Automatic visual inspection equipment for automobile hub unit

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of automobile part detection, and discloses an automatic visual detection device for an automobile hub unit, which comprises a hub unit detection lower rack, and the top of the hub unit detection lower rack is provided with a hub unit detection upper rack. An automatic feeding and discharging system is installed between the hub unit detection lower rack and the hub unit detection upper rack. The automatic feeding and discharging system comprises a lifting transplanting mechanism, a transverse moving lifting mechanism, a centering mechanism, a hub unit rotary table, a feeding conveyor assembly, a discharging conveyor assembly and an acrylic misplacement mechanism. A top visual detection module and a side visual detection module are installed between the hub unit detection lower rack and the hub unit detection upper rack. Multiple key parameters can be detected at the same time, the overall working efficiency of the production line can be improved through the automatic feeding and discharging system, and the problems that in the prior art, manual intervention exists, the detection precision is insufficient, and multiple detections cannot be compatible are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automobile parts detection, in particular to an automatic visual detection device for an automobile hub unit. Background Art

[0002] The quality of the automobile wheel hub unit directly affects the driving safety and performance of the car. After the assembly of the automobile wheel hub unit is completed, multiple parameters need to be tested to ensure that the wheel hub unit is assembled correctly. The test parameters include the number of teeth on the ring gear, the outer diameter of the ring gear, the outer diameter of the bolts, the number of bolts, the bolt pitch, and the bolt extension length. Each model of automobile wheel hub unit has its own unique parameters. If the six parameters meet the requirements at the same time, the wheel hub unit is judged to be qualified.

[0003] At present, regarding the detection of the hub unit, the inventors have gradually discovered in practical applications that:

[0004] 1) Insufficient automation in wheel hub unit testing: In the existing production process of automobile wheel hub units, various parameter tests usually rely on manual operation or semi-automatic equipment, which not only leads to low testing efficiency, but is also easily interfered by human factors, making it difficult to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the test results. Especially when the test items are more complex or the number is large, the error rate and work intensity of manual testing will increase significantly;

[0005] 2) Problems of testing multiple parameters simultaneously: The quality of the automobile hub unit includes multiple parameters, such as the number of teeth on the gear ring, the outer diameter of the gear ring, the outer diameter of the bolts, the number of bolts, the bolt pitch, and the bolt extension length. Traditional testing equipment can only test a single parameter, or requires multiple devices to be used together, which not only takes up space, but also increases the purchase and maintenance costs of the equipment;

[0006] 3) Balance between detection accuracy and efficiency: The parameters of the hub unit, especially the outer diameter, pitch and extension length of the bolt, require extremely high measurement accuracy and stability. Traditional detection methods or equipment may not meet the strict requirements of the production line in terms of detection accuracy, and if the automated detection equipment is too complicated, it may sacrifice detection speed and affect production efficiency;

[0007] 4) Integration issues of automatic loading and unloading systems: Traditional testing equipment often requires manual operation to send the hub unit into the testing area, which can easily cause production stagnation and unsmooth workflow. Although existing automated equipment has made some progress in loading and unloading, the loading and unloading systems of most equipment are not fully integrated with the testing process, resulting in poor overall coordination of the production line;

[0008] 5) Equipment adaptability and flexibility: The production requirements of the automotive industry often change, especially under the differentiated requirements between different models or different wheel hub unit specifications. Traditional inspection equipment is often difficult to adapt to diverse inspection needs. Therefore, we proposed an automated visual inspection equipment for automotive wheel hub units. Summary of the invention

[0009] 1. Technical issues to be solved

[0010] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an automated visual inspection device for automobile wheel hub units, which solves the problem that the current wheel hub unit inspection adopts manual or semi-automatic methods, has low inspection efficiency and poor accuracy, and is difficult to meet the high-speed and high-precision requirements of modern automobile production.

