A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical fields of automobile intelligent manufacturing and automatic assembly, in particular to a robot flexible assembly workstation based on visual guidance, which comprises a workstation frame, a robot mechanism, a visual detection mechanism, a material placing mechanism and a tool clamp mechanism; the material placing mechanism is arranged on the lower side of the workstation frame and used for placing parts of different types or different process states; the robot mechanism and the tool clamp mechanism are arranged on one side of the workstation frame, the robot mechanism is used for grabbing the parts from the material placing mechanism and placing them on the tool clamp mechanism for positioning and assembly; the visual detection mechanism is arranged on the workstation frame and used for identifying and detecting the parts placed on the material placing mechanism and the parts assembled on the tool clamp mechanism; the feeding positioning, intermediate detection and assembly confirmation are respectively carried out by using the visual detection mechanism, forming a full-process visual closed-loop control and effectively improving the assembly positioning accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent automotive manufacturing and automated assembly technology, and in particular to a vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation. Background Technology

[0002] With social development and the continuous improvement of automation, many automotive parts production processes in my country still rely on manual handling, loading, unloading, and material feeding. However, in modern automotive and construction machinery manufacturing, the requirements for precision, efficiency, and flexibility in parts assembly processes are constantly increasing. Traditional manual assembly has the following shortcomings: the accuracy of manual positioning is greatly affected by subjective factors, resulting in poor assembly consistency and a high product defect rate; the production cycle is unstable, making it difficult to adapt to the flexible needs of multi-variety, small-batch mixed-line production; material distribution relies on manual handling, which is inefficient and prone to errors and omissions; existing automated assembly equipment is mostly dedicated machines, resulting in long changeover and debugging cycles, and an inability to quickly respond to product changes.

[0003] Traditional manual operations are costly and inefficient, failing to meet the growing needs of society. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to propose a vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation to solve the problem of low efficiency in traditional manual operations.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation, comprising a workstation frame, a robot mechanism, a vision inspection mechanism, a material placement mechanism, and a tooling fixture mechanism. The material placement mechanism is disposed on the lower side of the workstation frame and is used to place and store parts of different types or different process states. The robot mechanism and the tooling fixture mechanism are disposed on one side of the workstation frame. The robot mechanism is used to pick up parts from the material placement mechanism and place them on the tooling fixture mechanism for positioning and assembly. The vision inspection mechanism is disposed on the workstation frame and is used to identify and inspect the parts placed on the material placement mechanism and the parts assembled on the tooling fixture mechanism.

[0006] A further improvement is that the robotic mechanism includes an assembly robot and a transport robot, and the end effectors of the assembly robot and the transport robot are equipped with grippers.

[0007] A further improvement is that the gripper includes a mounting frame on which a pneumatic clamping fixture and a positioning pin are mounted.

[0008] A further improvement is that the visual inspection mechanism includes a first visual camera, a second visual camera, and a third visual camera mounted on the workstation frame via a camera bracket. The first visual camera is mounted on the workstation frame above the material handling mechanism, the second visual camera is mounted on the side of the workstation frame, and the third visual camera is mounted on the workstation frame above the tooling fixture mechanism.

[0009] A further improvement is that the material placement mechanism includes a first material placement device, a second material placement device, and a third material placement device, which are sequentially arranged below the workstation frame, and positioning references are installed on the first material placement device, the second material placement device, and the third material placement device.

[0010] A further improvement is that the tooling fixture mechanism includes a first fixture and a second fixture, with the first fixture located on the right side of the workstation frame and the second fixture located in the middle of the workstation frame.

[0011] A further improvement is that it also includes an AGV handling mechanism, which includes an AGV trolley and a corresponding material placement mechanism.

