Multi-station linkage type automobile plate finishing positioning complete equipment

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of automobile part manufacturing equipment, and discloses a multi-station linkage type automobile plate finishing positioning complete equipment, which comprises a first support, a conveying module is installed on the first support, the conveying module comprises a first sliding rail and a first speed-up chain driven by a first driving motor, the first sliding rail is arranged on the front and back sides of the first support, a supporting module is slidably connected to the first sliding rail, the supporting module comprises a tray shell, a first electric telescopic rod and a suction disc, the suction disc is movably connected to the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod through a ball head seat and a ball head, a vehicle plate is placed on the upper surface of the suction disc, a positioning module is fixedly connected to the lower side of the first sliding rail on the upper surface of the first support, the device realizes random electrically-conductive negative-pressure supporting conveying, synchronous automatic centering positioning and annular overturning mechanism, is matched with a standardized RFID linkage finishing machining process, and multi-station full-process multi-point supporting avoids plate warping, and effectively improves the automobile plate finishing automatic production efficiency and the finished product qualification rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive parts manufacturing equipment technology, and more specifically, to a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal precision positioning complete set of equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Cold-rolled sheet metal, hot-dip galvanized outer sheet metal, and high-strength structural sheet metal are the core raw materials for stamping body panels. Complete finishing production lines are required for both sheet metal production and the pre-stamping stage, sequentially completing multiple processes such as leveling, disc shearing, edge burr removal, visual inspection, servo flying shear for length cutting, and stacking. Automotive sheet metal is typically only 0.3–3.0 mm thick, with weak rigidity and prone to warping and sagging. Therefore, during the finishing conveying process, continuous multi-point support and positioning of the sheet metal's bottom surface is essential to ensure dimensional accuracy and surface flatness, meeting the vehicle manufacturer's tolerance requirements of less than 0.15 mm.

[0003] Currently, the support and positioning structures of automotive sheet metal finishing production lines in the industry are all fixed layouts. Fixed support platforms and fixed lifting blocks are installed below the conveyor rollers and at corresponding positions of each processing station. The feeding, trimming, grinding, shearing, and inspection stations on the entire production line are independent of each other. The sheet metal is transported from station to station by roller conveyor. There is a lack of shared support carriers between stations. Each station is equipped with an independent support mechanism to lift and position the sheet metal. This makes the sheet metal prone to deformation when transported to different processing stations, thus affecting product quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above situation and to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a multi-station linkage automotive sheet finishing and positioning complete set of equipment, which aims to solve the problems in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment, comprising a first support, a conveying module mounted on the first support, the conveying module comprising a first slide rail and a first speed chain driven by a first drive motor, the first slide rail being disposed on the front and rear sides of the first support, the first speed chain being disposed on the inner side wall of the first slide rail, a limiting groove being formed on the inner side of the first slide rail, a support module being slidably connected to the first slide rail, the support module comprising a tray shell, a first electric telescopic rod and a suction cup, a slider being fixedly connected to the outer surface of the tray shell, the slider being slidably connected to the inner side wall of the limiting groove, the tray shell being kinetically connected to the upper surface of the first speed chain, the first electric telescopic rod being fixedly installed on the inner bottom wall of the tray shell, the suction cup being movably connected to the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod via a ball joint and a ball head, a vehicle sheet metal being placed on the upper surface of the suction cup, and a positioning module being fixedly connected to the upper surface of the first support located below the first slide rail.

[0006] Preferably, a connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the ball head seat, and a three-way connector is fixedly connected to the lower end of the connecting pipe. Both ends of the three-way connector are fixedly installed with self-closing solenoid valves. A vacuum pump and a master control module are also provided inside the tray shell. The outlet end of one of the self-closing solenoid valves is connected to the control end of the vacuum pump through a pipe, and the inlet end is fixedly connected to the end of the three-way connector. The outlet end of the other self-closing solenoid valve is fixedly connected to the end of the three-way connector.

[0007] Preferably, the upper surface of the slider is provided with a telescopic groove, the inner sidewall of the telescopic groove is provided with a spring, the upper end of the spring is fixedly connected to a conductive slider, the outer surface of the slider is sleeved with a ceramic wear-resistant layer, the end of the conductive slider penetrates the outer surface of the ceramic wear-resistant layer, the inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the limiting groove are both equipped with conductive plates, the end of the conductive slider and the outer surface of the conductive plate are slidably connected, and the conductive slider is electrically connected to the control module through a wire.

[0008] Preferably, the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod and the lower end of the connecting pipe both penetrate the upper surface of the tray shell. The first electric telescopic rod, suction cup, connecting pipe, tee connector and self-closing solenoid valve are provided in several units and are evenly distributed in a rectangular array. The outer surface of the ball head seat is fitted with a protective spring sleeve outside the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod and the connecting pipe. The lower end of the protective spring sleeve abuts against the upper surface of the tray shell.

[0009] Preferably, an RFID electronic tag is fixedly installed in the middle of the first slide rail, and an obstacle hole for adapting the RFID electronic tag is opened in the middle of the first slide rail. RFID readers are fixedly installed in the middle of the front and rear of the tray shell, and the RFID readers are electrically connected to the main control module through wires.

