Production system, agv posture conversion method, and automated production line

Abstract

The present application relates to production equipment, and provides a production system, which comprises an industrial robot, an AGV body loaded with a workpiece, an AGV scheduling module and a control module, the AGV scheduling module is configured to obtain a deviation signal of the AGV body relative to a work station, so as to control the AGV body to perform pose transformation relative to the work station; the control module is in communication connection with the industrial robot, the AGV body and the AGV scheduling module, and the control module is configured to control the AGV body to perform pose transformation relative to the work station according to the distribution of work points on the workpiece in the work area of the industrial robot, so as to transform the work points in the non-workable domain of the industrial robot to the workable domain of the industrial robot. The present application further provides an AGV pose transformation method and an automated production line. The AGV pose transformation station of the present application ensures the work accessibility of the industrial robot and improves the work precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to production equipment, and more specifically, to a production system. Furthermore, this invention also relates to an AGV posture transformation method and an automated production line. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional production lines relied heavily on manual labor and equipment for material handling and operations, requiring a large workforce, resulting in high labor intensity, low production efficiency, and low precision in workpiece manufacturing or assembly. With the continuous development of industry, assembly lines are gradually becoming more automated and intelligent.

[0003] In existing automated production lines, AGVs are used for transportation, and industrial robots are used for assembly. AGVs are automated guided vehicles equipped with electromagnetic or optical automatic guidance devices that can travel along a prescribed path and have safety protection functions. Industrial robots are multi-jointed manipulators or multi-degree-of-freedom machines widely used in the industrial field. They have a certain degree of automation and can perform various industrial processing and manufacturing functions by relying on their own power and control capabilities.

[0004] However, current AGVs are only used for the automatic transport of workpieces. When the AGV transports the workpiece to the work station, there may be work points on the workpiece that are outside the working range of the industrial robot, which requires manual adjustment and does not meet the needs of modern intelligent production lines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a production system that enables AGV vehicle body to interact with industrial robot through information technology, thereby changing the position of AGV vehicle body in the work station so that the work point on the workpiece is within the work reach range of the industrial robot, thereby ensuring the work reachability of the industrial robot and improving the work accuracy.

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the second aspect of the present invention is to provide an AGV posture transformation method, which enables information interaction between the AGV body and the industrial robot, and transforms the posture of the AGV body in the work position so that the work point on the workpiece is within the work reachable range of the industrial robot, thereby ensuring the work reachability of the industrial robot and improving the work accuracy.

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the third aspect of the present invention is to provide an automated production line in which the workstations of the automated production line perform positional transformation of the AGV body at the workstations by enabling information interaction between the AGV body and the industrial robot, so that the work point on the workpiece is located within the work reachable range of the industrial robot, thereby ensuring the work reachability of the industrial robot and improving the work accuracy.

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a production system, comprising an industrial robot for performing operations on a workpiece, an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) body carrying the workpiece, an AGV scheduling module, and a control module. The AGV scheduling module is configured to acquire a deviation signal of the AGV body relative to a work station to control the AGV body to perform pose transformation relative to the work station. The control module is communicatively connected to the industrial robot, the AGV body, and the AGV scheduling module. The control module is configured to control the AGV body to perform pose transformation relative to the work station based on the distribution of work points on the workpiece within the working area of ​​the industrial robot, thereby transforming work points located in the unworkable region of the industrial robot to the workable region of the industrial robot.

[0009] Specifically, the AGV scheduling module is configured to, after transporting the AGV vehicle body to the work station, make the center of the workpiece coincide with the center of the work station, and control the AGV vehicle body to rotate around the center of the workpiece to perform the pose transformation, wherein the center of the work station is located within the workable domain.

[0010] Specifically, a Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of the workstation as the origin. The direction from the center of the industrial robot to the center of the workpiece is the X-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system. The Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system passes through the center of the workpiece. The control module is configured to control the AGV body to perform the pose transformation, so that the work point is located in the workable area on the side of the Y-axis closer to the industrial robot.

[0011] Specifically, the workpiece's working area is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant by the Cartesian coordinate system. The first quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot as region A, the fourth quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot as region B, the first quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region C, the fourth quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region D, the second quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region E, the third quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region F, the second quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot as region G, and the third quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot as region H. The control module is configured to control the AGV body to perform the pose transformation to move the working points distributed in regions A, B, C, D, G, and H to regions E and F.

[0012] Specifically, the control module is configured to execute different pose transformation methods according to the distribution of the work points, and the pose transformation methods include:

[0013] Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area consisting of the A area and the C area, control the AGV body to rotate -90°; when the work points are distributed within the BD area consisting of the B area and the D area, control the AGV body to rotate 90°.

