Feeding and discharging method and feeding and discharging system for machine tool

Abstract

The application provides a feeding and discharging method and system for machine tool processing. The method comprises the following steps: controlling a machine tool to process a material; determining whether a machine tool has finished processing the material, and sending the material that has not been completely processed to a next machine tool in the case that the machine tool has not finished processing the material; and controlling the next machine tool to continue processing the material until the processing is completed. The scheme solves the problem of low efficiency of the production line in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of machine tool processing technology, and more specifically, to a loading and unloading method and system for machine tool processing. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated multi-process machining production, as the manufacturing industry transforms towards flexibility and intelligence, higher demands are being placed on the ability of production lines to handle "multi-variety, small-batch" production tasks. Currently, common automated machining loading and unloading solutions mainly adopt a combination of "floor rails + industrial robots". This solution utilizes floor rails to extend the robot's range of motion, and combined with the high load and high rigidity characteristics of industrial robots, it can carry heavier workpieces and achieve operations within a larger working radius.

[0003] However, due to the rigid and fixed path structure of the ground track, the robot's motion trajectory and position are usually preset for specific workpieces and machine tool layouts. When production tasks switch from a single product type to multiple product types and small batches, the original ground track travel and robot positions often need to be readjusted due to changes in workpiece size, weight, and fixture type. Traditional loading and unloading schemes often do not optimize paths for the characteristics of multi-process machining. The robot needs to move long distances between multiple non-fixed points, resulting in long motion chains and complex paths. This redundant movement can easily become disconnected from the machine tool's machining cycle time, causing the robot to be in an idle or waiting state during machine tool processing, while the machine tool remains in a standby state when the robot is not in position. Therefore, the efficiency of current machine tool machining production lines is relatively low. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide a loading and unloading method and system for machine tool processing, so as to at least solve the problem of low efficiency of production lines in machine tool processing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of this application, a method for loading and unloading materials in machine tool processing is provided, comprising: controlling a machine tool to process materials; determining whether the machine tool has completed processing the materials; if the machine tool has not completed processing the materials, sending the incompletely processed materials to the next machine tool; and controlling the next machine tool to continue processing the materials until processing is completed.

[0006] Optionally, the machine tool is a first machine tool, and the next machine tool is a second machine tool. Controlling one machine tool to process materials includes: controlling a robot to move from a first position to a second position, and loading the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position; controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material to obtain a semi-finished product, wherein the first position is an initial position, and the second position is the loading / unloading position of the first machine tool; if the first machine tool has not finished processing the material, sending the incompletely processed material to the next machine tool, and controlling the next machine tool to continue processing the material until processing is completed, including: if the first machine tool has finished processing the semi-finished product, controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished product from the first machine tool at the second position, and transporting the semi-finished product to a third machine tool. The robot is positioned such that it controls a flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain a flipped semi-finished material. The third position is the position where the robot operates at the flipping mechanism, which is used to flip the material. The robot is then controlled to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to a fourth position, where it is loaded onto a second machine tool. The second machine tool is then controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain a finished product. The fourth position is the loading / unloading position of the second machine tool. After processing by the second machine tool, the robot is controlled to unload the finished product from the second machine tool at the fourth position. The robot can move back and forth between the first position, the second position, the third position, and the fourth position.

[0007] Optionally, loading the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material into a semi-finished product includes: determining whether there is material being processed in the first machine tool; if there is no material being processed in the first machine tool, determining whether a first quantity of the blank material in the first rack is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool; if the first quantity is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool, controlling the robot to load the blank material from the first rack onto the first machine tool at the second position; controlling the safety door in the first machine tool to close; and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material into the semi-finished product.

[0008] Optionally, before loading the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material into a semi-finished product, the method further includes: generating a first prompt message when there is no material being processed in the first machine tool and the first quantity is less than the processable quantity of the first machine tool, wherein the first prompt message is used to prompt loading the first material rack; and controlling the robot to move from the second position to the first position when there is material being processed in the first machine tool.

[0009] Optionally, controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool at the second position and transport the semi-finished material to the third position, and controlling the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material, includes: controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool to the accompanying table at the second position, wherein the accompanying table is fixed in the robot; controlling the robot to move from the second position to the third position; controlling the robot to grab the semi-finished material from the accompanying table from one side, placing the semi-finished material in the flipping mechanism, and controlling the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material.

[0010] Optionally, controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, loading the flipped semi-finished material onto the second machine tool at the fourth position, and controlling the second machine tool to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain finished material includes: controlling the robot to grab the flipped semi-finished material from the other side and place it in the accompanying table; controlling the robot to move from the third position to the fourth position; determining whether there is material being processed in the second machine tool; if there is no material being processed in the second machine tool, controlling the robot to load the flipped semi-finished material from the accompanying table onto the second machine tool at the fourth position; controlling the safety door in the second machine tool to close; and controlling the second machine tool to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain finished material.

[0011] Optionally, controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position includes: determining whether a second quantity of empty positions in the second rack is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished material when the second machine tool has finished processing; and controlling the robot to unload the finished material into the second rack at the fourth position when the second quantity is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished material.

[0012] Optionally, before controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position, the method further includes: generating a second prompt message when the second machine tool has finished processing and the second quantity is less than the material quantity of the finished material, wherein the second prompt message is used to prompt unloading of the second material rack.

[0013] Optionally, after controlling the robot to move from the first position to the second position, the method further includes: calibrating the position of the robot; after controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, the method further includes: calibrating the position of the robot.

[0014] According to another aspect of this application, a loading and unloading system is provided, the loading and unloading system comprising: a first machine tool; a second machine tool; a first material rack; a second material rack; a flipping mechanism; a communication device; a calibration block; a robot having a follower stage and an image acquisition device, the follower stage being fixed in the robot; and a host computer, which is communicatively connected to the first machine tool, the second machine tool, the flipping mechanism, the communication device, and the robot, respectively, the host computer being used to execute the steps of any of the loading and unloading methods of the machine tool processing.

[0015] By applying the technical solution of this application, by allowing materials to be sent to the next machine tool during the incomplete processing stage, parallel processing or overlapping operations between processes are realized. This allows subsequent machine tools to intervene or prepare in advance, reducing the waiting time between processes and thus shortening the overall dwell time of materials on the production line. By controlling the next machine tool to continue processing materials until processing is completed, it is ensured that materials can be seamlessly connected and continuously processed after being transferred to the next machine tool until the final shape is formed. This achieves close collaboration between multi-process machine tools and efficient material flow, reducing the time wasted due to waiting between processes, thereby improving the efficiency of the production line in machine tool processing. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A hardware structure block diagram of a mobile terminal for performing a loading and unloading method for machine tool processing according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a machine tool loading and unloading method according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0019] Figure 3A schematic diagram of the equipment layout of the exhibition area is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating another method for loading and unloading materials in machine tool processing is shown.

[0021] Figure 5 The flowchart of the loading and unloading operation of the first machine tool is shown;

[0022] Figure 6 A first-view structural schematic diagram of the support frame in the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 7 A second-view structural schematic diagram of the support frame in the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0024] Figure 8 A third-view structural schematic diagram of a support frame according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism of the present invention is shown;

[0025] Figure 9 A first-view structural schematic diagram of the robot cooperating with the support frame in the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 10 A second-view structural schematic diagram of the robot cooperating with the support frame in the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a robot switching fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a clamping fixture assembly holding a workpiece blank according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of a clamping assembly holding a semi-finished workpiece according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism of the present invention is shown.

[0030] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a clamping assembly holding a finished workpiece according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 15 A front view of a clamping assembly according to an embodiment of a workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 16 An axonometric view of a clamping assembly according to an embodiment of the workpiece buffer mechanism according to the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 17 The flowchart of the loading and unloading operation of the second machine tool is shown;

[0034] Figure 18 The data flow and control architecture diagram of the machining loading and unloading system is shown;

[0035] Figure 19 A structural block diagram of a host computer provided according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0036] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0037] 1002. Processor; 1004. Memory; 1006. Transmission equipment; 1008. Input / output device; 100. Support frame; 110. Crossbeam; 120. Mounting plate; 121. Electromagnetic component; 122. Junction box; 130. Anchor plate; 200. Support platform; 210. Buffer area; 211. Workpiece; 212. Material tray; 213. Storage tank; 214. Quick-change support plate; 215. Handle; 216. Calibration block; 220. Tilting area; 221. Positioning assembly; 222. Positioning part; 223. First baffle; 224. Second baffle; 225. 1. Third baffle; 226. Moving part; 227. Buffer pad; 300. Robot; 310. Fixture assembly; 311. Fixing plate; 312. Vision camera; 313. Quick-change mother plate; 314. Quick-change daughter plate; 315. Adapter plate; 316. Electric gripper; 317. Gripper finger; 320. Mobile chassis; 10. Charging pile; 11. Traveling platform; 12. First machine tool; 13. Second machine tool; 14. First material rack; 15. Tilting mechanism; 16. Second material rack; 17. Machine tool internal fixture; 18. Wireless router; 19. Host computer; 20. Working path of the composite collaborative robot. Detailed Implementation

[0038] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0039] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0040] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0041] In the field of automated production of multi-process machining, the combination of ground rail and industrial robot is often used for loading and unloading. Although the combination of ground rail and industrial robot has a large load and high rigidity, it has problems such as low deployment efficiency, high maintenance cost and poor flexibility when facing multi-variety, multi-process, small batch and small weight processing tasks, making it difficult to adjust quickly and cost-effectively in a short period of time.

[0042] The existing solutions have the following technical problems:

[0043] Traditional ground rail + industrial robot has poor flexibility and low changeover efficiency: the ground rail path is rigid and fixed, and the position of the industrial robot cannot be flexibly adjusted. When adapting to the processing of multiple types of workpieces, the trajectory and movement need to be readjusted, resulting in a long changeover cycle and failing to meet the production needs of "multiple varieties and small batches" in machining.

[0044] Redundant processes and low production line efficiency: Traditional loading and unloading solutions have not optimized the paths for the characteristics of multiple machining processes. The robot has many moving points and long action chains, which can easily become out of sync with the machine tool's processing cycle, resulting in machine tool standby and robot idle running. The overall equipment utilization rate of the production line is low, which cannot meet the production requirements of "high cycle time and high efficiency" in machining.

[0045] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes an efficient cyclic loading and unloading method based on a composite collaborative robot. Through fixed-point scheduling and hierarchical communication collaboration, it achieves stable and continuous automated loading and unloading on a dual-machine production line, while improving the flexibility of the entire automated line and reducing the impact of equipment layout adjustments on the production line.

[0046] As described in the background section, the efficiency of production lines in existing machine tool processing is relatively low. To solve the above problems, embodiments of this application provide a loading and unloading method and system for machine tool processing.

[0047] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0048] The methods and embodiments provided in this application can be executed on a mobile terminal, computer terminal, or similar computing device. Taking running on a mobile terminal as an example, Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of a mobile terminal for a machine tool loading and unloading method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, a mobile terminal may include one or more ( Figure 1 Only one is shown in the diagram. A processor 1002 (which may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA, etc.) and a memory 1004 for storing data are also shown. The mobile terminal may further include a transmission device 1006 for communication functions and an input / output device 1008. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 1 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the mobile terminal described above. For example, the mobile terminal may also include components that are more... Figure 1 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 1 The different configurations shown.

[0049] The memory 1004 can be used to store computer programs, such as application software programs and modules, like the computer program corresponding to the loading and unloading method for machine tool processing in this embodiment of the invention. The processor 1002 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the computer program stored in the memory 1004, thereby implementing the above-described method. The memory 1004 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 1004 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 1002, and these remote memories can be connected to the mobile terminal via a network. Examples of the above-described networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof. The transmission device 1006 is used to receive or send data via a network. Specific examples of the above-described networks may include wireless networks provided by the mobile terminal's communication provider. In one example, the transmission device 1006 includes a network interface controller (NIC), which can be connected to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the transmission device 1006 may be a radio frequency (RF) module, which is used to communicate with the Internet wirelessly.

