Thin-walled component assembly device and method

Abstract

The application provides a thin-walled part assembling device and method, which comprises a base, a clamping assembly arranged on the base and used for fixing the thin-walled part, an image acquisition assembly used for acquiring image information of an end surface of the thin-walled part, and a centering assembly electrically connected with the image acquisition assembly and used for fixing a wall part cover and determining position information of the end surface of the thin-walled part according to the image information of the end surface, and the wall part cover is assembled on the end surface of the thin-walled part in an interference fit according to the position information of the end surface of the thin-walled part. The application can avoid hard collision between the thin-walled part and the wall part cover during the assembling process, reduce damage of the thin-walled part caused by improper assembling, improve product qualification rate, and reduce waste product rate and production cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of workpiece assembly technology, and in particular to a thin-walled part assembly device and method. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of machinery manufacturing, the assembly quality of key components such as upper and lower covers and cylindrical parts directly affects the operational performance of the equipment. The upper and lower covers are thin-walled disc-shaped parts with a wall thickness of less than 0.5mm. These thin-walled parts are fragile and present significant challenges during assembly. Existing conventional automated assembly equipment has obvious defects when assembling upper and lower covers and cylindrical parts. Due to positioning errors, the edges of the upper and lower covers are prone to bumping and damage, which not only affects the appearance quality of the product but may also reduce its performance and service life, making it difficult to guarantee the high precision of interference fits and the consistency of the finished product. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a thin-walled part assembly device and method, which can avoid hard collision between the thin-walled part and the wall cover during the assembly process, reduce the damage to the thin-walled part caused by improper assembly, improve the product qualification rate, and reduce the scrap rate and production cost.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A thin-walled component assembly apparatus, comprising:

[0006] Base;

[0007] A clamping assembly mounted on the base is used to secure thin-walled components;

[0008] An image acquisition component is used to acquire image information of the end face of the thin-walled component;

[0009] The centering component, which is electrically connected to the image acquisition component, is used to fix the wall cover and determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end face image information. Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0010] Optionally, the clamping assembly includes: at least one set of clamps; wherein each set of clamps is arranged side by side and fixed to the base by a clamp bracket;

[0011] Each set of clamping devices includes:

[0012] An upper clamping device and a lower clamping device corresponding to the upper clamping device;

[0013] The upper clamp and the lower clamp both have semi-circular clamping surfaces. The upper clamp moves up and down through a cylinder connecting assembly, so that the clamping surfaces of the upper clamp and the lower clamp form a clamping space for fixing the thin-walled part. The cylinder connecting assembly is fixed to the top surface of the clamp bracket, and the lower clamp is fixed to the bottom surface of the clamp bracket.

[0014] Optionally, both the upper and lower clamping fixtures have shims on their semi-circular clamping surfaces.

[0015] Optionally, the image acquisition component includes:

[0016] Support frame;

[0017] Multiple vision cameras fixed on the support frame are used to acquire end face image information of the thin-walled component fixed on the clamping assembly;

[0018] A ring-shaped illumination matrix device fixedly connected to the plurality of vision cameras is used to illuminate the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0019] Optionally, the support frame is also provided with a vision camera adjustment mechanism for adjusting the longitudinal position of the vision camera.

[0020] Optionally, the centering component includes:

[0021] Pressure head height adjustment mechanism;

[0022] The longitudinal guide rail of the pressure head is provided on the pressure head height adjustment mechanism;

[0023] The pressure head is mounted on the longitudinal guide rail of the pressure head, and the wall cover is fixed to the pressure head;

[0024] The pressure head tip is located at the center of the pressure head.

[0025] Optionally, the assembly device further includes:

[0026] A support assembly is provided on the base, the support assembly being used to cooperate with the clamping assembly to fix the thin-walled component;

[0027] The support components include:

[0028] Cylinder support;

[0029] At least one V-groove is provided on the cylindrical support;

[0030] A V-groove height adjustment mechanism is provided on the cylinder support to adjust the height of the V-groove.

[0031] Optionally, the base is provided with a horizontal slide rail, and the support assembly is disposed on the slide rail.

[0032] The present invention also provides a method for assembling thin-walled parts, applied to the thin-walled part assembly device described above, the method comprising:

[0033] Acquire end-face image information of the thin-walled component fixed to the clamping assembly;

[0034] Based on the end face image information, determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component;

[0035] Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0036] Optionally, based on the end face image information, the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component is determined, and based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component, including:

[0037] Based on multiple portion image information of the end face of the thin-walled component;

[0038] Based on the information from the multiple partial images, the arc simulation of the boundary lines in four directions is performed on the end face of the thin-walled component to obtain the arc simulation results.

[0039] The simulation results of the circular arc are combined with those of the entire circle to obtain the spatial location of the calculated center of the circle.

[0040] By comparing the pre-calculated position of the center of the wall cover with the spatial position of the calculated center, the displacement vectors of the wall cover in each direction are obtained.

[0041] Based on the displacement vector, control the pressure head to move to the spatial position where the calculated center is located; and control the pressure head tip to interference fit the wall cover onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0042] The above-described solution of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0043] The above-described solution of the present invention acquires image information of the end face of the thin-walled component through an image acquisition component, and the centering component can accurately determine the position of the end face of the thin-walled component accordingly. This effectively solves the problem of large positioning errors in traditional assembly methods, realizes high-precision interference fit between the wall cover and the end face of the thin-walled component, greatly improves assembly quality, ensures stable and reliable product performance, reduces equipment failures and performance degradation caused by insufficient assembly precision, and extends equipment service life.

[0044] Conventional automated assembly equipment is prone to edge damage to thin-walled parts due to positioning errors. However, this device uses accurate position information for assembly, and the centering component can precisely control the assembly position and force of the wall cover, avoiding hard collisions between the thin-walled parts and the wall cover during the assembly process. This reduces damage to thin-walled parts caused by improper assembly, improves product qualification rate, and reduces scrap rate and production costs.

