JPH0645048B2 - Steel pipe automatic printing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic marking device for marking marks on steel pipes manufactured and shipped.

A mark (referred to as a shipping mark) is attached to an inner surface or an outer surface of a pipe end of a manufactured and shipped steel pipe. FIG. 5 shows an example thereof. This consists of characters 61 and figures 62. The characters are fixed parts such as company name and item name,
It consists of variable parts that are actual values of items such as length and weight.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, an operator manually blows this steel pipe mark. That is, a stencil plate in which the basic printing pattern (fixed part of the mark) is punched out on an iron plate and an iron piece in which characters for the variable part are punched out are prepared, and at the time of marking, the stencil plate changes according to the printing content that changes for each steel pipe. Is selected, the iron piece is fitted into the selected stencil plate to form a completed stencil plate, and the stencil plate is applied to the inner surface or the outer surface of the steel pipe to spray paint, and a target steel pipe mark is marked on the steel pipe.

The markings currently performed on UO steel pipes have the following characteristics. Print on the inside or outside of steel pipes of various sizes. The surface to be printed (outer / inner surface), the distance from the tube end to the marking position, the basic printing pattern, etc. differ depending on the order (manufacturing specifications). It is necessary to embed the shipping number, the manufacturing specification / manufacturing performance information, the company mark, etc. in the printing contents into the printing basic pattern selected for each order. The print content changes for each line, the amount of information is large, and the size of characters is also specified. The print content is determined immediately before printing.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Since the steel pipe marking has such characteristics, it can not be automated at all, and many workers performed hand-blown printing, but in hand-blown printing, the print content is created, the stencil plate is set, the set status is confirmed, There is a problem that it is necessary to manually confirm the printing result, the cost is high, it takes time to manufacture, and it is not possible to promptly change the printing content.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which improves the above points by using a computer and a robot, enables unmanned steel pipe marking, has accurate printing contents, and can quickly respond to changes in printing contents. It is what

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows the construction of an automatic printing apparatus for steel pipes according to the present invention. 10
Is a host computer, 20 is a computer that receives order (manufacturing specifications including printing specifications) information from the computer 10, 30 is a printing control computer, 40 is a printing device, and 50 is a robot.
The robot 50 is a 6-axis type shown in FIG. 3, and a printing section (printing head) 40a of the printing device 40 is attached to the tip of the arm and is inserted into a predetermined position in the steel pipe 70 to repeat the arc-shaped movement and print data. In accordance with the above, the paint is jetted from the printing section 40a to mark the inner surface of the steel pipe.

The host computer 10 includes an order information input unit 1, an order information storage / management unit (database) 2, and an order information transmission unit 3.

The computer 20 also includes a print basic pattern input means 5, a check means 6 for checking whether the print basic pattern can be printed by a robot (whether it is within the movement range of the robot arm, etc.), and the check. Means 7 for storing and managing the printing basic pattern which is OK in the above, means 8 for storing and managing the order information sent from the computer 10, and means 9 for storing and managing the manufacturing record information obtained from various control computers 17. And an input means 11 thereof, an order allocation means (corresponding order information and performance information) means 14, a means 12 for embedding order / performance information in a print basic pattern, and a print basic pattern (print pattern) in which order / performance information is embedded. Means 13 for transmitting, means 1 for transmitting order / manufacturing record information
6 and tracking means 15.

Further, the control computer 30 has graphic information input means 21, means 22 for storing and managing the input graphic information, means 23 for storing and managing the print pattern sent from the computer 20, ordering / manufacturing sent from the computer 20. Storage of performance information and manufacturing performance information (25 is input means) obtained from various sensors / setting board 18, management means 24, means for embedding order / manufacturing performance information of storage means 24 in a print pattern to generate print information. 26, a means 27 for transmitting the print information and the graphic information, a means 28 for determining the operation pattern of the robot from the ordering / manufacturing record information of the storage means 24, a means 29 for outputting the operation pattern by a robot operation pattern number, and a tracking means. Has 31.

The printing device 40 receives the printing information (which is the character code and its control information) and the graphics information (this is the dot pattern data, which is sent from the control computer 30 and is fitted into the graphics area represented by the space in the printing information. Code conversion / combining means 35 for converting the above) into a dot pattern expressing a steel pipe mark image, and means 36 for outputting the code conversion / synthesizing means 35 to a print head.

