JPH0314586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention provides a high-mix, low-volume automatic production device that
In particular, it relates to the configuration of a device that safely and reliably performs unmanned production and its control means.

The concept of a system to which this invention is applied is shown in FIG. Generally, when automating a machining line, work pallets are used to transport workpieces and automatically load and unload workpieces onto machine tools. Furthermore, unmanned carts, conveyors, etc. are used to transport the workpieces (and workpiece pallets). 10 in Figure 1
0 is a workbench, 56 is a workpiece, 55 is a workpiece pallet, and 103 is a workpiece setting area, in which a workpiece 56 is manually set on the pallet 55 at a predetermined position and posture using a jig (not shown). Ru.

41 indicates an unmanned truck, and 33 indicates an NC machine tool. In addition, the unmanned cart 41 automatically loads a work pallet onto the transport vehicle from a predetermined fixed position using a slide fork mechanism (not shown), automatically transports it to a predetermined NC machine tool, and then loads the work pallet onto the transport vehicle using a similar mechanism from above the vehicle. The workpiece pallet can be automatically transferred to a predetermined position on the same NC machine tool.

The machine tool 33 processes the transferred workpiece according to the contents of the NC processing tape or processing data from the host computer. The workpieces that have been processed are removed together with the pallet by the unmanned cart 41, transported downstream (not shown), processed further, and when the entire processing process is completed, the workpieces are manually removed from the pallet.

In this way, uniformly processing items that have been set manually using separately provided processing data will result in manual setting errors and tracking errors in unmanned transportation.

Even if either of the above two mistakes occurs, there is always a possibility that the NC machine will be damaged or the workpiece will be damaged. Also, to prevent this,
The operator is forced to be more nervous than necessary due to the above-mentioned manual setting error.

In order to resolve the above-mentioned problems with automation, each
A method of attaching an automatic measuring device to an NC machine tool and including a command for activating the automatic measuring device in machining data is disclosed as "Information input and command device for automatic measurement correction in NC machine tool". (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-45609) In order to prevent tracking errors during unmanned conveyance, a dog representing the pallet NC unique to each pallet is provided on the NC pallet, and this is detected by a limit switch installed on each machine side, and the pallet The method of knowing the NO and checking the conveyed object (work pallet) is the "control method of group management system"
It is disclosed as. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 48-87286) However, in the former method, it is necessary to prepare a measuring device for each machine tool, and the tape length becomes redundant because the machining data includes instructions for operating the measuring device. Moreover, it has drawbacks such as being difficult to manufacture and increasing cycle time. Furthermore, the latter method does not include manual determination of the quality of setting, and cannot prevent manual setting errors.

This invention was made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional machines as described above. An inspection robot is installed at the beginning of the machining line, and the inspection robot inspects the workpieces on the pallet all at once based on an inspection program. By identifying the type of pallet and whether the setting is good or bad, and recording the pallet number, and then knowing the pallet number again when the pallet is transferred to the numerically controlled machine tool,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-product automatic production device that can check processing data and workpieces that have been inspected for normal setting.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 indicates a computer for FA, and reference numeral 11 indicates a data file for the computer, which holds a plurality of workpiece processing data 12 and inspection data 13. 2 is the FA controller,
It is data-linked to the host FA computer 1 via a data bus 1a. 3 is multiple NCs
It shows a machine tool subsystem with a machine, and is data-linked to an FA controller 2 via a data bus 2a. Reference numeral 4 indicates an automatic guided vehicle subsystem, and the controller is data-linked to the FA controller 2 via the data bus 2a. Reference numeral 5 indicates an inspection robot subsystem, which is connected to the FA controller via a data bus 2a. 2b indicates an input signal of the FA controller 1, and each machine tool 33 and unmanned trolley 41, which will be described later.
and pallets provided on the robot 51
Connected to the limit switch for NO dog reading. FIG. 3 shows the machine tool subsystem in this embodiment, 31 is the NC device, 32 is the machine side control panel, 33 is the machine tool main body, and 34 is the pallet.
This is a limit switch for NO dog reading. Fourth
The figure shows a robot subsystem in this embodiment, with reference numeral 51 a robot controller, 52 a vertically articulated robot, and 53 a workpiece detection proximity sensor, including a negative limit detection sensor 53a, a positive limit detection sensor 53b, and a collision prevention sensor 53c. It consists of 54 is the pallet NO dog detection limit switch, 55 is a work pallet, and 56 is a work.

