JP7041747B2 - Work automatic carrier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic workpiece transfer machine that controls the posture of an articulated robot arm according to the size of the workpiece.

The machining machine line in which a plurality of machine tools are lined up is provided with an automatic workpiece transfer machine that transfers workpieces to and from each machine tool. The following Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic workpiece transfer machine in which an articulated robot arm having a robot hand at its tip is moved by a traveling table. In this articulated robot arm, the upper arm member and the forearm member are connected via a joint mechanism, and the robot hand at the tip can be moved to a predetermined position by deformation between the folded state and the extended state. Therefore, the articulated robot arm is moved to the corresponding position in the folded state, extends to the machine tool and enters the processing chamber, and the work is delivered by the robot hand.

International Publication WO2015 / 145575 Gazette

In the above-mentioned conventional automatic workpiece transfer machine, a reversing device is mounted on the traveling table together with an articulated robot arm, and the work received by the robot hand can be inverted on the traveling table. In the transfer of the work between the articulated robot arm and the reversing device, the posture control has been performed so as to keep the posture (angle) of the upper arm member constant and adjust the folding angle of the forearm member. This is to maintain a safe posture in which the articulated robot arm does not come into contact with walls or the like when turning or moving in a narrow transport space. Therefore, in the conventional automatic work transfer machine, when the size of the work to be handled changes, it is necessary to change the setup to adjust the height of the reversing device accordingly, which is very troublesome.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic workpiece transfer machine that controls the attitude of an articulated robot arm according to the size of the workpiece in order to solve such a problem.

The work automatic transfer machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes a traveling table that can move along a guide rail, a first arm member that is mounted on the traveling table and is rotationally supported by a first joint with respect to the support member, and the above-mentioned. An articulated robot arm having a second arm member rotationally supported by a second joint with respect to the first arm member and a robot hand attached to the second arm member, and an articulated robot arm mounted on the traveling table and the articulated joint. The reversing device that transfers the work to and from the robot arm, and when the work is transferred to the reversing device, the angle of each of the first arm member and the second arm member is adjusted according to the size of the work. It has a control device that controls the posture of the articulated robot arm.

According to the above configuration, when the work is transferred between the articulated robot arm and the reversing device, the angle between the first arm member and the second arm member of the articulated robot arm is adjusted according to the size of the work. By performing attitude control, even if the size of the workpiece to be handled changes, it can be delivered in the same way, and there is no need to change the setup of the reversing device.

It is a front view which showed the processing machine line. It is a perspective view which showed the work module (lathe module) and the front cover which make up a processing machine line. It is a perspective view which showed one Embodiment of the work automatic transfer machine. It is a block diagram which showed the control system of the work automatic transfer machine simplified. It is a figure which showed the conventional attitude control for an articulated robot arm. It is a figure which showed the attitude control of this embodiment with respect to the articulated robot arm.

Next, an embodiment of the automatic workpiece transfer machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an automatic workpiece transfer machine incorporated in a processing machine line as in the conventional example will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the processing machine line. In the processing machine line 100, various work modules 101 in which machine tools and the like are modularized are arranged in the machine width direction. Specifically, a work loading module that serves as a work loading unit is installed at the right end of the drawing, and various work modules 101 such as a lathe, a machining center, or an inspection instrument are installed between the work loading module that is the work loading section at the left end of the drawing. is set up.

In the processing machine line 100, all the work modules 101 are covered with an exterior cover 102 having the same shape. A front cover 103 that can be opened and closed is formed in the front portion of the exterior cover 102, and a transport space 108 (see FIG. 2) that extends in the width direction is provided in the entire processing machine line 100. Here, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a work module 101 (particularly, a lathe module) and a front cover 103 constituting the processing machine line 100.

