Automatic feeding and discharging system and feeding and discharging method for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment
By designing an automated loading and unloading system, and using a universal workpiece carrying basket in conjunction with a gantry robot, the problem of automated transfer between workpiece cleaning and drying equipment in the post-processing of additive manufacturing was solved, achieving efficient and stable process connection and a low-pollution production process.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511689925.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, the transfer of post-processed workpieces in additive manufacturing between cleaning and drying equipment relies on manual operation, resulting in low efficiency, high labor intensity, poor positioning accuracy, unstable positioning, and high risk of secondary pollution, making it difficult to achieve seamless automated connection between processes.
An automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment was designed. It employs a universal workpiece-carrying basket in conjunction with a gantry robot to achieve automated workpiece transfer between cleaning and drying equipment. The system includes a standardized gripping interface, positioning and locking mechanisms, and a unified interface on the equipment's working platform. A control system coordinates the robot's movement and the equipment's start and stop, achieving fully automated workpiece transfer throughout the entire process.
It significantly improves production efficiency, reduces labor intensity and the risk of secondary pollution, enhances positioning accuracy and the stability of process connections, ensures the consistency of cleaning and drying effects, and realizes seamless automated transfer of workpieces between cleaning and drying equipment.
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Figure CN121376602A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of additive manufacturing, and particularly relates to an automatic feeding and discharging system of an additive manufacturing post-processing device and a feeding and discharging method. BACKGROUND
[0002] In the field of metal additive manufacturing (such as selective laser melting SLM), a large amount of un-melted metal powder is usually attached to the surface and internal pores of the formed workpiece. Thoroughly removing these powders is a key post-processing step to ensure the final performance and appearance of the workpiece, and usually requires sequentially performing preliminary air blowing, water flow cleaning (which may include high-pressure water flushing), ultrasonic cleaning and other processes. The cleaned workpiece must be effectively dried to remove residual moisture to prevent rust or affect subsequent processes.
[0003] Currently, the transfer of the workpiece between the water cleaning device (including the water flow cleaning and / or ultrasonic cleaning device) and the drying device mainly relies on manual operation. The operator needs to take the workpiece out of the cleaning basket and put it into the drying device, or carry the entire cleaning basket. This method has significant defects, including: low efficiency: manual carrying is slow, which becomes a bottleneck in the post-processing process, especially for batch production; high labor intensity: frequent carrying of workpieces or workpiece-containing baskets (which may be wet) increases the labor intensity and fatigue of workers; poor positioning accuracy / stability risk: manual placement may result in inaccurate positioning of the workpiece in the drying device, affecting the uniformity of drying, and shaking of the workpiece or basket during carrying may also cause damage or displacement of the workpiece; secondary pollution risk: manual contact increases the possibility of workpiece contamination (such as oil stains, dust) after cleaning and before drying; poor process connection: manual intervention makes it difficult to achieve continuous and efficient automatic assembly line operation of the cleaning and drying processes.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automated solution that can efficiently, accurately and stably transfer the workpiece between the cleaning device (particularly the water cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning device) and the drying device, eliminate the disadvantages of manual carrying, and achieve seamless automatic connection between the two processes. SUMMARY
[0005] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art.
[0006] According to an aspect of the present application, there is provided an automated loading and unloading system for a post-processing equipment of additive manufacturing, comprising: an automated handling equipment, a general workpiece carrying basket, and a uniform interface of equipment work platform; the automated handling equipment comprises a gantry robot, which is used to complete the grabbing, transferring and placing operations of the basket according to a programmed motion trajectory; the general workpiece carrying basket is used to carry the workpiece of additive manufacturing in the cleaning and drying processes; the top of the general workpiece carrying basket is provided with a standardized grabbing interface, which is matched with an end effector of the gantry robot to realize reliable grabbing; the bottom of the general workpiece carrying basket is provided with a positioning and locking mechanism, which is matched with the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment to realize positioning and locking fixation; and the uniform interface of equipment work platform is located on a bottom platform of a working chamber of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment, and is matched with the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying basket to realize positioning and locking fixation of the general workpiece carrying basket.
[0007] Further, the standardized grabbing interface of the general workpiece carrying basket is a recognizable and grabbable feature structure with a geometric shape.
[0008] Further, the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying basket comprises a conical positioning pin or a positioning column, and a locking device matched with the conical positioning pin or the positioning column.
