Intelligent transfer system

Abstract

This invention discloses an intelligent transfer system, relating to the field of material transfer technology. The system includes: a feeding module for moving between a homogenizing furnace and a stacker unit to pick up and place aluminum bars; a sensing module deployed at key workstations to collect status information; a wireless communication module to establish data connections between various devices; and a control module integrated into the feeding module. The control module receives status information via wireless communication, runs an intelligent scheduling algorithm to dynamically calculate the optimal picking, placing, and standby workstations, and then controls the feeding module to complete automated transfer. By adopting the above scheme, this invention achieves three major benefits: constructing a wireless collaborative network, breaking down information silos, and achieving global status awareness; using the mobile feeding module as the control core, integrating intelligent algorithms, reducing manual reliance, and improving equipment coordination accuracy; and achieving full-process intelligentization and maximizing efficiency of the transfer process through dynamic optimization scheduling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material handling technology, and in particular to an intelligent handling system. Background Technology

[0002] In the aluminum rod processing industry, achieving efficient and automated material transfer between homogenizing furnaces and stacker cranes is a key step in improving overall production efficiency and reducing operating costs. With the increasing level of industrial automation, the demand for intelligent and unmanned operation of transfer systems is becoming increasingly urgent.

[0003] However, the existing transfer system has the following drawbacks: the control systems of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker unit are independent, and material status information cannot be shared; the transfer path planning and equipment coordination rely on manual judgment and operation, resulting in low automation. At the same time, the equipment cannot cooperate effectively, leading to a poor aluminum rod transfer process and low overall efficiency.

[0004] In response to the aforementioned technologies, a solution is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an intelligent transfer system to solve the problems of information silos, reliance on manual labor, and low collaborative efficiency in the prior art.

[0006] This application provides an intelligent transfer system, employing the following technical solution: An intelligent transfer system for connecting and coordinating the control of a homogenizing furnace group and a stacker unit, wherein the homogenizing furnace group includes a homogenizing furnace, a cooling chamber, and a feeding station, and the stacker unit includes a stacker crane, a destabilizer, and a storage station, characterized in that the system includes:

[0007] Feeding module: configured to move between the storage station of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker group to perform aluminum rod picking and placing operations;

[0008] Sensing modules: deployed at key workstations of the homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to collect status information of each workstation in real time;

[0009] Wireless communication module: Deployed on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to establish data connection between the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, and transmit the status information and control commands;

[0010] Control module: integrated into the feeding module, and communicatively connected to the wireless communication module and the sensing module;

[0011] The control module is configured to: receive the status information from the sensing module through the wireless communication module, execute an intelligent scheduling algorithm based on the status information, generate control instructions for the movement path and operation of the feeding module, and send them to relevant equipment through the wireless communication module to realize the automated transfer of the aluminum rod.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the control module is integrated into the feeding module body that performs the transfer task, so that it is no longer a simple execution end, but is upgraded into an intelligent mobile control center with autonomous decision-making capabilities. The feeding module receives status information collected in real time by the sensing modules widely deployed in the key work positions of the homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit through the wireless communication module, thereby realizing real-time perception and centralized processing of the overall production status.

[0013] Based on this complete process information, the intelligent scheduling algorithm of the control module can dynamically perform calculations and decisions. For example, it can intelligently determine the optimal material picking and unloading sequence and path, generate corresponding control commands, and then send them to the feeding module itself and other related equipment through the same wireless communication channel, driving the feeding module to automatically complete the entire operation process from picking up materials, transporting them to unloading them, and finally moving them to the standby station.

[0014] The sensing module includes a photoelectric sensor and a temperature sensor. The photoelectric sensor is installed at the outlet of the homogenizing furnace and the cooling chamber to detect whether the aluminum rod has been discharged from the furnace and whether cooling is complete. The photoelectric sensor is also installed at the discharge station to detect whether the discharge station is occupied. The temperature sensor is installed on the homogenizing furnace to monitor the process status inside the homogenizing furnace.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, and addressing the core status monitoring needs in the aluminum rod transfer process, photoelectric sensors are installed at the homogenizing furnace outlet and cooling chamber to directly detect the physical position and movement status of the aluminum rods. This accurately determines whether the aluminum rods have completed the furnace exit and cooling processes, providing accurate, real-time, and multi-dimensional field data for the intelligent scheduling algorithm of the control module. In particular, by combining the physical position status of the aluminum rods with the process temperature status of the homogenizing furnace, the system can accurately determine the timing for aluminum rod transfer and the availability of the workstation, laying a reliable data perception foundation for achieving fully automated intelligent scheduling and seamless transfer operations.

