Automobile flexible assembly line system and production line operation method

Abstract

The application provides a flexible automobile assembly line system and a production line operation method. The mobile robot of the flexible automobile assembly line system comprises a jacking mobile robot, a line head pre-lifting robot and a line tail pre-lifting robot. The line head pre-lifting robot, the line tail pre-lifting robot and the jacking mobile robot cooperate to lift the automobile and place the automobile body on the jacking platform of the jacking mobile robot. The robot scheduling center of the robot management system is connected with each robot on each process production line in a wireless communication mode, is used for receiving tasks / data from the process digital management platform, is also used for receiving the working state of each station and each robot and production line beat data, and is used for determining the walking or operation action of the mobile robot. Therefore, the requirements of assembling and producing different automobile types, different chassis and different models of automobiles on the same production line can be met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of automobile assembly line system, specifically to an automobile flexible final assembly line system and a production line operation method. Background Technology

[0002] Automobile production lines are highly automated systems. Traditional automobile assembly lines have automated car body conveyor systems. After the car bodies are transported to the assembly area in sequence, robots distributed on both sides of the car body complete the installation of various components. Alternatively, some processes are completed manually with the help of tooling fixtures and other auxiliary devices.

[0003] With the development of automotive technology and the changing demands and consumer attitudes in the automotive market, automakers need to continuously launch new products, enrich the types of vehicles they offer, and iterate on new technologies and products. On the other hand, changing market demands and consumer attitudes have led to a greater emphasis on customizable and personalized vehicles. This places higher demands on the design and manufacturing stages of automobiles. However, traditional automotive production lines are often only capable of producing the same type of vehicle continuously. If a new model is to be produced, the production line must be upgraded or even completely rebuilt with extensive infrastructure to accommodate the new model. Such rigid, automated production lines can no longer meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market.

[0004] Therefore, a flexible automotive production line solution based on mobile robots is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of this specification provide a flexible automobile assembly line system and production line operation method to realize the flexibility of automobile manufacturing assembly line and adapt to the requirements of assembling different types of automobiles, different chassis and different models of automobiles on the same production line.

[0006] The embodiments in this specification provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] This specification provides an embodiment of a flexible automotive final assembly line system, which includes a mobile robot, an assembly operation robot, and a robot management system.

[0008] The mobile robots include a lifting mobile robot, a line head pre-lifting robot, and a line tail pre-lifting robot;

[0009] The line-start pre-lifting robot is used to lift the car body completed in the previous process and cooperate with the lifting mobile robot to place the car body completed in the previous process onto the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot; the line-start pre-lifting robot is set at the initial position before the first assembly station of the current process production line.

[0010] The tail-end pre-lifting robot is used in conjunction with the lifting mobile robot to move the car body completed in the current process from the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot to the tail-end pre-lifting robot, so as to place the car body completed in the current process at the entrance of the next process; the tail-end pre-lifting robot is set at the end of the production line after the last assembly station of the current process.

[0011] The lifting mobile robot is used to carry the vehicle body to be processed in the current process on its lifting platform, and to move the vehicle body to be processed to each workstation position that needs to be assembled according to the production line cycle data in the current process, so that the assembly operation robot can perform the corresponding task operation on the vehicle body to be processed; it is also used to return from the last assembly workstation of the current process to the first assembly workstation of the current process along the return path;

[0012] The robot management system includes a robot scheduling center and a factory digital management platform.

[0013] The robot scheduling center is connected to each robot on each production line via wireless communication. It is used to receive tasks / data from the factory's digital management platform, as well as to receive the working status of each workstation and each robot, and the production line cycle data, in order to determine the walking or operating actions of the mobile robots.

[0014] Once the assembly robots on both sides of the production line have completed their tasks, a unified cycle signal is sent to the robot scheduling center through the assembly workshop management platform system in the factory's digital management platform.

[0015] The robot dispatch center sends control commands to the mobile robots that need to move next. During the translation of the lifting mobile robot, the vehicles loaded by other robots in the previous process also move and move synchronously to the next process according to the preset rhythm under the control of the robot management system, until all the mobile robots have moved into place.

