Automatic feeding control system and control method for machining center

Abstract

The present application provides an automatic material feeding control system and control method for a machining center, relating to the field of material feeding control technology. The system includes sending a processing request data packet for a process to be processed; parsing the processing request data packet for task instructions to obtain a material distribution action template; homogenously merging the material distribution tasks in the machining center task pool based on the material distribution action template to obtain the material distribution priority of the process to be processed; extracting the processing priority of the process to be processed from the processing request data packet; determining the processing urgency of the process to be processed based on the processing priority and the material distribution priority; flexibly updating the distribution path of the feeding mechanism based on the processing urgency to obtain the material distribution flexible path of the feeding mechanism; and the feeding mechanism distributes the required materials for the process to be processed based on the material distribution flexible path. The present application can realize real-time collaborative distribution of materials in a machining center to enhance the flexible response capability of the control system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of feeding control technology, and more specifically, to an automatic feeding control system and control method for a machining center. Background Technology

[0002] Automatic feeding control in machining centers is a crucial component for achieving automation and intelligence in modern manufacturing. It aims to improve production efficiency, reduce labor costs, and enhance the consistency of processing quality by using automated equipment to efficiently and accurately load and unload raw materials or semi-finished products. An automatic feeding control system typically includes a feeding mechanism (such as a robotic arm, conveyor belt, hopper, roller, vacuum suction cup, etc.), a control system (such as a PLC, industrial computer, or embedded controller), a sensor network (position sensors, image recognition sensors, pressure sensors, etc.), and a real-time communication module with the machining center (such as a CNC machine tool).

[0003] In existing technologies, machining centers typically handle multiple orders and various material types simultaneously. The dimensions, weights, processing priorities, and requirements of these materials differ, necessitating a system with robust task identification, priority resolution, and the ability to merge identical tasks. Furthermore, the material feeding scheduling logic must consider not only order priorities but also multi-dimensional optimization objectives such as equipment energy consumption, material feeding path length, and changeover frequency. Even slight errors can lead to production delays or resource waste. Therefore, achieving real-time collaborative material delivery within machining centers to enhance the flexible responsiveness of the control system remains a significant challenge for the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an automatic feeding control system and method for a machining center, which can realize real-time collaborative delivery of materials in the machining center to enhance the flexible response capability of the control system.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides an automatic feeding control method for a machining center, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0006] The next process after the current process in the machining center is designated as the process to be processed, and a processing request data packet for the process to be processed is sent to the programmable logic controller.

[0007] The processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed.

[0008] The processing priority of the process to be processed is extracted from the processing request data packet. The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined according to the processing priority and the material delivery priority. The delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism.

[0009] The feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path.

[0010] In this embodiment, the processing request data packet includes the process number of the process to be processed, the required material number, the processing priority, and the special handling requirements for the material.

[0011] In this embodiment, parsing the processing request data packet to obtain a material delivery action template matching the processing procedure specifically includes:

[0012] Based on the required material number in the processing request data packet, the basic information of the required material is extracted from the material attribute database of the processing center;

[0013] Based on the aforementioned basic information, a preliminary screening is performed in the action template library of the machining center to obtain a set of candidate action templates;

[0014] The candidate action template set is validated for special processing requirements based on the material special processing requirements in the processing request data packet, thereby obtaining a material delivery action template that matches the processing procedure to be processed.

[0015] In this embodiment, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged based on the material delivery action template to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. Specifically, this includes:

[0016] For material delivery tasks in the machining center task pool, extract the action template for the material delivery task;

[0017] Based on the material delivery action template and the action template, the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and the material delivery task is determined, thereby obtaining the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and each material delivery task in the processing center task pool.

[0018] Based on the homogeneity of all actions, determine the homogeneous task group for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed;

[0019] The material delivery priority of the process to be processed is determined by the processing priority of the homogeneous task group.

[0020] In this embodiment, the processing priority indicates the urgency of the corresponding task in the current production task pool.