[0012] A further improvement is that a robot control cabinet is provided on one side of the workstation frame.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By employing a visual inspection mechanism composed of a first vision camera, a second vision camera, and a third vision camera, and with multi-point position compensation and closed-loop feedback from the three vision systems, the assembly positioning accuracy can reach ±0.1mm, greatly improving assembly precision; furthermore, the use of dual-robot collaborative operation makes full use of the cycle time, increasing production efficiency by more than 40% compared to traditional manual labor; the quick-change fixture and modular fixture design result in short changeover times, adapting to multi-variety, small-batch production modes; and the use of AGV automatic handling and robot assembly with no human intervention throughout the process reduces labor costs and improves the working environment. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this 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 for this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the workstation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly robot gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper structure of the handling robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first material container in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second material container according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the third material container structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] The diagram is marked as follows: 1. Workstation frame; 2. Assembly robot; 3. Handling robot; 4. Gripper; 5. Mounting frame; 6. Pneumatic clamping fixture; 7. Positioning pin; 8. Camera bracket; 9. First vision camera; 10. Second vision camera; 11. Third vision camera; 12. First material placement fixture; 13. Second material placement fixture; 14. Third material placement fixture; 15. Positioning reference; 16. First clamp; 17. Second clamp; 18. AGV trolley; 19. Robot control cabinet. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0018] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0019] like Figure 1-6 As shown, this embodiment provides a vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation, including a workstation frame 1, a robot mechanism, a vision inspection mechanism, a material placement mechanism, and a tooling fixture mechanism; the workstation frame 1 is constructed with a steel structure base, and an aluminum profile camera bracket 8 is installed on the workstation frame 1; protective fences can be installed around the workstation frame 1 to ensure operational safety.

[0020] The material handling mechanism is located under the workstation frame 1 and is used to store parts of different types or in different process states. The mechanism includes a first material handling fixture 12, a second material handling fixture 13, and a third material handling fixture 14, which are sequentially arranged below the workstation frame 1. These fixtures are used to store parts of different types or in different process states. Positioning references 15 are installed on the first, second, and third material handling fixtures 12 and 13, which, in conjunction with the vision inspection mechanism, ensure the consistency of part positions on the fixtures, creating reliable conditions for the vision-guided robot to grasp the parts. The three sets of material handling fixtures are arranged according to functional zones, and the fixture structure adopts a modular design, allowing for rapid replacement according to product types and meeting the needs of flexible production.

[0021] The robot mechanism and the tooling fixture mechanism are located on one side of the workstation frame 1. The robot mechanism is used to pick up parts from the material handling mechanism and place them on the tooling fixture mechanism for positioning and assembly.

[0022] The tooling and fixture mechanism includes a first fixture 16 and a second fixture 17. The first fixture 16 is located on the right side of the workstation frame 1 and is used for workpiece positioning and clamping in the first assembly process. It adopts a quick-change interface to support rapid switching between different workpiece models. The second fixture 17 is located in the middle of the workstation frame 1 and is used for workpiece positioning and clamping in the second assembly process. It works in conjunction with the vision inspection mechanism to complete precision assembly operations. Both the first fixture 16 and the second fixture 17 use pneumatic clamping and are uniformly scheduled by the central control system of the workstation to ensure the stability of assembly accuracy and production cycle.

[0023] The robotic mechanism includes an assembly robot 2 and a handling robot 3. The assembly robot 2 is used to pick up the parts to be assembled from the material placement mechanism and accurately place them on the tooling fixture mechanism. The handling robot 3 is used for the process transfer of workpieces between the first fixture 16 and the second fixture 17 and the handling of finished products off the production line.

[0024] The assembly robot 2 and the handling robot 3 are equipped with grippers 4 at their ends. The grippers 4 include a mounting frame 5, on which a pneumatic clamping fixture 6 and a positioning pin 7 are mounted. The positioning pin 7 and the pneumatic clamping fixture 6 work together to precisely position, clamp, and grip the workpiece.

[0025] A robot control cabinet 19 is installed on one side of the workstation frame 1. The robot control cabinet 19 communicates with the upper control system through the network to realize fully automatic coordinated operation.

[0026] A vision inspection mechanism is mounted on the workstation frame 1. This mechanism is used to identify and inspect parts placed on the material handling mechanism and parts assembled on the tooling fixture mechanism. The vision inspection mechanism includes a first vision camera 9, a second vision camera 10, and a third vision camera 11 mounted on the workstation frame 1 via a camera bracket 8. The first vision camera 9 is mounted above the material handling mechanism on the workstation frame 1 and is used to identify the position and posture deviations of parts on the first material handling fixture 12 and the second material handling fixture 13, guiding the assembly robot 2 to accurately grasp them. The second vision camera 10 is mounted on the side of the workstation frame 1 and is used for secondary positioning inspection of the workpiece to be assembled. The third vision camera 11 is mounted above the tooling fixture mechanism on the workstation frame 1 and is used for workpiece posture confirmation and assembly quality inspection at the assembly station of the second fixture 17, ensuring that parts are assembled in place. Three sets of vision cameras communicate in real time with the robot control system through a dedicated vision controller, converting the detection results into position compensation values ​​and feeding them back to the robot to achieve high-precision assembly guided by vision. The three sets of vision cameras are respectively responsible for material loading and positioning, intermediate inspection and assembly confirmation functions, forming a closed-loop vision control throughout the entire process, which effectively improves the assembly positioning accuracy.

