Polishing line and its control methods

Abstract

This invention discloses a polishing line and its control method, relating to the field of polishing technology. The polishing line includes multiple polishing devices, with each pair of adjacent polishing devices connected by a connecting mechanism. Each polishing device includes a mounting base, a transfer assembly, and a polishing assembly. The transfer assembly includes a transfer section for picking up and transferring workpieces, and the polishing assembly includes a polishing disc. The connecting mechanism includes a guide bracket, a transfer table, a drive structure, and a sensor. The guide bracket's horizontally opposite ends are connected to two adjacent mounting bases. The transfer table is movably mounted on the guide bracket in the horizontal direction. The sensor is located on the transfer table and detects its position and the number of workpieces on it. Through signal interaction between the transfer section of the transfer assembly, the sensor, and the control device, automatic loading and unloading and product turnover between adjacent polishing devices are achieved. Multiple polishing devices are connected in series through multiple connecting mechanisms, which serve as workpiece transport mechanisms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of polishing technology, and particularly to polishing lines and methods for controlling polishing lines. Background Technology

[0002] Individual polishing machines are typically very large and complex in structure. Each polishing process, after polishing a batch of products, requires removing the product from the machine, adding new material, and then transferring it back to the machine. This repetitive cycle concentrates human resources in this stage, significantly increasing the overall cost of labor investment in the project. Furthermore, the frequent manual loading and unloading operations and workpiece transfers inevitably increase the probability of products being exposed to the so-called "three damages"—bumps, scratches, and contamination—posing a potential threat to the yield and reliability of the final product. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to propose a polishing line and a control method for the polishing line, which realizes automatic product turnover by connecting multiple polishing mechanisms in series, thereby meeting the process requirements of continuous polishing.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a polishing line comprising multiple polishing devices, wherein each pair of adjacent polishing devices is connected by a connecting mechanism, wherein: The polishing apparatus includes a mounting base, a transfer assembly, and a polishing assembly. The transfer assembly includes a transfer section that is movable relative to the mounting base in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. The transfer section is used to pick up and transfer workpieces. The polishing assembly includes a polishing disc that is rotatably mounted on the mounting base about an axis extending in a horizontal direction. The material feeding mechanism includes a guide bracket, a transfer table, a drive structure, and a sensor. The guide bracket is connected to two adjacent mounting seats at opposite ends in the horizontal direction. The transfer table is movably mounted on the guide bracket in the horizontal direction. The drive structure is drivenly connected to the transfer table so that the transfer table has two stopping positions close to the two corresponding mounting seats during the movement. The sensor is located on the transfer table and is used to detect the position of the transfer table and the number of workpieces on the transfer table. The polishing line also includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the transfer assembly, the polishing assembly, the sensor, and the drive structure.

[0005] In one embodiment, among the plurality of polishing devices, one of the polishing devices located at the edge or the polishing device located in the middle is the starting polishing device.

[0006] In one embodiment, the material guide bracket is provided with a guide rail, and the material transfer table is slidably mounted on the guide rail; and / or, The material guide bracket includes two support parts and a fixing seat connecting the upper ends of the two support parts. The two support parts are respectively disposed on two adjacent mounting seats, and the height of each support part is adjustable in the vertical direction; and / or, The transfer table has a positioning structure for supporting the inner side of the workpiece.

[0007] In one embodiment, the transfer assembly includes a robotic arm, one end of which is a mounting end for mounting to the mounting base, and the other end of which is a multi-degree-of-freedom movable end forming the transfer section; and / or, The transfer unit is provided with an inner support structure, which has a tightened state that abuts against the inside of the workpiece and a separated state that releases the workpiece.

[0008] In one embodiment, the polishing apparatus further includes a vision inspection device and a storage platform disposed on the mounting base. The control device is electrically connected to the vision inspection device and is used to control the transfer unit to transfer the workpiece to the storage platform or the transfer table based on the detection result of the vision inspection device.

[0009] In one embodiment, each of the polishing devices comprises two polishing discs, which are spaced apart horizontally and rotate coaxially, wherein the roughness of the working surface of one polishing disc is greater than the roughness of the working surface of the other polishing disc; and / or, In multiple polishing devices, the roughness of the working surfaces of at least some of the polishing pads is set differently.

[0010] In one embodiment, the polishing assembly further includes a base that is floatingly mounted to the mounting base; The transfer unit can move the workpiece to hold the outer edge of the polishing disc, thereby allowing the base to float vertically relative to the mounting base.

[0011] In one embodiment, the polishing line further includes a morphology measuring device, the morphology measuring device comprising: A reference ring is disposed on the outside of the polishing disk and spaced apart from the polishing disk. The reference ring is disposed on the mounting base and is movable along the axial direction of the polishing disk. The scanning assembly includes a probe and two sensors. The probe is movably mounted on the reference ring along the radial direction of the reference ring and is capable of contacting the working surface of the polishing disk. One of the sensors is used to detect the displacement of the probe relative to the polishing disk, and the other sensor is used to detect the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. The encoder is connected to the rotating shaft of the polishing disc via a coupling. A cleaning nozzle is disposed on the reference ring and oriented toward the polishing disk; The control device is electrically connected to the encoder, the cleaning nozzle, and the scanning component. The control device is able to construct the surface error field of the working surface of the polishing disc based on the collected information.

