SEILROBOTER

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable robot for constructing a structure and / or manipulating a workpiece, having a working head which is suspended from a support structure comprising at least three support columns via a cable arrangement comprising at least three control cables, wherein cable winches are provided for adjusting the cable arrangement relative to the support structure and / or relative to the working head and can be controlled by an electronic control device for moving the working head.

[0002] Cable robots are typically used to describe manipulators that do not use stiff or rigid connecting links, booms, or arms like articulated-arm robots as motion-transmitting components, but instead use flexible tension elements to transmit power. Such flexible tension elements in the form of cables, particularly steel or fiber cables, are usually guided from various pivot points on a support structure to a working head, which is supported by the stretched cables. By lowering or retracting the cables using cable winches, which are arranged on the support structure at the aforementioned pivot points or positioned elsewhere and can retract the cable via one or more pulleys, the cabling can be adjusted relative to the support structure, thus moving the working head.If necessary, the cable arrangement can also be adjusted relative to the working head, for example, using a cable winch such as a capstan winch mounted on the working head. By lowering and retrieving the cables in a coordinated manner, for example, synchronously or in opposite directions, the working head can be moved either vertically and / or horizontally.

[0003] By using such adjustable cabling, the working area or range accessible to the work head can be expanded almost indefinitely, and in particular, it can be much larger than with conventional articulated-arm or gantry robots. At the same time, very high speeds and accelerations can be achieved, as the cabling enables high travel speeds.

[0004] Due to their very large working range, such cable robots are used, for example, to move television or video cameras in sports stadiums or on construction sites to produce a larger structure, such as a house or parts thereof, or to transport materials for it. Inspired by 3D printing technology, it is known, for example, to use such a cable robot as a working head to move a shotcrete application head to create a shotcrete contour, or to precisely place prefabricated components to erect a wall or building wall (see Christian K. Karl et al., "Industry 4.0 in the Construction Industry - Influence of Automated Building Construction on Commercial Vocational Training," University of Cologne, 2017. In principle, such cable robots can also be used in manufacturing industries, such as steel construction companies, wind turbine manufacturers, or shipyards, to manufacture or handle larger structures or workpieces.However, due to the rope elongation and sometimes very long transmission distances, rope robots are, at least so far, less used for positioning tasks requiring the highest level of accuracy.

[0005] Furthermore, DE 10 2009 050 729 A1 discloses a mobile cable robot for assembling large assemblies such as solar power plant modules. A mast is fixed to each truck trailer or similar undercarriage, allowing a cable system supporting a movable robot head to be stretched between the masts of the truck trailer. DE 10 2009 050 729 A1 discloses a cable robot according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0006] Another cable robot, whose cable is stretched between loading cranes mounted on a ship, is shown in US 6 826 452 B.

[0007] In order to save weight in very long strandings, it has already been proposed to use high-strength fiber ropes instead of steel ropes. These ropes consist of or can consist of high-strength synthetic fibers such as aramid fibers (HMPA), aramid / carbon fiber blends, high-modulus polyethylene fibers (HMPE), or poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fibers (PBO). Due to the weight savings of up to 80% compared to steel ropes with almost the same breaking strength, the load-bearing capacity or the permissible lifting load can be increased, since the dead weight of the rope, which must be taken into account for the load-bearing capacity, is significantly lower. In addition to the savings in structural weight, the masses to be moved are also reduced, which leads to a further increase in the load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, the fiber rope design is less susceptible to wind-induced transverse vibrations, as is the case, for example, with tensioned ropes in bridge construction.

[0008] In addition to the weight advantages mentioned above, rope drives with synthetic fiber ropes are characterized by a considerably longer service life, easier handling and good flexibility, as well as no longer requiring rope lubrication.

[0009] The use of such high-strength fiber ropes in a cable robot is proposed, for example, in "Beitrag zur Untersuchung von hochfesten faserseilen unter hochdynamischer Beanspruchung" (Contribution to the Investigation of High-Strength Synthetic Fiber Ropes Under Highly Dynamic Loading) by Martin Wehr in Reports from the Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics, University of Stuttgart, May 2017. The document WO 2017 / 174201 A1 also describes a cable robot whose control cables are proposed to be made of high-strength fiber ropes comprising synthetic fibers such as polyester. The cable robot is to carry a shotcrete head, which is to be used to apply sprayable concrete and thus to construct building walls additively. The control cables are lowered or retracted using cable winches attached to a rectangular, portal-like support structure.