[0021] In this embodiment, determining the urgency of the processing step to be processed based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority specifically includes:

[0022] Obtain the real-time scheduling disturbance factor of the processing center;

[0023] The processing priority and the material delivery priority are standardized respectively to obtain the standardized processing priority and the standardized material delivery priority;

[0024] The urgency of the processing step to be processed is determined by the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority.

[0025] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism refers to a mechanical system that performs material handling and feeding actions.

[0026] In this embodiment, the delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated based on the processing urgency, thereby obtaining the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism, specifically including:

[0027] Obtain the delivery route of the material delivery organization;

[0028] The flexible scheduling coefficient for delivery route cost is determined based on the processing urgency.

[0029] The material delivery path cost for the process to be processed is determined based on the flexible scheduling coefficient.

[0030] The material delivery path cost is used to reconstruct the delivery path of the feeding mechanism, thereby obtaining a flexible material delivery path for the feeding mechanism.

[0031] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path, specifically including:

[0032] The programmable logic controller (PLC) sends the flexible material delivery path as a control command to the feeding mechanism.

[0033] The feeding mechanism corrects its running trajectory according to the material delivery flexible path, and then delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the corrected running trajectory.

[0034] Secondly, this application provides an automatic feeding control system for a machining center, used to execute an automatic feeding control method for a machining center, the control system comprising:

[0035] The processing request module is used to send a processing request data packet of the next process of the current process of the processing center as the process to be processed to the programmable logic controller.

[0036] The priority determination module is used to parse the processing request data packet into task instructions to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed.

[0037] The path update module is used to extract the processing priority of the process to be processed from the processing request data packet, determine the processing urgency of the process to be processed based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority, and flexibly update the delivery path of the feeding mechanism according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism.

[0038] The material delivery module is used to control the feeding mechanism to deliver the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path.

[0039] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments disclosed in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0040] By taking the next process after the current process in the machining center as the process to be processed, a processing request data packet for the process to be processed is sent to the programmable logic controller (PLC). The processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template matching the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, material delivery tasks in the machining center's task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. The processing priority of the process to be processed is extracted from the processing request data packet. The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority. The delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated based on the processing urgency to obtain a flexible material delivery path for the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the process to be processed according to the flexible material delivery path.

[0041] Therefore, this application first parses the processing request data packet into task instructions, and then merges the material delivery tasks in the task pool based on the obtained material delivery action template, thereby calculating the material delivery priority. This allows for dynamic matching of the optimal material delivery action template, achieving standardization and reusability of action control, reducing changeover and repetitive actions, and improving feeding efficiency. Then, by extracting the processing priority from the processing request data packet and combining it with the material delivery priority to calculate the processing urgency, the feeding mechanism's delivery path is flexibly updated based on this urgency. This not only achieves dynamic linkage between processing tasks and material delivery but also enhances the control system's resilience to unexpected events. The rapid response capability for tasks, urgent orders, and resource conflicts effectively breaks the rigidity of paths and the lag in response under traditional rigid scheduling. This allows the material feeding mechanism to autonomously optimize path selection and resource allocation based on the real-time urgency of tasks. Finally, the material feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing steps according to the flexible material delivery path, which can significantly improve the material supply response speed and path adaptability of the processing center in a dynamic production environment. This not only improves the accuracy and efficiency of material delivery and reduces waiting and idle time, but also significantly enhances the flexible scheduling and collaborative execution capabilities of the control system in response to uncertainties such as process changes, equipment failures, or the insertion of temporary tasks.

[0042] In summary, the technical solution adopted in this application can realize real-time collaborative delivery of materials in the machining center, thereby enhancing the flexible response capability of the control system. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only for this embodiment of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an automatic feeding control method for a machining center provided in this application;

[0045] Figure 2 It is a flowchart illustrating the material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed, based on the information provided in this application.

[0046] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the determination of the urgency of a process to be processed, based on the information provided in this application.

[0047] Figure 4 This is a modular structure diagram of an automatic feeding control system for a machining center provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] This application provides an automatic feeding control system and method for a machining center. The core of the system involves taking the next process after the current process in the machining center as the process to be processed, and sending a processing request data packet for the process to be processed to a programmable logic controller (PLC). The processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template matching the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, material delivery tasks in the machining center's task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. The processing priority of the process to be processed is extracted from the processing request data packet. The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority. The delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated based on the processing urgency to obtain a flexible material delivery path for the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the process to be processed according to the flexible material delivery path. This scheme enables real-time collaborative material delivery in the machining center, enhancing the flexible response capability of the control system.

