JPH1094873A - Welding robot controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a welding equipment hardly causing welding defect when restarting the equipment from the temporal stop on the way of welding work by operating one or more devices such as a robot and a positioner. SOLUTION: When a cylindrical member 1b is welded to a discoid based material 1a placed/fixed to a positioner 3, while rotating the positioner 3, by a torch 2 mounted to a hand tip of a robot 4 from a welding start point P1 to a welding finish point P2 , as shown in (a), after welding is started at the welding start point P1 , as shown in (b), at a point P5 on the way from a welding start point P1 to a welding finish point P2 , when the positioner 3 of a robot controller is transiently stopped due to some factor, in order to avoid welding defect of arc missing, etc., as shown in (c), a welding rework point Ps which is moved to in the welding start point P1 direction on a weld line at reworking, is obtained, the positioner 3 is moved until the torch 2 reaches the welding rework point Ps , after the torch 2 reaches the welding rework point P, welding is reworked from here toward the welding finish point P2 .

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for a welding robot, and more particularly to a control device suitable for a welding robot of a type which performs welding by moving both a welding torch and a work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In arc welding, a welding bead is formed while a welding torch is relatively moved along a welding line of a workpiece. Therefore, when the robot is stopped instantaneously, the welding operation is stopped from the viewpoint of maintaining welding quality. There is a need. Hereinafter, such a stop of the welding operation is referred to as a temporary stop.

[0003] In the conventional welding method according to this robot, the torch 2 attached to the hand of the robot towards the welding end point p ₂ from the welding start point p ₁ on the workpiece 1, as shown in FIG. 5 When welding is started and stopped temporarily during welding, when restarting afterwards, in order to avoid abnormalities such as breakage of the arc, the welding is re-executed by retracting the welding line by a predetermined distance Δl (ell). Point p _s
Look to move the robot to the tip of the torch 2 reaches the weld re-execution point p _s, after the arrival tip of the torch 2 to weld rerun point p _s, the welding is rerun towards the welding end point p ₂ ing.

As shown in FIG. 6, the position of the welding re-execution point p _s is calculated by using the following equation, where the position of each point is represented by a vector from the robot origin 0. λ = Δl / L = Δl / √ (x _t -x ₁ ) ² + (y _t -y ₁ ) ² + (z _t -z ₁ ) ² ... (1)

[0005] robot vector from the origin 0 to the welding start point p ₁ P1, a vector of the pause point p _t and Pt, the distance Δl from the pause point p _t the welding start point p ₁ direction
When a vector of only retracted welded rerun points p _s and Ps, Ps = Pt + λ ( P1-Pt) = λP1 + (1-λ) Pt ...... ...... (2) Equation (1) and (2), the following The determinant of is obtained.

[0006]

(Equation 3)

[0007] where _{P1 = (x 1, y 1} , z 1) Pt = (x t, y t, z t) because existing inside robot controller, by providing .DELTA.l, welding rerun point p _s can be calculated.

[0008]

In the prior art,
The position of the point where welding is restarted is obtained only from the moving distance of the robot's hand, and the operation of a positioner or the like cooperating with the robot is not considered at all. Therefore, the following cases, the weld re-execution point p _s is the same as pause point p _t, welding abnormality arc interruption or the like there has been a problem that occurs.

[0009] A case in which a positioner on which a workpiece is mounted is moved and welding is performed without changing the hand position of the robot. Welding by moving the traveling trolley carrying the robot without changing the hand position of the robot.

Further, in the prior art, since the welding re-execution point p _s is obtained by the equations (1) and (3), even if the robot is operated independently, other than linear interpolation, for example, the circular interpolation method is used. If the operation was performed by the interpolation method, there was a problem that the welding re-execution point p _s could not be obtained correctly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is not difficult to cause welding abnormalities when restarting from a temporary stop during welding due to the operation of one or more devices such as a robot and a positioner. It is to provide a welding device which can be obtained.

[0012]

An object of the present invention is to provide a welding robot control apparatus which resumes welding from a position retracted by a predetermined distance when welding is resumed after welding is stopped during welding performed by a robot. Storage means for storing position data, and means for determining a welding re-execution point from the position data stored in the storage means when the welding is stopped,
This is achieved by providing means for obtaining a path to the welding re-execution point by interpolation, and means for returning to the welding re-execution point along the obtained interpolation point.