[0012] The present invention also proposes a method for controlling a polishing line. Based on the aforementioned polishing line, the plurality of polishing devices include a first polishing device, a second polishing device, and a third polishing device arranged adjacent to each other. The method for controlling the polishing line includes the following steps: After the polishing components in the first polishing device have finished processing and a signal is received that the transfer table has arrived at the first polishing device, the transfer part of the first polishing device is controlled to place the polished workpiece on the transfer table. When the polishing component in the second polishing device is in an idle state and a signal is received that the transfer table has arrived at the second polishing device, the transfer part of the second polishing device is controlled to remove the workpiece from the transfer table and drive it to contact the polishing disc in the second polishing device to perform polishing processing. Repeat the above steps until the workpiece has passed through all the polishing devices and the polishing process is completed.

[0013] The present invention also proposes a method for controlling a polishing line. Based on the above-mentioned polishing line, the method for controlling the polishing line includes the following steps: After the polishing device meets the preset conditions, the polishing device is controlled to enter the surface detection mode; In the surface shape detection mode, after the probe contacts the polishing disk, the polishing disk is rotated. The rising edge of the encoder pulse is used as the trigger source to control the corresponding sensor to sample, thereby constructing a dataset {r}. i θ i ΔZ i}, where r i θ is the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. i For the polishing disc rotation angle, ΔZ i This refers to the radial displacement of the probe caused by the change in the morphology of the working surface of the polishing disc; The dataset is processed to obtain the deviation field of the working surface of the polishing disk relative to its initial state.

[0014] The technical solution of this invention involves multiple polishing devices connected in series via multiple connecting mechanisms. These mechanisms transport the workpieces. During the rotation of the polishing disc, a transfer unit picks up the workpiece and performs the polishing action. After polishing, the transfer unit places the workpiece on a transfer table, allowing it to be transported to the next polishing device. Automatic loading and unloading and product turnover between adjacent polishing devices are achieved through signal interaction between the transfer unit, sensors, and control device of the transfer assembly. This realizes the effect of automatic workpiece transfer based on the series connection of multiple automatic polishing machines, reducing the frequency of manual loading and unloading and product turnover operations. This solves the problem of product damage caused by frequent manual loading and unloading and turnover, thereby reducing the labor investment cost of the polishing process and improving the yield. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the polishing line provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the connecting material mechanism; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the positioning structure; Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the polishing device; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission path of the polishing line provided by the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another transmission path for the polishing line provided by the present invention; Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the polishing line control method provided by the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of another embodiment of the control method for the polishing line provided by the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Polishing line; 1. Polishing device; 11. Mounting base; 12. Transfer assembly; 13. Polishing assembly; 131. Polishing motor; 2. Material connection mechanism; 21. Material guide bracket; 211. Guide rail; 212. Support part; 213. Fixed base; 22. Material transfer table; 23. Sensor; 24. Positioning structure; 241. Floating seat; 242. Contouring block.

[0018] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] 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 a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indication, the directional indication is only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0021] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0022] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4The polishing line 100 includes multiple polishing devices 1, with each pair of adjacent polishing devices 1 connected by a connecting mechanism 2. Each polishing device 1 includes a mounting base 11, a transfer assembly 12, and a polishing assembly 13. The transfer assembly 12 includes a transfer section that is movable relative to the mounting base 11 in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The transfer section is used to pick up and transfer workpieces. The polishing assembly 13 includes a polishing disc rotatably mounted on the mounting base 11 about a horizontally extending axis. The connecting mechanism 2 includes a guide bracket 21, a transfer table 22, a drive structure, and a sensor 23. The two opposite ends of the bracket 21 in the horizontal direction are respectively connected to two adjacent mounting seats 11. The transfer table 22 is movably mounted on the guide bracket 21 in the horizontal direction. The drive structure is drivenly connected to the transfer table 22 so that the transfer table 22 has two stopping positions close to the two corresponding mounting seats 11 during the movement. The sensor 23 is provided on the transfer table 22 to detect the position of the transfer table 22 and the number of workpieces on the transfer table 22. The polishing line 100 also includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the transfer assembly 12, the polishing assembly 13, the sensor 23 and the drive structure.

[0023] The technical solution of this invention involves multiple polishing devices 1 connected in series via multiple connecting mechanisms 2. These connecting mechanisms 2 transport the workpieces. During the rotation of the polishing disc, a transfer unit picks up the workpiece and performs the polishing action. After polishing, the transfer unit places the workpiece on a transfer table 22, allowing it to be transported to the next polishing device 1. Automatic loading and unloading and product turnover between adjacent polishing devices 1 are achieved through signal interaction between the transfer unit 12, the sensor 23, and the control device. This realizes the effect of automatic workpiece transfer based on the series connection of multiple automatic polishing machines, reducing the frequency of manual loading and unloading and product turnover operations. This solves the problem of product damage caused by frequent manual loading and unloading and turnover, thus reducing the labor investment cost of the polishing process and effectively improving the yield.

[0024] The polishing disc is mounted on a horizontally placed polishing motor 131 and rotates under the drive of the motor shaft.

[0025] The number of workpieces detected by the sensor 23 on the transfer table 22 actually has only two results, corresponding to the two states of the transfer table 22, namely 1 and 0, which correspond to the presence or absence of workpieces on the transfer table 22.

[0026] Sensor 23 transmits the detected information to the control device in real time. The control device determines the current process status according to preset logic. If only one side sensor 23 is set, the polishing process is performed in sequence: If the transfer table 22 reaches the stopping position of the front polishing device 1 and there is no workpiece to be processed, then it should wait for the corresponding transfer unit to place the workpiece. If the transfer table 22 is at the stopping position of the front polishing device 1 and is carrying a workpiece to be processed, the transfer table 22 should be controlled to be driven to the next polishing device 1. After the transfer table 22 reaches the rear polishing device 1, based on the detection and recognition logic of the transfer unit of the rear polishing device 1, the transfer table 22 is controlled to automatically return to the front polishing device 1 until the transfer unit picks up the workpiece.