[0010] A similar cable robot for the construction of shotcrete walls is described in DE 10 2014 015 335 B4, according to which several separate support columns designed for mobile handling are used as the supporting structure. Specifically, four latticework columns are mounted at the corners of a rectangular construction site. Two cables are lowered from each of the latticework columns to the work head, which are deflected via pulleys in the upper area of ​​the latticework columns and wound onto cable drums at the base of the columns.

[0011] Such cable-guided robots, which can actually cover larger work areas and can also be used, for example, on construction sites or in the construction of buildings, are, however, complex and difficult to set up, assemble, and dismantle on-site. Firstly, the supporting structure and its components are no longer easily transportable due to their dimensions. Secondly, considerable setup times are required to assemble the supporting structure and align its components.

[0012] Added to this is the problem that the accuracy with which the working head can be positioned can quickly suffer significantly if the control cable pivot points deviate from their target positions due to inaccuracies or alignment errors during assembly of the support structure, even minor deviations from their target positions. This can result, for example, from slight inclinations or inaccuracies in the spacing of the support columns. Due to the inclined course of the control cables, positioning errors in the pivot points have a significant impact, for example on the height of the working head. At the same time, travel paths of the working head specified by the control device, for example straight ones, can become distorted if the position of the pivot points does not exactly correspond to the specified grid.

[0013] The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating an improved cable robot of the type mentioned above that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and advantageously develops them further. In particular, the aim is to create an easily transportable cable robot with a large working area that achieves high positioning accuracy when moving the working head despite simple and rapid assembly and disassembly.

[0014] According to the invention, the stated object is achieved by a cable robot according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0015] It is therefore proposed to design the support columns of the support structure separately from one another as mobile units and to arrange them on a movable undercarriage, which simultaneously serves as a support base for erecting the support columns. According to the invention, the support columns are each arranged in a tiltable and / or telescopic and / or foldable manner on a rotating platform, which has a ballast weight for absorbing a tipping moment introduced into the respective support column by the cable system and is arranged rotatably about an upright axis on an undercarriage. The undercarriage has a chassis and is designed to be movable together with the rotating platform and the support column tilted and / or telescoped and / or folded into a transport position.The support columns do not need to be mounted on a separate foundation, but can be moved on the undercarriage to the desired location and then erected into the working position on the undercarriage.

[0016] The respective support column can be easily aligned by rotating the turntable relative to the other support columns and / or according to the desired course of the cabling, whereby the ballast attached to the turntable can compensate or absorb the tipping moment that is introduced into the support column by the cabling.

[0017] The stranding advantageously comprises a high-strength fiber rope, which can be made of high-strength synthetic fibers such as aramid fibers (HMPA), aramid / carbon fiber blends, high-modulus polyethylene fibers (HMPE), or poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) fibers (PBO), or at least can contain such fibers. The use of such high-strength fiber ropes not only reduces the weight of the stranding itself but also allows the structural weights of the components loaded by it and the moving masses to be reduced. This, on the one hand, leads to an increase in the load-bearing capacity of the application and, on the other hand, above all, makes it easier to comply with the axle loads permitted for road transport, even with a lower number of axles. At the same time, the low elongation of such fiber components can improve the positioning accuracy of the working head.In addition, the fiber rope is less susceptible to wind-induced transverse vibrations, so the working head can be positioned more precisely outdoors in less than perfect weather conditions.

[0018] In order to easily erect the support columns on the respective turntables or to move them from a reduced transport position to a proper working position, the turntables can each have an externally powered luffing drive to tilt the support columns up and down from a horizontal transport position to the upright working position and vice versa. Such a luffing drive can, in particular, have one or more parallel luffing cylinders, for example in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, which can act on the turntable on one side and the support column on the other. The support column can be hinged to the turntable by means of a base piece so that it can tilt around a horizontal luffing axis.

[0019] In order to reduce the length of the support column for transport with minimal assembly and disassembly effort, the support columns can each comprise several column sections that can be telescoped in and out relative to one another and / or folded in and out. In this case, telescopic and extendable column sections can also be combined with one or more foldable column sections, for example in such a way that at least one further column section can be telescoped out from a pivot section that is pivotally connected to the turntable, which in turn foldably supports another support column section. If foldable column sections are present, they can be assigned a folding drive, for example in the form of a pressure cylinder, for folding them in and / or out. In the folded-out working position, the support column sections can extend along a common longitudinal column axis or coaxially therewith.

