A high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system and a performance inspection method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system and its performance inspection method, the inspection system includes control module, PLC host computer, robot, production line, signal transmission module and detector, detector is set on production line, robot is set on the side of production line;Robot includes mechanical arm, and mechanical arm includes support arm, double-clamping jaw chuck and pressure sensor.The inspection method includes: the mechanical arm is detected high-pressure fuel pipe, it is transferred to clamp, and is positioned;Multiple compressed air is filled in high-pressure fuel pipe;Detector real-time monitoring the flow rate variation of multiple compressed air in high-pressure fuel pipe interior, flow rate data is converted into electric signal by data acquisition module, and by analysis software is handled in real time, and performance data is obtained;Performance data is sent to control module by signal transmission module, and the inspection result is obtained by control module.It can reduce artificial cost and high-pressure fuel pipe's defective rate, improve inspection efficiency and accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive parts inspection technology, and in particular to an inspection system and performance testing method for high-pressure fuel lines. Background Technology

[0002] The post-production inspection of high-pressure fuel lines is a crucial step in the production and inspection of high-pressure fuel lines. It involves safety performance and requires high accuracy and precision in each subsequent inspection step. Whether or not defects are detected in the post-production inspection directly affects the quality of the delivered product. Defects mainly include leakage, slight deformation of the fuel line support, and foreign matter adhesion.

[0003] The original downstream inspection process used manual handling and loading / unloading. This posed a risk of product boxes colliding and tipping over during handling, and manual handling also increased the workload of employees. The old method of manual loading / unloading in production caused products to not follow the first-in, first-out (FIFO) production principle (the first product inspected in the previous process would be placed at the bottom, and the inspection sequence of the next process would be from top to bottom, that is, starting from the last product inspected in the previous process).

[0004] The production line originally used manual loading and unloading. During the manual handling process, product surface defects such as bumps, scratches, and adhesive residue may occur. At the same time, the frequent and continuous manual handling of products can lead to operator fatigue, indirectly resulting in an increase in product defect rate and labor costs.

[0005] The original downstream continuity inspection process used a test result judgment procedure, which only judged whether the product passed inspection based on whether the gas flow rate limit value reached the set value. In some other cases, it could not determine the product defects (such as in the continuity process, where the product was judged by whether a certain gas flow rate limit value was reached, but when a quarter of the product was blocked inside, it would occasionally still show that the product was qualified, which would increase the rework rate of subsequent inspections), resulting in poor inspection effectiveness. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide an inspection system for high-pressure fuel lines, which can reduce labor costs and the defect rate of high-pressure fuel lines, and improve inspection efficiency and accuracy. The second objective of this invention is to provide an inspection method for a high-pressure fuel line inspection system.

[0007] One of the objectives of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system includes a control module, a PLC host, a robot, a production line, a signal transmission module, and a testing instrument for multi-dimensional testing of high-pressure fuel pipe performance data. The testing instrument, the signal transmission module, the control module, the PLC host, and the robot are sequentially connected by signals. The testing instrument is installed on the production line, and the robot is installed on one side of the production line. The robot includes a robotic arm, which includes a support arm, a dual-jaw gripper, and a pressure sensor for detecting the gripping force of the dual-jaw gripper. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the signal transmission module, and the dual-jaw gripper is located at both ends of the support arm.

[0008] Preferably, the robotic arm further includes a fixed arm, a rotating arm, and a movable arm, wherein the rotating arm is rotatably connected to the fixed arm, the movable arm is movably connected to the rotating arm, and the support arm is fixed on the movable arm.

[0009] Preferably, the dual-jaw chuck further includes jaws and a cylinder for driving the jaws, the cylinder being disposed within the support arm, and the pressure sensor being disposed on the support arm.

[0010] Preferably, the detector includes an airtightness detector and a flow rate detector, the signal transmission module includes a switch with multiple communication interfaces, the airtightness detector and the flow rate detector are both connected to the communication interfaces, and the PLC host is connected to the control module through the communication interfaces.

[0011] Preferably, the control module is a central scheduling module, the robot is a six-axis industrial robot, and the performance data includes multi-dimensional flow velocity data and gas pressure data.

