimes called an XY stage. On the other hand, in this embodiment, an apparatus having two movable axes is called, for example, an “XY robot”, and an apparatus having one movable axis is an X (Y or Z) table. Terminology is used. However, such classification is merely for convenience and does not specifically limit the embodiments of the present invention.

  The XY robot 200 includes an X table 202 for moving tools described later such as assembling and hand to a work position, and a Y table 201 for transferring the X table 202. The XY robot 300 includes an X table 302 that moves a similar tool to a work position, and a Y table 301 that transfers the X table 302. The X tables 202 and 302 and the Y tables 201 and 301 are positioned at coordinate positions on predetermined coordinate axes by linearly moving a head (slider) portion that supports a member intended for transfer on a linear guide member. It is a structure to do.

  The XY robot 200 is supported on the base 102 by supporting columns 107 and 107 that support both ends of the Y table 201 from below. The XY robot 300 is supported on the base 102 by support columns 108 and 108 that support both ends of the Y table 301 from below.

  Each table (stage) constituting the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 may have any drive system configuration for driving these transported parts (transfer heads and other orthogonal tables). The configuration of a linear motion table (stage) may be adopted. For example, although not shown in detail, the drive system of each table (stage) includes a linear motion guide that slidably supports the transported portion, and a drive source such as a servo motor via a wire or a belt. Consists of.

  In many conventional configurations, the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 have a Z stage (table) that moves a tool that moves in the XY direction in the Z-axis ((vertical) up and down) direction in a form like hanging down. May be placed. However, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the relative position in the Z-axis direction between the tools and the workpiece is controlled by a Z table (113, 115, 126,...) Described later disposed on the base 102 side. . With such a “lower Z” configuration, the transport load of the XY robots 200 and 300 can be reduced. That is, the Z-axis lifting device can be removed from the members suspended by the XY robots 200 and 300, and the total weight of the XY robots to be suspended can be reduced. For this reason, various advantages, such as the improvement of the precision of XY movement control and the suppression of the vibration which generate | occur | produces by resonance of the support | pillar which supports each XY robot, are acquired.

  This “lower Z” configuration (arrangement) can also be used to realize a configuration that separates the movable ranges of the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 into different spaces as much as possible. In addition, the design conditions regarding the strength and rigidity of each of the X and Y tables and the columns 107 and 108 that support them can be relaxed, and the entire apparatus can be easily configured to be small and light or simple and inexpensive.

  In the present embodiment, the assembly process is performed using a plurality of XY robots 200 and XY robots 300 arranged on the base 102 as described above. In the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the movable range of the XY robots 200 and 300 is separated as much as possible into another space where interference does not occur at least along the operation along the XY plane. In this separation region (space), the XY robots 200 and 300 do not cause mutual interference between them, so that the XY robots 200 and 300 can be operated without considering the position and operation of each other. In the present embodiment, by ensuring such a separation space as large as possible, the burden of exclusive control for avoiding mutual interference between the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 is reduced. For this reason, transfer control of tools by the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 can be performed at high speed with a relatively large degree of freedom.

  In the present embodiment, the XY robots 200 and 300 are different in the height (Z-axis) direction in order to separate the movable ranges of the two XY robots 200 and 300 into the separate separation spaces where the mutual interference does not occur. A configuration is used that is arranged at a position. Here, for example, the XY robots 200 and 300 are first and second orthogonal robots that move the first and second assembly tools, respectively.

  In that case, the first orthogonal robot of the present embodiment moves the first assembly tool within the first horizontal movable range, and the second orthogonal robot moves the second assembly tool to the first horizontal movable range. It arrange | positions so that it may move in the 2nd horizontal movable range from which height differs.

  Here, as the first and second assembly tools to be transferred along two XY planes having different heights by the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300, there are various robot hands, screw tightening drivers, and the like. Conceivable. These first and second assembly tools may be other than the above-described hand and driver as long as they handle workpieces (assembled parts and parts to be assembled) by some method.

  In the configuration of FIG. 1, the XY robot 200 includes an assembly hand 2031 as a tool to be transferred by the XY robot 200 and a transfer hand 2032 at the head portion that is transferred in the X direction by the X table 202. Further, in the XY robot 300, an assembly hand 3031 and a transfer hand 3032 as tools to be transferred by the XY robot 300 are arranged on the head portion that is transferred in the X direction by the X table 302. These assembly hands and transfer hands are configured in a form suitable for these operations so as to be used for each operation as described below. For example, the assembly hands 2031 and 3031 are mainly used for assembling work such as assembling an assembly part to an assembly target part. Further, the transfer hands 2032 and 3032 are mainly used for transfer of a part to be assembled or an assembly part, for example, transfer from a work table to another work table.

