Offline teaching device and offline teaching method

Abstract

This offline teaching device comprises: an input unit capable of receiving an operator operation; an acquisition unit that acquires 3D shape data of a workpiece and a sensor scan range; a generation unit that generates 3D regions to be scanned on the basis of the scan range and a specified scan interval; and a control unit that positions at least one 3D region on the 3D shape data of the workpiece on the basis of the operator operation, and creates and outputs, to a welding robot, a teaching program for scanning the 3D region on the basis of the positioned 3D region and a welding operation path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an offline teaching device and an offline teaching method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an offline teaching device that displays the operation trajectory of a robot when a teaching program is executed on a model diagram, and displays a part of a plurality of position detection commands and a part of a plurality of welding commands. The offline teaching device includes a display unit that displays a teaching program and a model diagram, a storage unit that stores commands constituting the teaching program and model data of the model diagram, and a control unit that controls the display unit and the storage unit. The teaching program includes a position detection program composed of a plurality of position detection commands and a welding program composed of a plurality of welding commands. Here, each of the commands, the position detection program, and the welding program constituting the teaching program is created by an operator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides an offline teaching device and an offline teaching method for more efficiently creating a teaching program for a sensor scanning operation executed by a welding robot.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present disclosure provides an offline teaching device including: an input unit capable of receiving an operator's operation; an acquisition unit that acquires three-dimensional shape data of a workpiece produced by welding, an operation locus of the welding, and a scanning range of a sensor that scans an appearance shape of the workpiece; a generation unit that generates a three-dimensional region scanned by the sensor based on the acquired scanning range and a scanning section designated by the operator's operation; and a control unit that arranges at least one of the three-dimensional regions on the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece based on the operator's operation input to the input unit, and creates and outputs a teaching program for causing the welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region based on the arranged three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding.

[0006] The present disclosure also provides an offline teaching method performed by an offline teaching device configured to include one or more computers communicably connected to an input device capable of receiving an operator's operation. The method includes: acquiring three-dimensional shape data of a workpiece produced by welding, an operation locus of the welding, and a scanning range of a sensor that scans an appearance shape of the workpiece; generating a three-dimensional region scanned by the sensor based on the acquired scanning range and a scanning section designated by the operator's operation; arranging at least one of the three-dimensional regions on the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece based on the operator's operation acquired from the input device; and creating and outputting a teaching program for causing the welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region based on the arranged three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding.

[0007] The present disclosure also provides , make An offline teaching method performed by a contractor operating an input device and using the offline teaching device configured to include one or more computers communicably connected to the input device, the method comprising: inputting three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece produced by the welding and the operation locus of the welding into the offline teaching device; inputting the scanning section for scanning the appearance shape of the workpiece into the offline teaching device; inputting the shape of the scanning location scanned in the scanning section into the offline teaching device; generating the three-dimensional region scanned by the sensor based on the scanning section and the shape of the scanning location; and creating a teaching program for causing the welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a teaching program for a scanning operation of a sensor executed by a welding robot can be created more efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (Background Leading to the Present Disclosure) As in Patent Document 1, a device configuration capable of constructing a virtual production facility using an offline teaching device has been conventionally known. Such an offline teaching device makes it easier for an operator to identify editing locations during the creation of a teaching program by simultaneously displaying some position detection commands corresponding to the operation trajectory of a welding robot and some welding commands, and can assist in improving the creation efficiency and accuracy of the created program.

[0011] In recent years, automation of visual inspection, which is a method for quality confirmation of welding points (i.e., weld beads), has been carried out. Visual inspection is performed by a welding robot or an inspection robot equipped with a sensor capable of measuring the three-dimensional shape of the weld bead by scanning the workpiece with a laser beam. In such automation of visual inspection, the teaching operation for performing visual inspection using a sensor is performed by teaching the scanning range using a device with a weak output such as a laser pointer and visible to the operator. However, since the scanable range of the sensor is not visualized during the teaching operation, the operator cannot determine whether the taught scan range is within the actual scanable range of the sensor. Therefore, when using the teaching program created based on the above-described teaching operation, the sensor may not be able to read the taught scan range.

[0012] In addition, there is an offline teaching device that teaches the scanning location in a virtual space. The offline teaching device visualizes the scanable range at a predetermined position in the horizontal direction (on the XY plane), thereby visualizing the scan location taught by the operator and the scanable range by the sensor, and assisting the teaching operation for performing the visual inspection by the operator. However, it is difficult for the offline teaching device to visualize a three-dimensional scanable range (area) linked to the operation of a welding robot or an inspection robot equipped with a sensor. When performing visual inspection using a teaching program created using such an offline teaching device, there is a possibility that the visual inspection target cannot be scanned within the taught scan range. Therefore, the operator has to perform visual inspection using the created teaching program or make corrections to the taught locations based on the scan results (visual inspection results) of the sensor in the visual inspection, which is very troublesome.

[0013] Therefore, in each of the following embodiments, an example of an offline teaching device and an offline teaching method for more efficiently updating the teaching program for the welding operation or the scanning operation performed by the welding robot will be described.

[0014] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings as appropriate, each embodiment specifically disclosing the offline teaching device and the offline teaching method according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, a more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and redundant descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid making the following description unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Note that the attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and it is not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims thereby.

[0015] Hereinafter, the object to be welded (for example, metal) is defined as the "original workpiece", and the object produced (manufactured) by this welding is defined as the "workpiece", respectively. The "workpiece" is not limited to the workpiece produced by one-time main welding, and may be a composite workpiece produced by two or more times of main welding. Also, the process of joining the original workpiece and other original workpieces by a welding robot to produce a workpiece is defined as "main welding".

[0016] (Configuration of Welding System) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system configuration example of a welding system 100 according to Embodiment 1. The welding system 100 includes a host device 1 connected to an external storage ST, an input interface UI1, and a monitor MN1, a robot control device 2, an inspection control device 3, a sensor 4, an offline teaching device 5, a monitor MN3, an input device UI3, a welding robot MC1, and a monitor MN2. In FIG. 1, the sensor 4 is shown as a separate body from the welding robot MC1, but it may be provided integrally with the welding robot MC1 (see FIG. 2). The monitor MN2 is not an essential configuration and may be omitted.

[0017] The host device 1 comprehensively controls the start and completion of the main welding executed by the welding robot MC1 via the robot control device 2. For example, the host device 1 reads welding-related information pre-input or set by a user (e.g., a welding operator or a system administrator; the same applies hereinafter) from the external storage ST, and using the welding-related information, generates an execution command for the main welding including the content of the welding-related information and transmits it to the corresponding robot control device 2. When the main welding by the welding robot MC1 is completed, the host device 1 receives a main welding completion report indicating that the main welding by the welding robot MC1 is completed from the robot control device 2, updates the status to indicate that the corresponding main welding is completed, and records it in the external storage ST.

[0018] Note that the execution command for the main welding described above is not limited to being generated by the host device 1. For example, it may be generated by an operation panel of equipment (e.g., a PLC: Programmable Logic Controller) within a factory where the main welding is performed, or an operation panel of the robot control device 2 (e.g., a teach pendant ) The teach pendant is a device for operating the welding robot MC1 connected to the robot control device 2.

[0019] Also, the host device 1 comprehensively controls the start and completion of the bead appearance inspection using the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, and the sensor 4. For example, when the host device 1 receives the main welding completion report from the robot control device 2, it generates an execution command for the bead appearance inspection of the workpiece produced by the welding robot MC1 and transmits it to each of the robot control device 2 and the inspection control device 3. When the bead appearance inspection is completed, the host device 1 receives an appearance inspection report indicating that the bead appearance inspection is completed from the inspection control device 3, updates the status to indicate that the corresponding bead appearance inspection is completed, and records it in the external storage ST.

[0020] Here, the welding-related information is information indicating the content of this welding executed by the welding robot MC1, which is created in advance for each process of this welding and registered in the external storage ST. The welding-related information includes, for example, the number of original workpieces used in this welding, the ID of the original workpiece used in this welding, the lot information of the original workpiece, the name, and the workpiece information including the welding location (e.g., information on the welding line, position information of the welding line, etc.), the scheduled execution date when this welding is to be executed, the production quantity of the original workpiece, and various welding conditions during this welding. Note that the welding-related information is not limited to the data of the above-mentioned items, and may further include each of the created welding operation and scan operation teaching programs (see later for reference), welding operation setting information used for creating these teaching programs, scan operation setting information, and other information.

[0021] Also, the welding conditions are, for example, the material and thickness of the original workpiece, the material and wire diameter of the welding wire 301, the type of shielding gas, the flow rate of the shielding gas, the set average value of the welding current, the set average value of the welding voltage, the feeding speed and feeding amount of the welding wire 301, the number of welds, the welding time, etc. In addition to these, information indicating the type of this welding (e.g., TIG welding, MAG welding, pulsed welding), the moving speed and moving time of the manipulator 200 may also be included.

[0022] Based on the execution command of this welding transmitted from the upper device 1, the robot control device 2 causes the welding robot MC1 to start executing this welding using the original workpiece specified by the execution command. Note that the above-mentioned welding-related information is not limited to being managed by the upper device 1 referring to the external storage ST, and may be managed, for example, by the robot control device 2. In this case, since the robot control device 2 can grasp the state where this welding is completed, the actual execution date may be managed instead of the scheduled execution date of the welding process among the welding-related information. In this specification, regardless of the type of this welding, for the sake of easy understanding of the explanation, a process of joining a plurality of original workpieces to produce one workpiece will be exemplified and explained.

[0023] The host device 1 is connected so as to enable input and output of data between it and each of the monitor MN1, the input interface UI1, and the external storage ST, and is further connected so as to enable data communication with the robot control device 2. The host device 1 may be a terminal device P1 that integrally includes the monitor MN1 and the input interface UI1, and may further integrally include the external storage ST. In this case, the terminal device P1 is a PC (Personal Computer) used by the user prior to the execution of this welding. Note that the terminal device P1 is not limited to the above-described PC, and may be a computer device having a communication function such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, for example.

[0024] The monitor MN1 may be configured using a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electroluminescence), for example. The monitor MN1 may display a screen indicating, for example, a notification that this welding has been completed or a notification that the bead appearance inspection has been completed, which is output from the host device 1. Further, instead of the monitor MN1 or together with the monitor MN1, a speaker (not shown) may be connected to the host device 1, and the host device 1 may output, via the speaker, the content indicating that this welding has been completed or the content indicating that the bead appearance inspection has been completed.

[0025] The input interface UI1 is a user interface that detects a user's input operation and outputs it to the host device 1, and may be configured using, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch panel. The input interface UI1 receives, for example, an input operation when the user creates welding-related information or an input operation when transmitting an execution command for this welding to the robot control device 2.