[0045] The automated image acquisition and alignment assembly process reduces tedious manual measurement and adjustment steps, shortens assembly time, and improves production efficiency. Simultaneously, the system can quickly respond to and process image information, promptly controlling the alignment of components for assembly operations, achieving highly efficient assembly process operation. It is particularly suitable for mass production, meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0046] This device is suitable for assembling various thin-walled parts and wall cover. By simply adjusting the parameters of the image acquisition component and the centering component according to the size and shape of different workpieces, the assembly of products of different specifications can be completed. It has strong versatility and flexibility and can be widely used in the assembly production of different industries and product types, reducing the equipment procurement costs of enterprises. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thin-walled component assembly device of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support component of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the image acquisition component of the present invention;

[0050] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0051] 1. Base; 2. Gasket; 3. Lower clamp; 4. Upper clamp; 5. Clamp bracket; 51. Top surface; 52. Bottom surface; 6. Cylinder connection assembly; 7. Vision camera; 701. First camera; 702. Second camera; 703. Third camera; 704. Fourth camera; 8. Illumination matrix device; 9. Support frame; 10. Pressure head height adjustment mechanism; 11. Pressure head longitudinal guide rail; 12. Pressure head; 13. Pressure head tip; 14. Cylinder bracket; 15. V-groove; 16. V-groove height adjustment mechanism; 17. Slide rail; 18. Vision camera adjustment mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0052] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this invention will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thin-walled component assembly apparatus, comprising:

[0054] Base 1;

[0055] A clamping assembly provided on the base 1 is used to secure the thin-walled component;

[0056] An image acquisition component is used to acquire image information of the end face of the thin-walled component;

[0057] The centering component, which is electrically connected to the image acquisition component, is used to fix the wall cover and determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end face image information. Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0058] In this embodiment, the image acquisition component acquires image information of the thin-walled component's end face, enabling the centering component to accurately determine the position of the thin-walled component's end face. This effectively solves the problem of large positioning errors in traditional assembly methods, achieving high-precision interference fit between the wall cover and the thin-walled component's end face. This greatly improves assembly quality, ensures stable and reliable product performance, reduces equipment failures and performance degradation caused by insufficient assembly precision, and extends equipment lifespan.

[0059] Conventional automated assembly equipment is prone to edge damage to thin-walled parts due to positioning errors. However, this device uses accurate position information for assembly, and the centering component can precisely control the assembly position and force of the wall cover, avoiding hard collisions between the thin-walled parts and the wall cover during the assembly process. This reduces damage to thin-walled parts caused by improper assembly, improves product qualification rate, and reduces scrap rate and production costs.

[0060] The automated image acquisition and alignment assembly process reduces tedious manual measurement and adjustment steps, shortens assembly time, and improves production efficiency. Simultaneously, the system can quickly respond to and process image information, promptly controlling the alignment of components for assembly operations, achieving highly efficient assembly process operation. It is particularly suitable for mass production, meeting the needs of large-scale production.

[0061] This device is suitable for assembling various thin-walled parts and wall cover. By simply adjusting the parameters of the image acquisition component and the centering component according to the size and shape of different workpieces, the assembly of products of different specifications can be completed. It has strong versatility and flexibility and can be widely used in the assembly production of different industries and product types, reducing the equipment procurement costs of enterprises.

[0062] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the clamping assembly includes: at least one set of clamps; wherein each set of clamps is arranged side by side and fixed to the base 1 by a clamp bracket 5;

[0063] Each set of clamping devices includes:

[0064] Upper clamping device 4 and lower clamping device 3 corresponding to the upper clamping device 4;

[0065] The upper clamping device 4 and the lower clamping device 3 both have semi-circular clamping surfaces. The upper clamping device 4 moves up and down through the cylinder connecting assembly 6, so that the clamping surfaces of the upper clamping device 4 and the lower clamping device 3 form a clamping space for fixing the thin-walled part. The cylinder connecting assembly 6 is fixed to the top surface 51 of the clamping device bracket 5, and the lower clamping device 3 is fixed to the bottom surface 52 of the clamping device bracket 5.

[0066] In this embodiment, both the upper clamping fixture 4 and the lower clamping fixture 3 have semi-circular clamping surfaces. This shape can better conform to the shape of the thin-walled part, especially for circular or near-circular thin-walled parts, achieving uniform clamping from all directions. This avoids deformation or damage to the thin-walled part due to excessive local stress caused by uneven clamping force, ensuring that the thin-walled part maintains a stable position during assembly and providing a reliable foundation for subsequent precise assembly.

[0067] The upper clamping device 4 moves up and down through the cylinder connecting assembly 6. The cylinder can provide stable and large power, so that the upper clamping device 4 and the lower clamping device 3 can quickly close and generate sufficient clamping force to firmly fix the thin-walled part, prevent it from shifting during the assembly process, and ensure assembly accuracy.

[0068] By adjusting the stroke of the cylinder connecting assembly 6, the distance between the upper clamping fixture 4 and the lower clamping fixture 3 can be changed, thereby accommodating thin-walled parts with different outer diameters. This feature enhances the versatility of the clamping assembly, eliminating the need for companies to equip multiple different clamping devices for thin-walled parts of different sizes, reducing production costs, and improving equipment utilization.

[0069] The application of the cylinder connecting assembly 6 enables automated control of the clamping process, allowing seamless integration with the overall assembly system. Compared to manual clamping, this significantly improves clamping efficiency, reduces manual operation time and labor intensity, meets the needs of modern industrial automated production, and enhances overall production efficiency.

[0070] The cylinder has a fast response speed and can complete the lifting and lowering action of the upper clamping fixture 4 in a short time, realizing the rapid clamping and loosening of thin-walled parts, further improving the rhythm of the assembly process, and helping to achieve high-speed and efficient assembly production.

