An engine housing automated production process

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic production process of an engine shell, and comprises the following operation steps: the automatic production line of the engine shell is unitized layout, and is divided into four relatively independent production units, namely, a first unit, a second unit, a third unit and a fourth unit; the first unit and the second unit are provided with final sampling inspection mechanisms, and the third unit is provided with a timing sampling inspection mechanism; the first unit, the second unit, the third unit and the fourth unit are further provided with feeding and discharging units, transfer temporary storage units, feeding and discharging conveying line units, cooling units, robot action execution units and protection units. The automatic production process of the engine shell has the advantages that the production line is unitized layout, and is divided into four relatively independent production units, so that the automatic whole-line occupies a smaller area, and under the full-speed running state of the production line, the design of the gripper meets the stability requirement of the product, the robot clamping action is optimized, and the production efficiency of the whole line is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated production lines, and in particular to an automated production process for engine casings. Background Technology

[0002] The automated production process for engine housings is a method for manufacturing and processing engine housings. This process requires an automated production line for integrated processing, employing a modular layout to perform unified operations on the engine housing. The production line typically includes loading and unloading mechanisms, conveying mechanisms, gripping mechanisms, and processing mechanisms. With continuous technological advancements, the manufacturing process requirements for automated engine housing production are becoming increasingly stringent.

[0003] Existing automated production processes for engine casings have certain drawbacks. First, the entire production line cannot effectively divide tasks during processing, resulting in a chaotic production flow. Manual loading and unloading are used in the early stages, reducing work efficiency. The automation performance is poor, which is not conducive to user experience. Furthermore, automated lines occupy a large area and cannot easily and quickly process and inspect the casing, making it easy for defective products to be released, which has a negative impact on the user experience. Therefore, we propose an automated production process for engine casings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an automated production process for engine casings. The production line features a modular layout with four relatively independent production units. The automated line occupies less floor space. When the production line is running at full speed, the gripper design meets product stability and appearance requirements, optimizes robot gripping actions, and improves overall production efficiency, effectively solving the problems in the background technology.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an automated production process for engine casing, comprising the following steps:

[0008] S1: Overall production line: The automated production line for engine housing is a modular layout, divided into four relatively independent production units, namely Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3 and Unit 4. Unit 1 and Unit 2 are equipped with final sampling inspection mechanisms, and Unit 3 is equipped with a timed sampling inspection mechanism.

[0009] S2: Unit 1: Starting from the loading workstation, the blanks are loaded. Each loading station has five layers of gun shells. The blanks are divided into upper and lower engine boxes. The loading robot grips the terminal with two kinds of tooling. The two toolings are automatically replaced. L10 and L20 machine tools process the front and back of the lower box respectively. U10 and U20 machine tools process the front and back of the upper box respectively. After the front of L10 and U10 is processed, it is placed on the flipping air blowing table for air blowing cleaning and flipping. After flipping, it enters L20 and U20 for reverse processing. After reverse processing, it is placed on the assembly line to enter Unit 2.

[0010] S3: Second unit: The lower box is machined at the positions of L30, L40 and L50, and the upper box is machined at the positions of U30, U40 and U50. The machine tool is used for machining. The robot arm is two integrated clamping fixtures with a 90-degree angle, which can clamp two products at a time. After all the machine tool machining in the second unit is completed, it is placed in OP60 for cleaning. After cleaning, it is put into the third unit on the assembly line.

[0011] S4: Third Unit: After entering the third unit, the material is manually placed in OP70 and the upper and lower boxes are combined. After combination, it is placed on the right-hand conveyor line. The robot arm picks up the material and puts it into the OP80, OP90 and OP100 machine tools for processing. After the OP80, OP90 and OP100 machine tools are processed, it enters OP110 for cleaning. After cleaning, it is unpacked. After unpacking, it enters the left-hand conveyor line and enters the fourth unit.

[0012] S5: Unit 4: The robotic arm picks up the box from the production line and puts it into OP140 for separate cleaning. After cleaning, the robotic arm holds it to OP150 and OP160 for airtightness testing. OP150 and OP160 are two devices, each with two workstations. After the airtightness test, the robotic arm holds it to the discharge port of the third workstation for discharge.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution of this application, step S2 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0014] A1: On-site personnel place the product blank pallet and empty car in the designated loading area. The product blank is divided into upper box and lower box blank. The robot uses vision positioning to grab the upper box and lower box products from the blank material frame respectively. The robot carries the workpiece to the precision positioning table for secondary positioning of the blank products.