[0026] The external storage ST is configured using, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid state drive. The external storage ST stores, for example, data of welding-related information created for each main weld, the status (production status) of the work Wk produced by the main weld, and the work information of the work Wk (refer to the above). Note that the external storage ST may store, for each welding line, the teaching program of the welding operation created by the offline teaching device 5 and the teaching program of the scanning operation. The teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation will be described later.

[0027] The robot control device 2 is connected so as to be able to communicate data with the host device 1, the inspection control device 3, and the offline teaching device 5, respectively, and is connected so as to be able to communicate data with the welding robot MC1. When the robot control device 2 receives an execution command for the main weld transmitted from the host device 1, it creates a main welding program based on the teaching program of the welding operation corresponding to this execution command, and controls the welding robot MC1 to execute the main weld. When the robot control device 2 detects the completion of the main weld, it generates a main weld completion report indicating that the main weld has been completed and notifies the host device 1. Thereby, the host device 1 can appropriately detect the completion of the main weld by the robot control device 2. Note that the method for detecting the completion of the main weld by the robot control device 2 may be, for example, a method of determining based on a signal indicating the completion of the main weld from a sensor (not shown) provided in the wire feeding device 300, or a known method, and the content of the method for detecting the completion of the main weld is not limited.

[0028] The welding robot MC1 is connected so as to be able to communicate data with the robot control device 2. The welding robot MC1 executes the main weld commanded by the host device 1 under the control of the corresponding robot control device 2. Further, the welding robot MC1 executes the bead appearance inspection commanded by the host device 1 by moving the sensor 4 based on the teaching program of the scanning operation.

[0029] The inspection control device 3 is connected so as to enable data communication with each of the host device 1, the robot control device 2, the sensor 4, and the offline teaching device 5. When the inspection control device 3 receives an execution command for bead appearance inspection transmitted from the host device 1, according to the teaching program of the scanning operation of the corresponding workpiece Wk, the bead appearance inspection of the welding portion (that is, the welding bead) of the workpiece Wk produced by the welding robot MC1 (for example, whether the welding bead formed on the workpiece meets a predetermined welding standard) is executed together with the sensor 4. Based on the input data regarding the shape of the welding bead (for example, point cloud data capable of specifying the three-dimensional shape of the welding bead) acquired by the sensor 4 as a result of the scanning operation, the inspection control device 3 performs a bead appearance inspection based on comparison with the master data of the non-defective workpieces predetermined for each workpiece. Note that the bead appearance inspection executed by the welding robot MC1 in the first embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the appearance inspection of the welding bead, and may be an inspection including the appearance inspection of the welding bead and other appearance inspections (for example, whether parts are mounted on the workpiece Wk, etc.). Thereby, the operator can more efficiently utilize the scanning effective area of the sensor 4 and simultaneously execute appearance inspections having different purposes based on the appearance inspection results. Here, the scanning effective area refers to a three-dimensional area in which the sensor 4 can read the appearance shape by scanning.

[0030] The inspection control device 3 performs a bead appearance inspection, generates an appearance inspection report including the inspection determination result of this bead appearance inspection and a notification indicating that the bead appearance inspection has been completed, and transmits it to the host device 1 and outputs it to the monitor MN2. When the inspection control device 3 determines that a defect has been detected in the bead appearance inspection of the workpiece, it generates an appearance inspection report including the appearance inspection result including the information on the defective section for repair welding of the defect, and transmits it to the host device 1 and the robot control device 2. When the inspection control device 3 determines that a defect has been detected by the bead appearance inspection of the workpiece, it creates a repair welding program for performing repairs such as repairing the defective portion using the appearance inspection result including the information on the defective section. The inspection control device 3 associates this repair welding program with the appearance inspection result and transmits it to the host device 1 or the robot control device 2.

[0031] The sensor 4 is connected so as to enable data communication with the inspection control device 3. The sensor 4 is attached to the welding robot MC1, and in response to the driving of the manipulator 200 based on the control of the robot control device 2, the work Wk or the stage on which the work Wk is placed Di (not shown) of performs a three-dimensional scan. The sensor 4, in response to the driving of the manipulator 200 based on the control of the robot control device 2, the stage to Di where the work Wk is placed or the three-dimensional shape data of the work Wk placed on the stage of Di acquires three-dimensional shape data (for example, point cloud data) capable of specifying the shape, size, position, etc., and transmits it to the inspection control device 3.

[0032] The monitor MN2 may be configured using a display device such as an LCD or an organic EL. The monitor MN2 displays, for example, a notification that the bead appearance inspection has been completed output from the inspection control device 3, or a screen showing the notification and the result of the bead appearance inspection. Also, instead of the monitor MN2, or together with the monitor MN2, a speaker (not shown) may be connected to the inspection control device 3, and the inspection control device 3 may output a notification that the appearance inspection has been completed, or a voice indicating the content of the notification and the bead appearance inspection result, via the speaker.

[0033] The offline teaching device 5 is communicably connected to the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, the monitor MN3, and the input device UI3, respectively. The offline teaching device 5 stores, as setting information, the position information of the welding line for each work Wk that is the target of creation or has been created of the teaching program. Further, the offline teaching device 5 constructs virtual production facilities (for example, virtual welding robots, virtual workpieces, virtual stages, etc.), and based on the control commands and various data transmitted from the input device UI3, or various data output from the robot control device 2 or the inspection control device 3 (for example, welding beads, or input data regarding the shape of the work Wk, 3D model data, position information of the welding line, etc.), etc., creates a teaching program for the welding operation of the work Wk and a teaching program for the scanning operation, respectively. The offline teaching device 5 transmits each of the created teaching programs for the welding operation and the scanning operation to the robot control device 2. Note that the created teaching program for the scanning operation may be transmitted not only to the robot control device 2 but also to the inspection control device 3. Further, the offline teaching device 5 stores each of the created teaching programs for the welding operation and the scanning operation for each work Wk.

[0034] The position information of the welding line referred to here is information indicating the position of the welding line formed on the work Wk.

[0035] Further, the teaching program for the welding operation referred to here is a program created based on the welding line and for causing the welding robot MC1 to perform the main welding. The teaching program for the welding operation is created to include information on the position, distance, and angle (posture) of the welding torch 400 for performing various operations (for example, approach, retract, avoidance, welding, etc.) for performing the main welding of the work Wk using the welding torch 400, and information on welding conditions, etc.

[0036] In addition, the teaching program for the scanning operation referred to here is a program created based on the welding line, which causes the welding robot MC1 to execute at least one weld bead created by this welding or the appearance inspection of the workpiece Wk. The teaching program for the scanning operation is created using the sensor 4 and includes information on the position, distance, and angle (posture) of the sensor 4 for performing various operations (such as approach, retract, avoidance, scan, etc.) for the appearance inspection of the created weld bead, workpiece Wk, etc.

[0037] The monitor MN3 may be configured using a display device such as an LCD or an organic EL. The monitor MN3 displays an image of virtual production facilities (such as a virtual welding robot, a virtual workpiece, a virtual stage, etc.) transmitted from the offline teaching device 5, or displays the operation trajectory of the welding torch 400 based on the teaching program for the welding operation, the operation trajectory of the sensor 4 based on the teaching program for the scanning operation, etc. Further, the monitor MN3 displays an image in which the operation trajectory of the sensor 4 or the operation trajectory of the welding torch 400, etc. is superimposed on the image of the virtual production facilities transmitted from the offline teaching device 5.

[0038] The input device UI3 is a user interface that detects the user's input operation and outputs it to the upper device 1, and may be configured using, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch panel. The input device UI3 accepts input operations such as the position information of the welding line of the workpiece Wk, welding setting information, scanning setting information, 3D model, etc. used for creating the teaching programs for the scanning operation and the welding operation, or input operations for each of the created teaching programs for the scanning operation and the welding operation. Here, the monitor MN3 and the input device UI3 may be an integrated terminal device P3 (such as a PC, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, etc.).

[0039] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configurations of the inspection control device 3, the robot control device 2, the host device 1, and the offline teaching device 5 according to Embodiment 1. For ease of explanation, in FIG. 2, the monitors MN1 and MN2 and the input interface UI1 are not shown. Note that the workpiece Wk shown in FIG. 2 is a workpiece to be subjected to bead appearance inspection. This workpiece Wk may be a workpiece produced by main welding, or may be a so-called repaired workpiece repaired one or more times by repair welding. Further, although the welding robot MC1 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to include the sensor 4, the sensor 4 may be provided in other robots (for example, an inspection robot for performing appearance inspection, a repair welding robot for performing repair welding, etc.).

[0040] Under the control of the robot control device 2, the welding robot MC1 executes a main welding process based on a teaching program of a welding operation using the welding torch 400, a bead appearance inspection process based on a teaching program of a scanning operation using the sensor 4, and the like. Further, the welding robot MC1 may scan the appearance of the workpiece Wk using the sensor 4 in order to acquire the appearance shape of the workpiece Wk used for creating the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation, and the position information of the welding beads formed on the workpiece Wk. The welding robot MC1 performs, for example, arc welding in the process of main welding. However, the welding robot MC1 may perform other welding (for example, laser welding, gas welding) other than arc welding. In this case, although not shown, a laser head may be connected to a laser oscillator via an optical fiber instead of the welding torch 400. The welding robot MC1 is configured to include at least a manipulator 200, a wire feeding device 300, a welding wire 301, and a welding torch 400.

[0041] The manipulator 200 is equipped with a multi-joint arm and moves each arm based on a control signal from the robot control unit 24 of the robot control device 2. Thereby, the manipulator 200 can change the positional relationship between the work Wk and the welding torch 400 (for example, the angle of the welding torch 400 with respect to the work Wk) and the positional relationship between the work Wk and the sensor 4 by driving the arms respectively.

[0042] The wire feeder 300 controls the feeding speed of the welding wire 301 based on a control signal from the robot control device 2. The wire feeder 300 may be provided with a sensor (not shown) capable of detecting the remaining amount of the welding wire 301. The robot control device 2 can detect that the process of this welding has been completed based on the output of this sensor.

[0043] The welding wire 301 is held by the welding torch 400. When power is supplied from the power supply device 500 to the welding torch 400, an arc is generated between the tip of the welding wire 301 and the work Wk, and arc welding is performed. Note that, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the configuration for supplying shielding gas to the welding torch 400 and the like are omitted from these illustrations and explanations.

[0044] The host device 1 generates an execution command for various processes of this welding or bead appearance inspection using welding-related information input or set in advance by the user, and transmits it to the robot control device 2. As described above, when the sensor 4 is integrally attached to the welding robot MC1, the execution command for bead appearance inspection is sent to both the robot control device 2 and the inspection control device 3. The host device 1 has a configuration including at least a communication unit 10, a processor 11, and a memory 12.