[0011] (II) Technical solution

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose of being able to simultaneously detect multiple key parameters and improve the overall work efficiency of the production line, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: an automated visual inspection device for automobile wheel hub units, comprising a wheel hub unit detection lower frame, a wheel hub unit detection upper frame is installed on the top of the wheel hub unit detection lower frame, an automated loading and unloading system is installed between the wheel hub unit detection lower frame and the wheel hub unit detection upper frame, the automated loading and unloading system comprises a lifting and transplanting mechanism, a transverse lifting mechanism, a centering mechanism, a wheel hub unit turntable, a loading conveyor assembly, a unloading conveyor assembly and an acrylic misplacement mechanism, the system can automatically adjust its transmission path according to the specifications of the wheel hub unit, accurately deliver the wheel hub unit into the detection area, and ensure that the detected wheel hub unit can be smoothly transmitted to the next process, and the automatic loading and unloading system is highly integrated with the detection module, so that the entire detection process can be highly automated, improve production efficiency, and reduce the error rate of manual operation;

[0013] A top visual inspection module and a side visual inspection module are installed between the wheel hub unit detection lower frame and the wheel hub unit detection upper frame. The top visual inspection module and the side visual inspection module are connected to the central control system through sensors. The detection system adopts a modular design, which is convenient for rapid adjustment and upgrading according to different production needs. For example, the detection module, sensor module and automatic loading and unloading system can be replaced or adjusted according to the requirements of the actual production line, so that the equipment has higher adaptability and can handle wheel hub units of different sizes and different parameter specifications to meet diversified production needs.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the automatic loading and unloading system also includes a conveyor belt and a grabbing device, and the positioning and grabbing of the parts to be inspected are precisely controlled by sensors.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the top visual inspection module includes a tooth surface inspection camera, an industrial lens, a ring-shaped light source and a linear motion module, and the tooth surface inspection camera extends through and is installed on the top of the hub unit inspection upper frame.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the side vision detection module includes a pitch detection camera, an industrial lens, a surface light source, a linear motion module, a laser rangefinder and a hub unit rotation mechanism.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the central control system adopts PLC and industrial computers to collect, process and judge data. The data of all detection modules are connected to the central control system through sensors. When all detection items pass the test, the system will judge them as qualified, otherwise they will be judged as unqualified, and unqualified products can be automatically eliminated.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the central control system also includes a display and alarm system, which displays in real time through the host computer software and provides a detailed report of the detection parameters, and feeds back the detection data to the production control system by real-time statistics and analysis of the detection results. This feedback mechanism can help production line managers to grasp the product quality status in real time, and make timely adjustments or repairs when abnormalities occur during the detection process to prevent unqualified products from flowing into the next process or the market.

[0019] (III) Beneficial effects

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides an automated visual inspection device for automobile wheel hub units, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. The present invention realizes fully automated detection through an automatic loading and unloading system, reduces manual operation, and improves the working efficiency of the production line.

[0022] 2. The present invention uses high-precision sensors in various detection modules to accurately measure various parameters of the hub unit, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the detection results.

[0023] 3. The present invention can simultaneously detect six key parameters including the number of teeth on the gear ring, the outer diameter of the gear ring, the outer diameter of the bolts, the number of bolts, the bolt pitch and the bolt extension length, thus avoiding multiple detections in traditional methods and saving time and cost.

[0024] 4. The equipment of the present invention has data collection, automatic identification and alarm functions, and can automatically remove unqualified products, reducing manual intervention and human errors.

[0025] 5. The equipment of the present invention can adjust parameters according to hub units of different specifications to meet different production requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention without the hub unit detection upper frame;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the side view structure of the upper frame without the hub unit detection of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the automated visual inspection process of the automobile hub unit of the present invention.

