Electromagnet core full-automatic assembling and detecting production line and assembling process

Abstract

This invention discloses a fully automated assembly and testing production line and assembly process for electromagnet cores, comprising a pallet conveyor line, pallets, and a spring retainer assembly station. The spring retainer assembly station includes a first robotic arm, a spring feeding unit, a retainer feeding mechanism, a gasket feeding mechanism, a measuring instrument, a testing mechanism, several clamping modules, and a testing conductive head module, all positioned within the robotic arm's range of motion. The clamping modules and the testing conductive head module are quickly interchanged and installed at the end of the first robotic arm as needed. The testing mechanism includes a first testing module for detecting the working force of the electromagnet, a second testing module for detecting the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet, and a third testing module for detecting the inner diameter of the housing. This invention enables the automated assembly of the electromagnet housing, core, retainer, and gaskets, and allows for various performance tests. It also automatically adjusts the retainer specifications and gasket quantity based on the test results, resulting in high assembly efficiency.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of electromagnet assembly equipment, and in particular relates to a fully automated assembly and testing production line and assembly process for electromagnet cores. [Background Technology]

[0002] An electromagnet is a device that generates electromagnetic fields when an electric current flows through it. A conductive winding, matched to the power of the current, is wound around an iron core. This current-carrying coil exhibits magnetism like a magnet, hence the name electromagnet. It is typically made in a bar or horseshoe shape to make the iron core easier to magnetize. Currently, one type of electromagnet includes a housing, coil, yoke, iron core, spring, retaining ring, and washers. In traditional manufacturing processes, electromagnets are mostly assembled manually, resulting in low assembly efficiency. The prior art patent publication number CN11444146B discloses an automated electromagnet assembly system and method. This assembly system only vaguely describes the electromagnet assembly station and does not provide a clear and complete description of the assembly structure of specific components. For example, the installation of the retaining ring requires testing the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet after the retaining ring is installed. If the opening and closing stroke test is unqualified, the thickness specification of the retaining ring needs to be adjusted according to the test result. Similarly, the assembly of the gaskets requires adjusting the number of gaskets to be assembled according to the magnitude of the electromagnet's attracting / releasing current. However, this assembly system does not implement this function.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new fully automated assembly and testing production line and assembly process for electromagnet cores to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores, which can automatically assemble electromagnet housings, cores, retaining rings, and gaskets, and can perform various performance tests. Based on the test results, it can automatically adjust the specifications of the retaining rings and the number of gaskets, resulting in high assembly efficiency.

[0005] The present invention achieves the above objectives through the following technical solution: a fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores, comprising a pallet conveyor line, pallets conveyed on the pallet conveyor line, and a spring retainer assembly station located beside the pallet conveyor line; the pallets contain a plurality of housing components and cores;

[0006] The spring retainer assembly station includes a first robotic arm, a spring feeding unit, a retainer feeding mechanism, a gasket feeding mechanism, a measuring instrument for measuring the outer diameter of the iron core, a testing mechanism, a jig support, and several clamping modules mounted on the jig support, as well as a test conduction head module for electrical conduction with the product under test during auxiliary electrical performance testing; the clamping modules and the test conduction head module are installed at the movable end of the first robotic arm using a quick-change method as required.

[0007] The clamping module includes a retaining ring clamping module for clamping the retaining ring, a housing clamping module for clamping the housing assembly, and a combined clamping module for clamping the spring and the iron core.

[0008] The testing mechanism is located above the pallet conveyor line and includes an XY-axis transfer module, a fourth support plate disposed at the movable end of the XY-axis transfer module, a first test module fixed on the fourth support plate for detecting the magnitude of the electromagnet's working force, a second test module fixed on the fourth support plate for detecting the electromagnet's opening and closing stroke, a third test module for detecting the inner diameter of the housing, and a vision module for acquiring the marking information on the housing assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the tray is provided with a plurality of first supporting through holes for supporting the housing assembly, a plurality of second supporting through holes for supporting the iron core, and a plurality of wire clamps for fixing the position of the coil wire ends on the housing assembly; the first supporting through holes, the second supporting through holes, and the wire clamps are all arranged separately at a predetermined interval.

[0010] Furthermore, the retaining ring clamping module includes a first cylinder and a picking pin driven by the first cylinder to open or close.

[0011] The housing clamping module includes a second cylinder and housing grippers driven by the second cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions.

[0012] The combined clamping module includes a first support plate, a third cylinder and a fourth cylinder fixed on the first support plate and vertically distributed, an iron core gripper driven by the third cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions, and a multi-functional gripper driven by the fourth cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions.

[0013] The test continuity head module includes a first continuity head module; the first continuity head module includes a second support plate, a first wire end support plate fixed on the second support plate and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a fifth cylinder fixed on the second support plate, a third support plate driven by the fifth cylinder to move up and down, and a pair of first continuity probes fixed on the third support plate and aligned downwards with the first wire end support plate.

[0014] Furthermore, the retaining ring feeding mechanism is provided with several sets for feeding retaining rings of different specifications; the retaining ring feeding mechanism includes a retaining ring clip for storing stacked retaining rings, a first receiving platform located in front of the retaining ring clip, a first pusher plate located behind the retaining ring clip and pushing the bottom retaining ring of the retaining ring clip forward onto the first receiving platform, and a seventh cylinder for driving the first pusher plate to move back and forth.

[0015] Furthermore, the gasket feeding mechanism includes a gasket clip for storing stacked gaskets, a second receiving platform located in front of the gasket clip, a second pusher plate located behind the gasket clip and pushing the bottom gasket of the gasket clip forward onto the second receiving platform, and an eighth cylinder for driving the second pusher plate to move back and forth; the end of the second receiving platform is provided with a clearance hole to facilitate the iron core passing through the gasket.

