Robot control system and control method

The robot control system addresses the challenges of improving workability and maintaining quality by determining the tool's position relative to its movable range and cooperatively controlling the first robot, thereby enhancing coordination and preventing unintended operations.

JP2025080426APending Publication Date: 2025-05-26NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINEERING CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023193554
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-11-14
Publication Date
2025-05-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing robot control systems face challenges in improving workability and maintaining work quality, particularly when using dual-arm robots, as they often require manual operation for approach movements, can lead to unintended robot actions, and have complex dynamic manipulability calculations.

Method used

A robot control system that includes a determination means to classify the position of a tool's tip relative to its movable range and a control means to cooperatively control the position of a first robot based on this determination, ensuring appropriate coordination and preventing unintended operations.

Benefits of technology

The system enhances workability by improving coordination between robots, reducing the risk of unintended operations, and simplifying control programs, while maintaining work quality by preventing unexpected force applications.

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Abstract

To provide a robot control system and a control method that can improve working properties while suppressing deterioration of work quality.SOLUTION: A robot control system includes: a first robot 10 as a robot to which a workpiece W is attached; and a second robot 20 to which a tool T is attached. The robot control system further includes: determination means which determines whether a tip t of the tool T is positioned in a limit vicinity region A1, which is a region close to a limit of a movable range of the second robot 20, or in a limit remote region A2, which is a region farther than the limit vicinity region A1 from the limit; and control means for cooperatively controlling the position of the first robot 10 on the basis of a determination result of the determination means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot control system and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Work such as processing on a workpiece that is a work target may be performed using a robot equipped with a tool such as a tool. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose techniques related to the cooperative operation of a dual-arm robot arm control device. That is, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a control system that cooperatively controls the position and posture of one robot arm by operating one robot arm in a robot system composed of two robot arms. In addition, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when controlling the robot arm, calculation of a dynamic manipulability ellipsoid is performed. In Patent Documents 1 and 2, approaching and separating from the work target are not cooperative operations, and it is necessary to operate each robot. Further, in one of the two robot arms, the robot arm that operates by cooperative operation without being operated by an operator is always cooperatively controlled while the other robot arm is being operated. For this reason, the one robot arm may operate regardless of the intention of the operator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As a control system for replacing manual work that is difficult to achieve only with commercially available vertical articulated robots, for example, a tool is held by a parallel link mechanism robot capable of high-speed and precise operations, and a work workpiece is held by a serial link mechanism robot capable of wide-range operations, and a robot system that performs a desired operation can be considered. When performing work in such a system, generally, it is necessary to individually operate each of the parallel link mechanism robot and the serial link mechanism robot. For example, when the parallel link mechanism robot and the serial link mechanism robot are multi-axis mechanisms, the work of operating them simultaneously becomes very complicated. Therefore, a method of improving work efficiency by coordinately controlling these robots, like the control systems of Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above, can be considered. However, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the approach movement to the work workpiece before performing the cooperative operation is manually performed. Such work is difficult to achieve with a robot having a narrow movable range, such as a parallel link mechanism robot. Also, a robot that is not being operated by an operator during work is always coordinately controlled and may operate at a timing unintended by the operator. This may result in a failure to ensure workability. In addition, since there is no means to avoid the case where an unexpected force is applied during work, a decrease in work quality, etc. is also a concern. Moreover, the calculation of the dynamic manipulability ellipsoid performed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is complicated, and there is a problem in simplifying the control program.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a robot control system and a control method capable of improving workability while suppressing a decrease in work quality.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] <1>The robot control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is a robot control system including a first robot to which a workpiece is attached and a second robot to which a tool is attached, wherein a determination means for determining whether the tip of the tool is located in a vicinity-of-limit region which is a region near the limit of the movable range of the second robot or in a remote-from-limit region which is a region farther from the limit than the vicinity-of-limit region, and a control means for cooperatively controlling the position of the first robot based on the determination result of the determination means.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a robot control system and a control method capable of improving workability while suppressing a decrease in work quality.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a robot control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a control method by the robot control system will be described. The robot control system approaches or separates a tool from a workpiece, for example. Alternatively, the robot control system performs an operation related to the workpiece using the tool. The tool is, for example, a tool such as a grinder or a polishing machine. The workpiece is, for example, a material such as metal processed by the tool. That is, in the present embodiment, the robot control system is used, for example, to perform processing such as cutting or polishing on the workpiece with the tool.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a robot control system 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 are located at their initial positions relative to each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot control system 1 includes a first robot 10, a second robot 20, and a control device 30.

[0011] The first robot 10 is a robot to which a workpiece W is attached. The workpiece W is attached to a gripper 10G provided on the first robot 10. In the present embodiment, for example, a known 6-axis vertical articulated robot is preferably used for the first robot 10. Alternatively, a known serial link robot may be used for the first robot 10. Or, without being limited to this, any other robot may be used as long as the workpiece W can be moved in the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z.

[0012] The second robot 20 is a robot to which the tool T is attached. The tool T is attached to the gripper 20G provided in the second robot 20. In the present embodiment, the second robot 20 is, for example, a parallel link robot having three degrees of freedom. By this, the position of the tool T can be precisely adjusted. Therefore, it becomes easy to perform delicate work with the tool T.

[0013] The first robot 10 can move the workpiece W three-dimensionally. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, moving the workpiece W by the first robot 10 may be referred to as the first robot 10 moving. Specifically, the first robot 10 can move the workpiece W in the tool coordinate system C shown in FIG. 2. The second robot 20 can move the tool T three-dimensionally. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, moving the tool T by the second robot 20 may be referred to as the second robot 20 moving. Specifically, the second robot 20 can move the tool T in the tool coordinate system C shown in FIG. 2.