[0050] Example 1: To better understand the above technical solution, the following will provide a detailed description of the technical solution in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, this figure is an exemplary flowchart of an automatic feeding control method for a machining center according to this embodiment of the present application. The control method includes the following steps:

[0051] In step S1, the next process after the current process of the machining center is taken as the process to be processed, and the processing request data packet of the process to be processed is sent to the programmable logic controller.

[0052] It should be noted that in the automatic feeding control process of a machining center, in order to achieve continuous and efficient production scheduling, it is necessary to promptly advance the material preparation and processing preparation for the next process after the completion of the current process. Specifically, firstly, after the machining center completes the processing of the current process, the control system (usually the machining center's main control system or process execution unit) automatically triggers a process completion signal. This signal is sent to the programmable logic controller (PLC) in real time via industrial communication protocols (such as EtherCAT, PROFINET, ModbusTCP, etc.). Secondly, the machining center determines the next process based on the production plan of the current process. The next process refers to the subsequent processing steps that should be executed immediately after the completion of the current process in the product production flow, i.e., the process to be processed. This process is usually pre-set with sequential relationships through the production execution system (MES) or process management module and sent out in real time. Finally, after determining the process to be processed, the system needs to construct and send a processing request data packet to the programmable logic controller.

[0053] Additionally, it should be noted that in this application, the processing request data packet includes the process number of the process to be processed, the required material number, the processing priority, and special material handling requirements. The process number identifies the sequence and type of the process within the overall process flow; the required material number specifies the type and batch of materials needed to execute the process; the processing priority indicates the urgency of the corresponding task in the current production task pool, and is set based on production plans and customer order requirements; the special material handling requirements are the special handling requirements for the materials, such as fragile protection, heavy-duty handling, anti-static properties, and anti-contamination requirements.

[0054] In step S2, the processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed.

[0055] It should be noted that in this application, the motion template typically includes handling method parameters, motion trajectory and speed control parameters, posture and position adjustment parameters, and environmental adaptability settings. The handling method parameters include: which method of gripping or suction is used (grippers, suction cups, magnetic adsorption, etc.); the specific values ​​of the gripper opening angle or suction cup negative pressure level; and special handling strategies for fragile or heavy items (such as slow start / slow stop). The motion trajectory and speed control parameters include: the path planning method between the starting point and the target point (such as linear interpolation, spline curve, obstacle avoidance path); and the speed and acceleration settings for each stage of the handling process (such as medium-speed start, uniform speed handling, and deceleration approach). The posture and position adjustment parameters include: the placement posture (angle, direction) of the object being handled; and whether automatic offset or rotation correction is required to ensure accurate placement. The environmental adaptability settings include: operating modes under specific temperature and humidity conditions; and auxiliary measures such as anti-static and anti-vibration measures.

[0056] Preferably, in this embodiment, the processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template matching the processing procedure to be processed, with reference to... Figure 2 As shown, this figure is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed in some embodiments of this application. In this embodiment, determining the material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed can be achieved by the following steps:

[0057] In step S21, the basic information of the required material is extracted from the material attribute database of the processing center based on the required material number in the processing request data packet;

[0058] In step S22, a preliminary screening is performed in the action template library of the machining center based on the basic information to obtain a set of candidate action templates;

[0059] In step S23, the candidate action template set is verified according to the special processing requirements of the material in the processing request data packet, so as to obtain the material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed.

