JPH0628823B2 - Automatic assembly equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic assembly apparatus for assembling small equipment.

[Prior Art and its Problems] In recent years, automation of electronic device manufacturing has been more and more studied, and production efficiency has been increased. However, in the conventional automatic assembly line, FIG. 13 or FIG. We handle defective products by the method shown in.

That is, the system shown in FIG.
Collectively inspected downstream of the line to distinguish between good and bad products and discharge defective products.

Further, the system shown in FIG. 14 is designed so that inspection is performed in each assembling process, some marks are added, and the marks are collectively discharged downstream of the line.

However, in the case of the former (FIG. 13), it is possible to finally judge whether the defect is good or bad, but it is not known in which process the defect occurred. In addition, since all defects appearing upstream of the line are found to be defective by the inspection after assembling, there is a problem that work time and parts are wasted.

In the latter case (Fig. 14), since each defective assembly is inspected and a mark is given to the defective one, the defective process is clarified, but after the defective product is obtained, Parts are assembled even in the process. Therefore, in all of the conventional automatic assembling methods, there have been problems of waste of parts for defective products and difficulty of reworking. Moreover,
When the modified product is re-introduced into the line, it must be re-introduced into a portion corresponding to the content of the defect so as not to hinder the flow of the entire line. This makes automatic assembly work extremely complicated and troublesome, so either discard defective products or, if not, make them into finished products by manual work, further increasing the burden on workers. It was an increase.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable defective products to be immediately eliminated in a defective process in an automatic assembly line.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic assembling apparatus capable of automatically re-feeding a defective product to a line after repairing the defective product to minimize the loss of parts and the burden of repair work.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention inspects whether each product is good or bad in each step of an automatic assembly line, takes out defective products from the assembly conveyor to the defective conveyor each time, and cannot be assembled. The product is reworked so that it is automatically taken back into the assembly conveyor.

[Structure of Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Automated assembly device, for example, performs the assembly of all by controlling the number of main assembly line and sub-assembly lines by the host computer H _c from components up to the finished product as shown in FIG. 10 automatically is there.
The host computer H _c incorporates long-term and short-term production plans, and each line control computer R _c1 ,
The short-term production plan corresponding to the line is transmitted to R _c2 . Each line, automated warehouse by AGV controlled by the automatic guided vehicle control computer Q _c (not shown)
Supply parts stored in. All the lines are configured by the same system. As an example, the control by the line control computer R _c1 will be explained. The line control computer R _c1 corresponds to the short-term production plan transmitted from the host computer H _c. The production program of the model to be used is set in advance, and various production commands are issued to the automatic assembly robot control units a, b ... H and the platen stacker control unit C ₁ based on the production plan and the production program. When the model to be produced is different from the model produced up to then, naturally, the model change control unit 26
Also send the command to.

2 and 3 are diagrams showing an outline of the main assembly line. As a small device to be assembled, for example, in the case of a small electronic calculator, this calculator has a circuit board, a liquid crystal display panel, a solar cell, a key button, etc. inside an upper case and a lower case. An LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) and electronic parts for power supply stabilization are attached to the board, a liquid crystal display panel and a solar cell are connected, and each button part of the key button is external from the upper case. It is exposed so that the fixed contacts on the circuit board can be brought into and out of contact with each other. Further, the subassembly line is a line for automatically assembling an LSI on a circuit board, and an auxiliary board on which a liquid crystal display panel, a solar cell, and electronic components for power source stabilization are attached to the circuit board on which the LSI is assembled. consists lines, etc. to give, once the circuit board assembly is completed these lines, housed sent to the automatic warehouse, again, to be sent to the main assembly line by a command from the AGV control computer Q _c Has become.

Main assembly line is line control computer R _c
The parts are assembled based on the command of the above, and the conveying part 2 conveys the assembling jig (platen) 1, the platen stacker 3 for storing a large number of the assembling jigs 1, and the parts for each process. Automatic assembling robots a, b ... H and waiting stations 4a, 4 of the automatic assembling robots a, b ...
b ... 4h, etc.

