Aluminum alloy casting size measuring device

Abstract

The invention provides a device for measuring the size of an aluminum alloy casting, which relates to the technical field of casting measurement, and comprises a workbench, a machine base, a gantry driving mechanism, a first laser sensor, and a side positioning assembly; the machine base is symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the workbench; the gantry driving mechanism is slidably connected to the machine base, and the gantry driving mechanism drives the first laser sensor to move above the workbench along three-axis directions; a plurality of side positioning assemblies are symmetrically installed at the openings of the left and right machine bases; the side positioning assembly comprises a driving electric cylinder and a positioning rod; the driving electric cylinder drives the positioning rod to pass through the opening to the top of the workbench, and the casting is reliably supported by the positioning rod, so that the casting is constrained to maintain a posture on the workbench that is convenient for size measurement, and at the same time, the scanning process is not interfered by the positioning rod, and the measurement of all dimensions around can be completed by one scan, thereby reducing the measurement workload of workers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of casting measurement, and in particular to a device for measuring the size of an aluminum alloy casting. Background Art

[0002] Aluminum alloy castings are widely used in automobile manufacturing and other fields due to their light weight, small deformation, environmental protection and energy saving. After the aluminum alloy castings are processed, the actual size of the aluminum alloy castings often deviates from the theoretical value due to factors such as shrinkage and mold misalignment. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the actual size of the aluminum alloy castings before machining to avoid rework and scrapping due to insufficient processing. The external dimension measurement of aluminum alloy castings is mainly divided into contact measurement and non-contact measurement. Non-contact measurement mostly uses laser measurement, which has the advantages of high precision and high efficiency of automated measurement. For aluminum alloy castings with complex structures, the existing laser measurement method is to place the aluminum alloy castings flat on the ground, move the handheld laser sensor around the castings to scan, and complete the measurement of the external dimensions of the castings; then, turn the castings over and scan again to obtain the external dimensions of the bottom of the castings; or clamp the aluminum alloy castings on the workbench, the laser sensor cannot accurately measure the external dimensions of the clamping position, and often requires multiple clamping measurements; therefore, the existing laser measurement method has high labor intensity, the handheld laser scanner is unstable and has operating errors, and the measurement efficiency is low. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned prior art and provide a device for measuring the dimensions of aluminum alloy castings, which solves the problems of large measurement labor and low measurement efficiency for the dimension measurement of aluminum alloy castings.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is:

[0005] A device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings comprises a workbench, a machine base, a gantry drive mechanism, a first laser sensor, and a side positioning assembly; the machine base is symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the workbench; the gantry drive mechanism is slidably connected to the machine base, and the gantry drive mechanism drives the first laser sensor to move along three-axis directions above the workbench; a plurality of side positioning assemblies are symmetrically installed at the opening positions of the machine base on the left and right sides; the side positioning assembly comprises a driving electric cylinder and a positioning rod; the driving electric cylinder drives the positioning rod to pass through the opening until it reaches the top of the workbench.

[0006] Furthermore, the gantry driving mechanism includes a supporting beam, a linear module 1, a linear module 2, and a linear module 3; the bottoms of both ends of the supporting beam are slidably connected to the machine base through the linear module 1; the linear module 2 is installed along the supporting beam; the linear module 3 is a gear and rack drive form, and the linear module 3 includes a lifting column, a motor 1, and a rack; the motor 1 is installed on the moving part of the linear module 2, and the lifting column and the moving part of the linear module 2 are slidably connected up and down; the rack is installed on one side of the lifting column, and the driving shaft of the motor 1 is driven by the meshing of the gear and the rack; the first laser sensor is installed at the bottom end of the lifting column; the first laser sensor is driven to move forward and backward, left and right, and up and down through the linear module 1, the linear module 2, and the linear module 3.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a sensor rotating seat and a second motor; the sensor rotating seat is rotatably connected to the lifting column through a bearing; the first laser sensor is installed on the sensor rotating seat; and the second motor drives the sensor rotating seat to rotate.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a purge component, which includes an air outlet pipe and an external air pump; the air outlet pipe is connected to the sensor rotating seat close to the first laser sensor, and the air pump is connected to the air outlet pipe through a pipeline.

[0009] Furthermore, a non-contact distance sensor is arranged at the bottom end of the lifting column around the sensor rotating seat, facing the workbench to be measured.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a motor three, the driving electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the machine base through a supporting shaft, and the driving shaft of the motor three is drivingly connected to the supporting shaft.

