A CNC automatic machining system and a CNC machining method with unmanned distribution automatic feeding and discharging

Abstract

The application discloses a CNC automatic machining system, comprising a first transfer table, a first machining equipment group, a second machining equipment group and a transfer equipment, wherein the transfer equipment comprises an AGV and a second material taking and placing robot arranged on the AGV, the CNC automatic machining system is provided with one material taking and placing robot for each machining equipment group to automatically complete the feeding and discharging requirements of CNC numerical control machine tools, and the transfer equipment is further arranged for all the machining equipment groups to feed and discharge each machining equipment group, so that unmanned distribution and automatic feeding are realized, the movement of the transfer equipment is realized by the AGV, and the movement does not need to lay tracks, compared with the prior art, the scheme is more simple, the failure rate is reduced, the construction cost is reduced, and in addition, the layout of each machining equipment group is no longer limited due to the absence of track interference, the layout is more flexible, the universality is stronger, and the scheme is favorable for market promotion and use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of CNC production line technology, specifically relating to a CNC automatic machining system and an unmanned delivery and automatic loading / unloading CNC machining method. Background Technology

[0002] CNC machine tools, short for Computer Numerical Control machine tools, are automated machine tools controlled by programs. CNC machine tools can control the feed rate of the cutting tool and the spindle speed through computer decoding, so that the machine tool can perform cutting, drilling and other operations on the workpiece. CNC machining has a great advantage over manual machining, and the parts produced by it are accurate and repeatable.

[0003] For the large-scale processing of materials and the multi-station loading and unloading, the loading and unloading of multiple machines in existing CNC machining is all done manually. The manual loading and unloading is costly and has low production efficiency. To solve the above problems, Chinese invention patent with announcement number CN114654291B discloses a CNC automatic machining system and an automatic loading and unloading CNC machining method (hereinafter referred to as the patent). In this patent, an automatic loading and unloading mechanism that can automatically pick up and put down materials is set on the track to realize CNC product processing without manual operation. However, this solution requires the separate laying of the track, the overall solution is relatively complex, the failure rate is high, and the construction cost is high. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a CNC automatic machining system and a CNC machining method for unmanned delivery and automatic loading and unloading.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A CNC automated machining system, comprising:

[0007] The first transfer station is used to temporarily store materials to be processed and materials that have been processed.

[0008] The first processing equipment group is located on one side of the predetermined line;

[0009] The second processing equipment group is distributed on the other side of the predetermined line in a manner opposite to the first processing equipment group;

[0010] The first processing equipment group and the second processing equipment group both include a CNC machine tool, a second transfer table and a first picking and unloading robot. The CNC machine tool is used to process materials. The second transfer table has a first loading area and a first unloading area. The first picking and unloading robot is used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed in the first loading area to the CNC machine tool, and also to pick up and deliver the materials processed by the CNC machine tool to the first unloading area.

[0011] The transfer equipment includes an AGV vehicle capable of reciprocating along the predetermined route and a second material handling robot mounted on the AGV vehicle. The AGV vehicle has a second loading area for temporarily storing materials to be processed from the first transfer station and a second unloading area for temporarily storing processed materials from the first unloading area of ​​the second transfer station.

[0012] The second material handling robot is used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed temporarily stored at the first transfer station to the second loading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed at the second loading area to the first loading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the processed materials at the first unloading area to the second unloading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the processed materials at the second unloading area to the first transfer station.

[0013] The AGV is used to travel along the predetermined route to transfer the materials to be processed from the first transfer station to the first loading area of ​​each second transfer station, and to transfer the processed materials from the first unloading area of ​​each second transfer station to the first transfer station.

[0014] Further defined, each of the processing equipment groups includes two CNC machine tools spaced apart along the length of the predetermined line, and the second transfer station and the first pick-and-place robot of each processing equipment group are spaced apart between the two CNC machine tools along the width of the predetermined line, wherein the second transfer station is closer to the predetermined line and the first pick-and-place robot is further away from the predetermined line.

[0015] Furthermore, each of the processing equipment groups also includes a cleaning device, which is located on the side of the first pick-and-place robot away from the predetermined line; the first pick-and-place robot is also used to pick up and deliver the material processed by each of the CNC machine tools to the cleaning device for cleaning, and to pick up and deliver the material cleaned by the cleaning device to the first unloading area.

[0016] Further defined, the cleaning device includes a base, a cleaning container mounted on the base and capable of vertical movement, a shelf located inside the cleaning container and capable of vertical movement, and a material handling mechanism mounted on the base for placing the material to be cleaned on the shelf and removing the material from the shelf.

[0017] Further specifying, the cleaning container is connected to the base via a first cylinder, and the extension and retraction of the output end of the first cylinder will drive the cleaning container to move up and down; the shelf is connected to the base via a second cylinder, and the extension and retraction of the output end of the second cylinder will drive the shelf to move up and down.

