Robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit and welding method

Abstract

The invention discloses a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit and a welding method.The robot control cabinet comprises a cabinet body, a robot main controller, a servo driver, the welding control unit, a power module and a welding inverter, the robot main controller, the servo driver, the welding control unit, the power module and the welding inverter are arranged in the cabinet body, and the servo driver is in communication connection with the robot main controller; the welding control unit is in communication connection with the robot main controller based on an internal bus, the power module provides electric energy for the robot main controller and the welding control unit, the input end of the welding inverter is connected with a direct-current bus, the output end of the welding inverter is connected with a welding gun, and the welding inverter is electrically connected with the welding control unit. The driving unit is used for executing the driving instruction sent by the welding control unit. The welding control unit is integrated in the robot control cabinet, centralized control and management of the welding process are achieved, real-time and accurate transmission of welding control instructions is ensured through high-speed communication of an internal bus, and the welding efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot control technology, specifically to a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit and a welding method. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial robot welding systems typically consist of a robot body, a robot control cabinet, a welding power source (welding machine), a wire feeding mechanism, and a welding torch. In traditional configurations, the robot control cabinet and the welding power source are two independent devices that communicate and work together via a large number of analog I / O, digital I / O, or fieldbuses (such as DeviceNet and Profibus).

[0003] The existing discrete architecture has many inherent drawbacks. Because separate control cabinets and welding machines need to be installed, they occupy workshop floor space, and the connection between them requires laying a large number of power and control signal cables, resulting in low system integration and complex wiring. Furthermore, analog signal transmission during welding is susceptible to electromagnetic interference in the workshop environment, causing inherent delays in communication between the robot controller and the welding controller, making it difficult to achieve highly precise collaborative control and thus affecting welding quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit and a welding method, aiming to integrate the functions of the robot control cabinet and the welding power supply, thereby achieving centralized control and management of the welding process.

[0005] This invention discloses a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit, comprising: A cabinet; The robot's main controller and servo drive are installed inside the cabinet, and the servo drive is connected to the robot's main controller. The welding control unit is located inside the cabinet. It communicates with the robot's main controller via an internal bus and is used to receive welding commands sent by the robot's main controller. The power module, located inside the cabinet, converts external input power into DC bus voltage and provides power to the robot's main controller and welding control unit. The welding inverter is installed inside the cabinet. The input end of the welding inverter is connected to the DC bus, and the output end is connected to the welding torch. The welding inverter is electrically connected to the welding control unit and is used to execute the drive commands sent by the welding control unit.

[0006] Preferably, the robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit further includes: A robot teach pendant mounted on the outer surface of the cabinet is used to receive user instructions and send them to the robot's main controller. The user instructions include target welding parameters and welding position. The target welding parameters include welding time, current, and number of welding pulses.

[0007] Preferably, the robot main controller includes: a motion control submodule, a welding parameter control submodule, and a fusion coordination submodule; The motion control submodule is used to generate robot trajectory parameters based on the welding position; The welding control submodule is used to acquire real-time welding parameters during the welding process; The fusion coordination submodule is used to establish a dynamic correlation between robot trajectory parameters and target welding parameters in order to generate welding instructions.

[0008] Preferably, the welding control submodule further includes an adaptive process optimization component, which dynamically adjusts the target welding parameters based on real-time welding parameters.

[0009] Preferably, the robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit further includes: The storage module, located inside the cabinet, is used to store user commands, real-time welding parameters, and robot trajectory parameters.

[0010] Preferably, the robot teach pendant includes a parameter management module, a curve monitoring module, and a fault diagnosis module; The parameter management module is used to set, modify, and store target welding parameters; The curve monitoring module is used to display real-time welding parameters; The fault diagnosis module is used to generate alarm information based on real-time welding parameters.

[0011] Preferably, the robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit further includes: A heat dissipation module is installed at the top of the cabinet. The heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and an air filter, with the cooling fan positioned above the air filter. The relay module, installed inside the cabinet, controls the start and stop of the power module to cut off power in case of circuit failure.

