Automatic feeding workstation based on visual guidance and automatic feeding method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of body-in-white welding, and particularly relates to an automatic feeding workstation based on visual guidance and an automatic feeding method.The workstation comprises a robot corresponding to at least one grabbing station, and the grabbing stations correspond to at least two storage positions; the material box is fixed in the storage location through a material box positioning device; the recognition module is arranged in the grabbing station and used for recording the states of the material boxes and the workpieces in the storage locations and outputting detection information; the machining station is adjacent to the robot; and the electrical control mechanism is electrically connected with the robot and the recognition module and outputs an action instruction based on the detection information, and the robot executes the action instruction to grab the workpiece to the machining station. And corresponding to one kind of workpieces to be fed, two storage positions are arranged in the grabbing station and used for containing the material boxes, it is guaranteed that the material boxes can be accurately positioned and stored every time, and the situation that the production takt of robot feeding is affected due to the fact that no workpiece exists in the material boxes is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of body-in-white welding, and in particular relates to an automatic loading workstation and an automatic loading method based on vision guidance. Background Art

[0002] With the planning and development of China's robotics industry, there is a lot of room for the application of machine vision technology in the field of industrial production. In the workshop of the automobile welding production line, most of it is used in visual gluing. With the gradual improvement of technology, the application of visual guidance will become more and more extensive.

[0003] At present, a small number of loading positions in various automobile welding workshops have begun to try to use visual guidance for loading. However, automobile production workshops mainly use non-standard integration methods. There is no complete set of standardized systems for integration and debugging. The equipment introduction and debugging time are long, the cost is high, and the efficiency is low. At the same time, the current automobile production lines basically use the method of gripper-based vision to work, and the beat will be correspondingly lower. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a workstation with automatic loading based on vision guidance and an automatic loading method to solve the problems of the prior art.

[0005] One solution of the present invention provides a workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance, comprising:

[0006] The robot corresponds to at least one grabbing station, and the grabbing station corresponds to at least two storage locations;

[0007] A material box is fixed in the storage location by a material box positioning device;

[0008] An identification module is arranged in the grabbing station, and the identification field of the identification module at least covers the storage location, records the status of the material box and the workpiece in the storage location, and outputs detection information;

[0009] a processing station, adjacent to the robot, for carrying a workpiece grasped from the grasping station;

[0010] An electrical control mechanism is electrically connected to the robot and the identification module. The electrical control mechanism outputs an action instruction based on the detection information, and the robot executes the action instruction to grasp the workpiece to the processing station.

[0011] In this solution, for a workpiece to be loaded at a grasping station, two storage locations are provided in the grasping station for placing material boxes to avoid affecting the production rhythm of robot loading due to the absence of workpieces in the material boxes; and a material box positioning device is used to ensure that the material boxes can be accurately positioned and stored each time.

[0012] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material box positioning device includes a material box guiding mechanism, a material box fixing mechanism, and a material box limiting mechanism; the material box guiding mechanism is arranged on both sides of the material box limiting mechanism, and is used to guide the material box to the material box limiting mechanism; the material box fixing mechanism fixes the material box to the position where the material box limiting mechanism is located.

[0013] In this solution, the function of the material box guide mechanism is to keep the material box stable and accurately guided. The material box guide mechanism can be composed of a guide rail and a fixed bracket for supporting the guide rail. The guide rail is usually a straight line or an arc, and can be designed into different shapes according to specific needs to meet the guidance needs. And the fixed bracket can be made of solid metal materials to ensure its stability and firmness, and can be fixed at a suitable position of the processing station by bolts or welding.

[0014] In addition, the material box limiting mechanism can adopt mechanical limiting or magnetic limiting; if a material box limiting mechanism with mechanical limiting is adopted, it is necessary to set limiting parts on the guide track, such as blocks, baffles, etc., to limit the movement range of the material box on the track to ensure the accuracy of its movement direction and position. At the same time, according to factors such as the size, shape and weight of the material box, different sizes of limiting parts can be replaced to ensure the limiting force and positioning accuracy of the device on the material box; if a material box limiting mechanism with magnetic limiting is adopted, magnetic materials such as magnets are installed on the guide track or on the side of the material box, and the position of the material box is magnetically controlled by a magnetic sensitive device to achieve guide limiting. Magnetic limiting has the characteristics of no friction, reliable and stable, and is suitable for production environments that require high precision and high speed for materials.