[0071] The clamping device is fixed to the base 1 via a clamping device bracket 5. The cylinder connecting assembly 6 corresponding to the upper clamping device 4 is fixed to the top surface 51 of the clamping device bracket 5, and the lower clamping device 3 is fixed to the bottom surface 52 of the clamping device bracket 5. This structural design gives the entire clamping assembly high stability and rigidity. It can maintain structural stability when subjected to large clamping forces and vibrations during assembly, reducing clamping errors caused by structural deformation and improving the reliability and consistency of clamping.

[0072] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, both the upper clamping device 4 and the lower clamping device 3 have a pad 2 provided on their semi-circular clamping surfaces.

[0073] In this embodiment, the gasket 2 is typically made of a soft and smooth material, such as rubber or nylon. When clamping a thin-walled component, the gasket 2 can isolate the clamping device from the thin-walled component, preventing the clamping device from directly contacting the surface of the thin-walled component. This prevents the metal surface of the clamping device from scratching the surface of the thin-walled component during clamping, ensuring the appearance quality of the thin-walled component. This is especially important for some thin-walled components with high surface quality requirements.

[0074] Because the gasket 2 has a certain degree of elasticity, it can deform to a certain extent under the action of clamping force, thereby evenly dispersing the clamping force, reducing the pressure on the surface of the thin-walled part, avoiding leaving indentations on the surface of the thin-walled part due to excessive pressure, and ensuring the flatness and smoothness of the surface of the thin-walled part.

[0075] The material of the gasket 2 generally has a high coefficient of friction. When clamping thin-walled parts, it increases the friction between the clamping surface and the thin-walled parts, making the thin-walled parts more stable in the clamped state and less prone to slippage or displacement. This is crucial for situations where the precise position of thin-walled parts needs to be maintained during assembly, helping to improve the accuracy and reliability of assembly.

[0076] For some thin-walled parts with smooth surfaces and hard materials, ordinary clamping surfaces may not be able to provide enough friction to ensure a clamping effect. The presence of the gasket 2 can effectively solve this problem. Regardless of whether the thin-walled part is made of metal or plastic or other materials, stable clamping can be achieved through the increased friction of the gasket 2.

[0077] Thin-walled parts from different batches or of different specifications may have certain dimensional errors. The shim 2 has a certain thickness and elasticity, which can compensate for these dimensional errors to a certain extent. By replacing the shims 2 with different thicknesses, the clamp can be adapted to a wider range of thin-walled parts of different sizes, improving the clamp's versatility and applicability, reducing the need to replace the clamp due to changes in the size of thin-walled parts, and lowering production costs.

[0078] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the image acquisition component includes:

[0079] Support frame 9;

[0080] Multiple vision cameras 7 fixed on the support frame 9 are used to acquire end face image information of the thin-walled component fixed on the clamping assembly;

[0081] The ring-shaped illumination matrix device 8, which is fixedly connected to the plurality of vision cameras 7, is used to illuminate the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0082] In this embodiment, the plurality of vision cameras 7 are fixed on the support frame 9, enabling them to capture images of the end face of the thin-walled component from different angles and positions, thereby achieving omnidirectional coverage of the end face of the thin-walled component. The image information from different perspectives complements each other, providing richer and more accurate details, which helps to accurately identify the features of the end face of the thin-walled component, such as edge contours, hole positions, surface defects, etc., providing a reliable basis for the subsequent precise assembly of the alignment components.

[0083] The ring-shaped illumination matrix device 8 is fixedly connected to multiple vision cameras 7, providing uniform and blind-spot-free illumination for the end face of thin-walled components. This ring-shaped illumination method can effectively eliminate shadows and reflections caused by unidirectional lighting, making the images captured by the vision cameras 7 clearer and more realistic, avoiding interference from shadows and reflections on feature recognition and position detection, and improving the quality and usability of image information.

[0084] The visual camera 7 and the ring illumination matrix device 8 are fixedly installed by the support frame 9, ensuring their positional stability during image acquisition. This avoids camera shake or illumination deviation caused by equipment vibration, displacement, or other factors, ensuring the consistency and comparability of each acquired image, improving the accuracy and reliability of data acquisition, and providing a stable foundation for data analysis and processing.

[0085] The support frame 9 is typically designed to be adjustable, allowing for flexible adjustment of the position and angle of the vision camera 7, as well as the illumination intensity and angle of the ring illumination matrix device 8, according to the size, shape, and assembly requirements of the thin-walled part. This adjustability enables the image acquisition component to adapt to different working scenarios and workpiece characteristics, improving the versatility and adaptability of the device.

[0086] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the plurality of visual cameras 7 include four sets of first camera 701, second camera 702, third camera 703 and fourth camera 704 arranged in a rectangular pattern.

[0087] The four cameras capture images of the thin-walled component's end face from the four vertices of the rectangle, providing comprehensive, unobstructed coverage of the entire end face area. This layout ensures that any feature on the thin-walled component's end face, including edge contours, surface defects, and hole locations, can be clearly captured by at least one camera. By integrating and analyzing the images acquired by the four cameras, complete and accurate information about the thin-walled component's end face can be obtained, providing a reliable basis for subsequent assembly operations.

[0088] Cameras positioned at different locations can observe the end face of thin-walled components from different angles, helping to capture subtle features that are easily overlooked from a single viewpoint. For example, some features may be difficult to see in one direction due to occlusion or reflection, but may be clearly visible in images taken from cameras in other directions. Multi-directional image acquisition improves the accuracy of feature recognition on the end face of thin-walled components, helping to more accurately determine the position and orientation of the components.

