Automatic grinding system and method for welding electrode

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of welding electrode coping, and provides an automatic coping system and method for a welding electrode, and the automatic coping system comprises a coping device arranged at a coping position and an electrode surface detection device arranged at a detection position; the coping device comprises a coping rotating mechanism and at least one coping piece connected with the coping rotating mechanism, and the coping piece is used for coping the working surface of a first electrode and / or a second electrode to be coped in the state that the coping piece is driven by the coping rotating mechanism to rotate. The electrode surface detection device comprises a smoothness detection sensor which is used for detecting the smoothness of the working surface of the ground electrode so as to judge whether grinding is qualified or not according to the smoothness. The grinding process can be automatically processed, the manual operation time is shortened, and the overall efficiency of a production line is remarkably improved; the instability of manual electrode grinding can be avoided, the smoothness of the surface of the electrode ground every time can be ensured through smooth finish control, and the welding quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of welding electrode grinding, and in particular to an automatic grinding system and method for welding electrodes. Background Art

[0002] In the automobile manufacturing industry, a traceless welding technology, Arplas welding, is used. It is to stamp out a specific bulge at one end of the overlapping parts, and then use a welding gun to weld at each dimple position, and finally form a specific welding state. Compared with traditional resistance spot welding, Arplas welding can use less energy to weld the boss position of the parts. It has the advantages of small heat-affected zone and no trace on the surface. It is often used in automobile doors, windows and rear gutter areas. Since Arplas welding needs to punch the boss before welding, zinc chips are often attached to the workpiece. After multiple welding, a layer of zinc chips and oxide layer will be attached to the electrode. The electrode surface needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure the connection quality of Arplas welding. Arplas electrodes also have round heads and square heads, but for places with small curvatures like gutter, square electrodes are suitable to ensure that the surface after welding is traceless.

[0003] At present, for Arplas electrode grinding and cleaning, the production line mainly uses manual entry to the island, and uses P360 grinding discs to grind the electrodes at a frequency of every 30 pieces, which loses about 70 minutes of production time a day. For efficient automated production lines, manual entry and cleaning is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and also affects the production efficiency of the automated production line. Manual grinding requires the processor to have higher skills, and the flatness of the upper and lower electrodes must be able to cover the boss of the welded parts. However, manual grinding can easily cause the electrode surface to be uneven, affecting the quality of the connection to the finished body surface, and thus also resulting in a short electrode life. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, an embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic grinding system and method for welding electrodes to eliminate or improve one or more defects existing in the prior art.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides an automatic grinding system for a welding electrode, the welding electrode comprising a first electrode and a second electrode mounted on a welding gun, the system comprising: a grinding device disposed at a grinding position and an electrode surface detection device disposed at a detection position;

[0006] The grinding device comprises a grinding rotating mechanism and at least one grinding piece connected to the grinding rotating mechanism, wherein the grinding piece is used to grind the working surface of the first electrode and / or the second electrode to be ground while being driven to rotate by the grinding rotating mechanism;

[0007] The electrode surface detection device includes a smoothness detection sensor for detecting the smoothness of the electrode working surface after grinding, so as to judge whether the grinding is qualified according to the smoothness.

[0008] In some embodiments, the welding electrode is controlled by a robot to move in horizontal and vertical directions to perform welding and grinding operations;

[0009] The grinding device also includes a floating unit for floatingly mounting the grinding member so that its floating direction is perpendicular to the working surface of the electrode to be ground;

[0010] The floating unit includes an elastic member or a cylinder, which is used to combine the robot to drive the electrode to be ground to a depth, and keep the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit.

[0011] In some embodiments, the system further includes a grinding amount control module, which is used to control the grinding amount of the first electrode and the second electrode by the grinding device to be maintained at a minimum grinding amount or a predetermined grinding amount in this grinding operation;

[0012] The grinding amount control module includes at least one of a grinding pressure control unit, a grinding time control unit and a grinding piece rotation speed control unit;

[0013] The grinding pressure control unit is used to control the depth of the electrode to be ground by the robot in combination with the wear amount of the electrode to be ground and the grinding amount of this grinding operation, so that the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece is maintained at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit;

[0014] The grinding time control unit is used to control the grinding time by controlling the residence time of the electrode to be ground at the grinding position or the start time of the grinding device through the robot;

[0015] The grinding piece rotation speed control unit is communicatively connected with the grinding rotation mechanism to control the rotation speed of the grinding piece according to the grinding amount.

[0016] In some embodiments, the grinding amount control module further includes an electrode wear amount detection unit, which is used to detect the pre-grinding wear amount of the electrode by closing the welding gun before grinding, and the wear amount is the difference between the initial height and the current height of the electrode. The pre-grinding wear amount is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode and the second electrode in this grinding operation to obtain the predetermined pressure;

[0017] The electrode wear detection unit is also used to detect the wear amount of the electrode after grinding by closing the welding gun after grinding is completed, and the wear amount after grinding is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode and the second electrode in the welding operation;

[0018] The difference between the wear amount after grinding and the wear amount before grinding is the predetermined grinding amount for this grinding operation;

[0019] The wear amount of the first electrode and the second electrode after grinding is obtained by using the dichotomy method to calculate the total wear amount after the welding gun is closed; or, after one electrode is ground and before the other electrode is ground, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun, and then after the other electrode is ground, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun.

[0020] In some embodiments, the system also includes a welding electrode position detection module, which is used to monitor the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position in real time through the position coordinates of the welding electrode or whether the welding electrode is detected by at least one position sensor set in the path, so as to control the grinding device to start after the welding electrode moves to a first set distance before grinding; and / or, to control the grinding device to close after the welding electrode moves out to a second set distance after grinding is completed.

