JPH04262873A - Automatic welding equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To furnish automatic welding equipment where installation space is saved and attaching and detaching work of works is made possible by using a crane. CONSTITUTION:A positioner 2 is provided with a rotation operating mechanism 7 to rotate a work fitting jig 18 around the second axial center T2 and a tilting operating mechanism 6 to tilt the rotation operating mechanism 7 around the horizontal axial center T1. An articulated welding robot 3 is mounted on the tilting operating mechanism 6. The welding robot 3 is operated freely movably to the welding execution position A facing an upper area of the works W fitted to the work fitting jig 18 and the retreat position B to retreat sideward from the upper area thereof.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic welding device that integrates a multi-joint welding robot and a positioner for assisting the welding robot's work.

0002

[Prior Art] This type of positioner is used to make it easier for the welding robot to work by appropriately changing the relative position and posture of the workpiece with respect to the welding robot. ) There are two-axis positioners, etc.

[0003] The welding robot and the positioner are generally constructed as separate bodies and are installed close to each other within a range that does not interfere with each other, and the welding robot and positioner constitute an automatic welding device.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, separate and independent installation spaces are required for the welding robot and the positioner, and it is necessary to secure a wide installation space.

[0005] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, an automatic welding apparatus 103 having a structure in which a multi-joint welding robot 102 is directly attached to a positioner 101 and the positioner 101 and welding robot 102 are integrated is considered.

That is, the positioner 101 includes a pair of left and right frames 105 that are arranged facing each other with a predetermined interval and erected on a floor 104, a tilting operation mechanism 106 supported by both frames 105, and a tilting operation mechanism 106 that is supported by both frames 105. It is mainly composed of a rotation operation mechanism 107 attached to a mechanism 106.

The tilting operation mechanism 106 has a pair of left and right side frames 10.
8 and a ceiling frame 109 that connects the upper ends of both side frames 108. The upper end portion is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis T1. A drive motor 111 is attached to one side of the upper end of one of the frames 105, and includes a gear fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 111 and a gear fixed to one of the support shafts provided on the tilting frame 110. are interlocked with each other,
The tilting frame 110 is configured to be able to tilt by a predetermined angle around the horizontal axis T1 by forward and reverse driving of the drive motor 111 via the power transmission mechanism using both gears. For example, it is possible to tilt within a range of ±50 degrees around the horizontal axis T1.

[0008] The rotation operation mechanism 107 is located at an intermediate portion in the left-right direction of the top frame 109 and is attached in a downwardly protruding manner.
It is composed of a pair that are spaced apart from each other and face each other in the front and back. Each rotation operation mechanism 107 has a workpiece chucking jig 113, which serves as a workpiece attachment part, attached to the mutually opposing surface side so as to be detachable and replaceable. In addition, each rotation operation mechanism 1
07 are each provided with a drive motor 114,
Both workpiece chucking jigs 11 are connected via a gear transmission mechanism.
3 is rotatable in synchronization around a second axis T2 perpendicular to the horizontal axis T1. Furthermore, in order to allow both workpiece chucking jigs 113 to be operated near and far from each other, each rotating operation mechanism 107 is provided with a clamping operation mechanism (
(not shown) is attached to the ceiling frame 109 side.

A robot support stand 116 is fixedly attached to the inner side of one of the side frames 108, and an articulated welding robot 102 is attached and fixed onto the robot support stand 116. Note that the multi-joint welding robot 102 has a structure having, for example, six axes of freedom.

[0010] Furthermore, a pair of left and right rails 118 are laid in the front and back direction on the floor 104 located between the two mounts 105, and a workpiece carrier 119 is placed on the rails 118 so as to be freely movable. . The workpiece carrier 119 is equipped with a workpiece mounting table 120 on which the workpiece W is placed, and the workpiece mounting table 120 can be raised and lowered by a lifting cylinder or the like.

Then, at a place evacuated from the positioner 101 installation position, the workpiece W is placed on the workpiece carrier 119 using an overhead traveling crane (not shown), and then the workpiece carrier 119 is moved along the rail 118. let it run,
It is stopped at the center lower position of the positioner 101. Next, the workpiece mounting table 120 is raised to lift the workpiece W to the height of the workpiece chucking jig 113 as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. The workpiece chucking jigs 113 are moved toward each other to chuck the workpiece W between the two workpiece chucking jigs 113. When the workpiece W is chucked, the workpiece mounting table 120 is lowered, and the workpiece transport vehicle 119 is evacuated from the positioner 101 installation position.

Thereafter, the tilting frame 110 is tilted at an appropriate angle around the horizontal axis T1 so that the welded part of the workpiece W is in the optimum position, and the workpiece chucking jig 11 is
3 may be rotated at an appropriate angle around the second axis T2, and welding may be performed by the welding robot 102. At this time, since the welding robot 102 is an articulated welding robot 102, various welding postures can be secured, and the positioner 101
There is an advantage that a good welding posture can be adopted with respect to the work W in combination with the rotation operation around the side horizontal axis T1 and the second axis T2. Further, since the welding robot 102 is integrated into the positioner 101, it is only necessary to secure an installation space for the positioner 101, and there is an advantage that the welding robot 102 can be installed in a small installation space.

