Bumper assembly conveyor line

Abstract

The utility model provides a bumper assembly conveying line, including first and last assembly conveying unit and intermediate assembly conveying unit, both set up the chain plate of bearing product positioning tooling, the end of assembly line is equipped with the piece work station, and the cantilever end of mechanical arm on piece work station is equipped with camera, and camera shoots the assembly state of each part of product under the drive of mechanical arm and will gather information transmission to system processor. The utility model mainly is through the chain plate drive and realizes the upstream and downstream conveying of the bumper of waiting for assembling, gathers the assembly information of product through the camera of cantilever end of mechanical arm of piece work station, detects and feeds back whether the assembly of product appears the problem, compares traditional manual detection feedback, and the detection efficiency and accuracy are improved greatly, thereby improves the production efficiency and quality of product assembly line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive parts manufacturing technology, specifically to a bumper assembly conveyor line. Background Technology

[0002] A car bumper is assembled from multiple components, including the upper bumper body, lower bumper body, release cover, and sound-absorbing cotton. Existing bumper assembly technologies mostly utilize chain conveyor assembly lines, such as the technical solution disclosed in the patent document "Multi-Station Product Assembly Line" (CN219408207U). This assembly line has assembly stations for different components, and the bumper is transported from the upstream assembly station to the downstream assembly station via chain drive. In actual production, to monitor assembly quality and prevent misassembly, the assembly process parameters in traditional assembly lines require manual monitoring and recording. This results in low overall production line efficiency, and the assembly personnel cannot receive timely feedback, leading to a higher probability of assembly errors and cumbersome troubleshooting and rework processes. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bumper assembly conveyor line that makes assembly operations convenient for workers and allows for timely detection and feedback of the assembly process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a bumper assembly conveyor line, the assembly line includes a head and tail assembly conveyor unit and a middle assembly conveyor unit. The top of the middle assembly conveyor unit is provided with a conveyor chain groove for accommodating the conveyor chain plate, and the middle or bottom is provided with a return chain groove for accommodating the return chain plate. The head and tail assembly conveyor units are provided with a platform that rises and falls in the vertical direction. The platform is provided with a chain groove for accommodating the chain plate. The end point of the platform's rising and falling strokes makes the chain grooves at the same height as the conveyor chain grooves or the return chain grooves, respectively. The chain grooves, conveyor chain grooves and return chain grooves are arranged in parallel with two parallel lines and the groove lengths are horizontal. The chain conveying directions in the conveyor chain grooves and the return chain grooves are opposite. The chain plates of the head and tail assembly conveyor units and the middle assembly conveyor units respectively carry product positioning fixtures. In the chain plate conveying direction, the distance between the chain plates of the middle assembly conveyor unit and the head and tail assembly conveyor units is less than the length of the product positioning fixtures.

[0005] At the end of the assembly line is a part-loading station, which has a product fixing position and a robotic arm. A camera is installed at the cantilever end of the robotic arm. The camera, driven by the robotic arm, captures the assembly status of various parts of the product and transmits the collected information to the system processor.

[0006] This invention primarily involves installing liftable platforms on the beginning and end assembly conveyor units to accommodate the chain plates, and installing conveyor chain plates and return chain plates on the intermediate assembly conveyor unit. The upstream and downstream transport of the bumpers to be assembled is achieved through chain plate transmission. A robotic arm is installed at the unloading station at the end of the assembly line. A camera at the robotic arm's cantilever end collects the product's assembly information and transmits it to the system processor. This processor detects and provides feedback on whether any assembly problems have occurred. Compared to traditional manual inspection and feedback, this significantly improves inspection efficiency and accuracy, thereby enhancing the production efficiency and quality of the product assembly line. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 , 3 These are schematic diagrams of the front and back of the bumper assembly conveyor line, respectively.

