A core-holding positioning control system and a core-holding machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a core-holding positioning control system, which includes a positioning unit, a control unit, and a driving unit; the positioning unit and the driving unit are respectively connected to the control unit. The positioning unit measures the traveling data of the core-holding mechanism and the longitudinal data between it and the core. The control unit converts the measured data into the positioning information of the core and controls the driving unit to drive the core-holding mechanism to accurately grasp the core, transport it to the target location, and place it at the target position. The present invention also discloses a core-holding machine including the above-mentioned core-holding positioning control system, and the core-holding positioning control system can be set on the core-holding machine during the manufacture or transformation of the core-holding machine. The core-holding positioning control system disclosed by the present invention has accurate positioning, is not affected by the placement position of the core on the tray or workbench, effectively prevents core-holding deviation caused by changes in the size and position of the core, and adopts a fully automatic measurement and identification operation mode, without the need for manual intervention, greatly reducing the labor intensity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of mechanical positioning control, and particularly to a core-holding positioning control system and a core-holding machine. Background Art

[0002] With the development of automated casting technology, the sand core transfer process has evolved from traditional manually controlled overhead cranes to automated mechanical equipment. To meet the transfer of finished sand cores from the transfer vehicle to the pouring sand box, the core-holding machine came into being. It can lift the assembled finished sand core from the pallet and then transfer it into the pouring sand box for subsequent pouring. This transfer process is a very crucial process in the casting industry.

[0003] Sand cores are usually assembled directly on the pallets or platforms at the core-assembly stations, and the positions of the assembled sand cores are determined by manual placement. Currently, the core-holding machines can only position the pallets or platforms, but the positions of the sand cores relative to the pallets or platforms are not fixed. Moreover, the sizes of the assembled sand cores are also not fixed. Therefore, the core-holding machines cannot accurately position the assembled sand cores, which affects the grasping accuracy and may even damage the sand cores seriously. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, in view of the technical problem that the core-holding machine has a deviation in the grasping accuracy of the assembled sand core, it is necessary to provide a core-holding positioning control system and a core-holding machine that can accurately position the assembled sand core.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a core-holding positioning control system, including a positioning unit, a control unit, and a driving unit. The positioning unit and the driving unit are respectively connected to the control unit. The driving unit drives the core-holding mechanism to move along the track and grasp / release the sand core, and the track is horizontally arranged. The positioning unit includes a displacement sensor and a distance sensor disposed on the core-holding mechanism. The displacement sensor is used to measure the walking trajectory of the core-holding mechanism on the track, and the distance sensor is used to measure the longitudinal distance between the core-holding mechanism and the sand core. The control unit receives the measurement data of the positioning unit and controls the start / stop of the driving unit according to the measurement data.

[0007] In one embodiment, during the process of the core-holding mechanism moving along the track, the distance sensor measures the longitudinal distances between the core-holding mechanism and various points on the surface of the sand core, and the control unit calculates the contour data and / or the center point position of the sand core according to the measurement results.

[0008] In one embodiment, according to the calculation results, the control unit controls the driving unit to start, and the driving unit drives the core-holding mechanism to move to directly above the sand core and grasp the sand core.

[0009] In one embodiment, the control unit includes a PLC controller.

[0010] In one embodiment, the positioning unit feeds back an analog signal to the PLC controller, and the PLC controller converts the analog signal into a digital signal recognizable by the driving unit.

[0011] In one embodiment, the driving unit includes a servo control motor, a lifting hydraulic cylinder, and a clamping hydraulic cylinder. The servo control motor drives the core holding mechanism to move on the track, the lifting hydraulic cylinder drives the extension / retraction of the core holding fixture of the core holding mechanism, and the clamping hydraulic cylinder drives the opening / closing of the core holding fixture.

[0012] In one embodiment, a bracket is provided on the forward direction side of the core holding mechanism, and the distance sensor is mounted on the bracket. The distance sensor is arranged at a lateral interval from the core holding fixture.

[0013] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further discloses a core holding machine, including the core holding positioning control system described above.

[0014] In one embodiment, the core holding positioning control system is set on the core holding machine during the manufacture of the core holding machine.

[0015] In one embodiment, the core holding positioning control system is set on the core holding machine during the modification of the core holding machine.