  In the configuration of FIG. 1, the XY robots 200 and 300 are provided with two support columns 107, respectively, at both ends of the base 102, particularly at two sides corresponding to the almost minimum and maximum X coordinates on the base. 108. This configuration is not essential, and the XY robots 200 and 300 can be arranged on any one side corresponding to the almost minimum or maximum X coordinate on the base, for example. Even in such a case, if the XY robots 200 and 300 have a structure in which, for example, two common struts are arranged in a two-story structure, the XY robots are operated along XY planes having different heights. Is not impossible. However, according to the configuration in which the XY robots 200 and 300 are arranged on two opposite sides at both ends of the base 102 as shown in FIG. 1, the weight balance on the base 102 is improved and the occurrence of unnecessary vibration is suppressed. There are advantages that can be made.

  Next, an example of the arrangement of each member arranged on the base 102 and constituting a part of the “lower Z” arrangement and controlled to be moved up and down in the Z-axis (vertical) direction by each Z table will be described.

  In the configuration of FIG. 1, two work tables 124 and 125 are arranged on the base 102. On these, the workpiece A to be exchanged with the adjacent assembling apparatus or the workpiece B transferred from the supply tray 103 can be placed and positioned. For example, when the workpiece A is a part to be assembled, the workpiece bases 124 and 125 place the workpiece A at a predetermined position and hold the positioning. An operation of assembling the workpiece B (assembled part) held by the assembly hand can be performed on the workpiece A.

  The work table 124 is supported by a Z table 126 at a substantially central portion on the upper surface of the base 102, and the elevation position can be controlled by driving the Z table 126. As a result, for example, the work held on the work base 124 can be lifted and a tool (for example, transfer or assembly hand) held by the XY robots 200 and 300 can be accessed.

  The work table 125 is supported by the Z table 115 so as to be movable up and down in the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the Z table 115 is not directly supported by the base 102 but is supported by the X table 155 via the Z-axis guide 145. The Z table 115 drives the work table 125 up and down along the Z-axis guide 145.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the work platform 124 capable of placing a work in an area accessible by each hand (first or second assembly tool) of the first or second XY robot 200, 300. 125 is arranged. These work bases 124 and 125 are configured to be movable up and down in the Z-axis (vertical) direction by Z tables 126 and 115 (lifting devices).

  In addition, the work table 125 can be carried into the adjacent assembly device via the X table 155, whereby the workpiece placed on the work table 125 is transferred to the adjacent assembly device or vice versa. Work transfer can be performed between adjacent assembly apparatuses. There are roughly two methods for loading the work table 125 using the X table 155.

  Of these, the first carry-in method, for example, fixes (or moves in the X direction) the Z-axis guide 145 that supports the work table 125 at the tip position of the X table 155, and moves the X table 155 to the adjacent assembly apparatus side. This is a method of protruding or retracting. In this case, the X table 155 is projected in the direction of the adjacent assembly device (not shown) from the position where the X table 155 is drawn onto the base 102 (for example, right front or left rear side in the figure), and the work base 125 is placed on the base of the adjacent device Carry in. The second carry-in method is a configuration in which the X table 155 is spanned between adjacent assembly apparatuses in a posture that projects in advance to the adjacent assembly apparatus side. In this case, the Z-axis guide 145 that supports the work base 125 by the X table 155 is reciprocated between the base 102 of the assembly apparatus and the base 102 of the adjacent assembly apparatus.

  In the present embodiment, the loading method of the Z-axis guide 145 by the X table 155 is, for example, the second method described above.

  A supply tray 103 is arranged on the base 102 on the back (Y +) side of the work table 124 so as to be movable up and down in the Z-axis (vertical) direction by the Z table 113. The upper part of the supply tray 103 is, for example, in a dish shape, and is configured so that the workpieces B (assembled parts) can be arranged in a plurality of areas partitioned by partitions or the like as necessary. By raising the supply tray 103, the work B in a specific section can be taken out using the transfer hand. For example, after the XY coordinates of the assembly hand 2031 or 3031 are selected by the XY robot 200 or 300, the supply tray 103 is raised to a position where the hand can be gripped, and a specific work B (assembly part) is taken out by this hand. be able to.