[0060] In practice, firstly, after receiving the processing request data packet, the programmable logic controller (PLC) can extract the basic information of the required material from the material attribute database of the processing center based on the required material number in the processing request data packet. That is, the required material number is used as an index to query the material attribute database, thereby obtaining the basic information of the required material for the processing step. This basic information includes external dimensions (length, width, height), shape characteristics (square, round, irregular shape), weight class (light, medium, heavy), surface characteristics (roughness, fragility, oil and water resistant treatment), and handling requirements (such as negative pressure suction, flexible clamping, and precision positioning). Then, based on the basic information, a preliminary screening can be performed in the processing center's motion template library. This means that all candidate motion templates that initially match the basic information of the required material can be retrieved from the motion template library. In actual implementation, the screening rules may include size matching (the template must be applicable to a range of material sizes). The initial screening criteria are as follows: covering the current material size, weight matching (the handling weight range set by the template must include the current material weight class), and shape adaptation (the clamping mechanism designed by the template must be suitable for the shape characteristics of the current material). This allows action templates that meet these initial screening criteria to be packaged into a candidate action template set. Finally, after the initial screening is completed, the candidate action template set needs to be further screened and verified based on the special material handling requirements in the processing request data packet. This involves parsing the special material handling requirements from the processing request data packet (e.g., fragile items require slow acceleration and deceleration actions, and anti-static materials require the use of anti-static handling accessories). For each special material handling requirement, the candidate action templates in the candidate action template set are functionally compared to verify whether the template supports the corresponding action or protective measures. The candidate action templates that meet all basic attribute matching and special material handling requirements are the material delivery action templates that match the processing procedure to be completed.

[0061] In this embodiment, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged based on the material delivery action template to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. This can be achieved in the following way:

[0062] For material delivery tasks in the machining center task pool, extract the action template for the material delivery task;

[0063] Based on the material delivery action template and the action template, the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and the material delivery task is determined, thereby obtaining the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and each material delivery task in the processing center task pool.

[0064] Based on the homogeneity of all actions, determine the homogeneous task group for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed;

[0065] The material delivery priority of the process to be processed is determined by the processing priority of the homogeneous task group.

[0066] It should be noted that the task pool of the processing center contains multiple material delivery tasks to be executed, and each task is usually assigned an action template during the generation stage.

[0067] In specific implementation, firstly, for material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool, action templates for material delivery tasks can be extracted through retrieval, and all extracted action templates are converted into a structured description format for convenient subsequent processing. Then, the action homogeneity between the delivery tasks of the processing process and the material delivery tasks can be determined based on the material delivery action templates and the action templates. Here, action homogeneity represents the degree of consistency between the delivery tasks of the processing process and the material delivery tasks at the level of executing operation actions. The cosine similarity of the material delivery action templates and the action templates in each dimension can be calculated, and the cosine similarity in each dimension is weighted and summed. The corresponding weights can be set according to historical experience, and the calculation result is used as the action homogeneity between the delivery tasks of the processing process and the material delivery tasks. Through the above, the action homogeneity between the delivery tasks of the processing process and each material delivery task in the processing center task pool can be obtained.

[0068] In addition, in specific implementation, firstly, a homogeneity judgment threshold can be set based on expert knowledge and data analysis; then, a homogeneous task group for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed can be determined based on the homogeneity of all actions, that is, material delivery tasks with a corresponding action homogeneity greater than the homogeneity judgment threshold are considered as homogeneous tasks for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed, so that the set of all homogeneous tasks can be taken as the homogeneous task group for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed; finally, the material delivery priority of the process to be processed can be determined by the processing priority of the homogeneous task group, where the material delivery priority represents the degree of priority execution of the delivery tasks of the process to be processed in the task pool of the processing center, and the processing priority of each homogeneous task in the homogeneous task group can be extracted, so that the average of the processing priorities of all homogeneous tasks can be taken as the material delivery priority of the process to be processed.

[0069] It should be noted that parsing the processing request data packet into task instructions and merging material delivery tasks in the task pool based on the resulting material delivery action template, thereby calculating material delivery priority, can significantly improve the intelligence and flexibility of the machining center's material delivery system. By accurately analyzing the attributes and process requirements of the materials needed for the processing steps, the optimal material delivery action template can be dynamically matched, achieving standardization and reusability of action control. Through homogeneous merging, the system can package tasks with similar delivery needs, reducing changeovers and repetitive actions, and improving material delivery efficiency. The dynamic calculation of material delivery priority enables the control system to determine the material tasks that should be prioritized in real time, ensuring uninterrupted material supply for critical processes and prioritizing urgent orders.