[0016] The technical solution adopted by the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The core holding positioning control system disclosed by the present invention measures the core profile trajectory through the positioning unit and feeds back the measurement result to the control unit. The control unit calculates and converts the received data to accurately position the core, and the driving unit connected thereto drives the core holding mechanism to achieve core grasping, transportation, and placement; the positioning is accurate throughout the process, not affected by the placement position of the core on the tray or workbench, effectively preventing core holding deviation caused by changes in core size and position. The core holding positioning control system disclosed by the present invention can automatically identify cores of various sizes, and the control mode adopts a fully automatic measurement and identification operation mode, without manual intervention, greatly reducing the labor intensity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the core holding machine disclosed by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the core holding positioning control system disclosed by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Description of the reference numerals:

[0021] 100 - Core - holding mechanism, 110 - Displacement sensor, 120 - Support, 130 - Distance sensor, 131 - Longitudinal light beam, 140 - Forward direction;

[0022] 200 - Track, 300 - Core, 400 - Tray. Detailed implementation manners

[0023] For the convenience of understanding the present invention, the present invention will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention can be understood more thoroughly and comprehensively.

[0024] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "bottom end", "top end" and similar expressions used herein are only for the purpose of illustration and do not represent the only embodiments.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The terms used in the description of the present invention herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a core - holding positioning control system. As shown in FIGS. 1, Figure 2 The disclosed core - holding positioning control system includes a positioning unit, a control unit, and a driving unit; the control unit is connected to the positioning unit, obtains the feedback data of the positioning unit, and converts the feedback data of the positioning unit into the positioning information of the core; the driving unit is connected to the control unit, and the control unit controls the start or stop of the driving unit according to the converted core positioning information. When the driving unit is started, the driving unit can drive the core - holding mechanism 100 to move along its track 200, and can also drive the core - holding mechanism 100 to grab or place the core 300.

[0027] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2As shown, a track 200 is supported by several pillars. The track 200 is arranged horizontally. A sand core assembly platform can be located below the track 200. A tray 400 is provided on the assembly platform, and the assembled sand core 300 is placed on the tray 400. The drive unit can drive the core holding mechanism 100 to move on the track 200. When the core holding mechanism 100 moves directly above the sand core 300, the core holding mechanism 100 stops, grabs the sand core 300, and then transports the sand core 300 to the target location. After the core holding mechanism 100 returns to the starting position without a load, the next round of sand core grabbing and transportation operations can be carried out.

[0028] Furthermore, a positioning unit is installed on the core-holding mechanism 100 and includes a displacement sensor 110 and a distance sensor 130. The displacement sensor 110 measures the displacement of the core-holding mechanism 100 as it moves along the track 200 and feeds the measurement data back to the control unit. The distance sensor 130 emits a longitudinal beam 131. As the core-holding mechanism 100 moves over the sand core 300, the longitudinal beam 131 sweeps across the surface of the sand core 300. The distance sensor 130 acquires longitudinal distance data from various points on the surface of the sand core 300 to the core-holding mechanism 100 and feeds this data back to the control unit. The control unit receives the data fed back by the displacement sensor 110 and the distance sensor 130 and calculates the profile data of the sand core 300 and / or the center position of the sand core 300.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit controls the driving unit according to the calculated contour data of the sand core 300 and / or the center point position of the sand core 300, and the driving unit drives the core holding mechanism 100 to move to the top of the sand core 300. At this time, the core holding clamp on the core holding mechanism 100 is aligned with the center point position of the sand core 300, and the driving unit can drive the core holding clamp to accurately grasp the sand core 300.

[0030] In the disclosed embodiments of the present invention, the control unit may include a PLC controller. The displacement sensor 110 feeds back movement data of the core-holding mechanism 100 to the PLC controller. The distance sensor 130 measures a series of longitudinal distance data between the core-holding mechanism 100 and the surface of the sand core 300 during the movement of the core-holding mechanism 100 and feeds this data back to the PLC controller. The displacement sensor 110 and the distance sensor 130 feed back data to the PLC controller in the form of analog signals. The PLC controller calculates and converts accurate positioning information of the sand core 300 into digital information recognizable by the drive unit. The PLC controller then controls the core-holding mechanism 100 to accurately grasp the sand core 300 by controlling the start and / or stop of the drive unit.

[0031] Specifically, the driving unit may include a servo control motor, a lifting hydraulic cylinder, and a clamping hydraulic cylinder. The servo control motor is arranged on one side of the track 200 and connected to the core holding mechanism 100. The PLC controller controls the servo control motor to drive the core holding mechanism 100 to move above the core 300 and stop at the alignment with the center point of the core 300. The lifting hydraulic cylinder and the clamping hydraulic cylinder are both arranged on the core holding mechanism 100. A robotic arm is arranged on the core holding mechanism 100, and a core holding fixture is arranged at the end of the robotic arm. The PLC controller controls the lifting hydraulic cylinder to drive the robotic arm to extend, and at the same time, the clamping hydraulic cylinder drives the core holding fixture to open. At this time, the core 300 is located between the claws of the core holding fixture. The clamping hydraulic cylinder drives the core holding fixture to grasp the core 300, the lifting hydraulic cylinder drives the robotic arm to retract to the original position, and the servo control motor drives the core holding mechanism 100 to move to transport the core 300 to the target position.