[0018] Further defined, the material handling mechanism includes a bracket fixed to the base, a third cylinder fixed to the bracket, and a suction cup fixed to the output end of the third cylinder. The suction cup is used to pick up materials, and the extension and retraction of the output end of the third cylinder will drive the suction cup to move up and down.

[0019] Furthermore, the processing equipment group also includes a material positioning fixture, which is mounted on a support and is used to achieve the accuracy of the material positioning posture.

[0020] Further specifying, the cleaning device also includes a water spraying mechanism disposed on the cleaning container. The water spraying mechanism includes a piston cylinder fixed to the lower end of the cleaning container, a piston longitudinally and slidably connected to the piston cylinder, a push rod fixed to the upper end of the piston, a water pipe fixed to the side of the piston cylinder and communicating with the inside of the piston cylinder, and a nozzle connected to the other end of the water pipe. The push rod extends into the cleaning container and slides with the bottom plate of the cleaning container. The push rod has a first water hole and a second water hole distributed vertically. The first water hole and the second water hole communicate with each other. The nozzle is disposed in the cleaning container and the spraying direction is directed towards the middle of the cleaning container. The water pipe is provided with a one-way valve. The one-way valve only allows fluid from the piston cylinder side to flow to the nozzle side.

[0021] The piston slides for a distance H within the piston cylinder and cannot completely slide out of the piston cylinder. The minimum distance between the first water hole and the second water hole is D1. When the piston is at the lowest point of its sliding stroke, the second water hole is located on the lower side of the bottom plate of the cleaning container. In this state, the minimum distance between the second water hole and the bottom plate of the cleaning container is D2. The minimum distance D1 > the sliding stroke H > the minimum distance D2.

[0022] Further defined, the first processing equipment group is defined as several groups spaced apart along the length direction of the predetermined line on one side of the predetermined line, and the second processing equipment group is defined as several groups spaced apart along the length direction of the predetermined line on the other side of the predetermined line, with the several groups of second processing equipment and the several groups of first processing equipment arranged opposite to each other.

[0023] This invention also provides a CNC machining method for unmanned delivery and automatic loading / unloading, which is based on the above-mentioned CNC automatic machining system and includes the following steps:

[0024] S1. Material handling at the first transfer station: If material handling is required, the transfer equipment moves to the first transfer station; if material handling is required, the second material handling robot picks up the material to be processed at the first transfer station and delivers it to the second loading area; if the second unloading area needs to unload the processed material, the second material handling robot picks up the processed material at the second unloading area and delivers it to the corresponding position on the first transfer station.

[0025] S2. Material handling of the processing equipment group: If materials need to be picked up or placed at the second transfer station, the transfer equipment moves to the second transfer station; if materials need to be placed, the second picking and placing robot picks up the materials to be processed at the second loading area and sends them to the first loading area of ​​the second transfer station; if materials need to be picked up, the second picking and placing robot picks up the processed materials at the first unloading area of ​​the second transfer station and sends them to the second unloading area.

[0026] S3, CNC machining, this step includes the following sub-steps:

[0027] S31. If the CNC machine tool of the first processing equipment group or the CNC machine tool of the second processing equipment group needs to be loaded, the first picking and placing robot picks up and delivers the material in the second loading area to the material positioning fixture for positioning; wherein, when the material stacked in the second loading area is lower than the predetermined value, a loading signal is sent to the transfer equipment and the process proceeds to step S2.

[0028] S32. The first picking and placing robot takes the material from the material positioning fixture and sends it into the corresponding CNC machine tool for processing.

[0029] S33. If the CNC machine tool of the first processing equipment group or the CNC machine tool of the second processing equipment group needs to unload materials, the first picking and unloading robot will take out the processed materials from the CNC machine tool and send them to the cleaning device for cleaning.

[0030] S34. The first picking and placing robot takes the material out of the cleaning device and places it in the second unloading area; wherein, when the processed material stacked in the second unloading area meets the picking requirements, it sends an unloading signal to the transfer device and proceeds to step S2.

[0031] The CNC automatic machining system provided by this invention is equipped with a material handling robot for each machining equipment group to automatically complete the loading and unloading requirements of CNC machine tools. In addition, a transfer device is also provided for all machining equipment groups to load and unload materials for each group, realizing unmanned delivery and automatic loading. The movement of the transfer device is achieved by AGV vehicles, which do not require the laying of tracks. Compared with the prior art, the solution proposed by this invention is simpler, reduces the failure rate and construction costs. Furthermore, since there is no track interference, the layout of each machining equipment group is no longer restricted, making the layout more flexible and versatile, which is conducive to market promotion and use. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of one embodiment of the CNC automatic machining system of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one processing equipment group and transfer equipment in one embodiment of the CNC automatic machining system of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning device in one embodiment of the CNC automatic machining system of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the water spraying mechanism in one embodiment of the CNC automatic machining system of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first material handling robot in one embodiment of the CNC automatic machining system of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point B.