[0015] A2: The robot carries the precisely positioned workpiece, reads the code, and then arrives at the OP010 unit to load and unload the workpiece. The robot then carries the finished product into the air-blowing flipping unit to load and unload the workpiece.

[0016] A3: The robot carries the air-blown flipped product, first passes through the air knife mechanism to clean the lower surface of the workpiece with air, and then reaches the flatness detection equipment for loading and unloading.

[0017] A4: After the robot carries the flatness inspection product to OP020, it loads and unloads the product. The robot then carries the product into the air-blowing flipping unit for loading and unloading. The robot then carries the cleaned OP020 finished product to the transit logistics, where the workpiece is placed on a temporary storage pallet.

[0018] A5: The robot returns to the origin and repeats the above steps to load and unload the lower box. After the loading area has finished picking up the blanks, the robot needs to change the gripper to a pallet gripper to transfer the empty pallet.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution of this application, step S3 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0020] B1: Once the pallet is in place on the transfer storage platform, the code is read first. The robot grabs an upper box and then a lower box, places the workpiece on the accompanying storage platform, and then the robot reaches the OP030 station, picks up the upper box product processed in the OP030 machine tool, and puts it into the air blowing box of the accompanying platform.

[0021] B2: The robot clamps the upper box product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and puts it into the OP030 machine tool fixture. The robot clamps the upper box of the accompanying table air blowing box after processing by the OP030 and puts it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot clamps the lower box product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and puts it into the OP030 machine tool fixture. The robot clamps the lower box of the accompanying table air blowing box after processing by the OP030 and puts it into the accompanying temporary storage table.

[0022] B3: The robot arrives at the OP040 station, picks up the processed products in the OP040 machine tool, puts them into the air blowing box of the accompanying table, and then puts the products in the accompanying temporary storage table into the OP040 machine tool fixture after passing through the air knife.

[0023] B4: The robot grips the upper box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot grips the lower box of the product processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the air-blowing box of the accompanying table. The robot grips the lower box of the product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and places it into the fixture of the OP040 machine tool. The robot grips the lower box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot moves to the OP050 station, grips the upper box of the product processed by the OP050 machine tool, and places it into the air-blowing box of the accompanying table. The robot grips the upper box of the product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and places it into the fixture of the OP050 machine tool. The robot grips the lower box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP050 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table.

[0024] B5: The robot arrives at station OP060, removes the workpiece from the cleaning machine fixture, and places it in its respective discharge logistics line pallet. The robot then grabs the upper and lower boxes in the accompanying temporary storage platform, scans the barcodes, and places the upper and lower boxes on the cleaning machine fixture respectively. The robot returns to the origin and completes the cycle.

[0025] As a preferred technical solution of this application, step S4 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0026] C1: The robot arrives at the OP120 inspection and marking station, grabs the inspected workpiece, places it on the unloading line, and then takes the product out of the cooling table and puts it into the OP120 inspection and marking station. The robot then arrives at the OP110 cleaning workstation to unload the OP110 cleaning machine. The robot clamps the cleaned product, scans the unloaded product, and arrives at the cooling table to complete the loading.

[0027] C2: The robot arrives at the OP100 station and unloads the product for the OP100 station. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the unloaded product, and then loads it onto the OP110 cleaning machine.

[0028] C3: The robot arrives at station OP090 to unload the product. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the barcode of the unloaded product, and then moves to station OP100 to complete the loading.

[0029] C4: The robot arrives at station OP080 to unload the product. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the barcode of the unloaded product, and then moves to station OP090 to complete the loading.

[0030] C5: The robot returns to the starting point, completing the loop.

[0031] As a preferred technical solution of this application, step S5 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0032] D1: The robot arrives at the OP160 oil passage leak detection workstation, unloads the OP160, and places it in the unloading tray. The robot arrives at the OP150 cavity leak detection workstation, unloads the OP150, and places it in the OP160 oil passage leak detection workstation.

[0033] D2: The robot arrives at the cooling unit to clamp the product and loads the OP150 cavity leak detection workstation. The robot arrives at the OP140 cleaning machine to clamp the cleaned product and place it inside the cooling unit.

