JPH11277471A - Non-synchronous cooperation control method for robot, and robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute a given work by a slave manipulator in a required work spot detected by a master manipulator without teaching the slave manipulator about a position, an attitude, and a work content regarding the whole of a work object. SOLUTION: A sensor arranged at a master manipulator scans a work along a given path. When the required work spot of the work is detected by the sensor, the position attitude information and work content information 1 of the necessary work spot are registered. Fundamental work information corresponding to registered work content information is selected from a plurality of pre-taught fundamental work information tables 2, data on the fundamental required work spot is converted at 3 based on the position attitude information of the required work spot, conversion work information is produced, and the work tool of the slave manipulator executes the conversion work information at 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an asynchronous cooperative control method and a robot system for a robot which determines a slave manipulator operation with respect to a work object based on information on the work object from a master manipulator. The present invention relates to an asynchronous cooperative control method and a robot system for a robot in which a master manipulator detects a required work location of a work object by a sensor and a slave manipulator performs a predetermined work on the required work location.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when a robot performs a work on a work object using a manipulator, information of all the work contents is taught in advance to the robot in detail in advance, and the robot performs the work in accordance with the teaching. Perform work.

The following methods are known for a robot to perform two types of work. One of them is a single-arm system. As shown in FIG. 6, this single-arm one-arm system employs two types of work tools, for example, a sensor 111 for exploring the surface of a work object and a sensor 111 for detecting the surface of the work object. Is provided with a polishing tool 113 for polishing the surface of the tool, and "full work teaching" for sequentially teaching the details of the work contents to each of the working tools 111 and 113 is executed. When the sensor searches the surface of the work subject as taught and detects a required work location, the search operation is temporarily interrupted, for example, the sensor is removed from the work position, and instead, the polishing tool is moved to the work position. The sensor is switched to a polishing tool, for example, by moving the polishing tool, and the polishing tool performs the taught polishing operation at that position. After that, the sensor is switched to the sensor again and the search operation is continued.

[0004] Another system is a two-arm system. This single-arm two-arm system uses two robots having one manipulator as shown in FIG.
For the manipulators 200 and 300 of the two robots, "full work teaching" of the information of each work content is executed so as not to interfere with each other. And
Furthermore, when the other manipulator 300 performs a work using the work result of one manipulator 200,
The work result information is sent from the former robot controller 210 to the latter robot controller 310, and the latter manipulator 300 proceeds with the work according to the information.

For example, the former manipulator 200 has a sensor 111 for exploring the surface of the work object, and the former manipulator moves as instructed, and the sensor 11
1 detects a required work portion of a work object (not shown), the detected information is sent to the controller 31 of the latter robot.
0, and by the instruction of the controller 310 based on the detection information, the polishing tool 11 of the latter manipulator 300
3 performs the work such as the taught polishing at the position where the work is required, and the detection signal is not sent to the place where the sensor 111 does not detect the work required, and the latter is not used. The manipulator 300 does not perform any operation.

[0006] Both manipulators 20 are common to these.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-20 describes a method for eliminating the "full work teaching" for 0, 300 or both working tools 111, 113.
915 and JP-A-2-271402 teach teaching point data to one master manipulator 400 of two robots, and the other slave manipulator 500 uses a master manipulator as shown in FIG. There is disclosed a dual-arm system in which a dual-arm cooperative operation is performed without performing a teaching operation on a slave manipulator 500 by performing synchronous control by a controller 410 so as to track while maintaining a designated position and orientation with respect to the slave manipulator 500. .

[0007]

In the single-arm one-arm system described above, work teaching is performed for both working tools such as the sensor 111 and the polishing tool 113, and the polishing tool 1 is used.
For the position 13, even at a position where the actual work is not performed depending on the situation, the “full work teaching” must be performed to teach the work one by one, and the teaching work becomes enormous.
In addition, at the time of actual work execution, there is not always the taught position data that coincides with the data of the position of the required work location, so the time required to select the approximate data and issue a work instruction to the manipulator 100 cannot be ignored. Become something.
In addition, when modifying the teaching data, an enormous teaching operation must be repeated. Further, there is a drawback that the cycle time of the actual work becomes long because the work tool switching time is required.

Further, in the two-arm system, the "full-surface operation teaching" must be performed on the two manipulators 200 and 300 at the position where the actual operation is not performed depending on the situation, as in the single-arm system. Therefore, the teaching work becomes enormous, and the manipulator 300 selects the taught position data corresponding to the data of the position of the required work location.
The time it takes to give a work order cannot be ignored. In addition, the teaching operation is a teaching operation while avoiding mutual interference between the two manipulators 200 and 300, and thus requires a large amount of time.

