Welding program creation system and welding program creation method

Abstract

The present application provides a welding program creation system and a welding program creation method, which can improve the efficiency of welding work performed by a welding robot. The welding program creation system includes a display control unit (213) that displays a plurality of candidate welding lines detected based on an image of a welding object captured in superposition with the image, an input receiving unit (214) that receives an input of selecting a welding line from the plurality of candidate welding lines and an input of specifying an order of welding and a direction of welding for the selected welding line, and a program creation unit (215) that creates a welding program based on the specified order of welding and the direction of welding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a welding program creation system and a welding program creation method. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 disclosed below discloses a technique for generating offline programs to move a welding robot. In this technique, three-dimensional models of the robot and workpieces are configured in a virtual space, reference positions of the configured robot and workpieces are automatically set, the order in which the robot moves among multiple workpieces is automatically determined based on these reference positions, and a program is automatically generated so that the robot moves in the determined order.

[0003] Prior technology documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: JP Patent No. 6370821 Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, when determining the order of robot movement, the distances of all paths that can be formed by multiple workpieces are calculated, and the movement order is determined based on the path that is the shortest distance among the calculated distances. But the path that is the shortest distance does not necessarily improve the efficiency of the welding operation.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a welding program creation system and a welding program creation method that can improve the efficiency of welding operations performed by welding robots.

[0008] A welding program creation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a display control unit that displays multiple welding line candidates detected based on an image of a welded object in an overlay with the image; an input receiving unit that receives input selecting a welding line from the multiple welding line candidates, and input specifying the welding order and welding direction for each selected welding line; and a program creation unit that creates a welding program based on the specified welding order and welding direction.

[0009] According to this method, candidate weld lines detected from an image of the object to be welded can be displayed overlaid on the image, and the welding sequence and direction of the weld lines selected from the candidate weld lines can be specified respectively. The welding procedure is then created based on the specified sequence and direction. Therefore, by sequentially specifying the welding sequence and direction of multiple candidate weld lines displayed overlaid on the image of the object to be welded, the welding procedure can be created easily and reliably.

[0010] In the above method, it may also include: a determination unit that determines the welding range that the welding robot can weld based on the position of the welding robot, and a display control unit that displays the candidate welding line among a plurality of welding line candidates that is located within the welding range determined by the determination unit, overlapping the image.

[0011] According to this method, since the welding program can be created based on the order and direction specified for the candidates of the welding line within the welding range that the welding robot can weld, welding operations can be performed without waste.

[0012] In the above method, the input receiving unit may also accept inputs specifying the welding start position and welding end position as inputs specifying the welding direction.

[0013] According to this method, the accuracy of the welding program can be improved because the welding start position and welding end position can be specified.

[0014] In the above method, the input receiving unit may also accept input drawn on the welding line as input specifying the welding direction.

[0015] According to this method, the direction of welding can be specified by drawing the welding lines displayed on the screen, thus simplifying the input and improving reliability.

[0016] In the above method, it may also include: a welding line detection unit, which calculates coordinate data corresponding to the welding object based on the image, and detects multiple candidate welding lines based on the coordinate data.

[0017] According to this method, since the candidate weld line can be detected based on the plane of the weld object represented by coordinate data calculated from the image of the weld object, the detection accuracy of the weld line can be improved.

[0018] In other aspects of the present invention, the welding program creation method is executed by a processor and includes the following steps: displaying multiple welding line candidates detected based on an image of the object to be welded overlaid with the image; accepting input to select a welding line from the multiple welding line candidates, and input specifying the welding order and welding direction for the selected welding line respectively; and creating a welding program based on the specified welding order and welding direction.

[0019] According to this method, candidate weld lines detected from an image of the object to be welded can be displayed overlaid on the image, and the welding sequence and direction of the weld lines selected from the candidate weld lines can be specified respectively. The welding procedure is then created based on the specified sequence and direction. Therefore, by sequentially specifying the welding sequence and direction of multiple candidate weld lines displayed overlaid on the image of the object to be welded, the welding procedure can be created easily and reliably.