[0016] The wireless communication module adopts an industrial-grade Wi-Fi architecture compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The Wi-Fi architecture includes at least one fixed industrial Wi-Fi access point and supports operation on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution and selecting industrial-grade equipment conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard to build a wireless network, and providing wide signal coverage through fixed industrial Wi-Fi access points, a stable data connection can be established between the mobile feeding module and the fixed homogenizing furnace and stacker unit in the complex industrial plant environment. This provides a stable, high-speed and interference-resistant data channel for the system to monitor the status of each equipment station in real time and transmit control commands, ensuring the timeliness of status information upload and the accuracy of control command issuance. This lays a solid communication foundation for the collaborative control and real-time response of the entire intelligent transfer system.

[0018] The intelligent scheduling algorithm is specifically configured as follows:

[0019] S1. Identify the homogenizing furnace that is about to complete the heating process based on the received status information, and calculate the feeding station corresponding to the identified homogenizing furnace as the current optimal material taking station X1;

[0020] S2. Based on the received status information, traverse the occupancy status of the storage station and calculate the first idle or the storage station with the highest priority as the current optimal unloading station X2.

[0021] S3. Based on the overall system status, the position that does not affect the operation of other equipment and has the lowest energy consumption is calculated as the current optimal standby station X3. The control module controls the feeding module to move to the stations X1, X2 and X3 in sequence.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the control module, based on the global real-time status information gathered by the wireless communication module, executes a three-step calculation and decision-making process according to a preset logical sequence. First, the algorithm actively identifies the homogenizing furnace that is about to complete the heating process. By comprehensively analyzing its process status and sensor signals, it accurately calculates the current optimal material feeding station X1, ensuring that the feeding module can be in place in advance for seamless connection. Then, the algorithm traverses the real-time occupancy status of all material storage stations and intelligently selects the current optimal material discharging station X2 according to a preset strategy, providing a target point for efficient material flow. Finally, the algorithm calculates the standby station X3 that does not affect other equipment and has the lowest energy consumption based on the overall system operating status, guiding the feeding module to enter an efficient waiting state after completing its work. This algorithm transforms the scheduling decision, which originally relied on human experience, into automated calculation based on real-time data, ensuring that the movement path and operation instructions of the feeding module always maintain the best match with the actual system status. It achieves intelligent and optimized operation of the entire process from task triggering and execution to standby, significantly improving transfer efficiency and system synergy.

[0023] The step of calculating the current optimal material handling station X1 also includes determining whether the process in the homogenizing furnace has ended based on the data from the sensing module, and confirming that the aluminum rod is in a transferable state by combining the signals from the sensing module.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, after the control module identifies the homogenizing furnace that is about to complete the heating process by executing the intelligent scheduling algorithm, it does not immediately identify it as the material picking station. Instead, it further comprehensively analyzes and verifies the information from multiple sources of sensors. Specifically, the control module not only relies on the internal temperature data of the homogenizing furnace monitored by the temperature sensor to determine whether the heating process has indeed reached the end standard, but also refers to the photoelectric sensor signals set at the outlet of the homogenizing furnace and the cooling chamber to cross-verify whether the actual position and state of the aluminum rod is in a ready state that can be safely and effectively transferred.

[0025] The step of calculating the current optimal unloading station X2 adopts a station scheduling algorithm based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) strategy. The expression of the station scheduling algorithm is as follows:

[0026]

[0027] in, This represents the set of all available storage stations. express The i-th idle storage station in the process; express The duration from the most recent occupied state to the current idle state; This indicates that the function The workstation that gets the maximum value The workstation scheduling algorithm selects the storage workstation with the longest idle time from all the idle storage workstations as the current optimal unloading workstation X2.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, the first-in-first-out (FIFO) concept in material management is applied to the management of storage station resources. The algorithm automatically calculates and prioritizes the station with the longest idle time among all idle storage stations as the target station for this material release operation. The algorithm systematically traverses all idle stations and compares their idle time through the logic defined by its mathematical expression, thereby ensuring that the station with the longest idle time can be put into use first.

