Vehicle accessory storage method, mechanism, and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

The application provides a vehicle accessory storage method, mechanism and computer readable storage medium. The vehicle accessory storage method comprises the following steps: acquiring address information, controlling a stacker to move according to the address information; detecting position information of the stacker; judging whether the position of the stacker is accurate according to the position information and the address information; and controlling the stacker to store vehicle accessories according to the judgment result. The technical scheme of the application realizes the movement of the stacker in an automatic control mode, and realizes real-time addressing and positioning of the stacker, so as to ensure the accuracy of the stacker in storing and taking vehicle accessories. The stacker replaces the height limitation of a forklift operation, indirectly increases the storage height and the storage quantity of the goods shelf, avoids the safety hidden danger in cross operation in the forklift operation process, and ensures that the production rhythm is orderly and stable in automatic operation, thereby improving the production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle manufacturing technology, and in particular to a method for storing vehicle parts, a mechanism for storing vehicle parts, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In vehicle production, there is a conflict in the storage and retrieval of materials between the stamping and welding processes. Specifically, finished products produced by the stamping process are placed in the storage area, while finished products produced by the welding process are retrieved from the storage area, resulting in overlapping operations between the two processes. Currently, the traditional logistics method uses forklifts for storage, and the height at which products can be placed depends on the lifting height of the forklift's boom. This leads to low utilization of three-dimensional space. When using forklifts for storage and retrieval, due to safety considerations, it is necessary to wait for the previous forklift to complete its operation before proceeding with the next operation, thus disrupting the overall production cycle and reducing production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a method for storing vehicle parts and an automated storage warehouse for vehicle parts, aiming to solve the technical problem in the prior art where the overlapping conflicts between process storage and material retrieval during vehicle production lead to disordered production rhythm and low production efficiency.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a method for storing vehicle parts, the method comprising:

[0005] Obtain the address information of vehicle parts and control the stacker crane to move according to the address information;

[0006] Detect the position information of the stacker crane;

[0007] Based on the location information and the address information, determine whether the position of the stacker crane is accurate;

[0008] Based on the judgment result, the stacker crane is controlled to store vehicle parts.

[0009] Optionally, the step of obtaining the address information of vehicle parts and controlling the stacker crane to move according to the address information includes:

[0010] Obtain the X-axis position information and Z-axis position information from the address information;

[0011] The stacker crane is controlled to move in the X-axis direction according to the X-axis position information;

[0012] The stacker crane is controlled to move in the Z-axis direction according to the Z-axis position information.

[0013] Optionally, the step of detecting the position information of the stacker crane includes:

[0014] Detect the first difference between the current X-axis position of the stacker crane and the X-axis position information;

[0015] Detect the second difference between the current Z-axis position of the stacker crane and the Z-axis position information;

[0016] The location information is generated based on the first difference and the second difference.

[0017] Optionally, the step of determining whether the position of the stacker crane is accurate based on the location information and the address information includes:

[0018] Determine whether the first difference is greater than a preset difference, and generate a first sub-determination result;

[0019] Determine whether the second difference is greater than the preset difference, and generate a second sub-determination result;

[0020] The accuracy of the stacker crane's movement position is determined based on the first sub-judgment result and the second sub-judgment result.

[0021] Optionally, the step of determining whether the position of the stacker crane is accurate based on the first sub-judgment result and the second sub-judgment result includes:

[0022] If both the first sub-judgment result and the second sub-judgment result are negative, then the position of the stacker crane is determined to be accurate.

[0023] If the first sub-judgment result is yes and / or the second sub-judgment result is yes, then it is determined that the position of the stacker crane is inaccurate.

[0024] Optionally, the step of controlling the stacker crane to store vehicle parts based on the judgment result includes:

[0025] When the stacker crane is moved to the correct position, control the stacker crane to store vehicle parts;

[0026] If the stacker crane moves to an inaccurate position, adjust the position of the stacker crane.

[0027] Optionally, when the stacker crane is moved to the accurate position, the step of controlling the stacker crane to store vehicle parts includes:

[0028] When the stacker crane moves to the correct position, the Y-axis information in the address information is obtained;

[0029] The stacker crane is controlled to move in the Y-axis direction according to the Y-axis information to store vehicle parts.