[0050] This embodiment provides a method for loading and unloading materials in machine tool processing that runs on a mobile terminal, computer terminal, or similar computing device. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Also, although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a machine tool loading and unloading method according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0052] Step S201: Control a machine tool to process materials;

[0053] Specifically, the implementation scenario includes at least two machine tools connected in series, and of course, more machine tools can be used, such as a first machine tool and a second machine tool. First, the blank material to be processed is loaded into the working chamber of the first machine tool via a loading and unloading device (such as a collaborative robot). After receiving the loading completion signal, the first machine tool closes the safety door and performs the first processing step on the blank material according to the preset processing program. At this time, the first machine tool is in the "processing" state, and its internal cutting tools perform physical processing such as cutting and drilling on the material to generate a semi-finished product.

[0054] Step S202: Determine whether the above-mentioned machine tool has finished processing the material. If the above-mentioned machine tool has not finished processing the material, send the incompletely processed material to the next machine tool and control the next machine tool to continue processing the material until processing is completed.

[0055] Specifically, the host computer monitors the status of the first machine tool in real time via a wireless communication network. When the first machine tool is in processing mode (i.e., "material not yet processed"), the robot may perform tasks on other machines or remain in standby mode. When the first machine tool sends a "processing complete" signal (i.e., "material processed complete"), a feeding command is triggered. The robot moves to the first machine tool, the first machine tool opens its safety door, and the robot uses a 3D camera to locate and grip the semi-finished material. The robot then transports the semi-finished material to a flipping mechanism for orientation flipping (if necessary), and then transports it to the second machine tool. The second machine tool opens its safety door, the robot loads the semi-finished material onto the second machine tool, closes the safety door, and the second machine tool begins finishing or second-stage processing. This process continues until the second machine tool completes processing, producing the final finished material, which is then unloaded onto the finished product rack.

[0056] Of course, there is no limit to two machine tools; multiple machine tools can be used, with each machine tool processing a portion until the last machine tool completes the process. The implemented operations are not limited to two sequences; operations can be added according to actual needs, and the number of processing steps in each sub-operation can be adjusted based on the processing time.

[0057] This embodiment enables parallel processing or overlapping operations between processes by allowing materials to be sent to the next machine tool while processing is incomplete. This allows subsequent machine tools to intervene or prepare in advance, reducing waiting time between processes and shortening the overall dwell time of materials on the production line. By controlling the next machine tool to continue processing materials until completion, it ensures that materials can be seamlessly connected and continuously processed after being transferred to the next machine tool until final shaping. This achieves close collaboration between multi-process machine tools and efficient material flow, reducing time waste caused by waiting between processes and thus improving the efficiency of the production line in machine tool processing.

[0058] In the specific implementation process, the aforementioned machine tool is the first machine tool, and the aforementioned next machine tool is the second machine tool. Controlling one machine tool to process materials can be achieved through the following steps: Controlling the robot to move from a first position to a second position, and loading the raw material onto the first machine tool at the second position; controlling the first machine tool to process the raw material into a semi-finished product. The first position is the initial position, and the second position is the loading / unloading position of the first machine tool. If the first machine tool has not finished processing the material, the incompletely processed material is sent to the next machine tool, and the next machine tool continues processing the material until completion. This can be achieved through the following steps: After the first machine tool has finished processing the semi-finished material, controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool at the second position, and... The semi-finished material is transported to the third position, and the flipping mechanism is controlled to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material. The third position is the position where the robot operates at the flipping mechanism, which is used to flip the material. The robot is then controlled to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, where it is loaded onto the second machine tool. The second machine tool is then controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished material. The fourth position is the loading and unloading position of the second machine tool. After the processing on the second machine tool is completed, the robot is controlled to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position. The robot can move back and forth between the first, second, third, and fourth positions.

[0059] In this solution, the work path is limited to four fixed functional points: the first position (initial point), the second position (first machine tool position), the third position (flipping point), and the fourth position (second machine tool position). By standardizing these four points, the robot does not need to perform complex trajectory replanning and only needs to move back and forth within a fixed range, reducing the robot's non-productive movement time (idle running time) and improving work efficiency. Moreover, for some parts of the material that cannot be processed by the existing solution, this solution sets up a flipping mechanism, integrating the flipping action into the robot's work process (third position). The robot works with the flipping mechanism to automatically complete the flipping operation, flipping the material through the flipping mechanism, and then processing it through the second machine tool. This allows for comprehensive processing of the material, thereby improving the efficiency of the production line.

[0060] Specifically, the structure upon which this application is based is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, it includes a charging pile 10; a composite collaborative robot 300; a following platform 11; a first machine tool 12; a second machine tool 13; a first material rack 14; a flipping mechanism 15; a second material rack 16; a machine tool internal fixture 17; a 3D vision camera 312; a wireless router 18; a host computer 19; a calibration block 216; and a composite collaborative robot working path 20.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the loading and unloading cycle method includes the following steps, and the main control system issues instructions as follows:

[0062] S00, Initialization process: Place blanks on the first material rack and empty the second material rack.

[0063] S10. Based on the loading signal of the second machine tool, determine whether there is material on the second machine tool. If the loading / unloading signal of the second machine tool is 0, it means that there is material in the second machine tool and the program enters S20; otherwise, enters S70.

[0064] S20. Based on the machining signal of the second machine tool, determine whether the second machine tool has completed machining. If the machining signal of the second machine tool is 0, it means that the second machine tool has completed machining, and the program proceeds to S30; otherwise, proceed to S80.

[0065] S30. Based on the number of loading and unloading actions taken by the 3D camera or the initial setting data, determine whether there is an empty space on the second material rack. If so, proceed to S40; otherwise, proceed to S60.

[0066] First, when initializing or replacing a completely new empty shelf, the host computer or the control unit of the collaborative robot records the total capacity of the second shelf and sets this total capacity as the initial number of empty slots. Simultaneously, an internal counter is maintained to record the number of finished products currently stored in the second shelf, with an initial count of zero.

[0067] Secondly, during the process of the collaborative robot unloading materials to the second shelf, the control unit increments the finished product quantity counter by one after each unloading operation. At this time, the remaining number of empty spaces in the second shelf is calculated in real time by subtracting the current value of the finished product quantity counter from the total capacity.

[0068] To eliminate accumulated errors and ensure accurate judgment, a visual verification mechanism using a 3D camera is introduced. At preset time intervals, or before critical decision points determining whether there are sufficient empty spaces, the collaborative robot controls the 3D camera to scan and photograph the second material rack. The 3D camera acquires three-dimensional point cloud data of the rack's interior, uses image processing algorithms to identify and segment the finished materials within the rack, and counts the actual number of identified finished products. This visually recognized count is then compared with the value of an action counter.

[0069] If the visually recognized number matches the action counter value, or is within the allowable error range, the action count is confirmed to be accurate, and the remaining empty space number calculated based on the action count is directly used as the judgment basis. If there is a significant difference between the two, it is determined that the action count has deviated. In this case, the number of finished products obtained from the 3D camera's visual recognition is taken as the standard, the remaining empty space number is recalculated, and the action counter value is updated synchronously to correct the status.

[0070] Finally, the corrected number of remaining empty spaces is compared with the number of finished materials to be unloaded. If the number of remaining empty spaces is greater than or equal to the number of materials to be unloaded, it is determined that there are empty spaces on the second rack, and the unloading operation is allowed; if the number of remaining empty spaces is less than the number of materials to be unloaded, it is determined that there are not enough empty spaces, triggering an alarm or suspending the unloading process, awaiting manual intervention.

[0071] S40: Execute the loading and unloading instructions for the second machine tool, and then jump to S80.

[0072] S50, the collaborative robot returns to the initial point at ① to wait for instructions, and then jumps to S10.

[0073] S60: The system issues a notification to the operator to unload the finished product from the second material rack and pauses the operation of the composite collaborative robot. After the finished product is unloaded, the operator gives a signal to continue execution, and the program jumps to S40.

[0074] S70: Based on the 3D camera image data and the number of times the robotic arm performs semi-finished product loading and unloading or the initial setting data, determine whether there is material on the accompanying table. If so, proceed to S40; otherwise, proceed to S80.

[0075] First, during initialization or when the accompanying station is emptied, the host computer initializes the quantity of material in the accompanying station to zero and uses this state as the initialization setting data. Since the accompanying station is fixedly installed on the collaborative robot, its spatial position relative to the robot body is fixed. Therefore, the material status is tracked by recording the number of operations performed by the robot on the accompanying station.

[0076] Secondly, when the collaborative robot performs the first machine tool unloading action, the control unit increments the material quantity counter on the accompanying table each time it places a semi-finished product onto the accompanying table. When performing the second machine tool unloading action, the control unit decrements the counter each time it removes a semi-finished product from the accompanying table for loading or flipping. Based on this counter, the status of the accompanying table is determined in real time: if the counter value is greater than zero, it is determined that there is material on the accompanying table; if the counter value is zero, it is determined that there is no material on the accompanying table.

[0077] To eliminate logical counting errors caused by mechanical mistakes, missed operations, or external interference, a visual verification mechanism using a 3D camera is introduced. At critical decision points, such as before executing a semi-finished product flipping procedure or during periodic state synchronization, the collaborative robot controls the 3D camera to photograph the accompanying platform. The 3D camera acquires three-dimensional point cloud data of the accompanying platform area, and image processing algorithms are used to identify whether there are material entities on the accompanying platform.

[0078] The presence of materials detected by the 3D camera is compared with the value of the motion counter. If the 3D camera detects material but the counter shows zero, or if the 3D camera detects no material but the counter shows a value greater than zero, the logical state is determined to be inconsistent with the physical state. In this case, the result of the 3D camera's visual recognition is taken as the standard, and the counter value is adjusted accordingly. For example, if the visual recognition confirms the presence of material, the counter is forcibly reset to 1; if the visual recognition confirms the absence of material, the counter is reset to 0.

[0079] S80. Based on the loading signal of the first machine tool, determine whether there is material on the first machine tool. If the loading / unloading signal of the first machine tool is 0, it means that there is material in the first machine tool, then proceed to S90; otherwise, proceed to S120.

[0080] S90. Based on the processing signal of the first machine tool, determine whether the first machine tool has completed processing. If the processing signal of the first machine tool is 0, it means that the first machine tool has completed processing, and the program enters S100; otherwise, enters S50.

[0081] S100: Based on the 3D camera image data and the number of times the robotic arm performs semi-finished product loading and unloading or the initial setting data, determine whether there is an empty space on the accompanying table. If so, proceed to S110; otherwise, proceed to S10.

[0082] S110: Execute the first machine tool loading and unloading program, then jump to S10.

[0083] S120: Based on the number of loading and unloading actions taken by the 3D camera or the initial setting data, determine whether there are enough blanks on the first material rack. If so, proceed to S110; otherwise, proceed to S130.

[0084] When initializing or replacing a brand new blank rack, the host computer or the control unit of the collaborative robot records the initial total number of blanks on the first rack and sets this number as the initial blank quantity. Simultaneously, an internal counter is maintained to record the number of blanks currently removed from the first rack, with an initial count of zero.

[0085] Secondly, during the process of the collaborative robot loading materials onto the first machine tool, the control unit increments the counter for the number of blanks retrieved after each successful grabbing and placement of a blank from the first material rack. At this point, the remaining number of blanks in the first material rack is calculated in real-time by subtracting the current count from the initial total number of blanks. If this remaining number is greater than or equal to the number of blanks required for subsequent processing, the robot is deemed to have sufficient blanks; otherwise, it is deemed to have insufficient blanks.

[0086] To eliminate logical counting errors caused by mechanical mistakes, missed grabs, or misoperations, a visual verification mechanism using a 3D camera is introduced. At specific times, such as before each loading action or periodically, the collaborative robot controls the 3D camera to scan the first material rack. The 3D camera acquires three-dimensional point cloud data of the rack's interior, and image processing algorithms identify and segment the blank entities within the rack, counting the actual remaining quantity of the identified blanks.

