Automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device

Abstract

This invention provides an automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device, including a workpiece conveyor line, a processing area, a buffer rack, a six-axis robot, and a control system. The workpiece conveyor line uses a parallel upper streamline to transport finished parts and a lower streamline to transport blanks. The six-axis robot is equipped with a double-sided symmetrical gripper chuck at its end, using high-pressure gas to drive the gripping force and simultaneously grasp both the blank and finished parts from inside the workpiece's central hole. The control system coordinates the robot's transport path through a preset program and dynamically adjusts the material flow in conjunction with the buffer rack. The double-sided gripper enables simultaneous grasping and transport of blanks and finished parts, allowing for state switching without changing fixtures, saving operation time. This invention achieves full automation of the "blank loading - processing - finished product unloading" process through robot-coordinated buffer scheduling, significantly improving production line continuity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a steering knuckle processing equipment, specifically an automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device. Background Technology

[0002] Steering knuckles are common automotive parts. From raw blanks to finished products, they require machine tool processing, and the level of automation in the material handling process directly impacts production efficiency. The challenge in automating steering knuckle processing lies in the variety of workpiece types, the existence of left-hand and right-hand versions of the same workpiece type, and the dimensional differences between raw blanks of the same type. Current technologies typically employ semi-automatic control, requiring manual workpiece handling, resulting in high labor intensity and low efficiency. Even with automated loading and unloading lines, the requirements for workpiece type are relatively high. Furthermore, the loading and unloading processes on existing production lines are difficult to perfectly match with the processing processes, often leading to machine tool or robotic arm idle periods. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a loading and unloading device to improve the automation level of steering knuckle processing. Utility Model Content

[0003] To solve the above technical problems, this utility model provides an automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device, including a workpiece conveying line, wherein the workpiece conveying line includes an upper streamline and a lower streamline extending in parallel, the upper streamline being used to transport blanks and the lower streamline being used to transport finished parts;

[0004] The machining area, connected to the machine tool, is equipped with fixtures to fix the position of the workpiece.

[0005] The buffer rack is used to buffer raw and finished parts, and to temporarily place workpieces according to the working status of the workpiece conveyor line and the processing area.

[0006] A six-axis robot is set up between various workstations and is equipped with vision elements for the transfer of blank parts and finished parts;

[0007] The system and control system are integrated into each workstation and control the transport path of the six-axis robot through preset programs.

[0008] Furthermore, the output end of the six-axis robot is provided with a connecting plate, and a set of gripper chucks is installed on each side of the connecting plate. The centers of the two sets of gripper chucks are arranged coaxially and facing each other. The clamping surfaces of the gripper chucks are respectively set according to the center hole size of the blank and the finished part, and the workpiece is supported from the inside of the center hole.

[0009] Furthermore, the gripper chuck is automatically driven by high-pressure gas to clamp and release under the control of a CNC program.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper and lower streamlines are driven by chain or gear transmission and are powered by servo motors; multiple sets of trays are connected along the transmission direction of both the upper and lower streamlines.

[0011] Furthermore, the buffer rack is located on one side of the workpiece conveyor line, and the workpiece conveyor line, buffer rack, and processing area are arranged around the outside of the six-axis robot.

[0012] Furthermore, the buffer rack is divided into an upper support rack and a lower support rack. The upper support rack is used to buffer an excessive amount of blank parts; the lower support rack is used to buffer an excessive amount of finished parts. The lower support rack is equipped with the same trays as those on the workpiece conveyor line.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper support frame is equipped with multiple sets of photoelectric sensors corresponding to the position of the blank, which are used to monitor the number of blanks on the upper support frame; when the control system detects that the number of blanks is lower than the threshold, it controls the six-axis robot to move the workpiece from the lower streamline.

[0014] Furthermore, the surface of the tray is provided with side blocks that conform to the shape of the workpiece and flexible support blocks that support the bottom of the workpiece.

[0015] This invention provides an automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device, including a workpiece conveyor line, a processing area, a buffer rack, a six-axis robot, and a control system. The workpiece conveyor line uses a parallel upper streamline to transport finished parts and a lower streamline to transport blanks. The six-axis robot is equipped with a double-sided symmetrical gripper chuck at its end, using high-pressure gas to drive the gripping force and simultaneously grab blanks and finished parts from the inside of the workpiece's central hole. The control system coordinates the robot's transport path through a preset program and dynamically adjusts the material flow in conjunction with the buffer rack. The double-sided gripper enables synchronous grabbing and transport of blanks and finished parts, allowing for state switching without changing fixtures, saving operation time. The buffer rack, in conjunction with photoelectric sensors, monitors inventory in real time, dynamically balancing the rhythm differences between the processing area and the conveyor line, avoiding machine tool standby. This invention solves problems such as low efficiency of manual handling, unreasonable buffer area layout, and long machine tool standby time. Through robot-coordinated buffer scheduling, it achieves full-process automation of "blank loading, processing, and finished product unloading," significantly improving production line continuity. Furthermore, it can be adapted to multiple production models through software parameter adjustments, greatly reducing modification costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device according to the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the double-jaw chuck on the connecting plate;

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cache rack structure;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a pallet.