[0016] This specification also provides an embodiment of a flexible automotive assembly line operation method, employing the flexible automotive assembly line system as described above, applied in a robot scheduling center. The operation method of the automotive assembly line includes:

[0017] Receive tasks / data and verify the current status of each workstation and mobile robot;

[0018] Based on the task / data, assign numbers to the workstations that need to perform operations and the robots that need to perform movement tasks;

[0019] Read the readiness signals of robots at each workstation and the production line cycle signals, and after the mobile robot that needs to move completes synchronous movement and moves to the next workstation, return the corresponding signals to the factory digital management platform;

[0020] Determine whether the number of the mobile robot that has moved to a certain workstation matches the workstation number;

[0021] If a match is found, the mobile robot will autonomously determine whether it has reached the speed and position adjustment area of ​​the workstation. Within the position adjustment area, the mobile robot will determine whether it has reached the designated position based on data from external sensors or its own sensors. If there is a certain error, it will autonomously adjust its posture. Alternatively, if a match is not found, the process will continue until all mobile robot numbers that need to be moved match the workstation numbers.

[0022] Once the mobile robot has completed its localization, it receives localization completion signals from all other mobile robots that need to be moved, and uploads these signals to the factory's digital management platform.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects that at least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this specification can achieve include at least:

[0024] On a flexible automotive assembly line, pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the line, along with lifting and moving robots, work together to place the vehicle body at the corresponding workstations for each process. After the assembly robots complete their tasks, the data is uploaded to the robot scheduling center via the factory's digital management platform. The robot scheduling center then sends control commands to the lifting and moving robots that need to move, synchronously moving them to the next stage according to a preset rhythm until they are in position. This achieves flexibility in the automotive manufacturing assembly line, adapting to the requirements of assembling different vehicle types, chassis, and models on the same production line. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a typical scene diagram of the flexible automotive assembly line in this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of the robot management system configuration in the flexible automotive assembly line system of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the robot scheduling center in this application;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a diagram of the robot scheduling center in this application;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the production line positioning sensor setup in this application;

[0031] Figure 6 This is the core workflow diagram for robot scheduling in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0035] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0036] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0037] Existing automotive manufacturing production lines are often only capable of producing the same type of car continuously. To produce new models, it's necessary to upgrade or even rebuild the production line, requiring extensive infrastructure construction to accommodate the new vehicle. However, with advancements in automotive technology and changes in market demands and consumer attitudes, an increasingly diverse range of new automotive products is emerging. Furthermore, evolving consumer preferences have led to greater emphasis on customizable and personalized vehicles, demands that most automotive manufacturers cannot meet.

[0038] Based on this, the embodiments of this specification propose a novel flexible automotive production line solution based on mobile robots: It includes a lifting mobile robot, a pre-lifting robot at the beginning of the line, a pre-lifting robot at the end of the line, an assembly operation robot, a machine scheduling center, and a factory digital management platform. The main purpose of the pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the line is to lift the cars and, in conjunction with the lifting mobile robot, place the car bodies onto the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot. The robot scheduling center is wirelessly connected to each robot on the production line at each process stage. It is used to receive tasks / data from the factory digital management platform, as well as the working status of each workstation and each robot, and the production line cycle time data, to determine the walking or operating actions of the mobile robots.

[0039] Once all assembly robots have completed their tasks, a unified rhythm signal is sent to the robot scheduling center through the assembly workshop management platform system in the factory's digital management platform. The robot scheduling center then sends control commands to the subsequent mobile robots that need to move. During the lateral movement of the lifting mobile robot, the vehicles loaded by other robots in the preceding process also move and act synchronously to the next process according to the preset rhythm under the control of the robot management system, until all the mobile robots have moved into place.

[0040] The embodiments in this specification break through the fixed mode of traditional automobile assembly production lines, and realize the adaptable assembly and production of different types of automobiles, different specifications of automobiles, and different sizes of automobiles on the same production line, truly realizing flexible production.

[0041] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] like Figure 1As shown, the automotive flexible final assembly line system of this specification consists of the following parts: a pre-lifting robot at the beginning / end of the line, a lifting mobile robot, and a robot management system; wherein the mobile robot includes a lifting mobile robot, a pre-lifting robot at the beginning of the line, and a pre-lifting robot at the end of the line;

[0043] The line-start pre-lifting robot is used to lift the car body completed in the previous process and cooperate with the lifting mobile robot to place the car body completed in the previous process onto the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot; the line-start pre-lifting robot is set at the initial position before the first assembly station of the current process production line.