[0087] The remaining blank quantity identified by the 3D camera vision is compared with the remaining blank quantity derived from the motion count. If they match or are within the allowable error range, the motion count is confirmed to be accurate, and the remaining blank quantity calculated based on the motion count is directly used as the judgment basis. If there is a significant difference between the two, it is determined that the motion count has deviated. In this case, the remaining blank quantity obtained by the 3D camera vision is taken as the standard, and the status is recalculated and updated.

[0088] Finally, the corrected remaining quantity of blanks is compared with the total blank demand for current and subsequent planned processing. If the remaining quantity of blanks can meet the processing needs for the current period and a certain subsequent cycle, it is determined that there are enough blanks on the first rack, and the loading and unloading process can continue. If the remaining quantity of blanks is insufficient to support subsequent processing, it is determined that there are not enough blanks, an early warning signal is generated, and manual replenishment is notified. The automatic loading and unloading process is then paused until manual replenishment is completed and confirmed, at which point operation resumes.

[0089] S130: The system issues a notification to the operator to load the blank onto the first material rack and pauses the operation of the composite collaborative robot. After the blank loading is completed, the operator presses the start button, and the program jumps to S110.

[0090] In a specific instance, the combination of machine tool processing signals and machine tool loading / unloading signals determines the material state of the machine tool, and there are only three possible states.

[0091] Furthermore, when the machine tool processing signal is 1 and the machine tool loading / unloading signal is 0, it means that there is material in the machine tool and it is being processed;

[0092] Furthermore, when the machine tool processing signal is 0 and the machine tool loading / unloading signal is 1, it means that there is no material in the machine tool and loading is required;

[0093] Furthermore, when the machine tool processing signal is 0 and the machine tool loading / unloading signal is 0, it means that there is material in the machine tool and the processing is complete, and the material needs to be unloaded.

[0094] Furthermore, after the collaborative robot is in place, a 3D camera is used to photograph the calibration plate fixed on the first machine tool / second machine tool / first material rack / flipping mechanism / second material rack. This obtains the relative pose of the 3D camera with respect to the calibration block. The hand-eye matrix is ​​then calculated using the photographic data to determine the spatial coordinates between the actual robot end effector, base, and calibration block, thereby compensating for errors. By relying on the fixed relative position of the calibration block and the actual workpiece, the workpiece coordinates are indirectly locked, improving the grasping accuracy.

[0095] Furthermore, since the accompanying platform is fixed on the composite collaborative robot and its relative position is fixed, the composite collaborative robot can determine the material status on the accompanying platform based on the actions and locations it performs, thus eliminating the need for the 3D camera to take pictures and confirm the quantity.

[0096] Furthermore, the collaborative robot uses 3D camera data and executed actions to determine the material status on the first machine tool, the second machine tool, the first material rack, the flipping mechanism, and the second material rack.

[0097] In a specific example, when the first machine tool performs its first machining operation, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S70→S80→S120→S110→S10→S70→S80→S90→S50→S10.

[0098] Furthermore, when the first machine tool completes its processing and the second machine tool is about to perform its first processing, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S70→S80→S90→S100→S110→S10→S70→S40→S80→S90→S50→S10.

[0099] Furthermore, when both the first and second machine tools are performing machining, the control program execution flow is S10→S20→S80→S90→S50→10S.

[0100] Furthermore, when the second machine tool has finished processing and the first machine tool is processing, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S20→S30→S40→S80→S90→S50→S10.

[0101] Furthermore, when the first machine tool completes processing, and there is empty space on the accompanying table while the second machine tool is processing, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S20→S80→S90→S100→S110→S10.

[0102] Furthermore, when the first machine tool completes processing and there is insufficient space on the accompanying table while the second machine tool is processing, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S20→S80→S90→S100→S10. In this state, it is necessary to wait for the second machine tool to complete processing and execute the S40 loading / unloading command before the accompanying table can free up space and exit the loop, and then execute the loading / unloading procedure S110 for the first machine tool.

[0103] Furthermore, when the first machine tool completes processing, and there is empty space on the accompanying table and no blank on the first material rack, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→(S20 or S20→S30→S40 or S20→S30→S60→S40)→S80→S90→S100→S110→S10→(S20 or S20→S30→S40 or S20→S30→S60→S40)→S80→S120→S130→S110→S10.

[0104] Furthermore, when the second machine tool completes processing and there is no empty space / insufficient empty space on the second material rack, the main control program executes the following flow: S10→S20→S30→S60→S40→(S80→S90→S50 or S80→S90→S100→S110 or S80→S120→S110 or S80→S120→S130→S110)→S10.

[0105] In some embodiments, the blank material is loaded onto the first machine tool at the second position, and the first machine tool is controlled to process the blank material to obtain a semi-finished product. This can be achieved through the following steps: determining whether there is material being processed in the first machine tool; if there is no material being processed in the first machine tool, determining whether the first quantity of the blank material in the first rack is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool; if the first quantity is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool, controlling the robot to load the blank material from the first rack onto the first machine tool at the second position; controlling the safety door in the first machine tool to close, and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material to obtain the semi-finished product.

[0106] This solution avoids blindly loading materials when the machine is busy by determining whether there is material being processed in the first machine tool; it also ensures the physical feasibility of loading by determining whether the initial quantity of blank material in the first material rack is greater than or equal to the processing capacity of the first machine tool. This achieves intelligent judgment and precise control of the loading operation, avoiding invalid loading attempts or machine tool idling due to material shortage in the material rack, ensuring the continuity of machine tool operation and the stability of material supply, and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0107] Specifically, the loading process is only permitted when the first machine tool is in a non-processing state (idle or completed and awaiting unloading / loading). Before loading, a 3D camera is used to confirm that there is sufficient raw material on the first material rack. If the quantity is less than the processable quantity, it indicates a material shortage on the rack. Forcing loading in this case will result in loading failure or only partial loading, causing the machine tool to run idle or produce defective products. By judging the situation, an early warning or pause can be issued when there is a material shortage, waiting for manual replenishment, thereby reducing downtime caused by material shortages.

[0108] In the specific implementation process, before loading the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material to obtain semi-finished material, the method further includes the following steps: when there is no material being processed in the first machine tool and the first quantity is less than the processable quantity of the first machine tool, a first prompt message is generated, wherein the first prompt message is used to prompt loading the first material rack; when there is material being processed in the first machine tool, the robot is controlled to move from the second position to the first position.

[0109] In this solution, when the material rack is insufficient, an early warning is issued, allowing manual intervention to replenish the material, thus avoiding program interruptions caused by the robot blindly attempting to load materials. When the machine tool is busy, the robot automatically returns to the initial point, avoiding meaningless waiting at the machine tool door, thus optimizing human-machine collaboration and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0110] Specifically, if the material quantity is not checked before loading, the robot may attempt to load but fail, causing the production line to pause and await manual intervention. By generating an initial alert, a human is immediately notified when a potential material shortage is detected. After manual replenishment, the system can continue its task, converting non-productive waiting time into parallel manual operation time, thereby shortening the overall production cycle. If the robot remains near the second position while the first machine tool is processing, it cannot operate and may occupy space or pose safety hazards. Controlling it to move to the first position (initial point / charging station) not only frees up the work area but also allows for charging or system self-checks during this time, preparing for the next efficient operation and increasing the robot's effective working time.

[0111] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the loading and unloading instruction flow for the first machine tool is as follows:

[0112] When the first machine tool triggers the loading and unloading command, the following program will be triggered.

[0113] S1110, The collaborative robot moves to location ②.

[0114] S1111, the automatic door of the first machine tool opens.

[0115] S1112, the composite collaborative robot takes pictures of the first machine tool and the first material rack with a 3D camera and performs secondary positioning.

[0116] S1113. Based on the loading / unloading signal of the first machine tool, determine whether the first machine tool has material. If the loading / unloading signal of the first machine tool is 0, the program jumps to S1118; otherwise, it enters S1114.

[0117] S1114. Execute the first machine tool loading procedure.

[0118] S1115, the composite collaborative robot sequentially feeds the blanks from the first material rack into the first machine tool.

[0119] S1116, The automatic door of the first machine tool is closed.

[0120] S1117, The first machine tool begins processing, and then jumps to S1122.

[0121] S1118. Execute the first machine tool unloading program.

[0122] S1119, the composite collaborative robot sequentially unloads the semi-finished products from the first machine tool onto the accompanying table.

[0123] S1120: Based on the number of loading and unloading actions taken by the 3D camera or the initial setting data, determine whether there are enough blanks on the first material rack. If so, jump to S1114; otherwise, proceed to S1121.

[0124] S1121, The first machine tool was not loaded or processed.

[0125] S1122. Determine whether the composite collaborative robot has executed the first machine tool unloading. If yes, proceed to S1123; otherwise, jump to S1131.

[0126] S1123, Execute the semi-finished product flipping procedure.

[0127] S1124. The composite collaborative robot moves to position ③ and sets n=1, where n is the number of times the semi-finished product is flipped.

[0128] S1125, the composite collaborative robot places the semi-finished product on the flipping mechanism from the left.

[0129] S1126, The cylinder on the flipping mechanism is pushed out to clamp the semi-finished product.

[0130] S1127. The composite collaborative robot adjusts its posture and picks up the semi-finished product from the right side.

[0131] S1128, The cylinder on the flipping mechanism retracts, releasing the semi-finished product.

[0132] S1129. The composite collaborative robot picks up the semi-finished product and puts it back on the accompanying platform, completes the flipping of the semi-finished product, and assigns the value n=n+1.

[0133] S1130. Determine if n is equal to N. If yes, the program ends; otherwise, jump to S1125 to perform the next flip, where N is the quantity of semi-finished products to be unloaded from the first machine tool.

[0134] S1131. Based on the 3D camera image data and the number of times the robotic arm loads and unloads semi-finished products or the initialization settings, determine whether there are enough remaining blanks on the first material rack. If so, the program ends; otherwise, proceed to S1132.

[0135] S1132. The system notifies the operator to load the blank onto the first material rack. After loading is completed, the operator gives a signal to continue execution and then ends the program.

[0136] Furthermore, when there is material on the first material rack, the first machine tool will perform a first machine tool loading procedure S1114 after executing the first machine tool unloading procedure S1118 once.

[0137] Furthermore, when there is no material on the first material rack, the first machine tool will execute the semi-finished product flipping subroutine S1123 after executing the first machine tool unloading program S1118 once.

[0138] Furthermore, the semi-finished product flipping subroutine S1123 determines the flipping number n by using the number N of semi-finished products unloaded by the composite collaborative robot on the first machine tool, until all unloaded semi-finished products have been flipped.

[0139] Furthermore, when there is no material on the first material rack, the main control program S120 will jump to S130 to notify the operator to load the blank onto the first material rack. After loading is completed and the machine is restarted, the main control program will jump to S110 for the first machine tool loading and unloading program. Only then will the first machine tool execute the first machine tool loading and unloading program S1114 once and end.

[0140] Furthermore, after the composite collaborative robot takes a picture of the first material rack with a 3D camera, it will count the number of blanks and the number of loading / unloading actions. When the remaining blanks on the first material rack are insufficient to support the next loading after executing the first machine tool loading program S1114, the composite collaborative robot will issue a blank shortage warning command to notify the human to replenish the first material rack.

[0141] In a specific example, when the first machine tool completes processing, there is empty space on the accompanying table, and there are enough blanks on the first material rack, the trigger flow of the loading and unloading program of the first machine tool to complete one unloading and loading cycle is: S110→S1110→S1111→S1112→S1113→S1118→S1119→S1120→S1114→S1115→S1116→S1117→S1122→S1123→S1124→(S1125→S1126→S1127→S1128→S1129→S1130)→S1131→End, where (S1125→S1126→S1127→S1128→S1129→S1130) will be executed N times in a loop.

