A machine vision collaborative intelligent unstacking integrated system in the cemented carbide industry

Abstract

The application relates to the field of material handling and stacking in the hard alloy industry, in particular to a machine vision cooperative intelligent unstacking and stacking integrated system in the hard alloy industry, which comprises a mechanical hand, a vision system, a grab and a control unit; the truss mechanical hand completes material handling and stacking, the vision system scans a bar code and generates deviation correction information, and the control unit realizes path planning and motion control. Through the relative fixed design of the vision system and the grab, the application significantly improves operation precision, reduces manual intervention, adapts to various container types, can realize efficient and accurate automatic material handling and stacking, and is suitable for factory, warehouse and other scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of automated logistics equipment technology, and in particular relates to a machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry. Background Technology

[0002] In modern industrial production and logistics management, pallet transfer, handling, picking, and palletizing of materials are crucial processes in factories, warehouses, and logistics centers. This is especially true in the cemented carbide industry, where the demand for handling containers such as cartons, bins, and drums is increasing, placing higher demands on efficiency, precision, and safety. Currently, common solutions rely on large-span assisted robotic arms, where manual assessment of material information is used to move materials to designated locations or pallets. However, this traditional method has significant technical drawbacks. First, existing equipment typically operates along preset paths or at fixed coordinates, unable to automatically adjust to the target location based on the material being picked, lacking intelligent path planning and driving capabilities. Second, in high-dust environments like those in the cemented carbide industry, manual operation not only poses significant health hazards to workers but also presents certain safety risks. Furthermore, traditional equipment lacks flexibility when handling containers of different sizes, failing to meet diverse production needs.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a system capable of intelligent and automated operation to improve the efficiency and accuracy of material handling, while reducing manual intervention and improving the safety of the working environment. Especially in scenarios such as receiving and palletizing drummed powders, picking and outbound, depalletizing, picking and separating pallets, and handling and transferring, achieving efficient conversion between explosion-proof pallets and warehouse pallets has become a key challenge. Therefore, developing an intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system combining machine vision technology and robotic arms has significant practical significance and application value. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a machine vision-based collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry, in order to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following solution: A machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry includes a robot arm, a vision system, and a gripper mounted on a truss. The robot arm can move along any direction along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis on the truss. The vision system is mounted on the robot arm, and the gripper is mounted on the bottom of the robot arm.

[0006] Furthermore, the vision system includes a light source emitter and an image acquisition unit, which are connected by an optical fiber conduit, with a lens installed at one end of the optical fiber conduit.

[0007] Furthermore, the gripper is equipped with a pressure sensor.

[0008] Furthermore, the gripper includes a base plate, on which a plurality of gripper arms are evenly arranged circumferentially. The gripper arms are connected to the base plate via a hinge shaft. A torsion spring is sleeved on the outside of the hinge shaft. The two ends of the torsion spring contact the gripper arms and the base plate, respectively. A drive cylinder is fixed on the base plate. The piston rod of the drive cylinder cooperates with the gripper arms. Flexible pads are arranged on the opposing surfaces of the plurality of gripper arms.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a control unit, which is signal-connected to the robotic arm, the gripper, and the vision system, respectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the truss is provided in two sets, and an intermediate frame is provided between the two sets of trusses. The robot arm is installed on the intermediate frame, and the axial direction of the intermediate frame, the axial direction of the robot arm, and the axial direction of the truss are perpendicular to each other. The intermediate frame reciprocates along the horizontal axis of the truss on the truss. The robotic arm reciprocates along the horizontal axis of the intermediate frame or along the vertical direction on the intermediate frame.

[0011] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This invention can automatically identify material information and correct positioning, eliminating the need to operate according to a fixed programmed path, thus improving the flexibility and accuracy of palletizing and depalletizing operations; it enables automated mechanical operation, reducing personnel exposure to high-dust environments, lowering the risk of personal injury, and improving operational safety; the vision system and gripper move synchronously with the robotic arm in the Z-axis direction, with a fixed relative position, and can be quickly positioned after calibration, improving operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to an embodiment of this utility model. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the robot arm, vision system, and gripper working together in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0014] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part A in the image.

[0015] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Truss; 2. Robotic arm; 3. Vision system; 4. Gripper; 4-1. Base plate; 4-2. Gripper arm; 4-3. Drive cylinder; 5. Intermediate frame. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this utility model, but are not intended to limit its scope.

[0017] Example See Figure 1-3 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry. It is mainly used for depalletizing and palletizing of barrelled powder and pallet transfer operations in cemented carbide factories. Its overall structure includes two sets of parallel trusses 1, an intermediate frame 5 spanning between the two sets of trusses 1, a robot arm 2 installed on the intermediate frame 5, a vision system 3 fixed on the robot arm 2, and a gripper 4 detachably connected to the bottom of the robot arm 2. It is also equipped with a control unit (not shown in the figure, which can be integrated into the electrical control cabinet on the side of the truss 1) that is connected to the signals of the above components.