According to the present invention, since the storage means for sequentially storing the position data on the welding line during the welding operation is provided, the welding is temporarily stopped during the operation by one or more devices such as a robot and a positioner. Thereafter, in the direction of the welding start point on the welding line, a welding re-execution point retracted by a distance that is unlikely to cause a welding abnormality can be automatically created. Therefore, when the welding is restarted, the tip of the torch is automatically created at the welding re-execution point. , The robot and the positioner are operated until the welding is reached, the welding is restarted from the welding re-execution point, and the robot and the positioner can be operated so that the tip of the torch is directed to the welding end point.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when restarting from a temporary stop during welding, the tip of the torch is retracted from the point at which the torch was temporarily stopped in the direction of the welding start point on the welding line, and then from the point at which the welding is re-executed. Is resumed, welding abnormalities such as arc breaks can be made less likely to occur as compared to restarting welding from the pause point.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a welding robot control device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. First, FIG. 4 shows a hardware configuration of a robot system to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the drawing, reference numeral 2 denotes a torch for welding, and 3 denotes a work to be mounted and rotated to position. Positioner, 4 is a robot, 5 is a robot controller, 6 is a welding machine, 7 is a reel stand,
8 is a gas cylinder, 9 is a gas regulator, 10 is a gas hose,
11 is a hanging stand, 12 is a wire feeder, 13 is a conduit cable, 14 is a positioner controller, 1
5 is an operation panel, and 16 is a teaching device. In addition,
The robot system having such a configuration is very general, and a general description of the operation is also omitted.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the welding operation by the robot 4 and the positioner 3 in one embodiment of the present invention.
In this example, a work 1 is shown in which a cylindrical member 1b is welded to a disk-shaped base material 1a, these are placed and fixed on a positioner 3, and the robot 4 is rotated while rotating the positioner 3. shows a case of welding One unsuitable from the welding start point P ₁ to the welding end point P ₂ by torch 2 attached to the hand.

[0017] Now, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), after starting the welding operation at the welding start point P _1, as shown in FIG. (B),
In the middle of the point P _t of the welding start point P ₁ and the welding end point P _2, for some reason, the robot controller 5 Pojishiyona 3
Has been paused.

[0018] Thus, in the prior art described above, after this, when performing restart, robot is again arc ON pause point P _t, thereby start moving One suited to welding end point P _2. Thus, in general, in the pause point P _t, susceptible to welding abnormality arc interruption, etc. Therefore, as described above, in the prior art, it was supposed to produce a welding defect.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the welding is temporarily stopped in the middle of the welding, in order to avoid a welding abnormality such as an arc break, as shown in FIG. seeking welding rerun point P _s is moved to the welding start point P ₁ direction, the torch 2 moves the Pojishiyona 3 until arriving at the weld re-execution point P _s, torch 2 is welded rerun point P
After arriving in _s, is from here are you so as to re-execute the welding towards the welding end point P _2.

Next, in this embodiment, upon restart, until the torch 2 reaches the welding rerun point P _s of the welding line, the function of moving the Pojishiyona 3 will be described with FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the internal processing of the robot control device 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, steps 101 to 106 are processing during normal operation, and steps 111 to 121 are processing during temporary stop. It is.

In a normal operation, the robot control device 5 operates the robot 4 and the positioner 3 according to steps 101 to 106. In step 101, robot 4
And a target point P ₂ required for operating the positioner 3
The data such as the position, the interpolation method, and the speed are retrieved from the storage device. In step 102, the current positions of the robot 4 and the positioner 3 are recorded.

In step 103, the position of the next interpolation point is calculated so that the robot 4 and the positioner 3 operate at the specified speed according to the specified interpolation method. In step 104, it is checked whether or not the apparatus is in the pause state. If the apparatus is in the pause state, the process jumps to the processing step 111 at the time of suspension. In step 105, the robot 4 and the positioner 3 are operated to the interpolation point obtained in step 102. In step 106, the target point is compared with the current positions of the robot 4 and the positioner 3. If the target point has been reached, the processing is terminated, and if not, the flow jumps to step 102.

Next, at the time of a temporary stop, the robot controller 5 operates the robot 4 and the positioner 3 according to steps 111 to 121. At step 111, it is determined whether or not the arc is ON. If the arc is ON, the process jumps to step 113, and if the arc is OFF, step 1 is performed.
Fly to 12. In step 112, it is determined whether or not activated, when invoked jumps to step 106 to start the operation from the pause point P _t to the welding end point P ₂ is the target point.

In step 113, the arc is turned off. In step 114, the heading predetermined data from the current position data which had been recorded at step 102 and then determines the weld re-execution point P _s. In step 115, to exchange position data of the welding end point P ₂ is welded rerun point P _s and the original target point calculated in step 114.

In step 116, it is determined whether or not the operation has been started. If the operation has been started, the process jumps to step 117 to start the operation from the temporary stop point to the target point (here, the welding re-execution point P _s ). In step 117, the robot 4 and the positioner 3 calculate the position of the next interpolation point so as to operate at the specified speed according to the specified interpolation method. In step 118, the robot 4 and the positioner 3 are operated to the interpolation point obtained in step 117.

In step 119, the target point (here, the welding re-execution point P _s ) is compared with the current positions of the robot 4 and the positioner 3, and if it has reached the target point, step 12 is executed.
If it has not arrived, it jumps to step 117.
By repeating the process from the above step 117 to 119, the robot 4 and Pojishiyona 3 necessary operations to move from the temporary stop point P _t to the welding rerun point P _s.