[0021] In some embodiments, the system further comprises an electrode grinding condition judgment module, which is used to record the number of grinding times of the welding electrode and / or the current height of the electrode. If the number of grinding times of any electrode reaches an upper limit or the current height of any electrode reaches a lower limit, it is determined that grinding is not allowed; and / or,

[0022] The grinding device further comprises a grinding piece detection module for detecting whether the grinding piece exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device meets the grinding operation conditions.

[0023] In some embodiments, the grinding device comprises two grinding members, each of which comprises a sheet-shaped grinding wheel, and is used to grind the surface of the first electrode and the surface of the second electrode respectively; or,

[0024] The grinding device comprises a grinding piece, and the grinding piece comprises a sanding belt ring, which is used to grind the surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode simultaneously or successively.

[0025] In some embodiments, the surface finish detection sensor includes a first optical fiber amplifier and a second optical fiber amplifier, which are arranged back to back and have surfaces configured to be parallel to the polished working surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode to perform surface finish detection on them respectively.

[0026] In some embodiments, the system further comprises an electrode wear degree detection unit for determining whether the electrode is allowed to be ground by recording the number of times the electrode is ground or by detecting the remaining height of the electrode to obtain the total amount of wear.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention provides an automatic grinding method for a welding electrode. The automatic grinding method is implemented based on the above-mentioned automatic grinding system, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0028] In the case where the welding electrode needs to be sharpened, judging whether the welding electrode is allowed to be sharpened in combination with the number of sharpening times or the total wear amount of the welding electrode, and if so, executing the next step;

[0029] The grinding part detection sensor is used to detect whether the grinding part exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device meets the grinding operation conditions. If so, the next step is executed;

[0030] The electrode wear is detected by closing the welding gun, and the wear is compensated to control the depth of the first electrode and the second electrode in this grinding operation;

[0031] The robot controls the welding electrode to move to the grinding position. During the movement of the welding electrode, the welding electrode position detection module controls the grinding device to start according to the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position. After the welding electrode reaches the grinding position, the robot controls the depth of the welding electrode and controls the grinding pressure in combination with the floating unit to grind the working surfaces of the first electrode and the second electrode in sequence.

[0032] After grinding is completed, the robot controls the welding electrode to move to the inspection position, and the surface finish of the electrode working surface after grinding is detected by the surface finish detection sensor, and the quality of the grinding is judged by the surface finish. If it is unqualified, the robot controls the welding electrode to return to the grinding position and the grinding device is used to grind it again or notify manual processing until the surface finish is qualified.

[0033] After a single electrode is ground, the wear amount of the electrode is detected in turn by closing the welding gun, or after two electrodes are ground, the total wear amount is detected, and the wear amount of a single electrode is obtained by binary division, and the wear amount is compensated to the depth control of the first electrode and the second electrode of the welding operation.

[0034] The automatic grinding system and method in the embodiment of the present invention can automatically handle the grinding process, which not only reduces the manual operation time, but also significantly improves the overall efficiency of the production line; automatic grinding can avoid the instability of manual grinding, ensure that the electrode surface is flat after each grinding, improve the electrode contact quality during the welding process, and further improve the overall quality of the body welding; precise grinding amount control and smoothness maintenance help to extend the service life of the electrode, reduce the replacement frequency, and reduce production costs. The automatic grinding system of the present invention can be applied to Arplas electrodes (such as square electrodes or round electrodes) in the automobile manufacturing industry, especially in automated production lines that require large-scale and efficient welding, and has broad application prospects.

[0035] Additional advantages, purposes, and features of the present invention will be described in part in the following description, and will become apparent to those skilled in the art after studying the following, or may be learned from the practice of the present invention. The purposes and other advantages of the present invention may be achieved and obtained by the structures specifically indicated in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the objectives and advantages that can be achieved with the present invention are not limited to the above specific description, and the above and other objectives that can be achieved by the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention, constitute a part of this application, and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. The components in the drawings are not drawn to scale, but are only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the present invention. In order to facilitate the illustration and description of some parts of the present invention, the corresponding parts in the drawings may be enlarged, that is, they may become larger relative to other components in the exemplary device actually manufactured according to the present invention.

[0038] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic grinding system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a grinding device in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of a welding electrode and an electrode surface detection device in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the composition of an automatic grinding system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the principle of an automatic grinding system in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 6 It is a flowchart of an automatic grinding method in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an automatic grinding method in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Reference numerals:

[0046] 1. Grinding device; 11. Grinding rotating mechanism; 12. Grinding piece; 13. Floating unit; 14. Grinding piece detection module; 15. Welding electrode position detection module; 2. Electrode surface detection device; 21. First optical fiber amplifier; 22. Second optical fiber amplifier; 3. Grinding amount control module; 31. Grinding pressure control unit; 32. Grinding time control unit; 33. Grinding piece speed control unit; 34. Electrode wear amount detection unit; 4. Communication control box; 61. Welding gun; 62. First electrode; 63. Second electrode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Here, the illustrative embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0048] It should also be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention due to unnecessary details, only structures and / or processing steps closely related to the solutions according to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the present invention are omitted.

[0049] It should be emphasized that the term “include / comprises” when used herein refers to the presence of features, elements, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps or components.

[0050] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the term “connection” herein may refer not only to a direct connection but also to an indirect connection involving an intermediate.

[0051] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or similar components, or the same or similar steps.