[0012] This invention discloses a welding method applied to a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit. The welding method includes: Obtain the target welding parameters and welding position. The target welding parameters include welding time, current, and number of welding pulses. The robot's main controller is used to fuse target welding parameters and welding position to generate welding instructions, which include robot trajectory parameters. The welding control unit receives welding instructions and drives the welding inverter to generate welding output according to the welding instructions, so as to control the robot to weld the target object.

[0013] Preferably, the welding method further includes: The fusion coordination submodule is used to establish a dynamic correlation between the welding position and the target welding parameters, and to generate welding instructions. The welding instructions include spatial pose information and process parameter information. The robot main controller uses an internal bus to send the welding instructions to the welding control unit. Before the robot moves to the welding position, a position synchronization signal is sent to the welding control unit to trigger the welding action.

[0014] Preferably, the welding method further includes: The welding control submodule is used to obtain real-time welding parameters during the welding process; The adaptive process optimization component uses an adaptive control algorithm to adjust the target welding parameters based on real-time welding parameters.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: By integrating the welding control unit inside the robot control cabinet, deep integration of robot control and welding control is achieved, significantly simplifying the system architecture and reducing the equipment footprint. The use of internal bus communication technology not only improves the transmission speed of control commands but also ensures real-time synchronization of welding parameters and robot movement, effectively solving the signal interference and response delay problems existing in traditional discrete architectures. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit provided by the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of the welding method provided by the present invention.

[0017] Figure label: 1. Cabinet; 2. Robot main controller; 3. Welding control unit; 4. Power module; 5. Welding inverter. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit, used to achieve deep integration of robot control and welding functions. The control cabinet includes a robust cabinet 1, which integrates core components such as a robot main controller 2, a welding control unit 3, a power module 4, a welding inverter 5, and a servo driver.

[0021] Specifically, the servo driver is connected to the robot main controller 2 to receive control commands issued by the robot main controller 2 and accurately convert these commands into motion control signals for the servo motors, thereby achieving high-precision drive and motion control of each joint of the robot and ensuring that the robot can operate accurately according to the preset trajectory and posture during the welding process.

[0022] The welding control unit 3 communicates with the robot main controller 2 via an internal bus to receive welding commands sent by the robot main controller 2. The power module 4 converts external input power into DC bus voltage and provides power to both the robot main controller 2 and the welding control unit 3. The welding inverter 5 connects to the DC bus at its input and to the welding torch at its output. The welding inverter 5 is electrically connected to the welding control unit 3 and executes the drive commands sent by the welding control unit 3.

[0023] It should be understood that the robot main controller 2 is responsible for overall motion control and welding parameter management. Its internal bus can be an EtherCAT-based bus, i.e., an EtherCAT internal bus, which enables high-speed communication with the welding control unit 3, ensuring the real-time performance and accuracy of commands. EtherCAT is a high-performance fieldbus communication protocol with significant characteristics such as high speed, real-time performance, and synchronization. It supports the efficient operation of a large number of devices on the same network with extremely low communication latency. This makes data transmission between the robot main controller 2 and the welding control unit 3 faster and more reliable, effectively avoiding signal interference and response delay problems that may occur in traditional communication methods, thus providing a strong guarantee for precise control of the welding process.

[0024] The welding control unit 3 is specifically responsible for controlling the welding process, receiving welding commands from the robot main controller 2, and driving the welding inverter 5 to generate corresponding welding outputs. The power module 4 converts the external input power into a stable DC bus voltage, providing reliable power support for the entire system. The welding inverter 5, as the actuator, precisely controls the welding current and voltage of the welding torch according to the commands of the welding control unit 3, achieving precise welding of the target object.

[0025] In this embodiment of the invention, the robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit also includes a robot teach pendant. The robot teach pendant is disposed on the outer surface of the cabinet and is used to receive user instructions and send the user instructions to the robot main controller 2. The user instructions include target welding parameters and welding position. The target welding parameters include welding time, current, and number of welding pulses.

