An automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control

Abstract

The present invention is applicable to the field of automatic welding technology, and provides an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control, including a machine base. On one side of the machine base, there is a multi-axis welding manipulator, and it further includes: a top feeding component. In the middle of the machine base, there is an installation position. The top feeding component includes a base located within the installation position. On the base, there is a lifting driving member, and the output end of the lifting driving member is a top platform located at its own top; a collaborative welding component. The collaborative welding components are respectively arranged on both sides of the top feeding component. The collaborative welding component includes a transverse sliding structure arranged on the machine base. On the transverse sliding structure, there is a column. At the top of the column, there is a clamping member facing the side of the top platform. On the column, there is also a rotation driving member for driving the clamping member to rotate. The beneficial effects are as follows: The present invention can effectively be combined with the existing conveying device, not only can complete efficient welding work, but also is more efficient in terms of loading and unloading.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automatic welding, and particularly relates to an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control. Background Art

[0002] An automatic welding robot is an intelligent device integrating advanced control technology, sensor technology and mechanical design, and is widely used in modern industrial manufacturing. It can efficiently and accurately complete various welding tasks, significantly improving production efficiency and product quality.

[0003] A multi-axis welding robot refers to a robot with degrees of freedom in multiple directions, which can flexibly adjust the angle of the welding gun head according to the different shapes of workpieces, and can also rotate and adjust the workpieces. Cooperating with the existing production conveyor line and grasping manipulator, the automatic welding robot can realize efficient pipeline-type welding operations.

[0004] In practical applications, an automatic welding robot usually requires two production conveyor lines to complete continuous welding operations, and also needs to cooperate with a manipulator for loading and unloading grasping actions, which will affect the overall production efficiency. In addition, due to the need for two production conveyor lines to cooperate, the erection of a welding workstation with a welding robot as the main body also needs to consider conditions such as site and space. Therefore, an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control is proposed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control, aiming to solve the problems mentioned in the above background art.

[0006] The embodiments of the present invention are implemented as follows. An automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control includes a machine base, and a multi-axis welding manipulator is provided on one side of the machine base. It further includes:

[0007] A top feeding component. An installation position is provided in the middle of the machine base. The top feeding component includes a base located in the installation position. A lifting driving member is provided on the base, and the output end of the lifting driving member is a top platform located at its own top. The top feeding component cooperates with the conveying devices separately disposed on both sides of the top platform;

[0008] A collaborative welding component. The collaborative welding component is separately disposed on both sides of the top feeding component. The collaborative welding component includes a transverse sliding structure provided on the machine base. A column is provided on the transverse sliding structure. The transverse sliding structure is used to drive the column to move along the length direction of the machine base. A clamping member facing the side of the top platform is provided at the top of the column, and a rotation driving member for driving the clamping member to rotate is also provided on the column;

[0009] When the top platform is in the initial state, the top platform is located between the conveying devices and at the bottom of the workpiece conveyed on the conveying devices.

[0010] Preferably, the base includes a driving platform fixed in the installation position, a rotating platform is arranged on the top of the driving platform, the driving platform is used to drive the rotating platform to rotate, the lifting driving member is installed on the rotating platform, and the multi-axis welding manipulator is provided with an industrial control camera;

[0011] During welding, the workpiece image of the workpiece on the conveying device captured by the industrial control camera is transmitted to the industrial control computer, which processes the workpiece image. The specific steps include:

[0012] Extract the contour features of the conveyed workpiece according to the workpiece image and measure its plane dimension data;

[0013] Determine the maximum length and width of the workpiece according to the plane dimension data of the workpiece;

[0014] Marking the workpiece image according to the position of the collaborative welding component to obtain the reference line and analyze the workpiece orientation;

[0015] When the maximum size of the workpiece is in the same direction as the reference mark, the lifting drive is controlled by the industrial computer to move the top table in the vertical direction to drive the workpiece out of the conveying device;

[0016] When the maximum size of the workpiece is different from the direction of the reference mark, the industrial computer controls the drive table and the lifting drive member to work, so that the top table drives the workpiece to separate from the conveying device and then the rotating platform rotates to adjust the direction of the workpiece.