[0034] D3: The robot arrives at the loading logistics line, uses visual positioning to clamp the product, scans the code, and loads the OP140 cleaning machine.

[0035] D4: The robot returns to the starting point, completing the loop;

[0036] D5: Once the pallet is full, the on-site personnel will remove the full pallet and place the empty pallet in the designated area.

[0037] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the first unit, the second unit, the third unit, and the fourth unit are provided with loading and unloading units, specifically including the following operation steps:

[0038] E1: It can be fed manually or with an automated feeding system such as AGV. The loading area has three stations: two for raw materials and one for empty pallets. All three stations can be used for raw materials or empty pallets. It adopts a cyclic stacking method. The unloading area has three stations: one for empty pallets, one for qualified products, and one for NG products.

[0039] E2: The blank loading station uses visual recognition to identify the product posture and guides the robot to grasp it. An alarm is triggered when the blank posture in the tray is abnormal. The loading interval is initially planned to be 4 hours for one cycle. The tolerance of the blank tray loading position needs to be guaranteed to be within ±20mm.

[0040] E3: When placing the blank pallet, ensure that the orientation is consistent. If the placement is incorrect, the robot will be unable to pick up the material and will trigger an alarm.

[0041] E4: The loading and unloading stations are protected by yellow roller shutters. When loading or unloading is required, the roller shutters open automatically and an alarm is triggered. The roller shutters and the robotic arm are interlocked, meaning that the robot cannot enter the material handling or loading area when the roller shutters are open. When the robot is working in the loading and unloading area, it stops moving when the roller shutters are open or the signal is lost. The robot continues to move after the roller shutters are closed.

[0042] E5: Each pallet position is equipped with an indicator light to show whether the trolley is in position, facilitating on-site personnel operation.

[0043] As a preferred technical solution of this application, a temporary storage unit is provided on the first unit, the second unit, the third unit, and the fourth unit, specifically including the following operation steps:

[0044] F1: Transfer is carried out using a double-speed circular logistics line with upper and lower layers and pallets. Pallets need to be buffered.

[0045] F2: The number of upper and lower box pallets is configured according to 9 sets each, of which 2 sets of pallets are reserved;

[0046] F3: Employs a top and bottom recirculation configuration to achieve tray recirculation;

[0047] F4: Configure the manual operation position to enable manual loading and unloading operations;

[0048] F5: Adds equipment alarm lights and a local operation button for manual mode, making it easier for on-site personnel to check for problems.

[0049] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the first unit, the second unit, the third unit and the fourth unit are further provided with a material feeding and discharging conveyor unit, a cooling unit, a robot motion execution unit and a protection unit.

[0050] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0051] Compared with existing technologies, this invention provides an automated production process for engine casings, which has the following advantages: This automated production process for engine casings features a modular production line layout, divided into four relatively independent production units. The automated line occupies less floor space. At full speed, the gripper design meets product stability and appearance requirements, optimizes robot gripping actions, and improves overall production efficiency. In the first unit, blanks are loaded starting from the loading workstation. Each loading station has five layers of casing, and the blanks are divided into engine... The upper and lower boxes are handled by a robotic arm with two types of tooling. These toolings automatically switch. Machine tools L10 and L20 process the front and back of the lower box, respectively, while machine tools U10 and U20 process the front and back of the upper box, respectively. After the front surfaces of L10 and U10 are processed, they are placed on a rotating air-blowing table for cleaning and rotation. After rotation, they are processed on the back surfaces of L20 and U20. After the back surfaces are processed, they are placed on the assembly line to enter the second unit. In the second unit, the lower box is processed at positions L30, L40, and L50, and the upper box is processed at positions U30, U40, and U50. The workpieces are machined using machine tools. The robotic arm consists of two integrated clamping fixtures at a 90-degree angle, capable of holding two products at a time. After all machine tools in Unit 2 have finished processing, the workpieces are placed in OP60 for cleaning. After cleaning, they are placed on the assembly line to enter Unit 3. In Unit 3, the workpieces are manually placed in OP70 for assembly. After assembly, they are placed on the right-hand transfer line, where the robotic arm picks them up and places them into machine tools OP80, OP90, and OP100 for processing. After processing in OP80, OP90, and OP100, the workpieces are cleaned in OP110. After washing, the casing is unpacked and then enters the left-hand assembly line and the fourth unit. In the fourth unit, a robotic arm picks up the casing from the assembly line and moves it to OP140 for separate washing. After washing, the robotic arm holds it to OP150 and OP160 for airtightness testing. OP150 and OP160 are two machines, each with two workstations. After the airtightness test, the robotic arm holds it to the discharge port at the third workstation for discharge. The entire automated production process of the engine casing has a simple structure, is easy to operate, and has better performance than traditional methods. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process structure of an automated production process for engine casing according to the present invention.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall production line in the automated production process of engine casing according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described below are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments, and are only used to illustrate the present invention, and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer shall be followed. Where the manufacturers of reagents or instruments are not specified, they are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0055] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0056] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0057] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, an automated manufacturing process for an engine casing includes the following steps:

