Four-station synchronous grabbing robot ingot clamp and ingot stacking method thereof

Abstract

This invention belongs to the technical field of zinc smelting equipment and discloses a four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot stacking fixture and its stacking method. It includes a fixture mounting base with four double-rod cylinders mounted side-by-side at its bottom. Each cylinder has output rods at both ends connected to aluminum alloy lugs, which are slidably mounted on a guide rail via a guide rail slider. A pneumatic rotating body is fixed to the outside of each lug. The output end of the rotating body passes through the lug and is fitted with a connecting block and a zinc ingot gripper, which is located inside two opposing lugs. The pneumatic rotating body drives the gripper to rotate around a horizontal axis. A position detection switch is also installed at the bottom of the fixture mounting base. The stacking method uses the material detection switch to identify the number of zinc ingots. The robot drives the fixture to grab two or four zinc ingots, controlling the corresponding gripper to flip or not flip according to the stacking layer structure, and then aligning and stacking them using the position detection switch. This invention can simultaneously grab four zinc ingots in one operation, doubling the efficiency, and each station flips independently without occupying extra cycle time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of zinc smelting equipment technology, and in particular to a four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamping fixture and its ingot clamping method. Background Technology

[0002] On zinc smelting and casting production lines, after the cast zinc ingots are cooled and demolded, they need to be conveyed to the stacking station for stacking and bundling. Currently, the industry commonly uses automated robotic stacking, but its grippers can typically only pick up two zinc ingots at a time. In this operation, the robot needs to frequently move between the gripping table and the stacking table, resulting in numerous spindle rotations and rapid wear on key components such as the reducer. As production line capacity continues to increase, the efficiency of picking up only two ingots at a time is gradually becoming a bottleneck, leading to increased maintenance costs and downtime. Furthermore, most existing grippers lack independent ingot-flipping capabilities, or the flipping action requires additional production line cycles, limiting the flexibility of the stacking process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp and its ingot clamping method to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamping fixture, comprising a clamping mounting base connected to a six-axis flange of the robot, further includes: four double-rod cylinders arranged side-by-side and fixedly mounted on the bottom of the clamping mounting base, each double-rod cylinder corresponding to one gripping station; an aluminum alloy lug connected to the output rods at both ends of each double-rod cylinder; a guide rail slider fixedly mounted on the top of each aluminum alloy lug, the guide rail slider being slidably mounted on a guide rail located at the bottom of the clamping mounting base; and a pneumatic rotary valve fixedly mounted on the outer side of each aluminum alloy lug. The pneumatic rotating body has a rotating output end that passes through the corresponding aluminum alloy lug and is fixedly connected to a connecting block. A zinc ingot gripper is fixedly installed on each connecting block, and the connecting block and the zinc ingot gripper are located inside two opposing aluminum alloy lugs. The pneumatic rotating body can drive the connecting block and the zinc ingot gripper to rotate around a horizontal axis. The fixture also includes a position detection switch installed at the bottom of the fixture mounting base for detecting the relative position of the fixture and the ingot stacking table. The position detection switch is connected to the PLC control system signal.

[0005] The pneumatic rotating body is a rotary cylinder with a rotation angle of 180°.

[0006] A protective plate is provided at the bottom of the clamp mounting base between two adjacent double-rod cylinders, with the bottom end of the protective plate located above the zinc ingot being clamped.

[0007] The shape of the zinc ingot gripper matches the edge contour of the zinc ingot.

[0008] A method for stacking ingots using a four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamping fixture includes the following steps: Step S1: The material detection switch set on the zinc ingot gripping platform identifies the number of zinc ingots. When the number of zinc ingots reaches the preset gripping quantity, the robot drives the gripper to move above the zinc ingot gripping platform. Step S2: Control the double-outlet cylinder to open, so that the zinc ingot gripper can grab a preset number of zinc ingots, and then control the double-outlet cylinder to close and clamp. Step S3: The robot transports the zinc ingots it has grabbed to the predetermined stacking position on the stacking platform; Step S4: According to the preset stacking layer structure, control the pneumatic rotating body at the corresponding position to drive the corresponding zinc ingot gripper and the zinc ingot it holds to rotate 180° or not rotate. Step S5: The position detection switch detects the relative position of the clamp and the stacking table. After alignment, it controls the double-outlet cylinder to open and stack the zinc ingots to the designated position. Step S6: Repeat steps S1 to S5 until all zinc ingots in the current stacking layer are stacked, and continue to the next stacking layer.