[0016] Furthermore, the first test module includes a first motor, a fifth support plate driven by the first motor to move up and down, a pressure sensor fixed on the fifth support plate, a ninth cylinder fixed on the sensing end of the pressure sensor, a core clamp driven by the ninth cylinder to clamp the top of the core, and a housing pressure plate fixed on the fourth support plate and located below the core clamp to press the housing. The housing pressure plate is provided with an avoidance opening for the core clamp to extend through.

[0017] Furthermore, the second test module includes a second motor, a sixth support plate driven by the second motor to move up and down, a fixed pressure pin fixed on the sixth support plate for pressing the electromagnet housing, a detection pin floating up and down on the sixth support plate for pressing the top of the iron core, and a distance sensor fixed on the sixth support plate for detecting the downward movement distance of the detection pin.

[0018] The third test module includes a tenth cylinder fixed on the sixth support plate, a seventh support plate driven by the tenth cylinder to move up and down, an inner diameter detection probe floating up and down on the seventh support plate, and a sixth sensor fixed on the seventh support plate and monitoring the height position of the inner diameter detection probe.

[0019] The vision module includes an eleventh cylinder fixed on the sixth support plate and a vision camera that is driven by the eleventh cylinder to move up and down.

[0020] Furthermore, it also includes a multi-functional testing station located next to the pallet conveyor line and downstream of the spring retainer assembly station; the multi-functional testing station includes a fourth robotic arm, an eighth support plate located at the movable end of the fourth robotic arm, and a second conductive module and a third conductive head module fixed on the eighth support plate; the second conductive module and the third conductive head module each include a second wire end support plate fixed on the eighth support plate and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a sixth cylinder fixed on the eighth support plate, a ninth support plate driven by the sixth cylinder to move up and down, and several second conductive probes fixed on the ninth support plate; two of the second conductive probes in the second conductive module are located directly above the second wire end support plate; three of the second conductive probes in the third conductive head module are located, two of which are located directly above the second wire end support plate, and the other second conductive probe is aligned with the set position of the housing assembly.

[0021] Furthermore, it also includes a pallet unloading and storage station located at the end of the pallet conveyor line; the pallet unloading and storage station includes a pallet storage unit for storing pallets, an unloading and outbound transfer module located on the inlet and outlet side of the pallet storage unit, and a pallet handling module for moving pallets from the pallet conveyor line into the pallet storage unit or moving pallets output from the pallet storage unit into the unloading and outbound transfer module.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated assembly and testing process for electromagnet cores, which includes the following steps:

[0023] S1. Using a pallet to carry several housing components and iron cores, move them to the spring retainer assembly station;

[0024] S2. The end effector of the first robotic arm is equipped with a housing clamping module that holds the housing assembly. It removes the housing assembly from the tray and moves it to the position of the vision module in the testing mechanism to obtain the engraving information on the housing assembly and upload it to the host computer system.

[0025] S3. Use the third test module to detect the inner diameter of the housing assembly;

[0026] S4. The first robotic arm is equipped with a combined clamping module capable of holding springs at its end. It picks up a spring from the spring feeding unit and then inserts it into the housing assembly to complete the spring installation.

[0027] S5. The first robotic arm is equipped with a combined clamping module that can hold iron cores. It takes an iron core out of the tray and places it on the measuring instrument to detect the outer diameter of the iron core.

[0028] S6. During the execution of steps S1 to S5, the gasket feeding mechanism supplies gaskets of the corresponding specifications to a second receiving platform.

[0029] S7. After the outer diameter of the iron core is detected, the combined clamping module inserts the iron core into the shim, and then picks up the iron core and the shim together; if the initially set number of shims to be installed is greater than 1, repeat this step to complete the installation of the set number of shims on the iron core.

[0030] S8. During the execution of steps S1 to S7, the retaining ring feeding mechanism supplies retaining rings of various specifications to a first receiving platform; the end effector of the first robotic arm is quickly replaced with a retaining ring clamping module for clamping retaining rings, and then moves to the first receiving platform to pick up the standard retaining ring set by the system, and then installs it into the housing assembly to complete the retaining ring installation and obtain the electromagnet.

[0031] S9. The end effector of the first robotic arm is quickly replaced with a test conduction head module. The test mechanism moves to the top of the tray and uses the first conduction head module to clamp the wire end of the electromagnet to achieve electrical conduction. The electromagnet comprehensive tester is used to test the electromagnet's pull-in / release current and pull-in / release time. Then, the first test module and the second test module are used to detect the working force and opening / closing stroke of the electromagnet, respectively.

[0032] S10. If the electromagnet's attraction / release current detection is OK, then the number of shims installed is correct and effective; otherwise, the number of shims installed needs to be readjusted.

[0033] If the electromagnet's opening and closing stroke is OK, then the thickness of the retaining ring is correct and effective; otherwise, the thickness of the retaining ring needs to be replaced.

[0034] Furthermore, in step S10,

[0035] The operation of readjusting the number of shims includes: the end of the first robotic arm quickly switches to a retaining ring clamping module to remove the retaining ring already installed on the electromagnet, then quickly switches to a combined clamping module to remove the iron core and shims, and then the number of shims is increased or decreased at the shim feeding mechanism; then the iron core with the correct number of shims is placed back into the housing assembly, and then the retaining ring is put in.

[0036] The operation of replacing the retaining ring thickness includes: the quick-change retaining ring clamping module at the end of the first robotic arm removes the retaining ring, and then picks up a retaining ring of the corresponding thickness at the retaining ring feeding mechanism according to the opening and closing stroke detection result of the electromagnet for installation; if a set number of products need to be replaced with retaining rings of the same thickness every time, the system will automatically take the retaining rings of the same thickness that have been replaced for the set number of times as the latest standard retaining ring, and when the next product is to be installed with a retaining ring, the retaining ring of that thickness will be picked up directly.