[0058] S1: Overall production line: The automated production line for engine housing is a modular layout, divided into four relatively independent production units, namely Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3 and Unit 4. Unit 1 and Unit 2 are equipped with final sampling inspection mechanisms, and Unit 3 is equipped with a timed sampling inspection mechanism.

[0059] S2: Unit 1: Starting from the loading workstation, the blanks are loaded. Each loading station has five layers of gun shells. The blanks are divided into upper and lower engine boxes. The loading robot grips the terminal with two kinds of tooling. The two toolings are automatically replaced. L10 and L20 machine tools process the front and back of the lower box respectively. U10 and U20 machine tools process the front and back of the upper box respectively. After the front of L10 and U10 is processed, it is placed on the flipping air blowing table for air blowing cleaning and flipping. After flipping, it enters L20 and U20 for reverse processing. After reverse processing, it is placed on the assembly line to enter Unit 2.

[0060] S3: Second unit: The lower box is machined at the positions of L30, L40 and L50, and the upper box is machined at the positions of U30, U40 and U50. The machine tool is used for machining. The robot arm is two integrated clamping fixtures with a 90-degree angle, which can clamp two products at a time. After all the machine tool machining in the second unit is completed, it is placed in OP60 for cleaning. After cleaning, it is put into the third unit on the assembly line.

[0061] S4: Third Unit: After entering the third unit, the material is manually placed in OP70 and the upper and lower boxes are combined. After combination, it is placed on the right-hand conveyor line. The robot arm picks up the material and puts it into the OP80, OP90 and OP100 machine tools for processing. After the OP80, OP90 and OP100 machine tools are processed, it enters OP110 for cleaning. After cleaning, it is unpacked. After unpacking, it enters the left-hand conveyor line and enters the fourth unit.

[0062] S5: Unit 4: The robotic arm picks up the box from the production line and puts it into OP140 for separate cleaning. After cleaning, the robotic arm holds it to OP150 and OP160 for airtightness testing. OP150 and OP160 are two devices, each with two workstations. After the airtightness test, the robotic arm holds it to the discharge port of the third workstation for discharge.

[0063] Furthermore, step S2 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0064] A1: On-site personnel place the product blank pallet and empty car in the designated loading area. The product blank is divided into upper box and lower box blank. The robot uses vision positioning to grab the upper box and lower box products from the blank material frame respectively. The robot carries the workpiece to the precision positioning table for secondary positioning of the blank products.

[0065] A2: The robot carries the precisely positioned workpiece, reads the code, and then arrives at the OP010 unit to load and unload the workpiece. The robot then carries the finished product into the air-blowing flipping unit to load and unload the workpiece.

[0066] A3: The robot carries the air-blown flipped product, first passes through the air knife mechanism to clean the lower surface of the workpiece with air, and then reaches the flatness detection equipment for loading and unloading.

[0067] A4: After the robot carries the flatness inspection product to OP020, it loads and unloads the product. The robot then carries the product into the air-blowing flipping unit for loading and unloading. The robot then carries the cleaned OP020 finished product to the transit logistics, where the workpiece is placed on a temporary storage pallet.

[0068] A5: The robot returns to the origin and repeats the above steps to load and unload the lower box. After the loading area has finished picking up the blanks, the robot needs to change the gripper to a pallet gripper to transfer the empty pallet.

[0069] Furthermore, step S3 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0070] B1: Once the pallet is in place on the transfer storage platform, the code is read first. The robot grabs an upper box and then a lower box, places the workpiece on the accompanying storage platform, and then the robot reaches the OP030 station, picks up the upper box product processed in the OP030 machine tool, and puts it into the air blowing box of the accompanying platform.

