Printing apparatus, print control method, and print processing program

Abstract

To provide a printing apparatus configured to perform a marking operation on a side surface of a printing object when performing the marking operation on the printing object.SOLUTION: A printing apparatus is configured to perform printing on a side surface of a printing object by printing means, move the printing means in a longitudinal direction of the printing object by first moving means, and move the printing means in a vertical direction of the side surface of the printing object by second moving means. Control means is configured to perform control to move the printing means by using the first moving means and the second moving means according to data to be printed on the side surface of the printing object by the printing means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device, a print control method, and a print processing program. [Background technology]

[0002] Marking generally refers to the act of writing information required for processing, such as dimensions and part numbers, onto materials depending on the processing content when processing the material. In this specification, marking refers to printing marking data onto a print target. Examples of materials that are print targets include square timber and H-shaped steel beams. H-shaped steel beams are building materials often used in building construction. Shaped like the letter H, marking is essential because the marking is used as a reference when welding and assembling steel beams on site, but marking is still often done by hand. Currently, robots that perform marking work (marking robots) have been developed.

[0003] As a related technology, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a marking device that aims to provide a marking device that, when bending a long, elongated member to plastically deform it into a desired shape, allows a single operator to easily mark the desired shape and minimizes the distance the member must be transported for marking. The marking device is capable of forming a mark on the member that serves as a reference for the amount of bending when bending the long, elongated member, and includes a base, a holding device that can hold a marking pen, a first moving means that can move the base along the longitudinal direction of the member to follow the longitudinally extending portion of the member, a second moving means that can move the holding device in a direction different from the direction of movement of the first moving means, marking data input means that can freely input data for forming the mark on the member, and control means that controls the first moving means and the second moving means in accordance with the input data.

[0004] Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses that the objective of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled marking device that can efficiently perform marking work to apply linear marks and improve workability, and that the marking device that performs the marking work is provided on a self-propelled device that runs and stops along the H-beam, which is the work object, and that this device is configured to include a marking member that is placed on the lower tier of a belt that is a reciprocating member, and that is used to apply linear marks to the H-beam both when the lower tier moves forward and when the belt moves back and forth, and a marking member holding means that holds this marking member and is placed on the lower tier, and is freely tiltable in the direction of the reciprocating movement of the lower tier, so that the angle between the marking member and the H-beam during movement to apply a mark to the H-beam W is an acute angle, and that the tilt direction with respect to the H-beam can be changed between when the marking member moves forward and when the belt moves back.

[0005] Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 3 discloses a self-propelled marking device capable of marking various marks such as symbols, signs, letters, insignia, emblems, and designs, and the self-propelled marking device comprises a self-propelled device that moves along the longitudinal direction of an object to be marked, a first guide section and a first leg section that are arranged on one side in a direction intersecting the self-propelled direction of the self-propelled device, a second guide section and a second leg section that are arranged on the other side in the direction intersecting, a marking device provided on the self-propelled device, and a control device that controls the operation of the marking device, and the marking device The marking device is configured to print at any position on the object to be marked in a cross direction that intersects with the self-propelled direction of the self-propelled device, the control device is configured to control the printing of the mark by the marking device according to the self-propelled position of the self-propelled device, the first guide portion and the second guide portion are arranged to sandwich the object to be marked with the self-propelled device placed on top of the object to be marked, the first leg portion is arranged on one side outside the first guide portion in the cross direction, and the second leg portion is arranged on the other side outside the second guide portion in the cross direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-74572 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-141712 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-94454 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Conventionally, there have been printing devices that perform marking work on the top surface of a printing object, but there have been no printing devices that perform marking work on the side surfaces of a printing object. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that, when performing marking work on a printing object, performs marking work on the side surface of the printing object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The gist of the present invention to achieve this object resides in the following inventions. Invention [1] is a printing device comprising a printing means for printing on the side of a printing object, a first moving means for moving the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object, a second moving means for moving the printing means in the vertical direction of the side of the printing object, and a control means for controlling the movement of the printing means using the first moving means and the second moving means in accordance with data to be printed on the side of the printing object by the printing means.

[0009] Invention [2] is the printing device described in Invention [1], wherein the object to be printed is an H-shaped steel material, the H-shaped steel material is placed with one flange surface as the top surface, the printing means prints on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, and further comprises a third moving means for moving the printing means in a direction toward or away from the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, the control means controls the printing means to move using the third moving means to a position where the printing means can print on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, and the control means controls the printing means to move using the second moving means according to the data to be printed on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material by the printing means.

[0010] Invention [3] is the printing device according to invention [2], wherein the printing means further includes a rotation means for rotating the printing means and printing on the reverse side of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material, the control means controls the printing means to move using the first movement means to a position where the printing means can print on the reverse side of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material, the control means controls the printing means to move using the third movement means according to the data to be printed on the reverse side of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material, and the control means controls the printing means to rotate using the rotation means in order to print from the reverse side of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, or to print from the web surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the reverse side of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material.

[0011] Invention [4] is the printing device described in invention [1], further comprising a top surface printing means for printing on the top surface of the printing object, and the control means controls the movement of the top surface printing means using the first movement means in accordance with the data to be printed on the top surface of the printing object by the top surface printing means.

[0012] Invention [5] is a printing device according to invention [4], wherein the control means controls the timing of movement by the first movement means and the second movement means in accordance with the correspondence between the data to be printed on the top surface and the data to be printed on the side surfaces in the CAD data of the three-view drawing.

[0013] Invention [6] is the printing device according to invention [4], in which the printing means and the top surface printing means print using different printing methods.

[0014] Invention [7] is the printing device described in invention [6], wherein the printing means is laser printing, the top surface printing means is inkjet printing, the control means controls the top surface printing means to print on the top surface of the printing object while the first moving means is moving, and the control means controls the printing means to print on the side of the printing object while the movement of the top surface printing means is suspended.

[0015] Invention [8] is a control method for a printing device that includes a printing means that prints on the side of a printing object, a first moving means that moves the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object, a second moving means that moves the printing means in the vertical direction of the side of the printing object, and a control means, wherein the control means controls the movement of the first moving means and the second moving means according to data to be printed on the side of the printing object by the printing means.

[0016] Invention [9] is a printing processing program that causes a printing device having a printing means, a first moving means, a second moving means, and a control means to function as a printing means that prints on the side of a printing object, a first moving means that moves the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object, a second moving means that moves the printing means in the vertical direction of the side of the printing object, and a control means that controls the movement by the first moving means and the second moving means in accordance with data to be printed on the side of the printing object by the printing means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the invention [1], when printing marking data on a printing object, the marking data can be printed on the side of the printing object.

[0018] According to the invention [2], marking data can be printed on the web surface, which is the side surface of the H-shaped steel material.

[0019] According to the invention [3], marking data can be printed on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material.

[0020] According to the invention [4], when printing marking data on a printing object, the marking data can be printed on the side and top surfaces of the printing object.

[0021] According to the invention [5], when printing on the side and top surfaces, the marking data for the side surfaces and the marking data for the top surface can be synchronized.

[0022] According to the invention [6], printing on the sides and top surface can be done using different printing methods.

[0023] According to the invention [7], printing on the top surface can be performed while moving in the longitudinal direction, and when printing on the side, the movement in the longitudinal direction can be interrupted.

