JPS6219276A - Industrial robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operation efficiency and to eliminate the contamination of the succeeding work by finishing the operation on a work supplied from one work feeder and then allowing the succeeding work supplied by the other work feeder to reach the operation position. CONSTITUTION:The robot main body 1, plural feeders 2a and 2b for alternately supplying a work to the operation position of the main body 1 and a controller for controlling the main body 1 in accordance with the data previously instructed and making the main body to do a specified job on a work supplied from the feeders 2a and 2b are provided. In this industrial robot, when the job on the work supplied by one work feeder is finished, the succeeding work supplied by the other work feeder is made to reach the operation position. Consequently, the operation efficiency can be increased and the contamination of the succeeding work by the atomized paint can be avoided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an industrial robot suitable for automatic painting systems for mass production of small numbers of products.

[Prior Art] In a conventional industrial robot that combines a robot body and a workpiece supply device, for example, a pair of workpiece supply bag devices alternately supplies the workpieces to the robot body to perform work on the workpiece. . Here, the workpiece supply device transports the workpiece between the workpiece loading and unloading position where the worker loads and unloads the workpiece and the work position where the robot body performs work on the workpiece.When performing work such as painting,
The next workpiece was transported only after the work on the previous workpiece was completed. This means that if the next work reaches the work position before the work on the previous work is finished,
This is because the sprayed paint will splash onto the next work and stain it.

Another way to improve work efficiency is to transport the next workpiece to the middle between the workpiece loading/unloading position and the work position while the previous workpiece is being worked, and then carry out the next workpiece after finishing the previous workpiece. A method of transporting the material from an intermediate point to the working position was also used.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] By the way, regarding the above-mentioned conventional industrial robot,
It takes time for the next work to arrive after the work on the previous work is finished, which reduces work efficiency. In addition, in the method of transporting the next workpiece to the intermediate point in advance, a limit switch that detects when the workpiece has reached the intermediate point, a cable from this limit switch to the control panel, and a connector that connects these are required. This is necessary at the intermediate point, and even if the limit switch is turned on, there is a problem in that the workpiece does not stop at a predetermined position due to inertia.

The present invention was made against this background, and an object of the present invention is to provide an industrial robot that improves work efficiency, removes dirt from the next workpiece, and removes limit switches and the like.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides that when the work on the workpiece supplied by one workpiece supply device is finished,
The present invention is characterized in that it is configured such that the next workpiece transported by another workpiece supply device reaches the working position.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, there is almost no waiting time for the robot, so
You can increase work efficiency. Additionally, limit switches, cables, etc. that were conventionally required at intermediate points are no longer required. Furthermore, since the next work arrives at the same time as the painting operation is completed, it is possible to avoid staining the next work with the sprayed paint.

[Example code] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a robot body having a coating gun la, and a pair of work supply devices 2a and 2b are disposed on both sides of the robot body l. The work supply devices 2 a and 2 b have a traveling slider 3 on the upper surface.
a, 3b, and traveling sliders 4a, 4b run on the traveling sliders 3a, 3b. Further, a traveling cart 4a is provided at the front end of the work supply devices 2a and 2b.
, 4b are provided with front end limit switches 6a, 6b for detecting when the paints 5a, 4b have reached the painting position (work position) 5a, 5b. On the other hand, the work supply device 2a.

The rear end of 2b serves as workpiece loading/unloading positions 7a, 7b, and forward switches 8a, 8b and backward switches 9a, 9b shown in FIG. 3 are provided on the rear wall.

The robot main body 1 and work supply device 2a, 2b
operates under the control of the CPU IO shown in FIG.

That is, the CPU 10 controls the coating gun Ia and the work supply devices 2a and 2b according to a control program stored in the memory 11 in advance and teaching data that instructs the position and movement of the coating gun 1a, and controls the robot. The main body 1 is caused to perform a predetermined work. Note that the memory 1
1, as will be described later, stores cart removal data corresponding to each teaching data, and also stores a right forward movement flag F L
Areas for G a, left advance flag F L G b, and workpiece position data are reserved. Further, the forward switches 8a, 8b and the backward switches 9a, 9b are also
Connected to 0.

Next, an overview of the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

(1) Figure 1(a).

