Visual unloading and visual assembling integrated system for side wall hinge

Abstract

This invention discloses a side-hinge visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integrated system, including a 3D visual loading and unloading unit, a 3D visual positioning and assembly unit, and an automatic stud tightening unit. The 3D visual loading and unloading unit includes a hopper conveyor assembly, a first 3D vision sensor, a first assembly robot, a first manual gripper assembly assembly, a flipping assembly, and a secondary transfer table assembly. The first manual gripper assembly assembly is located at the end of the first assembly robot. This invention, through visual sensor technology, combined with industrial robots and gripper assemblies, can facilitate the automation and intelligent upgrading of existing upstream and downstream processes in factories. It can achieve automated loading and unloading, completely replacing existing manual loading and unloading. On the one hand, it can solve the problems of difficulty in recruiting workers and rising labor costs in factories; on the other hand, it can achieve true intelligent and automated upgrades to factories and improve production line efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vision loading and unloading and vision assembly integration system for side hinges. Background Technology

[0002] Industry 4.0 is defined in relation to the major developmental stages since the Industrial Revolution. Before the Industrial Revolution, human production activities were mainly carried out by artisans, possessing a high degree of customization capability but lacking the ability for efficient large-scale production. With the use of external energy sources such as water, steam, and electricity, and especially the emergence of assembly line production, humanity gained the ability to stably and massively produce complex products. Particularly after World War II, the widespread application of electronic control systems further enhanced humanity's large-scale production capabilities.

[0003] However, while continuously improving production efficiency, humanity has also sacrificed the ability to produce customized products. Each different product, even different models, requires a dedicated production line. The operators and equipment on the production line are also prepared for that specific product and model. Changing the product or model necessitates the redistribution and scheduling of the production line. Traditional production methods are increasingly ill-suited to humanity's ever-growing demand for personalized products. The manufacturing industry urgently needs to shift from existing rigid production methods to flexible and multi-line production methods, providing customized production capabilities while ensuring large-scale production capacity.

[0004] Secondly, the increasingly fierce global market competition has led to most consumer goods becoming fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), except for a few raw material production products. The lifespan of a product from market entry to exit is becoming shorter and shorter. Many electronic products have a sales cycle of only one year, or even less. This forces the manufacturing industry to continuously accelerate the iteration speed of product development and market entry. Often, as soon as a new product enters the market, the development of the next-generation replacement product has already begun. This has prompted the continuous integration of the R&D process and the manufacturing process. Digital platform technology has emerged precisely to meet this need. Only when R&D and production departments are fully digitized can information and knowledge be smoothly exchanged between these two stages, minimizing the time from product development to market. This has created a trend of digital integration throughout the entire product lifecycle, from conception and design to R&D and production.

[0005] Thirdly, in pursuit of maximum production efficiency, the manufacturing industry is continuously striving for greater transparency in its production processes. Through the extensive application of information and intelligent technologies, companies are shifting from a "push production" model—producing only what is available in raw materials—to a "pull production" model—producing only what is ordered. The manufacturing industry's extensive use of digital technologies such as ERP, MES, EMS, and CPS (Cyber-Physical Systems) and IoT technologies optimizes the allocation of raw materials, equipment, energy, and personnel during production, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.

[0006] In the era of Industry 4.0, the role of humans remains irreplaceable. Industry 4.0 does not mean unmanned factories. "4.0" merely describes improvements in manufacturing methods and is unrelated to the specific elements of production. Even in completing a specific production task, the choice between using humans and machines will still be determined by many factors such as the flexibility of the application, cost, workload, frequency, speed, and quality requirements. However, even tasks traditionally performed by humans will be aided by numerous information-based tools and error-proofing systems in the Industry 4.0 era.

[0007] As my country's intelligent manufacturing process continues to deepen, the application of machine vision in the industrial sector is also expanding. Machine vision systems, serving as the "eyes" of intelligent manufacturing equipment, effectively promote the development of intelligent equipment and production lines in enterprises. Currently, they are widely used in downstream sectors such as automobiles, auto parts, 3C electronics, lithium batteries, semiconductors, metal processing, heavy industry, e-commerce logistics, and food and daily chemicals.

[0008] In the aforementioned downstream industries, machine vision mainly achieves the goal of intelligent equipment and intelligent production lines in three ways: integrating into production equipment to realize functions such as detection, identification, and measurement; giving robotic arms positioning and identification functions so that robotic arms can better complete tasks such as sorting, grasping, and loading / unloading; and directly applying machine vision systems to production lines for the identification, detection, and measurement of products or workpieces.

[0009] From the demand side, my country's demand for machine vision is driven by two main factors: First, the government is vigorously promoting the digital transformation of enterprises, which increases their demand for machine vision; second, the aging of the social population and the low willingness of young workers to enter manufacturing enterprises have led to difficulties in recruiting workers and rising labor costs for manufacturing enterprises.