However, the welding robot 102 is mounted and fixed facing the upper area of the workpiece W attached to the workpiece chucking jig 113 so that the welding robot 102 can easily maintain an optimal welding posture. It is necessary to carry in the workpiece chucking jig 113 from the lower side and perform the attachment/detachment work, and the attachment/detachment work is done from the surface side, and the workpiece W can be raised and lowered, and the positioner 101
A workpiece transport vehicle 119 is required to transport the workpiece W from outside the installation space into the installation space, and
A drawback arises in that a separate installation space is required for laying the rails 118 for the workpiece carrier 119.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic welding device that saves installation space and also allows workpieces to be attached and detached using a crane.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Technical means for achieving the above object include a rotation operation mechanism that rotates the workpiece mounting part around a predetermined axis, and a rotation operation mechanism that tilts the rotation operation mechanism around a predetermined horizontal axis. In the automatic welding apparatus, the multi-joint welding robot includes a positioner having a tilting operation mechanism to weld the workpiece attached to the workpiece mounting part, and an articulated welding robot that welds the workpiece attached to the workpiece mounting part. It is mounted so as to be movable between a welding execution position facing the upper region of the workpiece attached to the mounting portion and a retracted position retracted laterally from the upper region.

[0016]

[Operation] According to the present invention, since the tilting operation mechanism of the positioner has an integrated structure in which the multi-joint welding robot is attached,
All you need to do is secure the installation space for the positioner.

[0017] Furthermore, the multi-joint welding robot is mounted so that it can be moved freely between a welding execution position facing the upper area of the workpiece attached to the workpiece mounting part and a retracted position retracted to the side. When welding is carried out at the welding execution position, the multi-axis degree of freedom and rotation operation around the horizontal axis of the tilting operation mechanism and the predetermined axis of the workpiece mounting part combine to create various favorable welding positions such as a downward welding position. Can take a welding position.

Furthermore, when attaching a workpiece to the workpiece attachment section, if the welding robot is evacuated to the evacuation position, the area above the workpiece attachment position will be opened, so that the workpiece can be suspended by a crane such as an overhead traveling crane. In this state, the workpiece may be transported above the workpiece mounting position, then lowered, and mounted on the workpiece mounting portion. Also, when removing the workpiece, the welding robot may be similarly evacuated to the retreat position, and the workpiece may be suspended and transported from the workpiece mounting portion using a crane.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic welding device, which is composed of a positioner 2 and an articulated welding robot 3. The positioner 2 and the welding robot 3 are driven and controlled by a control device (not shown).

The positioner 2 includes a pair of left and right frames 5 which are arranged facing each other with a predetermined interval and erected on the floor 4, a tilting operation mechanism 6 supported by both the frames 5, and a tilting operation mechanism 6. It mainly consists of a rotary operation mechanism 7 attached to the rotary operation mechanism 7.

The tilting operation mechanism 6 includes a tilting frame 9 rotatably supported around a horizontal axis T1 between the upper ends of both frames 5, and a drive mounted on one side of the upper end of one of the frames 5. The tilting frame 9 has a pair of left and right side frames 11 that are long in the vertical direction, and a support shaft 12 that is provided in a protruding manner on the outer side of the upper end of each side frame 11.
is pivotally supported by each frame 5. Further, a relay frame 13 which is long in the front and back direction is connected to the lower end side of each side frame 11, and as shown in FIG.
1, both relay frames 13
A connecting frame 14 is provided to connect the two to each other.

A semicircular large gear 15 that is concentric with the support shaft 12 is fixed to the outer surface of the upper end of one side frame 11, and a small gear 16 is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 10. The tilting frame 9 can be tilted by a predetermined angle about the horizontal axis T1 via both gears 15 and 16 by forward and reverse driving of the drive motor 10. For example, it is possible to tilt within a range of ±50 degrees around the horizontal axis T1.

The rotation operation mechanism 7 is attached to the upper surface side of the intermediate portion in the left-right direction of the connection frame 14 in an upwardly projecting manner, and a workpiece mounting jig 18 as a workpiece attachment portion is attached to the front side of the rotation operation mechanism 7 and can be detached and replaced. installed on. The rotation operation mechanism 7 includes a drive motor and a gear transmission mechanism (not shown), and the workpiece mounting jig 18 has the horizontal axis T1.
It is said that it is freely rotatable around a second axis T2 that is orthogonal to the second axis T2. Note that the workpiece mounting jig 18 is equipped with various workpieces W.
A work receiving portion 18a corresponding to the workpiece receiving portion 18a is appropriately provided in a laterally protruding shape.