(Installation on production line)
The assembly apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 can constitute a production line for a specific article by disposing at least one unit, for example, adjacent to another adjacent assembly apparatus.

  FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of a production line constituted by three robot cells from the top as a very simplified production line configuration. In the figure, a central assembly apparatus 100 is the same as the assembly apparatus 100 shown in FIG.

  The assembling apparatus 100 includes a plurality (two) of XY robots 200 and 300 as described above. The other work bases and other members on the base 102 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1, and their configurations are the same as those described above.

  On the other hand, in the assembly apparatuses 501 and 502 adjacent to the assembly apparatus 100, members having the same reference numerals as those of the assembly apparatus 100 are arranged on the base 102. Similar to the assembling apparatus 100, these members arranged on the base 102 have a “lower Z configuration” that can be moved up and down by a Z table (not shown in detail). However, the assembly apparatuses 501 and 502 differ in the configuration of the tool moving means along the XY plane. That is, in the assembling apparatuses 501 and 502, the tool moving means along the XY plane is configured using only the XY robot 400 including one set of the Y table 401 and the X table 402.

  That is, the assembling apparatus 100 has twice as many XY robots 200 and 300 as the adjacent assembling apparatuses 501 and 502. Therefore, by simultaneously operating the XY robots 200 and 300, it is possible to move the tools to be moved by a total movement amount of at least about twice in a single time.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the movable spaces of the XY robots 200 and 300 are arranged in the separation region by making the arrangement heights related to the Z direction different from each other. For this reason, the exclusive control for avoiding interference with other members is very simple as described later (FIG. 3). Therefore, considering at least the total movement amount of the tools, it is not so difficult to achieve a total movement amount that is approximately twice that of the above-mentioned adjacent devices (501, 502).

  As described above, at least one assembly apparatus 100 is arranged as a part of the production line. For example, the assembling apparatus 100 is arranged in a line at a position where a process that tends to decrease throughput is performed, and a complicated process such as high-precision assembly is assigned. By configuring the production line in this way, it is possible to efficiently execute complicated processes such as high-precision assembly by operating a plurality of XY robots 200, 300 (...) in particular. Therefore, the production (assembly) process executed by this production line can be significantly speeded up. In addition, the structure which arrange | positions the assembly apparatus 100 illustrated above to the middle of a line is an example to the last. It doesn't matter.

(Control system)
FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a control device 600 that can be implemented in the assembling apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the control device 600 includes a CPU 601, a ROM 602, a RAM 603, an HDD 604, and various interfaces 606 to 608, 611.

  Connected to the CPU 601 are a ROM 602, a RAM 603, an HDD 604, and various interfaces 606 to 608. The ROM 602 stores basic programs such as BIOS. The RAM 603 is a storage device that temporarily stores the calculation processing result of the CPU 601.

  The HDD 604 is not indispensable for this type of assembly apparatus module, but when arranged, the HDD 604 constitutes a storage unit that stores various types of data that are the results of arithmetic processing by the CPU 601. Further, the HDD 604 can store a file in which a program for causing the CPU 601 to execute various arithmetic processes is recorded. The CPU 601 executes a workpiece transfer control procedure described later based on a program recorded (stored) in the ROM 602 or the HDD 604.

  When a program for executing a work transfer control procedure described later is recorded (stored) in the ROM 602 or the HDD 604, these recording media constitute a computer-readable recording medium storing a control procedure for carrying out the present invention. Note that a program for executing a work transfer control procedure described later is stored in a fixed recording medium such as the ROM 602 or the HDD 604, or a removable computer readable recording such as various flash memories or optical (magnetic) disks. It may be stored on a medium. Such a storage form can be used when installing or updating a program for executing a workpiece transfer control procedure in each assembly apparatus constituting the assembly apparatus line implementing the present invention. When installing or updating a program for executing the work transfer control procedure, a method of downloading the program via the network 609 can be used in addition to using the removable recording medium as described above.

  The CPU 601 communicates with a plurality of Z tables 115, 126, 113 (...) Arranged on the base 102 via the interface 606, and controls the raising and lowering operations of these Z tables in synchronization with the assembly process to be executed. To do. Further, the CPU 601 controls the gripping operation of the assembly hand 203 and the transfer hand 303 by communication via the interface 606. The assembly hand 203 and the transfer hand 303 in FIG. 2 correspond to the respective assembly and transfer hands indicated by reference numerals such as 2031, 2032, 3031, and 3032 in FIG.

