WO2019225514A1

WO2019225514A1 - Brazing device

Info

Publication number: WO2019225514A1
Application number: PCT/JP2019/019769
Authority: WO
Inventors: 照明與語; 秀行田中
Original assignee: 株式会社オプトン
Priority date: 2018-05-24
Filing date: 2019-05-17
Publication date: 2019-11-28
Also published as: JP7266272B2; JP2019202338A

Abstract

This brazing device is equipped with a heating unit configured to heat a brazing material, a detection unit configured to detect a change in the shape of the brazing material which accompanies melting of the brazing material, and a control unit configured to control the heating output by the heating unit. The detection unit has a light-projection unit configured to project a predetermined pattern on the surface of the brazing material by projecting a light, and an imaging unit constituted in such a manner as to image the pattern. The detection unit is configured to detect a change in the shape of the brazing material on the basis of the change in the shape of the pattern imaged by the imaging unit.

Description

Brazing equipment

Cross-reference of related applications

This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-99338 filed with the Japan Patent Office on May 24, 2018, and is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-99338. The entire contents are incorporated by reference into this international application.

This disclosure relates to a brazing apparatus.

A brazing device has been proposed that discriminates a shape change of a placed wax imaged and controls the heating means in response to the determined change (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a change as illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1 occurs in the shape of the outline of the placing wax (15) imaged by the imaging camera (30). Is determined by the control unit (33), and the control unit (33) controls the heating output by the burner (19) or the heating coil (36).

JP 2002-263879 A

However, as illustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. 5 of Patent Document 1, when the imaging camera is directed obliquely downward, even if the periphery of the place to be placed is imaged with the imaging camera, FIG. Or an image as illustrated in FIG. 4 cannot be obtained.

That is, the image as illustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1 is an image obtained when the periphery of the placing place is imaged from a substantially horizontal direction, and is obtained by an imaging camera directed obliquely downward. It is not an image that can be captured.

When the imaging camera is directed obliquely downward, when the periphery of the placing object is imaged with the imaging camera, the outline of the placing wax appears to overlap with the upper end surface of the member to be joined (12). In this case, if the color of the placing wax is similar to the upper end surface of the member to be joined, it is difficult to clearly identify the outline of the placing wax, and there is a possibility that the melting timing of the placing wax cannot be detected properly.

Moreover, even if the outline of the placing wax can be identified, if the imaging camera is directed obliquely downward, the placing wax before melting appears to be a substantially elliptical ring shape, and the fillet formed after melting the placing wax Also looks like an approximately elliptical ring. In this case, there may be no great difference in the position of the contour line before and after the placing wax is melted. In this case, there is a possibility that the melting timing of the placing wax cannot be detected properly.

The above problems are problems that can be assumed when the imaging camera is directed obliquely downward. If the imaging camera can be disposed at a position where the periphery of the place to be placed can be imaged from a substantially horizontal direction. There is a possibility that it can be solved.

However, various devices as well as a burner or a heating coil can be arranged around the place to be brazed. For this reason, if devices that cannot be placed at other positions are arranged in order, it may be difficult to place the imaging camera at a position where the periphery of the place to be placed can be imaged from a substantially horizontal direction. .

In addition, depending on the size and shape of the base material (joining material and material to be joined) to be brazed, the base material becomes an obstacle, and the imaging camera is located at a position where the periphery of the placing braze can be imaged from a substantially horizontal direction. May be difficult to dispose of.

Or, if you try to take an image of the area around the place to be placed from a substantially horizontal direction, the place around the place to be placed may be hidden behind the base material. That is, there is a possibility that the periphery of the place to be placed cannot be imaged from a substantially horizontal direction due to various circumstances.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a brazing apparatus capable of performing appropriate heating control by more accurately recognizing a shape change of a brazing material without imaging the periphery of the brazing material from a substantially horizontal direction. It is desirable.

One aspect of the present disclosure is a brazing apparatus. The brazing apparatus includes a heating unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. A heating part is comprised so that the brazing material arrange | positioned in a brazing location may be heated.