[0020] The effects of the invention

[0021] According to the present invention, a welding program creation system and a welding program creation method are provided that can improve the efficiency of welding operations performed by welding robots. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of a welding robot system that includes a welding process creation system according to the embodiments.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the functional structure of a welding procedure system.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of a welding object.

[0025] Figure 4 This is an example in Figure 3 The diagram shows the overlapping weld lines of the welded objects.

[0026] Figure 5 This is an example of a screen displayed on the display of a camera terminal.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0028] 1...Shooting terminal, 2...Robot control device, 3...Robot arm, 11...Control unit, 12...Shooting unit, 13...Communication unit, 14...Display unit, 14a...Image, 21...Control unit, 22...Storage unit, 23...Communication unit, 24...Welding power supply unit, 31...Multi-joint arm, 32...Welding torch, 100...Welding robot system, 211...Shooting unit, 212...Welding line detection unit, 213...Display control unit, 214...Input receiving unit, 215...Programming unit, C...Communication cable, M...Mark, N...Network Detailed Implementation

[0029] Suitable embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, elements labeled with the same reference numerals in the drawings have the same or identical structure. Also, since the drawings are schematic, the dimensions and proportions of the constituent elements differ from actual dimensions.

[0030] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the structure of a welding robot system that includes the welding process creation system according to the embodiments. The welding robot system 100 includes, for example, a camera terminal 1, a robot control device 2, and a robotic arm 3. The camera terminal 1 and the robot control device 2 are connected, for example, via a network N, and the robot control device 2 and the robotic arm 3 are connected, for example, via a communication cable C. The network N can be wired (including the communication cable) or wireless. Additionally, a teach pendant may be included in the welding robot system 100. The teach pendant is an operating device used by the operator to teach the robotic arm 3 its movements.

[0031] The robotic arm 3 is a welding robot that performs arc welding according to the construction conditions set in the robot control device 2. The robotic arm 3 has, for example, a multi-joint arm 31 mounted on a base member fixed to the ground or the like in the factory; and a welding torch 32 connected to the front end of the multi-joint arm 31.

[0032] The robot control device 2 is a control component that controls the movement of the robotic arm 3, and includes, for example, a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, and a welding power supply unit 24.

[0033] The control unit 21 controls the robotic arm 3 and the welding power supply unit 24 by executing the welding program stored in the storage unit 22 through the processor, for example.

[0034] The communication unit 23 controls communication with the shooting terminal 1 connected via network N, and controls communication with the robotic arm 3 connected via communication cable C.

[0035] The welding power supply unit 24 supplies welding current and welding voltage to the robot arm 3 according to predetermined welding conditions, for example, to generate an electric arc between the tip of the welding wire and the workpiece. The welding conditions include data such as welding conditions, welding start position, welding end position, arc discharge time, welding distance, torch posture, and torch movement speed. The welding power supply unit 24 can be set up independently of the robot control device 2.

[0036] The shooting terminal 1 is, for example, a digital camera, and can be a portable terminal with a built-in digital camera. Portable terminals include, for example, tablet computers, smartphones, portable digital assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers (PCs) that can be carried around. The shooting terminal 1 includes, for example, a control unit 11, a shooting unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a display unit 14.

[0037] The control unit 11 controls each part of the shooting terminal 1 by executing a given program stored in the memory through the processor.

[0038] The imaging unit 12 includes, for example, a lens and an image sensor (image sensor), which converts the light from the subject that is illuminated by the lens into electrical signals (digital image data).

[0039] The communication unit 13 controls communication with the robot control device 2 connected via network N.

[0040] The display unit 14 is, for example, a display with a touch panel, which displays the image of the subject obtained by the imaging unit 12 and accepts input such as operation instructions from the operator. The display unit 14 can be, for example, a display device with a touch panel, and can be set independently of the imaging terminal 1.