[0024] One of the relay frames 13 is constructed to be relatively long in the front-rear direction, and a traveling platform 20 is attached and supported on the upper surface side of the relay frame 13 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction along the relay frame 13. . In addition, the running platform 20
For example, the traveling mechanism includes a traveling platform 20 on the relay frame 13.
It may be supported so as to be slidable in the front and rear directions, and may be moved by expanding and contracting an air cylinder, or may be moved by a combination of a drive motor and a gear transmission mechanism. Further, an articulated welding robot 3 is attached and fixed to the traveling base 20. Note that the multi-joint welding robot 3 has a structure having, for example, six axes of freedom. By moving the traveling platform 20 in the front-back direction along the relay frame 13, the welding robot 3 moves to a welding execution position A facing the upper area of the workpiece W, as shown by the solid line in FIG. As shown, the welding robot 3 can be freely moved to a retreat position B, which is retreated to the rear side from an area above the workpiece W. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the retracted position B of the welding robot 3 is configured to be located in an area above the connecting frame 14 in plan view.

Note that 22 is a welding wire, and 23 is a wire holder.

The embodiment of the present invention is constructed as described above, and when welding the workpiece W, the welding robot 3 is moved to the retreat position B in advance. In this state, the area above the mounting position of the workpiece W with respect to the workpiece mounting jig 18 is open, and the workpiece W can be carried in from above. Then, the work W is suspended by an overhead traveling crane (not shown) and is transported above the mounting position of the work W, and then the work W is lowered and a predetermined portion of the work W is placed on the work receiving part 18a. It is placed and positioned, and the weight of the workpiece W is received. In this state,
The workpiece W is fixed to the workpiece mounting jig 18 side by bolting or the like. After that, remove the crane and move the crane once.
Evacuate.

After attaching the workpiece W, the welding robot 3 is moved to the welding execution position A by moving the traveling table 20. Thereafter, the tilting frame 9 is tilted at an appropriate angle around the horizontal axis T1, and the workpiece mounting jig 18 is rotated at an appropriate angle around the second axis T2 so that the welded part of the workpiece W is in an optimal posture. Welding may be performed by the welding robot 3 through dynamic operation. Further, when the welding portion of the workpiece W extends in the circumferential direction, welding may be performed while rotating the workpiece mounting jig 18 about the second axis T2.

During this welding work, since the welding robot 3 is an articulated welding robot 3, various welding postures can be secured, and rotation around the horizontal axis T1 and the second axis T2 on the positioner 2 side can be maintained. Coupled with changing the posture of the workpiece W by dynamic operation or the like, it is possible to easily take a good welding posture for the workpiece W, such as a downward welding posture. Therefore, if the small multi-joint welding robot 3 is attached to the positioner 2 as in this embodiment, various welding postures can be easily secured even when welding the internal details of a large workpiece W, which is very convenient.

Furthermore, the welding robot 3 is connected to the relay frame 13.
Since it is attached to the side so that it can be moved freely between the welding execution position A and the evacuation position B, it is possible to use a crane such as an overhead traveling crane when attaching or detaching the workpiece W to the workpiece mounting jig 18. The attachment/detachment work can be performed while the workpiece W is suspended, and the attachment/detachment work of the workpiece W is facilitated. Therefore, the space for installing the rails 118 and the workpiece carrier 119 described above are also unnecessary. Furthermore, since the welding robot 3 is integrated into the positioner 2, it is only necessary to secure the installation space for the positioner 2, and the installation can be done in a small amount of space.

Note that the workpiece mounting jig 18 may be replaced as appropriate depending on the type, size, etc. of the workpiece W. Further, in the embodiment, a structure is shown in which the workpiece W is supported in a cantilevered manner by the rotary operation mechanism 7, but a structure may be adopted in which the connecting frame 14 is provided at the front and rear and the workpiece W is supported in a dual-sided manner.

[0031]

According to the present invention, in an automatic welding device configured by a combination of a positioner and a multi-joint welding robot, the multi-joint welding robot is connected to a tilting operation mechanism of the positioner for a workpiece attached to a workpiece mounting portion. Since it is movably attached to the welding execution position facing the upper area and the retracted position evacuated to the side from the upper area, the multi-joint welding robot is integrated into the positioner. All you need to do is secure the installation space, and the installation space can be saved. Furthermore, by incorporating a multi-joint welding robot into the positioner, a good welding posture such as a downward welding posture can be easily secured when the positioner changes the posture of the workpiece. moreover,
When the welding robot is evacuated to the retreat position, the area above the workpiece attachment position is opened, so that the workpiece can be attached and detached using a crane, which has the advantage that the attachment and detachment operation can be easily performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a comparative example.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automatic welding equipment 2 Positioner 3. Articulated welding robot 6　　　　　Tilt operation mechanism 7 Rotation operation mechanism 18 Workpiece mounting jig W Work

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A positioner comprising: a rotation operation mechanism that rotates a workpiece mounting part around a predetermined axis; and a tilting operation mechanism that tilts the rotational operation mechanism about a predetermined horizontal axis; and the workpiece mounting part. In an automatic welding device comprising a multi-joint welding robot that performs welding on a workpiece attached to a workpiece, the multijoint welding robot has a tilting operation mechanism set to a welding execution position facing an upper area of the workpiece attached to a workpiece mounting part. , an automatic welding device characterized in that the automatic welding device is movably mounted to a retracted position laterally retracted from the upper region.