[0009] Further, the locking device of the general workpiece carrying basket is a spring latch, a rotating buckle slot, or an electromagnetic lock catch.
[0010] Further, the uniform interface of equipment work platform comprises a placing rack and a locking execution mechanism for triggering or accommodating the locking device of the general workpiece carrying basket, the locking execution mechanism is located on the placing rack, and the placing rack is provided with a conical positioning hole corresponding to and complementary to the conical positioning pin or the positioning column of the general workpiece carrying basket.
[0011] Further, the locking execution mechanism is a spring latch hole, a rotating buckle, or an electromagnetic lock receiver.
[0012] Further, the automated loading and unloading system for the post-processing equipment of additive manufacturing comprises a control system, which is used to coordinate the motion of the gantry robot, the opening and closing of the locking mechanism of the uniform interface of equipment work platform, and the start and stop signals of the cleaning equipment and the drying equipment.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided an automated loading and unloading method for a post-processing equipment of additive manufacturing, which realizes automated loading and unloading by using the automated loading and unloading system for the post-processing equipment of additive manufacturing as described above.
[0014] Further, the method comprises the following steps: (1) Feeding: placing the additive manufacturing workpiece to be cleaned in a general workpiece carrying net basket, and placing the general workpiece carrying net basket loaded with the workpiece in a designated feeding station; (2) Grabbing and loading to the cleaning equipment: moving the truss manipulator to the feeding station, grabbing the standardized grabbing interface of the general workpiece carrying net basket through the end effector, transporting and accurately placing the general workpiece carrying net basket on the working platform of the water cleaning equipment, and cooperating the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying net basket with the unified interface of the working platform of the water cleaning equipment to lock; (3) Executing cleaning: the water cleaning equipment executes the cleaning process; (4) Unlocking and grabbing: after the cleaning is completed, the locking execution mechanism of the water cleaning equipment is unlocked; the truss manipulator grabs the general workpiece carrying net basket again, and moves the general workpiece carrying net basket out of the water cleaning equipment; (5) Transferring and loading to the drying equipment: the truss manipulator transports and accurately places the general workpiece carrying net basket carrying the cleaned workpiece on the working platform of the drying equipment; the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying net basket cooperates with the unified interface of the working platform of the drying equipment to lock; (6) Executing drying: the drying equipment executes the drying process; (7) Unlocking and grabbing to the unloading station: after the drying is completed, the locking execution mechanism of the drying equipment is unlocked; the truss manipulator grabs the general workpiece carrying net basket, moves the general workpiece carrying net basket out of the drying equipment, and transports it to the designated unloading station; (8) Unloading: taking out the dried workpiece from the general workpiece carrying net basket of the unloading station.
[0015] The technical scheme of the application provides an automatic feeding and unloading system and method of an additive manufacturing post-processing equipment, a general workpiece carrying net basket is designed, and a cooperative interface matched with the automatic carrying equipment and the working platform of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment is arranged on the general workpiece carrying net basket, so that the automatic transfer of the workpiece from cleaning to drying is realized without falling. Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme of the application can solve the technical problems of low efficiency, high labor intensity, poor positioning accuracy, high risk of secondary pollution, and poor process connection in the additive manufacturing post-processing cleaning and drying process which relies on manual carrying. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] The accompanying drawings included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the application, constitute a part of the specification and illustrate the embodiments of the application, and together with the text description, explain the principles of the application. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.
[0017] Figure 1 An overall layout of post-additive manufacturing post-processing is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 A structure diagram of a general workpiece carrying basket is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 A rack diagram of a water cleaning device is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 A rack diagram of a drying device is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 A positioning pin or positioning column diagram of the bottom of a general workpiece carrying basket is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 A conical positioning hole diagram corresponding to the conical positioning pin or positioning column of the general workpiece carrying basket on the water flow cleaning machine is shown according to a specific embodiment of the present application.
[0018] Among the above drawings, the following reference signs are included: 1, positioning pin or positioning column; 2, positioning hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] It should be noted that the embodiments and features in the present application can be combined with each other without conflict. The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The description of the at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative, but not as any limitation on the present application and its application or use. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor are within the scope of protection of the present application.
[0020] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and it should also be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in the specification, there is a feature, step, operation, device, component and / or combination thereof.