[0030] Optionally, when the position of the stacker crane is inaccurate, the step of adjusting the position of the stacker crane includes:

[0031] If the stacker crane moves to an inaccurate position, the address information is retrieved again and the process returns to the step of controlling the stacker crane to move according to the address information.

[0032] Furthermore, to address the aforementioned problems, this invention also proposes a vehicle parts storage mechanism, which includes:

[0033] Material handling area;

[0034] A shelf is provided on one side of the picking area, and the shelf has multiple storage compartments arranged in an array.

[0035] The number of the identifiers is consistent with the number of the storage compartments and is configured in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0036] A stacker crane, which is movably disposed between the shelf and the picking area, and is equipped with an identification tag;

[0037] The system includes a memory, a processor, and a vehicle parts storage program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the identifier is used to scan the identification tag to detect the location information of the stacker crane, and the vehicle parts storage program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the vehicle parts storage method described above.

[0038] In addition, to solve the above problems, the present invention also proposes a computer-readable storage medium storing a vehicle parts storage program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle parts storage method described above.

[0039] The technical solution of this invention realizes the movement of the stacker crane through automatic control and performs real-time addressing and positioning of the stacker crane to ensure the accuracy of the stacker crane in storing and retrieving vehicle parts. By replacing the height limitation of forklift operation with a stacker crane, the storage height and storage capacity of the rack are indirectly increased, and the safety hazards of cross-operation during forklift operation are avoided. Automated operation ensures orderly and stable production rhythm and improves production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the second embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the third embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the fourth embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5 This is a front view of the vehicle parts storage mechanism of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a side view of the vehicle parts storage mechanism of the present invention.

[0047] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0048] label name label name 10 Shelves 11 Storage compartments 20 stacker crane 21 Earth Rail 22 Sky Track 23 Main structure 24 front wheel 25 rear wheel 26 guide wheel 27 Column 28 Forklift

[0049] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0052] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0055] This invention proposes a method for storing vehicle parts; please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0056] Step S10: Obtain the address information of the vehicle parts and control the stacker crane 20 to move according to the address information;

[0057] Step S20: Detect the position information of the stacker crane 20;

[0058] Step S30: Determine whether the position of the stacker crane 20 is accurate based on the location information and the address information;

[0059] Step S40: Control the stacker crane 20 to store vehicle parts according to the judgment result.

[0060] The vehicle parts storage method described can be implemented based on intelligent WCS technology. By coordinating OPC protocol with WMS and ECS communication, and applying it to a vehicle parts storage mechanism, all equipment can be scheduled to operate normally in an offline state. Please refer to... Figure 5 and Figure 6 The vehicle parts storage mechanism specifically includes a picking area, a shelf 10, an identifier, and a stacker crane 20. The shelf 10 is located on one side of the picking area and has multiple storage compartments 11 arranged in an array. The number of identifiers is the same as the number of storage compartments 11 and is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The stacker crane 20 is movably arranged between the shelf 10 and the picking area. The stacker crane 20 is equipped with an identification tag. The identifier is used to scan the identification tag to ensure that the stacker crane 20 stacks the vehicle parts into the corresponding storage compartment 11.

[0061] The number of shelves 10 can be two, and the two shelves 10 are arranged opposite each other. The stacker crane 20 is movably arranged between the two shelves 10. To further increase the storage capacity of the vehicle parts storage method, the stacker crane 20 is arranged between the two shelves 10, which enables simultaneous storage and retrieval of vehicle parts on both sides of the shelves 10.

[0062] In addition, the storage and retrieval functions of the stacker crane 20 can also be realized through semi-automatic control or manual control. The programming PLC upper computer communication module transmits control commands to the control PLCs of each component, and at the same time obtains information such as the status signals of each component and command execution status detected by the PLC, so as to ensure the smooth operation of storage and retrieval.

[0063] Specifically, the identifier can be a photoelectric addresser, and the identification tag can be a rotary encoder. Regardless of whether automatic, semi-automatic, or manual control is used, the work command and address need to be sent to the stacker crane 20, i.e., the address information needs to be obtained. The difference in automatic control is that the work command and address can be automatically sent by the monitoring unit, while semi-automatic or manual control can be achieved remotely through other operation panels. After the stacker crane 20 reaches the address location, the identifier identifies and detects the stacker crane 20 to determine whether its position is accurate, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the stacker crane 20's material storage and retrieval.