[0027] If only dual-sided sensors 23 are installed, the polishing process should proceed in the following order: If the transfer table 22 reaches the stopping position of the front polishing device 1 and there is no workpiece to be processed, then it should wait for the corresponding transfer unit to place the workpiece. If the transfer table 22 is at the stopping position of the front polishing device 1 and is carrying a workpiece to be processed, the transfer table 22 should be controlled to be driven to the next polishing device 1. If the transfer table 22 reaches the stopping position of the rear polishing device 1 and carries a workpiece to be processed, it waits for the corresponding transfer unit to pick up the workpiece. If the transfer table 22 reaches the stopping position of the rear polishing device 1 and there is no workpiece to be processed, the transfer table 22 is controlled to automatically return to the front polishing device 1.

[0028] The specific type of sensor 23 is not limited. For example, it can be set as a proximity switch, which is triggered when the conveyor table 22 moves to the corresponding stopping position, sending a position signal to the control device. Alternatively, it can be set as a photoelectric sensor, which detects the presence or absence of a workpiece on the conveyor table 22 by sensing the state of the workpiece blocking light. This signal interaction logic ensures that the entire polishing line 100 operates continuously and smoothly, without workpiece accumulation or process waiting, further improving the automation stability of the entire line.

[0029] Please combine Figure 5 Among multiple polishing devices 1, the polishing device 1 located at the edge is the starting polishing device. For example, the polishing device 1 on the left serves as the starting polishing device. After manual or automatic feeding, once the polishing at the current device is completed, the workpiece is transferred to the next adjacent polishing device 1 on the right via the connecting mechanism 2 for the next polishing process. This process continues until the workpiece has undergone all preset polishing processes, at which point it is unloaded from the rightmost ending polishing device. The transfer of workpieces between processes is entirely automatic, requiring no manual intervention.

[0030] Please combine Figure 6In a series of polishing devices 1, the central polishing device 1 serves as the starting polishing device. For example, after the central polishing device 1 is manually or mechanically loaded, the first workpiece is polished in its current process and then transferred to the adjacent polishing device 1 on the left via the connecting mechanism 2 to continue polishing the corresponding process. After the central polishing device 1 completes the polishing of the second workpiece, it is transferred to the adjacent polishing device 1 on the right via the connecting mechanism 2. Once all preset processes are completed, unloading can be performed from the leftmost and rightmost ends respectively. This arrangement allows for simultaneous output of processed workpieces in two directions, significantly increasing the total number of workpieces processed per unit time and adapting to high-volume processing demands. Furthermore, if a polishing process on one side malfunctions and requires maintenance, the other side can continue operating normally, preventing the entire line from stopping and effectively improving the operational stability and production continuity of the polishing line 100.

[0031] It should be noted that the two starting point settings can be flexibly selected and adjusted according to the actual production site layout, processing capacity requirements, and workpiece polishing process requirements to adapt to polishing processing needs in different scenarios.

[0032] Based on the conveying trajectory of the above embodiments, in the continuous polishing process, only the material trays need to be set at the starting polishing device and the ending polishing device.

[0033] In some embodiments, the polishing apparatus 1 further includes a vision inspection device and a storage table disposed on the mounting base 11. The control device is electrically connected to the vision inspection device and is used to control the transfer unit to transfer the workpiece to the storage table or the transfer table 22 according to the detection result of the vision inspection device. The storage table is disposed on the mounting base 11 and has a tray for placing workpieces that fail the vision inspection device. Specifically, the transfer unit picks up the workpiece and brings it into contact with the working surface (outer peripheral surface) of the polishing disc. After polishing is completed, the transfer unit moves the workpiece to the vision inspection device. The movement and rotation of the transfer unit enable the vision inspection device to acquire an image of the polishing position of the workpiece. If the workpiece is determined to be qualified, the transfer unit is controlled to transfer the workpiece to the transfer table 22. If the workpiece is determined to be unqualified, the transfer unit is controlled to transfer the workpiece to the tray on the storage table.

[0034] Based on this, in the continuous polishing process, a tray is set at the starting polishing device to store the workpieces to be processed, and two trays are set at the ending polishing device, one for unloading qualified products and the other placed on a storage platform for collecting defective products. At the remaining polishing devices 1, one tray is set up, placed on a storage platform for collecting defective products. Based on the yield statistics of each polishing process, visual inspection devices and storage platforms can also be set up only at some polishing devices 1. It should be understood that a full inspection mechanism or a sampling inspection mechanism can be adopted, for example, an inspection can be performed after a certain running time or after polishing a certain number of products.

[0035] The arrangement of the transfer table 22 and the guide bracket 21 is not limited. In some embodiments, the guide bracket 21 is provided with a guide rail 211, and the transfer table 22 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 211. Please refer to... Figure 2 The guide support 21 has three parallel round rods. The round rods on both sides serve as guide rails 211, providing guidance, while the middle round rod provides support and power transmission. It can be configured as a screw, and the material transfer platform 22 is moved under the drive of a motor. In other embodiments, the guide support 21 can also adopt a guide groove structure. The bottom of the material transfer platform 22 is equipped with a suitable pulley or slider, which directly engages with the guide groove to achieve a sliding fit. The material transfer platform 22 is driven to reciprocate along the guide groove by a transmission belt or transmission chain installed on the side.

