Industrial robot control method and device, industrial robot system and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method and device for an industrial robot, an industrial robot system, a storage medium and a computer program product, and the method comprises the steps: constructing a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, taking a master control module as a master station, taking a plurality of robot modules comprising the industrial robot and corollary equipment as slave stations, and carrying out the control of the industrial robot; the master station communicates with the slave stations through an industrial Ethernet protocol; a communication signal address of the corollary equipment is configured, and robot operation point position teaching is carried out through a graphical interface; automatically generating a process package program according to the communication signal address and the demonstrated point location information; and the master station issues a process package program and a control instruction to each robot module through an industrial Ethernet protocol so as to realize linkage control of a plurality of industrial robots. According to the scheme, effective management and control of the operation state of the whole line and quick response of faults are achieved, and the requirements for efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line are met.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of industrial robots, and particularly relates to a control method and device of an industrial robot, an industrial robot system, a storage medium and a computer program product. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of global manufacturing industry towards intelligence, automation and flexibility, production line manufacturing process has become the core link in the field of precision manufacturing of automobile parts, electronic components and the like. However, the traditional production line has many problems in robot linkage control, and it is difficult to meet the needs of modern manufacturing industry for high precision, high efficiency and high flexibility, as follows:

[0003] Low efficiency and lack of automation: The traditional production line mostly adopts single machine operation or simple IO wiring control, and lacks effective communication and cooperation mechanism between devices, and manual intervention is frequent, so the degree of automation is low, which limits the overall production efficiency.

[0004] Complex debugging and long deployment period: Robot linkage control relies on a large amount of manual programming and parameter configuration, for example, some schemes need to frequently switch single / online mode for multiple settings, and the automatic generation of process package program cannot be realized, which significantly increases the difficulty of debugging and deployment period.

[0005] Poor flexibility and weak adaptability: The system configuration is single, and the human-computer interaction is simple, which is difficult to adapt to the production demand of multiple varieties and small batches.

[0006] Lack of monitoring and poor safety: There is a lack of real-time monitoring mechanism for the running state of the whole line, the fault response is slow, and the system stability is poor.

[0007] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solutions of the present application, and does not represent the acknowledgement of the above content as prior art. SUMMARY

[0008] The present application aims to provide a control method and device of an industrial robot, an industrial robot system, a storage medium and a computer program product, to solve the problem in related solutions that in the linkage control of industrial robots, due to single parameter configuration and insufficient system flexibility, the program is difficult to be automatically generated and dynamically adapted, and the whole line linkage control is complex to debug, the maintenance cost is high, and there is a lack of real-time monitoring of the running state of the whole line and a quick fault response mechanism, which cannot meet the needs of efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line. The effect of achieving the effect of meeting the needs of efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line is achieved by constructing a distributed control architecture based on industrial Ethernet protocol, uniformly configuring the communication signal addresses of the supporting devices and combining graphical point teaching to automatically generate process package program, and then issuing programs and instructions by the master station to realize multi-robot linkage control, effectively controlling the running state of the whole line and quickly responding to faults.

[0009] The application provides a control method of an industrial robot, comprising: constructing a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, taking a preset general control module as a master station, taking a plurality of robot modules as slave stations, each of the robot modules comprising the industrial robot and a supporting device; the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol; configuring a communication signal address of the supporting device in each of the robot modules, and teaching a robot work point position through a graphical interface; automatically generating a process package program according to the communication signal address and the taught point position information; the master station issues the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules through the industrial Ethernet protocol, so as to realize linkage control of a plurality of the industrial robots; the process package program is used to standardize a motion trajectory of the industrial robot, signal interaction logic with the supporting device and a task execution strategy.

[0010] In some embodiments, the industrial Ethernet protocol comprises a Modbus TCP protocol and / or an Ethernet / IP protocol.

[0011] In some embodiments, the supporting device comprises at least one of a punch press, a clamp and a feeding and discharging device; the robot module is formed in at least one of the following modes: connecting the industrial robot and the supporting device to a small PLC to form a robot module, the small PLC serving as a slave station; connecting signals of the supporting device to the industrial robot through the industrial Ethernet protocol to form a robot module.

[0012] In some embodiments, the robot work point position teaching through the graphical interface comprises: the graphical interface displays corresponding motion trajectories according to position types of the industrial robot, and completes point position teaching based on the motion trajectories; the position types comprise front-end machines, intermediate machines and back-end machines.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: collecting running state information of each of the robot modules in real time while the master station issues the process package program and the control instructions to each of the robot modules; the running state information comprises a current position of the industrial robot, an action state of the supporting device, a clamping state of the clamp and a sensor feedback signal.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: after the master station collects the running state information, the master station locates and processes faults of the robot modules according to the running state information, and dynamically adjusts a task allocation proportion and an execution order of each of the robot modules according to a preset task queue.

[0015] According to the method, the application provides a control device of an industrial robot, which comprises: a master control unit configured to construct a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, with a preset master control module as a master station and a plurality of robot modules as slave stations, each of the robot modules comprising the industrial robot and a matching device; the master station communicates with the slave stations through the industrial Ethernet protocol; a teaching unit configured to configure a communication signal address of the matching device in each of the robot modules and to teach a robot work point through a graphical interface; a generation unit configured to automatically generate a process package program according to the communication signal address and the taught point information; and a control unit configured to have the master station issue the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize linkage control of a plurality of the industrial robots; the process package program is used to standardize the motion trajectory of the industrial robot, signal interaction logic with the matching device and task execution strategy.