[0052] The present invention aims to provide an automatic grinding system and method for welding electrodes, which can be applied to Arplas electrodes used in the automobile manufacturing industry. The present invention can replace the existing manual grinding method. The present invention aims to reduce production line downtime and improve production efficiency through automated grinding; at the same time, it ensures that zinc scraps, oxide layers and other dirt on the electrode surface are removed with a minimum amount of grinding, and the surface finish of the electrode is maintained, thereby improving the quality stability of Arplas welding and extending the service life of the electrode. In addition, the present invention can also avoid the problem of uneven electrode surface that may be caused by manual grinding, and further improve the welding quality and the appearance quality of the vehicle body.

[0053] First, as Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, the present invention provides an automatic grinding system for welding electrodes, wherein the welding electrodes (such as Figure 3As shown in the figure, the welding gun 61 includes a first electrode 62 and a second electrode 63 installed on the welding gun 61. It can be understood that the first electrode 62 is an upper electrode and can be used as a movable arm electrode; and the second electrode 63 is a lower electrode and can be used as a stationary arm electrode. In other embodiments, both electrodes can be movable arm electrodes, and their movement can be assisted by linear moving structures such as cylinders and screw nut mechanisms. These are conventional solutions in the field and will not be described here. It is sufficient to achieve the welding function.

[0054] Furthermore, the automatic grinding system mainly includes: a grinding device 1 arranged at the grinding position and an electrode surface detection device 2 arranged at the detection position. The grinding device 1 is mainly used to automatically perform the grinding action, and the electrode surface detection device 2 is mainly used to automatically detect whether the electrode surface after grinding is qualified. If it is unqualified, the grinding action can be automatically performed again, or manual intervention can be performed.

[0055] The grinding device 1 includes a grinding rotating mechanism 11 and at least one grinding piece 12 connected to the grinding rotating mechanism 11, and the grinding piece 12 is used to grind the working surface of the first electrode 62 and / or the second electrode 63 to be ground while being driven to rotate by the grinding rotating mechanism 11. The grinding rotating mechanism 11 is responsible for driving the grinding piece 12 to rotate and provide grinding force. The grinding piece 12 drives the working surface of the movable arm electrode or the stationary arm electrode to be ground by rotation, thereby completing the grinding of the electrode. According to the needs, the type of the grinding piece 12 can select suitable abrasives for fine grinding. The working surface mentioned here refers to the surface that is in direct contact with the welding part, that is, the lower surface of the upper electrode and the upper surface of the lower electrode, which is also the surface where zinc scraps, oxide layer and other dirt are mainly attached.

[0056] The electrode surface detection device 2 includes a smoothness detection sensor for detecting the smoothness of the electrode working surface after grinding, so as to judge whether the grinding is qualified by the smoothness. The smoothness detection sensor can ensure that the electrode surface after grinding reaches the expected smoothness. Through the measured value of the smoothness, the system can automatically judge whether the grinding meets the standard, ensuring the quality control of the grinding process.

[0057] In the above embodiments, the present invention can automatically process the grinding process, which not only reduces the manual operation time, but also significantly improves the overall efficiency of the production line; automatic grinding can avoid the instability of manual grinding, ensure that the electrode surface is flat after each grinding, improve the electrode contact quality during the welding process, and further improve the overall quality of the body welding; precise grinding amount control and smoothness maintenance help to extend the service life of the electrode, reduce the replacement frequency, and reduce production costs. The automatic grinding system of the present invention can be applied to Arplas electrodes (such as square electrodes or circular electrodes) in the automobile manufacturing industry, but is not limited to this, and can also be used for other electrodes, especially in automated production lines that require large-scale and efficient welding, and has broad application prospects.

[0058] In some embodiments, the welding electrode is controlled by a robot to move in the horizontal and vertical directions to perform welding and grinding operations. The industrial robot can accurately adjust the position and posture of the electrode to perform different tasks, and can also ensure that the electrode surface is evenly processed during the grinding process to avoid unstable factors caused by manual operation.

[0059] In some embodiments, the grinding device 1 further includes a floating unit 13 for floatingly mounting the grinding piece 12 so that its floating direction is perpendicular to the working surface of the electrode to be ground; this design can ensure that the contact pressure between the grinding piece 12 and the electrode surface is uniform and controllable, thereby avoiding damage or unevenness to the electrode surface due to excessive pressure or uneven pressure. Due to the design of the floating unit 13, it is also helpful to control the grinding amount of the electrode each time to a minimum, maximize the service life of the electrode, and reduce costs.

[0060] Furthermore, the floating unit 13 includes an elastic member or a cylinder, which is used to combine the depth of the electrode to be ground driven by the robot (i.e., the contact depth between the grinding member 12 and the electrode), and keep the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding member 12 at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit 13, so as to ensure the stability and consistency of the grinding process. The elastic member (such as a spring) or the cylinder can adjust the rigidity or flexibility of the floating unit 13 as needed, so as to accurately control the contact pressure during grinding.

[0061] As at least one possible implementation, Figure 2As shown, the floating unit 13 is in the form of a spring, which can be fixedly mounted on the middle fixed plate. A number of springs are installed on the upper and lower middle fixed plates for adjusting the grinding pressure of the upper and lower electrodes; a contact plate can also be set between the spring and the grinding piece 12 to ensure its flatness. The pressure that the spring can provide depends on the amount of compression. The system can control the depth of the electrode according to demand, so as to set the pressure to the minimum grinding pressure or the predetermined grinding pressure. For example, a smaller pressure can help control the finish of the grinding surface and help reduce the grinding amount (the height or thickness of the electrode removed), while a larger pressure can help reduce the grinding time and reduce the downtime cost. The system can adjust the grinding pressure according to actual needs and has a wide range of applicability.

