Follow-up supporting device of single-face spot welding equipment and working method of follow-up supporting device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of auxiliary devices of welding equipment, in particular to a follow-up supporting device of single-face spot welding equipment and a working method of the follow-up supporting device. The follow-up supporting device comprises a bottom frame, a movable base, a jacking mechanism and a control system. The bottom frame is installed at the bottom of the single-face spot welding equipment, the movable base is installed on the bottom frame in a sliding mode along the X axis, the jacking mechanism is installed on the movable base in a sliding mode along the Y axis, and the jacking mechanism is provided with a supporting plate which ascends and descends along the Z axis. The control system drives the supporting plate to move along with the spot welding electrode and to be supported at the bottom of a workpiece according to the moving position of the spot welding electrode. The follow-up supporting device capable of achieving three-axis linkage replaces traditional multiple sets of fixing modules, flexible supporting of a single supporting device on different vehicle types is achieved, the spot welding appearance quality is guaranteed while the tool manufacturing cost is reduced, and the production efficiency and the welding quality stability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of welding equipment auxiliary devices, and in particular to a follow-up support device for single-sided spot welding equipment and a working method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Stainless steel is a high-strength, corrosion-resistant material that is widely used in the rail vehicle manufacturing process. Cold-worked stainless steel has higher strength and surface stress, and is prone to welding deformation after ordinary arc welding. Compared with double-sided single-point equipment, gantry-type single-sided double-point equipment has higher production efficiency, better appearance after forming, and better compatibility. It is more suitable for the welding of large stainless steel thin-walled structures and is widely used in the manufacture of rail vehicles, such as body frames, side walls, and roofs.

[0003] To ensure the appearance of the spot welds and the welding current loop, the equipment's supporting support often uses a rigid, fixed copper platform. This lacks flexibility, resulting in high cost per unit and insufficient adaptability for different vehicle models. Multiple sets of support devices can only be created by adding additional platforms. This approach requires significant floor space, high tooling costs, and lacks interoperability with the equipment. Furthermore, the CNC system of the rail industry's gantry-style single-sided spot welding equipment is closed, making it impossible to obtain the position of the equipment's spot welding electrode's working center point through direct reading of the PLC.

[0004] Therefore, the existing support tooling has the following problems: First, there is a serious lack of flexibility: the fixed support module cannot adapt to the changes in cross-beam cross-section and spacing of different vehicle models, and a large number of special tooling need to be repeatedly produced, resulting in a sharp increase in production costs and low efficiency in production line switching.

[0005] Secondly, the system compatibility is poor: the CNC system protocol of the gantry-type single-sided spot welding equipment is closed, and the three-dimensional coordinates (X / Y / Z directions) of the spot welding electrode TCP cannot be obtained through PLC communication, causing the support device to lose the basis for automatic collaborative control. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a follow-up support device for single-sided spot welding equipment, which obtains the three-dimensional position coordinates of the spot welding electrode TCP in real time through external sensors (absolute encoder, wire encoder), breaking through the closed limitations of the equipment system, and replacing the traditional multiple groups of fixed modules with a follow-up support device that can be linked to three axes, thereby realizing flexible support for different vehicle models by a single support device, reducing the cost of tooling manufacturing while ensuring the appearance quality of spot welding, and improving production efficiency and the stability of welding quality.

[0007] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions: A follow-up support device for single-sided spot welding equipment, the single-sided spot welding equipment having a spot welding electrode for welding the workpiece on top of the workpiece, the follow-up support device comprising a bottom frame, a movable base, a lifting mechanism and a control system; the bottom frame is mounted on the bottom of the single-sided spot welding equipment, the movable base is slidably mounted on the bottom frame along the X-axis, the lifting mechanism is slidably mounted on the movable base along the Y-axis, and the lifting mechanism has a support plate that rises and falls along the Z-axis; the control system drives the support plate to follow the spot welding electrode and support the bottom of the workpiece according to the moving position of the spot welding electrode.

