JP5181562B2 - Simulation method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a simulation method for optimizing an installation position and a conveyance line in an inter-press workpiece conveyance system that conveys a workpiece between press machines constituting a press line.

  In recent years, a tandem press line has been introduced as a press machine used for automobile body molding in place of a large transfer press. The tandem press line, for example, has 3 to 5 press machines installed side by side, and a transport device (transport system) for transporting workpieces in the middle of molding is provided between the press machines. Press. For example, a general-purpose robot is used as the transfer device.

  By the way, in order to shorten the cycle time at the time of conveyance, it is desirable that the conveyance device is controlled so as to move in a position where the margin distance from the press machine is as small as possible when moving back and forth in the press machine. In this case, for example, in order to prevent interference with a mold and peripheral devices (uprights, clampers, oil pans, etc.), conventionally, an installation position and a conveyance line in the conveyance device are determined by repeating trial and error. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a huge amount of time to determine the optimum installation position and conveyance line. Therefore, the cycle time has been shortened by determining the installation position and transfer line based on typical patterns, or by determining the installation position and transfer line based on the experience of the designer. Could not be requested.

Under such a background, by using a simulator, it is determined whether interference occurs between the press side member and the transport side member, and the press that facilitates the selection of the installation position and the transport line as described above. There is an apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-116583 A

  In the press apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, an interference check apparatus that checks in advance in a virtual space an interference that occurs between the press-side member and the transport-side member is introduced. However, it does not consider the point of improving the transfer cycle time, and it cannot be said that the transfer cycle time can be sufficiently shortened with the above configuration alone, and a new method has been desired.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a simulation method capable of providing a transport system that shortens the cycle time during transport.

  In order to solve the above problems, the simulation method of the present invention is a method of simulating the installation position and the conveyance line of a conveyance system that conveys a workpiece between adjacent press machines, the shape of the press machine and the conveyance system. A first step of forming a model, and a plurality of operation patterns for conveying a workpiece according to the same first conveyance line while the installation positions of the conveyance system with respect to the press machine are different, and an operation simulation is performed based on the operation pattern A second step of selecting an optimum installation position capable of conveying the workpiece earliest, and each of a plurality of second conveyance lines different from the first conveyance line while fixing and arranging the conveyance system at the optimum installation position A plurality of operation patterns for conveying workpieces are formed according to the operation pattern, and operation simulation is performed based on the operation patterns. Performing ® down, characterized in that it comprises a third step of selecting the earliest transportable optimal transfer line work, a.

  Moreover, in the said simulation method, it is preferable to set the said optimal conveyance line selected at said 3rd process to the said optimal installation position in said 2nd process, and to repeat said 2nd process and said 3rd process.

  In the simulation method, in the second step, interference check is performed on each operation pattern, only the simulation result when no interference occurs is stored, and the stored simulation result is compared to thereby store the simulation result. It is preferable to select an optimum installation position.

  In the simulation method, in the third step, the simulation check is performed for each simulation model, and only the simulation result when no interference occurs is stored, and the stored simulation result is compared with each other. It is preferable to select the optimum transfer line.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
By carrying out simulation based on the second step and the third step, a conveyance system that shortens the cycle time during conveyance by optimizing the installation position and conveyance line of the conveyance device arranged between the press machines is provided. be able to.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment according to a simulation method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a method of shortening the conveyance cycle time by performing an optimization simulation on the installation position and the conveyance line in the conveyance device (conveyance system) provided between the press machines in a so-called tandem press line will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a robot simulator (conveyance system simulator) using the simulation method according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the robot simulator 1 generates a simulation model such as a shape model (three-dimensional model) and an operation pattern (motion data) necessary for simulation from drawing dimension data in each device such as a press machine and a transfer device. Data generation unit 11 to be generated, operation simulation unit 12 that performs operation simulation of each device (press machine and transport device) based on the simulation model generated by the data generation unit 11, and determination for determining the result of the operation simulation And a portion 13.

Specifically, the data creation unit 11 generates a shape model of the press machine P and the robot R (conveyance system) as shown in FIGS. 2 shows an elevation view in the shape model, and FIG. 3 shows a plan view in the shape model. 2 and 3, the XYZ directions correspond to XYZ coordinate systems orthogonal to each other.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tandem press line to be simulated in this embodiment has a transport robot R disposed between the uprights P <b> 1 of the adjacent press machines P. A general-purpose robot is used as the robot R. This robot R has a multi-joint arm A as shown in FIG. 4 and can be moved in, for example, six axes by a motor (not shown) provided at the joint of the arm A. And the workpiece | work W which press-processes between the press machines P is conveyed by the workpiece holding part A1 provided in the front-end | tip.