[0062] Through robot control, the application of the floating unit 13 and precise pressure regulation, the welding electrode automatic grinding system of the present invention can complete the grinding task more efficiently and accurately, ensure the stability of the electrode surface quality, and also reduce the potential errors in manual operation. The system has a high degree of automation and is easy to operate, which can greatly improve the overall efficiency and quality of welding operations, especially in large-scale production.

[0063] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, the system also includes a grinding amount control module 3, which is used to control the grinding amount of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 by the grinding device 1 in this grinding operation to maintain the minimum grinding amount or the predetermined grinding amount; the goal of the grinding amount control module 3 is to control the grinding amount of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63, accurately control the parameters in the grinding process, and ensure that the impact of each grinding operation on the electrode is controlled within a predetermined range.

[0064] Furthermore, the grinding amount control module 3 includes at least one of a grinding pressure control unit 31, a grinding time control unit 32 and a grinding piece speed control unit 33. Of course, these three parameters can adjust the grinding amount, and in order to reduce the control parameters, one or two of the parameters can be set to be constant, and the grinding amount can be adjusted by adjusting one parameter, simplifying the control method; all three can also be set to be controllable to achieve the best grinding effect. The grinding amount is the thickness or height of the electrode that needs to be removed in one grinding operation. The relationship between the grinding pressure, grinding time and the grinding piece 12 speed (the linear speed of the contact point between the electrode surface and the grinding piece 12) is very close, and the combined effect of these three determines the effect of welding electrode grinding. The most suitable combination can be found through experiments to ensure the best grinding effect while avoiding excessive wear on the electrode.

[0065] First, the grinding pressure control unit 31 is used to control the depth of the electrode to be ground driven by the robot in combination with the amount of wear of the electrode to be ground and the grinding amount of this grinding operation, so that the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece 12 is maintained at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit 13. As mentioned above, the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece 12 is maintained within a predetermined pressure range. This control method utilizes the action of the floating unit 13 to automatically adjust the contact pressure of the electrode according to the set conditions to avoid excessive wear or uneven grinding. Optionally, the grinding process can be controlled as a constant force or a variable force process, such as the grinding pressure is initially the largest and then gradually decreases. This method is conducive to grinding for a better finish.

[0066] Secondly, the grinding time control unit 32 is used to control the grinding time by controlling the residence time of the electrode to be ground at the grinding position or the start-up time of the grinding device 1 through the robot; by controlling the grinding time, it can ensure that the electrode is fully ground while avoiding excessive grinding, thereby improving the grinding efficiency and maintaining the quality of the electrode surface.

[0067] Third, the grinding piece speed control unit 33 is connected to the grinding rotating mechanism 11 in communication to control the speed of the grinding piece 12 according to the grinding amount. The grinding amount control module 3 automatically adjusts the speed of the grinding piece 12 according to the required grinding amount. A higher speed can be used for faster grinding, while a lower speed can be used for fine grinding to ensure the quality of the grinding process. In addition, a larger grinding pressure and a higher speed may lead to greater heat generation, which requires proper control to avoid overheating of the electrode or excessive wear of the grinding piece 12.

[0068] In the above embodiment, through the cooperation of grinding pressure control, grinding time control and grinding piece 12 speed control, the system can accurately control the grinding amount of each grinding process to ensure that the electrode surface is ideally finished. The whole system has a high degree of automation and can complete the precise grinding task without manual intervention, thereby improving production efficiency and reducing human errors. Through precise pressure and time control, the uniformity and integrity of the electrode surface can be maintained, and the service life of the electrode can be extended. The grinding amount control module 3 can not only improve the grinding accuracy, but also ensure the efficiency and consistency of the production process. Through automatic control and parameter adjustment, the system can optimize the electrode grinding process in actual production, reduce unnecessary losses, and improve welding quality and equipment service life.

[0069] In some embodiments, Figure 4As shown, the grinding amount control module 3 also includes an electrode wear amount detection unit 34, which is used to detect the electrode wear amount before grinding by closing the welding gun 61 before grinding. The wear amount is the difference between the initial height and the current height of the electrode (or the sum of all grinding amounts). The wear amount before grinding is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 in this grinding operation to obtain the predetermined pressure, and can also maintain the stability of the predetermined pressure during the grinding process. This solution helps to improve the one-time pass rate of grinding quality, avoid multiple grinding, and control the grinding time.

[0070] Furthermore, the electrode wear detection unit 34 is also used to detect the wear amount of the electrode after grinding by closing the welding gun 61 after grinding is completed. The wear amount after grinding is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 in the welding operation, thereby ensuring the stability of the electrode during the welding process and the welding quality.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the difference between the wear amount after grinding and the wear amount before grinding is the predetermined grinding amount for this grinding operation. The electrode wear amount can be calculated using at least two schemes, such as binary method or electrode-by-electrode detection.

[0072] First, the wear amount of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 after grinding is calculated by using the dichotomy method (i.e., the average method, the grinding amount of the two electrodes is considered equal) after the welding gun 61 is closed to detect the total wear amount. The wear amount of the two electrodes satisfies the following relationship:

[0073] Total wear = first electrode wear + second electrode wear

[0074] In this method, it is assumed that the wear of the two electrodes is the same. Therefore, by measuring the grinding amount or wear of one electrode, the wear of the other electrode can be inferred. This method averages the wear of the two electrodes and uses it as the correction value for the depth. This solution is relatively simple to implement, does not need to measure the wear of each electrode separately, and is more efficient in calculation.