[0008] Optionally, the bottom frame includes a side bottom plate and a transverse bottom plate, the side bottom plates are arranged along the X-axis direction and are located on both sides, the two ends of the transverse bottom plate are connected to the side bottom plates, and the side bottom plates are also provided with an X-axis linear guide and an X-axis rack, the movable base is slidably installed on the X-axis linear guide, and the movable base is installed with an X-axis drive gear meshing with the X-axis rack.

[0009] Optionally, the mobile base includes a base body, the bottom of the base body is slidably mounted on the X-axis linear guide, and an X-axis drive gear is provided at the end of the base body, and a Y-axis linear guide and a Y-axis rack are also provided on the base body, the lifting mechanism is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide, and the lifting mechanism is provided with a Y-axis drive gear meshing with the Y-axis rack.

[0010] Optionally, the lifting mechanism includes a mounting seat, the bottom of which is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide rail, and a Y-axis driving gear is provided at the end of the mounting seat. A driving cylinder is also installed in the mounting seat, and a support plate is installed on the top of the driving cylinder and can drive the support plate to rise and fall along the Z axis.

[0011] Optionally, the driving cylinder is equipped with a reducer with a reduction ratio within a set range, and the tightening force of the driving cylinder does not exceed the self-weight of the workpiece to be welded.

[0012] Optionally, the lifting mechanism further includes a guide sleeve and a guide rod, wherein the guide sleeve is fixed on the mounting seat, the guide rod is slidably mounted in the guide sleeve, and the top of the guide rod is connected to the support plate.

[0013] Optionally, the follow-up support device also includes an equipment position sensor, which includes an absolute encoder installed on the equipment ground rail for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the X-axis, a wire encoder installed on the equipment gantry for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the Y-axis, and a wire encoder or laser displacement sensor installed on the upper side of the spot welding electrode for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the Z-axis.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for operating the above-mentioned follow-up support device for the single-sided spot welding equipment, comprising: Continuously monitoring the position information of the spot welding electrode in three-dimensional space, wherein the position information includes the movement position of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis; Based on the position information, controlling the support plate to move synchronously to follow the position change of the spot welding electrode; When it is detected that the height between the spot welding electrode and the workpiece is greater than a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to remain in the lowered position; When it is detected that the height between the spot welding electrode and the workpiece reaches a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to rise to a pre-tightening height; When the spot welding electrode continues to descend to the height to be welded, the support plate is controlled to rise to the support height to contact the bottom of the workpiece.

[0015] Optionally, when the spot welding electrode moves along the Y-axis direction, the support plate descends to the pre-tightening height and then follows the movement; when the spot welding electrode moves along the X-axis direction, the support plate descends to the descending position and then follows the movement.

[0016] Optionally, when the spot welding electrode is moved from the welding height to the next welding position and begins to descend, a wait instruction is introduced to cause the spot welding electrode to pause its descending action until the support plate completes its ascent to the support height.

[0017] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages: 1. The follow-up support device of the present invention includes a bottom frame, a mobile base, a lifting mechanism and a control system. The bottom frame is installed at the bottom of the single-sided spot welding equipment, which plays a supporting and fixing role for the entire device and provides a stable installation base for other components. The mobile base is installed to slide along the X-axis, and the lifting mechanism installed thereon slides along the Y-axis. The support plate of the lifting mechanism can realize lifting and lowering movements along the Z-axis. The control system drives the support plate to move with the electrode according to the moving position of the spot welding electrode and forms an effective support at the bottom of the workpiece. The support device has the ability to follow the movement and can respond to the position change of the spot welding electrode in real time, thereby solving the problems that traditional support tooling can only support a single vehicle model and cannot realize rapid switching of multiple vehicle models, and the problems of high support cost and insufficient flexibility. It improves the flexibility of the tooling, reduces the manufacturing cost of the tooling, and ensures the appearance quality of the spot welding.

[0018] 2. The follow-up support device of the present invention obtains the coordinate information of the working center point (spot welding electrode) of the equipment through an external position sensor and transmits it to the support device. Specifically, the horizontal (x), vertical (y), and height (z) positions of the equipment are obtained through an absolute encoder, laser sensor, etc., and the coordinate information of the working center of the spot welding electrode is converted to an external PLC or host computer, and the support device is driven to follow and support, thereby solving the problem of the equipment system being closed.