[0045] The communication unit 10 is connected so as to enable data communication with each of the robot control device 2 and the external storage ST. The communication unit 10 transmits to the robot control device 2 an execution command for various processes of the main welding or bead appearance inspection generated by the processor 11. The communication unit 10 receives the main welding completion report and the appearance inspection report transmitted from the robot control device 2 and outputs them to the processor 11. Note that the execution command for the main welding may include, for example, control signals for controlling each of the manipulator 200, the wire feeder 300, and the power supply device 500 provided in the welding robot MC1.

[0046] The processor 11 is configured using, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and performs various processes and controls in cooperation with the memory 12. Specifically, the processor 11 functionally realizes the cell control unit 13 by referring to a program held in the memory 12 and executing the program.

[0047] The memory 12 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a work memory used when the processor 11 executes processing, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a program defining the processing of the processor 11. Data generated or acquired by the processor 11 is temporarily stored in the RAM. A program defining the processing of the processor 11 is written in the ROM. Further, the memory 12 stores data of welding-related information read from the external storage ST, the status of the work Wk, and data of work information of the work Wk (to be described later with reference) transmitted from the robot control device 2, respectively.

[0048] The cell control unit 13 generates an execution command for performing main welding, bead appearance inspection of the workpiece Wk, appearance scan of the workpiece Wk, or repair welding based on the welding-related information stored in the external storage ST. Further, the cell control unit 13 creates a main welding program during main welding, an appearance inspection program for driving the welding robot MC1 during bead appearance inspection of the workpiece Wk, or an appearance scan program for driving the welding robot MC1 during appearance scan, based on the welding-related information stored in the external storage ST and each of the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scan operation created by the offline teaching device 5 and transmitted from the robot control device 2. Furthermore, the cell control unit 13 creates an execution command for executing these created programs. Note that each of the appearance inspection program or the appearance scan program may be created in advance for each workpiece Wk and stored in the external storage ST. In this case, the cell control unit 13 reads and acquires various programs from the external storage ST. The cell control unit 13 may generate different execution commands for each of the various processes of the main welding executed by the welding robot MC1. The main welding , bead The execution commands for appearance inspection and appearance scan are transmitted to the corresponding robot control device 2, or each of the robot control device 2 and the inspection control device 3 via the communication unit 10.

[0049] Based on the execution command for main welding, bead appearance inspection, or appearance scan transmitted from the host device 1, the robot control device 2 refers to the corresponding program. The robot control device 2 controls the welding robot MC1 (for example, the sensor 4, the manipulator 200, the wire feeding device 300, the power supply device 500) based on the referred program. The robot control device 2 has a configuration including at least a communication unit 20, a processor 21, and a memory 22.

[0050] The communication unit 20 is connected so as to enable data communication with the host device 1, the inspection control device 3, the welding robot MC1, and the offline teaching device 5 respectively. Although the illustration is simplified in FIG. 2, data transmission and reception are performed between the robot control unit 24 and the manipulator 200, between the robot control unit 24 and the wire feeding device 300, and between the power control unit 25 and the power supply device 500 via the communication unit 20 respectively. The communication unit 20 receives an execution command for this welding or bead appearance inspection transmitted from the host device 1. The communication unit 20 receives the position information of the welding line, the teaching program for the welding operation, and the teaching program for the scanning operation transmitted from the offline teaching device 5. The communication unit 20 transmits the work information of the work Wk produced by this welding to the host device 1.

[0051] Here, the work information includes at least the ID of the work Wk, the ID, name, welding location of the original work used for this welding, and the welding conditions at the time of execution of this welding.

[0052] The processor 21 is configured using, for example, a CPU or an FPGA, and cooperates with the memory 22 to perform various processes and controls. Specifically, the processor 21 refers to the program held in the memory 22 and executes the program to functionally realize the this welding program creation unit 23, the robot control unit 24, and the power control unit 25. Further, the processor 21 performs operations such as calculation of parameters for controlling the welding robot MC1 (specifically, each of the manipulator 200, the wire feeding device 300, and the power supply device 500) controlled by the robot control unit 24 based on the this welding program generated by the this welding program creation unit 23.

[0053] The memory 22 includes, for example, a RAM as a work memory used when executing the processing of the processor 21, and a ROM that stores a program defining the processing of the processor 21. Data generated or acquired by the processor 21 is temporarily stored in the RAM. A program defining the processing of the processor 21 is written in the ROM. Further, the memory 22 stores, respectively, data of an execution command for the main welding or bead appearance inspection transmitted from the host device 1, and welding-related information associating work information of the work Wk produced by the main welding with the position information of the welding line. Note that the welding-related information including the work information of the work Wk to which the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation are transmitted from the offline teaching device 5 may include the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation, the position information of the welding line used for creating the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation, the welding operation setting information, and the scanning operation setting information.

[0054] Based on the execution command for the main welding transmitted from the host device 1 via the communication unit 20, the main welding program creation unit 23 uses the work information (for example, work ID, name, work coordinate system, information of the original work, position information of the welding line, etc.) of each of the plurality of original works included in the execution command and the teaching program of the welding operation associated with the work information to create a main welding program for the main welding to be executed by the welding robot MC1. The main welding program may include various parameters such as welding current, welding voltage, offset amount, welding speed, and the posture of the welding torch 400 for controlling the power supply device 500, the manipulator 200, the wire feeding device 300, the welding torch 400, etc. during the execution of the main welding. Note that the main welding program may be stored in the processor 21 or in the RAM in the memory 22.

[0055] The robot control unit 24 generates a control signal for driving the welding robot MC1 (specifically, each of the sensor 4, the manipulator 200, the wire feeder 300, and the power supply device 500) based on the main welding program generated by the main welding program creation unit 23. The robot control unit 24 transmits this generated control signal to the welding robot MC1.

[0056] Also, the robot control unit 24 drives each of the manipulator 200 and the sensor 4 of the welding robot MC1 based on the appearance inspection program created using the teaching program for the scanning operation. As a result, the sensor 4 attached to the welding robot MC1 moves along with the operation of the welding robot MC1, and by scanning the weld bead of the workpiece Wk, it can acquire input data regarding the shape of the weld bead (for example, point cloud data capable of specifying the three-dimensional shape of the weld bead), or by partially scanning the workpiece Wk, it can acquire input data regarding the partial shape of the workpiece Wk corresponding to other appearance inspection locations (for example, point cloud data capable of specifying the three-dimensional shape of the workpiece Wk corresponding to other appearance inspection locations).

[0057] The power supply control unit 25 drives the power supply device 500 based on the calculation result of the main welding program generated by the main welding program creation unit 23.

[0058] The inspection control device 3 controls the bead appearance inspection process of the workpiece Wk produced by the main welding by the welding robot MC1 or the workpiece Wk repaired by one or more repair weldings based on the execution command of the bead appearance inspection transmitted from the upper device 1. The bead appearance inspection is, for example, an inspection of whether the weld bead formed on the workpiece Wk meets a predetermined welding standard (for example, the quality standard of welding required by each user), and is composed of the above-described inspection determination. The inspection control device 3 determines (inspects) whether the appearance shape of the weld bead formed on the workpiece Wk meets a predetermined welding standard based on the input data regarding the shape of the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 (for example, point cloud data capable of specifying the three-dimensional shape of the weld bead). Further, the inspection control device 3 transmits the input data regarding the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 or the shape of the workpiece Wk to the offline teaching device 5. The inspection control device 3 is configured to include at least a communication unit 30, a processor 31, a memory 32, and an inspection result storage unit 33.

[0059] The communication unit 30 is connected so as to enable data communication with the upper device 1, the robot control device 2, the sensor 4, and the offline teaching device 5, respectively. Although the illustration is simplified in FIG. 2, data transmission and reception between the shape detection control unit 35 and the sensor 4 are performed via the communication unit 30, respectively. The communication unit 30 receives the execution command of the bead appearance inspection transmitted from the upper device 1. The communication unit 30 transmits the inspection determination result of the bead appearance inspection using the sensor 4 to the upper device 1 or transmits the data of the three-dimensional shape of the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 to the offline teaching device 5.

[0060] The processor 31 is configured using, for example, a CPU or an FPGA, and performs various processes and controls in cooperation with the memory 32. Specifically, the processor 31 refers to the program held in the memory 32 and executes the program to functionally realize the determination threshold storage unit 34, the shape detection control unit 35, the data processing unit 36, the inspection result determination unit 37, and the repair welding program creation unit 38.

[0061] The memory 32 includes, for example, a RAM used as a work memory when executing the processing of the processor 31, and a ROM that stores a program defining the processing of the processor 31. Data generated or acquired by the processor 31 is temporarily stored in the RAM. A program defining the processing of the processor 31 is written in the ROM. Further, the memory 32 may store, in association with each other, the teaching program of the scanning operation transmitted from the offline teaching device 5 and the work information.

[0062] The inspection result storage unit 33 is configured by using, for example, a hard disk or a solid state drive. The inspection result storage unit 33 stores data indicating the result of the bead appearance inspection of the welding portion in the work Wk (for example, a work or a repair work) as an example of the data generated or acquired by the processor 31. The data indicating the result of this bead appearance inspection is generated by, for example, the inspection result determination unit 37 (specifically, any one of the first inspection determination unit 371, the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N included in the inspection result determination unit 37).

[0063] The determination threshold storage unit 34 is constituted by, for example, a cache memory provided in the processor 31, and is preset by a user operation. It stores information on respective thresholds (for example, respective thresholds set for each type of welding defect) corresponding to each of the welding locations and the processes of bead appearance inspections of the first inspection determination unit 371, …, the Nth inspection determination unit 37N included in the inspection result determination unit 37. Each threshold is, for example, a tolerance range for positional deviation of the welding bead, and respective thresholds for the length, height, and width of the welding bead, and respective thresholds for porosity, pits, undercuts, and spatter. The determination threshold storage unit 34 may store, as each threshold at the time of bead appearance inspection after repair welding, an allowable range (for example, minimum allowable value, maximum allowable value, etc.) that satisfies the minimum welding standard (quality) required by customers or the like. Note that these thresholds are used in the process of determining whether the inspection results created by each of the first inspection determination unit 371, the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N included in the inspection result determination unit 37 pass the bead appearance inspection. Further, the determination threshold storage unit 34 may store an upper limit value of the number of times of bead appearance inspection for each welding location. Thereby, when the inspection control device 3 exceeds a predetermined upper limit value of the number of times when correcting a defective portion by repair welding, it determines that it is difficult or impossible to correct the defective portion by automatic repair welding by the welding robot MC1, and can suppress a decrease in the operation rate of the welding system 100.