The work module 101 is mounted on the base 105 in a state where the neighbors are close to each other. A rail 151 is laid on the base 105, and the work module 101 has a processing machine main body such as a lathe and a machining center mounted on a movable bed equipped with wheels. Therefore, the work module 101 mounted on the base 105 can move in the front-rear direction (Z-axis direction) along the rail 151. The work module 101 is provided with a front cover 103 protruding forward as shown in the drawing, and in the processing machine line 100, the front cover 103 constitutes one continuous transport space 108 in the Y-axis direction. An automatic work transfer machine is incorporated in the transfer space 108.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the work automatic transfer machine of the present embodiment, and particularly shows a state in which the work is delivered to and from the work module 101. In the work automatic transfer machine 10, the traveling device 3 is assembled on the front surface of the base 105 on which the work module 101 is mounted, and the articulated robot arm 1 is mounted on the traveling device 3. The articulated robot arm 1 penetrates into the work module 101 in an extended posture as shown in the figure, while moving in the transport space 108 in an upright state that is folded and compacted.

In the traveling device 3, a support plate 21 is attached to the front surface of the base 105, and a rack 22 and two rails 23 arranged in parallel are fixed to the support plate 21 in the horizontal direction. The traveling table 25 is provided with a slide slidable with respect to the rail 23, and can move laterally according to the rail 23. A traveling motor 26 is fixed to the traveling table 25, and a pinion 27 attached to a rotating shaft meshes with the rack 22. Therefore, the traveling motor 26 is driven and the pinion 27 rolls the rack 22, so that the traveling table 25 can move the front surface portion of the base 13 along the rail 23.

Next, the articulated robot arm 1 is mounted on the traveling table 25 via the swivel table 18. In the articulated robot arm 1, the upper arm member 11 is connected to the support base 19 fixed to the swivel table 18 via the first joint 13, and the forearm member 11 is further connected to the upper arm member 11 via the second joint 14. 12 are connected. The articulated robot arm 1 is in an extended state as shown in the figure, in which the angles of the upper arm member 11 and the forearm member 12 are adjusted by controlling the rotation of the joint motors of the first joint 13 and the second joint 14. And, as will be described later, it is possible to change the form from the folded state.

The articulated robot arm 1 is configured so that the folded forearm member 12 fits inside the upper arm member 11. Therefore, the upper arm member 11 has a pair of left and right upper arm plates integrated by a back plate, and the cross section is formed in a U shape so as to have a storage space inside. The forearm member 12 is composed of a pair of left and right parallel forearm plates connected to the storage space side via a second joint 14, and the robot hand 15 is attached to the free end side, that is, the tip of the articulated robot arm 1. ing. The robot hand 15 is rotatably attached to the forearm member 12 by a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axes of the first and second joints 13 and 14, and hydraulic chucks for gripping the work are provided on both the front and back surfaces. It is configured.

Further, in the work automatic transfer machine 10 of the present embodiment, a reversing device 5 for reversing the work is mounted on a traveling table 25. The reversing device 5 is attached to a support 19 of an articulated robot arm 1 fixed to a swivel table 18. The reversing device 5 is configured so that a pair of gripping claws 17 can be opened and closed by a gripping cylinder to grip the work. Further, the reversing device 5 is provided with a rotary actuator that generates rotation using compressed air as a working fluid so that the work clamped by the gripping claw 17 can be rotated by 180 ° around a vertical rotation axis. It has become.

Next, the work automatic transfer machine 10 is provided with a control device 7 for controlling the drive, such as an articulated robot arm 1 and a traveling device 3. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a simplified control system of the work automatic transfer machine 10. The control device 7 mainly consists of a computer equipped with a storage device such as a ROM 32, a RAM 43, and a non-volatile memory 34 in addition to the CPU 31, and has an articulated robot arm 1, a traveling device 3, and an inversion via I / 035. It is connected to each drive unit of the device 5.