Further, the dual-arm system, which does not require "full work instruction" to the slave manipulator, is effective for grasping and transporting articles because the positions and postures of both manipulators 400 and 500 are always maintained as instructed. However, the two manipulators cannot simultaneously perform different tasks on the work object in a coordinated manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a slave manipulator according to detection information from a master manipulator without performing "full work instruction" on the entire work object. An object of the present invention is to provide an asynchronous cooperative control method and a robot system of a robot that cooperatively control a manipulator asynchronously.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, an asynchronous cooperative control method for a robot according to the present invention is provided.
When the sensor provided on the master manipulator scans the work object along a predetermined path, and when the sensor detects a work required place of the work target, the position / posture information and work content information of the work required place are obtained. Register and select basic work information corresponding to the work content information from a plurality of basic work information taught in advance, and convert the basic work information based on the position / posture information of the required work location. Generates work information, checks for interference between the sensor and the work equipment of the slave manipulator, moves the slave manipulator to the required work area while maintaining the interference-free state, and performs work of the slave manipulator. The tool executes the conversion work information.

Further, in the invention according to claim 1, the sensor is a sensor for measuring irregularities on the surface of the work object,
It is characterized in that the required work location is the surface defect repair overlay of the work object, and the work content information is the operation data of the polishing operation for removing the protrusion of the overlay.

Further, the robot system of the present invention comprises a master manipulator having a sensor for searching for a work object, a slave manipulator having a work implement for performing work on the work object, A basic work information table that records the contents of the work, and work required storage means for registering the required work position / posture information and the work content information on the work object detected by the sensor; The basic work information corresponding to the work content information registered in the basic work information table is selected, and the selected basic work information is converted and converted based on the position / posture information registered in the required work storage means. Information is generated, and execution of a task based on the conversion task information is instructed to a slave manipulator.

The robot system according to claim 3, further comprising sensor position / posture storage means for sequentially recording position / posture information of the sensor, and converting the sensor position / posture information into sensor position / posture information. It is characterized by confirming that there is no interference with the work information, and instructing the slave manipulator to execute the work based on the converted work information.

According to the present invention, the search path is taught only to the master manipulator, and the slave manipulator is provided with a length, width, height, work speed, etc. according to the work object regardless of the work position and posture. If the master manipulator's sensor detects multiple types of work information, the slave manipulator's work is automatically generated based on the required work location and the required work content, whereby the slave -Manipulator work is performed.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a polishing and repairing work of an FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) molded product will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a method for asynchronous cooperative control of a robot according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes work object information of a required work location detected by a sensor of the master manipulator, that is, position / posture information and work content information. In other words, if a defect is put on a raised portion while the FRP molded product is being scanned while being scanned, this is detected. 2 is a working tool (polishing tool) for polishing the slave manipulator
Regarding the work performed, regardless of the work position, posture, polishing operation oscillate length according to multiple types of work objects,
Polishing width, polishing height (proportional to the number of oscillations of polishing operation),
A basic operation information table in which basic operation information 1a, 2a,..., Na such as a polishing speed (proportional to a polishing operation oscillation period) are collected.
The manipulator is taught in advance.

When the work object information (position / posture information and work content information) 1 of the required work location is registered, it is collated with the basic work information table 2, and the basic work information table 2 is checked.
The corresponding basic work information xa is selected from among the above, and the data of the basic work information xa is converted based on the position / posture information of the required work location, thereby generating converted work information 3.
That is, position / posture information such as the polishing operation oscillating length, polishing width, polishing height (polishing operation oscillating frequency), polishing speed (polishing operation oscillating cycle), etc. of the selected basic operation information xa according to the detection position and posture. Is rewritten,
Conversion work information 3 is generated.

Based on the conversion work information 3, the slave manipulator moves from the standby point to the work position, the polishing tool performs the polishing work 4, and grinds the putty-added portion with abrasive grains.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing an embodiment of the robot system according to the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the master manipulator M
And the slave manipulator S share a common control device 1
0 and controlled. Master manipulator M
In this embodiment, a laser sensor manufactured by KEYENCE CORPORATION is used as the sensor 11 attached to the tip of the laser beam. This laser sensor 11 measures irregularities on the surface of the work object (FRP molded product) 12. Sensor.

The operation of the master manipulator M in which the sensor 11 scans the surface of the work 12 sequentially along the predetermined path is taught.