[0036] Furthermore, the guide bracket 21 includes two support parts 212 and a fixed seat 213 connecting the upper ends of the two support parts 212. The two support parts 212 are respectively mounted on two adjacent mounting seats 11, and the height of each support part 212 is adjustable in the vertical direction. The height adjustment can be achieved by a segmented telescopic design with threaded engagement: the support part 212 is composed of an upper rod section and a lower rod section sleeved together. The lower rod section has multiple positioning holes spaced apart along the axial direction. The upper rod section is fitted with elastic positioning pins at corresponding positions. After pulling the elastic positioning pins away from the original positioning holes, the extension length of the upper rod section can be adjusted. After adjusting to the target height, the positioning pins are released so that they are engaged with the corresponding positioning holes, thus completing the height locking. The height adjustment can also be achieved by using a long hole and bolt engagement. A long hole is provided on the support part 212, and a corresponding threaded fixing hole is provided on the mounting seat. By adjusting the position of the bolt in the long hole, the height of the support part 212 relative to the mounting seat 11 is changed, thereby changing the height of the conveyor platform 22 on the guide bracket 21 to adapt to different scenarios.

[0037] To ensure a stable position of the workpiece after it is placed on the transfer table 22, thereby guaranteeing the pick-up accuracy of the corresponding transfer unit during the workpiece's transfer between different polishing devices 1, a positioning structure 24 is provided on the transfer table 22. The positioning structure 24 is used to hold the inner side of the workpiece. The specific form of the positioning structure 24 is not limited. In some embodiments, the positioning structure 24 is configured as an external clamping structure, achieving centering and positioning by clamping the outer contour of the workpiece using clamping units. In some embodiments, the positioning structure 24 is configured as an internal support mechanism, achieving the holding and releasing of the inner wall surface of the workpiece by multiple internal support rods moving closer or further apart. Please refer to... Figure 3In this embodiment, the positioning structure 24 includes a floating seat 241 and contour blocks 242 disposed on the floating seat 241. The floating seat 241 is movably mounted on the surface of the transfer table 22 and can adaptively float and adjust its position within a certain range. When the workpiece is placed on the transfer table 22, the floating seat 241 automatically fine-tunes to adapt to the downward pressure of the transfer section, and the inner contour of the workpiece fits against the outer side of the multiple contour blocks 242 to achieve stable positioning of the workpiece.

[0038] The specific structure of transfer component 12 is not limited; please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 4 The transfer assembly 12 includes a robotic arm. One end of the robotic arm is a mounting end for mounting on the mounting base 11, and the other end is a multi-degree-of-freedom movable end, which forms the transfer section. The robotic arm can drive the transfer section to move along a preset path, and can perform translation, lifting, and rotation adjustments. This enables the workpiece to be moved around in different positions and is easy to adapt to different polishing angle requirements of the workpiece. In other embodiments, it can also be configured as a multi-axis moving platform.

[0039] It should be understood that the transfer unit can grasp the workpiece using methods such as adsorption or clamping. In some embodiments, the transfer unit is provided with an inner support structure, which has a tightened state that abuts against the inner side of the workpiece and a separated state that releases the workpiece. After the inner support structure extends into the inner side of the workpiece, it switches to the tightened state, grasping the workpiece by pressing against the inner wall of the workpiece from the inside out, without obstructing the polishing surface of the workpiece's outer contour. When the workpiece is transferred to the delivery table 22, the inner support structure switches to the separated state to release the workpiece, making the grasping and unloading actions simple and efficient. Specifically, the inner support structure includes at least two radially distributed claws and a driving member that drives the claws to move radially. The driving member is driven by a cylinder and engages with the claws through an inclined surface. The structure is simple, the action response is rapid, and it can stably achieve the inner support grasping of the workpiece. The inner support structure can be composed of a base and a movable part, with the movable part serving as the claw; it can also be made of spring steel, achieving the opening action based on local structural deformation, with the elastically deformed end of the structure serving as the claw.

[0040] In some embodiments, each polishing device 1 has two polishing discs, which are spaced apart horizontally and rotate coaxially. The roughness of the working surface of one polishing disc is greater than that of the other. During operation, the polishing disc with the corresponding roughness can be selected to participate in the processing according to the current polishing stage of the workpiece. Alternatively, the larger roughness polishing disc can be used to complete the rough polishing to remove the processing allowance, and then the smaller roughness polishing disc can be used to complete the fine polishing to obtain a better processed surface. This eliminates the need for manual replacement of polishing discs, simplifies the polishing process, and improves the overall processing efficiency. The two polishing discs share the same rotating drive component, ensuring good consistency.

[0041] Furthermore, in multiple polishing devices 1, the roughness of the working surfaces of at least some polishing discs is set differently. That is, in the entire processing line, different polishing processes have different polishing requirements for the products, and the polishing positions of the products are also different. Therefore, reasonably setting the roughness of the polishing discs in each process can adapt to the precision requirements of different processing stages such as rough polishing, semi-fine polishing, and fine polishing.

[0042] To ensure consistent polishing, the polishing assembly 13 also includes a base (not shown) that is floatingly mounted to the mounting base 11. The conveying unit can move the workpiece against the outer edge of the polishing disc, allowing the base to float vertically relative to the mounting base 11. This floating configuration ensures the polishing disc remains in contact with the workpiece surface, accommodating any minor height tolerances, guaranteeing uniform polishing pressure, preventing excessive localized polishing that could lead to workpiece failure, and ensuring consistent processing results for different workpieces. This improves the stability and yield of the polishing process. Simultaneously, the floating base buffers the impact of collisions between the workpiece and the polishing disc, extending the lifespan of the polishing disc and drive components, and reducing equipment maintenance costs.