[0020] As a telescopic drive for extending and / or retracting, for example, a telescopic cylinder inside the corresponding telescopic sections and / or a cable drive can be provided.

[0021] In an advantageous development of the invention, the support structure for tensioning or linking the cable system by means of which the working head is suspended can comprise at least one crane, which, in addition to its function as a support structure part, can also be designed to function independently as a crane. In particular, a tower crane, in particular in the form of a bottom-slewing crane, can be used as the support structure part, wherein the said tower crane, for its function as a crane or lifting device, can have, in a conventional manner, a boom from which a hoist rope with a lifting hook can run. The boom can be a horizontal boom or a luffing jib, wherein the hoist rope can advantageously run via a trolley that can be moved along the boom.

[0022] For its function as a supporting structure, a pivot point for a control cable of the cable robot can be provided on the tower of the tower crane, for example by means of a deflection pulley in an upper section of the tower and / or by means of a cable winch that can be mounted in an upper section of the tower. Advantageously, several pivot points for several control cables can also be attached to the tower of the tower crane, for example in the form of deflection pulleys offset in height from one another, via which the control cables are deflected to cable winches at the base of the tower. The tower of the crane can therefore form a support column for the cable system. Alternatively or additionally, a pivot point for the cable system can also be attached to the boom of the crane.

[0023] Using such a tower crane as a supporting structure, from which at least one control cable of the cable robot runs, smaller lifting or conveying tasks can be performed before the cable robot is assembled or after it is disassembled, possibly even with the cable robot in place. In particular, the crane can be used for assembling or disassembling the cable robot, for example, for attaching or dismantling the working head. The crane can also be used for transporting materials to the construction site or for other lifting tasks typical of construction sites.

[0024] Advantageously, the aforementioned tower crane is designed as a mobile crane, with the tower mounted on a slewing platform mounted on an undercarriage for rotation about an upright axis. The undercarriage has a chassis and advantageously has its own drive system to enable self-propelling. Advantageously, a counterweight is provided on the superstructure or slewing platform, to which the tower is hinged, to absorb tipping moments. This counterweight rotates with the slewing platform and balances the crane regardless of its rotational position.

[0025] The crane can be used in addition to the aforementioned three support columns, allowing the cable assembly to be tensioned from four anchor points. If three anchor points are sufficient, the crane can also form one of the aforementioned at least three support columns; conversely, more than four anchor points are also possible.

[0026] The aforementioned at least three support columns are advantageously also arranged on undercarriages, each with its own drive for driving at least one chassis axle, so that the support columns are also self-propelled. In particular, the undercarriages of the support columns and the crane can each be designed as a truck, which has at least one steerable chassis axle that can be controlled from a driver's cab or from a driver's cab, to which the additional control pedals and levers for the chassis drive can also be mounted.

[0027] The control device, which moves the working head in the desired manner and, for this purpose, operates the cable winches used to adjust the cables of the stranding system, can fundamentally have different structures. Said control device is advantageously designed electronically and, in particular, can comprise a microprocessor that can execute a control program that can be stored in a memory device. The control device can automatically or semi-automatically travel a predetermined path of the working head, for example, a straight, horizontal path or an ascending or descending curved movement, which can be specified, for example, based on a BIM model.Alternatively or additionally, the control device can also react to input commands from a machine operator and convert these into a corresponding actuating movement of the working head by converting the input commands, for example tilting or moving a joystick in a certain direction, into corresponding rotary movements of the cable winches.

[0028] The control device mentioned can be of modular construction, in particular on each of the mobile units, which comprises a support column with at least one cable winch or is designed as a crane, have a local control device which controls the at least one cable winch and / or monitors the load or the tipping moment acting on the respective unit and, if necessary, shuts down the system if there is a risk of a movement or load that endangers the stability.

[0029] In order to coordinate and coordinate the rope movements on the various support columns or the at least one crane, the control device can further comprise a higher-level control unit which can be designed electronically in the manner mentioned above and can have a microprocessor, program memory and other components, wherein the said higher-level control unit can communicate with the local control devices in order to control and actuate the respective rope winches in a coordinated manner via the said local control units in order to achieve coordinated rope movements in the desired manner.