  Further, the CPU 601 controls the movement operations of the two XY robots 200 and the XY robot 300 in synchronization with the assembly process to be executed by communication via the interface 606.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, instead of the configuration of only one work table 124, a plurality of work tables 1241, 1245 may be arranged on the base 102 as shown in FIG. In this case, the work tables 1241 and 1245 are also moved up and down by the Z table in order to allow the hands operated by the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 to access the work on each work table. In this case, the work table 1241 is controlled to move up and down by the Z table 1243 and the work table 1245 is controlled to move up and down by the Z table 1247. In addition, inspection devices 1242 and 1246 can be arranged on the work platforms 1241 and 1245 in order to inspect the state of the placed work. In FIG. 4, an inspection device 1242 is arranged on the work table 1241, and an inspection device 1246 is arranged on the work table 1245. These inspection devices 1242 and 1246 can be configured from an appearance inspection device using, for example, a camera or a reflective optical sensor. When the inspection devices 1242 and 1246 are arranged as shown in FIG. 4, the CPU 601 reads the inspection information of the inspection devices 1242 and 1246 via the interface 611.

  Further, other tools may be attached to the XY robot 200 and the XY robot 300 together with any of the hands (203, 303). An example of such a tool is a screw tightening driver. In FIG. 2, such a tool corresponds to the case where the driver 3039 is mounted, and the CPU 601 can control the operation of the driver 3039 via the interface 606.

  Each XY robot, Z table, tool such as a driver, and each hand are provided with a drive source of a servo motor (or solenoid or the like), for example. These drive sources are controlled via, for example, a servo control circuit. Therefore, the interfaces 606 and 607 may include an interface circuit (not shown) such as this type of servo control circuit. These interfaces 606 and 607 can be configured based on various serial or parallel interface standards, for example. The interfaces 606 and 607 can be configured by a wireless communication interface as well as a wired connection of an appropriate standard. The interfaces 606 and 607 can also be configured by network interfaces. Also in this case, the various network communication methods may be any of wired connection (IEEE 802.3 and the like), wireless connection (IEEE 802.xx and the like).

  FIG. 2 shows a network 609 as this type of network. The control device 600 can communicate with other resources on the network 609 via the network interface 608. The network 609 is configured so that connected devices can communicate using a protocol such as TCP / IP.

  As described above, the assembly line shown in FIG. 1 can be used to form a production line as shown in FIG. 6, for example. In this case, the assembly lines constituting the line are connected to each other via the network 609. You may perform synchronous control (handshake) for work transfer. Further, a host server for controlling the entire operation of the production line can be considered as a counterpart to communicate via the network 609. In this case, the CPU 601 can transmit operation information such as operation log information in real time to the upper server via the network 609. Alternatively, a control program related to production control described later can be downloaded from the server and installed in the ROM 602 or the HDD 604, or an already installed program can be updated to a new version.

  Next, the control procedure of the assembly process executed by the control device 600, particularly the CPU 601 in the assembly device 100 will be described.

(Assembly control procedure)
FIG. 3 shows a main part of the control procedure of the assembly process executed by the CPU 601 of the control device 600 of the assembly device 100 described above. FIG. 3 particularly shows a portion related to exclusive control for operating the above-described XY robots and the Z table without mutual interference. The control procedure of FIG. 3 can be stored in the ROM 602 or the HDD 604 in the form of a control program that can be executed by the CPU 601 including a general-purpose microprocessor.

  The procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 corresponds to a loop in which the CPU 601 sequentially processes one unit (one event) of each XY robot and Z table described above. In FIG. 3, only one loop is shown, but in this embodiment, for example, for each XY robot 200, 300, Z table 113 (, 115, 126...), A loop processing routine similar to FIG. An implementation that executes them in parallel is assumed. However, such a multi-threaded software implementation is only an example, and a software configuration for realizing a similar software function, such as implementing a program in the form of a sequential processing loop that handles a plurality of controlled members, is not appropriate. It is optional in the trader.

  The movement control data defining each XY robot (or Z table) operation event handled in the control routine of FIG. 3 is stored in the storage means in the form of, for example, a teaching point data list or a robot control program. The storage format in that case may be any format such as program text, intermediate code, and execution code. The movement control data storage means is, for example, the ROM 602, the HDD 604, or the like, or may be expanded in a predetermined area of the RAM 603 when the program is executed.