[0142] In some embodiments, the robot is controlled to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool at the second position and transport the semi-finished material to the third position. The flipping mechanism is then controlled to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material. This can be achieved through the following steps: controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool to the accompanying table at the second position, wherein the accompanying table is fixed in the robot; controlling the robot to move from the second position to the third position; controlling the robot to grab the semi-finished material from the accompanying table from one side, placing the semi-finished material in the flipping mechanism, and controlling the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material.

[0143] In this solution, the accompanying table is used as a "temporary tray" for semi-finished materials, simplifying the material storage and transfer logic between the robot and the flipping mechanism. Through the cooperation of the flipping mechanism and the robot's "placement on the left and retrieval on the right," material flipping can be completed without the need for complex robot rotation, further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0144] Specifically, the semi-finished material is placed on a traveling table fixed to the robot, eliminating the need for repeated gripping and releasing when the robot moves between the second and third positions, reducing the motion cycle and improving movement efficiency. In traditional solutions, manual flipping or simple mechanical flipping cannot guarantee the clamping accuracy of the material on the second machine tool. This solution ensures the consistency of the semi-finished material's position after flipping through the precise mechanical structure of the flipping mechanism (such as cylinder positioning) and the repeatability accuracy of the fixed points of the robot's first, second, third, and fourth positions (such as ±0.05mm). Through flipping, the surface of the semi-finished material to be processed is correctly aligned with the cutting tool of the second machine tool, enabling the second machine tool to perform finishing on that surface.

[0145] Specifically, the flipping process depends on the workpiece and can be added or removed depending on the actual processing situation.

[0146] The workpiece buffer mechanism provided in this application has a buffer area 210 and a flipping area 220 set on the support platform 200 of the support frame 100. The buffer area 210 is used to buffer the workpiece 211, which can be a blank workpiece or a semi-finished workpiece. A positioning component 221 is set in the flipping area 220, and the workpiece 211 is positioned by the positioning part 222. In actual operation, the robot 300 takes pictures and positions the calibration block 216 under the guidance of the vision camera 312. Then, it drives the clamping component 310 to clamp the workpiece 211 from the buffer area 210 toward the first surface of the workpiece 211 and places the workpiece 211 vertically in the positioning part 222 for positioning. Then, it clamps the workpiece 211 toward the second surface of the workpiece 211 and places the workpiece 211 horizontally to the next processing station for processing the second surface of the workpiece 211. In this way, there is no need to set up a separate flipping robot to flip the workpiece. The robot 300 can directly clamp the workpiece 211 towards different surfaces and perform the transition at the positioning part 222, thus realizing the flipping of the workpiece 211 during the processing. The entire process can be handled by a single robot 300 for loading, unloading, and flipping, solving the problem in the prior art where the workpiece flipping process is complex and requires a dedicated flipping mechanism, leading to increased equipment costs. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 6 to 16 As shown, this application provides a workpiece buffer mechanism, including:

[0147] A support frame 100 is provided, and a support platform 200 is provided on the support frame 100. A buffer area 210 and a flipping area 220 are provided on the support platform 200. The buffer area 210 is used to buffer the workpiece 211. The workpiece 211 includes a first surface and a second surface that are arranged opposite to each other. The workpiece 211 is placed horizontally in the buffer area 210.

[0148] Robot 300 is set on the side of support frame 100. A clamping assembly 310 is set at the end of robot 300 for clamping workpiece 211. A vision camera 312 is set on the side of clamping assembly 310 for taking pictures and positioning the calibration block 216 set on buffer area 210 and flipping area 220 before gripping / releasing workpiece and changing clamps, so as to obtain the precise relative position of robot 300 with buffer area 210 and flipping area 220.

[0149] The positioning component 221 is disposed in the flipping area 220. The positioning component 221 includes a positioning part 222, which is used to position the workpiece 211. Under the guidance of the vision camera 312, the robot 300 takes a picture of the calibration block 216 for positioning. Then, it drives the clamping component 310 to clamp the workpiece 211 from the buffer area 210 toward the first surface of the workpiece 211 and places the workpiece 211 vertically in the positioning part 222 for positioning. After that, it clamps the workpiece 211 toward the second surface of the workpiece 211 and places the workpiece 211 horizontally to the next processing station for processing the second surface of the workpiece 211.

[0150] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the workpiece buffer mechanism mainly includes a support frame 100, a robot 300, and a positioning component 221. The support frame 100 provides overall support, and a support platform 200 is provided on its top. The support platform 200 is divided into a buffer area 210 and a flipping area 220, wherein the buffer area 210 is used to horizontally store workpieces 211, and the workpieces 211 have a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other.

[0151] The robot 300 is positioned to the side of the support frame 100, with a gripper assembly 310 mounted at its end for gripping and placing workpieces. A vision camera 312 is mounted on its side for taking pictures and positioning the calibration block 216, thereby improving gripping accuracy. The positioning assembly 221 is located within the flipping area 220 and specifically includes a positioning part 222.

[0152] During the operation, the robot 300 first drives the vision camera 312 to take pictures and position the calibration block 216 on the buffer area 210. Then, the gripper assembly 310 grips the first surface of the workpiece 211. Subsequently, the robot 300 moves the gripped workpiece 211 vertically to the flipping area 220 and places it vertically on the positioning part 222 for positioning and fixation. Then, the robot 300 adjusts its posture and performs a second gripping of the workpiece 211 towards the second surface. Finally, the robot moves the workpiece 211 horizontally and places it to the next processing station for processing the second surface of the workpiece 211.

[0153] Using calibration block 216 as a standard measurement reference, and relying on the fixed positional relationship between calibration block 216 and support frame 100, the three-dimensional pose of support frame 100 relative to the camera is calculated. After hand-eye coordinate system transformation, the precise relative position of support frame 100 and robot 300 is obtained, thereby obtaining the accurate position of workpiece 211, quick-change support plate 214 and robot 300.

[0154] This application achieves 180° rotation processing of workpiece 211 through a unique vertical positioning and secondary gripping and flipping method, which has significant beneficial effects. This design achieves rotation solely through the reversal of the motion of the end-effector assembly 310 of the robot 300, eliminating the need for complex mechanical rotation cylinders or motor drive devices on the support frame 100 or support platform 200. This reduces hardware costs, simplifies the mechanism structure, reduces potential failure points, and improves the overall reliability of the system.

[0155] The positioning unit 222 precisely positions the vertically placed workpiece 211 within the flipping area 220, ensuring the stability of the workpiece's posture during the flipping process, avoiding collision interference and workpiece damage, and guaranteeing the high precision requirements for subsequent processing of the second surface.

[0156] The buffer mechanism has a compact structure, with the buffer area 210 and the flipping area 220 integrated into one unit. Combined with the automated operation process, it reduces manual intervention, improves production efficiency and operational safety, and is particularly suitable for automated production scenarios that require multi-sequence processing and flexible changeover.

[0157] Specifically, the positioning component 221 includes:

[0158] The first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart. The positioning part 222 is located between the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224. When the workpiece 211 is placed vertically in the positioning part 222, the workpiece 211 is limited by the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224.

[0159] like Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the positioning component 221 provided in the flipping area 220 specifically includes a first baffle 223 and a second baffle 224. The first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 are arranged opposite to each other, forming a gap between them, and the positioning part 222 (i.e., a platform or area for supporting the bottom of the workpiece) is located between the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224.

[0160] When the robot 300 picks up the workpiece 211 from the buffer area 210 and places it vertically on the positioning part 222, the sides of the workpiece 211 abut against or are close to the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 respectively. Through the cooperation of the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, the workpiece 211 in the vertical state is limited and fixed in the front-back or left-right directions, so as to prevent the workpiece from tipping over or shifting during the secondary gripping process.

[0161] This structure effectively limits the vertically placed workpiece 211 by using the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, which significantly improves the stability and safety of the workpiece during the flipping and positioning process.

[0162] During the flipping process, the workpiece 211 changes from horizontal to vertical and has a high center of gravity, making it prone to swaying due to inertia or external force. The first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 can limit the horizontal displacement of the workpiece 211 and prevent it from tilting or falling when the robot 300 performs secondary gripping (gripping towards the second surface), thereby avoiding workpiece damage and potential safety risks.

[0163] This limiting structure is simple and reliable, requiring no additional complex drive components, which reduces manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty, and ensures that workpiece 211 can be accurately and stably positioned in the predetermined position, providing a guarantee for subsequent high-precision machining.

[0164] Specifically, the first baffle 223 and / or the second baffle 224 are movably arranged in a direction that is relatively close or far away, so as to clamp and position the workpiece 211.

[0165] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the first baffle 223 and / or the second baffle 224 are movably disposed in a direction that is relatively close to or far away from each other. Specifically, at least one of the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 can be translated horizontally by a drive mechanism (such as a cylinder).

[0166] When it is necessary to position workpieces 211 of different sizes or shapes, the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 can be adjusted in position according to the width of the workpiece 211, moving closer to or further away from each other. For example, when the workpiece 211 is wider, the distance between the two baffles increases; when the workpiece 211 is narrower, the distance between the two baffles decreases. The first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 move inward until they abut against the side of the workpiece 211, thereby achieving clamping and positioning of the workpiece 211, which is placed vertically on the positioning part 222.

[0167] The movable structure gives the positioning component 221 high adaptability and flexibility. By adjusting the distance between the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, the mechanism can accommodate workpieces 211 of various widths without the need to change different positioning molds or baffles, achieving rapid adaptation of the same hardware to workpieces of different specifications.

[0168] Compared to fixed baffles, this clamping and positioning method can fit more closely to the side of the workpiece 211, avoiding positioning gaps caused by workpiece dimensional tolerances or variations. This improves the positioning accuracy and stability of the workpiece during vertical flipping and secondary clamping. Furthermore, the movable baffle design simplifies tooling changeover processes, shortens changeover time, and further enhances the flexibility and production efficiency of the production line.

[0169] Specifically, the positioning component 221 also includes:

[0170] The third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 are located on both sides of the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, respectively. At least a portion of the third baffle 225 is used to fit against the first side of the workpiece 211. The moving part 226 is movably disposed in the direction of approaching or moving away from the positioning part 222 so as to fit against or separate from the second side of the workpiece 211.

[0171] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, in addition to the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, the positioning component 221 further includes a third baffle 225 and a moving component 226. The first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 mainly move relative to each other along the width direction of the workpiece 211 (assuming it is the X-axis direction) to adapt to workpieces of different widths.

[0172] The third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 are located on both sides of the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224, respectively, and mainly limit the movement along the length direction of the workpiece 211 (assuming it is the Y-axis direction, i.e. the front-to-back direction).

[0173] Specifically, the third baffle 225 is fixed or configured to cooperate with the moving part 226, and at least a portion of its surface is used to fit against the first side of the workpiece 211 to provide a fixed reference limit.

[0174] The movable component 226 is movably disposed in a direction toward or away from the positioning part 222. When the workpiece 211 is placed vertically on the positioning part 222, the movable component 226 moves to fit against the second side of the workpiece 211, thereby clamping and fixing the workpiece 211 in the front-back direction together with the third baffle 225. This arrangement constitutes a limiting structure in three-dimensional space, ensuring that the workpiece 211 will not move back-forward or rotate in the vertical state.

[0175] The structure uses the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 to assist in limiting the workpiece 211 in the length direction, thereby achieving all-round constraint on the workpiece 211 in two dimensions (width and length) in the horizontal plane.

[0176] Relying solely on the first baffle 223 and the second baffle 224 may not be able to completely restrict the rotational freedom of the workpiece around the vertical axis. However, by introducing the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226, it is possible to effectively prevent the workpiece 211 from tipping over, deflecting, or moving back and forth during vertical placement and secondary gripping by the robot.

[0177] This not only greatly improves the rigidity and stability of workpiece positioning and ensures the accuracy of the flipping angle, but also ensures the positional accuracy of workpiece 211 when placed in the next processing station, providing a reliable guarantee for subsequent high-precision machining. At the same time, the movable design of the moving part 226 also takes into account compatibility with workpieces of different lengths, improving the versatility of the equipment.