[0075] Secondly, after grinding one electrode and before grinding another electrode, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun 61, and then after grinding the other electrode, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun 61. In this method, the wear amount of each electrode is detected separately. The specific operation is to measure the wear amount of the electrode by closing the welding gun 61 after grinding one electrode, and then grind another electrode and detect the wear amount of the electrode. The relationship between the current height or remaining height of each electrode and the grinding amount satisfies:

[0076] Current electrode height = electrode height before previous grinding - grinding amount

[0077] This method can accurately calculate and accumulate the wear of each electrode by recording each electrode individually. This method can accurately record the wear of each electrode, avoid the error that may be caused by the averaging method, and ensure the accuracy of depth control, which is particularly suitable for welding operations that require high precision.

[0078] Through the above two methods, you can choose according to actual needs and accuracy requirements. If high-precision depth control is required, it is more appropriate to detect the wear of each electrode one by one; if time and efficiency are key, the dichotomy rule can provide a simpler solution. It can be understood that the electrode wear detection step can be mainly performed with the help of the robot and part of the structure of the welding gun 61, without the need to add additional hardware structure.

[0079] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, the system also includes a welding electrode position detection module 15, which is used to monitor the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position in real time through the position coordinates of the welding electrode or whether the welding electrode is detected by at least one position sensor set at a specific position of the path, so as to control the grinding device 1 to start after the welding electrode moves to a first set distance before grinding; and / or, to control the grinding device 1 to close after the welding electrode moves out to a second set distance after grinding is completed.

[0080] In the above embodiments, at least two schemes can be used to control the opening and closing of the grinding device 1, namely, real-time monitoring of the welding electrode position coordinates and detection by position sensors. In embodiment 1, the system can directly obtain the coordinates of the welding electrode and calculate the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position based on these coordinates. In embodiment 2, the system can install at least one position sensor (such as a laser sensor, an acoustic wave sensor, etc.) at a specific position of the path. Of course, position sensors can also be set on the path of the welding position-grinding position and the path of the grinding position-detection position to detect in real time whether there is a welding electrode passing through. After the sensor detects the welding electrode, it will trigger the corresponding control operation of the system. These control methods can effectively ensure the accuracy and automation of the grinding process, reduce manual intervention, improve efficiency, reduce the operating time of the grinding piece 12, reduce energy consumption and reduce the operating loss of the grinding piece 12.

[0081] In some embodiments, Figure 4As shown, the system also includes an electrode grinding condition judgment module, which is used to record the number of grinding times of the welding electrode and / or the current height of the electrode. If the number of grinding times of any electrode reaches the upper limit or the current height of any electrode reaches the lower limit, it is determined that grinding is not allowed. After multiple grindings, the performance and life of the welding electrode may be affected. Therefore, once the number of grindings reaches the upper limit, the system will determine that further grinding is not allowed. If the height of the electrode is lower than the set lower limit, it indicates that the electrode may have been excessively worn or damaged, and grinding can no longer restore its performance, and grinding also needs to be stopped. When any of the above conditions is met, that is, the number of grindings reaches the upper limit or the current height of the electrode reaches the lower limit, the system will determine that the electrode grinding operation is not allowed to continue, and a new welding electrode needs to be replaced in time. This judgment can effectively avoid the risks brought by excessive grinding and ensure the safety of electrode use and welding quality.

[0082] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, the grinding device 1 also includes a grinding part detection module 14, which is used to detect whether the grinding part 12 exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device 1 meets the grinding operation conditions. In addition to detecting the existence of the grinding part 12, the module also checks whether the grinding part 12 is damaged. For example, the grinding part 12 may be damaged due to long-term use or excessive wear, which will affect the grinding effect. The detection module confirms whether the grinding part 12 is damaged through sensors or other detection methods. When the grinding part 12 does not exist or is damaged, the system will determine that the grinding device 1 does not meet the conditions for the grinding operation, thereby preventing the grinding operation from continuing, avoiding the degradation of grinding quality or damage to the equipment due to problems with the grinding part 12. This function can ensure the safety and effectiveness of the grinding operation and improve the reliability of the system.

[0083] Furthermore, the grinding piece detection module 14 can be implemented by a variety of structures, and the specific selection depends on the system requirements, accuracy requirements and characteristics of the grinding piece 12. The available methods include but are not limited to optical sensors, proximity sensors, visual detection systems and RFID (radio frequency identification). Optical sensors (such as infrared sensors, laser sensors, etc.) are used to detect whether the grinding piece 12 exists or is damaged. For example, when the grinding piece 12 is missing, the light beam is interrupted, and the sensor can detect the change in the signal, and then determine whether the grinding piece 12 exists; this method has the advantages of high precision and non-contact measurement, and is suitable for detection requiring high sensitivity. The proximity sensor determines the state of the grinding piece 12 by detecting the existence or surface changes of the grinding piece 12; for example, the inductive sensor can sense the existence of the metal grinding piece 12, while the capacitive sensor is suitable for non-metal grinding pieces 12; this method has the advantages of non-contact measurement, fast response and applicability to a variety of grinding piece 12 materials. The visual inspection system detects the status of the grinding part 12 through a camera and an image processing algorithm, such as by photographing the surface of the grinding part 12 and using an image recognition algorithm to determine its damage or wear. This method has the advantages of high precision and the ability to directly identify the shape and defects of the grinding part 12, and is suitable for complex situations.