[0044] The tail-end pre-lifting robot is used in conjunction with the lifting mobile robot to move the car body completed in the current process from the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot to the tail-end pre-lifting robot, so as to place the car body completed in the current process at the entrance of the next process; the tail-end pre-lifting robot is set at the end of the production line after the last assembly station of the current process.

[0045] The lifting mobile robot is used to carry the vehicle body to be processed in the current process on its lifting platform, and to move the vehicle body to be processed to each workstation position that needs to be assembled according to the production line cycle data in the current process, so that the assembly operation robot can perform the corresponding task operation on the vehicle body to be processed; it is also used to return from the last assembly workstation of the current process to the first assembly workstation of the current process along the return path;

[0046] The robot management system includes a robot scheduling center and a factory digital management platform.

[0047] The robot scheduling center is connected to each robot on each production line via wireless communication. It is used to receive tasks / data from the factory's digital management platform, as well as to receive the working status of each workstation and each robot, and the production line cycle data, in order to determine the walking or operating actions of the mobile robots.

[0048] Once all assembly robots have completed their tasks, a unified rhythm signal is sent to the robot scheduling center through the assembly workshop management platform system in the factory's digital management platform. The robot scheduling center then sends control commands to the subsequent mobile robots that need to move. During the lateral movement of the lifting mobile robot, the vehicles loaded by other robots in the preceding process also move and act synchronously to the next process according to the preset rhythm under the control of the robot management system, until all the mobile robots have moved into place.

[0049] Specifically, its basic operating procedures are as follows:

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, when the car body arrives at the head of the flexible production line from the previous process (as shown in the image), Figure 1 When the line begins to move to the designated position (right side), the pre-lifting robot moves to the designated position and uses its lifting device located within the gantry support to lift the car body to a certain height. At this time, the lifting mobile robot enters below the pre-lifting robot, i.e., below the car body. The lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot gradually rises until it contacts the bottom of the car body and supports it. Then, the lifting device of the pre-lifting robot is released, and the car body is placed on the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot. The lifting mobile robot lowers its lifting height and moves forward to the first workstation, where it stops and is ready. Then, the assembly robots on both sides begin to operate. During the movement of the lifting mobile robot, the car bodies loaded by other robots in the preceding process are also moved synchronously to the next workstation under the control of the robot management system, according to the prescribed rhythm, until all moving mobile robots are in place.

[0051] The assembly line is numbered according to the assembly type and operation category, as follows: Assembly Station #1, Assembly Station #2, ... etc. Assembly Station #1 is the first process of the production line, and Assembly Station #M is the last process of the production line.

[0052] Before assembly station #1, there is a wired front pre-lifting robot; after assembly station #M, there is a wired rear pre-lifting robot. Both types of robots can be designed as gantry robots with omnidirectional wheels at the bottom. The gantry is equipped with a lifting device that can lift the car from the bottom of the chassis. Its main purpose is to lift the car and cooperate with the lifting mobile robot to place the car body onto the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot.

[0053] At the end of the line, after a car body completes its operation at the last station, the lifting mobile robot moves to below the pre-lifting robot at the end of the line and raises the car body to a certain height. The pre-lifting robot then uses its inner lifting device to support the car body from the bottom. The lifting mobile robot lowers the height of the lifting platform device and returns along the return path, completing the car body handover. The pre-lifting robot at the end of the line then moves within a certain range, places the car body at the entrance of the next process, and returns to the designated position area at the end of the line to wait for its turn or continue the "handover" operation for the next car body.

[0054] The lifting mobile robots throughout the entire production line, as well as the pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the line, are all under the unified control and scheduling of the robot scheduling center. The robot scheduling center exchanges data with the factory's digital management system (i.e., the factory / workshop digital management platform), especially receiving and parsing data such as production line tasks and production line cycle time.

[0055] The robot scheduling system configuration block diagram is as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0056] In some embodiments, the lifting mobile robot and assembly station on each process production line are respectively assigned corresponding numbers; wherein, the robot scheduling center determines the number N of the lifting mobile robot to be moved and the number M of the assembly station to be performed; M and N are set to the same or different integers, and both are integers greater than 1;

[0057] When the robot scheduling center verifies that the number of the completed lifting mobile robot matches the number of the required operation station, all the moving lifting mobile robots are moved into place.

