Control method of flexible welding equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method of flexible welding equipment, which comprises the following steps of: receiving a production plan sequence which comprises a numbering sequence of welding moulding beds corresponding to workpieces to be welded; the die changing assembly is controlled to carry out the corresponding welding forming dies from the forming die library according to the production plan sequence and place the welding forming dies on the rotary workbench; in response to the acquired starting instruction, the welding robot is controlled to execute welding operation on the workpiece located on the welding station; judging whether the welding moulding bed on the rotary worktable meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces or not based on the production plan sequence; and if the judgment result is negative, the die changing assembly is controlled to execute automatic die changing operation, so that the welding moulding bed matched with the follow-up workpiece is placed on the rotary workbench. And on the basis of the received production plan sequence, if it is judged that mold replacement is needed, mold replacement operation is started immediately in the background, and the preparation work of the mold is completed by using the welding time. When welding is completed, a new welding moulding bed is always in place, and the no-load waiting time of equipment is shortened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of welding technology, and in particular to a control method for flexible welding equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With increasingly fierce competition in the domestic automobile market and a continuously accelerating pace of vehicle upgrades, OEMs are constantly increasing the frequency of model updates to enhance their market competitiveness. As a core exterior component, the structure and installation method of the car bumper are also frequently updated. In the bumper manufacturing process, a large number of plastic brackets need to be fixed to the bumper body by welding to meet the requirements of vehicle assembly, component connection, and structural strength. The welding process has become a key link in bumper manufacturing.

[0003] The current automotive production model is gradually shifting towards flexibility and efficiency. Automakers typically face the practical need for high-volume, multi-model production on single production lines, requiring frequent adaptation of bumper welding processes to different vehicle models and structural specifications. Existing flexible welding equipment for bumper plastic brackets can only wait for one product to be completed before determining if a mold change is necessary, and then wait for the new mold to be installed before starting processing new products, resulting in low efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a control method for flexible welding equipment, which can automatically change molds according to production technology to improve processing efficiency.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method for a flexible welding equipment includes a welding robot, a rotary worktable, a mold storage container, and a mold changing assembly. The rotary worktable is provided with a welding station and a mold changing station, which are used to install welding molds. The rotary worktable switches the positions of the welding molds at the welding station and the mold changing station by rotation. The mold storage container is used to hold multiple welding molds, and the mold changing assembly is used to transport the welding molds between the mold changing station and the mold storage container. The control method includes: Receive the production plan sequence, which includes the number sequence of the welding molds corresponding to the workpieces to be welded; The mold changing assembly is controlled to move the corresponding welding molds from the mold warehouse and place them on the rotary worktable according to the production plan sequence. In response to receiving a start command, the welding robot is controlled to perform welding operations on the workpiece located at the welding station; Based on the production plan sequence, determine whether the welding mold on the rotary table meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces; If the condition is not met, the mold changing component is controlled to perform an automatic mold changing operation to place the welding mold that matches the subsequent workpiece on the rotary table.