[0089] Cameras positioned at different locations can observe the end face of thin-walled components from different angles, helping to capture subtle features that are easily overlooked from a single viewpoint. For example, some features may be difficult to see in one direction due to occlusion or reflection, but may be clearly visible in images taken from cameras in other directions. Multi-directional image acquisition improves the accuracy of feature recognition on the end face of thin-walled components, helping to more accurately determine the position and orientation of the components.

[0090] Multiple cameras working together allow for cross-validation of measurement results, reducing errors that may arise from measurements taken by a single camera. If one camera exhibits a measurement deviation, data from other cameras can supplement and correct it, thereby improving the overall reliability and accuracy of the measurement. This redundancy design enhances the fault tolerance of the image acquisition system, ensuring the accurate acquisition of spatial location information.

[0091] Multiple cameras working together allow for cross-validation of measurement results, reducing errors that may arise from measurements taken by a single camera. If one camera exhibits a measurement deviation, data from other cameras can supplement and correct it, thereby improving the overall reliability and accuracy of the measurement. This redundancy design enhances the fault tolerance of the image acquisition system, ensuring the accurate acquisition of spatial location information.

[0092] Different thin-walled parts may have different reflective properties and textures, and some surface features may be difficult to identify at a certain angle. Multi-directional shooting by four cameras can increase the chance of capturing clear surface features. Even if the surface of a thin-walled part has reflections, shadows, or complex textures, its location and features can be accurately determined by comprehensively analyzing images from multiple cameras.

[0093] The four cameras can collect real-time information on the positional changes of the thin-walled component during assembly. The data analysis module can then adjust the alignment components' movements based on this real-time data, ensuring the wall cover and the thin-walled component maintain the correct relative position. This real-time monitoring and feedback mechanism can promptly correct deviations during assembly, preventing assembly failures or component damage due to positional misalignment, thus improving the stability and reliability of the assembly process.

[0094] In actual operation, if one camera malfunctions or is damaged, the other three cameras can still provide some useful information, allowing the system to continue operating and maintaining a certain level of assembly accuracy as much as possible. This improves the fault tolerance of the image acquisition components, reduces the risk of the entire assembly system shutting down due to a single camera failure, and ensures production continuity.

[0095] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the support frame 9 is further provided with a vision camera adjustment mechanism 18 for adjusting the longitudinal position of the vision camera 7.

[0096] Different thin-walled parts may have different thicknesses and heights. By adjusting the longitudinal position of the vision camera 7 through the vision camera adjustment mechanism 18, the camera can maintain the optimal focusing distance with the end face of the thin-walled part. This ensures that the acquired images are clear and sharp, allowing features on the end face of the thin-walled part, such as edges, holes, and surface defects, to be captured and identified more accurately, providing more accurate information for subsequent alignment and assembly.

[0097] During production, various thin-walled parts of different specifications are encountered, with significant differences in height and size. The vision camera adjustment mechanism 18 allows the vision camera 7 to flexibly adapt to these different workpiece specifications. For thin-walled parts that are either tall or short, the image acquisition requirements can be met by adjusting the longitudinal position of the camera, eliminating the need to equip each workpiece with a specific image acquisition device. This greatly improves the versatility and applicability of the device and reduces production costs.

[0098] A suitable longitudinal position allows the vision camera 7 to capture images from the optimal angle, reducing measurement errors caused by viewing angle deviations. This helps improve the measurement accuracy of the position and dimensions of thin-walled parts, further enhancing the accuracy and stability of the entire assembly process.

[0099] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the centering component includes:

[0100] Pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10;

[0101] The longitudinal guide rail 11 of the pressure head is provided on the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10;

[0102] A pressure head 12 is provided on the longitudinal guide rail 11 of the pressure head, and the wall cover is fixed on the pressure head 12;

[0103] The pressure head tip 13 is located at the center of the pressure head 12;

[0104] The controller, located within the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10, is used to receive end-face image information of the thin-walled component acquired by multiple vision cameras 7; determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end-face image information; control the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10 to adjust the vertical position of the pressure head based on the end-face position information of the thin-walled component; control the longitudinal guide rail 11 of the pressure head to adjust the longitudinal position of the pressure head 12; and control the pressure head cylinder to adjust the horizontal position of the pressure head 12. The controller is also used to control the pressure head tip cylinder to drive the pressure head tip 13 to interference fit the wall component cover onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0105] In this embodiment, the controller can accurately determine the position information of the thin-walled component's end face based on the image information of the thin-walled component's end face acquired by multiple vision cameras 7. Based on this, the controller can control the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10, the pressure head longitudinal guide rail 11, and the pressure head cylinder respectively to precisely adjust the position of the pressure head 12 in the vertical, longitudinal, and horizontal directions. This allows the pressure head 12 to accurately align the wall-mounted component cover with the end face of the thin-walled component, achieving high-precision interference fit assembly. This effectively solves the assembly deviation problem caused by inaccurate positioning in traditional assembly methods, greatly improving the product's assembly quality and performance stability.

[0106] The pressure head tip 13 is located at the center inside the pressure head 12 and is driven by a pressure head tip cylinder controlled by a controller. During assembly, the pressure head tip 13 can accurately align with the center position of the thin-walled part, ensuring that the center of the wall cover and the center of the thin-walled part are strictly aligned, further improving the alignment and accuracy of the assembly and avoiding assembly defects caused by center offset.

[0107] In actual production, various assembly conditions and requirements may be encountered. The controller can flexibly adjust the action parameters of each adjustment mechanism and cylinder according to specific image information and assembly requirements, enabling the alignment components to cope with different assembly challenges, such as different interference fit requirements and assembly angle requirements, thereby further enhancing the flexibility and practicality of the device.