The right and left traveling carts 4a, 4b are both at workpiece loading/unloading positions 7a, 7, b. In this state, when the worker places a workpiece on the right traveling cart 4a and presses the forward switch 8a, the state shifts to the state shown in FIG. 1(b).

(2) Figure 1(b).

The right traveling trolley 4a moves forward and the front end limit switch 6a
It stops at the moment when is turned on, that is, at the coating position 5a.

The worker also places a workpiece on the left traveling cart 4b and presses the forward switch 8b. In this case, since the right traveling trolley 4a is moving forward or is at the painting position 5a, the left traveling trolley 4b
does not move forward and enters a standby state.

(3) Figure 1(c).

The robot body 1 performs painting work and paints the workpiece on the right side. Eventually, when the work is nearing completion, CPU10 instructs the left work supply device 2b to start moving the traveling cart 4b forward. As a result, the left traveling trolley 4b starts moving forward. Here, the fact that the end of the work is approaching is determined based on the trolley removal data stored in the memory 11 corresponding to each teaching data. That is, the cart ejecting data corresponding to the taught data near the end is turned on, the other cart ejecting data are turned off, and when the on-truck ejecting data is detected, the traveling cart 4b is commanded to start moving forward. . The cart removal data is set so that the left traveling cart 4b reaches the painting position 5b just when the right painting operation is completed.

(4) Figure 1(d).

When the painting work on the right workpiece is completed, the right traveling trolley 4a
retreats. Then, the painting operation is immediately started for the left workpiece that has come to the painting position when the painting is finished. In this way, the right and left works are painted one after another alternately.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a program for controlling the above operations. In this flowchart, the suffix a of the step number (for example, 5P1a) indicates control on the right side, and the suffix b indicates control on the left side. Since these controls are similar, the right side will be mainly explained, and the left side will be explained as necessary.

(1) When the forward switch 8a (or 8b) is on (see FIG. 1(a)).

The worker places the work on the traveling trolley 4a and presses the forward switch 8.
Pressing a causes an interrupt to cputo. CPU10
performs interrupt processing (stage ST 1), recognizes that the interrupt has occurred from the right forward switch 8a, and proceeds to step S
Processing is transferred to P la.

In step 5P1a, the CPU 10 checks whether the left forward movement signal is on or not, and checks whether the left traveling truck 4b is moving forward. If it is off, it means that the left traveling cart 4b is at the work loading/unloading position 7b, so a forward movement signal is output to the right work feeding device 2a (step S P
2 a), reset the right reverse signal (step S
P 3 a). If it is on, the left traveling cart 4b is moving forward or stopped at the painting position 5b, so the right forward flag FLGa is turned on and the standby state is set in step S.
P 4 a), end the process. Note that steps 5P1b-9P4b are also executed when the left forward switch 8b is pressed.
Similar processing is performed in , and when the right traveling trolley 4a is moving forward, the left forward flag FLGb is turned on and enters a standby state.

(2) When the front end limit switch 6a is on (see FIG. 1(b)).

When the traveling trolley 4a moves forward and arrives at the painting position 5a and the front end limit switch 6a is turned on, an interrupt is generated at CP[10. This causes CPU10 to move to stage S.
TI interrupt processing is performed, and if the previous painting work has already been completed, control is transferred to step 5P11a.

In step SP11a, the CPUtO starts the operation of the robot and performs painting work on the right workpiece.

Further, in the next step 5P12a, the workpiece position data is set to "right" and it is stored that work is being performed on the right workpiece.

(3) When passing each teaching point (see Fig. 1(c)).

During painting work, each time the robot passes a teaching point, the CPU
10 checks whether the trolley removal data provided in the memory 11 is on/off corresponding to each teaching data (step 5P21). In this case, when the right workpiece is being painted, the trolley removal data ON indicates that it is time to start the left traveling trolley 4b. And left forward flag F
In the current case where LGb is on, control passes from step 5P22 to step 5P25.26, where the left advance signal is output (step 5P26) and the left reverse signal is reset (step 5P27). In this way, the left running trolley 4b starts moving forward.

On the other hand, when the left work is being painted and the right advance switch 8ah is pressed, the right advance flag FLGa is on (step 5P22). Therefore, when the cart ejection data is on, the right forward movement signal is output (step 5P2
3), Reset the right reverse signal (Step 5P24)
, starts the right traveling trolley 4a.