[0012] The second objective of this invention is achieved by the following technical solution: A performance testing method for the high-pressure fuel line testing system includes: Step A: Install the various component modules of the inspection system in the production workshop as needed. The robotic arm picks up the high-pressure fuel pipe to be inspected from the conveyor belt of the previous process, transfers it to the special inspection fixture of this process, and achieves positioning through the pneumatic clamping mechanism. Step B: After positioning is completed, various types of compressed air are filled into the high-pressure fuel line through the internal pipeline of the workshop to meet the inspection requirements of different high-pressure fuel lines. Step C: During the compressed air filling process, the detector monitors the flow rate changes of various compressed air types inside the high-pressure fuel line in real time through a flow sensor. The obtained flow rate data is converted into an electrical signal by the data acquisition module and processed in real time by the analysis software to obtain performance data. Step D: The performance data is sent to the control module through the signal transmission module, and the control module analyzes the performance data to obtain the test results.

[0013] Furthermore, in step A, each component module includes the PLC host, the robot, the production line, the detector, and the signal transmission module, which are installed in a ring-shaped integrated manner in the production workshop.

[0014] Further, step C includes: Step C1: Design multiple sets of virtual scenarios where the high-pressure fuel lines are in a state of complete continuity, partial continuity, and complete blockage, respectively; Step C2: Activate the testing system to test the high-pressure fuel line in the virtual scenario and obtain simulated performance data; Step C3: The actual performance data of the high-pressure fuel line is also verified in a real-world scenario. The accuracy data of the verification system is obtained by comparing the simulated performance data with the actual performance data. Step C4: Control the start and stop of the dual-jaw chuck, record the trajectory deviation, test the response speed under high load operation, and obtain the stability data of the inspection system by the change of the response speed and the positioning error.

[0015] Furthermore, in step C4, the stability is cooperative stability. The start and stop of the dual-jaw gripper are controlled with the same inspection cycle frequency. The positioning accuracy of the dual-jaw gripper and the trajectory deviation of the robotic arm are recorded by a laser tracker. Within the pressure range that each component module can withstand, the load is gradually increased. Combined with the vibration table to simulate mechanical impact, the response speed of each component module is obtained. The cooperative stability data of the inspection system is obtained by analyzing the changes in the response speed and positioning error.

[0016] Furthermore, in step D, the signal transmission module sends performance data to the control module through the EMS system, the control module obtains fluctuation point data from the performance data, and obtains the test result from the fluctuation point data.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system disclosed in this application uses a PLC host to control a robot to transport high-pressure fuel pipes, which reduces labor costs. The robot's robotic arm is equipped with a double-jaw gripper, which can more firmly grip two high-pressure fuel pipes at once, thus improving inspection efficiency. In addition, the robotic arm includes a pressure sensor for detecting the clamping force of the dual-jaw grippers. This pressure sensor controls the clamping force of the dual-jaw grippers, preventing damage to the product (high-pressure fuel line) due to excessive clamping force, or breakage due to insufficient clamping force. This ensures a balanced and appropriate clamping force on the high-pressure fuel line, reducing the product defect rate. Furthermore, the testing instrument can detect multi-dimensional performance data of the high-pressure fuel line, allowing for more accurate inspection results. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a part of the testing system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of the inspection system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the robotic arm of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the support arm and double-jaw chuck of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the performance testing method for the high-pressure fuel pipe testing system of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps of step C in the testing method of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 10. Robotic arm; 11. Support arm; 12. Double gripper chuck; 121. Gripper; 122. Pressure sensor; 13. Fixed arm; 14. Rotating arm; 15. Movable arm; 20. Detector; 30. Production line. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To better understand the specific technical solutions, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed during use. 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 limitations on this invention.

[0022] Implementation Method 1 like Figures 1-4As shown, this application discloses a high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system, including a control module, a PLC host, a robot, a production line 30, a signal transmission module, and a detector 20 for multi-dimensional testing of high-pressure fuel pipe performance data. The detector 20, the signal transmission module, the control module, the PLC host, and the robot are sequentially connected by signals. The detector 20 is installed on the production line 30, and the robot is installed on one side of the production line 30. The robot includes a robotic arm 10, which includes a support arm 11, a double-jaw chuck 12, and a pressure sensor 122 for detecting the clamping force of the double-jaw chuck 12. The pressure sensor 122 is electrically connected to the signal transmission module, and the double-jaw chuck 12 is installed at both ends of the support arm 10.