[0009] In step S1, the preset number of pieces to be grasped when stacking the first layer is 2 pieces, and the preset number of pieces to be grasped when stacking the second to twelfth layers is 4 pieces.

[0010] In step S4, for the first and second layers of stacking, the pneumatic rotating bodies corresponding to all the zinc ingots being grabbed are controlled to rotate 180°, so that the large surface of the zinc ingot is flipped from downward to upward.

[0011] When stacking the third layer, none of the four zinc ingots are flipped. Step S5 specifically includes: first, controlling the double-outlet cylinder to open and placing two parallel zinc ingots on the outer side; then, controlling the robot to rotate the clamp by 90°; and then controlling the double-outlet cylinder to open again and placing two parallel zinc ingots on the inner side.

[0012] When stacking the fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth layers, the four zinc ingots grabbed are not flipped. Step S5 specifically includes: placing parallel zinc ingot blocks twice, with two blocks placed each time.

[0013] When stacking the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh layers, the stacking action is the same as that of the third layer. The stacking method also includes step S7: after stacking a bundle of zinc ingots with 12 layers, the robot's control system sends a signal to control the ingot stack conveyor line to transport the stacked ingots to the next work station.

[0014] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention employs four double-rod cylinders arranged side-by-side, each driving two opposing gripper units to simultaneously grasp four zinc ingots in a single action. Compared to conventional two-ingot gripping, this reduces the number of rotations of the robot spindle by half for the same production capacity, extending the lifespan of transmission components such as the spindle reducer and correspondingly lowering maintenance costs. Simultaneously, each of the four gripping stations is equipped with an independent pneumatic rotating body, capable of performing a 180° rotation or non-rotation of any zinc ingot during handling, depending on the requirements of the palletizing layer structure. This action is synchronized with the robot's handling, without additional time commitment to the production line. The invention features a modular design, a compact structure, low failure rate, and ease of daily maintenance. Combined with material detection switches and position detection switches, it can automatically identify the number of zinc ingots on the gripping table and accurately locate their stacking positions, achieving fully automated palletizing. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is the front view of the ingot clamp in this invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a side view of the bar clamp in this invention.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a top view of the bar clamp in this invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the code ingot layer in this invention.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a detailed schematic diagram of the stacking layers in this invention. Wherein a is the first stacking layer; b is the second stacking layer; c is the third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh stacking layers; and d is the fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth stacking layers.

[0021] Attached Figures and Their Names: 1. Robot Six-Axis Flange; 2. Fixture Mounting Base; 3. Guide Rail Slider; 4. Aluminum Alloy Ear Seat; 5. Pneumatic Rotating Body; 6. Connecting Block; 7. Zinc Ingot Gripper; 8. Zinc Ingot; 9. Double-Rod Cylinder; 10. Guard Plate; 11. Zinc Ingot Gripping Table I; 12. Zinc Ingot Gripping Table II; 13. Water-Cooled Conveyor Line; 14. Water-Cooled Tank; 15. Palletizing Control Console; 16. Ingot Stacking Fixture; 17. Robot Protective Fence; 18. Ingot Stacking Platform; 19. Robot; 20. Ingot Stacking Conveyor Line. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0023] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0024] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this invention provides a four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp, including a clamp mounting base 2. The top of the clamp mounting base 2 is fixedly connected to the robot's six-axis flange 1 by bolts, thereby suspending the entire ingot clamp 16 at the end of the robot 19's arm. Four double-rod cylinders 9 are fixedly mounted side-by-side along the horizontal direction at the bottom of the clamp mounting base 2, each corresponding to an independent gripping station. Each double-rod cylinder 9 has an output rod at both ends, and the end of each output rod is fixed with an aluminum alloy lug 4 via a threaded connection. A guide rail slider 3 is mounted on the top surface of each aluminum alloy lug 4, and the guide rail slider 3 slides in cooperation with a guide rail laid along the length direction on the bottom surface of the clamp mounting base 2, allowing the aluminum alloy lug 4 to move smoothly back and forth along the guide rail. When the double-rod cylinder 9 is energized, its output rods at both ends extend or retract simultaneously, causing the left and right aluminum alloy lugs 4 to move away from or towards each other, thus opening and closing the gripper.