[0010] Therefore, it is necessary to invent a visual loading and unloading system for side hinges and a visual assembly system to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide a visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integrated system for side hinges. By using visual sensor technology, in conjunction with industrial robots and gripper components, it can facilitate the automation and intelligent upgrading of existing upstream and downstream processes in factories. It can realize automated loading and unloading, completely replacing the existing manual loading and unloading. On the one hand, it can solve the problems of difficulty in recruiting workers and rising labor costs in factories. On the other hand, it can realize the true intelligent and automated upgrading of factories and improve the production efficiency of production lines, thereby solving the above-mentioned shortcomings.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a side hinge visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integrated system, including a 3D visual loading and unloading unit, a 3D visual positioning and assembly unit, and an automatic stud tightening unit. The 3D visual loading and unloading unit includes a hopper conveyor assembly, a first 3D vision sensor, a first assembly robot, a first gripper assembly assembly assembly, a flipping assembly, and a secondary transfer platform assembly. The flipping assembly is located on the side of the secondary transfer platform assembly away from the hopper conveyor assembly, and the first gripper assembly assembly assembly is located at the end of the first assembly robot.

[0013] The secondary transfer platform assembly includes a secondary positioning transfer workbench, a first column assembly, and a 2D vision sensor. The 2D vision sensor is fixed to the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly. The first column assembly is located on one side of the secondary positioning transfer workbench. Four rectangularly distributed light sources are detachably installed at the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly, and the first 3D vision sensor is detachably installed at the bottom of the topmost horizontal bar of the first column assembly.

[0014] The 3D vision positioning assembly unit includes a turnover storage positioning conveyor, a second assembly robot, a second gripper assembly component, a second 3D vision sensor, and a second column assembly for mounting the second 3D vision sensor. The second column assembly and the flipping assembly are both located on the side of the turnover storage positioning conveyor away from the second assembly robot, and the second gripper assembly component is located at the end of the second assembly robot.

[0015] The automatic stud tightening unit includes a stud feeder assembly, a third assembly robot, and an automatic stud tightening assembly, wherein the automatic stud tightening assembly is detachably installed at the end of the third assembly robot.

[0016] The safety fence unit is located outside the 3D vision positioning assembly unit and the stud automatic tightening unit, and the outside of the safety fence unit is equipped with an electrical control integrated cabinet.

[0017] The conveying and positioning fixture is located on one side of the automatic stud tightening unit, and the body-in-white is located on top of the conveying and positioning fixture.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first gripper assembly includes a first tooling module detachably mounted on the end of the first assembly robot. A first junction box is fixedly mounted on both sides of the first tooling module. A rodless cylinder A and a rodless cylinder B are respectively mounted on one side of each of the two first junction boxes. A pipe clamp detachably mounted on the first tooling module is provided above the rodless cylinder A. A first gripper connecting plate is mounted on the moving body of the rodless cylinder A. The cross-sectional shape of the first gripper connecting plate is U-shaped. A first parallel gripper is mounted at the bottom of the first gripper connecting plate. A first finger for gripping materials is mounted at the end of the first parallel gripper. An electromagnet connecting plate is mounted on the moving body of the rodless cylinder B. The cross-sectional shape of the electromagnet connecting plate is L-shaped. An electromagnet is mounted at the bottom of the electromagnet connecting plate.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second gripper assembly includes a second tooling module detachably mounted on the end of the second assembly robot. A rodless cylinder C is mounted on each of the four sides of the second tooling module, and the four rodless cylinders C are arranged in a rectangular pattern. A second gripper connecting plate is provided on the moving body of each rodless cylinder C. A second parallel gripper is mounted on the bottom of the second gripper connecting plate, and a second finger for gripping materials is mounted at the end of the second parallel gripper. Furthermore, a second junction box is mounted on two of the sides of the second tooling module, and the two second junction boxes are arranged diagonally.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the secondary positioning transfer workbench includes a transfer frame, two transfer plates are movably installed on the top of the transfer frame, and a turnover box for collecting materials that have not passed 2D vision recognition is provided on one side of each of the two transfer plates. Furthermore, a plate cylinder that is inclined is movably installed inside the transfer frame, and the piston rod of the plate cylinder is movably connected to the bottom of the transfer plate.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flipping assembly includes a turntable cylinder detachably mounted on a fixed bracket, and the end of the turntable cylinder is equipped with a finger-shaped gripper for flipping and gripping materials.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first 3D vision sensor is disposed directly above the end of the feeding belt of the hopper conveyor assembly, and the field of view of the first 3D vision sensor can cover the belt feeding working area.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second 3D vision sensor is disposed on the side above the body-in-white, and the field of view of the second 3D vision sensor can cover the hinge assembly work area of ​​the body-in-white.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first assembly robot, the second assembly robot and the third assembly robot are all six-axis robots.