  3 is executed in parallel for each controlled member such as each XY robot or Z table, for example, as described above. These control routines shown in FIG. 3 vary depending on the configuration of the processing system, but are executed in parallel in units such as processes, threads, and microcodes that are executed in parallel. For example, in the case of thread implementation, the necessary information exchange between the control threads corresponding to each XY robot or each controlled member such as the Z table is a status memory arranged on the RAM 603 so as to be shared as a global variable or the like Can be used. In this status memory, it is assumed that each XY robot or each controlled member such as a Z table is sequentially recorded with the currently executed operation, current position, posture, and the like. Therefore, each thread corresponding to one controlled member such as each XY robot or Z table can refer to this status memory to determine the currently executed operation and current position of the other controlled member, Postures can be acquired.

  In the control of FIG. 3, the CPU 601 takes out one piece of movement control data defining an operation event of the XY robot (or Z table) targeted by this control loop (step S200) and executes it (step S205). Is. In FIG. 3, the exclusive control steps shown in steps S201 to S204 are inserted between the extraction (S200) of the movement control data and the execution (S205).

  First, in step S201, the movement control data defining the operation event of the fetched XY robot (or Z table) is interpreted. For example, the movement control data is a teaching point that describes the movement destination of the controlled member, a program text, or the like. Here, the data format necessary for operating the controlled member in step S205 from these formats. Conversion to etc. In this case, the CPU 601 performs, for example, a trajectory from the current position / orientation of the controlled member to the destination position / orientation, a moving speed, a tool or a workpiece that moves together with the controlled member, and sweeping by the movement. A space (SV) or the like can be calculated.

  In step S <b> 202, the CPU 601 refers to the status memory and acquires the currently executed operation, current position, posture, and the like of a controlled member such as another XY robot (or Z table).

  In step S203, the trajectory to the position and orientation of the movement destination generated in the controlled member by the current operation event calculated in step S201, the sweep space (SV) swept by the movement, and other controlled members are It is determined whether there is no interference with the current motion or position / posture. Here, if the current operation event of the controlled member concerned interferes with the current operation or position and orientation of another controlled member, the CPU 601 shifts the control to step S204, and there is no interference. In step S205, the process proceeds to step S205.

  In step S204, avoidance control is performed. This control is executed as exclusive control for avoiding interference with other controlled members. In this step, for example, while monitoring the contents of the status memory, it waits without starting the operation corresponding to the movement control data fetched in step S200 until the interference state with other controlled members is cleared. To do.

  In step S204, if the operation mode defined in the movement control data fetched in step S200 can be changed to avoid interference with other controlled members, the avoidance control is performed by changing the operation mode. May be performed. Here, in the case of the XY robot and the Z table as in the present embodiment, it is difficult to generate various avoidance trajectories like, for example, a vertical articulated robot. Still, in the case of an XY robot, an XY two-dimensional trajectory can be selected, and an avoidance condition can sometimes be achieved by speed control. When there is only one movable axis as in the Z table, the avoidance operation mode is more limited, but the avoidance condition may be achieved by selecting a speed change pattern or the like.

  If it is confirmed in step S204 that the interference state with other controlled members has been cleared by monitoring the status memory and waiting (or changing to the avoidance operation mode), the process proceeds to step S205.

  When the process proceeds to step S205, it is confirmed that there is no interference state with other controlled members in step S203, or that the interference state is cleared in step S204. Therefore, in step S205, the corresponding controlled member corresponding to this control routine is caused to execute an operation corresponding to the movement control data fetched in step S200. At this time, the corresponding controlled member is operated according to the control conditions such as the trajectory and movement speed generated in step S201. At this time, for example, the drive data is transmitted to the corresponding controlled member in the form of servo control data or the like via each interface (FIG. 2).

  Assembling control as described above is executed by the CPU 601 with respect to each controlled member (the above-mentioned XY robot, Z table), and the operation of each controlled member related to the assembly process is determined by mutual interference. It can be executed without occurring.

  The control shown in FIG. 3 is not so different from the conventional assembly control including exclusive control in terms of the step configuration. However, as described above, the movable spaces of the XY robots 200 and 300 have different arrangement heights in the Z direction. Arranged in the separated area. In particular, in this embodiment, the arrangement height in the Z direction is made different from each other, so that an area in the XY direction in which both the XY robots 200 and 300 operate is large enough to cover almost the entire upper part of the base 102. Can be secured.