[0010] Preferably, the positioning module includes a support plate, a limiting sleeve, a telescopic rod, and a positioning block. The support plate is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the first bracket and located below the first slide rail. The limiting sleeve is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the support plate. The telescopic rod is slidably connected to the inside of the limiting sleeve. A spur bracket is fixedly installed at one end of the telescopic rod. The positioning block is fixedly installed at the end of the spur bracket. A through hole adapted to the positioning block is opened on the outer surface of the first slide rail. The rear end of the positioning block is placed in the through hole. A synchronous gear is rotatably connected to the middle of the support plate. Four telescopic rods are provided and symmetrically arranged. Two telescopic rods are diagonally distributed with respect to the center line of the synchronous gear. Both outer surfaces of the telescopic rods are provided with rack grooves. The outer surfaces of the synchronous gears and the rack grooves are connected in a transmission manner. A second electric telescopic rod is rotatably connected to the lower surface of the end of the telescopic rod through a hinge. The movable end of the second electric telescopic rod is rotatably connected to the lower surface of the end of another opposite telescopic rod through a hinge.

[0011] Preferably, four positioning blocks are provided and arranged symmetrically, and the ends of the positioning blocks are wedge-shaped with the wedge-shaped surfaces facing the center of the four positioning blocks.

[0012] Preferably, a flipping module is also provided on the right side of the first bracket. The flipping module includes a ring frame, a ring guide rail, and a second slide rail. The second bracket is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the ring frame. The ring guide rail is rotatably connected to the inner side wall of the ring frame. The second slide rail is fixedly connected to the inner side wall of the ring guide rail. The structure of the second slide rail is the same as that of the first slide rail. A second speed chain driven by a second drive motor is provided on the inner side wall of the second slide rail.

[0013] Preferably, there are two annular guide rails. One annular guide rail has a toothed ring on its outer surface, and a flip motor is fixedly installed on the annular frame outside the annular guide rail. The output end of the flip motor is connected to the outer surface of the gear and the toothed ring through a transmission connection. The other annular guide rail has an annular conductive sheet fixedly installed on its outer surface, and the inner sidewall of the annular frame outside the annular guide rail has a contact point corresponding to the annular conductive sheet.

[0014] A positioning method for a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment according to any one of claims 1-9, comprising the following steps: S1. Equipment layout and pre-adjustment: The first bracket is arranged between each finishing work station, and the flipping module is selectively assembled according to the processing requirements of automotive sheet metal; the initial extension height of each first electric telescopic rod is set in advance according to the shape and curvature specifications of the sheet metal to be processed, so that the array of suction cups forms a multi-point support profile that matches the lower surface of the sheet metal. S2. Negative pressure fixing of the board material: Place the vehicle board material on the suction cup surface above the tray shell, open the self-closing solenoid valve connected to the vacuum pump, close the other self-closing solenoid valve, and the vacuum pump draws negative pressure inside the suction cup through the three-way connector and connecting pipe. The vehicle board material is fastened to the multi-point support suction cup by negative pressure adsorption. S3. Synchronous conveying: The first drive motor drives the first double-speed chain to rotate, and the double-speed chain drives the slider to slide along the limit groove of the first slide rail. The pallet shell synchronously conveys the vehicle material along with the double-speed chain. During the conveying process, the spring inside the slider presses against the conductive slider, and the conductive slider continuously slides in contact with the conductive sheet in the limit groove, continuously supplying power to the central control module inside the pallet shell and each first electric telescopic rod. The ceramic wear-resistant layer reduces the sliding wear of the slider. S4. Automatic centering and positioning at the workstation: After the pallet shell is conveyed to the target processing workstation by the double-speed chain, the first drive motor stops; the second electric telescopic rod in the positioning module extends, driving the pairs of telescopic rods to slide synchronously along the limit sleeve. The synchronous gear and rack groove cooperate to ensure that the four sets of telescopic rods move diagonally synchronously, driving the horn frame and wedge positioning block to move towards each other. The wedge-shaped surface of the positioning block clamps the four corners of the pallet shell, completing the automatic centering of the pallet shell and the vehicle sheet metal. S5. RFID station identification and execution of differentiated support and avoidance logic: The RFID reader on the tray shell reads the preset process data in the RFID electronic tag of the corresponding station on the first slide rail, and the central control module retrieves the support action program of the corresponding station; according to the current processing process, the first electric telescopic rod in the corresponding area is controlled to retract: in the edge grinding and disc shearing processes, the first electric telescopic rod around the outer contour edge of the board is retracted synchronously, and the corresponding branch vacuum pump self-closing solenoid valve is closed and the pressure relief self-closing solenoid valve is opened to release the negative pressure of the suction cup in this area; in the flying shear cutting and visual inspection processes, the telescopic rod below the processing path can be controlled to retract in a wave-like segmented manner; while the processing area supports and avoids, the first electric telescopic rod in other areas remains extended and the suction cup maintains negative pressure adsorption, and the board is lifted at multiple points throughout the process to avoid suspension and deformation; after the processing is completed, the retracted first electric telescopic rod is simultaneously reset and extended, restoring multi-point support in the entire area. S6. Plate Transfer and Flipping Process: After the upper surface of the vehicle plate is processed, the first drive motor restarts, and the pallet shell is conveyed into the lower second slide rail of the flipping module by the double-speed chain. The structure of the second slide rail is the same as that of the first slide rail, and continuous power is achieved through the cooperation of the annular conductive sheet and the annular frame contact. An empty support module is pre-placed in the second slide rail, and all the first electric telescopic rods of the lower support module extend synchronously to lift the vehicle plate to the set height. The first electric telescopic rods of the upper empty support module are pre-adjusted to match the support contour of the plate and move downward, clamping the upper surface of the vehicle plate by negative pressure adsorption. Then the lower support module releases pressure and releases the plate. The flipping motor drives the annular guide rail to rotate 180° through the gear ring, and the upper and lower sets of second slide rails and support modules exchange positions to complete the flipping of the vehicle plate. S7. After flipping, the second drive motor drives the second speed chain to run. The support module carrying the flipped plate moves out of the flipping module along the second slide rail and is sent to the next processing station. Steps S4 to S5 are executed in a cycle. Throughout the entire conveying, positioning, avoidance, and flipping process, the pallet shell always maintains multi-point support to hold the plate. According to the RFID preset program of different workstations, the local support extension and retraction states are dynamically switched. There are no plates suspended in the air throughout the process, which continuously ensures the dimensional accuracy and flatness of the plate processing.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment, by setting up a support module that can move synchronously with the conveyor, relies on the sliding contact between the slider, the conductive slider and the conductive sheet inside the limiting groove to achieve uninterrupted power supply throughout the process. Combined with the arrayed first electric telescopic rod and suction cups to form a multi-point negative pressure support structure, the vehicle sheet metal is lifted by multiple points throughout the process. There is no suspended section when conveying across workstations. It fundamentally solves the defects of sagging and warping deformation of thin automotive sheet metal due to its own weight, greatly reduces the dimensional deviation scrap rate after cutting, shearing and grinding, and stably ensures that the dimensional tolerance of the sheet metal processing is controlled within the required range.