The transport unit 2 continuously transfers the assembling jig 1 and circulates the assembling jig 1 between the automatic assembling robots a, b, ... The assembling jig 1 which is composed of the collecting conveyor 6 and the descending elevators 7 and the ascending elevators 8 arranged on both sides of the collecting conveyor 6 is sent from the platen stacker 3 by the upper sending conveyor 5 from the line start end side on the left side in the drawing. It is transported to the line end side on the right side, and parts are assembled by the automatic assembly robots a, b ... h.
Empty assembly jig 1 with assembly completed and parts removed
Is sent to the lower collecting conveyor 6 by the descending elevator 7 on the terminal side, is fed from the line terminal side to the line starting end side by this collecting conveyor 6, and is sent again to the sending conveyor 5 by the ascending elevator 8 on the line starting end side. ing. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the delivery conveyor 5 is composed of an assembly conveyor 5a and a defective conveyor 5b, which will be described later, and the assembling jig 1 in which parts are sequentially assembled on the assembly conveyor 5a.
Is carried, and the assembling jig 1 in which the parts judged to be defective by the defective conveyer 5b are assembled is carried. Further, on the left end side of the recovery conveyor 6, a counter 9 for counting the number of passages of the assembly jig 1, and a model switching notification pin 10 of the assembly jig 1 which will be described later are set at the set position and the reset position. A switching device 11 is provided.

The platen stacker 3 is for accommodating a large number of various assembling jigs 1 ..., and stores the assembling jig 1 for each model in the storage parts 3a, 3b ...
And a conveyor section 3h for carrying the assembly jig 1 into the delivery conveyor 5. This platen stacker 3 is arranged at the head of the automatic assembling robot a, collects the assembling jig 1 of the currently assembled model based on a command from the line control computer R _c , and then The assembling jigs 1 of the model to be assembled are sent to the sending conveyor 5 one by one at regular intervals.

The assembling jig 1 is for accurately positioning and placing a component (upper case) of a product (small electronic calculator) to be manufactured, and as shown in FIG. A concave portion 1b for positioning and setting a base component 12 (for example, an upper case of a small electronic calculator) is formed on the upper surface of the jig, and a model specifying portion of the jig 1 is provided at a front corner of the jig body 1a. 1d is provided, and a model switching notification pin 10 and a defective product notification pin 14 are provided on the upper right side of the jig body 1a.
And positioning recesses 1c are provided respectively. Many kinds of such assembling jigs 1 are prepared according to the model of the product to be manufactured. Also, the model specification unit 1
Reference numeral d designates a discriminating means corresponding to the model of the product to be manufactured, and is composed of a plurality of holes (four in this embodiment) penetrating vertically in the jig body 1a, and the number of the holes is different for each model. Therefore, even if four holes are used as in this embodiment, 16 types of product models (types of jig 1) can be discriminated by a combination of the presence or absence of the four holes. Model identification unit 1 provided in this assembly jig 1
d is a jig discriminator 1 provided at the top of the delivery conveyor 5
Confirmed in 6 (Fig. 3). As shown in FIG. 7, the jig discriminator 16 detects the type of the assembling jig 1, that is, whether or not the assembling jig 1 corresponds to the type of product to be manufactured. Four light emitting elements 16a on the lower side of the conveyor 5
Together comprises _{1 ...} a, which opposed sends conveyor provided above the 5 four light receiving elements 16a 2 _..., a model specifying the light-emitting element 16a 1 _... light is provided in a jig 1 for assembling The light that has passed through the holes of the portion 1d and is transmitted through the light receiving element 16a
₂ ... Receiving light is used to determine the type of the assembly jig 1. In this embodiment, four holes are formed in the assembling jig 1, but the positions and the number of the holes naturally differ for each model, and each model can be specified. To be done. The model switching notification pin 10 is for switching the model of the product manufactured in the entire main assembly line, and is slidably attached via an O-ring (not shown) of the jig body 1a, and both ends thereof are fixed to the jig body 1a. With respect to each other, as shown in FIG. 5 (A), one end is normally held at a reset position where it projects inside the jig body 1a, and when the model is changed, FIG. 5 (B). As shown in, the other end is held at the set position where it projects outside the jig body 1a. That is, the model switching notification pin 10 is displaced to one of the model switching instruction positions by the model switching device 11 of the recovery conveyor 6 in one of the assembling jigs 1 ... The assembling jig 1 having been displaced is transferred as a pilot jig by the delivery conveyor 5 and a model switching signal (model switching timing signal) is sequentially given to each automatic assembling robot a, b ... H. In this case, the model switching device 1
1 is for operating the model switching informing pin 10 based on a model switching command from the line control computer R _c ,
As shown in FIG. 6, it comprises a set cylinder 11a for setting the model switching informing pin 10 to the model switching instructing position and a reset cylinder 11b for returning it to the original position, and the set cylinder 11a is inside the model switching informing pin 10. Push the end to set the function switching instruction position, and then reset cylinder 11b.
Then, the outer end of the model switching notification pin 10 is pushed to return it to its original position. Incidentally, as the type change unit 11 described later, unless it receives a type change signal from the host computer H _c via line control computer R _c, always type change notification pin 10 by operating the reset cylinder 11b to the reset position Hold it. The defective product notification pin 14 is for notifying whether or not the product being manufactured is defective, has the same configuration as the model switching notification pin 10 described above, and when a defect of the product being manufactured occurs, The automatic assembling robots a, b ... H are adapted to be displaced each time. That is, the defective product notification pin 14 is set by the set cylinder 19 just like the model switching notification pin 10. Regarding the defective tweezers function, the operator resets it after repairing it, so basically, unlike the case of the model switching device, the reset function is not necessary.