[0029] This strategic workstation allocation mechanism can effectively promote a more balanced recycling of all storage workstations within the system, avoiding uneven resource utilization where some workstations are idle for a long time while others are frequently used. It optimizes the overall utilization rate of workstation resources and helps maintain the consistency of the turnover sequence of aluminum rods in the storage process, laying the foundation for the orderly progress of subsequent process steps.

[0030] The feeding module also includes a positioning and navigation unit, which provides real-time location data and workstation coordinates to plan a collision-free path for the feeding module to move from its current position to X1, X2 and X3.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, this unit can provide the moving feeding module with accurate real-time self-position data, and combined with the coordinate information of each workstation pre-stored or acquired in real time in the system, it can plan specific and feasible collision-free movement paths from the current position for the target workstations X1, X2 and X3 calculated by the intelligent scheduling algorithm. This enables the feeding module not only to know which workstation it needs to go to, but also to know how to reach the workstation safely and efficiently. It organically connects the upper-level intelligent scheduling decision with the lower-level movement path execution. Through accurate positioning and path planning capabilities, it ensures that the feeding module can move autonomously, safely and accurately to the target workstation in a complex factory environment.

[0032] The control module includes an intelligent transfer method for the aluminum rod, which enables the system to operate. The intelligent transfer method is as follows:

[0033] A1. The real-time status information of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker unit is continuously collected through the sensing module;

[0034] A2. The status information is aggregated to the control module on the feeding module through the wireless communication network of the wireless communication module;

[0035] A3. The control module runs the intelligent scheduling algorithm to calculate the material picking station X1, material dispensing station X2 and standby station X3 in sequence.

[0036] A4. Control the feeding module to move sequentially to the workstations X1, X2 and X3, and automatically perform the operations of picking up materials, discharging materials and standing by.

[0037] By adopting the above technical solution, the entire transfer process is divided into four sequentially connected and cyclically executed automated stages: First, distributed sensor modules continuously collect real-time status information of key stations in the homogenizing furnace and stacker unit, providing a comprehensive data foundation for system decision-making; then, these status information are reliably aggregated to the control module on the mobile feeding module through an industrial wireless communication network, realizing centralized data processing and mobile decision-making; next, the control module runs an intelligent scheduling algorithm to dynamically and sequentially calculate the optimal material picking station X1, material discharging station X2, and standby station X3 based on real-time information, completing the transformation from data to decision; finally, the control module drives the feeding module to move sequentially to each calculated station and automatically execute material picking, discharging, and standby operations, completing the closed loop from decision-making to execution.

[0038] The entire process of aluminum rod transfer, including status sensing, information transmission, intelligent decision-making, and physical execution, is integrated into a continuous automated closed loop that requires no human intervention. This enables the system to autonomously, intelligently, and smoothly complete all transfer tasks of aluminum rods from tapping into the furnace to storage, truly achieving complete intelligentization of the transfer process.

[0039] The wireless communication module adopts a redundant communication architecture. The wireless communication modules on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker group are configured to automatically switch to another Wi-Fi access point with the best signal when the signal strength of the current access point is detected to be lower than a predetermined threshold.

[0040] By adopting the above technical solution, an automatic access point switching function is configured in the wireless communication modules of the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group, and stacker unit, enabling them to continuously monitor the signal strength with the currently connected Wi-Fi access point. When the signal strength is detected to be lower than a predetermined threshold, indicating that the communication quality may deteriorate, these modules will not passively maintain the connection or wait for interruption, but will actively and automatically scan the surrounding environment and quickly switch to another available Wi-Fi access point with the best signal strength. This design ensures that signal fluctuations or temporary failures of a single access point will not cause the interruption of the entire communication link, greatly enhancing the reliability and robustness of the system's wireless communication network.

[0041] The control module executes the intelligent scheduling algorithm in an event-driven manner, rather than by polling at fixed intervals. When the sensing module detects a change in the status information of any workstation, it immediately sends the change information to the control module via the wireless communication module. The control module then triggers the calculation process of the intelligent scheduling algorithm to dynamically update the path and task planning of the feeding module.

[0042] By adopting the above technical solution, the execution of the intelligent scheduling algorithm by the control module does not rely on polling at fixed time intervals, but is triggered by actual events of changes in the status of the workstations. When the sensing modules deployed at each key workstation detect changes in the status information of any workstation, such as material arrival, equipment idleness, or process completion, they will immediately send this change event as a signal to the control module on the feeding module via the wireless communication module. After receiving the event signal, the control module will then trigger the complete calculation process of the intelligent scheduling algorithm.