[0024] According to invention [8], when marking the printing object, the marking can be done on the side of the printing object. In particular, invention [8] makes it possible to print on multiple types of printing objects with different heights.

[0025] According to the invention [9], when marking the printing object, the marking can be done on the side of the printing object. In particular, the invention [9] makes it possible to print on multiple types of printing objects with different heights. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a conceptual module configuration diagram of a configuration example of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams showing examples of print objects in the present embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the present embodiment and the position of a printing object; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the appearance of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an H-beam steel member that is a printing object. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a printing area on a printing object. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the operation of the moving (B) module, the moving (C) module, and the rotating module of the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the printing position of a printing module on an H-shaped steel member. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the movement (B) module of the present embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the relationship between the rotation and movement direction of a stepping motor. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the relationship between print areas and print positions in the present embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the appearance of a movement (C) module according to the present embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the movement (C) module of the present embodiment. [Figure 18] 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the appearance of a printing module and a rotating module according to the present embodiment. [Figure 19] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a processing example of a rotation module according to the present embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Various preferred embodiments for realizing the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a conceptual module configuration diagram of an example of the configuration of this embodiment. A module generally refers to a logically separable piece of software (including a computer program when interpreting "software"), hardware, or the like. Therefore, the module in this embodiment refers not only to a module in a computer program but also to a module in a hardware configuration. Therefore, this embodiment also describes computer programs (e.g., programs for causing a computer to execute respective procedures, programs for causing a computer to function as respective means, programs for causing a computer to realize respective functions), systems, and methods for functioning as those modules. While modules may correspond one-to-one to functions, in implementation, one module may be composed of one program, multiple modules may be composed of one program, or one module may be composed of multiple programs. Multiple modules may be executed by a single computer, or one module may be executed by multiple computers in a distributed or parallel environment. One module may contain other modules. "Predetermined" means that it is determined before the target processing, and is used to mean that it is determined according to the situation or state at that time, or according to the situation or state up to that point, not only before the processing of this embodiment begins, but also after the processing of this embodiment begins, as long as it is before the target processing. Furthermore, when things are listed, such as "A, B, C," this is an example list unless otherwise specified, and includes the case where only one of them is selected (for example, only A). Furthermore, a system or device may be composed of multiple computers, hardware, devices, etc. connected by a communication means such as a network ("network" includes one-to-one communication connections), but it also includes cases where it is realized by a single computer, hardware, device, etc. "Device" and "system" are used as synonyms. Of course, a "system" does not include anything that is merely a social "mechanism" (i.e., a social system) that is an artificial arrangement. Furthermore, for each process by each module, or for each process when multiple processes are performed within a module, the target information is read from the storage device, and after the process is completed, the processing results are written to the storage device. Therefore, explanations of reading from the storage device before processing and writing to the storage device after processing may be omitted. Note that the storage device here may include a hard disk drive, RAM (Random Access Memory), external storage medium, storage device via a communication line, registers within the CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc.

[0028] The printing device 100 of this embodiment has the function of printing on a printing object, and is available in four types (printing device 100A, printing device 100B, printing device 100C, and printing device 100D) as shown in the example of Fig. 1. Note that although marking work is sometimes referred to as printing, the following explanation will refer to it as printing. The printing object is an object on which printing is performed. The printing object here has a three-dimensional shape with at least a side. The data to be printed is marking data, and examples of the printing object include building materials such as timber and H-beams. The material of the printing object is not limited, and may be, for example, steel or wood. Note that in this embodiment, simple two-dimensional paper is not considered as the printing object. The marking data is data indicating marks to be written in the marking work, and includes various marks such as straight lines, curves, symbols, signs, characters (numbers, alphabets, hiragana, katakana, kanji, etc.), marks, emblems, and figures.

[0029] The printing device 100A includes a printing module 110, a movement (A) module 120, a movement (B) module 130, and a control module 140. The printing module 110 prints on the side of the printing object. Note that a side refers to a surface other than the top surface and a surface other than the bottom surface. For example, the side of a square timber refers to a vertical surface (a surface perpendicular to the top surface). The side of an H-shaped steel member refers to one or more surfaces of the U-shaped portion of the H-shaped steel member, specifically one or more of one web surface, the other web surface (the back surface of one web surface), the back surface of the flange that is the top surface (hereinafter referred to as the top flange back surface), and the back surface of the flange that is the bottom surface (hereinafter referred to as the bottom flange back surface). Naturally, the printing module 110 faces the side of the printing object during printing. The data to be printed is marking data, and the print data format is, for example, a bitmap image. Note that printing on the top surface is performed by a top surface printing module 170 in the printing device 100D, which will be described later, and is therefore not a target surface for printing by the printing module 110. Also, the bottom surface, where the printing target is in contact with the ground (floor, table, etc.), is of course not a target surface for printing by the printing module 110.

[0030] The movement (A) module 120 moves the printing module 110 in the longitudinal direction of the printing object. For example, a self-propelled device for marking work such as that shown in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 may be used. Note that in the printing apparatus 100A, the marking device in the self-propelled device for marking work of Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 may be removed, and a longitudinal movement device consisting only of a portion for movement may be used. However, in the printing apparatus 100D, since printing is also performed on the top surface, a marking device for the top surface will also be added. Of course, the movement (A) module 120 is not limited to the self-propelled device for marking work of Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3, and may be any device with a mechanism for moving the printing object in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the printing module 110 for printing the side surfaces and the moving (B) module 130 are integrated into the moving (A) module 120, which is the longitudinal direction moving device. Therefore, the moving (A) module 120 also moves the printing module 110 and the moving (B) module 130 in the longitudinal direction of the printing object.

[0031] The movement (B) module 130 moves the printing module 110 in the vertical direction of the side of the printing object. In other words, the printing module 110 is moved vertically, making it possible to print on the side of the printing object. Note that movement in the vertical direction refers to movement from top to bottom or movement from bottom to top. Of course, reciprocating movement between up and down is also included in movement in the vertical direction.

[0032] The control module 140 controls the movement of the print module 110 using the movement (A) module 120 and the movement (B) module 130 in accordance with data to be printed by the print module 110 on the side of the print object. The control module 140 controls printing by the print module 110 according to the position of the print module 110 as a result of the movement of the movement (A) module 120 and the position of the print module 110 as a result of the movement of the movement (B) module 130. In other words, the control module 140 causes the print module 110 to print according to the data to be printed on the side of the print target. For example, if the print module 110 is an inkjet printing system, printing is performed according to its vertical movement. Also, for example, if the print module 110 is a laser printing system, it moves to the position to be printed, prints (irradiates laser light) while stopping its movement, and then moves to the next position to be printed.

[0033] The printing device 100B includes a printing module 110, a movement (A) module 120, a movement (B) module 130, a control module 140, and a movement (C) module 150. The printing object in the printing apparatus 100B is an H-beam steel material. The H-beam steel material is placed with one flange surface as the top surface, and the other flange surface is the bottom surface. The printing module 110 prints on the web surface, which is one of the sides of the H-beam steel member. The movement (C) module 150 moves the printing module 110 in a direction toward or away from the web surface of the H-shaped steel member. More specifically, the movement (C) module 150 moves the printing module 110 parallel to the top surface (or bottom surface) of the H-shaped steel member and perpendicular to the web surface of the H-shaped steel member.