The detection unit is configured to detect that the shape of the brazing material has changed with the melting of the brazing material. The control unit is configured to control the heating output by the heating unit, and after starting the heating by the heating unit, if the detection unit detects that the shape of the brazing material has changed, the heating output by the heating unit is reduced or stopped. Let

The detection unit includes a light projecting unit and an imaging unit. The light projecting unit is configured to project a predetermined pattern onto the surface of the brazing material by projecting light. The imaging unit is configured to capture a pattern. The detection unit is configured to detect a change in the shape of the brazing material based on a change in the shape of the pattern imaged by the imaging unit.

According to the brazing apparatus configured in this way, after the heating by the heating unit is started, if the detection unit detects that the shape of the brazing material has changed, the heating output by the heating unit is reduced or stopped. Thereby, according to the melting timing of the brazing material, the heating output by the heating unit can be reduced or stopped, and the heating time can be optimized.

Further, the detection unit detects that the shape of the brazing material has changed based on the change in the shape of the pattern imaged by the imaging unit. Therefore, even if the imaging unit cannot be placed at a position suitable for imaging the outer line of the brazing material, or even when the outer line of the brazing material cannot be clearly identified in the captured image, If the projected pattern can be properly imaged by the imaging unit, it is possible to appropriately detect that the shape of the brazing material has changed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the brazing apparatus. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an imaging direction and a laser line projection direction of the first sensor unit. FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing a state in which the base material and the brazing material constituting the workpiece are disassembled. FIG. 3B is an explanatory view showing a state in which the base material and the brazing material constituting the workpiece are assembled. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece, a heating coil, a first sensor unit, and a second sensor unit. FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing a workpiece and a heating coil. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the workpiece is irradiated with laser line light.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Brazing apparatus, 3 ... Control apparatus, 5 ... High frequency induction heating apparatus, 7A ... 1st sensor unit, 7B ... 2nd sensor unit, 8 ... Coil conveyance robot, 9 ... Workpiece conveyance robot, 11 ... Power supply device, 13 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Cooling device, 15 ... Heating coil, 17 ... Laser line generator, 19 ... CCD camera, 21 ... Workpiece, 23 ... Aluminum pipe, 25 ... Charge valve, 27 ... Brazing material.

Next, the brazing apparatus described above will be described with an exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the brazing apparatus 1 includes a control device 3, a high-frequency induction heating device 5, a first sensor unit 7A, a second sensor unit 7B, a coil transfer robot 8, and a work transfer robot 9.

The high frequency induction heating device 5 includes a power supply device 11, a cooling device 13, and a heating coil 15. The first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B each include a laser line generator 17 and a CCD camera 19.

The control device 3 is constituted by, for example, a PLC (programmable logic controller) provided with a microprocessor and a flash memory. The control device 3 is configured to be able to input signals from the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B. The control device 3 is configured to be able to execute control on the high-frequency induction heating device 5, the coil transfer robot 8, and the work transfer robot 9.

In the high-frequency induction heating device 5, the power supply device 11 supplies an alternating current to the heating coil 15 (in the case of this embodiment, the maximum output is 20 kW and the frequency is 30 kHz). When an alternating current is supplied to the heating coil 15, the heating coil 15 generates a magnetic field around the portion to be heated of the workpiece 21 and heats the workpiece 21 by induction heating.

The cooling device 13 supplies cooling water to the heating coil 15. The cooling water supplied from the cooling device 13 circulates to the cooling device 13 through the inside of the heating coil 15. Thereby, the temperature of the heating coil 15 is prevented from excessively rising due to the heat generated in the heating coil 15 or the radiant heat from the workpiece 21.

In the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B, the laser line generator 17 projects a laser beam and forms a single line pattern (hereinafter referred to as this line pattern) at a location to which the laser beam is projected. Is also referred to as a laser line).

The CCD camera 19 is a measurement camera provided for measuring the melting state of the brazing material. The CCD camera 19 is arranged toward a location that is a projection destination of the laser line generator 17.

As shown in FIG. 2, the light projection direction by the laser line generator 17 and the imaging direction by the CCD camera 19 are the imaging positions by the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B (distance from the CCD camera 19 shown in FIG. 2). Is at a position where the imaging distance is 450 mm ± 10 mm.).

The measurement area by the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B is within a range of height 16 mm × horizontal width 20 mm × depth ± 10 mm. “Height” is a dimension in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG.