[0030] In the figure: 1. Hub unit detection lower frame; 2. Hub unit detection upper frame; 3. Lifting and transplanting mechanism; 4. Transverse lifting mechanism; 5. Tooth surface detection camera; 6. Pitch detection camera; 7. Centering mechanism; 8. Hub unit turntable; 9. Loading conveyor assembly; 10. Unloading conveyor assembly; 11. Acrylic misplacement mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4 , provides an automated visual inspection device for automobile wheel hub units, including a wheel hub unit inspection lower frame 1, a wheel hub unit inspection upper frame 2 is installed on the top of the wheel hub unit inspection lower frame 1, an automated loading and unloading system is installed between the wheel hub unit inspection lower frame 1 and the wheel hub unit inspection upper frame 2, and the automated loading and unloading system includes a lifting and transplanting mechanism 3, a lateral lifting mechanism 4, a centering mechanism 7, a wheel hub unit turntable 8, a loading conveyor assembly 9, a unloading conveyor assembly 10 and an acrylic misplacement mechanism 11 (such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the system can automatically adjust the transmission path according to the specifications of the hub unit, accurately send the hub unit to the inspection area, and ensure that the hub unit after inspection can be smoothly transmitted to the next process. At the same time, the automatic loading and unloading system is highly integrated with the inspection module, so that the entire inspection process can be highly automated, improve production efficiency, and reduce the error rate of manual operation;

[0033] A top visual inspection module and a side visual inspection module are installed between the wheel hub unit detection lower frame 1 and the wheel hub unit detection upper frame 2. The top visual inspection module and the side visual inspection module are connected to the central control system through sensors. In application, by integrating multiple sensors, image processing and measuring devices, multiple key parameters (such as bolt outer diameter, pitch, number of bolts, bolt extension length, gear ring outer diameter, etc.) can be measured and detected efficiently and accurately. At the same time, multi-channel detection technology is adopted, which can process multiple parameters in parallel at the same time, significantly improving detection efficiency and accuracy;

[0034] The system operates efficiently through the collaborative working mechanism among various modules (including detection module, automatic loading and unloading system, transmission module, etc.). At the same time, through precise control algorithms and communication protocols, the coordination of data flow and actions among modules is ensured, which improves the overall stability and reliability of the system, thereby ensuring the continuous and efficient performance of the equipment under high load and long-term operation.

[0035] The detection system adopts modular design, which is convenient for rapid adjustment and upgrading according to different production requirements. For example, the detection module, sensor module and automatic loading and unloading system can be replaced or adjusted according to the requirements of the actual production line, so that the equipment has higher adaptability and can handle wheel hub units of different sizes and different parameter specifications to meet diverse production needs.

[0036] Reference Figure 2-Figure 4 The automatic loading and unloading system also includes a conveyor belt and a grabbing device. In the application, the positioning and grabbing of the inspected parts are precisely controlled by sensors.

[0037] Reference Figure 1-Figure 3 The top visual inspection module includes a tooth surface inspection camera 5, an industrial lens, a ring-shaped light source and a linear motion module, and the tooth surface inspection camera 5 extends through and is installed on the top of the wheel hub unit inspection upper frame 2. In application, when the wheel hub unit is located at the top visual inspection position, the system will perform camera hard trigger imaging, and use artificial intelligence image processing technology to analyze the image to obtain three parameters of the wheel hub unit: the number of gear rings, the outer diameter of the gear ring and the number of bolts. The inspection results are sent to the host computer software for real-time display, and then compared with the standard parameters to determine whether the above three parameters of the wheel hub unit are qualified.

[0038] Reference Figure 1-Figure 3The side vision detection module includes a pitch detection camera 6, an industrial lens, a surface light source, a linear motion module, a laser rangefinder, and a hub unit rotation mechanism. In the application, when the hub unit is located at the side vision detection position, the rotation mechanism will start to move, and the laser rangefinder at the bottom will start real-time distance measurement. When it is detected that the center of the bolt at the bottom of the hub unit is located at the distance measurement position and the photo taking position, the laser rangefinder records the current distance measurement result and lights up the surface light source for hard triggering imaging of the camera, and then continues to rotate until all bolts are measured. During the rotation process, the dimension measurement system will obtain the two parameters of the bolt outer diameter and bolt pitch of each bolt of the hub unit in real time according to the side photo taking results. After the rotation is completed, the host computer will receive the distance measurement results of all bolts and obtain the bolt extension length parameters. At the same time, the host computer software will display the detection results in real time, and then compare them with the standard parameters to determine whether the above three parameters of the hub unit are qualified;