[0014] The tool coordinate system C is a three-dimensional coordinate system having an origin O at the initial position of the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20, and consisting of a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. Note that the initial position of the tip t of the tool T, which is the origin O of the tool coordinate system C, is the center of the movable range A (described later) of the tip t of the tool T. In the present embodiment, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z in the tool coordinate system C are defined as follows, respectively. The first direction X is an arbitrary one of the directions orthogonal to the axial direction of the tool T in a state where the tool T is in the initial position. The second direction Y is a direction orthogonal to the first direction X among the directions orthogonal to the axial direction of the tool T in a state where the tool T is in the initial position. The third direction Z is a direction along the axial direction of the tool T in a state where the tool T is in the initial position. In addition, in the present embodiment, the axial direction of the tool T, as shown in FIG. 2, when the tool T is in the initial position, is along the straight line connecting the base 20B and the gripper 20G of the second robot 20, which is a parallel link robot.

[0015] The control device 30 controls the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. Specifically, the control device 30 controls the second robot 20 in response to the operator's operation input. Further, the control device 30 cooperatively controls the first robot 10 based on various information regarding the second robot 20 and various information output by each component described later included in the control device 30. In other words, the operator only controls the operation of the second robot 20. The cooperative control of the first robot 10 is performed by the control device 30. Thereby, the operation of the robot control system 1 by the operator can be facilitated. Hereinafter, the operation of the second robot 20 and the cooperative control of the first robot 10 according to the present embodiment by the control device 30 will be described.

[0016] In the present embodiment, the tool T attached to the second robot 20 moves within the movable range A shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. The movable range A is determined by the movable range of the second robot 20. The movable range A of the tool T is classified into a near-limit region A1 and a far-limit region A2. The cooperative control of the first robot 10 is started or stopped according to the position of the tool T within the movable range A. In the present embodiment, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is started when the tip t of the tool T is located in the near-limit region A1, and is stopped when the tip t of the tool T is located in the far-limit region A2.

[0017] The near-limit region A1 is a region close to the limit of the movable range A of the second robot 20. More specifically, the near-limit region A1 is a region including a location corresponding to the limit of the movable range A within the movable range A of the second robot 20. The limit remote area A2 is an area farther from the limit vicinity area A1 than the limit of the movable range A of the second robot 20. More specifically, the limit remote area A2 is an area other than the limit vicinity area A1 within the movable range A of the second robot 20. In other words, the limit remote area A2 is an area including the initial position of the second robot 20. In the present embodiment, the boundary between the limit vicinity area A1 and the limit remote area A2 may be arbitrarily determined, for example. Alternatively, the boundary between the limit vicinity area A1 and the limit remote area A2 may be arbitrarily changed by an operator.

[0018] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, the details of the cooperative operation between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 will be described. In the description of the cooperative control of the first robot 10, the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20 may be simply referred to as the tip t. Also, the work W attached to the first robot 10 may be simply referred to as the work W. In the description of the cooperative control of the first robot 10, when the tip t is at the initial position, it means that the tip t is at the origin O of the tool coordinate system C. When the work W is at the initial position, it means that the work W is at the position at the time when the tip t starts to move.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the process in which the tool T attached to the second robot 20 moves in the first direction X or the second direction Y and separates from the work W attached to the first robot 10. Hereinafter, the process in which the tool T moves in the first direction X and separates from the work W will be described. The process in which the tool T moves in the second direction Y and separates from the work W is the same as the process of moving in the first direction X, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3(a), when the tip t is at the initial position, the work W is also at the initial position, and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in FIG. 3(b), when the tip t starts to move in the first direction X by the operation of the second robot 20 by the operator and the tip t is in the limit remote area A2, the work W is in the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in FIG. 3(c), when the tip t moves from the initial position in the first direction X and reaches the limit near area A1, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30 is started. That is, by the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30, the work W moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t moves in the first direction X. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the tip t moves in the positive direction of the first direction X, the work W moves in the negative direction of the first direction X. When the tip t moves from the limit near area A1 to the limit remote area A2, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is stopped.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the process in which the tool T attached to the second robot 20 moves in the first direction X or the second direction Y and approaches the work W attached to the first robot 10. Hereinafter, the process in which the tool T moves in the first direction X and approaches the work W will be described. The process in which the tool T moves in the second direction Y and approaches the work W is the same as the process of moving in the first direction X, so the description thereof will be omitted.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4(a), when the tip t is in the initial position, the work W is also in the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the tip t starts to move in the first direction X by the operation of the second robot 20 by the operator and the tip t is in the limit remote area A2, the work W is in the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in Fig. 4(c), when the tip t moves in the first direction X from the initial position and reaches the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30 is started. That is, by the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30, the workpiece W moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t moves in the first direction X. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 4, when the tip t moves in the negative direction of the first direction X, the workpiece W moves in the positive direction of the first direction X. When the tip t moves from the vicinity-of-limit region A1 to the far-from-limit region A2, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is stopped.

[0023] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the process in which the tool T attached to the second robot 20 moves in the third direction Z and separates from the workpiece W attached to the first robot 10. As shown in Fig. 5(a), when the tip t is at the initial position, the workpiece W is also at the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in Fig. 5(b), when the operator operates the second robot 20 to start moving the tip t in the third direction Z from the initial position and the tip t is in the far-from-limit region A2, the workpiece W is at the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in Fig. 5(c), when the tip t moves in the third direction Z from the initial position and reaches the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30 is started. That is, by the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30, the workpiece W moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t moves in the third direction Z. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, when the tip t moves in the negative direction of the third direction Z, the workpiece W moves in the positive direction of the third direction Z. When the tip t moves from the vicinity-of-limit region A1 to the far-from-limit region A2, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is stopped.