[0008] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of the area after removing the product positioning fixture. Detailed Implementation

[0009] See Figures 1-3 The bumper assembly conveyor line shown includes a head and tail assembly conveyor unit A and an intermediate assembly conveyor unit B. The top of the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B is provided with a conveyor chain groove 10 for accommodating the conveyor chain plate, and the middle or bottom is provided with a return chain groove 20 for accommodating the return chain plate. The head and tail assembly conveyor unit A is provided with a platform 31 that moves vertically. The platform 31 is provided with a chain groove 30 for accommodating the chain plate 30a. The end point of the lifting and lowering stroke of the platform 31 makes the chain groove 30 be at the same height as the conveyor chain groove 10 or the return chain groove 20, respectively. The chain groove 30, the conveyor chain groove 10 and the return chain groove 20 are arranged in parallel with two parallel lines and the groove length is horizontal. The chain conveying direction in the conveyor chain groove 10 and the return chain groove 20 is opposite. The chain plates of the head and tail assembly conveyor unit A and the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B respectively carry product positioning fixtures 40. In the chain plate conveying direction, the distance between the chain plates of the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B and the head and tail assembly conveyor unit A is less than the length of the product positioning fixture 40.

[0010] At the end of the assembly line is a part-loading station C, which is equipped with a product fixing position 51 and a robotic arm 52. A camera 53 is installed at the cantilever end of the robotic arm 52. The camera 53, driven by the robotic arm 52, captures the assembly status of various parts of the product and transmits the collected information to the system processor.

[0011] In the above scheme, the chain drive of the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B adopts a double-layer conveyor line, with the upper conveyor chain plate and the lower return chain plate circulating and driving each other. The first and last assembly conveyor unit A includes a first-end assembly conveyor unit and a last-end assembly conveyor unit. The bumpers placed on the assembly line are conveyed from the first-end assembly conveyor unit at the upstream end to the downstream end, passing through the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B, the last-end assembly conveyor unit, and the unloading station C in sequence. Photoelectric sensors and limit devices are installed between each station on the first and last assembly conveyor unit A and the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B. The photoelectric sensors are controlled and interacted by the PLC program, and the transmission of all chain plates is controlled and driven by a variable frequency motor fixedly installed on the assembly line.

[0012] like Figures 1-3 In the illustrated embodiment, the return chain groove 20 is located at the bottom of the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B. The conveyor chain plates and return chain plates in both the conveyor chain groove 10 and the return chain groove 20 carry product positioning fixtures 40. The bumper to be assembled is placed in the product positioning fixture 40 on the conveyor chain plate and maintains its position. The product positioning fixture 40 on the return chain plate is unloaded. When the product positioning fixture 40 transitions from the first assembly conveyor unit to the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B or from the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B to the last assembly conveyor unit during chain plate transmission, its base plate 41 simultaneously rests on both the chain plate 30a and the conveyor chain plate. After the bumper reaches the next workstation C, it is placed on the product fixing position 51. The robotic arm 52 at the workstation starts working, using CCD vision inspection to photograph each assembly component at the aforementioned workstations, and transmits this photographed information to the system processor to detect and provide feedback on whether there are problems such as over-assembly, incorrect assembly, or omissions in the bumper assembly.

[0013] Besides mass production, small-batch production orders are becoming increasingly common for automotive parts suppliers. To accommodate these small-batch orders with frequent product changes, the assembly line consists of independent end-to-end assembly conveyor units A and multiple intermediate assembly conveyor units B connected in series. In the chain conveying direction, the distance between adjacent intermediate assembly conveyor units B is less than the length of the product positioning fixture 40. These independent intermediate assembly conveyor units B can be easily disassembled and reassembled into assembly lines with varying numbers of workstations, thus accommodating various types of products to be assembled. This flexible and convenient production line adjustment significantly improves overall production efficiency.

[0014] A more specific solution is that a lifting cylinder 32 is installed below the frame 31. The piston rod of the lifting cylinder 32 is connected to the frame 31, and its piston extension and retraction direction is vertical. The lifting cylinder 32 drives the frame 31 to rise and fall, realizing the cyclic conveying of the product positioning fixture 40 on the conveyor chain and the return chain.