[0058] like Figure 2 In this system, the robot dispatch center is responsible for receiving tasks / data from the factory's digital management platform (i.e., the workshop digital management platform) and establishing communication with each robot (such as mobile robots and assembly robots) via wireless communication. Relevant sensor systems are installed on the factory production line, and the sensor signals are connected to the robot dispatch center, primarily for overall environmental perception and operational protection purposes.

[0059] During operation, the robot's operational data is uploaded to the cloud platform in real time through the robot scheduling center for storage, so that the factory can analyze the operational status or use it as a backup of the robot's historical operational data.

[0060] The core of robot scheduling and processing is a computing and control platform based on an industrial PC, equipped with robot scheduling software. Figure 3 As shown, task instructions from the factory / workshop digital management platform, as well as information such as the working status of assembly robots at each assembly station and production line cycle data, are input into the robot scheduling and processing core; the robot scheduling and processing core determines the walking or operating actions of each mobile robot based on this real-time data.

[0061] Assume the assembly line has M assembly stations, each of which may have several stationary robots operating simultaneously; the entire assembly line may have N lifting mobile robots. M and N can be the same or different.

[0062] The flexible assembly line (i.e., the automotive flexible final assembly line system) operates in a mode where the entire system is controlled and run at the same pace. This is explained below:

[0063] When all M assembly robots at each workstation have completed their operations, the assembly workshop management platform system (a type of factory / workshop digital management platform) sends a unified cycle signal to the robot scheduling center. Based on this signal, the robot scheduling center directs N lifting and moving robots to simultaneously and synchronously move to the next workstation to prepare for the next assembly operation. This work mode places high demands on the consistency of the operation time at each workstation in the overall assembly production line; similar operation times are required to improve overall production efficiency. Alternatively, overall production efficiency may be constrained by the workstation with the slowest operation speed.

[0064] In some embodiments, the robot scheduling center is also used to control the lifting mobile robot currently in the corresponding work station to adjust the lifting height according to the different operation nature of different work stations, so as to adapt to the work station assembly operation.

[0065] Specifically, depending on the different operational nature of each workstation, the robot scheduling center can direct the lifting robot (i.e., the lifting mobile robot) currently at the corresponding workstation to adjust its lifting height, thereby adapting to the assembly operation at that workstation.

[0066] In some embodiments, detection and sensor devices are installed on the factory production line to detect the status of each workstation. The workstation status includes at least one of the following: idle, occupied, waiting to be idle, or ready, and the workstation status on the production line is confirmed by the factory digital management platform.

[0067] The working status of the lifting mobile robot includes at least one of the following: moving, ready, moved out or moved out and waiting to be returned to its original position, and the working status of the lifting mobile robot is confirmed by the robot dispatch center.

[0068] Only after each assembly robot at a workstation has sent out its readiness data can the robot scheduling center coordinate the movement and actions of the mobile robots.

[0069] The production line in this embodiment is equipped with corresponding detection and sensor devices to detect the current status of each workstation. The main workstation statuses are: Idle; Occupied; Waiting for Idle; Ready.

[0070] The lifting mobile robot has several main working states depending on the different working conditions, such as movement; Ready; moved out; moved out and waiting to be returned to its original position. Specific details will be explained later.

[0071] The aforementioned status data will be transmitted to the factory / workshop digital management system and robot scheduling center for production line task management and robot operation scheduling decisions.

[0072] like Figure 4As shown, the factory / workshop digital management platform sends a unified cycle time instruction to the robot scheduling and processing core. Furthermore, each assembly station's robot (i.e., the assembly operation robot) simultaneously communicates with the robot scheduling and processing core. After completing the assembly work for its own vehicle body and workstation, it sends "Ready" data to the robot scheduling and processing core. Only after each workstation robot has sent "Ready" data does the robot scheduling and processing core schedule the lifting and moving robot, as well as the pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the line, to move and perform actions synchronously. Once the robots are in position and all conditions are met, the robot scheduling and processing core receives confirmation that the status of each robot meets the requirements and returns the corresponding data instruction to the factory / workshop digital management platform, thus initiating the robot operation control phase for each workstation.

[0073] Other embodiments:

[0074] In some embodiments, the lifting mobile robots and / or assembly operation robots on each process production line are replaced by human operators. After completing their respective manual operations, they send their work status and workstation status to the robot scheduling center / or to the robot scheduling center via the factory / workshop digital management platform.