[0019] 3. The existing support tooling requires at least 30 sets of support modules to support a single vehicle model. After the current invention is linked, only one set is needed to achieve the function of the original 30 sets of support modules, which meets the support function of the welded parts while greatly reducing the cost.

[0020] 4. The support plate adopts a servo electric cylinder equipped with a reducer to ensure a supporting force of no less than 1 ton while reducing the volume of the lower mechanism.

[0021] 5. The support plate's following mode does not require separate programming. It only needs to guide the support to follow through the programmed path of the spot welding equipment.

[0022] 6. By waiting for instructions, the movement rhythm of the spot welding electrode and the support plate can be effectively coordinated to avoid welding quality problems or equipment failures caused by asynchronous movement, thereby improving the operating efficiency and welding quality stability of the entire welding system and enhancing the practicality and reliability of the follow-up support device.

[0023] Additional advantages of the present invention will be given in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some of the embodiments described in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be derived from these drawings without inventive effort. In addition, the spacing or size between components is exaggerated to show the position of each component, and the schematic diagrams are for illustrative purposes only.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the workpiece to be welded; Figure 2 It is a partial schematic diagram of the workpiece to be welded; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the existing support tooling; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the existing support fixture supported on the workpiece beam; Figure 5Schematic diagram of the installation position of the follower support device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a single-sided spot welding device provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a follower support device provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a bottom frame provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a mobile base provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a jacking mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of an electrical control diagram provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the working area of the support plate provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure: 1. Workpiece; 11. Crossbeam; 2. Existing support fixture; 3. Follow-up support device; 31. Bottom frame; 311. Side bottom plate; 312. Cross bottom plate; 32. Mobile base; 321. Base body; 322. Y-axis linear guide; 323. X-axis drive gear; 324. Y-axis rack; 33. Lifting mechanism; 331. Mounting base; 332. Electric cylinder; 333. Y-axis drive gear; 334. Guide rod; 4. Single-sided spot welding equipment; 41. Gantry; 42. Wire encoder; 43. Spot welding electrode; 44. Absolute encoder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and is intended to further illustrate the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0026] Traditional resistance spot welding requires upper and lower spot welding electrodes 43 to clamp the workpiece 1. Current is passed through the contact point to generate heat and melt the metal to form a weld. The single-sided double-spot process is an improved resistance spot welding technology. Its core is to form two independent weld points on one side of the workpiece 1 (usually the top surface) through special design or operation. This process aims to improve production efficiency, reduce process steps, and is suitable for the connection needs of complex structures or multi-layer boards. Figure 1 、 Figure 2 The workpiece 1 to be welded is shown. The spot welding electrode 43 is welded on the upper side of the workpiece 1. At this time, a support (copper) is required on the lower side of the workpiece 1 for auxiliary welding. The support plate provides a current loop and support.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, the existing support tool 2 is composed of multiple groups of fixed copper support modules, each group corresponding to a specific welding position (such as Figure 4 As shown in the figure, different supporting tooling must be switched according to the cross-section and spacing arrangement of the beams 11 of the workpiece 1 (underframe or roof). To support each beam 11, a large number of copper support modules must be manufactured. A single vehicle model must be equipped with at least 30 sets of support modules, which is not flexible enough, has high production costs, and occupies a lot of space, limiting the utilization rate of the gantry-type single-sided dual-point equipment.

[0028] Example 1 This embodiment addresses the problem that the device protocol is closed and the device PLC information cannot be communicated and the device coordinates cannot be read. According to the structural characteristics of the device, the position of the spot welding electrode 43 is obtained by precisely arranging an external position sensor, replacing the read-only PLC, and realizing the follow-up support of the support device, solving the problem of insufficient flexibility of the original tooling, realizing the follow-up of a single support device, greatly reducing the manufacturing cost of the tooling, and ensuring the appearance quality of the spot welding.