[0064] It should be noted that the shelf 10 can be divided into multiple storage compartments 11 by partitions or other components. Each storage compartment 11 is used to store different types and models of product parts. Each storage compartment 11 corresponds to an address, and each storage compartment 11 is equipped with an identifier. When the stacker crane 20 moves to the designated address, the identifier on the corresponding storage compartment 11 is activated to detect the position information, thereby determining whether the position of the stacker crane 20 is accurate and further improving the accuracy of the detection.

[0065] After the stacker crane 20 moves to the corresponding storage compartment 11 to retrieve the material, it places the product part in the designated location. For example, in this embodiment, a retrieval area is provided on one side of the shelf 10, and the stacker crane 20 places the product in the retrieval area after retrieving the material. Alternatively, a storage area can be provided, where the product parts to be stored are placed. The stacker crane 20 can move to the storage area to retrieve the material and store the product parts in the corresponding storage compartment 11, improving the reliability of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention.

[0066] The technical solution of this invention uses the identifier and the identification tag to locate the stacker crane 20 and automatically store vehicle parts in the corresponding positions on the rack 10. This avoids the height limitations of forklift operations, indirectly increasing the storage height and storage capacity of the rack 10, and also avoids safety hazards during cross-operations of forklifts. Automated operation ensures orderly and stable production rhythm and improves production efficiency.

[0067] Further, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the second embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention. Step S10 includes:

[0068] Step S11: Obtain the X-axis position information and Z-axis position information from the address information;

[0069] Step S12: Control the stacker crane 20 to move in the X-axis direction according to the X-axis position information;

[0070] Step S13: Control the stacker 20 to move in the Z-axis direction according to the Z-axis position information.

[0071] The stacker crane 20 includes a track assembly and a stacking assembly. The track assembly is disposed on one side of the rack 10. The stacking assembly is disposed on the track assembly and moves on the track assembly to stack vehicle parts into the storage compartment 11. The stacking assembly is used to store and retrieve vehicle parts, and the track assembly is used to guide the stacking assembly. The stacking assembly includes an X-axis moving component, a Y-axis moving component, and a Z-axis moving component to achieve three-way movement. The X-axis moving component is disposed on the track assembly; the Y-axis moving component is disposed on the X-axis moving component; and the Z-axis moving component is disposed on the Y-axis moving component.

[0072] The X-axis direction is along the extension direction of the rack 10, and the Z-axis direction is the height direction of the rack 10. The distance the stacker crane 20 moves on the X-axis is determined by the X-axis information, and the distance the stacker crane 20 moves on the Z-axis is determined by the Z-axis information. The stability of the movement of the stacker crane 20 is ensured by the coordinate system.

[0073] Specifically, the track assembly includes a ground track 21 and a top track 22. The ground track 21 is located at the bottom of the shelf 10 and extends along the length of the shelf 10. The top track 22 is located at the top of the shelf 10, and its extension path is consistent with that of the ground track 21. One end of the Z-axis moving component is connected to the ground track 21, and the other end is connected to the top track 22. In this embodiment, to ensure the stability of the stacker crane 20 during lifting, guide rails are provided at both the top and bottom of the shelf 10 to limit and guide the upper and lower sides of the stacking assembly, ensuring the stability of the stacking assembly during movement.

[0074] Specifically, the X-axis moving component includes a main structure 23, a front wheel 24, and a rear wheel 25. The front wheel 24 and the rear wheel 25 are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the main structure 23 and are mounted on the ground rail 21. The Z-axis moving component includes a guide wheel 26 and a column 27. The guide wheel 26 is mounted on the overhead rail 22. One end of the column 27 is connected to the main structure 23, and the other end is connected to the guide wheel 26. The Y-axis moving component includes a linear module and a fork 28. The linear module is movably mounted on the column 27. The fork 28 is mounted on the linear module, and the linear module drives the fork 28 to move in a direction perpendicular to the ground rail 21 or the overhead rail 22.