[0016] In some embodiments, the industrial Ethernet protocol comprises a Modbus TCP protocol and / or an Ethernet / IP protocol.

[0017] In some embodiments, the matching device comprises at least one of a punch press, a clamp and a feeding and discharging device; and the robot module is configured in at least one of the following ways: the industrial robot and the matching device are connected to a small PLC to form a robot module, with the small PLC as a slave station; or signals of the matching device are connected to the industrial robot through the industrial Ethernet protocol to form a robot module.

[0018] In some embodiments, the teaching unit teaches a robot work point through a graphical interface, which comprises: the graphical interface displays corresponding motion trajectories according to position types of the industrial robot and completes point teaching based on the motion trajectories; and the position types comprise front-end machines, intermediate machines and back-end machines.

[0019] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to collect running state information of each of the robot modules in real time while the master station issues the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules; and the running state information comprises a current position of the industrial robot, an action state of the matching device, a clamping state of the clamp and a sensor feedback signal.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to, after the master station collects the running state information, locate and handle faults of the robot modules according to the running state information and dynamically adjust a task allocation ratio and an execution order of each of the robot modules according to a preset task queue.

[0021] To match the above device, the application further provides an industrial robot system, comprising: the above-mentioned control device of the industrial robot.

[0022] To match the above method, the application further provides a storage medium, comprising a stored program, wherein when the program is running, the device where the storage medium is located performs the above-mentioned control method of the industrial robot.

[0023] To match the above method, the application further provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-mentioned control method of the industrial robot.

[0024] The scheme of the application constructs a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, takes a master station as a total control module, takes a plurality of robot modules comprising an industrial robot and supporting equipment as slave stations, and the master station and the slave stations communicate through an industrial Ethernet protocol; a communication signal address of the supporting equipment is configured, and a robot work point teaching is performed through a graphical interface; a process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal address and the point information of the teaching; the master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol, so as to realize linkage control of a plurality of industrial robots. Thus, effective management and control of the whole line running state and rapid response to faults are realized, and the demand for efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line is met.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the application will be set forth in the following description, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description, or can be learned by practice of the application.

[0026] The technical scheme of the application will be further described in detail below with the drawings and examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of an embodiment of the control method of the industrial robot of the application;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the control device of the industrial robot of the application;

[0029] Figure 3 It is a system structure diagram of the distributed control architecture;

[0030] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the communication signal address of the supporting equipment;

[0031] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the teaching of the graphical interface;

[0032] Figure 6 Flowchart of another embodiment of the control method of the industrial robot.

[0033] In the embodiments of the present application, the reference signs in the drawings are as follows:

[0034] 101 - master control unit; 102 - teaching unit; 103 - generation unit; 104 - control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions of the present application will be described below in connection with the specific embodiments of the present application and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present application, a control method of an industrial robot is provided, which comprises the following steps: Figure 1 Flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present application. The control method of the industrial robot can comprise steps S110 to S140.

[0037] At step S110, a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol is constructed, with a preset master control module as a master station and a plurality of robot modules as slave stations, each of the robot modules comprising the industrial robot and supporting equipment; the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol.

[0038] The distributed control architecture is different from the traditional single-machine control or simple IO wiring control, and can realize the combination of centralized scheduling and decentralized execution. The master control module is a master control PLC (programmable logic controller), which is responsible for unified scheduling of each robot module and undertakes core functions such as instruction issuing, state acquisition and task allocation. The robot modules respond to the instructions of the master station and execute specific production tasks.

[0039] In some embodiments, the industrial Ethernet protocol comprises a Modbus TCP protocol and / or an Ethernet / IP protocol. In traditional production lines, devices are often connected through hardware IO wiring for communication, which has problems such as complex signal processing, low communication efficiency, poor compatibility, etc., and is difficult to meet the needs of modern manufacturing for collaborative control of devices. Therefore, in the system running process, the master control module and each robot module establish a communication connection through the Modbus TCP protocol and the Ethernet / IP protocol, reducing the dependence on physical lines, reducing the risk of line failure and the complexity of wiring, and avoiding the problem of signal incompatibility caused by different device models.

[0040] ModbusTCP protocol is an industrial communication protocol based on TCP / IP protocol, which realizes the instruction issuing, data collection and state feedback between master and slave stations through client-server mode, with the advantages of simple protocol, easy implementation and wide compatibility. When using ModbusTCP protocol, the total control module sends read-write instructions to the robot module (server) as a client, and the robot module feeds back its state data according to the instructions.

[0041] Ethernet / IP protocol is another Ethernet protocol suitable for industrial environment, which is based on CIP and supports real-time data exchange and information integration between devices, suitable for industrial scenes that require high real-time and complex data interaction. When using Ethernet / IP protocol, the total control module and the robot module interact through CIP protocol, supporting more complex information transmission to meet the communication needs of different production scenes.