[0014] Method 2: When some of the work points are distributed in the AC area and the other part is distributed in the BD area, control the AGV body to rotate 180°;

[0015] Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area composed of the E area and the F area, the AGV body is controlled to maintain its original position.

[0016] Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area composed of the G area and the H area, control the AGV body to rotate 45° or -45°.

[0017] Specifically, the priority of the pose transformation methods executed by the control module, from high to low, is as follows: Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2.

[0018] Specifically, the AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code set on the work station and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body. The QR code recognition unit can recognize the matrix QR code to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body relative to the work station.

[0019] Specifically, the matrix QR code includes several sub-QR codes arranged in a matrix array. The QR code recognition unit is configured to recognize several of the sub-QR codes and compare them with a set QR code array label to obtain the relative pose relationship of the AGV vehicle body relative to the matrix QR code.

[0020] Specifically, the industrial robot (1) is equipped with a camera component for taking pictures of the work point, and the control module is communicatively connected to the camera component to identify and locate the position signal of the work point and obtain the distribution information of the work point within the working area of ​​the industrial robot.

[0021] A second aspect of the present invention provides an AGV attitude transformation method, comprising the following steps:

[0022] First, the AGV vehicle carrying the workpiece is transported to the work station;

[0023] Second, obtain the distribution of work points on the workpiece within the industrial robot's operating area;

[0024] Third, obtain the deviation signal of the AGV vehicle body relative to the work station, and control the AGV vehicle body to perform pose transformation relative to the work station according to the distribution of the work points, so as to transform the work points that are in the unworkable domain of the industrial robot to the workable domain of the industrial robot.

[0025] Specifically, in the first step, after the AGV body is positioned on the work station, the center of the workpiece is made to coincide with the center of the work station.

[0026] Specifically, in the third step, the deviation signal of the AGV vehicle body relative to the work station is obtained through the AGV scheduling module, and the AGV vehicle body is controlled to rotate around the center of the workpiece to perform the pose transformation, wherein the center of the work station is located within the workable domain.

[0027] Specifically, a Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of the workstation as the origin. The direction from the center of the industrial robot to the center of the workpiece is the X-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system, and the Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system passes through the center of the workpiece. In the third step, the AGV body is controlled to perform the pose change so that the work point is located in the workable area on the side of the Y-axis close to the industrial robot.

[0028] Specifically, the workpiece's working area is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant by the Cartesian coordinate system. The first quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot as region A, the fourth quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot as region B, the first quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region C, the fourth quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region D, the second quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region E, the third quadrant overlaps with the workable area as region F, the second quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot as region G, and the third quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot as region H. In the third step, the AGV body is controlled to perform the pose transformation to move the working points distributed in regions A, B, C, D, G, and H to regions E and F.

[0029] Specifically, in the third step, different pose transformation methods are executed according to the different situations of the work points, and the pose transformation methods include:

[0030] Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area consisting of the A area and the C area, control the AGV body to rotate -90°; when the work points are distributed within the BD area consisting of the B area and the D area, control the AGV body to rotate 90°.

[0031] Method 2: When some of the work points are distributed in the AC area and the other part is distributed in the BD area, control the AGV body to rotate 180°;

[0032] Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area composed of the E area and the F area, the AGV body is controlled to maintain its original position.

[0033] Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area composed of the G area and the H area, control the AGV body to rotate 45° or -45°.

[0034] Specifically, the priority of the pose transformation methods, from high to low, is as follows: Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2.

[0035] Specifically, when there are multiple work points on the workpiece, in the third step, based on the distribution of the work points, the pose transformation methods corresponding to the unworked work points are determined, and the pose transformation method with the highest priority is executed. After the work point corresponding to the executed pose transformation method completes its work, the second and third steps are repeated until all the work points on the workpiece have completed their work.

[0036] Specifically, the AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code set on the work station and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body. The QR code recognition unit can recognize the matrix QR code to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body relative to the work station.

[0037] A third aspect of the present invention provides an automated production line, comprising the production system described in any one of the above technical solutions, and implementing the AGV posture transformation method described in any one of the above technical solutions.

[0038] The beneficial effects of the present invention through the above solution are as follows:

[0039] The production system of this invention includes an industrial robot and an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) chassis. The AGV chassis carries workpieces to a workstation, where the industrial robot performs operations. However, the reachability of the industrial robot varies after the AGV chassis reaches the workstation. This production system uses an AGV scheduling module to obtain the deviation signal between the AGV chassis and the workstation, enabling information-based interaction between the AGV chassis and the industrial robot. Based on the distribution of work points on the workpiece within the industrial robot's work area, the system controls the AGV chassis to perform pose transformations relative to the workstation, ensuring that work points previously inaccessible to the industrial robot are now within its reachable range. This adapts the work points on the workpiece to the industrial robot, improving operational accuracy.