[0029] like Figure 5 、 Figure 6 As shown, the single-sided spot welding device 4 has a spot welding electrode 43 for welding the workpiece 1 on the top of the workpiece 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, the follower support device 3 includes a bottom frame 31, a mobile base 32, a lifting mechanism 33 and a control system; the bottom frame 31 is installed at the bottom of the single-sided spot welding equipment 4, the mobile base 32 is slidably installed on the bottom frame 31 along the X-axis, and the lifting mechanism 33 is slidably installed on the mobile base 32 along the Y-axis. The lifting mechanism 33 has a support plate that rises and falls along the Z-axis; the control system drives the support plate to follow the spot welding electrode 43 and support it at the bottom of the workpiece 1 according to the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43.

[0030] By setting up the bottom frame 31, the movable base 32, the lifting mechanism 33 and the control system, the support plate is linked in three dimensions, and a single set of movable supports replaces the traditional multiple sets of fixed modules, solving the problem of insufficient tooling flexibility. The three-axis linkage achieves real-time position matching between the support plate and the spot welding electrode 43, avoiding coordination failure caused by the closed PLC of the equipment. The support plate is made of chromium copper alloy with a thickness of not less than 10mm, which provides sufficient current circuit and ensures heat dissipation and structural rigidity. The control system of the follow-up support device 3 is controlled by Siemens S7-1500 series PLC, and the interactive interface HMI uses a 10-inch Siemens KTP1200 series programmable human-machine interface. The movement in three directions uses three sets of Siemens V90 series servo motors. The control process of the signal and mechanism during the entire welding process is as follows: Figure 11 shown.

[0031] like Figure 8 As shown, the bottom frame 31 includes a side bottom plate 311 and a transverse bottom plate 312. The side bottom plates 311 are arranged along the X-axis direction and are located on both sides. The two ends of the transverse bottom plate 312 are connected to the side bottom plates 311. The side bottom plates 311 are also provided with X-axis linear guides and X-axis racks. The mobile base 32 is slidably installed on the X-axis linear guides, and an X-axis driving gear 323 meshing with the X-axis rack is installed on the mobile base 32.

[0032] The side base plates 311 and the transverse base plate 312 form a stable frame structure, enhancing the overall rigidity of the bottom frame 31. Furthermore, an X-axis linear guide and an X-axis rack are provided on the side base plates 311. The mobile base 32, through a sliding installation, can move smoothly on the X-axis linear guide. The X-axis drive gear 323 mounted on the mobile base 32 meshes with the X-axis rack, enabling precise drive and positioning of the mobile base 32 in the X-axis direction (with an error controlled within ±0.05mm). This structural layout not only improves the motion stability of the mobile base 32 but also ensures high-precision movement in the X-axis direction, providing reliable support for the subsequent precise positioning of the lifting mechanism 33 and the support plate.

[0033] The bottom frame 31 is welded with steel plates of different specifications to ensure good rigidity, and is subjected to stress relief annealing to ensure dimensional accuracy.

[0034] like Figure 9 As shown, the mobile base 32 includes a base body 321, the bottom of the base body 321 is slidably mounted on the X-axis linear guide rail, and an X-axis driving gear 323 is provided at the end of the base body 321, and a Y-axis linear guide rail 322 and a Y-axis rack 324 are also provided on the base body 321. The lifting mechanism 33 is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide rail 322, and a Y-axis driving gear 333 engaged with the Y-axis rack 324 is installed on the lifting mechanism 33.

[0035] The meshing of the X-axis drive gear 323 at the end of the base body 321 and the X-axis rack enables the mobile base 32 to move according to a preset program and speed under the control of the control system. At the same time, a Y-axis linear guide 322 and a Y-axis rack 324 are provided on the base body 321. The lifting mechanism 33 is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide 322 and is equipped with a Y-axis drive gear 333 that meshes with the Y-axis rack 324, thereby achieving precise movement and positioning of the lifting mechanism 33 in the Y-axis direction. This design not only enables the mobile base 32 to have good motion performance in the X-axis direction, but also provides stable support and precise drive for the movement of the lifting mechanism 33 in the Y-axis direction, further improving the positioning accuracy and motion reliability of the entire follower support device 3.

[0036] The dual guide rail layout (X / Y direction) enables arbitrary position adjustment within the support plate plane, covering the Y-direction movement range of the spot welding electrode 43 (-2~2m).