[0075] The main structure 23 provides overall support and moves on the ground track 21 via the front wheels 24 and the rear wheels 25. The uprights 27 are made of aluminum alloy, and the guide wheels 26 are horizontal nylon guide wheels, thus clamping the uprights 27 between the ceiling track 22 and the rear wheels 25. The uprights 27 can move horizontally on the shelf 10 at a speed of 30-60 m / min and with a positioning accuracy of ±2 mm.

[0076] The linear module is mounted on the column 27. The column 27 drives the linear module to move up and down and guide it. The linear module has a lifting speed of 20 m / min and a lifting positioning accuracy of ±2 mm, carrying goods as it moves up and down along the column 27. The forks 28 are used to grab vehicle parts, with a load capacity of ≥15 kg. The linear module can drive the forks 28 to move left or right at a speed of 8 m / min. The forks 28 have a telescopic stroke of 500 mm, thereby docking with the shelves 10 on the left and right sides of the main structure 23, respectively. The forks 28 are also equipped with anti-fall safety clamps to improve safety during the grabbing process.

[0077] Furthermore, the stacking assembly also includes a frequency converter connected to the front wheel 24 and / or the rear wheel 25, the frequency converter being used to adjust the rotational speed of the front wheel 24 and / or the rear wheel 25 to change the moving speed of the main structure 23.

[0078] In this embodiment, the moving speed of the front wheel 24 and the rear wheel 25 is adjusted by the frequency converter. Specifically, the speed of the frequency converter can be switched by the PLC according to the distance traveled, achieving the purpose of speed adjustment and accurate stopping. In addition, the stacking assembly also includes a rangefinder, which is mounted on the main structure 23. The rangefinder can be an infrared rangefinder, using digital phase pulse broadening and subdivision technology to achieve millimeter-level measurement accuracy and quickly and accurately display the distance. The frequency converter works in conjunction with the rangefinder to adjust the moving speed of the stacker crane 20 in real time according to the moving distance, achieving the speed control requirements of high-speed operation, smooth speed changes, and accurate low-speed stopping.

[0079] Further, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the third embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention. Step S20 includes:

[0080] S21: Detect the first difference between the current X-axis position of the stacker crane 20 and the X-axis position information;

[0081] S22: Detect the second difference between the current Z-axis position of the stacker crane 20 and the Z-axis position information;

[0082] S23: Generate the location information based on the first difference and the second difference.

[0083] The identifier is installed in the storage compartment 11. When the stacker crane 20 moves to the address corresponding to the address information, it controls the identifier in the corresponding storage compartment 11 to perform detection. Specifically, it detects whether there is a deviation of the stacker crane 20 on the X-axis and Z-axis, that is, the first difference and the second difference.

[0084] Specifically, step S30 includes:

[0085] S31: Determine whether the first difference is greater than a preset difference, and generate a first sub-determination result;

[0086] S32: Determine whether the second difference is greater than the preset difference, and generate a second sub-determination result;

[0087] S33: Determine whether the position of the stacker crane 20 is accurate based on the first sub-judgment result and the second sub-judgment result.

[0088] In practical applications, due to mechanical errors, there is an error between the actual position of the stacker crane 20 and the position of the address information; this error is acceptable. Therefore, this application sets a preset difference value to determine whether the actual position of the stacker crane 20 is within the acceptable error range. Specifically, the first difference value and the second difference value are compared with the preset difference value, that is, in this embodiment, two determinations are made to obtain the first sub-determination result and the second sub-determination result. When both the first difference value and the second difference value meet the requirements, it indicates that the position of the stacker crane 20 is accurate; when either the first difference value or the second difference value does not meet the requirements, it indicates that the position of the stacker crane 20 is inaccurate.

[0089] Further, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the fourth embodiment of the vehicle parts storage method of the present invention. Step S40 includes:

[0090] Step S41: When the stacker crane 20 moves to the correct position, control the stacker crane 20 to store vehicle parts;

[0091] Step S42: When the position of the stacker crane 20 is inaccurate, adjust the position of the stacker crane 20.

[0092] The Y-axis moving component includes a linear module and a fork 28. The linear module is movably mounted on the column 27. The fork 28 is mounted on the linear module, and the linear module drives the fork 28 to move along a direction perpendicular to the ground rail 21 or the overhead rail 22.