[0040] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0042] Figure 1 This is a region division diagram of a specific embodiment of the production system of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 It is an offset diagram of the composite action of the AGV body relative to the matrix QR code.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0045] 1 Industrial robot 2 AGV vehicle body

[0046] 3 workpieces 4 workstations

[0047] 5 matrix QR codes 6 QR code array labels Detailed Implementation

[0048] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described below.

[0049] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "forming," "having," "setting," and "connecting," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, a connection can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate connector; it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0050] To ensure that the work point on workpiece 3 is within the workable area of ​​industrial robot 1 when workpiece 3 is transported from AGV body 2 to workstation 4, this invention provides a production system. As a specific embodiment of the AGV posture transformation workstation of this invention, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1It includes an industrial robot 1 for working on workpiece 3, an AGV body 2 for loading workpiece 3, an AGV scheduling module, and a control module. The AGV scheduling module is configured to acquire the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4, so as to control the AGV body 2 to perform pose transformation relative to the work station 4. The control module can adopt a PLC control system. The control module is communicatively connected to the industrial robot 1, the AGV body 2, and the AGV scheduling module. The control module is configured to control the AGV body 2 to perform pose transformation relative to the work station 4 according to the distribution of work points on workpiece 3 in the working area of ​​the industrial robot 1, so as to transform work points in the unworkable area of ​​the industrial robot 1 to the workable area of ​​the industrial robot 1. The production system of this invention is designed to enable information-based interaction between the AGV vehicle body 2 and the industrial robot 1 during the production process. By changing the position and posture of the AGV vehicle body 2, it ensures that the working point of the industrial robot 1 on the corresponding workpiece 3 is within the working domain of the industrial robot, thereby meeting the intelligent needs of modern production, reducing the degree of human intervention, and improving the accuracy of operation. The production system of this invention can be applied to processing and assembly, including but not limited to processing and assembly. Depending on the production needs, the industrial robot 1 can be selected as a welding robot, assembly robot, or laser processing robot, etc.

[0051] It should be noted that there are various ways to obtain the distribution of work points on workpiece 3 within the working area of ​​industrial robot 1. As one specific implementation, a camera assembly can be installed on industrial robot 1. This camera assembly can take pictures of workpiece 3 running to workstation 4 and extract the corresponding work point features to determine the position signal of each work point. Through real-time image positioning, the distribution of work points can be accurately analyzed. It is conceivable that when workpiece 3 is loaded onto AGV body 2, the relative positional relationship between workpiece 3 and AGV body 2 is fixed. The position information of each work point on workpiece 3 can be obtained in advance, thus determining the position of each work point. The relative positional relationship between the work points and the AGV body 2: When the AGV body 2 runs to the work station 4, the AGV scheduling module can obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4, that is, it can confirm the positional relationship of each work point on the workpiece 3 relative to the work station 4. The positional relationship between the work station 4 and the rotation center of the industrial robot 1 is determined. Therefore, based on the positional relationship of each work point on the workpiece 3 relative to the work station 4 and the relative positional relationship between the rotation center of the industrial robot 1 and the work station 4, the distribution of the work points corresponding to the industrial robot 1 can be analyzed, and then the AGV body 2 can be controlled to perform pose transformation relative to the work station 4.

[0052] It should also be noted that industrial robot 1 is fixedly positioned corresponding to workstation 4, and to facilitate operation, industrial robot 1 can typically rotate around its own body. (See [reference]). Figure 1 Based on the operational accessibility of the industrial robot 1, the production system of this invention divides the area surrounding the industrial robot 1 into the following regions, with the rotation center of the industrial robot 1 as the origin:

[0053] Interference domain: This region is the base and body mounting area of ​​industrial robot 1, as well as the interference region during the rotation process of industrial robot 1.

[0054] Workable area: The area in which the manipulator arm of industrial robot 1 can perform operations, which is the area between the minimum and maximum working range of robot 1;

[0055] Blind spot: The area between the interference domain and the workable domain where the robotic arm of industrial machine 1 cannot perform its operations.

[0056] Unreachable area: Areas beyond the maximum operating range of the industrial robot 1.

[0057] When setting up workstation 4, it is ensured that when AGV body 2 is loaded with workpiece 3 and moves to workstation 4, neither AGV body 2 nor workpiece 3 will enter the interference domain to avoid collision with industrial robot 1. When AGV body 2 transports workpiece 3 to workstation 4, if the work point is identified as being distributed in the blind zone or inaccessible area, the AGV scheduling system controls AGV body 2 to change its pose relative to the workstation, so that the work point is changed to the workable area, which facilitates production operation of industrial robot 1.