[0039] The wheel hub unit is photographed from the top and side using a high-resolution camera, and computer vision technology is used to identify and analyze key information such as the wheel hub unit's bolt arrangement and outer diameter. This information is processed in real time to determine whether the wheel hub unit meets quality standards, greatly improving the accuracy and speed of detection.

[0040] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4 The central control system uses PLC and industrial computers for data collection, processing and judgment. In the application, the data of all detection modules are connected to the central control system through sensors. When all detection items pass the test, the system will judge them as qualified, otherwise they will be judged as unqualified, and unqualified products can be automatically removed.

[0041] Reference Figure 1-Figure 4 The central control system also includes a display and alarm system. The display and alarm system displays the test results in real time through the host computer software and provides a detailed report of the test parameters. In the application, the test results are displayed in real time through the host computer software and provide a detailed report of the test parameters. If unqualified items are found, the system will automatically issue an alarm to notify the operator to deal with them;

[0042] By using high-precision sensors and measurement technology, combined with an automatic calibration mechanism, we ensure that the results of each test are highly consistent and reliable. At the same time, through real-time monitoring and calibration, we ensure that the equipment can maintain excellent accuracy after long-term operation.

[0043] By real-time statistics and analysis of the test results, the test data is fed back to the production control system. This feedback mechanism can help production line managers understand the product quality status in real time, and make timely adjustments or repairs when abnormalities occur during the test process to prevent unqualified products from entering the next process or the market.

[0044] In summary, the combination of multi-parameter automatic detection, intelligent image recognition, automatic loading and unloading system, modular design, precise measurement and calibration technology, intelligent data analysis and efficient collaborative mechanism can jointly promote the comprehensive upgrade of hub unit appearance inspection technology and provide a reliable solution for efficient and accurate production line automation inspection.

[0045] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, which should all be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated visual inspection device for automobile hub units, characterized in that: The invention comprises a wheel hub unit detection lower frame (1), a wheel hub unit detection upper frame (2) is installed on the top of the wheel hub unit detection lower frame (1), an automatic loading and unloading system is installed between the wheel hub unit detection lower frame (1) and the wheel hub unit detection upper frame (2), and the automatic loading and unloading system comprises a lifting and transplanting mechanism (3), a transverse lifting mechanism (4), a centering mechanism (7), a wheel hub unit turntable (8), a loading conveyor assembly (9), a unloading conveyor assembly (10) and an acrylic misplacement mechanism (11); A top visual detection module and a side visual detection module are installed between the wheel hub unit detection lower frame (1) and the wheel hub unit detection upper frame (2), and the top visual detection module and the side visual detection module are connected to a central control system via sensors.

2. The automated visual inspection device for automobile hub units according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic loading and unloading system also includes a conveyor belt and a grabbing device.

3. The automated visual inspection device for automobile wheel hub units according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top visual inspection module comprises a tooth surface inspection camera (5), an industrial lens, a ring-shaped light source and a linear motion module, and the tooth surface inspection camera (5) extends through and is installed on the top of the hub unit inspection upper frame (2).

4. The automated visual inspection device for automobile hub units according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side vision detection module comprises a pitch detection camera (6), an industrial lens, a surface light source, a linear motion module, a laser rangefinder and a wheel hub unit rotation mechanism.

5. The automated visual inspection device for automobile hub units according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central control system uses PLC and industrial computers to collect, process and judge data.

6. The automated visual inspection device for automobile hub units according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central control system also includes a display and alarm system, which performs real-time display through host computer software and provides a detailed report of detection parameters.

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