[0024] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the process in which the tool T attached to the second robot 20 moves in the third direction Z and approaches the workpiece W attached to the first robot 10. As shown in Fig. 6(a), when the tip t is in the initial position, the workpiece W is also in the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in Fig. 6(b), when the operator operates the second robot 20 and the tip t starts to move in the third direction Z from the initial position, and when the tip t is in the limit remote area A2, the workpiece W is in the initial position and no cooperative control is performed. As shown in Fig. 6(c), when the tip t moves in the third direction Z from the initial position and reaches the limit near area A1, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30 is started. That is, by the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control device 30, the workpiece W moves in the third direction Z in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t moves. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, when the tip t moves in the positive direction of the third direction Z, the workpiece W moves in the negative direction of the third direction Z. When the tip t moves from the limit near area A1 to the limit remote area A2, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is stopped.

[0025] By performing the cooperative control of the first robot 10 in the above-described manner, the relative speed between the tip t and the workpiece W can be increased, and the approach or separation between the tip t and the workpiece W can be made more rapid. In addition, by setting the workpiece W in a stopped state, it is possible to easily and precisely perform the alignment between the workpiece W and the tool T during work. Also, it is possible to stably and easily perform the alignment between the workpiece W and the tool T. In addition, by ensuring that no cooperative control is performed when the tip t is in the limit remote area A2, the movement of the tip t in the limit remote area A2 can be used as a preliminary operation. That is, by moving the tip t and the workpiece W at a relatively slow relative speed in advance, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an operation unintended by the operator as compared with the case where the relative speed between the tip t and the workpiece W is relatively fast from the start of movement of the tip t. Therefore, for example, the timing for starting the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be made appropriate. Also, in the control program, the criterion for starting the cooperative control can be made clear.

[0026] The control of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 by the above-described control device 30 is performed by the following respective components provided in the control device 30. Hereinafter, each component and details provided in the control device 30 will be described.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 30 includes a control unit 31 including a processor 31a such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory 31b connected by a bus, and executes a control program. The control program is a program for controlling the operations of the respective functional units provided in the control device 30. The control device 30 functions as a device including the control unit 31, the user interface 32, and the storage unit 33 by executing the control program.

[0028] More specifically, the control device 30 reads out the control program stored in the storage unit 33 by the processor 31a, and stores the read control program in the memory 31b. By the processor 31a executing the control program stored in the memory 31b, the control device 30 functions as a device including the user interface 32, the control unit 31, and the storage unit 33.

[0029] The control unit 31 controls the operations of the respective functional units provided in the control device 30. The control unit 31 controls the operation of, for example, the display unit 32a. The control unit 31 records shape information in the storage unit 33, for example.

[0030] The user interface 32 includes a display unit 32a and an input unit 32b. The display unit 32a displays various information. The display unit 32a includes an output device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, a liquid crystal display, or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, for example. The display unit 32a may be configured as an interface for connecting these output devices to the control device 30.

[0031] The input unit 32b includes input terminals such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a joystick, etc. The input unit 32b may be configured as an interface for connecting these input terminals to the control device 30. The input unit 32b receives the input of various information to the control device 30. The various information is information indicating how the input terminal is operated (hereinafter referred to as "input terminal operation information"). Note that the display unit 32a and the input unit 32b may be configured as an integrated touch panel.

[0032] The input terminal operation information is, for example, the operation information of the second robot 20. That is, the input terminal operation information is, for example, information regarding an instruction for moving the tool T attached to the second robot 20 in the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z, which is input by the operator via the input unit 32b. The input terminal operation information may be, for example, information regarding each means described later. That is, the input terminal operation information may be, for example, information regarding the setting by the setting means 30b, information regarding the setting by the setting means 30c, and information regarding the designation by the designation means 30d.

[0033] The storage unit 33 is configured using a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The storage unit 33 stores various information regarding the control device 30. The storage unit 33 stores, for example, a control program in advance. In the present embodiment, the control device 30 functions as a device having each of the following functional configurations by executing the control program stored in the storage unit 33 by the control unit 31.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 31. As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 31 of the control device 30 includes a determination means 30a, a setting means 30b, a setting means 30c, a designation means 30d, a discrimination means 30e, an acquisition unit 30f, a detection means 30g, and a control means 30h. The control device 30 performs the cooperative control of the first robot 10 described above based on various information output by each of the above-described components provided in the control unit 31.

[0035] The determination means 30a determines whether the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity limit region A1 or the remote limit region A2. The determination means 30a obtains the position of the tip t of the tool T, for example, from the angle information of each link output from each actuator provided in the second robot 20 which is a parallel link robot, and information regarding the coordinates of the gripper 20G that grips the tool T in the second robot 20. Then, using the position of the tip t of the tool T acquired from the second robot 20 as described above and the information of the movable range A stored in advance, the position of the tip t of the tool T is determined.

[0036] The setting means 30b sets the operation mode of the second robot 20 to either the approach / separation mode or the work mode. The setting means 30b sets the operation mode, for example, based on an instruction input by an operator via the input unit 32b. The approach / separation mode is a mode set when the second robot 20 performs an operation to approach or separate the tool T from the workpiece W. The cooperative control of the first robot 10 described above is performed when the operation mode of the second robot 20 is set to the approach / separation mode. The work mode is a mode set when performing operations such as cutting or polishing the workpiece W with the tool T after the tool T and the workpiece W are appropriately aligned.