[0037] like Figure 10 As shown, the lifting mechanism 33 includes a mounting seat 331, the bottom of which is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide 322, and a Y-axis driving gear 333 is provided at the end of the mounting seat 331. A driving cylinder is also installed in the mounting seat 331, and a support plate is installed on the top of the driving cylinder and can drive the support plate to rise and fall along the Z axis.

[0038] The bottom of the mounting base 331 of the lifting mechanism 33 is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide 322. The meshing of the Y-axis drive gear 333 at its end with the Y-axis rack 324 ensures stable movement of the lifting mechanism 33 in the Y-axis direction. The drive cylinder installed in the mounting base 331 is responsible for driving the support plate to move up and down along the Z-axis. By precisely controlling the extension and contraction of the drive cylinder, the support plate can be accurately adjusted in height to meet the support height requirements under different welding conditions, improving the adaptability of the follower support device 3 and the stability of the welding process.

[0039] The driving cylinder utilizes an electric cylinder 332 to realize the lifting function of the support plate, and a pneumatic cylinder can also be used. The electric cylinder 332 has precise control and guiding functions.

[0040] The driving cylinder is equipped with a reducer with a reduction ratio within a set range, and the pressing force of the driving cylinder does not exceed the self-weight of the workpiece 1 to be welded.

[0041] The drive cylinder is equipped with a reducer with a set reduction ratio. This adjusts and amplifies the drive cylinder's output force, ensuring that the cylinder's clamping force does not exceed the weight of the workpiece 1 being welded. This provides sufficient clamping force, ensuring good contact between the support plate and the bottom of the workpiece 1, and ensuring a stable welding process. Furthermore, it prevents deformation or misalignment of the workpiece 1 caused by excessive clamping force, thereby improving weld quality and yield. By properly selecting the reducer's reduction ratio, the required clamping force can be met while optimizing the drive cylinder's performance and extending its service life.

[0042] In order to simplify the mechanism, the servo electric cylinder 332 can be preferably used to provide a jacking force of no less than 10KN, while achieving the purpose of reducing the external dimensions of the jacking mechanism 33.

[0043] In order to ensure the tightening force of the lifting mechanism 33, the electric cylinder 332 is equipped with a reducer with a certain reduction ratio, and a reducer of 1:20 is preferably used to achieve sufficient tightening force for the support. The tightening force of the lifting mechanism 33 does not exceed the weight of the workpiece 1 to be welded, ensuring that the support process does not cause the position of the workpiece 1 to be welded to change.

[0044] like Figure 10 As shown, the lifting mechanism 33 further includes a guide sleeve and a guide rod 334 . The guide sleeve is fixed on the mounting seat 331 . The guide rod 334 is slidably mounted in the guide sleeve, and the top of the guide rod 334 is connected to the support plate.

[0045] The guide sleeve and guide rod 334 in the lifting mechanism 33 provide guidance for the lifting and lowering motion of the support plate. During the lifting process, the sliding of the guide rod 334 within the guide sleeve effectively constrains the support plate's trajectory, ensuring smooth, linear lifting along the Z-axis and preventing tilting or swinging of the support plate. The introduction of this guiding structure improves the support plate's motion accuracy and stability, which is crucial for ensuring welding quality and a smooth welding process. It also helps to enhance the reliability and durability of the entire follower support device 3.

[0046] The X-direction movement of the gantry-type single-sided dual-point device is achieved by the engagement of the gear driven by the servo motor with the rack of the ground track. The Y and Z directions are achieved by the ball screw on the gantry 41 driven by the servo motor. The welding stroke of the spot welding electrode 43 is achieved by controlling the cylinder with an electromagnetic valve.

[0047] The follow-up support device 3 also includes an equipment position sensor, which includes an absolute encoder 44 installed on the equipment ground track for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the X-axis, a wire encoder 42 installed on the equipment gantry 41 for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the Y-axis, and a wire encoder 42 or laser displacement sensor installed on the upper side of the spot welding electrode 43 for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the Z-axis.