[0034] The control module 140 controls the movement (C) module 150 to move the printing module 110 to a position where the printing module 110 can print on the web surface of the H-beam steel material. Furthermore, the control module 140 controls the movement of the printing module 110 using the movement (B) module 130 in accordance with the data to be printed by the printing module 110 on the web surface of the H-beam steel material. Then, the control module 140 controls the printing module 110 to print on the web surface of the H-beam steel material according to the data to be printed.

[0035] The printing device 100C includes a printing module 110, a movement (A) module 120, a movement (B) module 130, a control module 140, a movement (C) module 150, and a rotation module 160. The printing module 110 prints on the web surface of the H-beam steel material, as well as the back surface of the flange surface of the H-beam steel material. Note that the "back surface of the flange surface" may be either the back surface of the top flange or the back surface of the bottom flange, or both the back surfaces of the top flange and the bottom flange.

[0036] The rotation module 160 rotates the printing module 110. Specifically, the rotation is for changing the surface that the printing module 110 prints on (i.e., for changing the orientation of the printing module 110), and the rotation is 90 degrees.

[0037] The control module 140 controls the movement (A) module 120 to move the printing module 110 to a position where the printing module 110 can print on the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material. Note that the flange surface here may be either one flange surface or the other flange surface, or both. Since one flange surface is the top surface and the other flange surface is the bottom surface, the "backside of one flange surface of the H-shaped steel material" refers to the backside of the top surface (the backside of the top flange), and the printing module 110 will print facing upward. Furthermore, the "backside of the other flange surface of the H-shaped steel material" refers to the backside of the bottom surface (the backside of the bottom flange), and the printing module 110 will print facing downward. Then, the control module 140 controls the printing module 110 to print according to the data to be printed on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-beam steel material.

[0038] Next, the control module 140 controls the movement of the printing module 110 using the movement (C) module 150 in accordance with the data to be printed on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-beam material. Then, the control module 140 controls the printing module 110 to print marking data corresponding to the position of the printing module 110 (data to be printed on the back side of the flange surface of the H-beam steel).

[0039] Next, the control module 140 controls the rotation module 160 to rotate the printing module 110 in order to print from the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, or to print from the web surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material. In other words, this control is for changing the orientation of the printing module 110 in order to change the surface to be printed. Specifically, in the former case, this rotation is for starting printing on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material after printing on the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material has been completed. In the latter case, this rotation is for starting printing on the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material after printing on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material has been completed.

[0040] The printing device 100D includes a printing module 110, a moving (A) module 120, a moving (B) module 130, a control module 140, and a top surface printing module 170. The printing device 100D may also include a printing module 110, a moving (A) module 120, a moving (B) module 130, a control module 140, a moving (C) module 150, and a top surface printing module 170. The printing device 100D may also include a printing module 110, a moving (A) module 120, a moving (B) module 130, a control module 140, a moving (C) module 150, a rotation module 160, and a top surface printing module 170.

[0041] The top surface printing module 170 prints on the top surface of a printing object, specifically the top surface of a square timber or the flange surface of an H-beam steel member. The control module 140 controls the movement of the top surface printing module 170 using the movement (A) module 120 in accordance with data to be printed by the top surface printing module 170 on the top surface of the printing object. Then, the control module 140 controls the top surface printing module 170 to print marking data (data to be printed on the top surface of the printing object) corresponding to the position of the top surface printing module 170.

[0042] The control module 140 may then control the timing of movement by the movement (A) module 120 and the movement (B) module 130 according to the correspondence between the data to be printed on the top surface and the data to be printed on the side surfaces in the CAD data of the three orthographic drawings. In the three orthographic drawings, the top surface and the side surfaces correspond to each other, so the marking data to be printed by the printing module 110 and the marking data to be printed by the top surface printing module 170 are determined at the position of the printing device 100D.

[0043] Furthermore, the printing module 110 and the top surface printing module 170 may be configured to perform printing using different printing methods. Specifically, the printing module 110 may be a laser printer, and the top printing module 170 may be an inkjet printer. A commercially available laser engraving machine may be used as the printing module 110 for laser printing. For example, the specifications may be as follows: printing area: 100 x 100 mm, focal length: 135 mm, power: 1 watt, body size: 168.6 x 62.1 x 169.5 mm, resolution: 1K, 2K, 4K, engraving speed: 6 mm / s-600 mm / s, wireless transmission: Bluetooth (registered trademark) 5.0, file formats: jpg, svg, png, bmp, G-code, CAD, AI, CDR, dwg, power supply: 12 V 5 A / 100-240 V, 50-60 Hz. These specifications are merely examples for ease of understanding and should not be interpreted to limit the technical scope of the present invention. The same applies to the specifications of each module and printing object described below. The same also applies to the descriptions of specific sizes, etc. in the specification and drawings of this application.

[0044] Laser printing is suitable for printing on the sides of objects because the printed content is less likely to fade, the printing speed is faster, and the operating range of the module itself is reduced, reducing the mechanical errors that tend to occur when the printing range is larger. An example of a top surface printing module 170 that performs inkjet printing is an inkjet printing device described in Patent Document 3.

[0045] Printing on the side differs from printing on the top surface in that the distance between the printing module 110 and the object to be printed varies and is not constant. There are many methods for marking. Manual marking typically involves the use of tools that require direct contact with the workpiece, such as chalk, ink, string, or a brush. However, these printing methods require the printing tool to be pressed against the workpiece. For example, it is difficult to create a mechanism that applies a constant force to the printing module, as in a pen plotter. Wear on the contact points can also be an issue. This is impractical given the variable distance from the workpiece. Automatic marking devices include methods using marking needles, inkjet printers, and laser engraving modules. Unlike the pen plotters mentioned above, inkjet printers and laser engravers do not come into contact with the workpiece. Furthermore, inkjet printers require a very narrow distance of less than 1 mm, while laser engravers typically have a larger width, ranging from several millimeters to 300 mm or less. This allows the printing module 110 to rotate and print on all sides of the U-shaped portion of the H-beam. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the operating range of the target (the distance between the printing module 110 and the workpiece), thereby reducing weight and operational error.

[0046] A galvanometer mirror is a mirror-like component used in laser-based sensors that reflects a laser to change the irradiation position. It is generally a component used in the internal structure of a galvanometer scanner, which measures the position coordinates of an object by measuring the reflectance of laser light. However, by using this component in the printing module 110, which is a laser engraving machine, it becomes possible to adjust the irradiation position of the laser light in a two-dimensional range on the x and y axes. This makes it possible to print a predetermined two-dimensional range more efficiently without directly moving the printing module 110 itself. There are two advantages to using laser marking with a galvanometer mirror. First, without a galvanometer mirror, the operation of the laser printing module itself tends to be a relatively large structure in the printing mechanism, making it prone to mechanical errors due to inertia and friction. In contrast, the operation of a galvanometer mirror is achieved solely by controlling the mirror angle, allowing for precise operation. However, since the reflection of laser light poses risks such as fire and blindness, the printable range is limited, and therefore it must be used in conjunction with the operation of the printing module. Second, due to the specifications for adjusting the reflection angle, it is possible to change the irradiation position much faster than the operation of the printing module 110 itself. This makes it possible to perform printing operations at an overwhelmingly faster speed than inkjet printers. In the optimal embodiment, since the printing area has increased compared to when it is only on the top surface, it is necessary to increase the work speed and achieve precise operation, so it is desirable to adopt printing module 110, which is a laser engraving machine using a galvanometer mirror.