[0043] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0044] 1. By constructing a collaborative control network based on wireless communication, information barriers were broken down, enabling global status awareness. Industrial-grade wireless communication modules were used to connect the previously independent homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit into a unified network. This allows status information collected by sensors at each key workstation to be transmitted to the control core in real time and seamlessly, fundamentally solving the problem of information silos and providing a data foundation for intelligent decision-making.

[0045] 2. By using a heavy-duty feeding vehicle as the control core and integrating an intelligent scheduling algorithm, the control module is integrated into the mobile feeding module, making it the intelligent scheduling hub. This not only eliminates the dependence on manual operation and reduces manpower and error costs, but also achieves efficient and precise collaboration between equipment.

[0046] 3. Through a dynamically optimized intelligent scheduling algorithm, the entire transfer process is made intelligent and efficient, ensuring that transfer tasks are closely connected and the paths are optimal, thereby significantly improving the overall collaborative operation efficiency and continuous operation capability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is the system architecture diagram of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the system layout effect of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the intelligent transfer method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1 - Appendix Figure 3 This application will be described in further detail below.

[0051] This application discloses an intelligent transfer system.

[0052] An intelligent transfer system is used to connect and coordinate the control of a homogenizing furnace group and a stacker unit. The homogenizing furnace group includes a homogenizing furnace, a cooling chamber, and a feeding station. The stacker unit includes a stacker crane, a destabilizer, and a storage station. The system is characterized by comprising:

[0053] Feeding module: configured to move between the storage station of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker group to perform aluminum rod picking and placing operations;

[0054] Sensing modules: deployed at key workstations of the homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to collect status information of each workstation in real time;

[0055] Wireless communication module: Deployed on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to establish data connection between the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, and transmit the status information and control commands;

[0056] Control module: integrated into the feeding module, and communicatively connected to the wireless communication module and the sensing module;

[0057] The control module is configured to: receive the status information from the sensing module through the wireless communication module, execute an intelligent scheduling algorithm based on the status information, generate control instructions for the movement path and operation of the feeding module, and send them to relevant equipment through the wireless communication module to realize the automated transfer of the aluminum rod.

[0058] Specifically, the feeding module uses an electric heavy-duty vehicle with autonomous walking and lifting functions. It moves along a preset track or through a path planned by the navigation unit between the feeding station of the homogenizing furnace group and the storage station of the stacker group. Its robotic arm or fork mechanism is responsible for performing the specific picking and placing operations of aluminum bars.

[0059] The sensor module is implemented by installing a through-beam photoelectric sensor at the outlet of the homogenizing furnace to detect the blocking signal at the moment the aluminum rod exits the furnace, installing a reflective photoelectric sensor inside the cooling chamber to monitor whether the aluminum rod has reached the cooling position, installing a limit switch or photoelectric sensor at the material storage station to detect the station occupancy status, and embedding a thermocouple temperature sensor inside the homogenizing furnace body to collect the process temperature in real time.

[0060] The wireless communication module is implemented by uniformly deploying multiple industrial-grade Wi-Fi access points supporting multiple frequency bands at a high position in the factory, and installing matching industrial wireless clients on the feeding module vehicle body and fixed equipment such as homogenizers and stackers, thereby forming a wireless local area network covering the entire work area.

[0061] The control module is implemented by integrating an industrial-grade programmable logic controller or embedded industrial control computer into the vehicle body of the feeding module. The controller is directly connected to the vehicle body's drive unit, navigation unit, and robotic arm control system through a hardware interface, and is also connected to a wireless client inside the vehicle body through an Ethernet interface.

[0062] As the mobile control core, the control module continuously receives status data streams from various sensors via a wireless network and runs an embedded intelligent scheduling algorithm. This algorithm dynamically generates a control sequence containing the target workstation coordinates and action commands based on real-time data. Then, it sends out commands involving fixed equipment, such as requests to open the homogenizing furnace, via the wireless network and directly controls the movement and operation of the feeding module itself. This achieves centralized decision-making and distributed control of the entire aluminum rod transfer process. This design with the mobile unit as the core effectively reduces the system's dependence on a fixed central control room and improves the collaborative efficiency of decision-making and execution.