[0011] Furthermore, the workbench includes a shell, a moving table, a linear module four, and a second laser sensor; the linear module four is installed in the shell, and the moving part of the linear module four is connected to the bottom of the moving table; the upper surface of the moving table is close to the steel sheet, and the two ends of the steel sheet are fixedly connected to the shell; a through cavity is opened in the middle of the top of the moving table; rollers are arranged on the four edges of the cavity; the four rollers roll to constrain the middle part of the steel sheet to bend into the cavity; the second laser sensor is connected to the moving table in the cavity.

[0012] Furthermore, a linear module five is installed inside the cavity, and the second laser sensor is connected to the moving part of the linear module five.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes an inner cover shell and an outer cover shell, which are stacked, and the inner cover shell is fixedly installed at one end of the machine base; the outer cover shell is translated along the slide groove of the machine base to block the top of the workbench.

[0014] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] 1. The present invention provides a device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings, including a workbench, a machine base, a gantry drive mechanism, a first laser sensor, and a side positioning assembly; one side of the aluminum alloy casting is selected to be placed flat on the workbench, and the aluminum alloy casting can be quickly and multi-directionally constrained by the side positioning assembly to be placed in a posture that is convenient for measurement; the gantry drive mechanism is controlled by a controller to drive the first laser sensor to move along the three-axis direction above the workbench, and the first laser sensor can accurately obtain the basic values ​​of the length, width, height, etc. of the aluminum alloy casting; the controller compares the size data measured by the first laser sensor with the internally set theoretical size to determine whether the shape of the aluminum alloy casting is qualified. In the measurement process of this device, there is no need to hard clamp the aluminum alloy casting, and all the dimensions of the four sides can be measured in one scan, which greatly reduces the measurement workload of workers.

[0016] 2. A purge assembly is provided next to the first laser sensor, and the purge assembly includes an air outlet pipe and an external air pump. When measuring, the air pump delivers high-pressure gas through the air outlet pipe to blow toward the surface to be measured, which plays a role in cleaning the surface attachments, reducing the impact of surface foreign matter on the laser sensor, and ensuring accurate dimensional measurement.

[0017] 3. The side positioning assembly includes a driving electric cylinder, a positioning rod, and a motor. The driving electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the opening of the machine base, and relies on the motor to drive the driving electric cylinder to rotate and adjust the extension direction of the positioning rod, which is conducive to flexibly adjusting the contact position of the positioning rod according to the complex outer surface of the casting, so as to provide stable side support.

[0018] 4. The workbench includes a shell, a movable table, and a linear module four; the upper surface of the movable table is in close contact with the steel sheet, the two ends of the steel sheet are fixedly connected to the shell, and the middle part of the steel sheet is bent into the concave cavity; in order to effectively obtain the bottom size of the aluminum alloy casting, a second laser sensor is provided, and the second laser sensor is installed in the concave cavity and faces the bottom of the aluminum alloy casting; a part of the steel sheet is in close contact with the movable table and always supports the aluminum alloy casting to be measured, and the movable table is driven to translate by the linear module four, and the bent part of the steel sheet translates at the bottom of the aluminum alloy casting, so that the second laser sensor completely measures the bottom size of the aluminum alloy casting. Therefore, during the measurement process, there is no need to flip and adjust the casting, and the measurement efficiency is high.

[0019] 5. The device is equipped with an inner cover and an outer cover, which slide and block above the workbench, effectively reducing the influence of external light on the laser sensor scanning and ensuring the accuracy of dimensional measurement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a front view of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a side view of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle part;

[0024] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the connection between the side positioning assembly and the machine base of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the workbench structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the mobile station of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the steel sheet and the moving platform of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention.

[0029] In the figure, 1. machine base; 11. opening; 2. gantry drive mechanism; 21. supporting beam; 22. linear module one; 23. linear module two; 24. linear module three; 241. lifting column; 242. motor one; 25. sensor rotating seat; 3. first laser sensor; 4. side positioning assembly; 41. driving electric cylinder; 42. positioning rod; 43. motor three; 5. workbench; 51. outer shell; 52. moving table; 521. concave cavity; 522. steel sheet; 53. linear module four; 54. second laser sensor; 55. roller; 56. linear module five; 6. exhaust pipe; 71. inner cover shell; 72. outer cover shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In order to make the purpose, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in this specific embodiment.