[0037] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention—a fully automated assembly and testing production line and assembly process for electromagnet cores—are that it enables the automatic assembly of the electromagnet shell, core, retaining ring, and gaskets; it can perform various performance tests; and it automatically adjusts the retaining ring specifications and gasket quantity based on the test results, resulting in high assembly efficiency. Specifically:

[0038] (1) The shell components and iron core are loaded through the pallet. At the assembly station, there is a feeding mechanism for retaining rings and gaskets to realize the automatic feeding of retaining rings and gaskets. The robot arm and several clamping modules are used. The robot arm adopts a quick-change method to realize the quick change between each clamping module so as to realize the clamping and handling of iron core, the picking and installation of retaining rings, the assembly of gaskets and iron cores, and the clamping and installation of springs. In this way, the fully automatic assembly of iron core, gaskets, springs, retaining rings and shell components is realized, which greatly improves the assembly efficiency.

[0039] (2) At the assembly station, a test conduction head module and a test mechanism are also configured. The test conduction head module is set at the end of the robot arm in a quick-change manner to realize the electrical conduction of the electromagnet. The electromagnet comprehensive tester is electrically connected to the test conduction head module, so as to realize the test of the electromagnet’s pull-in / release current and pull-in / release time. Based on the electromagnet’s pull-in / release current, it is possible to evaluate whether the number of gaskets installed meets the requirements, so as to adjust the number of gaskets installed.

[0040] (3) The testing mechanism is also equipped with a first testing module for detecting the working force of the electromagnet and a second testing module for detecting the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet. Based on the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet, it is possible to evaluate whether the thickness of the retaining ring meets the requirements, so as to adjust the thickness of the retaining ring.

[0041] (4) A third test module for detecting the inner diameter of the housing component is also configured in the testing mechanism to ensure that the dimensions of the incoming housing component are correct, thereby ensuring the quality of the assembled product. [Attached Image Description]

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the electromagnet in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the tray structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the spring retaining ring assembly station in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figures 5-8This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the retaining ring clamping module, the housing clamping module, the combined clamping module, and the first conductive head module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the end structure of the spring feeding unit in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figures 10-11 This is a schematic diagram of the testing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the retaining ring feeding mechanism and the gasket feeding mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fourth robotic arm's movable end effector in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet unloading and storage station in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet handling module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the pallet gripper structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] The numbers in the image represent:

[0055] 100-Fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores;

[0056] 10-Electromagnet, 20-Housing assembly, 30-Iron core, 40-Spring, 50-Washer, 60-Retaining ring;

[0057] 1- Pallet conveyor line; 2- Tray feeding hopper;

[0058] 3-Spring retainer ring assembly station, 31-First robotic arm, 32-Spring feeding unit, 321-Vibrating plate, 322-Conveying channel, 323-Material baffle, 324-Avoidance notch, 325-First sensor, 33-Retainer ring feeding mechanism, 331-Retainer ring clip, 332-First receiving platform, 333-First pusher plate, 334-Seventh cylinder, 335-First limit baffle, 34-Gasket feeding mechanism, 341-Gasket clip, 342-Second receiving platform, 343-Second pusher plate Plate, 344-Eighth Cylinder, 345-Second Limiting Baffle, 346-Allowing Hole, 35-Measuring Instrument, 351-Measuring Support, 36-Testing Mechanism, 361-XY Axis Transfer Module, 362-Fourth Support Plate, 363-First Test Module, 3631-First Motor, 3632-Fifth Support Plate, 3633-Pressure Sensor, 3634-Ninth Cylinder, 3635-Core Clamp, 3636-Housing Plate, 364-Second Test Module, 3641-Second Motor, 3 642-Sixth Support Plate, 3643-Fixed Pressure Pin, 3644-Detection Ejector Pin, 3645-Distance Sensor, 365-Third Test Module, 3651-Tenth Cylinder, 3652-Seventh Support Plate, 3653-Inner Diameter Detection Probe, 366-Vision Module, 3661-Eleventh Cylinder, 3662-Vision Camera, 37-Clamping Fixture Support, 38-Clamping Module, 381-Retaining Ring Clamping Module, 3811-First Cylinder, 3812-Material Pickup Pin, 382-Housing Clamping Module Group, 3821-Second Cylinder, 3822-Housing Gripper, 383-Combined Gripper Module, 3831-First Support Plate, 3832-Third Cylinder, 383-Fourth Cylinder, 3834-Iron Core Gripper, 3835-Multifunctional Gripper, 39-Test Conductor Head Module, 391-First Conductor Head Module, 3911-Second Support Plate, 3912-First Wire End Support Plate, 3913-Fifth Cylinder, 3914-Third Support Plate, 3915-First Conductor Probe, 310-Retaining Ring Recycling Box;

[0059] 4-Multifunctional testing station, 41-Fourth robotic arm, 42-Eighth support plate, 43-Second conductive head module, 431-Second wire end support plate, 432-Sixth cylinder, 433-Ninth support plate, 434-Second conductive probe, 44-Third conductive head module, 45-Electromagnetic gripper;

[0060] 5-Pallet unloading and storage station, 51-Pallet storage unit, 52-Unloading and outbound transfer module, 53-Pallet handling module, 531-Y-axis transfer assembly, 532-Bracket, 533-Third motor, 534-Pallet gripper, 5341-Twelfth cylinder, 5342-Pallet hook plate, 5343-Hook needle, 535-Material picking assembly, 5351-Fourth motor, 5352-Thirteenth cylinder, 5353-Fourth housing gripper, 536-Tenth support plate, 54-Electronic scale, 55-NG box;

[0061] 6-Tray, 61-First support through hole, 62-Second support through hole, 63-Wire clamp.

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0062] Example 1:

[0063] Please refer to Figures 1-16 This embodiment is an automated assembly and testing production line 100 for electromagnet cores, which includes a pallet conveyor line 1 that conveys in the left and right direction, a tray feeding bin 2 set at the input end of the pallet conveyor line 1, a spring retaining ring assembly station 3, a multi-functional testing station 4, and a pallet unloading and storage station 5 arranged sequentially along the pallet conveyor line 1.