[0063] The sensing module includes a photoelectric sensor and a temperature sensor. The photoelectric sensor is installed at the outlet of the homogenizing furnace and the cooling chamber to detect whether the aluminum rod has been discharged from the furnace and whether cooling is complete. The photoelectric sensor is also installed at the discharge station to detect whether the discharge station is occupied. The temperature sensor is installed on the homogenizing furnace to monitor the process status inside the homogenizing furnace.

[0064] Specifically, in the implementation of the sensing module, the photoelectric sensor adopts a high-temperature resistant through-beam photoelectric sensor, model Yupu Electric series, which is installed in pairs on both sides of the homogenizing furnace outlet door frame. When the aluminum rod passes through the furnace, it blocks the light beam and generates a detection signal. Reflective photoelectric sensors are installed at the entrance and key positions inside the cooling chamber to confirm whether the aluminum rod has entered and stayed at the cooling station by detecting the reflected light on the surface of the aluminum rod. Limit switches or simple photoelectric sensors are installed at the storage station of the stacker unit to determine whether the station is occupied by physical contact or light beam blocking.

[0065] The temperature sensors employ K-type thermocouples, which are directly inserted into pre-drilled temperature sensing holes in the homogenizing furnace wall. The sensing end is positioned close to the heating area of ​​the aluminum rods inside the furnace to accurately reflect the process temperature. These sensors undergo preliminary conversion between the acquired digital and analog signals via the equipment's I / O module, and then are connected to wireless communication modules deployed on the homogenizing furnace, cooling chamber, and stacker crane.

[0066] The wireless communication module adopts an industrial-grade Wi-Fi architecture compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The Wi-Fi architecture includes at least one fixed industrial Wi-Fi access point and supports operation on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands.

[0067] Specifically, the wireless communication module is implemented by uniformly deploying multiple industrial-grade Wi-Fi access points on high pillars or roof structures within the factory, based on equipment layout and area size. These access point devices have robust housings and wide operating temperature characteristics to adapt to industrial environments. Each access point is configured to support 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands and has automatic frequency band switching enabled. Matching industrial wireless client modules are installed on the feeding module vehicle body, each homogenizer control cabinet, stacker crane, and destacking crane controllers. These client modules have built-in dual network interfaces and can simultaneously monitor the signal connection quality with multiple access points.

[0068] The intelligent scheduling algorithm is specifically configured as follows:

[0069] S1. Identify the homogenizing furnace that is about to complete the heating process based on the received status information, and calculate the feeding station corresponding to the identified homogenizing furnace as the current optimal material taking station X1;

[0070] S2. Based on the received status information, traverse the occupancy status of the storage station and calculate the first idle or the storage station with the highest priority as the current optimal unloading station X2.

[0071] S3. Based on the overall system status, the position that does not affect the operation of other equipment and has the lowest energy consumption is calculated as the current optimal standby station X3. The control module controls the feeding module to move to the stations X1, X2 and X3 in sequence.

[0072] Specifically, a dedicated scheduling software is pre-installed in the control module of the feeding module. This software continuously receives real-time data streams from each sensor module through a wireless communication module. Its operation process is first manifested in the software logic fusing and analyzing the temperature data of the homogenizing furnace and the signal from the photoelectric sensor at the furnace outlet. When the temperature reaches the process set value and the photoelectric sensor detects that the aluminum rod is in the position to be taken out, the algorithm determines that the furnace is the homogenizing furnace that is about to be taken out and marks its corresponding feeding station as the taking out station X1.

[0073] The algorithm then iterates through the status signals of photoelectric sensors or limit switches at all storage stations, and calculates the first detected idle station or a specific idle station selected according to the preset strategy as the unloading station X2.

[0074] Finally, based on the factory's electronic map and the location of the feeding module itself, the algorithm selects a location that does not affect the passage of other equipment and is close to the next expected work point as the standby station X3;

[0075] Through the aforementioned continuous logical judgment steps, the algorithm dynamically generates a complete operation path instruction containing X1, X2, and X3, and sends it to the drive and execution mechanism of the feeding module, thereby realizing intelligent planning and automatic execution of the transfer task and effectively improving the continuity and efficiency of the operation process.

[0076] The step of calculating the current optimal material handling station X1 also includes determining whether the process in the homogenizing furnace has ended based on the data from the sensing module, and confirming that the aluminum rod is in a transferable state by combining the signals from the sensing module.