[0071] B2: The robot clamps the upper box product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and puts it into the OP030 machine tool fixture. The robot clamps the upper box of the accompanying table air blowing box after processing by the OP030 and puts it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot clamps the lower box product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and puts it into the OP030 machine tool fixture. The robot clamps the lower box of the accompanying table air blowing box after processing by the OP030 and puts it into the accompanying temporary storage table.

[0072] B3: The robot arrives at the OP040 station, picks up the processed products in the OP040 machine tool, puts them into the air blowing box of the accompanying table, and then puts the products in the accompanying temporary storage table into the OP040 machine tool fixture after passing through the air knife.

[0073] B4: The robot grips the upper box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot grips the lower box of the product processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the air-blowing box of the accompanying table. The robot grips the lower box of the product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and places it into the fixture of the OP040 machine tool. The robot grips the lower box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP040 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table. The robot moves to the OP050 station, grips the upper box of the product processed by the OP050 machine tool, and places it into the air-blowing box of the accompanying table. The robot grips the upper box of the product in the accompanying temporary storage table, passes it through the air knife, and places it into the fixture of the OP050 machine tool. The robot grips the lower box of the air-blowing box processed by the OP050 machine tool and places it into the accompanying temporary storage table.

[0074] B5: The robot arrives at station OP060, removes the workpiece from the cleaning machine fixture, and places it in its respective discharge logistics line pallet. The robot then grabs the upper and lower boxes in the accompanying temporary storage platform, scans the barcodes, and places the upper and lower boxes on the cleaning machine fixture respectively. The robot returns to the origin and completes the cycle.

[0075] Furthermore, step S4 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0076] C1: The robot arrives at the OP120 inspection and marking station, grabs the inspected workpiece, places it on the unloading line, and then takes the product out of the cooling table and puts it into the OP120 inspection and marking station. The robot then arrives at the OP110 cleaning workstation to unload the OP110 cleaning machine. The robot clamps the cleaned product, scans the unloaded product, and arrives at the cooling table to complete the loading.

[0077] C2: The robot arrives at the OP100 station and unloads the product for the OP100 station. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the unloaded product, and then loads it onto the OP110 cleaning machine.

[0078] C3: The robot arrives at station OP090 to unload the product. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the barcode of the unloaded product, and then moves to station OP100 to complete the loading.

[0079] C4: The robot arrives at station OP080 to unload the product. The robot clamps the processed product, scans the barcode of the unloaded product, and then moves to station OP090 to complete the loading.

[0080] C5: The robot returns to the starting point, completing the loop.

[0081] Furthermore, step S5 specifically includes the following operational steps:

[0082] D1: The robot arrives at the OP160 oil passage leak detection workstation, unloads the OP160, and places it in the unloading tray. The robot arrives at the OP150 cavity leak detection workstation, unloads the OP150, and places it in the OP160 oil passage leak detection workstation.

[0083] D2: The robot arrives at the cooling unit to clamp the product and loads the OP150 cavity leak detection workstation. The robot arrives at the OP140 cleaning machine to clamp the cleaned product and place it inside the cooling unit.

[0084] D3: The robot arrives at the loading logistics line, uses visual positioning to clamp the product, scans the code, and loads the OP140 cleaning machine.

[0085] D4: The robot returns to the starting point, completing the loop;

[0086] D5: Once the pallet is full, the on-site personnel will remove the full pallet and place the empty pallet in the designated area.

[0087] Furthermore, loading and unloading units are installed on the first, second, third, and fourth units, specifically including the following operating steps:

[0088] E1: It can be fed manually or with an automated feeding system such as AGV. The loading area has three stations: two for raw materials and one for empty pallets. All three stations can be used for raw materials or empty pallets. It adopts a cyclic stacking method. The unloading area has three stations: one for empty pallets, one for qualified products, and one for NG products.

[0089] E2: The blank loading station uses visual recognition to identify the product posture and guides the robot to grasp it. An alarm is triggered when the blank posture in the tray is abnormal. The loading interval is initially planned to be 4 hours for one cycle. The tolerance of the blank tray loading position needs to be guaranteed to be within ±20mm.

[0090] E3: When placing the blank pallet, ensure that the orientation is consistent. If the placement is incorrect, the robot will be unable to pick up the material and will trigger an alarm.