[0021] The relative arrangement of parts and steps, numerical expressions, and numerical values set forth in the examples herein are not intended to limit the scope of the application unless specifically so stated. It is to be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale as the dimensions of the parts shown are for the purpose of illustration and description only and not to limit the scope of the application. Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art can not be discussed in detail but are intended to be understood as a part of the specification when appropriate. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values are to be interpreted as merely illustrative and not as a limitation on the scope of the exemplary embodiments. Thus, other examples of the exemplary embodiments can have different values. It is noted that like numbers and letters refer to like elements throughout the several views of the drawings and, as such, no further discussion with regard thereto is needed.
[0022] As Figures 1 to 6 shown, according to a specific embodiment of the present application, an automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment is provided, which comprises an automated handling device, a general workpiece carrying basket, and a uniform interface of equipment work platform; the automated handling device comprises a gantry robot, which is used to complete the grabbing, transferring, and placing operations of the basket according to the programmed motion trajectory; the general workpiece carrying basket is used to carry the additive manufacturing workpiece in the cleaning and drying processes; the top of the general workpiece carrying basket has a standardized grabbing interface, which matches the end effector of the gantry robot to achieve reliable grabbing; the bottom of the general workpiece carrying basket has a positioning and locking mechanism, which cooperates with the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment to achieve positioning and locking fixation; the uniform interface of equipment work platform is located on the bottom platform of the working chamber of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment, and cooperates with the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying basket to achieve the positioning and locking fixation of the general workpiece carrying basket.
[0023] By using such a configuration, an automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment is provided, which designs a general workpiece carrying basket, and sets a cooperative interface on the general workpiece carrying basket, which matches the automated handling device, and the working platform of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment, to achieve the automatic transfer of the workpiece in the whole process from cleaning to drying without landing.
[0024] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the standardized grabbing interface of the general workpiece carrying basket can be set as a specific geometric shape of a protrusion, a groove, a hole site, or a magnetic element, etc. identifiable and grabbable feature structure, such as symmetrically arranged lifting lugs, standardized clamping grooves, or RFID tag positions. The above interface design can be accurately matched with the end effector of the gantry robot and reliably grabbed.
[0025] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the positioning and locking mechanism of the universal workpiece carrying net basket can be configured to include a tapered positioning pin or a positioning column 1, and a locking device matched with the tapered positioning pin or the positioning column. The tapered positioning pin or the positioning column can be symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the universal workpiece carrying net basket. The locking device can be a spring bolt, a rotating buckle slot, or an electromagnetic lock buckle. The above interface design is used for precise matching with the complementary interface on the working platform of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment.
[0026] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the unified interface of the equipment working platform can be configured to include a placement rack and a locking execution mechanism for triggering or accommodating the locking device of the universal workpiece carrying net basket. The locking execution mechanism is located on the placement rack, and the placement rack has a tapered positioning hole 2 corresponding to the tapered positioning pin or the positioning column of the universal workpiece carrying net basket. The locking execution mechanism can be an electromagnetic lock receiver, a spring bolt hole, or a rotating buckle. This design can ensure that the universal workpiece carrying net basket can be accurately and stably positioned and locked on the equipment working platform during cleaning and drying, preventing displacement caused by water flow impact, mechanical vibration, or handling process.
[0027] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the motion trajectory programming of the gantry robot covers the complete transfer process of "loading position-water cleaning equipment-drying equipment-unloading position". The gantry robot is used as an automated handling equipment, and the end effector thereof is specially designed according to the standardized grabbing interface on the upper part of the universal workpiece carrying net basket, so that the net basket can be reliably grabbed and released.
[0028] As a specific embodiment of the present application, the automated loading and unloading system of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment can also be configured to include a control system. The control system can be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control system or an industrial computer control system, and is used to coordinate the motion of the gantry robot, the opening and closing of the locking mechanism of the unified interface of the equipment working platform, and the start and stop signals of the cleaning / drying equipment (to realize higher-level automatic process control).
[0029] The universal workpiece carrying net basket and the standardized interfaces on the upper and lower parts thereof according to the present application enable the same net basket and the workpieces carried thereby to be continuously and seamlessly transferred between the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment having the same interface standard by the same set of automated handling equipment (gantry robot). The net basket is accurately locked by the bottom locking mechanism in the equipment, and the workpieces do not need to leave the net basket during the entire "cleaning-drying" process, thereby realizing truly floor-free automated production.