[0077] Specifically, during the process of determining the material handling station X1, the algorithm program built into the control module simultaneously monitors two key data sources: one is the real-time temperature data transmitted by the K-type thermocouple temperature sensor embedded in the homogenizing furnace wall, and the other is the status signal of the high-temperature resistant through-beam photoelectric sensor installed at the homogenizing furnace outlet. The specific implementation principle is that the algorithm does not solely rely on the temperature reaching a set threshold to determine the end of the process, but rather establishes a comprehensive judgment logic:

[0078] Once the temperature data remains above the process completion threshold and stabilizes, the algorithm will further query the signal status of the outlet photoelectric sensor. Only when the photoelectric sensor simultaneously detects that there is an aluminum rod in the waiting position at the furnace outlet will the control module finally confirm that the aluminum rod in the homogenizing furnace has not only completed the heating process, but is also in a transferable state that can be safely grasped by the robotic arm, and then calculate it as the current optimal material handling station X1.

[0079] The step of calculating the current optimal unloading station X2 adopts a station scheduling algorithm based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) strategy. The expression of the station scheduling algorithm is as follows:

[0080]

[0081] in, This represents the set of all available storage stations. express The i-th idle storage station in the process; express The duration from the most recent occupied state to the current idle state; This indicates that the function The workstation that gets the maximum value The workstation scheduling algorithm selects the storage workstation with the longest idle time from all the idle storage workstations as the current optimal unloading workstation X2.

[0082] Specifically, during the calculation of the optimal material feeding station X2, the software algorithm of the control module maintains a dynamically updated storage station status table. This table records in real time the occupancy status of each storage station fed back by the photoelectric sensor and the timestamp of its most recent status change. When it is necessary to determine X2, the algorithm first selects all stations whose current status is idle from the status table to form an idle station set. Then, it iterates through the set and calculates the idle time of each idle station from the most recent time when it changed from occupied to idle to the current time.

[0083] Its core implementation principle is that the algorithm embeds first-in-first-out scheduling logic. Specifically, the algorithm compares the idle time of all idle workstations and actively selects the workstation with the longest idle time as the material feeding workstation X2 for this time.

[0084] The feeding module also includes a positioning and navigation unit, which provides real-time location data and workstation coordinates to plan a collision-free path for the feeding module to move from its current position to X1, X2 and X3.

[0085] Specifically, in the implementation of the positioning and navigation unit of the feeding module, ultra-wideband UWB high-precision positioning technology is adopted. Several UWB positioning base stations are deployed in the factory to form a positioning network, and UWB positioning tags are installed on the top of the feeding module vehicle. At the same time, LiDAR sensors are integrated at the front and rear of the vehicle to scan the outline of the surrounding environment in real time.

[0086] The positioning and navigation unit acquires the centimeter-level real-time coordinates of the feeding module using UWB technology and matches and calibrates these coordinates with the pre-stored coordinate maps of each workstation in the system. After the control module calculates the target workstation X1, X2, or X3, the navigation unit dynamically generates an optimal collision-free path from the current position to the target workstation based on the real-time position and target coordinates, combined with the real-time point cloud data obtained from the LiDAR scan, using Dijkstra's path planning algorithm. This path information is transmitted in real time to the drive control system of the feeding module, guiding the vehicle to move precisely along the planned path and actively avoiding sudden obstacles along the way.

[0087] The control module includes an intelligent transfer method for the aluminum rod, which enables the system to operate. The intelligent transfer method is as follows:

[0088] A1. The real-time status information of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker unit is continuously collected through the sensing module;

[0089] A2. The status information is aggregated to the control module on the feeding module through the wireless communication network of the wireless communication module;

[0090] A3. The control module runs the intelligent scheduling algorithm to calculate the material picking station X1, material dispensing station X2 and standby station X3 in sequence.

[0091] A4. Control the feeding module to move sequentially to the workstations X1, X2 and X3, and automatically perform the operations of picking up materials, discharging materials and standing by.

[0092] Specifically, in step A1, photoelectric sensors and temperature sensors deployed at the homogenizing furnace outlet, cooling chamber and storage station continuously collect equipment status and aluminum rod position information, and convert these real-time data into electrical signals.