[0040] The meanings of the labels in the attached diagram are as follows:

[0041] Scheduled route L;

[0042] First transfer station 1;

[0043] First processing equipment group 2a, second processing equipment group 2b, CNC machine tool 21, second transfer table 22, first loading area 221, first unloading area 222, first picking and unloading robot 23, suction gripper 231, gripper frame 2311, first suction cup 2312, barcode scanner 2313, cleaning device 24, base 241, cleaning container 242, first cylinder 2421, shelf 243, picking and unloading mechanism 244, bracket 2441, third cylinder 2442, second suction cup 2443, water spraying mechanism 25, piston cylinder 251, piston 252, outer sealing ring groove 2521, outer sealing ring 2522, push rod 253, first water hole 2531, second water hole 2532, water pipe 254, one-way valve 2541, nozzle 255, material positioning fixture 26;

[0044] Transfer equipment 3, AGV vehicle 31, second loading area 311, second unloading area 312, second picking and unloading robot 32. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. 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.

[0046] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0048] like Figure 1-7As shown, the CNC automatic machining system of this embodiment includes a first transfer station 1, a first processing equipment group 2a, a second processing equipment group 2b, and a transfer device 3. The first transfer station 1 is located near the beginning of the predetermined line L and is used to temporarily store materials to be processed and materials that have been processed. The first transfer station 1 is equipped with a first alignment unit that is aligned with the transfer device 3. The first alignment unit can be, for example, a photoelectric sensor. In this embodiment, the first transfer station 1 is equipped with a sensor for detecting excess and insufficient materials. Specifically, the sensor can be a through-beam photoelectric sensor. This sensor communicates with the workshop scheduling system through a wireless network or a wired network.

[0049] Both the first processing equipment group 2a and the second processing equipment 2b are used to process materials. The first processing equipment 2a is distributed on one side of the predetermined line L, and the second processing equipment 2b is distributed on the other side of the predetermined line L opposite to the first processing equipment group 2a. Both the first processing equipment group 2a and the second processing equipment group 2b are multiple groups (e.g., five groups as shown in the figure). It should be understood that the number and distribution of the first processing equipment 2a and the second processing equipment 2b are not limited to the limitations of this embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, one or more groups of the first processing equipment 2a may be configured only on one side of the predetermined line L, one or more groups of the first processing equipment 2b may be configured only on the other side of the predetermined line L, and one group of the first processing equipment 2a and the second processing equipment 2b may be configured on each side of the predetermined line L, etc.

[0050] In the embodiments shown, the structure or function of the first processing equipment group 2a and the second processing equipment group 2b are both limited to being the same or similar. Each processing equipment group 2a and 2b includes two CNC machine tools 21 that are spaced apart along the predetermined line L and used for processing materials, a second transfer station 22 set between the two CNC machine tools 21, a first material handling robot 23, a cleaning device 24, and a material positioning fixture 26.

[0051] The second transfer station 22, the first material handling robot 23, and the cleaning device 24 are distributed at intervals along the width of the predetermined line L between the two CNC machine tools 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the second transfer station 22 is closer to the predetermined line L, facilitating docking with the transfer equipment 3 for material handling; the cleaning device 24 is further away from the predetermined line L; and the first material handling robot 23 is located between the second transfer station 22 and the cleaning device 24. More preferably, the first material handling robot 23 is positioned with the automatic side doors of the two CNC machine tools 21 aligned.

[0052] The second transfer station 22 is equipped with a first loading area 221, a first unloading area 222, and a second alignment unit for aligning with the transfer equipment 3. The second alignment unit can be, for example, defined as a photoelectric sensor. The first loading area 221 and the first unloading area 222 are respectively equipped with sensors for detecting material shortage and for detecting excess material. Each sensor communicates with the workshop scheduling system through a wired network or a wireless network.

[0053] The material positioning fixture 26 is used to ensure the accuracy of the material positioning posture. In this embodiment, the material positioning fixture 26 is disposed on the cleaning device 24, and more preferably on the upper end of the support 2441. Setting it at a high position on the cleaning device 24 can obtain a relatively open space, so that the first picking and placing robot 23 can pick up and place materials here. It should be understood that the setting position of the positioning fixture 26 is not limited to the above embodiment, and can also be set in other positions that are conducive to the first picking and placing robot 23 picking up and placing materials, according to actual use needs.

[0054] The first loading / unloading robot 23 can be defined as a six-axis robot. The first loading / unloading robot 23 is used to pick up and deliver materials to be processed from the first loading area 221 to the CNC machine tool 21, and also to pick up and deliver materials processed by the CNC machine tool 21 to the first unloading area 222. The first loading / unloading robot 23 is also used to pick up and deliver materials processed by each CNC machine tool 21 to the cleaning device 24 for cleaning, and also to pick up and deliver materials cleaned by the cleaning device 24 to the first unloading area 222.