[0017] Preferably, the plane dimension data includes length dimension and length dimension, and the step of measuring the plane dimension data specifically includes:

[0018] Marking the length direction in the workpiece image according to the direction in which the conveying device transports the workpiece;

[0019] The length dimension is obtained by calculating the distance in the length direction according to the contour features of the workpiece;

[0020] Determining a width direction in the workpiece image according to the marked length direction, wherein the width direction is perpendicular to the length direction;

[0021] The width dimension is obtained by calculating the distance in the width direction according to the contour features of the workpiece.

[0022] Preferably, a plurality of telescopic pipe fittings arranged around the lifting drive member are fixedly connected to the rotating platform, the telescopic pipe fittings are composed of a plurality of straight pipe sleeves of different sizes, and the straight pipes are sealed. A plurality of adsorption holes corresponding to the positions of the telescopic pipe fittings are opened on the top platform. When the workpiece is located on the top platform and the adsorption holes are closed, the interior of the telescopic pipe fitting is a sealed space.

[0023] Preferably, a contact pad that fits the shape of the top table is fixedly connected to the top table. The adsorption holes extend through the contact pad, and the contact pad is made of a flexible material.

[0024] Preferably, the lateral sliding structure includes two sliding rails fixedly connected to the machine base and spaced apart. The orientation of the sliding rails is the same as the length direction of the machine base. A moving frame capable of automatically sliding is arranged between the two sliding rails, and the column is installed on the moving frame.

[0025] Preferably, the clamping member includes a column that is rotatably connected to the top of the column and is horizontally arranged. The rotation driving member is located on the other side of the column and is used to drive the column to rotate. A mechanical claw is arranged at one end of the column.

[0026] An automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control provided by an embodiment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The present invention is mainly applied to the welding work of large sheet materials. Since these workpieces are relatively large in size, conveying devices arranged at intervals are usually used for transmission. After the workpiece moves above the top table, the lifting driving member can drive the workpiece to move upward. Then, the clamping member can fix the workpiece from both ends. With the rotation of the clamping member and the multi-axis welding manipulator, the workpiece can be welded. After welding, under the support of the top table, the workpiece falls back to the conveying device for continuous transmission. Therefore, the present invention can effectively cooperate with the existing conveying device, not only can complete efficient welding work, but also is more efficient in loading and unloading. The installation of this welding robot also further reduces the requirements for site space. Description of the Drawings

[0028] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structure diagram of an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 A front view of an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structure diagram of the top feeding assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 A three-dimensional structure diagram of the collaborative welding assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the cooperation between the welding robot, the conveying device, and the workpiece provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 A flowchart of the industrial control computer processing the workpiece image provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 The flowchart for calculating its planar dimension data provided by the embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In the attached drawings: 1, machine base; 2, multi-axis welding manipulator; 3, top feeding component; 301, base; 3011, driving platform; 3012, rotating platform; 302, lifting driving member; 303, top platform; 4, installation position; 5, collaborative welding component; 501, transverse sliding structure; 5011, slide rail; 5012, moving frame; 502, column; 503, clamping member; 5031, column body; 5032, mechanical claw; 504, rotating driving member; 6, telescopic pipe fitting; 7, adsorption hole; 8, contact pad; 9, conveying device; 10, workpiece. Detailed implementation manners

[0036] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0037] The following describes the specific implementation of the present invention in detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0038] As Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, an automatic welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes a machine base 1, and a multi-axis welding manipulator 2 is provided on one side of the machine base 1. It further includes:

[0039] A top feeding component 3. An installation position 4 is arranged in the middle of the machine base 1. The top feeding component 3 includes a base 301 located in the installation position 4. A lifting driving member 302 is arranged on the base 301. The output end of the lifting driving member 302 is a top platform 303 located at its own top. The top feeding component 3 cooperates with the conveying devices 9 disposed on both sides of the top platform 303. The lifting driving member 302 can adopt structural forms such as a hydraulic telescopic rod, an electric push rod, etc., as long as it can push the top platform 303 to move along the conveying direction, so that the workpiece 10 can be separated from the conveying device 9 or fall back to the conveying device 9;

[0040] A collaborative welding component 5. The collaborative welding component 5 is disposed on both sides of the top feeding component 3. The collaborative welding component 5 includes a transverse sliding structure 501 arranged on the machine base 1. A column 502 is arranged on the transverse sliding structure 501. The transverse sliding structure 501 is used to drive the column 502 to move along the length direction of the machine base 1. A clamping member 503 facing the side of the top platform 303 is arranged at the top of the column 502. A rotating driving member 504 for driving the clamping member 503 to rotate is also arranged on the column 502;