[0023] In the above embodiments, the high-pressure fuel pipe inspection system disclosed in this application, when the PLC host controls the robotic arm 10 to place the high-pressure fuel pipe to be inspected on the production line 30, the detector 20 inspects the performance of the high-pressure fuel pipe and sends the performance data to the control module through the signal transmission module. The control module analyzes the performance data and obtains the inspection result.

[0024] The robot's handling of high-pressure fuel hoses is controlled by a PLC host, reducing labor costs. The robot's robotic arm 10 is equipped with a dual-jaw gripper 12, which can more securely grip two high-pressure fuel hoses (one at the front and one at the rear inspection end) at once, enabling seamless connection between upstream and downstream inspection processes and improving inspection efficiency. The robotic arm 10 also includes a pressure sensor for detecting the gripping force of the dual-jaw gripper 12. This pressure sensor controls the gripping force of the dual-jaw gripper 12, preventing damage to the product (high-pressure fuel hose) due to excessive gripping force, or preventing the high-pressure fuel hose from falling off and damaging the product's appearance due to insufficient gripping force. This ensures a balanced and appropriate gripping force for the high-pressure fuel hoses, reducing the product defect rate. The PLC host is a Siemens S7-1200 model PLC, which enables precise control.

[0025] Implementation Method 2 In a preferred embodiment, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the detector 20 includes an airtightness detector and a flow rate detector. The signal transmission module includes a switch with multiple communication interfaces. Both the airtightness detector and the flow rate detector are connected to the communication interfaces. The PLC host is connected to the control module via the communication interfaces. Preferably, the control module is a central scheduling module, the robot is a six-axis industrial robot, and the performance data includes multi-dimensional flow rate data and gas pressure data.

[0026] In the aforementioned real-time method, the airtightness of the high-pressure fuel line can be detected using the airtightness detector to determine if it is leaking; the flow rate detector can be used to detect the compressed air flow rate in the high-pressure fuel line to determine if it is blocked. The switch facilitates signal connection between the PLC host and the control module. The central dispatch module serves as the enterprise control and management center, which includes various host computers, databases, and servers. The switch can also connect to the central dispatch module via the MES (Manufacturing Execution System) for convenient control and management. Multi-dimensional flow rate and gas pressure data allow for a more comprehensive analysis of the high-pressure fuel line's performance.

[0027] Implementation Method 3 In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the robotic arm 10 further includes a fixed arm 13, a rotating arm 14, and a movable arm 15. The rotating arm 14 is rotatably connected to the fixed arm 13, and the movable arm 15 is movably connected to the rotating arm 14. The support arm 11 is fixed to the movable arm 15. Preferably, the dual-jaw chuck 12 further includes a jaw 121 and a cylinder for driving the jaw 121. The cylinder is disposed within the support arm 11, and the pressure sensor 122 is disposed on the support arm 11.

[0028] In the above embodiment, the fixed arm 13 can be fixed to the robot body, the rotating arm 14 can drive the movable arm 15 and the support arm 11 to rotate, and the movable arm 15 can drive the support arm 11 to move up, down, left, and right, so that the support arm 11 moves to an appropriate position. The cylinder can drive the gripping product, and in order to save space, the cylinder is set inside the support arm 11. The pressure sensor 122 can provide real-time feedback on the gripping force of the gripper 121, and can balance the gripping force of the gripper 121. The movement of the rotating arm 14, the movable arm 15, the gripper 121, and the cylinder can be controlled by the PLC host to achieve precise positioning and continuous automated conveying.

[0029] like Figure 5 As shown, the present invention also discloses an inspection method for the inspection system of the high-pressure fuel line, comprising: Step A: Install the various component modules of the inspection system in the production workshop as needed. The robotic arm picks up the high-pressure fuel pipe to be inspected from the conveyor belt of the previous process and transfers it (smoothly) to the special inspection fixture of this process. The positioning (fixing) is achieved by the pneumatic clamping mechanism to ensure that the product does not shift or vibrate during the inspection process. In step A, each component module includes the PLC host, the robot, the production line 30 (including a special inspection fixture and a pneumatic clamping mechanism), the detector 20, and the signal transmission module. The PLC host, the robot, the production line, the detector, and the signal transmission module are installed in a ring-shaped integrated manner in the production workshop.