[0006] A control method for a flexible welding equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: based on the received production plan sequence, the demand for welding molds for subsequent workpieces is determined in advance. If a mold change is determined to be required, the mold change operation is immediately initiated in the background, and the mold preparation work is completed during the welding time. When welding is completed, the new welding mold is often already in place, reducing the idle waiting time of the equipment and effectively improving the production cycle and overall line output.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether the welding mold on the rotary table meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces based on the production plan sequence includes: Based on the production plan sequence and the welding mold number of the current mold changing station, determine whether the welding mold needs to be replaced.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, if the condition is not met, controlling the mold changing component to perform an automatic mold changing operation to place the welding mold matching the subsequent workpiece on the rotary worktable includes: If the welding mold number of the current welding station and the welding mold number of the mold changing station are both inconsistent with the welding mold number at the beginning of the production plan sequence, the mold changing component is activated to replace the welding mold at the mold changing station.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control mold-changing component performs an automatic mold-changing operation, including: The control unit removes the welding mold from the mold changing station and places it in the mold storage. The mold changing assembly removes the target welding mold from the mold storage and transports it to the mold changing station.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mold changing assembly includes a lifting machine, forks, and a telescopic mechanism. The lifting machine is used to drive the forks to move, and the forks are used to lift the welding mold. The telescopic mechanism is connected to the lifting machine and is used to drive the forks to perform telescopic movements. The control of the mold changing assembly to transport and place the welding mold taken out from the mold changing station into the mold storage compartment includes: The telescopic mechanism extends, causing the forks to move horizontally, so that the forks extend under the welding mold located at the mold changing station. The lifting mechanism is controlled to lift the welding mold away from the mold changing station using forks; The telescopic mechanism is retracted, causing the forks carrying the welding mold to move horizontally out. Control the lifting mechanism to raise the height of the welding mold so that it is aligned with the height of the target return tooling position in the mold storage. The telescopic mechanism extends to transport the welding mold to the top of the target return fixture position; Control the lifting mechanism to descend and place the welding mold on the target return fixture position; Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, allowing the forks to exit the clearance space under the welding mold.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, after the controlled lifting mechanism is raised and lowered to align the height of the welding mold with the height of the target return tooling position in the mold storage, the following steps are further included: Control the rotation of the rotating mechanism, adjust the horizontal orientation of the forks, and align the welding mold with the target to return it to the tooling position.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control mold-changing assembly removes the target welding mold from the mold storage and transports it to the mold-changing station, including: Control the lifting mechanism to raise and lower, so that the height of the forks is aligned with the height of the target retrieval tooling position in the mold storage room where the target welding mold is stored; Based on the position of the target retrieval tooling position in the amniotic sac relative to the current fork, control the rotating mechanism to rotate by the corresponding angle so that the fork is aligned with the target retrieval tooling position. Control the extension mechanism to extend the forks under the target welding mold; The lifting mechanism is controlled to lift the target welding mold away from the target pick-up tooling position using the forks; The telescopic mechanism is retracted, causing the forks carrying the target welding mold to move horizontally out. Control the lifting mechanism to descend so that the height of the target welding mold is aligned with the height of the mold changing station; Control the rotation mechanism to adjust the forks and target welding mold to the horizontal orientation corresponding to the mold changing station; The telescopic mechanism extends to transport the target welding mold to the top of the mold changing station; The lifting mechanism is lowered to place the target welding mold at the mold changing station; Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, so that the forks exit from under the target welding mold.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the control method further includes: Received the updated production plan sequence; Obtain the status information of the flexible welding equipment at the current moment. The status information includes at least the numbers of the welding molds located at the welding station and the mold changing station, respectively. Based on the updated production plan sequence and status information, decision logic is executed to determine subsequent production steps.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the execution decision logic for determining subsequent production steps includes: If the number of the welding mold currently at the welding station exists in the updated production plan sequence, and the difference between it and the first position of the updated production plan sequence does not exceed a preset value, then the updated production plan sequence is adjusted, and the number of the welding mold at the current welding station is moved to the first position of the updated production plan sequence.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the execution decision logic for determining subsequent production steps includes: If the welding mold number currently located at the welding station does not exist in the updated production plan sequence, or differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by more than a preset value, while the welding mold number currently located at the mold changing station exists in the updated production plan sequence and differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by no more than a preset value, then the updated production plan sequence is adjusted, the welding mold number of the current mold changing station is moved to the first digit of the updated production plan sequence, and the rotary table is controlled to rotate.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible welding device for rapid mold changing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of the flexible welding equipment shown; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the assembly of the amniotic membrane storage unit and the mold changing assembly; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the cooperation between the rotary table and the mold changing assembly; Figure 5 for Figure 4 The top view of the mold-changing assembly is shown. Figure 6 for Figure 4 A side view of the mold-changing assembly is shown. Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the different movement positions of the forks; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a control method for a flexible welding device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 A flowchart of a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a flowchart of a control method for a flexible welding device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure label: 100. Rotary worktable; 110. Welding station; 120. Mold changing station; 130. Welding mold; 140. Welding robot; 200. Mold storage; 210. Tooling rack; 211. Tooling station; 300. Mold changing assembly; 310. Hoist; 311. Hoisting platform; 312. Hoisting motor; 313. Chain; 320. Forklift; 330. Telescopic mechanism; 340. Rotating structure. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0021] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0022] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0023] Reference Figures 1 to 7 The present invention provides a flexible welding device, which mainly consists of a rotary worktable 100, a membrane storage 200 and a mold changing assembly 300.

[0024] Reference Figure 2 The rotary worktable 100 is equipped with a welding station 110 and a mold changing station 120. The welding station 110 is a fixed position for performing welding operations, and the mold changing station 120 is a dedicated position for changing molds. Both stations can be equipped with welding molds 130. By rotating, the rotary worktable 100 can directly switch the working position of the welding molds 130 on the two stations, allowing the welding station 110 and the mold changing station 120 to operate simultaneously. While the welding process is being carried out, the disassembly and assembly preparation of the mold to be changed can be completed at the mold changing station 120, without waiting for the entire processing to stop before changing the mold as a whole, effectively eliminating the waiting time on the production line.

[0025] The mold storage unit 200 is used to centrally store multiple welding molds 130. These welding molds 130 can be of different specifications to adapt to the welding requirements of various product types. The mold changing unit 300 is responsible for the automatic transfer of welding molds 130 between the workstation and the mold storage unit 200. It can transfer welding molds 130 that have been used at the mold changing station 120 to the mold storage unit 200 for storage, and it can also transfer welding molds 130 that are ready for use in the mold storage unit 200 to the mold changing station 120, thus completing the automatic replacement of molds.

[0026] Assume that the welding station 110 is currently equipped with a welding mold 130 for product A, and production is underway; the mold changing station 120 is either idle or storing the previously used welding mold 130. When the production plan needs to switch to product B, the mold changing component 300 retrieves the welding mold 130 for product B from the mold storage 200 and places it in advance on the mold changing station 120.

[0027] After the welding operation of a product A is completed, the rotating worktable 100 rotates 180 degrees. At this time, the original welding station 110, with the used product A welding mold 130, moves to the mold changing station 120; while the original mold changing station 120, with the prepared product B welding mold 130, moves to the welding station 110.