[0042] ModbusTCP protocol and Ethernet / IP protocol can be used independently or in combination, with high transmission rate and supporting data verification mechanism, reducing data transmission errors and ensuring real-time interaction of instructions and states between the total control module and the robot module.

[0043] In some embodiments, the matching equipment includes at least one of a punch, a clamp and a feeding and discharging device. The matching equipment is an important part of the robot module and directly participates in or assists the work process of the industrial robot, such as completing the punching action by the punch, fixing the workpiece by the clamp, and transporting the material by the feeding and discharging device. According to the production requirements, the punch, clamp, feeding and discharging device and other matching equipment are combined with the industrial robot to form a functional complete robot module.

[0044] The robot module is constituted in at least one of the following ways: connecting the industrial robot and the matching equipment to a small PLC to form a robot module, and the small PLC as a slave station; connecting the signals of the matching equipment to the industrial robot through the industrial Ethernet protocol to form a robot module. Small PLC refers to a programmable logic controller with smaller size and stronger function pertinence, which can be used as a slave station in the robot module, responsible for connecting the industrial robot and the matching equipment, and communicating with the total control module (master station) through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the coordinated control of local devices. The robot module includes two constitution modes. When the independence of local control needs to be enhanced, the industrial robot and the matching equipment are connected to a small PLC, and the small PLC as a slave station communicates with the total control module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the indirect scheduling of the total control module to the module, such as Figure 3Robot module 1; when simplicity of the communication link is desired, the signals of the supporting equipment (such as the action signals of the punch press and the clamping signals of the fixture) are directly connected to the industrial robot via the industrial Ethernet protocol. The industrial robot, as a slave station, communicates directly with the central control module, reducing intermediate control links, such as... Figure 3 Robot module 2 in the middle.

[0045] Both configuration methods can enhance system flexibility. Users can choose the appropriate module configuration method according to the production line scale and control precision requirements. For example, complex production lines can use the "small PLC + equipment" method to enhance local coordination capabilities, while simple production lines can use the "equipment signals directly connected to the robot" method to simplify the structure, solving the problem of the single configuration of traditional production lines.

[0046] Distributed control architecture as follows Figure 3 As shown, the system architecture is centered around a PLC central controller, containing multiple robot modules, and communicating with each other via the Modbus TCP protocol. The PLC central controller includes a control module and a monitoring module. The control module issues process packages and control commands to each robot module, while the monitoring module collects the operating status information of each module. Each robot module is equipped with a small PLC as a Modbus TCP slave, connected to the central controller PLC via Modbus TCP communication, such as robot module 1. Robot modules can also connect signals from external devices to the robot via Modbus TCP to form robot modules, such as robot module 2. Thus, the central controller module can uniformly schedule all robot modules, interact with each robot module for data exchange and command issuance, improving the overall production line's collaborative efficiency.

[0047] In step S120, the communication signal address of the supporting equipment in each robot module is configured, and the robot operation point is taught through a graphical interface.

[0048] Operators configure the communication signal addresses of supporting equipment (such as the top dead center signal address of a punch press, the clamping signal address of a fixture, etc.) on the robot's teach pendant to ensure that the industrial robot can accurately identify the status of the supporting equipment. Simultaneously, the teach pendant's graphical interface displays the corresponding motion trajectory based on the industrial robot's position type. Operators then use this trajectory to teach the robot to its work points (such as pick-up and unload points), clarifying the robot's motion path. By configuring the communication signal addresses of the supporting equipment and using graphical point teaching, the operation process is simplified, reducing the workload of manual programming and parameter configuration, lowering the complexity of debugging, shortening the system deployment cycle, and supporting dynamic parameter adjustments for multi-product production, thus enhancing the system's flexibility.

[0049] In some embodiments, in step S120, the specific process of robot work point teaching through the graphical interface includes: the graphical interface displays corresponding motion trajectories according to the position type of the industrial robot, and completes point teaching based on the motion trajectories. The position type includes front-end machine, intermediate machine, and back-end machine. Industrial robots in different position types have different roles and work ranges in the production line, such as front-end machines responsible for feeding, intermediate machines responsible for processing, and back-end machines responsible for discharging. The motion trajectories of robots in different positions are different.

[0050] The graphical interface is a visual operation interface displayed on the teach pendant of the industrial robot. The motion trajectory refers to the path followed by the industrial robot when moving from one point to another. The trajectory displayed by the graphical interface is a preset standard path template, and the operator can adjust the points based on the template to ensure the accuracy and safety of the robot motion.

[0051] The operator selects the position type of the industrial robot on the teach pendant of the industrial robot, and the graphical interface automatically displays the corresponding standard motion trajectory according to the selected position type. The operator adjusts or adds key points on the trajectory based on the displayed trajectory graph through the operation buttons of the teach pendant, completes the accurate setting of the robot work path, and records the point coordinate information as the basis data for generating the process package program subsequently after the teaching is completed.

[0052] The graphical trajectory directly shows the motion path of the robot, and the operator can complete the point setting without professional programming knowledge, reducing the workload of manual programming.