[0064] The tray feeding bin 2 contains several trays 6, and several shell components 20 and iron cores 30 are placed in the trays 6.

[0065] The bottom of the tray feeding bin 2 is equipped with a lifting mechanism (not shown in the figure), and the bottom periphery is equipped with a material distribution component (not shown in the figure) that works with the lifting mechanism to separate the bottom tray 6 of the tray feeding bin 2.

[0066] The tray 6 is provided with several first supporting through holes 61 for supporting the housing assembly 20, several second supporting through holes 62 for supporting the iron core 30, and several wire clamps 63 for fixing the position of the coil wire ends on the housing assembly 20. The first supporting through holes 61, second supporting through holes 62, and wire clamps 63 are all arranged at predetermined intervals to facilitate the clamping of the iron core 30, to provide sufficient space for various performance tests above the housing assembly 20, or to provide sufficient space around the wire clamps 63 so that the conductive connectors can be reached when energizing the electromagnet is required for electrical performance tests. In this embodiment, there is one more second supporting through hole 62 for supporting the iron core 30 than the first supporting through hole 61 for supporting the housing assembly 20, as a backup in case the outer diameter of the iron core fails the test.

[0067] The spring retainer assembly station 3 includes a first robotic arm 31, a spring feeding unit 32 located within the range of motion of the first robotic arm 31, a retainer feeding mechanism 33, a gasket feeding mechanism 34, a measuring instrument 35 for measuring the outer diameter of the iron core, a testing mechanism 36, a jig support 37, and several clamping modules 38 and a test guide head module 39 for auxiliary testing, all located on the jig support 37.

[0068] Both the clamping module 38 and the test continuity head module 39 are equipped with robot tool quick-change devices. When needed, the first robotic arm 31 moves to the position of the fixture support 37 to install and remove the clamping module 38 and the test continuity head module 39 as required, achieving quick-change. During use, the clamping module 38 and the test continuity head module 39 are mounted on the movable end of the first robotic arm 31.

[0069] The clamping module 38 includes a retaining ring clamping module 381 for clamping the retaining ring 60, a housing clamping module 382 for clamping the housing assembly 20, and a combined clamping module 383 for clamping the spring 40 and the iron core 30.

[0070] The test continuity module 39 includes a first continuity module 391 that conducts electrical connection with the product under test during auxiliary electrical performance testing.

[0071] The retaining ring clamping module 381 includes a first cylinder 3811 and two picking pins 3812 driven by the first cylinder 3811 to open or close. The picking pins 3812 pick up the retaining ring 60 by inserting into two small holes on the retaining ring 60. The first cylinder 3811 drives the two picking pins 3812 to open, which can enlarge the narrow opening of the retaining ring 60 and facilitate the installation of the retaining ring 60.

[0072] The housing clamping module 382 includes a second cylinder 3821 and a housing gripper 3822 driven by the second cylinder 3821 to perform opening or clamping actions.

[0073] The combined clamping module 383 includes a first support plate 3831, a third cylinder 3832 and a fourth cylinder 3833 fixed on the first support plate 3831 and vertically distributed, a core gripper 3834 driven by the third cylinder 3832 to perform opening or clamping actions, and a multi-functional gripper 3835 driven by the fourth cylinder 3833 to perform opening or clamping actions. The multi-functional gripper 3835 can clamp the assembly of the core 30 and the washer 50; during clamping, it can directly clamp the washer 50 sleeved on the core 30 to pick up the core and washer together. Furthermore, the multi-functional gripper 3835 can also clamp springs.

[0074] The first conductive head module 391 includes a second support plate 3911, a first wire end support plate 3912 fixed on the second support plate 3911 and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a fifth cylinder 3913 fixed on the second support plate 3911, a third support plate 3914 driven by the fifth cylinder 3913 to move up and down, and a pair of first conductive probes 3915 fixed on the third support plate 3914 and aligned downwards with the first wire end support plate 3912.

[0075] The spring feeding unit 32 includes a vibratory feeder 321, a conveying channel 322 connecting to the output end of the vibratory feeder 321, and a material baffle 323 located at the end of the conveying channel 322. A pair of material baffles 323 are provided, spaced apart and opposite to each other, forming clearance notches 324 for the spring grippers 385 to extend into. A first sensor 325 is also provided at the end of the conveying channel 322 to detect whether a spring is in position.

[0076] The retaining ring feeding mechanism 33 is provided with several sets, each used for feeding retaining rings 60 of different specifications. The retaining ring feeding mechanism 33 includes a retaining ring clip 331 for storing stacked retaining rings, a first receiving platform 332 located in front of the retaining ring clip 331, a first pusher plate 333 located behind the retaining ring clip 331 and pushing the bottom retaining ring 60 of the retaining ring clip 331 forward onto the first receiving platform 332, and a seventh cylinder 334 for driving the first pusher plate 333 to move back and forth. A first limiting baffle 335 is provided in front of the first receiving platform 332, and a second sensor (not shown in the figure) is provided on the first limiting baffle 335 to detect whether there is a retaining ring on the first receiving platform 332.

[0077] The gasket feeding mechanism 34 is also provided with several sets to feed gaskets 50 of different specifications, so as to be suitable for use in various products. The gasket feeding mechanism 34 includes a gasket clip 341 for storing stacked gaskets 50, a second receiving platform 342 located in front of the gasket clip 341, a second pusher plate 343 located behind the gasket clip 341 and pushing the bottom gasket 50 of the gasket clip 341 forward onto the second receiving platform 342, and an eighth cylinder 344 for driving the second pusher plate 343 to move back and forth. A second limit baffle 345 is provided in front of the second receiving platform 342, and a third sensor (not shown in the figure) is provided on the second limit baffle 345 to detect whether there is a gasket on the second receiving platform 342. To facilitate the fitting of the pad 50 onto the iron core 30, the end of the second receiving platform 342 is provided with a clearance hole 346. The diameter of the clearance hole 346 is smaller than the inner diameter of the pad 50 and larger than the outer diameter of the iron core 30, so that when the pad 50 is pushed to the end of the second receiving platform 342, the first robotic arm 31 can grip the iron core 30 and insert it directly downward into the pad 50, and then pick up the pad and the iron core together.