[0028] The welding mold 130 for product A, located at the new mold-changing station 120, is removed by the mold-changing assembly 300 and returned to its designated position in the mold stockpile 200. Subsequently, the mold-changing assembly 300 can retrieve the next required welding mold 130 for product C from the mold stockpile 200 and place it on the currently idle mold-changing station 120, preparing for the next switchover. The entire mold-changing process runs completely parallel to welding production, with virtually no interruption to the production flow. This almost eliminates the time consumed by mold changing in the production process, meeting the demands of high-cycle, multi-product mixed-line production.

[0029] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The mold changing assembly 300 specifically includes a lifting machine 310 and a fork 320. The lifting machine 310 drives the fork to achieve lifting and other displacement movements, while the fork 320 supports and lifts the welding mold 130. During the mold changing process, the lifting machine 310 drives the fork 320 to move below the welding mold 130, and the fork 320 smoothly lifts the welding mold 130, thereby realizing the transfer, docking, and placement of the welding mold 130 between the mold changing station 120 and the mold storage 200, completing the automated mold changing operation.

[0030] In some embodiments, a clearance space is reserved below the welding mold 130. The size of this clearance space is adapted to the structure of the fork 320, allowing the fork 320 to extend smoothly into it. When changing molds, the mold changing assembly 300 can drive the fork to extend into the clearance space below the welding mold 130 via the telescopic mechanism 330. After the fork 320 fully supports the bottom of the mold, the lifting machine 310 drives the fork 320 and the mold to rise and fall synchronously, achieving stable lifting and placement of the mold. After the transfer is completed, the fork 320 can smoothly exit from the clearance space without affecting the positioning and installation of the mold at the welding station 110 or tooling station 211. The setting of this clearance space provides reasonable operating space for the fork 320 to pick up and place, ensuring that the mold changing assembly 300 can accurately and stably complete the support and transfer of the welding mold 130, further ensuring the smoothness and reliability of the automated mold changing process.

[0031] In some embodiments, the fork 320 is provided with a positioning pin, and correspondingly, the welding mold 130 is provided with a positioning hole adapted to the positioning pin. When the mold changing assembly 300 picks up or places the welding mold 130, after the fork 320 extends into the clearance space under the mold, the positioning pin on the fork 320 will accurately insert into the positioning hole of the welding mold 130, realizing the positioning engagement between the fork 320 and the welding mold 130. This positioning structure can effectively prevent the mold from shifting or shaking during lifting and transportation, ensuring that the mold always maintains a stable posture, avoiding damage to the mold due to positioning deviation, or the inability to accurately align with the welding station 110 and tooling station 211 during subsequent installation. At the same time, the matching of the positioning pin and the positioning hole can also help the fork 320 quickly find the support position, further improving the accuracy and efficiency of the mold changing action, and ensuring the stability and reliability of the automated mold changing process.

[0032] Throughout the handling process, the engagement of the locating pin and the hole ensures that the welding mold 130 does not experience relative displacement due to the movement of the mold changing assembly 300. When the fork 320 transports the welding mold 130 above the mold changing station 120 of the rotary table 100 and descends, the welding mold 130 is precisely positioned relative to the fork 320, thus achieving high-precision alignment with the locating reference on the rotary table 100 (which typically also has corresponding locating protrusions or locating surfaces). After the welding mold 130 is placed on the rotary table 100 and secured, the fork 320 descends and retracts, and the locating pin exits from the locating hole of the welding mold 130. Because the placement process is precise, the welding mold 130 is accurately positioned, providing a foundation for subsequent high-quality welding.

[0033] Reference Figure 5 The mold changing assembly 300 also includes a telescopic mechanism 330, which drives the forks 320 to perform horizontal telescopic movements. Driven by the telescopic mechanism 330, the forks 320 move horizontally to insert into or detach from the bottom of the welding mold 130, and the lifting mechanism 310 completes the picking and placing process. When picking up or placing the welding mold 130, typically only the relatively lightweight forks 320 and the telescopic mechanism 330 need to move horizontally, without needing to move the entire lifting mechanism 310, thus improving the speed of operation and system responsiveness, while avoiding interference between the lifting mechanism 310 and the welding mold 130.

[0034] During mold changing, after the lifting machine 310 adjusts the forks 320 to the corresponding height, the telescopic mechanism 330 drives the forks 320 to extend, so that the forks 320 accurately insert into the bottom of the mold; after the forks 320 lift the mold, the telescopic mechanism 330 retracts, pulling the mold to the corresponding transfer position of the lifting machine 310, and then the lifting machine 310 drives the whole body to lift and move, completing the transfer, docking and placement of the mold between the mold changing station 120 and the mold storage 200.

[0035] When it is necessary to prepare welding mold 130 for the next product, such as Figure 4 As shown, the hoist 310 moves the forks 320 to the old welding mold 130 currently located at the mold changing station 120. The forks 320 extend and lift, removing the old welding mold 130, and then transporting and storing it back in the designated empty space of the mold storage 200. Figure 5 As shown, the elevator 310 moves the forks 320 to the storage position of the corresponding welding mold 130 in the mold storage 200. The forks 320 extend and lift, supporting the welding mold 130. Then, the elevator 310 transports the welding mold 130 to the top or side of the mold changing station 120. The forks 320 descend and accurately place the welding mold 130 on the positioning mechanism of the mold changing station 120.