[0053] The communication signal address configuration of the matched equipment is as shown in Figure 4 , including but not limited to upper dead point, lower dead point, reset signal, emergency stop signal, safety door status signal, and user-defined input / output signal, etc. At the same time, according to the selected position type of the robot, the teach pendant displays the corresponding graphical motion trajectory, and the user can perform point teaching operation according to the graphical prompt to complete the setting of the robot action path. The graphical interface teaching is as shown in Figure 5 , and the operator completes the teaching of the robot work points (such as picking point and discharging point) based on the trajectory, and determines the action path of the robot.

[0054] In step S130, a process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal address and the point information of the teaching.

[0055] The system takes the configured matching equipment communication signal address (used to define the interaction rules of the industrial robot and the matching equipment) and the taught point information (used to define the motion path of the industrial robot) as inputs, and automatically generates a process package program containing the motion trajectory, signal interaction logic, and task execution strategy without manual writing of underlying codes.

[0056] The traditional production line needs to manually write process programs, which is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also prone to logical errors and poor program adaptability. The system automatically generates a process package program according to the configured communication signal address and point teaching information, enabling standardized and automated generation of the program, ensuring that the program matches actual production needs, quickly adapts to different production tasks, and improves the system's support for flexible production. At the same time, it significantly reduces the workload of manually writing process programs and reduces the probability of program errors.

[0057] At step S140, the master station issues the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to achieve coordinated control of multiple industrial robots. The process package program is used to specify the motion trajectory of the industrial robot, the signal interaction logic with the matching equipment, and the task execution strategy.

[0058] The master control module sends the automatically generated process package program and real-time control instructions (such as starting, pausing, switching tasks, etc.) to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol. Each robot module specifies its own motion trajectory, signal interaction logic with the matching equipment, and task execution strategy based on the received process package program, and feeds back the running state to the master station through the industrial Ethernet protocol during execution. The master station dynamically adjusts the instructions based on the feedback information, ultimately achieving coordinated control of multiple industrial robots. This not only improves the operation efficiency of the entire production line, but also facilitates quick fault location and processing, enhancing system stability. At the same time, it reduces the need for manual intervention and improves the automation level of the production process.

[0059] In some embodiments, the method further includes: simultaneously with the master station issuing the process package program and control instructions to each robot module, real-time collection of the running state information of each robot module; the running state information includes the current position of the industrial robot, the action state of the matching equipment, the clamping state of the clamp, and the sensor feedback signal.

[0060] The total control module starts the state collection mechanism while issuing process package programs and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol. Each robot module feeds back its running state information (such as the current position coordinates of the industrial robot, whether the punch is at the top dead center, whether the clamp is clamping the workpiece, whether the safety door is closed, etc.) to the total control module in real time through the industrial Ethernet protocol. The total control module receives and stores these information, forming a real-time database of the whole line running state, providing a basis for subsequent fault handling and task adjustment. Through the real-time collected information, the working state of each robot module can be fully mastered, and the whole line state visual monitoring can be realized.

[0061] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: after the master station collects the running state information, the master station locates and handles the faults of the robot modules according to the running state information, and dynamically adjusts the task allocation proportion and execution order of each robot module according to the preset task queue.

[0062] After the total control module collects the running state information of each robot module, it analyzes the information in real time. If abnormal data (such as abnormal punch action state, sensor feedback emergency stop signal) is found, the specific robot module or equipment where the fault occurs is located through data tracing, and the corresponding processing mechanism (such as suspending the running of the module, issuing sound and light alarm) is triggered. At the same time, the total control module dynamically adjusts the task allocation proportion (such as reducing the task amount of the module with too heavy load) and execution order (such as executing emergency tasks in priority) of each robot module according to the real-time running state information (such as the current load of each robot module, the task completion progress) and the preset task queue. The adjusted task instructions are issued to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol, ensuring that the whole line production adapts to the real-time state changes. Thus, through the analysis of real-time state information, the fault can be quickly located, the fault troubleshooting time can be reduced, and the rapid response and handling of faults can be realized. The dynamic adjustment of task allocation proportion and execution order enables the system to adapt to changes in production demand, enhancing the flexibility of the system.

[0063] Figure 6 The flowchart of another embodiment of the control method of the industrial robot is shown in FIG. 2, which comprises the following steps: Figure 6

[0064] Step 1: The user connects the punch robot and its supporting equipment to respective small PLCs to form a robot unit module, or connects the signals of external equipment to the robot through ModbusTCP to form a robot module.

[0065] ​Step 2, in the Modbus TCP signal address configuration interface of the teach pendant, flexibly configure the signal address data, including but not limited to the upper dead point, lower dead point, reset signal, emergency stop signal, safety door status signal and user-defined input / output signal, etc.

[0066] Step 3, according to the selected robot position type, the teach pendant displays the corresponding graphical motion trajectory, and the user can perform point teaching operation according to the graphical prompt to complete the setting of the robot action path.

[0067] Step 4, after completing the point teaching, the system will automatically generate the corresponding stamping process program according to the configuration parameters, which includes robot motion instructions, Modbus TCP signal interaction logic with external devices, task scheduling strategy, etc.