  In such an arrangement configuration, when the two XY robots 200 and 300 arranged at different heights are handled by the upper XY robot 200 with a workpiece having a size exceeding the difference in arrangement height between the XY robots. Except for, basically no mutual interference occurs. That is, in the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1, the mutual interference generated between the movable parts is almost limited to the mutual interference mainly between the XY robot and the Z table. In addition, in this case, the XY robot 200 disposed particularly on the upper side can execute an intended XY movement operation without substantially considering interference with the lower XY robot 300 (or each Z table).

  Therefore, in the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1, a control state in which avoidance control is necessary occurs only for the lower XY robot 300 (and each Z table). For example, in the assembly control of this machine, there may occur a control state in which the work platforms 124 and 125 and the supply tray 103 are raised by the respective Z tables for the upper XY robot 200. In such a control state, as a matter of course, the lower XY robot 300 stands by until the work table, the tray, and the lower Z table are lowered, for example, by the avoidance operation (S204). Such a race state is almost limited particularly when the elevating member, for example, any of the work bases 124 and 125 and the supply tray 103 is driven up by the Z table for the XY robot 200 or 300. .

  As described above, according to the arrangement of the XY robots 200 and 300 of the present embodiment, the state where the above-described exclusive control is necessary is limited to occur only with respect to the lower XY robot 300 (and each Z table). Can do.

  Therefore, in the configuration of the present embodiment, the timing and period when exclusive control is required are significantly reduced compared to the conventional configuration. Therefore, the probability that the assembly process is delayed by the exclusive state of the movable member on the base 102 is greatly reduced even if the assembly control is performed by simple multi-thread mounting as shown in FIG. For this reason, the assembly process can be efficiently performed by the plurality of XY robots 200 and 300, and particularly complicated processes such as high-accuracy assembly can be efficiently performed, and are executed by the production line on which the machine is disposed. The production (assembly) process can be significantly speeded up.

(Control example of multiple XY robots)
Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, an example in which the assembly process executed on the base 102 is made efficient by the plurality of XY robots 200 and 300 in the assembly apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows, as a top view, the member arrangement on the base 102 in which the assembly apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 is partially modified. The coordinate axes of X and Y in FIG. 4 are illustrated such that the right side in the drawing corresponds to the X + direction in FIG. 1 and the upper side in the drawing corresponds to the Y + direction in FIG. As mentioned above, in FIG. 4, the configuration different from the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is that the work table corresponding to one work table 124 in FIG. 1245.

  The work table 1241 is driven up and down in the Z-axis direction by the Z table 1243 and the work table 1245 is driven by the Z table 1247. An inspection device 1242 is arranged on the work table 1241, and an inspection device 1246 is arranged on the work table 1245.

  That is, in the configuration of FIG. 4, a plurality (two) of XY robots 200 and 300 and a plurality (two) of work platforms 1241 and 1245 corresponding to the number are arranged. For example, two XY robots 200 and 300 are prepared as XY robots (and tools such as hands moved by the XY robots) that can independently operate the workpieces on the two work platforms 1241 and 1245. . Alternatively, in FIG. 4, it may be said that two sets of combinations of XY robots and work tables that perform the same (or different) work are arranged. This is apparent when compared with the case where the assembly apparatuses 501 and 502 at both ends in FIG. 6 have only one combination of the XY robot 400 and the work table 124 that can be used for assembly work.

  Therefore, according to the configuration of FIG. 4, the efficiency of the assembly work to be performed on the base 102 can be improved by performing the same (or different) work by combining two sets of XY robots and work tables. it can.

  For example, FIGS. 5A to 5G show a state in which the same (or different) work is executed in substantially the same time zone by combining two sets of XY robots and work platforms. . The configuration and member arrangement on the base 102 of the assembly apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 5A to 5G are the same as those in FIG. Also, the arrangement of the XYZ coordinate axes is the same as that in FIG. 4 (because it becomes complicated, illustration is omitted in FIGS. 5A to 5G).

  The outline of the operation executed by one set of the XY robot and the work table shown in FIGS. 5A to 5G is, for example, (1) taking out one work B from the supply tray 103. (2) Place the removed work B on the work table. (3) The work B on the work table is inspected by the inspection device (1242 or 1246). (4) The inspected work B is moved (transferred) onto the work table 125. It is something like that. The control device 600 shown in FIG. 2 is used for the control of each part, and naturally, the control procedure including the exclusive (avoidance) control shown in FIG. 3 is used for the drive control of each part.