[0026] In specific embodiments, the target welding parameters may also include welding parameter number, pre-pressure time, current ramp-up (slope) time, preheating time, tempering time, cooling time, holding time, and other parameters. This application does not specifically limit the specific content of the target parameters.

[0027] In the implementation process, the user first inputs target welding parameters and welding position information through a robot teach pendant mounted on the outer surface of the cabinet. This information is then sent to the robot main controller 2. The robot main controller 2 includes a motion control submodule, a welding parameter control submodule, and a fusion coordination submodule. The motion control submodule generates robot trajectory parameters based on the welding position, the welding control submodule acquires real-time welding parameters during the welding process, and the fusion coordination submodule establishes a dynamic correlation between the robot trajectory parameters and the target welding parameters to generate welding instructions.

[0028] Specifically, after receiving the welding position information, the motion control submodule calculates precise robot trajectory parameters based on the robot's kinematic characteristics. These parameters include the motion angles, speeds, and time sequences of each joint, ensuring the robot accurately reaches the welding position along the predetermined path. The welding parameter control submodule communicates with the welding inverter 5 and other related components to acquire real-time welding parameters and feeds them back to the fusion coordination submodule. After acquiring the robot trajectory parameters and real-time welding parameters, the fusion coordination submodule establishes a dynamic correlation between them. It adjusts the robot trajectory parameters promptly based on changes in the real-time welding parameters and, combined with the requirements of the target welding parameters, generates accurate and appropriate welding commands. These commands are then sent to the welding control unit 3 to achieve precise control of the welding process.

[0029] For example, before the robot moves to the welding position, the robot's main controller sends a position synchronization signal to the welding control unit to trigger the welding action. After receiving the welding command, the welding control unit drives the welding inverter to generate appropriate welding output and controls the robot to weld the target object.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the welding control submodule further includes an adaptive process optimization component, which dynamically adjusts the target welding parameters based on real-time welding parameters.

[0031] Specifically, the adaptive process optimization component analyzes the deviation between real-time welding parameters and preset target welding parameters to determine whether the current welding process is in an ideal state. If the deviation exceeds the allowable range, the adaptive process optimization component automatically adjusts the target welding parameters according to the built-in control algorithm, such as modifying key indicators like welding current, voltage, or pulse frequency, to ensure that the welding quality always meets the requirements. This dynamic adjustment process not only improves the stability and consistency of welding but also effectively addresses the impact of changes in material properties, environmental interference, or other unforeseen factors on the welding effect.

[0032] In this embodiment of the invention, the robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit further includes a storage module housed within the cabinet, used to store user commands, real-time welding parameters, and robot trajectory parameters. This storage module can record relevant data for each welding operation, facilitating subsequent review and analysis of the welding process. When it is necessary to evaluate the welding quality of a batch, operators can retrieve the corresponding real-time welding parameters and robot trajectory parameters from the storage module to determine whether the robot's movement is precise and standardized, and whether it has affected the welding quality. Furthermore, the user commands stored in the storage module also provide a reference for subsequent optimization of the welding method. Technicians can adjust and improve the welding control strategy based on past user commands, further enhancing the adaptability and stability of the welding method.

[0033] In this embodiment of the invention, the robot teach pendant includes a parameter management module, a curve monitoring module, and a fault diagnosis module. The parameter management module is used to set, modify, and store target welding parameters. The curve monitoring module is used to display real-time welding parameters. The fault diagnosis module is used to generate alarm information based on the real-time welding parameters.

[0034] Specifically, the parameter management module allows operators to flexibly adjust target welding parameters such as welding time, current, and welding pulse count according to different welding workpieces and welding requirements, and accurately store these parameters for quick recall in subsequent similar welding tasks, improving work efficiency. The curve monitoring module clearly presents real-time welding parameter changes in an intuitive graphical format. By observing the curve trend, operators can quickly determine whether the welding process is stable and promptly identify potential problems. The fault diagnosis module, through real-time analysis of welding parameters, generates corresponding alarm information when abnormal data is detected, informing operators of the possible fault type and location, enabling timely repair and handling to prevent the fault from escalating and affecting welding quality and equipment safety.