[0064] Based on the execution command for bead appearance inspection of the welding location of the workpiece Wk (for example, a workpiece or a repair workpiece) transmitted from the host device 1, the shape detection control unit 35 acquires the input data regarding the shape of the welded bead that has been acquired by the sensor 4 and transmitted (for example, point cloud data that can specify the three-dimensional shape of the welded bead). Further, based on the execution command for appearance scanning of the workpiece Wk transmitted from the host device 1, the shape detection control unit 35 acquires the input data regarding the shape of the workpiece Wk that has been acquired by the sensor 4 and transmitted (for example, point cloud data that can specify the three-dimensional shape of the workpiece Wk). Specifically, when the sensor 4 can image the welded bead or the workpiece Wk (in other words, can detect the three-dimensional shape of the welding location or the workpiece Wk) in response to the driving of the manipulator 200 by the robot control device 2 described above, the shape detection control unit 35, for example, causes the sensor 4 to irradiate a laser beam to acquire the input data regarding the shape of the welded bead or the workpiece Wk. When the shape detection control unit 35 receives the input data (refer to the above) acquired by the sensor 4, it passes this input data to the data processing unit 36.

[0065] When the data processing unit 36 acquires the input data (refer to the above) regarding the shape of the weld bead from the shape detection control unit 35, it converts the data into a data format suitable for the first inspection determination in the inspection result determination unit 37, and also converts it into data formats suitable for the second inspection determination, …, the Nth inspection determination in the inspection result determination unit 37 respectively. For the conversion of the data format, as so-called preprocessing, correction processing for removing unnecessary point cloud data (e.g., noise) included in the input data (i.e., point cloud data) may be included, or the above-described preprocessing may be omitted for the first inspection determination. The data processing unit 36 generates image data showing the three-dimensional shape of the weld bead by using, as a data format suitable for the first inspection determination, for example, performing statistical processing on the input shape data. Note that the data processing unit 36 may perform edge enhancement correction that emphasizes the peripheral portion of the weld bead in order to emphasize the position and shape of the weld bead as the data for the first inspection determination. Note that the data processing unit 36 counts the number of executions of the bead appearance inspection for each location of the welding defect, and if the welding inspection result does not become good even when the number of executions of the bead appearance inspection exceeds the number stored in advance in the memory 32, it may determine that it is difficult or impossible to correct the location of the welding defect by automatic repair welding. In this case, the inspection result determination unit 37 generates an alert screen including the location of the welding defect and the type of welding defect (e.g., hole, pit, undercut, spatter, protrusion), and transmits the generated alert screen to the host device 1 via the communication unit 30. The alert screen transmitted to the host device 1 is displayed on the monitor MN1. Note that this alert screen may also be displayed on the monitor MN2.

[0066] The data processing unit 36 performs a bead appearance inspection based on a comparison between the input data regarding the shape of the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 and the master data of a non-defective work predefined for each work, using the threshold value for bead appearance inspection stored in the determination threshold value storage unit 34. The data processing unit 36 creates an appearance inspection report including a defect determination result as an inspection determination result (that is, information indicating the presence or absence of a defect that requires repair welding) and information on the defect section for each defect location, stores it in the inspection result storage unit 33, and transmits it to the host device 1 or the robot control device 2 via the communication unit 30. Also, when the data processing unit 36 determines that there is no defect location on the work Wk to be inspected that requires repair welding, it creates an appearance inspection report including an inspection determination result indicating that the bead appearance inspection is passed, stores it in the inspection result storage unit 33, and transmits it to the host device 1 via the communication unit 30.

[0067] Also, when the data processing unit 36 acquires the input data regarding the shape of the work Wk (refer to the above) from the shape detection control unit 35, it converts it into a data format suitable for the arithmetic processing executed by the offline teaching device 5. The conversion of the data format may include a correction process for removing unnecessary point cloud data (for example, noise) included in the input data (that is, point cloud data), which is a so-called preprocessing, or a process for generating a 3D model of the work Wk. Also, the data processing unit 36 may perform edge enhancement correction that emphasizes the position and shape of the work Wk and emphasizes the peripheral portion of the work Wk. The data processing unit 36 transmits the input data regarding the shape of the work Wk after conversion to the offline teaching device 5 via the communication unit 30.

[0068] The inspection result determination unit 37 is capable of performing a total of N (N: an integer of 2 or more) types of bead appearance inspections (for example, each of the first inspection determination and the second inspection determination described above). Specifically, the inspection result determination unit 37 includes a first inspection determination unit 371, a second inspection determination unit 372 to an Nth inspection determination unit 37N. For the sake of easy and simplified explanation of the description of FIG. 2, N = 2 will be described, but the same applies when N is an integer of 3 or more.

[0069] The first inspection determination unit 371 performs the first inspection determination (that is, bead appearance inspection based on comparison between the input data regarding the shape of the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 and the master data of the non-defective work preset in advance for each work), and inspects the shape reliability of the weld bead (for example, whether it follows a straight or curved weld line), bead chipping, and bead misalignment. The first inspection determination unit 371 performs comparison (so-called image processing) between the data (for example, image data generated based on point cloud data) data-converted by the data processing unit 36 for the first inspection determination and the master data of the non-defective work. Therefore, the first inspection determination unit 371 can inspect the shape reliability of the weld bead, bead chipping, and bead misalignment with high precision. The first inspection determination unit 371 calculates an inspection score indicating the inspection results of the shape reliability of the weld bead, bead chipping, and bead misalignment, and creates the calculated value of this inspection score as the first inspection result. Further, the first inspection determination unit 371 compares the created first inspection result with the threshold value for the first inspection result stored in the memory 32. The first inspection determination unit 371 outputs the first inspection result including information on the comparison result of the comparison (that is, whether the acquired first inspection result is qualified or unqualified in the bead appearance inspection). generate Outputs.

[0070] The second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N perform the second inspection determination (that is, form neural networks by (N - 1) types of artificial intelligence respectively, and determine the presence or absence of welding defects based on AI for the input data regarding the shape of the weld bead acquired by the sensor 4 or the input data after the input data is preprocessed by the data processing unit 36), and inspect for the presence or absence of holes, pits, undercuts, spatter, and protrusions in the weld bead. The holes, pits, undercuts, spatter, and protrusions in the weld bead are merely exemplarily listed, and the types of defects inspected by the Nth inspection determination unit 37N are not limited to these. Each of the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N, when determining that a welding defect of the corresponding type is detected, specifies the position of the weld bead where the welding defect is detected. Each of the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N uses a learning model (AI) obtained by learning processing in advance for each type of welding defect or for each group of types of welding defects to determine the presence or absence of each welding defect. Thereby, each of the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N can inspect for the presence or absence of, for example, holes, pits, undercuts, spatter, and protrusions in the weld bead with high accuracy. Note that each of the second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N does not perform the inspection of the shape reliability, bead chipping, and bead misalignment of the weld bead executed by the first inspection determination unit 371. The second inspection determination unit 372 to the Nth inspection determination unit 37N calculate the inspection results (in other words, the inspection scores indicating the occurrence probabilities) of the holes, pits, undercuts, spatter, and protrusions in the weld bead, and create the calculated values of these inspection scores as the second inspection results.

[0071] Note that the inspection result determination unit 37 may determine whether repair welding by the welding robot MC1 is possible (in other words, whether repair welding by the welding robot MC1 is good or whether manual repair welding is good) based on the inspection results (inspection scores) included in the above-described first inspection results or second inspection results, and include the determination result in the above-described appearance inspection report and output it.

[0072] The repair welding program creation unit 38 creates a repair welding program for the work Wk to be executed by the welding robot MC1 using the appearance inspection report of the work Wk by the data processing unit 36. The repair welding program may include various parameters such as welding current, welding voltage, offset amount, welding speed, and the posture of the welding torch 400 for controlling the power supply device 500, the manipulator 200, the wire feeding device 300, the welding torch 400, etc. during the execution of the repair welding. Note that the generated repair welding program may be stored in the processor 31, may be stored in the RAM in the memory 32, or may be sent to the host device 1 or the robot control device 2 via the communication unit 30 in association with the appearance inspection report.

[0073] The repair welding program creation unit 38 creates a repair welding program for the work Wk (e.g., the work or the repair work) to be executed by the welding robot MC1 using the appearance inspection report of the work Wk (e.g., the work or the repair work) by the inspection result determination unit 37 and the work information (e.g., information such as coordinates indicating the position of the welding defect detection point of the work or the repair work). The repair welding program may include various parameters such as welding current, welding voltage, offset amount, welding speed, and the posture of the welding torch 400 for controlling the power supply device 500, the manipulator 200, the wire feeding device 300, the welding torch 400, etc. during the execution of the repair welding. Note that the generated repair welding program may be stored in the processor 31 or may be stored in the RAM in the memory 32.

[0074] The sensor 4 is, for example, a three-dimensional shape sensor, which is attached to the tip of the welding robot MC1 and acquires a plurality of point cloud data that can identify the shape of the workpiece Wk or the welding location on the workpiece Wk. Based on the acquired point cloud data, the sensor 4 generates point cloud data that can identify the three-dimensional shape of the welding location and transmits it to the inspection control device 3. In addition, when the sensor 4 is not attached to the tip of the welding robot MC1 and is arranged separately from the welding robot MC1, based on the position information of the workpiece Wk or the welding location transmitted from the inspection control device 3, a laser light source (not shown) configured to be able to scan the welding location on the workpiece Wk or the workpiece Wk (for example, the workpiece or the repair workpiece) and an imaging area including the periphery of the workpiece Wk or the welding location are arranged to be able to image the welding location, and a camera (not shown) that images the reflection locus of the reflected laser light among the laser light irradiated on the workpiece Wk or the welding location (that is, the shape line of the welding location). In this case, the sensor 4 transmits the shape data of the workpiece Wk or the welding location (in other words, the image data of the workpiece Wk or the welding bead) based on the laser light imaged by the camera to the inspection control device 3. Note that the above-described camera is configured to include at least a lens (not shown) and an image sensor (not shown). The image sensor is a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-conductor), and converts the optical image formed on the imaging surface into an electrical signal.

[0075] The offline teaching device 5 is connected to be capable of data communication with the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, the monitor MN3, and the input device UI3, respectively. The offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for the welding operation and a teaching program for the scanning operation of the workpiece Wk based on various data such as the position information of the welding line, the welding operation setting information, and the scanning operation setting information transmitted from the input device UI3 and the position information of the welding line. The offline teaching device 5 includes a communication unit 50, a processor 51, a memory 52, and an input / output unit 53.

[0076] Note that the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 will explain an example of creating teaching programs for welding operations and scanning operations. However, the creation of the teaching program for the welding operation is not essential and may be omitted. The offline teaching device 5 includes a sensor 4, and it suffices that the sensor 4 can create a teaching program for the scanning operation (i.e., bead appearance inspection) for the robot that can execute the scanning operation.