[0070] In step S3, the processing priority of the process to be processed is extracted from the processing request data packet. The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined according to the processing priority and the material delivery priority. The delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism.

[0071] In practice, the processing priority of the process to be processed can be extracted from the processing request data packet by traversing and searching.

[0072] Preferably, in this embodiment, the urgency of the processing step to be processed is determined based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority, with reference to... Figure 3 As shown in the figure, this is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining the urgency of a processing step in some embodiments of this application. In this embodiment, the determination of the urgency of a processing step can be achieved through the following steps:

[0073] In step S31, the real-time scheduling disturbance factor of the processing center is obtained;

[0074] In step S32, the processing priority and the material delivery priority are standardized respectively to obtain the standardized processing priority and the standardized material delivery priority.

[0075] In step S33, the urgency of the processing procedure to be processed is determined by the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority.

[0076] In specific implementation, firstly, the real-time scheduling disturbance factor of the processing center can be obtained. This real-time scheduling disturbance factor is a comprehensive quantification of sudden and uncertain factors that may affect task scheduling efficiency in the current production environment. Processing centers typically experience disturbance factors such as changes in equipment status, personnel changes, and process fluctuations. These disturbance factors can be collected in real time by the edge control unit, and then converted into real-time scheduling disturbance factors according to disturbance level mapping rules or neural network models. Secondly, the processing priority and material delivery priority can be standardized through normalization processing, resulting in standardized processing priority and standardized material delivery priority. Finally, the processing urgency of the process to be processed can be determined by the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority. The processing urgency represents the degree of urgency of the process to be processed under the current scheduling environment. Weights can be assigned to the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority based on historical experiments and expert knowledge and experience. The weighted sum of the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority can then be used as the processing urgency of the process to be processed.

[0077] It should be noted that, in this application, the feeding mechanism refers to a mechanical system that performs material handling and feeding actions. The feeding mechanism includes a mobile platform or drive system, an end effector, a sensor system, a control unit, and a communication interface.

[0078] In this embodiment, the delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated based on the processing urgency, thereby obtaining the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism. Specifically, this can be achieved in the following way:

[0079] Obtain the delivery route of the material delivery organization;

[0080] The flexible scheduling coefficient for delivery route cost is determined based on the processing urgency.

[0081] The material delivery path cost for the process to be processed is determined based on the flexible scheduling coefficient.

[0082] The material delivery path cost is used to reconstruct the delivery path of the feeding mechanism, thereby obtaining a flexible material delivery path for the feeding mechanism.

[0083] In practice, firstly, the current delivery path of the feeding mechanism and the path cost of each segment in the delivery path can be obtained from the scheduling and control platform; then, a flexible scheduling coefficient for the delivery path cost can be determined based on the processing urgency. This flexible scheduling coefficient is used to adjust the weights related to task urgency in the path evaluation. In actual implementation, the flexible scheduling coefficient can be determined according to the following formula:

[0084]

[0085] in, Indicates the flexible scheduling coefficient. Indicates the urgency of processing. This represents a sensitivity parameter, which can be set based on data analysis and historical experience, and will not be elaborated here. Furthermore, the material delivery path cost of the process to be processed can be determined based on the flexible scheduling coefficient, that is, the path cost from the current location of the feeding mechanism to the process to be processed is obtained, and the product of the path cost and the flexible scheduling coefficient is used as the material delivery path cost of the process to be processed. Finally, the delivery path of the feeding mechanism can be reconstructed using the material delivery path cost, that is, the programmable logic controller can recalculate the optimal path based on the material delivery path cost, and the calculated optimal path is used as the execution path of the current feeding mechanism, that is, the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism.

[0086] It should be noted that by extracting processing priorities from processing request data packets and calculating processing urgency by combining them with material delivery priorities, and then flexibly updating the delivery path of the feeding mechanism based on this urgency, not only is dynamic linkage between processing tasks and material delivery achieved, but the control system's ability to respond quickly to sudden tasks, urgent orders, and resource conflicts is also enhanced. This effectively breaks the path rigidity and response lag problems under traditional rigid scheduling, enabling the feeding mechanism to autonomously optimize path selection and resource allocation according to the real-time urgency of the task, achieving efficient parallel support for multiple types of materials and tasks with different rhythms, thereby significantly improving the overall material delivery coordination efficiency of the processing center and the flexible scheduling capability of the manufacturing system.