[0015] Preferably, the product positioning fixture 40 includes a base plate 41, with detachably connected headrests 42 at both ends along its conveying direction. A soft pad 43 is laid on the base plate 41 between the two headrests 42. The base plate 41 and the headrests 42 are detachably connected by pins. When conveying different models of bumpers or other products to be assembled on the assembly line, the installation angle of the headrests 42 on the base plate 41 can be adjusted to accommodate different products.

[0016] To reduce assembly errors by workers, video players 60 are installed at the workstations of the first and last assembly conveyor unit A and the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B. These video players 60 continuously demonstrate the product assembly steps for that workstation. As a result, workers unfamiliar with the assembly steps can quickly master the assembly skills by watching the instructional videos played on the video players 60, saving on training time and further reducing the possibility of assembly errors.

[0017] Preferably, the assembly station of the first and last assembly conveyor unit A or the intermediate assembly conveyor unit B is equipped with a screw supply counter, and the signal output terminal of the screw supply counter is connected to the system processor. For the same product, the number of screws to be assembled at each station is fixed. When the screw supply counter records the number of screws supplied, it can help workers review and check at any time whether they have installed too many or missed screws.

Claims

1. A bumper assembly conveyor line, comprising an initial and final assembly conveyor unit (A) and an intermediate assembly conveyor unit (B), characterized in that: The intermediate assembly conveyor unit (B) has a conveyor chain groove (10) at the top to accommodate the conveyor chain plate, and a return chain groove (20) at its middle or bottom to accommodate the return chain plate. The first and last assembly conveyor units (A) are equipped with a platform (31) that moves vertically. The platform (31) has a chain groove (30) to accommodate the chain plate (30a). The end points of the lifting and lowering strokes of the platform (31) make the chain groove (30) equal to the height of the conveyor chain groove (10) or the return chain groove (20), respectively. (30) Two parallel conveyor chain grooves (10) and return chain grooves (20) are respectively arranged with the groove length in the horizontal direction. The conveyor chain grooves (10) and return chain grooves (20) have opposite conveying directions. The chain plates of the first and last assembly conveyor units (A) and the middle assembly conveyor units (B) respectively carry product positioning fixtures (40). In the conveying direction of the chain plates, the distance between the chain plates of the middle assembly conveyor unit (B) and the first and last assembly conveyor units (A) is less than the length of the product positioning fixtures (40). At the end of the assembly line is a part-loading station (C), which is equipped with a product fixing position (51) and a robotic arm (52). A camera (53) is installed on the cantilever end of the robotic arm (52). The camera (53) is driven by the robotic arm (52) to capture the assembly status of various parts of the product and transmit the collected information to the system processor.

2. The bumper assembly conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The assembly line is composed of independent end assembly conveying units (A) and multiple intermediate assembly conveying units (B) assembled in series. In the chain conveying direction, the distance between the chain plates of two adjacent intermediate assembly conveying units (B) is less than the length of the product positioning fixture (40).

3. The bumper assembly conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: A lifting cylinder (32) is provided below the platform (31). The piston rod of the lifting cylinder (32) is connected to the platform (31), and its piston extension and retraction direction is vertical.

4. The bumper assembly conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The product positioning fixture (40) includes a base plate (41), and detachable headrests (42) are provided at both ends of the base plate (41) along its conveying direction. A soft pad (43) is laid on the base plate (41) between the two headrests (42).

5. The bumper assembly conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: Video players (60) are installed at the workstations of the first and last assembly conveyor unit (A) and the intermediate assembly conveyor unit (B), and the video players (60) cyclically demonstrate the product assembly steps of the workstation.

6. The bumper assembly conveyor line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The assembly station of the first and last assembly conveyor unit (A) or the intermediate assembly conveyor unit (B) is equipped with a screw supply counter, and the signal output terminal of the screw supply counter is connected to the system processor.

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