[0032] In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, a bracket 120 is arranged on one side of the forward direction 140 of the core holding mechanism 100, and a distance sensor 130 is installed on the bracket 120, and there is a lateral distance between the distance sensor 130 and the core holding fixture. During the process of the core holding mechanism 100 moving forward in the forward direction 140, the distance sensor 130 synchronously measures the longitudinal distance between the core 300 and it. The existence of this lateral distance enables the core holding mechanism 100 to directly stop at the alignment with the center point of the core 300 without having to retreat after the distance sensor 130 scans the surface of the core 300.

[0033] The embodiment of the present invention also discloses a core holding machine, including the core holding positioning control system described above arbitrarily.

[0034] In an optional embodiment disclosed by the present invention, any of the above-mentioned core holding positioning control systems can be designed on the core holding machine at the initial design stage, for accurately positioning the core and controlling the core holding machine to grasp, transport, and place the core.

[0035] In another optional embodiment disclosed by the present invention, any of the above-mentioned core holding positioning control systems can be added during the later modification of the core holding machine, for accurately positioning the core and controlling the core holding machine to grasp, transport, and place the core. This solution does not need to change the original design mechanism of the core holding machine, does not affect the original core holding function, the modification process is simple and convenient, and it has advantages in terms of modification cost, which can greatly reduce the modification cost.

[0036] The above-mentioned embodiments only represent several implementation manners of the present invention. The description is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the invention patent should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A core positioning control system, characterized in that: It includes a positioning unit, a control unit and a driving unit, wherein the positioning unit and the driving unit are respectively connected to the control unit; The driving unit drives the core holding mechanism to move along the track and grab / release the sand core, and the track is arranged horizontally; The positioning unit includes a displacement sensor and a distance sensor provided on the core holding mechanism, wherein the displacement sensor is used to measure the walking track of the core holding mechanism on the track, and the distance sensor is used to measure the longitudinal distance between the core holding mechanism and the sand core; The control unit receives the measurement data of the positioning unit and controls the start / stop of the driving unit according to the measurement data; When the core-holding mechanism moves along the track, the distance sensor measures the longitudinal distance between each point on the surface of the sand core and the core-holding mechanism, and the control unit calculates the profile data and / or center point position of the sand core based on the measurement results; The driving unit includes a servo control motor, a lifting hydraulic cylinder, and a clamping hydraulic cylinder. The servo control motor drives the core holding mechanism to move on the track. The lifting hydraulic cylinder drives the extension / retraction of the mechanical arm of the core holding mechanism. The clamping hydraulic cylinder drives the opening / closing of the core holding clamp provided at the end of the mechanical arm. A bracket is provided on the forward direction side of the core holding mechanism, the distance sensor is installed on the bracket, and the distance sensor is arranged laterally spaced from the core holding fixture; The distance sensor emits a longitudinal light beam. When the core-holding mechanism moves above the sand core, the longitudinal light beam sweeps across the surface of the sand core. The distance sensor acquires longitudinal distance data from various points on the sand core surface to the core-holding mechanism and feeds the data back to the control unit. The control unit receives the data fed back by the displacement sensor and the distance sensor and calculates the profile data of the sand core and / or the center point position of the sand core. The control unit controls the driving unit according to the calculated contour data of the sand core and / or the center point position of the sand core, and the driving unit drives the core holding mechanism to move to the top of the sand core. At this time, the core holding clamp on the core holding mechanism is aligned with the center point position of the sand core, and the driving unit drives the core holding clamp to accurately grasp the sand core.

2. The core positioning control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: According to the calculation result, the control unit controls the driving unit to start, and the driving unit drives the core-holding mechanism to move to the top of the sand core and grab the sand core.

3. The core holding positioning control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit includes a PLC controller.

4. The core holding positioning control system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The positioning unit feeds back the analog signal to the PLC controller, and the PLC controller converts the analog signal into a digital signal that can be identified by the driving unit.

5. A core holding machine, characterized in that: It comprises the core holding positioning control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The core holding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The core holding positioning control system is arranged on the core holding machine when the core holding machine is manufactured.

7. The core holding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The core holding positioning control system is arranged on the core holding machine when the core holding machine is modified.

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