[0055] In this embodiment, the material-grabbing structure of the first material-grabbing robot 23 is specifically a suction-type gripper 231. The suction-type gripper 231 includes a gripper frame 2311 that is connected to the first material-grabbing robot 23 via a transmission. The first material-grabbing robot 23 can drive the gripper frame 2311 to rotate. Each side of the gripper frame 2311 has a set of first suction cups 2312 for absorbing materials. Specifically, each set of first suction cups 2312 has four suction cups, and the four suction cups 2312 are arranged in a rectangular shape. Both sets of first suction cups 2312 are connected to an external air pump. The first suction cups 2312 are used to absorb materials. When the air pump controls the generation of negative pressure in the first suction cup 2312, the first suction cup 2312 can absorb materials. Correspondingly, after the negative pressure in the first suction cup 2312 disappears, the first suction cup 2312 loses its suction force on the materials, that is, the first suction cup 2312 puts the materials down.

[0056] It is worth noting that the two sets of first suction cups 2312 can pick up and remove materials independently. Therefore, when the CNC machine tool 21 is processing materials, the first pick-and-place robot 23 can use one set of first suction cups 2312 to pick up a material to be processed in the first loading area 221 and perform a pre-positioning operation. After positioning, it can wait. When it enters the CNC machine tool 21 to pick up the processed material, the other set of first suction cups 2312 can remove the processed material. Then, the first pick-and-place robot 23 controls the gripper 2311 to flip so that the material to be processed can be placed in the CNC machine tool 21 by the set of first suction cups 2312 that pick up the material to be processed, thereby reducing loading time and improving processing efficiency. In addition, the gripper 2311 is equipped with an air nozzle capable of blowing air outwards. When the first loading / unloading robot 23 enters the CNC machine tool 21 to pick up the processed material, the air nozzle can blow away debris from the material and the surface of the processing fixture, providing initial cleaning and facilitating subsequent CNC machining of other materials by the processing fixture. Furthermore, the gripper 2311 is also equipped with a barcode scanner 2313, which communicates with the supporting material processing management system. When the first loading / unloading robot 23 picks up the material to be processed in the first loading area 221, it can scan the material using the barcode scanner 2313 to transmit the material processing information to the material processing management system, enabling full network monitoring of the product processing flow.

[0057] It should be understood that the layout of each of the first processing equipment groups 2a or the second processing equipment 2b described above is not limited to the above embodiments. Arranging two CNC machine tools 21 spaced apart along the length of a predetermined path has the advantage of allowing two CNC machine tools 21 to share a single cleaning device 24, a first picking and placing robot 23, and a second transfer station 22, compared to arranging one cleaning device 24, one picking and placing robot 23, and one second transfer station 22 for one CNC machine tool. This significantly saves costs, reduces space requirements, and improves efficiency. It should also be understood that the cleaning device 24 is configured based on whether different processed materials require cleaning, or whether cleaning is required in this CNC machining process. For example, if some materials do not require cleaning, or do not require cleaning in this process, the cleaning device 24 is correspondingly eliminated.

[0058] In the embodiment shown, the cleaning device 24 includes a base 241, a cleaning container 242 disposed on the base 241 and capable of vertical movement, a shelf 243 disposed in the cleaning container 242 and capable of vertical movement, a material handling mechanism 244 disposed on the base 241 for placing the material to be cleaned on the shelf 243 and removing the material from the shelf 243, and a water spraying mechanism 25 disposed on the cleaning container 242.

[0059] The cleaning container 242 is used to hold the cleaning solution, which can be an organic cleaning solution or an alkaline cleaning solution. Organic cleaning solutions can include kerosene, light diesel oil, gasoline, acetone, alcohol, and trichloroethylene, while alkaline cleaning solutions can be aqueous solutions of alkaline salts. Other cleaning solutions capable of cleaning materials can also be used. In this embodiment, to achieve the vertical movement of the cleaning container 242, the solution adopted is that the cleaning container 242 is connected to the base 241 via a first cylinder 2421. When the output end of the first cylinder 2421 extends or retracts, it drives the cleaning container 242 to move up and down. It should be understood that the structure driving the vertical movement of the cleaning container 242 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, a screw lifting structure can be used to drive the cleaning container 242 to move up and down.

[0060] In this embodiment, the shelf 243 is specifically a hollow structure used to hold the materials to be cleaned. After the shelf 243 is placed in the cleaning solution, the cleaning solution can pass through the shelf 243 and submerge the materials. In this embodiment, to achieve the up-and-down movement of the shelf 243, the shelf 243 is connected to the base 241 via a second cylinder. When the output end of the second cylinder extends or retracts, it drives the shelf 243 to move up and down. It should be understood that the structure for driving the shelf 243 to move up and down is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, a screw lifting structure can be used to drive the shelf 243 to move up and down.