[0178] Specifically, the movable component 226 is a fourth baffle, which is movably configured, or...

[0179] The moving part 226 is a drive cylinder, and the piston rod end of the drive cylinder is in contact with or separate from the second side of the workpiece 211.

[0180] In this application, the moving part 226 in the positioning component 221 can be implemented in two ways.

[0181] In the first embodiment, the moving component 226 is a fourth baffle. This fourth baffle is movably mounted on the support frame 100 or support platform 200 via a guide mechanism such as a slide rail or a linear module, and its movement direction is towards or away from the positioning part 222. When positioning the workpiece 211, the fourth baffle moves to fit against the second side of the workpiece 211 (i.e., the side opposite to the third baffle 225), thereby completing the limiting and clamping of the workpiece in the front-back direction.

[0182] In the second configuration, the moving component 226 is a drive cylinder. This drive cylinder is fixedly mounted on the support frame 100 or the support platform 200, with its piston rod extending directly to contact the second side of the workpiece 211. When it is necessary to position the workpiece 211, the drive cylinder extends its piston rod, pushing the piston rod end against the second side of the workpiece 211, causing it to press against the third baffle 225 or remain in a predetermined position; when it is necessary to release the workpiece, the drive cylinder retracts, separating the piston rod end from the workpiece 211.

[0183] Both of the above implementation methods can effectively clamp or abut against and limit the second side of the workpiece 211, ensuring the stability of the workpiece in a vertical state.

[0184] The fourth baffle is used as the moving part 226. The structure is relatively simple and positioning can be achieved through mechanical movement. It is suitable for scenarios where the response speed requirement is not extremely demanding and is easy to integrate with other mechanical structures.

[0185] Using a drive cylinder as the moving part 226 has the advantages of rapid action and controllable clamping force, which can ensure that the workpiece 211 will not be displaced due to inertia or external force during the secondary clamping process, thus improving the reliability and repeatability of positioning.

[0186] Regardless of the form adopted, this design avoids complex mechanical linkage structures, reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs. At the same time, through active or semi-active limiting methods, it enhances adaptability to workpieces of different sizes and improves the smoothness and safety of the overall production process.

[0187] Specifically, buffer pads 227 are provided on the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 respectively, and the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 are in contact with the workpiece 211 through the buffer pads 227.

[0188] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, buffer pads 227 are provided on the side of the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 (whether it is the fourth baffle or the piston rod end of the driving cylinder) that are in contact with the workpiece 211.

[0189] Specifically, the buffer pad 227 is attached and fixed to the surface of the third baffle 225 facing the first side of the workpiece 211, and is also attached and fixed to the surface of the moving part 226 facing the second side of the workpiece 211.

[0190] When workpiece 211 is placed vertically in positioning part 222, and the first baffle 223, second baffle 224, and third baffle 225 work together with moving part 226 to limit the workpiece, the first side of workpiece 211 contacts the third baffle 225 through buffer pad 227, and the second side of workpiece 211 contacts the moving part 226 through buffer pad 227. Buffer pad 227 is located between the rigid baffle / cylinder piston rod and the hard surface of workpiece 211, forming a flexible contact interface.

[0191] The buffer pads 227 installed on the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 mainly achieve the dual benefits of protecting the workpiece surface and buffering impact. The surface of the workpiece 211 (such as precision parts such as motor reducer flanges) usually has high requirements for scratches and bumps. The buffer pads 227 (such as nylon or rubber materials) can prevent the rigid metal baffle or cylinder piston rod from directly contacting the workpiece surface, preventing scratches, dents or deformation of the workpiece surface during clamping and positioning, thereby ensuring the appearance quality and geometric accuracy of the workpiece.

[0192] The buffer pad 227 has a certain degree of elasticity, which can absorb the small vibration and impact energy generated by the robot 300 when placing the workpiece or performing secondary gripping, further improving the stability of the positioning process, avoiding slight displacement or tilting of the workpiece due to rigid impact, and ensuring high precision and high reliability of flip positioning.

[0193] Specifically, the workpiece buffer mechanism also includes:

[0194] Material tray 212 is set in buffer area 210. Material tray 212 is detachably connected to support platform 200. Material tray 212 is provided with multiple storage slots 213, each of which is used to place workpiece 211.

[0195] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the workpiece buffer mechanism also includes a material tray 212. The material tray 212 is disposed within the buffer area 210 of the support platform 200 and is detachably connected to the support platform 200 by means of fasteners (such as screws).

[0196] The material tray 212 has multiple storage slots 213, the number, shape, and size of which are designed to conform to the external features of the workpiece 211 to be buffered. Each storage slot 213 is specifically designed to hold and place one workpiece 211, ensuring that the workpiece 211 is securely embedded when placed horizontally, preventing it from rolling or shifting. When it is necessary to switch to a different product specification, the operator only needs to loosen the fasteners to remove the current material tray 212 from the support platform 200 and install the material tray 212 corresponding to the new product.

[0197] This structure, by incorporating a detachably connected material tray 212 and a contoured storage tank 213, improves the flexibility of workpiece buffering and the efficiency of changeover. The contoured storage tank 213 can accurately position the workpiece 211, preventing displacement or impact during buffering due to collisions or vibrations, thus protecting the surface quality of the workpiece.

[0198] The detachable design of the material tray 212 makes changeover operations extremely simple and efficient: there is no need for complex adjustments or re-teaching of the support platform 200; simply replace the corresponding material tray 212 manually to adapt to the new workpiece. This modular design not only shortens production line downtime for changeovers and enables flexible production, but also reduces the manufacturing cost and maintenance difficulty of tooling fixtures, making it suitable for automated production scenarios with multiple varieties and small batches.

[0199] Specifically, the workpiece buffer mechanism also includes:

[0200] A quick-change support plate 214 is mounted on the support platform 200, and a clamp assembly 310 is mounted on the quick-change support plate 214. The quick-change support plate 214 extends from the support platform 200 so that each clamp assembly 310 is suspended on the side of the support frame 100.

[0201] The clamping assembly 310 is in multiple sets, and multiple sets of clamping assemblies 310 can be selectively connected to the robot 300.

[0202] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 13 As shown, the workpiece buffer mechanism also includes a quick-change support plate 214. This quick-change support plate 214 is fixed to the support platform 200 and is used to store the fixture assembly 310 of the robot 300. There are multiple sets of fixture assemblies 310, each set corresponding to different workpiece 211 specifications or processing requirements.

[0203] In normal operation, the end effector of robot 300 is connected to one of the active gripper assemblies 310. When it is necessary to switch the processing product, robot 300 moves to quick-change support plate 214, takes a picture of the calibration block 216 set on the flipping area 220 through vision camera 312 for positioning, and then places its currently connected gripper assembly 310 (as the end effector gripper of the robot to be switched) on the designated position of quick-change support plate 214 for buffering.

[0204] Then, the robot 300 uses a quick-change module (such as the cooperation of a quick-change master plate and a quick-change slave plate) to grab another set of pre-stored fixture components 310 from the quick-change support plate 214 and connects them. In this way, multiple sets of fixture components 310 can be selectively and quickly connected and disconnected from the robot 300, and the automatic switching of fixtures can be completed without human intervention.

[0205] This design enables automated and rapid changeover of the robot 300 end effector through the cooperation of the quick-change support plate 214 and multiple sets of clamping assemblies 310.

[0206] This design reduces production line changeover downtime, enabling zero-downtime or minimal-downtime production modes and significantly improving production efficiency. Simultaneously, it avoids the low efficiency, high risk, and poor consistency issues associated with traditional manual fixture changes, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the changeover process.

[0207] By modularly storing fixture components of different specifications, the system's adaptability to flexible production of multiple varieties and small batches is enhanced. There is no need to reprogram or mechanically modify the robot body, which reduces the cost and complexity of automation transformation and improves the overall production flexibility and intelligence level.

[0208] like Figures 6 to 10 As shown, the quick-change support plate 214 extends laterally from the edge of the support platform 200, forming a cantilever structure.

[0209] This structure allows the clamping assemblies 310 mounted on the quick-change support plate 214 to be spatially suspended in the lateral region of the support frame 100, rather than located inside or below the main structure of the support frame 100. This layout ensures that the quick-change support plate 214 and its clamping assemblies 310 are in open space, without any obstructions.

[0210] It provides ample operating space for the robot 300, ensuring that the robot end can approach the quick-change support plate 214 without obstruction, thereby smoothly completing the connection and disconnection actions with the fixture assembly 310, avoiding the risk of collision or operational failure caused by interference with the main structure of the support frame 100.

[0211] The suspended layout facilitates observation and operation, enabling precise positioning and visual recognition for automated changeovers, thus improving the reliability and efficiency of the changeover process. Furthermore, this design simplifies the main structure of the support frame 100, resulting in a more compact and rational overall layout. This facilitates maintenance personnel's inspection and maintenance of the quick-change support plate 214 and clamp assembly 310, while also adhering to ergonomic principles and ensuring operational safety.

[0212] Specifically, the robot 300 is equipped with a vision camera 312;

[0213] Calibration blocks 216 are respectively set in the buffer area 210 and the flipping area 220. The calibration blocks 216 are photographed by the vision camera 312 to identify the relative position of the robot 300 with the buffer area 210 or the flipping area 220.

[0214] like Figures 6 to 10As shown, a vision camera 312 is installed at the end of the robot 300 or at a specific location on the robot body. Calibration blocks 216 are fixedly installed in the buffer area 210 and the flipping area 220, respectively. Before loading and unloading operations, the robot 300 controls the vision camera 312 to take pictures of the calibration blocks 216 located in the buffer area 210 or the flipping area 220.

[0215] Image processing algorithms are used to identify the position and orientation of calibration block 216 within the camera's field of view, thereby calculating the relative positional deviation between robot 300 and buffer area 210 or flipping area 220. Based on this relative positional information, robot 300 can correct its motion path to ensure the accuracy of grasping and placement actions.

[0216] This structure, through the cooperation of vision camera 312 and calibration block 216, achieves high-precision coordinate calibration and position compensation of robot 300, buffer area 210 and flipping area 220.

[0217] It overcomes relative positional deviations caused by factors such as robot body positioning errors, uneven ground, or equipment vibration, ensuring the accuracy of workpiece gripping and placement and improving the success rate of operations. At the same time, it reduces reliance on high-precision robot teaching paths, lowers debugging difficulty and downtime, and enhances the system's adaptability.

[0218] Automated visual calibration enables plug-and-play rapid deployment and line changeover, further enhancing the flexibility and intelligence of the production line and ensuring processing accuracy and efficiency in multi-variety, small-batch production.

[0219] Specifically, a crossbeam 110 is provided at the bottom of the support frame 100. The crossbeam 110 is arranged along the circumferential direction of the support frame 100 and is used to cooperate with a forklift to lift the support frame 100 and transport it to a predetermined work position; and / or,

[0220] The support frame 100 has a mounting plate 120 on its side. The mounting plate 120 has an electromagnetic component 121 and a junction box 122. The electromagnetic component 121 and the junction box 122 are respectively connected to the positioning component 221.

[0221] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, a crossbeam 110 is provided at the bottom of the support frame 100. The crossbeam 110 is arranged along the circumferential direction of the support frame 100, and is usually located at the bottom edge of the support frame 100 or a specific stress position, forming a structure suitable for forklift forks to insert. When it is necessary to move the support frame 100, the forklift inserts its forks under the crossbeam 110, which can lift the support frame 100 as a whole and transport it to the predetermined production station.

[0222] Meanwhile, a mounting plate 120 is provided on the side of the support frame 100. The mounting plate 120 is fixed to the side wall of the support frame 100, and an electromagnetic component 121 and a junction box 122 are mounted on it. The electromagnetic component 121 (such as an electromagnet or a solenoid valve assembly for controlling cylinders / valve) and the junction box 122 are respectively connected to the positioning assembly 221 (including actuating or sensing elements such as the third baffle 225 and the moving component 226) through wiring, providing power supply or control signals to the positioning assembly 221.