[0031] like Figure 1-3As shown, the present invention provides a device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings, including a workbench 5, a machine base 1, a gantry drive mechanism 2, a first laser sensor 3, and a side positioning assembly 4; the machine base 1 is symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the workbench 5; the gantry drive mechanism 2 is slidably connected to the machine base 1, and the gantry drive mechanism 2 drives the first laser sensor 3 to move along the three-axis direction above the workbench 5; a plurality of side positioning assemblies 4 are symmetrically installed at the positions of the through openings 11 of the machine base 1 on the left and right sides; preferably, at least two side positioning assemblies 4 are installed on each machine base 1; the workpiece to be scanned is stably supported; the position of the through opening 11 is higher than the table surface of the workbench 5. The side positioning assembly 4 includes a driving electric cylinder 41 and a positioning rod 42; the driving electric cylinder 41 drives the positioning rod 42 to pass through the through opening 11 until it reaches the top of the workbench 5.

[0032] The gantry drive mechanism 2, the drive electric cylinder 41, and the pressure sensor are electrically connected to the controller, and the controller adopts the existing scanning measurement control technology; the laser sensor can accurately obtain the basic values ​​of the length, width, height, etc. of the aluminum alloy casting; the controller controls the movement of the first laser sensor 3 and processes the data measured by the first laser sensor 3 to determine whether the shape of the aluminum alloy casting is qualified. A pressure sensor is set on the positioning rod 42, and the controller receives the signal of the pressure sensor, and determines whether the end of the positioning rod 42 is in contact with the aluminum alloy casting to be measured or detached according to the change of the pressure value.

[0033] When using the device, the bottom of the aluminum alloy casting to be measured is brought into contact with the table surface of the workbench 5; the controller controls the driving electric cylinder 41 to extend the positioning rod 42, and judges that the positioning rod 42 is reliably in contact with the aluminum alloy casting to be measured through the pressure value fed back by the pressure sensor, and then stops the driving electric cylinder 41 to make the positioning rod 42 stably support the side of the casting. By setting up multiple positioning rods 42, the placement posture of the aluminum alloy casting on the workbench 5 is constrained in multiple directions, which is conducive to placing the complex structural surface of the aluminum alloy casting facing the outside, reducing the moving scanning distance and time of the first laser sensor 3, and is conducive to improving the recognition efficiency and recognition accuracy, and avoiding repeated scanning.

[0034] After the position of the aluminum alloy casting to be measured is stabilized, the controller controls the movement of the gantry drive mechanism 2 to move the first laser sensor 3 from one end to the other to complete the scanning measurement of the aluminum alloy casting; it can be understood that when the first laser sensor 3 moves to the position of the positioning rod 42, the controller controls the corresponding driving electric cylinder 41 to retract the positioning rod 42, and the scanning trajectory of the first laser sensor 3 is not affected by the positioning rod 42.

[0035] Compared with the existing form of using clamping fixtures, during a scanning measurement process, the clamping fixtures will affect the scanning of the laser sensor, and the size of the clamping position of the aluminum alloy casting cannot be obtained synchronously, and re-clamping is often required.

[0036] like Figure 4 As shown, in order to facilitate reliable support of the positioning rod 42, the device is provided with a motor 3 43, driving the electric cylinder 41 to be rotatably connected to the machine base 1 through the support shaft, and the driving shaft of the motor 3 43 is drivingly connected to the support shaft. The controller controls the start and stop of the servo motor 3 43 to drive the electric cylinder 41 to rotate around the support shaft, changing the extension direction of the positioning rod 42, which is conducive to flexibly adjusting the contact position of the positioning rod 42 according to the complex outer surface of the casting, and is convenient for providing a stable side support effect.

[0037] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the gantry drive mechanism 2 includes a support beam 21, a linear module 1 22, a linear module 2 23, and a linear module 3 24; the linear module 1 22, the linear module 2 23, and the linear module 3 24 all adopt the existing linear drive technology; the bottom of both ends of the support beam 21 is slidably connected with the machine base 1 through the linear module 1 22; the linear module 2 23 is installed along the support beam 21; the linear module 3 24 is a gear rack drive form, and the linear module 3 24 includes a lifting column 241, a motor 1 242, and a rack; the motor 1 242 is installed on the moving part of the linear module 2 23, and the lifting column 241 is slidably connected with the moving part of the linear module 2 23 up and down; the rack is installed on one side of the lifting column 241, and the driving shaft of the motor 1 242 is driven by the meshing of the gear and the rack. The first laser sensor 3 is installed at the bottom end of the lifting column 241; the first laser sensor 3 is driven to move forward and backward, left and right, and up and down through the linear module 1 22, the linear module 2 23, and the linear module 3 24.