Further, the robot 50 has means 37 for selecting a program designated by the robot operation pattern number sent from the computer 30, and means 38 for activating the selected program to operate the robot.

[Action]

Although there are many print basic patterns, these are stored by the print basic pattern input means 5 and stored in the management means (print basic pattern database) 7. Each print basic pattern is numbered and this number is used for management. The printing basic pattern of the mark attached to the steel pipe included in the order (manufacturing specification) information sent from the host computer 10 is also represented by this number, and the corresponding printing basic pattern is read by searching the management means 7 with the number. Can be issued.

The number specified by the host computer 10 may not be stored in the management means 7. In this case, the corresponding print basic pattern is input by the input means 5, checked by the check means 6 to confirm that printing is possible, and then stored in the management means 7.

The graphic information of the steel pipe mark is input by the input means 21 and stored in the management means (database of graphic information) 22. A number is also attached to the graphic information and the figure information is managed.

When the steel pipe is manufactured according to the order information (this process,
A control system (not shown), various control computers, and various sensors / setting boards 18 send various manufacturing performance data, and the one used for the steel pipe mark is the input means 1
1, 25 are stored in the management means 9, 24. The order allocation means 14 associates the manufactured steel pipe with the order information. This association is not necessarily fixed. That is, the steel pipe manufactured according to the order information (manufacturing specifications) may not meet the manufacturing specifications due to the manufacturing process (for example, if the steel pipes are successively cut, the last one will be slightly short in length. Etc.), in this case, it will be transferred to another item that conforms to the order information. The order allocating means 14 also performs such processing to associate the manufactured steel pipes (also managed by numbers) with the order information (including the basic print pattern number).

In the information embedding means 12, the printing basic pattern associated with the steel pipe is read out from the managing means 7 by its number, and the manufacturing record (length, weight, etc.) of the steel pipe is managed in the printing basic pattern by the managing means 9. Take it out and embed it. Depending on the steel pipe mark, the length is displayed in meters or feet,
There are various weights such as indications in kilograms and pounds, and unit conversion of these is also performed by the information embedding means 12.

Embedding means 1 is used for embedding information in the basic print pattern.
In No. 2, only a part (output by the control computer 17) is performed, and the rest is performed by the information embedding means 26 in the print pattern. The information to be embedded here is based on various sensors and
Input from the setting panel 18. The information after this processing is called printing information, and the information before the processing is called printing pattern. Therefore, the former is the one in which the embedding of information in the print basic pattern has been completed (the embedding of graphic information has not been completed), and the latter is the one in which some information has been embedded in the print basic pattern.

The robot operation pattern determination means 28 determines the robot operation pattern from the order / manufacturing performance information. The marking is specified by the order information such as how many mm from the pipe end on the inner or outer surface of the steel pipe, and the pipe diameter xx etc. is known from the manufacturing record information, so which arcuate motion pattern is applicable? Judgment is made and the number of the arcuate movement pattern (robot motion number) is obtained. Again, there are many such as 200 species. The output means 29 outputs the robot operation number to the robot 50.
Output to.

The robot 50 starts the program of the designated number (when a print start signal is received from the computer) and moves the print head at the tip of the arm along the designated arc. At this time, the printer 40 sends the print data to the print head,
The paint is jetted according to the print data. In this way, a steel pipe mark is marked on the inside / outside surface of the steel pipe as specified.

The above configuration is summarized in FIG. Calculator 1
Reference numerals 0, 20, and 30 constitute a computer system including an input / output device, an external storage device, a communication control device, and the like.
Of the robot controller and the printer 40 constitute a printer controller, and the robot controller controls the operation (arc movement) of the robot and the print controller controls the jetting of paint on the print head.

The functions of the computer system are as shown in FIG. 3, and information about the basic framework of printing (printing basic pattern) is input to the database. At this time, it is judged whether or not the pattern is rational from the viewpoint of the movable range of the robot, and a rational pattern is stored in the database. The figure information of the steel pipe mark is also entered in the database.