[0223] The crossbeam 110 improves the ease of handling and deployment flexibility of the support frame 100. By using a forklift for overall lifting and transportation, there is no need for complex disassembly or manual handling of the support frame 100, reducing labor intensity and safety hazards during handling. It also facilitates the rapid transfer of equipment between different workstations, adapting to adjustments in flexible production layouts.

[0224] The mounting plate 120 integrates the electromagnetic component 121 and the junction box 122, enabling centralized management and protection of electrical components. This layout makes the wiring connections more organized and avoids the risk of wear or short circuits caused by messy cables.

[0225] By placing the control components and wiring ports on the side in an easily accessible location, installation, wiring, routine inspection, and troubleshooting are facilitated, improving the maintainability of the equipment. Furthermore, the direct connection between the electromagnetic component 121 and the positioning assembly 221 ensures rapid response and stable transmission of control signals, guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of workpiece positioning.

[0226] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the flip-over area 220 and the buffer area 210 are welded together from square tubing, which improves strength, simplifies the structure, and saves costs; the bottom of the support frame 100 is connected to the base plate, lowering the center of gravity and improving stability; welding plates are welded to the sides for the electromagnetic component 121 and the junction box 122; as shown Figure 8 As shown, the crossbeam 110 is lowered, allowing for manual forklift transport. The support frame 100 is equipped with a buffer area 210 and a tilting area 220. The material tray 212 is secured with four screws. Handles 215 are installed on both sides of the material tray 212 for easy manual switching of product parts. The plate has 16 storage slots 213, capable of storing 16 products (primarily taking the end motor reducer flange part as an example; the method is also applicable to other parts). The contouring slots can be made into a stepped design to accommodate both blanks and finished products, taking into account the size differences between the parts and blanks. The tilting area 220 and the buffer area 210 are fixed together on the support platform 200. Parts are placed vertically on this platform. Based on their semi-finished product characteristics, a positioning component 221 is used to limit the front and rear movement of the parts, raising them for easy clamping and preventing interference.

[0227] The part is equipped with a third baffle 225 on one side and a moving part 226 on the other side. When the robot picks up the part and places it on the positioning part 222, the moving part 226 extends outward to clamp the part, thereby limiting the left and right movement of the part. Both the third baffle 225 and the moving part 226 have buffer pads 227 on their contact surfaces with the part. These pads are made of nylon to prevent damage to the part during clamping. The part is designed to mimic its features, ensuring accurate positioning.

[0228] like Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, the robot's end effector consists of a 3D vision camera 312, a quick-change module, and an electric gripper, enabling precise positioning and gripping of parts. The robot's six-axis end effector is connected to a fixed plate 311, and the 3D camera is fixed on the fixed plate 311, which can accurately identify the three-dimensional coordinates, posture, size, and surface features of the workpiece, and adjust the gripping posture to achieve precise gripping. The quick-change support plate is connected to the fixed plate 311 and can be equipped with multiple quick-change sub-plates to achieve rapid gripping, meeting the needs of multi-variety, small-batch task switching and flexible production. The electric gripper is fixed on the quick-change support plate 214, providing high control precision and compatibility with gripping parts on both sides.

[0229] The fixture assembly 310 also includes a quick-change master plate 313, a quick-change slave plate 314, an adapter plate 315, an electric gripper 316, and gripping fingers 317. The quick-change master plate 313 is connected to the robot end effector. The quick-change master plate 313 and the quick-change slave plate 314 cooperate to lock or separate, realizing quick fixture changes. The adapter plate 315 is connected to both the quick-change slave plate 314 and the electric gripper 316. The gripping fingers 317 are mounted on the electric gripper 316, and the electric gripper 316 controls the opening and closing of the gripping fingers 317 to hold the workpiece 211. This part is processed in two stages. After the first stage is completed, it needs to be rotated 180° for the second stage of processing. This structure can achieve the rotation simply by changing the robot's gripping direction. Figure 11 As shown, after the first machining operation, the part is positioned with side A facing up and side B facing down inside the machine tool. The robot fixture picks up the part from top to bottom and places it on the flip table from the right side. At this time, side A is inside the fixture, and side B is outside the fixture. Figure 12 As shown, the robot then moves to the other side, that is, to grip the part from the left side. At this time, side B is inside the fixture, and side A is outside the fixture. After gripping the part from the flip, it is placed in the machine tool from top to bottom. At this time, the part is positioned in the machine tool with side B facing up and side A facing down, thus achieving a 180° rotation of the part.

[0230] When switching products for processing, the robot's end effector and buffer mounting plate need to be switched, and the flipping mechanism needs to be switched depending on whether the part requires flipping. For example... Figure 13As shown, when switching products, the robot moves to the front of the material rack, and the vision camera 312 takes a picture of the calibration block 216 on the material rack to obtain the precise relative position between the robot and the material rack. The gripper moves to the fixture switching position, the quick-change support plate 214 is released, the sub-plate and the mother plate separate, and the lower part of the sub-plate is stored in the fixture switching position. The gripper moves the mother plate to the fixture switching position, the quick-change module locks, and the fixture switching is completed without manual intervention. The operator only needs to loosen the four screws of the buffer mounting plate and lift the handle to switch the corresponding buffer plate, reducing workload and improving production efficiency. For products that require flipping, the flipping mechanism is replaced simultaneously; otherwise, the flipping mechanism is removed. The entire set of equipment achieves high precision, low energy consumption, and high flexibility while ensuring human and machine safety, and is suitable for composite collaborative robot working scenarios.

[0231] As can be seen from the above description, the embodiments of the present invention achieve the following technical effects:

[0232] This application provides a workpiece buffer mechanism, including: a support frame 100, a support platform 200 disposed on the support frame 100, a buffer area 210 and a flipping area 220 disposed on the support platform 200, the buffer area 210 being used to buffer a workpiece 211, the workpiece 211 including a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other, the workpiece 211 being horizontally placed within the buffer area 210; a robot 300 disposed on the side of the support frame 100, the end of the robot 300 being provided with a clamping assembly 310 for clamping the workpiece 211; positioning. Component 221 is disposed in the flipping area 220. The positioning component 221 includes a positioning part 222, which is used to position the workpiece 211. After the robot 300 drives the clamping component 310 to clamp the workpiece 211 from the buffer area 210 toward the first surface of the workpiece 211, the workpiece 211 is vertically placed in the positioning part 222 for positioning. Then, the workpiece 211 is clamped toward the second surface of the workpiece 211 and the workpiece 211 is horizontally placed to the next processing station for processing the second surface of the workpiece 211.

[0233] By changing the robot's gripping direction, a workpiece can be flipped 180° using only the reversing motion of the robot's end effector. This design avoids the need for complex mechanical flipping cylinders or motor drives on the material rack, reducing hardware costs and structural complexity, while also reducing potential failure points and improving system reliability.

[0234] The system can automatically identify workpiece type and orientation, and quickly switch to the corresponding end effector. Combined with manual handles on both sides of the buffer area and a quickly removable and replaceable buffer mounting plate, it enables rapid switching between workpieces of different sizes and shapes. This allows the equipment to adapt to the flexible production needs of multiple varieties and small batches, shortening changeover downtime and achieving a zero-downtime or minimal-downtime production mode.

[0235] The positioning components (positioning blocks, limit plates, and buffer pads) set in the flipping zone further ensure the stability of the workpiece's posture during the flipping process, prevent interference and damage, and guarantee the accuracy of subsequent processing steps (such as secondary processing).

[0236] This facility utilizes lightweight, rounded-corner collaborative robots that can work alongside workers without the need for fencing, saving factory space. The buffer and flipping areas are integrated into a single support frame, resulting in a compact structure. Automated processes reduce manual loading / unloading and tool changes, lowering labor costs and eliminating the safety hazards associated with high-speed operation of traditional industrial robots, thus improving the safety of the working environment.

[0237] In the specific implementation process, the robot is controlled to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, and then the flipped semi-finished material is loaded onto the second machine tool at the fourth position. The second machine tool is then controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished product. This can be achieved through the following steps: the robot is controlled to grab the flipped semi-finished material from the other side and place it in the accompanying table; the robot is controlled to move from the third position to the fourth position; it is determined whether there is material being processed in the second machine tool; if there is no material being processed in the second machine tool, the robot is controlled to load the flipped semi-finished material from the accompanying table onto the second machine tool at the fourth position; the safety door in the second machine tool is controlled to close; and the second machine tool is controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished product.

[0238] This solution introduces a real-time monitoring mechanism for the status of the second machine tool and continues the carrying function of the accompanying table. Through the actions of "grabbing from the other side" and "placing on the accompanying table," the stability of the material on the robot body is maintained, reducing the accumulation of errors in intermediate stages. The status judgment logic ensures that the loading action is performed only under safe and necessary conditions, avoiding downtime caused by blind loading and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0239] Specifically, the robot only loads materials when the second machine tool confirms that no materials are being processed (i.e., it has receiving capacity). This prevents collisions or program errors caused by the robot forcibly loading materials when the second machine tool is busy or processing, ensuring the safety of equipment and personnel. Using a platform fixed to the robot, the robot does not need to repeatedly pick up and release semi-finished materials during its movement from the third to the fourth position. This reduces the motion cycle, improves movement efficiency, and also reduces positioning errors caused by multiple clamping operations, ensuring the clamping accuracy of the flipped semi-finished materials in the second machine tool. The closed-loop logic of "judgment-movement-loading-processing" allows the second machine tool to prepare to receive materials in advance while the first machine tool is processing. Once the material on the first machine tool is flipped and delivered, if the second machine tool is idle, processing can begin immediately. This close collaboration shortens the waiting time of materials between two processes, improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0240] In some embodiments, controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position can be achieved through the following steps: when the second machine tool has finished processing, determine whether the second number of empty positions in the second material rack is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished material; if the second number is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished material, control the robot to unload the finished material into the second material rack at the fourth position.

[0241] This solution introduces a "capacity prediction" mechanism in the finished product unloading process. Traditional solutions often only detect that the shelf is full after the unloading action has been performed, forcing the robot to repeatedly attempt unloading or to stop the machine urgently and wait for manual intervention. This solution ensures that unloading only occurs when there is "space available" by confirming the availability of the second shelf before unloading, eliminating the risk of blockage caused by full shelf capacity from the logical source and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0242] Specifically, if the second material rack is full, forcibly unloading materials will lead to material accumulation, damage, or robot gripping failure. By ensuring that the second quantity is greater than or equal to the quantity of finished products, software-level feasibility verification is performed before the physical action occurs. When the second quantity is less than the quantity of finished products, an early warning is triggered, notifying manual removal of the finished products. This closed-loop "detection-early warning-processing" system allows manual material replenishment / clearing to proceed in parallel with machine processing, minimizing non-productive waiting time on the production line.

[0243] In the specific implementation process, before controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position, the method further includes the following steps: when the second machine tool has been processed and the second quantity is less than the quantity of the finished material, a second prompt message is generated, wherein the second prompt message is used to prompt the unloading of the second material rack.

[0244] This solution combines "full material detection" with "early warning notification." In traditional solutions, the robot might only trigger an emergency stop or error message after a failed loading, leading to prolonged production line interruptions. This solution generates a second warning message in advance when a potential full material risk is detected, allowing manual clearing operations while the machine is waiting. This achieves time complementarity in human-machine collaboration, further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0245] Specifically, when the second quantity is less than the material quantity, forcibly unloading the material would cause a physical conflict. By generating a second prompt message, this "blocked" state is transformed into a "task to be processed," notifying manual intervention. The manual cleaning of the second material rack can be performed in parallel with the subsequent processing of the second machine tool. After sending the prompt, the robot can temporarily suspend the task or execute other non-blocking tasks according to the scheduling logic. Unloading will resume after the manual cleaning is completed and a feedback signal is received. This parallel processing significantly reduces the total downtime of the production line.