[0037] The difference between the approach / separation mode and the work mode is, for example, the size of the vicinity limit region A1. That is, in the present embodiment, the width of the vicinity limit region A1 when the approach / separation mode is set by the setting means 30b is wider than the width of the vicinity limit region A1 when the work mode is set by the setting means 30b. By setting the size of the vicinity region A1 in this way, for example, in the approach / separation mode, when the tip t of the tool T moves, it reaches the vicinity region A1 earlier than in the case of the working mode. Therefore, in the approach / separation mode, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be started earlier than in the working mode. Thus, by setting the operation mode to the approach / separation mode, the alignment between the work W and the tool T can be performed earlier. Also, by setting the size of the vicinity region A1 in this way, for example, in the working mode, by delaying the timing of starting the cooperative control, when the work W is worked on by the tool T, it is possible to easily perform the alignment between the work W and the tool T precisely. Alternatively, during the work by the tool T, it is possible to suppress the change in the relative position between the work W and the tool T regardless of the intention of the operator.

[0038] Also, the difference between the approach / separation mode and the working mode may be, for example, the operating speeds of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. That is, in the present embodiment, the operating speeds of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 in the approach / separation mode are faster than the operating speeds of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 in the working mode. By setting the operating speeds of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 in this way, for example, in the approach / separation mode, the alignment between the work W and the tool T can be performed earlier. Also, in the working mode, it is possible to easily perform the alignment between the work W and the tool T precisely.

[0039] The setting means 30c sets whether or not to operate the first robot 10 in the cooperative operation mode. The setting means 30c sets whether or not to operate the first robot 10 in the cooperative operation mode based on, for example, an instruction input by the operator via the input unit 32b. That is, for example, even when the operation mode of the second robot 20 is the approach / separation mode, if the setting means 30c sets that the first robot 10 is not to be operated in the cooperative operation mode, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is not performed. In this way, by providing the setting means 30c, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be performed based on the clear intention of the operator. Alternatively, according to the intention of the operator, the cooperative operation mode can be prevented from being performed. Therefore, it is possible to more easily perform work that conforms to the intention of the operator.

[0040] The specifying means 30d specifies the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. The specifying means 30d specifies, for example, the direction in which the first robot 10 can move based on an instruction input by the operator via the input unit 32b. That is, for example, when there is a direction in which the first robot 10 should not be moved for some reason among the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z, the operator can be restricted from moving the first robot 10 in that direction.

[0041] When the specifying means 30d specifies the direction in which the first robot 10 can move, the determining means 30e determines whether the tool T moves along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. Here, as described above, by cooperatively controlling the first robot 10, the workpiece W moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t of the tool T moves. That is, in the present embodiment, the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move in the tool T means the direction opposite to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move specified by the specifying means 30d. That is, first, the determining means 30e continuously acquires information such as the angle information of each link output from each actuator provided in the second robot 20, which is a parallel link robot, and information regarding the coordinates of the gripper 20G that grips the tool T in the second robot 20, thereby grasping the direction in which the tool T moves. These pieces of information may be diverted from, for example, the information used for the determination of the position of the tip t of the tool T by the determination means 30a. Then, information about the direction in which the tool T moves grasped as described above is collated with information about the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 designated by the designation means 30d can move, thereby determining whether or not the tool T moves along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move.

[0042] The acquisition unit 30f acquires distance information indicating the distance between the first robot 10 and the tip t. Specifically, the acquisition unit 30f acquires distance information indicating the distance between the work W attached to the first robot 10 and the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20. That is, first, the acquisition unit 30f obtains the position of the tip t of the tool T from the angle information of each link output from each actuator included in the second robot 20 which is a parallel link robot, information regarding the coordinates of the gripper 20G that grips the tool T in the second robot 20, and the like. These pieces of information may be reused, for example, as the information used for the determination of the position of the tip t of the tool T by the determination means 30a. Next, the acquisition unit 30f obtains the position of the work W from the angle information of each link output from each actuator included in the first robot 10, information regarding the coordinates of the gripper 10G that grips the work W in the first robot 10, and the like. Then, the acquisition unit 30f collates the information regarding the position of the tip t of the tool T obtained as described above with the information regarding the position of the work W, and obtains the distance between the work W and the tip t of the tool T in the tool coordinate system C. Alternatively, without relying on the above method, the acquisition unit 30f may, for example, provide a distance sensor (not shown) to the gripper 10G of the first robot 10, the gripper 20G of the second robot 20, or the tip t of the tool T, etc., and acquire distance information indicating the distance between the work W and the tip t of the tool T measured by the distance sensor.

[0043] The detection means 30g detects the contact between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 whose movement is controlled by the control means 30h. The contact between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 is detected, for example, as follows. That is, the contact between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 is detected, for example, by detecting the resistance received when each actuator provided in the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 operates. In the detection means 30g, for example, the contact between the workpiece W and the tool T may be detected, the contact between the workpiece W and the second robot 20 may be detected, or the contact between the tool T and the first robot 10 may be detected. That is, for example, a force sensor or a touch sensor (not shown) is provided at the gripper 10G of the first robot 10, the gripper 20G of the second robot 20, or the tip t of the tool T or the like. In this way, the detection means 30g may detect each of the above-mentioned contacts by detecting the force received by the force sensor or the touch sensor.

[0044] The control means 30h cooperatively controls the position of the first robot 10 based on various information output from the above-described respective configurations. Hereinafter, a specific example of the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h will be described.