Note that FIG. 6 shows the principle of the set and reset functions of the model change notification pin 10 and the defective product notification pin 14, and the actual arrangement on the conveyor is the model change device 11
Is provided in only one place on the left end side of the recovery conveyor 6 shown in FIG. 3, and the defective tweezers cylinder 19 is provided in each automatic assembly robot. Also, the positioning recess 1c
Is for positioning the assembling jig 1 conveyed by the model specifying unit 1d with respect to the automatic assembling robots a, b, ...
The automatic assembly robots a, b ... Formed on the jig body 1a
It is adapted to be locked at a predetermined position by each locking projection (not shown) of h. It should be noted that cushions 20, 20 are provided on the side surface of the jig body 1a for cushioning the impact.

On the other hand, each of the automatic assembly robots a, b, ...
In order to complete the product by sequentially incorporating predetermined parts into the product, the work procedure corresponding to the model of the product is stored. By the way, the automatic assembling robots a, b ... h are arranged in the order of the left side in the order of turning the upper case over and carrying them into the assembling jig 9 and placing them, the robot for assembling the key buttons and the subassembly line. It is a robot that assembles the assembled substrate assembly, a robot that assembles a lower case, a robot that tightens screws, a robot that attaches a name plate, a robot that inspects functions, and a robot that takes out a finished product. A model switching detection sensor SE for detecting that the model switching notification pin 10 of the assembly jig 1 arranged along the conveyor is set in the model switching instructing device for each automatic assembly robot a, b ... H. And a defective product detection sensor SO for detecting that the defective product notification pin 14 is set at the defective product indication position. As shown in FIG. 8, the model change detection sensor SE and the defective product detection sensor SO each include a neighboring switch or the like. The model change detection sensor SE detects the model change notification pin 10 and sets the model change notification pin 10 at the time of setting. A detection signal (model switching signal) is given to the automatic assembly robot a and the standby station 4a,
Start the assembly preparation for the next different model. The defective product detection sensor SO detects the defective product notification pin 14 and gives a detection signal (defective product detection signal) to the automatic assembly robot a when the defective product notification pin 14 is set. Then, when the defect detection signal is given, the automatic assembling robot a does not assemble the parts at that time and directly transfers the parts to the next by the delivery conveyor 5. It should be noted that FIG. 8 shows the principle of detection of the model switching notification pin 10 and the defective product notification pin 14, and the actual arrangement positions of the model switching detection sensor SE and the defective product detection sensor SO should be separated by a distance as described later. It is provided.