[0035] In this embodiment of the invention, a heat dissipation module is provided on the top of the cabinet 1. The heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and an air filter, with the cooling fan positioned above the air filter. The heat dissipation module effectively reduces the heat generated inside the control cabinet due to prolonged operation, preventing performance degradation or even damage to internal electronic components caused by excessive temperature. The cooling fan extracts hot air from the control cabinet, while the air filter filters the air entering the control cabinet, preventing dust and other impurities from entering and ensuring a clean internal environment. This ensures the stable and reliable operation of the welding control unit and other electronic components, extending the equipment's service life.

[0036] In this embodiment of the invention, a relay module is installed inside the cabinet 1. The relay module controls the start and stop of the power module to cut off power in case of circuit failure. Thus, when abnormal conditions occur in the circuit, such as overload or short circuit, the relay module can respond quickly and promptly cut off the power supply to the power module, preventing equipment damage or even safety accidents caused by continuous power supply. In this way, the relay module provides a reliable circuit protection mechanism for the entire robot control cabinet, enhancing the safety and stability of the equipment during operation, effectively reducing the potential risks caused by circuit failures, and ensuring the smooth progress of welding work.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a welding method applied to the robot control cabinet with the built-in welding control unit. The welding method includes the following steps.

[0038] S1. Obtain the target welding parameters and welding position.

[0039] In this embodiment of the invention, the target welding parameters include welding time, current, and number of welding pulses. For example, the welding time is set to 2 seconds, the current is set to 150 amperes, and the number of welding pulses is set to 500. These parameters are adjusted according to the specific welding materials and process requirements to ensure welding quality and efficiency.

[0040] S2. The robot's main controller is used to fuse the target welding parameters and welding position to generate welding instructions.

[0041] In this embodiment of the invention, the robot main controller invokes the fusion coordination submodule to establish a dynamic association between the welding position and the target welding parameters, generating welding instructions that include spatial pose information and process parameter information. Then, the robot main controller sends the welding instructions to the welding control unit via an internal bus. Before the robot moves to the welding position, it sends a position synchronization signal to the welding control unit to trigger the welding action, thereby controlling the robot to perform the welding operation.

[0042] Specifically, the fusion and coordination submodule performs in-depth analysis and matching of the spatial coordinate data of the welding position with the target welding parameters based on a preset algorithm model. This algorithm model comprehensively considers various factors in the welding process, such as the thermal conductivity of the material, the thickness of the workpiece, and the requirements of the welding method, ensuring that the generated welding instructions can accurately adapt to different welding scenarios. After the robot main controller generates the welding instructions, it immediately and accurately sends the welding instructions, which contain spatial pose information and process parameter information, to the welding control unit via a high-speed and stable internal bus. As the robot moves towards the welding position along the preset path, the robot main controller monitors the robot's position information in real time. Once the robot approaches the welding position and reaches the preset trigger distance range, the robot main controller quickly sends a position synchronization signal to the welding control unit. Upon receiving this signal, the welding control unit immediately triggers the welding action, thereby ensuring that the robot can complete the welding operation with high quality.

[0043] S3. The welding control unit receives welding instructions and drives the welding inverter to generate welding output according to the welding instructions, so as to control the robot to weld the target object.

[0044] Specifically, after receiving welding commands from the robot's main controller via the internal bus, the welding control unit parses and processes them. The spatial pose information contained in the welding commands allows the welding control unit to determine the robot's current position and the precise welding point it needs to reach, while the process parameter information specifies in detail the key parameters required during the welding process. Based on this information, the welding control unit quickly generates corresponding control signals and sends them to the welding inverter.

[0045] Upon receiving the control signal, the welding inverter immediately converts the input DC bus voltage into an AC voltage or pulse voltage suitable for welding. Simultaneously, it precisely controls the output current and the number of welding pulses to produce a welding output that meets the welding requirements. This welding output is applied to the target object via a welding torch, controlling the robot to precisely weld the object according to a preset trajectory and posture, ensuring the welding quality meets the expected standards. Throughout the welding process, the welding control unit also monitors the operating status of the welding inverter and various parameters of the welding output in real time. If any abnormalities are detected, the control signal is adjusted promptly to ensure the stability and reliability of the welding process.