[0015] The material box fixing mechanism can be a clamping claw or a negative pressure adsorption mechanism to clamp the material box in a fixed position. The clamp can be a manually operated clamping claw, a pneumatic clamp or an electric clamp. By adjusting the position and strength of the clamp, the material box can be firmly clamped in the desired position.

[0016] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the workstation further comprises a protective fence, which is arranged outside the robot and the grabbing station, the protective fence is provided with a material inlet and outlet channel, and the protective fence is used to divide the working area of ​​the robot; and

[0017] A safety grating is arranged at the entrance of the feeding and discharging channel.

[0018] Since current robots are all intelligent command-obeying systems, human intervention or approach may cause accidents. Therefore, in this solution, a protective fence composed of an aluminum profile frame plus organic glass or mesh, acrylic board, density board, etc. is set up to divide the public area and the processing area, maximizing the utilization of the site. It also isolates and protects the machine and reduces the occurrence of human accidents.

[0019] And, the main function of the safety light curtain is to monitor and protect the safety of personnel in industrial scenes. It forms a light barrier by emitting and receiving light beams. When an object (such as a hand or body) enters the light barrier, the light curtain sends a signal to stop or cut off the related mechanical movement, thereby avoiding personal injury or equipment failure.

[0020] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material box includes a rotatable base and a material rack, the material rack is arranged on the rotatable base, and the rotatable base matches the material box positioning device.

[0021] In this solution, the material box is composed of a revolving base and a material rack, and the material rack is detachably mounted on a predetermined installation position on the revolving base by bolts or positioning pieces, which is convenient for quick assembly and disassembly. At the same time, the revolving base is a predetermined standard size that matches the material box positioning device, and the specifications and shapes of the multiple revolving bases are consistent, ensuring compatibility in terms of size, structure, interface, etc., so that accurate positioning can be achieved when different material racks are installed on the revolving base. In this way, when assembling the processing station, the material boxes in the storage location can be flexibly configured as needed, thereby improving the utilization rate of the material boxes and the efficiency of material management.

[0022] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material rack includes any one of a horizontal material rack, a vertical material rack, and a small-part drawer material rack; and the external dimensions of the horizontal material rack, the vertical material rack, and the small-part drawer material rack are uniform.

[0023] In this solution, the material rack can adopt uniform size and standard connectors to facilitate installation with the turnover base. At the same time, different workpiece support mechanisms can be replaced on the material rack according to the type of workpiece to be loaded to meet the positioning requirements of different parts.

[0024] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the identification module includes a camera and a camera bracket for mounting the camera, and the camera bracket is any one or more combinations of a horizontal sliding bracket, a horizontal rotating bracket or a fixed mounting bracket.

[0025] In this solution, the recognition module is modularized into a camera bracket and a camera. At the same time, the camera bracket can be selected as any one of a horizontal sliding bracket, a horizontal rotating bracket or a fixed mounting bracket to adapt to different workpiece posture requirements of horizontal placement and vertical placement;

[0026] In addition, the material box layout is optimized at the same time. The two storage locations in the same grabbing station are arranged side by side on the side close to the robot, and the camera is set at a position that can cover the material boxes in the two storage locations at the same time, directly above or in front of them, thereby reducing the number of cameras, reducing hardware costs, and simplifying the debugging process. Only one camera is needed to capture the posture of the workpiece in the entire area of ​​the current grabbing station.