[0045] That is, for example, the control means 30h cooperatively controls the position of the first robot 10 based on the determination result of the determination means 30a. Specifically, when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the control means 30h starts the movement of the first robot 10. At this time, the direction in which the first robot 10 moves is the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t of the tool T moves. Then, when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t of the tool T is located in the remote-from-limit region A2, the control means 30h stops the movement of the first robot 10. By the control means 30h performing such control, the above-described cooperative operation between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 can be realized.

[0046] The control means 30h may control the movement of the first robot 10 based on the setting result of the setting means 30c. Specifically, when the setting means 30c sets the first robot 10 to operate in the cooperative operation mode and the determination means 30a determines that the tip t is located in the vicinity-of-limit area A1, the control means 30h may start the movement of the first robot 10. In other words, when it is not set by the setting means 30c for the first robot 10 to operate in the cooperative operation mode, even when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t is located in the vicinity-of-limit area A1, the control means 30h does not perform cooperative control of the first robot 10. In this way, by including the setting result of the setting means 30c in the conditions for performing cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be performed based on the clear intention of the operator. Alternatively, according to the intention of the operator, the cooperative operation mode can be prevented from being performed. Therefore, it is easier to perform work that better conforms to the intention of the operator.

[0047] The control means 30h may control the movement of the first robot 10 based on the designation result of the designation means 30d. Specifically, the control means 30h may move the first robot 10 only in the direction in which the first robot 10 can move as designated by the designation means 30d. That is, for example, when the designation means 30d enables the first robot 10 to move only in the first direction X and the second direction Y and disables movement in the third direction Z, the control means 30h performs movement of the first robot 10 by cooperative control in the first direction X and the second direction Y. And the control means 30h does not perform movement of the first robot 10 by cooperative control in the third direction Z. In this way, by including the designation result of the designation means 30d in the conditions for performing cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h, when there is a direction in which the first robot 10 should not be moved for some reason, the operator can be restricted from moving the first robot 10 in that direction.

[0048] The control means 30h may control the movement of the first robot 10 based on the determination result of the discrimination means 30e. Specifically, when the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d, the control means 30h may move the first robot 10 by cooperative control only when the discrimination means 30e determines that the tool T is moving along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. In this way, by including the determination result of the determination means 30e in the conditions for performing the cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h, it is possible to surely limit the direction in which the first robot 10 moves by the specifying means 30d.

[0049] The control means 30h may include all the results output by each of the above-described configurations in the conditions for performing the cooperative control of the first robot 10. That is, when it is set by the setting means 30c that the first robot 10 operates in the cooperative operation mode, the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d, the tip t is determined by the discrimination means 30e to move along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move, and the determination means 30a determines that the tip t is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the control means 30h may start moving the first robot 10. By performing such control, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more surely in accordance with the intention of the operator.

[0050] In each of the above examples, the conditions for performing the cooperative control of the first robot 10 have been described. In the present embodiment, in addition to the above-described content, the following-described control may be performed simultaneously. That is, for example, the control means 30h may control the movement of the first robot 10 based on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit 30f. Specifically, during the cooperative control of the first robot 10, the control means 30h may slow down the movement speed of the first robot 10 as the distance indicated by the distance information acquired by the acquisition unit 30f, that is, the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T, becomes shorter. The change in the moving speed of the first robot 10 according to the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T is, for example, performed stepwise. That is, a reference is set for the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T, and by appropriately setting the moving speed of the first robot 10 corresponding to the reference, when the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T becomes the distance corresponding to the reference, the moving speed of the first robot 10 is changed stepwise. Alternatively, the change in the moving speed of the first robot 10 according to the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T may be performed continuously, for example. That is, the moving speed of the first robot 10 may be continuously changed as the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T decreases. By performing such control, when the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T is far, the alignment of the workpiece W and the tool T can be quickly performed by the first robot 10 and the second robot 20, and when the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T becomes close, the positions of the tool T and the workpiece W can be precisely adjusted by the first robot 10 and the second robot 20.

[0051] The control means 30h may also control the movement of the second robot 20 based on the detection result of the detection means 30g. That is, during the cooperative control of the first robot 10, when the detection means 30g detects the contact between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20, the control means 30h may move the second robot 20 so as to move away from the first robot 10. Alternatively, even when the detection means 30g detects the contact between the workpiece W and the tool T, the contact between the workpiece W and the second robot 20, or the contact between the tool T and the first robot 10, the control means 30h may move the second robot 20 so as to move away from the first robot 10. When the detection means 30g detects each of the above contacts, in addition to moving the second robot 20 so as to move away from the first robot 10, the control means 30h may control the second robot 20 to be de-energized so that at least the tool T does not move toward the first robot 10 and the workpiece W attached to the first robot 10. By performing such control, for example, it is possible to suppress the influence caused by the interference between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. Also, it is possible to suppress the influence on the processing quality of the workpiece W.

[0052] (Control method) Next, a control method for the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 by the robot control system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described along the flow shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a first example of the control flow of the robot control system 1. FIG. 10 is a second example of the control flow of the robot control system 1. The control method for the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 according to the present embodiment is a method of cooperatively controlling the first robot 10 in response to an operation of the second robot 20 by an operator. That is, the control flow described below is a flow executed when the operator sets, by the setting means 30c, that the first robot 10 operates in the cooperative operation mode. In other words, when the setting means 30c sets that the first robot 10 does not operate in the cooperative operation mode, only the operation of the second robot 20 by the operator is performed, and the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is not performed. Note that the setting of the operation mode by the setting means 30b is preferably performed before the start of the control flow according to the present embodiment.

