Intelligent edge refining device based on PLC control

Abstract

The utility model discloses an intelligent edge fine grinding device based on PLC control, including main frame, PLC control system, polishing mechanism, feeding conveying mechanism, unloading conveying mechanism, positioning and pressing mechanism, rotary drive mechanism, clamping jaw handling mechanism, visual inspection module and man -machine interaction module. Feeding conveying mechanism and unloading conveying mechanism symmetrical setting are in the upper end both sides of main frame, and the product is transported to the clamping jaw handling mechanism after being clamped by feeding conveying mechanism, and the cooperation of positioning and pressing mechanism and rotary drive mechanism realizes accurate positioning and clamping, and the polishing mechanism carries out automatic fine grinding treatment to the product edge, and after finishing, the product is placed to unloading conveying mechanism by clamping jaw handling mechanism, and the visual inspection module detects the polishing quality. The device realizes the full -automatic feeding, positioning, rotary polishing and unloading detection of panel type products through the action of each mechanism coordinated by PLC, and has the advantages of high polishing precision, high production efficiency, high degree of automation and adaptability to multi -specification products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of panel processing, specifically to an intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control. Background Technology

[0002] In the current production process of switch panels, socket panels, and similar flat electrical products, the fine grinding and deburring of product edges is a crucial step in ensuring appearance quality and assembly precision. Currently, the fine grinding of panel edges largely relies on manual operation, with operators using handheld grinders or polishing machines to trim the edges. This traditional method has several problems.

[0003] First, production efficiency is low. The speed of manual polishing is limited by the operator's skill level and physical strength, and the processing cycle of a single product is relatively long, making it difficult to meet the cycle requirements of modern mass production, thus becoming a bottleneck for improving the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0004] Secondly, the processing consistency is poor. Manual polishing is affected by individual experience, angle control, and variations in force, resulting in significant edge size deviations and uneven surface quality between different batches of products. This leads to decreased product assembly accuracy and unstable appearance quality, thereby affecting the company's yield rate and brand image.

[0005] Furthermore, there is a lack of real-time detection and process monitoring. Manual processing cannot achieve automated detection, and product quality is usually judged only by post-production sampling. This makes it impossible to detect deviations in a timely manner during production, resulting in a high rework rate and lagging production management.

[0006] To alleviate these problems, some companies have attempted to introduce semi-automatic equipment, such as linear grinding using cylinders to drive grinding wheels or rotary table machining structures. However, these solutions generally suffer from the following drawbacks: (1) The structure is simple and difficult to adapt to different panel specifications, and the adjustment is cumbersome; (2) The screw or slider transmission structure is prone to dust accumulation and jamming in dusty environments, resulting in poor equipment reliability; (3) Lacking intelligent control systems and precise positioning mechanisms, manual intervention is still required for feeding, positioning and quality judgment, resulting in a low degree of automation; (4) It has not been integrated with remote monitoring or visual inspection systems, and still cannot meet the production management requirements of modern intelligent manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a PLC-controlled intelligent edge grinding device capable of long-term reliable operation in dusty environments. It achieves automated path control by coordinating multiple servo motors through a PLC system, and integrates modules for feeding, conveying, gripper handling, rotary drive, positioning and clamping, and visual inspection to automate the entire process from product feeding, grinding, inspection, and unloading.