[0025] A method for visual loading / unloading and visual assembly of side hinges, comprising the aforementioned integrated system for visual loading / unloading and visual assembly of side hinges, with the following specific steps:

[0026] S1: Manual filling, manual filling of the conveyor hopper;

[0027] S2: 3D vision loading and unloading. The material is conveyed to the end of the line. The first 3D vision sensor takes a picture and identifies the material. The first assembly robot grabs the material and places it on the turnover storage positioning conveyor.

[0028] S3: Grab materials. The second assembly robot grabs materials from the turnover storage positioning conveyor.

[0029] S4: 3D visual positioning assembly. After the end-effector 3D sensor of the second assembly robot visually positions the assembly point of the body-in-white, the end-effector stud automatic tightening component of the third assembly robot works in conjunction with the second assembly robot to perform tightening assembly operations.

[0030] Step S2 includes the following specific steps.

[0031] S201: System Preparation;

[0032] S202: When the material is delivered to the designated end work area, the fixed 3D vision sensor is activated to identify the material. The 3D vision sensor matches the scanned data with the material information in the vision system to determine the material specifications. After the vision system identifies the material specifications, the system provides the gripping point.

[0033] S203: The vision system guides the robot to grab the part, and the material is picked up and transferred to the secondary positioning transfer table;

[0034] S204: 2D vision sensor for taking pictures, accurately identifying the position and front and back of the workpiece;

[0035] S2041: 2D vision recognition failed. An alarm signal was sent to the SCAPE control system. The secondary positioning transfer table removed the material and placed it into the turnover box.

[0036] S2042: 2D vision recognition passes, determining the front and back sides. If it is the front side, the robot picks up the material and places it on the turnover storage positioning conveyor, ending a single cycle. If it is the back side, the vision system guides the robot to accurately pick up the material and place it on the flipping component. The flipping component flips the material, and the robot picks up the material and places it on the turnover storage positioning conveyor, ending a single cycle.

[0037] The technical effects and advantages provided by the present invention in the above technical solution are as follows:

[0038] 1. By using 3D vision sensor technology, combined with the corresponding settings of the Bin-Picking disordered gripping manager software, and in conjunction with industrial robots and gripper components, the positioning, gripping and precise placement of incoming materials can be achieved.

[0039] 2. By using visual sensor technology in conjunction with industrial robots and gripper components, the automation and intelligent upgrading of existing upstream and downstream processes in factories can be achieved.

[0040] 3. By using vision sensor technology in conjunction with industrial robots and gripper components, automated loading and unloading can be achieved, completely replacing the existing manual loading and unloading. On the one hand, this can solve the problems of difficulty in recruiting workers and rising labor costs in factories. On the other hand, it can realize the true intelligent and automated upgrade of factories and improve the production efficiency of production lines.

[0041] 4. This invention is highly reproducible. For production lines of the same type of materials with different specifications in a factory, only the structure of the gripper component needs to be adjusted to meet the production needs of other production lines.

[0042] 5. The SPCAPE Bin-Picking system uses an external control unit (APT), which allows system control to alternate between the robot and the vision system during actual sorting and image acquisition. This makes the system workflow more intelligent. When the system acquires images of materials, the SPCAPE vision system takes the lead in controlling the system, identifying and locating the materials, and guiding the robot to grasp them. Once the robot has grasped the materials, system control returns to the robot program, and the robot moves to transfer and place the materials. This alternation of master and slave control allows the functions of the robot and the vision system to be optimized to the maximum extent. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0044] Figure 1 A perspective view of the side hinge visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integration system of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 A perspective view of the side hinge visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integration system of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the secondary transfer station assembly of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4For the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the image;

[0048] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 3 Enlarged view of point B in the image;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the flipping component of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a first-view perspective perspective view of the first gripper assembly component of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a second-view perspective perspective view of the first gripper assembly component of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the second gripper assembly component of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 10 This is a top view of the second gripper assembly of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the visual loading and unloading and visual assembly integration system for the side hinge of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the specific process of the 3D vision loading and unloading unit of the present invention.

[0056] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0057] 1. 3D vision loading and unloading unit; 11. Hopper conveyor assembly; 12. First 3D vision sensor; 13. First assembly robot;

[0058] 14. First gripper assembly; 141. First tooling module; 142. Rodless cylinder A; 143. Pipe clamp; 144. First junction box; 145. First gripper connecting plate; 146. First parallel gripper; 1461. First finger; 147. Rodless cylinder B; 148. Electromagnet connecting plate; 149. Electromagnet;

[0059] 15. Flipping assembly; 151. Turntable cylinder; 152. Finger gripper;

[0060] 16. Secondary transfer platform assembly; 161. Transfer platform frame; 162. Transfer platform plate; 163. First column assembly; 164. 2D vision sensor; 165. Light source; 166. Platform cylinder; 167. Turnover box;

[0061] 2. 3D vision positioning assembly unit; 21. Turnover storage positioning conveyor; 22. Second assembly robot;