In addition to the CCD camera 19, the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B include a large-field CCD camera (vertical 70 mm × horizontal 90 mm × depth ± 300 mm) separately from the CCD camera 19 described above. It is mounted (not shown). The first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B are also equipped with LEDs for illumination (not shown).

The coil transfer robot 8 is constituted by a general-purpose 6-axis industrial robot (vertical articulated robot), and a heating coil 15 is attached to the tip of the movable part. By operating the coil transfer robot 8, the heating coil 15 is moved to a position where the brazing can be performed (hereinafter also referred to as an operating position), and the position where the workpiece 21 is not prevented from being carried in and out (hereinafter referred to as a retracted position). Or the heating coil 15 can be retracted.

The workpiece transfer robot 9 is constituted by a general-purpose 6-axis industrial robot, and holds the workpiece 21 with a hand portion provided at the tip of the movable portion, and a position where the workpiece 21 can be brazed from the carry-in source ( Hereinafter, it is also referred to as a brazing position, and the workpiece 21 can be moved from the brazing position to the carry-out destination.

Next, the behavior of the brazing apparatus 1 will be described. In the present embodiment, a workpiece 21 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is taken as an example. 3A and 3B includes an aluminum pipe 23 (outer diameter 16 mm, wall thickness 1.5 mm, length 200 mm) and an aluminum charge valve 25 (outer diameter 13 mm, length 30 mm). The

A recess having a depth of 2.5 mm is formed on the side surface of the aluminum pipe 23, and a hole having an inner diameter of 8 mm is formed on the bottom surface of the recess. One end of the charge valve 25 is inserted into this hole. As the brazing material 27, a ring brazing (outer diameter 13.5 mm, inner diameter 9.5 mm) is used. The work 21 is assembled in a state as shown in FIG. 3B, fixed by a fixing jig (not shown), and integrated with the fixing jig.

The work 21 integrated with the fixing jig is manually installed at the carry-in source. When the user performs an operation for instructing the start of brazing in the control device 3, the control device 3 instructs the workpiece transfer robot 9 to carry in the workpiece 21. The workpiece transfer robot 9 that has received a command from the control device 3 transfers the workpiece 21 integrated with the fixing jig from the carry-in source to the brazing position.

Subsequently, the control device 3 instructs the coil transport robot 8 to move the heating coil 15. The coil transfer robot 8 that has received a command from the control device 3 moves the heating coil 15 from the retracted position to the operating position. Thereby, the heating coil 15 and the workpiece | work 21 will be arrange | positioned in a relative position as shown to FIG. 4A and 4B.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B are disposed at a position where the workpiece 21 conveyed to the brazing position can be imaged from an obliquely upper side of the brazing material 27. The charge valve 25 and the brazing material 27 are arranged at the imaging positions (see FIG. 2) by the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B.

The first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B project laser light from the laser line generator 17. As a result, a laser line extending in a substantially vertical direction along the surfaces of the charge valve 25 and the brazing material 27 is projected onto the surfaces of the charge valve 25 and the brazing material 27 as shown in FIG.

1st sensor unit 7A and 2nd sensor unit 7B image the above-mentioned measurement area | region (The range of height 16mm * horizontal width 20mm * depth +/- 10mm) with the CCD camera 19. FIG. In the measurement region, a range where the laser line projected onto the brazing material 27 exists can be narrowed down to an arbitrary size in advance, and the range can be designated as a brazing contact detection region.

Subsequently, the control device 3 instructs the high frequency induction heating device 5 to start heating. The high frequency induction heating device 5 that has received a command from the control device 3 adjusts the output of the heating coil 15 to a high output (in the present embodiment, for example, about 80% of the maximum output) by the power supply device 11, and the workpiece 21. Start heating.

The heating coil 15 can shorten the heating time as the output is increased. However, if the output of the heating coil 15 is excessively increased (in the case of this embodiment, for example, about 100% of the maximum output), there is a tendency that thermal distortion and dents are likely to occur in the base material.

Further, if the output of the heating coil 15 is excessively reduced (in the case of this embodiment, for example, about 60% of the maximum output), there is a tendency that the variation in time until the brazing material 27 is melted tends to increase. Therefore, in this embodiment, the output of the heating coil 15 is adjusted to about 80% of the maximum output as described above.