[0018] The two sets of trusses 1 are made of welded steel and are laid parallel to the material transport channel on the workshop floor. The top of the trusses 1 is equipped with a guide rail extending along its length direction (defined as the X-axis direction). A slider is embedded in the guide rail. The two ends of the intermediate frame 5 are fixedly connected to the sliders of the two sets of trusses 1 respectively, and the axial direction of the intermediate frame 5 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the trusses 1 (defined as the Y-axis direction). The side of the intermediate frame 5 is also equipped with a guide rail and slider in the Y-axis direction. The back of the robot 2 is fixed to the slider, and the robot 2 itself can move and extend in the vertical direction (defined as the Z-axis direction), ultimately realizing the full range of movement of the robot 2 in the X, Y, and Z axes.

[0019] It should be noted that the vision system 3 includes a light source emitter, an image acquisition unit, and an optical fiber conduit. The light source emitter and the image acquisition unit are both fixed to the side panel of the robot arm 2 by bolts. The two are connected by an optical fiber conduit. A fixed-focus lens is installed at the end of the optical fiber conduit away from the light source emitter. The lens is oriented in the same direction as the gripper 4 (vertically downward). A dust cover (made of transparent acrylic material, which can be disassembled and cleaned regularly) is provided on the outside of the lens to prevent the lens from being contaminated by the high dust environment of the hard alloy industry.

[0020] The signal output of vision system 3 is connected to the signal input of the control unit via a shielded cable, which can transmit the collected material barcode information and container position feature point data to the control unit in real time.

[0021] It should be noted that the gripper 4 is designed for material shapes commonly used in the cemented carbide industry (such as barrels), including a base plate 4-1, three gripper arms 4-2 evenly distributed around the base plate 4-1, a drive cylinder 4-3 that drives the gripper arms 4-2 to open and close, and a pressure sensor located inside the gripper arms 4-2.

[0022] The top of the base plate 4-1 is detachably connected to the bottom output shaft of the robot arm 2 via a flange, which makes it easy to change the appropriate gripper according to the container type (such as carton, square bin); All three gripper arms 4-2 are made of high-strength aluminum alloy. The middle part of each gripper arm 4-2 is hinged to the edge of the base plate 4-1 through a hinge shaft. A torsion spring is sleeved on the outside of the hinge shaft. One end of the torsion spring is embedded in the slot of the base plate 4-1, and the other end abuts against the inner side wall of the gripper arm 4-2. Under normal conditions, the torsion spring can keep the gripper arm 4-2 in a slightly closed state. The drive cylinder 4-3 is a double-rod cylinder, fixed at the bottom center of the base plate 4-1. The end of its piston rod is connected to the upper end of each gripper arm 4-2 through a connecting rod. When the piston rod of the drive cylinder 4-3 extends, it can push the gripper arm 4-2 to open outward around the hinge axis. When the piston rod retracts, the gripper arm 4-2 closes inward under the restoring force of the torsion spring, thereby clamping the material barrel. The pressure sensor is attached to the inner contact surface (the side in contact with the material) of the gripper arm 4-2. Its signal output terminal is connected to the control unit through a wire passing through the substrate 4-1. It can detect the clamping force of the gripper arm 4-2 on the material barrel in real time, so as to avoid damage to the material barrel due to excessive clamping force or drop of the material barrel due to insufficient clamping force.

[0023] It should be noted that the control unit adopts a PLC controller with built-in path planning algorithm and visual recognition processing module. Its signal output terminal is electrically connected to the drive motors (all of which are servo motors with high-precision positioning function) of truss 1, intermediate frame 5, and robot arm 2, the solenoid valves of drive cylinders 4-3, and the light source emitter and image acquisition unit of vision system 3, which can realize the coordinated control of each component.

[0024] Taking the operation of "transferring barrelled powder from explosion-proof pallets to storage pallets" in a cemented carbide factory as an example, the specific working steps of this system are as follows: Initial preparation stage: Before operation, the specifications (diameter, height) of the bucket to be processed, the position coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of the explosion-proof pallet, and the target coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) of the storage pallet are input through the human-machine interface (touch screen) of the control unit. The vision system 3 is calibrated - the robot arm 2 is controlled to move the vision system 3 above the standard bucket, and the lens focal length and light source brightness are adjusted so that the image acquisition unit can clearly identify the barcode on the top of the bucket and the feature points on the edge of the bucket opening. The calibration data is stored in the control unit.