[0062] 23. Second gripper assembly; 231. Second tooling module; 232. Rodless cylinder C; 233. Second junction box; 234. Second gripper connecting plate; 235. Second parallel gripper; 236. Second finger;

[0063] 24. Second 3D vision sensor; 25. Second column assembly;

[0064] 3. Body-in-white; 4. Conveying and positioning fixtures; 5. Electrical control integrated cabinet;

[0065] 6. Automatic stud tightening unit; 61. Stud feeder assembly; 62. Third assembly robot; 63. Automatic stud tightening assembly;

[0066] 7. Safety fence unit. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0068] This invention provides, for example Figure 1-12 The side hinge vision loading and unloading and vision assembly integrated system shown includes a 3D vision loading and unloading unit 1, a 3D vision positioning and assembly unit 2, and a stud automatic tightening unit 6. The 3D vision loading and unloading unit 1 includes a hopper conveyor assembly 11, a first 3D vision sensor 12, a first assembly robot 13, a first gripper assembly assembly 14, a flipping assembly 15, and a secondary transfer platform assembly 16. The flipping assembly 15 is located on the side of the secondary transfer platform assembly 16 away from the hopper conveyor assembly 11, and the first gripper assembly assembly 14 is located at the end of the first assembly robot 13.

[0069] The secondary transfer platform assembly 16 includes a secondary positioning transfer workbench, a first column assembly 163, and a 2D vision sensor 164. In the structure, the 2D vision sensor 164 is fixed to the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly 163. The first column assembly 163 is located on one side of the secondary positioning transfer workbench. Four light sources 165 arranged in a rectangular pattern are detachably installed at the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly 163. The first 3D vision sensor 12 is detachably installed at the bottom of the topmost horizontal bar of the first column assembly 163.

[0070] The 3D vision positioning assembly unit 2 includes a turnover storage positioning conveyor 21, a second assembly robot 22, a second gripper assembly component 23, a second 3D vision sensor 24, and a second column assembly 25 for mounting the second 3D vision sensor 24. In the structure, the second column assembly 25 and the flipping assembly 15 are both located on the side of the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21 away from the second assembly robot 22, and the second gripper assembly component 23 is located at the end of the second assembly robot 22.

[0071] The automatic stud tightening unit 6 includes a stud feeder assembly 61, a third assembly robot 62, and an automatic stud tightening assembly 63. In the structure, the automatic stud tightening assembly 63 is detachably installed at the end of the third assembly robot 62.

[0072] The safety fence unit 7 is located outside the 3D vision positioning assembly unit 2 and the stud automatic tightening unit 6. The structure includes an electrical control integrated cabinet 5 located outside the safety fence unit 7.

[0073] The conveying and positioning fixture 4 is located on one side of the stud automatic tightening unit 6, and the body-in-white 3 is located on top of the conveying and positioning fixture 4.

[0074] In the above scheme, the first 3D vision sensor 12 is located directly above the end of the feeding belt of the hopper conveyor assembly 11, and the field of view of the first 3D vision sensor 12 can cover the belt feeding working area.

[0075] In the above scheme, the second 3D vision sensor 24 is located obliquely above the side of the body-in-white 3, and the field of view of the second 3D vision sensor 24 can cover the hinge assembly work area of ​​the body-in-white 3.

[0076] In the above scheme, the first assembly robot 13, the second assembly robot 22 and the third assembly robot 62 in the structure are all six-axis robots.

[0077] The 3D vision loading and unloading unit 1 mainly consists of one fixed 3D vision sensor (first 3D vision sensor 12) installed directly above the end of the feeding belt. Its field of view can cover the belt feeding work area. The 3D sensor is controlled by SCAPE software, which can take turns performing photo recognition, identification and grasping on the two separated work areas (because the side hinge has two specifications, the material separation enables one belt line to support the conveying of two specifications of materials). At the same time, the working time of the fixed 3D sensor does not occupy the robot's running cycle, which can maximize the single cycle time of the entire integrated line.

[0078] The secondary transfer station assembly 16 mainly consists of a secondary positioning transfer table, a 2D camera (2D vision sensor), and a light source. It can perform a second, more precise identification of the position and orientation of parts placed on the secondary positioning transfer table after bin-picking. This unit typically works in conjunction with a 2D camera. The processing tables (two transfer tables) are divided into two areas. Parts in this cycle are placed in an empty area, while parts placed and identified in the previous cycle in the other area are immediately picked up, thus achieving a faster cycle time. The advantages of this approach are as follows:

[0079] Firstly, through the SCAPE 3D Orientation ControlZ software, the precise posture of the workpiece on the positioning table can be identified, abnormal situations such as workpiece entanglement and double-piece, and the robot can be guided to perform a second precise gripping. For disordered incoming workpieces, this component, together with the posture correction device, can provide a more flexible and universal solution than pure mechanical secondary positioning.