[0093] Subsequently, in step A2, these electrical signals are transmitted in real time and reliably to the control module on the moving feeding module via the device's local wireless communication module and the industrial Wi-Fi network deployed in the factory, thereby realizing the centralized aggregation of the entire system's status information.

[0094] Step A3 involves the control module executing the core intelligent scheduling algorithm. Based on the received global real-time data, the algorithm performs logical judgments and calculations in sequence to dynamically determine the optimal material picking station X1, material unloading station X2, and standby station X3, thereby generating a specific task sequence.

[0095] In the final step A4, the control module converts the task sequence into control instructions, driving the walking mechanism and execution mechanism of the feeding module to move precisely to workstations X1, X2 and X3 in sequence, and automatically completes the entire set of operations of picking up materials, transporting materials, discharging materials and entering standby mode.

[0096] The wireless communication module adopts a redundant communication architecture. The wireless communication modules on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker group are configured to automatically switch to another Wi-Fi access point with the best signal when the signal strength of the current access point is detected to be lower than a predetermined threshold.

[0097] Specifically, the implementation of the redundant communication architecture involves deploying at least two industrial-grade Wi-Fi access points in each wireless coverage area within the factory and ensuring that their signal ranges overlap, while installing industrial wireless client modules that support roaming protocols on the feeding module vehicle body and fixed equipment.

[0098] The client module continuously monitors the signal strength between itself and the currently connected access point. When the signal strength is detected to be lower than the preset handover threshold, the client module will not wait for the connection to be interrupted, but will immediately start a scanning program to search for the signal strength and service set identifier of other access points within range. The intelligent handover algorithm built into the client module will actively compare the signal quality of all available access points and automatically and quickly switch the network connection to the target access point with the strongest signal. The entire handover process is completed quickly at the transport layer and will not cause any interruption to the data transmission of upper layer applications.

[0099] The control module executes the intelligent scheduling algorithm in an event-driven manner, rather than by polling at fixed intervals. When the sensing module detects a change in the status information of any workstation, it immediately sends the change information to the control module via the wireless communication module. The control module then triggers the calculation process of the intelligent scheduling algorithm to dynamically update the path and task planning of the feeding module.

[0100] Specifically, the event-driven mechanism is implemented by configuring a hardware interrupt trigger function at the signal access terminal of the sensor module at each critical workstation, and setting the execution program of the intelligent scheduling algorithm in the control module as a high-priority background interrupt service routine. When the photoelectric sensor at any workstation detects that the aluminum rod has arrived or left, or the temperature sensor detects that the process temperature has reached the threshold, the change in state will immediately generate a hardware interrupt signal. This signal is packaged into an event data packet with the highest priority and sent to the control module of the feeding module through the wireless communication module. After receiving the event packet, the processor of the control module will immediately interrupt any secondary tasks that may be currently being executed, and call the interrupt service routine of the intelligent scheduling algorithm to start a new round of calculation. Hardware interrupts and event signals replace software periodic queries, so that any actual change in the state of any workstation can become an immediate driving force to trigger the system to replan and respond.

[0101] The implementation principle of this application embodiment is as follows: by deploying photoelectric sensors and temperature sensors at key nodes such as the homogenizing furnace outlet, cooling chamber and material storage station, the system can collect multi-dimensional data such as aluminum rod position, equipment status and process temperature in real time, and wirelessly transmit the data to the control center with the help of industrial Wi-Fi network, thereby building a real-time status perception network covering the entire transfer process, providing a reliable data foundation for intelligent decision-making.

[0102] After acquiring real-time data, the system enters an event-driven intelligent decision-making layer. The intelligent scheduling algorithm in the control module dynamically executes calculations such as material handling station determination, material unloading station optimization, and path planning based on sensor-triggered event signals, such as aluminum rod tapping and station idleness. This process employs an interrupt response mechanism to ensure that any state change immediately triggers algorithm updates, transforming the system from fixed-period queries to instant event responses, keeping system decisions synchronized with the actual situation on-site.

[0103] The ultimate principle is embodied in the closed-loop automation execution layer. The control module converts the decision results into specific control commands, which drive the walking mechanism, navigation unit, and execution mechanism of the feeding module through a wireless network to accurately complete a series of operations such as moving to the target workstation, grabbing aluminum bars, transporting and placing them, and returning to the standby point. The entire execution process requires no manual intervention, forming a complete closed loop of "state perception - intelligent decision-making - automatic execution," truly realizing the intelligentization of the entire aluminum bar transfer process.