A working tool for polishing (a polishing tool for performing polishing by spraying abrasive grains such as a sander) 13 is attached to the tip of the slave manipulator S. When the working tool (polishing tool) 13 is operated, the grinding tool is operated. The surface of the work object 12 is polished by graining. In this embodiment, the projecting portion of the surface defect repair overlay 14 of the work object (FRP molded product) 12 is shaved off and removed to provide a flat and smooth surface.

FIG. 3 shows a control system of the robot system centering on the control device 10.

The controller 10 receives respective information from the sensor 11 and the teaching device 15 and operates the master manipulator M, the slave manipulator S, and the work implement 13 based on the information. Instruction information is transmitted.

The teaching device 15 teaches the operation of the master manipulator M in advance so that the sensor 11 scans the work object 12 along a predetermined path, and also teaches the operation of the slave manipulator S. , Work implement 13
, The polishing operation oscillate length, the polishing width, the polishing height (the number of polishing operation oscillates) corresponding to a plurality of types of work objects, regardless of the operation position and posture of the work implement 13;
The basic work information table 2 in which basic work information 1a, 2a,..., Na (see FIG. 1) such as a polishing rate (polishing operation oscillating cycle) and the like are taught in advance.

Each of the master manipulator M and the slave manipulator S has a joint MH of the manipulator.
1, MH2, MH3, MH4, SH1, SH2, SH
3, a plurality of servomotors M16 and S1 provided for each axis for rotating SH4 and vertical axes MA and SA (see FIG. 2)
6 and the plurality of servomotors M16 and S16
Servo amplifiers M17 and S17 for driving
These servo amplifiers M17 and S17 have servo controllers M18 and S18 that supply control signals in accordance with instructions from the control device 10.

Hereinafter, in the above-mentioned robot system,
A method of performing asynchronous cooperative control of both manipulators of the robot will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in response to a command from the control device 10 shown in FIG. 3, the master manipulator M starts searching / scanning the work object 12 (step MS1). Under the control of the servo controller M18 shown in FIG. 3, the servomotors M16 of the respective axes operate, and the master manipulator M
Moves the sensor 11 above the work object 12, and moves on the work object 12 along a path taught in advance (step MS2). The sensor 11 detects the surface defect repairing overlay portion (required work location) 14 (step MS).
(3, Yes), and issues an instruction to register the work target information (position / posture information and work content information) 1 of the required work location 14 (step MS4). Thereafter, it is checked whether or not the scanning is completed (step MS5). If the required work location 14 is not detected in step MS3 (No),
The process proceeds directly to step MS5 where scanning is completed (Ye
In s), the search / scan for the work object 12 ends. If the scanning is not completed (No), step MS2
Return to and continue moving.

In this embodiment, the work content information is a specification of a polishing operation oscillating length (a length in a sensor scanning direction) and a height (thickness) to be polished.

On the other hand, the slave manipulator S operates as follows.

In step SS1, the process waits for an instruction to register the work target information 1 of the above-mentioned work requiring location.
When the above-described step MS4 is executed, with this as a trigger, step SS1 becomes Yes and step SS1 is executed.
2, the work target information 1 of the work required place obtained by the sensor 11 is registered in the work required storage means (not shown) of the control device 10, and the work implement (polishing tool) 13 is obtained from the work target information 1. Is converted into specifications of the work to be performed. That is, based on the position / posture information, the position and posture of the work implement 13 are converted, and the polishing operation oscillate length is converted from the length to be polished (the length of the overlay) in the work content information. ,
The number of times of the polishing operation is converted from the height to be polished in the work content information, the corresponding basic work information xa is selected from the basic work information table 2, and the data of the basic work information xa is required. The work information is converted into position / posture information of the work place, and converted work information 3 is generated.

When step SS2 is completed, the slave
Under the control of the servo controller S18, the manipulator S operates the servomotors S16 of the respective axes and starts moving from the standby position to the required work location (step SS3). At this time, since the master manipulator M continues to move at step MS2, the slave manipulator S must not interfere with the moving master manipulator M. Therefore,
As shown in FIG. 5, a virtual interference cube 19 corresponding to the position and posture of the sensor 11 is set around the sensor 11, and this data is sequentially recorded in a sensor position / posture storage means (not shown) in the control device 10, The control device 10 prevents the slave manipulator S from entering the virtual interference cube 19.
In the step SS4, the slave manipulator S is stopped in advance as "interference exists" while it is determined to enter the virtual interference cube 19. When "interference does not occur", the servomotors S16 of the respective axes are operated again under the control of the servo controller S18, and the slave manipulator S moves (step SS5), and reaches the required work location (step SS6,
Yes), and in the next step SS7, the slave manipulator S performs a polishing operation oscillate of a predetermined length at a predetermined position and a predetermined length at a predetermined polishing speed according to the conversion operation information 3, and at the same time, The tool (polishing tool) 13 is instructed by the control device 10 to inject abrasive grains, the polishing operation 4 for removing the overlay 14 is performed, and the execution of the conversion operation information 3 is completed. If the required work location has not been reached in step SS6 (No), step SS
Return to 4.