[0061] In this embodiment, to enable the placement and removal of materials from the shelf 243, the material handling mechanism 244 employs a structure comprising a bracket 2441 fixed to the base 241, a third cylinder 2442 fixed to the bracket 2441, and a second suction cup 2443 fixed to the output end of the third cylinder 2442. The second suction cup 2443 is used to pick up materials. Specifically, the second suction cup 2443 is connected to an external air pump. When the air pump controls the generation of negative pressure within the second suction cup 2443, the second suction cup 2443 can pick up the materials. Conversely, after the negative pressure within the second suction cup 2443 disappears, the second suction cup 2443 loses its suction force on the materials, meaning the second suction cup 2443 releases the materials. When it is necessary to move materials in and out of the shelf 243, the output end of the third cylinder 2442 can be controlled to extend or retract, thereby driving the second suction cup 2443 to move up and down. The materials adsorbed on the second suction cup 2443 can move up and down together, thus realizing the exit from the shelf 243 and the entry into the shelf.

[0062] In this embodiment, after the material processing is completed, the cleaning process for materials requiring cleaning can be performed as follows: First, the first loading / unloading robot 23 removes the processed material from the CNC machine tool 21 and places it on the second suction cup 2443. The second suction cup 2443 then adsorbs and fixes the processed material. Next, the output end of the second cylinder is extended, causing the shelf 243 to rise from the cleaning liquid in the cleaning container 242 to above the container 242. Then, the output end of the third cylinder 2442 is extended, causing the second suction cup 2443 to place the processed material on the shelf 243. After the processed material is placed on the shelf 243, the output end of the second cylinder is retracted, causing the shelf 243 to carry the processed material into the cleaning liquid. Then, the first cylinder is retracted... The output end of cylinder 2421 extends and retracts cyclically, causing the cleaning container 242 to rise and fall multiple times, preferably 2-3 times. During the rising and falling process, the cleaning container 242 will cause the cleaning liquid inside to rinse the processed material, thus cleaning the processed material. After cleaning, the output end of the second cylinder extends, causing the shelf 243 to rise from the cleaning liquid in the cleaning container 242 to above the cleaning container 242. At this time, the processed material is removed from the cleaning liquid. Then, the second suction cup 2443 is controlled to suck up the processed material. Then, the output end of the third cylinder 2442 and the second cylinder retracts, so as to drive the second suction cup 2443 and the shelf 243 to reset respectively. Finally, the first loading and unloading robot 23 picks up the processed material from the second suction cup 2443 and places it in the first unloading area 222, thus ending the cleaning process.

[0063] In this embodiment, the water spraying mechanism 25 includes a piston cylinder 251 fixed to the lower end of the cleaning container 242, a piston 252 longitudinally and slidably connected to the piston cylinder 251, a push rod 253 fixed to the upper end of the piston 252, a water pipe 254 fixed to the side of the piston cylinder 251 and communicating with the inside of the piston cylinder 251, and a nozzle 255 connected to the other end of the water pipe 254. The push rod 253 extends into the cleaning container 242 and slides with the bottom plate of the cleaning container 242. A one-way valve 2541 is also provided at the water inlet end of the water pipe 254. The one-way valve 2541 only allows the fluid on the piston cylinder 251 side to flow to the nozzle 255 side. The piston 252 slides within the piston cylinder 251 for a stroke of H and cannot completely slide out of the piston cylinder 251. In this embodiment, the lower end of the piston 252's sliding stroke is limited by the piston 252 sliding down to abut against the upper end of the base 241, and the upper end of the piston 252's sliding stroke is limited by the piston 252 sliding up to abut against the bottom plate of the cleaning container 242. Under its own gravity, the piston 252 will slide down relative to the piston cylinder 251 until it abuts against the upper end of the base 241. If the first cylinder 2421 is in a retracted state at this time, the piston 252 is at the upper end of the sliding stroke H; if the first cylinder 2421 is in an extended state at this time, the piston 252 is at the lower end of the sliding stroke H.

[0064] To allow the cleaning fluid in the cleaning container 242 to enter the piston cylinder 251, the push rod 253 has a first water hole 2531 and a second water hole 2532 distributed vertically. The first water hole 2531 and the second water hole 2532 are connected. When the first water hole 2531 and the second water hole 2532 are located in the cleaning container 242 and the piston cylinder 251 respectively, the cleaning fluid entering the first water hole 2531 can be discharged into the piston cylinder 251 through the second water hole 2532. To ensure that the cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle 255 can agitate the cleaning fluid in the cleaning container 242, the nozzle 255 is located inside the cleaning container 242, specifically with its spray direction pointing towards the center of the cleaning container 242. The minimum distance between the first water hole 2531 and the second water hole 2532 is D1. When the piston 252 is at the lowest end of the sliding stroke, the second water hole 2532 is located on the lower side of the bottom plate of the cleaning container 242. In this state, the minimum distance between the second water hole 2532 and the bottom plate of the cleaning container 242 is D2. The minimum distance D1 > the sliding stroke H > the minimum distance D2.