[0030] The inspection system adopts a ring layout to interconnect discrete inspection equipment (detector 20) with the central scheduling module through the MES system, thereby forming a flexible inspection system with automatic error prevention and real-time data traceability, which can significantly improve the inspection rate.

[0031] Step B: After positioning is completed, various types of compressed air are filled into the high-pressure fuel line through the internal pipeline of the workshop to meet the inspection requirements of different high-pressure fuel lines. In step B above, after the fixing is completed, the system fills the high-pressure fuel pipe with various types of compressed air that have been filtered and pressure-stabilized through the internal pipeline of the workshop. The pressure and flow rate of the compressed air are precisely adjusted by the intelligent control system (enterprise control and management center) to meet the testing requirements of different models of products (high-pressure fuel pipes).

[0032] Step C: During the compressed air filling process, the detector monitors the flow rate changes of various compressed airs inside the high-pressure fuel pipe in real time through the flow sensor. The obtained flow rate data is converted into an electrical signal by the data acquisition module and processed in real time by the analysis software to obtain performance data. In step C above, the flow sensor is a high-sensitivity flow sensor (on the production line 30), the data acquisition module is a high-speed data acquisition module (on the production line 30), and the analysis software is embedded analysis software (on the detector).

[0033] The detector can detect multi-dimensional flow velocity and gas pressure data of the high-pressure fuel line, and more accurate performance data can be analyzed from this data. The multi-dimensional gas pressure data includes gas pressure data at each inlet and outlet of the high-pressure fuel line at different temperatures and gas pressure data in the middle section. The multi-dimensional flow velocity data includes flow velocity data at each inlet and outlet of the high-pressure fuel line at different temperatures and flow velocity data in the middle section, etc.

[0034] Step D: The performance data is sent to the control module through the signal transmission module, and the control module analyzes the performance data to obtain the test results.

[0035] In step D above, the signal transmission module sends performance data to the control module through the EMS system. The control module obtains fluctuation point data from the performance data and obtains the test result from the fluctuation point data.

[0036] The fluctuation point data are generally abnormal data or boundary data. These data can usually reflect the performance and quality of the product. Reliable test results can be obtained by describing and analyzing these fluctuation point data through relevant data algorithms and programs.

[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, the performance data includes accuracy data and stability data, and step C specifically includes: Step C1: Design multiple sets of virtual scenarios where the high-pressure fuel lines are in a state of complete continuity, partial continuity, and complete blockage, respectively; The corresponding software and programs can automatically determine whether the product is conductive, whether there is residual copper paste and iron filings blocking it, and the degree of blockage by using multiple dimensions of flow and pressure data, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of product inspection.

[0038] Generally, the more congested the area, the smaller the flow rate data and the larger the pressure data; conversely, the less congested the area, the greater the pressure data.

[0039] Step C2: Activate the testing system to test the high-pressure fuel line in the virtual scenario and obtain simulated performance data; Step C3: The actual performance data of the high-pressure fuel line is also verified in a real-world scenario. The accuracy data of the verification system is obtained by comparing the simulated performance data with the actual performance data. Step C4: Control the start and stop of the dual-jaw chuck 12, record the trajectory deviation, test the response speed under high load operation, and obtain the stability data of the inspection system by the change of the response speed and the positioning error.

[0040] In step C4, the stability is cooperative stability. The start and stop of the dual-jaw gripper 12 are controlled at the same inspection frequency. The positioning accuracy of the dual-jaw gripper 12 and the trajectory deviation of the robotic arm 10 are recorded by a laser tracker. Within the pressure range that each component module can withstand, the load is gradually increased. Combined with the vibration table to simulate mechanical impact, the response speed of each component module is obtained. The cooperative stability data of the inspection system is obtained by analyzing the changes in the response speed and the positioning error (data).

[0041] If the response speed and positioning error (data) are stable, it indicates that the inspection system has good collaborative stability; otherwise, the collaborative stability is poor. By testing the stability and accuracy of each component module in the inspection system, the stability and accuracy of this inspection system can be significantly improved.