[0087] In step S4, the feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the process to be processed according to the material delivery flexible path.

[0088] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path in the following manner:

[0089] The programmable logic controller (PLC) sends the flexible material delivery path as a control command to the feeding mechanism.

[0090] The feeding mechanism corrects its running trajectory according to the material delivery flexible path, and then delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the corrected running trajectory.

[0091] In practice, firstly, the programmable logic controller (PLC) uses the flexible material delivery path as a control command. This command is transmitted to the feeding mechanism via an industrial fieldbus (such as EtherCAT or PROFINET) to achieve real-time distribution of path scheduling instructions. After receiving the flexible material delivery path, the feeding mechanism compares and analyzes the original path plan or default path. The feeding mechanism then calls its internal path tracking and control module to correct its trajectory in real time. Finally, the feeding mechanism, in conjunction with the positioning system, moves precisely along the corrected trajectory. Upon reaching the workstation of the processing center, it performs endpoint alignment and material delivery operations (such as automatic lifting, swing arm feeding, and adsorption placement) to complete the material delivery task required by the processing process. Simultaneously, the feeding completion status is transmitted back to the PLC, triggering the next round of process control logic or scheduling adjustments.

[0092] It should be noted that by delivering materials according to the flexible material delivery path for the processing steps, the feeding mechanism can significantly improve the material supply response speed and path adaptability of the processing center in a dynamic production environment. This not only improves the accuracy and efficiency of material delivery and reduces waiting and idle time, but also significantly enhances the flexible scheduling and collaborative execution capabilities of the control system in response to uncertainties such as process changes, equipment failures, or the insertion of temporary tasks.

[0093] Therefore, this application first parses the processing request data packet into task instructions, and then merges the material delivery tasks in the task pool based on the obtained material delivery action template, thereby calculating the material delivery priority. This allows for dynamic matching of the optimal material delivery action template, achieving standardization and reusability of action control, reducing changeover and repetitive actions, and improving feeding efficiency. Then, by extracting the processing priority from the processing request data packet and combining it with the material delivery priority to calculate the processing urgency, the feeding mechanism's delivery path is flexibly updated based on this urgency. This not only achieves dynamic linkage between processing tasks and material delivery but also enhances the control system's resilience to unexpected events. The rapid response capability for tasks, urgent orders, and resource conflicts effectively breaks the rigidity of paths and the lag in response under traditional rigid scheduling. This allows the material feeding mechanism to autonomously optimize path selection and resource allocation based on the real-time urgency of tasks. Finally, the material feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing steps according to the flexible material delivery path, which can significantly improve the material supply response speed and path adaptability of the processing center in a dynamic production environment. This not only improves the accuracy and efficiency of material delivery and reduces waiting and idle time, but also significantly enhances the flexible scheduling and collaborative execution capabilities of the control system in response to uncertainties such as process changes, equipment failures, or the insertion of temporary tasks.

[0094] In summary, the technical solution adopted in this application can realize real-time collaborative delivery of materials in the machining center, thereby enhancing the flexible response capability of the control system.

[0095] Example 2: This application provides an automatic feeding control system for a machining center, referencing... Figure 4 As shown in the figure, this is a schematic diagram of an automatic feeding control system for a machining center according to this embodiment of the present application. The control system includes:

[0096] The processing request module 100 is used to send a processing request data packet of the next process of the current process of the processing center as the process to be processed to the programmable logic controller.

[0097] The priority determination module 200 is used to parse the processing request data packet into task instructions to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed.

[0098] The path update module 300 is used to extract the processing priority of the process to be processed from the processing request data packet, determine the processing urgency of the process to be processed based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority, and flexibly update the delivery path of the feeding mechanism according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism.

[0099] The material delivery module 400 is used to control the feeding mechanism to deliver the required materials for the processing step according to the material delivery flexible path.