The first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B detect the shape change of the laser line projected in the brazing contact detection area in units of 0.1 second, and monitor the molten state of the brazing material 27. When the surface shape of the brazing material 27 changes, the shape of the laser line changes.

The first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B output a signal to that effect to the control device 3 when the shape of the laser line changes. In the case of the present embodiment, the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B detect the three-dimensional shape of the surface of the brazing material 27 irradiated with the laser line, and when the three-dimensional shape changes, the control device 3 Output a signal to

Since the arrangement position and projection direction of the laser line generator 17 and the arrangement position and imaging direction of the CCD camera 19 are known, the position of the vertical line passing through the intersection of the imaging direction and the projection direction and the laser line are The distance from the vertical line to the surface of the brazing filler metal 27 can be obtained in the manner of triangulation based on the amount of deviation from the position of the irradiated high luminance region.

Thereby, the three-dimensional coordinate value of the surface of the brazing material 27 can be calculated, and when the three-dimensional coordinate value changes, it is detected that the three-dimensional shape of the range irradiated with the laser line has changed. Can do. In the case of this embodiment, a change in the shape of the laser line was detected about 20 to 23 seconds after the start of heating.

As for the shape change of the laser line, it is possible to detect the change of the coordinate value after calculating the three-dimensional coordinates as described above, but the laser line was irradiated without calculating the three-dimensional coordinates. You may make it detect the shape change of a high-intensity area | region.

When the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B detect a change in the shape of the laser line, the control device 3 instructs the high-frequency induction heating device 5 to reduce the heating output. The high-frequency induction heating device 5 that has received a command from the control device 3 adjusts the output of the heating coil 15 to a low output (in the case of this embodiment, for example, about 30% of the maximum output) by the power supply device 11. Encourage penetration.

In the case of the present embodiment, the state where the output of the heating coil 15 is switched to the low output is held for 3 seconds, and then the output of the heating coil 15 is stopped. Since this holding time can vary depending on the shape, material, and the like of the work 21, what is the optimum holding time may be determined by trial for each work 21.

Subsequently, the control device 3 instructs the workpiece transfer robot 9 to carry out the workpiece 21. The workpiece transfer robot 9 that has received a command from the control device 3 transfers the workpiece 21 integrated with the fixing jig from the brazing position to the discharge destination.
[effect]
According to the brazing apparatus 1 described above, after the heating by the heating coil 15 (corresponding to an example of a heating unit) is started, the first sensor unit 7A (corresponding to an example of a detecting unit) and the second sensor unit 7B (detecting) If it is detected that the shape of the brazing material 27 has changed due to (corresponding to an example of a portion), the heating output by the heating coil 15 is reduced. Thereby, according to the melting timing of the brazing material 27, the heating output by the heating coil 15 can be reduced, and the heating time can be optimized.

Further, the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B are based on a change in the shape of a laser line (corresponding to an example of a pattern) imaged by a CCD camera 19 (corresponding to an example of an imaging unit). It is detected that the shape of is changed.

Therefore, even when the CCD camera 19 cannot be arranged at a position suitable for imaging the outline of the brazing material 27 or when the outline of the brazing material 27 cannot be clearly identified in the captured image, the laser If the laser line projected from the line generator 17 (corresponding to an example of a light projecting unit) can be properly imaged by the CCD camera 19, it is possible to appropriately detect that the shape of the brazing material 27 has changed.

In the case of the present embodiment, the control device 3 (corresponding to an example of the control unit) sets the heating coil 15 to 80% of the maximum output (an example of the first heating output) when heating by the heating coil 15 is started. Equivalent).

Thereafter, when it is detected by the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B that the shape of the brazing material 27 has changed, the heating coil 15 is operated at 30% of the maximum output (corresponding to an example of the second heating output). .

After that, when 3 seconds (corresponding to an example of a predetermined time) have passed, heating by the heating coil 15 is stopped. Accordingly, it is possible to promote the brazing of the brazing in 3 seconds when the heating coil 15 is operated at 30% of the maximum output, and to carry out appropriate brazing.