Next, an operation process in the robot simulator 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, as shown in FIG. 5, a first processing operation (steps S1 to S3) is performed as a first step. Specifically, the simulator is started (started), and the dimension data of the equipment constituting the press line is input. Specifically, drawing data (3D-CAD data) of a robot (conveyance system) or a press machine is input (step S1). Then, the data creation unit 11 automatically generates a shape model as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 from the drawing dimension data (step S2).
Subsequently, based on the shape model generated in step S2, the reference installation position of the robot R and the reference conveyance line L1 are set (step S3).

The installation position of the robot R in the height direction (or Z-axis direction) can be defined by the distances (H1, H2, H3...) In the Z-axis direction in FIG. Further, the installation position of the robot R in the X-axis direction can be defined by the distance (X1, X2, X3...) From the line center line X ′ connecting the centers between the press machines P as shown in FIG. . The installation position of the robot R in the Y-axis direction is preferably fixed on the center line between the press machines P (inter-press pitch) as shown in FIGS. This is because it is possible to simplify the operation of the robot R that transports workpieces between the press machines P.
Therefore, the reference installation position of the robot R can be set to an arbitrary value except in the Y-axis direction, and is set to an arbitrary value during the second processing operation (steps S4 to S10) as a second process described later. do it.

  The transfer line of the robot R is set based on the workpiece gripping part A1 of the robot R shown in FIG. 4, and is set to the reference transfer line (first transfer line) L1 in FIGS. The reference transport line L1 coincides with the line center connecting the centers between the press machines P as shown in FIG.

  By the way, since the robot R has many joints (six in this embodiment) as shown in FIG. 4, the transfer time for the robot R to transfer the workpiece between the press machines P depends on the installation position of the robot R and It varies greatly depending on the transport line. Therefore, in order to shorten the transfer time, it is important to optimize the installation position of the robot R and the transfer line so as to minimize the movement time of the motor.

  Therefore, in the simulation method according to the present invention, a plurality of operation patterns of the shape model (see FIGS. 8 and 9) are formed in which the installation positions of the robot R with respect to the press machine P are different and the workpiece is transferred according to the same reference transfer line L1. Then, an operation simulation is performed based on each operation pattern, and a second processing operation (steps S4 to S10) for selecting the optimum installation position of the robot R that can transport the workpiece W earliest is performed. Here, to convey the workpiece W earliest means to be the fastest in the second processing operation.

Hereinafter, the second processing operation will be described with reference to the process diagram shown in FIG.
In the second processing work, first, a simulation plan is created based on step S3 (step S4). In step S4, the number of simulations to be repeated is defined as follows.

  Specifically, the X coordinates (X1, X2, X3... Xn,... X10) and the Z coordinates (H1, H2, H3... Hn,... H10) that define the installation position of the robot R shown in FIGS. ) Are changed in 10 ways, respectively, and a simulation plan relating to the shape model of the robot R installed at a total of 100 pattern positions is created.

  Subsequently, based on the simulation plan, an operation simulation is performed for all 100 patterns. Here, when performing the operation simulation, the number of simulations is confirmed (step S5). When all the operation simulations (100 patterns) are completed, the process proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if all the simulations have not been completed, the process proceeds to steps S7 to S10.

Hereinafter, steps S7 to S10 will be described.
First, based on the simulation plan (step S4), an operation pattern of the robot R installed at each installation position is created (step S7), and from the inside of one press machine P based on each operation pattern, the other press The operation of transporting the workpiece W to the machine P is simulated. At this time, the determination unit 13 checks the time when the workpiece is transferred between the press machines P and whether interference occurs between the robot R and the press machine P (step S8).

If it is determined that the robot R interferes with the press machine P (YES), the determination unit 13 returns to step S4 without storing the simulation result (step S9). On the other hand, when it is determined that no interference occurs (NO), the determination unit 13 stores the simulation result and returns to step S4 (step S9). Here, the stored contents are the installation position in the shape model of the robot R and the conveyance time.
After returning to step S4, the number of simulations is similarly confirmed (step S5), and the same simulation is repeated for all 100 patterns (steps S7 to S10).