[0016] 2. This multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment uses RFID electronic tags on the first slide rail and RFID readers on the tray shell to identify the workstation processes without contact. The central control module can control the retraction of the corresponding first electric telescopic rod and the release of the suction cup negative pressure by the corresponding self-closing solenoid valve according to the different processing station programs. Different processes such as edge cutting, grinding, flying shear, and visual inspection can adaptively avoid obstacles. The processing path is unsupported and uninterrupted. The suction cups in other areas maintain continuous support, balancing tool safety and sheet metal positioning accuracy. At the same time, with the synchronous gears of the positioning module, four telescopic rods and wedge positioning blocks, the tray is automatically aligned in four directions after it is in place, eliminating the need for manual secondary calibration and significantly improving the efficiency of changing and debugging multiple specifications of sheet metal.

[0017] 3. This multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment, through the matching independent flipping module, uses a second slide rail structure that is interchangeable with the first slide rail. It relies on a flipping motor and gear ring to drive the annular guide rail to rotate 180 degrees to complete the flipping of the sheet metal. The annular conductive sheet ensures continuous power supply to the support module during the flipping process. The upper and lower support modules can work with suction cups to double-sidedly adsorb and clamp the vehicle sheet metal. The sheet metal does not fall off or shift during the flipping process. One set of equipment can complete the continuous finishing processing of the front and back of the sheet metal without the need for separate flipping and transfer equipment. The whole set of equipment has a higher degree of integration, effectively reducing the production line footprint and equipment procurement costs, and realizing integrated linkage operation of multi-station conveying, positioning, avoidance, and flipping. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention viewed from the left. Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the conveying module of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the support module of the present invention; Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure at point A; Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 4Schematic diagram of the structure at point B; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal components of the tray shell of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional cross-section of the ball joint of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning module of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flip module of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the annular guide rail of the present invention; Figure 12 For the present invention Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure at point C.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. First bracket; 2. First slide rail; 3. First double-speed chain; 4. First drive motor; 5. Limiting groove; 6. Conductive sheet; 7. Tray shell; 8. First electric telescopic rod; 9. Ball head seat; 10. Ball head; 11. Suction cup; 12. Connecting pipe; 13. T-joint; 14. Self-closing solenoid valve; 15. Protective spring sleeve; 16. Slider; 17. Telescopic groove; 18. Spring; 19. Conductive slider; 20. Ceramic wear-resistant layer; 21. RFID electronic tag 21. Signature; 22. RFID reader / writer; 23. Support plate; 24. Limit sleeve; 25. Telescopic rod; 26. Angler frame; 27. Positioning block; 28. Synchronous gear; 29. ​​Rack groove; 30. Hinge; 31. Second electric telescopic rod; 32. Second bracket; 33. Ring frame; 34. Ring guide rail; 35. Second slide rail; 36. Second double speed chain; 37. Second drive motor; 38. Gear ring; 39. Tilting motor; 40. Ring conductive sheet; 41. Vehicle sheet metal. Detailed Implementation

[0020] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, the directional terms such as "up" and "down" generally refer to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings, or to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "left" and "right" generally refer to the left and right shown in the accompanying drawings; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this invention.