[0075] In another embodiment of this technical solution, one or more assembly stations are allowed to perform manual assembly operations based on the vehicle body to be assembled carried by the lifting mobile robot, while other stations are still assembled by assembly robots; after the manual operation at the station is completed, the “Ready” signal of the station can be manually triggered to the factory / workshop digital management platform, and then incorporated into the final assembly line signal system by the platform.

[0076] In another embodiment, a lifting and moving robot carrying the vehicle body to be assembled at a certain workstation is allowed to be operated by a person alone, such as lifting or moving actions, such as moving it out of the assembly workstation or production line (if the environmental conditions allow for entry and exit from the workstation), and triggering the corresponding workstation operation status signal.

[0077] In another embodiment, based on the task requirements of the factory / workshop digital management platform, assembly operations can be performed on some workstations on the assembly production line, while assembly operations are not performed on the remaining workstations, without affecting the movement of the lifting mobile robot according to the normal process.

[0078] In all embodiments, the taking over the vehicle body to be assembled from the pre-lifting robot at the beginning of the line is performed by the lifting mobile robot, indicating that the lifting mobile robot entering the production assembly line is loaded with the vehicle body to be assembled.

[0079] In another embodiment, the lifting mobile robot may be equipped with omnidirectional wheels to facilitate omnidirectional movement and enhance flexibility.

[0080] Furthermore, in another embodiment, positioning or ranging markers or sensor devices are installed on one side or above each workstation of the assembly line to accurately position the vehicle body entering the workstation, thereby enabling the assembly robot to perform its operations more effectively. Figure 5 As shown.

[0081] In some embodiments, an external station positioning sensor is installed on one side or above each station of the assembly line to locate the vehicle body entering the station. Based on the positioning, the mobile robot continuously adjusts its travel speed and reaches the execution position within the corresponding station position adjustment area during its entry into the station, and moves the lifting mobile robot at each station that needs to perform the assembly task in all processes into position so that the corresponding assembly operation robot at the station can perform the operation. The external station positioning sensor is set at a preset mark on the ground of the assembly line.

[0082] In some embodiments, the lifting mobile robot is equipped with omnidirectional wheels, and the lifting mobile robots entering the production line are all loaded with assembly vehicle bodies; the mobile robots continuously adjust their travel speed and reach the designated position within the corresponding workstation position adjustment area based on their own onboard sensors and external workstation positioning sensors during the entry of the workstation, and make all the moving lifting mobile robots move into place.

[0083] like Figure 5 In this system, each workstation is equipped with a positioning sensor, such as a laser sensor, a visual recognition sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor. The purpose is to accurately position or measure the distance between the robot and the vehicle body entering the workstation. The sensor positions or measures the distance to a specific feature of the vehicle body (such as the front edge) in real time and sends this data to the corresponding mobile robot at the workstation. The mobile robot continuously adjusts its speed during entry into the workstation based on its own onboard sensors and the data from the external positioning sensor, eventually stopping at the designated position for the workstation robot to operate. This embodiment is suitable for production lines with high precision requirements for assembly operations. Alternatively, the external positioning sensor data can be omitted, and positioning can be performed solely based on the mobile robot's own distance measurement sensor. However, the implementation of the external positioning sensor further improves the overall positioning accuracy and reliability of the vehicle at the corresponding workstation.

[0084] The external workstation positioning sensor can also be a special symbol on the ground or other markers or devices located near the workstation for assisting in the positioning of the mobile robot or vehicle. These markers or devices can be identified by the mobile robot's ranging sensor or vision sensor, thereby achieving more accurate positioning.

[0085] In conjunction with the above embodiments, and applied to a robot scheduling center, the operation method of the automotive flexible final assembly line includes: receiving tasks / data and verifying the current status of each workstation and the corresponding mobile robot;

[0086] Based on the task / data, assign numbers to the workstations that need to perform operations and the robots that need to perform movement tasks;

[0087] Read the readiness signals of robots at each workstation and the production line cycle signals, and after the mobile robot that needs to move completes synchronous movement and moves to the next workstation, return the corresponding signals to the factory digital management platform;

[0088] Determine whether the number of the mobile robot that has moved to a certain workstation matches the workstation number;

[0089] If a match is found, the mobile robot will autonomously determine whether it has reached the speed and position adjustment area of ​​the workstation. Within the position adjustment area, the mobile robot will determine whether it has reached the designated position based on data from external sensors or its own sensors. If there is a certain error, it will autonomously adjust its posture. Alternatively, if a match is not found, the process will continue until all mobile robot numbers that need to be moved match the workstation numbers.