[0104] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Identical components are represented by the same reference numerals. Therefore, all equivalent changes made to the structure, shape, and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An intelligent transfer system for connecting and coordinating the control of a homogenizing furnace group and a stacker unit, wherein the homogenizing furnace group includes a homogenizing furnace, a cooling chamber, and a feeding station, and the stacker unit includes a stacker crane, a destabilizer, and a storage station, characterized in that, The system includes: Feeding module: configured to move between the storage station of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker group to perform aluminum rod picking and placing operations; Sensing modules: deployed at key workstations of the homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to collect status information of each workstation in real time; Wireless communication module: Deployed on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, used to establish data connection between the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker unit, and transmit the status information and control commands; Control module: integrated into the feeding module, and communicatively connected to the wireless communication module and the sensing module; The control module is configured to: receive the status information from the sensing module through the wireless communication module, execute an intelligent scheduling algorithm based on the status information, generate control instructions for the movement path and operation of the feeding module, and send them to relevant equipment through the wireless communication module to realize the automated transfer of the aluminum rod.

2. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing module includes a photoelectric sensor and a temperature sensor. The photoelectric sensor is installed at the outlet of the homogenizing furnace and the cooling chamber to detect whether the aluminum rod has been discharged from the furnace and whether cooling is complete. The photoelectric sensor is also installed at the discharge station to detect whether the discharge station is occupied. The temperature sensor is installed on the homogenizing furnace to monitor the process status inside the homogenizing furnace.

3. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wireless communication module adopts an industrial-grade Wi-Fi architecture compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The Wi-Fi architecture includes at least one fixed industrial Wi-Fi access point and supports operation on the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands.

4. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent scheduling algorithm is specifically configured as follows: S1. Identify the homogenizing furnace that is about to complete the heating process based on the received status information, and calculate the feeding station corresponding to the identified homogenizing furnace as the current optimal material taking station X1; S2. Based on the received status information, traverse the occupancy status of the storage station and calculate the first idle or the storage station with the highest priority as the current optimal unloading station X2. S3. Based on the overall system status, the position that does not affect the operation of other equipment and has the lowest energy consumption is calculated as the current optimal standby station X3. The control module controls the feeding module to move to the stations X1, X2 and X3 in sequence.

5. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of calculating the current optimal material handling station X1 also includes determining whether the process in the homogenizing furnace has ended based on the data from the sensing module, and confirming that the aluminum rod is in a transferable state by combining the signals from the sensing module.

6. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of calculating the current optimal unloading station X2 adopts a station scheduling algorithm based on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) strategy. The expression of the station scheduling algorithm is as follows: in, This represents the set of all available storage stations. express The i-th idle storage station in the process; express The duration from the most recent occupied state to the current idle state; This indicates that the function The workstation that gets the maximum value The workstation scheduling algorithm selects the storage workstation with the longest idle time from all the idle storage workstations as the current optimal unloading workstation X2.

7. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding module also includes a positioning and navigation unit, which provides real-time location data and workstation coordinates to plan a collision-free path for the feeding module to move from its current position to X1, X2 and X3.

8. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control module includes an intelligent transfer method for the aluminum rod, which enables the system to operate. The intelligent transfer method is as follows: A1. The real-time status information of the homogenizing furnace group and the stacker unit is continuously collected through the sensing module; A2. The status information is aggregated to the control module on the feeding module through the wireless communication network of the wireless communication module; A3. The control module runs the intelligent scheduling algorithm to calculate the material picking station X1, material dispensing station X2 and standby station X3 in sequence. A4. Control the feeding module to move sequentially to the workstations X1, X2 and X3, and automatically perform the operations of picking up materials, discharging materials and standing by.

9. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wireless communication module adopts a redundant communication architecture. The wireless communication modules on the feeding module, homogenizing furnace group and stacker group are configured to automatically switch to another Wi-Fi access point with the best signal when the signal strength of the current access point is detected to be lower than a predetermined threshold.

10. The intelligent transfer system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control module executes the intelligent scheduling algorithm in an event-driven manner, rather than by polling at fixed intervals. When the sensing module detects a change in the status information of any workstation, it immediately sends the change information to the control module via the wireless communication module. The control module then triggers the calculation process of the intelligent scheduling algorithm to dynamically update the path and task planning of the feeding module.

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