[0036] Reference Figure 3 The mold storage unit 200 includes a tooling rack 210 with multiple tooling positions 211 for independently storing welding molds 130 of different specifications. The multiple tooling positions 211 are arranged in a layered manner along the vertical direction, reducing the horizontal space occupied by the mold storage unit 200 and achieving three-dimensional, intensive storage of the welding molds 130. This layered layout design facilitates unified management and orderly retrieval of molds of different batches or models. Furthermore, the lifting action of the forks 320 in conjunction with the hoist 310 allows for precise docking with the corresponding tooling positions 211, providing stable material support for automated, rapid mold changeovers.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The hoist 310 specifically includes a hoisting platform 311, a hoisting motor 312, and a chain 313. The hoisting motor 312 serves as a power source and is driven by the chain 313. The chain 313 serves as a transmission mechanism, connecting the hoisting motor 312 and the hoisting platform 311, and is able to convert the rotational power of the hoisting motor 312 into the lifting power of the hoisting platform 311.

[0038] The forks 320 are fixedly mounted on the lifting platform 311 and move up and down synchronously with the lifting platform 311. The forward and reverse rotation of the lifting motor 312 controls the extension and retraction of the chain 313, precisely driving the forks 320 and the supported welding mold 130 to move smoothly in the vertical direction. In other words, the lifting motor 312 drives the lifting platform 311 to rise and fall as a whole via the chain 313, thereby causing the forks 320 mounted on it to move together, achieving the positioning of the tooling positions 211 at different heights in the mold storage 200.

[0039] Reference Figure 3The mold changing assembly 300 has tooling racks 210 on at least two sides. By arranging multiple tooling positions 211 on both sides, the storage capacity of the welding mold 130 is further expanded, allowing for the simultaneous storage of welding molds 130 of more specifications, better adapting to the needs of mixed production lines with multiple machine types. It also allows the mold changing assembly 300 to conveniently retrieve and store molds from both sides, shortening the movement path of the mold changing assembly 300, improving mold changing efficiency, and making the overall equipment structure more compact and space utilization more efficient.

[0040] Reference Figure 6 The mold-changing assembly 300 also includes a rotating structure 340 connected to the lifting mechanism 310 and used to rotate the forks 320 in a horizontal plane. When the tooling rack 210 is arranged on both sides (or in more directions) of the mold-changing assembly 300, the mold-changing assembly 300 does not need to undergo a bulky lateral movement to align with the racks on different sides. The lifting mechanism 310 simply needs to be vertically positioned to the target shelf height, then the rotating structure 340 rotates the forks 320 horizontally to align with the target tooling rack 210, and finally the telescopic mechanism 330 extends the forks 320 to complete the storage and retrieval process. This greatly simplifies the operation process and increases speed.

[0041] Reference Figure 7 Currently, the forks 320 are facing forward for easy access to the welding mold 130 on the mold changing station 120. The rotating structure 340 can rotate the forks 320 90° to the left, facilitating access to the welding mold 130 on the left-side tooling frame 210 of the mold changing assembly 300. The rotating structure 340 can also rotate the forks 320 90° to the right, facilitating access to the welding mold 130 on the right-side tooling frame 210 of the mold changing assembly 300.

[0042] Reference Figure 1 The flexible welding equipment of this embodiment also includes multiple welding robots 140, which are evenly distributed around the welding station 110. These robots can simultaneously perform welding operations on the bumper and plastic bracket on the welding station 110 from different directions. Multiple welding robots 140 can simultaneously weld different parts of the workpiece, parallelizing welding tasks that originally needed to be completed sequentially. This significantly reduces the total welding time and directly improves the production cycle of the welding station 110. Preferably, the number of welding robots 140 is greater than two.

[0043] Considering the pain points of existing technologies, current traditional flexible welding equipment is usually equipped with only two welding robots (140). During welding operations, each weld point needs to be welded sequentially, resulting in low work efficiency. As the structure of car bumpers is continuously optimized, the number of plastic brackets that need to be welded on their surface increases, and the number of corresponding weld points also increases. The existing dual-robot configuration is no longer able to match the cycle time requirements of the production line, becoming a bottleneck restricting production efficiency.

[0044] This embodiment features a targeted optimization configuration, employing four welding robots 140 working collaboratively. These four robots can simultaneously weld welds to different areas of the bumper. Surrounding the workpiece from different directions, the four welding robots 140 can cover a large area of ​​the bumper's weld points without requiring extensive movement of the welding robots 140 or waiting for other welding robots to make way, significantly shortening the welding cycle for a single product. For bumper products with a large number of weld points, this multi-robot collaborative welding mode can significantly improve welding efficiency, effectively meeting the demands of high-volume, fast-paced production, and further adapting to the high-efficiency operation requirements of multi-model mixed-line production.

[0045] This invention provides a control method for a flexible welding device, applied to the flexible welding device described in the above embodiments. (Refer to...) Figure 8 As shown, the control method of this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, steps S100, S200, S300, S400, and S500.

[0046] Step S100: Receive the production plan sequence.

[0047] The production plan sequence includes the sequential numbering of the welding molds corresponding to the workpieces to be welded, which is usually entered by the operator through the touch-screen terminal built into the equipment. Each workpiece to be welded corresponds to a uniquely matched welding mold number, and the sequence order directly determines the production order of the workpieces, and is directly related to the mold handling of subsequent mold changing components and the station switching logic of the rotary worktable.