In this assembling process, first, the control device 600 causes one of the workpieces B arranged on the supply tray 103 to be taken out by the XY robot 300 as shown in FIG. At this time, for gripping the workpiece B, for example, an assembly hand 3031 mounted on the lower surface of the X table 302 is used. The supply tray 103 is raised by the Z table (113) to a height that can be accessed by the assembly hand 3031. That is, the XY coordinates of the assembly hand 3031 as a tool are controlled by the Y table 301 and the X table 302 so that a specific one of the workpieces B arranged on the supply tray 103 can be gripped.
At this time, the position of the X table 202 of the XY robot 200 is arbitrary, but in the example of FIG. 5A, the X table 202 is controlled to one end of the Y table 201 (upward (Y +) in the figure). .

  Subsequently, the control device 600 holds the workpiece B with the assembly hand (3031: details not shown), moves the X table 302 of the XY robot 300 to FIG. 5B and further to FIG. -Move in the (downward) direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the XY coordinates of the assembly hand 3031 are controlled by the Y table 301 and the X table 302 so as to be positioned above the work table 1241. At this stage, the work B can be placed on the work table 1241 by lifting the work table 1241 on the Z table 113 and releasing the grip of the assembly hand 3031.

  When the workpiece B is placed on the workpiece table 1241, the control device 600 drives the inspection device 1242 to inspect the workpiece B (for example, an appearance inspection by acquiring an image).

  5C, the control device 600 moves the X table 202 of the XY robot 200 in the Y- (downward direction) direction in the same manner as the operation of FIG. 5A on the XY robot 300 side. I am letting. Then, the specific work B arranged on the supply tray 103 is grasped and acquired by the assembly hand 2031.

  FIG. 5D shows that the control device 600 further moves the X table 202 of the XY robot 200 in the Y- (downward direction) direction while inspecting the work on the work table 1241 by the inspection device 1242. Yes. At this time, as apparent from the arrangement of FIG. 1, the X table 202 can pass the upper side of the X table 302. Then, as shown in the figure, the control device 600 moves the Y table 201 and the X table 202 to a position where the assembly hand 2031 substantially coincides with the XY coordinates of the work table 1245. Here, the work table 1245 is raised by the Z table 1247, the grip of the assembly hand 2031 is released, the work (B) is placed on the work table 1245, and the inspection by the inspection device 1246 is started.

  5C and 5D, when inspection is performed by the inspection devices 1242 and 1246, the work bases 1241 and 1245 are preferably moved to the lowest position close to the base 102 by the Z tables 1243 and 1245. Leave it down. Thereby, it does not interfere with the XY movement of the X tables 202 and 302 of the XY robots 200 and 300, and the control becomes easy (high speed).

  In the operation so far, the exclusive (avoidance) control (S204 in FIG. 3) acts mainly only when the two XY robots 300 and 200 access the supply tray 103. On the other hand, the movements in the XY directions of the XY robots 300 and 200 are executed without applying exclusive (avoidance) control.

  When the inspection by the inspection device 1242 is completed, in the state shown in FIG. 5D, the work table up to a height at which the assembly hand 3031 supported by the X table 302 can access the work (B) on the work table 1241 by the Z table 1243. 1241 is raised. Here, the control device 600 causes the assembly hand 3031 to grip the work (B) on the work table 1241. Then, after the work table 1241 is lowered by the Z table 1243, the X table 302 is driven in the −Y direction (downward in the drawing) to the position of FIG. 5E and moved to the XY position of the work table 125. At this time, the work base 1245 (for example, the work (B) is being inspected) is lowered to the lowest position near the base 102. Thereby, the X table 302 can pass between the X table 202 and the work table 1245 without interference. If the timing at which the work table 1245 is raised here, the exclusive (avoidance) control (S204 in FIG. 3) is activated, and for example, the X table 302 is put on standby until the work table 1245 is lowered.

  As shown in FIG. 5E, when the work (B) gripped by the assembly hand 3031 reaches the XY position of the work base 125, the control device 600 raises the work base 125 by the Z table 115. Therefore, by releasing the grip of the assembly hand 3031, the workpiece (B) can be delivered to the workpiece base 125.

  Further, the control device 600 lowers the work base 125 holding the work (B) by the Z table 115 and carries the work base 125 together with the work base 125 to the right adjacent device by the X table 155 (details of this operation are not shown). .