[0027] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the robot corresponds to one grabbing station, the grabbing station is arranged at a first position of the robot, the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grabbing station at the first position;

[0028] Alternatively, the robot corresponds to two of the grasping stations, and the two grasping stations are respectively arranged at a first position and a second position of the robot, the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grasping station at the first position; the camera bracket arranged at the second position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the second position at least covers the grasping station at the second position;

[0029] Alternatively, the robot corresponds to three grasping stations, and the three grasping stations are respectively arranged at a first position, a second position, and a third position of the robot; the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grasping station at the first position; the camera bracket arranged at the second position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the second position at least covers the grasping station at the second position; the camera bracket arranged at the third position is a horizontal sliding bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the third position at least covers the grasping station at the third position; the recognition module is also arranged on the base of the robot, and the camera bracket on the base is a horizontal rotating bracket, and when the camera on the base rotates along the rotation axis, the recognition field of view respectively covers the grasping stations at the first position, the second position, and the third position.

[0030] In this solution, the number of gripping stations corresponding to the robot can be adjusted according to the number of workpieces to be loaded to meet different loading requirements, and each gripping station has at least two storage locations for placing material boxes to avoid empty materials affecting the production rhythm.

[0031] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electrical control mechanism includes a human-computer interaction module and a visual industrial control module; the human-computer interaction module is compatible with the communication protocol of the visual industrial control module, and is compatible with at least one of the communication protocols of Modbus and OPC UA.

[0032] In this solution, the human-computer interaction module and the visual industrial control module support common communication protocols, such as Modbus, OPC UA, etc. The compatibility of the communication protocols can ensure effective data exchange and communication between PLC and HMI, and realize the transmission and sharing of information. And the programming and configuration software of the human-computer interaction module and the visual industrial control module should have good compatibility and provide standardized interfaces and tools. It is used to ensure that developers can program and configure PLC and HMI in the same integrated development environment, reducing learning costs and development cycles.

[0033] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an automatic loading method can be used in any one of the above-mentioned automatic loading workstations based on vision guidance, comprising:

[0034] The material box is transported to the grabbing station, and the material box positioning device fixes the material box at the predetermined storage position;

[0035] Get feedback information from safety light curtains;

[0036] Obtain detection information of the identification module;

[0037] Outputting an action instruction based on the feedback information and the detection information;

[0038] The robot receives the action instruction and executes the action of picking up and placing the parts.

[0039] In this solution, the material box containing the workpieces to be loaded is transported to the gripping station by manual transportation or AGV transportation. The material box is first guided to the predetermined installation position and accurately positioned in the material box positioning device, and then fixed by the relevant fixing mechanism in the material box positioning device using methods such as adsorption, clamping, etc., thereby realizing the process of fixing the material box in the predetermined storage location. Preferably, the material box can be fixed in two storage locations at the same time to avoid the impact of material shortage on the processing rhythm; after the material box is fixed, the feedback information of the safety grating is obtained to confirm whether the operator or the AGV transport cart has left the recognition area of ​​the safety grating, monitor and protect the safety of personnel in industrial scenarios, and avoid damage to equipment.

[0040] And, by acquiring the detection information of the identification module, it is used to detect and identify whether there are still workpieces in the material box to be grasped in the current grasping station, as well as the location information of the workpieces, and transmit it to the electrical control mechanism. The electrical control mechanism outputs action instructions to the robot based on the feedback information and the detection information. The robot drives the gripper according to the action instructions, and sequentially grasps the workpieces from the material box of at least one grasping station and transfers them to the processing station, thereby completing the loading action.

[0041] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes switching the storage location to grab the workpiece based on the detection information, specifically including:

[0042] Based on the detection information, analyze the remaining status of the workpieces in the material box at the current storage location;

[0043] If the remaining state of the workpiece is empty, a switching instruction is issued, and the robot receives and executes the switching instruction.

[0044] In this solution, two storage locations are set up in the same grasping station for storing material boxes. When the workpiece in one of the material boxes is emptied, the electrical control mechanism obtains the detection information that the current state of the workpiece in the material box is empty, and outputs a switching command to the robot. Before the robot performs the grasping action, the robot is first ordered to switch the grasping direction to the direction of the material box in another storage location, and then grab the upper part from the material box on the side with the workpiece, so as to avoid affecting the production rhythm of the robot loading due to the absence of workpieces in the material box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying creative work.