[0008] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: an intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control, comprising: The main frame, PLC control system, grinding mechanism, feeding conveyor mechanism, unloading conveyor mechanism, positioning and clamping mechanism, rotary drive mechanism, gripper handling mechanism, vision inspection module and human-machine interaction module; The feeding conveyor and the unloading conveyor are installed on the upper sides of the main frame. The product is conveyed by the feeding conveyor to the gripper handling mechanism for clamping. The gripper conveying mechanism is mounted on the main frame via a lateral movement mechanism, and the gripper conveying mechanism is located on one side of the loading conveyor and unloading conveyor. A movable mounting plate is located at the upper end of the main frame and is driven by a servo reciprocating drive mechanism. The rotary drive mechanism is mounted on the movable mounting plate, and the positioning and clamping mechanism is mounted on the movable mounting plate by a positioning and fixing bracket. The positioning and clamping mechanism is positioned directly opposite the rotary drive mechanism at the bottom. The grinding mechanism is fixedly installed on the main frame and located on one side of the rotary drive mechanism. It is used to grind the product after positioning and clamping. The vision inspection module is fixedly installed on the unloading and conveying mechanism through a vision inspection bracket.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution, a baffle plate is also provided on the feeding and conveying mechanism near the gripper handling mechanism, and a material sensor is installed on the baffle plate.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution, the gripper conveying mechanism is mounted on a lifting drive mechanism, and the lifting drive mechanism is mounted on the traversing mechanism.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the lifting drive mechanism includes a lifting drive motor and a drive mounting plate, the gripper transport mechanism is fixedly mounted on the drive mounting plate, and the output end of the lifting drive motor is connected to the drive mounting plate.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the gripper transport mechanism is configured as a group of more than one, each group of the gripper transport mechanism includes a gripper cylinder, and each gripper cylinder is equipped with two clamping plates.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the lateral movement mechanism includes a lateral movement drive motor, a drive gear, a lateral movement support frame, a guide rail, and a rack. The rack is fixedly mounted on the lateral movement support frame. The lateral movement drive motor is mounted on a lateral movement drive plate. The guide rail is fixedly mounted on the lateral movement support frame. A guide slider is provided at the bottom of the lateral movement drive plate. The guide slider is slidably mounted on the guide rail. The drive gear is mounted at the output end of the lateral movement drive motor. The drive gear meshes with the rack. The lifting drive mechanism is fixedly connected to the lateral movement support frame.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the positioning and pressing mechanism includes a positioning and pressing cylinder and a positioning and pressing rod, wherein the positioning and pressing rod is fixedly installed at the bottom of the positioning and pressing cylinder.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the grinding mechanism includes a grinding motor and a grinding head, with the grinding head installed at the output end of the grinding motor.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, the rotary drive mechanism includes a rotary drive motor and a rotary support platform, with the rotary support platform installed at the output end of the rotary drive motor.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This device uses a PLC control system as the core control unit to coordinate the control of multiple motion units, including the feeding and conveying mechanism, the gripper handling mechanism, the positioning and clamping mechanism, the rotary drive mechanism, the grinding mechanism, and the unloading and conveying mechanism. This achieves fully automated assembly line operation from feeding, gripping, positioning, rotary grinding to finished product unloading, completing the entire edge grinding process without manual intervention. Actual testing shows that the processing time for a single product is reduced from approximately 15 seconds manually to 5 seconds, increasing production efficiency by approximately 200%, and significantly reducing labor costs and operational errors.

[0018] The device employs a multi-axis servo control system, combined with a gear and rack transmission structure and a high-precision rotary drive mechanism, to achieve multi-angle, highly repeatable positioning and rotation of the workpiece. Through PLC-coordinated control of each servo axis, differentiated grinding paths can be executed according to different product specifications, ensuring consistent edge grinding accuracy on all four sides and corners of the panel. This results in stable and reliable product processing accuracy, significantly improving the quality fluctuations caused by manual grinding. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram showing the position of the gripper conveying mechanism of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the grinding position of this utility model; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Main frame; 8. Grinding mechanism; 9. Feeding conveyor mechanism; 7. Unfeeding conveyor mechanism; 4. Positioning and clamping mechanism; 11. Rotary drive mechanism; 12. Gripper handling mechanism; 5. Vision inspection module; 13. Baffle plate; 3. Lateral movement mechanism; 10. Lifting drive mechanism; 101. Lifting drive motor; 102. Drive mounting plate; 122. Gripper cylinder; 121. Clamping plate; 31. Lateral movement drive motor; 32. Drive gear; 35. Lateral movement support frame; 34. Guide rail; 33. Rack; 43. Positioning and fixing bracket; 6. Movable mounting plate; 2. Servo reciprocating drive mechanism; 41. Positioning and clamping cylinder; 42. Positioning and clamping rod; 81. Grinding motor; 82. Grinding head; 112. Rotary drive motor; 111. Rotary support table. Detailed Implementation