[0048] The absolute encoder 44 installed on the ground track of the equipment is used to monitor the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the X-axis, and can obtain the displacement change information of the spot welding electrode 43 in the X direction in real time and accurately; the wire encoder 42 installed on the gantry 41 of the equipment is used to monitor the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the Y-axis, and can also accurately reflect the movement of the spot welding electrode 43 in the Y direction; and the wire encoder 42 or laser displacement sensor installed on the upper side of the spot welding electrode 43 is used to monitor the moving position of the spot welding electrode 43 on the Z-axis, and can sense the change of the spot welding electrode 43 in the height direction in real time. When the equipment moves, the position information of the spot welding electrode 43 obtained by these position sensors is transmitted to the control system, and the control system controls the movement and lifting of the support plate based on this information, thereby realizing the synchronous follow-up of the support plate and the spot welding electrode 43, solving the problem that the traditional support device cannot be linked with the equipment.

[0049] To sum up, this embodiment provides a matching follower support device 3. Combined with the characteristics of the equipment, by adding a position sensor, the working center point position of the spot welding electrode 43 of the equipment is obtained and transmitted to the follower support device 3, which can greatly simplify the structure of the support device and realize the flexible support function of a single station for different vehicle structures without being restricted by the communication of the equipment, thereby realizing an efficient and low-cost modular support method.

[0050] Example 2 This embodiment provides a working method of the follower support device 3 of the single-sided spot welding equipment 4 as described in Example 1, including: Continuously monitoring the position information of the spot welding electrode 43 in three-dimensional space, wherein the position information includes the movement position of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis; Based on the position information, the support plate is controlled to move synchronously to follow the position change of the spot welding electrode 43; When it is detected that the height of the spot welding electrode 43 from the workpiece 1 is greater than a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to remain in the lowered position; When it is detected that the height of the spot welding electrode 43 from the workpiece 1 reaches a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to rise to a pre-tightening height; When the spot welding electrode 43 continues to descend to the welding height, the support plate is controlled to rise to the support height to contact the bottom of the workpiece 1 .

[0051] This working method covers the entire process of the operation of the follower support device 3. First, by continuously monitoring the position information of the spot welding electrode 43 in three-dimensional space, including the moving position of the X, Y, and Z axes, the precise position of the electrode can be grasped in real time. Based on this position information, the control system accurately controls the movement of the support plate so that it can synchronously follow the position changes of the spot welding electrode 43. When it is detected that the height of the spot welding electrode 43 from the workpiece 1 is greater than the first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to remain in the lowered position, which can prevent the support plate from rising too early; and when it is detected that the height of the spot welding electrode 43 from the workpiece 1 reaches the first preset threshold, the support plate is promptly controlled to rise to the pre-tightening height to prepare for welding support; when the spot welding electrode 43 continues to descend to the height to be welded, the support plate rises to the support height to contact the bottom of the workpiece 1, forming a stable support to ensure the smooth progress of the welding process. This working method realizes the efficient coordination of the follower support device 3 and the spot welding electrode 43 through precise control logic and timing arrangement, thereby improving welding quality and production efficiency.

[0052] It can be understood that this working method is not only applicable to resistance spot welding equipment, but can also be applied to the supporting functions of other similar automation equipment.

[0053] When the spot welding electrode 43 moves along the Y-axis, the support plate descends to the pre-tightening height before following the movement. When the spot welding electrode 43 moves along the X-axis, the support plate descends to the descending position before following the movement. This prevents the support plate from colliding with the crossbeam 11 of the workpiece 1, ensuring the safety and stability of the support plate during movement. This differentiated control strategy for different axial movements fully considers the various actual working conditions during the welding process, further optimizes the operating performance of the follower support device 3, and improves the reliability and safety of the welding process.

[0054] In the process of the spot welding electrode 43 being moved from the welding height to the next welding position and starting to descend, a wait instruction is introduced to suspend the descending action of the spot welding electrode 43 until the support plate has completed its ascent to the support height, thereby solving the problem of the mismatch between the descending time of the spot welding electrode 43 and the ascending time of the support plate, and ensuring that the support plate can reach the designated position in a timely and accurate manner and provide stable support before the spot welding electrode 43 performs welding. The wait instruction can effectively coordinate the movement rhythm of the spot welding electrode 43 and the support plate, avoiding welding quality problems or equipment failures caused by asynchronous movement, improving the operating efficiency and welding quality stability of the entire welding system, and enhancing the practicality and reliability of the follow-up support device 3.