[0043] Polishing pads inevitably wear down over long-term use, primarily due to continuous friction between the pad and the workpiece surface. With accumulated use, the abrasive particles on the pad's surface gradually become dull, and uneven wear may occur in the material structure, leading to a decrease in surface smoothness and grinding capability. When this wear accumulates to a certain level, the polishing pad can no longer evenly and effectively grind and polish the workpiece surface, directly affecting the final polishing effect. In most cases in the industry, polishing pad replacement is not based on precise measurements of the actual wear condition, but rather on a fixed replacement cycle set according to the manufacturer's recommended service life or past experience. While this method is simple, it fails to fully consider the impact of actual usage conditions, workpiece material differences, and variations in polishing process parameters on the wear rate, easily leading to resource waste or affecting product quality due to untimely replacement. Therefore, the polishing line 100 also includes a morphology measuring device, which includes a reference ring, a scanning assembly, an encoder, and a cleaning nozzle. The reference ring is positioned around the outside of the polishing disc and spaced apart from it. The reference ring is mounted on the mounting base 11 and can move axially along the polishing disc. The scanning assembly includes a probe and two sensors. The probe is radially mounted on the reference ring and can contact the working surface of the polishing disc. One sensor is used to detect the displacement of the probe relative to the polishing disc, and the other sensor is used to detect the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disc. The encoder is connected to the rotating shaft of the polishing disc via a coupling. The cleaning nozzle is positioned on the reference ring and faces the polishing disc. The control device is electrically connected to the encoder, the cleaning nozzle, and the scanning assembly. The control device can construct a surface error field of the working surface of the polishing disc based on the collected information. During the polishing process, the reference ring moves to a position offset from the polishing disc, thereby exposing the working surface of the polishing disc (corresponding to the peripheral surface of the polishing disc) and providing sufficient space for polishing the workpiece. In the polishing disc wear detection stage, the transfer unit is in standby mode. First, the reference ring is moved to a position radially aligned with the polishing disc. Then, the cleaning nozzles are activated to clean the working surface of the polishing disc, preventing impurities or debris from affecting the probe's detection accuracy. Subsequently, the probe moves radially along the reference ring, contacting the working surface of the polishing disc. As the polishing disc rotates, the probe will bounce due to the wear changes on the working surface of the polishing disc, and these bounces are recorded by the corresponding sensors. After completing the entire ring detection, the reference ring is moved to perform detection at other positions. The two sensors of the entire scanning assembly respectively collect probe displacement data and distance data between the reference ring and the polishing disc. The encoder synchronously records the rotation angle information of the polishing disc. The control device integrates all the collected data to construct a complete surface error field of the polishing disc's working surface, accurately calculating the current wear amount of the polishing disc and providing an accurate basis for subsequent polishing parameter adjustments.

[0044] It should be understood that the surface error field is a set of distributions describing the surface deviations at various positions on the working surface of the polishing pad. By integrating detection data from different rotation angles and different axial positions, the wear degree and unevenness changes at various points on the working surface can be clearly presented, helping operators to adjust process parameters such as polishing pressure and speed in a timely manner according to the wear condition, ensuring the polishing accuracy of the workpiece and extending the reasonable service life of the polishing pad.

[0045] Specifically, the probe is connected to the reference ring via a spring, thus having a certain preload in the radial direction. After the probe contacts the polishing surface, radial runout can occur during the uniform rotation of the polishing disc.

[0046] It is understandable that, considering the safety of the equipment, both the material feeding mechanism 2 and the polishing device 1 should be equipped with corresponding outer shells, and the outer shells should be equipped with safety interlocking doors that can control opening and closing.

[0047] Combination Figures 1 to 2 In this embodiment, taking a polishing line 100 composed of three polishing devices 1 as an example, there are correspondingly two connecting mechanisms 2. For ease of distinction, the three polishing devices 1 are defined from left to right as polishing device A, polishing device B, and polishing device C, and the two connecting mechanisms 2 are defined from left to right as connecting mechanism A and connecting mechanism B. Both connecting mechanisms A and B have sensors on both sides, and the workflow is as follows: Polishing Device A: After placing the workpiece-containing tray into the material handling position of this device and closing the safety interlock door, press the device start switch. The robotic arm moves, supporting the workpiece through the internal support structure at its movable end. After the robotic arm picks up the workpiece, it runs the polishing program. Once the product polishing is complete, the transfer unit runs to the placement position (the area on the mounting base 11 near the stopping position of the transfer table 22 of the connecting mechanism A in the polishing device A). It waits for the transfer table 22 to arrive at its I / O signal. When the transfer table 22 arrives at its position, the corresponding sensor 23 inputs an I / O signal to the transfer unit, controlling it to place the workpiece polished by the polishing device A onto the transfer table 22. The workpiece is then positioned by the positioning structure 24. After the workpiece is positioned, the transfer unit outputs an I / O signal, causing the inner support structure to release the workpiece, and the transfer unit moves away from the transfer table 22. Simultaneously, the corresponding sensor 23 detects that there is already a workpiece on the transfer table 22 and controls the drive structure of the transfer table 22 to operate, thereby transferring the workpiece to the polishing device B. The polishing device A then enters a cycle program to continue processing. After all workpieces in the current tray have been processed, it waits to replace the tray with a new one.