  In this way, 100 simulations are automatically performed. When all the simulations are completed, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, simulation data such as the installation position of the robot and the transfer time (in-press entry time, robot single cycle time) stored in the determination unit 13 are arranged, and the optimum installation position is extracted. At this time, since only the simulation result in which no interference occurs is stored in the determination unit 13, the determination time can be shortened.

  As a result, the in-press entry time is short without causing interference, and the movement in the lift direction (Z-axis direction in FIGS. 8 and 9) is performed when the robot is horizontal (in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the XY plane). Fewer robot installation positions can be determined. That is, in the present embodiment, for example, T (Xn, Hm) can be selected as the installation position (coordinates) of the robot R that can transport the workpiece fastest by the press machine P.

  Subsequently, the shape model of the robot R is fixedly arranged at the installation position T (Xn, Hm) selected in the second processing operation, and the work is performed according to a plurality of transfer lines (second transfer lines) different from the reference transfer line L1. A plurality of operation patterns of the shape model of the robot R that performs the transfer are formed, an operation simulation is performed based on each of the operation patterns, and a transfer line of the transfer system that transfers the workpiece among the press machines P is selected. A third processing operation (steps S11 to S18) is performed as a process.

Hereinafter, the third processing operation will be described with reference to the process diagram shown in FIG.
In the second work process (steps S4 to S10), the robot installation position T (Xn, Hm) is selected in a state where the transfer line of the robot R is fixed to the linear reference transfer line L1, but in the third work process, Consider a second transfer line of the robot R in which the robot R is fixedly arranged at the installation position T (Xn, Hm) selected in the second work process and the transfer time is further shortened.

  As an example of a transfer line (second transfer line) of the robot R, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a position (robot teaching points T1, T2) that enters the press machine P and a position that retreats outside the press machine P (robot) It can be defined by a conveyance line L2 passing through the teaching points T3, T4). In the third work process, a curved conveyance line that can minimize the movement of the robot R other than the pivot axis and further reduce the conveyance time in the press machine P is selected.

  Here, the transfer line (robot teaching points T2, T3) in the state of gripping the workpiece W is inside (the installation of the robot R) compared to the transfer line (robot teaching points T1, T4) in the state of not gripping the workpiece W. Side). Thus, the transfer line L2 in the third work process can be expressed by the robot teaching points (T1, T2, T3, T4). Further, the distance by which the robot teaching point is moved in the X-axis direction can be parameterized, and for example, a transfer line L3 (robot teaching points T5, T6, T7, T8) can be defined. Thus, by parameterizing the robot teaching point, the transfer line can be arbitrarily set (L2, L3,..., Ls). In the third work process, a conveyance line in which the robot teaching point is actually changed is also set in the Z-axis direction, but the illustration is omitted.

  In the third work process, first, a simulation plan similar to the second work process (steps S4 to S10) is created (step S11). In step S11, the number of simulations to be repeated in the following steps is defined. In the present embodiment, as described above, the robot teaching point at the time of advancement / retraction into the press machine P is parameterized, and the transfer is performed based on, for example, 100 patterns of transfer lines (L2 to L101) as in the second processing operation. Create a simulation plan.

  Subsequently, based on the simulation plan, an operation simulation is performed for all 100 patterns. Here, when performing the operation simulation, the number of simulations is confirmed (S12). When all the simulations (for 100 patterns) are completed, the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if all the simulations are not completed, the process proceeds to steps S13 to S16.

Hereinafter, steps S13 to S16 will be described.
First, based on the simulation plan (step S11), an operation pattern of the robot R that performs transfer based on each transfer line is created (step S11), and from the inside of one press machine P based on each operation pattern, the other The operation of transporting the workpiece W to the press machine P is simulated. At this time, the determination unit 13 checks the time when the workpiece W is transported between the press machines P and whether interference occurs between the robot R and the press machine P (step S14).

If it is determined that the robot R interferes with the press machine P (YES), the determination unit 13 returns to step S11 without storing the simulation result (S15). On the other hand, when it is determined that no interference occurs (NO), the determination unit 13 stores the simulation result and returns to step S11 (step S16). Here, the stored contents are the installation position in the shape model of the robot R and the conveyance time.
After returning to step S11, the number of simulations is similarly confirmed (step S12), and the same simulation is repeated for all 100 patterns (steps S13 to S16).