[0090] Once the mobile robot has completed its localization, it receives localization completion signals from all other mobile robots that need to be moved, and uploads these signals to the factory's digital management platform.

[0091] like Figure 6 The diagram shows the core workflow of robot scheduling. Based on task data, the robot scheduling core verifies and perceives the current status of each workstation and mobile robot. It then assigns numbers to the workstations requiring work and the robots needing to perform the movement tasks based on the task data. Next, it reads the "Ready" signal from each workstation robot and the production line cycle signal data. When these signals are present, it indicates that the overall synchronous movement of the mobile robots can begin. The mobile robot then moves to the next workstation. Once the robot has completed its positioning at that workstation, it returns the corresponding signal to the factory / workshop digital management platform. During this process, the system determines whether the number of the mobile robot that has moved to a certain workstation matches the workstation number (not equal, but matched; it's based on whether the numbers of the robots that should have reached that workstation by the time of the current process are correct). If they match, the mobile robot autonomously determines whether it has reached the speed and position adjustment area of ​​that workstation. Within this adjustment area, the mobile robot uses data from external sensors (if any) and its own sensors to determine whether it has reached the designated position. If there is a certain error, it autonomously adjusts its posture to meet the positioning requirements. Once the positioning is complete, a positioning completion signal is sent to the robot scheduling and processing center dataset so that the data can be uploaded to the factory / workshop digital management system.

[0092] In some embodiments, the operation method of the flexible automotive assembly line further includes: during the operation of each robot on the production line, the robot scheduling center uploads the operation data to the cloud platform for storage in real time, so that the factory can perform operation status analysis or use it as a backup of the historical data of the robot operation status on the production line.

[0093] like Figure 2 As shown, during operation, the robot uploads its operational data to the cloud platform in real time through the dispatch center for storage, so that the factory can analyze the operational status or use it as a backup of the robot's historical operational data.

[0094] Example of a pre-lifting robot for the line head:

[0095] In some embodiments, the line-start pre-lifting robot and the line-end pre-lifting robot are configured as a mobile gantry type, with lifting devices provided on the inner sides of both sides of the mobile gantry to support the vehicle body; or they are configured as a track type for forward and backward translation.

[0096] The movement and operation of the pre-lifting robot at the beginning and end of the line are controlled by the robot scheduling center.

[0097] The pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the line are also equipped with sensors for autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance; they are also equipped with identification and positioning sensors to detect lifting mobile robots that have not yet entered the workstations of each process production line, so as to complete the lifting mobile robot's lifting operation on the vehicle body.

[0098] The line-start pre-lifting robot is specifically designed to lift the car body from the previous process and raise it to a certain height. When the lifting mobile robot reaches under the car body, the lifting platform is raised appropriately to "support" the bottom of the car body. When the car body is completely placed on the lifting platform of the lifting mobile robot, the line-start lifting robot moves a distance away in the opposite direction of the assembly line. At the same time, the lifting mobile robot moves towards the assembly line and enters station #1.

[0099] In this embodiment, the line-head lifting robot can be designed in various types to adapt to the requirements of the scenario. For example, it can be designed as a movable gantry type, with lifting devices on the inner sides of the gantry to support the vehicle body; or it can be designed as a track type, which can move forward and backward.

[0100] The pre-lifting robot at the beginning of the line is equipped with sensors that enable autonomous navigation and automatic obstacle avoidance; it is also equipped with sensors, such as vision sensors, for identifying and locating the lifting vehicle body, so as to realize the lifting operation of the lifting device on the vehicle body.

[0101] The tail-end pre-lifting robot has the same structure and similar working principle as the head-end pre-lifting robot.

[0102] The movement and maneuvers of the pre-lifting robots at the beginning and end of the production line are controlled by the robot scheduling and processing center. The pre-lifting robot at the beginning of the line, as well as the lifting mobile robot to be lifted, also "handshakes" with the current state of the first workstation. The lifting mobile robot is only allowed to enter the first workstation when it is "empty." Similarly, the movement and maneuvers of the pre-lifting robot at the end of the production line exchange "handshake" information with the current state of the last workstation. Only when the last workstation completes its maneuvers and prepares to move the vehicle body out is the relevant information transmitted to the robot scheduling and processing center, and the pre-lifting robot can then execute the next step or the next cycle of operation.