Enter the manufacturing specifications of the ordered steel pipe into the host computer,
The manufacturing specifications and printing specifications (order information) are transmitted to the low-order computer.

In the manufacturing process, manufacturing performance information (including various information set on the setting panel) generated at each stage where the steel pipe is manufactured is collected in the computer. The tracking function is used to link the steel pipes (real pipes) to be manufactured with the manufacturing information. Based on the manufacturing results of steel pipes, actual pipes and orders are linked. In addition, the production record and the graphic information are embedded in the basic print pattern to complete the mark data and output it to the print control device. Further, the operation pattern of the robot is determined from the manufacturing specifications (orders) and the manufacturing results of the steel pipe, and it is output to the robot controller to control the arcuate movement of the arm tip.

The steel pipe mark (shipment mark) has a basic (fixed) character part, a variable character part determined by the manufacturing record, and a graphic part. Each type is different from one to another and is not easy to handle. Place workers and create stencils,
Hand blowing and checking the marking results. A robot may be introduced to make this unmanned, but how to make a stencil (mark), how to process fixed / variable information and graphic information to complete print data, actual pipe and print content The problem is how to handle the above, and what kind of marking method to combine with the robot motion.

In the present invention, these are embedded in actual print pattern data and graphic pattern data. Based on the manufacturing results of steel pipes, the final actual product and order information (printing specifications, manufacturing specifications) are linked. Manufacturing specifications And the robot operation pattern required for the marking is determined based on the actual results and output, and the pattern number is output to the robot controller. By the arc motion of the robot arm and the paint jet (dot printing) by the print head at the arm tip, marking is performed. By solving this problem, we were able to realize robot marking of shipping marks and unmanned operation.

〔Example〕

Fig. 4 shows the outline of the UO steel pipe stencil robot system. The host computer 10 is located at the head office, and the lower computer 2
0 is placed in the factory, and the control computer 30, the robot controller, the Y-axis (forward / backward) control device (robot control device), the printing control device, the robot, etc. are placed in the stencil field. The steel pipe 70 is sent to a stencil place through a witness inspection station, a weighing inspection station, etc. by a transportation system, and a shipping mark is marked here and it is sent to the shipping station.

The target steel pipe is 18 to 56 inches, the wall thickness is 6.35 to 40 mm, and the printing location is 100 to 50 from the outer or inner surface of the steel pipe and the pipe end.
0 mm, printing (mark) contents such as orderer's name, company mark, steel pipe control number, size, weight, manufacturing history, inspection history, etc., maximum printable number is 40 characters x 24 lines, 46 dots, 3-4 lines simultaneous printing , Paint injection by opening and closing the valve of a pencil gun.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to mark a steel pipe shipping mark by a robot, which contributes to labor saving. In addition, it is possible to quickly respond to changes in the mark contents, and since there is basically no error in the print contents, the confirmation work after marking can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the whole, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing processing contents of a computer system, and FIG. 4 is applying the present invention. And FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the shipping mark.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A computer, a peripheral device, comprising:
And a steel pipe automatic printer equipped with a robot. A means (5) for inputting a print basic pattern of a mark to be printed on a steel pipe, a means (6) for checking whether or not the print basic pattern can be printed within the operation range of the robot, and a means for managing the print basic pattern after the check (7), a means (21) for inputting graphic information to be included in the mark, and a means (22) for managing the graphic information, a means (1) for inputting order information of a steel pipe, and a means for managing the order information ( 2,8) Means (11,25) for inputting the manufacturing results of the steel pipe, and means (9,24) for managing the manufacturing performance information. Based on the manufacturing results of the steel pipe, the management means (8) is applied to the steel pipe. Means for allocating one of the pooled orders (14) Embedding the manufacturing results of steel pipes in the format specified in the printing basic pattern specified by the printing specifications of the order,
Means for generating print information (12, 26) Device for receiving print information and graphic information and printing them by the printing unit (40) Means (28) for determining the operation pattern of the robot from the order information and performance information of the steel pipe and A means (29) for outputting it as a robot operation number, and a robot (50) having a printing unit attached to the tip of the arm and printing the mark on the surface of the steel pipe by synchronizing the movement of the arm and the printing operation.