[0053] The first example of the control flow of the robot control system 1 shown in FIG. 9 includes an operation step S1, a determination step S2, and a control step S3. The operation step S1 is a step of determining whether or not the second robot 20 is being operated by an operator. In the operation step S1, if the second robot 20 is not being operated (S1: NO), the control flow ends. If the second robot 20 is being operated (S1: YES), the process proceeds to the determination step S2. The determination step S2 is a step in which the determination means 30a determines whether the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity limit region A1 or in the remote limit region A2. In the determination step S2, if the tip t of the tool T is located in the remote limit region A2 (S2: NO), the process proceeds to the operation step S1. If the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity limit region A1 (S2: YES), the process proceeds to the control step S3. The control step S3 is a step of coordinately controlling the first robot 10 according to the operation of the second robot 20. That is, in the control step S3, as described above, the first robot 10 is moved in a direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t of the tool T is moved by the second robot 20. After the control step S3 is performed, the process proceeds to the operation step S1 again. Each of the above-described flows related to the control flow of the first example is repeatedly executed while the operator is operating the second robot 20 (S1: YES), and ends when the operation of the second robot 20 by the operator ends (S1: NO).

[0054] The second example of the control flow of the robot control system 1 shown in FIG. 10 includes an operation step S1, a determination step S2, a control step S3, and a discrimination step S4. That is, the control flow according to the second example further includes a discrimination step S4 in addition to each step included in the control flow according to the first example. The control flow according to the second example is a flow that is executed when the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d. Since the operation step S1, the determination step S2, and the control step S3 are the same as those in the control flow according to the first example described above, the description thereof is omitted. The discrimination step S4 is a step in which, when the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d, the discrimination means 30e discriminates whether or not the tool T moves along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. The discrimination step S4 is executed before shifting to the control step S3 when it is determined in the determination step S2 that the tip t of the tool T is located in the limit vicinity area A1 (S2: YES). In the discrimination step S4, if it is discriminated that the tool T is not moving along the direction corresponding to the movable direction of the first robot 10 (S4: NO), the process does not shift to the control step S3 but shifts to the operation step S1. If it is discriminated that the tool T is moving along the direction corresponding to the movable direction of the first robot 10 (S4: NO), the process shifts to the control step S3. Each of the above-mentioned flows related to the control flow of the second example is repeatedly executed while the operator is operating the second robot 20 (S1: YES), and ends when the operation of the second robot 20 by the operator is completed (S1: NO). The control of the robot control system 1 according to the present embodiment is performed by each of the above-mentioned flows.

[0055] As described above, according to the robot control system 1 according to the present embodiment, the determination means 30a determines whether the tip t of the tool T is located in the limit vicinity area A1 which is an area near the limit of the movable range A of the second robot 20, or in the limit remote area A2 which is an area farther from the limit than the limit vicinity area A1. Then, the control means 30h cooperatively controls the position of the first robot 10 based on the determination result of the determination means 30a. That is, the position of the first robot 10 is cooperatively controlled according to the position of the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20. In this way, by operating the first robot 10 by cooperative control, for example, the operator can perform the work by the robot control system 1 only by operating the second robot 20. Therefore, the work performed by the operator can be facilitated and the work efficiency can be improved. In addition, by performing cooperative control of the first robot 10 based on the determination result of the determination means 30a, cooperative control as required can be performed. Therefore, for example, compared with the case where the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is always performed during the operation of the robot control system 1, it is possible to suppress the first robot 10 from operating at a timing unintended by the operator. Therefore, a decrease in work quality can be suppressed. Further, for example, the control program for controlling the position of the first robot 10 can be made simple. In addition, by performing cooperative control on the position of the first robot 10 to which the tool T is attached according to the position of the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20, alignment between the work W and the tool T can be efficiently performed. Therefore, workability can be improved.

[0056] Here, for example, when approaching or separating the tool T attached to the second robot 20 from the work W attached to the first robot 10, it is preferable that the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 operate sensitively so that the position of the tool T and the work W can be changed quickly. In addition, when performing work on the work W attached to the first robot 10 using the tool T attached to the second robot 20, it is preferable that the positions of the tool T and the work W can be precisely adjusted by the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. Therefore, the setting means 30b for setting the operation mode of the second robot 20 to either the approach / separation mode or the work mode is further provided. That is, the width of the near-limit region A1 can be changed by the setting means 30b. And the width of the near-limit region A1 when the approach / separation mode is set by the setting means 30b is wider than the width of the near-limit region A1 when the work mode is set by the setting means 30b. In this way, by changing the size of the near-limit region A1 according to the operation mode, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more in line with the operation mode of the second robot 20.

[0057] Further, when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the control means 30h starts the movement of the first robot 10. That is, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is started when the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1. Thereby, the timing for starting the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be made appropriate. Also, in the control program, the criterion for starting the cooperative control can be made clear.

[0058] Further, when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t of the tool T is located in the remote-from-limit region A2, the control means 30h stops the movement of the first robot 10. That is, when the tip t of the tool T is located in the remote-from-limit region A2, the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is stopped. Thereby, the timing for stopping the cooperative control of the first robot 10 can be made appropriate. Also, in the control program, the criterion for stopping the cooperative control can be made clear.

[0059] Further, when the determination means 30a determines that the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the control means 30h starts the movement of the first robot 10 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t of the tool T moves. That is, when the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity-of-limit region A1, the first robot 10 is moved by the second robot 20 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the tip t of the tool T moves. Thereby, for example, when approaching the workpiece W and the tool T, the relative distance between the workpiece W and the tool T can be reduced more quickly. Also, when separating the workpiece W and the tool T, the relative distance between the workpiece W and the tool T can be increased more quickly. Therefore, the position of the tool T and the workpiece W can be changed rapidly. Thus, the workability of the robot control system 1 can be improved.