[0058] When the AGV transports the loaded workpiece 3 to the work station 4, the camera component on the industrial robot 1 first takes a picture of the work point of the workpiece 3 to identify and locate the position signal of the work point, thereby determining the relative positional relationship between the work point and the industrial robot 1. If the work point is not within the workable area of ​​the industrial robot 1, the control module will obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4 in real time through the AGV scheduling module, so as to control the AGV body 2 to perform pose transformation relative to the work station 4, ensuring the control accuracy during the transformation process, and transforming the work point into the workable area of ​​the industrial robot 1. The above pose transformation operation includes, but is not limited to, the AGV body 2 translating or rotating relative to the work station 4. In order to meet the pose transformation operation requirements of the AGV body 2, the AGV body 2 can perform omnidirectional movement, that is, the AGV body 2 can perform forward, backward, lateral, diagonal, turning and rotating in place.

[0059] To reduce the posture changes of the AGV body 2 located at workstation 4, as a preferred embodiment, the center of workstation 4 can be set within the workable area. Specifically, the workpiece 3 can be positioned and centered first to obtain its center. Then, the relative positions of the workpiece 3 and the AGV body 2 are fixed to ensure the accuracy of the center of the AGV body 2 and the workpiece 3. When the AGV body 2 first transports the workpiece 3 to workstation 4, the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the center of workstation 4 (the symmetrical center of workstation 4) is obtained through the AGV scheduling module, and the AGV body 2 is adjusted accordingly. This configuration ensures that the center of workpiece 3 coincides with the center of workstation 4, allowing most of the workpiece 3 to be within the workable region from the outset. When a work point on the workpiece is outside the workable region, simply controlling the AGV body 2 to rotate around the center of workpiece 3 to perform a pose transformation can move that work point into the workable region, reducing the pose transformation operations of the AGV body 2. This improves production efficiency, avoids energy waste caused by unnecessary operations, and lowers production costs. Furthermore, the single operation of controlling the AGV body 2 to rotate offers higher operational precision compared to a combined operation of rotation and displacement, ensuring the accuracy of the pose transformation process. Specifically, the AGV scheduling module is configured to, after transporting the AGV body 2 to workstation 4, ensure that the center of workpiece 3 coincides with the center of workstation 4, and control the AGV body 2 to rotate around the center of workpiece 3 to perform a pose transformation, with the center of workstation 4 located within the workable region.

[0060] When the work point of workpiece 3 is within the workable area, but because there may be some protruding structures or parts on workpiece 2 that may interfere with the manipulator arm of industrial robot 1, in order to ensure that industrial robot 1 can perform operations on the work point on workpiece 3 in the optimal posture while maintaining workability, see [reference needed]. Figure 1 A Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of workstation 4 as the origin. The direction from the center of industrial robot 1 to the center of workpiece 3 is the X-axis of this Cartesian coordinate system, and the Y-axis passes through the center of workpiece 3. The control system is configured to control the AGV body 2 to perform pose transformations so that the work point is located in the workable region on the side of the Y-axis closer to industrial robot 1, thus ensuring that the work point is within the workable region. Figure 1 Within the area to the left of the Y-axis, the operating arm of the industrial robot 1 can cross a smaller portion of the workpiece 3 to operate on the work point, reducing the extension length of the operating arm of the industrial robot 1 and reducing the possibility of interference and collision between the operating arm and the components on the workpiece 3.

[0061] Specifically, see Figure 1The working point area of ​​workpiece 3 is divided into four quadrants: the first quadrant, the second quadrant, the third quadrant, and the fourth quadrant by a Cartesian coordinate system. The area in the first quadrant that overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​industrial robot 1 is area A. The area in the fourth quadrant that overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​industrial robot 1 is area B. The area in the first quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is area C. The area in the fourth quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is area D. The area in the second quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is area E. The area in the third quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is area F. The area in the second quadrant that overlaps with the blind spot of industrial robot 1 is area G. The area in the third quadrant that overlaps with the blind spot of industrial robot 1 is area H. The control module is configured to control the AGV body 2 to perform pose transformations to move the working points distributed in areas A, B, C, D, G, and H to areas E and F, so that the working points can be located in the workable area on the side of the Y-axis closer to industrial robot 1.

[0062] More specifically, the control module is configured to execute different pose transformation methods based on the distribution of work points. These pose transformation methods include:

[0063] Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area, which consists of areas A and C, control the AGV body 2 to rotate -90° to change the work points to area E; when the work points are distributed within the BD area, which consists of areas B and D, control the AGV body 2 to rotate 90° to change the work points to area F.

[0064] Method 2: When some work points are distributed in area AC and others in area BD, control AGV body 2 to rotate 180° so that the work points are changed to the area EF composed of area E and area F;

[0065] Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area consisting of area E and area F, control the AGV body 2 to maintain its original position.