[0041] When the top table 303 is in the initial state, the top table 303 is located between the conveying devices 9 and at the bottom of the workpiece 10 conveyed on the conveying devices 9.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is mainly applied to the welding work of large sheet materials. Since these workpieces 10 are relatively large in size, spaced conveying devices 9 are usually used for transmission. After the workpiece 10 moves above the top table 303, the lifting driving member 302 can drive the workpiece 10 to move upward. Then, the clamping member 503 can fix the workpiece 10 from both ends. With the rotation of the clamping member 503 and the multi-axis welding manipulator 2, the workpiece 10 can be welded. After welding is completed, under the supporting action of the top table 303, the workpiece falls back onto the conveying device 9 and continues to be conveyed. Therefore, the present invention can effectively be combined with the existing conveying device 9, not only can complete efficient welding work, but also is more efficient in loading and unloading, and the installation of this welding robot also further reduces the requirements for site space.

[0043] It should be noted that the conveying device 9 applied in the present invention is a conventional means in the prior art. For example, for automotive door panels and steel structure plates, two spaced conveying devices 9 are used for transportation. The workpiece 10 is horizontally placed on the two conveying devices 9, which can minimize the space occupied by the conveying device 9. In the conventional means, a manipulator is relied on to grab the workpiece 10 on one conveying line onto the top table 303, and after welding is completed, the workpiece 10 is grabbed and transferred to another conveying line by the manipulator. As Figure 4 shown, the lateral sliding structure 501 includes two sliding rails 5011 fixedly connected to the machine base 1 and spaced apart. The orientation of the sliding rails 5011 is the same as the length direction of the machine base 1. A movable frame 5012 capable of automatically sliding is arranged between the two sliding rails 5011. The column 502 is installed on the movable frame 5012. The movable frame 5012 is provided with an independent power source, such as a motor, a driving motor, etc., which can independently control the column 502 to move horizontally. At the same time, the clamping member 503 includes a column body 5031 rotatably connected to the top of the column 502 and horizontally arranged itself. The rotation driving member 504 is located on the other side of the column 502 and is used to drive the column body 5031 to rotate. One end of the column body 5031 is provided with a mechanical claw 5032. The rotation driving member 504 can be in the form of a motor, and of course, it can also be in the form of a hydraulic motor, as long as it can drive the mechanical claw 5032 to rotate. The main purpose is to enable the workpiece 10 to rotate, so that the multi-axis welding manipulator 2 can perform all-round welding work.

[0044] As Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base 301 includes a driving platform 3011 fixed in the installation position 4, a rotating platform 3012 is arranged on the top of the driving platform 3011, the driving platform 3011 is used to drive the rotating platform 3012 to rotate, the lifting driving member 302 is installed on the rotating platform 3012, and the multi-axis welding manipulator 2 is provided with an industrial control camera;

[0045] When welding, Figure 6 As shown, the image of the workpiece 10 on the conveying device 9 collected by the industrial control camera will be transmitted to the industrial control computer, and the industrial control computer processes the workpiece image. The specific steps include:

[0046] S100, extracting contour features of the transported workpiece 10 and measuring its plane dimension data according to the workpiece image;

[0047] S200, determining the maximum dimension of the length and width of the workpiece 10 according to the plane dimension data of the workpiece 10;

[0048] S300, marking the workpiece image according to the position of the cooperative welding component 5 to obtain a reference mark line and analyzing the orientation of the workpiece 10;

[0049] S400, when the maximum size of the workpiece 10 is in the same direction as the reference mark, the lifting drive 302 is controlled by the industrial computer to operate, so that the top table 303 moves in the vertical direction to drive the workpiece 10 away from the conveying device 9;

[0050] S500, when the maximum size of the workpiece 10 is different from the direction of the reference mark, the industrial computer controls the driving platform 3011 and the lifting driving member 302 to work, so that the top platform 303 drives the workpiece 10 to separate from the conveying device 9 and then the rotating platform 3012 rotates to adjust the direction of the workpiece 10.

