Flexible production line and method of operation thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of automobile roof processing, and discloses a flexible production line and a working method thereof. The flexible production line comprises a conveying assembly, a positioning assembly, a welding assembly and a control computer. The conveying assembly comprises a conveying belt and a conveying gripper. The conveying belt conveys a cross beam to a gluing area. The conveying gripper carries a shell. The positioning assembly comprises a welding jig. A carrying robot carries the cross beam after gluing to the welding jig. The conveying gripper carries the shell to the welding jig. The welding jig clamps the cross beam and the shell. The welding assembly comprises a welding gun. The welding gun welds the cross beam and the shell. At least two groups of storage boxes are arranged on the conveying belt in the conveying direction. The problem that each production line can only produce one type of vehicle body roof in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive roof processing technology, and in particular to a flexible production line and its operating method. Background Technology

[0002] In today's automotive market, different car models have different roofs, and even within a single model, there are different roof models. A car roof can be divided into a crossbeam and a shell. Different car models have crossbeams and shells with different structures. During processing, the target crossbeam and shell need to be transported to a designated location via conveyor belt for welding. However, due to the large number of car roof models, multiple production lines are set up in the car manufacturing plant according to different roof models. Each different model of crossbeam requires a corresponding shaped handling tool to transport it onto the conveyor belt. To avoid the danger of collisions between the handling tools during operation, a separate production line is set up for each model of car roof. Similarly, the handling of the shell also requires a corresponding shaped handling tool. Each production line can only produce one model of car roof, which occupies too much space in the factory area. Each production line uses a set of production equipment and handling tools of different shapes, which increases the processing cost of the car roof production line. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible production line and its operating method, which solves the problem that each production line can only produce one model of car body roof under the existing technology.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: The present invention provides a flexible production line, including a conveying component, a positioning component, a welding component, and a control computer. The conveying component includes a conveyor belt and a conveying gripper. The conveyor belt conveys a crossbeam to the gluing area, and the conveying gripper handles the outer shell. The positioning component includes a welding fixture. A handling robot handles the glued crossbeam into the welding fixture, and the conveying gripper transports the outer shell into the welding fixture. The welding fixture clamps the crossbeam and the outer shell. The welding component includes a welding torch, which welds the crossbeam and the outer shell.

[0005] Along the conveyor belt's conveying direction, at least two sets of storage boxes are provided on the upper side of the conveyor belt. Each storage box contains a crossbeam, and each set of storage boxes contains crossbeams of the same model. The models of the storage boxes and crossbeams correspond one-to-one. A switch door is provided at the bottom of each storage box, and the switch door is electrically connected to the control computer. Four sets of support wheels are rotatably installed inside each storage box. The outer wall of each support wheel has grooves on its circumference, and the grooves are spiral-shaped. The crossbeams are stacked on the support wheels. When the support wheels rotate, the crossbeams will be embedded in the grooves and slide downwards along the grooves. The two ends of the crossbeams slide downwards along the grooves, and the crossbeams fall through the switch door and land on the conveyor belt.

[0006] Preferably, the conveyor belt is provided with a positioning pin, and a positioning groove is formed on the crossbeam, with the positioning pin inserted into the positioning groove.

[0007] Preferably, the positioning component further includes a reference robot that removes the glued crossbeam from the handling robot and adjusts the position of the crossbeam within the welding fixture.

[0008] Preferably, the positioning component further includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first slide rail, a second slide rail, and a third slide rail. The first slide rail, the second slide rail, and the third slide rail are perpendicular to each other. The second slide rail is slidably mounted on the first slide rail, and the third slide rail is slidably mounted on the second slide rail. The reference robot is slidably mounted on the third slide rail. The control computer can control the movement of the second slide rail, the third slide rail, and the reference robot.

[0009] Preferably, the conveying gripper is provided with a suction cup, which is attached to the outer casing.

[0010] Preferably, the conveying gripper is equipped with a clamp, which includes an abutting end and a fixed end. The abutting end and the fixed end are hemispherical, and the outer shell is clamped between the abutting end and the fixed end. A lever is rotatably connected to the upper side of the abutting end, and the middle section of the lever is rotatably connected to the conveying gripper. A telescopic cylinder is installed at the other end of the abutting end, and the telescopic rod inside the telescopic cylinder is rotatably connected to the other end of the lever.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the fixed end is mounted on the conveying gripper by a spring.