[0038] like Figure 1 , 3 As shown, the device also includes a sensor rotating seat 25 and a second motor; the sensor rotating seat 25 is rotatably connected to the lifting column 241 through a bearing; the first laser sensor 3 is installed on the sensor rotating seat 25; and the second motor drives the sensor rotating seat 25 to rotate. The second motor drives the sensor rotating seat 25 to swing back and forth, so that the first laser sensor 3 swings to scan and measure at multiple angles, effectively measuring the complex structural surface of the aluminum alloy casting.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, in order to improve the measurement accuracy of the laser sensor, the device is provided with a purge assembly, which includes an air outlet pipe 6 and an external air pump; the air outlet pipe 6 is connected to the sensor rotating seat 25 near the first laser sensor 3, and the air pump is connected to the air outlet pipe 6 through a pipeline. When the first laser sensor 3 is measuring, the air outlet pipe 6 blows high-pressure air to the measurement surface to clean the surface attachments, thereby preventing the laser from being affected by foreign matter on the surface, causing the size measurement to deviate from the true value.

[0040] Preferably, a non-contact distance sensor is arranged around the sensor rotating seat 25 at the bottom end of the lifting column 241, facing the workbench to be measured. When the aluminum alloy casting has a complex shape, the distance sensor feeds back the distance from the bottom end of the lifting column 241 to the aluminum alloy casting to the controller, so as to avoid the first laser sensor 3 and the aluminum alloy casting being measured being too close to each other and causing damage.

[0041] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the workbench 5 includes a shell 51, a moving table 52, a linear module four 53, and a second laser sensor 54; the linear module four 53 is installed in the shell 51, and the moving part of the linear module four 53 is connected to the bottom of the moving table 52; the upper surface of the moving table 52 is tightly attached to the steel sheet 522, and the two ends of the steel sheet 522 are fixedly connected to the shell 51; a through cavity 521 is opened in the middle of the top of the moving table 52.

[0042] Rollers 55 are arranged on the four edges of the concave cavity 521; the four rollers 55 roll to constrain the middle part of the steel sheet 522 to bend into the concave cavity 521; after the steel sheet 522 is bent, a space for accommodating the second laser sensor 54 is formed; the steel sheet 522 passes through the bottom of the second laser sensor 54; the second laser sensor 54 is connected to the moving platform 52 in the concave cavity 521.

[0043] The steel sheet 522 is made of a flexible thin steel sheet. It can be understood that when the linear module 53 is driven, the movable table 52 pushes the steel sheet 522 through the roller 55. Under the constraint of the roller 55, the middle part of the steel sheet 522 is bent in and out of the concave cavity 521 and moves synchronously, and the part of the steel sheet 522 that is in close contact with the movable table 52 remains stationary, and the aluminum alloy casting to be measured is always supported by this stationary part of the steel sheet 522; at this time, the second laser sensor 54 moves in the housing 51 with the movable table 52; when the second laser sensor 54 passes the bottom of the aluminum alloy casting, the size of the bottom of the aluminum alloy casting can be measured; therefore, the device can complete the multi-directional size measurement of the casting without turning over the aluminum alloy casting to be measured, and the workers' measurement labor is small and the efficiency is high.

[0044] like Figure 7 As shown, a linear module 56 is installed inside the cavity 521, and the second laser sensor 54 is connected to the moving part of the linear module 56. The linear module 56 expands the measurement range of the second laser sensor 54, which is conducive to measuring large-sized aluminum alloy castings.