[0025] Visual recognition and positioning: When the explosion-proof pallet carrying the material bucket is transported to the working area (triggering the photoelectric sensor on the side of the truss 1), the control unit sends a command to the robot arm 2, driving the robot arm 2 to move along the X-axis to above the explosion-proof pallet (at coordinate X1), and then along the Y-axis to directly above the first material bucket to be grabbed; at this time, the light source emitter of the vision system 3 is turned on, and the light is transmitted to the lens through the fiber optic tube and illuminates the top of the material bucket. The image acquisition unit captures the image of the material bucket barcode and the position of the bucket body, and transmits the image data to the control unit; the control unit parses the barcode information through the vision processing module (to confirm the material model), and at the same time compares the deviation between the preset feature points and the actual feature points to generate the correction amount in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0026] The coordinated action of the robotic arm 2 and the gripper 4: The control unit adjusts the position of the robotic arm 2 according to the correction amount, so that the gripper 4 is directly facing the center of the material bucket; then the control unit controls the robotic arm 2 to move downward along the Z-axis until the gripper arm 4-2 of the gripper 4 is fitted into the middle of the material bucket; at this time, the control unit sends a signal to the solenoid valve of the drive cylinder 4-3, the solenoid valve is energized and the piston rod of the drive cylinder 4-3 retracts, and the gripper arm 4-2 closes inward under the action of the torsion spring. When the pressure sensor detects that the clamping force reaches the preset value, it sends a signal to the control unit, and the control unit stops the drive cylinder 4-3 from moving, thus completing the gripping of the material bucket.

[0027] Material handling and palletizing: After the gripping is completed, the control unit controls the robot arm 2 to move upward along the Z-axis to a safe height, and then moves along the X and Y axes to the target coordinates (X2, Y2) of the storage pallet; the vision system 3 takes another picture of the position of the storage pallet, confirms the pallet's palletizing space, controls the robot arm 2 to move downward along the Z-axis, and places the bucket in the preset palletizing position; then the piston rod of the drive cylinder 4-3 extends, the gripper arm 4-2 opens, and the robot arm 2 resets upward along the Z-axis, completing one depalletizing operation.

[0028] Cyclic operation and termination: The control unit repeats steps 2-4 above according to the number of material buckets on the explosion-proof pallet until all material buckets are transferred to the storage pallet; after the operation is completed, the robot 2 automatically returns to the initial position (the middle of the truss 1), the vision system 3 turns off the light source, and the control unit records the material information, operation time and other data of this operation, which can be uploaded to the factory MES system (manufacturing execution system) via Ethernet.

[0029] It should be noted that the system can be adjusted in the following ways for different types of containers (such as cardboard boxes and square bins) used in the cemented carbide industry: Replace gripper 4: Replace the gripper arm 4-2 that is compatible with the round material barrel with a vacuum suction cup that is compatible with the carton (quickly disassembled and assembled via the flange of the base plate 4-1), and adjust the detection threshold of the pressure sensor at the same time. Recalibrate the vision system 3: Adjust the lens focal length and light source angle for the QR code or label position on the top of the carton to ensure that the image acquisition unit can accurately identify and locate it.

[0030] Through the above structural design and operation process, this system can realize automated destacking and palletizing operations in the high-dust environment of the cemented carbide industry, effectively reducing manual intervention and improving operation accuracy and efficiency.

[0031] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this utility model, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A machine vision-based collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry, characterized in that, It includes a robotic arm, a vision system, and a gripper mounted on a truss. The robotic arm can move along any of the X, Y, and Z axes on the truss. The vision system is mounted on the robotic arm, and the gripper is mounted on the bottom of the robotic arm.

2. The machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vision system includes a light source emitter and an image acquisition unit. The light source emitter and the image acquisition unit are connected by an optical fiber conduit, and a lens is installed at one end of the optical fiber conduit.

3. The machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper is equipped with a pressure sensor.

4. The machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper includes a base plate, on which a plurality of gripper arms are evenly arranged circumferentially. The gripper arms are connected to the base plate via a hinge shaft. A torsion spring is sleeved on the outside of the hinge shaft. The two ends of the torsion spring contact the gripper arms and the base plate, respectively. A drive cylinder is fixed on the base plate. The piston rod of the drive cylinder cooperates with the gripper arms. Flexible pads are arranged on the opposite surfaces of the plurality of gripper arms.

5. The machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a control unit, which is connected to the robotic arm, the gripper and the vision system respectively.

6. The machine vision collaborative intelligent depalletizing and palletizing integrated system for the cemented carbide industry according to claim 1, characterized in that, The truss is provided in two sets, and an intermediate frame is provided between the two sets of trusses. The robot arm is installed on the intermediate frame, and the axial direction of the intermediate frame, the axial direction of the robot arm, and the axial direction of the truss are perpendicular to each other. The intermediate frame reciprocates along the horizontal axis of the truss on the truss. The robotic arm reciprocates along the horizontal axis of the intermediate frame or along the vertical direction on the intermediate frame.

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