[0046] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a gripping station according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a workstation including two gripping stations according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a workstation including three gripping stations according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5A schematic diagram showing the structure of a horizontal parts rack according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a vertical material rack showing one embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a small item drawer rack according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing a flow chart of an automatic loading method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram showing a process of switching storage locations to grab workpieces according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Fig.10 A schematic flow chart showing an automatic loading method according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0057] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0058] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 1 One embodiment of the present invention provides a workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance, comprising:

[0060] The robot 110 corresponds to at least one grabbing station 101, and the grabbing station 101 corresponds to at least two storage locations;

[0061] The material box 120 is fixed in the storage location by a material box positioning device 130;

[0062] The recognition module 140 is disposed in the grabbing station 101, and the recognition field of the recognition module 140 at least covers the storage location, records the status of the material box 120 and the workpiece in the storage location, and outputs the detection information;

[0063] a processing station 150 , adjacent to the robot 110 , for carrying a workpiece grasped from the grasping station 101 ;

[0064] The electrical control mechanism 160 is electrically connected to the robot 110 and the identification module 140 . The electrical control mechanism 160 outputs an action instruction based on the detection information. The robot 110 executes the action instruction to grasp the workpiece to the processing station 150 .

[0065] In this embodiment, corresponding to a workpiece to be loaded at a grabbing station 101, two storage locations are provided in the grabbing station 101 for placing a material box 120, so as to avoid affecting the production rhythm of the robot 110 loading the workpiece due to the absence of the workpiece in the material box 120; and the material box positioning device 130 is used to ensure that the material box 120 can be accurately positioned and stored each time.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 2 In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material box positioning device 130 includes a material box guiding mechanism 131, a material box fixing mechanism 132, and a material box limiting mechanism 133; the material box guiding mechanism 131 is arranged on both sides of the material box limiting mechanism 133, and is used to guide the material box 120 to the material box limiting mechanism 133; the material box fixing mechanism 132 fixes the material box 120 to the position of the material box limiting mechanism 133.

[0067] In this embodiment, the function of the material box guiding mechanism 131 is to maintain the stability and accurate guidance of the material box 120. The material box guiding mechanism 131 can be composed of a guide rail and a fixed bracket for supporting the guide rail. The guide rail is usually a straight line or an arc, and can be designed into different shapes according to specific needs to meet the guidance requirements. And the fixed bracket can be made of a solid metal material to ensure its stability and firmness, and can be fixed at a suitable position of the processing station by bolts or welding.

[0068] Furthermore, the material box limiting mechanism 133 can adopt mechanical limiting or magnetic limiting; if the material box limiting mechanism 133 with mechanical limiting is adopted, it is necessary to set limiting parts on the guide track, such as blocks, baffles, etc., to limit the moving range of the material box 120 on the track to ensure the accuracy of its moving direction and position. At the same time, according to factors such as the size, shape and weight of the material box 120, limiting parts of different sizes can be replaced to ensure the limiting force and positioning accuracy of the device on the material box 120; if the material box limiting mechanism 133 with magnetic limiting is adopted, magnetic materials such as magnets are installed on the guide track or the side of the material box 120, and the position of the material box 120 is magnetically controlled by a magnetic sensitive device to achieve guided limiting. Magnetic limiting has the characteristics of no friction, reliable and stable, and is suitable for production environments that require high precision and high speed for materials.

[0069] The material box fixing mechanism 132 can be a clamp or a negative pressure adsorption mechanism to clamp the material box 120 in a fixed position. The clamp can be a manually operated clamp, a pneumatic clamp or an electric clamp, etc. By adjusting the position and strength of the clamp, the material box 120 is firmly clamped in the desired position.