[0065] The working principle of the water spray mechanism 25 is as follows: When the output end of the first cylinder 2421 extends, the piston 252 will slide downward relative to the piston cylinder 251 under the action of gravity. After the output of the first cylinder 2421 is fully extended, the second water hole 2532 will be located at the lower end of the bottom plate of the cleaning container 242. At this time, the cleaning container 242 and the piston cylinder 251 are connected through the first water hole 2531 and the second water hole 2532. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning container 242 can flow into the piston cylinder 251 quickly under the action of gravity and the negative pressure formed when the piston 252 moves downward relative to the piston cylinder 251, so as to quickly fill the piston cylinder 251 with liquid. Then, during the process of the output end of the first cylinder 2421 retracting, the cleaning container 242 will move downward together with the piston cylinder 251. The lower end abuts against the upper end of the base 241, so the piston 252 will slide upward relative to the piston cylinder 251, which means that the cleaning fluid in the piston cylinder 251 is squeezed. Since the sliding stroke H is greater than the minimum distance D2, after the piston 252 slides upward relative to the piston cylinder 251 a distance exceeding D2, the cleaning fluid in the piston cylinder 251 will be squeezed to form positive pressure during the upward sliding process. At this time, the one-way valve 2541 can be opened, and the cleaning fluid in the piston cylinder 251 can be discharged into the water pipe 254 under the squeezing action of the piston 252. Finally, it is sprayed out from the nozzle 255 at the other end of the water pipe 254. The cleaning fluid sprayed from the nozzle 255 will impact the cleaning fluid above the material, so as to drive the cleaning fluid above the material to surge, thereby surging and rinsing the upper surface of the material to achieve a better cleaning effect.

[0066] It is worth mentioning that during the aforementioned rinsing process, when the output end of the first cylinder 2421 extends, the piston 252 will slide downwards under the action of gravity. Since the piston 252 and the piston cylinder 251 are in a sealed sliding connection—specifically, the piston cylinder 251 has an outer sealing ring groove 2521 on its side, and an outer sealing ring 2522 is fitted inside the outer sealing ring groove 2521—the outer sealing ring 2522 is made of rubber. The outer sealing ring 2522 abuts against the inner wall of the outer sealing ring 2522 and the inner wall of the piston cylinder 251 to seal the gap between the piston cylinder 251 and the piston 252. Therefore, the piston 252 will experience resistance as it slides downwards relative to the piston cylinder 251. When the output end of the first cylinder 2421 extends, the downward speed of the piston 252 will be less than its free fall speed. Therefore, the output end of the first cylinder 2421 can be controlled to extend rapidly at a speed greater than its free fall speed, thus cleaning the container 2. When piston cylinder 252 and piston cylinder 251 move upward, piston cylinder 252 will be driven to move upward relative to shelf 243 by the resistance of piston cylinder 252 and piston cylinder 251. When push rod 253 moves upward to contact the material, it can push the material upward, causing the material to move upward relative to shelf 243 for a certain distance. During this process, the part of the material that has been in contact with shelf 243 will disengage from shelf 243. For example, the part of the material that has been in contact with shelf 243 will disengage from shelf 243. At this time, the part that has been in contact with shelf 243 can come into contact with cleaning fluid and be rinsed by cleaning fluid, making the cleaning more thorough. After the output end of first cylinder 2421 is fully extended, piston cylinder 252 will continue to slide down under the action of gravity until it contacts the upper end of base 241, thus completing the reset. In this state, piston cylinder 251 can be filled with liquid to prepare for the next cleaning operation.

[0067] The transfer equipment 3 includes an AGV 31 capable of reciprocating along a predetermined route L and a second material handling robot 32 mounted on the AGV 31. The AGV 31 has a second loading area 311 for temporarily storing materials to be processed from the first transfer station 1, a second unloading area 312 for temporarily storing processed materials from the first unloading area 222 of the second transfer station 22, and a third alignment unit for alignment with both the first and second alignment units. The third alignment unit can be defined as a photoelectric sensor adapted to the first and second alignment units.

[0068] The AGV 31 travels along a predetermined route L to transfer materials awaiting processing from the first transfer station 1 to the first loading area 221 of each second transfer station 22, and to transfer processed materials from the first unloading area 222 of each second transfer station 22 to the first transfer station 1. The second pick-and-place robot 32, when the AGV 31 reaches the first transfer station 1, picks up the materials awaiting processing temporarily stored at the first transfer station 1 and delivers them to the second loading area 311, and also picks up the materials awaiting processing at the second loading area 311 and delivers them to the first loading area 221. The second pick-and-place robot 32, when the AGV 31 reaches the second transfer station 22, picks up the processed materials at the first unloading area 222 and delivers them to the second unloading area 312, and also picks up the processed materials at the second unloading area 312 and delivers them to the first transfer station 1.

[0069] In this embodiment, the AGV vehicle 31 communicates with the workshop scheduling system via a wireless network. When the workshop scheduling system detects excess or insufficient materials through the corresponding sensors, it will automatically schedule the AGV vehicle 31 to the corresponding position and load or unload materials through the second material handling robot 32.