[0048] Polishing device B: The transfer unit of polishing device B waits at the material waiting point (the area on the mounting base 11 near the material transfer table 22 of the connecting mechanism A where the polishing device B stops), waiting for the workpiece to be transferred from polishing device A via the material transfer table 22. After sensing that the workpiece is in place, it inputs an I / O signal to the transfer unit of polishing device B. After receiving the signal, the transfer unit goes to the material transfer table 22 to pick up the workpiece. After the internal support structure of the transfer unit aligns with the workpiece, it opens the workpiece and performs the picking action. The transfer unit clamps the workpiece and takes it away. The program runs to the corresponding sensor 23. If the sensor detects that there is no workpiece on the material transfer table 22, it is considered that the material picking unit has picked up the workpiece. Polishing device B runs the polishing program, and at the same time, the material transfer table 22 automatically returns. After the product polishing process is completed, the transfer unit runs to the unloading position (the unloading position is the area on the mounting base 11 near the stopping position of the transfer table 22 of the connecting mechanism B on the polishing device B) and waits for the I / O signal of the transfer table 22 arriving. After the transfer table 22 arrives, the corresponding sensor 23 inputs an I / O signal to the transfer unit, controlling the transfer unit to place the workpiece polished by the polishing device B onto the transfer table 22 of the connecting mechanism B, and to limit it by the positioning structure 24. After the workpiece is placed in the positioning position, the transfer unit outputs an I / O signal, causing the inner support structure to release the workpiece, and the transfer unit moves away from the transfer table 22. At the same time, the corresponding sensor detects that there is a workpiece on the transfer table 22 and controls the drive structure of the transfer table 22 to work, thereby transferring the workpiece to the polishing device C. The transfer unit returns to the material waiting point to wait for the workpiece transferred from the polishing device A.

[0049] Polishing device C: The transfer unit of polishing device C waits at the material waiting point (the area on the mounting base 11 near the material transfer table 22 of the connecting mechanism B where polishing device C stops) for the workpiece transferred from polishing device B via the material transfer table 22. Upon sensing its arrival, it inputs an I / O signal to the transfer unit of polishing device C. Receiving the signal, the transfer unit retrieves the workpiece from the material transfer table 22. After aligning its internal support structure with the workpiece, the transfer unit opens the workpiece and performs a pick-up action. The transfer unit clamps the workpiece and removes it. The program then runs to sensor 23, which detects no workpiece on the material transfer table 22, indicating that the material pick-up unit has retrieved the workpiece. Polishing device C then runs the polishing program, and the material transfer table 22 automatically returns. After the product polishing process is completed, the polished product is placed in the material tray.

[0050] This invention relates to an integrated solution for automated polishing of multiple polishing processes in series. It utilizes multiple automatic polishing devices coupled with a material handling mechanism 2 to achieve an automated turnaround process for multiple polishing processes and polishing machines in series, fulfilling the function of automatic workpiece transfer across multiple polishing processes. By achieving automated workpiece transfer through the series connection of multiple automatic polishing machines, the frequency of manual loading and unloading and product turnover is reduced. This avoids the risk of product damage caused by frequent manual loading and unloading and turnover. Ultimately, it reduces the labor investment cost of polishing processes and effectively improves yield.

[0051] The control device can be an industrial computer, including a processing unit (such as a central processing unit, graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) or programs loaded from storage devices into random access memory (RAM). RAM also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the control device. The processing unit, ROM, and RAM are interconnected via a bus. Input / output (I / O) interfaces are also connected to the bus. Typically, the following systems can be connected to the I / O interface: input devices including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices including, for example, magnetic tape, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices. Communication devices allow the control device to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data.

[0052] Based on the above structure, this invention also proposes a method for controlling a welding line, defining multiple polishing devices including a first polishing device, a second polishing device, and a third polishing device arranged adjacent to each other. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 7 to 8 The control method for the welding line includes the following steps: Step S10: After the polishing component 13 in the first polishing device 1 has finished processing and the signal that the transfer table 22 has arrived at the first polishing device 1 has been obtained, the transfer part of the first polishing device 1 is controlled to place the polished workpiece on the transfer table 22. It should be understood that the polishing line 100 in this invention includes a first polishing device 1 and a transfer table 22. This control method controls the transfer unit to place the processed workpiece onto the transfer table 22 only after the first polishing device 1 has completed the polishing process and the transfer table 22 has moved into place. This can avoid the problem of misalignment and falling of the workpiece during the placement process, improve the stability of the feeding process, reduce the waiting time of the workpiece at the workstation, and improve the overall polishing processing efficiency.

[0053] The signal that the material transfer table 22 arrives at the first polishing device 1 is detected by the corresponding sensor 23.

[0054] Step S20: When the polishing component 13 in the second polishing device 1 is in an idle state and a signal is received that the transfer table 22 has arrived at the second polishing device 1, the transfer part of the second polishing device 1 is controlled to remove the workpiece from the transfer table 22 and drive it to contact the polishing disc in the second polishing device 1 to perform polishing processing. It should be understood that by using the transfer table 22 to transfer workpieces between the first polishing device 1 and the second polishing device 1, the processing steps of the second polishing device 1 can be quickly connected after the first polishing device 1 has finished processing, which reduces the idle time of the equipment waiting for workpieces to be loaded and unloaded, and effectively improves the overall processing efficiency of the polishing line 100.

[0055] By using the sensor 23 or the sensing elements on the robotic arm, the action of the transfer unit is triggered by the signal, which can ensure that the actions of picking up and processing are accurately matched with the workpiece position, avoid problems such as failure to pick up or misalignment of processing, and improve the stability of polishing process.