[0055] In order to make the technical solution provided by this embodiment clearer, an example is used for illustration.

[0056] The working area of the follow-up support device 3 is as follows Figure 12 As shown, by configuring the zero point position of the support plate and the effective position of the working area, it is ensured that the support plate does not follow the equipment outside the effective position of the working area, ensuring the safe operation of the equipment in a specific area.

[0057] The inherent reachable range of the spot welding electrode 43 working coordinate (TCP) of the equipment gantry is X range (0~50)m, Y direction (-2~2)m, Z direction (0.5~1.0)m, and the Z direction is positive downward (wherein, welding is performed at the 1m position). The working area of the follower support device 3 is configured to be within the range of x (10-40)m, y (-2~2)m, and z direction (0~0.5)m (wherein, support is achieved at the 0.5m position), and upward is positive. When the working coordinate of the spot welding electrode 43 is not within the working area, the follower support device 3 defaults to waiting at zero position.

[0058] To complete the welding of 20 welding points evenly distributed from (-1 to 1) m in the Y direction at a position of X=15m and Z=1m, add the G04 X5.0 command (G04 is a pause command, i.e. wait for 5 seconds) when the equipment programming path passes through B(10,0,0.7). The follower support device 3 starts to run to point B from its own zero position, and the configuration logic is as follows: When the spot welding electrode 43Z is less than 0.60m, the support plate does not rise (z=0); When the spot welding electrode 43Z=0.6, the support plate rises to the pre-tightening position 0.4m; The support plate Z moves to the 0.5m position to support the bottom of the workpiece 1, forming a loop with the spot welding electrode 43 for welding support. When the spot welding electrode 43 activates the cylinder for compression welding, when Z>0.65m (welding stroke 30mm), the support plate must rise to the pre-tensioning position before the spot welding electrode 43 descends to the compression welding position to ensure effective support during the welding process.

[0059] After the current spot welding is completed, the support plate descends to z = 0.4m, and all the spot welding points in the Y direction are completed with the spot welding electrode 43. When crossing the beam 11, that is, the X position changes, the support plate automatically triggers to descend to the z = 0 position to avoid obstacles of the beam 11 in the X direction.

[0060] For the following situations ① and ②, you can add the G04X5.0 command in the program and wait for 5 seconds to complete the motion matching of the support plate.

[0061] ① The support plate does not descend to a safe position when crossing an X-direction obstacle (workpiece 1 beam 11): Since the movement of the support plate in the X-direction depends only on the movement of the spot welding electrode 43 in the X-direction, when the spot welding electrode 43 moves in the X-direction, if the support plate immediately follows the movement of the spot welding electrode 43 in the X-direction, it will cause the support plate to collide with the beam 11.

[0062] ② The situation where the time it takes for the spot welding electrode 43 to descend is shorter than the time it takes for the support plate to rise: Since the support plate must first support the bottom of the workpiece 1 and then the spot welding electrode 43 can be used for welding, and since when welding at a certain position is completed, the spot welding electrode 43 is raised a small distance to move horizontally and vertically, and then moves to the next welding position, and then lowers a small distance to start welding. However, before moving to the next welding position, the support plate needs to descend a large distance (to avoid colliding with the beam 11 when moving along the X direction), and after reaching the next welding position, it rises a large distance again, causing the spot welding electrode 43 to contact the workpiece 1 earlier than the support plate, resulting in welding problems.

[0063] To sum up, the displacement changes of each axis of the equipment are obtained by means of the external wire encoder 42 and the absolute encoder 44, and converted into the movement of the spot welding electrode 43 in the three directions of X, Y, and Z. After the conversion, the support plate is driven to follow the movement of the equipment, and the path of the support plate is ensured to avoid obstacles by controlling the movement path of the equipment.