[0070] This application also provides a CNC machining method with unmanned delivery and automatic loading / unloading, which is based on the above-mentioned CNC automatic machining system and includes the following steps:

[0071] S1. Material handling at the first transfer station 1: If material handling is required, the transfer equipment 3 moves to the first transfer station 1; if material handling is required, the second material handling robot 32 picks up and delivers the material to be processed at the first transfer station 1 to the second loading area 311; if the second unloading area 312 needs to unload the processed material, the second material handling robot 32 picks up and delivers the processed material at the second unloading area 312 to the corresponding position on the first transfer station 1.

[0072] S2, Material handling of processing equipment groups 2a and 2b: If material needs to be handled at the second transfer station 22, the transfer equipment 3 moves to the second transfer station 22; if material needs to be placed, the second material handling robot 32 picks up and delivers the material to be processed at the second loading area 311 to the first loading area 311 of the second transfer station 22; if material needs to be picked up, the second material handling robot 32 picks up and delivers the processed material at the first unloading area 311 of the second transfer station 22 to the second unloading area 312.

[0073] S3, CNC machining, this step includes the following sub-steps:

[0074] S31. If the CNC machine tool 21 of the first processing equipment group 2a or the CNC machine tool 21 of the second processing equipment group 2b needs to be loaded, the first picking and placing robot 23 picks up and delivers the material in the second loading area 311 to the material positioning fixture 26 for positioning; wherein, when the material stacked in the second loading area 11 is lower than the predetermined value, a loading signal is sent to the transfer equipment 3 and the process proceeds to step S2.

[0075] S32, the first material handling robot 23 takes the material out of the material positioning fixture 26 and sends it into the corresponding CNC machine tool 21 for processing.

[0076] S33. If the CNC machine tool 21 of the first processing equipment group 2a or the CNC machine tool 21 of the second processing equipment group 2b needs to unload materials, the first pick-and-place robot 23 will take out the processed materials from the CNC machine tool 21 and send them to the cleaning device 24 for cleaning. When the first pick-and-place robot 23 enters the CNC machine tool 21 to pick up materials, it can control the air nozzle to blow away the processed materials and processing fixtures to remove the debris on the processing fixtures and materials, thus playing a preliminary cleaning role for the materials and facilitating the subsequent CNC processing of other materials by the processing fixtures.

[0077] S34. The first picking and unloading robot 23 takes the material out of the cleaning device 24 and places it in the second unloading area 312. When the first picking and unloading robot 23 picks up the cleaned material, it can use its own jet blowing component to blow the cleaned material to remove the cleaning liquid adhering to the surface of the material. When the processed material stacked in the second unloading area 312 meets the picking requirements, it sends a unloading signal to the transfer device 3 and proceeds to step S2.

[0078] The CNC automatic machining system provided by this invention is equipped with a material handling robot for each machining equipment group to automatically complete the loading and unloading requirements of CNC machine tools. In addition, a transfer device is also provided for all machining equipment groups to load and unload materials for each group, realizing unmanned delivery and automatic loading. The movement of the transfer device is achieved by AGV vehicles, which do not require the laying of tracks. Compared with the prior art, the solution proposed by this invention is simpler, reduces the failure rate and construction costs. Furthermore, since there is no track interference, the layout of each machining equipment group is no longer restricted, making the layout more flexible and versatile, which is conducive to market promotion and use.

[0079] The above embodiments merely illustrate preferred implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A CNC automatic machining system, characterized in that, include: The first transfer station is used to temporarily store materials to be processed and materials that have been processed. The first processing equipment group is located on one side of the predetermined line; The second processing equipment group is distributed on the other side of the predetermined line in a manner opposite to the first processing equipment group; The first processing equipment group and the second processing equipment group both include a CNC machine tool, a second transfer table and a first picking and unloading robot. The CNC machine tool is used to process materials. The second transfer table has a first loading area and a first unloading area. The first picking and unloading robot is used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed in the first loading area to the CNC machine tool, and also to pick up and deliver the materials processed by the CNC machine tool to the first unloading area. The transfer equipment includes an AGV vehicle capable of reciprocating along the predetermined route and a second material handling robot mounted on the AGV vehicle. The AGV vehicle has a second loading area for temporarily storing materials to be processed from the first transfer station and a second unloading area for temporarily storing processed materials from the first unloading area of ​​the second transfer station. The second material handling robot is used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed temporarily stored at the first transfer station to the second loading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the materials to be processed at the second loading area to the first loading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the processed materials at the first unloading area to the second unloading area, and is also used to pick up and deliver the processed materials at the second unloading area to the first transfer station. Each of the aforementioned processing equipment groups also includes a cleaning device, which includes a base, a cleaning container mounted on the base and capable of vertical movement, and a water spraying mechanism mounted on the cleaning container. The water spraying mechanism includes a piston cylinder fixed to the lower end of the cleaning container, a piston longitudinally and slidably connected inside the piston cylinder, a push rod fixed to the upper end of the piston, a water pipe fixed to the side of the piston cylinder and communicating with the inside of the piston cylinder, and a nozzle connected to the other end of the water pipe. The push rod extends into the cleaning container and slides with the bottom plate of the cleaning container. The push rod has a first water hole and a second water hole distributed vertically. The first water hole and the second water hole communicate with each other. The nozzle is located inside the cleaning container and the spray direction is towards the middle of the cleaning container. The water pipe is equipped with a one-way valve. The one-way valve only allows fluid from the piston cylinder side to flow to the nozzle side. The piston slides for a distance H within the piston cylinder and cannot completely slide out of the piston cylinder. The minimum distance between the first water hole and the second water hole is D1. When the piston is at the lowest point of its sliding stroke, the second water hole is located on the lower side of the bottom plate of the cleaning container. In this state, the minimum distance between the second water hole and the bottom plate of the cleaning container is D2. The minimum distance D1 > the sliding stroke H > the minimum distance D2.

2. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The AGV is used to travel along the predetermined route to transfer the materials to be processed from the first transfer station to the first loading area of ​​each second transfer station, and to transfer the processed materials from the first unloading area of ​​each second transfer station to the first transfer station. Each processing equipment group includes two CNC machine tools spaced apart along the length of the predetermined line. The second transfer station and the first pick-and-place robot of each processing equipment group are spaced apart between the two CNC machine tools along the width of the predetermined line, wherein the second transfer station is closer to the predetermined line and the first pick-and-place robot is further away from the predetermined line.

3. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cleaning device is located on the side of the first picking and placing robot away from the predetermined line; the first picking and placing robot is also used to pick up and deliver the material processed by each of the CNC machine tools to the cleaning device for cleaning, and to pick up and deliver the material cleaned by the cleaning device to the first unloading area.

4. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cleaning device also includes a shelf located inside the cleaning container that can be lifted and moved, and a material handling mechanism located on the base for placing the material to be cleaned on the shelf and removing the material from the shelf.

5. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cleaning container is connected to the base via a first cylinder. When the output end of the first cylinder extends or retracts, it drives the cleaning container to move up and down. The shelf is connected to the base via a second cylinder. When the output end of the second cylinder extends or retracts, it drives the shelf to move up and down.

6. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The material handling mechanism includes a bracket fixed to the base, a third cylinder fixed to the bracket, and a suction cup fixed to the output end of the third cylinder. The suction cup is used to pick up materials, and the extension and retraction of the output end of the third cylinder will drive the suction cup to move up and down.

7. The CNC automatic machining system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The processing equipment group also includes a material positioning fixture, which is mounted on a support and is used to achieve the accuracy of the material positioning posture.

8. The CNC automatic machining system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The first processing equipment group is defined as several groups that are spaced apart along the length of the predetermined line on one side of the predetermined line, and the second processing equipment group is defined as several groups that are spaced apart along the length of the predetermined line on the other side of the predetermined line, with the several groups of second processing equipment and the several groups of first processing equipment arranged opposite to each other.

9. A CNC machining method for unmanned delivery and automatic loading / unloading, wherein the unmanned delivery and automatic loading / unloading CNC machining method is based on the CNC automatic machining system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Material handling at the first transfer station: If material handling is required, the transfer equipment moves to the first transfer station; if material handling is required, the second material handling robot picks up the material to be processed at the first transfer station and delivers it to the second loading area; if the second unloading area needs to unload the processed material, the second material handling robot picks up the processed material at the second unloading area and delivers it to the corresponding position on the first transfer station. S2. Material handling of the processing equipment group: If materials need to be picked up or placed at the second transfer station, the transfer equipment moves to the second transfer station; if materials need to be placed, the second picking and placing robot picks up the materials to be processed at the second loading area and sends them to the first loading area of ​​the second transfer station; if materials need to be picked up, the second picking and placing robot picks up the processed materials at the first unloading area of ​​the second transfer station and sends them to the second unloading area. S3, CNC machining, this step includes the following sub-steps: S31. If the CNC machine tool of the first processing equipment group or the CNC machine tool of the second processing equipment group needs to be loaded, the first picking and placing robot picks up and delivers the material in the second loading area to the material positioning fixture for positioning; wherein, when the material stacked in the second loading area is lower than the predetermined value, a loading signal is sent to the transfer equipment and the process proceeds to step S2. S32. The first picking and placing robot takes the material from the material positioning fixture and sends it into the corresponding CNC machine tool for processing. S33. If the CNC machine tool of the first processing equipment group or the CNC machine tool of the second processing equipment group needs to unload materials, the first picking and unloading robot will take out the processed materials from the CNC machine tool and send them to the cleaning device for cleaning. S34. The first picking and placing robot takes the material out of the cleaning device and places it in the second unloading area; wherein, when the processed material stacked in the second unloading area meets the picking requirements, it sends an unloading signal to the transfer device and proceeds to step S2.

Images