[0077] The communication unit 50 is connected so as to be able to communicate data with the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, the input device UI3, and the monitor MN3, respectively. The communication unit 50 associates each created teaching program for the welding operation and the scanning operation with various data (for example, position information of the welding line, welding operation setting information, scanning operation setting information, workpiece information of the workpiece Wk, etc.) used for creating each teaching program for the welding operation and the scanning operation, and transmits them to the robot control device 2.

[0078] The processor 51 is configured using, for example, a CPU or an FPGA, and performs various processes and controls in cooperation with the memory 52. Specifically, the processor 51 refers to the program held in the memory 52 and executes the program to functionally realize the 3D calculation unit 54 and the program creation unit 55.

[0079] The memory 52 has, for example, a RAM as a work memory used when executing the process of the processor 51 and a ROM that stores a program defining the process of the processor 51. Data generated or acquired by the processor 51 is temporarily stored in the RAM. A program defining the process of the processor 51 is written in the ROM. Further, the memory 52 stores the teaching program for the welding operation, the teaching program for the scanning operation, and the workpiece information in association with each other.

[0080] The input / output unit 53, which is an example of an input unit and an acquisition unit, acquires each of the execution command transmitted from the input device UI3, the 3D model of the workpiece Wk, the welding operation setting information, and the scanning operation setting information, and the position information of the welding line transmitted from the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, or the input device UI3, and outputs them to the processor 51. Further, the input / output unit 53 transmits an image of a virtual production facility (for example, a virtual welding robot, a virtual workpiece, a virtual stage, etc.) generated by the 3D calculation unit 54 and an image in which the operation locus of the sensor 4 or the operation locus of the welding torch 400 is superimposed on the image of the virtual production facility transmitted from the offline teaching device 5 to the monitor MN3.

[0081] The 3D calculation unit 54, which is an example of a generation unit, virtually configures production facilities necessary for executing each of the main welding process and the appearance inspection process of the workpiece Wk based on, for example, input data regarding the shape of the workpiece Wk or the welding bead (that is, three-dimensional shape data), data of the 3D model of the workpiece Wk, workpiece information of the workpiece Wk, data regarding the production facility (for example, position information of the stage STG, robot information or position information of the welding robot MC1). The 3D calculation unit 54 converts the data of the virtually configured production facility into image data, outputs it to the input / output unit 53, and displays it on the monitor MN3.

[0082] In addition, the 3D calculation unit 54 generates image data in which one or more teaching points included in the teaching program of the welding operation created by the program creation unit, the operation trajectory of the welding torch 400 (specifically, an idle running section, a welding section, etc.), etc. are virtually superimposed on the production facility. The 3D calculation unit 54 generates image data in which one or more teaching points included in the teaching program of the scanning operation created by the program creation unit, the operation trajectory of the sensor 4 (specifically, the operation trajectory indicating various operations such as an approach operation, a retract operation, an avoidance operation, etc., an idle running section, a scanning section, etc.) are virtually superimposed on the production facility. The 3D calculation unit 54 converts the data of the virtual production facility on which the data included in various teaching programs are superimposed into image data, outputs it to the input / output unit 53, and displays it on the monitor MN3. Note that the 3D calculation unit 54 may generate image data in which the teaching points of the welding operation and the scanning operation, the operation trajectories of the welding torch 400 and the sensor 4 (specifically, an idle running section, a welding section, a scanning section, etc.), etc. are collectively superimposed on a virtual production facility based on each of the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scanning operation.

[0083] The program creation unit 55 as an example of the control unit creates a teaching program for the welding operation and a teaching program for the scanning operation based on the position information of the welding line (for example, data of the 3D model of the work Wk, input data regarding the shape of the work Wk or the welding bead, coordinate information of each of the start point and the end point of the welding line), the welding operation setting information, and the scanning operation setting information. The program creation unit 55 includes a welding operation creation unit 551 and a scanning operation creation unit 552.

[0084] The welding operation creation unit 551 creates a teaching program for the welding operation for executing the present welding process on the work Wk based on the input position information of the welding line and the welding operation setting information. In addition, the welding operation setting information here may be various parameter groups necessary for the welding operation, such as various welding conditions of the present welding and the retraction positions of the welding torch 400 before and after the start and end of welding.

[0085] The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for a scan operation to execute an appearance inspection process of a weld bead or other appearance inspection location generated on the workpiece Wk, based on the operation locus of the input welding operation, the position information of the weld line, the 3D model, each of one or more scan effective regions arranged on the 3D model, the scan operation setting information, etc. Here, the scan operation setting information is the distance between the sensor 4 and the workpiece Wk, the information of the sensor 4 (for example, the scan effective range AR0 (see FIG. 4), the scan effective region AR1 (see FIG. 5), etc.), the measurement range, the approach information (for example, the information of the approach start position and the approach end position, the instruction information for instructing the approach, etc.), the run-up section of the scan, the scan section, the retract information (for example, the information of the retract start position and the retract end position, the instruction information for instructing the retract, etc.), the avoidance information (for example, the information of the avoidance start position and the avoidance end position, the position information of the original workpiece, the jig, etc. which are obstacles to be avoided), etc., and may be various parameter groups necessary for the scan operation of the weld bead or other appearance inspection object.

[0086] Hereinafter, various creation methods of the scan section scanned by the sensor 4 will be described in the creation process of the teaching program for the scan operation. The offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for a new scan operation based on the operator operation acquired via the input device UI3 and the teaching program of the welding operation or scan operation created for the same or other workpieces.

[0087] First, referring to FIG. 3, the 3D model MD1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the 3D model MD1. Note that the workpiece Wk shown by the 3D model MD1 in FIG. 3 is an example and is not limited thereto.

[0088] The offline teaching device 5 acquires, based on the operator's operation, the teaching programs for the welding operation and the scanning operation of the workpiece Wk that is the target for creating the teaching program for the new scanning operation, and the data of the 3D model, respectively, from each of the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, or the input device UI3. Specifically, first, the offline teaching device 5 acquires the operation locus of the welding operation of the workpiece Wk that is the target for creating the teaching program for the scanning operation (that is, the operation locus of the welding torch 400 during this welding), the data of the 3D model of the workpiece Wk that is the object of the bead appearance inspection (that is, the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece Wk), and the information of the scanning effective range AR0 of the sensor 4 (for example, three-dimensional information such as the distance information between the sensor 4 and the scanning effective range AR0, the range information of the scanning effective range AR0, etc.).

[0089] The offline teaching device 5 superimposes the operation locus RT1 of the welding operation on the data of the acquired 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk. The offline teaching device 5 generates an image (that is, FIG. 3) in which the acquired operation locus RT1 of the welding operation and each of the scanning sections WL11, WL12 or each of the welding lines WLM11, WLM12 are superimposed on the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk, and transmits it to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, based on the 3D model MD1 on which the operation locus RT1 of the welding operation is superimposed, the offline teaching device 5 can visually present to the operator each of the idle running operation sections RT11, RT12, each of the scanning sections WL11, WL12, or each of the welding sections indicated by the welding lines WLM11, WLM12 during the bead appearance inspection of the workpiece Wk.

[0090] In addition, when creating the teaching program for the scanning operation, the offline teaching device 5 may omit the acquisition of the position information of the welding line. The offline teaching device 5 only needs to be able to acquire at least the data of the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk and the motion locus RT1 of the welding operation. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 can acquire various operation information related to the welding operation associated with the motion locus RT1 of the welding operation (for example, information such as an approach operation, a retract operation, or an avoidance operation). Note that when the avoidance operation is unnecessary, the information related to the avoidance operation may be omitted.

[0091] In addition, the acquisition of the teaching program for the scanning operation is not essential and may be omitted. In such a case, the offline teaching device 5 executes the generation process of the scanning effective area of the sensor 4 described later based on the operator's operation. Further, the offline teaching device 5 may execute the generation process of a new scanning effective area based on the operator's operation. The generation process of the scanning effective area will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively.

[0092] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the scanning effective range AR0 of the sensor 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the scanning effective area AR1 of the sensor 4. Needless to say, each of the scanning effective range AR0 shown in FIG. 4 and the scanning effective area AR1 shown in FIG. 5 is only an example and is not limited thereto.

[0093] The scanning effective range AR0 shown in FIG. 4 is a range in which the sensor 4 can scan the three-dimensional shape of an object (for example, a welding bead which is an object for bead appearance inspection) on the YZ plane. The sensor 4 is moved in the traveling direction by the drive of the manipulator 200 of the welding robot MC1, and scans and acquires the three-dimensional shape of the object located within the scanning effective area AR1 shown in the figure. 5

[0094] The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator's operation with respect to the scan effective range AR0 of the sensor 4 and generates a scan effective area AR1. Specifically, the offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator's operation that moves the scan effective range AR0 on the YZ plane in any direction that can be read by the sensor 4 provided in the welding robot MC1. The offline teaching device 5 generates a scan effective area AR1 based on the direction of the movement operation by the operator and the section of this movement operation (that is, the distance between the movement start position and the movement end position).

[0095] For example, when the offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator's operation to move the scan effective range AR0 by a scan section SR1 in the traveling direction (that is, a direction substantially perpendicular to the YZ plane), the offline teaching device 5 generates a scan effective area AR1 from the scan effective range AR0 to the scan effective range AR01 located at the distance of the scan section SR1.

[0096] In the offline teaching device 5 according to the first embodiment, when information on one or more scan effective areas (for example, the position, three-dimensional shape, size, angle, etc. of the scan effective area) is associated with the acquired 3D model MD1 or the teaching program of the scan teaching, editing operations such as copying (duplicating), deleting, or splitting any one of the respective scan effective areas of the one or more scan effective areas may be accepted.

[0097] Further, the offline teaching device 5 in the first embodiment may accept an operator's operation via the input device UI3 as described above and execute the generation of one scan effective area having an arbitrary size and angle. In such a case, the offline teaching device 5 accepts operations such as copying (duplicating) or deleting the generated one scan effective area. Also, in such a case, even when information on one or more scan effective areas (for example, the position, three-dimensional shape, size, angle, etc. of the scan effective area) is not associated with the acquired 3D model MD1 or the teaching program of the scan teaching, the offline teaching device 5 can create a teaching program for a new scan operation by generating a scan effective area based on the operator's operation.

[0098] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 creates a teaching program for a new scanning operation based on each of the scanning effective areas generated based on the operator's operation or the edited scanning effective areas, the operation locus of the welding operation, and the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk.

[0099] <Copy processing of the scanning effective area> With reference to FIG. 6, the copy processing of the scanning effective area in Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the copy processing of the scanning effective areas AR11 and AR12 in Embodiment 1.