[0012] A method for operating a flexible production line, comprising the flexible production line described above, and further comprising the following steps:

[0013] S1, the control computer receives signals to determine the crossbeam and housing model;

[0014] S2, control the computer to open the corresponding storage box, the crossbeam is lowered onto the conveyor belt by the rotation of the support wheels, the conveyor belt transports the crossbeam to the glue application area, and at the same time the transport gripper moves the shell into the welding fixture;

[0015] S3, the transport robot moves the beam out of the glue application area and docks with the reference robot to transfer the beam;

[0016] S4, the reference robot moves the crossbeam within the welding fixture via a positioning mechanism;

[0017] S5, The welding fixture fixes the outer shell and the crossbeam for welding;

[0018] S6, open the welding fixture and transport the outer shell and crossbeam to the next process.

[0019] Beneficial effects: This invention places all types of crossbeams on the upper side of the conveyor belt. Since multiple storage boxes are set on the conveyor belt, when a specific type of crossbeam is needed, the bottom switch door is opened by controlling the computer, and then the support wheel rotates. The crossbeam slides down the groove by gravity and falls onto the conveyor belt. In this way, one set of conveyor belts can be set up. When a specific type of crossbeam is needed, the switch door is opened and the support wheel is rotated directly. This can save the number of conveyor belts, reduce the floor space, and allow a single conveyor belt to carry multiple types of crossbeams, thus saving costs. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the workflow within the storage box of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a diagram of the main body of the positioning mechanism of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the main body of the conveying gripper of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Crossbeam; 2. Support wheel; 21. Groove; 3. Conveyor belt; 31. Positioning pin; 4. First slide rail; 5. Second slide rail; 6. Third slide rail; 7. Base robot; 8. Handling gripper; 81. Suction cup. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, and not all of the structures.

[0025] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0027] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0028] Under current technology, each different model of crossbeam and shell on a vehicle requires a new production line to be designed for processing. Since there are many models of cars, multiple production lines for car roofs will occupy space in the factory area. At the same time, each production line needs to be equipped with different shaped handling and processing tools, which will increase processing costs.

[0029] To solve the above problems, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides a flexible production line, including a conveying component, a positioning component, a welding component, and a control computer. The conveying component includes a conveyor belt 3 and a transport gripper 8. The conveyor belt 3 conveys a crossbeam 1 to the gluing area, and the transport gripper 8 transports the outer shell. The positioning component includes a welding fixture. A transport robot transports the glued crossbeam 1 into the welding fixture, and the transport gripper 8 transports the outer shell into the welding fixture. The welding fixture clamps the crossbeam 1 and the outer shell. The welding component includes a welding torch, which welds the crossbeam 1 and the outer shell to form the roof structure of the vehicle.

[0030] Along the conveying direction of conveyor belt 3, at least two sets of storage boxes are set on the upper side of conveyor belt 3. The storage boxes are arranged in sequence, and each storage box contains a crossbeam 1. Each set of storage boxes contains crossbeams 1 of the same model. The models of storage boxes and crossbeams 1 correspond one-to-one. A switch door is set at the bottom of the storage box. The switch door is electrically connected to the control computer. Four sets of support wheels 2 are rotatably installed inside the storage box. The outer wall of the support wheel 2 has grooves 21 with a spiral direction. The grooves 21 form notches at the top of the support wheel 2. The crossbeams 1 are stacked on the support wheels 2. When the support wheels 2 rotate, the bottom crossbeam 1 will fall into the notch and slide into the groove 21. As the support wheels 2 continue to rotate, the crossbeam 1 continues to slide downward. After descending through the switch door, the crossbeam 1 falls onto the conveyor belt 3. The crossbeam 1 is stored in the storage box and does not need to be transported to the conveyor belt by special handling tools, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the production line.

[0031] The control computer contains a control chip that stores the model of the crossbeam 1 to be produced. The control chip sends a signal to the corresponding storage box, which then opens the lower door of the storage box. At the same time, the support wheels 2 inside the storage box start to rotate, transporting the storage box to the bottom crossbeam 1 onto the bottom conveyor belt 3. The conveyor belt 3 then transports the crossbeam 1 to the gluing area. Since there are multiple sets of storage boxes, each containing a specific model of crossbeam 1, multiple models of crossbeam 1 can share a single conveyor belt 3, avoiding the need for multiple sets of conveyor belts 3, reducing the procurement and design costs of the conveyor belt 3, and improving the space utilization of the factory.