[0080] Secondly: a more suitable gripper is used to place the part to the endpoint;

[0081] Thirdly: Grasp the part from a different angle so that it can be correctly placed to the endpoint;

[0082] Fourth: Avoid placing two parts at the finish line. There is usually a risk of picking up two parts at the same time during bin-picking. The software will detect if there is more than one part on the table.

[0083] The automatic stud tightening unit 6, through a six-axis robot in conjunction with the stud tightening gun assembly (i.e., the automatic stud tightening assembly), achieves fully automated assembly of the side hinge.

[0084] The 3D vision positioning assembly unit 2 mainly consists of a fixed sensor (a second 3D vision sensor 24 installed on the side and above the body-in-white), whose field of view can cover the body-in-white hinge assembly work area. At the same time, in conjunction with the positioning gripper, the robot controlled by SCAPE software picks up 4 hinges at once from the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21 and assembles them at the body-in-white assembly station. This invention realizes the hinge positioning and assembly process through the cooperation of the 3D vision positioning assembly unit 2 and the stud automatic tightening unit 6.

[0085] Specifically, the material is manually filled into the conveyor hopper and transported to the end of the line. The first 3D vision sensor 12 takes a picture and identifies the material. The first assembly robot 13 grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21. The second assembly robot 22 grabs the material from the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21. After the hand-eye 3D sensor at the end of the second assembly robot 22 visually positions the assembly point of the body-in-white 3, the automatic stud tightening component 63 at the end of the third assembly robot 62 works with the second assembly robot 22 to perform tightening assembly operations.

[0086] It should be noted that the present invention uses the SPCAPE Bin-Picking system, which includes a 3D vision sensor. The 3D vision sensor can capture the entire 3D snapshot of the scene without moving parts. The structured light method has a high level of performance and flexibility. It uses a sophisticated projection technique to create an encoded structured pattern, directly encoding 3D information into the scene. Through analysis with a camera and internal algorithms, the system can provide a high level of accuracy and resolution in a short acquisition time.

[0087] The computer needs to have the following applications: SCAPE Unordered Grab Boot Manager, SCAPE Part Training Manager, SCAPE Calibration Manager, and SCAPE Communication Server, as detailed below:

[0088] SCAPE Unordered Grip Guide Manager: This application primarily operates during the tote box sorting process and features the following key functions: data acquired from sensors and CAD models of parts; which gripper to use (if multiple grippers are used) and where it will grip; various statistics regarding cycle time; recording all data that can be used to generate detailed statistics; and status information.

[0089] SCAPE Parts Training Manager: This application is mainly used for offline learning of target parts, fine-tuning the acquired 3D data, and formulating grasping strategies.

[0090] SCAPE Calibration Manager: This application is primarily used to calibrate all the hardware within the Bin-Picker unit, including sensors and grippers, as well as to measure the position and dimensions of the turnover box.

[0091] SCAPE Communication Server: The SCAPE system exchanges data directly with the robot using ASCII strings. This provides more bit width compared to binary data, making it easier to transmit data such as the number "1000," and also makes the protocol easier to use on most robots. An additional advantage of sending data as strings is that the data transmission is easier for the user to understand. This makes system debugging easier.

[0092] This protocol does not rely on a specific transmission medium. To date, this protocol layer has been successfully applied to SCAPE controllers using RS232 interfaces or Ethernet connections. In principle, when using this protocol on robots, any communication technology capable of transmitting strings between the robot and the SCAPE controller can be used. All communication between the SCAPE system and the robot is performed through software called SCAPE Communication Server (SCS). This software acts as a data storage intermediary between the robot and the SCAPE system. Multiple robots can connect to the SCS simultaneously. This allows the SCAPE system to control multiple robots at once.

[0093] Furthermore, this invention is based on Scape motion planning and control technology. The SPCAPE Bin-Picking system employs external control (APT), enabling the system control to alternate between the robot and the vision system during actual sorting and image acquisition, thus making the system workflow more intelligent. When the system acquires images of materials, the SPCAPE vision system takes the lead in controlling the system, identifying and locating the materials, and guiding the robot to grasp them. Once the robot has grasped the materials, system control returns to the robot program, and the robot moves to transfer and place the materials. This alternation of master and slave control maximizes the optimization of the functions of both the robot and the vision system.

[0094] Reference Figure 1-2 and Figure 7-8 The first gripper assembly assembly 14 in the structure includes a first tooling module 141 detachably mounted on the end of the first assembly robot 13. First junction boxes 144 are fixedly mounted on both sides of the first tooling module 141. A rodless cylinder A142 and a rodless cylinder B147 are respectively mounted on one side of each of the two first junction boxes 144. A pipe clamp 143 detachably mounted on the first tooling module 141 is provided above the rodless cylinder A142. The movement of the rodless cylinder A142... A first gripper connecting plate 145 is installed on the body. The cross-sectional shape of the first gripper connecting plate 145 is U-shaped. A first parallel gripper 146 is installed at the bottom of the first gripper connecting plate 145. A first finger 1461 for gripping materials is installed at the end of the first parallel gripper 146. An electromagnet connecting plate 148 is installed on the moving body of the rodless cylinder B147. The cross-sectional shape of the electromagnet connecting plate 148 is L-shaped. An electromagnet 149 is installed at the bottom of the electromagnet connecting plate 148.