[0047] The control module 140 controls the top surface printing module 170 to print on the top surface of the printing object while the movement (A) module 120 moves it. Then, the control module 140 controls the printing module 110 to print on the side surface of the printing object while the movement of the top surface printing module 170 is suspended. Specifically, assume that the area printed by the printing module 110 is a rectangle. If the longitudinal length of the rectangle is distance A, the printing module 110 and the top surface printing module 170 are moved by the moving (A) module 120 by that distance A. During this movement, the top surface printing module 170 prints on the top surface. Then, when the movement of distance A is completed, the movement by the moving (A) module 120 and the printing by the top surface printing module 170 are interrupted. Then, the printing module 110 is moved vertically by the moving (B) module 130, and when the printing module 110 reaches the position to be printed (the center position of the rectangle), the movement is interrupted (i.e., the position of the printing module 110 is fixed), and the printing module 110 prints on the side surfaces. Note that the control module 140 causes the printing module 110 to print while the printing module 110 is fixed. In other words, the control module 140 not only suspends the movement by the movement (A) module 120, but also suspends the movement by the movement (B) module 130, suspends the movement by the movement (C) module 150, and further controls the rotation module 160 to prevent rotation, thereby allowing the printing module 110 to print.

[0048] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a printing object in this embodiment. FIG. 2(a1) is a cross-sectional view of a timber 200A. The timber 200A has a top surface 210A, a side surface 220A, a bottom surface 230A, and a side surface 240A. The surfaces to be printed are the top surface 210A, the side surface 220A, and the side surface 240A. Specifically, the printing device 100A prints on at least one of the side surface 220A or the side surface 240A, or both the side surface 220A and the side surface 240A. The top surface printing module 170 of the printing device 100D also prints on the top surface 210A. Note that although the cross-sectional view of the timber 200A is shown as a square, it may also be rectangular. 2(a2) is an explanatory diagram showing the longitudinal direction of a block 200A. The printing device 100 moves in the longitudinal direction 290A by the movement (A) module 120. The movement may be from the front to the back, or from the back to the front.

[0049] Figure 2(b1) is a cross-sectional view of the H-shaped steel member 200B. When marking an H-shaped steel member, marking may be required not only on the top surface but also on the side surface (including the back of the flange) depending on the assembly. Therefore, it is not possible to print all the necessary parts on the top surface alone. The H-shaped steel material 200B has a flange surface 210B (top surface), a top flange back surface 222B, one web surface 224B, a bottom flange back surface 226B, a bottom flange surface 230B (bottom surface), a top flange back surface 242B, the other web surface 244B, and a bottom flange back surface 246B. The surfaces to be printed are the surfaces other than the flange surface 230B. The side surfaces of the H-shaped steel material 200B include the top flange back surface 222B, the web surface 224B, the bottom flange back surface 226B, the top flange back surface 242B, the web surface 244B, and the bottom flange back surface 246B. Specifically, the printing device 100B prints on at least either the web surface 224B or the web surface 244B, or both the web surface 224B and the web surface 244B of the H-shaped steel material 200B. Printing device 100C further prints at least one of top flange back surface 222B, bottom flange back surface 226B, top flange back surface 242B, and bottom flange back surface 246B. Additionally, top surface printing module 170 of printing device 100D also prints on flange surface 210B. Note that although the cross-sectional view of H-shaped steel material 200B is shown with the same length in the vertical and horizontal directions, they may be different. 2(b2) is an explanatory diagram showing the longitudinal direction of the H-beam 200B. The printing device 100 moves in the longitudinal direction 290B by the movement (A) module 120. The movement may be from the front to the back, or from the back to the front.

[0050] Because both the square beam 200A and the H-shaped steel material 200B are symmetrical, we will mainly explain how to control printing on only one side. That is, we will explain how to control printing on the side surface 220A of the square beam 200A, and how to control printing on the top flange back surface 222B, web surface 224B, and bottom flange back surface 226B of the H-shaped steel material 200B.

[0051] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the present embodiment and the position of the printing object. FIG. 3(a) shows an example of a printing device 100 that prints on a block 200A. The printing device 100 has a movable (B) module 130A on the right side and a movable (B) module 130B on the left side. The movable (B) modules 130A and 130B are parallel (perpendicular to the ground) to the side surfaces (side surfaces 220A and 240A). The movable (C) module 150A is mounted vertically (parallel to the top surface) to the movable (B) module 130A, and the printing module 110A is mounted to the movable (C) module 150A. The printing part (laser emission port, also called the nozzle) of the printing module 110A faces the side surface 220A. The printing module 110A moves up and down to print on the side surface 220A. Printing module 110B, movable (B) module 130B, and movable (C) module 150B have the same configuration as printing module 110A, movable (B) module 130A, and movable (C) module 150A, respectively. Above top surface 210A is top surface printing module 170. Top surface printing module 170 moves in the longitudinal direction and performs printing on top surface 210A.

[0052] The movement (C) module 150A adjusts the distance between the printing module 110A and the side surface 220A. That is, the printing module 110A is moved closer or farther from the side surface 220A so that the distance (the distance between the printing module 110A and the side surface 220A) is suitable for laser printing. If the size of the timber 200A, which is the printing target, is known, the printing module 110A may be moved to a predetermined position (coordinates suitable for laser printing), or the distance between the printing module 110A and the side surface 220A may be measured using a distance sensor and the printing module 110A may be moved accordingly. Furthermore, in the case of a timber 200A whose size is known in advance, the printing module 110A can be set at a position that keeps the distance between the printing module 110A and the side surface 220A constant, so there is no need to adjust the distance using the movable (C) module 150A, and there is no need to control the movement of the printing module 110A in the left-right direction. In other words, a configuration without the movable (C) module 150A is also possible. Then, the print module 110A is moved downward by the movement (B) module 130A, and printing is performed on the side surface 220A.

[0053] FIG. 3(b) shows an example of a printing device 100 that prints on an H-beam steel material 200B. The printing apparatus 100 has a movable (B) module 130A on the right side and a movable (B) module 130B on the left side. The movable (B) modules 130A and 130B are parallel (perpendicular to the ground) to the web surface 224B and the web surface 244B. The movable (C) module 150A is connected vertically (parallel to the top surface) to the movable (B) module 130A, and the printing module 110A is attached to the movable (C) module 150A. The printing part (laser emission port) of the printing module 110A faces the top flange back surface 222B (upward) when printing on the top flange back surface 222B, faces the web surface 224B (leftward) when printing on the web surface 224B, and faces the bottom flange back surface 226B (downward) when printing on the bottom flange back surface 226B. For this reason, when printing in the order of top flange back surface 222B, web surface 224B, and bottom flange back surface 226B, rotation module 160A rotates printing module 110A 90 degrees to the left (90 degrees counterclockwise) when moving from printing top flange back surface 222B to printing web surface 224B, and rotates printing module 110A 90 degrees to the left (90 degrees counterclockwise) when moving from printing web surface 224B to printing bottom flange back surface 226B. When printing on bottom flange back surface 226B, web surface 224B, and top flange back surface 222B in that order, rotation module 160A rotates printing module 110A 90 degrees to the right (90 degrees clockwise) when switching from printing on bottom flange back surface 226B to printing on web surface 224B, and rotates printing module 110A 90 degrees to the right (90 degrees clockwise) when switching from printing on web surface 224B to printing on top flange back surface 222B. The following explanation mainly focuses on the case where printing is performed on top flange back surface 222B, web surface 224B, and bottom flange back surface 226B in that order.