  In this way, 100 simulations are automatically performed. When all the simulations are completed, the process proceeds to step S17. In this step S17, simulation data such as the conveyance time (in-press entry time, robot single cycle time) and robot motion trajectory held in the determination unit 13 are arranged. At this time, since only the simulation result in which no interference occurs is stored in the determination unit 13, the determination time can be shortened.

  As a result, it is possible to determine (select) a stable transfer line that has a short entry time in the press and little movement in the lift direction (Z-axis direction in FIG. 8) during horizontal movement of the robot without causing interference. Accordingly, it is possible to provide the transfer line Lk that can reduce the transfer time without causing interference when the work W is transferred from the upstream press to the downstream press of the robot R.

In the present embodiment, the third work process (steps S11 to S17) and the second work process (steps S4 to S10) are repeated a plurality of times (step S18).
In the second work process, it is assumed that the reference transfer line L1 (straight line) is a robot transfer line, and the robot installation position T (Xn, Hm) at which the workpiece can be transferred earliest without causing interference with the press machine P. Had decided. Therefore, a more optimal robot installation position T ′ (Xn ′, Hm ′) can be obtained by repeating the second work process based on the transfer line Lk selected in the third work process. Furthermore, it is possible to select a more optimal transfer line Lk ′ by repeating the third work process again based on the robot installation position T ′ (Xn ′, Hm ′) selected in the second second work process. it can.
As described above, by repeating the second work process and the third work process a plurality of times (2 to 3 times), it is possible to select a robot installation position and a transfer line at which the workpiece can be transferred earliest.
Therefore, according to the robot simulator 1 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to install a robot that shortens the cycle time during conveyance.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the first conveyance line is set to a straight line along the line center line X ′. However, the curved conveyance line set at the time of the third work process is set as the first conveyance line in advance. It may be. According to this, the optimal installation position and the optimal conveyance line of the robot R can be selected in a shorter time depending on the shape of the press robot.
Further, the present invention can also be adopted for a conveyance path other than the above-described embodiment that simply goes back and forth between the press machines P. For example, a relay point for performing a predetermined process on the workpiece W may be set between the press machines P, and a transfer path for transferring the workpiece to the adjacent press machine P after passing through the relay point may be set.
In the above-described embodiment, the number of simulations has been described as 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be changed as appropriate.
Further, the transfer device for transferring the workpieces between the press machines P is not limited to the general-purpose robot described above, and the present invention can also be applied to a conventionally known transfer device that can transfer a workpiece while holding the workpiece. is there.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a robot simulator. It is an elevation view showing a shape model formed by a robot simulator. It is a top view which shows the shape model formed with a robot simulator. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a robot. It is a figure which shows the work process in a robot simulator. It is a figure which shows the operation | work process in a 2nd process operation. It is a figure which shows the operation process in a 3rd process operation. It is a figure for demonstrating the robot installation position. It is a figure for demonstrating the robot installation position. It is a figure for demonstrating a 3rd process operation | work.

Explanation of symbols

L1 ... reference transfer line (first transfer line), L2, L3, Ls ... transfer line (second transfer line), R ... robot (transfer system), P ... press machine, 1 ... robot simulator

Claims (3)

It is a method of simulating the installation position and the conveyance line of a conveyance system that conveys a workpiece between adjacent press machines,
A first step of forming a shape model of the press machine and the transport system;
The installation position of the transfer system with respect to the press machine is different, and multiple operation patterns for transferring workpieces according to the same first transfer line are formed, and operation simulation is performed based on the operation patterns, so that workpieces can be transferred earliest The second step of selecting the optimal installation position,
The transport system is fixedly arranged at the optimum installation position, and a plurality of operation patterns are formed to transport the workpiece according to each of a plurality of second transport lines different from the first transport line, and an operation simulation is performed based on the operation pattern go and a third step of selecting the earliest transportable optimal transfer line work, only including,
A simulation method characterized by setting the optimum conveyance line selected in the third step to the optimum installation position in the second step, and repeating the second step and the third step . In the second step, performing an interference check for each operation pattern, storing only a simulation result when no interference occurs, and selecting the optimum installation position by comparing the stored simulation results. The simulation method according to claim 1, wherein: In the third step, performing an interference check for each simulation model, storing only a simulation result when no interference occurs, and selecting the optimum transport line by comparing the stored simulation results. The simulation method according to claim 1, wherein the method is a simulation method.

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