[0032] All models of crossbeam 1 are equipped with positioning grooves at fixed positions, and the conveyor belt 3 is equipped with positioning pins 31. The crossbeam 1 has positioning grooves, and the positioning pins 31 are inserted into the positioning grooves. This allows the crossbeam 1 to be stably transported to the glue application area for glue application.

[0033] The positioning component also includes a reference robot 7, which removes the glued crossbeam 1 from the handling robot and adjusts the position of the crossbeam 1 within the welding fixture.

[0034] After the adhesive is applied, the crossbeam 1 is placed directly on the reference robot 7 by the handling robot. By connecting the handling robot and the reference robot 7, the conveyor belt 3 can be avoided between the adhesive application area and the welding fixture, thus improving the space utilization of the factory and saving costs.

[0035] The positioning component also includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first slide rail 4, a second slide rail 5, and a third slide rail 6. The first slide rail 4, the second slide rail 5, and the third slide rail 6 are perpendicular to each other. The second slide rail 5 is slidably mounted on the first slide rail 4, and the third slide rail 6 is slidably mounted on the second slide rail 5. A reference robot 7 is mounted on the third slide rail 6. The control computer can control the movement of the second slide rail 5, the third slide rail 6, and the reference robot 7.

[0036] Since the welding positions of the crossbeam 1 and the shell are different for different models, the position of the crossbeam 1 must be adjusted by the reference robot 7 before welding the crossbeam 1 and the shell to avoid incorrect docking between the crossbeam 1 and the shell. Since the reference robot 7 needs to pick up different models of crossbeam 1 each time, and the welding positions of the crossbeam 1 on the shell are different for different models, the second slide rail 5 needs to slide along the length direction of the first slide rail 4, and the third slide rail 6 needs to slide along the length direction of the second slide rail 5. The reference robot 7 can slide along the length direction of the third slide rail 6, thereby adjusting the position of the crossbeam 1. The reference robot 7 can adjust the position of the crossbeam 1 for different models, and the reference robot 7 can dock the crossbeam 1 and the shell for different models.

[0037] The conveying gripper 8 is equipped with a suction cup 81, which is attached to the outer shell. By attaching the suction cup 81 to the outer side of the outer shell, the outer shell can be moved without leaving damage.

[0038] The conveying gripper 8 is equipped with a clamp, which includes a contact end and a fixed end. The contact end and the fixed end are hemispherical, and a shell is clamped between the contact end and the fixed end. A lever is rotatably connected to the upper side of the contact end. The middle section of the lever is rotatably connected to the conveying gripper 8. A telescopic cylinder is installed at the other end of the conveying gripper 8. The telescopic rod inside the telescopic cylinder is rotatably connected to the other end of the lever.

[0039] Since the fixed end and the abutment end are spherical, they make point contact with the outer shell. Although the curvature of the outer shell varies for different models of automobiles, there is no limit when the fixed end and the abutment end contact the outer shell, preventing the curvature of the outer shell from being deformed by the fixed end and the abutment end. The smaller the contact area between the fixed end and the abutment end and the outer shell, the lower the probability of deformation of the outer shell. The telescopic rod in the telescopic cylinder slides back and forth, driving the lever to rotate on the conveying gripper 8, which facilitates the placement and retrieval of the outer shell. When the telescopic rod extends, the fixed end and the abutment end clamp the outer shell; when the telescopic rod retracts, the fixed end and the abutment end place the outer shell.

[0040] The fixed end is mounted on the conveying gripper 8 by a spring. When the fixed end comes into contact with shells of different shapes, the spring can produce a slight deformation to adapt to the different shapes of the shells. Therefore, different types of shells can be placed between the fixed end and the contact end without damaging the shells. This allows the conveying gripper 8 to grab different types of shells, making it more versatile and reducing the configuration cost of the production line.