[0048] Step S200: Control the mold changing component to move the corresponding welding mold from the mold warehouse and place it on the rotary worktable according to the production plan sequence.

[0049] First, the mold-changing assembly moves to the corresponding welding mold storage position in the mold library under the drive of the control system. Second, the target welding mold is precisely gripped using a positioning structure (such as the engagement of positioning pins and positioning holes), ensuring stable and unbiased gripping. Finally, the gripped welding mold is smoothly transported to the rotary worktable, completing the placement and positioning of the welding mold. The placement position of the welding mold must be compatible with the workstation of the rotary worktable, and it is usually placed first at the mold-changing station (the mold can be switched to the welding station later by rotating the rotary worktable).

[0050] In step S300, in response to receiving the start command, the welding robot is controlled to perform welding operations on the workpiece located at the welding station.

[0051] The operator places the bumper on the welding mold and presses the button to start the equipment. When the control system receives the start command from the operator, it drives the welding robot to start and performs precise welding operations on the workpiece placed on the welding station mold according to the preset welding parameters (such as weld point position, welding time, and welding strength).

[0052] Step S400: Based on the production plan sequence, determine whether the welding mold on the rotary table meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces.

[0053] The control system first extracts the mold number corresponding to the "next workpiece to be welded after the current welding workpiece" from the production plan sequence. Then, it extracts the numbers of all molds already placed on the rotary table (welding stations, mold changing stations). It compares the two numbers to see if they match. If they match, it determines that "the requirements are met"; otherwise, it determines that "the requirements are not met." For example, the equipment determines whether a mold changing station needs to change molds. If all subsequent welding items are the same as the current welding item, or if the first item to be switched is the same as the item being welded on the mold at the current mold changing station, then no mold changing is needed. Otherwise, the mold changing station needs to change molds.

[0054] In step S500, if the condition is not met, the mold changing component is controlled to perform an automatic mold changing operation.

[0055] The control system issues a mold-changing command, driving the mold-changing component to complete the fully automated operation of "removing and storing the old mold and retrieving and assembling the new mold" between the mold-changing station and the mold library according to the preset process. This ensures that the rotating worktable is equipped with a mold that is compatible with the workpiece to be welded, thus providing a guarantee for the next round of welding operations.

[0056] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S400.

[0057] Step S410: Based on the production plan sequence and the welding mold number of the current mold changing station, determine whether the welding mold needs to be replaced.

[0058] The control system extracts the mold number of the mold changing station and compares it one-to-one with the mold number of the subsequent workpiece to be welded in the production plan sequence. If the two do not match, it is determined that "the welding mold needs to be replaced"; if the two match, it is determined that "the welding mold does not need to be replaced" and only the station needs to be switched by rotating the worktable.

[0059] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S500.

[0060] Step S510: If the welding mold number of the current welding station and the welding mold number of the mold changing station are inconsistent with the welding mold number of the first welding mold in the production plan sequence, start the mold changing component to replace the welding mold on the mold changing station.

[0061] The control system simultaneously extracts the welding mold numbers installed at the current welding station and the welding mold numbers installed at the current mold changing station, and compares them with the welding mold number at the beginning of the production plan sequence. Only when the two comparison results are inconsistent will it be determined that the mold changing component needs to be activated, so as to minimize the number of times the mold changing component is activated and improve work efficiency.

[0062] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 11 As shown, Figure 11 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S500.

[0063] Step S520: Control the mold changing assembly to transport the welding mold taken out from the mold changing station and place it in the mold storage.

[0064] The mold-changing assembly, carrying the old welding mold, moves smoothly to the mold storage area under the control system. Based on the old welding mold's serial number, its corresponding storage fixture is precisely located, ensuring the fixture location matches the mold number. The old welding mold is then smoothly placed in the corresponding fixture, completing the positioning and fixing process.

[0065] In step S530, the mold changing assembly is controlled to remove the target welding mold from the mold storage and transport it to the mold changing station.

[0066] The control system determines the target mold number corresponding to the subsequent workpiece to be welded based on the production plan sequence, and drives the mold changing component to move to the storage fixture position of the corresponding target mold in the mold library. The target welding mold is accurately grasped by the positioning structure, and then the target welding mold is smoothly transported to the mold changing station of the rotary worktable, where it is precisely matched with the positioning structure to complete the placement and fixation.

[0067] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 12 As shown, Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S520.

[0068] Step S521: Control the extension mechanism to extend, drive the forks to move horizontally, and let the forks extend under the welding mold located at the mold changing station.

[0069] The control system sends a command to the telescopic mechanism of the mold changing assembly, driving the telescopic arm equipped with forks to extend horizontally from its retracted state. The front ends of the forks precisely insert into the pre-designed standardized clearance space at the bottom of the welding mold along a preset path.

[0070] Step S522: Control the lifting mechanism to lift the welding mold away from the mold changing station using the forks.

[0071] After confirming that the forks are in position, the control system issues a command to activate the lifting mechanism. The lifting motor drives the lifting platform to rise vertically a short, predetermined distance via a chain (or lead screw and other transmission components). The forks fixed to the lifting platform rise accordingly, thereby smoothly lifting the welding mold away from the positioning mechanism (such as positioning pins or support surfaces) of the mold changing station, completely detaching the mold from the worktable, and completing the "pick-up" action.