[0060] Furthermore, it further includes setting means 30c for setting whether or not to operate the first robot 10 in a cooperative operation mode. The control means 30h controls the movement of the first robot 10 based also on the setting result of the setting means 30c. Thereby, an operator can appropriately select whether or not to perform cooperative control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h. Therefore, for example, it is possible to suppress the first robot 10 from operating regardless of the operator's intention. Accordingly, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more in line with the operator's intention.

[0061] In addition, when it is set by the setting means 30c that the first robot 10 operates in a cooperative operation mode and it is determined by the determination means 30a that the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity of the limit region A1, the control means 30h starts the movement of the first robot 10. That is, the control means 30h performs cooperative control of the first robot 10 according to the position of the tool T only when it is set to operate the first robot 10 in a cooperative operation mode. In this way, based on the selection by the operator to perform cooperative control of the first robot 10, by cooperatively controlling the first robot 10, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more in line with the operator's intention.

[0062] Furthermore, it further includes designating means 30d for designating the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. The control means 30h controls the movement of the first robot 10 based also on the designation result of the designating means 30d. Thereby, an operator can restrict the movement of the first robot 10 in an arbitrary direction. Therefore, for example, it is possible to suppress the first robot 10 from moving in a direction unintended by the operator. Accordingly, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more in line with the operator's intention.

[0063] Also, when the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d, a discriminating means 30e is further provided to discriminate whether or not the tool T moves along the direction in which the first robot 10 can move. The control means 30h controls the movement of the first robot 10 based also on the discrimination result of the discriminating means 30e. Thereby, for example, when the moving direction of the tool T is a direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move as specified by the specifying means 30d, the first robot 10 is cooperatively controlled, and when the moving direction of the tool T is a direction corresponding to the direction in which the movement of the first robot 10 is restricted by the specifying means 30d, the first robot 10 can be prevented from being cooperatively controlled. Therefore, it is possible to more surely prevent the first robot 10 from moving in a direction unintended by the operator. Accordingly, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more in line with the intention of the operator.

[0064] Further, when it is set by the setting means 30c that the first robot 10 operates in the cooperative operation mode, and the direction in which the first robot 10 can move is specified by the specifying means 30d, and it is discriminated by the discriminating means 30e that the tip t of the tool T moves along the direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot 10 can move, and it is determined by the determining means 30a that the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity of the limit region A1, the control means 30h starts the movement of the first robot 10. Thereby, it is possible to more surely prevent the first robot 10 from moving in a direction unintended by the operator. Accordingly, the control of the first robot 10 by the control means 30h can be made more surely in line with the intention of the operator.

[0065] Furthermore, it further includes an acquisition unit 30f that acquires distance information indicating the distance between the first robot 10 and the tip t of the tool T. The control means 30h controls the movement of the first robot 10 based also on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit 30f. The control means 30h slows down the movement speed of the first robot 10 as the distance indicated by the distance information acquired by the acquisition unit 30f becomes shorter. Thereby, when the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T is far, the alignment of the workpiece W and the tool T is quickly performed by the first robot 10 and the second robot 20, and when the distance between the workpiece W and the tip t of the tool T becomes close, the positions of the tool T and the workpiece W can be precisely adjusted by the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. Therefore, the working quality by the robot control system 1 can be improved.

[0066] Furthermore, it further includes a detection means 30g that detects the contact between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 whose movement is controlled by the control means 30h. The control means 30h controls the movement of the second robot 20 based on the detection result of the detection means 30g. The control means 30h moves the second robot 20 away from the first robot 10 when the detection means 30g detects contact. Thereby, for example, when the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 come into contact during the operation by the robot control system 1, the second robot 20 can be quickly retracted from the first robot 10. Therefore, for example, the influence caused by the interference between the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 can be suppressed. Also, by operating the second robot 20 in this way, for example, when the second robot 20 moves from the near-limit region A1 to the far-limit region A2, the movement of the first robot 10 also stops. By this, the work on the workpiece W using the tool T can be restarted in the far-limit region A2. Therefore, compared with the case of performing the work in the near-limit region A1, the work can be performed more stably.

[0067] Further, the second robot 20 is a parallel link robot. That is, the tool T that performs work on the workpiece W is attached to the parallel link robot. Thereby, the position of the tool T can be precisely adjusted. Therefore, it is easier to perform delicate work with the tool T.

[0068] Also, according to the control method according to the present embodiment, in the determination step S2, it is determined whether the tip t of the tool T is located in the vicinity limit region A1 which is a region close to the limit of the movable range A of the second robot 20, or whether it is located in the limit remote region A2 which is a region farther from the limit than the vicinity limit region A1. In the control step S3, based on the determination result of the determination step S2, the movement of the first robot 10 is controlled. In this way, in the control step S3, by performing the cooperative control of the first robot 10 based on the determination result of the determination means 30a in the determination step S2, the cooperative control as needed can be performed. Therefore, for example, compared with the case where the cooperative control of the first robot 10 is always performed during the operation of the robot control system 1, it is possible to suppress the first robot 10 from operating at a timing unintended by the operator. Therefore, a decrease in work quality can be suppressed. Further, for example, the control program for controlling the position of the first robot 10 can be made simple. Also, by the position of the first robot 10 to which the tool T is attached being cooperatively controlled according to the position of the tip t of the tool T attached to the second robot 20, the alignment between the workpiece W and the tool T can be efficiently performed. Therefore, the workability can be improved.