[0070] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the workstation further includes a protective fence 170, which is arranged outside the robot 110 and the grabbing station 101, and the protective fence 170 is provided with a material inlet and outlet channel, and the protective fence 170 is used to divide the working area of ​​the robot 110; and

[0071] The safety grating 180 is arranged at the entrance of the feeding and discharging channel.

[0072] Since the current robots 110 are all intelligent command-obeying systems, human intervention or approach may cause accidents. Therefore, in this embodiment, a protective fence 170 composed of an aluminum profile frame plus organic glass or a grid, acrylic board, density board, etc. is provided to divide the public area and the processing area, thereby maximizing the utilization rate of the site, isolating and protecting the machine, and reducing the occurrence of human accidents.

[0073] And, the main function of the safety light curtain 180 is to monitor and protect the safety of personnel in industrial scenes. It forms a light barrier by emitting and receiving light beams. When an object (such as a hand or body) enters the light barrier, the light curtain will send a signal to stop or cut off the related mechanical movement, thereby avoiding personal injury or equipment failure.

[0074] The safety grating 180 is composed of a transmitter and a receiver, which are respectively arranged on the edges of both sides of the entrance of the inlet and outlet channel of the protective fence 170, and monitors the existence of the target object through an infrared beam or a laser beam. When an object (such as a hand or a body) enters the light barrier, the grating will generate a signal to trigger relevant safety measures, such as stopping the operation of the machine or equipment to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment. In this embodiment, in addition to safety protection, the safety grating 180 also serves as a pre-trigger mechanism for loading materials at the workstation to prevent the robot 110 and other equipment from starting to operate when the transport personnel or transport vehicle are still within the operating range.

[0075] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material box 120 includes a rotatable base and a material rack 121 . The material rack 121 is disposed on the rotatable base, and the rotatable base matches the material box positioning device 130 .

[0076] In this embodiment, the material box 120 is composed of a revolving base and a material rack 121, and the material rack 121 is detachably mounted on a predetermined installation position on the revolving base by bolts or positioning members, which is convenient for quick assembly and disassembly. At the same time, the revolving base is a predetermined standard size that matches the material box positioning device 130, and the specifications and shapes of the multiple revolving bases are consistent, ensuring compatibility in terms of size, structure, interface, etc., so that accurate positioning can be achieved when different material racks 121 are installed on the revolving base. In this way, when assembling the processing station, the material boxes 120 in the storage location can be flexibly configured as needed, thereby improving the utilization rate of the material boxes 120 and the material management efficiency.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 5-Figure 7 In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the material rack 121 is configured to include any one of a horizontal material rack 121A, a vertical material rack 121B, and a small-part drawer rack 121C; and the external dimensions of the horizontal material rack 121A, the vertical material rack 121B, and the small-part drawer rack 121C are uniform.

[0078] In this embodiment, the material rack 121 can adopt uniform size and standard connectors to facilitate installation with the turnover base. At the same time, different workpiece support mechanisms can be replaced on the material rack 121 according to the type of workpiece 200 to be loaded to meet the positioning requirements of different parts.

[0079] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the identification module 140 includes a camera 141 and a camera bracket 142 for mounting the camera 141, and the camera bracket 142 is any one or more combinations of a horizontal sliding bracket, a horizontal rotating bracket or a fixed mounting bracket.

[0080] In this embodiment, the recognition module 140 is divided into a camera bracket 142 and a camera 141, and the camera bracket 142 can be selected as any one of a horizontal sliding bracket, a horizontal rotating bracket or a fixed mounting bracket to meet the different workpiece posture requirements of horizontal placement and vertical placement;

[0081] In addition, the layout of the material boxes 120 is optimized at the same time. The two storage locations in the same grasping station 101 are arranged side by side on the side close to the robot 110, and the camera 141 is set at a position that can simultaneously cover the material boxes 120 in the two storage locations, directly above or in front of them, thereby reducing the number of cameras 141, reducing hardware costs, and simplifying the debugging process. Only one camera 141 is needed to achieve full-area workpiece posture shooting in the current grasping station 101.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the robot 110 corresponds to one of the grabbing stations 101, the grabbing station 101 is arranged at a first position M1 of the robot 110, the camera bracket 142 arranged at the first position M1 is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the first position M1 at least covers the grabbing station 101 at the first position M1;