[0095] Specifically, the rodless cylinder A142 controls the first gripper connecting plate 145 to move the first parallel gripper 146, which in turn controls the first finger 1461 to grip the part. The rodless cylinder B147 controls the electromagnet connecting plate 148 to move the electromagnet 149, which in turn picks up the part when energized. The first gripper tooling assembly 14 is a non-standard design, integrating two different types of gripper modules on the tooling module without the need for quick-change, allowing for rapid processing of parts in different states or processes. The requirement is to quickly meet the needs of part gripping, maximizing the cycle time of the integrated production line. Secondly, the component is designed to be compact and small, adaptable to the needs of part gripping in complex environments. At the same time, by using a rodless cylinder to integrate the gripper module, the rodless cylinder can be air-intaken and extended before gripping the part, ensuring that other modules of the tooling component do not interfere with or collide with the surroundings as much as possible when the gripper grips the part, improving the clearing rate (for parts with corners and edges, traditional hand gripping tooling is prone to collisions with the surroundings, leading to the abandonment strategy during gripping) and safety.

[0096] Reference Figure 1-2 and Figure 9-10 The second gripper assembly component 23 in the structure includes a second tooling module 231 that can be detachably installed at the end of the second assembly robot 22. A rodless cylinder C232 is installed on each of the four sides of the second tooling module 231. The four rodless cylinders C232 are arranged in a rectangular shape. A second gripper connecting plate 234 is provided on the moving body of each rodless cylinder C232. The cross-sectional shape of the second gripper connecting plate 234 is also U-shaped. A second parallel gripper 235 is installed at the bottom of the second gripper connecting plate 234. A second finger 236 for gripping materials is installed at the end of the second parallel gripper 235. A second junction box 233 is installed on two of the sides of the second tooling module 231. The two second junction boxes 233 are arranged diagonally.

[0097] Specifically, the rodless cylinder C232 controls the second gripper connecting plate 234 to move the second parallel gripper 235, which in turn controls the second finger 236 to grip the part. The second gripper tooling assembly 23 is a non-standard design, integrating four gripper modules (which can be replaced with four different specifications of gripper modules according to different project requirements) on the tooling module without quick change. This allows for rapid gripping of parts in different states or according to process requirements, either individually or simultaneously, maximizing the cycle time of the integrated production line. Furthermore, the assembly is compact and can adapt to part gripping needs in complex environments. Simultaneously, by using the rodless cylinder to integrate the gripper modules, the rodless cylinder can extend before gripping a part, ensuring that other modules of the tooling assembly do not interfere with or collide with the surroundings when the gripper is gripping a part. This improves the clearing rate (for parts with corners and edges, traditional hand gripping tooling is prone to collisions with the surroundings, leading to abandonment during gripping) and safety.

[0098] Reference Figure 1-5 The secondary positioning transfer workbench in the structure includes a transfer platform 161. Two transfer platform plates 162 are movably installed on the top of the transfer platform 161. Each of the two transfer platform plates 162 has a turnover box 167 on one side for collecting materials that have not passed 2D vision recognition. A platform cylinder 166 is movably installed inside the transfer platform 161 in an inclined manner. The piston rod of the platform cylinder 166 is movably connected to the bottom of the transfer platform plate 162.

[0099] Specifically, the secondary positioning transfer table is divided into two processing areas by two transfer plates 162. Parts in this cycle are placed in an empty area, while parts placed and identified in the other area in the previous cycle are immediately picked up. This can achieve a faster cycle time. When there are materials on a transfer plate 162 that have not passed 2D vision recognition, the corresponding plate cylinder 166 is activated to tilt the transfer plate 162 and remove the materials that have not passed 2D vision recognition into the turnover box 167.

[0100] Reference Figure 1-2 and Figure 6 The flipping assembly 15 in the structure includes a turntable cylinder 151 detachably mounted on a fixed bracket. The end of the turntable cylinder 151 is equipped with a finger-shaped gripper 152 for flipping and gripping materials. First, the robot places the part between the fingers of the flipper and releases it. Then, the part flipper rotates the part 180 degrees. Finally, the robot grabs the part again, this time at a different angle (usually the reverse side, compared to the first gripping position). The flipping assembly 15 is used to flip the gripped part so that it can be placed into the machine or fixture in the correct orientation. After the robot performs a second precise gripping at the secondary positioning turntable, if the part cannot be placed in the desired orientation due to the gripping position, the part flipping system (flipping assembly 15) will be activated. The flipping system (flipping assembly 15) consists of a turntable cylinder 151 equipped with a finger-shaped gripper 152. The turntable cylinder 151 controls the finger-shaped gripper 152 to perform the flipping operation on the part.