[0064] Based on the characteristics of the workpiece 1 to be spot welded, if the offset in the X direction exceeds a certain threshold, the Z-direction lifting function of the follower fixture is triggered, ensuring effective obstacle avoidance during movement. Obstacle avoidance for the support plate of the follower support device 3 is achieved through simple device path programming. The path of the spot welding electrode 43 is modified based on the obstacle avoidance path of the support plate. Speed mismatches are addressed by inserting a wait command on the device to match the waiting displacement.

[0065] Although the above describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the technical solution of the present invention without creative work are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A follow-up support device for a single-sided spot welding device, wherein the single-sided spot welding device has a spot welding electrode for welding a workpiece on top of the workpiece, characterized in that: The follow-up support device includes a bottom frame, a mobile base, a jacking mechanism and a control system; The bottom frame is mounted on the bottom of the single-sided spot welding device, the mobile base is slidably mounted on the bottom frame along the X-axis, the lifting mechanism is slidably mounted on the mobile base along the Y-axis, and the lifting mechanism has a support plate that rises and falls along the Z-axis; The control system drives the support plate to move along with the spot welding electrode and support the bottom of the workpiece according to the moving position of the spot welding electrode.

2. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom frame includes a side bottom plate and a transverse bottom plate. The side bottom plates are arranged along the X-axis direction and are located on both sides. The two ends of the transverse bottom plate are connected to the side bottom plates. The side bottom plates are also provided with X-axis linear guides and X-axis racks. The mobile base is slidably installed on the X-axis linear guides, and the mobile base is equipped with an X-axis drive gear that meshes with the X-axis rack.

3. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mobile base includes a base body, the bottom of the base body is slidably mounted on the X-axis linear guide, and an X-axis drive gear is provided at the end of the base body. The base body is also provided with a Y-axis linear guide and a Y-axis rack. The lifting mechanism is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide, and the lifting mechanism is provided with a Y-axis drive gear meshing with the Y-axis rack.

4. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism includes a mounting seat, the bottom of which is slidably mounted on the Y-axis linear guide rail, and a Y-axis driving gear is provided at the end of the mounting seat. A driving cylinder is also installed in the mounting seat, and a support plate is installed on the top of the driving cylinder and can drive the support plate to rise and fall along the Z axis.

5. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The driving cylinder is equipped with a reducer with a reduction ratio within a set range, and the pressing force of the driving cylinder does not exceed the self-weight of the workpiece to be welded.

6. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism further comprises a guide sleeve and a guide rod, wherein the guide sleeve is fixed on the mounting seat, the guide rod is slidably mounted in the guide sleeve, and the top of the guide rod is connected to the support plate.

7. The single-sided spot welding equipment follow-up support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The follow-up support device also includes an equipment position sensor, which includes an absolute encoder installed on the equipment ground track for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the X-axis, a wire encoder installed on the equipment gantry for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the Y-axis, and a wire encoder or laser displacement sensor installed on the upper side of the spot welding electrode for monitoring the moving position of the spot welding electrode on the Z-axis.

8. A method for operating the follow-up support device for single-sided spot welding equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: Continuously monitoring the position information of the spot welding electrode in three-dimensional space, wherein the position information includes the movement position of the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis; Based on the position information, controlling the support plate to move synchronously to follow the position change of the spot welding electrode; When it is detected that the height between the spot welding electrode and the workpiece is greater than a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to remain in the lowered position; When it is detected that the height between the spot welding electrode and the workpiece reaches a first preset threshold, the support plate is controlled to rise to a pre-tightening height; When the spot welding electrode continues to descend to the height to be welded, the support plate is controlled to rise to the support height to contact the bottom of the workpiece.

9. The working method according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the spot welding electrode moves along the Y-axis direction, the support plate descends to the pre-tightening height and then moves accordingly; when the spot welding electrode moves along the X-axis direction, the support plate descends to the descending position and then moves accordingly.

10. The working method according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the spot welding electrode is lifted from the welding height and moves to the next welding position and starts to descend, a waiting instruction is introduced to suspend the descending action of the spot welding electrode until the support plate completes its ascent to the support height.

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