[0069] Note that the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, in addition to being able to move the workpiece W in three-dimensional directions, the first robot 10 may also be able to change the posture of the workpiece W. That is, the first robot 10 may be able to rotate the posture of the workpiece W around the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z. Similarly, in addition to being able to move the tool T in three-dimensional directions, the second robot 20 may also be able to change the posture of the tool T. That is, the second robot 20 may be able to rotate the posture of the tool T around the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z. In other words, the second robot 20 may be a parallel link robot having six degrees of freedom.

[0070] Also, in the movable range A of the tool T, a region other than the limit near region A1 and the limit far region A2 may be provided. For example, an intermediate region may be provided between the limit near region A1 and the limit far region A2, and the moving speeds of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 may be changed between the limit near region A1, the limit far region A2, and the intermediate region.

[0071] Also, in this embodiment, the description has been made on the premise that one control device 30 controls the first robot 10 and the second robot 20, but a control device 30 may be provided for each of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. In this case, it is preferable that the control devices 30 corresponding to the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 are communicable with each other.

[0072] Also, although the tool T and the workpiece W have been described as moving in a tool coordinate system C with the tip t of the tool T as the origin O, it is not limited to this. That is, for the coordinate system in which the tool T and the workpiece W move, any location may be set as the origin. In addition, various types of information related to the control of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 according to this embodiment may be displayed on the display unit 32a of the control device 30 at any time. In this case, it is possible to make it easier for the operator to grasp the states of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20. Alternatively, not limited to the display unit 32a, in the robot control system 1, means for transmitting the states of the first robot 10 and the second robot 20 to the operator by sound, vibration, or the like may be provided as appropriate.

[0073] Note that all or part of each function of the control device 30 or the robot control system 1 may be realized using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is, for example, a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk incorporated in a computer system. The program may be transmitted via an electric communication line.

[0074] In addition, within the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately replace the components in the above-described embodiment with well-known components, and the above-described modification examples may be appropriately combined.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0075] 1 Robot control system 10 First robot 20 Second robot 30 Control device 30a Determination means 30b Setting means 30c Setting means 30d Designation means 30e Discrimination means 30f Acquisition unit 30g Detection means 30h Control means 31 Control unit 31a Processor 31b Memory 32 User interface 32a Display unit 32b Input unit 33 Storage unit A Movable range A1 Near-limit region A2 Remote-limit region C Tool coordinate system O Origin t Tip T Tool W Workpiece X First direction Y Second direction Z Third direction

Claims

1. A first robot to which a workpiece is attached, and a second robot to which a tool is attached, A robot control system comprising: Determination means for determining whether the tip of the tool is located in a vicinity-of-limit region that is a region close to the limit of the movable range of the second robot, or in a remote-from-limit region that is a region farther from the limit than the vicinity-of-limit region; Control means for cooperatively controlling the position of the first robot based on the determination result of the determination means; A robot control system characterized by comprising the above.

2. Setting means for setting the operation mode of the second robot to either an approach / separation mode or a work mode; further comprising When the approach / separation mode is set by the setting means, the width of the vicinity-of-limit region is wider than the width of the vicinity-of-limit region when the work mode is set by the setting means. The robot control system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. When the determination means determines that the tip is located in the vicinity-of-limit region, the control means starts the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

4. When the determination means determines that the tip is located in the remote-from-limit region, the control means stops the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 3, characterized by the above.

5. When the determination means determines that the tip is located in the vicinity-of-limit region, the control means starts the movement of the first robot in a direction opposite to the direction in which the tip moves. The robot control system according to claim 3, characterized by the above.

6. Setting means for setting whether to operate the first robot in a cooperative operation mode; further comprising Based on the setting result of the setting means as well, the control means controls the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

7. When it is set by the setting means to operate the first robot in the cooperative operation mode and the determination means determines that the tip is located in the vicinity-of-limit region, the control means starts the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. Designating means for designating the direction in which the first robot can move, further comprising, Based on the designation result of the designation means, the control means controls the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 6, characterized in that.

9. Determining means for determining whether or not the tool moves along a direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot can move when the direction in which the first robot can move is designated by the designation means, further comprising, Based on the determination result of the determination means, the control means controls the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 8, characterized in that.

10. The control means, It is set by the setting means that the first robot operates in the cooperative operation mode, and The direction in which the first robot can move is designated by the designation means, and It is determined by the determination means that the tip moves along a direction corresponding to the direction in which the first robot can move, and When it is determined by the determination means that the tip is located in the vicinity of the limit, Start the movement of the first robot. The robot control system according to claim 9, characterized in that.

11. Further comprising an acquisition unit for acquiring distance information indicating the distance between the first robot and the tip, Based on the acquisition result of the acquisition unit, the control means controls the movement of the first robot, As the distance indicated by the distance information acquired by the acquisition unit becomes shorter, the control means slows down the movement speed of the first robot. The robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that.

12. Further comprising detection means for detecting contact between the first robot and the second robot whose movement is controlled by the control means, Based on the detection result of the detection means, the control means controls the movement of the second robot, When the detection means detects the contact, the control means moves the second robot away from the first robot. The robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that.

13. The second robot is a parallel link robot. The robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that.

14. A first robot to which a workpiece is attached, a second robot to which a tool is attached, A control method for a robot control system including: a determination step of determining whether the tip of the tool is located in a vicinity-of-limit region which is a region near the limit of the movable range of the second robot, or in a remote-from-limit region which is a region farther from the limit than the vicinity-of-limit region; a control step of controlling the movement of the first robot based on the determination result of the determination step; A control method characterized by including the above.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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