[0023] Please see Figures 1-9 This embodiment provides a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment, including a first bracket 1, a conveying module mounted on the first bracket 1, the conveying module including first slide rails 2 arranged on the front and rear sides, a first double-speed chain 3 driven by a first drive motor 4 arranged on the inner side of the first slide rail 2, and a limiting groove 5 opened on the outer surface of the first slide rail 2; a support module is slidably connected to the first slide rail 2, the support module including a tray shell 7, a slider 16 fixed on the outside of the tray shell 7, the slider 16 is slidably disposed on the inner side wall of the limiting groove 5, and the tray shell 7 is throttle connected to the upper surface of the first double-speed chain 3; a plurality of first electric telescopic rods 8 arranged in a rectangular array are fixed on the inner bottom wall of the tray shell 7, the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod 8 is movably connected to a suction cup 11 through a ball head seat 9 and a ball head 10, and a vehicle sheet metal 41 is placed on the suction cup 11; a connecting pipe 12 is fixed on the outside of the ball head seat 9, a three-way connector 13 is fixed at the lower end of the connecting pipe 12, and a self-closing solenoid valve 14 is mounted on both ends of the three-way connector 13; a vacuum pump and a total vacuum pump are installed inside the tray shell 7. The control module consists of a self-closing solenoid valve 14, with its outlet connected to a vacuum pump and its inlet connected to a tee. Another self-closing solenoid valve is only connected to the tee. The first electric telescopic rod 8 and the connecting pipe 12 extend out of the upper surface of the tray. A protective spring sleeve 15 is fitted onto the outside of the ball head seat 9, and the lower end of the protective spring sleeve 15 abuts against the upper surface of the tray shell 7. A telescopic groove 17 is provided on the slider 16, and a spring 18 is provided inside the telescopic groove 17. A conductive slider 19 is fixed at the upper end of the spring 18. The slider 16 is covered with a ceramic wear-resistant layer 20, and the end of the conductive slider 19 extends out of the ceramic wear-resistant layer 20. Conductive plates 6 are fixed at the top and bottom of the limiting groove 5, and the end of the conductive slider 19 slides in contact with the conductive plate 6. The conductive slider 19 is connected to the main control module through a wire. An RFID electronic tag is fixed in the middle of the first slide rail 2, and an avoidance hole for the tag is provided in the first slide rail 2. An RFID reader is fixed in the middle of the front and rear of the tray shell 7. The RFID reader is electrically connected to the main control module, forming an integrated support structure for continuous conductive transport and negative pressure adsorption.

[0024] Specifically, the extension height of each group of first electric telescopic rods 8 is pre-adjusted so that the array suction cups 11 form a support contour that fits the bottom surface of the vehicle sheet 41. After the sheet is placed above the suction cups 11, the self-closing solenoid valve 14 connected to the vacuum pump is opened and the pressure relief solenoid valve is closed. The vacuum pump draws negative pressure on the suction cups 11 through the three-way connector 13 and the connecting pipe 12, and the sheet is firmly fixed by the negative pressure. The first drive motor 4 drives the first double-speed chain 3 to pull the slider 16 to slide and transport along the limiting groove 5. The spring 18 inside the slider 16 continuously pushes the conductive slide upward. Block 19, the conductive slider 19 slides in full contact with the conductive sheet 6, continuously supplying power to the main control, telescopic rod 25 and solenoid valve inside the tray. The outer ceramic wear-resistant layer 20 reduces the friction loss between the slider 16 and the slide rail. When the tray passes through the workstation, the RFID reader reads the process program stored in the RFID electronic tag. The main control controls the telescopic rod 25 in the corresponding area to retract and the corresponding solenoid valve to release pressure according to the process. The remaining suction cups 11 continuously support the plate. The conductive sheet 6 is a silver-plated copper sheet that is wear-resistant and oxidation-resistant. The spring 18 ensures that the conductive slider 19 has no power failure contact gap.

[0025] Please see Figures 1-9 The device has a positioning module fixed on the upper surface of the first support 1 and the lower side of the first slide rail 2. The positioning module includes a support plate 23, which is fixed to the first support 1. A limiting sleeve 24 is fixed on the lower surface of the support plate 23. Four symmetrically arranged telescopic rods 25 slide inside the limiting sleeve 24. The four telescopic rods 25 are diagonally paired around the center line of the synchronous gear 28. A rack groove 29 is opened on the outside of the telescopic rods 25, and the synchronous gear 28 meshes with the rack groove 29 for transmission. One end of a single telescopic rod 25 is fixed with a horn frame 26, and a wedge-shaped positioning block 27 is fixed at the end of the horn. The wedge-shaped surface of the positioning block 27 faces the center. The first slide rail 2 has a through hole adapted to the positioning block 27, and the rear end of the positioning block 27 passes through the through hole and extends into the inner side of the slide rail. The ends of the pairs of telescopic rods 25 are fitted with a second electric telescopic rod 31 through a hinge 30. The synchronous gear 28 is rotated and fitted in the middle of the support plate 23. The four telescopic rods 25, the synchronous gear 28, and the second electric telescopic rod 31 constitute a four-way synchronous centering and correction positioning structure.

[0026] Specifically, after the pallet is transported to the target workstation, the first drive motor 4 stops, the second electric telescopic rod 31 extends to pull the two diagonally opposite sets of telescopic rods 25, the rack groove 29 drives the synchronous gear 28 to rotate, so that the four telescopic rods 25 feed synchronously towards each other, and the four wedge-shaped positioning blocks 27 pass through the slide rail through holes to clamp the pallet shell 7 from the four corners, and the wedge-shaped surfaces automatically correct the center position of the pallet and the vehicle plate 41; after processing is completed, the second electric telescopic rod 31 retracts, the four positioning blocks 27 release outward synchronously, and the pallet can continue to circulate.