[0078] The measuring instrument 35 is a pneumatic measuring instrument used to detect the outer diameter of the iron core, and it is equipped with a measuring support 351.

[0079] The testing mechanism 36 is located above the pallet conveyor line 1. It includes an XY axis transfer module 361, a fourth support plate 362 disposed at the movable end of the XY axis transfer module 361, a first test module 363 fixed on the fourth support plate 362 for detecting the magnitude of the working force of the electromagnet, a second test module 364 fixed on the fourth support plate 362 for detecting the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet, a third test module 365 for detecting the inner diameter of the housing, and a vision module 366 for recording the marking information on the housing.

[0080] The first test module 363 includes a first motor 3631, a fifth support plate 3632 driven by the first motor 3631 to move up and down, a pressure sensor 3633 fixed on the fifth support plate 3632, a ninth cylinder 3634 fixed on the sensing end of the pressure sensor 3633, a core chuck 3635 driven by the ninth cylinder 3634 to clamp the top of the core 30, and a housing pressure plate 3636 fixed on the fourth support plate 362 and located below the core chuck 3635 to press the housing. The housing pressure plate 3636 is provided with an avoidance opening (not shown in the figure) for the core chuck 3635 to extend through. When testing the working force of an electromagnet, the first robotic arm 31 is equipped with a first conductive head module 391 at its end, then moves to the tray 6 area, and then to the position of the wire clamp 63 corresponding to the electromagnet to be tested. The first wire end support plate 3912 supports the two wire ends on the wire clamp 63, and the first conductive probe 3915 remains disconnected. Then, the first test module 363 moves above the electromagnet to be tested, and the iron core clamp 3635 extends into the electromagnet through the clearance opening and clamps the top of the iron core 30. The first conductive probe 3915 contacts the wire ends downward to conduct electricity, the electromagnet is energized, and the iron core 30 is driven to move downward. At this time, the iron core clamp 3635 is pulled downward. The pulling force is detected by the pressure sensor 3633, which is the working force of the electromagnet. This working force is uploaded to the host computer system, which judges whether it meets the requirements and completes the test.

[0081] The second test module 364 includes a second motor 3641, a sixth support plate 3642 driven by the second motor 3641 to move up and down, a fixing pin 3643 fixed on the sixth support plate 3642 for pressing the electromagnet housing, a detection pin 3644 floating on the sixth support plate 3642 for pressing the top of the iron core 30, and a distance sensor 3645 fixed on the sixth support plate 3642 for detecting the downward movement distance of the detection pin 3644. When performing electromagnet opening and closing stroke detection, the first robotic arm 31 is also equipped with a first conductive head module 391 at its end. After the working force detection of the same electromagnet is completed, it remains stationary and only performs a power-off operation. The second test module 364 moves above the electromagnet and uses the fixed pressure pin 3643 to press the housing. At the same time, the detection pin 3644 presses the iron core 30. Then, the first conductive head module 391 connects the wire end of the electromagnet, the electromagnet is energized, and the iron core 30 moves downward. The detection pin 3644 moves downward the same distance as the iron core 30 under the action of the spring. The distance of movement of the detection pin 3644 is detected by the distance sensor 3645, which is the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet. This information is then uploaded to the host computer system, where it is determined whether the opening and closing stroke of the electromagnet meets the requirements, thus completing the detection.

[0082] The third test module 365 and the vision module 366 are both fixedly mounted on the sixth support plate 3642. The third test module 365 includes a tenth cylinder 3651 fixed on the sixth support plate 3642, a seventh support plate 3652 driven by the tenth cylinder 3651 to move up and down, an inner diameter detection probe 3653 floating up and down on the seventh support plate 3652, and a sixth sensor (not shown in the figure) fixed on the seventh support plate 3652 and monitoring the height position of the inner diameter detection probe 3653.

[0083] The vision module 366 includes an eleventh cylinder 3661 fixed on a sixth support plate 3642 and a vision camera 3662 driven by the eleventh cylinder 3661 to move up and down.

[0084] The workflow of spring retainer assembly station 3 is as follows:

[0085] S1, the tray 6 carries several housing components 20 and iron core 30 into place;

[0086] S2. The first robotic arm 31 is equipped with a housing clamping module 382 for clamping the housing assembly 20. It removes the housing assembly 20 from the tray 6 and moves it to the position of the vision module 366 in the testing mechanism 36. The vision module 366 identifies the engraving information on the housing assembly 20 and uploads it to the host computer system. Repeating this step can complete the engraving information entry for all housing assemblies 20 on the tray 6.

[0087] S3, the third test module 365 in the test mechanism 36 detects the inner diameter of the housing in the housing assembly 20; repeating this step can complete the detection of the inner diameter of all housings on the tray 6;

[0088] S4. The first robotic arm 31 is equipped with a combined clamping module 383 capable of clamping springs at its end. It picks up a spring 40 from the spring feeding unit 32 and then inserts it into the housing assembly 20 to complete the spring installation. Repeating this step can complete the spring installation in all housing assemblies 20 on the tray 6.

[0089] S5. The first robotic arm 31 is equipped with a combined clamping module 383 at its end, which can clamp the iron core 30. It takes an iron core 30 out of the tray 6 and places it on the measuring instrument 35 to detect the outer diameter of the iron core.