[0066] Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area consisting of area G and area H, control the AGV body 2 to rotate 45° or -45°.

[0067] It should be noted that the angle at which the AGV body 2 is rotated is based on Figure 1The directions are explained as follows: a counterclockwise rotation around the origin of the Cartesian coordinate system is negative, and a clockwise rotation is positive. When work points are distributed in different areas, the required angle to rotate them into the EF region varies. The production system of this invention divides the work point distribution areas and executes one of the four transformation methods mentioned above accordingly. This ensures that after the work point undergoes pose transformation, even if it is completely within the EF region, it avoids excessive rotation that would result in unnecessary energy waste. Furthermore, the angles described above are preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. The angles can be designed according to the actual situation. For example, in method four, when the work points are distributed within the GH area, the AGV body 2 only needs to rotate 45° or -45° to move the part of the workpiece 3 located within the GH area to the EF area. The size between the blind zone and the reachable area may be different at different workstations. When the outer diameter of the blind zone decreases, the GH area will also decrease accordingly. In this case, the AGV body 2 only needs to rotate a smaller angle to move the part of the workpiece 3 located within the GH area to the EF area. Thus, the rotation angle of the AGV body 2 in method four can be reduced to avoid the AGV body 2 rotating too much and unnecessary angle, thereby saving energy consumption and reducing production costs.

[0068] In actual production, a workstation may require multiple operations, and there are multiple work points on workpiece 3. Therefore, there will be different pose transformation methods. As a preferred implementation, the priority is sorted according to the rotation angle required for each pose transformation method. The priority of the pose transformation methods executed by the control system from high to low is Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2, so as to reduce the rotation angle of AGV body 2 and save energy consumption. In Method 1, there are two work point distribution situations with the same rotation angle value for pose transformation. It is possible to define that one of the two distribution situations has a higher priority than the other. For example, there are two work points, one of which is distributed in area AC and the other in area BD. The pose transformation method corresponding to the work point in area AC is set to have a higher priority than the pose transformation method corresponding to the work point in area BD, or the pose transformation method corresponding to the work point in area BD is set to have a higher priority than the pose transformation method corresponding to the work point in area AC.

[0069] It should be noted that after the highest priority pose transformation method is executed and the corresponding work point is operated by the industrial robot 1, the remaining unoperated work points will change position after rotation. Therefore, the camera component of the industrial robot 1 needs to take pictures of the work points on the workpiece 3 again to identify and locate the position signals of the unoperated work points. Based on the distribution, the pose transformation methods corresponding to the unoperated work points are re-prioritized, and the highest priority pose transformation method is executed. The corresponding work point is then operated. The above steps are repeated until all work points on the workpiece 3 have completed their operations.

[0070] As one specific implementation method, see Figure 2 The AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code 5 set on the work station 4 and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body 2. The QR code recognition unit is preferably a QR code camera. The matrix QR code 5 contains pose data. The QR code recognition unit can recognize the matrix QR code 5, thereby decoding and locating the matrix QR code 5 to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4. It can also make corresponding pose adjustments based on the matrix QR code 5 as a reference. The matrix QR code 5 can improve the accuracy of the obtained deviation signal. In addition, when setting up, it is only necessary to affix the matrix QR code 5 to the ground on the work station 4, without the need for a lot of civil engineering, which makes it highly flexible.

[0071] The matrix QR code 5 includes several sub-QR codes arranged in a matrix array. The QR code recognition unit is configured to recognize several sub-QR codes and compare them with the set QR code array label 6 to obtain the relative pose relationship between the AGV body 2 and the matrix QR code. See also Figure 2 In one specific implementation, the matrix QR code 5 consists of sub-QR codes arranged in a 4×4 array. Each sub-QR code carries pose data, thus forming a matrix QR code coordinate system. This coordinate system is compared in real time with the coordinate system formed by the set QR code array label 6 to obtain the deviation signal between the AGV body 2 and the matrix QR code, namely the deviation values ​​of their X-direction displacement, Y-direction displacement, and rotation angle. This allows for the determination of the relative pose relationship between the AGV body 2 and the work station 4, ensuring the accuracy of the AGV body 2 during pose transformation. Furthermore, since the matrix QR code includes multiple sub-QR codes, even if some sub-QR codes become dirty and unrecognizable during production, the pose data provided by the remaining sub-QR codes can still form a matrix QR code coordinate system, ensuring the reliability of pose transformation during production.

[0072] Correspondingly, the present invention also provides an AGV posture transformation method. As a specific embodiment, the production system provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be used. The method includes the following steps:

[0073] First, the AGV vehicle body 2, loaded with workpiece 3, is transported to the work station 4;

[0074] Second, obtain the distribution of work points on the workpiece (3) within the working area of ​​the industrial robot (1);

[0075] Third, obtain the deviation signal of AGV body 2 relative to work station 4, and control AGV body 2 to perform pose transformation relative to work station 4 according to the distribution of work points, so that the work point is in the workable domain of industrial robot 1.