In step 120, the position data of the target point and the position data of the welding re-execution point are exchanged again. Thus, the position data of the target point is set to the welding end point P ₂ which is the original target point. In step 121, the arc is turned on and the program jumps to step 102. Thus, robot 4 and Pojishiyona 3 starts the operation of the welding end point P ₂ from the welding rerun point P _s.

Next, the method for determining the welding rerun point P _s, will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, Pc is the current position data of the robot 4 and the positioner 3, P is the current position history data, and I is the history data counter. The current position data Pc stores the positions of the robot 4 and the positioner 3 at the time of reading the data.

The current position history data P is an area for recording up to N pieces of current position data Pc in chronological order, and is numbered 0, 1, 2,..., N-1 from the top. Thus, for example, the second data is referred to as P (2). On the other hand, the history data counter I records the number of current position data Pc recorded in the current position history data P. Note that the initial value of the history data counter I is 0.

In step 102 of FIG. 2, while the robot 4 and the positioner 3 are operating normally, the current position data P contains the current position data Pc at every predetermined period T. Recorded in P,
1 is added to the value of the history data counter I.

When data is recorded in the N-1st P (N-1) of the current position log data P, it is recorded again in the 0th P (0) of the current position log data P in the next cycle. , Sequentially circulate the current position history data P
Is recorded with the current position data Pc. That is, P (I mod N) ← Pc (4) I ← I + 1... (5) where mod: an operator for obtaining a remainder ←: represents an assignment

By this processing, while the robot 4 and the positioner 3 are operating normally, the current position history data P is recorded with the position data of a maximum of N points that the robot 4 and the positioner 3 last passed. You. The last passing point and the first passing point among these data can be referred to as follows.

Last point passed: When I = 0, P (0)... (6) When I> 0, P ((I mod N) -1)... (7) First P (0) when I <N P (0) …… (8) When I ≧ N P (I mod N) ………… (9)

Now, in FIG. 2, when the operation is suspended with the arc ON (that is, during welding), these equations are obtained.
As is clear from (8) and (9), in step 114, the first passing point of the recorded current position history data P, that is, the earliest passing point, is the welding restart point P _s. Select as

Therefore, by this processing, the welding restart point P
_s is a point that has passed from the time of the suspension to the time that is retroactive by the time Δt represented by the following equations (10) and (11). When I <N Δt = IT (10) When I ≧ N Δt = NT (11) where T: recording cycle of current position data Pc

[0036] In the step 115 of FIG. 2 116 to exchange position data of the welding termination point P ₂ is that to weld rerun point P _s and the original target point was determined as described above, after receiving the activation, in the step 117 119, the robot 4 and Pojishiyona 3, is operated from the pause point P _t to the welding rerun point P _s, pause point P _t after arrival, at the step 120 121, rerun welding target point again exchanging position data of the point, and the arc oN, by flying to step 102, it is possible to operate the welding end point P ₂ which is the original target point from the welding rerun point P _s.

[0037]

According to the present invention, in a device for performing welding by the operation of one or more devices such as a robot and a positioner, when welding is restarted from a temporary stop, welding on a welding line is started from a temporary stop point. After moving the torch in the direction of the point,
Since the welding is restarted, it is possible to avoid an abnormality such as an arc break, as compared with restarting the welding from the temporary stop point, and it is possible to reduce downtime and stabilize welding quality.

Further, the present invention is applicable to welding by an operation of an arbitrary combination of one or more devices of any number. In addition to a robot alone operation, a positioner alone operation, a cooperative operation of a plurality of positioners, and a robot And the positioner can be controlled in any case.

Further, according to the present invention, the position of the welding start point is not determined analytically, but the interpolation point recorded during the operation is taken out and used as the welding start point. , For any interpolation scheme. Also, because it does not depend on the mechanism to be controlled,
It can be controlled for robots and positioners of any function.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a welding operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing inside a robot control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a method for determining a welding re-execution point according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of a robot system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional welding operation by a robot.

FIG. 6 is a vector diagram for calculating a welding re-execution point in the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 distance from the workpiece 2 the torch 3 Pojishiyona 4 robot 5 robot controller P ₁ welding start point P ₂ welding end point P _t welded middle of the pause point P _s welding rerun point Δl pause point to weld rerun point Pc Current position data P Current position history data I History data counter T Recording cycle of current position data Pc

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Raji Shimomura 7-1-1-1 Higashi Narashino Plant, Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture (72) Inventor Tsukasa Shiina 7-1-1-1 Higashi Narashino, Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture Hitachi Keiyo Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A welding robot control device for resuming welding from a position retracted by a predetermined distance when welding is resumed after stopping welding generated during a welding operation by a robot, wherein storage means for storing position data on a welding line. Means for obtaining a welding re-execution point from the position data stored in the storage means when the welding is stopped; means for obtaining a path to the welding re-execution point by interpolation; and Means for reversing to a welding re-execution point.