[0101] A method for visual loading / unloading and visual assembly of side hinges, comprising the aforementioned integrated system for visual loading / unloading and visual assembly of side hinges, with the following specific steps:

[0102] S1: Manual filling, manual filling of the conveyor hopper;

[0103] S2: 3D vision loading and unloading, the material is conveyed to the end of the line, the first 3D vision sensor 12 takes a picture and recognizes it, and the first assembly robot 13 grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21.

[0104] S3: Grab materials. The second assembly robot 22 grabs materials from the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21.

[0105] S4: 3D visual positioning assembly. After the end-effector 3D sensor of the second assembly robot 22 visually positions the assembly point of the body-in-white 3, the end-effector stud automatic tightening component 63 of the third assembly robot 62 works in conjunction with the second assembly robot 22 to perform tightening assembly operations.

[0106] Step S2 includes the following specific steps

[0107] S201: System Preparation;

[0108] S202: When the material is delivered to the designated end work area, the fixed 3D vision sensor is activated to identify the material. The 3D vision sensor matches the scanned data with the material information in the vision system to determine the material specifications. After the vision system identifies the material specifications, the system provides the gripping point.

[0109] S203: The vision system guides the robot to grab the part, and the material is picked up and transferred to the secondary positioning transfer table;

[0110] S204: 2D vision sensor captures 164 images, accurately identifying the position and front and back of the workpiece;

[0111] S2041: 2D vision recognition failed. An alarm signal was sent to the SCAPE control system. The secondary positioning transfer table removed the material into the turnover box 167.

[0112] S2042: 2D vision recognition passes, determining the front and back sides. If it is the front side, the robot grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21, and a single cycle ends. If it is the back side, the vision system guides the robot to accurately grab the material to the flipping component 15. The flipping component 15 flips the material, and the robot grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor 21, and a single cycle ends.

[0113] As an alternative to the present invention, the following embodiments are provided: the flexible vibratory feeder is used for feeding, and combined with 2D vision, a six-axis robot and a manipulator pick up the parts that are suitable for gripping as determined by 2D vision and place them on the positioning fixture; the parts that are not suitable for gripping are returned to the flexible vibratory feeder; the assembly six-axis robot picks up the parts on the positioning fixture and places them at the body-in-white assembly station, and performs the assembly operation in conjunction with the automatic stud tightening structure.

[0114] Compared to the present invention, the above-mentioned alternative solution uses the vibration of a flexible vibrating plate to disperse the stacked disordered parts. Under certain probability, this results in a very small number or no suitable parts to be grasped among the disordered parts, which causes the six-axis robot to wait and ultimately cannot guarantee the production line's cycle time.

[0115] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A visual unloading and visual assembly integrated system for side wall hinges, comprising a 3D visual unloading unit (1), a 3D visual positioning assembly unit (2), and a stud automatic tightening unit (6), characterized in that: The 3D vision loading and unloading unit (1) includes a hopper conveyor assembly (11), a first 3D vision sensor (12), a first assembly robot (13), a first gripper assembly assembly (14), a flipping assembly (15), and a secondary transfer station assembly (16). The flipping assembly (15) is located on the side of the secondary transfer station assembly (16) away from the hopper conveyor assembly (11), and the first gripper assembly assembly (14) is located at the end of the first assembly robot (13). The secondary transfer station assembly (16) includes a secondary positioning transfer workbench, a first column assembly (163) and a 2D vision sensor (164). The 2D vision sensor (164) is fixed to the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly (163). The first column assembly (163) is located on one side of the secondary positioning transfer workbench. Four rectangularly distributed light sources (165) are detachably installed at the bottom of the mounting bracket of the first column assembly (163). The first 3D vision sensor (12) is detachably installed at the bottom of the topmost horizontal bar of the first column assembly (163). The 3D vision positioning assembly unit (2) includes a turnover storage positioning conveyor (21), a second assembly robot (22), a second gripper assembly component (23), a second 3D vision sensor (24), and a second column assembly (25) for mounting the second 3D vision sensor (24). The second column assembly (25) and the flipping assembly (15) are both located on the side of the turnover storage positioning conveyor (21) away from the second assembly robot (22), and the second gripper assembly component (23) is located at the end of the second assembly robot (22). The stud automatic tightening unit (6) includes a stud feeder assembly (61), a third assembly robot (62), and a stud automatic tightening assembly (63). The stud automatic tightening assembly (63) is detachably installed at the end of the third assembly robot (62). The safety fence unit (7) is located outside the 3D vision positioning assembly unit (2) and the stud automatic tightening unit (6), and the safety fence unit (7) is provided with an electrical control integrated cabinet (5) on its outside. The conveying and positioning fixture (4) is located on one side of the stud automatic tightening unit (6), and the white body (3) is located on the top of the conveying and positioning fixture (4). The secondary positioning transfer workbench includes a transfer frame (161), on the top of which two transfer plates (162) are movably installed. Each of the two transfer plates (162) has a turnover box (167) on one side for collecting materials that have not passed 2D visual recognition. The transfer frame (161) also has a plate cylinder (166) movably installed inside, which is set in an inclined manner. The piston rod of the plate cylinder (166) is movably connected to the bottom of the transfer plate (162).