[0021] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0022] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features for a similar purpose, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0023] like Figures 1-5As shown in the specific embodiment of this utility model, the device uses the main frame 1 as the overall support platform. The main frame 1 adopts a welded steel plate structure, with adjustable level feet at the bottom and maintenance openings and transparent protective doors on the sides. The protective doors are interlocked with the emergency stop circuit to automatically cut off power when opened. The PLC control system is installed in the electrical control cabinet inside the main frame 1. It is electrically connected to the feeding conveyor 9, the unloading conveyor 7, the gripper handling mechanism 12, the lateral movement mechanism 3, the lifting drive mechanism 10, the positioning and clamping mechanism 4, the rotary drive mechanism 11, the grinding mechanism 8, the vision inspection module 5, and the human-machine interaction module through terminal blocks. Each drive shaft is controlled by a servo driver, and pneumatic components are connected to the air source via solenoid valves. The system has an isolation design between the 24V signal power supply and the main power supply to ensure control safety.

[0024] The feeding conveyor mechanism 9 is arranged along one side of the upper end of the main frame 1, adopting a flat belt conveyor structure. The drive end is equipped with a conveyor motor with an encoder to achieve synchronous control of the cycle time. A baffle plate 13 is fixedly installed at one end near the gripper handling mechanism 12. The leading edge of the baffle plate 13 maintains a small gap with the end face of the conveyor belt. The material sensor installed on the baffle plate 13 is used to detect the arrival status of the material and output a trigger signal to the PLC. To avoid scratching the panel, the surface of the conveyor belt is covered with a flexible wear-resistant layer and lateral guide strips are set to ensure the stability of the panel during the conveying process. The unloading conveyor mechanism 7 is arranged opposite to the feeding conveyor mechanism 9 on the other side of the upper end of the main frame 1. It has the same structure as the feeding conveyor mechanism 9 and is used to receive the workpieces after grinding and visual inspection. The outlet end can be equipped with a stacking fixture or a turnover material frame interface to facilitate production line connection.

[0025] The gripper conveying mechanism 12 is located on one side between the upper and lower conveying mechanisms 7 and is mounted on the main frame 1 via the transverse mechanism 3. The transverse mechanism 3 includes a transverse support frame 35, a guide rail 34, a rack 33, a transverse drive motor 31, a transverse drive plate, and a drive gear 32. The guide rail 34 is fixed to the side of the transverse support frame 35, and the rack 33 is fixed to the opposite side of the transverse support frame 35. The transverse drive plate slides with the guide rail 34 through a guide slider at its bottom to achieve low-friction linear guidance. The transverse drive motor 31 is mounted on the transverse drive plate, and the drive gear 32 is mounted on its output end. The drive gear 32 meshes with the rack 33, and reciprocating transverse positioning is achieved by servo pulse control. The lifting drive mechanism 10 is mounted on the transverse drive plate. The output end of the lifting drive motor 101 is connected to the drive mounting plate 102 via a lead screw or synchronous belt mechanism. The drive mounting plate 102 moves up and down along the vertical guide. The gripper transport mechanism 12 is fixed to the front side of the drive mounting plate 102, enabling it to perform two-dimensional transport within the two degrees of freedom of transverse and lifting. The gripper transport mechanism 12 is configured as a group or more, each group including a gripper cylinder 122 and two opposing grippers 121. The inner side of the grippers 121 is covered with an anti-slip elastic coating to avoid indentation on the visible surface of the panel. The opening and closing of the grippers is driven by the gripper cylinder 122, and the opening and closing status is fed back by the stroke sensor. The PLC coordinates the gripping and placing actions according to the arrival signals of the material sensor and the position axis to ensure matching with the conveying cycle.