[0084] In some embodiments, the grinding device 1 includes two grinding pieces 12, and the grinding piece 12 includes a sheet-like grinding wheel, which is used to grind the surface of the first electrode 62 and the surface of the second electrode 63 respectively. The sheet-like grinding wheel can be installed on a structure such as a cylinder. In this solution, each electrode surface can be processed independently to ensure the accuracy and controllability of the grinding effect. For the grinding requirements of different electrode surface characteristics, suitable grinding wheels can be selected for customization.

[0085] In other embodiments, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the grinding device 1 includes a grinding piece 12, and the grinding piece 12 includes a sanding belt ring, which is used to grind the surfaces of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 simultaneously or successively. The sanding belt ring has a large contact area and a high grinding efficiency, and is suitable for processing larger electrode surfaces. Due to its continuous structure, it can provide uniform friction during the grinding process, which helps to improve the grinding efficiency. The combined structure of the sanding belt ring and the floating unit 13 helps to reduce the use of structures, simplify the control method, and reduce costs. Optionally, the flatness of the electrode after grinding can also be ensured by adding longitudinal and lateral elastic limits at the installation position of the sanding belt ring floating unit 13.

[0086] Optionally, the grinding rotating mechanism 11 may include a motor for driving the rotation of the grinding piece 12; if the grinding piece 12 is in the form of a sanding belt ring, the grinding rotating mechanism 11 may also include two pulleys for mounting the sanding belt ring, one of which is directly or indirectly connected to the motor as a driving wheel. The grinding piece speed control unit 33 may be arranged in the communication control box 4 below. For example, if a single chip microcomputer or PLC is used, the interaction module of the grinding device 1 of the system and the welding robot, the control center, etc. may be arranged in the communication control box 4.

[0087] In some embodiments, Figure 3 As shown, the finish detection sensor includes a first fiber amplifier 21 and a second fiber amplifier 22, which are arranged back to back to form a symmetrical structure, and their surfaces are configured to be parallel to the working surfaces of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 after grinding, so as to detect the finish thereof respectively. In this embodiment, the surface of the fiber amplifier is configured to be parallel to the working surface of the electrode after grinding, ensuring that the finish of the electrode surface can be detected at a suitable angle. Through this parallel arrangement, the fiber amplifier can provide more accurate finish measurement data, because the contact angle between the optical fiber and the electrode surface does not interfere with the accuracy of reflection or optical sensing. Through the fiber amplifier, the sensor can detect tiny flaws, roughness or finish changes on the electrode surface through the reflection or scattering characteristics of light. Accurate finish data can help adjust the quality of electrode surface grinding and ensure that the performance of the electrode meets the requirements.

[0088] In addition to using a smoothness detection sensor, the electrode surface detection device 2 may also adopt other schemes, such as white light interferometry, surface profile measurement, etc. The white light interferometry method uses a white light interferometer to detect the surface microscopic morphology by using the interference phenomenon of white light to judge the surface smoothness. By irradiating the surface with white light, the slight morphological difference on the surface will cause the phase change of the light wave. When the phase difference of the reflected light wave reaches a certain value, the light wave interferes to form interference fringes. By analyzing the morphology of the interference fringes, the roughness and smoothness of the surface can be inferred. The surface profile measurement method uses a profilometer or an optical microscope to calculate the smoothness by scanning the surface profile and detecting its microstructure. Use a probe or laser scanning device to scan the surface, collect the height information of each point on the surface, and form a surface profile map. The smoothness is judged by the smoothness of the surface morphology. The higher the smoothness, the smoother the surface and the smaller the change in the surface profile.

[0089] In some embodiments, the system further includes an electrode wear degree detection unit, which is used to determine whether the electrode is allowed to be ground by recording the number of times the electrode is ground, or by detecting the remaining height of the electrode to obtain the total wear amount. The electrode wear degree detection unit tracks the wear of the electrode in real time by recording the number of times the electrode is ground or monitoring the remaining height, ensuring that the electrode can be stopped from being ground or replaced in time before the wear reaches the limit, thereby ensuring the safety of the grinding process and the efficiency of the electrode. This can not only improve production efficiency, but also extend the service life of the equipment.

[0090] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an automatic grinding method for a welding electrode, wherein the automatic grinding method is implemented based on the automatic grinding system described above, such as Figure 5-Figure 7 As shown, the method comprises the following steps:

[0091] 1. Determine whether grinding is allowed: When the welding electrode needs to be ground, determine whether the welding electrode is allowed to be ground based on the number of grinding times or the total wear amount of the welding electrode. If so, proceed to the next step.

[0092] 2. Detection of grinding parts 12: The grinding part 12 detection sensor is used to detect whether the grinding part 12 exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device 1 meets the grinding operation conditions. If so, the next step is executed; only when the grinding part 12 is normal and meets the conditions, can the grinding operation continue. This step can ensure the normal operation of the grinding device 1.

[0093] 3. Electrode wear detection and compensation: The electrode wear is detected by closing the welding gun 61, and compensated to the depth control of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 of this grinding operation; according to the electrode wear, the grinding depth is accurately adjusted to ensure that each grinding can be compensated to an appropriate degree.

[0094] 4. Control of the movement of the welding electrode to the grinding position and the grinding process: The welding electrode is controlled by a robot to move to the grinding position. During the movement of the welding electrode, the welding electrode position detection module 15 controls the start of the grinding device 1 according to the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position. After the welding electrode reaches the grinding position, the robot controls the depth of the welding electrode, and the grinding pressure is controlled in combination with the floating unit 13 to grind the working surfaces of the first electrode 62 and the second electrode 63 in turn.