[0083] Alternatively, the robot 110 corresponds to two of the grasping stations 101, and the two grasping stations 101 are respectively arranged at a first position M1 and a second position M2 of the robot 110, and the camera bracket 142 arranged at the first position M1 is a fixed installation bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the first position M1 at least covers the grasping station 101 at the first position M1; the camera bracket 142 arranged at the second position M2 is a fixed installation bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the second position M2 at least covers the grasping station 101 at the second position M2;

[0084] Alternatively, the robot 110 corresponds to three grasping stations 101, and the three grasping stations 101 are respectively arranged at the first position M1, the second position M2, and the third position M3 of the robot 110, and the camera bracket 142 arranged at the first position M1 is a fixed installation bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the first position M1 at least covers the grasping station 101 at the first position M1; the camera bracket 142 arranged at the second position M2 is a fixed installation bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the second position M2 at least covers The grabbing station 101 at the second position M2; the camera bracket 142 arranged at the third position M3 is a horizontal sliding bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera 141 at the third position M3 at least covers the grabbing station 101 at the third position M3; the recognition module is also arranged on the base of the robot 110, and the camera bracket 142 on the base is a horizontal rotating bracket, when the camera 141 on the base rotates along the rotation axis, the recognition field of view covers the grabbing stations 101 at the first position M1, the second position M2, and the third position M3 respectively.

[0085] In this embodiment, according to the number of workpieces to be loaded, the number of gripping stations 101 corresponding to the robot 110 can be adjusted to meet different loading requirements, and each gripping station 101 corresponds to at least two storage locations for placing material boxes 120 to avoid empty materials affecting the production rhythm.

[0086] In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electrical control mechanism 160 includes a PLC controller in addition to a human-computer interaction module and a visual industrial control module; the human-computer interaction module is compatible with the communication protocol of the visual industrial control module, and is compatible with at least one of the communication protocols of Modbus and OPC UA.

[0087] Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a programmable memory that stores instructions for performing logic operations, sequence control, timing, counting and arithmetic operations, and controls various types of mechanical equipment or production processes through digital or analog input and output. In this embodiment, HMI and visual industrial control modules realize the integration of equipment through compatible communication interfaces with a unified communication protocol to reduce hardware costs.

[0088] Human Machine Interface (HMI) is a module used to realize information exchange and operation control between people and machines in industrial automation systems. Common human-machine interaction modules include touch screens, buttons and debugging switches, keyboards and mice, handheld devices, and voice recognition devices. Among them, the touch screen is one of the most common human-machine interaction devices. Users can interact with the system directly through the touch screen. At the same time, the touch screen can provide an intuitive graphical interface. Users can complete operations through gestures such as touch and slide, such as inputting commands, adjusting parameters, and viewing status. Buttons and debugging switches are usually used to complete simple operations, usually with clear operation instructions and physical feedback, and are suitable for some specific operation scenarios, such as start-stop signals, mode switching, emergency stop, etc. Keyboards and mice are traditional human-machine interaction devices, which are still widely used in some industrial automation systems to control cursor position, click operations, and input text and numbers. Handheld devices such as mobile terminals and tablets interact with the system through wireless connections, providing portability and flexibility.

[0089] In this embodiment, the human-machine interaction module (HMI) and the visual industrial control module support common communication protocols, such as Modbus, OPC UA, etc. The compatibility of the communication protocol can ensure effective data exchange and communication between the PLC and the HMI, and realize the transmission and sharing of information. And the programming and configuration software of the human-machine interaction module and the visual industrial control module should have good compatibility and provide standardized interfaces and tools. It is used to ensure that developers can program and configure PLC and HMI in the same integrated development environment, reducing learning costs and development cycles.