Of the waiting stations 4a, 4b, ... 4h, the waiting station 4a waits for a four-tiered container loaded by an automated guided vehicle from an automated warehouse, supplies the parts in the container to each automatic assembly robot a, and uses it. The stand-by of the completed container is composed of a container loading section 22 and a container discharging section 23 as shown in FIG. The container loading unit 22 places the loaded four-tiered containers on a roller conveyor and sequentially moves them, holds the four-tiered containers and places the lowermost containers one by one on the automatic assembly robot a side. The container discharge unit 23 stacks the containers storing the empty pallets in four stages at the container stacking unit and sends the containers stacked in the four stages by the roller conveyor. . The container 7 is a plastic box that is stacked in four layers and stores a large number of pallets inside, and a large number of assembling parts are stored in each pallet.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, an assembling jig transfer device 25 is provided above the delivery conveyor 5 between the automatic assembling robots a, b, ... ing. This assembling jig transfer device 25 ... Is an assembling jig 1.
The defective product notification pin 14 is detected by the defective product detection sensor SO, and the assembly jig 1 determined to be defective is transferred from the assembly conveyor 5a of the delivery conveyor 5 to the defective conveyor 5b. A guide shaft 25b is laid across the inside of the carrier, and a carrier 25c is slidably attached to the guide shaft 25b. For example, a vacuum suction head for sucking the assembly jig 1 on the carrier 25c. 25d is provided and the frame 25a
Is provided with a defective product detection sensor SO. Plungers SM ₁ and SM ₂ protruding and retracting on the upper surface and the lower surface of the assembly conveyor 5a are provided below the assembly conveyor 5a of the delivery conveyor 5 below the assembly jig transfer devices 25.
Plungers SS ₁ and SS ₂ are provided below the defective conveyor 5b.
Are provided so that they can appear and disappear.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, on the bottom surface of each assembling jig 1,
The magnets M are attached, and the plungers PM ₁ and P are placed close to the assembly conveyor 5a and the defective conveyor 5b.
Magnetic detection sensors SM ₁ and SM ₂ for detecting magnetism by utilizing the Hall effect are respectively provided between M ₂ and between the plungers PS ₁ and PS ₂ , and to the left of the plungers PM ₂ and PS ₂ , Magnetic detection sensor SM ₂
And SM ₁ are arranged so that the detection signal can be taken out when the assembling jig 1 is stopped at each position.

FIG. 11 shows a block circuit diagram of each automatic assembly robot described above.

Taking the automatic assembly robot b as an example, the robot b
Has an assembling part b ₁ and a defective product detecting device b ₂ such as a TV camera device (FIG. 1), and the assembling jig 1 conveyed on the assembling conveyor 5a is assembled by the robot a. The defective part detection device b
Inspected at ₂ . If the assembly is good, the assembly of this step is performed by the assembly part b _1. If the assembly is bad, the assembly of this step is not performed and the defective tweezers cylinder 19
Is activated to set the defective product notification pin 14.

Jig 1 for assembling flowing on assembly conveyor 5a is temporarily stopped by the plunger PM _2, the magnetic detection sensor SM _2, coming for the jig 1 assembling is input. Plunger PM
₂ is reset (hereinafter, the state in which the plunger protrudes above the conveyor is referred to as a set state, and the state in which the plunger is retracted below the conveyor is referred to as a reset state). It is stopped at PM ₁ and its position is detected by the magnetic detection sensor SM ₁ . In this state, the assembly jig 1 determines whether the defective product notification pin 14 is set by the defective product detection sensor SO,
That is, it is determined whether the assembly in this step was good or bad. When the result is good, the plunger PM ₁ is reset to allow the assembly jig 1 to flow to the next step. In the case of a defect, a defective product detection signal is transmitted to the robot controller b ₀ , and based on this,
It is taken out to the defective product conveyor 5b side. In this case, the suction head 25d of the assembly jig transfer device 25 lowers to adsorb and pull up the assembly jig 1, and in this state the carrier 25c
Moves along the guide shaft 25b and places the assembly jig 1 on the defective conveyor 5b. Since this state is detected by the magnetic detection sensor SS ₁ , the plunger PS ₁ is reset and the assembling jig 1 is conveyed by the defective conveyor 5b.
The assembling jig 1 is stopped by the plunger PS ₀ provided at a substantially intermediate portion of the next step of the defective conveyor 5b. After that, the assembling jigs 1 in which the assembling in step b is defective are stopped by the plunger PS ₀ and arranged one after another.

After reworking this defective assembly product, the operator resets the defective product notification pin 14 and places it on the upstream side of the plunger PS ₂ of the defective conveyor 5b. The assembly jig 1 after this repair is performed.
Is automatically transferred to the assembly conveyor 5a by the assembling jig transfer device 25 in a state where the flow of the assembly conveyor 5a is not hindered, and the next assembly by the robot c is executed. Become.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the assembling jig transfer device 25, and this operation will be described below.