[0093] When the stacker crane 20 moves to the correct position, the stacker crane 20 is controlled to store vehicle parts; specifically, the Y-axis information in the address information is obtained; the stacker crane 20 is controlled to move in the Y-axis direction according to the Y-axis information to store the vehicle parts in the corresponding storage compartment 11.

[0094] The linear module is mounted on the column 27. The column 27 drives the linear module to move up and down and guide it. The linear module has a lifting speed of 20 m / min and a lifting positioning accuracy of ±2 mm, carrying goods as it moves up and down along the column 27. The forks 28 are used to grab vehicle parts, with a load capacity of ≥15 kg. The linear module can drive the forks 28 to move left or right at a speed of 8 m / min. The forks 28 have a telescopic stroke of 500 mm, thereby docking with the shelves 10 on the left and right sides of the main structure 23 to deliver vehicle parts into the storage compartment 11. The forks 28 are also equipped with anti-fall safety clamps to improve safety during the grabbing process.

[0095] When the position of the stacker crane 20 is inaccurate, the position of the stacker crane 20 is adjusted. Specifically, the address information is reacquired and the stacker crane 20 is controlled to move according to the new address information.

[0096] In addition, to solve the above problems, the present invention also proposes a computer-readable storage medium storing a vehicle parts storage program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle parts storage method described above.

[0097] The technical solution of this invention realizes the movement of the stacker crane 20 through automatic control and performs real-time addressing and positioning of the stacker crane 20 to ensure the accuracy of the stacker crane 20 in storing and retrieving vehicle parts. By replacing the height limitation of forklift operation with the stacker crane 20, the storage height and storage capacity of the rack 10 are indirectly increased. It also avoids the safety hazards of cross-operation during forklift operation. Automated operation ensures orderly and stable production rhythm and improves production efficiency.

[0098] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for storing vehicle parts, characterized in that, The method for storing vehicle parts includes: Obtain the address information of the vehicle parts, and obtain the X-axis position information and Z-axis position information from the address information; The stacker crane is controlled to move in the X-axis direction according to the X-axis position information; The stacker crane is controlled to move in the Z-axis direction according to the Z-axis position information; Detect the first difference between the current X-axis position of the stacker crane and the X-axis position information; Detect the second difference between the current Z-axis position of the stacker crane and the Z-axis position information; The location information is generated based on the first difference and the second difference; Determine whether the first difference is greater than a preset difference, and generate a first sub-determination result; Determine whether the second difference is greater than the preset difference, and generate a second sub-determination result; If both the first sub-judgment result and the second sub-judgment result are negative, then the position of the stacker crane is determined to be accurate. If the first sub-judgment result is yes and / or the second sub-judgment result is yes, then it is determined that the position of the stacker crane is inaccurate. When the stacker crane moves to the correct position, control the stacker crane to store vehicle parts.

2. The vehicle parts storage method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for controlling the stacker crane to store vehicle parts based on the judgment result include: When the stacker crane is moved to the correct position, control the stacker crane to store vehicle parts; If the stacker crane moves to an inaccurate position, adjust the position of the stacker crane.

3. The vehicle parts storage method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the stacker crane is moved to the correct position, the steps for controlling the stacker crane to store vehicle parts include: When the stacker crane moves to the correct position, the Y-axis information in the address information is obtained; The stacker crane is controlled to move in the Y-axis direction according to the Y-axis information to store vehicle parts.

4. The vehicle parts storage method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the position of the stacker crane is inaccurate, the steps for adjusting the position of the stacker crane include: If the stacker crane moves to an inaccurate position, the address information is retrieved again and the process returns to the step of controlling the stacker crane to move according to the address information.

5. A vehicle parts storage mechanism, characterized in that, Vehicle parts storage facilities include: Material handling area; A shelf is provided on one side of the picking area, and the shelf has multiple storage compartments arranged in an array. The number of the identifiers is consistent with the number of the storage compartments and is configured in a one-to-one correspondence. A stacker crane, which is movably disposed between the shelf and the picking area, and is equipped with an identification tag; The system includes a memory, a processor, and a vehicle parts storage program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the identifier is used to scan the identification tag to detect the location information of the stacker crane, and the vehicle parts storage program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the vehicle parts storage method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a vehicle parts storage program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle parts storage method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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