[0108] The controller precisely controls the movement speed and force of the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10, the pressure head longitudinal guide rail 11, the pressure head cylinder, and the pressure head tip cylinder. During the assembly of the wall-mounted part cover onto the end face of the thin-walled part, damage to the thin-walled part and the wall-mounted part cover due to excessive force or unstable movement can be avoided. A smooth assembly process helps protect the sidewalls of the thin-walled part from damage, while also ensuring the integrity of the wall-mounted part cover, thus improving the product qualification rate.

[0109] The pressure head tip 13 can evenly transmit pressure to the wall cover during assembly, ensuring uniform stress on the wall cover during its connection with the thin-walled component. This helps prevent deformation of the wall cover or thin-walled component due to excessive local pressure, further protecting the workpiece and ensuring assembly quality.

[0110] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the assembly device further includes:

[0111] A support assembly is provided on the base 1, the support assembly being used to cooperate with the clamping assembly to fix the thin-walled component;

[0112] The support components include:

[0113] Cylinder support 14;

[0114] At least one V-groove 15 is provided on the cylindrical support 14;

[0115] A V-groove height adjustment mechanism 16 is provided on the cylinder support 14 to adjust the height of the V-groove 15.

[0116] In this embodiment, the support assembly and the clamping assembly cooperate to fix the thin-walled component from different locations. The clamping assembly mainly clamps the thin-walled component at specific locations, while the support assembly provides additional support points for the thin-walled component through the cylindrical bracket 14 and the V-groove 15 on it. For long or large-sized thin-walled components, this multi-point support method can effectively prevent them from shaking, bending, or deforming during assembly, ensuring that the thin-walled component maintains a stable position and posture throughout the assembly process, laying the foundation for high-precision assembly operations.

[0117] The design of the V-groove 15 is well-suited for cylindrical or near-cylindrical thin-walled components. The V-shaped structure supports the thin-walled component from two directions, increasing the contact area and distributing the supporting force evenly across the surface of the component. This avoids damage caused by localized stress concentration and further improves the stability of the support.

[0118] The V-groove height adjustment mechanism 16 can precisely adjust the height of the V-groove 15. During assembly, by adjusting the height of the V-groove 15, the thin-walled part can be positioned at an ideal horizontal level or a specific assembly height, ensuring the assembly accuracy between the end face of the thin-walled part and the cover. This is particularly important for interference fits requiring strict precision, effectively avoiding assembly defects caused by height deviations of the thin-walled part, and improving the assembly quality and performance of the product.

[0119] Stable support and precise height adjustment help the thin-walled component align better with the wall cover. During assembly, the thin-walled component is positioned more accurately and stably under the support of the alignment components, making the alignment process smoother and enabling the wall cover to be more accurately assembled onto the end face of the thin-walled component, reducing assembly errors and improving the alignment and coaxiality of the assembly.

[0120] When the V-groove 15 contacts the thin-walled part, its large contact area and uniform support reduce localized pressure on the surface of the thin-walled part, lowering the risk of surface scratches, indentations, and other damage. This is crucial for thin-walled parts with high surface quality requirements, helping to improve the product's appearance quality and overall performance.

[0121] Uniform support force distribution can prevent stress concentration on the surface of thin-walled parts. Stress concentration can lead to problems such as cracks and deformation in thin-walled parts during assembly or subsequent use. The proper design of support components effectively reduces this risk and improves the reliability and service life of thin-walled parts.

[0122] The V-groove height adjustment mechanism 16 of the support assembly enables the V-groove 15 to adapt to thin-walled parts with different outer diameters and heights. By adjusting the height and position of the V-groove 15, suitable support can be provided for thin-walled parts of various specifications, enhancing the versatility of the assembly device for different workpieces and reducing the cost for enterprises to equip multiple sets of equipment for products of different specifications.

[0123] The cylindrical support 14 is provided with at least one V-groove 15. The number and position of the V-groove 15 can be flexibly selected and the support method adjusted according to the specific shape, size and assembly requirements of the thin-walled part. This flexibility enables the assembly device to cope with various complex assembly conditions, improving the applicability and flexibility of the device.

[0124] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, a slide rail 17 is horizontally provided on the base 1, and the support component is provided on the slide rail 17.

[0125] In this embodiment, different thin-walled components may have different lengths. By setting the support assembly on the slide rail 17, the support assembly can move horizontally along the slide rail 17, thereby adjusting the support position according to the actual length of the thin-walled component. For longer thin-walled components, the support assembly can be moved to a suitable position to provide more reasonable support for the thin-walled component and avoid deformation due to its large span; for shorter thin-walled components, the position of the support assembly can also be flexibly adjusted to ensure effective support for the thin-walled component, enhancing the adaptability of the assembly device to thin-walled components of different specifications.

[0126] In actual assembly, different assembly processes and procedures may be adopted, which will have different requirements for the support position and method of thin-walled parts. The mobility of the support component on the slide rail 17 allows it to be flexibly adjusted according to the specific assembly process, so as to better cooperate with the centering component, clamping component, etc. to complete the assembly task, thereby improving the flexibility and diversity of the assembly process.

[0127] Even after initial positioning adjustments, slight deviations may still exist during assembly. The mobility of the support assembly on the slide rail 17 allows for fine-tuning of its position to further optimize the support effect on the thin-walled component. By precisely adjusting the support position, the thin-walled component can be placed in a more ideal assembly position, improving the assembly accuracy between the wall cover and the thin-walled component, reducing assembly errors, and ensuring the quality stability of the product.

[0128] When the alignment component performs assembly operations based on the information provided by the image acquisition component, the support component can move appropriately on the slide rail 17 to cooperate with the alignment process. For example, during the alignment process, fine-tuning the position of the support component can better align the thin-walled part with the wall cover, improve the alignment and coaxiality of the assembly, thereby improving the accuracy and quality of the entire assembly.

[0129] In addition to thin-walled parts of varying lengths, other types of workpieces with significant differences in shape and size can also be properly supported by adjusting the position of the support components on the slide rail 17. This allows the assembly device to be compatible with a wider range of workpieces, expanding its applicability, improving its versatility and utilization, and reducing equipment procurement costs for enterprises.