[0100] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0101] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), one-time programmable read-only memory (OTPROM), electrically-Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), compactdisc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, disk storage, magnetic tape storage, or any other computer-readable medium capable of carrying or storing data.

[0102] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

Claims

1. An automatic feeding control method for a machining center, characterized in that, The control method includes the following steps: The next process after the current process in the machining center is designated as the process to be processed, and a processing request data packet for the process to be processed is sent to the programmable logic controller. The processing request data packet is parsed to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. The processing priority of the process to be processed is extracted from the processing request data packet. The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined according to the processing priority and the material delivery priority. The delivery path of the feeding mechanism is flexibly updated according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path. Specifically, determining the urgency of the processing step to be processed based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority includes: Obtain the real-time scheduling disturbance factor of the processing center; The processing priority and the material delivery priority are standardized respectively to obtain the standardized processing priority and the standardized material delivery priority; The processing urgency of the process to be processed is determined by the real-time scheduling disturbance factor, the standardized processing priority, and the standardized material delivery priority, wherein the processing urgency indicates the degree of urgency of the process to be processed under the current scheduling environment. Specifically, the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism is updated based on the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism, which includes: Obtain the delivery route of the material delivery organization; The flexible scheduling coefficient for determining the delivery route cost is based on the processing urgency. This flexible scheduling coefficient is used to adjust the weights related to task urgency in the route evaluation, and it is determined according to the following formula: ， in, Indicates the flexible scheduling coefficient. Indicates the urgency of processing. Indicates sensitivity parameters; The material delivery path cost for the process to be processed is determined based on the flexible scheduling coefficient. The material delivery path cost is used to reconstruct the delivery path of the feeding mechanism, thereby obtaining a flexible material delivery path for the feeding mechanism.

2. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The processing request data packet includes the process number of the process to be processed, the required material number, the processing priority, and the special handling requirements for the material.

3. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Parsing the processing request data packet to obtain a material delivery action template matching the processing procedure specifically includes: Based on the required material number in the processing request data packet, the basic information of the required material is extracted from the material attribute database of the processing center; Based on the aforementioned basic information, a preliminary screening is performed in the action template library of the machining center to obtain a set of candidate action templates; The candidate action template set is validated for special processing requirements based on the material special processing requirements in the processing request data packet, thereby obtaining a material delivery action template that matches the processing procedure to be processed.

4. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the material delivery action template, material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed, specifically including: For material delivery tasks in the machining center task pool, extract the action template for the material delivery task; Based on the material delivery action template and the action template, the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and the material delivery task is determined, thereby obtaining the action homogeneity between the delivery task of the process to be processed and each material delivery task in the processing center task pool. Based on the homogeneity of all actions, determine the homogeneous task group for the delivery tasks of the process to be processed; The material delivery priority of the process to be processed is determined by the processing priority of the homogeneous task group.

5. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The processing priority indicates the urgency of the corresponding task in the current production task pool.

6. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism refers to the mechanical system that performs material handling and feeding actions.

7. The automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path, specifically including: The programmable logic controller (PLC) sends the flexible material delivery path as a control command to the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism corrects its running trajectory according to the material delivery flexible path, and then delivers the required materials for the processing step according to the corrected running trajectory.

8. An automatic feeding control system for a machining center, used to execute an automatic feeding control method for a machining center as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The control system includes: The processing request module is used to send a processing request data packet of the next process of the current process of the processing center as the process to be processed to the programmable logic controller. The priority determination module is used to parse the processing request data packet into task instructions to obtain a material delivery action template that matches the process to be processed. Based on the material delivery action template, the material delivery tasks in the processing center task pool are homogeneously merged to obtain the material delivery priority of the process to be processed. The path update module is used to extract the processing priority of the process to be processed from the processing request data packet, determine the processing urgency of the process to be processed based on the processing priority and the material delivery priority, and flexibly update the delivery path of the feeding mechanism according to the processing urgency to obtain the flexible material delivery path of the feeding mechanism. The material delivery module is used to control the feeding mechanism to deliver the required materials for the processing step according to the flexible material delivery path.

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