[0045] like Figure 2 , 8As shown, the device is provided with an inner cover shell 71 and an outer cover shell 72, which are stacked, and the inner cover shell 71 is fixedly mounted on one end of the machine base 1; the outer cover shell 72 is translated along the slide groove of the machine base 1 to block the top of the workbench 5, and preferably, a driving machine is provided on the outer cover shell 72, and the driving machine is driven by a chain or a belt to complete the translation movement of the outer cover shell 72. The inner cover shell 71 and the outer cover shell 72 effectively block the external strong light irradiation, reduce the influence of light on the laser sensor scanning, and ensure the accuracy of dimensional measurement.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "vertical", "horizontal", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only relational words for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not necessarily require the present invention to be constructed or operated in a specific direction. They do not specifically refer to any component or element and cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0047] The terms "connected" and "connected" in the present invention should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a connection or a detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate component. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] The embodiments of the present invention are only a part of the embodiments, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present invention. This specification is described according to the implementation mode, only for the sake of clarity, and those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in the embodiments can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the dimensions of an aluminum alloy casting, comprising a workbench (5), characterized in that: It also includes a machine base (1), a gantry drive mechanism (2), a first laser sensor (3), and a side positioning assembly (4); the machine base (1) is symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the workbench (5); the gantry drive mechanism (2) is slidably connected to the machine base (1), and the gantry drive mechanism (2) drives the first laser sensor (3) to move above the workbench (5) along three-axis directions; a plurality of side positioning assemblies (4) are symmetrically installed at the positions of the openings (11) of the machine base (1) on the left and right sides; the side positioning assembly (4) includes a driving electric cylinder (41) and a positioning rod (42); the driving electric cylinder (41) drives the positioning rod (42) to pass through the opening (11) until it reaches above the workbench (5); The workbench (5) comprises a shell (51), a moving platform (52), a linear module four (53), and a second laser sensor (54); the linear module four (53) is installed in the shell (51), and the moving part of the linear module four (53) is connected to the bottom of the moving platform (52); the upper surface of the moving platform (52) is in close contact with the thin steel sheet (522), and the two ends of the thin steel sheet (522) are fixedly connected to the shell (51); a through cavity (521) is opened in the middle of the top of the moving platform (52); rollers (55) are arranged on the four edges of the cavity (521); the four rollers (55) roll to constrain the middle part of the thin steel sheet (522) to bend into the cavity (521); the second laser sensor (54) is connected to the moving platform (52) in the cavity (521).

2. The device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gantry drive mechanism (2) comprises a supporting crossbeam (21), a linear module group 1 (22), a linear module group 2 (23), and a linear module group 3 (24); the bottoms of both ends of the supporting crossbeam (21) are slidably connected to the machine base (1) through the linear module group 1 (22); the linear module group 2 (23) is installed along the supporting crossbeam (21); the linear module group 3 (24) is a gear rack drive type, and the linear module group 3 (24) comprises a lifting column (241), a motor group 1 (242), and a rack; the motor group 1 (242) The lifting column (241) is mounted on the moving part of the linear module (23), and the lifting column (241) is connected to the moving part of the linear module (23) by sliding up and down; the rack is mounted on one side of the lifting column (241), and the driving shaft of the motor (242) is driven by the meshing of the gear and the rack; the first laser sensor (3) is mounted on the bottom end of the lifting column (241); the first laser sensor (3) is driven to move forward and backward, left and right, and up and down through the linear module (22), the linear module (23), and the linear module (24).

3. The device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also comprises a sensor rotating seat (25) and a second motor; the sensor rotating seat (25) is rotatably connected to the lifting column (241) via a bearing; the first laser sensor (3) is mounted on the sensor rotating seat (25); and the second motor drives the sensor rotating seat (25) to rotate.

4. The device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a purge assembly, which includes an air outlet pipe (6) and an external high-pressure air pump; the air outlet pipe (6) is connected to the sensor rotating seat (25) near the first laser sensor (3), and the high-pressure air pump is connected to the air outlet pipe (6) through a pipeline.

5. The device for measuring the size of aluminum alloy castings according to claim 3, characterized in that: A non-contact distance sensor is arranged at the bottom end of the lifting column (241) around the sensor rotating seat (25) and faces the workbench to be measured.

6. The aluminum alloy casting dimension measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a motor three (43), the driving electric cylinder (41) is rotatably connected to the machine base (1) via a supporting rotating shaft, and the driving shaft of the motor three (43) is drivingly connected to the supporting rotating shaft.

7. The aluminum alloy casting size measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A linear module five (56) is installed inside the concave cavity (521), and the second laser sensor (54) is connected to the moving part of the linear module five (56).

8. The aluminum alloy casting size measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also comprises an inner cover shell (71) and an outer cover shell (72), wherein the inner cover shell (71) and the outer cover shell (72) are stacked, and the inner cover shell (71) is fixedly mounted on one end of the machine base (1); the outer cover shell (72) is translated along the slide groove of the machine base (1) to block the top of the workbench (5).

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