[0130] Specifically, the support component, clamping component, image acquisition component, and centering component are horizontally arranged sequentially on the base 1. The support component is used to support and fix the tail end of the thin-walled component, and the clamping component is used to fix the middle and head ends of the thin-walled component. The image acquisition component and the centering component are directly opposite the ends of the thin-walled component during operation, and are offset from the ends of the thin-walled component at other times.

[0131] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for assembling thin-walled parts, applied to the thin-walled part assembly apparatus described above, the method comprising:

[0132] Step 41: Acquire end face image information of the thin-walled component fixed on the clamping assembly;

[0133] Step 42: Determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end face image information;

[0134] Step 43: According to the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

[0135] In this embodiment, by acquiring image information of the end face of the thin-walled component fixed to the clamping assembly and determining its position information accordingly, the precise position and orientation of the thin-walled component in space can be obtained. Compared to traditional assembly methods, this image-based positioning method avoids human measurement errors and mechanical positioning deviations, greatly improving positioning accuracy. This allows the wall cover to be accurately aligned with the end face of the thin-walled component during assembly, achieving high-precision interference fit, thereby ensuring the assembly quality and performance stability of the product.

[0136] Precise positioning information provides a reliable basis for the assembly of the wall panel cover. The centering component can precisely control the movement trajectory and force of the pressure head 12 based on the determined positioning information, so that the wall panel cover can be engaged with the end face of the thin-walled part at an accurate angle and position. This effectively reduces errors such as gaps and offsets caused by inaccurate assembly positions, and improves the accuracy and consistency of assembly.

[0137] In traditional assembly processes, inaccurate positioning can lead to hard collisions between the wall cover and the thin-walled component, causing edge damage or surface scratches on the thin-walled component. This new assembly method, however, uses image information to precisely determine the position of the thin-walled component, enabling smooth and accurate assembly. This avoids hard contact between the wall cover and the thin-walled component, reducing the risk of damage during assembly and improving product yield.

[0138] Based on precise positional information, the centering component can more effectively control the movement of the pressure head tip 13, ensuring that the wall cover contacts and applies pressure evenly to the end face of the thin-walled component during assembly. This uniform pressure distribution prevents deformation or damage to the thin-walled component due to excessive local pressure, further protecting its integrity.

[0139] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, step 42, determining the position information of the end face of the thin-walled member based on the end face image information, includes:

[0140] Based on multiple portion image information of the end face of the thin-walled component;

[0141] Based on the information from the multiple partial images, the arc simulation of the boundary lines in four directions is performed on the end face of the thin-walled component to obtain the arc simulation results.

[0142] The simulation results of the circular arc are combined with those of the entire circle to obtain the spatial location of the calculated center of the circle.

[0143] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, step 43, according to the end face position information of the thin-walled member, involves interference fitting the wall member cover to the end face of the thin-walled member, including:

[0144] By comparing the pre-calculated position of the center of the wall cover with the spatial position of the calculated center, the displacement vectors of the wall cover in each direction are obtained.

[0145] Based on the displacement vector, control the pressure head 12 to move to the spatial position where the calculated center is located; control the pressure head tip 13 to interference fit the wall cover onto the end face of the thin-walled part.

[0146] Specifically, the assembly method for the thin-walled component includes:

[0147] 1. Data Acquisition and Preprocessing

[0148] Acquiring segmented image information: The multiple visual cameras 7 (such as the first camera 701, the second camera 702, the third camera 703 and the fourth camera 704 arranged in a rectangle) acquire end face image information of the thin-walled part from different angles, and this image information will be divided into multiple segmented image information.

[0149] Image preprocessing: Each segment of the acquired image is preprocessed, including grayscale conversion, noise reduction (such as using Gaussian filtering to remove noise from the image), and enhancement (such as histogram equalization to improve image contrast), to improve the accuracy of subsequent processing.

[0150] 2. Circular Arc Simulation

[0151] Edge detection: Edge detection algorithms (such as the Canny algorithm) are used to perform edge detection on each preprocessed partial image to obtain the edge contours of the thin-walled part end face in various directions.

[0152] Arc fitting: In each segment image, select several feature points related to the edge of the thin-walled part's end face (e.g., select a point every certain number of pixels). Based on these feature points, perform arc fitting using the least squares method.

[0153] Suppose that the feature points selected in a partial image are \((x_i,y_i)\).

[0154] For the equation of a circle \((xa)^2+(yb)^2=r^2\),

[0155] By minimizing \(\sum_{i=1}^{n}[(x_i-a)^2+(y_i-b)^2-r^2]^2\), the center \((a,b)\) and radius \(r\) are solved, yielding the arc parameters corresponding to each sub-image. Since the arc simulation is performed on the boundary lines in four directions, four sets of arc parameters in different directions are obtained.

[0156] 3. Calculate the position of the center of the circle.

[0157] Integrating the circular arcs: The simulation results of the arcs in the four directions are combined. Assume the centers of the arcs in the four directions are \((a_1,b_1)\), \((a_2,b_2)\), \((a_3,b_3)\), and \((a_4,b_4)\), and the radii are \(r_1\), \(r_2\), \(r_3\), and \(r_4\). To obtain a more accurate center position, a weighted average method can be used (the weights can be determined based on factors such as camera accuracy and shooting angle; assuming the weights are \(w_1\), \(w_2\), \(w_3\), and \(w_4\), and \(w_1+w_2+w_3+w_4=1\)).