[0090] S6. During the execution of steps S1 to S5, the gasket feeding mechanism 34 supplies gaskets 50 of the corresponding specifications to the second receiving platform 342. After the outer diameter of the iron core is detected, the combined clamping module 383 inserts the iron core 30 into the gasket 50, and then picks up the iron core and the gasket together. If the initial set number of gaskets to be installed is 2, the gasket feeding mechanism 34 outputs another gasket, and the combined clamping module 383 inserts the iron core and the first gasket into the second gasket, then picks up the iron core and the two gaskets together and puts them into the housing in the housing assembly 20 to complete the iron core installation. Repeating steps S5 to S6 can complete the outer diameter detection and installation of all iron cores on the tray 6.

[0091] S7. During the execution of steps S1 to S6, the retaining ring feeding mechanism 33 supplies retaining rings 60 of various specifications to the first receiving platform 332; the end of the first robotic arm 31 is quickly replaced with a retaining ring clamping module 381 for clamping the retaining rings 60, and then moves to the retaining ring feeding mechanism 33 to pick up the standard retaining ring set by the system. For example, the thickness of the standard retaining ring at this time is 1.0mm. The retaining ring clamping module 381 picks up a retaining ring 60 with a thickness of 1.0mm, and then installs it into the housing assembly 20 to complete the retaining ring installation and obtain the electromagnet 10; repeating this step can complete the installation of retaining rings in all housing assemblies 20 on the tray 6;

[0092] S8. After the electromagnet is assembled, various performance tests are performed to determine whether the retaining ring and gasket are installed effectively. The end of the first robotic arm 31 is quickly replaced with the first conductive head module 391. The testing mechanism 36 moves above the tray 6 and uses the first conductive head module 391 to clamp the wire end of the electromagnet to achieve electrical conduction. First, the electromagnet comprehensive tester, which is electrically connected to the first conductive head module 391, is used to test the electromagnet's pull-in / release current and pull-in / release time, and the data is uploaded to the host computer system. Then, the first test module 363 and the second test module 364 are used to detect the working force and opening / closing stroke of the electromagnet, respectively.

[0093] S9. If the electromagnet's attraction / discharge current detection is OK, then the number of shims 50 installed is correct and effective; otherwise, the number of shims needs to be readjusted. If the electromagnet's opening / closing stroke detection is OK, then the thickness of the retaining ring 60 is correct and effective; otherwise, the thickness of the retaining ring needs to be replaced. If the number of shims needs to be replaced, the quick-change retaining ring clamping module 381 at the end of the first robotic arm 31 removes the retaining ring 60, then quickly changes to the combined clamping module 383 to remove the iron core and shims. Then, the number of shims is increased or decreased at the shim feeding mechanism 34. Finally, the shims with the correct number of shims are installed... The iron core is placed back into the housing assembly 20, and then the retaining ring is inserted. If the retaining ring thickness needs to be changed, the quick-change retaining ring clamping module 381 at the end of the first robot arm 31 removes the retaining ring 60, and then picks up the retaining ring of the corresponding thickness at the retaining ring feeding mechanism 33 according to the electromagnet opening and closing stroke detection result for installation. If a set number (e.g., 5) of products need to be replaced with the same thickness of retaining ring each time, the system automatically changes the program and uses the retaining ring of the same thickness that has been replaced multiple times as the latest standard retaining ring. When the next product is to be installed with a retaining ring, the retaining ring of that thickness is picked up directly.

[0094] If the retaining ring or shim is replaced in step S9, the electromagnet after adjusting the number of shims or changing the thickness of the retaining ring needs to be retested for electromagnet engagement / disengagement current, engagement / disengagement time, working force, and working force stroke; only after passing the test can it proceed to the next workstation. A retaining ring recycling box 310 is provided within the range of motion of the first robotic arm 31 to collect the disassembled retaining rings.

[0095] The multi-functional testing station 4 includes a fourth robotic arm 41, an eighth support plate 42 located at the movable end of the fourth robotic arm 41, and a second conductive module 43 and a third conductive head module 44 fixed on the eighth support plate 42.

[0096] Both the second conduction module 43 and the third conduction head module 44 include a second wire end support plate 431 fixed on the eighth support plate 42 and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a sixth cylinder 432 fixed on the eighth support plate 42, a ninth support plate 433 driven by the sixth cylinder 432 to move up and down, and a plurality of second conduction probes 434 fixed on the ninth support plate 433. Two of the second conduction probes 434 in the second conduction module 43 are located directly above the second wire end support plate 431. Three of the second conduction probes 434 in the third conduction head module 43 are provided, two of which are located directly above the second wire end support plate 431, and the other second conduction probe 434 is aligned with the housing assembly at a set position.

[0097] The eighth support plate 42 is also equipped with an electromagnet gripper 45. When the electromagnet fails the test, it is removed from the tray 6 by the fourth robotic arm 41 and placed into the defective product box.

[0098] The multi-functional testing station 4 is mainly used to perform online testing of the electromagnet coil resistance, insulation resistance, and insulation dielectric strength, and upload the data to the host computer system. The fourth robotic arm 41 has an NG (Not Acceptable Quality) box within its range of motion; products that fail the test are placed in the NG box.

[0099] The pallet unloading and storage station 5 includes a pallet storage unit 51 for storing pallets 6, an unloading and outbound transfer module 52 located on the inlet and outlet side of the pallet storage unit 51, and a pallet handling module 53 for moving pallets 6 from the pallet conveyor line 1 into the pallet storage unit 51 or for moving pallets 6 output from the pallet storage unit 51 into the unloading and outbound transfer module 52.

[0100] The pallet storage unit 51 includes an automated warehouse and a pallet retrieval mechanism for moving pallets 6 in and out of the automated warehouse. The automated warehouse is provided with several storage cavities, each of which can accommodate one pallet 6. The pallet retrieval mechanism can move pallets in and out of all storage cavities and receive or output pallets 6 at the entrance and exit of the automated warehouse.