[0068] Step 5, during the running process, the total control PLC collects the state information of each device in real time through the Modbus TCP protocol, including the current position of the robot, the action state of the punch, the clamping state of the clamp, the sensor feedback signal, etc., and dynamically allocates tasks according to the pre-set task queue. The system supports collaborative work between multiple robots, can flexibly adjust the task order and execution strategy according to production needs, and improves the overall running efficiency and system flexibility. In addition, the system also supports real-time monitoring of the running state of the whole line, and the total control PLC can centrally manage all devices to realize efficient collaborative control and rapid fault positioning, significantly improving production efficiency and system stability. The modular design of the system also facilitates later upgrades and system integration, such as adding or reducing stamping robot nodes, replacing device models, etc., with good maintainability and scalability.

[0069] The technical scheme of the embodiment adopts a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, takes the total control module as the master station, takes multiple robot modules containing industrial robots and supporting devices as the slave stations, the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol; the communication signal addresses of the supporting devices are configured, and the robot work point teaching is performed through the graphical interface; the process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal addresses and the point teaching information; the master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of multiple industrial robots. Thus, effective management and control of the whole line running state and rapid response to faults are realized, meeting the needs of efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line.

[0070] According to the embodiment of the application, an industrial robot control device corresponding to the control method of the industrial robot is also provided. Referring to Figure 2Structure diagram of an embodiment of the device of the application. The control device of the industrial robot can include: a general control unit 101, a teaching unit 102, a generation unit 103, and a control unit 104.

[0071] The general control unit 101 is configured to build a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, with a preset general control module as a master station and a plurality of robot modules as slave stations, each of which contains the industrial robot and supporting equipment; the master station communicates with the slave stations through the industrial Ethernet protocol.

[0072] The distributed control architecture is different from traditional single-machine control or simple IO wiring control, and can realize the combination of centralized scheduling and decentralized execution. The general control module is a general control PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), which is responsible for unified scheduling of each robot module as a master station, and undertakes core functions such as instruction issuing, state acquisition, and task allocation. The robot module is a slave station responding to the master station instruction and executing specific production tasks.

[0073] In some embodiments, the industrial Ethernet protocol includes ModbusTCP protocol and / or Ethernet / IP protocol. In traditional production lines, devices are often connected by hardware IO wiring for communication, which has problems such as complex signal processing, low communication efficiency, poor compatibility, and difficulty in meeting the needs of modern manufacturing for device collaborative control. Therefore, in the system running process, the general control module and each robot module establish a communication connection through the ModbusTCP protocol and the Ethernet / IP protocol, reducing the dependence on physical lines, reducing the risk of line failure and the complexity of wiring, and avoiding the problem of signal incompatibility caused by different device models.

[0074] ModbusTCP protocol is an industrial communication protocol based on TCP / IP protocol, which realizes instruction issuing, data acquisition and state feedback between master station and slave station through client-server mode, and has the advantages of simple protocol, easy implementation and wide compatibility. When using ModbusTCP protocol, the general control module sends read-write instructions to the robot module (server) as a client, and the robot module feeds back its state data according to the instructions.

[0075] Ethernet / IP protocol is another Ethernet protocol suitable for industrial environment, which is based on CIP and supports real-time data exchange and information integration between devices, and is suitable for industrial scenarios that require high real-time performance and complex data interaction. When using Ethernet / IP protocol, the general control module and the robot module interact with each other through CIP protocol, supporting more complex information transmission to meet the communication needs of different production scenarios.

[0076] ModbusTCP protocol and Ethernet / IP protocol can be used independently or in combination, with high transmission rate and supporting data verification mechanism, reducing data transmission errors and ensuring real-time interaction of instructions and states between the total control module and the robot module.

[0077] In some embodiments, the matching equipment includes at least one of a punch, a clamp, and a feeding and discharging device. The matching equipment is an important part of the robot module and directly participates in or assists the work process of the industrial robot, such as completing the punching action by the punch, fixing the workpiece by the clamp, and transporting the material by the feeding and discharging device. According to production requirements, the punch, the clamp, the feeding and discharging device, and the like are combined with the industrial robot to form a robot module with complete functions.

[0078] The robot module is constituted in at least one of the following ways: the industrial robot and the matching equipment are connected to a small PLC to form a robot module, and the small PLC serves as a slave station; the signals of the matching equipment are connected to the industrial robot through the industrial Ethernet protocol to form a robot module. The small PLC refers to a programmable logic controller with small size and strong function pertinence, which can serve as a slave station in the robot module, be responsible for connecting the industrial robot and the matching equipment, and communicate with the total control module (master station) through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize coordinated control of local devices. The robot module includes two constitution modes. When the independence of local control needs to be enhanced, the industrial robot and the matching equipment are connected to a small PLC, the small PLC serves as a slave station, communicates with the total control module through the industrial Ethernet protocol, and realizes indirect scheduling of the total control module to the module, such as the robot module 1 in Figure 3 When the simplicity of the communication link is pursued, the signals of the matching equipment (such as the action signal of the punch and the clamping signal of the clamp) are directly connected to the industrial robot through the industrial Ethernet protocol, and the industrial robot serves as a slave station to directly communicate with the total control module, reducing the intermediate control link, such as the robot module 2 in Figure 3 .

