Automatic production device for sheet radiator pipe joints of transformer

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technology of production devices, and particularly relates to an automatic production device for sheet radiator pipe joints of a transformer, which comprises a welding workstation consisting of a displacement mechanism and a welding robot, and further comprises a welding auxiliary system, the welding work station is arranged in the middle section area of the annular path, the raw material stereoscopic warehouse and the finished product stereoscopic warehouse are arranged on the upstream and the downstream of the welding work station correspondingly, and photoelectric sensors for detecting workpieces are arranged in the raw material stereoscopic warehouse and the finished product stereoscopic warehouse correspondingly. The production device further comprises a console, and a control computer is arranged on the console. A worker places an order through the control computer, the collaborative robot sequentially takes required flange workpieces and pipe workpieces from the raw material stereoscopic warehouse after receiving a production signal and completes fixation on the position changing mechanism, and then the welding robot is started and completes welding of the flange workpieces and the pipe workpieces. And then the welding robot places the welded sheet radiator pipe joints to a finished product stereoscopic warehouse, automatic production is achieved, and therefore the requirement for batch production is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of production devices, in particular to an automated production device for transformer piece loose pipe joints. Background Art

[0002] The current demand for electricity is increasingly urgent. Transformers throughout the power system perform a variety of functions, including voltage conversion, energy transmission, reducing line losses, ensuring power safety, and improving power quality. Bulkhead pipe joints play a crucial role in the daily operation of transformers. These small joints not only determine the sealing performance of the transformer but also directly impact the safe and stable operation of the entire equipment. Research at Xinjiang TBEA Co., Ltd. revealed that bulkhead pipe joint welding is currently primarily done manually. A large transformer requires 18 bulkhead pipe joints, and their specifications vary. Manual welding is inefficient, and welding techniques vary depending on individual operators. Consequently, the current manual welding production method results in low yields, inconsistent product quality, and high customization costs. This makes it difficult to meet demand for bulkhead pipe joints in a timely manner. Therefore, achieving intelligent, customized, and mass-produced production tailored to transformer size is a pressing issue in actual production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a production device that can automatically weld and polish transformer bulk pipe joints, which can effectively improve product quality and realize the intelligent and batch production needs of bulk pipe joints, thereby solving the problems raised by the above background technology.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: an automated production device for transformer piece loose pipe joints, comprising a welding workstation consisting of a position shifting mechanism and a welding robot, and also comprising a welding auxiliary system having a collaborative robot, wherein the collaborative robot moves on a circular path; the welding auxiliary system also comprises a raw material warehouse and a finished product warehouse arranged around the circular path, the welding workstation is arranged in the middle area of the circular path, the raw material warehouse and the finished product warehouse are respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the welding workstation, and photoelectric sensors for detecting workpieces are provided in both the raw material warehouse and the finished product warehouse; the production device also comprises a control console, on which a control computer is provided.

[0005] In the above technical solution, the staff places an order through the control computer. After receiving the production signal, the collaborative robot picks up the required flange workpiece from the raw material warehouse, transfers the flange workpiece to the positioner and fixes it through the positioner. Then, the required pipe workpiece is picked up from the raw material warehouse in the same way and fixed on the positioner, so that the flange workpiece and the pipe workpiece are in the correct splicing orientation. Then the welding robot starts and welds the flange workpiece and the pipe workpiece. After the welding is completed, the welding robot places the obtained loose pipe joints in the finished product warehouse, realizing automated production and thus meeting the needs of mass production. In this device, the photoelectric sensors installed in the raw material warehouse and the finished product warehouse can respectively detect the number of raw material workpieces and the number of finished loose pipe joints, and send the detection data to the control computer in real time, so that the staff can understand the production status in a timely manner.