[0076] Preferably, in the first step, after the AGV body 2 is in position, the center of the workpiece 3 can be made to coincide with the center of the work station 4. So that when the AGV body 2 performs a pose change in the future, it only needs to rotate around the center of the work station 4, which reduces the operation of the AGV body 2 in changing its pose, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing energy waste caused by unnecessary operations, and controlling production costs.

[0077] In one specific implementation, in the third step, the AGV scheduling module acquires the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4 in real time, and controls the AGV body 2 to rotate around the center of the workpiece 3 to perform pose transformation, thereby ensuring the control accuracy during the transformation process. Furthermore, in the first step, the AGV scheduling module can also ensure the alignment accuracy of the center of the workpiece 3 with the center of the work station 4 when the AGV body 2 is transported to the work station 4. Additionally, to ensure that most of the area on the workpiece 3 is within the workable region in its initial state, preferably, the center of the work station 4 can be set within the workable region. The AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code 5 set on the work station 4 and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body 2. The QR code recognition unit is preferably a QR code camera, which can recognize the matrix QR code 5 to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body 2 relative to the work station 4.

[0078] To enable the industrial robot 1 to perform operations on the workpiece 3 in the optimal posture while maintaining accessibility, a Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of the workstation 4 as the origin. The direction from the center of the industrial robot 1 to the center of the workpiece 3 is the X-axis of this Cartesian coordinate system, and the Y-axis passes through the center of the workpiece 3. In the third step, the AGV body 2 is controlled to change its posture so that the workpiece is located within the workable area on the side of the Y-axis closer to the industrial robot 1. This allows the manipulator arm of the industrial robot 1 to traverse a smaller portion of the workpiece 3 to operate on the workpiece.

[0079] Specifically, the workpiece's working area is divided into four quadrants—the first, second, third, and fourth quadrants—by a Cartesian coordinate system. The area in the first quadrant that overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot 1 is designated as region A; the area in the fourth quadrant that overlaps with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot 1 is designated as region B; the area in the first quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is designated as region C; the area in the fourth quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is designated as region D; the area in the second quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is designated as region E; the area in the third quadrant that overlaps with the workable area is designated as region F; the area in the second quadrant that overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot 1 is designated as region G; and the area in the third quadrant that overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot 1 is designated as region H. In the third step, the AGV body 2 is controlled to perform a pose transformation to move the working points distributed in regions A, B, C, D, G, and H to regions E and F.

[0080] More specifically, in the third step, different pose transformation methods are executed according to the different situations at the work point. The pose transformation methods include:

[0081] Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area, which consists of areas A and C, control the AGV body 2 to rotate -90° to change the work points to area E; when the work points are distributed within the BD area, which consists of areas B and D, control the AGV body 2 to rotate 90° to change the work points to area F.

[0082] Method 2: When some work points are distributed in area AC and others in area BD, control AGV body 2 to rotate 180° so that the work points are changed to the area EF composed of area E and area F;

[0083] Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area consisting of area E and area F, control the AGV body 2 to maintain its original position.

[0084] Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area consisting of area G and area H, control the AGV body 2 to rotate 45° or -45°.

[0085] In actual production, a single workstation may require multiple operations. Workpiece 3 has multiple work points. The rotation angle required for each pose transformation method is prioritized, from highest to lowest priority: Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2. This reduces the rotation angle of the AGV body 2, saving energy. It should be noted that after the highest priority pose transformation method is executed and the corresponding work point is operated by the industrial robot 1, the remaining unoperated work points change position after rotation. Therefore, when multiple work points exist on workpiece 3, in the third step, based on the distribution of work points, the pose transformation methods corresponding to the unoperated work points are determined, and the highest priority pose transformation method is executed. After the work point corresponding to the executed pose transformation method completes its operation, steps two and three are repeated until all work points on workpiece 3 have completed their operations.

[0086] The third aspect of the present invention provides an automated production line, including the production system provided in the first aspect of the present invention, and implementing the AGV posture transformation method provided in the second aspect of the present invention to realize the information interaction between the AGV body and the industrial robot, and to perform posture transformation on the AGV body at the work station so that the work point on the workpiece is located within the work reachable range of the industrial robot, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of automated production.