[0100] Here, the scanning effective area AR11 shown in FIG. 6 is the scanning effective area corresponding to the scanning section WL11 of the welding line WLM11 shown in FIG. 3. The scanning effective area AR11 indicates the scanable area of the sensor 4 when scanning the weld bead formed based on the welding line WLM11. Similarly, the scanning effective area AR12 shown in FIG. 6 is the scanning effective area corresponding to the scanning section WL12 of the welding line WLM12 shown in FIG. 3. The scanning effective area AR12 indicates the scanable area of the sensor 4 when scanning the weld bead formed based on the welding line WLM12. It goes without saying that each of the two scanning effective areas AR11 and AR12 is an example and is not limited thereto.

[0101] The copy processing of the scanning effective area is useful, for example, for teaching the scanning operations of workpieces each including two or more workpieces having the same shape. Further, the copy processing of the scanning effective area is useful for teaching the scanning operations used for execution of other appearance inspections (for example, inspections for determining the presence or absence of components (such as screws) already attached to the workpiece). of It is useful for teaching the scanning operations used for execution.

[0102] When the work for which the offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for the scanning operation is a work composed of two or more works having the same shape, the offline teaching device 5 receives the input of the data of the 3D model of this work (for example, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the data of one 3D model in which the relative positions of the 3D model MD1 and the 3D model MD2 are defined). Note that the offline teaching device 5 may obtain the data of the 3D model of the work for which the teaching program for the scanning operation is to be created by copying (duplicating) the 3D model MD1 and receiving the operation for defining the relative position between the 3D model MD1 and the 3D model MD2.

[0103] When a control command for requesting a copy process of the scan valid area is transmitted from the input device UI3 to the offline teaching device 5, the offline teaching device 5 copies (duplicates) one or more scan valid areas (here, each of the two scan valid areas AR11 and AR12) specified by the operator's operation. The offline teaching device 5 arranges each of the plurality of copied scan valid areas AR13 and AR14 at each of the specified positions based on the operator operation acquired via the input device UI3.

[0104] Here, when the offline teaching device 5 acquires a specified position based on an operator's operation via the input device UI3, it identifies the position of the welding robot MC1 corresponding to this specified position from the movement trajectory of the welding robot MC1. The offline teaching device 5 calculates the position and orientation of the sensor 4 provided in the welding robot MC1 at the identified position of the welding robot MC1, and calculates the position and angle (orientation) of the scan effective area of the sensor 4 at the specified position based on the calculated position and orientation of the sensor 4. The offline teaching device 5 generates an image with the scan effective area superimposed on the 3D model MD1 based on the calculated position and angle (orientation) of the scan effective area. The offline teaching device 5 transmits the generated image to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 can visualize each scan effective area (for example, each of the four scan effective areas AR11 to AR14 superimposed on the 3D models MD1 and MD2 after the copy process shown in FIG. 6) based on the movement trajectory of the welding robot MC1 to the operator.

[0105] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 can superimpose the scan effective area corresponding to the position and orientation of the sensor 4 at the specified position on the 3D model MD1 based on the position of the welding robot MC1 associated with the movement trajectory of the welding robot MC1. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 in the first embodiment can reduce the deviation between the scan effective area of the sensor 4 when the actual welding robot MC1 is operated and the virtual scan effective area constructed by the offline teaching device 5. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 can present to the operator the scan effective area that can be scanned by the sensor 4 during operation, so that it can efficiently support the teaching work by the operator. In addition, by presenting to the operator the scan effective area that can be scanned by the sensor 4 during operation, the offline teaching device 5 can improve the scan accuracy of the teaching location (that is, the scan effective area) during operation, or can more efficiently reduce the load required for teaching work such as correction of the teaching location (scan effective area). it <Deletion process of scan effective area>

[0106] <Scan effective area deletion process> Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the deletion process of the scan effective area in Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining Example 1 of the deletion process of the scan effective area AR12 in Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining Example 2 of the deletion process of the scan effective area AR17 in Embodiment 1. It goes without saying that the examples of the deletion process of the scan effective area shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are just examples and are not limited to this.

[0107] Here, since the 3D model MD1 of the work Wk shown in FIG. 7 is the same as the 3D model MD1 shown in FIG. 6, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0108] The deletion process of the scan effective area is useful for teaching the scan operation, for example, when due to the shape of the work Wk, the welding torch 400 can perform welding during the main welding, but during the appearance inspection, the sensor 4 cannot approach to a position where it can scan and interferes with an obstacle (the work Wk, the jig of the work Wk, etc.), or when the scan effective area of the sensor 4 cannot reach the target location for the appearance inspection.

[0109] Here, when the offline teaching device 5 can acquire the data of the 3D model of the production facility or the obstacle as information on the production facility of the work Wk, it may generate an image including the virtual production facility or obstacle 3D model, the virtual work Wk 3D model MD1, and one or more scan effective areas, and transmit it to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, the operator can visually confirm whether each of the scan effective areas arranged on the 3D model MD1 of the work Wk interferes with the production facility or the obstacle, and can easily find the scan effective area to be deleted.

[0110] The deletion operation of the scan effective area in such a case will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The offline teaching device 5 deletes the scan effective area AR12 specified by the operator operation acquired via the input device UI3.

[0111] In addition, the deletion process of the scan valid area is useful for teaching the scan operation, for example, when multiple appearance inspection locations are arranged in proximity and the scan operations for multiple appearance inspection locations can be executed in a single scan (that is, when multiple appearance inspection locations are included in one scan valid area). Each of the multiple appearance inspection locations mentioned here is not limited to only weld beads, and may be, for example, the presence or absence of parts provided on the workpiece.

[0112] Here, the 3D model MD21 of the workpiece shown in FIG. 8 will be described. The 3D model MD21 shown in FIG. 8 is data of a 3D model of a workpiece produced by welding each of the three original workpieces Wk1, Wk2, and Wk3 with each of two weld lines WLM21 and WLM22, and shows a top view (viewed from the Z direction) of the workpiece. In the example of the 3D model MD21 shown in FIG. 8, the illustration of the operation locus of the welding operation is omitted.

[0113] Each of the original workpieces Wk1 and Wk2 is welded by the weld line WLM21. The bead appearance inspection of the weld bead formed corresponding to the weld line WLM21 is executed by the sensor 4 scanning the scan valid area AR16. Also, each of the original workpieces Wk2 and Wk3 is welded by the weld line WLM22. The bead appearance inspection of the weld bead formed corresponding to the weld line WLM22 is executed by the sensor 4 scanning the scan valid area AR17. Here, the scan valid area AR16 is an area including each of the two weld lines WLM21 and WLM22, and a part of the area overlaps with the scan valid area AR17. In such a case, when the offline teaching device 5 acquires a control command instructing the deletion of the scan valid area AR17 transmitted from the input device UI3, the scan valid area AR17 is deleted.

[0114] As described above, the operator can find or delete unnecessary teaching points (for example, the scan valid area AR17 shown in FIG. 8) based on the virtual work 3D model MD21 created by the offline teaching device 5 and displayed on the monitor MN3, and each of the scan valid areas superimposed on the work. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 supports the teaching work performed by the operator to be executed more efficiently, and can execute the creation of a teaching program for a more efficient scan operation based on the operator's operation.

[0115] <Division Processing of Scan Valid Area> Next, with reference to FIG. 9, the division processing of the scan valid area in Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of the division processing of the scan valid area AR15 in Embodiment 1. Needless to say, the example of the deletion processing of the scan valid area shown in FIG. 9 is just an example and is not limited thereto.

[0116] Here, the 3D model MD1 of the work Wk shown in FIG. 9 shows an example in which one scan valid area AR15 including the positions of the two welding lines WLM11 and WLM12 shown in FIG. 3 is arranged. Here, one scan valid area AR15 is arranged at a position including the obstacle OB1 (original work).

[0117] The division processing of the scan valid area is useful, for example, for teaching the scan operation when the welding torch 400 can be welded during the main welding but the sensor 4 cannot approach the position where it can scan during the appearance inspection and interferes with obstacles (work Wk, jig of work Wk, etc.) due to the shape of the work Wk.

[0118] The offline teaching device 5 divides one scan effective area AR15 into two scan effective areas AR151 and AR152 respectively based on a control command for instructing the division of the scan effective area AR15 transmitted from the input device UI3 and a control command for specifying the division position. Here, the offline teaching device 5 may be able to accept the designation by the operator for each scan section of the two scan effective areas AR151 and AR152 after the division process, like the change process of the scan effective area described in Embodiment 2 to be described later.

[0119] As described above, the operator can divide the teaching location (for example, the scan effective area AR15 shown in FIG. 9) based on the virtual work 3D model MD1 created by the offline teaching device 5 and displayed on the monitor MN3 and the scan effective area AR15 superimposed on the work. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 supports the teaching work performed by the operator to be executed more efficiently, and can execute the creation of a more efficient scan operation teaching program based on the operator's operation.

[0120] Next, with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, the operation procedure of the offline teaching device in Embodiment 1 will be described in detail using a specific example. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of various operations associated with the scan effective areas AR11 and AR12 in Embodiment 1. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation procedure of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1. Needless to say, the various operations shown in FIG. 10 are only examples and are not limited thereto.

[0121] The 3D model MD1 of the work shown in FIG. 10 shows an example in which each of the two scan effective areas AR11 and AR12 shown in FIG. 6 is arranged. Note that in the 3D model MD1 shown in FIG. 10, the illustration of each of the two scan effective areas AR11 and AR12 is omitted for easy understanding of various operations.

[0122] The offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for a new scanning operation based on the data of the 3D model MD1, the teaching program of the welding operation, the operation trajectory RT1 of the welding operation, various operation information (specifically, approach information, retract information, avoidance information, etc.) associated with the 3D model MD1 or the operation trajectory RT1, and each of the two scan effective areas AR11 and AR12 arranged on the 3D model MD1.

[0123] The offline teaching device 5 determines whether there is a scan effective area for which a scan operation for causing the sensor 4 to scan the scan effective area has not been created among each of the one or more scan effective areas (St10).

[0124] In the process of step St10, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is a scan effective area for which a scan operation has not been created (St10, YES), it determines whether there is approach information necessary for the sensor 4 to scan this scan effective area based on the teaching program of the welding operation (St11).

[0125] On the other hand, in the process of step St10, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is no scan effective area for which a scan operation has not been created (St10, NO), it associates each of the teaching programs of a plurality of scan operations corresponding to each of all the scan effective areas arranged on the 3D model MD1, and creates a teaching program for a new scan operation corresponding to the 3D model MD1 (St12).

[0126] In the process of step St11, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is approach information (St11, YES), it creates an approach operation corresponding to the scan effective area (St13).