[0041] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the functional structure of the welding program creation system according to the present invention. The welding program creation system, as a functional structure, includes, for example, an imaging unit 211, a weld line detection unit 212, a display control unit 213, an input receiving unit 214, and a program creation unit 215. The imaging unit 211 is a function possessed by the imaging terminal 1. On the other hand, the weld line detection unit 212, the display control unit 213, the input receiving unit 214, and the program creation unit 215 can all be possessed by either the imaging terminal 1 or the robot control device 2, or each function can be distributed among the imaging terminal 1 and the robot control device 2. Furthermore, some or all of the above functions can be possessed by other devices besides the imaging terminal 1 and the robot control device 2.

[0042] The imaging unit 211 is the same as the imaging unit 12 of the imaging terminal 1 described above. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 211, for example, captures images of a structure containing multiple iron plate components (workpieces) that are objects of arc welding, as the welding object. Figure 3 An example of a welding object is shown. In this figure, a structure formed by joining multiple workpieces is shown as the welding object. The imaging unit 211 can also capture images of the welding object from multiple different positions.

[0043] Figure 2 The weld line detection unit 212 shown detects potential weld lines based on an image of the weld object captured by the imaging unit 211. As a method for detecting potential weld lines, the following method can be used, for example.

[0044] Initially, the welding line detection unit 212 calculates the coordinate data corresponding to the welding object based on the image of the welding object, and plots this coordinate data as point group data in the user coordinate system.

[0045] The coordinate data corresponding to the aforementioned welding object can be obtained, for example, by a distance measurement sensor. Examples of distance measurement sensors include LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, millimeter-wave sensors, and ultrasonic sensors. Alternatively, the coordinate data corresponding to the welding object can be obtained by estimating from multiple images of the welding object taken from different locations. In this case, a three-dimensional measurement method based on known stereo methods can be used.

[0046] The aforementioned user coordinate system can be set, for example, by establishing a marker within the space formed by the welding object. Specifically, the user coordinate system is set with the position of the marker contained in the image obtained by the imaging unit 211 as the origin, and a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system formed by the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other at the origin.

[0047] The aforementioned markers are any identifiers that enable the camera unit 211 to recognize that they are located within a space; AR markers are preferred. By using AR markers, when the camera unit recognizes an AR marker located within a space, it is easy to display the image by aligning the user's coordinate system, with the AR marker as its origin, with the actual image.

[0048] Next, the weld line detection unit 212 detects potential weld lines contained in the welding object based on the point group data depicted in the user coordinate system. Specifically, the weld line detection unit 212 recognizes multiple planes corresponding to the welding object based on the point group data, and detects the intersection of two planes contained in these multiple planes as potential weld lines. For example, for the intersection of two planes with... Figure 4 The plane corresponding to the coordinate data of workpiece Wa and the plane corresponding to the coordinate data of workpiece Wb are identified, and the intersection line Li of these two planes is detected as one of the candidates for a welding line. When detecting the candidate welding line, it is preferable to detect the intersection line of the two planes from end to end as the candidate welding line.

[0049] Figure 2 The display control unit 213, as shown, displays the candidate weld lines detected by the weld line detection unit 212 by superimposing them with the image obtained by the imaging unit 211. Figure 4 In the image obtained by the imaging unit 211, multiple welding line candidates are displayed.

[0050] Figure 2 The input receiving unit 214 shown accepts inputs specifying the welding sequence and direction for welding lines selected by the operator from all candidate welding lines contained in the image. Inputs for selecting welding lines and specifying the welding sequence and direction can be input, for example, using the touch panel of the display unit 14 of the imaging terminal 1.

[0051] refer to Figure 5 Let's explain in detail. This figure shows an example of the screen displayed on the display unit 14 of the imaging terminal 1. An image 14a obtained by photographing the welding object is displayed on the right side of the display screen. The welding lines La, Lb, Lc, and Ld displayed on this image 14a are, for example, from... Figure 4 The example shows a candidate welding line selected by the operator from among multiple welding line candidates. For example, guided by voice or text messages, the operator selects a welding line by touching (tapping) a specific welding line candidate from among the multiple welding line candidates displayed on image 14a.