[0051] In a case of this embodiment, the multi-axis welding robot is mainly responsible for some complex welding operations. Therefore, it is impossible to perform welding on one side of the workpiece 10. However, even with multiple degrees of freedom, there is still a problem of limited welding angles. Therefore, it is necessary to add rotation adjustment of the workpiece 10 on the basis of multiple axes. For the sake of convenience of explanation, for example, the workpiece 10 is a rectangular plate. Generally, after the workpiece 10 is lifted, it can be directly clamped and welded. During the welding process, the workpiece 10 will be rotated and adjusted. When the workpiece 10 rotates, the multi-axis welding manipulator 2 needs to avoid it. At this time, there are two situations. If the clamped part is the short side of the workpiece 10, it will mean that the workpiece 10 needs a much larger space to rotate, which is intuitively reflected in the greatly increased space that the multi-axis manipulator needs to avoid. If the clamped part is the long side of the workpiece 10, it means that the space that the multi-axis manipulator needs to avoid is smaller. This embodiment uses image processing technology to identify the length and width of the workpiece 10, so as to determine the posture of the workpiece 10 on the conveying device 9. By rotating the top platform 303, the workpiece 10 can be rotated and adjusted horizontally, so that the orientation of the workpiece 10 can be changed, further ensuring that during the welding process of the workpiece 10, the longitudinal space occupied by the rotation adjustment is minimized, so that the multi-axis welding manipulator 2 after avoidance can reach the welding position more quickly. In this way, the welding efficiency can also be improved.

[0052] As Figure 7 shown, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the planar dimension data includes length dimension and length dimension. The steps of measuring its planar dimension data specifically include:

[0053] S101, mark the length direction in the workpiece image according to the direction in which the conveying device 9 transports the workpiece 10;

[0054] S102, calculate the distance in the length direction according to the contour feature of the workpiece 10 to obtain the length dimension;

[0055] S103, determine the width direction in the workpiece image according to the marked length direction, and the width direction is perpendicular to the length direction;

[0056] S104, calculate the distance in the width direction according to the contour feature of the workpiece 10 to obtain the width dimension.

[0057] In a case of this embodiment, the length and width of the workpiece 10 are not the length and width in the conventional sense. The definition of the length and width of the workpiece 10 in this embodiment is based on the movement direction of the workpiece 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to directly identify the specific length and width distribution of the workpiece 10, but only to measure the dimension data in two directions to facilitate determining the state of the workpiece 10 for welding, which can reduce the complexity of data processing.

[0058] As Figure 3As shown, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of telescopic pipe fittings 6 are fixedly connected to the rotating platform 3012 and are arranged around the lifting driving member 302. The telescopic pipe fittings 6 are composed of a plurality of straight pipes with different sizes sleeved together, and sealing treatments are made between the straight pipes. A plurality of adsorption holes 7 corresponding to the positions of the telescopic pipe fittings 6 are formed on the top platform 303. When the workpiece 10 is located on the top platform 303 and closes the adsorption holes 7, the inside of the telescopic pipe fittings 6 is a sealed space.

[0059] In one case of this embodiment, when the workpiece 10 contacts the top platform 303, as the top platform 303 rises, if there is a flat surface on the surface of the workpiece 10, one or more of the adsorption holes 7 will be closed. At this time, the extended telescopic pipe fittings 6 can play an adsorption role. When the top platform 303 drives the workpiece 10 to rotate and adjust the orientation, this adsorption role can provide a certain fixing function and can prevent the workpiece 10 from slipping on the top platform 303. However, even if the number of adsorption holes 7 is increased, it is very likely that all the adsorption holes 7 cannot be closed. Therefore, a contact pad 8 that coincides with the shape of the top platform 303 is fixedly connected to the top platform 303. The adsorption holes 7 extend and are formed on the contact pad 8, and the contact pad 8 is made of a flexible material. The contact pad 8 can be made of materials such as rubber and silica gel. The main purpose is to enable the contact pad 8 to have a certain deformation function and further increase the probability that the adsorption holes 7 are closed by the surface of the workpiece 10.

[0060] For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention, the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms. Therefore, from any point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description. Therefore, all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims are intended to be included in the present invention. Any reference signs in the claims should not be regarded as limiting the claims involved.