[0026] The movable mounting plate 6 is located at the upper center of the main frame 1, arranged longitudinally along the device. It is driven by a servo reciprocating drive mechanism 2 to achieve reciprocating alignment with the rotary station. The servo reciprocating drive mechanism 2 can be a gear and rack 33 or a synchronous belt linear unit. A linear guide rail 34 is provided below the movable mounting plate 6 to provide high-rigidity guidance. The rotary drive mechanism 11 is installed at the lower part of the movable mounting plate 6 and includes a rotary drive motor 112 and a rotary support table 111. The output end of the rotary drive motor 112 is coaxially connected to the rotary support table 111. The upper surface of the rotary support table 111 is provided with a positioning surface for panel reference and several vacuum or mechanical limiting elements to ensure that the concentricity and end face runout of the panel after clamping meet the requirements of fine grinding. The positioning and clamping mechanism 4 is mounted on the movable mounting plate 6 via a positioning and fixing bracket 43 and is positioned directly opposite the rotating support table 111. The positioning and clamping mechanism 4 consists of a positioning and clamping cylinder 41 and a positioning and clamping rod 42. The end of the clamping rod is equipped with a replaceable flexible pressure head or a spherical joint pressure head, which can automatically compensate for the thickness tolerance of the panel and distribute local pressure during clamping, preventing workpiece warping and surface damage. The positioning and fixing bracket 43 adopts a slotted connection method, which facilitates fine-tuning of the position when changing specifications to adapt to panels of different sizes.

[0027] The grinding mechanism 8 is fixed on the main frame 1 and located on one side of the rotary drive mechanism 11. The grinding mechanism 8 adopts an electric spindle form, and the grinding motor 81 is coaxially connected to the grinding head 82. The grinding head 82 can be replaced with grinding heads of different grit sizes or shapes to accommodate different process requirements such as straight edges, chamfers, and rounded corners. A semi-enclosed protective cover is set on the outside of the grinding mechanism 8, forming an annular dust suction gap around it. The dust suction gap is connected to the dust removal pipeline to extract grinding dust in real time. To reduce the heat impact, a cooling air nozzle is set near the grinding head 82. The flow rate of the cooling air is regulated by a throttle valve and is linked with the start and stop of the spindle to ensure that a stable air curtain is formed before contact with the workpiece.

[0028] The vision inspection module 5 is fixed above the material conveying mechanism 7 via a vision inspection bracket. The vision inspection bracket has a fine-tuning mechanism for adjusting the camera's tilt and focus to achieve optimal imaging. The inspection module is equipped with ring or strip lighting, which triggers image capture when the workpiece passes through the camera's field of view. The image is processed by an edge extraction algorithm to determine grinding uniformity, edge chipping defects, and residual burrs, and the OK / NG result is sent back to the PLC. The human-machine interface module displays inspection statistics and alarm information in real time. The human-machine interface module preferably uses an MCGS touchscreen, providing a recipe management interface that allows operators to load preset parameters based on different panel specifications. Parameters include lateral travel, lifting height, clamping force range, rotation angle and speed, grinding feed speed, grinding time, etc. The screen also displays axis position, equipment status, output count, and maintenance prompts.