[0052] Furthermore, if, on image 14a, the operator touches multiple welding lines La, Lb, Lc, and Ld in sequence, guided by something such as sound or text messages, the order of these touches is accepted as input for specifying the welding sequence. Furthermore, if in Figure 5 On image 14a, for example, guided by sound or text messages, the operator traces (slides) along the welding lines La, Lb, Lc, and Ld. The direction of this tracing is accepted as input to specify the welding direction. Alternatively, tracing can be replaced by, for example, long-pressing the welding start position and the welding end position respectively. In this case, the direction from the welding start position to the welding end position is accepted as input to specify the welding direction.

[0053] Figure 2 The program creation unit 215, as shown, creates a welding program for arc welding based on the welding sequence and direction specified for each welding line. The program creation unit 215 stores the created welding program in the storage unit 22 of the robot control device 2. Therefore, when the robot arm 3 performs arc welding, the control unit 21 of the robot control device 2 can read the welding program and control the robot arm 3 to perform welding according to the welding sequence specified in the program.

[0054] As described above, the welding procedure creation system according to the embodiment can display candidate weld lines detected from an image of the object to be welded, coinciding with the image, and accept specifications for the welding sequence and welding direction of the weld lines selected from the candidate weld lines, respectively, and create a welding procedure based on the specified sequence and direction. Therefore, by sequentially specifying the welding sequence and welding direction of multiple candidate weld lines displayed coinciding with the image of the object to be welded, a welding procedure can be easily and properly created.

[0055] Therefore, the welding process system according to the embodiment can improve the efficiency of the welding operation of the robot 3.

[0056] [Variation Example]

[0057] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments and can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the above embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting.

[0058] For example, in the welding process creation system described in the aforementioned embodiments, welding lines are selected from all candidates of welding lines contained in the image, but the candidates of welding lines to be selected may be limited to a portion of the candidates.

[0059] When limiting the number of candidates to a subset, the limitation can be based on the position of the robotic arm 3. In this case, the welding program creation system preferably further includes a determination unit that determines the welding range that the robotic arm 3 can perform based on the position of the robotic arm 3. In addition, preferably, the display control unit 213 selects the welding lines within the welding range determined by the determination unit from all the welding line candidates contained in the image as welding line candidates to be selected, and displays them overlaid on the image of the welding object.

[0060] For example, the position of the robot arm 3 can be specified by the operator touching an image of the object to be welded, guided by voice or text messages. For example, when the robot arm 3 is set in the specified position, the welding range that the robot arm 3 can perform can be determined based on the range that the welding torch 32 of the robot arm 3 can reach.

[0061] According to the welding procedure creation system involved in this modified example, a welding procedure can be created for each position of the robot arm 3, targeting the welding line within the welding range that the robot arm 3 can perform welding on. Therefore, the efficiency of the welding operation of the robot arm 3 can be further improved.

Claims

1. A welding program creation system characterized by comprising: have: The display control unit displays multiple candidate weld lines detected based on an image of a welded object containing multiple weld lines, superimposed on the image; The input receiving unit accepts inputs that select multiple welding lines from the multiple welding lines candidates displayed in the image, as well as inputs specifying the welding order and welding direction for the selected welding lines respectively; and The program creation unit creates a welding program based on the specified welding sequence and welding direction.

2. The welding process creation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The welding process creation system also features: The decision-making department determines the welding range that the welding robot can perform based on its location. The display control unit displays the candidate welding line among the plurality of welding line candidates that is located within the welding range determined by the decision unit and overlaps it with the image.

3. The welding process fabrication system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The input receiving unit accepts input specifying the welding start position and welding end position, as input specifying the welding direction.

4. The welding process fabrication system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The input receiving unit accepts input drawn on the welding line as input specifying the direction of the welding.

5. The welding process fabrication system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The welding process creation system also features: The welding line detection unit calculates coordinate data corresponding to the welding object based on the image, and detects the candidate welding lines based on the coordinate data.

6. A method for creating a welding program, executed by a processor, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: Candidate weld lines detected based on an image of a welded object containing multiple weld lines are displayed over the image; Accepts input to select multiple weld lines from the multiple weld line candidates displayed in the image, and input to specify the welding order and welding direction for the selected weld lines respectively; and The welding procedure is created based on the specified welding sequence and welding direction.

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