[0030] The aforementioned higher-level control unit can be formed by one of the local control devices, which forms a master unit, so to speak, that monitors and / or controls the other local control devices. As an alternative to such a modular control architecture, however, a central control device can also be used that directly controls the cable winches on the individual units.

[0031] In a further development of the invention, the control device comprises an adaptation or correction module that adapts and corrects the travel commands for the individual cable winches to generate a desired travel path of the working head if the positions and / or orientations of the support columns or support structure components and the pivot points provided thereon for the cables of the stranding deviate from a predetermined setup pattern. For example, the control device can determine the actuating movements, in particular actuating speeds and accelerations, and actuating paths of the individual cable winches for a specific travel path of the working head under the assumption that the pivot points of the cables of the stranding define exactly a predetermined rectangle of predetermined dimensions – or, in the case of several control cables running diagonally upwards and diagonally downwards, define several such superimposed rectangles.If the square of the anchor points of the cable system actually spanned by the support columns and, if applicable, the aforementioned crane deviates from the dimensions of the predetermined rectangle, or if the defined rectangle does not lie exactly in a horizontal plane, for example because the various support columns have been erected on a sloping or inclined construction site or the predetermined distances between the support columns have not been precisely maintained, the control device corrects the control commands for the winch operation with the aid of the aforementioned adaptation and / or correction module in order to correct or compensate for the position errors of the anchor points.

[0032] The exact positions or distances between the support columns can be entered into the control device manually, for example, for which the control device can have a corresponding input interface, for example in the form of a touchscreen. Advantageously, however, the control device comprises a sensor device that determines the actual positions of the support columns and / or the articulation points of the cables of the stranding relative to one another and feeds or provides them to the control device or the aforementioned adjustment and / or correction unit. Such a sensor device can, for example, comprise absolute position sensors, which can be designed, for example, as GPS sensors, in order to precisely determine the absolute position of the individual support columns.

[0033] In order to be able to precisely detect even minor positioning or alignment errors, the aforementioned sensor device can advantageously comprise relative sensors that detect the position of the support columns and / or the articulation points attached thereto for the cabling relative to one another and / or relative to a predetermined environmental point in the installation environment. The sensor system can have distance sensors for detecting the relative distance of a respective support column from one or more other support columns and / or from a predetermined environmental point, so that the control device knows exactly the relative spacing of the support columns from one another. Such a distance sensor can, for example, be a laser measuring device that measures the distance to the other support columns and / or from a predetermined environmental point.

[0034] Advantageously, the distance sensors mentioned operate in a horizontal plane in order to determine the horizontal distance between the support columns or the articulation points attached to them.

[0035] In order to also detect vertical positioning errors, for example, resulting from an inclined construction site, the aforementioned sensor device can advantageously also comprise level sensors that can measure the height position of a respective support column relative to one or more other support columns and / or relative to the level of a predetermined surrounding point that serves as the zero level. Such a level sensor for determining the relative height offset between two support columns or cable attachment points can also be designed in fundamentally different ways, for example, operating according to the triangulation method and / or comprising an optical, in particular laser, sensor that targets or detects a specific point on the other support column and / or a surrounding point.

[0036] The invention is explained in more detail below using a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1: a plan view of a cable robot according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, according to which the support structure for the cabling of the cable robot has several independently movable vehicle units, some of which are designed as mobile support column units and at least one as a mobile crane, and Fig. 2: a side view of the cable robot from Fig. 1 , which shows a support column and the crane, to which the cable system is each connected by two control cables, which have height-offset pivot points on the column or the crane tower and can each be raised and lowered by a cable winch.

[0037] As the figures show, the cable robot 1 comprises a cable 2 which is spanned by a support structure 3 and carries a working head 4.

[0038] The said working head 4 can be designed in different ways and / or be equipped with different working tools, for example in the form of a material discharge head such as a concrete spraying head or another production tool and / or in the form of a workpiece gripper or another handling tool such as a clamshell grab.

[0039] The stranding 2 can, as Figure 1 shows, comprise cables running in four directions or in four different vertical planes, wherein advantageously two cables 5, 6 can be provided for each direction or each vertical plane, which can run from pivot points arranged at different heights, in particular can guide the working head 4 once diagonally upwards and once diagonally downwards, cf. Figure 2 .