[0127] For example, in creating the teaching program for the scanning operation of the offline teaching device 5, when approach information of the approach start position PT1 and the approach end position PT2 is associated with the 3D model MD1 or the operation locus RT1 as shown in FIG. 10, an approach operation for approaching the sensor 4 to the workpiece Wk in the section APR11 from the approach start position PT1 to the approach end position PT2 is created. Here, the approach information associated with the scan effective area AR11 may be only at least one of the approach end positions PT2.

[0128] On the other hand, in the process of step St11, when it is determined that there is no approach information (St11, NO), or after the process of step St13, the offline teaching device 5 creates a scan operation corresponding to the scan effective area (St14).

[0129] For example, in creating the teaching program for the scanning operation of the offline teaching device 5, in the section from the scan start position PT3 to the scan end position PT4 in the scan effective area AR11 arranged by the operator operation (here, the section corresponding to the weld line WLM11), a scan operation for scanning the sensor 4 is created. Similarly, in creating the teaching program for the scanning operation of the scan effective area AR12, in the section from the scan start position PT 7 to the scan end position PT 8 up to (here, the section corresponding to the weld line WLM12), a scan operation for scanning the sensor 4 is created.

[0130] In the example shown in FIG. 10, as an example, the start position and the end position of the welding line WLM11 are located at substantially the same positions as the scan start position PT3 and the scan end position PT4 of the scan effective region AR11, respectively, and the start position and the end position of the welding line WLM12 are located at substantially the same positions as the start position PT7 and the end position PT8 of the scan effective region AR12, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. The start position of the welding line may be different from the start position of the scan effective region. Similarly, the end position of the welding line may be different from the end position of the scan effective region.

[0131] The offline teaching device 5 determines whether there is retract information for the sensor 4 to move away from the workpiece based on the teaching program of the welding operation (St15).

[0132] In the process of step St15, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is retract information (St15, YES), the offline teaching device 5 creates a retract operation corresponding to the scan effective region (St16).

[0133] For example, in creating the teaching program of the scan operation of the scan effective region AR12, when the retract information of the retract start position PT9 and the retract end position PT10 are respectively associated with the 3D model MD1 or the operation locus RT1 as shown in FIG. 10, the offline teaching device 5 creates a retract operation to separate the sensor 4 from the workpiece Wk in the section RTR11 from the retract start position PT9 to the retract end position PT10. Here, the retract information associated with the scan effective region AR12 may be only at least one of the retract start position PT9.

[0134] On the other hand, in the process of step St15, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is no retract information (St15, NO), or after the process of step St16, the offline teaching device 5 determines whether there is avoidance information for the sensor 4 to avoid an obstacle based on the teaching program of the welding operation (St17).

[0135] When the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is avoidance information in the process of step St17 (St17, YES), it creates an avoidance operation corresponding to the scan valid area (St18).

[0136] For example, when creating a teaching program for the scan operation of the scan valid area AR11 or the scan valid area AR12, if the avoidance information of the avoidance start position PT5 and the avoidance end position PT6 is respectively associated with the 3D model MD1 or the motion trajectory RT1 as shown in FIG. 10, in the section ESC11 from the avoidance start position PT5 to the avoidance end position PT6, an avoidance operation for avoiding the obstacle OB1 from the sensor 4 is created.

[0137] On the other hand, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that there is no avoidance information in the process of step St17 (St17, NO), or after the process of step St18, it proceeds to the creation process of the scan operation corresponding to the next (i.e., other) scan valid area (i.e., the process of step St10).

[0138] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 can automatically create a teaching program for a new scan operation by creating a scan operation corresponding to each of one or more teaching locations (scan valid areas) generated based on the operator's operation via the input device UI3, and associating the scan operations corresponding to each of all these teaching locations (scan valid areas). In addition, since the offline teaching device 5 can create a teaching program for a new scan operation based on the motion trajectory of the welding operation, it can improve the scan accuracy of the teaching location (i.e., the scan valid area) during operation, or more efficiently reduce the load required for teaching operations such as modification of the teaching location (scan valid area).

[0139] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 includes an input / output unit 53 (an example of an input unit) capable of receiving an operator's operation, data of a 3D model MD1 of a workpiece Wk produced by welding (an example of three-dimensional shape data), an operation locus of welding, and a scan effective range AR0 of a sensor 4 that scans the external shape of the workpiece Wk (an example of a scan range), which are acquired by the input / output unit 53 or the communication unit 50 (an example of an acquisition unit). Based on the acquired scan effective range AR0 and a scan section (for example, the scan section SR1 shown in FIG. 5), a 3D calculation unit 54 (an example of a generation unit) generates a scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR11 shown in FIG. 6, etc., which is an example of a three-dimensional area) scanned by the sensor 4. Based on the operator's operation input to the input / output unit 53, at least one scan effective area is arranged on the data of the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk, and based on the arranged scan effective areas (for example, the scan effective areas AR11 and AR12 shown in FIG. 10) and the operation locus RT1 of welding, a teaching program for causing the welding robot MC1 to scan the scan effective area is created and output by a scan operation creation unit 552 (an example of a control unit).

[0140] Accordingly, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 arranges, on the 3D model MD1, a scan effective area corresponding to the position and orientation of the sensor 4 at a specified position based on the position of the welding robot MC1 associated with the operation locus RT1 of the welding robot MC1, and can create a scan operation for each of the arranged scan effective areas. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation executed by the welding robot MC1 using the created scan operation, and can further improve the accuracy of the position between the scan location and the teaching location (that is, the scan effective area) scanned during operation based on the teaching program of the scan operation. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation that can more efficiently reduce the load required for teaching operations such as modification of the teaching location (scan effective area). it

[0141] ​In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 creates a teaching program based on the arranged scan effective regions (for example, the scan effective regions AR11 and AR12 shown in FIG. 10), the operation locus RT1 of welding, and the operation information of the welding robot MC1 that performs welding associated with the data of the 3D model MD1 (for example, approach information, retract information, avoidance information, etc.). Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can create the scan operations of the arranged scan effective regions respectively based on the operation locus RT1 of welding and the operation information of the welding robot MC1. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation executed by the welding robot MC1 using the created scan operations.

[0142] In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 creates various operations of the welding robot MC1 with respect to the workpiece Wk (for example, approach operation, retract operation, avoidance operation, etc.) and the scan operation for each scan effective region executed by the welding robot MC1 respectively based on the operation information. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program by associating the scan operation corresponding to each of the created scan effective regions with the various operations. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can create a teaching program for the scan operation to be executed on the workpiece Wk based on the various operations of the created welding robot MC1 and the scan operations created for each scan effective region.

[0143] In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 extracts welding lines (for example, welding lines WLM11 and WLM12 shown in FIG. 10) of welding associated with the data of the 3D model MD1, and creates and outputs a teaching program in which the welding lines included in the scan effective area are set as the scan locations (i.e., teaching locations) of the sensor 4. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can create a teaching program for a scan operation capable of performing a bead appearance inspection of the weld bead formed on the produced workpiece Wk.

[0144] In addition, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 copies (duplicates) and arranges the scan effective area based on the operator's operation. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective area based on at least one of all the scan effective areas (for example, each of the scan effective areas AR11 to AR14 shown in FIG. 6) including the duplicated scan effective areas (for example, each of the scan effective areas AR13 and AR14 shown in FIG. 6) and the operation locus RT1 of welding. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can suppress the positional deviation between the scan effective area virtually generated and superimposed and displayed on the 3D model MD1 and the scan effective area that can be scanned by the actual sensor 4 by making each of the scan effective areas indicating the teaching locations duplicable. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for a scan operation that further improves the accuracy of the position between the scan location and the teaching location (i.e., the scan effective area) scanned during operation.

[0145] Further, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 deletes any one of the generated two or more scan effective regions (for example, the scan effective region AR12 shown in FIG. 7) based on the operator's operation. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective region based on at least one of all the scan effective regions (for example, the scan effective region AR11 shown in FIG. 7) excluding the deleted scan effective region and the welding operation locus RT1. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can create a teaching program for a scan operation that does not include an unnecessary scan operation by making it possible to delete each of the scan effective regions indicating the teaching locations.

[0146] Further, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 divides the scan effective region (for example, the scan effective region AR1 shown in FIG. 9) based on the operator's operation. 5 ) into parts. The scan operation creation unit 552 arranges the divided multiple scan effective regions (for example, the scan effective regions AR1 5 1, AR1 5 2 shown in FIG. 9) and creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective region based on at least one of all the scan effective regions including the divided multiple scan effective regions and the welding operation locus RT1. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can more efficiently create a teaching program for a scan operation in which the sensor 4 does not interfere with an obstacle (production equipment or the original work constituting the work Wk) by making it possible to divide each of the scan effective regions indicating the teaching locations.

[0147] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 includes one or more computers configured to be communicably connected to the input device UI3 when an operator operates the input device UI3. The operator inputs data of the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk produced by welding (an example of three-dimensional shape data) into the computer, and inputs a scan section (for example, the scan section SR1 shown in FIG. 5) for scanning the outer shape of the workpiece Wk into the computer. The offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for causing the welding robot MC1 that performs welding to scan a scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR11 shown in FIG. 6, etc., which is an example of a three-dimensional area) based on scan locations (for example, the weld lines WLM11 and WLM12 shown in FIG. 10) corresponding to the scan section in the data of the 3D model MD1.

[0148] Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 can automatically create a teaching program for the scan operation by acquiring the data of the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk and the scan section for scanning the outer shape of the workpiece Wk.

[0149] (Embodiment 2) The offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 1 accepts an operator operation via the input device UI3, and based on the accepted operator operation, executes editing such as duplication (copying), deletion, or splitting of scan effective areas having the same scan section, and creates a new teaching program for causing each of the edited one or more scan effective areas to be scanned by the sensor 4. An example was shown. The offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 will be described with an example of accepting an operator operation via the input device UI3 and, based on the accepted operator operation, executing editing of the scan section, rotation angle, and position (arrangement) for each scan effective area, and creating a new teaching program for causing each of the edited one or more scan effective areas to be scanned by the sensor 4.

[0150] The welding system 100 according to Embodiment 2 has substantially the same internal configuration as the welding system 100 according to Embodiment 1. Also, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 has substantially the same internal configuration as the welding system 100 according to Embodiment 1. For the same components as in Embodiment 1, the same reference numerals are used and the description thereof is omitted.