[0054] First, the printing control on the top flange rear surface 222B will be described. The movement (B) module 130A adjusts the distance between the printing module 110A and the top flange underside 222B. That is, the printing module 110A is moved away from or closer (up or down) to the top flange underside 222B so that the distance (the distance between the printing module 110A and the top flange underside 222B) is suitable for laser printing. If the size of the H-shaped steel material 200B to be printed is known, the printing module 110A may be moved to a predetermined position (coordinates suitable for laser printing), or the distance between the printing module 110A and the top flange underside 222B may be measured using a distance sensor and the printing module 110A may be moved accordingly. Then, the print module 110A is moved to the left by the movement (C) module 150A, and printing is performed on the top flange rear surface 222B. After printing on the top flange rear surface 222B is completed, the print module 110A is rotated by the rotation module 160A as described above.

[0055] Next, the print control for web surface 224B will be described. The movement (C) module 150A adjusts the distance between the printing module 110A and the web surface 224B. That is, the printing module 110A is moved away from or closer to (left or right direction) the web surface 224B so that the distance (the distance between the printing module 110A and the web surface 224B) is suitable for laser printing. If the size of the H-shaped steel material 200B to be printed is known, the printing module 110A may be moved to a predetermined position (coordinates suitable for laser printing), or the distance between the printing module 110A and the web surface 224B may be measured using a distance sensor and the printing module 110A may be moved accordingly. Then, the printing module 110A is moved downward by the movement (B) module 130A, and printing is performed on the web surface 224B. After printing on the web surface 224B is completed, the printing module 110A is rotated by the rotation module 160A as described above.

[0056] Next, printing control for the bottom flange rear surface 226B will be described. The movement (B) module 130A adjusts the distance between the printing module 110A and the bottom flange underside 226B. That is, the printing module 110A is moved away from or closer (up or down) to the bottom flange underside 226B so that the distance (the distance between the printing module 110A and the bottom flange underside 226B) is suitable for laser printing. If the size of the H-shaped steel material 200B to be printed is known, the printing module 110A may be moved to a predetermined position (coordinates suitable for laser printing), or the distance between the printing module 110A and the bottom flange underside 226B may be measured using a distance sensor and the printing module 110A may be moved accordingly. Then, the print module 110A is moved to the right by the movement (C) module 150A, and printing is performed on the bottom flange rear surface 226B. Printing module 110B, moving (B) module 130B, moving (C) module 150B, and rotating module 160B have the same configurations as printing module 110A, moving (B) module 130A, moving (C) module 150A, and rotating module 160A, respectively. And, a top surface printing module 170 is located above flange surface 210B.

[0057] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the appearance of this embodiment. This robot adds a side printing mechanism to the marking robot shown in the example of Patent Document 3. While traveling along the top surface of the H-shaped steel material 200B, it operates the printing module 110 on the U-shaped part of the side surface to print on the side surface of the H-shaped steel material 200B. The printing device 100 is installed on the H-shaped steel member 200B, and the movable (A) module 120 moves over the top surface of the H-shaped steel member 200B, and the top surface printing module 170 prints on the top surface of the H-shaped steel member 200B. The printing module 110 is attached to the movable (C) module 150 so that it can move toward and away from the web surface 224B. The printing module 110 is rotated by the rotation module 160, and the movable (C) module 150 is attached to the movable (B) module 130 so that it can move up and down. Therefore, the printing module 110 can rotate and move up and down, and left and right (toward and toward the web surface 224B). The printing module 110 then moves to each printing position and prints on the back surface of the top flange, one of the web surfaces, and the back surface of the bottom flange.

[0058] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an H-beam steel material 200B that is the printing object. The specifications of the H-shaped steel material 200B, which is the printing target of this embodiment, are as shown in the example of Figure 5, with a flange width of 100 to 400 mm, a web height of 1000 to 1200 mm, and a maximum length of 15000 mm, and surface conditions such as red rust and warping, and are also applicable to materials that are not truly flat.The same is true for the specifications of the square steel material 200A, with a top width of 100 to 400 mm, a height of 1000 to 1200 mm, and a maximum length of 15000 mm, and surface conditions such as red rust and warping, and are also applicable to materials that are not truly flat. The specifications described below apply to both the square beam 200A and the H-shaped beam 200B. The working environment for this embodiment is a factory, outdoors, warehouse, etc., where the temperature is 5 to 40°C, and the material is placed on the ground or on a horizontal steel material with the straight, non-U-shaped side (the other flange side) facing down. The performance of this embodiment is such that the printing speed is such that marking work can be completed in 10 minutes for a maximum length of one line (15,000 mm), the printing precision is ±1 mm, and the power source is battery-powered.

[0059] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a printing area on an H-beam steel material 200B that is an object to be printed. As shown in the example of FIG. 6, the 500 mm height of the web portion of the H-beam steel 200B and the 200 mm height of the flange back portion are each divided into printing areas. Specifically, the top flange back surface is divided into two printing areas (indicated by circled numbers (1) and (2) in FIG. 6; hereafter, circled numbers in the figure are enclosed in parentheses), the web surface is divided into five printing areas ((3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) in FIG. 6), and the bottom flange back surface is divided into two printing areas ((8) and (9) in FIG. 6). In other words, the printing module 110 is operated in a total of nine locations to print the entire required printing area. If the target surface changes (moving from (2) to (3) or from (7) to (8) in FIG. 6), the printing module 110 is rotated to accommodate the change.

[0060] The movement mechanism of the printing module 110 in the function of printing on the side of the printing object will be described below. The movement mechanism of the print module 110 is a function that moves the print module 110 itself to the printing position. That is, the movement process by the movement (B) module 130, the movement (C) module 150, and the rotation module 160 will be described. In the case of the H-shaped steel member 200B, printing must be performed on a total of three surfaces: the backsides of the flanges on the top and bottom surfaces, and the web portion, so switching the surface to be printed is also necessary. The required operation is to operate the printing module 110 along the U-shaped portion of the H-shaped steel member 200B while maintaining a constant distance from the surface to be printed. In the case of the square beam 200A, the side surface corresponds to the web portion of the H-shaped steel material 200B, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the moving (B) module 130, the moving (C) module 150, and the rotating module 160 of this embodiment. The functions required for the printing module movement mechanism can be divided into three operations. The movement mechanism is shown in the example of Figure 7. First, we will explain the vertical movement function (movement (B) module 130) that moves the printing module 110 up and down along the web portion of the H-beam steel 200B. This function moves the web portion to the printing position during printing, and adjusts the distance between the target surface (the back of the flange) and the laser emission port of the printing module 110 for printing on the back of the flange. Next, the lateral movement mechanism (movement (C) module 150) is a mechanism that operates in a direction perpendicular to the vertical movement mechanism (vertical direction) along the flange portion. This adjusts the distance between the target surface (web portion) and the printing module 110 for printing on the web portion, and moves the flange back portion to the printing position during printing. Finally, the module rotation function (rotation module 160) rotates the printing module 110 itself along the U-shape of the H-beam 200B, thereby adjusting the orientation of the printing module 110 so that the printing target surface and the printing module 110 are horizontal with respect to three surfaces: the backsides of the flanges on the top and bottom surfaces, and the web portion. In other words, the printing module 110 rotates so that the laser emission port of the printing module 110 faces perpendicularly to the printing target surface so that the printing module 110 can print on the printing target surface. As a result, the printing module 110 can be freely moved along the side of the H-beam steel member 200B.

