JPH06337711A - Teaching device for robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the man-hours of teaching by generating teaching data on a work as a basic type, and then generating teaching data for the enlargement, reduction, and combination of the basic type work. CONSTITUTION:On a welding data generating work station 2, master data are loaded from a server 3 with sent work information, drawing data on a new work and drawing data corresponding to the master data are loaded from a welding information CAD 6 so as to obtain conversion information (enlargement, reduction, and combination information), and after the conversion information is obtained, the master data are converted to generate the instruction data. Then the instruction data are stored on the server 3 and then loaded from a weld line control work station 2 when necessary, and the teaching data are downloaded to the robot 5 through a terminal server 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a robot teaching method,
In particular, the present invention relates to a robot teaching device when a target work is a high-mix low-volume production and a plurality of robots work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional robot teaching device, a model of a work, a jig, a robot, etc. is input using three-dimensional graphics, and from there, a three-dimensional graphic stitch (teaching by software teaching BOX,
(Or language teaching) (hereinafter referred to as a graph fix offline teaching system), the other is welding conditions (work point information, robot wrist posture information, robot motion sequence information, etc.) in CAD data corresponding to the workpiece. Are installed and their data (CA
There is a method of creating teaching data from (D data) (hereinafter referred to as NC offline teaching system).

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional method has the following problems. (1) Graphic offline teaching system <1> When a model is created, a dedicated person having mathematical expertise must be provided, and the number of man-hours for three-dimensional graphistics increases. (It is not necessary to stop the production line, but it is not suitable for high-mix low-volume production in which workpieces change daily.) <2> When teaching, a specialist with welding expertise is required to teach the welding posture and conditions. Must be provided. <3> The prices of general 3D graphic computers and software are high, and the investment effect including <1> and <2> is not so great. (2) NC offline teaching system <1> It is necessary to include the welding posture and welding conditions in the CAD data, and a dedicated person having specialized knowledge of welding must be provided. <2> The teaching data created is data only for the welding line (work line), and for other routes (air cut operation,
It is difficult to create teaching data for approach movements, etc.).

[0004]

To solve the above problems, the following technical means are adopted. 1. Teaching of the basic work is carried out by the actual robot (in order to inherit the know-how of welding work) (this is called the master program), and thereafter, similar work (work that can be handled by expanding, reducing or combining the basic work) )
For master data, enlargement / reduction / combination information is used to generate teaching data (teaching data is changed only to position data in the master program, and attitude data and welding condition data are inherited as they are). The similarity conversion method is used. 2. Enlargement, reduction, and combination information are obtained by means of CAD data.

[0005]

By the technical means shown above, 1. By creating teaching data (master program) for the basic type work, it is possible to create teaching data for enlargement, reduction, and combination (editing) of the basic type work. (The time required for teaching is less than half that of the conventional teaching device. Also, since there is no work such as model input, the operator does not need specialized knowledge.) It is possible to inherit the welding know-how incorporated in the master data, does not require the operator to have specialized welding knowledge, and is able to produce high-quality products even if the operator changes. 3. Since the introduction cost is lower than that of the graphic offline teaching system, it is possible to provide a realistic robot teaching device that is highly practical.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 by taking a welding system as an example.

In this system, when the work schedule information (work type, number of production lots, etc.) from the host computer 1 enters the welding line control workstation 2, the welding line control workstation 2 outputs the teaching data of the target work to the server 3. If the teaching data already exists, it is downloaded to the robot 5 via the terminal server 4. However, if the teaching data does not exist, the teaching data creation request is transmitted to the welding data creation workstation 2 in the offline teaching system together with the work information (work type).

In the welding data preparation workstation 2, the master data is loaded from the server 3 from the transmitted work information, and (in the case of this system, the master program is searched based on the work model information). Conversion information (enlargement, reduction, combination information)
To obtain the drawing data of the new work and the drawing data for the master data from the welding information CAD6,
After obtaining the conversion information, the master data is converted to create teaching data. After the creation, the teaching data is the server 3
Welding line control workstation 2
Then, the teaching data is downloaded to the robot 5 via the terminal server 4.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a target work in this system. As can be seen from the figure, the target work is an expansion of the basic type work (a plurality of types of basic type work are prepared as necessary. In FIG. 2, two basic type works of the window frame are registered). There are more than 3000 kinds of products due to differences in size reduction and combination, and this is a typical work for high-mix low-volume production.

FIG. 3 shows a functional configuration of the present invention. Due to the hardware configuration, it is divided into a function F1 for welding information CAD and a function F2 for creating welding data. Below are F1 and F2
The function that the function has will be described.

(1) Automatic CAD data selection function 101 Inputs a required drawing. This input drawing is C
The AD basic function 102 is used as work data 103, and the work data 103 is converted to the CL format function 10.
4 and stored as CL format data 105. With the work type as an index from the CAD data 105 converted into vector information by the processing of the welding information CAD, the CAD data conversion function 106 causes the drawing information of the basic type work (work taught the master program) and the target work. Drawing information (vector data a) is selected and taken out.

(2) Conversion information automatic setting function Based on the drawing information a extracted in the above (1) and the information b from the conversion database 204 (a database of the rules for extraction of conversion information). Conversion information c
(Enlargement / reduction ratio and combination member position information) is taken out by the automatic selection function 203.

(3) Calibration Function As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the calibration function 20
6, the conversion parameter d between the work coordinate system ΣW7 and the robot coordinate system ΣR8 is obtained. As a method, 3 points are taught on the work 9, the unit direction vector of each axis of the work coordinate system ΣW7 is obtained from the point data, and the unit direction vector is applied to the conversion amount calculated in the work coordinate system. This makes it possible to obtain the conversion amount in the robot coordinate system.