Further, in the case of the present disclosure, since the heating coil 15 capable of heating the heating target by induction heating is employed, the control of the heating output can be easily performed as compared with the case of using other heating means.
[Other Embodiments]
As described above, the brazing apparatus 1 has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments. However, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrated as one aspect of the present disclosure. In other words, the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea of the present disclosure.

For example, in the above embodiment, the first sensor unit 7A and the second sensor unit 7B detect the shape change of the brazing material 27, but the number of such sensor units may be one or three or more.

When a plurality of sensor units are provided, the output of the heating coil 15 may be reduced at the time when the shape change of the brazing material 27 is detected by any one of the sensor units, or the predetermined number or more of sensor units may be used. You may reduce the output of the heating coil 15 at the time of detecting the shape change of the material 27. These controls may be selected according to the shape of the workpiece 21, the material of the workpiece 21 and the brazing material 27, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the heating coil 15 capable of heating the heating target by induction heating is employed, but other heating means may be used. Examples of other heating means include a gas burner. In this case, the heating output of the gas burner can be adjusted by controlling the flow rate of the gas supplied to the gas burner.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the coil transfer robot 8 and the work transfer robot 9 are provided has been described. However, whether or not to provide these robots is arbitrary.

In the above embodiment, the aluminum base material (the aluminum pipe 23 and the aluminum charge valve 25) is exemplified as the base material to be soldered, but the material of the base material is also arbitrary. What is necessary is just to select the optimal material for the brazing material 27 according to the material of the base material. Further, the form of the brazing material 27 may be powder, paste, or the like. The base material to be brazed is not limited to pipes and charge valves.

In the above embodiment, an example in which one laser line is projected onto the surface of the brazing material 27 has been shown. However, the shape and number of patterns projected onto the surface of the brazing material 27 are the same as the surface shape of the brazing material 27. The pattern is not limited to one laser line as long as it can detect that there is a change. For example, a striped pattern composed of a plurality of lines may be projected, or a lattice pattern in which a plurality of lines are arranged vertically and horizontally may be projected.

Alternatively, a plurality of dots may be projected, or a pattern having any other shape may be projected. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the pattern projected on the surface of the brazing material 27 was a pattern which does not move from a specific position, you may project the line which moves to a predetermined scanning direction.

In addition to the above, a function realized by one component in each of the above embodiments may be configured to be realized by a plurality of components. Moreover, you may comprise so that the function implement | achieved by the some component may be implement | achieved by one component. Moreover, you may abbreviate | omit a part of structure of each said embodiment. In addition, at least a part of the configuration of each of the above embodiments may be added to or replaced with the configuration of the other above embodiments.

Note that, as is apparent from the exemplary embodiments described above, the brazing apparatus according to the present disclosure may further include the following configurations.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, when the control unit starts heating by the heating unit, the control unit operates the heating unit with the first heating output, and then detects that the shape of the brazing material has been changed by the detection unit. The heating unit is operated with a second heating output that is lower than the first heating output, and after a predetermined time has elapsed after the heating unit is operated with the second heating output, heating by the heating unit is performed. May be configured to stop.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, the heating unit may be configured by a heating coil that can heat a heating target by induction heating.

Claims

A brazing device,
A heating unit configured to heat the brazing material disposed at the brazing point;
A detection unit configured to detect that the shape of the brazing material has changed with the melting of the brazing material;
The heating output by the heating unit is configured to be controlled, and after the heating by the heating unit is started, when the detection unit detects that the shape of the brazing material has changed, the heating output by the heating unit is changed. A control unit for lowering or stopping;
With
The detector is
A light projecting unit configured to project light and project a predetermined pattern on the surface of the brazing material;
An imaging unit configured to image the pattern;
Have
The brazing apparatus is configured to detect that the shape of the brazing material has changed based on a change in the shape of the pattern imaged by the imaging unit.
The brazing apparatus according to claim 1,
When the control unit starts heating by the heating unit, the heating unit is operated with a first heating output, and then the detection unit detects that the shape of the brazing material has changed, The heating unit is operated with a second heating output that is lower than the first heating output, and after a predetermined time has elapsed since the heating unit was operated with the second heating output, A brazing apparatus configured to stop heating by the heating unit.
The brazing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The brazing apparatus in which the heating unit is configured by a heating coil capable of heating a heating target by induction heating.