[0006] As a preferred solution, the positioning mechanism includes a positioning mechanism I and a positioning mechanism II, which are arranged upstream and downstream of the welding robot, respectively. Positioning mechanism I is specifically used for flange workpieces and pipe workpieces, ensuring that the positions of the two workpieces remain unchanged during welding, assisting in the completion of welding work; while positioning mechanism II is used to assist in the completion of grinding work. When the welded loose pipe joint does not meet the acceptance criteria, the collaborative robot transfers the loose pipe joint to positioning mechanism II, which fixes the loose pipe joint. The collaborative robot then replaces the grinding tool and grinds the loose pipe joint. This firstly realizes the welding and grinding line operation, ensuring that all loose pipe joints produced and put into storage meet the quality inspection requirements. In addition, it can avoid the situation where one positioning mechanism completes different processes, ensuring that the welding process and the grinding process do not interfere with each other and are carried out independently.

[0007] As a preferred solution, the welding auxiliary system also includes an electrical control cabinet and a robot control cabinet, wherein the electrical control cabinet controls the welding workstation and electrical equipment in the welding auxiliary system, and the robot control cabinet controls the collaborative robot and the welding robot.

[0008] As a preferred solution, the end of the collaborative robot is provided with a machine vision assistance unit, which can accurately identify the required fixtures or grinding tools, and can also identify workpieces that meet the order requirements, and can detect the welding conditions of bulk pipe joints. Since the specifications of the products processed each time may be different, the set machine vision assistance unit can accurately identify and exchange the required fixtures, and can also accurately clamp the workpieces that meet the order requirements. After the welding is completed, the machine vision assistance unit can detect the welding conditions and compare them with the standard error value. If they meet the requirements, they will be directly placed in the finished product warehouse. If they do not meet the requirements, they will be put into storage after the grinding process. The use of the machine vision assistance unit enables the production device to meet the needs of intelligent and customized production, and plays an important role in improving product quality.

[0009] As a preferred solution, the welding auxiliary system has an annular guide rail, which constitutes the annular path, and the welding robot is installed on the guide rail. The guide rail can provide a stable moving path for the welding robot, making the various mechanisms on the work site more orderly and easier to manage.

[0010] As a preferred solution, the welding assistance system also includes a tool rack arranged along a circular path. Tools, including fixtures and grinding heads, are placed on the tool rack, and the collaborative robot exchanges tools from the tool rack as needed. The fixtures for holding the workpiece and the grinding tools are independently placed on the tool rack, allowing the collaborative robot to retrieve them as needed, facilitating tool management.

[0011] As a preferred solution, the production device has a fence, the welding workstation and the welding auxiliary system are located in the working area inside the fence, and an open entrance and exit are set on one side of the fence. The control console is set outside the fence and on the side of the entrance and exit. The fence is used to achieve isolated operations, facilitate on-site management, and ensure safe production.

[0012] As an optimal solution, a finished product picking table is set up at the entrance and exit. The collaborative robot transfers the loose pipe fittings in the finished product warehouse to the finished product picking table, and the staff picks up the loose pipe fittings from the finished product picking table to avoid people entering the work area.

[0013] As a preferred solution, safety gratings are set on both sides of the inlet and outlet. When the safety gratings are triggered, the entire production device stops working.

[0014] Beneficial effects of the utility model:

[0015] 1. Reduce costs and increase efficiency. The commissioning of the automated production equipment for transformer bulkhead pipe joints will significantly improve production efficiency, expected to increase by 200% compared to traditional production processes. Furthermore, after commissioning, defective products will be reduced, with a product qualification rate of 99%. This will eliminate the possibility of unusable products due to poor welding processes, and eliminate welding errors.

[0016] 2. High safety. In the automated production equipment for transformer bulkhead fittings, safety light barriers are installed in key, hazardous processes and are systematically programmed. Once production begins, if someone intrudes into the workstation, all equipment will be suspended. Production can only resume after the person retreats to a safe distance and presses the reset button.