(4) Robot data conversion function Based on the calibration information d and the conversion information c described above, the robot position data is converted into the robot data conversion function 20.
Convert with 7. It should be noted that upon creation, as shown in FIG. 5, conversion processing is performed only on the position data of the robot and not conversion processing on posture data (for inheriting the master program know-how). In FIG. 5, [NO
AP] indicates the teaching data of the robot in which the posture data and the position data of the robot are combined. (N O
A) is posture data, P is position data after conversion, P1 is position data before conversion, M is a conversion matrix, and Δ is a conversion amount in work coordinates. The position data P is obtained by multiplying the conversion count (conversion amount) Δ in the work coordinates by the conversion matrix M, and the position data P1 before conversion is added,
That is, it is obtained as P1 + M * Δ. Where N, O,
A, P, P1 and Δ are vector quantities.

(5) Multi-robot control function The multi-robot control function 208 includes an interpolation path of the plural robots 51, 52, ... With respect to the robot position data conversion result, a positional relationship between each member (welding position), and a robot operation area. As shown in FIG. 6, work assignment to the robot that is optimal according to conditions such as tact is automatically performed. FIG. 6 shows that the robot to work is automatically selected according to the position of the beam on the window frame. If it is 301 (beam 1), robot A
51 works, but if it is 302 (beam 2), robot B
A robot is automatically selected for 52 to work.

(6) Interference control function The interference control function 209 obtains an interpolation operation in a plurality of robots by using a virtual robot function, and when an interpolation path in another robot exists in the interpolation path area, this area is set as an interference area. As 10 (hatched area), sequence commands (input / output commands, etc.) for interference control are automatically created in the teaching data sequence between the robots related to the interference area. That is, the interference control function means that the robot A5 as shown in FIG.
1. In the robot B52, when a certain welding work is in the interference area 10 (work Prog20 in the robot A)
And the work Prog20 in the robot B simultaneously interferes with each other), and an interference area entry determination input signal (Input I1) is input in the sequence program of the robot.
7) and interference area approach output signal (Output O1
It is a function to prevent interference between robots by inserting the interlock of 7) before welding work. The robot A51 receives the interference area entry determination input signal, and the robot B5
If it is determined that No. 2 does not interfere, an interference area entry output signal is issued to the robot B52, and the welding work program P-20
To execute the welding operation Prog20 of the interference area 10. The robot A51 waits when it is determined that the robot B52 interferes with the interference area entry determination input signal. The same applies to the robot B52.

(7) Virtual robot function A software robot model capable of starting the same processing as robot motion control (coordinate forward / backward conversion, interpolation control, direct movement control, current position acquisition, etc.) from application software by library call. (Virtual robot function 2
By constructing 10) in the workstation 2, application software such as a robot data conversion function, a multiple robot control function, and an interference control function can be realized.

(8) Format conversion function The FD11 is used as an emergency measure when registering master data, registering calibration points and down the communication line.
Mutual conversion function 201 between the FD format format (IRMX) used in the robot and the FD format format used in the workstation to enable transfer of teaching data via (Floppy disk)
Was set up.

According to the above embodiments, 1. By creating teaching data (master program) for a basic work, it is possible to create teaching data for enlargement, reduction, and combination (editing) of the basic work. (The time required for teaching is less than half that of the conventional teaching device. Also, since there is no work such as model input, the operator does not need specialized knowledge.) It is possible to inherit the welding know-how incorporated in the master data, the operator does not need specialized knowledge of welding, and it is possible to produce high quality products even if the operator changes. 3. Since the introduction cost is lower than that of the conventional offline teaching system, it is possible to provide a realistic robot teaching device with high practicality.

[0020]

According to the present invention, there is an effect that the number of robot teaching steps can be significantly reduced for a work of a wide variety of products in a small amount.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a specific example of a system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific example of a work according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of a functional configuration according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of a calibration method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a teaching data conversion algorithm according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of a function of controlling multiple robots according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of an interference control function according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Host computer, 2 ... Welding line integrated workstation, 3 ... Server, 4 ... Terminal server, 5 ... Robot, 6 ... Welding information CAD, 7 ... Work coordinate system, 8 ... Robot coordinate system, 9 ... Work,
10 ... Interference area, 11 ... Floppy disk, 12 ... Printer, 51, 52 ... Robot, 101 ... Drawing input, 102 ... CAD basic function, 103 ... Work data, 104 ... CL format conversion function, 105 ... CL
Format data, 106 ... CAD data conversion function, 10
7 ... Drawing information conversion data, 201 ... Format format conversion function, 202 ... Master data, 203 ... Conversion information automatic selection function, 204 ... Conversion database,
205 ... Database management function, 206 ... Calibration function, 207 ... Robot data conversion function,
208 ... Multiple robot control function, 209 ... Interference control function, 210 ... Virtual robot function, 211 ... Robot teaching data, 212 ... Work teaching data, 213
… Teach data load / save function.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for creating teaching data from enlargement / reduction / combination information for teaching data of a basic work taught by a robot and a means for obtaining enlargement / reduction / combination information from CAD data. A teaching device for a robot having the same. 2. A plurality of target robots are provided, and C
2. The teaching apparatus for a robot according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining a robot in charge of a work portion on the work from information on the work based on AD data and the teaching data, and means for similarly detecting an interference area. 3. The robot teaching apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining a robot that prioritizes the work from the tact time of the work when the interference area is detected.