[0061] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0062] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment only contains an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control, comprising a machine base (1), and a multi-axis welding manipulator (2) is provided on one side of the machine base (1), characterized in that, Also includes: A top delivery component (3), wherein a mounting position (4) is arranged in the middle of the base (1), the top delivery component (3) comprises a base (301) located in the mounting position (4), a lifting drive member (302) is arranged on the base (301), an output end of the lifting drive member (302) is a top platform (303) located on the top of the lifting drive member (302), and the top delivery component (3) cooperates with a conveying device (9) arranged on both sides of the top platform (303); A collaborative welding assembly (5), the collaborative welding assembly (5) is disposed on both sides of the top delivery assembly (3), the collaborative welding assembly (5) comprises a transverse sliding structure (501) disposed on the machine base (1), a column (502) is disposed on the transverse sliding structure (501), the transverse sliding structure (501) is used to drive the column (502) to move along the length direction of the machine base (1), a clamping member (503) facing the top platform (303) is disposed on the top of the column (502), and a rotating driving member (504) for driving the clamping member (503) to rotate is also disposed on the column (502); When the top platform (303) is in an initial state, the top platform (303) is located between the conveying devices (9) and the top platform (303) is located at the bottom of the workpiece (10) conveyed on the conveying device (9); The base (301) includes a driving platform (3011) fixed in the installation position (4), a rotating platform (3012) is arranged on the top of the driving platform (3011), the driving platform (3011) is used to drive the rotating platform (3012) to rotate, the lifting drive member (302) is installed on the rotating platform (3012), and the multi-axis welding manipulator (2) is provided with an industrial control camera; When welding is performed, the workpiece image of the workpiece (10) on the conveying device (9) collected by the industrial control camera is transmitted to the industrial control computer, and the industrial control computer processes the workpiece image. The specific steps include: Extracting contour features of the transported workpiece (10) and measuring its plane dimension data according to the workpiece image; Determining the maximum dimension of the length and width of the workpiece (10) according to the plane dimension data of the workpiece (10); Marking the workpiece image according to the position of the cooperative welding component (5) to obtain a reference line and analyzing the orientation of the workpiece (10); When the maximum size of the workpiece (10) is in the same direction as the reference mark, the lifting drive member (302) is controlled by the industrial computer to operate, so that the top platform (303) moves in the vertical direction to drive the workpiece (10) away from the conveying device (9); When the maximum size of the workpiece (10) is different from the orientation of the reference mark, the industrial computer controls the driving platform (3011) and the lifting driving member (302) to work, so that the top platform (303) drives the workpiece (10) to separate from the conveying device (9) and then the rotating platform (3012) rotates to adjust the orientation of the workpiece (10); The plane dimension data includes length dimension and length dimension, and the step of measuring the plane dimension data specifically includes: marking a length direction in the workpiece image according to the direction in which the conveying device (9) transports the workpiece (10); Calculating the distance in the length direction according to the contour features of the workpiece (10) to obtain the length dimension; Determine the width direction in the workpiece image according to the marked length direction, and the width direction is perpendicular to the length direction; Calculate the distance in the width direction based on the contour features of the workpiece (10) to obtain the width dimension.

2. The automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control according to claim 1, wherein A plurality of telescopic pipe fittings (6) arranged around the lifting driving member (302) are fixedly connected to the rotating platform (3012). The telescopic pipe fittings (6) are composed of a plurality of straight pipes with different sizes sleeved together, and sealing treatments are made between the straight pipes. A plurality of adsorption holes (7) corresponding to the positions of the telescopic pipe fittings (6) are opened on the top platform (303). When the workpiece (10) is located on the top platform (303) and closes the adsorption holes (7), the inside of the telescopic pipe fittings (6) is a sealed space.

3. The automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control according to claim 2, wherein A contact pad (8) that fits the shape of the top platform (303) is fixedly connected to the top platform (303). The adsorption holes (7) extend and are opened on the contact pad (8), and the contact pad (8) is made of a flexible material.

4. The automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control according to claim 1, wherein The transverse sliding structure (501) includes two sliding rails (5011) fixedly connected to the machine base (1) and arranged at intervals. The orientation of the sliding rails (5011) is the same as the length direction of the machine base (1). A moving frame (5012) capable of automatically sliding is arranged between the two sliding rails (5011), and the column (502) is installed on the moving frame (5012).

5. The automated welding robot with multi-axis collaborative control according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamping member (503) includes a column body (5031) that is rotatably connected to the top of the column (502) and is horizontally arranged itself. The rotation driving member (504) is located on the other side of the column (502) and is used to drive the column body (5031) to rotate. A mechanical claw (5032) is arranged at one end of the column body (5031).

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