[0029] The working process of the device is as follows: The panel to be processed is conveyed to the position of the baffle plate 13 by the feeding conveyor mechanism 9. After the material sensor detects that it is in position, the PLC triggers the action of the gripper transport mechanism 12. The transverse mechanism 3 positions the gripper to the feeding end. The lifting drive mechanism 10 descends to the picking height. The gripper cylinder 122 closes the clamping plate 121 to clamp the panel. Then, the lifting drive mechanism 10 moves upward to lift the workpiece. The transverse mechanism 3 moves the workpiece to the top of the rotary support table 111 at a set speed. After the workpiece reaches the top of the rotary station and is confirmed by the position sensor, the lifting drive mechanism 10 descends to place the workpiece on the positioning surface of the rotary support table 111. The gripper releases and moves upward to disengage. Then, the positioning and clamping mechanism 4 presses down, and the positioning and clamping rod 42 reliably clamps the workpiece to the rotary support table 111. The rotary drive mechanism 11 starts according to the angle or continuous mode set in the formula. The grinding mechanism 8 starts after a preset delay and approaches the edge of the workpiece with a set lateral feed amount to perform fine grinding of the first side or the first section of the curve. When the rotation angle reaches the set value or the set time is reached, the PLC coordinates the grinding mechanism 8 to perform a slight retraction, and the rotation continues to the next target angle. The grinding mechanism 8 then feeds again, achieving segmented or continuous grinding of the four sides and four corners. To improve the transition quality of the edges and corners, an interpolation strategy is used for the grinding feed and rotational angular velocity. The corner area is decelerated and the grinding dwell time is appropriately increased to avoid under-grinding or over-grinding of the corners. Throughout the grinding process, the dust removal system operates continuously. After grinding is completed, the grinding mechanism 8 returns to the safe position, and the positioning and clamping mechanism 4 lifts up to release the workpiece.

[0030] The gripper conveying mechanism 12 re-enters above the rotary station, descends to grip the processed workpiece, and moves it laterally above the unloading conveyor 7 to release the workpiece. The workpiece moves forward with the unloading conveyor 7 into the vision inspection area. The vision inspection module 5 acquires an image and performs edge quality assessment when the workpiece passes the trigger photoelectric sensor. If the inspection result is OK, the workpiece continues to the qualified product collection area; if it is NG, the PLC can control the sorting cylinder or swing arm to guide the workpiece into the non-conforming product channel. The touch screen simultaneously displays an alarm prompt and records the defect type and timestamp for easy process traceability. The entire cycle is uniformly scheduled by the PLC. The acceleration and deceleration curves, interlock conditions, and abnormal handling of each motion axis are all set in the program. If any axis fails to reach its position or any safety switch is disconnected, the system enters a safe stop state.

[0031] In terms of structural details, the gears and racks 33 of the transverse mechanism 3 adopt an open arrangement to reduce the risk of dust accumulation. The tooth surfaces are micro-lubricated by a periodic oil spraying device. The slider of the guide rail 34 uses a dustproof scraper and is equipped with a protective curtain at the end. The lead screw or synchronous belt unit of the lifting drive mechanism 10 is equipped with a mechanical limit and origin switch to prevent overtravel. The stroke ends of the gripper cylinder 122 are equipped with a buffer structure to reduce gripper impact and extend the life of the clamping plate 121. The positioning surface of the rotating support table 111 can be replaced with a special fixture according to different panel contours. The fixture integrates vacuum adsorption or lateral limit blocks to improve repeatability positioning accuracy. The pressure head of the positioning clamping rod 42 is made of replaceable polyurethane or fluororubber material, and a spherical floating structure can be selected to automatically compensate for minor flatness errors of the workpiece. The electric spindle of the grinding mechanism 8 is equipped with temperature rise monitoring and overload protection. When the wear of the grinding head reaches the threshold, it is judged by vibration or current characteristics and a replacement prompt is displayed on the touch screen.

[0032] To adapt to different product specifications, the formula management system supports the storage and rapid switching of multiple parameter sets. After the user selects the target specification on the human-machine interface, the PLC automatically sends motion parameters to each axis, while simultaneously adjusting the positioning and clamping stroke range and rotation angle segmentation table. In machine setup mode, the touchscreen provides a single-step inching, low-speed trial cutting, and visual tool setting auxiliary interface, allowing the operator to observe grinding sparks and edge lines and fine-tune the feed rate. The system supports communication with a host computer or mobile terminal via Ethernet or wireless means. Operating data, output, equipment alarms, and maintenance logs can be viewed remotely, and alarm information is pushed in case of anomalies to enable predictive maintenance.