Next, the function and operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In FIG. 2, the FA computer inputs the work plan to be processed by each machine tool of this embodiment, the necessary NC processing data, and tool information (preset information) from an operator (not shown) or from a higher-level production control computer system. data, etc.), determines the work order for several works based on it, displays the work details in the work preset area 103 corresponding to each work using a terminal (not shown), and at the same time connects the data bus 2a. Through the FA controller, workpiece information, machining data, machine tool classification, robot inspection program data, etc., are downloaded to the FA controller. In response to this, the FA controller passes a work transfer command from where to where based on the work information to the unmanned trolley system 4 via the data bus 2a. In response to this command, the unmanned cart system transports a predetermined workpiece from, for example, an unmanned rack (not shown) to a workpiece setting area. The worker sets the work according to the display of the work contents. When the terminal reports the completion of the setting, the FA computer sends a signal to that effect to the FA controller via the data bus 2a. The FA controller issues a command to the unmanned cart system 4 to transport the work pallets 55 and 56 to the inspection robot system 5. At the same time, the FA controller 2 transfers the inspection program 13 corresponding to the workpiece previously received from the FA computer 1 to the robot controller 51 in a batch. When the unmanned trolley system 4 completes transporting the workpiece to a predetermined position in the robot system, a work completion signal is sent to the FA controller 2 via the data bus 2a from a controller (not shown) of the unmanned trolley system. Upon receiving this signal, the FA controller 2 instructs the robot controller to start an inspection operation based on the inspection program that has been transferred. The inspection robot 52 has a controller 51
A series of inspection operations are repeated under the control of The inspection program sequentially positions the proximity sensor 53 of the robot 52 at a plurality of predetermined positions on the workpiece 56,
The output of the proximity sensor 53 is checked each time.
In FIG. 5, when the positioning is completed at a predetermined position, the inspection program determines that the state of 53a off, 53b on, and 53c on is normal, and moves to the next inspection point. That is, the relative distance between the detection end 53 and the workpiece 56 is approximately d ₁ −d ₂ in FIG.
It is necessary to be in the area. That is, the robot positions the sensor 53 at a predetermined position in space according to the inspection program, and at that time measures the spatial position of the other workpiece. The inspection ends when the output conditions of the sensor 53 are satisfied at all spatial positions specified by the inspection program. The collision sensor 53c is used when the workpiece shape or setting position is significantly different from a predetermined one. At the end, the robot controller 51 sends a completion signal to bus 2.
It is sent to the FA controller 2 via a. FA controller 2 selects the robot pallet number at that time.
The operating status of the limit switch for dog reading is read from the input 2b and added as an index to the machining program data of the workpiece, which has been previously received from the FA computer 1. Afterwards, FA
The controller 2 issues a transport command to a predetermined machine tool 33 for the unmanned cart, and simultaneously downloads the machining program to the machine tool 33 in a batch via the data bus 2a. The unmanned cart 41 transports the work pallet, and upon completion of the transport, sends a completion report to the FA controller 2 via the data bus 2a. Upon receiving this signal, the FA controller 2 inputs the status of the pallet NO dog reading limit switch 34 attached to the machine tool from 2b, compares it with the index of the machining program data, and if they match, sends the status to the machine tool NC device 31. Issue a processing start command. The NC device 31 clamps the NC pallet at a predetermined position, starts machining, and returns a completion report to the FA controller 2 upon completion. The FA controller sends the report to the FA computer and also issues it to the unmanned cart system 4 as a transport command to a predetermined downstream position (not shown).

Although the above explanation focused on one workpiece, it goes without saying that everything progresses in an assembly line manner, and as soon as work on one workpiece is completed at each station, the next work begins without delay.

Although the workpieces are transported directly from the work set area 103 to the inspection robot system 5 and from the inspection robot system 5 directly to the machine tool system 3, a plurality of pallet buffers may be placed between each. In addition, the pallet NO reading limit can be set as a direct input signal.
Although the information is input to the FA controller 2, it may also be input via a data link via the controller 31 or 51 or the data bus 1a, respectively. Further, the system may have a hierarchical configuration of an FA computer and an FA controller, or may be a system consisting of only one of them.

As described above, according to the present invention, an inspection robot is introduced to automatically check the manual setting status, and the subsequent conveyance is verified by pallet number, so that each machine tool It is no longer necessary to add expensive automatic inspection equipment to each machine, and since the work is divided into machining programs and inspection programs, and each work is done in a assembly line, it is easy to create and maintain programs. Cycle time is reduced, total takt time is also reduced, and productivity is improved.

Furthermore, workers in the setting area will be freed from the fear and tension that a mistake in work will lead to an immediate accident or loss, and conversely, it is expected that the rate of absolute mistakes will decrease.

Furthermore, since accidents caused by tracking errors in control are also checked, the reliability of the system is greatly improved and the operating rate is also improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an application device of this invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of this invention,
Figure 3 is a diagram showing the interconnection of the NC machine tool configuration.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration and interconnection of the inspection robot system, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the proximity sensor of the inspection robot. In addition, the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts, 1 is a computer, 2 is a controller, 3 is an NC machine tool, 4 is an unmanned trolley system,
5 is an inspection robot system.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of numerically controlled machine tools, a transport device that automatically transports processed workpieces set on NC pallets between these machine tools and between work preset stations, and between said work preset stations and any of said numerically controlled machines. A robot is installed at an intermediate position on a conveyance path leading to the machine and has at least one sensor in its hand, and a robot is installed at an intermediate position on the conveyance path and at the numerically controlled machine tool, respectively, and the number of the NC pallet being conveyed is determined by each robot. and a control and monitoring computer that controls and monitors at least the numerically controlled machine tool, the automatic transfer device, the robot, and the NC pallet number detection device; The computer identifies the type of unprocessed workpiece placed on the NC pallet and the quality of the setting based on the computer program, and compares the pallet numbers detected by the NC pallet number detection device with each other. A multi-product automatic production device characterized in that processing of the unprocessed work is started when pallet numbers match.