First, the automatic assembly robot controller b ₀ starts step ST1.
Then, it is determined whether or not the carrier 25c of the assembly jig transfer device 25 holds the assembly jig 1. Although not shown, this can be easily confirmed by providing a sensor on the carrier 25c. If the carrier 25c holds the assembly jig 1, at step ST2, the magnetic sensor S
Check if there is a detection signal from S ₁ or SM ₁ . The carrier 25c holds the assembly jig 1,
When there is a signal from the magnetic detection sensor SS ₁ or SM ₁ , the operation is stopped, and the abnormality is informed by an informing means (not shown) as shown in step ST3. If this abnormality is notified, the worker
5c is or remove the jig 1 for assembling held by removing the plunger PM ₁ or jig 1 for assembling which is stopped in PS _1, to eliminate the cause of the abnormality.

If there is no problem in step ST2, all of the plungers PM ₁ , PM ₂ , PS ₁ and PS ₂ are set in step ST4 and project onto the conveyors 5a and 5b.

In this state, it waits for the assembly jig 1 to arrive from the robot a side. When the assembling jig 1 arrives, it is stopped by the plunger PM ₂ , and the detection signal of the magnetic detection sensor SM ₂ is obtained as shown in step ST5.
When the assembly jig 1 is in the standby state, that is, when there is no detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SM ₂ , the process proceeds to step ST6. Here, it is determined whether or not the assembly jig 1 for the plunger PS ₂ is stopped. That is,
If the reassembled jig 1 is stopped by the plunger PS ₂ , a detection signal can be obtained by the magnetic detection sensor SS ₂ . Without the signal of the magnetic sensor SS ₂ is returned to step ST5, where the process proceeds to again step ST6 Without signal of the magnetic sensor SM ₂ is one of the step ST5 and step ST6 until the detection signal is obtained repeated . If the signal of the magnetic sensor SS ₂ is detected in step ST6, to move the assembly jig taken the position of the defective conveyor 5b side of the carrier 25c as shown in step ST7. Whether the carrier 25c reaches for assembling jig intake position, either detected by a sensor (not shown), the robot control unit b _0, can be confirmed using equal appropriate means for measuring the time or distance it can. If the carrier 25c reaches the jig inlet position for assembling, in step ST8, again, either to verify if there is a detection signal of the magnetic sensor SM _2, if the magnetic sensor SM ₂
If a detection signal is output from the carrier 25c, the carrier 25c is returned to the assembling jig take-out position of the assembling conveyor 25a as shown in step ST9. This is a process for giving priority to the smooth flow of the assembling conveyor 5a rather than taking in the assembling jig after repairing, and the defective product is treated as the defective conveyor 5
This is to expedite the work of taking out onto the b. Step ST
If there is no detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SM _{2 in} 8, the work of incorporating the reassembled assembly jig into the assembly conveyor 5a is executed, which will be described later.

Then, in step ST5, the detection signal of the magnetic detection sensor SM ₂ is obtained, or in step ST9 the carrier 25c is detected.
After moving to the assembly jig removal position, step ST
At 10, the plunger PM ₂ is reset and the assembly jig 1
Is transported to a position where it can be adsorbed by the transfer device 25. If the assembly jig 1 is stopped by the plunger PM ₁ , step ST
As shown in 11, a detection signal is obtained from the magnetic detection sensor SM ₁ , and the robot controller b ₀ sets the plunger PM ₂ based on this detection signal (step ST1).
2). In this way, in the state where the assembling jig 1 is held at a position where it can be sucked by the transfer device 25, in step ST13, the defective product detection sensor SO detects the defective product notification pin 14
Is set, in other words, it is determined whether the assembly in this step is good or bad. As described above, when the automatic assembly robot b determines that the defective product detection device b ₂ is defective, the defective product notification pin 14 is set by the defective tweezer cylinder 19 without assembling in this step, that is, Make the jig protrude outward. If the detection signal is not obtained from the defective product detection sensor SO, it means that the assembling is good. Therefore, the process proceeds to step ST14, the plunger PM ₁ is reset, and at step ST15, this assembling jig is good. After confirming that 1 has passed, the plunger PM ₁ is set again in step ST16, and the process returns to step ST5. The path of the assembly jig 1 is the plunger PM.
It can be easily confirmed by providing a sensor to the right of ₁ (FIG. 1).