[0079] The two constitution modes can improve the flexibility of the system. Users can select appropriate module constitution modes according to the scale of the production line and the control accuracy requirements. For example, a complex production line can adopt the mode of "small PLC + equipment" to enhance the local coordination capability, and a simple production line can adopt the mode of "direct connection of equipment signals to robots" to simplify the structure, solving the problem of single configuration of the traditional production line.

[0080] The distributed control architecture is specifically as shown in Figure 3As shown, the system structure takes the PLC master control as the core, contains multiple robot modules, and realizes the communication connection of each part through the ModbusTCP protocol. The PLC master control includes a control module and a monitoring module. The control module is used to issue process package programs and control instructions to each robot module, and the monitoring module is used to collect the running state information of each module. Each robot module is configured with a small PLC as a ModbusTCP slave station, which is connected to the master control PLC through ModbusTCP communication, such as robot module 1. The robot module can also connect the signals of external equipment to the robot through ModbusTCP to form a robot module, such as robot module 2. Thus, the master control module can uniformly schedule each robot module, interact with each robot module, and issue instructions, thereby improving the collaborative efficiency of the entire line equipment.

[0081] The teaching unit 102 is configured to configure the communication signal address of the matched equipment in each robot module and to teach the robot work point position through a graphical interface.

[0082] The operator configures the communication signal address of the matched equipment (such as the top dead center signal address of the punch and the clamping signal address of the clamp) on the teach pendant of the robot, ensuring that the industrial robot can accurately identify the state of the matched equipment. At the same time, the graphical interface of the teach pendant displays the corresponding motion trajectory according to the position type of the industrial robot, and the operator completes the teaching of the robot work point position (such as the material taking point and the material placing point) based on the trajectory, clearly defining the motion path of the robot. In this way, by configuring the communication signal address of the matched equipment and the graphical point teaching, the operation process can be simplified, the workload of manual programming and manual parameter configuration can be reduced, the complexity of debugging can be reduced, the deployment period of the system can be shortened, and dynamic adjustment of parameters for multi-variety production can be supported, thereby enhancing the flexibility of the system.

[0083] In some embodiments, the teaching unit 102 teaches the robot work point position through a graphical interface, including: the graphical interface displays the corresponding motion trajectory according to the position type of the industrial robot, and completes the point teaching based on the motion trajectory; the position type includes front-end machine, intermediate machine, and back-end machine, and the roles and work ranges of industrial robots at different position types in the production line are different, such as the front-end machine being responsible for feeding, the intermediate machine being responsible for processing, and the back-end machine being responsible for discharging. The motion trajectories of robots at different positions are different.

[0084] The graphical interface is a visual operation interface displayed on the teach pendant of the industrial robot. The motion trajectory refers to the path followed by the industrial robot when moving from one point to another. The trajectory displayed on the graphical interface is a preset standard path template, and the operator can adjust the point based on the template to ensure the accuracy and safety of the robot motion.

[0085] The operator selects the position type of the industrial robot on the teach pendant of the industrial robot, and the graphical interface automatically displays the corresponding standard motion trajectory according to the selected position type. The operator fine-tunes or adds key points on the trajectory based on the displayed trajectory graphics, and completes the accurate setting of the robot operation path through the operation buttons of the teach pendant. After the teaching is completed, the system automatically records the point coordinate information as the basic data for generating the process package program subsequently.

[0086] The graphical trajectory intuitively displays the motion path of the robot, and the operator can complete the point setting without professional programming knowledge, reducing the workload of manual programming.

[0087] The communication signal address configuration of the matched equipment is as shown in Figure 4 , including but not limited to the upper dead point, lower dead point, reset signal, emergency stop signal, safety door state signal, and user-defined input / output signal, etc. At the same time, according to the selected robot position type, the teach pendant will display the corresponding graphical motion trajectory, and the user can perform point teaching operation according to the graphical prompt to complete the setting of the robot action path. The graphical interface teaching is as shown in Figure 5 , the operator completes the teaching of the robot operation points (such as picking point, placing point) based on the trajectory, and clearly defines the motion path of the robot.

[0088] The generating unit 103 is configured to automatically generate a process package program according to the communication signal address and the taught point information.

[0089] The system takes the configured communication signal address of the matched equipment (used to define the interaction rules of the industrial robot and the matched equipment) and the taught point information (used to define the motion path of the industrial robot) as input, and automatically generates a process package program containing motion trajectory, signal interaction logic, and task execution strategy without manual writing of underlying code.

[0090] The traditional production line needs to manually write process programs, which not only consumes time and effort, but also is prone to logic errors and has poor program adaptability. The system automatically generates a process package program according to the configured communication signal address and point teaching information, which can realize the standardized and automated generation of the program, ensure that the program matches the actual production needs, quickly adapt to different production tasks, and improve the support capability of the system for flexible production. At the same time, it significantly reduces the workload of manually writing process programs and reduces the probability of program errors.

[0091] The control unit 104 is configured to send the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize linkage control of multiple industrial robots.