[0040] In particular, the support structure may comprise four separate, respectively upright support columns 7, 8, 9 and 10, of which at least one may be formed by the tower 11 of a tower crane 12.

[0041] Advantageously, the said support columns 7, 8, 9 and 10, including the tower 11 of the tower crane 12, are each formed as part of an independently movable, mobile unit, so that the support columns 7, 8, 9 and 10 can be moved and transported independently of one another.

[0042] The support columns 7, 8, 9, and 10, or the tower 11 of the crane 12, can be mounted on a rotating platform 13, which is arranged on an undercarriage 15 so as to be rotatable about an upright rotating platform axis 14. A rotary drive (not specifically shown), for example, comprising a gear ring and a drive pinion meshing therewith, can rotate the rotating platform 14 relative to the undercarriage 15.

[0043] The aforementioned undercarriage 15 comprises a chassis 16, which may have a plurality of chassis axles, at least one of which may be steerable and at least one of which may be drivable. A drive for driving the at least one chassis axle may, for example, comprise an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, or a hybrid drive. In particular, the undercarriage 15 may form a roadworthy truck that carries the aforementioned rotating platform 13 and can be steered and controlled from a driver's cab. During operation on the construction site, the undercarriage 15 can be supported on the ground by extendable support legs 19. By extending the support legs 19 to different extents, uneven ground can be advantageously balanced and / or an exactly horizontal position of the undercarriage 15 can be achieved.

[0044] The support columns 7, 8, 9, and 10, or the tower 11 of the crane 12, are advantageously pivoted on the aforementioned rotating platform 13 about a horizontal luffing axis 17 in the base area of ​​the respective support column or tower, so that they can be tilted from the upright working position shown in Figure 2 into a horizontal transport position. The tilting up and down can be accomplished by means of a luffing drive 18, for example, in the form of hydraulic cylinders.

[0045] Depending on the height or length of the support columns 7, 8, 9, and 10 or the tower 11, it may be necessary or helpful to be able to fold and / or telescope the support columns for transport. For this purpose, the support columns or the tower can be composed of several column sections that can be folded or telescoped relative to each other around a transverse axis. This can be done using a folding drive or a telescopic drive powered by external power.

[0046] How Figure 2 further shows, the rotating platforms 13 of the mobile units can each carry a ballast weight 20, which absorbs or compensates for tipping moments that are introduced from the cable system 2 via the support columns 7, 8, 9 and 10 or the tower 11. The support columns 7, 8, 9 and 10 or the tower 11 are held in the upright working position by the aforementioned luffing drive and / or additionally by a guying 21, which guyes the respective support column or the tower to the rotating platform 13, cf. Figure 2 The ballast weight 20 absorbs the tipping moments introduced via the aforementioned guy wire 21 and / or the luffing drive.

[0047] How Figure 2shows, each support column 7, 8, 9 and 10 or the tower 11 of the crane 12 can have in an upper end section a pivot point for an upper control cable 5 and in a section below, in particular in a base section, a lower pivot point 23 for the lower control cable 6, wherein the said upper and lower pivot points 22 and 23 can be formed by deflection pulleys, which deflect the respective control cable 5 or 6 and lead to a cable winch 24 or 25, by means of which the control cables 5 and 6 of each mobile unit can be adjusted independently of each other, yet coordinated with each other. Figure 2 As shown, the aforementioned pivot points 22 and 23 can be offset sufficiently far from each other in height so that the working head 4 is fixed or guided both upwards and downwards by the control cables 5 and 6. However, it would also be possible to feed both control cables from above.

[0048] Due to the different heights of the control cables 5 and 6 on the working head 4, cf. Figure 2 , the working head 4 can be precisely guided in its alignment.