[0017] 3. Intelligent and customized production. The automated production equipment for transformer bulk pipe joints will be equipped with a host computer and MES management system. During the entire production process, only the computer needs to be operated, and all production data and parameters can be viewed on the computer. Production can also be carried out remotely, and the production process and data parameters can be synchronized with the remote host computer.

[0018] 4. Batch production. The welding auxiliary system and the design of the welding workstation can realize the 24-hour production of transformer piece loose pipe joints. At the same time, the production quantity can be set. When the production requirement is met, the production can be stopped and wait for the next production demand. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic plan view of the structure of the automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints provided in this embodiment;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the automated production device shown;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The control system framework diagram of the automated production device shown in FIG.

[0023] In the figure, there is fence 1, entrance and exit 2, control panel 3, raw material warehouse 4, finished product warehouse 5, guide rail 6, collaborative robot 7, welding robot 8, position shifting mechanism I9, position shifting mechanism II10, tool rack 11, finished product picking platform 12, electrical control cabinet I13, robot control cabinet I14, electrical control cabinet II15, robot control cabinet II16, and safety light grid 17. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following will describe the implementation methods of the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples, so that the implementation process of how the present application applies technical means to solve technical problems and achieve technical effects can be fully understood and implemented accordingly.

[0025] Figure 1 and Figure 2 As an embodiment of the present invention, the transformer piece bulk pipe joint automatic production device, Figure 1 It can be seen that the automated production device includes a rectangular fence 1, the interior of the fence 1 is enclosed into an independent working area, and a welding workstation and a welding auxiliary system are arranged in the working area; the front of the fence 1 is open to form an entrance and exit 2, and a control console 3 is set on the right side of the entrance and exit 2. The control console 3 contains a working computer 9 (i.e., a host computer) and is installed with an MES management system. Therefore, the staff can control the entire production process off-site through the control console 3; in addition, safety gratings 17 are set on both sides of the entrance and exit. When the production device is in production state, once someone or something triggers the safety grating 17, the entire production device will stop operating.

[0026] Specifically, a square rounded annular guide rail 6 is set in the middle of the working area, facing the entrance and exit 2, a tool rack 11 and a finished product material receiving platform 12 are set in front of the guide rail 6, a welding robot 8 is set at the rear, a raw material three-dimensional warehouse 4 is set opposite to the left, and a finished product three-dimensional warehouse 5 is set opposite to the right, and a displacement mechanism I9 is set on the left side of the welding robot 8, and a displacement mechanism II10 is set on the right side; a collaborative robot 7 is installed on the guide rail 6, and the guide rail 6 is controlled to move by a servo motor, driving the collaborative robot 7 to perform position control.

[0027] The collaborative robot 7, along with the raw material storage system 4, the finished product storage system 5, the guide rails 6, the tool rack 11, the electrical control cabinet, and the robot control cabinet, constitute the aforementioned welding assistance system, which assists in the entire production process. The collaborative robot 7 has a machine vision assistance unit (specifically, an industrial camera, including a lens and light source) at its end. This unit can accurately identify the required fixture (for clamping the workpiece) or grinding head (for grinding the weld) from the tool rack 11 and complete the replacement. It can also accurately identify the required workpiece model (including flanges and pipe fittings) from the finished product loading platform 12.

[0028] The welding robot 8, the positioner I9, and the positioner II10 constitute the welding workstation. The collaborative robot 7 fixes the flange workpiece and the pipe workpiece picked up from the finished product material receiving platform 12 on the positioner I9 in sequence according to the assembly orientation. The welding robot 8 then completes the welding to obtain the loose pipe joints. At this time, the collaborative robot 7 uses the machine vision auxiliary unit at the end to inspect the welds of the loose pipe joints and compares them with the standard error value. Those that meet the requirements are directly placed in the finished product warehouse 5. Those that need to be polished are placed on the positioner II10. Then, the polishing tool is exchanged from the tool rack 11 and the loose pipe joints are polished. After polishing is completed, they are put into storage. It should be noted that the welding workstation can meet the requirements of welding and polishing line operations by using only one positioner. In this embodiment, the positioner I9 and the positioner II10 are used specifically for the welding process and the polishing process, respectively. This can avoid the situation where one positioner completes different processes, ensuring that the welding process and the polishing process do not interfere with each other and are carried out independently.