[0092] The general control module sends the automatically generated process package program and real-time control instructions (such as starting, pausing, switching tasks, etc.) to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol; each robot module specifies its own motion trajectory, signal interaction logic with the supporting equipment, and task execution strategy according to the received process package program, and feeds back the running state to the master station through the industrial Ethernet protocol during execution, and the master station dynamically adjusts the instructions based on the feedback information, finally realizing linkage control of multiple industrial robots. Not only improves the running efficiency of the whole production line, but also facilitates quick positioning and handling of faults, enhances the stability of the system; at the same time, reduces the need for manual intervention, and improves the automation level of the production process.

[0093] In some embodiments, the control unit 104 is further configured to: collect the running state information of each robot module in real time while the master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each robot module; the running state information includes the current position of the industrial robot, the action state of the supporting equipment, the clamping state of the clamp, and the sensor feedback signal.

[0094] The general control module starts the state collection mechanism while sending the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol; each robot module feeds back its running state information (such as the current position coordinates of the industrial robot, whether the punch is at the top dead center, whether the clamp is clamped to the workpiece, whether the safety door is closed, etc.) to the general control module in real time through the industrial Ethernet protocol; the general control module receives and stores these information, forming a real-time database of the whole line running state, providing basis for subsequent fault handling and task adjustment. Through the real-time collected information, the working state of each robot module can be fully mastered, and the whole line state visualization monitoring can be realized.

[0095] In some embodiments, the control unit 104 is further configured to: after the master station collects the running state information, the master station locates and handles the faults of the robot module according to the running state information, and dynamically adjusts the task allocation ratio and execution order of each robot module according to the preset task queue.

[0096] The total control module analyzes the information in real time after collecting the running state information of each robot module. If abnormal data (such as abnormal action state of the punch, sensor feedback emergency stop signal) is found, the specific robot module or equipment where the fault occurs is located through data tracing, and the corresponding processing mechanism (such as suspending the operation of the module, issuing an audible and light alarm) is triggered. At the same time, the total control module dynamically adjusts the task allocation ratio (such as reducing the task amount of the heavily loaded module) and execution order (such as executing emergency tasks first) of each robot module according to the real-time running state information (such as the current load of each robot module, the task completion progress) and the preset task queue. The adjusted task instructions are issued to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to ensure that the whole line production adapts to the real-time state changes. Thus, through the analysis of real-time state information, the fault can be quickly located, the fault troubleshooting time is reduced, and fast response and processing of faults are realized; dynamically adjusting the task allocation ratio and execution order enables the system to adapt to changes in production demand, enhancing the flexibility of the system.

[0097] Figure 6 The flowchart of another embodiment of the control method of the industrial robot is shown in FIG. 6, which comprises the following steps: Figure 6

[0098] Step 1: The user connects the stamping robot and its supporting equipment to respective small PLCs to form a robot unit module, or connects the signals of external equipment to the robot through Modbus TCP to form a robot module.

[0099] Step 2: In the Modbus TCP signal address configuration interface of the teach pendant, the signal address data is flexibly configured, including but not limited to the top dead center, bottom dead center, reset signal, emergency stop signal, safety door status signal, and user-defined input / output signals, etc.

[0100] Step 3: According to the selected robot position type, the teach pendant displays the corresponding graphical motion trajectory, and the user can perform point teaching operation according to the graphical prompt to complete the setting of the robot action path.

[0101] Step 4: After completing the point teaching, the system will automatically generate the corresponding stamping process program according to the configuration parameters, which includes robot motion instructions, Modbus TCP signal interaction logic with external equipment, task scheduling strategy, etc.

[0102] ​Step 5, during operation, the total control PLC collects the state information of each device in real time through the Modbus TCP protocol, including the current position of the robot, the action state of the punch, the clamping state of the clamp, the sensor feedback signal, etc., and dynamically allocates tasks according to the preset task queue. The system supports collaborative work between multiple robots, can flexibly adjust the task order and execution strategy according to production needs, and improves the overall operation efficiency and system flexibility. In addition, the system also supports real-time monitoring of the running state of the whole line, and the total control PLC can centrally manage all devices to realize efficient collaborative control and rapid fault positioning, significantly improving production efficiency and system stability. The modular design of the system also facilitates later upgrades and system integration, such as adding or reducing punch robot nodes, replacing device models, etc., with good maintainability and scalability.

[0103] Since the processing and functions realized by the device of the embodiment basically correspond to the embodiments, principles and examples of the foregoing method, details not described in the description of the embodiment can be referred to the related description in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0104] By adopting the technical solutions of the present application, a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol is constructed, a total control module is used as a master station, a plurality of robot modules containing industrial robots and supporting devices are used as slave stations, the master station and the slave stations communicate through an industrial Ethernet protocol; the communication signal addresses of the supporting devices are configured, and the robot work point teaching is performed through a graphical interface; a process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal addresses and the point information of the teaching; the master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of multiple industrial robots. Thus, effective management and control of the running state of the whole line and rapid response to faults are realized, and the needs of efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line are met.

[0105] According to the embodiment of the present application, an industrial robot system corresponding to the control device of the industrial robot is also provided. The industrial robot system can include the above-mentioned control device of the industrial robot.