[0103] The line start / end pre-lifting robot can be designed to move in all directions to facilitate lifting vehicles coming from different directions within the scene and moving them to the designated area to complete the "handover" of the vehicles with the lifting mobile robot.

[0104] In another embodiment, depending on the scenario requirements, the pre-lifting robot at the beginning / end of the line may not be necessary or may be replaced by other similar equipment; the lifting mobile robot may directly lift the robot from the previous process, or the lifting mobile robot may transport the robot to a designated location to complete the unloading operation after the final process is completed, or the unloading operation may be completed with the assistance of other auxiliary equipment.

[0105] Another embodiment:

[0106] In some embodiments, the assembly operation robots located on both sides of each workstation in the assembly line include mobile operation composite robots, which have cooperative robotic arms for completing the corresponding workstation's operations according to the task / data after moving into position.

[0107] In another embodiment of this technical solution, the assembly operation robots located on both sides of each workstation of the assembly line can be mobile operation composite robots, forming a flexible assembly line with higher production line configuration flexibility and extremely high flexible production capacity. The requirements for production site are greatly reduced, and the requirements for production line infrastructure are also significantly reduced, even to the point of requiring no special infrastructure. The mobile operation composite robot can be a collaborative robot carrying a cooperative robotic arm to complete the work at the corresponding workstation. The combination of the mobile operation composite robot and the lifting mobile robot enables the discrete and personalized configuration of the assembly line, meeting the assembly needs of automobiles of different sizes, structures, and models.

[0108] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0109] The same or similar parts between the various embodiments in this specification can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the product embodiments described later are relatively simple in description since they correspond to the methods, and relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the system embodiments.

[0110] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automotive flexible assembly line system, characterized by, The automobile flexible assembly production line system comprises a mobile robot, an assembly operation robot and a robot management system; The mobile robot comprises a jacking mobile robot, a line head pre-lifting robot and a line tail pre-lifting robot; The line head pre-lifting robot is used for lifting the vehicle body completed in the previous process and placing the vehicle body on the jacking platform of the jacking mobile robot in cooperation with the jacking mobile robot; the line head pre-lifting robot is arranged at an initial position before a first assembly station of the current process production line; The line tail pre-lifting robot is used for moving the vehicle body completed in the current process from the jacking platform of the jacking mobile robot to the line tail pre-lifting robot in cooperation with the jacking mobile robot to place the vehicle body at a position at the entrance of the next process; the line tail pre-lifting robot is arranged at a terminal position after a last assembly station of the current process production line; The line head pre-lifting robot and the line tail pre-lifting robot are arranged as a mobile gantry type, and lifting devices are arranged on the inner sides of the two sides of the mobile gantry to lift the vehicle body; or the line head pre-lifting robot and the line tail pre-lifting robot are arranged as a track type for forward and backward translation; The movement and operation actions of the line head pre-lifting robot and the line tail pre-lifting robot are controlled by the robot dispatching center; The jacking mobile robot is used for carrying the vehicle body to be processed in the current process on the jacking platform and moving the vehicle body to each required assembly station position on the current process production line according to production line beat data to enable the assembly operation robot to perform corresponding task operations on the vehicle body to be processed; the jacking mobile robot is also used for returning from the last assembly station of the current process to the first assembly station of the current process along a backflow path; The robot management system comprises a robot dispatching center and a workshop digital management platform, The robot dispatching center is connected to each robot on each process production line in a wireless communication mode, is used for receiving tasks / data from the workshop digital management platform, is also used for receiving the working states of each station and each robot and production line beat data, dynamically determines the walking or operation actions of the mobile robot based on the station states and the working states of the robot, When all the assembly operation robots performing tasks complete the operations, a unified beat signal is sent to the robot dispatching center through the assembly workshop management platform system in the workshop digital management platform, control instructions are sent to the mobile robots required to be moved subsequently by the robot dispatching center, in the translation process of the jacking mobile robot, the vehicle bodies loaded by other robots on the front process are also moved and operated to the next process in a preset beat in synchronization under the control of the robot management system, each jacking mobile robot adjusts the driving speed in real time and reaches the specified position in the corresponding station position adjustment area based on the data of the external station positioning sensor and the self-mounted sensor until all the mobile mobile robots are moved to the positions; the external station positioning sensor is arranged on one side or above each station of the assembly production line to position the vehicle body entering the station.

2. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 1, wherein, The jacking mobile robot and the assembly station on each process production line are respectively provided with corresponding numbers; wherein, the robot scheduling center determines the number N of the jacking mobile robot to be moved and the number M of the assembly station to be executed; M and N are set as the same or different integers, and are both integers greater than 1; When the robot scheduling center verifies that the number of the jacking mobile robot to be moved matches the number of the operation station to be executed, all the jacking mobile robots to be moved are moved to the position.

3. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 1, wherein, The detection and sensor device is installed on the factory production line site to detect the station state of each station, and the station state includes at least one of the following: idle, occupied, waiting for idle or ready, and the station state on the production line is confirmed by the factory digital management platform; The working state of the jacking mobile robot includes at least one of the following: moving, ready, moving out completed or moving out waiting for homing, and the working state of the jacking mobile robot is confirmed by the robot scheduling center; Only after each station assembly operation robot sends the ready data, the robot scheduling center schedules the mobile robot to move and act synchronously.

4. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 1, wherein, The jacking mobile robot and / or assembly operation robot on each process production line is replaced by manual operation, and after the manual operation is completed, the working state and station state are sent to the robot scheduling center through the factory / workshop digital management platform; The robot scheduling center is also used to control the jacking mobile robot currently in the corresponding station to adjust the lifting height according to the different operation properties of different stations to adapt to the station assembly operation.

5. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 1, wherein, According to the positioning, the mobile robot continuously adjusts its driving speed during entering the station and reaches the execution position in the corresponding station position adjustment area, and all the jacking mobile robots on the stations required to execute the assembly task on the process move to the position, so that the corresponding assembly operation robot on the station performs the operation work; the external station positioning sensor is arranged at the preset identifier on the ground of the assembly production line.

6. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 5, wherein, The jacking mobile robot is installed with omni-directional wheels, and the jacking mobile robot entering the production line is loaded with an assembly vehicle body; The mobile robot continuously adjusts its driving speed during entering the station and reaches the designated position in the corresponding station position adjustment area according to the on-board sensor and the external station positioning sensor, and all the jacking mobile robots to be moved move to the position.

7. The automobile flexible assembly production line system according to claim 1, wherein, The line head pre-lifting robot and the line tail pre-lifting robot are also provided with sensors for autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance; the line head pre-lifting robot and the line tail pre-lifting robot are also provided with identification and positioning sensors for detecting the jacking mobile robot not entering the station of each process production line to complete the lifting operation action of the jacking mobile robot on the vehicle body.

8. The automotive flexible assembly line system of claim 1, wherein, The assembly operation robot located on both sides of each station of the assembly production line includes a mobile operation composite robot, and the mobile operation composite robot has a collaborative mechanical arm for completing the work of the corresponding station according to the task / data after moving to the position.

9. A method of operating a flexible assembly line for automobiles, characterized in that, The automobile flexible assembly line system as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 is applied to a robot scheduling center, and the automobile flexible assembly line operation method comprises the following steps: Receiving tasks / data and checking the current states of each station and mobile robot; According to the tasks / data, numbering the stations to be operated and the robots to be executed mobile tasks; Reading the ready signal of each operating station robot and the production line beat signal, and after the mobile robot to be moved completes synchronous movement and moves to the next station, returning the corresponding signal to the workshop digital management platform; Judging whether the number of the mobile robot moved to a station matches the number of the station; If matched, the mobile robot autonomously judges whether it has reached the speed and position adjustment area of the station, in the position adjustment area, the mobile robot judges whether it has reached the specified position according to the external sensor data or its own sensor data, and if there is an error, it autonomously adjusts the pose; or if not matched, until the numbers of all mobile robots to be moved match the numbers of the stations; After the mobile robot is positioned, receiving the positioning completion signals of all mobile robots to be moved, and uploading them to the workshop digital management platform.

10. The automobile flexible assembly line operation method according to claim 9, wherein The automobile flexible assembly line operation method further comprises the following steps: During the operation of each robot on the production line, the robot scheduling center uploads the operation data to the cloud platform in real time for storage, so as to analyze the operation state of the factory or as the historical data backup of the operation state of the robot on the production line.

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