[0158] Calculate the coordinates of the center of the synthesized circle: \((X_c,Y_c)\)

[0159] \(X_c=w_1a_1+w_2a_2+w_3a_3+w_4a_4\)\(Y_c=w_1b_1+w_2b_2+w_3b_3+w_4b_4\);

[0160] Considering that the thin-walled part is an object in three-dimensional space, it is also necessary to combine the camera calibration information (such as the camera's extrinsic matrix, which includes the camera's rotation and translation information) to convert the two-dimensional image coordinates into three-dimensional spatial coordinates ((X,Y,Z)) to obtain the spatial position of the calculated center.

[0161] 4. Calculate the displacement vector

[0162] Determine the pre-position of the center of the wall cover: The placement position of the wall cover on the pressure head 12 is known, and the pre-position of its center in the equipment coordinate system is denoted as \((X_0,Y_0,Z_0)\).

[0163] Calculate the deviation: Calculate the spatial deviation between the pre-calculated position of the center of the wall-mounted component and the calculated position of the center of the thin-walled component's end face. \(\DeltaX=X-X_0\)\(\DeltaY=Y-Y_0\)\(\DeltaZ=Z-Z_0\)

[0164] The displacement vector is obtained as follows: The displacement vector \(\vec{d}\) is \((\DeltaX,\DeltaY,\DeltaZ)\), which represents the distance and direction that the wall cover needs to move in each direction so that its center coincides with the center of the thin-walled part end face.

[0165] 5. Control the movement and assembly of the pressure head

[0166] Controlling the movement of the pressure head 12: Based on the displacement vector \((\DeltaX,\DeltaY,\DeltaZ)\), the controller controls the pressure head height adjustment mechanism 10 to adjust the position of the pressure head 12 in the vertical direction (corresponding to the \(Z\) direction), controls the pressure head longitudinal guide rail 11 to adjust the longitudinal position of the pressure head 12 (assuming it is in the \(X\) direction), and controls the pressure head cylinder to adjust the position of the pressure head 12 in the horizontal direction (assuming it is in the \(Y\) direction), so that the pressure head 12 drives the wall cover to move to the spatial position where the calculated center is located.

[0167] Interference fit: After the pressure head 12 moves to the target position, the controller controls the pressure head tip cylinder to drive the pressure head tip 13 to interference fit the wall cover onto the end face of the thin-walled part. During the assembly process, the pressing force can be monitored by a pressure sensor to ensure that the pressing force is within a suitable range to guarantee the quality of the interference fit. If the pressing force is too large or too small, the movement speed and stroke of the pressure head tip 13 can be adjusted in time to ensure that the assembly process proceeds smoothly.

[0168] The beneficial effects of this embodiment include:

[0169] 1. High-precision positioning for accurate location of thin-walled components: By processing multiple images of the end face of thin-walled components, the end face features can be analyzed comprehensively and meticulously. During the circular arc simulation of the boundary lines in four directions, each boundary line reflects the positional information of the thin-walled component in that direction. Integrating information from all four directions significantly improves the accuracy of determining the position of the thin-walled component. For example, in cases where the thin-walled component may have slight tilting or eccentricity, this multi-directional analysis can accurately capture these deviations, resulting in a significant improvement in accuracy compared to single-directional measurement or positioning methods.

[0170] Accurate calculation of the center position: The simulation results of the circular arc are combined with those of the entire circle to calculate the spatial position of the center, taking into account the overall shape of the thin-walled part's end face and the boundary conditions in various directions. The center position obtained in this way is based on a comprehensive analysis of the entire end face, which is more accurate and reliable than simply calculating the center based on some feature points, providing a solid foundation for subsequent high-precision assembly.

[0171] 2. Efficient assembly and rapid determination of displacement vectors: By comparing the pre-determined position of the wall cover's center with the calculated spatial position of the thin-walled component's end face center, the displacement vectors of the wall cover in all directions can be quickly obtained. This method, based on precise calculation, avoids the repeated trial and error and manual adjustment process in traditional assembly, greatly shortening the time required to determine the assembly position and improving assembly efficiency.

[0172] Automated assembly control: The pressure head 12 is controlled to move to the target position based on the displacement vector, and the pressure head tip 13 is controlled to perform interference fit. The entire process can be automated. Automated assembly reduces human intervention, which not only improves the assembly speed, but also ensures the consistency and stability of the assembly process, making it particularly suitable for large-scale production scenarios.

[0173] 3. Reduce assembly errors and minimize the impact of human factors: The entire assembly process is primarily based on image information processing and precise calculations, reducing errors caused by human measurement, judgment, and operation. In traditional assembly, manual measurement and adjustment are easily affected by factors such as the operator's skill level and fatigue. However, this image analysis-based method can ensure the accuracy and stability of assembly, improving the consistency of product quality.

[0174] Precise control of assembly position: By accurately calculating the displacement vector and precisely controlling the movement of the pressure head 12, it is possible to ensure that the wall cover is accurately assembled onto the end face of the thin-walled part, avoiding assembly defects caused by assembly position deviations, such as uneven gaps and inconsistent interference, and effectively reducing the scrap rate.

[0175] 4. High adaptability, suitable for thin-walled parts of different specifications: Regardless of the size or shape of the thin-walled part, as long as image information of its end face can be acquired, position analysis and assembly can be performed using the above method. For thin-walled parts with different outer diameters, thicknesses, or slightly different shapes, the end face position information can be accurately calculated through image information processing and analysis, achieving high-precision assembly and improving the versatility and adaptability of the assembly method.

[0176] Addressing Complex Assembly Environments: In actual production, the assembly environment may contain various interfering factors, such as changes in lighting and vibrations. This method, based on image analysis, comprehensively processes information from multiple component images to eliminate the influence of interfering factors to a certain extent, accurately obtain the positional information of thin-walled parts, and ensure the smooth progress of the assembly process.

[0177] It should be noted that this method is the same as the method described above. All implementations in the above device embodiments are applicable to the embodiments of this method and can achieve the same technical effect.