[0056] Step S30: Repeat the above steps until the workpiece has passed through all the polishing devices 1 and the polishing process is completed.

[0057] In the technical solution of the present invention, the polishing line 100 processes the workpiece step by step through multiple polishing devices 1 arranged in sequence. With the above-mentioned control process, the entire polishing operation of the workpiece can be completed automatically without the need for manual adjustment and transfer during the processing, which effectively improves the production efficiency of polishing. At the same time, through multi-station step-by-step polishing, the polishing accuracy of different processing stages can be guaranteed, and the final polishing quality of the workpiece can be stabilized.

[0058] Specifically, the control method for the polishing line includes the following steps: Step S40: After the polishing device 1 meets the preset conditions, control the polishing device 1 to enter the surface detection mode; Considering the wear of the polishing pad, a trigger mechanism for the corresponding surface detection mode is set. The preset condition can be that the cumulative number of workpieces polished by the polishing pad of the current device reaches a preset value, the preset condition can also be that the polishing line has completed the processing of the current batch of products, or the preset condition can also be that the equipment has been used for n days.

[0059] Among the multiple polishing devices 1, any one of the polishing devices can enter the surface detection mode when it meets the preset conditions. If the other polishing devices are in the polishing process, they can continue to run the processing program of the current workpiece.

[0060] The surface detection mode and the polishing process of the line are independent of each other. When the surface detection mode is triggered, if the current device is in the polishing stage, the polishing action needs to be paused after the current workpiece polishing is completed.

[0061] Step S50: In surface shape detection mode, after the probe contacts the polishing disk, the polishing disk is rotated. The rising edge of the encoder pulse is used as the trigger source to control the corresponding sensor to sample, thereby constructing a dataset {r}. i θ i ΔZ i}; It should be understood that upon entering the surface inspection mode, the polishing disc should stop rotating, and the transfer unit should move to the waiting position. First, the reference ring should be transferred to correspond with the polishing disc and positioned at the preset first dwell point, driving the probe to move radially and contact the polishing disc. During formal inspection, the polishing disc should rotate at a low, uniform speed to facilitate inspection and identification. That is, the rotation speed of the polishing disc during formal inspection should be lower than its actual polishing speed.

[0062] Specifically, r i r is the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. i The purpose of the detection is to indirectly indicate which loop dimension within a polished disk of a certain thickness is being detected. i≥3 can effectively improve the resolution and accuracy of the final surface shape calculation. i It can also be understood as the axial coordinate of the current measuring circumference of the polishing pad relative to the reference point of the polishing pad.

[0063] θ i The polishing disc rotation angle is calculated from the encoder count / index zero position.

[0064] ΔZ i This represents the radial displacement of the probe caused by changes in the morphology of the working surface of the polishing disc. In this scheme, ΔZ i The "radial equivalent" characterizes the surface shape / wear trend of the working surface edge, and is used at least to evaluate taper, single-sided edge collapse, and sector asymmetry. It is not equivalent to the absolute height of any point on the top surface. ΔZ i The positive direction represents the outer edge of the working face "arching outward / raising relative to the initial state", while the negative direction represents "wear and sinking / collapse".

[0065] The data acquisition process is as follows: First, the reference ring is adjusted to the first position to obtain r1. In the initial state, the probe will complete zero-point calibration and record the initial position information. When the polishing disk starts to rotate, the encoder will send a sampling trigger signal to the corresponding sensor for each rising edge pulse generated. The sensor immediately collects the rotation angle value of the polishing disk at the current moment, as well as the radial displacement change of the probe caused by the uneven morphology of the polishing disk working surface. These three sets of parameters are stored in sequence to complete one data acquisition. Afterward, as the polishing disk continues to rotate, the encoder continuously generates rising edge trigger signals, and the sensor repeats the above sampling process until the data acquisition of the entire polishing disk working surface is completed, finally obtaining the first dataset covering the entire working surface. The above steps of adjusting the reference ring position and collecting data are repeated until i sets of complete datasets corresponding to different reference ring positions are obtained. After all acquisitions are completed, the data of each set are sorted to obtain a complete dataset {r} covering the entire working surface of the polishing disk and containing information on the changes in the working surface morphology under different axial positions and rotation angles. i θ i ΔZ iThis provides raw data support for subsequent calculations of the actual surface parameters of the polishing pad.

[0066] Throughout the calculation process, the initial surface profile information of the polishing pad should be recorded so that the relative position parameters between the reference ring and the polishing pad are consistent with those in the test program. The initial surface field information of the polishing pad can be obtained by adjusting the initial parameters.

[0067] Define the instantaneous radial reading of the probe relative to the reference ring as X(θ). i ), take the reading under the same rotation angle in the initial calibration state as X0(θ) i ), then: ΔZ i =X(θ i ) X0(θ i ), ΔZ i A negative value indicates wear and sinking / collapse of the outer edge relative to its initial state (reduction in the effective radius of the outer edge). ΔZ i Equivalent surface deviation, as an outer edge change, is used to evaluate the surface deterioration trend of the working face edge.

[0068] Step S60: Process the dataset to obtain the deviation field of the working surface of the polishing disk relative to the initial state.

[0069] The surface profile curve of the current working surface of the polishing pad is obtained by fitting the dataset, and the profile parameters of the working surface are calculated based on the surface profile curve to complete the surface profile detection. The deviation field is used to reflect the degree of offset of each position of the working surface of the polishing pad relative to the preset initial surface profile, so that the operator can adjust the polishing parameters or replace the polishing pad based on the detection results.