[0091] E4: The loading and unloading stations are protected by yellow roller shutters. When loading or unloading is required, the roller shutters open automatically and an alarm is triggered. The roller shutters and the robotic arm are interlocked, meaning that the robot cannot enter the material handling or loading area when the roller shutters are open. When the robot is working in the loading and unloading area, it stops moving when the roller shutters are open or the signal is lost. The robot continues to move after the roller shutters are closed.

[0092] E5: Each pallet position is equipped with an indicator light to show whether the trolley is in position, facilitating on-site personnel operation.

[0093] Furthermore, intermediate storage units are set up in the first, second, third, and fourth units, specifically including the following operational steps:

[0094] F1: Transfer is carried out using a double-speed circular logistics line with upper and lower layers and pallets. Pallets need to be buffered.

[0095] F2: The number of upper and lower box pallets is configured according to 9 sets each, of which 2 sets of pallets are reserved;

[0096] F3: Employs a top and bottom recirculation configuration to achieve tray recirculation;

[0097] F4: Configure the manual operation position to enable manual loading and unloading operations;

[0098] F5: Adds equipment alarm lights and a local operation button for manual mode, making it easier for on-site personnel to check for problems.

[0099] Furthermore, the first, second, third, and fourth units are also equipped with infeed and discharge conveyor units, cooling units, robot motion execution units, and protection units.

[0100] Working Principle: The production line has a modular layout, divided into four relatively independent production units: Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, and Unit 4. Units 1 and 2 are equipped with final sampling inspection mechanisms, while Unit 3 has a timed sampling inspection mechanism. This modular layout results in a smaller footprint for the entire automated line. At full speed, the gripper design meets product stability and appearance requirements, optimizes robot gripping actions, and improves overall line efficiency. In Unit 1, from top to bottom... The material handling station begins loading raw materials. Each loading station has five layers of gun shells. The raw materials are divided into upper and lower engine housings. The loading robot gripper has two types of tooling, which automatically switch between each other. L10 and L20 machine tools process the front and back of the lower housing, respectively, while U10 and U20 machine tools process the front and back of the upper housing, respectively. After the front of L10 and U10 is processed, it is placed on a rotating air blowing table for air cleaning and rotation. After rotation, it enters L20 and U20 for reverse processing. After reverse processing, it is placed on the assembly line to enter the second unit. In the second unit... The lower boxes are machined at positions L30, L40, and L50, and the upper boxes at positions U30, U40, and U50. This machining is done using machine tools, with the robotic arm consisting of two integrated clamping fixtures at a 90-degree angle, capable of holding two products at a time. After all machine tooling in Unit 2 is completed, the products are placed in OP60 for cleaning. After cleaning, they are placed on the assembly line into Unit 3. In Unit 3, the products are manually placed in OP70 for upper and lower box assembly. After assembly, they are placed on the right-hand transfer line, where the robotic arm picks them up and places them into machines OP80, OP90, and OP100. After machining on the OP80, OP90, and OP100 machine tools, the parts are cleaned in OP110. After cleaning, they are unpacked and then enter the left-hand assembly line and the fourth unit. In the fourth unit, the robot arm picks up the box from the assembly line and puts it into OP140 for separate cleaning. After cleaning, the robot arm holds it in OP150 and OP160 for airtightness testing. OP150 and OP160 are two machines, each with two workstations. After the airtightness test, the robot arm holds it to the discharge port of the third workstation for discharge.