[0072] Step S523: Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, causing the forks carrying the welding mold to move horizontally out.

[0073] The control system controls the telescopic mechanism to move in the opposite direction, driving the forks to retract horizontally. The retraction action causes the already lifted welding mold to move horizontally, completely leaving the mold-changing station area, preparing it for subsequent transfer operations.

[0074] Step S524: Control the lifting mechanism to lift so that the height of the welding mold is aligned with the height of the target return tooling position in the mold storage.

[0075] Based on the location information of the target idle tooling position specified by the fetal membrane storage management system, the control system calculates the layer height of the tooling position. Subsequently, the control system instructs the lifting mechanism to raise or lower the forks carrying the mold until the center height of the mold is basically consistent with the support surface height of the target tooling position, thus completing the vertical alignment.

[0076] Step S525: Control the telescopic mechanism to extend and transport the welding mold to the top of the target return fixture position.

[0077] After vertical alignment, the control system instructs the telescopic mechanism to extend again, pushing the forks and mold to move horizontally towards the tire film warehouse until the mold is transported directly above the target tooling position.

[0078] Step S526: Control the lifting mechanism to descend and place the welding mold on the target return fixture position.

[0079] The control system controls the lifting mechanism to descend slowly, causing the welding mold to descend until its bottom positioning or support structure contacts the corresponding structure of the target tooling position and is placed securely.

[0080] Step S527: Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, so that the forks exit the clearance space under the welding mold.

[0081] The control system commands the telescopic mechanism to retract, driving the forks to exit horizontally from the clearance space at the bottom of the mold, completely separating the forks from the mold. At this point, the mold replacement operation is complete, the mold is safely stored in the mold storage compartment, and the forks of the mold changing assembly return to a freely movable state.

[0082] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 13 As shown, Figure 13 yes Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S520.

[0083] Step S528: Control the rotation mechanism to rotate and adjust the horizontal orientation of the forks so that the welding mold is aligned with the target and returned to the tooling position.

[0084] Control the rotation mechanism to drive the forks and the welded mold they carry to rotate a specific angle in the horizontal plane, so that the mold is stored in the direction of the entrance of the target return tooling position in the mold warehouse.

[0085] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 14 As shown, Figure 14 yes Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S530.

[0086] Step S531: Control the lifting mechanism to raise and lower, so that the height of the forks is aligned with the height of the target retrieval tooling position where the target welding mold is stored in the mold storage.

[0087] According to the production plan, the control system obtains the target retrieval fixture position corresponding to the target welding mold in the mold warehouse. First, the control system instructs the lifting mechanism to move, driving the forks to rise or fall, so that the height of its bearing surface is precisely aligned with the clearance space at the bottom of the mold on the target fixture position, completing the initial vertical positioning.

[0088] Step S532: Based on the position of the target retrieval tooling position in the membrane storage relative to the current fork, control the rotating mechanism to rotate by a corresponding angle so that the fork is aligned with the target retrieval tooling position.

[0089] For the multi-sided layout of the membrane storage, the control system calculates the azimuth angle of the target tooling position relative to the default position of the mold changing assembly. Subsequently, it instructs the rotating mechanism to rotate the forks in the horizontal plane by a corresponding angle (e.g., 90° to align with the left side, or 180° to align with the right side), so that the extension direction of the forks is precisely aligned with the target mold, thus completing the horizontal orientation calibration.

[0090] Step S533: Control the telescopic mechanism to extend so that the forks extend under the target welding mold.

[0091] After the height and orientation are aligned, the control system instructs the telescopic mechanism to extend horizontally, driving the forks to smoothly insert into the standardized clearance space at the bottom of the target welding mold, preparing for gripping.

[0092] Step S534: Control the lifting mechanism to lift the target welding mold away from the target pick-up tooling position using the forks.

[0093] The control system commands the lifting mechanism to rise slightly by a set distance, and then uses the forks to smoothly lift the target welding mold away from the support structure of its tooling position, completing the gripping action.

[0094] Step S535: Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, causing the forks carrying the target welding mold to move horizontally out.

[0095] The control system controls the telescopic mechanism to retract, causing the forks and mold to move horizontally, completely removing them from the storage area of ​​the tire film warehouse and transferring the mold to the transfer path.

[0096] Step S536: Control the lifting mechanism to descend so that the height of the target welding mold is aligned with the height of the mold changing station.

[0097] The control system commands the lifting mechanism to move, lowering the forks carrying the mold to the same height as the mounting surface of the mold changing station, preparing to place the mold into the mold changing station.

[0098] Step S537: Control the rotating mechanism to rotate and adjust the forks and target welding mold to the horizontal orientation corresponding to the mold changing station.

[0099] The control system commands the rotating mechanism to rotate in the opposite direction, adjusting the forks and molds from the orientation aligned with the mold magazine back to the standard orientation aligned with the mold changing station (usually the initial 0° position), ensuring that the molds can be placed in the correct orientation.

[0100] Step S538: Control the telescopic mechanism to extend and transport the target welding mold to the top of the mold changing station.