In step ST13, if there is a detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SO, that is, if the assembly is defective, the process proceeds to step ST17 and the assembly jig 1 is sucked by the transfer device 25. Head 25d is lowered to adsorb,
This is lifted again and the defective conveyor 2 is carried by the carrier 25c.
Move to 5b side. When the jig 1 for assembling and lowering the suction head 25d is placed over a broken conveyor 5b, while being stopped by the plunger PS _1, it is detected by the magnetic sensor SS _1. However, during the removal of the assembling jig 1 in step ST17, the presence or absence of the detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SM ₂ shown in step ST18 is determined. If this detection signal is present, the plunger P of step ST19 is detected.
The work of resetting M ₂ is executed, and step ST20
Wait until the detection of the magnetic detection sensor SM ₁ is obtained at
The plunger PM _{2 of} step ST21 is set. This is because there is assembling jig 1 is stopped by the plunger PM ₂ on the assembly conveyor 5b, by previously transported to a position that can be confirmed by the defect detection sensor SO, performed in order to improve the processing efficiency It is a thing.

In step ST18, the magnetic detection if the signal of the sensor SM ₂ there is no, or after executing the step ST19 to ST21 according to the detection signal of the SM _2, the process proceeds to step ST22, the assembly jig 1 transfer device 25 Then, it is determined whether the defective conveyor 5b has been released. If the signal from the magnetic sensor SS ₁ is obtained, the plunger PS ₁
Is reset (step ST23).

Next, in step ST24, the presence or absence of a detection signal from the defective product detection sensor SO is confirmed. If this signal is present, the process returns to step ST17. In this operation, when the assembling defects continue, the assembling jigs are successively transferred to the defective conveyor 5
It is for transferring to b and accelerating the processing.

Without signal defect detection sensor SO in step ST24, and waits for the assembly jig 1 passes through the plunger PS ₁ (step ST26), performs a process of resetting the plunger PS ₁ in step ST27. Step S
Although not shown, the passage of the assembling jig at T26 can be detected by disposing a sensor on the right side of the plunger PS ₁ (FIG. 1).

The next step ST28 is the carrier 25 of the transfer device 25.
c in a state in defective conveyor 25b side, intended to determine whether there are assembly jig 1 which is stopped in the assembly conveyor 5a side plunger PM _2, detection signals from the magnetic sensor SM ₂ if the chromatic lever, the plunger PM ₂ resets the (step ST29), to move the carrier 25c to the assembly conveyor 5a side, the flow returns to step ST11.
If there is no detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SM ₂ in step ST28, as shown in step ST30, it is confirmed whether or not there is a repair jig after the repair, which is stopped by the plunger PS ₂ on the defective conveyor 5b side. To do. If not, the carrier 25c is moved to the assembly conveyor 5a side (step ST31), and the process returns to step ST5.

In both cases of NO in step ST8 and YES in step ST30, the assembling jig stopped by the plunger PM ₂ on the side of the assembly conveyor 5a when the carrier 25c is moved to the side of the defective conveyor 5b. no, and a case where assembly jig is stopped plunger PS ₂ to the defective conveyor 5b side is present, the process in this state, the assembly jig after rework the assembly conveyor 5a side It is to take in.

Incorporation of assembling jig 1, first, the plunger PS ₂ is reset at step ST32, to obtain the detection signal of assembling jig 1 from the magnetic sensor SS ₁ in step ST33 is stopped by the plunger PS ₁ After being waited for, the plunger PS ₂ is set (step ST34) and transferred to the assembly conveyor 5a side by the transfer device 25 (step S).
T35).

If the assembling jig 1 is placed on the assembling conveyor 5a, a detection signal from the magnetic detection sensor SM ₁ shown in step ST36 can be obtained.
₁ is reset (step ST37), and step ST1
Similar to 5, wait for the assembling jig ₁ to pass the plunger PM ₁ (step ST38), and then set the plunger PM ₁
Is set (step ST39).

After this, the process returns to step ST5, and then step ST
5 to step ST39 are repeated, and the work of passing the non-defective product to the next process, the work of taking out the defective product to the defective conveyor side, and the work of taking the repaired product to the assembly conveyor side are automatically repeated.

The assembly jig 1 from which the finished product is taken out in this way is
It is sent to the lower recovery conveyor 6 by the descending elevator 7, recovered by this recovery conveyor 6, and raised by the elevator 8.
Is sent to the delivery conveyor 5 again, and the above-described operation is repeated. At this time, the assembly jig 1 circulated to the transport section 2 is counted by the counter 9 provided on the recovery conveyor 6,
Input to line control computer.

