Manufacturing plant with flexible robotics system

Abstract

Manufacturing plant for body components, comprising - a rail system with one or more linear rails, and - a plurality of robot units, each of which is designed to be movable independently of one another on at least one linear rail of the rail system, wherein the robot units each have a media magazine for carrying at least one operating material and / or process material, wherein each robot unit is designed to perform at least one joining process at one or more positions along the respective linear rail, and wherein the rail system has at least one overtaking section which is designed such that in the overtaking section one robot unit can overtake another robot unit.

Description

[0001] A manufacturing plant, in particular a manufacturing plant for body components, which has a flexible robotics system, is described.

[0002] In a classic manufacturing plant, stationary manufacturing units, such as welding robots, are arranged in a defined spatial arrangement relative to each other and with defined manufacturing sub-tasks assigned to each manufacturing unit.

[0003] Furthermore, robots capable of movement along a so-called seventh axis are known in the prior art. Since these robots are connected to a hose package with media supply, their mobility is limited. This also limits the number and travel distance of robots on a single axis.

[0004] The process technology associated with the robots is therefore bound to fixed positions or, to a limited extent, extended by a seventh axis. Any change to the product (material mix, work content, etc.) or the design parameters currently requires a complete redesign of the system. This typically incurs significant planning costs, and investments cannot be used to their maximum value. Furthermore, a cross-architecture line design in car body manufacturing is hardly feasible.

[0005] The publication DE 38 17 833 C2 describes an industrial robot for performing welding work, whose base body is movable on a seventh axis.

[0006] In the publication DE 10 2015 002 928 A1, a six-axis robot is described which, by means of a transport device forming a seventh axis, can be moved with its tools, such as a welding gun, between different processing stations to specific working points.

[0007] The publication DE 20 2011 110 519 U1 shows a fiber laying device for the production of a fiber layup of a fiber composite component, which has a tool for laying fibers, as well as a closed rail system surrounding the tool and at least two robots which are guided and movable by the rail system and each have at least one laying head designed for laying fibers.

[0008] German patent application DE 38 27 509 A1 discloses drives for welding wire feed with controlled electric motors. The motors feature armature current control for torque control, with a speed controller superimposed on the armature current controller.

[0009] The publication DE 38 17 833 C2 describes a device for automatically manipulating tools with a base body arranged on a stationary rotary table and rotatable about a first main axis, on which a tool holder is rotatably mounted about a second main axis via at least two support arms and which is arranged parallel to the first main axis.

[0010] The publication DE 10 2015 002 928 A1 describes a transport device for moving workpieces, for example, for the bodywork construction of the automotive industry. It shows how workpieces can be moved by means of one or more separately motor-driven grooved rollers, each assigned to a separate slide, wherein the respective grooved roller is connected via a drive mechanism to roller pins that are fixedly arranged on a substructure.

[0011] Based on the state of the art, it is a task of at least some embodiments to specify a manufacturing plant for body components, through which the local fixity of individual process techniques along the production process can be eliminated.

[0012] This problem is solved by a method according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are described in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0013] The manufacturing system for body components described here, according to at least one embodiment, comprises a rail system with one or more linear rails and a plurality of robot units. The robot units are each independently movable or traversable on at least one linear rail of the rail system. The robot units can, for example, each include a multi-axis robot, such as a six-axis robot. A seventh axis is formed by the linear rails of the rail system on which the robot units are movable or traversable.

[0014] Each robot unit has a media magazine for carrying at least one operating and / or process material. The operating and / or process material can be, for example, a welding aid and / or a soldering aid, such as solder or flux, and / or an adhesive. Furthermore, each robot unit is designed to perform at least one joining process at one or more positions along the respective linear rail. In particular, each robot unit can have at least one joining device or at least one joining tool. For example, the robot units can have a welding device, such as a welding gun, and / or a soldering device, and / or an adhesive device, such as a glue gun.

[0015] Preferably, the robot units can be moved or traversed without a hose package and therefore do not require a cable drag.

[0016] According to another embodiment, each robot unit is arranged on a carriage unit, by means of which the respective robot unit can be moved along at least one linear rail of the rail system. The robot units can each be fixed to the linear rails via the carriage unit and thus be moved freely to any position within the entire rail system without a fixed point. The media magazines can be arranged or attached directly to the robot units or to the respective carriage units. Furthermore, the carriage units can each be designed to hold or transport tools for the robot units.

[0017] Furthermore, the rail system includes at least one overtaking section, which is designed such that one robot unit can overtake another within the overtaking section. The overtaking section(s) may each include at least one switch. Additionally, different areas of the rail system may be modularly separated from one another.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the production system is designed such that the robot units are powered via the rail system. The power supply can be either contactless or contact-based via the rail system. Modularly separated sections of the rail system can each have their own power supply.

[0019] Furthermore, each robot unit can have a media magazine for carrying at least one process gas. In other words, the media magazine for carrying at least one operating fluid or process fluid can be designed to hold a process gas. It is also possible for each robot unit to have one media magazine for carrying an operating fluid and / or process fluid, as well as another media magazine for carrying a process gas. For example, the process gas could be a shielding gas used in a welding process.

[0020] According to another embodiment, each robot unit has a control device or robot controller, wherein the control devices are each configured to receive data via a wireless transmission method, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, etc. Thus, data transfer can take place directly and contactlessly to the control devices of the individual robot units.

[0021] According to a further embodiment, the production plant has a maintenance and / or repair area for carrying out maintenance and repair work and / or for filling the media magazines with operating fluids. Preferably, the maintenance and / or repair area is designed or arranged such that each robot unit can reach the maintenance and / or repair area via the rail system. Maintenance and repair work can be carried out in the maintenance and / or repair area, and the media magazines can be filled and / or replaced.

[0022] Furthermore, it is possible that the rail system is designed as a portal system and the robot units are each designed as portal robots.

[0023] The production facility described here makes it possible to eliminate the need for fixed locations for individual process techniques along the production process. This significantly increases the flexibility of the entire production concept. This is a key enabler for ensuring that vehicle manufacturers' requirements for future body-in-white production concepts are met.

[0024] Furthermore, the loss of production capacity can be reduced by outsourcing maintenance time, as this is a core production process for rail robotics. The so-called mean time to repair (MTTR) is reduced. Additionally, shorter integration times for new vehicle derivatives are advantageously achieved.

Claims

[1] Manufacturing plant for body parts, comprising - a rail system with one or more linear rails, and - a plurality of robot units, each of which is designed to be movable independently of one another on at least one linear rail of the rail system, wherein the robot units each have a media magazine for carrying at least one operating material and / or process material, wherein each robot unit is designed to perform at least one joining process at one or more positions along the respective linear rail, and wherein the rail system has at least one overtaking section which is designed such that in the overtaking section one robot unit can overtake another robot unit. [2] Manufacturing plant according to claim 1, wherein each robot unit is arranged on a slide unit by means of which the respective robot unit can be moved along at least one linear rail of the rail system. [3] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the overtaking section has at least one switch. [4] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the manufacturing plant is designed such that the robot units are supplied with power via the rail system. [5] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the robot units each have a media magazine for carrying at least one process gas. [6] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the robot units each have a control device, the control device being configured to receive data by means of a wireless transmission method. [7] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a maintenance and / or repair area for carrying out maintenance and repair work and / or for filling the media magazines with operating materials. [8] Manufacturing plant according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rail system is designed as a portal system and the robot units are designed as portal robots.