[0041] The present invention also provides a method for operating a flexible production line, comprising the following steps:

[0042] S1, the control computer receives signals to determine the crossbeam 1 and the housing model;

[0043] S2, control the computer to open the corresponding storage box, the crossbeam 1 rotates and descends onto the conveyor belt 3 via the support wheel 2, the conveyor belt 3 transports the crossbeam 1 to the glue application area, and at the same time the transport gripper 8 moves the outer shell into the welding fixture;

[0044] S3, the transport robot moves the beam 1 out of the glue application area and docks with the reference robot 7 to transfer the beam 1;

[0045] S4, the reference robot 7 moves the crossbeam 1 within the welding fixture through the positioning mechanism;

[0046] S5, the welding fixture fixes the outer shell and crossbeam 1 for welding;

[0047] S6, open the welding fixture and transport the outer shell and crossbeam 1 to the next process.

[0048] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible production line, characterized in that, The system includes a conveying component, a positioning component, a welding component, and a control computer. The conveying component includes a conveyor belt (3) and a transport gripper (8). The conveyor belt (3) conveys the crossbeam (1) to the glue application area. The transport gripper (8) transports the outer shell. The positioning component includes a welding fixture. The transport robot transports the glued crossbeam (1) into the welding fixture. The transport gripper (8) transports the outer shell into the welding fixture. The welding fixture clamps the crossbeam (1) and the outer shell. The welding component includes a welding torch. The welding torch welds the crossbeam (1) and the outer shell. Along the conveying direction of the conveyor belt (3), at least two sets of storage boxes are provided on the upper side of the conveyor belt (3). Each storage box contains a crossbeam (1). Each set of storage boxes contains the same type of crossbeam (1). The models of the storage boxes and the crossbeams (1) correspond one-to-one. A switch door is provided at the bottom of the storage box. The switch door is electrically connected to the control computer. Four sets of support wheels (2) are rotatably installed inside the storage box. The outer wall of the support wheel (2) is provided with a groove (21) on the circumference. The groove (21) is spiral in direction. The crossbeams (1) are stacked on the support wheels (2). When the support wheels (2) rotate, the crossbeams (1) will be embedded in the groove (21) and slide down along the groove (21). The two ends of the crossbeams (1) slide down along the groove (21). The crossbeams (1) fall down through the switch door and land on the conveyor belt (3). The conveyor belt (3) is provided with a positioning pin (31), and the crossbeam (1) is formed with a positioning groove, and the positioning pin (31) is inserted into the positioning groove; The positioning component also includes a reference robot (7), which removes the glued crossbeam (1) from the transport robot and adjusts the position of the crossbeam (1) within the welding fixture. The positioning component further includes a positioning mechanism, which includes a first slide rail (4), a second slide rail (5), and a third slide rail (6). The first slide rail (4), the second slide rail (5), and the third slide rail (6) are perpendicular to each other. The second slide rail (5) is slidably mounted on the first slide rail (4), and the third slide rail (6) is slidably mounted on the second slide rail (5). The reference robot (7) is slidably mounted on the third slide rail (6). The control computer can control the movement of the second slide rail (5), the third slide rail (6), and the reference robot (7). The conveying gripper (8) is equipped with a clamp, which includes an abutting end and a fixed end. The abutting end and the fixed end are hemispherical. The outer shell is clamped between the abutting end and the fixed end. A lever is rotatably connected to the upper side of the abutting end. The middle section of the lever is rotatably connected to the conveying gripper (8). A telescopic cylinder is installed on the conveying gripper. The telescopic rod inside the telescopic cylinder is rotatably connected to the other end of the lever.

2. The flexible production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying gripper (8) is equipped with a suction cup (81), which is attached to the outer shell.

3. The flexible production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the fixed end is mounted on the conveying gripper (8) by a spring.

4. A method for operating a flexible production line, characterized in that, The flexible production line, including that described in claim 3, further includes the following steps: S1, control the computer to receive signals to determine the crossbeam (1) and the housing model; S2, control the computer to open the corresponding storage box, the crossbeam (1) rotates and descends onto the conveyor belt (3) via the support wheel (2), the conveyor belt (3) transports the crossbeam (1) to the glue application area, and at the same time the transport gripper (8) moves the shell into the welding fixture; S3, the transport robot moves the crossbeam (1) out of the glue application area and docks with the reference robot (7) to transfer the crossbeam (1); S4, the reference robot (7) moves the crossbeam (1) within the welding fixture through the positioning mechanism; S5, the welding fixture fixes the outer shell and the crossbeam (1) for welding; S6, open the welding fixture and transport the outer shell and crossbeam (1) to the next process.

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