[0090] Visual industrial control module refers to the module used to realize visual inspection, imaging processing and image recognition in industrial automation system. It usually includes the following components: Camera, the core device of visual industrial control module, is used to obtain the image of objects or scenes. Different types of sensors and lenses can be selected according to needs, such as CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensor. Image acquisition card, used to convert the analog image signal collected by the camera into digital signal, and perform image processing and analysis. It usually has high-speed acquisition capability and multi-channel input interface to meet the requirements of high resolution and high frame rate. Image processing software, used to process and analyze the collected images, provides image enhancement, filtering, edge detection, feature extraction and other functions, as well as advanced algorithms such as image recognition, target positioning, defect detection. Common image processing software includes OpenCV, HALCON, etc. Communication interface, for data exchange and communication with other devices or control systems, can be connected to PLC, HMI or host computer through Ethernet, serial port, digital I / O and other interfaces to realize the transmission of image data and the interaction of control instructions.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 8 In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an automatic loading method can be used in any one of the above-mentioned multiple embodiments of the automatic loading workstation based on vision guidance, comprising:

[0092] S10, conveying the material box to the grabbing station, and the material box positioning device fixes the material box at the predetermined storage position;

[0093] S20, obtaining feedback information of the safety grating;

[0094] S30, obtaining detection information of the identification module;

[0095] S40, outputting an action instruction based on the feedback information and the detection information;

[0096] S50: The robot receives the action instruction and executes the action of picking up and placing the object.

[0097] In this embodiment, a material box containing workpieces to be loaded is transported to the gripping station 101 by manual transportation or AGV transportation. The material box is first guided to a predetermined installation position and accurately positioned in a material box positioning device, and then fixed by relevant fixing mechanisms in the material box positioning device using methods such as adsorption, positioning, clamping, etc., thereby realizing the process of fixing the material box in a predetermined storage location. Preferably, the material box can be fixed in two storage locations at the same time to avoid material shortages affecting the processing rhythm. After the material box is fixed, feedback information from the safety grating is obtained to confirm whether the operator or the AGV transport vehicle has left the recognition area of ​​the safety grating, thereby monitoring and protecting the safety of personnel in industrial scenarios and avoiding damage to equipment.

[0098] And, by acquiring the detection information of the identification module, it is used to detect and identify whether there are still workpieces in the material box to be grasped in the current grasping station 101, as well as the location information of the workpieces, and transmit it to the electrical control mechanism. The electrical control mechanism outputs action instructions to the robot based on the feedback information and the detection information. The robot drives the gripper according to the action instructions, and sequentially grasps the workpieces from the material box of at least one grasping station 101 and transfers them to the processing station, thereby completing the loading action.

[0099] Please refer to Fig. 9 In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, after the electrical control mechanism obtains the detection information, the method further includes switching the storage location to grab the workpiece based on the detection information, specifically including:

[0100] S401, analyzing the remaining status of workpieces in the material box of the current storage location based on the detection information;

[0101] S402: If the remaining state of the workpiece is empty, a switching instruction is issued, and the robot receives and executes the switching instruction.

[0102] Please refer to Fig.10 In one of the application scenarios, the specific process of switching the storage location to grab the workpiece is as follows:

[0103] S10, conveying the material box to the grabbing station, and the material box positioning device fixes the material box at the predetermined storage position;

[0104] S20, obtaining feedback information of the safety grating;

[0105] S30, obtaining detection information of the identification module;

[0106] S40, outputting an action instruction based on the feedback information and the detection information;

[0107] S401, analyzing the remaining status of workpieces in the material box of the current storage location based on the detection information;

[0108] S402, if the remaining state of the workpiece is empty, a switching instruction is issued, and the robot receives and executes the switching instruction;

[0109] S50: The robot receives the action instruction and executes the action of picking up and placing the object.

[0110] In this embodiment, two storage locations are set in the same grasping station 101 for storing material boxes. When the workpiece in one of the material boxes is emptied, the electrical control mechanism obtains the detection information that the workpiece status of the current material box is empty, and outputs a switching instruction to the robot. The robot receives and executes the switching instruction. Before the robot performs the grasping action, the robot is first ordered to switch the grasping direction to the direction of the material box in another storage location, and then executes the action instruction to grasp the upper part from the material box on the side with the workpiece, so as to avoid affecting the production rhythm of the robot loading due to the absence of workpieces in the material box.