[0029] from Figure 2It can be seen that this embodiment has a redundant design, including two working computers 9, two electrical control cabinets, namely electrical control cabinet I13 and electrical control cabinet II15, and two robot control cabinets, namely robot control cabinet I14 and robot control cabinet II16. Among them, the electrical control cabinet I13 (electrical control cabinet II15) is used to control the electrical equipment in the welding workstation and welding auxiliary system, and the robot control cabinet I14 (robot control cabinet II16) is used to control the collaborative robot 7 and the welding robot 8, which can improve the reliability and stability of the operation of the device. Even if a local fault occurs, other redundant components can still ensure the normal operation of the device.

[0030] Furthermore, the raw material warehouse 4 used in this embodiment comprises three floors: from top to bottom, the first floor houses flanges, the second floor houses pipe fittings, and the third floor houses triangular fittings. The finished product warehouse 5 comprises two floors, both used to store finished bulk pipe fittings. In this embodiment, photoelectric sensors are installed on each floor of the raw material warehouse 4 and the finished product warehouse 5. These sensors detect the number of raw material workpieces and finished bulk pipe fittings, respectively, and transmit this data to the control computer in real time, allowing staff to promptly understand production status and take appropriate measures when necessary. When staff need to retrieve finished products, welding robot 8 removes a certain number from the finished product warehouse 5 and places them on the finished product retrieval platform 12 at the entrance 2. Staff then retrieve the finished products from this platform. This prevents excessive contact between staff and production equipment and facilitates precise management of finished products.

[0031] Regarding the automatic production device for transformer piece bulk pipe joints of the above structure, it should be equipped with an industrial router when in use, and the working computer 9 (i.e., the host computer) should be installed with an MES management system. The design of the entire control system is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, all equipment must support the PROFINET protocol. An industrial router connects the welding robot 8, the collaborative robot 7, four Siemens S7-1200 PLCs (control modules), the remote I / O for the feed bin, the remote I / O for the finished product bin, the remote I / O for the guide rails, the machine vision assistance unit, the remote I / O for positioners I and II, and the host computer touch screen, forming a complete control system. During the transformer bulk pipe joint production process, the host computer controls and monitors data, displaying information such as welding process steps, parameters, the amount of raw materials in the raw material warehouse 4, the number of finished products in the finished product warehouse 5, and the position of the collaborative robot 7 on the guide rail 6. Start, stop, reset, and emergency stop buttons are also provided for easy operation and continuous control of the production process. Furthermore, if the safety light barrier 17 is triggered during production, all equipment stops and waits for a reset command.

[0032] The MES management system primarily enables customized production. If different specifications of bulk pipe joints are needed, engineers can simply place an order on the tablet MES interface. The MES management system records data from every production step, enabling quality traceability. If quality issues arise, the source can be quickly located and appropriate corrective measures implemented. It also analyzes quality data, providing a basis for continuous improvement. The host computer and MES management system enable intelligent, customized production of bulk pipe joints for transformers. The production process includes the following steps:

[0033] Step 1: Log in to the MES management system (production management system) on the platform and place an MES order for production based on actual needs;

[0034] Step 2: After receiving the production signal, the collaborative robot 7 exchanges the fixture for grabbing the raw material flange workpiece from the tool rack 11, searches for the flange workpiece required for the MES order task in the raw material three-dimensional warehouse 4, picks up the flange workpiece, and moves it to the positioner I9, where it is placed and fixed.

[0035] In step 3, the collaborative robot 7 obtains the fixture for grasping the required pipe workpiece from the tool rack 11, searches for the pipe workpiece required for the MES order task from the raw material warehouse 4, picks up the pipe workpiece, and moves it to the positioner 19, where it combines the pipe workpiece with the flange workpiece in the correct splicing orientation and completes the fixation.