[0087] As can be seen from the above description of the various technical solutions of the present invention, after the AGV vehicle 2 transports the loaded workpiece 3 to the work station 4, the AGV scheduling module makes the center of the workpiece 3 coincide with the center of the work station 4. After the workpiece is fully in place, the industrial robot 1 takes pictures and locates the working points on the workpiece 3 through its configured camera component, identifies the position signals of each working point, and can accurately analyze the distribution of the working points. Based on the area where the working point is located, it plans its posture transformation mode and executes the highest priority transformation mode among the posture transformation modes corresponding to each working point. The priority of the posture transformation modes from high to low is mode 3, mode 4, mode 1, and mode 2, so as to minimize the rotation angle of the AGV vehicle 2 when performing posture transformation, improve work efficiency, and reduce the consumption during rotation. Energy efficiency and cost control are achieved. After the AGV scheduling system controls the AGV body 2 to rotate into position, the work point corresponding to the highest priority pose transformation mode is placed in the EF area, and the industrial robot 1 performs the work at that work point. After the work is completed, the industrial robot 1 uses the camera component to re-photograph and reposition the work points that have not been worked, and re-plans the pose transformation mode corresponding to the work points that have not been worked, and executes the highest priority transformation mode. After the AGV pose transformation is in place, the industrial robot 1 performs the work. This process is repeated until the industrial robot 1 completes the work at all work points on the workpiece 3. The AGV body 2 then transports the workpiece 3 to the next work station. Through the information interaction between the AGV body 2 and the industrial robot 1, the two can cooperate with each other to ensure the accessibility of the industrial robot 1's work and to perform the work in the optimal posture. Meanwhile, the AGV scheduling module used in this invention consists of a matrix QR code 5 set on the work station 4 and a QR code camera on the AGV body 2. The QR code can carry pose data. The matrix QR code 5 can accurately obtain the deviation signal between the AGV body 2 and the work station 4 by setting multiple sub-QR codes, ensuring the accuracy of the pose transformation of the AGV body 2. Moreover, the matrix QR code 5 can be directly affixed to the ground of the work station 4 without the need for a lot of civil engineering, and has a high degree of flexibility.

[0088] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0089] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0090] Furthermore, various different embodiments of the present invention can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A production system, characterized in that, It includes an industrial robot (1) for performing operations on a workpiece (3), an AGV vehicle body (2) for loading the workpiece (3), an AGV scheduling module and a control module. The AGV scheduling module is configured to acquire the deviation signal of the AGV vehicle body (2) relative to the work station (4) in order to control the AGV vehicle body (2) to perform pose transformation relative to the work station (4). The control module is communicatively connected to the industrial robot (1), the AGV body (2) and the AGV scheduling module. The control module is configured to: determine the relative positional relationship between the work point and the industrial robot (1) based on the distribution of work points on the workpiece (3) in the working area of ​​the industrial robot (1); and control the AGV body (2) to perform pose transformation relative to the work station (4) when the work point is not in the working area of ​​the industrial robot (1) so as to transform the work point in the non-working area of ​​the industrial robot (1) to the working area of ​​the industrial robot (1). The operable area is the region between the minimum and maximum operating range of the industrial robot (1).

2. The production system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The AGV scheduling module is configured to, after transporting the AGV vehicle body (2) to the work station (4), make the center of the workpiece (3) coincide with the center of the work station (4), and control the AGV vehicle body (2) to rotate around the center of the workpiece (3) to perform the pose transformation, and the center of the work station (4) is located within the workable area.

3. The production system according to claim 2, characterized in that, A Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of the work station (4) as the origin. The direction from the center of the industrial robot (1) to the center of the workpiece (3) is the X-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system. The Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system passes through the center of the workpiece (3). The control module is configured to control the AGV body (2) to perform the pose transformation so that the work point is located in the workable area on the side of the Y-axis close to the industrial robot (1).

4. The production system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The working point area of ​​the workpiece (3) is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant by the Cartesian coordinate system. The overlapping area of ​​the first quadrant with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot (1) is region A; the overlapping area of ​​the fourth quadrant with the inaccessible area of ​​the industrial robot (1) is region B; the overlapping area of ​​the first quadrant with the workable area is region C; the overlapping area of ​​the fourth quadrant with the workable area is region D; and the overlapping area of ​​the second quadrant with the workable area is region E. The overlapping area between the third quadrant and the workable area is region F, the overlapping area between the second quadrant and the blind spot of the industrial robot (1) is region G, the overlapping area between the third quadrant and the blind spot of the industrial robot (1) is region H, and the control module is configured to control the AGV body (2) to perform the pose transformation so as to move the work points distributed in regions A, B, C, D, G and H to regions E and F.

5. The production system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control module is configured to execute different pose transformation methods based on the distribution of the work points, and the pose transformation methods include: Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area consisting of the A area and the C area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate -90°; when the work points are distributed within the BD area consisting of the B area and the D area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 90°. Method 2: When the work points are partially distributed in the AC area and partially distributed in the BD area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 180°; Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area consisting of the E area and the F area, the AGV body (2) is controlled to maintain its original position. Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area consisting of the G area and the H area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 45° or -45°.