(4) Processing at the end of regeneration (painting work) (see Figure 1(d)).

At the time when the left traveling truck 4b arrives at the coating position 5b, the coating on the right workpiece has just been completed. This is because the cart removal data is set in advance so that the time from when the cart removal data is turned on to the end of painting is equal to the time from when the left running cart 4b starts until it arrives at the painting position 5b. Because there is.

Now, when the reproduction is finished, the CPU10 checks the workpiece position data (step 5P31a), and when the workpiece position data is on the right, clears the right forward flag FLGa (step 5P32a) and resets the right forward signal in step S P33. a) A right backward movement signal is output (step S P 34 a). As a result, the right traveling truck 4a moves backward.

Also, at this time, since the left front end limit switch 6a is on and the right painting work is completed, the cputo
is from the stage STI interrupt processing to step SpHb.
Control is transferred to , the robot operation is started to perform painting work on the left workpiece, and the workpiece position data is set to "left" (step 5P12b).

On the other hand, when the painting work on the left workpiece is completed, the workpiece position data is "left". In this case, the control moves to step SP3 lb, where the left forward flag FLGb is cleared in the same manner as above, the left forward signal is reset, the left backward signal is output, and the left traveling bogie 4b is moved backward (steps 5P31b to 34b). Also, in step 5P11a, the robot operation is started to perform painting work on the right workpiece, and at step SP
l Set the work position data to "right" in 2a.

In this way, the workpieces placed on the traveling carts 4a and 4b are alternately conveyed to the painting positions 5a and 5b, and are painted. In such a case, if one of the traveling carts 4a is at the painting position 5a and the other forward switch 8b is pressed by mistake, the reverse switch 9
This can be canceled by pressing b.

The following program performs this process.

(5) Advance cancellation processing.

When the right reverse switch 9a is pressed, cput.

transfers control to step SP41a. Step SP41
If the mode is the reproduction mode in a, after clearing the right forward flag FLGa (step 5P42a), if the workpiece position data is not right (step 5P43a),
While outputting the right reverse signal (step 5P44a)
, reset the right forward signal (step S P45
a) Cancel the forward waiting state of the right traveling trolley 4a. Further, when the workpiece position data is on the right, the workpiece is already at the painting position 5a and the painting operation is in progress, so the cancellation process is not performed (step 5P43a). Note that also when the left reverse switch 9b is pressed, steps SP4 lb to 45b
The cancellation process is performed in the same way as above.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the forward switches 8a, 8b
Since the advance standby state set by is stored in the advance flags FLGa and FLGb in the memory 11, when the painting of the previous workpiece approaches completion, the next workpiece is automatically transported and painting continues. This has the advantage of saving the worker's work time and simplifying the work, compared to the conventional method in which each workpiece was placed on a traveling trolley each time. .

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in this invention, the next workpiece reaches the working position just when the work on the previous workpiece is completed. By doing so, the following effects can be achieved.

(1) As the work on the next work can be started immediately after the work on the previous work is finished, there is no time wastage and work efficiency can be improved.

(2) Limit switches, cables, and connectors required in conventional devices that temporarily stop the traveling carriage at the midpoint of the traveling slider are no longer required.

(3) When the traveling trolley carrying the previous workpiece is in the painting position, the traveling trolley carrying the next workpiece is mainly waiting at the workpiece loading/unloading position, so that the next workpiece is not contaminated by the sprayed paint. It can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the external configuration of an industrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention and the state of workpiece conveyance by the workpiece supply device; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the industrial robot; FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the forward switch and the reverse switch, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the above embodiment. 1... Robot body, 2 a, 2 b...
... Work supply device, 10 ... CPU, 11
...Memory (10° and 11 above are control devices).

Claims (1)

[Claims] A robot main body, a plurality of work supply devices that alternately supply workpieces to the working positions of the robot main body, and a plurality of workpiece supply devices that control the robot main body according to teaching data taught in advance to respond to the workpieces supplied from the workpiece supply devices. In an industrial robot equipped with a control device that performs a predetermined work, when the work on the workpiece supplied by one workpiece supply device is completed, the next workpiece transported by another workpiece supply device performs the said work. An industrial robot characterized in that it is configured to reach a position.