  Thereafter, it is assumed that the workpiece (B) is taken out from the supply tray 103 and inspected by the XY robots 200 and 300 sequentially. In that case, the displacement of each member is as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 5 (f), the control device 600 moves the X table 302 between the X table 202 and the work table 1245 to the position of the Y coordinate of the supply tray 103. At this time, if the work table 1245 is in the raised position, the exclusive (avoidance) control (S204 in FIG. 3) is activated. If the work table 1245 is controlled to the lowest position, the X table 302 can pass between the X table 202 and the work table 1245 at high speed without the exclusion (avoidance) control.

  On the other hand, in FIGS. 5F to 5G, the XY robot 200 is caused to perform the operation of transferring the workpiece (B) from the workpiece table 1245 to the workpiece table 125, as described above. At this time, when the work (B) on the work table 1245 is handed over to the assembly hand 2031 of the XY robot 200 and when the gripped work (B) is transferred to the work table 125, the raising control of these work tables is performed. . The Z tables 1247 and 115 are used to raise the work tables 1245 and 125, respectively. At this time, if the X table 302 has already been moved to the position of the supply tray 103 as shown in FIG. 5 (f), the Z table is driven when moving from the work platform 1245 to 125, so that the X table 302 is exclusive. (Avoidance) The control is hardly activated. In FIG. 5G, the work base 125 that has received the work (B) from the assembly hand 2031 is carried out on the base of the adjacent apparatus on the right side (X + direction) by the X table 155 as described above.

  As described above, by performing the same (or different) work using a plurality of XY robots, the efficiency of the assembly work executed on the base 102 can be significantly improved. For example, as described with reference to FIG. 5, two XY robots can execute the same assembling work substantially in parallel in substantially the same time zone. For this reason, the throughput of the assembly process can be increased to almost twice that of an assembly apparatus having only a single XY robot (as in the apparatuses at both the left and right ends in FIG. 6).

  Therefore, the configuration in which one assembly device 100 in FIG. 4 (center of FIG. 6) is arranged in the production line is a line of assembly devices having only a single XY robot (as in the devices on the left and right ends in FIG. 6). It is possible to easily realize a throughput almost equal to the case where two devices are juxtaposed inside.

  The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or apparatus read and execute the program. It can also be realized by processing. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,501,502 ... Assembly apparatus, 102 ... Base, 103 ... Supply tray, 107, 108 ... Post, 113, 115, 126, 1243, 1247 ... Z table, 124, 125, 1241, 1245 ... Work table, 145 ... Z-axis guide, 155 ... X table, 200, 300, 400 ... XY robot, 201, 301, 401 ... Y table, 202, 302, 402 ... X table, 203, 2031, 3031 ... Assembly hand, 303, 2032, 3032 ... Transfer hand, 600 ... Control device, 601 ... CPU, 602 ... ROM, 603 ... RAM, 604 ... HDD, 609 ... Network, 1242, 1246 ... Inspection device, 3039 ... Driver.

Claims (7)

A first orthogonal robot that moves the first assembly tool within a first horizontal movable range;
A second orthogonal robot that moves a second assembly tool in a second horizontal movable range having a height different from that of the first horizontal movable range;
A workpiece can be placed in an area below the first and second horizontal movable ranges and accessible by the first or second assembly tool moved by the first or second orthogonal robot. A lifting device that lifts and lowers the work table;
A base for supporting the first and second orthogonal robots and the lifting device;
The operations of the first orthogonal robot and assembly tool, the second orthogonal robot and assembly tool, and the work table and the lifting device are performed while avoiding mutual interference between the orthogonal robot, the assembly tool, and the work table. A control device for executing assembly control for controlling assembly processing performed on the workpiece placed on the workpiece table using the first or second assembly tool;
An assembling apparatus.   2. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second orthogonal robots move the first and second assembly tools, respectively. An assembly device arranged in a common space at the upper part of the base.   3. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device causes the first assembly tool and the second assembly tool to execute the same assembly process to be performed on the workpiece in parallel. Assembly equipment.   4. The assembly apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transport device that transports a workpiece in a direction of an adjacent assembly device disposed adjacent to the base, wherein the control device includes the transport device. An assembly apparatus that controls the workpiece to exchange workpieces with the adjacent assembly apparatus.   5. A control program for an assembly apparatus that causes the control apparatus according to claim 1 to execute the assembly control.   A computer-readable recording medium storing the control program for the assembly apparatus according to claim 5.   A production line configured by arranging a plurality of assembly apparatuses adjacent to each other, wherein at least one assembly apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is included in the line arrangement. Production line.

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