[0025] A pneumatic rotating body 5 is fixedly installed on the outside of each aluminum alloy ear seat 4. In this embodiment, the pneumatic rotating body 5 is a rotary cylinder with a rotation angle set to 180°. The rotation output shaft of the pneumatic rotating body 5 passes horizontally through the through hole on the aluminum alloy ear seat 4 and is fixedly connected to a connecting block 6. A zinc ingot gripper 7 is installed at the lower end of the connecting block 6. The inner contour of the zinc ingot gripper 7 is machined into an arc surface or stepped surface that matches the edge of the zinc ingot 8 to ensure stable clamping. Both the connecting block 6 and the zinc ingot gripper 7 are located in the inner space between two opposite aluminum alloy ear seats 4. When the pneumatic rotating body 5 is activated, its output shaft drives the connecting block 6 and the zinc ingot gripper 7 to rotate around the horizontal axis.

[0026] At the bottom of the clamp mounting base 2 between two adjacent double-rod cylinders 9, a protective plate 10 is also provided. The protective plate 10 extends vertically downward, but its lowest point is located above the upper surface of the zinc ingot 8 being clamped, that is, the protective plate 10 does not contact the zinc ingot 8. This not only effectively prevents mechanical interference between the gripper units of adjacent workstations during movement, but also does not hinder the sides of two adjacent zinc ingots 8 from abutting each other, ensuring the normal contact gap between zinc ingots during stacking.

[0027] Position detection switches are installed at the four corners of the bottom of the clamp mounting base 2 to detect the relative position between the ingot stacking clamp 16 and the ingot stacking table. The position detection switches are connected to the PLC control system to provide alignment signals during stacking. At the same time, a material presence detection switch is installed on the side of the conveyor line of the zinc ingot gripping table. The material presence detection switch is used to determine whether the number of zinc ingots on the gripping table has reached a preset value. Its signal is also connected to the PLC control system to provide trigger conditions for the gripping action of the ingot stacking clamp 16.

[0028] The method for stacking ingots using the ingot clamp 16 of the present invention is as follows: like Figure 4-6 As shown, during production, the zinc ingots 8, after being cast and cooled, are continuously transported from the water-cooled conveyor line 13 to the zinc ingot gripping tables I 11 and II 12. When stacking the first layer, a material detection switch detects that two zinc ingots 8 are already on the gripping tables. The robot 19 moves the stacking clamp 16 above the zinc ingot gripping tables. The PLC controls the double-pole cylinder 9 to open, and the zinc ingot gripper 7 opens. The robot descends to align the gripper with the edge of the zinc ingot 8, and then the double-pole cylinder 9 closes, gripping the two zinc ingots 8. The robot 19 transports the zinc ingots 8 to the predetermined position on the stacking table 18. During transport, the pneumatic rotating bodies 5 corresponding to the two gripped zinc ingots 8 are controlled to rotate 180°, causing the larger surface of the zinc ingot 8 to flip from downward to upward. The robot 19 recognizes the position detection switch signal, aligns, and then controls the double-pole cylinder 9 to open, placing the zinc ingots 8 in the designated position, completing the first layer of stacking.

[0029] During the second layer of palletizing, the material detection switch identifies that there are already 4 zinc ingots 8 on the gripping platform, and the robot 19 grips the 4 zinc ingots 8. During the handling process, all 4 pneumatic rotating bodies 5 are controlled to rotate 180°, so that the large side of all zinc ingots 8 is facing upwards. After arriving at the stacking platform 18, they are aligned and the grippers open to complete the second layer of stacking.

[0030] During the third layer of stacking, the material detection switch identified four zinc ingots 8. Robot 19 picked up all four zinc ingots 8 without flipping them. Robot 19 moved the stacking fixture 16 above the stacking platform 18, first controlling the double-outlet cylinder 9 to open and place the two parallel outer zinc ingots 8; then, Robot 19 rotated the stacking fixture 16 by 90°, and again controlled the double-outlet cylinder 9 to open and place the two parallel inner zinc ingots 8. The third layer of stacking was then complete.

[0031] When stacking the fourth layer, grab four non-flipping zinc ingots (8). Robot 19 places two parallel zinc ingot blocks in two batches, without rotating them. The actions for stacking the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh layers are the same as for the third layer, and the actions for the sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth layers are the same as for the fourth layer. Repeat the above steps after completing each layer until a 12-layer bundle is stacked.

[0032] After the palletizing is completed, the control system of robot 19 sends a signal, and the palletizing conveyor line 20 transports the palletized ingots to the next station. The robot system waits for the next bundle to be palletized and repeats the process.