[0101] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second (number one, number two), etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0102] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. An automated production process for an engine housing characterized by: The method comprises the following operation steps: S1: The overall production line: the engine shell automatic production line is arranged in units, and is divided into four relatively independent production units, namely, a first unit, a second unit, a third unit and a fourth unit, the first unit and the second unit are provided with a final inspection mechanism, and the third unit is provided with a timing inspection mechanism; S2: The first unit: starting from a loading work station, blank loading is performed, five layers of shell casings are arranged at each loading station, the blank material is divided into an upper box and a lower box, two toolings are clamped by a terminal clamping mechanical arm, the two toolings are automatically replaced, L10 and L20 machine tools process the front surface and the back surface of the lower box respectively, U10 and U20 machine tools process the front surface and the back surface of the upper box respectively, after the front surfaces of L10 and U10 are processed, the shell casings are placed on a blowing and overturning table to be blown and cleaned and overturned, after overturning, the shell casings are placed in L20 and U20 to be processed on the back surface, after the back surface is processed, the shell casings are placed on a flow line to enter the second unit; S3: The second unit: L30, L40 and L50 are used to process the lower box, and U30, U40 and U50 are used to process the upper box, machine tool processing is adopted, the mechanical arm is provided with two integrated clamping toolings at an angle of 90 degrees, two products can be clamped at a time, after all the machine tools in the second unit are processed, the shell casings are placed in OP60 to be cleaned, after cleaning is completed, the shell casings are placed on a flow line to enter the third unit; S4: The third unit: after entering the third unit, the shell casings are placed in OP70 by manual operation and are combined with the upper and lower boxes, after combination, the shell casings are placed on a right direction flow line, are taken by a mechanical arm and are placed in OP80, OP90 and OP100 machine tools for processing, after the machine tools are processed, the shell casings enter OP110 to be cleaned, after cleaning is completed, the shell casings are disassembled, enter a left direction flow line and enter the fourth unit; S5: The fourth unit: the shell casings are clamped from the flow line by a mechanical arm, enter OP140 to be cleaned, after cleaning is completed, the shell casings are clamped by the mechanical arm into OP150 and OP160 to be subjected to air tightness detection, OP150 and OP160 are two devices, each device is provided with double stations, after air tightness detection is completed, the shell casings are clamped by the mechanical arm to a three-station discharge port to be discharged; The S2 step specifically comprises the following operation steps: A1: an on-site personnel places product blank trays and empty vehicles in designated loading areas respectively, the product blanks are divided into upper box bodies and lower box bodies, a robot clamps the upper box and the lower box product from the blank material frame through visual positioning, and the robot carries the workpiece to a fine positioning table to perform secondary positioning on the product blank; A2: the robot carries the workpiece after fine positioning, reads a code first, and then reaches OP010 unit to load and unload OP010, and the robot carries the processed product to place it in a blowing and overturning unit to load and unload the blowing and overturning unit; A3: the robot carries the product after blowing and overturning, first passes through a wind knife mechanism to blow and clean the lower surface of the workpiece, and then reaches a flatness detection device to load and unload the flatness detection device; A4: The robot carries the flatness detection product to OP020, and performs feeding and discharging for OP020, and carries the product to the air blowing and overturning unit, and performs feeding and discharging for the air blowing and overturning unit, and carries the cleaned OP020 machining finished product to the transfer logistics, and places the workpiece on the temporary storage tray; A5: The robot returns to the original position and repeats the above steps to perform feeding and discharging for the lower box, and when the feeding area of the first layer of blanks is completed, the robot needs to replace the gripper with a tray special gripper, and transplants the empty tray; The S3 step specifically includes the following operation steps: B1: The tray on the transfer temporary storage table is in place, and the code is read first, the robot grabs an upper box, then grabs a lower box, and places the workpiece on the traveling temporary storage table, the robot reaches the OP030 station, clamps the upper box product machined in the OP030 machine, and places it in the air blowing box of the traveling table; B2: The robot clamps the upper box product in the traveling temporary storage table, passes through the air knife, and is placed in the OP030 machine clamp, the robot clamps the upper box in the traveling table air blowing box after OP030 machining, and is placed in the traveling temporary storage table, the robot clamps the lower box product in the traveling temporary storage table, passes through the air knife, and is placed in the OP030 machine clamp, the robot clamps the lower box in the traveling table air blowing box after OP030 machining, and is placed in the traveling temporary storage table; B3: The robot reaches the OP040 station, clamps the upper box product machined in the OP040 machine, and places it in the air blowing box of the traveling table, and the robot clamps the upper box product in the traveling temporary storage table, passes through the air knife, and is placed in the OP040 machine clamp; B4: The robot clamps the upper box in the traveling table air blowing box after OP040 machining, and is placed in the traveling temporary storage table, the robot clamps the lower box product machined in the OP040 machine, and places it in the air blowing box of the traveling table, the robot clamps the lower box product in the traveling temporary storage table, passes through the air knife, and is placed in the OP040 machine clamp, the robot clamps the lower box in the traveling table air blowing box after OP040 machining, and is placed in the traveling temporary storage table, the robot reaches the OP050 station, clamps the upper box product machined in the OP050 machine, and places it in the air blowing box of the traveling table, the robot clamps the upper box product in the traveling temporary storage table, passes through the air knife, and is placed in the OP050 machine clamp, the robot clamps the lower box in the traveling table air blowing box after OP050 machining, and is placed in the traveling temporary storage table; B5: The robot reaches the OP060 station, takes the workpiece on the cleaning machine clamp, and then places it in the respective discharge logistics line tray, the robot grabs the upper and lower boxes in the traveling temporary storage table to scan the code, respectively places the upper and lower boxes on the cleaning machine clamp, the robot returns to the original position, and completes the cycle; The S4 step specifically includes the following operation steps: C1: The robot reaches the OP120 detection and numbering station, grabs the detected workpiece, and places it on the discharge line, then takes the product in the cooling table and places it in the OP120 detection and numbering station, the robot reaches the OP110 cleaning station, feeds the OP110 cleaning machine, clamps the cleaned product, scans the code of the discharged product, and reaches the cooling table to complete feeding; C2: The robot reaches the OP100 station, unloads the OP100 station, clamps the processed product, scans the code of the unloaded product, and reaches the OP110 cleaning machine to complete the loading; C3: The robot reaches the OP090 station, unloads the OP090 station, clamps the processed product, scans the code of the unloaded product, and reaches the OP100 station to complete the loading; C4: The robot reaches the OP080 station, unloads the OP080 station, clamps the processed product, scans the code of the unloaded product, and reaches the OP090 station to complete the loading; C5: The robot returns to the origin to complete the cycle.