[0178] The thin-walled component assembly device and method described above can solve the problem of poor assembly alignment caused by the lack of a positioning surface on one end of the outer circle, ensuring that the center of the wall component cover and the thin-walled component are precisely aligned, thus guaranteeing the consistency and stability of product quality.

[0179] The above description represents the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thin-walled component assembly apparatus, characterized by, include: Base (1); A clamping assembly provided on the base (1) is used to fix the thin-walled part; An image acquisition component is used to acquire image information of the end face of the thin-walled component; The centering component, which is electrically connected to the image acquisition component, is used to fix the wall cover and determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end face image information. Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component. The image acquisition component includes: Support frame (9); Multiple vision cameras (7) fixed on the support frame (9) are used to acquire end face image information of the thin-walled component fixed on the clamping assembly; the multiple vision cameras (7) include four sets of first camera (701), second camera (702), third camera (703) and fourth camera (704) arranged in a rectangular pattern. A ring-shaped illumination matrix device (8) fixedly connected to the plurality of vision cameras is used to illuminate the end face of the thin-walled component; The centering component includes: Pressure head height adjustment mechanism (10); The longitudinal guide rail (11) of the pressure head is provided on the pressure head height adjustment mechanism (10). A pressure head (12) is provided on the longitudinal guide rail (11) of the pressure head, and the wall cover is fixed on the pressure head (12); A pressure head tip (13) is located at the center of the pressure head (12). The controller, located within the pressure head height adjustment mechanism (10), is used to receive end-face image information of the thin-walled component collected by multiple vision cameras (7); determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component based on the end-face image information; control the pressure head height adjustment mechanism (10) to adjust the vertical position of the pressure head based on the end-face position information of the thin-walled component; control the longitudinal guide rail (11) of the pressure head to adjust the longitudinal position of the pressure head (12); and control the pressure head cylinder to adjust the horizontal position of the pressure head (12). The controller is also used to control the pressure head tip cylinder to drive the pressure head tip (13) to interference fit the wall component cover onto the end face of the thin-walled component. The controller receives partial images of the thin-walled component from different angles acquired by a first camera (701), a second camera (702), a third camera (703), and a fourth camera (704); performs grayscale conversion, noise reduction, and enhancement processing on each partial image; performs edge detection on each preprocessed partial image to obtain the edge contours of the thin-walled component's end face in various directions; selects several feature points related to the edge of the thin-walled component's end face in each partial image, and performs arc fitting based on these feature points to obtain four sets of arc parameters in different directions. The four sets of arc parameters in different directions are integrated to obtain the spatial position of the center of the end face of the thin-walled part. Based on the spatial position of the center and the pre-determined position of the center of the wall cover, the displacement vector of the center of the wall cover is determined. Based on the displacement vector, the pressure head height adjustment mechanism (10) is controlled to adjust the position of the pressure head (12) in the vertical direction, the pressure head longitudinal guide rail (11) is controlled to adjust the longitudinal position of the pressure head (12), and the pressure head cylinder is controlled to adjust the position of the pressure head (12) in the horizontal direction, so that the pressure head (12) drives the wall cover to move to the calculated spatial position of the center.

2. The thin-walled part assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein The clamping assembly includes: at least one set of clamps; wherein each set of clamps is arranged side by side and fixed to the base (1) by a clamp bracket (5); Each set of clamping devices includes: Upper clamping device (4) and lower clamping device (3) corresponding to the upper clamping device (4); The upper clamping device (4) and the lower clamping device (3) both have semi-circular clamping surfaces. The upper clamping device (4) moves up and down through the cylinder connecting assembly (6), so that the clamping surfaces of the upper clamping device (4) and the lower clamping device (3) form a clamping space for fixing the thin-walled part. The cylinder connecting assembly (6) is fixed to the top surface (51) of the clamping device bracket (5), and the lower clamping device (3) is fixed to the bottom surface (52) of the clamping device bracket (5).

3. The thin-walled part assembly apparatus of claim 2, wherein Both the upper clamping device (4) and the lower clamping device (3) have a pad (2) on their semi-circular clamping surfaces.

4. The thin-walled part assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein The support frame (9) is also provided with a vision camera adjustment mechanism (18) for adjusting the longitudinal position of the vision camera (7).

5. The thin-walled part assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein The assembly device further includes: A support assembly is provided on the base (1), the support assembly being used to cooperate with the clamping assembly to fix the thin-walled part; The support components include: Cylinder support (14); At least one V-groove (15) is provided on the cylindrical support (14); A V-groove height adjustment mechanism (16) is provided on the cylinder support (14) to adjust the height of the V-groove (15).

6. The thin-walled part assembly apparatus of claim 5, wherein The base (1) is provided with a horizontal slide rail (17), and the support component is provided on the slide rail (17).

7. A thin-walled component assembly method, characterized by, The method, applied to the thin-walled part assembly apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprises: Acquire end-face image information of the thin-walled component fixed to the clamping assembly; Based on the end face image information, determine the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component; Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component.

8. The thin-walled component assembly method of claim 7, wherein Based on the end face image information, the position information of the end face of the thin-walled component is determined. Based on the end face position information of the thin-walled component, the wall cover is interference-fitted onto the end face of the thin-walled component, including: Based on multiple portion image information of the end face of the thin-walled component; Based on the information from the multiple partial images, the arc simulation of the boundary lines in four directions is performed on the end face of the thin-walled component to obtain the arc simulation results. The simulation results of the circular arc are combined with those of the entire circle to obtain the spatial location of the calculated center of the circle. By comparing the pre-calculated position of the center of the wall cover with the spatial position of the calculated center, the displacement vectors of the wall cover in each direction are obtained. Based on the displacement vector, control the pressure head (12) to move to the spatial position where the calculated center of the circle is located; and Control the tip (13) of the pressure head to press the wall cover onto the end face of the thin-walled part with an interference fit.

Images