[0030] According to another aspect of the present application, an automated loading and unloading method of an additive manufacturing post-processing equipment is provided. The method is realized by using the automated loading and unloading system of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment as described above.
[0031] Specifically, the automatic feeding and discharging method of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment comprises the following steps: (1) Feeding: placing the additive manufacturing workpiece to be cleaned in a general workpiece carrying net basket, and placing the general workpiece carrying net basket loaded with the workpiece in a designated feeding station; (2) Grasping and loading to the cleaning equipment: the gantry manipulator moves to the feeding station, grasps the standardized grasping interface of the general workpiece carrying net basket through the end effector, transports and accurately places the general workpiece carrying net basket on the working platform of the water cleaning equipment, and the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying net basket is locked with the unified interface of the working platform of the water cleaning equipment; (3) Performing cleaning: the water cleaning equipment (according to the preset program) performs the cleaning process (such as water flow washing, ultrasonic cleaning); (4) Unlocking and grasping: after the cleaning is completed, the locking execution mechanism of the water cleaning equipment is unlocked; the gantry manipulator grasps the general workpiece carrying net basket again, and moves the general workpiece carrying net basket out of the water cleaning equipment; (5) Transferring and loading to the drying equipment: the gantry manipulator transports and accurately places the general workpiece carrying net basket carrying the cleaned workpiece on the working platform of the drying equipment; the positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying net basket is locked with the unified interface of the working platform of the drying equipment; (6) Performing drying: the drying equipment (according to the preset program) performs the drying process; (7) Unlocking and grasping to the discharging station: after the drying is completed, the locking execution mechanism of the drying equipment is unlocked; the gantry manipulator grasps the general workpiece carrying net basket, moves the general workpiece carrying net basket out of the drying equipment and transports it to the designated discharging station; (8) Discharging: taking out the dried workpiece from the general workpiece carrying net basket of the discharging station.
[0032] The automatic feeding and discharging system and method of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment provided by the application have the following significant beneficial effects compared with the existing manual carrying method: (1) Greatly improving production efficiency: the gantry manipulator realizes automatic and continuous carrying of the net basket between the cleaning and drying equipment, significantly shortens the workpiece transfer time between processes, eliminates the production bottleneck caused by manual carrying, and is especially beneficial to continuous production of batch workpieces.
[0033] (2) Effectively reducing labor dependence and labor intensity: greatly reducing the need for operators to directly carry workpieces or net baskets between the cleaning and drying processes, reducing the labor intensity and fatigue of workers, and reducing the number of required workers.
[0034] (3) Improve the positioning accuracy and process stability: the standardized interface design of the upper and lower parts of the basket, combined with the complementary locking mechanism of the equipment platform, ensures the accurate positioning and reliable locking of the basket during handling, cleaning (under water flow / ultrasonic impact) and drying, effectively preventing the risk of workpiece displacement or tilting in the equipment, and ensuring the consistency of cleaning and drying effect.
[0035] (4) Seamless automatic connection of cleaning and drying processes: uniform basket design and equipment interface standard, so that the same set of automatic handling system can complete the automatic and uninterrupted transfer of workpieces from cleaning to drying, truly realizing the integration and assembly line operation of the two processes.
[0036] (5) Reduce the risk of secondary pollution: reduce the link of manual contact with workpieces after cleaning and before drying, which helps to maintain the cleanliness of the workpieces and reduce the risk of secondary pollution caused by human factors such as oil stains and dust.
[0037] (6) Improve operational safety: avoid the safety risks of slipping and bumping caused by manual handling (especially when handling the basket with water).
[0038] It should be emphasized that the realization of the above effects is the core of the non-obvious overall technical concept of "universal basket + standardized unified interface + automated handling", which solves the key problem of independent cleaning and drying equipment and manual transfer of workpieces in the prior art.
[0039] The automatic feeding and discharging system and method of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment of the present application are mainly applicable to the field of additive manufacturing (especially metal additive manufacturing such as SLM, EBM, DED, etc.), and are used to complete the automatic material transfer between the water medium cleaning (including water flow washing, soaking, ultrasonic cleaning, etc.) and hot air / vacuum / infrared drying processes required in the post-processing stage of the formed workpiece. It can be widely used in aerospace (engine parts, brackets, etc.), automobile manufacturing (lightweight structural parts, molds, etc.), medical devices (implants, surgical instruments, etc.), precision engineering (complex molds, fixtures, etc.) and other manufacturing fields with high requirements for workpiece cleanliness and production efficiency.