The line control computer R _c have been stored in the production plan quantities different and each model如s model, by summing the number of counts of the counter 9 is compared with the production plan quantities. Then, when the count number of the product reaches a predetermined quantity with respect to the planned production quantity, in other words, when the remaining of the finished products of the model with respect to the planned production quantity reaches a predetermined value, the host computer H _c Send information. Host computer H _c
In receives this information, issues a command to carry AGV control computer Q _c in the automatic assembly robot a, b ... each wait station 4a of h, the 4b ... 4h of parts following models. That is, the host computer H
_c is given to the unmanned conveyance controlling computer Q _c, and storage location of the automatic warehouse parts used in the next function is stored, the information about the process position of the parts.
In response, the automated guided vehicle control computer Q _c
The automated guided vehicle is controlled so that the containers storing the next type of parts are loaded from the automated warehouse to the predetermined waiting stations 4a, 4b, ...

In addition, at this time, the host computer H _c checks again with the line control computer R _c the next machine type and the number of production plans. If the confirmation result is OK, the automatic assembling robots a and b are _transmitted from the line control computer Rc.
... h, jig discriminator 16 and platen stacker controller C
₁ indicates the following types of machines.

The coefficients of the counter 9, to match the production plan number stored in the line control computer, type change signal is provided from the line control computer R _c in the machine switching control unit 26 operates the model switching device 11, when the The model switching notification pin 10 of the first one assembly jig 1 transferred is displaced to the model switching instructing position. The assembling jig 1 in which the model switching notification pin 10 is set as described above is used as a pilot jig 1p (an assembling jig in the state shown in FIG. 6).
It is transferred from the ascending elevator 8 to the line start end of the delivery conveyor 5. Here, the jig discriminator 16 arranged corresponding to the model identifying unit 1d provided in the assembly jig 1 detects that the pilot jig 1p is installed at the model switching instruction position. Then, a model switching signal is sent to the jig discriminator 16 and the platen stacker control unit C ₁ to switch each to the information corresponding to the next model. Therefore, the current assembling jigs 1 following the pilot jig 1p are sequentially judged by the jig discriminator 16 to be inconsistent, and the assembling jig loading / unloading device 27 (FIG. 10) is used. It is carried into the conveyor section 3g of No. 3 and stored in a predetermined storage section. In parallel with this, the assembling jig 1 of the next model is sequentially carried out from the predetermined storage part of the platen stacker 3 to the delivery conveyor 5 from the conveyor part 3h. Are sequentially retained near the exit of the conveyor section 3h by stopper means (not shown). In addition, the pilot jig 1p is sequentially equipped with the automatic assembling robots a, b ... h.
And sends a model switching signal to each of the automatic assembly robots a, b ... H. Along with this, the automatic assembly robots a, b, ...
0 is detected by the model change detection sensor SE, and the automatic assembling robots a, b ... h and the standby stations 4a-4 are promptly detected.
Prepare h to start production of the next model. Then, the pilot jig 1p is conveyed by the delivery conveyor 5, and the automatic assembling robots a, b ... H are instructed to sequentially change the model, and the automatic assembling robots a, b ... And start the preparatory work such as replacement work of assembly parts. For example, while the pilot jig 1p is transported to the position of the automatic assembly robot d, the automatic assembly robot a completes the preparatory work such as chuck replacement and component replacement work. At this timing, the stopper means near the exit of the platen stacker 3 is opened, and the assembling jig 1'of the next model starts to be sent to the sending conveyor 5 by the assembling jig loading / unloading device 27. Even in this case, the assembly jig 1 of the current model following the pilot jig 1p is determined to be inconsistent by the jig discriminator 16, and the operation to be stored in the platen stacker 3 is continued. The assembling jig 1'is taken out from the predetermined storage portion of the platen stacker 3. Here, the assembly jig loading / unloading device 27 is
Like the transfer device 25, the transfer device 25 may include a suction head and a carrier. However, in this case, two sets of suction head and carrier are required for loading and unloading.
Then, as the next model, the leading assembly jig 1'is assembled by the leading automatic assembly robot a and then transferred to the next process. When the robot reaches the automatic assembly robot b in the next step, the robot b in this step has also completed the model switching work, and the model is immediately assembled to the leading assembly jig 1 '. Then, the pilot jig 1p is located at the end of the assembly jig 1 of the model before switching, and the assembly jig 1'of the next model keeps a constant distance from the pilot jig 1p. In this state, they are conveyed in parallel by the delivery conveyor 5, so when the pilot jig 1p reaches the end side of the delivery conveyor 5, parts assembly work for the assembly jig 1'of the next model is also performed. , The pilot jig 1p is spaced from the pilot jig 1p by a predetermined distance and is advanced by a predetermined number of steps.

