JPH087022A - Mark reader for shape steel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically recognize and input information in the refining line of shape steel, in which automatization is not improved so far, and to realize an unmanned operation by automatically moving and rotating first and second arms and moving a mark reader in accordance with the position of a mark. CONSTITUTION:Transported shape steel is detected by shape steel position detection sensors 66, 68a and 68b. The first arm 28a moves in accordance with the control of a controller 18, and the mark reader 52 approaches shape steel. When the reader 52 approaches shape steel, the position is detected by reader position detection sensors 54, 56 and 58 and the reader approaches into a read range so that it is not collided with shape steel by the control of the controller 18. The position of the mark adhered to shape steel is previously stored in the controller 18, and the controller 18 freely rotates the second arm 28b based on the stored content, positions the reader 52 and reads the mark. Thus, the mark can be read even if the adhered position of the mark is changed by the type and the size of shape steel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shaped steel mark reading device for reading a mark such as a bar code attached to a shaped steel to indicate a type or history.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, steel mills manufacture various kinds of products such as thick plates, thin steel plates, shaped steels, wire rods and steel pipes. In the manufacturing facilities for these various products, the manufacturing process is controlled and controlled by a computer, and it is a systematic unmanned and automated facility for manufacturing products that meet customer requirements. In such unmanned / automated equipment, when checking products being conveyed on the automatic operation control line, or when conveying products on the automatic operation control line,
You need to enter data about the product type and history into your computer. However, among the above-mentioned products, shaped steels have a wide variety of cross-sectional shapes, and thus their types and histories are also various, which is one obstacle to unmanned and automated manufacturing equipment. Therefore, a technology has been proposed in which a mark such as a bar code indicating the type and history of shaped steel is attached to each shaped steel and the mark is read by a reading device to input data regarding the type and history of shaped steel into a computer. ing. As a reading device for reading the mark, there is known a reading device for reading the mark attached to a single-shaped shaped steel (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 64-2191), a character reading device using an image processing technique, and the like. (JP-A 4-2
(See Japanese Patent Publication No. 20171).

[0003]

The above-mentioned shaped steels include types such as H-shaped steels, sheet steel sheet piles and flat steels. Further, for example, steel sheet piles include U type, Z type, F type and the like. There are various sizes with different shapes and dimensions. Moreover, the place where the mark is attached varies depending on the type of shaped steel, and the orientation of the shaped steel flowing through the manufacturing process line may differ. Therefore, the shaped steel has marks attached at various positions. In order to read such marks with the above-mentioned conventional reader, the mechanism of the device becomes complicated, so that expensive equipment is required and a plurality of readers must be installed. As a result, it becomes uneconomical in terms of capital investment, so the operator sees the shaped steel that is displayed on the TV screen without giving up automation and unmanned operation and operates the computer terminal to check the type of shaped steel, etc. You are typing.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shaped steel mark reading apparatus which enables automation and unmanned operation of shaped steel manufacturing equipment.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a shaped steel mark reading apparatus of the present invention is a first arm that moves freely in the vertical direction and at the same time moves its tip end in a horizontal plane. A second arm having a universal mechanism attached to the tip, a mark reader attached to the second arm for reading a mark of a shaped steel, and an attachment to the second arm, A reader position detection sensor that detects the position of the mark reader, a structural steel position detection sensor that detects the position of the structural steel that has been conveyed, and a signal from the reader position detection sensor and the structural steel position detection sensor. Based on the above, a controller for controlling the movement of each of the first arm and the second arm and the reading timing of the mark reader is provided.

[0006]

In the mark reading apparatus for shaped steel of the present invention, the shaped steel that has been conveyed is detected by the shaped steel position detection sensor, the first arm moves under the control of the controller, and the mark reading machine changes to shaped steel. approach. When the mark reader approaches the shaped steel, its position is detected by the reader position detection sensor, and is controlled by the controller to approach the reading range so as not to collide with the shaped steel. The position of the mark attached to the shaped steel is stored in advance in the controller, and the controller freely rotates the second arm based on the stored contents to position the mark reader and read the mark.

As described above, the mark reading device for shaped steel of the present invention can automatically move the mark reading device according to the position of the mark, so that the position where the mark is attached depends on the type and size of the shaped steel. The mark can be read even if it changes variously.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the mark reading apparatus for shaped steel of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the entire shaped steel manufacturing system including a shaped steel mark reading device, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a general-purpose robot used in the shaped steel mark reading device, and FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a mounting bracket having two axes of freedom of rotation attached to an arm of a general-purpose robot, a reader, and various sensors, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a bottom view, and FIG. It is a top view showing the state where the steel mark reading device was provided in conveyance equipment.

The section steel manufacturing system shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a control panel 10 for controlling the entire system, and is connected to a host computer P / C 12 and a control device DDC 14 of a transportation facility. In addition, the system includes a general-purpose robot 16 and a control panel 1 for controlling it.
8 is further provided, and further, a machine-side operation panel 20 used for operation operation on the machine side and a main operation panel 22 used in operation room setting and operation operation are provided.

The general-purpose robot 16 includes a column 24 extending in the vertical direction and a column 24 movably in the vertical direction indicated by an arrow 26.
A first arm 28a attached to the. A joint 36 rotatable about the shaft 30 is provided on the rear end side of the first arm 28a, and a joint 38 rotatable about the shaft 32 is provided on the distal end side. Therefore, the tip of the first arm 28a can move freely in the horizontal plane and also in the vertical direction.