6. The production system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The priority of the pose transformation methods executed by the control module, from high to low, is as follows: Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2.

7. The production system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code (5) set on the work station (4) and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body (2). The QR code recognition unit can recognize the matrix QR code (5) to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body (2) relative to the work station (4).

8. The production system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The matrix QR code (5) includes several sub-QR codes arranged in a matrix array. The QR code recognition unit is configured to recognize several of the sub-QR codes and compare them with the set QR code array label (6) to obtain the relative pose relationship of the AGV vehicle body (2) relative to the matrix QR code.

9. The production system according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The industrial robot (1) is equipped with a camera component for taking pictures of the work point. The control module is communicatively connected to the camera component to identify and locate the position signal of the work point and obtain the distribution information of the work point within the work area of ​​the industrial robot (1).

10. An AGV attitude transformation method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: First, the AGV vehicle body (2) loaded with workpiece (3) is transported to the work station (4). Second, obtain the distribution of work points on the workpiece (3) within the working area of ​​the industrial robot (1); Third, obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body (2) relative to the work station (4), and determine the relative position relationship between the work point and the industrial robot (1) according to the distribution of the work points. If the work point is not in the workable area of ​​the industrial robot (1), control the AGV body (2) to perform pose transformation relative to the work station (4) so ​​as to transform the work point in the non-workable area of ​​the industrial robot (1) to the workable area of ​​the industrial robot (1). The operable area is the region between the minimum and maximum operating range of the industrial robot (1).

11. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the first step, after the AGV vehicle body (2) is placed on the work station (4), the center of the workpiece (3) is made to coincide with the center of the work station (4).

12. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the third step, the deviation signal of the AGV body (2) relative to the work station (4) is obtained by the AGV scheduling module, and the AGV body (2) is controlled to rotate around the center of the workpiece (3) to perform the pose transformation. The center of the work station (4) is located within the workable area.

13. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 12, characterized in that, A Cartesian coordinate system is established with the center of the workstation (4) as the origin. The direction from the center of the industrial robot (1) to the center of the workpiece (3) is the X-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system, and the Y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system passes through the center of the workpiece (3). In the third step, the AGV body (2) is controlled to perform the pose change so that the work point is located in the workable area on the side of the Y-axis close to the industrial robot (1).

14. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The workpiece's working area is divided into four quadrants—a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant—by the Cartesian coordinate system. The first quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible region of the industrial robot (1) in region A; the fourth quadrant overlaps with the inaccessible region of the industrial robot (1) in region B; the first quadrant overlaps with the workable region in region C; the fourth quadrant overlaps with the workable region in region D; the second quadrant overlaps with the workable region in region E; the third quadrant overlaps with the workable region in region F; the second quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot (1) in region G; and the third quadrant overlaps with the blind spot of the industrial robot (1) in region H. In the third step, the AGV vehicle body (2) is controlled to perform the pose transformation so as to move the work points distributed in the A area, the B area, the C area, the D area, the G area and the H area to the E area and the F area.

15. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 14, characterized in that, In the third step, different pose transformation methods are executed according to the different situations of the work points. The pose transformation methods include: Method 1: When the work points are distributed within the AC area consisting of the A area and the C area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate -90°; when the work points are distributed within the BD area consisting of the B area and the D area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 90°. Method 2: When the work points are partially distributed in the AC area and partially distributed in the BD area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 180°; Method 3: When the work points are distributed within the EF area consisting of the E area and the F area, the AGV body (2) is controlled to maintain its original position. Method 4: When the work points are distributed within the GH area consisting of the G area and the H area, control the AGV body (2) to rotate 45° or -45°.

16. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The priority of the pose transformation methods, from high to low, is as follows: Method 3, Method 4, Method 1, and Method 2.

17. The AGV attitude transformation method according to claim 16, characterized in that, When there are multiple work points on the workpiece (3), in the third step, according to the distribution of the work points, the pose transformation mode corresponding to the unworked work points is determined, and the pose transformation mode with the highest priority is executed. After the work point corresponding to the executed pose transformation mode completes the work, the second and third steps are repeated until all the work points on the workpiece (3) complete the work.

18. The AGV attitude transformation method according to any one of claims 12-17, characterized in that, The AGV scheduling module includes a matrix QR code (5) set on the work station (4) and a QR code recognition unit set on the AGV body (2). The QR code recognition unit can recognize the matrix QR code (5) to obtain the deviation signal of the AGV body (2) relative to the work station (4).

19. An automated production line, characterized in that, The production system includes any one of claims 1-9, and implements the AGV attitude transformation method according to any one of claims 10-18.

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