In addition, while carrying the pilot jig 1p and carrying in the assembling jig 1'of the next model from the platen stacker 3,
Mount the assembly jig 1 of the model before switching to the platen stacker 3
The work to collect it is continuing, and the pilot jig 1p
Is circulated to the starting end of the delivery conveyor 5 again via the recovery conveyor 6, when the assembly jig 1 of the model before switching is used.
Are collected by the platen stacker 3. However, in the pilot jig 1p, the model switching device 11 provided at the end of the recovery conveyor 6 returns the model switching notification pin 10 to the reset position.
This is the final jig collection work for the platen stacker 3. After that, the assembling jig 1'of the next model is circulated, but since the assembling jig 1'is judged by the jig discriminator 16 to be coincident, it is collected by the platen stacker 3. Without being carried out, the robot is again put into the assembling work by the automatic assembling robots a, b ... H. This jig discriminator 16
Not only when switching models, but also when continuing production of the same model, and when assembly jigs of different models are mistakenly mixed on the conveyor, the determination work by Can be removed.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, it has been explained that each assembling robot assembles the predetermined parts to the assembling jig, but the present invention only performs processing for this. It also includes automatic processing robots.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the automatic assembly apparatus of the present invention, in each step of the automatic assembly line, good / defective is inspected and a defective product is taken out from the assembly conveyor to the defective conveyor each time, Non-assembleable products are reworked and automatically re-introduced to the assembly conveyor, so defective products can be eliminated immediately in the defective process, and after the defective products are repaired, the line can be automatically and efficiently. Since it is turned on again, there is an effect that the loss of parts and the burden of repair work can be minimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main portion of a delivery conveyor, FIG. 2 is a plan block diagram of a main assembly line, FIG. 3 is a side block diagram thereof, and FIG.
Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of the assembling jig, Figs. 5 (A) and 5 (B) are diagrams showing the operating state of the defective product notification pin, and Fig. 6 is a device for displacing each notification pin of the assembling jig. FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the discriminating state of the model specifying unit, FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing the detecting state of each notification pin of the assembly jig, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a side view of the main part of the conveyor, FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the entire system, FIG. 11 is a block circuit diagram of each automatic assembly robot, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a processing flow of an assembly jig transfer device. 13 and 14 show a conventional example. 1 ... Assembly jig, 2 ... Conveyor, 3 ... Platen stacker, 5 ... Delivery conveyor, 5a ... Assembly conveyor, 5b
… Bad conveyor, 10… Model switching notification pin, 12a…
Parts, 13 ... Model identification part, 14 ... Defective product notification pin,
16 ... Jig discriminator, 18a ... Set cylinder, 18b
... reset cylinder, 19 ...... poor tweezers cylinder, 25 ... assembling jig transfer device, a, b to h ...... automatic assembly robot, b 1 _...... assembling unit, b 2 _...... defect detection apparatus, M: Magnet, PM ₁ , PM ₂ , PS ₁ , PS
₂ ... Plunger, SO ... Defective product detection sensor, SE ...
... Model change sensor, SM ₁ , SM ₂ , SS ₁ , SS ₂ ...
… Magnetic detection sensor.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An inspection means inspects whether or not the assembly of a predetermined automatic assembly process is possible or not, and if the inspection result is acceptable, it is passed through the assembly conveyor as it is. It is automatically taken out to the defective conveyor,
The unassembled product that was taken out is stopped by stopper means and temporarily held on the defective conveyor in order to avoid mixing with the unassembled product in the next process. An automatic assembling apparatus characterized in that when it is re-introduced upward, it is automatically taken into the assembling conveyor by the transfer means. 2. The assembly product is to be mounted on an assembly jig, and the assembly jig has defect setting means, and the defect setting is performed when the inspection result is impossible. The automatic assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means is set, and the transfer means is driven by detecting the setting of the defect setting means.