[0049] For moving and / or positioning the working head 4, an electronic control device 26 is provided, which can control the cable winches 24 and 25 on each mobile column unit and thus the retraction or release of the control cables 5 and 6. Advantageously, a local control unit 27 can be provided on each mobile column or crane unit, which can control the cable winches 24 and 25 on the respective mobile unit. The local control unit 27 can each be electronically configured, for example, comprising a microprocessor and a program memory to execute a control routine in the form of a software program. Advantageously, the aforementioned local control unit 27 not only controls the cable winches 24 and 25, but also performs load monitoring.In particular, the local control unit 27 can comprise a load monitoring module that monitors the tilting moment introduced into the mobile column unit and compares it with a maximum tilting moment. For this purpose, the load monitoring unit can, for example, monitor the cable tension of the two control cables 5 and 6 and, if applicable, their slack or helix angles in order to determine the tilting moment currently introduced into the support column, which can then be compared with the permissible tilting moment. If the permissible tilting moment is reached or exceeded, the control unit can, for example, shut down the winch drives.

[0050] In order to coordinate the winch movements of the various mobile column units, the aforementioned control device 26 advantageously comprises a higher-level or central control unit 28 that can communicate with the multiple local control units 27, as explained above. In particular, the multiple local control units 27 can execute control commands from the central control unit 28 for the winch movements of the cable winches 24 and 25 and / or report detected cable winch movements back to the central control unit 28 in order to coordinate the control cables 5 and 6 of the multiple mobile support column units such that the working head 4 is moved in the desired manner.

[0051] Advantageously, said control device 26 comprises a sensor system by means of which the position of the plurality of support columns, including the tower, relative to one another, as well as their alignment and height offset relative to one another, can be determined. In particular, a sensor device 29 can comprise distance sensors 30, for example in the form of laser measuring devices, which can each measure the distance of a support column 7, 8, 9, and 10 or of the tower 11 from the adjacent support columns, wherein said distance sensors 30 can determine the horizontal distance of the support columns from one another. Figure 1shows, the control device 26 can determine deviations Δ 1 , Δ 2 , Δ 3 ...Δ n from the measured distances, which deviations each indicate the deviation of the actual parking location of the respective support column from a predetermined installation location and / or from the predetermined spacing of the support columns from one another. If the desired target installation arrangement of the support columns is a rectangle or square with a predetermined edge length, the said deviation Δ 1 , Δ 2 ...Δ n can, for example, indicate the deviation from the respective corner point of the rectangle or square in the direction of a longitudinal edge and / or indicate the deviation of the distance from the predetermined edge length.

[0052] Similarly, the sensor device 29 can also detect the height offset of the support columns or their installation locations. For this purpose, the sensor device 29 can comprise height sensors 31 on the respective mobile units, which can detect the height position of a support column or, for example, the undercarriage or the rotating platform connected to it relative to another mobile unit. Alternatively or additionally, the height sensors 31 can also determine the height of the respective mobile unit relative to a predetermined zero level, which can, for example, be a specific, fixed point in the installation environment, in particular in the area of ​​the work area traversed by the work head 4. For example, the center of the work area traversed by the cable robot 1 can be selected as the zero level, relative to which the aforementioned height sensors 31 detect the respective height of the respective mobile unit.The height sensors 31 mentioned can, for example, comprise laser measuring devices that can operate according to the triangulation principle.

[0053] How Figure 2 shows, the height sensors 31 can in particular determine the height offset Δ 1 , Δ 2 ...Δ 5 , Δ 6 of the respective mobile unit relative to the zero level.

[0054] Based on the distance and height offset data determined by the sensor device 29, the control device 26, in particular an adjustment and / or correction module, which can be implemented in the form of a software module, can correct the control commands for moving the cable winches 24 and 25 in order to achieve the desired positioning and / or the desired travel path of the working head 4. The control device 26 can start from a predetermined setup matrix, for example, a precisely horizontally aligned square of the articulation points of the cable system, and calculate correction factors based on the sensor-detected distance and / or height offset data, with the aid of which the control commands are then adapted to the actual setup security.

Claims

1. Cable robot for creating a structure or manipulating a workpiece, comprising a working head (4) which is suspended on a support structure (3) having at least three support columns (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) by a system of cables (2) having at least three control cables (5, 6), wherein cable winches (24, 25) are provided for adjusting the control cables (5, 6) relative to the support structure (3) and / or relative to the working head (4), and can be actuated by an electronic control device (26) for moving the working head (4), characterised in that the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) of the support structure (3) are luffingly and, if necessary, telescopically arranged on a revolving stage (13), which comprises a ballast weight (20) for absorbing a tilting moment introduced into the respective support column by the system of cables (2) and which is arranged on an undercarriage (15) such that it can rotate about an upright revolving stage axis (14), the undercarriage having a chassis (16) and being configured such that it can move with the revolving stage (13) and the downwardly-luffed and, if necessary, also retracted support column (7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

2. Cable robot according to the preceding claim, wherein a luffing drive (18), in particular at least one luffing cylinder, is provided on the revolving stage (13) for luffing the support column up into an upright working position from a horizontal transport position.

3. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a telescoping drive and / or folding drive for extending and / or unfolding the column portions into a working position of greater column length from a transport position of smaller column length is associated in each case with the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10), each of the support columns comprising a plurality of column portions.

4. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the undercarriage (15) comprises a travel drive, in particular an engine and / or an electric motor, for driving at least one chassis axle, and comprises at least one steerable chassis axle.

5. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control cables (5, 6) are configured as high-strength fibre ropes comprising synthetic fibres.

6. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one support column (10) is formed by the tower (11) of a revolving tower crane, which revolving tower crane supports a crane boom (32) from which a hoist cable with a lifting hook (33) extends, wherein a trolley, via which the hoisting rope extends, is preferably mounted on the crane boom (32) so as to be movable, wherein the revolving tower crane is configured as a bottom-slewer, the tower of which is mounted with its lower end portion on a revolving stage (13) which is rotatably supported around an upright revolving stage axis (14), wherein the revolving tower crane is configured as a mobile crane, the tower (11) of which is mounted on an undercarriage (15) having a chassis (16) which can be moved together with the tower.

7. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic control device (26) comprises a sensor device (29) for detecting the positions and / or orientations of the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) and / or the articulation points (22, 23) provided thereon for the system of cables (2) relative to one another, as well as an adaptation and / or correction module for adapting and / or correcting the control commands for the adjustment of the cable winches (24, 25) as a function of the detected positions and / or orientations of the support columns and / or the articulation points provided thereon relative to one another.

8. Cable robot according to the preceding claim, wherein the sensor device (29) comprises distance sensors (30) for detecting a horizontal distance of the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) relative to one another and / or relative to a predetermined ambient point, and the adjustment and / or correction module of the control device (26) adjusts and / or corrects the control commands for the winch adjustment on the basis of the detected horizontal distances.

9. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (29) comprises height sensors (31) for determining the height position of the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) and / or the articulation points (22, 23) attached thereon for the system of cables (2) relative to one another and / or relative to the level of a predetermined ambient point, and the adaptation and / or correction module of the control device (26) is configured to carry out the control commands for the winch adjustment of the cable winches (24, 25) as a function of the determined height positions of the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) and / or of the articulation points (22, 23) mounted thereon.

10. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (26) comprises a central control unit (28) which communicates with local control units (27) which are provided on the respective mobile support column units and are configured to control the cable winches (24, 25) provided on the mobile support column units, wherein the central control unit (28) provides the local control units (27) with desired values for the cable adjustment and / or winch adjustment.

11. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (26) comprises a monitoring module for monitoring the stability of the mobile support column units, which monitoring module is configured to monitor a respective tilting moment which is introduced by the system of cables (2) via a respective support column into the respective mobile support column unit and to compare it with a permissible tilting moment, wherein the monitoring module is integrated in a decentralised manner into the respective local control units (27) of the individual mobile support column units.

12. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two articulation points (22, 23) for articulation of two control cables (5, 6) are provided on each support column (7, 8, 9, 10) and are offset in height from one another, so that the two control cables (5, 6) on the respective support column extend in a common upright plane offset in height from one another relative to the working head (4), wherein the two articulation points (22, 23) are arranged in upper and lower end portions of the respective support column (7, 8, 9, 10) so that one control cable (5) pulls the working head (4) upwards and the other control cable (6) pulls the working head (4) downwards.

13. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control cables (5, 6) on the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) are diverted at the articulation points (22, 23) therein by cable pulleys and guided to the cable winches (24, 25), which cable winches (24, 25) are arranged in the area of the column base and / or on the revolving stage (13).

14. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support columns (7, 8, 9, 10) are supported exclusively on the revolving stage (13) and / or are configured so as to be free of ground bracings anchored in the ground.

15. Cable robot according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system of cables (2) is spanned by three support columns (7, 8, 9) as well as the tower (11) of a revolving tower crane (12).