[0027] Please see Figures 10-12The device has a flipping module on the right side of the first support 1. The flipping module includes a second support 32, on which a ring frame 33 is fixed. Two sets of ring guide rails 34 rotate inside the ring frame 33. A toothed ring 38 is fixed to the outside of one set of ring guide rails 34, and a flipping motor 39 is fixed to the outside of the ring frame 33. The output gear of the flipping motor 39 meshes with the toothed ring 38 for transmission. An annular conductive sheet 40 is fixed to the outside of the other set of ring guide rails 34, and matching conductive contacts are provided inside the ring frame 33. A second slide rail 35 is fixed inside the ring guide rail 34. The structure of the second slide rail 35 is completely the same as that of the first slide rail 2. A second speed chain 36 driven by a second drive motor 37 is provided inside the second slide rail 35. The second slide rail 35 can be equipped with a support module of the same specification to form a 180° annular flipping conveying structure for the front and back of the plate.

[0028] Specifically, after the upper surface of the board is processed, the double-speed chain sends the tray into the second slide rail 35 on the lower side of the flipping module. The upper support module is pre-adjusted with the suction cup 11 to support the outline. The lower tray telescopic rod 25 lifts the board. The upper suction cup 11 uses negative pressure to adsorb the upper surface of the board. The lower solenoid valve releases pressure and opens. The flipping motor 39 drives the gear to mesh with the gear ring 38, which drives the entire set of annular guide rails 34 and the upper and lower second slide rails 35 to rotate 180° to complete the flipping. The annular conductive sheet 4040 and the frame contact point continuously supply power to the inner tray of the flipping. After the flipping is completed, the second drive motor 3737 drives the second double-speed chain 3636 to send the tray out to the next station. The flipping motor 39 is equipped with a brake. The annular conductive sheet 40 is set with multiple segments and isolated to prevent short circuits. The suction cup 11 has continuous negative pressure during the flipping process to prevent the board from slipping off the flipped surface.

[0029] This embodiment is based on the aforementioned hardware structure of the first support 1, conveying module, supporting module, positioning module, and flipping module, forming a complete set of equipment positioning and processing methods as described in the claims. The entire method includes seven continuous processes: S1 equipment layout pre-adjustment, S2 negative pressure feeding of the sheet metal, S3 following conductive conveying, S4 automatic centering and positioning of the workstation, S5 RFID workstation identification and differentiated support and avoidance, S6 sheet metal transfer and flipping, and S7 flipping and continuous processing. All processes rely on the cooperation of all hardware components, including the first slide rail 2, the first double-speed chain 3, the first drive motor 4, the slider 16, the conductive slider 19, the suction cup 11 with ball head 10 and ball head seat 9, the three-way connector 13, the self-closing solenoid valve 14, the RFID electronic tag, the RFID reader, the synchronous gear 28, the linkage positioning block 27, the ring frame 33, the ring guide rail 34, the flipping motor 39, the second slide rail 35, and the second double-speed chain 36, to achieve a continuous fine finishing process for the vehicle sheet metal 41 without suspension or deformation, relying on the multi-workstation linkage hardware system.

[0030] Specifically: S1 Equipment Layout Pre-adjustment: Arrange the first bracket 1 between each finishing workstation, and selectively assemble the flip module according to the double-sided processing requirements of the vehicle sheet 41; pre-adjust the extension height of multiple sets of first electric telescopic rods 8 inside the tray shell 7 so that the rectangular array suction cups 11 form a multi-point support curved surface that matches the lower surface of the sheet. S2 Negative pressure fixing of the plate: Place the vehicle plate 41 above the suction cup 11, open the self-closing solenoid valve 14 connected to the vacuum pump, close the self-closing solenoid valve 14 on the pressure relief side, and the vacuum pump draws negative pressure into the inner cavity of the suction cup 11 through the connecting pipe 12 and the three-way connector 13, and the negative pressure adsorbs and fixes the vehicle plate 41. S3 Synchronous Conveying: The first drive motor 4 drives the first double speed chain 3 to rotate, and the traction slider 16 slides along the limit groove 5. The spring 18 inside the slider 16 continuously pushes the conductive slider 19 to contact the conductive sheet 6. The whole process provides continuous power to the tray's internal control and telescopic rod 25. The ceramic wear-resistant layer 20 reduces the sliding wear of the slider 16. S4 Automatic Centering: After the pallet is in place, the first drive motor 4 stops, the second electric telescopic rod 31 extends, pulls the diagonal telescopic rod 25 to slide synchronously with the synchronous gear 28, and the four wedge-shaped positioning blocks 27 retract towards each other, automatically completing the centering and clamping of the pallet and the board. S5 RFID process identification and avoidance: The RFID reader reads the preset process program inside the RFID electronic tag on the first slide rail 2. The main control module controls the corresponding first electric telescopic rod 8 in the processing area to retract and the corresponding solenoid valve to release negative pressure. The suction cup 11 in other areas keeps the support. After processing is completed, the telescopic rod 25 is reset. S6 Plate flipping and transfer: After the upper surface is processed, the double-speed chain conveyor tray enters the second slide rail 35 of the flipping module. The upper and lower support modules, together with the suction cup 11, clamp the plate on both sides. The flipping motor 39 drives the toothed ring 38 to rotate the ring guide rail 34 180° to complete the flipping. The ring conductive sheet 40 ensures the power supply of the flipping station throughout the process. S7 Flipping and Continuous Processing: After flipping is completed, the second drive motor 37 drives the second double speed chain 36 to output the plate to the next station, and the positioning and avoidance processing steps are executed in a cycle. The negative pressure ranges from -0.06 to -0.09 MPa, the single-station centering synchronization error is ≤0.2 mm, the flipping and rotation positioning accuracy is ±0.5°, there is no manual intervention when switching between processes, the entire process ensures that there are no suspended areas in the material, and the surface deformation is controlled within 0.15 mm, meeting the high-precision processing tolerance standards for automotive panels.