[0036] Step 4: The welding robot 8 welds the flange workpiece and the pipe workpiece together;

[0037] Step 5: After the welding is successful, the welding robot 8 returns to the origin, and the collaborative robot 7 takes the welded loose pipe joint, adjusts it 180 degrees, and puts it back to the positioner I9 to weld the inside of the pipe fitting and the flange.

[0038] Step 6: After welding is completed, the welding robot 8 returns to the origin, and the collaborative robot 7 inspects the welding condition and determines whether polishing is required based on the visual judgment results. If polishing is not required, it can be directly put into storage;

[0039] Step 7: If grinding is required, the collaborative robot 7 first transfers the loose pipe joint to the positioner II10, then exchanges the grinding tool, and then goes to the positioner II10 to grind and deburr the welding part of the flange workpiece and the pipe workpiece;

[0040] Step 8: After polishing is completed, the collaborative robot 7 exchanges the fixture and takes the polished piece-piece loose pipe joints to the finished product warehouse 5 for storage;

[0041] Step 9: If the MES order quantity is large, the above process will be repeated for production. If the requirements are met, processing will be stopped.

[0042] For example, certain words are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art should understand that hardware manufacturers may use different terms to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not use differences in names as a way to distinguish components, but use differences in the functions of the components as the criteria for distinction. For example, "including" mentioned throughout the specification and claims is an open term, so it should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". "Approximately" means that within an acceptable error range, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem within a certain error range and basically achieve the technical effect.

[0043] It should be noted that the terms "include," "comprises," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a product or system comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such product or system. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the product or system comprising the element.

[0044] The above description shows and describes several preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, as previously mentioned, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. Instead, the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and can be modified within the scope of the present invention as taught herein or through the techniques or knowledge in the relevant field. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be protected by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. Automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints, characterized by: It includes a welding workstation composed of a displacement mechanism and a welding robot, and also includes a welding auxiliary system with a collaborative robot, wherein the collaborative robot moves on a circular path; the welding auxiliary system also includes a raw material warehouse and a finished product warehouse arranged around the circular path, the welding workstation is arranged in the middle area of the circular path, the raw material warehouse and the finished product warehouse are respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the welding workstation, and photoelectric sensors for detecting workpieces are set in the raw material warehouse and the finished product warehouse; the production device also includes a control console, on which a control computer is set.

2. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 1, characterized in that: The displacement mechanism includes a displacement mechanism I and a displacement mechanism II, which are sequentially arranged upstream and downstream of the welding robot.

3. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 2, characterized in that: The welding auxiliary system also includes an electrical control cabinet and a robot control cabinet. The electrical control cabinet controls the electrical equipment in the welding workstation and the welding auxiliary system, while the robot control cabinet controls the collaborative robot and the welding robot.

4. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 2, characterized in that: The end of the collaborative robot is provided with a machine vision assistance unit.

5. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 2, characterized in that: The welding auxiliary system has an annular guide rail which forms the annular path, and the welding robot is mounted on the guide rail.

6. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 2, characterized in that: The welding auxiliary system also includes a tool rack arranged along a circular path, on which tools including a clamp and a grinding head are placed. The collaborative robot exchanges tools from the tool rack according to work requirements.

7. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The production device has a fence, the welding workstation and the welding auxiliary system are located in the working area inside the fence, and an open entrance and exit are set on one side of the fence. The control console is set outside the fence and on one side of the entrance and exit.

8. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 7, characterized in that: A finished product picking table is set up at the entrance and exit, and the collaborative robot transfers the loose pipe fittings in the finished product warehouse to the finished product picking table.

9. The automated production device for transformer bulk pipe joints according to claim 7, characterized in that: Safety light barriers are installed on both sides of the inlet and outlet. When the safety light barriers are triggered, the entire production device stops working.

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