[0111] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance, characterized in that: include: The robot corresponds to at least one grabbing station, and the grabbing station corresponds to at least two storage locations; A material box is fixed in the storage location by a material box positioning device; An identification module is arranged in the grabbing station, and the identification field of the identification module at least covers the storage location, records the status of the material box and the workpiece in the storage location, and outputs detection information; a processing station, adjacent to the robot, for carrying a workpiece grasped from the grasping station; An electrical control mechanism is electrically connected to the robot and the identification module. The electrical control mechanism outputs an action instruction based on the detection information, and the robot executes the action instruction to grasp the workpiece to the processing station.

2. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The material box positioning device includes a material box guiding mechanism, a material box fixing mechanism, and a material box limiting mechanism; the material box guiding mechanism is arranged on both sides of the material box limiting mechanism, and is used to guide the material box to the material box limiting mechanism; the material box fixing mechanism fixes the material box to the position of the material box limiting mechanism.

3. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a protective fence, which is arranged on the outside of the robot and the grasping station, and the protective fence is provided with an inlet and outlet channel. The protective fence is used to divide the working area of ​​the robot; and a safety grating, which is arranged at the entrance of the inlet and outlet channel.

4. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The material box includes a circumferential base and a material rack. The material rack is arranged on the circumferential base, and the circumferential base matches the material box positioning device.

5. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The material rack setting includes any one of a horizontal material rack, a vertical material rack, and a small-part drawer material rack; and the external dimensions of the horizontal material rack, the vertical material rack, and the small-part drawer material rack are uniform.

6. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The recognition module includes a camera and a camera bracket for mounting the camera, wherein the camera bracket is any one or more combinations of a horizontal sliding bracket, a horizontal rotating bracket or a fixed mounting bracket.

7. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The robot corresponds to one of the grabbing stations, the grabbing station is arranged at a first position of the robot, the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grabbing station at the first position; Alternatively, the robot corresponds to two of the grasping stations, and the two grasping stations are respectively arranged at a first position and a second position of the robot, the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grasping station at the first position; the camera bracket arranged at the second position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the second position at least covers the grasping station at the second position; Alternatively, the robot corresponds to three grasping stations, and the three grasping stations are respectively arranged at a first position, a second position, and a third position of the robot; the camera bracket arranged at the first position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the first position at least covers the grasping station at the first position; the camera bracket arranged at the second position is a fixed mounting bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the second position at least covers the grasping station at the second position; the camera bracket arranged at the third position is a horizontal sliding bracket, and the recognition field of view of the camera at the third position at least covers the grasping station at the third position; the recognition module is also arranged on the base of the robot, and the camera bracket on the base is a horizontal rotating bracket, and when the camera on the base rotates along the rotation axis, the recognition field of view respectively covers the grasping stations at the first position, the second position, and the third position.

8. The workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The electrical control mechanism includes a human-machine interaction module and a visual industrial control module; the human-machine interaction module is compatible with the communication protocol of the visual industrial control module, and is compatible with at least one of the communication protocols of Modbus and OPC UA.

9. An automatic feeding method, characterized in that: A workstation for automatic loading based on vision guidance that can be used in any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: The material box is transported to the grabbing station, and the material box positioning device fixes the material box at the predetermined storage position; Get feedback information from safety light curtains; Obtain detection information of the identification module; Outputting an action instruction based on the feedback information and the detection information; The robot receives the action instruction and executes the action of picking up and placing the parts.

10. The automatic feeding method according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes switching the storage location to grab the workpiece based on the detection information, including: Based on the detection information, analyze the remaining status of the workpieces in the material box at the current storage location; If the remaining state of the workpiece is empty, a switching instruction is issued, and the robot receives and executes the switching instruction.

Images