[0031] In summary, when using the overall equipment: Before operation, the first support 1 is arranged between each automotive sheet finishing station. A flipping module is selected based on the double-sided processing requirements of the vehicle sheet 41. The extension height of the multiple first electric telescopic rods 8 inside the tray housing 7 is pre-adjusted according to the curvature and dimensions of the vehicle sheet 41 to be processed, so that the arrayed suction cups 11 form a multi-point support surface matching the bottom surface of the sheet. The vehicle sheet 41 is placed above the suction cups 11. The self-closing solenoid valve 14 connected to the vacuum pump is opened, and another self-closing solenoid valve 14 is closed. The vacuum pump connects to the suction cups via the three-way connector 13 and the connecting pipe 12. 11. Internal negative pressure is drawn to firmly adhere the vehicle sheet 41 to the suction cup 11. The first drive motor 4 is started to drive the first double-speed chain 3. The first double-speed chain 3 pulls the slider 16 at the bottom of the pallet shell 7 to slide along the limiting groove 5 of the first slide rail 2. The spring 18 inside the slider 16 continuously pushes the conductive slider 19 upward, so that the conductive slider 19 always slides in contact with the conductive sheet 6 inside the limiting groove 5, continuously supplying power to the main control module and all the first electric telescopic rods 8 inside the pallet shell 7. The ceramic wear-resistant layer 20 on the outside of the slider 16 reduces sliding wear. After the pallet shell 7 is transported to the designated processing station... The first drive motor 4 stops operating, and the second electric telescopic rod 31 inside the positioning module extends, pulling the four telescopic rods 25 to slide synchronously along the limiting sleeve 24. The synchronous gear 28 cooperates with the rack groove 29 to realize the synchronous linkage of the diagonal telescopic rods 25, driving the horn frame 26 and the positioning block 27 to retract towards the center. The wedge-shaped surface of the positioning block 27 clamps the four corners of the pallet shell 7, completing the automatic center alignment of the pallet shell 7 with the vehicle plate 41 above. The RFID readers 22 on the front and rear sides of the pallet shell 7 read the workstation process information stored in the RFID electronic tag 21 on the first slide rail 2 and transmit it to the main control module. The main control module retrieves the corresponding The workstation action procedure controls the retraction of the first electric telescopic rod 8 in the corresponding area, simultaneously closing the self-closing solenoid valve 14 connected to the vacuum pump in that branch, and opening the self-closing solenoid valve 14 for pressure relief to release the negative pressure of the suction cup 11. In the edge grinding and disc shearing operation, the first electric telescopic rod 8 is retracted around the outer edge of the board. In the flying shear and visual inspection operation, the first electric telescopic rod 8 below the processing path is retracted in a wave-like segment to avoid the path of the processing equipment. In other areas, the first electric telescopic rod 8 remains extended, and the suction cup 11 continuously lifts the vehicle board 41 with negative pressure. After processing is completed, the retracted first electric telescopic rod 8 is reset and extended to restore full-width multi-point support.After the upper surface of the vehicle sheet 41 is processed, the first drive motor 4 is restarted, and the tray shell 7 is sent into the second slide rail 35 under the flipping module. The structure of the second slide rail 35 is the same as that of the first slide rail 2. The outer ring conductive plate 40 of the ring guide rail 34 is continuously powered in conjunction with the inner contact of the ring frame 33. An empty support module is pre-placed in the second slide rail 35. When the first electric telescopic rod 8 of the lower support module is fully extended, it lifts the vehicle sheet 41. The first electric telescopic rod 8 of the upper empty support module is adjusted to fit the support contour of the sheet and moves downward. The suction cup 11 uses negative pressure to adsorb the vehicle sheet 41. On the surface, the lower support module corresponds to the self-closing solenoid valve 14 to release pressure and loosen the plate. The flipping motor 39 drives the gear ring 38 to rotate the annular guide rail 34 180 degrees. The upper and lower sets of second slide rails 35 interchange positions to flip the vehicle plate 41. After flipping, the second drive motor 37 is started to drive the second double speed chain 36 to run. The support module carrying the plate is sent out of the flipping module along the second slide rail 35 and transported to the next processing station to repeat the station positioning and differentiated support avoidance process. Throughout the process, the array suction cups 11 support the vehicle plate 41 at multiple points to prevent the plate from being suspended, warped, or deformed.