2. The side wall hinge vision unloading and vision assembling integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first gripper assembly assembly (14) includes a first tooling module (141) detachably mounted on the end of the first assembly robot (13). First junction boxes (144) are fixedly mounted on both sides of the first tooling module (141). Rodless cylinder A (142) and rodless cylinder B (147) are respectively mounted on one side of each of the two first junction boxes (144). A pipe clamp (143) detachably mounted on the first tooling module (141) is provided above the rodless cylinder A (142). The moving body of the rodless cylinder A (142) has... A first gripper connecting plate (145) is installed, the first gripper connecting plate (145) has a U-shaped cross-section, a first parallel gripper (146) is installed at the bottom of the first gripper connecting plate (145), a first finger (1461) for gripping materials is installed at the end of the first parallel gripper (146), and an electromagnet connecting plate (148) is installed on the moving body of the rodless cylinder B (147), the electromagnet connecting plate (148) has an L-shaped cross-section, and an electromagnet (149) is installed at the bottom of the electromagnet connecting plate (148).

3. The side hinge vision loading / unloading and vision assembly integration system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second gripper assembly assembly (23) includes a second tooling module (231) that can be detachably installed at the end of the second assembly robot (22). A rodless cylinder C (232) is installed on each of the four sides of the second tooling module (231). The four rodless cylinders C (232) are arranged in a rectangular shape. A second gripper connecting plate (234) is provided on the moving body of each rodless cylinder C (232). A second parallel gripper (235) is installed at the bottom of the second gripper connecting plate (234). A second finger (236) for gripping materials is installed at the end of the second parallel gripper (235). A second junction box (233) is installed on two of the sides of the second tooling module (231). The two second junction boxes (233) are arranged diagonally.

4. The side wall hinge vision unloading and vision assembling integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flipping assembly (15) includes a turntable cylinder (151) detachably mounted on a fixed bracket, and the end of the turntable cylinder (151) is equipped with a finger-shaped gripper (152) for flipping and gripping materials.

5. The side wall hinge vision unloading and vision assembling integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first 3D vision sensor (12) is located directly above the end of the feeding belt of the hopper conveyor assembly (11), and the field of view of the first 3D vision sensor (12) can cover the belt feeding working area.

6. The side wall hinge vision unloading and vision assembling integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second 3D vision sensor (24) is positioned above the side of the body-in-white (3), and the field of view of the second 3D vision sensor (24) can cover the hinge assembly work area of ​​the body-in-white (3).

7. The side hinge vision loading / unloading and vision assembly integration system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first assembly robot (13), the second assembly robot (22) and the third assembly robot (62) are all six-axis robots.

8. A method for visual loading and unloading and visual assembly of a side hinge, comprising the integrated system for visual loading and unloading and visual assembly of a side hinge as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The specific steps are as follows: S1: Manual filling, manual filling of the conveyor hopper; S2: 3D vision loading and unloading, the material is transported to the end of the line, the first 3D vision sensor (12) takes a picture and identifies it, and the first assembly robot (13) grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor (21). S3: Grab material, the second assembly robot (22) grabs material from the turnover storage positioning conveyor (21); S4: 3D visual positioning assembly. After the end-hand eye 3D sensor of the second assembly robot (22) visually positions the assembly point of the white body (3), the end-stud automatic tightening component (63) of the third assembly robot (62) cooperates with the second assembly robot (22) to perform tightening assembly operations.

9. The side wall hinge visual unloading and visual assembling method according to claim 8, characterized in that: Step S2 includes the following specific steps. S201: System Preparation; S202: When the material is delivered to the designated end work area, the fixed 3D vision sensor is activated to identify the material. The 3D vision sensor matches the scanned data with the material information in the vision system to determine the material specifications. After the vision system identifies the material specifications, the system provides the gripping point. S203: The vision system guides the robot to grab the part, and the material is picked up and transferred to the secondary positioning transfer table; S204: 2D vision sensor (164) takes pictures and accurately identifies the position and front and back of the workpiece; S2041: 2D vision recognition fails, an alarm signal is sent to the SCAPE control system, and the secondary positioning transfer table removes the material into the turnover box (167); S2042: 2D vision recognition passes, and the front and back sides are determined. If it is the front side, the robot grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor (21) and the single cycle ends. If it is the back side, the vision system guides the robot to accurately grab the material to the flipping component (15). The flipping component (15) flips the material and the robot grabs the material to the turnover storage positioning conveyor (21) and the single cycle ends.

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