2. An automated production process for an engine housing as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The S5 step specifically includes the following operation steps: D1: The robot reaches the OP160 oil channel leak detection station, unloads the OP160, and places it in the unloading tray. The robot reaches the OP150 cavity leak detection station, unloads the OP150, and places it in the OP160 oil channel leak detection station; D2: The robot reaches the cooling unit to clamp the product, loads the OP150 cavity leak detection station, and reaches the OP140 cleaning machine to clamp the cleaned product and place it in the cooling unit; D3: The robot reaches the loading logistics line, clamps the product through visual positioning, scans the code first, and loads the OP140 cleaning machine; D4: The robot returns to the origin to complete the cycle; D5: After the tray is full, the on-site personnel remove the full tray, and at the same time, place an empty tray in the designated area.

3. An automated production process for an engine housing as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The first unit, the second unit, the third unit, and the fourth unit are provided with loading and unloading units, specifically including the following operation steps: E1: Manual feeding can be used, or it can be combined with AGV and other automatic feeding systems. The loading area has three stations, two of which are blank stations, and one is an empty tray station. The three stations can be blank stations or empty tray stations, and use a circular stacking form. The unloading area has three stations, one of which is an empty tray station, one is a qualified product station, and one is an NG product station; E2: The blank loading station identifies the product posture through vision, guides the robot to grab, and alarms when the posture of the blanks in the tray is abnormal. The loading interval is initially planned to be 4 hours for one cycle. The blank tray loading position tolerance needs to be within ±20mm; E3: When placing the blank tray, the orientation needs to be consistent. If it is placed incorrectly, it will cause the robot to be unable to grab the material and alarm; E4: The loading and unloading station uses a yellow roller shutter door for safety protection. The roller shutter door automatically opens when loading or unloading is needed, and an alarm prompt is given. The roller shutter door and the robot have safety interlocking, i.e. the robot cannot enter the material taking or loading area when the roller shutter door is open. When the robot is working in the loading and unloading area, the robot stops moving when the roller shutter door is open or the signal is lost. After the roller shutter door is closed, the robot continues to move; E5: Each tray position is provided with an indicator light to indicate whether the trolley is in place for on-site personnel to operate.

4. An automated production process for an engine housing as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The first unit, the second unit, the third unit, and the fourth unit are provided with a transfer temporary storage unit, specifically including the following operation steps: F1: Use the upper and lower ring-shaped speed-up chain logistics line + tray form for transfer, and the tray needs to be buffered; F2: The upper and lower box trays are configured in 9 sets respectively, of which 2 sets of trays are reserved; F3: The upper and lower backflow configurations are adopted to realize tray backflow; F4: The manual operation position is configured to realize manual feeding and discharging operation; F5: The device alarm lamp and the local operation button in manual mode are added to facilitate on-site personnel to check problems.

5. An automated production process for an engine housing as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The first unit, the second unit, the third unit and the fourth unit are also provided with an in-out material conveying line unit, a cooling unit, a robot action execution unit and a protection unit.

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