[0046] Furthermore, the welding control submodule is used to obtain real-time welding parameters during the welding process, and the adaptive process optimization component is used to adjust the target welding parameters based on the adaptive control algorithm according to the real-time welding parameters.

[0047] As can be seen from the above technical solution, this invention provides a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit and a welding method. By integrating the welding control unit inside the robot control cabinet, deep integration of robot control and welding control is achieved, significantly simplifying the system architecture and reducing the equipment footprint. The use of internal bus communication technology not only improves the transmission speed of control commands but also ensures real-time synchronization of welding parameters and robot movement, effectively solving the signal interference and response delay problems existing in traditional discrete architectures. The introduction of adaptive process optimization components enables the welding process to dynamically adjust welding parameters based on real-time feedback of arc stability and molten pool morphology, thereby ensuring the stability and consistency of welding quality.

[0048] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit, characterized in that, include: A cabinet; The robot main controller and servo drive are installed inside the cabinet, and the servo drive is communicatively connected to the robot main controller. The welding control unit is installed inside the cabinet. The welding control unit is connected to the robot main controller via an internal bus and is used to receive welding instructions sent by the robot main controller. The power module installed inside the cabinet is used to convert the external input power into DC bus voltage and provide power to the robot main controller and the welding control unit. The welding inverter is installed inside the cabinet. The input end of the welding inverter is connected to the DC bus, and the output end is connected to the welding torch. The welding inverter is electrically connected to the welding control unit and is used to execute the drive commands sent by the welding control unit.

2. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A robot teach pendant mounted on the outer surface of the cabinet is used to receive user instructions and send the user instructions to the robot main controller; the user instructions include target welding parameters and welding position, and the target welding parameters include welding time, current and welding pulse number.

3. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The robot main controller includes: a motion control submodule, a welding parameter control submodule, and a fusion coordination submodule; The motion control submodule is used to generate robot trajectory parameters based on the welding position; The welding control submodule is used to acquire real-time welding parameters during the welding process; The fusion coordination submodule is used to establish a dynamic correlation between the robot trajectory parameters and the target welding parameters in order to generate welding instructions.

4. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The welding control submodule also includes an adaptive process optimization component, which dynamically adjusts the target welding parameters based on the real-time welding parameters.

5. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The storage module installed inside the cabinet is used to store the user instructions, the real-time welding parameters, and the robot trajectory parameters.

6. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The robot teach pendant includes a parameter management module, a curve monitoring module, and a fault diagnosis module; The parameter management module is used to set, modify, and store the target welding parameters; The curve monitoring module is used to display the real-time welding parameters; The fault diagnosis module is used to generate alarm information based on the real-time welding parameters.

7. The robot control cabinet with built-in welding control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A heat dissipation module is installed at the top of the cabinet. The heat dissipation module includes a cooling fan and an air filter, with the cooling fan positioned above the air filter. The relay module installed inside the cabinet is used to control the start and stop of the power module to cut off power in case of circuit failure.

8. A welding method, applied to a robot control cabinet with a built-in welding control unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, include; Obtain the target welding parameters and welding position, wherein the target welding parameters include welding time, current, and number of welding pulses; The robot's main controller is used to fuse the target welding parameters and the welding position to generate welding instructions, which include robot trajectory parameters. The welding control unit receives the welding command and drives the welding inverter to generate welding output according to the welding command, so as to control the robot to weld the target object.

9. The welding method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: The welding position and the target welding parameters are dynamically correlated using the fusion coordination submodule, and the welding command is generated. The welding command includes spatial pose information and process parameter information. The welding command is sent to the welding control unit via an internal bus using the robot's main controller; Before the robot moves to the welding position, a position synchronization signal is sent to the welding control unit to trigger the welding action.

10. The welding method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: The welding control submodule is used to obtain real-time welding parameters during the welding process; The target welding parameters are adjusted based on the real-time welding parameters using an adaptive process optimization component and an adaptive control algorithm.

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