[0070] In particular, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can also be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from a storage device, or installed from a ROM. When the computer program is executed by a processing device, it performs the functions defined in the methods of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0071] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A polishing line, characterized in that, It includes multiple polishing units, with each pair of adjacent polishing units connected by a material connecting mechanism, wherein: The polishing device includes a mounting base, a transfer assembly, and a polishing assembly. The transfer assembly includes a transfer section and a robotic arm. One end of the robotic arm is a mounting end for mounting on the mounting base, and the other end of the robotic arm is a movable end with multiple degrees of freedom. The movable end forms the transfer section, which is used to pick up and transfer workpieces. The polishing assembly includes a polishing disc rotatably mounted on the mounting base about an axis extending in a horizontal direction. The material feeding mechanism includes a guide bracket, a transfer table, a drive structure, and a sensor. The guide bracket is connected to two adjacent mounting seats at opposite ends in the horizontal direction. The transfer table is movably mounted on the guide bracket in the horizontal direction. The drive structure is drivenly connected to the transfer table so that the transfer table has two stopping positions close to the two corresponding mounting seats during the movement. The sensor is located on the transfer table and is used to detect the position of the transfer table and the number of workpieces on the transfer table. The polishing line also includes a control device, which is electrically connected to the transfer assembly, the polishing assembly, the sensor, and the drive structure. The polishing line also includes a morphology measuring device, which comprises: A reference ring is disposed on the outside of the polishing disk and spaced apart from the polishing disk. The reference ring is disposed on the mounting base and is movable along the axial direction of the polishing disk. The scanning assembly includes a probe and two sensors. The probe is movably mounted on the reference ring along the radial direction of the reference ring and is capable of contacting the working surface of the polishing disk. One of the sensors is used to detect the displacement of the probe relative to the polishing disk, and the other sensor is used to detect the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. The encoder is connected to the rotating shaft of the polishing disc via a coupling. A cleaning nozzle is disposed on the reference ring and oriented toward the polishing disk; The control device is electrically connected to the encoder, the cleaning nozzle, and the scanning component. The control device is able to construct the surface error field of the working surface of the polishing disc based on the collected information. The control device is configured to: after the polishing device enters the surface pattern detection mode, control the probe to contact the polishing disk, control the polishing disk to rotate, and use the rising edge of the encoder pulse as a trigger source to control the corresponding sensor to sample, so as to construct a dataset {r i θ i ΔZ i The dataset is processed to obtain the deviation field of the working surface of the polishing disk relative to its initial state, where r i θ is the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. i For the polishing disc rotation angle, ΔZ i This refers to the radial displacement of the probe caused by changes in the morphology of the working surface of the polishing disc.

2. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Of the plurality of polishing devices, the polishing device located at the edge or the polishing device located in the middle is the starting polishing device.

3. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The material guide bracket is provided with a guide rail, and the material transfer table is slidably mounted on the guide rail; and / or The material guide bracket includes two support parts and a fixing seat connecting the upper ends of the two support parts. The two support parts are respectively disposed on two adjacent mounting seats, and the height of each support part is adjustable in the vertical direction; and / or, The transfer table has a positioning structure for supporting the inner side of the workpiece.

4. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer unit is provided with an inner support structure, which has a tightened state that abuts against the inside of the workpiece and a separated state that releases the workpiece.

5. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The polishing apparatus also includes a vision inspection device and a storage platform disposed on the mounting base. The control device is electrically connected to the vision inspection device and is used to control the transfer unit to transfer the workpiece to the storage platform or the transfer platform according to the detection result of the vision inspection device.

6. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In each of the aforementioned polishing devices, two polishing discs are provided, spaced horizontally and rotating coaxially, wherein the roughness of the working surface of one polishing disc is greater than the roughness of the working surface of the other polishing disc; and / or, In multiple polishing devices, the roughness of the working surfaces of at least some of the polishing pads is set differently.

7. The polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The polishing assembly also includes a base that is floatingly mounted to the mounting base; The transfer unit can move the workpiece to hold the outer edge of the polishing disc, thereby allowing the base to float vertically relative to the mounting base.

8. A method for controlling a polishing line, based on the polishing line as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The plurality of polishing devices includes a first polishing device, a second polishing device, and a third polishing device, and the method for controlling the polishing line includes the following steps: After the polishing components in the first polishing device have finished processing and a signal is received that the transfer table has arrived at the first polishing device, the transfer part of the first polishing device is controlled to place the polished workpiece on the transfer table. When the polishing component in the second polishing device is in an idle state and a signal is received that the transfer table has arrived at the second polishing device, the transfer part of the second polishing device is controlled to remove the workpiece from the transfer table and drive it to contact the polishing disc in the second polishing device to perform polishing processing. Repeat the above steps until the workpiece has passed through all the polishing devices and the polishing process is completed.

9. A method for controlling a polishing line, based on the polishing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method for controlling the polishing line includes the following steps: After the polishing device meets the preset conditions, the polishing device is controlled to enter the surface detection mode; In the surface shape detection mode, after the probe contacts the polishing disk, the polishing disk is rotated. The rising edge of the encoder pulse is used as the trigger source to control the corresponding sensor to sample, thereby constructing a dataset {r}. i θ i ΔZ i }, where r i θ is the distance between the reference ring and the polishing disk. i For the polishing disc rotation angle, ΔZ i This refers to the radial displacement of the probe caused by the change in the morphology of the working surface of the polishing disc; The dataset is processed to obtain the deviation field of the working surface of the polishing disk relative to its initial state.

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