In the processing machine line 100, a control device is mounted on each work module 101, and although not shown in detail, a LAN in which the control device on the work machine side and the control device 7 of the work automatic transfer machine 10 are connected via a line concentrator. Has been built. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the work module 101 has a touch panel type or button type input means, and an operation display capable of displaying work information, an operation screen, etc., and inputting a set value by an operator. A device 107 is provided and is connected to each control device by a LAN. Therefore, it is possible to input numerical values for the control of the work automatic transfer machine 10 from the operation display device 107.

In the control device 7 of the work automatic transfer machine 10, a transfer program for controlling the transfer route of the work to the plurality of work modules 101, the delivery posture of the articulated robot arm 1, and the like are stored in the memory. In particular, in the present embodiment, an attitude control program 341 that controls the attitude of the articulated robot arm 1 according to the size of the work is stored when the work is delivered to the reversing device 5. From the operation display device 107, numerical values for performing attitude control on the articulated robot arm 1, that is, work dimensions and the like are input.

Subsequently, in the work automatic transfer machine 10, the articulated robot arm 1 moves in the transfer space 108 of the processing machine line 100, deforms as shown in FIG. 3, and enters the inside of the work module 101. Delivery is done. When the two lathes perform stepwise machining on both sides of the work, the work is delivered from the robot hand 15 of the articulated robot arm 1 to the reversing device 5, and the gripping claw 17 rotates to rotate the work. After the orientation is reversed by 180 °, it is returned to the robot hand 15 again.

As described in the section of the subject, until now, the work has been delivered to and from the reversing device 5 by keeping the posture (angle) of the upper arm member 11 constant and adjusting the folding angle of the forearm member 12. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing conventional attitude control for such an articulated robot arm 1. The posture of the upper arm member 11 at a constant angle was set so that the upper arm shaft 41 connecting both rotation axes of the first joint 13 and the second joint 14 was substantially vertical. Then, the operating angle θn (θ1, θ2) of the forearm shaft 42 connecting both rotation axes of the second joint and the robot hand 15 was adjusted according to the size of the work W (W1, W2).

In the A pattern and the B pattern shown in FIG. 5, the articulated robot arm 1 shows a state in which the workpieces W1 and W2 having different thicknesses Tn (T1 and T2) are delivered to the reversing device 5. When the reversing device 5 is set to a fixed position, it becomes necessary to change the delivery position of the robot hand 15 according to the size of the work W. The receiving of the work Wn in the reversing device 5 is performed so that the gripping claw 17 grips the central portion of the thickness Tn of the work Wn. In such a case, in the workpieces W1 and W2 having different sizes, the distance (delivery height) Hn (delivery height) between the operation angles θ1 and θ2 of the forearm shaft 42 and the rotation axis (center of the work Wn) of the first joint 13 and the robot hand 15. Differences occurred with respect to H1 and H2).

The difference in the size of the work Wn is the difference in the delivery position of the robot hand 15, but until now, this has been dealt with by adjusting the operation angle θn of the forearm shaft 42. Further, if only the operation angle θn is adjusted, the difference in the delivery height Hn becomes too large, and appropriate delivery may not be possible between the robot hand 15 and the reversing device 5. Therefore, when the size of the work Wn to be handled changes, the operator needs to perform a setup change for adjusting the mounting height of the reversing device 5. Therefore, there have been problems such as the possibility of a delivery error and the need to change the setup of the reversing device 5 for reliable delivery.

In this respect, in the present embodiment, by inputting the work size (numerical value of arbitrary thickness Tx) from the operation display device 107, the operation angle θn of the upper arm shaft 41 and the upper arm shaft 41 thereof according to the posture control program 341. The operation angle θn of the forearm shaft 42 is calculated, and the posture of the articulated robot arm 1 is controlled based on each appropriate numerical value. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the attitude control of the present embodiment with respect to the articulated robot arm 1.