[0027] It also includes an AGV transport mechanism, which comprises an AGV trolley 18. The AGV trolley 18 is configured with a corresponding material placement mechanism. According to the scheduling instructions from the upper-level system, the AGV trolley 18 transports material placement containers containing parts to be processed to designated locations and transfers material placement containers containing assembled finished products to the next process, achieving seamless connection between the workstation and the production line material system. The AGV trolley 18 travels via landmark navigation or laser navigation. An AGV trolley 18 docking area is provided under the workstation frame 1, equipped with a docking mechanism to ensure the positioning accuracy of the material placement containers.

[0028] During processing, the AGV trolley 18 transports the first material holder 12 and the second material holder 13, which contain parts to be assembled, to the underside of the workstation frame 1 and stops them at the designated positions. The first vision camera 9 takes pictures of the parts on the first material holder 12 and the second material holder 13 to obtain the part position information and feeds it back to the robot control system. The assembly robot 2, based on the visual guidance data, uses the gripper 4 to pick up the parts from the first material holder 12 and the second material holder 13 and accurately places them on the first fixture 16 for the first assembly. After the first assembly is completed, the transport robot 3 uses the gripper 4 to transfer the semi-finished product completed at the first fixture 16 station to the second fixture 17 station. The third vision camera 11 confirms and inspects the workpiece at the second fixture 17 station, and the assembly robot 2 assists in completing the second precision assembly. The transport robot 3 transfers the assembled finished product to the third material holder 14, and the AGV trolley 18 transports the third material holder 14 out of the workstation to enter the next process.

[0029] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of the invention is limited to these examples; within the framework of the invention, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of the different aspects of the invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity. Any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation, characterized in that, It includes a workstation frame (1), a robot mechanism, a vision inspection mechanism, a material placement mechanism, and a tooling fixture mechanism; the material placement mechanism is located on the lower side of the workstation frame (1) and is used to place and store parts of different types or different process states; the robot mechanism and the tooling fixture mechanism are located on one side of the workstation frame (1), the robot mechanism is used to pick up parts from the material placement mechanism and place them on the tooling fixture mechanism for positioning and assembly; the vision inspection mechanism is located on the workstation frame (1) and is used to identify and inspect the parts placed on the material placement mechanism and the parts assembled on the tooling fixture mechanism.

2. The vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot mechanism includes an assembly robot (2) and a handling robot (3), and the assembly robot (2) and the handling robot (3) are equipped with grippers (4) at their ends.

3. The vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The gripper (4) includes a mounting frame (5), on which a pneumatic clamping fixture (6) and a positioning pin (7) are mounted.

4. The vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The visual inspection mechanism includes a first visual camera (9), a second visual camera (10) and a third visual camera (11) mounted on the workstation frame (1) via a camera bracket (8). The first visual camera (9) is mounted on the workstation frame (1) above the material placement mechanism, the second visual camera (10) is mounted on the side of the workstation frame (1), and the third visual camera (11) is mounted on the workstation frame (1) above the tooling fixture mechanism.

5. A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material placement mechanism includes a first material placement (12), a second material placement (13) and a third material placement (14). The first material placement (12), the second material placement (13) and the third material placement (14) are arranged in sequence below the workstation frame (1). Positioning references (15) are installed on the first material placement (12), the second material placement (13) and the third material placement (14).

6. A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tooling fixture mechanism includes a first fixture (16) and a second fixture (17). The first fixture (16) is located on the right side of the workstation frame (1), and the second fixture (17) is located in the middle of the workstation frame (1).

7. A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an AGV handling mechanism, which includes an AGV trolley (18) and a corresponding material placement mechanism for the AGV trolley (18).

8. A vision-guided robotic flexible assembly workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that, A robot control cabinet (19) is provided on one side of the workstation frame (1).

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