[0033] In this invention, the actions of all the pneumatic components are coordinated by the robot program control PLC, and the material detection and position detection signals are fed back in real time to ensure that the entire palletizing process is fully automated.

Claims

1. A four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp, comprising a clamp mounting base (2) connected to a six-axis flange (1) of the robot, characterized in that, Also includes: Four double-rod cylinders (9) are arranged side by side and fixedly installed at the bottom of the fixture mounting base (2), and each double-rod cylinder (9) corresponds to a gripping station; Each of the output rods at both ends of the dual-rod cylinder (9) is connected to an aluminum alloy lug (4); Each of the aluminum alloy ear seats (4) is fixedly mounted with a guide rail slider (3) on its top, and the guide rail slider (3) is slidably mounted on the guide rail provided at the bottom of the clamp mounting seat (2); A pneumatic rotator (5) is fixedly installed on the outside of each of the aluminum alloy ear mounts (4); The rotation output end of each of the pneumatic rotary bodies (5) passes through the corresponding aluminum alloy lug (4) and is fixedly connected to a connecting block (6); A zinc ingot gripper (7) is fixedly installed on each of the connecting blocks (6), and the connecting blocks (6) and the zinc ingot grippers (7) are located inside the two opposing aluminum alloy lugs (4); The pneumatic rotating body (5) can drive the connecting block (6) and the zinc ingot gripper (7) to rotate around the horizontal axis; The fixture also includes a position detection switch installed at the bottom of the fixture mounting base (2) for detecting the relative position of the fixture and the stacking table (18), and the position detection switch is connected to the PLC control system signal.

2. The four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic rotating body (5) is a rotary cylinder with a rotation angle of 180°.

3. The four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, A guard plate (10) is provided at the bottom of the clamp mounting base (2) between two adjacent double-rod cylinders (9), and the bottom end of the guard plate (10) is located above the zinc ingot (8) being clamped.

4. The four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape of the zinc ingot gripper (7) matches the edge profile of the zinc ingot (8).

5. A method for stacking ingots using the four-station synchronous gripping robot ingot clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: The material detection switch set on the zinc ingot gripping table identifies the number of zinc ingots (8). When the number of zinc ingots reaches the preset gripping quantity, the robot (19) drives the clamp to move above the zinc ingot gripping table. Step S2: Control the double-outlet cylinder (9) to open, so that the zinc ingot gripper (7) can grab a preset number of zinc ingots (8), and then control the double-outlet cylinder (9) to close and clamp; Step S3: The robot (19) transports the grasped zinc ingots (8) to the predetermined stacking position on the stacking table (18); Step S4: According to the preset stacking layer structure, control the pneumatic rotating body (5) at the corresponding position to drive the corresponding zinc ingot gripper (7) and the zinc ingot (8) held to rotate 180° or not rotate. Step S5: The position detection switch detects the relative position of the clamp and the stacking table (18), and after alignment, controls the double-outlet cylinder (9) to open, and stacks the zinc ingots (8) to the designated position; Step S6: Repeat steps S1 to S5 until all zinc ingots in the current stacking layer are stacked, and continue to the next stacking layer.

6. The ingot counting method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S1, the preset number of pieces to be grasped when stacking the first layer is 2 pieces, and the preset number of pieces to be grasped when stacking the second to twelfth layers is 4 pieces.

7. The ingot counting method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S4, for the first and second layers of stacking, the pneumatic rotating bodies (5) corresponding to all the zinc ingots (8) being grabbed are controlled to rotate 180°, so that the large surface of the zinc ingots (8) is flipped from downward to upward.

8. The ingot counting method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When stacking the third layer, the four zinc ingots (8) that are grabbed are not flipped. The specific steps of step S5 include: first, controlling the double-outlet cylinder (9) to open and placing two parallel zinc ingots (8) on the outside; then controlling the robot (19) to rotate the clamp by 90°; and then controlling the double-outlet cylinder (9) to open again and placing two parallel zinc ingots (8) on the inside.

9. The ingot counting method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When stacking the fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth and twelfth layers, the four zinc ingots (8) that are grabbed are not flipped. The specific steps of step S5 include: placing parallel zinc ingot blocks twice, with two blocks placed each time.

10. The ingot counting method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When stacking the fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh layers, the stacking action is the same as that of the third layer. The stacking method also includes step S7: after stacking a bundle of zinc ingots with 12 layers, the control system of the robot (19) sends a signal to control the stacking conveyor line (20) to transport the stacked ingots to the next work station.

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