[0042] In summary, the inspection system and performance inspection method disclosed in this application use a PLC host to precisely control the robot to load and unload products, which can reduce labor costs and defect rates; furthermore, by analyzing the performance of products and the inspection system through multi-dimensional performance data, the inspection speed, accuracy, and reliability can be significantly improved.

[0043] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A high-pressure fuel line inspection system, characterized in that: The system includes a control module, a PLC host, a robot, a production line, a signal transmission module, and a testing instrument for multi-dimensional testing of high-pressure fuel pipe performance data. The testing instrument, the signal transmission module, the control module, the PLC host, and the robot are sequentially connected by signals. The testing instrument is installed on the production line, and the robot is installed on one side of the production line. The robot includes a robotic arm, which includes a support arm, a dual-jaw gripper, and a pressure sensor for detecting the gripping force of the dual-jaw gripper. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the signal transmission module, and the dual-jaw gripper is located at both ends of the support arm.

2. The inspection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm also includes a fixed arm, a rotating arm, and a movable arm. The rotating arm is rotatably connected to the fixed arm, the movable arm is movably connected to the rotating arm, and the support arm is fixed to the movable arm.

3. The inspection system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The dual-jaw chuck also includes jaws and a cylinder for driving the jaws. The cylinder is disposed inside the support arm, and the pressure sensor is disposed on the support arm.

4. The inspection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector includes an airtightness detector and a flow rate detector. The signal transmission module includes a switch with multiple communication interfaces. Both the airtightness detector and the flow rate detector are connected to the communication interfaces. The PLC host is connected to the control module through the communication interfaces.

5. The inspection system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control module is a central scheduling module, the robot is a six-axis industrial robot, and the performance data includes multi-dimensional flow velocity data and gas pressure data.

6. A performance testing method for the testing system of the high-pressure fuel line according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: Step A: Install the various component modules of the inspection system in the production workshop as needed. The robotic arm picks up the high-pressure fuel pipe to be inspected from the conveyor belt of the previous process, transfers it to the special inspection fixture of this process, and achieves positioning through the pneumatic clamping mechanism. Step B: After positioning is completed, various types of compressed air are filled into the high-pressure fuel line through the internal pipeline of the workshop to meet the inspection requirements of different high-pressure fuel lines. Step C: During the compressed air filling process, the detector monitors the flow rate changes of various compressed air types inside the high-pressure fuel line in real time through a flow sensor. The obtained flow rate data is converted into an electrical signal by the data acquisition module and processed in real time by the analysis software to obtain performance data. Step D: The performance data is sent to the control module through the signal transmission module, and the control module analyzes the performance data to obtain the test results.

7. The performance testing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step A, each component module includes the PLC host, the robot, the production line, the detector, and the signal transmission module. The PLC host, the robot, the production line, the detector, and the signal transmission module are installed in a ring-shaped integrated manner in the production workshop.

8. The performance testing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The performance data includes accuracy data and stability data, and step C specifically includes: Step C1: Design multiple sets of virtual scenarios where the high-pressure fuel lines are in a state of complete continuity, partial continuity, and complete blockage, respectively; Step C2: Activate the testing system to test the high-pressure fuel line in the virtual scenario and obtain simulated performance data; Step C3: The actual performance data of the high-pressure fuel line is also verified in a real-world scenario. The accuracy data of the verification system is obtained by comparing the simulated performance data with the actual performance data. Step C4: Control the start and stop of the dual-jaw chuck, record the trajectory deviation, test the response speed under high load operation, and obtain the stability data of the inspection system by the change of the response speed and the positioning error.

9. The performance testing method according to claim 8, characterized in that, In step C4, the stability is cooperative stability. The start and stop of the dual-jaw gripper are controlled with the same inspection cycle frequency. The positioning accuracy of the dual-jaw gripper and the trajectory deviation of the robotic arm are recorded by a laser tracker. Within the pressure range that each component module can withstand, the load is gradually increased. Combined with the vibration table to simulate mechanical impact, the response speed of each component module is obtained. The cooperative stability data of the inspection system is obtained by analyzing the changes in the response speed and positioning error.

10. The performance testing method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step D, the signal transmission module sends the performance data to the control module through the EMS system. The control module obtains fluctuation point data from the performance data and obtains the test result from the fluctuation point data.

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