[0020] Reference numerals: 1. Workpiece conveyor line; 11. Upper flow line; 12. Lower flow line; 2. Buffer rack; 21. Upper support frame; 22. Photoelectric sensor; 23. Lower support frame; 3. Processing area; 4. Six-axis robot; 41. Connecting plate; 42. Gripper chuck; 5. Pallet; 51. Side stop block; 52. Support block; 6. Finished product area. Detailed Implementation

[0021] like Figure 1 An automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device is shown, comprising a workpiece conveyor line 1, a buffer rack 2, a processing area 3, and a six-axis robot 4. The workpiece conveyor line 1 includes parallel extending upper streamline 11 and lower streamline 12. The upper streamline 11 is used to transport blanks, and the lower streamline 12 is used to transport finished parts. The processing area 3 is connected to the machine tool and is the processing area for the workpieces. It is equipped with fixtures to fix the position of the workpieces. The buffer rack 2 is used to buffer blanks and finished parts, and temporarily places workpieces according to the working status of the workpiece conveyor line 1 and the processing area 3. The six-axis robot 4 is set between each workstation and is the execution mechanism for workpiece handling, responsible for the transfer of blanks and finished parts. A control system is also included. The control system is integrated into each workstation, observes the workpiece status at each workstation, and coordinates the handling path of the six-axis robot 4 through a preset program to achieve the directional transfer of target blanks and finished parts.

[0022] like Figure 2 As shown, the six-axis robot 4 can move flexibly in three-dimensional space, accept commands from the control system, and accurately complete the picking, placing, and moving of workpieces. Specifically, the output end of the six-axis robot 4 is equipped with a connecting plate 41, and a set of gripper chucks 42 is installed on each side of the connecting plate 41. The centers of the two sets of gripper chucks 42 are coaxially aligned and facing each other. The six-axis robot 4 is equipped with a vision element for positioning workpieces. Under the control of the CNC program, the gripper chucks 42 are automatically driven by high-pressure gas to clamp and release. The two sets of gripper chucks 42 adopt an internal support structure. The clamping surfaces of the gripper chucks 42 are set according to the center hole size of the blank and the finished part, respectively. Taking the center hole of the workpiece as the standard, the workpiece is fixed from the inside of the center hole. Then, through vision positioning, the finished part can be clamped while the blank part is clamped. Workpieces in different states can be handled without changing the grippers, and the two workpieces do not interfere with each other.

[0023] The double-layer streamline of the workpiece conveyor line 1 adopts a chain drive and belt drive structure, with multiple sets of trays 5 connected along the transmission direction of the upper streamline 11 and the lower streamline 12. One end of the workpiece conveyor line 1 is connected to the external blank loading mechanism and the finished product unloading mechanism, respectively. The workpiece conveyor line 1 is driven by a servo motor. According to the instructions issued by the control system, the servo motor drives the trays 5 to move along the workpiece conveying direction to the gripping position of the six-axis robot 4. The double-layer streamline design saves workshop space and makes the flow of workpieces more accurate. In this embodiment, a finished product area 6 is fixedly set on one side of the upper streamline 11. The finished product area 6 is also equipped with trays 5. The six-axis robot 4 transfers the finished parts of the upper streamline 11 in batches to the finished product area 6, which is convenient for workers to transfer. The trays 5 are set according to the shape of the workpiece, such as... Figure 4 The side blocks 51 shown are respectively set according to the shape of the left and right products to prevent the workpiece from shifting too much and falling off the tray 5; the surface of the tray 5 is provided with support blocks 52, which are made of flexible material to provide support for the bottom of the workpiece and prevent the workpiece from being damaged by hard collision.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the buffer rack 2 is located on one side of the workpiece conveyor line 1. The workpiece conveyor line 1, buffer rack 2, and processing area 3 are arranged around the outside of the six-axis robot 4. The buffer rack 2 can simultaneously store blanks and finished parts, balancing the difference in production speed between the processing area 3 and the workpiece conveyor line 1. The storage space for blanks and finished parts on the buffer rack 2 can be dynamically adjusted according to actual needs. For example, in this embodiment, the buffer rack 2 is divided into an upper support rack 21 and a lower support rack 23. The upper support rack 21 is used to buffer excess blanks. Since blanks are usually unprocessed rough parts with irregular shapes and possible burrs on the surface, the upper support rack 21 adopts an open layout and is placed horizontally. A photoelectric sensor 22 is set at the position corresponding to the blank to monitor the number of blanks on the upper support rack 21. When the number of blanks on the support rack is less than a threshold, the control system sends a command to the workpiece conveyor line 1 and the six-axis robot 4 to transfer blanks from the workpiece conveyor line 1 to the upper support rack 21. The lower support frame 23 is used for temporary storage of finished parts. The lower support frame 23 is equipped with a tray 5 identical to that on the workpiece conveyor line 1, facilitating the batch transfer of finished parts from the lower support frame 23 to the workpiece conveyor line 1 by the six-axis robot 4. Furthermore, the lower support frame 23 is inclined to facilitate positioning of the six-axis robot 4.