[0101] The control system commands the telescopic mechanism to extend again, pushing the forks and mold to move horizontally until the mold is transported directly above the emptied mold changing station.

[0102] Step S539: Control the lifting mechanism to descend and place the target welding mold on the mold changing station.

[0103] The control system controls the lifting mechanism to descend slowly, precisely placing the target welding mold onto the positioning and support mechanism of the mold changing station.

[0104] Step S540: Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, so that the forks exit from under the target welding mold.

[0105] After confirming that the mold is securely placed, the control system instructs the telescopic mechanism to retract completely, driving the forks to horizontally withdraw entirely from the clearance space at the bottom of the mold, achieving physical separation from the mold. At this point, the mold removal operation is complete, and the target mold is now positioned at the mold changing station.

[0106] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 15 As shown, Figure 15 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an embodiment following any one of the process steps S200, S300, S400 and S500.

[0107] Step S550: Receive the updated production plan sequence.

[0108] When the flexible welding equipment is in operation, the control system receives an updated production plan sequence. This update may include adding new workpiece types, deleting production tasks, adjusting the workpiece production sequence, or modifying the welding mold number corresponding to the workpiece to be produced.

[0109] Step S560: Obtain the status information of the flexible welding equipment at the current moment. The status information includes at least the numbers of the welding molds located at the welding station and the mold changing station, respectively.

[0110] After receiving the updated production plan sequence, the control system immediately collects the current real-time status information of the flexible welding equipment. The status information includes at least the welding mold number installed at the current welding station and the welding mold number installed at the current mold changing station. It may also include the position of the rotary table, the status of the welding robot, the position of the mold changing component, and the inventory information of the mold library.

[0111] Step S570: Based on the updated production plan sequence and status information, execute decision logic to determine subsequent production steps.

[0112] The control system matches and compares the updated production plan sequence with the current status information and executes preset decision logic. For example, it determines whether the existing welding molds at the welding station and mold-changing station meet the welding requirements of the first or subsequent workpieces in the updated production plan sequence. If they do, production is started directly or the rotary table is controlled to switch stations and directly enter the loading and welding process of the next workpiece. If they do not meet the requirements, the mold-changing judgment process is re-triggered, and the mold-changing components are controlled to perform the corresponding mold-changing operation to adapt to the updated production plan, thereby realizing the dynamic scheduling and continuous operation of flexible production.

[0113] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 16 As shown, Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S570.

[0114] Step S571: If the number of the welding mold currently located at the welding station exists in the updated production plan sequence and the difference between it and the first position of the updated production plan sequence does not exceed a preset value, then adjust the updated production plan sequence and adjust the number of the welding mold at the current welding station to the first position of the updated production plan sequence.

[0115] This embodiment does not mechanically start from scratch according to the new plan, but makes full use of the resources already on the workstation and avoids immediate mold changes by fine-tuning the plan sequence, thereby improving efficiency.

[0116] If the welding mold number currently at the welding station exists in the updated production plan sequence, it means that the mold currently in use or recently completed is also needed for a future workpiece in the new production plan. The preset value represents a threshold, such as a difference of 2 or 3 positions. The control system first verifies whether the current welding mold number is within the updated production plan sequence, then calculates the difference between the current mold's position in the sequence and the first position. If the difference is less than or equal to the preset value, it means the workpiece corresponding to the current welding mold is prioritized in the new plan. Therefore, the plan disruption caused by moving it to the first position for production is within an acceptable range and is generally worthwhile. In other words, to improve production efficiency and reduce mold change frequency, the control system automatically adjusts the sequence order, making the workpiece corresponding to this mold number the highest priority workpiece for production (i.e., the first position in the sequence). Subsequent welding preparation processes for this workpiece are then directly initiated without additional mold changes.

[0117] For example, a new plan requires processing corresponding workpieces in the order of molds B, A, and C. The current workstation happens to be using mold A, and workpiece A is the second item in the new plan. After applying this rule, the new plan is instantly optimized to the order of A, B, and C. The system can start producing the first workpiece in the new plan directly without any waiting or mold change, saving a complete mold changeover time.

[0118] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a control method for a flexible welding device, such as... Figure 17 As shown, Figure 17 yes Figure 15 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the detailed process of step S570.

[0119] Step S572: If the number of the welding mold currently located at the welding station does not exist in the updated production plan sequence, or differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by more than a preset value, while the number of the welding mold currently located at the mold changing station exists in the updated production plan sequence and differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by no more than a preset value, then adjust the updated production plan sequence, adjust the number of the welding mold currently located at the mold changing station to the first digit of the updated production plan sequence, and control the rotary table to rotate.

[0120] The control system first verifies the mold number of the welding station. If it is not in the updated sequence or the difference between it and the first and second positions is greater than the preset value, the control system further verifies the mold number of the mold changing station. If the mold number of the mold changing station is in the updated sequence and the difference between it and the first and second positions is less than or equal to the preset value, in order to improve production efficiency and reduce mold changing frequency, the control system automatically adjusts the workpiece corresponding to the mold number of the mold changing station to the first position in the sequence. At the same time, it controls the rotary table to rotate, switching the mold changing station to the welding station. Subsequently, the welding preparation process of the workpiece is directly started without the need for additional mold changing operations, ensuring continuous production.