[0062] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the printing position of the printing module 110 on the H-beam steel material 200B. The operation process of the movement mechanism of the printing module 110 will be described using the example of FIG. An example will be described in which the printing range of the printing module 110 is 100 mm x 100 mm. The printing range is divided into the flange back portion and the web portion of the H-shaped steel material 200B. The H-shaped steel material 200B already exemplified has a flange back portion width of 200 mm and a web portion height of 500 mm, so as shown in the example of Figure 6, the upper and lower flange back portions are divided into two printing ranges each at 100 mm intervals ((1) and (2), (8) and (9) in Figure 6), and the web portion is divided into five printing ranges ((3) to (7) in Figure 6). Then, for the upper flange back portion, printing position 822B1 for printing range (1) and printing position 822B2 for printing range (2) are calculated. For the web portion, printing position 824B1 for printing range (3), printing position 824B2 for printing range (4), printing position 824B3 for printing range (5), printing position 824B4 for printing range (6), and printing position 824B5 for printing range (7) are calculated. For the lower flange back portion, printing position 826B1 for printing range (8) and printing position 826B2 for printing range (9) are calculated. Here, the calculations are performed by calculating positions that are perpendicular to the center of the printing range (e.g., 100 × 100 mm) on the target surface and are separated from the target surface by the focal length (e.g., 135 mm) of the printing module 110. In addition, the orientation of the printing module 110 is upward in the back part of the upper flange, left-handed in the web part (rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise after printing of the back part of the upper flange is completed), and downward in the back part of the lower flange (rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise after printing of the web part is completed).

[0063] The moving (B) module 130, the moving (C) module 150, and the rotating module 160 then move and rotate the printing module 110 according to these printing positions and orientations. When rotating the printing module 110 to change the surface to be printed, the printing module 110 is moved to a position where problems will not occur when switching the surface by presetting the positions of the top, bottom, left, and right where the printing module 110 may come into contact with the main body of the printing device 100 or the H-shaped steel member 200B. For example, if the printing module 110 is rotated at printing position 822B2 or printing position 824B1 after printing on the rear portion of the upper flange is completed and the printing module 110 comes into contact with the main body of the printing device 100 or the H-shaped steel member 200B, the printing module 110 is temporarily moved (evacuated) to a position where it will not come into contact with the main body of the printing device 100 or the H-shaped steel member 200B even when rotated, and then moved to printing position 824B1 after rotation. Similarly, if the printing module 110 is rotated at printing position 824B5 or printing position 826B1 after printing of the web portion is completed and the printing module 110 comes into contact with the main body of the printing device 100 or the H-shaped steel material 200B, the printing module 110 is first moved (evacuated) to a position where it will not come into contact with the main body of the printing device 100 or the H-shaped steel material 200B even when rotated, and then moved to printing position 826B1 after rotating. After the printing module 110 moves to the printing position, it stops at the printing position and printing is performed by the printing module 110.

[0064] A commercially available linear module (also called a linear slide module or robot arm) may be used as the movement (B) module 130. For example, the specifications may be as follows: stroke: 500 mm, accuracy: ±0.1 mm, maximum speed: 500 mm / s, load: 300 N, belt width: 15 mm, number of timing belt teeth: 24, and lead: 72 mm. The stepping motor of this linear module may have specifications of, for example, torque: 1.3 N m, rotation speed: 300-400 R / min, operating voltage: 12 / 24 VDC 3 Amp, and step angle: 1.8°. The printing module 110 moves along the rails on this linear module.

[0065] 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the movement (B) module 130 of this embodiment, that is, showing the operation process of the vertical movement mechanism. When this embodiment is started, an initial position setting program sets the origin of the absolute position for vertical movement. After that, an operation is performed according to the surface to be printed. If printing on the flange back portion, the distance between the nozzles of the upper and lower flange back surfaces and the printing module 110 is adjusted. Specifically, in the case of the specifications described above, the distance between the nozzles is 130 mm and the height of the web portion is 500 mm, so for the upper flange back portion, the printer moves to the 130 mm position (vertical movement stop position 911), and for the lower flange back portion, the printer moves to the 500-130=370 mm position (vertical movement stop position 912). When printing on the web portion, the printer divides the web portion into five positions ((1) to (5) in FIG. 9) within the printing range of 100 mm x 100 mm of the printing module 110, and moves to the coordinates of the center of each of the five printing ranges (printing position 824B1, printing position 824B2, printing position 824B3, printing position 824B4, printing position 824B5). These movements are controlled by a control computer. That is, the stepping motors of the vertical movement mechanism (movement (B) module 130) and the lateral movement mechanism (movement (C) module 150) are controlled, respectively. The servo motor of the rotation mechanism (rotation module 160) and the limit switch of the vertical movement mechanism (movement (B) module 130) are also controlled in the same way. A 24V voltage is applied using a DC stabilized power supply. The stepping motor of the vertical movement mechanism (described below) requires a power supply voltage of 24V, the stepping motor of the lateral movement mechanism requires a power supply voltage of 12V, and the servo motor of the module rotation mechanism requires a power supply voltage of 5V, with each voltage adjusted using a DC / DC converter.

[0066] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing according to this embodiment, illustrating an example of operation control (stepping motor operation program) of the stepping motors of the movement (B) module 130 and the movement (C) module 150. First, digital signals (rotation direction and number of steps) are sent to set the operating mode of the motor driver (steps S1002, S1004). If this is not done, the motor driver will not operate no matter what signal is sent to it. The stepping motor is operated by sending a pulse signal to the motor driver. Since each pulse rotates by one resolution, a signal is sent for repetitive control (steps S1008, S1014) the number of pulses specified, causing the motor to rotate (steps S1010, S1016). The direction of motor rotation is controlled by sending a digital signal to the motor driver by specifying it as a variable.

[0067] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the rotation and movement direction of a stepping motor. The relationship between the rotation of the stepping motor and the ascending and descending movement of the movement (B) module 130, and the relationship between the rotation of the stepping motor and the forward and backward movement of the movement (C) module 150 will be explained. "Forward rotation within the motor driver" corresponds to "reverse operation", which in the moving (B) module 130 corresponds to "raising the printing module 110", and in the moving (C) module 150 corresponds to "movement in the negative direction (moving the printing module 110 away from the web surface)", and "reverse rotation within the motor driver" corresponds to "forward operation", which in the moving (B) module 130 corresponds to "lowering the printing module 110", and in the moving (C) module 150 corresponds to "movement in the positive direction (moving the printing module 110 closer to the web surface)". The reason for setting the 0 position (initial position) to the highest position is to reduce cumulative error by using the absolute coordinate system for control and to match the sign of the coordinate position. Also, when taking into account the possibility that the height of the H-beam may fluctuate, if the 0 position is set to the lowest position (right side of Fig. 11), the 0 position will fluctuate depending on the object being machined, making it difficult to perform highly reliable initial position adjustment.