In the attitude control program 341 that executes attitude control, control is performed so that the gripping claw 17 of the reversing device 5 can grip the work Wn in the same state by combining the operation angle θn of the upper arm shaft 41 and the forearm shaft 42. Here, the same gripping state of the work W by the reversing device 5 means that the gripping claw 17 grips the work Wn at the central portion of the thickness Tn as in the conventional case, and further, the rotation of the first joint 13 and the robot hand 15 The distance (delivery height) Hx from the axis (center of the work Wn) is constant. This is because by keeping the delivery height Hx constant, the gripping claw 17 always grips the central portion of the work Wn.

Therefore, in the example of FIG. 6, in the case of the work W1 having a large size, the operation angle θ32 of the upper arm shaft 41 with respect to the vertical reference line 40 is tilted forward larger than the operation angle θ42 of the upper arm member 41 in the case of the work W2 having a small size. It became a posture. The operating angle θ31 of the forearm shaft 42 with respect to the upper arm shaft 41 in the case of the work W1 is smaller than the operating angle θ41 in the case of the work W2. By adjusting each operation angle θn, the delivery height Hx is always constant even if the work size is different.

Therefore, in the work automatic transfer machine 10 of the embodiment, when the work Wn is machined on the machining machine line 100, the operator inputs the work size Tn from the operation display device 107, so that the articulated robot arm 1 and the reversing device are inverted. It is possible to eliminate the need for stable delivery of the work with 5 and the setup change of the reversing device 5.

By the way, in the work automatic transfer machine 10, in addition to the reversal of the work W by the reversing device 5, work operations such as reversing of the robot hand 15 and turning of the articulated robot arm 1 are also performed. However, due to the tilting of the upper arm shaft 41 of the articulated robot 1, the front cover 103 or the like constituting a narrow transport space 108 depending on the size of the operation angle θn, the robot hand 15 or the robot hand 15 or the like during the above-mentioned operation. The joint robot arm 1 will interfere.

Therefore, the inclination angle range θdn of the upper arm shaft 41 that can be operated is set based on the size of the transport space 108. Therefore, when the upper arm shaft 41 is tilted within the tilt angle range θdn, operations such as reversing the robot hand 15 and turning the articulated robot arm 1 are performed as they are. On the other hand, when the work W is delivered in a posture in which the upper arm member 11 is tilted beyond the tilt angle range θdn, the upper arm shaft 41 is erected vertically or so as to be within the tilt angle range θdn. Prevent the articulated robot arm 1 from interfering with each other.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the work automatic transfer machine 10 and the processing machine line 100 are examples, and may have different configurations.

1 ... Articulated robot arm 3 ... Traveling device 5 ... Reversing device 7 ... Control device 10 ... Work automatic carrier 11 ... Upper arm member 12 ... Forearm member 13 ... First joint 14 ... Second joint 15 ... Robot hand 17 ... Gripping claw 40 ... Reference line 41 ... Upper arm axis 43 ... Forearm axis 100 ... Machining machine line 101 ... Work module 108 ... Transfer space 341 ... Attitude control program

Claims (3)

A running platform that can move along the guide rails,
The first arm member mounted on the traveling table and rotationally supported by the first joint with respect to the support member, the second arm member rotationally supported by the second joint with respect to the first arm member, and the second arm member. An articulated robot arm with a robot hand attached to an arm member,
A reversing device mounted on the traveling table and transferring a work to and from the articulated robot arm, and a reversing device.
A control device that controls the posture of the articulated robot arm by adjusting the angles of the first arm member and the second arm member according to the size of the work when the work is delivered to the reversing device.
Work automatic conveyor with. The control device has an input device for inputting the size of the work, and the control device calculates the angles of the first arm member and the second arm member from the numerical values input by the input device, and the articulated robot arm. The work automatic transfer machine according to claim 1, which controls the attitude of the work. The articulated robot arm and the reversing device are mounted on the traveling table via a swivel device, and the control device controls the posture of the articulated robot arm in response to the drive of the swivel device according to claim 1 or claim. Item 2. The automatic workpiece transfer machine according to Item 2.

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