[0121] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a flexible welding device, characterized in that, The flexible welding equipment includes a welding robot, a rotary worktable, a mold storage unit, and a mold changing assembly. The rotary worktable has a welding station and a mold changing station, which are used to install welding molds. The rotary worktable rotates to switch the positions of the welding molds at the welding station and the mold changing station. The mold storage unit is used to hold multiple welding molds, and the mold changing assembly is used to transport the welding molds between the mold changing station and the mold storage unit. The control method includes: Receive the production plan sequence, which includes the number sequence of the welding molds corresponding to the workpieces to be welded; The mold changing assembly is controlled to move the corresponding welding molds from the mold warehouse and place them on the rotary worktable according to the production plan sequence. In response to receiving a start command, the welding robot is controlled to perform welding operations on the workpiece located at the welding station; Based on the production plan sequence, determine whether the welding mold on the rotary table meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces; If the condition is not met, the mold changing component is controlled to perform an automatic mold changing operation to place the welding mold that matches the subsequent workpiece on the rotary table.

2. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the welding mold on the rotary table meets the welding requirements of subsequent workpieces based on the production plan sequence includes: Based on the production plan sequence and the welding mold number of the current mold changing station, determine whether the welding mold needs to be replaced.

3. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the condition is not met, the mold-changing component is controlled to perform an automatic mold-changing operation, including: If the welding mold number of the current welding station and the welding mold number of the mold changing station are both inconsistent with the welding mold number at the beginning of the production plan sequence, the mold changing component is activated to replace the welding mold at the mold changing station.

4. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control mold-changing component performs automatic mold-changing operations, including: The control unit removes the welding mold from the mold changing station and places it in the mold storage. The mold changing assembly removes the target welding mold from the mold storage and transports it to the mold changing station.

5. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mold changing assembly includes a lifting machine, forks, and a telescopic mechanism. The lifting machine drives the forks to move, and the forks lift the welding mold. The telescopic mechanism is connected to the lifting machine and drives the forks to extend and retract. The control assembly for transporting and placing the welding mold taken from the mold changing station into the mold storage unit includes: The telescopic mechanism extends, causing the forks to move horizontally, so that the forks extend under the welding mold located at the mold changing station. The lifting mechanism is controlled to lift the welding mold away from the mold changing station using forks; The telescopic mechanism is retracted, causing the forks carrying the welding mold to move horizontally out. Control the lifting mechanism to raise the height of the welding mold so that it is aligned with the height of the target return tooling position in the mold storage. The telescopic mechanism extends to transport the welding mold to the top of the target return fixture position; Control the lifting mechanism to descend and place the welding mold on the target return fixture position; Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, allowing the forks to exit the clearance space under the welding mold.

6. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, After the control lifting mechanism raises and lowers to align the height of the welding mold with the height of the target return tooling position in the mold storage, the following steps are also included: Control the rotation of the rotating mechanism, adjust the horizontal orientation of the forks, and align the welding mold with the target to return it to the tooling position.

7. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control mold-changing assembly retrieves the target welding mold from the mold storage and transports it to the mold-changing station, including: Control the lifting mechanism to raise and lower, so that the height of the forks is aligned with the height of the target retrieval tooling position in the mold storage room where the target welding mold is stored; Based on the position of the target retrieval tooling position in the amniotic sac relative to the current fork, control the rotating mechanism to rotate by the corresponding angle so that the fork is aligned with the target retrieval tooling position. Control the extension mechanism to extend the forks under the target welding mold; The lifting mechanism is controlled to lift the target welding mold away from the target pick-up tooling position using the forks; The telescopic mechanism is retracted, causing the forks carrying the target welding mold to move horizontally out. Control the lifting mechanism to descend so that the height of the target welding mold is aligned with the height of the mold changing station; Control the rotation mechanism to adjust the forks and target welding mold to the horizontal orientation corresponding to the mold changing station; The telescopic mechanism extends to transport the target welding mold to the top of the mold changing station; The lifting mechanism is lowered to place the target welding mold at the mold changing station; Control the telescopic mechanism to retract, so that the forks exit from under the target welding mold.

8. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Received the updated production plan sequence; Obtain the status information of the flexible welding equipment at the current moment. The status information includes at least the numbers of the welding molds located at the welding station and the mold changing station, respectively. Based on the updated production plan sequence and status information, decision logic is executed to determine subsequent production steps.

9. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The execution decision logic determines subsequent production steps, including: If the number of the welding mold currently at the welding station exists in the updated production plan sequence, and the difference between it and the first position of the updated production plan sequence does not exceed a preset value, then the updated production plan sequence is adjusted, and the number of the welding mold at the current welding station is moved to the first position of the updated production plan sequence.

10. The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method for a flexible welding equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that the execution decision logic to determine subsequent production steps includes: If the welding mold number currently located at the welding station does not exist in the updated production plan sequence, or differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by more than a preset value, while the welding mold number currently located at the mold changing station exists in the updated production plan sequence and differs from the first digit of the updated production plan sequence by no more than a preset value, then the updated production plan sequence is adjusted, the welding mold number of the current mold changing station is moved to the first digit of the updated production plan sequence, and the rotary table is controlled to rotate.

Images