[0068] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing example according to this embodiment. This shows the procedure for setting the initial position, that is, the initialization program for the current position of the vertical movement mechanism (movement (B) module 130). Until the slide table contacts the limit switch for setting the initial position (No in step S1202), the stepping motor is repeatedly rotated to raise the slide table using a stepping motor operation program (step S1204), thereby raising the slide table. Specifically, the stepping motor is rotated in the negative direction (rotation to raise the slide table) for a predetermined number of steps (e.g., 10 steps). Then, if the limit switch is contacted (Yes in step S1202), variables are initialized with the current coordinates as the initial position (step S1206). The moving (C) module 150, the printing module 110, and the rotating module 160 are attached to the slide table in the moving (B) module 130.

[0069] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of processing according to this embodiment. Printing is performed on the top surface while moving the printing object in the longitudinal direction (step S1302). It is determined whether the printing object has reached the position in the longitudinal direction where printing on the side surfaces must be performed (step S1304). This determination process will be described later using the example of FIG. 14. If the printing object has not reached the position, the process returns to step S1302; if the printing object has reached the position, the process proceeds to step S1306. If it has reached the target position, the movement process in the longitudinal direction is stopped, and the printing process on the top surface is stopped (step S1306). Printing processing is performed on the side at the interrupted position (step S1308). Printing processing on the side will be described later using the example in FIG. 15. It is determined whether printing processing on the top and side has finished (step S1304). If not finished, the process returns to step S1302, and if it has reached the end, the process ends (step S1399).

[0070] 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the print area and the print position in this embodiment. That is, it shows the relationship between the print range (FIG. 14(b)) in side printing, the movement distance in the longitudinal direction, and the interruption position (FIG. 14(a)). As an example, let's assume that the longitudinal length of the printing target is 500 mm and the height of the side surface is 100 mm. Since the laser printing range for side surface printing is 100 x 100 mm, five side surface printing operations are required. Therefore, the longitudinal movement process and top surface printing are interrupted five times. The interruption positions (five positions: interruption position 1402 to interruption position 1410) correspond to the center positions (five positions: center position 1450 to center position 1458) of the printing range for side surface printing (five positions: side surface printing range 1440 to side surface printing range 1448). Naturally, in the case of the H-shaped steel member 200B, the side surface includes the back surface of the flange surface and the web surface. Therefore, when the H-shaped steel member 200B is the printing target, side surface printing is typically performed multiple times while top surface printing is interrupted. Specifically, the printing device 100 performs longitudinal movement processing and top surface printing processing from a start position 1400, and continues this processing up to a center position 1450 of the side surface printing range 1440 of the first side surface printing (up to an interruption position 1402 on the top surface). Then, when the printing device 100 reaches the interruption position 1402, it interrupts the longitudinal movement processing and top surface printing processing and performs side surface printing. In other words, the printing module 110 performs printing processing of the side surface printing range 1440. Once printing processing of the side surface printing range 1440 is completed, it performs longitudinal movement processing from the interruption position 1402 and top surface printing processing. This process is repeated, and once printing processing of the side surface printing range 1448 on the side is completed, it performs longitudinal movement processing and top surface printing processing for the remaining longitudinal movement distance 1430, and all processing ends when it reaches an end position 1412. As shown in the example of Figure 14, the first (longitudinal movement distance 1420) and last (longitudinal movement distance 1430) of the top surface printing process are half the width of the side surface printing range, and the other top surface printing processes (longitudinal movement distance 1422 to longitudinal movement distance 1428) are the same distance as the width of the side surface printing range.

[0071] The marking data, which is the printing data for the top surface, and the marking data, which is the printing data for the side surfaces, are generated from the CAD data of the three-view drawings. As shown in the example of FIG. 14, the center position of the printing range for the side surfaces is set to the start point or end point (temporary interruption position) of the printing area on the top surface. In other words, the center position of the printing range for the side surfaces is set to the interruption position (each start point and each end point of the printing on the top surface) in the longitudinal direction. The CAD data of the three-view drawings contains corresponding marking positions for the top surface and the side surfaces (the back surface of the flange, the web surface), so the marking data for each surface to be printed is generated from these corresponding positions. Then, the interruption position can be generated from the size of the printing range of the printing module 110. If the vertical direction of the side surface (the direction of movement of the moving (B) module 130) is the X-axis, the direction toward or away from the side surface (the direction of movement of the moving (C) module 150) is the Y-axis, and the longitudinal direction (the direction of movement of the moving (A) module 120) is the Z-axis, the center position is the center of the printing area on the side surface in the Z-axis (longitudinal direction). The top surface is in the YZ plane, the web surface is in the XZ plane, and the back surface of the flange surface is in the YZ plane. Note that the top surface and the back surface of the flange surface are in the same YZ plane, but they are YZ planes with different X-axis values.

[0072] When the printing device 100 reaches the interruption position by the movable (A) module 120, movement by the movable (A) module 120 and printing on the top surface by the top surface printing module 170 are interrupted, movement by the movable (B) module 130 or the movable (C) module 150 is started, and printing on the side surface is started by the printing module 110. Then, when printing on the side surface at that position (interruption position in the longitudinal direction) is completed, movement by the movable (A) module 120 and printing on the top surface by the top surface printing module 170 are resumed.

[0073] 15 is a flowchart showing an example of processing according to this embodiment, which is a self-position control program for side printing, and shows the program procedure for moving the slide table of the vertical movement mechanism to the printing position of the printing module 110 for side printing. Since this is a printing function, it is necessary to have the ability to move to specified coordinates as accurately as possible, so the resolution is set to 3200 and the lead is 72 mm, so the movement distance per step of the motor is set to lead 72 mm / (360 degrees / step angle 3200) = 0.0225 mm. The current position and the target position are input (step S1502). The current position X (variable) is compared with the target position A (constant), and if the target position A is greater than the current position X (No in step S1504, No in step S1510, Yes in step S1518), the robot descends (step S1520); if not (No in step S1504, Yes in step S1510), the robot ascends (step S1512). Also, the number of pulses for a step is calculated by subtracting the smaller of the current position X and the target position A from the larger one and dividing the result by the movement amount per step. Specifically, in step S1514, the calculation is made using "deflection=round((now_position-Next_position) / step_ang", and in step S1522, the calculation is made using "deflection=round((Next_position-now_position) / step_ang". Here, deflection is the number of steps, now_position is the current position X, Next_position is the target position A, and step_ang is the movement amount per step. This value (pulses for the number of steps (deflection) in the rotation direction corresponding to descent or ascent) is sent to the stepping motor operation program shown in the example of Fig. 10 (step S1526), ​​thereby moving to the specified target position A. Furthermore, any remainder generated by the division in step S1514 or step S1522 is counted as an accumulated error, and when the error reaches one step or more, the output is adjusted by one step (steps S1516, S1524). After the movement is complete, the target position is assigned to the current position X, and the current position is updated.