[0246] Specifically, such as Figure 17 As shown, the loading and unloading instruction flow for the second machine tool is as follows: When the loading and unloading instruction for the second machine tool is triggered, the following program will be executed:

[0247] S410, the collaborative robot moves to location ④.

[0248] S411, the automatic door of the second machine tool opens.

[0249] S412, the composite collaborative robot takes pictures of the second machine tool and the second material rack with a 3D camera for secondary positioning.

[0250] S413. Based on the loading and unloading signals of the second machine tool, determine whether the second machine tool has material. If the loading signal of the second machine tool is 0, the program jumps to S418; otherwise, it enters S414.

[0251] S414, Execute the second machine tool loading procedure.

[0252] The S415 composite collaborative robot sequentially feeds the semi-finished products on the accompanying table into the second machine tool.

[0253] S416, The automatic door of the second machine tool is closed.

[0254] S417, The second machine tool begins processing.

[0255] S418. Based on the number of loading and unloading actions taken by the 3D camera or the initial setting data, determine whether there are enough empty spaces remaining in the second material rack. If so, the program ends; otherwise, proceed to S419.

[0256] S419. Notify the operator to unload the finished products from the second material rack.

[0257] S420, Execute the second machine tool unloading program.

[0258] S421, the composite collaborative robot sequentially unloads the finished products from the second machine tool onto the second material rack.

[0259] S422. Determine if there is any material on the accompanying table. If so, proceed to S414; otherwise, proceed to S421.

[0260] S423, The second machine tool was not loaded or processed, and then the program ended.

[0261] Furthermore, when there is insufficient space on the second material rack, the main control program S30 will jump to S60 to notify the operator to unload the finished product from the second material rack. After unloading is completed and the machine is restarted, the main control program will jump to S40, the second machine tool unloading program. The second machine tool will then execute the second machine tool unloading program S414 once, determine whether there is material on the accompanying table, and then execute the next program according to the material status.

[0262] Furthermore, when there is material on the accompanying table, the second machine tool will perform a second machine tool loading procedure S414 after executing the second machine tool unloading procedure S418 once.

[0263] Furthermore, when there is no material on the accompanying table, the second machine tool will end the program after executing the second machine tool unloading program S418 once.

[0264] Furthermore, after the composite collaborative robot takes a picture of the second material rack with a 3D camera, it counts the remaining empty spaces. When the remaining empty spaces on the second material rack are insufficient to support the next material feeding after executing the second machine tool unloading program S414 once, the composite collaborative robot will issue an insufficient empty space warning command to notify the human to unload the second material rack.

[0265] In a specific example, when the second machine tool completes processing, there are semi-finished products on the accompanying table, and there is enough empty space on the second material rack, the trigger flow of the loading and unloading program of the second machine tool to complete one unloading and loading cycle is: S40→S410→S411→S412→S413→S420→S421→S422→S414→S415→S416→S417→S418→End.

[0266] Specifically, the communication architecture of the efficient cyclic loading and unloading method for dual machine tools based on a collaborative robot, such as... Figure 18 As shown. Preferably, this system adopts a host computer + wireless communication + hierarchical control architecture.

[0267] Furthermore, the host computer is equipped with a main control scheduling system. The host computer communicates with the machine tool system through a switch, reads the machine tool address signal, and obtains the machine tool's processing status, clamp tension signal, and automatic door opening and closing signal. The information on blanks, finished products, and empty spaces obtained by the vision camera is also required by the main control scheduling system.

[0268] In one specific example, an industrial wireless network environment is set up by a router, and the host computer interacts with the collaborative robot through a wireless access point.

[0269] Furthermore, the composite collaborative robot controls the flipping mechanism via remote I / O.

[0270] Furthermore, the tilting mechanism determines the clamping state of the cylinder by using a position sensor on the cylinder as a feedback signal.

[0271] Furthermore, the collaborative robot controls the robot gripper by communicating with the PLC built into the robot gripper.

[0272] Furthermore, the robot gripper PLC determines the gripping state of the gripper by using feedback signals from the force sensor inside the gripper.

[0273] Furthermore, the composite collaborative robot uses a 3D camera to take pictures to obtain the quantity and status of blanks, finished products, and empty spaces on the material rack and accompanying table.

[0274] In some embodiments, after controlling the robot to move from the first position to the second position, the method further includes the step of calibrating the position of the robot; after controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, the method further includes the step of calibrating the position of the robot.

[0275] This solution introduces a vision-based online calibration mechanism. Traditional robots rely on absolute encoders for positioning, which can easily lead to accumulated errors after long-term operation. This solution uses a calibration block as a global reference benchmark. Each time the robot reaches the second and fourth positions, a 3D camera measures and compensates for errors in real time, maintaining positioning accuracy at the micrometer or sub-millimeter level, thus meeting the high-precision requirements of machining for material placement.

[0276] Specifically, during the robot's repeated movements between the first, second, third, and fourth positions, wear or temperature variations in components such as joint reducers can lead to positional deviations. Calibration at key points (the second and fourth positions) eliminates accumulated errors from the previous movement before each operation, ensuring high precision for the current task. Temperature variations within the factory, minor ground subsidence, or equipment vibrations can affect the robot's base posture or the camera lens's focal length. Real-time recognition of calibration blocks by the 3D camera can detect these environmental changes and automatically correct them, eliminating the need for manual re-teaching.

[0277] This application targets continuous machining scenarios using dual machine tools, fully leveraging the flexible technical characteristics of collaborative robots. Through targeted design of fixed functional point scheduling and hierarchical communication collaboration, it achieves flexible and efficient cyclic loading and unloading. The core innovations are as follows:

[0278] 1. Standardized fixed-point operation design for dual machine tool loading and unloading: Four relatively fixed functional points are set for the composite collaborative robot (① initial point, ② first machine tool loading and unloading point, ③ flipping table, ④ second machine tool loading and unloading point). All loading and unloading, semi-finished product flipping, and standby actions are completed at fixed points. The robot itself is equipped with wheels and can move freely. The operation path is standardized and greatly simplified. Compared with the traditional loading and unloading scheme of ground rail + industrial robot, its point layout is flexible, easy to adjust, and less affected by machine tool layout.

[0279] 2. Intelligent Material Status Perception System: The composite collaborative robot is equipped with a 3D camera combined with a gripper force sensor and a cylinder position sensor of the flipping mechanism to achieve real-time perception of the entire chain of raw materials on the first rack, finished products on the second rack, semi-finished products on the accompanying table, and the operation status of the flipping mechanism. At the same time, the main control system reads the machine tool address signal through the switch to obtain core signals such as the machine tool processing status, the clamping status of the fixtures inside the machine tool, and the opening and closing status of the automatic door, forming a material-equipment status perception network without blind spots, solving the problem of delayed material status feedback in traditional solutions.

[0280] 3. Material shortage / fullness warning and adaptive pause mechanism: Based on 3D camera image sensing of rack inventory data, an early warning signal is issued when the first rack of blanks is about to run out and the second rack of finished products is about to be full, allowing buffer time for manual replenishment / unloading; if the rack reaches the material shortage / fullness state, the composite collaborative robot is automatically controlled to enter an adaptive pause state instead of stopping directly. After the manual replenishment / cleaning of materials is completed and a continue execution signal is given, the robot can quickly resume operation, avoiding the overall production line shutdown caused by sudden material problems and ensuring production continuity.

[0281] Specifically, the solution of this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0282] 1. Improved closed-loop material flow in production line: Based on the "dual-process continuous processing" logic of machining, a fixed-point closed-loop loading and unloading process is designed to realize the full automation of "raw material unloading → semi-finished product flipping → finishing material loading → finished product unloading → material rack temporary storage". No manual intervention is required in the middle, which not only ensures the continuity of production, but also reduces the error and safety risks of manual operation.

[0283] 2. Fully leverage the flexibility of composite collaborative robots to significantly improve changeover efficiency: Relying on the flexible and easy-to-adjust characteristics of composite collaborative robots, and with the standardized design of fixed functional points, there is no need to adjust the rigid ground rail. It can adapt to the processing requirements of different types of workpieces through simple debugging and fixture replacement, which greatly shortens the changeover cycle and matches the production characteristics of "multiple varieties and small batches" in machining.

[0284] 3. Multi-device collaboration and simplified operation and maintenance: By layering the device control logic (e.g., the host computer is responsible for scheduling, and the robot is responsible for performing the grasping / placement at fixed points), the coupling between devices is reduced, thereby reducing the workload of deployment and maintenance and lowering the cost of manual operation and maintenance.

[0285] This application also provides a host computer. It should be noted that the host computer in this application can be used to execute the loading and unloading method for machine tool processing provided in this application. This device is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0286] The host computer provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0287] Figure 19 This is a structural block diagram of the host computer according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 19 As shown, the host computer includes:

[0288] The first control unit 1000 is used to control a machine tool to process materials;

[0289] The second control unit 2000 is used to determine whether the aforementioned machine tool has finished processing the material. If the aforementioned machine tool has not finished processing the material, the incompletely processed material is sent to the next machine tool, and the next machine tool is controlled to continue processing the material until it is completed.

[0290] This embodiment enables parallel processing or overlapping operations between processes by allowing materials to be sent to the next machine tool while processing is incomplete. This allows subsequent machine tools to intervene or prepare in advance, reducing waiting time between processes and shortening the overall dwell time of materials on the production line. By controlling the next machine tool to continue processing materials until completion, it ensures that materials can be seamlessly connected and continuously processed after being transferred to the next machine tool until final shaping. This achieves close collaboration between multi-process machine tools and efficient material flow, reducing time waste caused by waiting between processes and thus improving the efficiency of the production line in machine tool processing.

[0291] In the specific implementation process, the aforementioned machine tool is the first machine tool, and the aforementioned next machine tool is the second machine tool. The first control unit includes a first control module, and the second control unit includes a second control module, a third control module, and a fourth control module. The first control module is used to control the robot to move from a first position to a second position, and to load the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position, and to control the first machine tool to process the blank material into a semi-finished product. The first position is the initial position, and the second position is the loading and unloading position of the first machine tool. The second control module is used to control the robot to unload the semi-finished product from the first machine tool at the second position after the first machine tool has finished processing the semi-finished product, and to transport the semi-finished product to a third position, and to control the flipping mechanism to handle the semi-finished product. The material is flipped to obtain a flipped semi-finished material. The third position is the position where the robot operates at the flipping mechanism, which is used to flip the material. The third control module controls the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, and at the fourth position, the flipped semi-finished material is loaded onto the second machine tool. The second machine tool is then controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain a finished material. The fourth position is the loading and unloading position of the second machine tool. When the processing on the second machine tool is completed, the fourth control module controls the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position. The robot can move back and forth between the first position, the second position, the third position, and the fourth position.

[0292] In this solution, the work path is limited to four fixed functional points: the first position (initial point), the second position (first machine tool position), the third position (flipping point), and the fourth position (second machine tool position). By standardizing these four points, the robot does not need to perform complex trajectory replanning and only needs to move back and forth within a fixed range, reducing the robot's non-productive movement time (idle running time) and improving work efficiency. Moreover, for some parts of the material that cannot be processed by the existing solution, this solution sets up a flipping mechanism, integrating the flipping action into the robot's work process (third position). The robot works with the flipping mechanism to automatically complete the flipping operation, flipping the material through the flipping mechanism, and then processing it through the second machine tool. This allows for comprehensive processing of the material, thereby improving the efficiency of the production line.

[0293] In some embodiments, the first control module includes a first determining submodule, a second determining submodule, a first control submodule, and a second control submodule. The first determining submodule is used to determine whether there is material being processed in the first machine tool. The second determining submodule is used to determine whether, when there is no material being processed in the first machine tool, the first quantity of the blank material in the first material rack is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool. The first control submodule is used to control the robot to load the blank material from the first material rack into the first machine tool at the second position when the first quantity is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool. The second control submodule is used to control the safety door in the first machine tool to close and control the first machine tool to process the blank material to obtain the semi-finished product.