[0032] Of all the solutions mentioned above, those involving the connection between two components can be selected according to the actual situation, such as welding, bolt and nut connection, bolt or screw connection, or other known connection methods, which will not be elaborated here. For all the fixed connections mentioned above, welding is preferred. Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment, comprising a first bracket (1), characterized in that: A conveying module is installed on the first support (1). The conveying module includes a first slide rail (2) and a first double-speed chain (3) driven by a first drive motor (4). The first slide rail (2) is located on the front and rear sides of the first support (1). The first double-speed chain (3) is located on the inner wall of the first slide rail (2). A limit groove (5) is opened on the inner side of the first slide rail (2). A support module is slidably connected on the first slide rail (2). The support module includes a tray shell (7), a first electric telescopic rod (8), and a suction cup (11). The outer surface of the tray shell (7) A slider (16) is fixedly connected to the surface of the tray housing (7), which is slidably connected to the inner wall of the limiting groove (5). The tray housing (7) is driven to the upper surface of the first double speed chain (3). The first electric telescopic rod (8) is fixedly installed on the inner bottom wall of the tray housing (7). The suction cup (11) is movably connected to the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod (8) through the ball head seat (9) and the ball head (10). A vehicle plate (41) is placed on the upper surface of the suction cup (11). A positioning module is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the first bracket (1) located below the first slide rail (2).

2. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the ball head seat (9) is fixedly connected to a connecting pipe (12), and the lower end of the connecting pipe (12) is fixedly connected to a three-way connector (13). Both ends of the three-way connector (13) are fixedly installed with self-closing solenoid valves (14). The interior of the tray shell (7) is also equipped with a vacuum pump and a master control module. The outlet end of one of the self-closing solenoid valves (14) is connected to the control end of the vacuum pump through a pipe, and the inlet end is fixedly connected to the end of the three-way connector (13). The outlet end of the other self-closing solenoid valve (14) is fixedly connected to the end of the three-way connector (13).

3. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the slider (16) is provided with a telescopic groove (17), and a spring (18) is provided on the inner side wall of the telescopic groove (17). A conductive slider (19) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the spring (18). A ceramic wear-resistant layer (20) is sleeved on the outer surface of the slider (16). The end of the conductive slider (19) penetrates the outer surface of the ceramic wear-resistant layer (20). A conductive sheet (6) is installed on the inner top wall and inner bottom wall of the limiting groove (5). The end of the conductive slider (19) is slidably connected to the outer surface of the conductive sheet (6). The conductive slider (19) is electrically connected to the control module through a wire.

4. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The movable end of the first electric telescopic rod (8) and the lower end of the connecting pipe (12) both penetrate the upper surface of the tray shell (7). The first electric telescopic rod (8), suction cup (11), connecting pipe (12), three-way connector (13) and self-closing solenoid valve (14) are all provided in a number and are evenly distributed in a rectangular array. The outer surface of the ball head seat (9) is fitted with a protective spring sleeve (15) outside the movable end of the first electric telescopic rod (8) and the connecting pipe (12). The lower end of the protective spring sleeve (15) abuts against the upper surface of the tray shell (7).

5. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: An RFID electronic tag (21) is fixedly installed in the middle of the first slide rail (2). An obstacle hole for the RFID electronic tag (21) is opened in the middle of the first slide rail (2). An RFID reader (22) is fixedly installed in the middle of the front and rear of the tray shell (7). The RFID reader (22) is electrically connected to the main control module through a wire.

6. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning module includes a support plate (23), a limiting sleeve (24), a telescopic rod (25), and a positioning block (27). The support plate (23) is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the first bracket (1) and located on the lower side of the first slide rail (2). The limiting sleeve (24) is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the support plate (23). The telescopic rod (25) is slidably connected to the inside of the limiting sleeve (24). One end of the telescopic rod (25) is fixedly installed with a ram's horn frame (26). The positioning block (27) is fixedly installed at the end of the ram's horn frame (26). The outer surface of the first slide rail (2) has a through hole adapted to the positioning block (27). The rear end is placed in the through hole. The middle part of the support plate (23) is rotatably connected to the synchronous gear (28). There are four telescopic rods (25) arranged symmetrically. The outer surfaces of the two telescopic rods (25) diagonally distributed with the center line of the synchronous gear (28) are provided with rack grooves (29). The outer surfaces of the synchronous gear (28) and the outer surfaces of the rack grooves (29) are connected in a transmission. The lower surface of the end of the telescopic rod (25) is rotatably connected to the second electric telescopic rod (31) through the hinge (30). The movable end of the second electric telescopic rod (31) is rotatably connected to the lower surface of the end of another opposite telescopic rod (25) through the hinge (30).

7. A multi-station linkage-type automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The positioning blocks (27) are provided in four symmetrical arrangements, and the ends of the positioning blocks (27) are wedge-shaped with the wedge-shaped surfaces facing the center of the four positioning blocks (27).

8. The multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flipping module is also provided on the right side of the first bracket (1). The flipping module includes a ring frame (33), a ring guide rail (34), and a second slide rail (35). The lower surface of the ring frame (33) is fixedly connected to the second bracket (32). The inner side wall of the ring frame (33) is rotatably connected to the ring guide rail (34). The inner side wall of the ring guide rail (34) is fixedly connected to the second slide rail (35). The structure of the second slide rail (35) is the same as that of the first slide rail (2). The inner side wall of the second slide rail (35) is provided with a second speed chain (36) driven by a second drive motor (37).