[0074] FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the appearance of the movement (C) module 150 of this embodiment. A commercially available stepping motor may be used as the actuator for the lateral movement mechanism (movement (C) module 150). For example, the following specifications may be used: Type: Bipolar, Two-phase; Step: 1.8 200 steps / rotation; Rated voltage: 12.0 V DC; Rated current: 1.5 A; Static torque: 280 mN.m or more (2-phase); Rated resistance: 2 ohms ±10% (20°C); Rated inductance: 3.4 mH ±20%; Inertia: 38 g / cm²; Weight: 210 grams; Length: 33 mm; Insulation class: B (130°C). The printing module 110 moves along a rail on this actuator. Alternatively, the movement (C) module 150 may be a linear module similar to the movement (B) module 130.

[0075] 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation of the movement (C) module 150 of this embodiment, that is, showing the operation process of the lateral movement mechanism. As with the vertical movement mechanism (movement (B) module 130), a stepping motor is used to operate a slide table equipped with a belt pulley, thereby moving the rotation module 160 and the printing module 110 left and right (toward or away from the web surface). The movement (C) module 150 shown in the example of FIG. 17 moves to the printing positions (printing positions 822B1 and 822B2, printing positions 826B1 and 826B2) when printing on the flange back portion of the H-beam steel 200B ((1) and (2), (5) and (4) in FIG. 17), and adjusts the distance between the web surface and the nozzle of the printing module 110 when printing on the web portion of the H-beam steel (stop positions (3) and (6) for left and right movement in FIG. 17). The print module 110 and the rotation module 160 are attached to the slide table of the moving (C) module 150. The horizontal movement mechanism (movement (C) module 150), like the vertical movement mechanism (movement (B) module 130), operates a stepping motor with a self-position control program shown in the example of Figure 15. In the case of H-beam specifications as described above, the width of the back of the flange is a maximum of 200 mm, which can be divided into two locations by the printing range of the printing module 110, and including the spacing adjustment area for printing on the web surface, all operations can be performed at three positions: the initial position, 100 mm, and 80 mm.

[0076] FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the appearance of the print module 110 and the rotation module 160 of this embodiment. The rotation module 160 is connected to a servo motor 1810 via a direct drive. The printing module 110 is connected to the servo motor 1810 via a fixture 1820, and the printing module 110 is rotated by the servo motor 1810. A commercially available servo motor may be used as the servo motor 1810. For example, there is one with specifications such as torque: maximum torque of 21.5 kg / cm (298.5 oz / in) at 6.8 volts, operating voltage: 4.8 to 6.8 V, and gear: stainless metal gear.

[0077] FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of processing by the rotation module 160 of this embodiment. The printing module 110 is rotated using the servo motor 1810, which is the rotation module 160, to adjust the laser emission port of the printing module 110 so that it is perpendicular to the surface to be printed. As shown in the example of Figure 19, the rotation is performed so that it is 0 degrees when printing the back of the upper flange, 90 degrees when printing the web portion, and 180 degrees when printing the back of the lower flange. Specifically, the control computer controls the rotation by specifying an angle to the servo motor 1810 using an angle specification function.

[0078] In the example of Figure 13, printing on the top surface and printing on the sides are performed alternately, but when the printing position for the sides is reached (or before that), it is possible to determine whether or not there is marking data for printing on the sides at that time, and if there is no marking data (i.e., there is no need to print on the sides at that time), the longitudinal movement and printing on the top surface can be continued without interruption.

[0079] The program described above may be provided by being stored on a recording medium, or may be provided via communication means. In such cases, the program described above may be considered as an invention of a "computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded." "Computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded" means a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded, which is used for installing, executing, distributing, etc. a program. Recording media include, for example, digital versatile discs (DVDs) such as DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, etc., which are standards established by the DVD Forum, and DVD+R, DVD+RW, etc., which are standards established for DVD+RW; compact discs (CDs) such as read-only memory (CD-ROM), CD recordable (CD-R), CD rewritable (CD-RW), Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc, magneto-optical disk (MO), flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and rewritable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, random access memory (RAM), SD (short for Secure Digital) memory cards, etc. The program, in whole or in part, may be recorded on the recording medium and stored, distributed, etc. It may also be transmitted by communication using a transmission medium such as a wired network used in a local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, etc., a wireless communication network, or a combination thereof, or may be carried on a carrier wave. Furthermore, the program may be a part or all of another program, or may be recorded on a recording medium together with a separate program. It may also be split and recorded on multiple recording media. It may also be recorded in any format, such as compressed or encrypted, as long as it is restorable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 100...Printing device 100A...Printing device 100B…Printing device 100C…Printing device 100D…Printing device 110...Printing module 120...Movement (A) module 130...Movement (B) module 140...Control module 150...Movement (C) module 160...Rotation module 170...Top printing module

Claims

1. a printing means for printing on the side of the printing object; a first moving means for moving the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object; a second moving means for moving the printing means in the vertical direction of the side surface of the printing object; a control means for controlling the movement of the printing means using the first movement means and the second movement means in accordance with data to be printed on the side surface of the printing object by the printing means; A printing device comprising:

2. The printing object is an H-beam steel material, The H-shaped steel material is placed with one flange surface as the top surface, The printing means prints on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, a third moving means for moving the printing means in a direction toward or away from the web surface of the H-shaped steel material; the control means controls the third movement means to move the printing means to a position where the printing means can print on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material; the control means controls the movement of the printing means using the second movement means in accordance with data to be printed on the web surface of the H-shaped steel material by the printing means. The printing device of claim 1 .

3. The printing means further prints on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material, further comprising a rotating means for rotating the printing means; the control means controls the movement of the printing means using the first movement means to a position where the printing means can print on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material; the control means controls the movement of the printing means using the third movement means in accordance with data to be printed on the back surface of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material; The control means controls the rotation of the printing means using the rotation means to rotate the printing means so as to print from the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the web surface of the H-shaped steel material, or to print from the web surface of the H-shaped steel material onto the backside of the flange surface of the H-shaped steel material. The printing device according to claim 2 .

4. Further, a top surface printing means for printing on the top surface of the printing object is provided, the control means controls the top surface printing means to move using the first movement means in accordance with data to be printed on the top surface of the printing object by the top surface printing means; The printing device of claim 1 .

5. the control means controls the timing of movement by the first movement means and the second movement means in accordance with correspondence between data to be printed on the top surface and data to be printed on the side surfaces in the CAD data of the three-view drawings. The printing device according to claim 4 .

6. The printing means and the top surface printing means perform printing using different printing methods. The printing device according to claim 4 .

7. the printing means is laser printing; the top surface printing means is inkjet printing, the control means controls the top surface printing means to print on the top surface of the printing object while the first moving means moves the object, The control means controls the printing means to print on the side surface of the printing object while the movement of the top surface printing means is suspended. The printing device according to claim 6.

8. a printing means for printing on the side of the printing object; a first moving means for moving the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object; a second moving means for moving the printing means in the vertical direction of the side surface of the printing object; A control method for a printing device having a control means, comprising: The control means controlling the movements of the first moving means and the second moving means in accordance with data to be printed on the side surface of the printing object by the printing means; Printing control method.

9. A printing device including a printing means, a first moving means, a second moving means, and a control means, a printing means for printing on the side of the printing object; a first moving means for moving the printing means in the longitudinal direction of the printing object; a second moving means for moving the printing means in the vertical direction of the side surface of the printing object; a control means for controlling the movements of the first moving means and the second moving means in accordance with data to be printed on the side surface of the printing object by the printing means; A printing processing program that functions as a

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