[0101] Pallet 6, carrying a qualified electromagnet, moves to pallet unloading and storage station 5. Pallet handling module 53 removes it from pallet conveyor line 1 and sends it to pallet storage unit 51 for storage. When a subsequent station needs electromagnet feeding, pallet storage unit 51 outputs pallet 6 carrying the electromagnet, and then pallet handling module 53 transports it to unloading and outbound transfer module 52. Unloading and outbound transfer module 52 moves it to the outbound position, waiting for the robot arm of the next station to pick it up. The transfer direction of unloading and outbound transfer module 52 is parallel to the conveying direction of pallet conveyor line 1 and is located below pallet handling module 53.

[0102] The pallet handling module 53 includes a Y-axis transfer assembly 531, a bracket 532 located at the movable end of the Y-axis transfer assembly 531, a third motor 533 fixed on the bracket 532, a tenth support plate 536 driven by the third motor 533 to move up and down, a pallet gripper 534 fixed on the tenth support plate 536, and a picking assembly 535 fixed on the tenth support plate 536 for picking up individual electromagnets. Below the transfer range of the pallet handling module 53, there is an electronic scale 54 and an NG box 55. When the pallet 6 needs to be taken out of the warehouse, the picking assembly 535 on the pallet handling module 53 removes each electromagnet from the pallet 6 and places it on the electronic scale 54 for weighing. Electromagnets that pass the weighing test are returned to the pallet 6, while those that fail are placed in the NG box 55.

[0103] The pallet gripper 534 includes a pair of twelfth cylinders 5341 fixed to the lower surface of the tenth support plate 536 and a pallet hook plate 5342 driven by the twelfth cylinders 5341 to perform opening or clamping actions. The pallet hook plate 5342 is provided with a hook 5343, which can clamp the pallet 6 by extending the hook 5343 into the positioning hole on the side of the pallet 6.

[0104] The material handling assembly 535 includes a fourth motor 5351 fixed to the front surface of the tenth support plate 536, a thirteenth cylinder 5352 driven by the fourth motor 5351 to move left and right, and a fourth housing gripper 5353 driven by the thirteenth cylinder 5352 to move up and down.

[0105] The workflow of the second assembly line 30 is as follows: The tray 6 carries the electromagnet 10 and the iron core 30, and is placed in the tray feeding bin 2 in a stacked manner. A single tray 6 is output from the bottom of the tray feeding bin 2 and moves with the tray conveyor line 1 to the spring retainer assembly station 3. At the spring retainer assembly station 3, the marking information on the shell is entered, the inner diameter of the shell is detected, the spring is assembled, the outer diameter of the iron core is detected, the iron core gasket is assembled, and the retainer is assembled to obtain the electromagnet. Then, the electromagnet's attraction and release current, attraction and release time, working force, and working force stroke are detected. After passing the tests, the tray 6 moves to the multi-functional testing station 4 for electromagnet coil resistance, insulation resistance, and insulation dielectric strength tests. After passing the tests, the tray 6 moves to the tray unloading and storage station 5, and is transported to the tray storage unit 51 for storage by the tray handling module 53.

[0106] For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of this invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores, characterized in that: It includes a pallet conveyor line, pallets conveyed on the pallet conveyor line, and a spring retainer assembly station located next to the pallet conveyor line; the pallets contain several housing components and iron cores; The spring retainer assembly station includes a first robotic arm, a spring feeding unit, a retainer feeding mechanism, a gasket feeding mechanism, a measuring instrument for measuring the outer diameter of the iron core, a testing mechanism, a jig support, and several clamping modules mounted on the jig support, as well as a test conduction head module for electrical conduction with the product under test during auxiliary electrical performance testing; the clamping modules and the test conduction head module are installed at the movable end of the first robotic arm using a quick-change method as required. The clamping module includes a retaining ring clamping module for clamping the retaining ring, a housing clamping module for clamping the housing assembly, and a combined clamping module for clamping the spring and the iron core. The testing mechanism is located above the pallet conveyor line and includes an XY axis transfer module, a fourth support plate disposed at the movable end of the XY axis transfer module, a first test module fixed on the fourth support plate for detecting the magnitude of the electromagnet's working force, a second test module fixed on the fourth support plate for detecting the electromagnet's opening and closing stroke, a third test module for detecting the inner diameter of the housing, and a vision module for acquiring the marking information on the housing assembly. The first test module includes a first motor, a fifth support plate driven by the first motor to move up and down, a pressure sensor fixed on the fifth support plate, a ninth cylinder fixed on the sensing end of the pressure sensor, a core clamp driven by the ninth cylinder to clamp the top of the core, and a housing pressure plate fixed on the fourth support plate and located below the core clamp to press the housing. The housing pressure plate is provided with an clearance opening for the core clamp to extend through. The second test module includes a second motor, a sixth support plate driven by the second motor to move up and down, a fixed pressure pin fixed on the sixth support plate to press the electromagnet housing, a detection pin floating up and down on the sixth support plate to hold the top of the core, and a distance sensor fixed on the sixth support plate to detect the downward movement distance of the detection pin. The third test module includes a tenth cylinder fixed on the sixth support plate, a seventh support plate driven by the tenth cylinder to move up and down, an inner diameter detection probe floating up and down on the seventh support plate, and a sixth sensor fixed on the seventh support plate and monitoring the height position of the inner diameter detection probe. The vision module includes an eleventh cylinder fixed on the sixth support plate and a vision camera driven by the eleventh cylinder to move up and down. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores also includes a multi-functional testing station located next to the pallet conveyor line and downstream of the spring retainer assembly station; the multi-functional testing station includes a fourth robotic arm, an eighth support plate located at the movable end of the fourth robotic arm, and a second conductive module and a third conductive head module fixed on the eighth support plate. Both the second conduction module and the third conduction head module include a second wire end support plate fixed on the eighth support plate and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a sixth cylinder fixed on the eighth support plate, a ninth support plate driven by the sixth cylinder to move up and down, and a plurality of second conduction probes fixed on the ninth support plate; two of the second conduction probes in the second conduction module are located directly above the second wire end support plate. The third conductive head module has three second conductive probes, two of which are located directly above the second wire end plate, and the other second conductive probe is aligned with the set position of the housing assembly. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores also includes a pallet unloading and storage station located at the end of the pallet conveyor line; the pallet unloading and storage station includes a pallet storage unit for storing pallets, an unloading and transfer module located on the inlet / outlet side of the pallet storage unit, and a pallet handling module for moving pallets from the pallet conveyor line to the pallet storage unit or moving pallets output from the pallet storage unit to the unloading and transfer module.

2. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The tray is provided with a plurality of first supporting through holes for supporting the housing assembly, a plurality of second supporting through holes for supporting the iron core, and a plurality of wire clamps for fixing the position of the coil wire ends on the housing assembly; the first supporting through holes, the second supporting through holes, and the wire clamps are all arranged separately at a predetermined interval.

3. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The retaining ring clamping module includes a first cylinder and a picking pin that is driven by the first cylinder to open or close. The housing clamping module includes a second cylinder and housing grippers driven by the second cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions. The combined clamping module includes a first support plate, a third cylinder and a fourth cylinder fixed on the first support plate and vertically distributed, an iron core gripper driven by the third cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions, and a multi-functional gripper driven by the fourth cylinder to perform opening or clamping actions. The test conduction head module includes a first conduction head module; The first conductive head module includes a second support plate, a first wire end support plate fixed on the second support plate and supporting the ends of the two wires of the coil, a fifth cylinder fixed on the second support plate, a third support plate driven by the fifth cylinder to move up and down, and a pair of first conductive probes fixed on the third support plate and aligned downwards with the first wire end support plate.

4. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The retaining ring feeding mechanism is provided with several sets for feeding retaining rings of different specifications; the retaining ring feeding mechanism includes a retaining ring clip for storing stacked retaining rings, a first receiving platform located in front of the retaining ring clip, a first pusher plate located behind the retaining ring clip and pushing the bottom retaining ring of the retaining ring clip forward onto the first receiving platform, and a seventh cylinder for driving the first pusher plate to move back and forth.

5. The fully automated assembly and testing production line for electromagnet cores as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The gasket feeding mechanism includes a gasket clip for storing stacked gaskets, a second receiving platform located in front of the gasket clip, a second pusher plate located behind the gasket clip and pushing the bottom gasket of the gasket clip forward onto the second receiving platform, and an eighth cylinder for driving the second pusher plate to move back and forth; the end of the second receiving platform is provided with a clearance hole to facilitate the iron core passing through the gasket.

6. A fully automated assembly and testing process for electromagnet cores, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Using a pallet to carry several housing components and iron cores, move them to the spring retainer assembly station; S2. The end effector of the first robotic arm is equipped with a housing clamping module that holds the housing assembly. It removes the housing assembly from the tray and moves it to the position of the vision module in the testing mechanism to obtain the engraving information on the housing assembly and upload it to the host computer system. S3. Use the third test module to detect the inner diameter of the housing assembly; S4. The first robotic arm is equipped with a combined clamping module capable of holding springs at its end. It picks up a spring from the spring feeding unit and then inserts it into the housing assembly to complete the spring installation. S5. The first robotic arm is equipped with a combined clamping module that can hold iron cores. It takes an iron core out of the tray and places it on the measuring instrument to detect the outer diameter of the iron core. S6. During the execution of steps S1 to S5, the gasket feeding mechanism supplies gaskets of the corresponding specifications to a second receiving platform. S7. After the outer diameter of the iron core is detected, the combined clamping module inserts the iron core into the shim, and then picks up the iron core and the shim together; if the initially set number of shims to be installed is greater than 1, repeat this step to complete the installation of the set number of shims on the iron core. S8. During the execution of steps S1 to S7, the retaining ring feeding mechanism supplies retaining rings of various specifications to a first receiving platform; the end effector of the first robotic arm is quickly replaced with a retaining ring clamping module for clamping retaining rings, and then moves to the first receiving platform to pick up the standard retaining ring set by the system, and then installs it into the housing assembly to complete the retaining ring installation and obtain the electromagnet. S9. The end effector of the first robotic arm is quickly replaced with a test conduction head module. The test mechanism moves to the top of the tray and uses the first conduction head module to clamp the wire end of the electromagnet to achieve electrical conduction. The electromagnet comprehensive tester is used to test the electromagnet's pull-in / release current and pull-in / release time. Then, the first test module and the second test module are used to detect the working force and opening / closing stroke of the electromagnet, respectively. S10. If the electromagnet's attraction / release current detection is OK, then the number of shims installed is correct and effective; otherwise, the number of shims installed needs to be readjusted. If the electromagnet's opening and closing stroke is OK, then the thickness of the retaining ring is correct and effective; otherwise, the thickness of the retaining ring needs to be replaced.

7. The fully automated assembly and testing process for electromagnet cores as described in claim 6, characterized in that: In step S10, The operation of readjusting the number of shims installed includes: the first robotic arm end quickly switches to a retaining ring clamping module to remove the retaining ring already installed on the electromagnet, then quickly switches to a combination clamping module to remove the iron core and shims, and then the number of shims is increased or decreased at the shim feeding mechanism; then the iron core with the correct number of shims is put back into the housing assembly, and then the retaining ring is put in. The operation of changing the retaining ring thickness includes: the quick-change retaining ring clamping module at the end of the first robotic arm removes the retaining ring, and then picks up the retaining ring of the corresponding thickness at the retaining ring feeding mechanism according to the opening and closing stroke detection result of the electromagnet for installation; if a set number of products need to be replaced with the same thickness of retaining ring each time, the system will automatically take the retaining ring of the same thickness that has been replaced for the set number of times as the latest standard retaining ring, and when the next product is to be installed with retaining ring, the retaining ring of that thickness will be picked up directly.

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