[0040] In order to further understand the present application, the automatic feeding and discharging system and method of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment of the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with specific examples. Example 1
[0041] Basket design: The top of the general workpiece carrying basket uses a standardized lug interface to match the electromagnetic chuck of the truss robot, and the bottom uses a conical positioning pin to accurately match the locking execution mechanism of the water cleaning equipment and drying equipment. This design ensures the stability and precise positioning of the basket during transportation, cleaning, and drying.
[0042] Robot action: The truss robot completes the grabbing, transferring, and placing operations of the general workpiece carrying basket according to the programmed motion trajectory. The specific actions include grabbing the lug interface of the basket, transporting it to the cleaning equipment, grabbing and transferring it to the drying equipment after cleaning, and finally transporting the dried basket to the unloading station.
[0043] Control system: The PLC control system is used to coordinate the truss robot, equipment platform locking execution mechanism, and cleaning / drying equipment start / stop signals. The control system automatically schedules the cleaning and drying processes according to the type and quantity of workpieces, ensuring seamless connection between cleaning and drying.
[0044] The following is a comparison between Example 1 and manual operation in various aspects: 1. Efficiency comparison: Manual transportation: The transfer time of workpieces from water cleaning equipment to drying equipment is about 2-3 minutes, and 20 workpieces per batch require 40-60 minutes. Rest and error adjustment during manual transportation will also increase the time.
[0045] Automatic transportation: Through the automatic transportation of the truss robot, the transfer time of workpieces from water cleaning equipment to drying equipment is shortened to 30-45 seconds. The processing time for 20 workpieces per batch is 10-15 minutes, and the overall efficiency is improved by more than 3 times.
[0046] 2. Positioning accuracy comparison: Manual operation: Manual placement of workpieces may result in inaccurate positioning of workpieces in the drying equipment, with a deviation of about 2-3 mm, affecting drying effect and quality consistency.
[0047] Automatic system: The basket is complemented by a standardized positioning locking interface and platform, with a positioning accuracy of ±0.5 mm, ensuring that workpieces do not shift or tilt during drying, thereby ensuring the uniformity of drying and the consistency of workpiece surface quality.
[0048] 3. Secondary pollution risk comparison: Manual operation: During manual operation, workers may bring dust, oil stains, or other contaminants when handling workpieces, resulting in secondary pollution of cleaned workpieces.
[0049] Automation system: By reducing human contact, the risk of secondary contamination of the workpiece is reduced to near zero, ensuring that the workpiece remains clean before drying, reducing the occurrence of subsequent quality problems.
[0050] 4. Labor intensity and safety: Manual handling: Due to the need to frequently carry water-filled baskets, the labor intensity of operators is high, and there are safety hazards of slipping and colliding during the carrying process.
[0051] Automation system: By replacing manual handling with a gantry robot, the labor intensity of operators is reduced, and safety accidents (such as slipping, bumping, etc.) caused by manual handling are effectively avoided.
[0052] By implementing an automated loading and unloading system, the transfer time of the workpiece from the water cleaning equipment to the drying equipment is greatly shortened, the positioning accuracy is greatly improved, the labor intensity is significantly reduced, and the risk of secondary contamination is effectively reduced. Compared with manual handling, the automation system has obvious advantages in production efficiency, workpiece quality and operation safety, verifying the practical effect and application value of the present application scheme in additive manufacturing post-processing.
[0053] In summary, the present application provides an innovative additive manufacturing post-processing automated loading and unloading system and method, which is characterized by designing a universal workpiece carrying basket with a standardized upper and lower interface, and making it form a cooperative relationship with the automated handling equipment (gantry robot) and the working platform of the water cleaning equipment and drying equipment. This scheme creatively solves the key problems of low efficiency, high labor intensity, poor positioning accuracy, high risk of secondary contamination, and poor process connection caused by relying on manual handling in the cleaning and drying process. By realizing the non-ground automatic transfer of the workpiece in the "cleaning-drying" whole process, the production efficiency, automation level and product quality consistency of the additive manufacturing post-processing link are significantly improved, which has important practical value and broad industrial application prospects.