[0033] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions conceived without inventive effort should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A PLC-controlled intelligent edge grinding device, characterized in that, include: The main frame (1), PLC control system, grinding mechanism (8), feeding conveyor mechanism (9), unloading conveyor mechanism (7), positioning and clamping mechanism (4), rotary drive mechanism (11), gripper handling mechanism (12), vision inspection module (5) and human-machine interaction module; The feeding conveyor (9) and the unloading conveyor (7) are installed on the upper sides of the main frame (1). The product is conveyed by the feeding conveyor (9) to the gripper transport mechanism (12) for gripping. The gripper conveying mechanism (12) is mounted on the main frame (1) via a transverse mechanism (3), and the gripper conveying mechanism (12) is located on one side of the loading conveying mechanism (9) and the unloading conveying mechanism (7); A movable mounting plate (6) is located at the upper end of the main frame (1), and is driven by a servo reciprocating drive mechanism (2). The rotary drive mechanism (11) is mounted on the movable mounting plate (6). The positioning and clamping mechanism (4) is mounted on the movable mounting plate (6) by a positioning and fixing bracket (43). The positioning and clamping mechanism (4) is positioned directly opposite the rotary drive mechanism (11) at the bottom. The grinding mechanism (8) is fixedly installed on the main frame (1) and located on one side of the rotary drive mechanism (11) for grinding the product after positioning and clamping. The vision inspection module (5) is fixedly installed on the unloading conveying mechanism (7) through a vision inspection bracket.

2. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 1, characterized in that: A baffle plate (13) is also provided on the feeding conveying mechanism (9) near the gripper conveying mechanism (12), and a material sensor is installed on the baffle plate (13).

3. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripper transport mechanism (12) is mounted on a lifting drive mechanism (10), and the lifting drive mechanism (10) is mounted on the transverse movement mechanism (3).

4. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lifting drive mechanism (10) includes a lifting drive motor (101) and a drive mounting plate (102). The gripper transport mechanism (12) is fixedly mounted on the drive mounting plate (102), and the output end of the lifting drive motor (101) is connected to the drive mounting plate (102).

5. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 4, characterized in that: The gripper transport mechanism (12) is configured as a group or more, and each group of gripper transport mechanisms (12) includes a gripper cylinder (122), and each gripper cylinder (122) is equipped with two clamping plates (121).

6. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lateral movement mechanism (3) includes a lateral movement drive motor (31), a drive gear (32), a lateral movement support frame (35), a guide rail (34), and a rack (33). The rack (33) is fixedly mounted on the lateral movement support frame (35). The lateral movement drive motor (31) is mounted on a lateral movement drive plate. The guide rail (34) is fixedly mounted on the lateral movement support frame (35). A guide slider is provided at the bottom of the lateral movement drive plate. The guide slider is slidably mounted on the guide rail (34). The drive gear (32) is mounted on the output end of the lateral movement drive motor (31). The drive gear (32) meshes with the rack (33). The lifting drive mechanism (10) is fixedly connected to the lateral movement support frame (35).

7. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning and pressing mechanism (4) includes a positioning and pressing cylinder (41) and a positioning and pressing rod (42), and the positioning and pressing rod (42) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the positioning and pressing cylinder (41).

8. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The polishing mechanism (8) includes a polishing motor (81) and a polishing head (82), the polishing head (82) being installed at the output end of the polishing motor (81).

9. The intelligent edge grinding device based on PLC control according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary drive mechanism (11) includes a rotary drive motor (112) and a rotary support platform (111), the rotary support platform (111) being installed at the output end of the rotary drive motor (112).

Images