In the above embodiment, one slave
Although an example has been described in which the FRP molded product is polished and repaired with a polishing tool using the manipulator S, the present invention can also be applied to a device in which a plurality of types of operations are performed using a plurality of slave manipulators. Further, the present invention is not limited to polishing, but can be applied to other processing and operations other than processing. The sensor 11 is also different from the optical sensor according to the work content.
For example, a sensor such as a tactile sensor or a temperature sensor can be used.

The work content information includes the length of the work object,
In addition to the width and height, various specifications can be targeted according to the work content.

[0037]

As can be understood from the above description, according to the method for asynchronously cooperative control of a robot of the present invention,
A sensor provided in the manipulator scans the work object along a predetermined path, and when the sensor detects a required work location of the work target, the sensor corresponds to the position / posture information and work content information of the required work location. The basic work information is selected, and the data of the basic work information is converted based on the position / posture information of the required work location to generate conversion work information, and the work implement of the slave manipulator converts the conversion work information Since it is executed, there is no need to teach the slave manipulator the position, attitude, and work content of the entire work object one by one, and the slave manipulator performs the predetermined work for the required work location detected by the master manipulator. Can be executed automatically, teaching man-hour can be greatly reduced,
Preparatory work and teaching correction work of the robot system become easy, and the work of the robot system itself is also done in parallel with the work of searching for sensors and the work of other work tools. You.

Further, the robot system of the present invention is most suitable for applying the method of the present invention, and further comprises a sensor position / posture storage means for sequentially recording position / posture information of the sensor. If the sensor position / posture information of the position / posture storage means does not interfere with the conversion work information, and the execution of the work based on the conversion work information is instructed to the slave manipulator, the automatic operation can be performed more smoothly. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a method for asynchronous cooperative control of a robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing one embodiment of a robot system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the robot system shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of an asynchronous cooperative control method for the robot in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing a virtual interference cube for explaining a method for preventing interference between a master manipulator and a slave manipulator.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a conventional single-arm robot system.

FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory view showing a conventional single-arm two-arm robot system.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view showing a conventional dual-arm robot system.

[Explanation of symbols]

M Master manipulator S Slave manipulator 1 Work target information (position / posture information and work content information) 2 Basic work information table 3 Conversion work information 10 Control device 11 Sensor 12 Work target 13 Work tool (polishing tool) 14 Surface defect Repair overlay 15 Teaching device 19 Virtual interference cube

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sensor provided on a master manipulator scans a work target along a predetermined path, and when the sensor detects a work required place of the work target, position / posture information of the work required place is obtained. And registering the work content information, selecting basic work information corresponding to the work content information from a plurality of pieces of basic work information taught in advance, and using the basic work information based on the position / posture information of the required work location. Convert, generate the conversion work information, inspect the presence of interference between the sensor and the work implement of the slave manipulator, move the slave manipulator to the required work place while maintaining the state of no interference, An asynchronous cooperative control method for a robot, wherein a work implement of a slave manipulator executes the conversion work information. 2. A sensor for measuring irregularities on the surface of a work object, wherein a required work portion is a surface defect repair portion of the work object, and the work content information removes a projection of the build portion. 2. The asynchronous cooperative control method for a robot according to claim 1, wherein the operation data is polishing operation data. 3. A master manipulator having a sensor for exploring a work object, a slave manipulator having a work implement for performing a work on the work object, and a basic recording the contents of the work. A work information table; and work required storage means for registering position / posture information and work content information of the required work location on the work object detected by the sensor, and the work registered in the required work storage means. Select the basic work information of the above basic work information table corresponding to the content information,
Based on the position / posture information registered in the work required storage means, the selected basic work information is converted to generate converted work information,
A robot system characterized by instructing a slave manipulator to execute a task based on the conversion task information. 4. A sensor position / posture storage means for sequentially recording position / posture information of a sensor to prevent the sensor position / posture information of the sensor position / posture storage means from interfering with the conversion work information. 4. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein the robot manipulator is instructed to execute the operation based on the conversion operation information to the slave manipulator.