[0294] This solution avoids blindly loading materials when the machine is busy by determining whether there is material being processed in the first machine tool; it also ensures the physical feasibility of loading by determining whether the initial quantity of blank material in the first material rack is greater than or equal to the processing capacity of the first machine tool. This achieves intelligent judgment and precise control of the loading operation, avoiding invalid loading attempts or machine tool idling due to material shortage in the material rack, ensuring the continuity of machine tool operation and the stability of material supply, and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0295] In the specific implementation process, the host computer also includes a first generation unit and a third control unit. The first generation unit is used to load the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position. Before the first machine tool processes the blank material to obtain semi-finished material, if there is no material being processed in the first machine tool and the first quantity is less than the processable quantity of the first machine tool, the first prompt information is generated, wherein the first prompt information is used to prompt the loading of the first material rack. The third control unit is used to control the robot to move from the second position to the first position when there is material being processed in the first machine tool.

[0296] In this solution, when the material rack is insufficient, an early warning is issued, allowing manual intervention to replenish the material, thus avoiding program interruptions caused by the robot blindly attempting to load materials. When the machine tool is busy, the robot automatically returns to the initial point, avoiding meaningless waiting at the machine tool door, thus optimizing human-machine collaboration and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0297] In some embodiments, the second control module includes a third control submodule, a fourth control submodule, and a fifth control submodule. The third control submodule is used to control the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool to the accompanying table at the second position, wherein the accompanying table is fixed in the robot. The fourth control submodule is used to control the robot to move from the second position to the third position. The fifth control submodule is used to control the robot to grab the semi-finished material from the accompanying table from one side, place the semi-finished material in the flipping mechanism, and control the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material.

[0298] In this solution, the accompanying table is used as a "temporary tray" for semi-finished materials, simplifying the material storage and transfer logic between the robot and the flipping mechanism. Through the cooperation of the flipping mechanism and the robot's "placement on the left and retrieval on the right," material flipping can be completed without the need for complex robot rotation, further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0299] In the specific implementation process, the third control module includes a sixth control submodule, a third determination submodule, a seventh control submodule, and an eighth control submodule. The sixth control submodule is used to control the robot to pick up the flipped semi-finished material from the other side and place it in the accompanying table, and to control the robot to move from the third position to the fourth position. The third determination submodule is used to determine whether there is material being processed in the second machine tool. The seventh control submodule is used to control the robot to load the flipped semi-finished material from the accompanying table into the second machine tool at the fourth position when there is no material being processed in the second machine tool. The eighth control submodule is used to control the safety door in the second machine tool to close and to control the second machine tool to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished product.

[0300] This solution introduces a real-time monitoring mechanism for the status of the second machine tool and continues the carrying function of the accompanying table. Through the actions of "grabbing from the other side" and "placing on the accompanying table," the stability of the material on the robot body is maintained, reducing the accumulation of errors in intermediate stages. The status judgment logic ensures that the loading action is performed only under safe and necessary conditions, avoiding downtime caused by blind loading and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0301] In some embodiments, the fourth control module includes a fourth determining submodule and a ninth control submodule. The fourth determining submodule is used to determine whether the second quantity of the empty positions in the second material rack is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished product material when the second machine tool has finished processing. The ninth control submodule is used to control the robot to unload the finished product material into the second material rack at the fourth position when the second quantity is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished product material.

[0302] This solution introduces a "capacity prediction" mechanism in the finished product unloading process. Traditional solutions often only detect that the shelf is full after the unloading action has been performed, forcing the robot to repeatedly attempt unloading or to stop the machine urgently and wait for manual intervention. This solution ensures that unloading only occurs when there is "space available" by confirming the availability of the second shelf before unloading, eliminating the risk of blockage caused by full shelf capacity from the logical source and further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0303] In the specific implementation process, the host computer also includes a second generation unit. The second generation unit is used to generate a second prompt message before controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position, when the second machine tool has been processed and the second quantity is less than the quantity of the finished material. The second prompt message is used to prompt the unloading of the second material rack.

[0304] This solution combines "full material detection" with "early warning notification." In traditional solutions, the robot might only trigger an emergency stop or error message after a failed loading, leading to prolonged production line interruptions. This solution generates a second warning message in advance when a potential full material risk is detected, allowing manual clearing operations while the machine is waiting. This achieves time complementarity in human-machine collaboration, further improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0305] In some embodiments, the host computer further includes a first calibration unit and a second calibration unit. The first calibration unit is used to calibrate the position of the robot after controlling the robot to move from the first position to the second position. The second calibration unit is used to calibrate the position of the robot after controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position.

[0306] This solution introduces a vision-based online calibration mechanism. Traditional robots rely on absolute encoders for positioning, which can easily lead to accumulated errors after long-term operation. This solution uses a calibration block as a global reference benchmark. Each time the robot reaches the second and fourth positions, a 3D camera measures and compensates for errors in real time, maintaining positioning accuracy at the micrometer or sub-millimeter level, thus meeting the high-precision requirements of machining for material placement.

[0307] The aforementioned host computer includes a processor and a memory. The first control unit and the second control unit, etc., are all stored as program units in the memory. The processor executes the program units stored in the memory to achieve the corresponding functions. All of the above modules are located in the same processor; or, the above modules are located in different processors in any combination.

[0308] The processor contains a kernel, which retrieves the corresponding program units from memory. One or more kernels can be configured, and adjusting kernel parameters can address the problem of low production line efficiency in existing machine tool processing technologies.

[0309] The memory may include non-permanent memory in computer-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM) or flash RAM, and the memory includes at least one memory chip.

[0310] This invention provides a computer-readable storage medium including a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, it controls the device containing the computer-readable storage medium to perform the loading and unloading method for machine tool processing.

[0311] This invention provides a processor for running a program, wherein the program executes the loading and unloading method for machine tool processing.

[0312] This invention provides a device including a processor, a memory, and a program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the program, it implements at least the loading and unloading method steps for machine tool processing. The device described herein can be a server, PC, PAD, mobile phone, etc.

[0313] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed on a data processing device, is adapted to execute a program that initializes a loading and unloading method with at least the following machine tool processing steps.

[0314] This application also provides a loading / unloading system, which includes: a first machine tool; a second machine tool; a first material rack; a second material rack; a flipping mechanism; a communication device; a calibration block; a robot having a follower stage and an image acquisition device, the follower stage being fixed in the robot; and a host computer, which is communicatively connected to the first machine tool, the second machine tool, the flipping mechanism, the communication device, and the robot, respectively, and the host computer is used to execute the steps of any one of the loading / unloading methods of the machine tool processing.

[0315] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the modules or steps of the present invention described above can be implemented using general-purpose computing devices. They can be centralized on a single computing device or distributed across a network of multiple computing devices. They can be implemented using computer-executable program code, and thus can be stored in a storage device for execution by a computing device. In some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in a different order than those described herein, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0316] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0317] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0318] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0319] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0320] In a typical configuration, a computing device includes one or more processors (CPU), input / output interfaces, network interfaces, and memory.

[0321] Memory may include non-persistent memory in computer-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or non-volatile memory, like read-only memory (ROM) or flash RAM. Memory is an example of computer-readable media.

[0322] Computer-readable media includes both permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media that can store information using any method or technology. Information can be computer-readable instructions, data structures, modules of programs, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile optical disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transferable medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device. As defined herein, computer-readable media does not include transient computer-readable media, such as modulated data signals and carrier waves.

[0323] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0324] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0325] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for loading and unloading materials in machine tool processing, characterized in that, include: Control a machine tool to process materials; If a machine tool has not finished processing the material, the incompletely processed material is sent to the next machine tool, and the next machine tool is controlled to continue processing the material until it is completed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The machine tool mentioned above is the first machine tool, and the next machine tool is the second machine tool. Controlling a machine tool to process materials includes: The robot is controlled to move from a first position to a second position, and at the second position, the blank material is loaded onto the first machine tool. The first machine tool is then controlled to process the blank material to obtain a semi-finished product. The first position is the initial position, and the second position is the loading and unloading position of the first machine tool. If a machine tool fails to complete processing the material, the incompletely processed material is sent to the next machine tool, and the next machine tool is controlled to continue processing the material until processing is complete, including: When the first machine tool finishes processing the semi-finished material, the robot is controlled to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool at the second position and transport the semi-finished material to the third position. The flipping mechanism is then controlled to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material. The third position is the position where the robot operates at the flipping mechanism, which is used to flip the material. The robot is controlled to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, and the flipped semi-finished material is loaded onto the second machine tool at the fourth position. The second machine tool is controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain finished material. The fourth position is the loading and unloading position of the second machine tool. When the second machine tool has completed processing, the robot is controlled to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position, wherein the robot can move back and forth between the first position, the second position, the third position and the fourth position.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The blank material is loaded onto the first machine tool at the second position, and the first machine tool is controlled to process the blank material to obtain a semi-finished product, including: Determine whether there is any material being processed in the first machine tool; If no material is being processed in the first machine tool, determine whether the first quantity of the blank material in the first material rack is greater than or equal to the quantity that the first machine tool can process; When the first quantity is greater than or equal to the processable quantity of the first machine tool, the robot is controlled to load the blank material on the first material rack into the first machine tool at the second position; The safety door in the first machine tool is controlled to close, and the first machine tool is controlled to process the blank material to obtain the semi-finished material.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Before loading the blank material onto the first machine tool at the second position, and controlling the first machine tool to process the blank material to obtain a semi-finished product, the method further includes: When there is no material being processed in the first machine tool and the first quantity is less than the processable quantity of the first machine tool, a first prompt message is generated, wherein the first prompt message is used to prompt the loading of material onto the first material rack; When there is material being processed on the first machine tool, the robot is controlled to move from the second position to the first position.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Controlling the robot to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool at the second position and transporting the semi-finished material to the third position, and controlling the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material, includes: The robot is controlled to unload the semi-finished material from the first machine tool to the accompanying table at the second position, wherein the accompanying table is fixed in the robot; Control the robot to move from the second position to the third position; The robot is controlled to grab the semi-finished material from the accompanying platform from one side, place the semi-finished material in the flipping mechanism, and control the flipping mechanism to flip the semi-finished material to obtain the flipped semi-finished material.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, loading the flipped semi-finished material onto the second machine tool at the fourth position, and controlling the second machine tool to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished product includes: Control the robot to grab the flipped semi-finished material from the other side and place it in the accompanying platform; control the robot to move from the third position to the fourth position. Determine whether there is any material being processed in the second machine tool; When there is no material being processed in the second machine tool, the robot is controlled to load the flipped semi-finished material from the accompanying table into the second machine tool at the fourth position; The safety door in the second machine tool is controlled to close, and the second machine tool is controlled to process the flipped semi-finished material to obtain the finished material.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position includes: When the second machine tool has finished processing, determine whether the second number of empty positions in the second material rack is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished product material; If the second quantity is greater than or equal to the quantity of the finished product material, the robot is controlled to unload the finished product material into the second material rack at the fourth position.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before controlling the robot to unload the finished material from the second machine tool at the fourth position, the method further includes: When the second machine tool has completed processing and the second quantity is less than the quantity of the finished product material, a second prompt message is generated, wherein the second prompt message is used to prompt the unloading of the second material rack.

9. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, After controlling the robot to move from the first position to the second position, the method further includes: The position of the robot is calibrated; After controlling the robot to move the flipped semi-finished material from the third position to the fourth position, the method further includes: The position of the robot is calibrated.

10. A loading and unloading system, characterized in that, The loading and unloading system includes: First machine tool; Second machine tool; First material rack; Second material rack; Tilting mechanism; Communication equipment; Calibration block; A robot having a platform and an image acquisition device, wherein the platform is fixed inside the robot; The host computer is communicatively connected to the first machine tool, the second machine tool, the flipping mechanism, the communication device, and the robot, and is used to execute the steps of the loading and unloading method of the machine tool processing according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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