A second arm 28b is rotatably connected to the joint 38, and a joint 40 provided at the tip of the second arm 28b is a joint rotatable about an axis 42. 44 is attached. Furthermore, joint 44
A mounting bracket 46 is attached to the. The mounting bracket 46 includes a joint 5 that rotates about an axis 48.
0, and a reader 52 for reading a bar code attached to the shaped steel is further attached. In the vicinity of the leader 52, a deceleration sensor 54 used when positioning the leader 52 on a shaped steel, a stop sensor 56, and an interference detection sensor 58 for preventing a collision with the shaped steel.
Is attached.

The transport facility 60 shown in FIG. 4 is provided with a transport roller table 62 and a side guide 64. A plane position detection sensor 66 for detecting the plane position of the shaped steel and side face position detection sensors 68a, 68b for detecting the side face position of the shaped steel are installed in this transportation facility, and signals representing the position of the shaped steel are The signals are input to the control panel 10 from the sensors 66, 68a, 68b.

FIG. 5 shows the positions where labels are attached to various shaped steels. As shown in the figure, the label 70 with the barcode printed thereon is attached to various positions such as the flange surface, the web surface, and the end surface of the end portion according to the type of the shaped steel 72. Figure 6
The reading operation for reading the barcode of the label attached to several types of shaped steel will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 are explanatory views schematically showing the reading operation.

First, a shaped steel 72 to which a label 70 is attached
Is stopped in the equipment range 74 (see FIG. 4) indicated by the broken line on the transport roller table 62 (see FIG. 4) of the transport equipment. The plane position of the stopped shaped steel 72 is detected by the plane position detection sensor 66, and the side face position is detected by the side face position detection sensor 68a,
It is detected at 68b. A signal indicating the type of the shaped steel 72 to be conveyed and the sticking position of the label 70 is sent by the host computer P /
It is input to the control panel 18 from the C12 and the control device DDC14, and the reader 52 is moved based on this signal.
When the shaped steel 72 is stopped by the control device DDC14 and a reading start signal is input, the general-purpose robot 16 (see FIG. 2) moves from the origin (home position) P ₀ , as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. The operation of each axis is sequentially P ₁ , P ₂ ,
It operates with P ₃ , P ₄ , P ₅ , and P ₆ . When approaching the shaped steel 72, the deceleration sensor 54 arranged near the leader 52 decelerates, the stop sensor 56 stops, and the interference detection sensor 58 prevents a collision. Leader 52
When the label 70 is positioned within the reading range 74 (see FIG. 3) within the reading distance of, when moving from P ₄ to P _{5 in} FIG. 6, and when moving from P ₂ to P _{3 in} FIG. In FIG. 8, when moving from P ₄ to P ₅ , the bar code printed on the label 70 is read by the reader 52.

[0015]

As described above, according to the mark reading apparatus for shaped steel of the present invention, the mark reading apparatus according to the position of the mark is automatically moved by automatically moving and rotating the first and second arms. Since the mark can be moved, the mark can be read even if the position where the mark is attached varies depending on the type and size of the shaped steel. As a result, information can be automatically confirmed and entered in the section shaping line for shaped steel, which has not been automated, and unmanned operations are possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an entire system for manufacturing a shaped steel, which includes a shaped steel mark reading device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a general-purpose robot used in a shaped steel mark reading device.

3A and 3B show a mounting bracket having two axes of freedom of rotation attached to the arm of the general-purpose robot of FIG. 2, a reader, and various sensors, FIG. 3A is a side view, and FIG.
(C) is a bottom view.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which a mark reading device for shaped steel is provided in a transportation facility.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing label sticking positions on various shaped steels.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically showing a reading operation for reading a bar code of a label attached to a shaped steel.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view schematically showing a reading operation for reading a bar code of a label attached to a shaped steel.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view schematically showing a reading operation for reading a bar code of a label attached to a shaped steel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 16 general purpose robot 18 control panel 24 pillar 28a first arm 28b second arm 30, 32, 34, 42, 48 axis 36, 38, 40, 44, 50 joints 46 mounting bracket 52 reader 54 deceleration sensor 56 for stopping Sensor 58 Interference detection sensor 66 Planar position detection sensor 68a, 68b Side position detection sensor

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Ando 1-chome, Mizushima Kawasaki-dori, Kurashiki-shi (no street address) Inside the Mizushima Steel Works, Kawasaki Steel Works (72) Inventor, Yoshio Yoshimura 1-chome, Mizushima Kawasaki-dori, Kurashiki-shi (no street number) ) Kawasaki Steel Co., Ltd. Mizushima Steel Works (72) Inventor Yoshinari Taniuchi 2951 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 4 Stock Company Nireko (72) Inventor Takahiro Yamakura 2951 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 4 Stock Company Nireko Within

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first arm, which moves freely in the up-and-down direction, and which freely moves a tip portion in a horizontal plane; a second arm having a universal mechanism, which is attached to the tip portion; A mark reader attached to the second arm for reading the mark of the shaped steel; a reader position detection sensor attached to the second arm for detecting the position of the mark reader; A structural steel position detecting sensor for detecting a position, based on signals from the reader position detecting sensor and the structural steel position detecting sensor, movement of each of the first arm and the second arm, and the mark reading. A mark reading apparatus for shaped steel, comprising: a controller for controlling the reading timing of the machine.