[0025] The working process of this embodiment is as follows: The blank part is placed from the external blank loading mechanism onto the tray 5 of the lower flow line 12, and stops at the loading area of ​​the six-axis robot 4 along the lower flow line 12. The six-axis robot 4 picks up the blank part and places it into the processing area 3. After the workpiece is processed, the six-axis robot 4 picks up the finished part from the processing area 3 and moves it to the upper flow line 11, and then moves along the upper flow line 11. Due to the double-sided gripper, when the six-axis robot 4 moves the workpiece in the processing area 3, the actions of picking up the finished part and placing the blank part can be performed sequentially. At the same time, the six-axis robot 4 moves the finished part of the upper flow line 11 to the finished product area 6, waiting for the operator to pick up the finished product. When the workpiece is in the processing stage and the upper flow line 11 is unloaded, the six-axis robot 4 picks up the blank parts from the lower flow line 12 and places them in batches on the buffer rack 2 to maintain the flow of the lower flow line 12. When the upper flow line 11 is fully loaded or cannot be started due to a malfunction, the six-axis robot 4 places the finished parts of the processing area 3 on the buffer rack 2 and places the blank parts on the buffer rack 2 on the processing area 3 to maintain the continuous processing.

[0026] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device, characterized in that, The system includes a workpiece conveyor line (1), which includes an upper streamline (11) and a lower streamline (12) extending in parallel. The upper streamline (11) is used to transport blanks, and the lower streamline (12) is used to transport finished products. The machining area (3) is connected to the machine tool and is equipped with a fixture to fix the position of the workpiece. The buffer rack (2) is used to buffer blanks and finished parts, and to temporarily place workpieces according to the working status of the workpiece conveyor line (1) and the processing area (3); A six-axis robot (4) is set up between each workstation and is equipped with vision elements for the transfer of blanks and finished products; The system and control system are integrated into each workstation and control the transport path of the six-axis robot (4) through a preset program.

2. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The output end of the six-axis manipulator (4) is provided with a connecting plate (41). A set of gripper chucks (42) is installed on each side of the connecting plate (41). The centers of the two sets of gripper chucks (42) are coaxially arranged opposite each other. The clamping surfaces of the gripper chucks (42) are set according to the center hole size of the blank and the finished part, respectively, and the workpiece is supported from the inside of the center hole.

3. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The gripper chuck (42) is automatically driven by high-pressure gas to clamp and release under the control of the CNC program.

4. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The upper streamline (11) and the lower streamline (12) are driven by chain drive or gear drive and are driven by servo motors; multiple sets of trays (5) are connected to each other along the transmission direction of the upper streamline (11) and the lower streamline (12).

5. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The buffer rack (2) is located on one side of the workpiece conveyor line (1), and the workpiece conveyor line (1), buffer rack (2), and processing area (3) are arranged around the outside of the six-axis robot (4).

6. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The buffer rack (2) is divided into an upper support rack (21) and a lower support rack (23). The upper support rack (21) is used to buffer excessive blanks; the lower support rack (23) is used to buffer excessive finished parts. The lower support rack (23) is equipped with the same tray (5) as the workpiece conveyor line (1).

7. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The upper support frame (21) is equipped with multiple sets of photoelectric sensors (22) corresponding to the position of the blank, which are used to monitor the number of blanks on the upper support frame (21); when the control system detects that the number of blanks is lower than the threshold, it controls the six-axis robot (4) to move the workpiece from the lower streamline (12).

8. The automatic steering knuckle loading and unloading device as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The surface of the tray (5) is provided with side blocks (51) that conform to the shape of the workpiece and flexible support blocks (52) that support the bottom of the workpiece.

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