9. A multi-station linkage-type automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: Two annular guide rails (34) are provided. One annular guide rail (34) has a toothed ring (38) on its outer surface and a flip motor (39) is fixedly installed on the annular frame (33) outside the annular guide rail (34). The output end of the flip motor (39) is connected to the outer surface of the toothed ring (38) through a gear. The other annular guide rail (34) has an annular conductive sheet (40) fixedly installed on its outer surface and a contact point corresponding to the annular conductive sheet (40) is provided on the inner side wall of the annular frame (33) outside the annular guide rail (34).

10. A positioning method for a multi-station linkage automotive sheet metal finishing and positioning complete set of equipment, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Equipment layout and pre-adjustment: The first bracket (1) is arranged between each finishing work station. The flip module is selectively assembled according to the double-sided processing requirements of the vehicle sheet (41). The initial extension height of each first electric telescopic rod (8) is set in advance according to the shape and curvature specifications of the vehicle sheet (41) to be processed, so that the array of suction cups (11) forms a multi-point support profile matching the lower surface of the sheet. S2, negative pressure fixing of plate feeding: Place the vehicle plate (41) on the surface of the suction cup (11) above the tray shell (7), open the self-closing solenoid valve (14) connected to the vacuum pump, close the other self-closing solenoid valve (14), the vacuum pump draws negative pressure inside the suction cup (11) through the three-way connector (13) and connecting pipe (12), and the vehicle plate (41) is fastened to the multi-point supported suction cup (11) by negative pressure adsorption; S3, Synchronous Conveying: The first drive motor (4) drives the first double-speed chain (3) to run. The double-speed chain drives the slider (16) to slide along the limiting groove (5) of the first slide rail (2). The pallet shell (7) synchronously conveys the vehicle plate (41) along with the double-speed chain. During the conveying process, the spring (18) inside the slider (16) presses against the conductive slider (19). The conductive slider (19) continuously slides in contact with the conductive sheet (6) inside the limiting groove (5), providing continuous power to the central control module inside the pallet shell (7) and each first electric telescopic rod (8). The ceramic wear-resistant layer (20) reduces the sliding wear of the slider (16). S4. Automatic centering and positioning at the workstation: After the pallet shell (7) is transported to the target processing workstation by the double speed chain, the first drive motor (4) stops; the second electric telescopic rod (31) in the positioning module extends, driving the pair of telescopic rods (25) to slide synchronously along the limit sleeve (24). The synchronous gear (28) and the rack groove (29) cooperate to ensure that the four sets of telescopic rods (25) move diagonally synchronously, driving the horn frame (26) and the wedge positioning block (27) to move closer to each other. The wedge surface of the positioning block (27) clamps the four corners of the pallet shell (7), completing the automatic centering of the pallet shell (7) and the vehicle plate (41). S5. RFID station identification and execution of differentiated support avoidance logic: The RFID reader (22) on the tray shell (7) reads the preset process data in the RFID electronic tag (21) of the corresponding station on the first slide rail (2), and the main control module retrieves the support action program of the corresponding station; according to the current processing process, the first electric telescopic rod (8) of the corresponding area is controlled to retract: in the edge grinding and disc shearing processes, the first electric telescopic rod (8) around the outer contour edge of the plate is retracted synchronously, and the corresponding branch vacuum pump self-closing solenoid valve (14) is closed synchronously, and the pressure relief self-closing solenoid valve (14) is opened to release the negative pressure of the suction cup (11) in this area; in the flying shear cutting and visual inspection processes, the telescopic rod (25) below the processing path can be controlled to retract in a wave-like segment; while the processing area supports avoidance, the first electric telescopic rod (8) in other areas remains extended, and the suction cup (11) maintains negative pressure adsorption, and the plate is lifted by multiple points throughout the process to avoid suspension and deformation; after the processing is completed, the retracted first electric telescopic rod (8) is simultaneously reset and extended, restoring the multi-point support of the entire area; S6. Plate Transfer and Turning Process: After the upper surface of the vehicle plate (41) is processed, the first drive motor (4) restarts, and the pallet shell (7) is conveyed into the lower second slide rail (35) of the turning module by the double speed chain; the structure of the second slide rail (35) is the same as that of the first slide rail (2), and continuous power supply is achieved through the cooperation of the annular conductive sheet (40) and the inner contact of the annular frame (33); an empty support module is pre-placed in the second slide rail (35), and all the first electric telescopic rods (8) of the lower support module extend synchronously to move the vehicle plate. The plate (41) is lifted to a set height; the first electric telescopic rod (8) of the upper empty support module is pre-adjusted to match the support contour of the plate shape and moves down, and clamps the upper surface of the vehicle plate (41) by negative pressure adsorption; then the lower support module releases pressure and releases the plate by corresponding self-closing solenoid valve (14); the flipping motor (39) drives the ring guide rail (34) to rotate 180° through the toothed ring (38), and the upper and lower two sets of second slide rails (35) and support modules exchange positions to complete the flipping of the front and back of the vehicle plate (41); S7. After flipping, the second drive motor (37) drives the second double speed chain (36) to run. The support module carrying the flipped vehicle plate (41) moves out of the flipping module along the second slide rail (35) and is sent to the next processing station to repeat steps S4 to S5. Throughout the entire process of conveying, positioning, avoiding, and flipping, the pallet shell (7) always maintains multi-point support to hold the vehicle plate (41), and dynamically switches the extension and retraction state of the local first electric telescopic rod (8) according to the RFID preset program of different workstations.

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