[0095] 5. Detection of surface finish after grinding: After grinding is completed, the robot controls the welding electrode to move to the detection position, and the surface finish detection sensor detects the surface finish of the electrode after grinding, and determines whether the grinding is qualified based on the surface finish; if it is unqualified, the robot controls the welding electrode to return to the grinding position and the grinding device 1 grinds it again or notifies manual intervention until the surface finish is qualified and the grinding is completed.

[0096] In the above embodiment, whether the welding electrode needs to be sharpened can be determined by the number of times the electrode is welded or the working time. When the welding electrode is welded on multiple workpieces, the surface of the electrode will gradually wear out after each certain number of welds are completed. By counting the number of workpieces welded by the electrode, it can be determined that the electrode needs to be sharpened when the welding reaches a predetermined number of times. Another way is to determine whether it needs to be sharpened by the working time of the electrode. As the electrode is used for a longer time, the wear on the surface of the electrode will also accumulate. When the working time reaches a certain limit, the working effect of the electrode will deteriorate, so it needs to be sharpened. This number or duration can set a reasonable standard based on the electrode material and specific usage.

[0097] Compared with the existing manual grinding, the automatic grinding system and method of welding electrodes in the embodiment of the present invention improves the surface flatness of the electrode after each grinding, thereby extending the service life of the electrode and ensuring the connection quality of Arplas welding. Secondly, by adopting a floating grinding structure to ensure the minimum grinding amount, the service life of the electrode is further extended.

[0098] After the electrode is automatically ground, people do not need to enter the automatic production line island for cleaning, which means that the automatic production line does not need to be stopped, reducing production time by about one hour per day and reducing labor intensity.

[0099] After the present invention adopts the electrode wear detection and compensation scheme, it can ensure that the electrode can reach the correct grinding position every time, and the electrode wear caused by grinding will not cause the electrode to fail to reach the grinding position accurately and the grinding will not be clean, thereby ensuring the one-time pass rate of the electrode grinding; through the wear detection and compensation scheme, the distance between the electrode and the plate (workpiece) can be guaranteed again to ensure the welding quality.

[0100] The automatic grinding system and method of the welding electrode in the embodiment of the present invention combines the precise control of multiple parameters such as grinding pressure, grinding time and the rotation speed of the grinding piece 12, and can automatically grind the welding electrode efficiently and accurately. In industrial production lines that require high-frequency and high-precision welding, such as automobile manufacturing, shipbuilding, steel structure welding and other fields. The automatic grinding system in the embodiment of the present invention can ensure that the welding electrode continues to maintain stable performance after long-term work, thereby ensuring welding quality and production efficiency. Automated control can reduce manual intervention, reduce the impact of human factors, ensure that each welding electrode is evenly ground, and ensure continuous and stable operation of the production line.

[0101] The automatic grinding system in the embodiment of the present invention can also be used in welding environments that require high consistency and precision, such as aerospace, nuclear power plant construction and precision manufacturing. The applicable scenarios of the automatic grinding system and method are mainly concentrated in fields with high requirements for welding quality, production efficiency and cost. Through the automated grinding process, manual intervention can be reduced, grinding accuracy can be improved, electrode service life can be extended, production costs can be optimized, and the stability of welding quality can be ensured. These advantages make the automatic grinding system have important application value in modern production lines, precision manufacturing and high-demand welding fields.

[0102] Corresponding to the above method, the present invention also provides an apparatus, which includes a computer device, the computer device includes a processor and a memory, the memory stores computer instructions, the processor is used to execute the computer instructions stored in the memory, and when the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the apparatus / system implements the steps of the method described above.

[0103] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps of the automatic grinding method of the welding electrode are implemented. The computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible storage medium, such as a random access memory (RAM), a memory, a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically programmable ROM, an electrically erasable programmable ROM, a register, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a removable storage disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the technical field.

[0104] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the exemplary components, systems and methods described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in hardware, software or a combination of the two. Whether it is performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the present invention. When implemented in hardware, it can be, for example, an electronic circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), appropriate firmware, a plug-in, a function card, etc. When implemented in software, the elements of the present invention are programs or code segments used to perform the required tasks. The program or code segment can be stored in a machine-readable medium, or transmitted on a transmission medium or a communication link via a data signal carried in a carrier.

[0105] It should be clear that the present invention is not limited to the specific configuration and processing described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of simplicity, a detailed description of the known method is omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of the present invention is not limited to the specific steps described and shown, and those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications and additions, or change the order between the steps after understanding the spirit of the present invention.

[0106] In the present invention, features described and / or illustrated for one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, and / or combined with features of other embodiments or replace features of other embodiments.

[0107] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the embodiments of the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic grinding system for a welding electrode, the welding electrode comprising a first electrode (62) and a second electrode (63) mounted on a welding gun (61), characterized in that: The system comprises: a grinding device (1) arranged at a grinding position and an electrode surface detection device (2) arranged at a detection position; The grinding device (1) comprises a grinding rotating mechanism (11) and at least one grinding piece (12) connected to the grinding rotating mechanism (11), wherein the grinding piece (12) is used to grind the working surface of the first electrode (62) and / or the second electrode (63) to be ground while being driven to rotate by the grinding rotating mechanism (11); The electrode surface detection device (2) comprises a smoothness detection sensor, which is used to detect the smoothness of the electrode working surface after grinding, so as to judge whether the grinding is qualified according to the smoothness.

2. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The welding electrode is controlled by a robot to move in horizontal and vertical directions to perform welding and grinding operations; The grinding device (1) further comprises a floating unit (13) for floatingly mounting the grinding member (12) so that its floating direction is perpendicular to the working surface of the electrode to be ground; The floating unit (13) comprises an elastic member or a cylinder, which is used to combine the depth of the electrode to be ground driven by the robot to maintain the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece (12) at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit (13).

3. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 2, characterized in that: The system further comprises a grinding amount control module (3) for controlling the grinding device (1) to maintain the grinding amount of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) at a minimum grinding amount or a predetermined grinding amount during the current grinding operation; The grinding amount control module (3) comprises at least one of a grinding pressure control unit (31), a grinding time control unit (32) and a grinding piece rotation speed control unit (33); The grinding pressure control unit (31) is used to control the depth of the electrode to be ground driven by the robot in combination with the amount of wear of the electrode to be ground and the amount of grinding in this grinding operation, so that the pressure between the electrode to be ground and the grinding piece (12) is maintained at a predetermined pressure under the action of the floating unit (13); The grinding time control unit (32) is used to control the grinding time by controlling the residence time of the electrode to be ground at the grinding position or the start time of the grinding device (1) through the robot; The grinding piece rotation speed control unit (33) is communicatively connected to the grinding rotation mechanism (11) to control the rotation speed of the grinding piece (12) according to the grinding amount.

4. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 3, characterized in that: The grinding amount control module (3) further comprises an electrode wear amount detection unit (34) for detecting the amount of wear of the electrode before grinding by closing the welding gun (61) before grinding, wherein the amount of wear is the difference between the initial height and the current height of the electrode, and the amount of wear before grinding is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) in the current grinding operation to obtain the predetermined pressure; The electrode wear detection unit (34) is also used to detect the wear amount of the electrode after grinding by closing the welding gun (61) after grinding is completed, and the wear amount after grinding is used to compensate for the depth control of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) during the welding operation; The difference between the wear amount after grinding and the wear amount before grinding is the predetermined grinding amount for this grinding operation; The wear amount of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) after grinding is obtained by using a binary method to calculate the total wear amount after the welding gun (61) is closed; or, after grinding of one electrode is completed and before grinding of the other electrode, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun (61), and then after grinding of the other electrode is completed, the wear amount of the electrode is detected by closing the welding gun (61).

5. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system further comprises a welding electrode position detection module (15) for monitoring the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position in real time through the position coordinates of the welding electrode or by detecting the welding electrode through at least one position sensor set in the path, so as to control the grinding device (1) to start after the welding electrode moves to a first set distance before grinding; and / or to control the grinding device (1) to shut down after the welding electrode moves to a second set distance after grinding is completed.

6. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system further comprises an electrode grinding condition judgment module, which is used to record the number of grinding times of the welding electrode and / or the current height of the electrode. If the number of grinding times of any electrode reaches an upper limit or the current height of any electrode reaches a lower limit, it is determined that grinding is not allowed; and / or, The grinding device (1) further comprises a grinding piece detection module (14) for detecting whether the grinding piece (12) exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device (1) meets grinding operation conditions.

7. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The grinding device (1) comprises two grinding members (12), wherein the grinding members (12) comprise sheet-shaped grinding wheels, and are used to grind the surface of the first electrode (62) and the surface of the second electrode (63), respectively; or, The grinding device (1) comprises a grinding piece (12), wherein the grinding piece (12) comprises a sanding belt ring and is used to grind the surfaces of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) simultaneously or successively.

8. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface finish detection sensor comprises a first optical fiber amplifier (21) and a second optical fiber amplifier (22), which are arranged back to back and have surfaces configured to be parallel to the polished working surfaces of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) so as to perform surface finish detection on them respectively.

9. The automatic grinding system for welding electrodes according to claim 2, characterized in that: The system also includes an electrode wear degree detection unit, which is used to determine whether the electrode is allowed to be ground by recording the number of times the electrode is ground, or by detecting the remaining height of the electrode to obtain the total wear amount.

10. An automatic grinding method for welding electrodes, characterized in that: The automatic grinding method is implemented based on the automatic grinding system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the method comprises the following steps: In the case where the welding electrode needs to be sharpened, judging whether the welding electrode is allowed to be sharpened in combination with the number of sharpening times or the total wear amount of the welding electrode, and if so, executing the next step; Using a grinding part (12) detection sensor to detect whether the grinding part (12) exists or is damaged, so as to determine whether the grinding device (1) meets the grinding operation conditions, and if so, executing the next step; The amount of electrode wear is detected by closing the welding gun (61), and the wear is compensated to control the depth of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) in the current grinding operation; The robot controls the welding electrode to move to the grinding position, and during the movement of the welding electrode, the welding electrode position detection module (15) controls the grinding device (1) to start according to the distance between the welding electrode and the grinding position; after the welding electrode reaches the grinding position, the robot controls the depth of the welding electrode, and the grinding pressure is controlled in combination with the floating unit (13), so as to grind the working surfaces of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) in sequence; After the grinding is completed, the robot controls the welding electrode to move to the inspection position, and the surface finish of the electrode working surface after grinding is detected by the surface finish detection sensor, and whether the grinding is qualified is determined by the surface finish; if it is unqualified, the robot controls the welding electrode to return to the grinding position and be ground again by the grinding device (1) or notify manual processing until the surface finish is qualified; After a single electrode is ground, the wear amount of the electrode is detected in sequence by closing the welding gun (61), or after two electrodes are ground, the total wear amount is detected, and the wear amount of the single electrode is obtained by binary division, and the wear amount is compensated to control the depth of the first electrode (62) and the second electrode (63) of the welding operation.

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