[0054] For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical" and "horizontal" as can be perceived herein relative to the accompanying drawings refer to the orientation of the components being described. However, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts can assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly omitted.
[0055] The application has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology can be used in the manner in which it is intended to be used. However, it should be noted that the language is merely used for the purpose of providing structural disclosure of the application, and the intent is not to limit the scope of the application.
Claims
1. An automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment, characterized in that, The automated loading and unloading system of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment includes: automated handling equipment, a universal workpiece carrying basket, and a unified interface for the equipment working platform; The automated handling equipment includes a gantry robot, which is used to perform the grabbing, transferring and placing of the basket according to the programmed motion trajectory; The universal workpiece carrying basket is used to carry additive manufacturing workpieces during the cleaning and drying processes; the top of the universal workpiece carrying basket has a standardized gripping interface that matches the end effector of the gantry robot to achieve reliable gripping; the bottom of the universal workpiece carrying basket has a positioning and locking mechanism that works with the water cleaning equipment and drying equipment to achieve positioning and locking fixation. The unified interface of the equipment working platform is located on the bottom platform of the working chamber of the water cleaning equipment and the drying equipment. It cooperates with the positioning and locking mechanism of the universal workpiece carrying basket to realize the positioning and locking of the universal workpiece carrying basket.
2. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The standardized gripping interface of the universal workpiece carrying basket has a geometrically identifiable and gripping feature structure.
3. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning and locking mechanism of the general workpiece carrying basket includes a tapered positioning pin or positioning post, and a locking device that cooperates with the tapered positioning pin or positioning post.
4. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The locking device of the general workpiece carrying basket is a spring pin, a rotating buckle groove, or an electromagnetic lock.
5. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The unified interface of the equipment working platform includes a placement frame and a locking actuator for triggering or accommodating the locking device of the universal workpiece carrying basket. The locking actuator is located on the placement frame, which has a tapered positioning hole that corresponds to and complements the tapered positioning pin or positioning post of the universal workpiece carrying basket.
6. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking mechanism is a spring pin hole, a rotary buckle, or an electromagnetic lock receiver.
7. The automated loading and unloading system for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automated loading and unloading system of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment includes a control system, which coordinates the movement of the gantry robot, the opening and closing of the unified interface locking mechanism of the equipment work platform, and the start and stop signals of the cleaning and drying equipment.
8. An automated loading and unloading method for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment, characterized in that, The method employs the automated loading and unloading system of the additive manufacturing post-processing equipment as described in claims 1 to 7 to achieve automated loading and unloading.
9. The automated loading and unloading method for additive manufacturing post-processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: (1) Loading: Place the additive manufacturing workpiece to be cleaned in a general workpiece carrying basket, and place the general workpiece carrying basket containing the workpiece in the designated loading station; (2) Grabbing and loading into the cleaning equipment: The gantry robot moves to the loading station and grabs the standardized gripping interface of the universal workpiece carrying basket through the end effector; the universal workpiece carrying basket is transported and accurately placed on the working platform of the water cleaning equipment; the positioning and locking mechanism of the universal workpiece carrying basket is locked in conjunction with the unified interface of the working platform of the water cleaning equipment. (3) Perform cleaning: The water cleaning equipment performs the cleaning process; (4) Unlocking and grabbing: After cleaning is completed, the locking actuator of the water cleaning equipment is unlocked; the gantry robot grabs the general workpiece carrying basket again and removes the general workpiece carrying basket from the water cleaning equipment; (5) Transfer and loading to drying equipment: The gantry robot transports the universal workpiece carrying basket carrying the cleaned workpieces and places it precisely on the working platform of the drying equipment; the positioning and locking mechanism of the universal workpiece carrying basket is locked in conjunction with the unified interface of the working platform of the drying equipment; (6) Drying process: The drying equipment performs the drying process; (7) Unlocking and grabbing to the unloading position: After drying is completed, the locking actuator of the drying equipment is unlocked; the gantry robot grabs the general workpiece carrying basket, removes the general workpiece carrying basket from the drying equipment and transports it to the designated unloading position; (8) Unloading: Take out the dried workpiece from the general workpiece carrying basket at the unloading station.
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