[0106] Since the processing and functions realized by the industrial robot system of the embodiment basically correspond to the embodiments, principles and examples of the foregoing device, details not described in the description of the embodiment can be referred to the related description in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0107] The technical scheme of the present application constructs a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, takes a general control module as a master station, takes a plurality of robot modules containing industrial robots and supporting devices as slave stations, the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol, the communication signal addresses of the supporting devices are configured, and the robot work point teaching is performed through a graphical interface, the process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal addresses and the point information of the teaching, and the master station sends the process package program and the control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of the plurality of industrial robots.

[0108] According to the embodiment of the present application, a storage medium corresponding to the control method of the industrial robot is also provided, the storage medium comprises a stored program, wherein when the program is executed, the device where the storage medium is located performs the control method of the industrial robot.

[0109] Since the processing and functions realized by the storage medium of the present embodiment are basically corresponding to the embodiments, principles and examples of the foregoing method, the description of the present embodiment does not elaborate on the related descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, which are not repeated here.

[0110] The technical scheme of the present application constructs a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, takes a general control module as a master station, takes a plurality of robot modules containing industrial robots and supporting devices as slave stations, the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol, the communication signal addresses of the supporting devices are configured, and the robot work point teaching is performed through a graphical interface, the process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal addresses and the point information of the teaching, and the master station sends the process package program and the control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of the plurality of industrial robots.

[0111] According to the embodiment of the present application, a computer program product corresponding to the control method of the industrial robot is also provided, the computer program product comprises a computer program, and the computer program product is processed to realize the steps of the control method of the industrial robot.

[0112] Since the processing and functions realized by the computer program product of the present embodiment are basically corresponding to the embodiments, principles and examples of the foregoing method, the description of the present embodiment does not elaborate on the related descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, which are not repeated here.

[0113] The technical scheme of the present application constructs a distributed control architecture based on an industrial Ethernet protocol, takes a total control module as a master station, takes a plurality of robot modules containing industrial robots and supporting equipment as slave stations, the master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol, the communication signal addresses of the supporting equipment are configured, and the robot work point teaching is performed through a graphical interface, the process package program is automatically generated according to the communication signal addresses and the point information of the teaching, the master station sends the process package program and the control instructions to each robot module through the industrial Ethernet protocol, so as to realize the linkage control of the plurality of industrial robots. Thus, the effective management and control of the whole line operation state and the rapid response to the faults are realized, and the demand of efficient, flexible and stable operation of the production line is met.

[0114] In summary, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the above-mentioned advantageous modes can be freely combined and superimposed without conflict.

[0115] The above only describes the embodiments of the present application and is not used to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can have various modifications and changes. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the scope of claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A control method for an industrial robot, characterized in that, include: A distributed control architecture based on the industrial Ethernet protocol is constructed, with a preset central control module as the master station and multiple robot modules as slave stations. Each robot module includes the industrial robot and supporting equipment. The master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol. Configure the communication signal address of the supporting equipment in each robot module, and teach the robot operation point through a graphical interface; Based on the communication signal address and the teaching point information, the process package program is automatically generated; The master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of multiple industrial robots; the process package program is used to standardize the motion trajectory of the industrial robot, the signal interaction logic with the supporting equipment, and the task execution strategy.

2. The control method for an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The industrial Ethernet protocol includes Modbus TCP protocol and / or Ethernet / IP protocol.

3. The control method for an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting equipment includes at least one of punch press, fixture and loading / unloading device; The robot module is configured in at least one of the following ways: the industrial robot and its supporting equipment are connected to a small PLC to form a robot module, with the small PLC acting as a slave station; the signals of the supporting equipment are connected to the industrial robot via the industrial Ethernet protocol to form a robot module.

4. The control method for an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Teaching robot operation points through a graphical interface includes: The graphical interface displays the corresponding motion trajectory according to the position type of the industrial robot, and completes point teaching based on the motion trajectory; the position type includes front-end machine, intermediate machine, and back-end machine.

5. The control method for an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: While the master station sends the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules, it also collects the operating status information of each robot module in real time. The operating status information includes the current position of the industrial robot, the action status of the supporting equipment, the clamping status of the fixture, and the sensor feedback signals.

6. The control method for an industrial robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the main station collects the operating status information, it locates and handles the faults of the robot module based on the operating status information, and dynamically adjusts the task allocation ratio and execution order of each robot module according to the preset task queue.

7. A control device for an industrial robot, characterized in that, include: The central control unit is configured to construct a distributed control architecture based on the industrial Ethernet protocol, with a preset central control module as the master station and multiple robot modules as slave stations. Each robot module includes the industrial robot and supporting equipment. The master station and the slave stations communicate through the industrial Ethernet protocol. The teaching unit is configured to configure the communication signal address of the supporting equipment in each robot module and to teach the robot's work points through a graphical interface; The generation unit is configured to automatically generate a process package program based on the communication signal address and the taught point information; The control unit is configured to send the process package program and control instructions to each of the robot modules through the industrial Ethernet protocol to realize the linkage control of multiple industrial robots; the process package program is used to standardize the motion trajectory of the industrial robot, the signal interaction logic with the supporting equipment, and the task execution strategy.

8. An industrial robot system, characterized in that, include: The control device for an industrial robot as described in claim 7.

9. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium includes a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, the device containing the storage medium is controlled to perform the control method of the industrial robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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