[0151] The offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 receives an operator operation via the input device UI3, and based on the scan section, rotation angle, and position (arrangement) specified by the received operator operation, executes generation of each of one or more scan effective regions. That is, each of the scan effective regions in Embodiment 2 may be generated having different scan sections, rotation angles, and positions (arrangements). Further, when information on one or more scan effective regions (for example, scan section, rotation angle, position (arrangement), etc. of the scan effective region) is associated with the acquired 3D model MD1 or the teaching program of the scan teaching, the offline teaching device 5 may receive an editing operation by the operator for the scan section, rotation angle, and position (arrangement) of any one of the associated scan effective regions.

[0152] With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively, the movement process, rotation process, and change process of the scan effective region AR2 of the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining each of a movement process example and a rotation process example of the scan effective region AR2 in Embodiment 2. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining each of change process example 1, change process example 2, and change process example 3 of the scan effective region in Embodiment 2. Note that the scan effective region AR2 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is an example and it goes without saying that it is not limited thereto.

[0153] <Movement process of scan effective region> The scan valid area AR2 shown in FIG. 12 has a scan section SR2 along the traveling direction (X direction). The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator operation to move the scan section of the scan valid area AR2 in the X direction, Y direction, or Z direction with respect to this scan valid area AR2. The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator operation via the input device UI3, and changes the position of the scan valid area AR2 based on the accepted operator operation (specifically, the amount of movement in any direction).

[0154] Here, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that at least a part of the scan valid area AR2 after the movement process based on the operator operation is not scannable based on the operation locus of the welding operation and the scan valid range (see FIG. 4), a notification that the scan valid area AR2 after the movement process is not scannable, or a screen in which only the area determined to be not scannable in the scan valid area AR2 after the movement process is highlighted in a color such as red may be generated and transmitted to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, the operator can visually confirm whether or not the scan valid area AR2 after the movement process is an area scannable by the sensor 4.

[0155] <Rotation Process of Scan Valid Area> The offline teaching device 5 generates an image in which each of a plurality of rotation reference points RP is superimposed on the 3D model of the scan valid area AR2, and transmits it to the monitor MN3 for display. In FIG. 12, the assignment of signs to each of all the rotation reference points RP is omitted. Also, in the example shown in FIG. 12, each of the 16 rotation reference points RP is shown, but the position and number of rotation reference points for rotating the scan valid area AR2 are not limited to this.

[0156] The offline teaching device 5 accepts a designation operation of the rotation reference point RP by an operator's operation and a rotation operation in the rotation direction RRX around the X-axis, the rotation direction RRY around the Y-axis, or the rotation direction RRZ around the Z-axis, respectively. Based on the operator's operation, the offline teaching device 5 executes a rotation process that rotates the scan effective area AR2 in the rotation direction RRX, the rotation direction RRY, or the rotation direction RRZ with the designated rotation reference point RP as the origin.

[0157] Here, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that at least a part of the scan effective area AR2 after the rotation process based on the operator's operation is not scannable based on the 3D model MD1 of the workpiece Wk, the operation locus of the welding operation, and the scan effective range (see FIG. 4), the offline teaching device 5 may send a notification indicating that the scan effective area AR2 after the rotation process is not scannable, or generate a screen that highlights only the area determined to be non-scannable in the scan effective area AR2 after the rotation process in a color such as red and send it to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, the operator can visually confirm whether the scan effective area AR2 after the rotation process is an area scannable by the sensor 4.

[0158] <Processing for Changing Scan Effective Area> Figure 1 2 The scan effective area AR2 shown in FIG. 1 has a scan section SR2 along the traveling direction (X direction). The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator's operation for changing the scan effective area AR2 by extending the scan section of the scan effective area AR2 in the X direction, the Y direction, or the Z direction with respect to this scan effective area AR2. The offline teaching device 5 accepts the operator's operation via the input device UI3 and changes the length (scan section) of the scan effective area AR2 based on the accepted operator's operation (specifically, extension in the X direction).

[0159] The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator operation to extend the scan section of the scan effective area AR2 in the X direction, Y direction, or Z direction with respect to this scan effective area AR2. The offline teaching device 5 accepts an operator operation via the input device UI3, and changes the size (scan section) of the scan effective area AR2 based on the accepted operator operation (specifically, extension in the X direction).

[0160] Here, an example of the change process of the scan effective area AR2 changed based on the operator operation will be described. The scan effective area AR21 shown in the change process example 1 is a scan effective area generated by executing a change process in which the scan effective area AR2 is extended by a distance SR211 in the X direction and a distance SR212 in the -X direction, respectively, and has a scan section SR213. The scan effective area AR22 shown in the change process example 2 is a scan effective area generated by executing a change process in which the scan effective area AR2 is extended by a distance SR221 in the X direction, and has a scan section SR222. The scan effective area AR23 shown in the change process example 3 is a scan effective area generated by executing a change process in which the scan effective area AR2 is extended by a distance SR231 in the -X direction, and has a scan section SR232. Note that each of the scan effective areas AR21, AR22, and AR23 after the change process shown in FIG. 13 is an example and is not limited thereto.

[0161] Here, when the offline teaching device 5 determines that at least a part of the scan section of the scan effective area AR2 changed based on the operator operation is not scannable based on the operation locus of the welding operation and the scan effective range (see FIG. 4), a notification indicating that the scan effective area AR2 after the change process is outside the scan effective range, or a screen in which the area outside the scan effective range in the scan effective area AR2 after the change process is highlighted in a color such as red is generated and transmitted to the monitor MN3 for display. Thereby, the operator can immediately confirm whether the scan effective area AR2 after the change process is an area scannable by the sensor 4.

[0162] Referring to FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 respectively, the editing process of the scan effective area of the offline teaching device 5 and the creation process of the teaching program for the new scan operation in Embodiment 2 will be specifically described. Note that the 3D model MD3 shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 is an example and is not limited thereto. Furthermore, in order to make the explanation of the editing process of the scan effective area easier to understand, the illustration of the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation is omitted from the 3D model MD3 shown in each of FIGS. 14 to 16.

[0163] In addition, in the following description, the offline teaching device 5 will explain an example of creating a teaching program for the scan operation when it does not acquire information related to the welding line (such as the position information of the welding line). Note that the teaching location WLM3 shown in FIG. 14 is shown to make it easier to understand the teaching locations (scan locations) taught by the respective arrangements of the plurality of scan effective areas AR31, AR32, AR33, AR34, AR35 described later, and may be omitted on the screen displayed on the monitor MN3.

[0164] The offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 acquires, based on the operator's operation, the teaching programs of the welding operation and the scan operation of the work Wk that is the target of creating the teaching program for the new scan operation from each of the robot control device 2, the inspection control device 3, or the input device UI3, and the data of the 3D model MD3.

[0165] The offline teaching device 5 superimposes the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation on the data of the 3D model MD3 of the acquired work Wk. Here, the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation superimposed on the data of the 3D model MD3 may be selectable by the operator to be displayed or not displayed. The offline teaching device 5 generates an image in which the acquired operation locus RT3 of the welding operation is superimposed on the 3D model MD3 of the work Wk, transmits it to the monitor MN3, and displays it.

[0166] Further, the offline teaching device 5 superimposes the acquired 3D model MD3 of the workpiece Wk or the scan effective area AR31 associated with the teaching program of the scanning operation on the data of the 3D model MD3. Note that when there is no 3D model MD3 of the workpiece Wk or no scan effective area associated with the teaching program of the scanning operation, the offline teaching device 5 executes a process of generating a new scan effective area based on the operator's operation.

[0167] The offline teaching device 5 shown in FIG. 15 generates two scan effective areas AR32 and AR33 each of which is a copy (duplicate) of the scan effective area AR31 based on the operator's operation via the input device UI3. The offline teaching device 5 moves each of the two scan effective areas AR32 and AR33 to the position specified by the operator and arranges them on the 3D model MD3.

[0168] The offline teaching device 5 shown in FIG. 16 generates two scan effective areas AR34 and AR35 each of which is a copy (duplicate) of the scan effective area AR31 based on the operator's operation via the input device UI3 and arranges them on the 3D model MD3. In FIG. 16, for easier understanding, the illustration of the scan effective area AR35 is omitted. The offline teaching device 5 moves each of the two scan effective areas AR34 and AR35 to the position specified by the operator. Further, the offline teaching device 5 accepts a designation operation of a rotation reference point (not shown) specified by the operator for each of the two scan effective areas AR34 and AR35 and a designation operation of a rotation amount in any direction with this rotation reference point as the origin. The offline teaching device 5 rotates each of the scan effective areas AR34 and AR35 based on the received designation operations and arranges them on the 3D model MD3.

[0169] Here, the offline teaching device 5 may further receive a designation operation regarding the shape of the teaching location corresponding to each of the five scan effective regions AR31 to AR35. Specifically, the offline teaching device 5 may receive, for each scan effective region, a designation operation for designating whether the teaching location (i.e., the scan location) is in a linear shape, a curved shape, or a shape including a straight line and a curve.

[0170] For example, in the example of the offline teaching device 5 in the 3D model MD3 shown in FIG. 17, by operator operation, the teaching locations corresponding to the scan effective regions AR31 and AR33 are straight lines, the teaching locations corresponding to the scan effective regions AR34 and AR35 are lines including a straight line and a curve, and the offline teaching device 5 receives a designation operation indicating that the teaching location corresponding to the scan effective region AR3 2 is a curve. In such a case, the offline teaching device 5 obtains the teaching locations WLM3 taught by each of the five generated scan effective regions AR31 to AR35 based on the shape information of the teaching location corresponding to each designated scan effective region, the three-dimensional shape of the 3D model MD3 (specifically, the surface shape of one or more original workpieces constituting the workpiece Wk, the intersection points or contact points between the original workpieces), or the operation locus of the welding operation.

[0171] Here, when each of the plurality of scan effective regions is continuous, the offline teaching device 5 may obtain the teaching locations included in each of the continuous plurality of scan effective regions as one continuous teaching location.

[0172] As described above, even when there is no position information of the welding line, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment acquires the teaching points WLM3 taught by each of the five generated scan effective regions AR31 to AR35, and uses the acquired teaching points WLM3 to create a teaching program for a new scan operation for causing the sensor 4 to scan the five scan effective regions AR31 to AR35. Note that the procedure for creating the teaching program for the new scan operation by the offline teaching device 5 is the same as the flowchart showing the example of the operation procedure of the offline teaching device 5 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 11, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

[0173] Next, with reference to FIG. 17, specific examples of various operations created based on the five scan effective regions AR31 to AR35 will be described. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an example of various operations associated with the scan effective regions AR31 to AR35 in the second embodiment. Note that the specific examples of the various operations shown in FIG. 17 are merely examples and are not limited thereto.

[0174] The offline teaching device 5 executes creation and association processing of various operations of the 3D model MD3 based on each of the five scan effective regions AR31 to AR35 according to the operation procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11.

[0175] In the example shown in FIG. 17, the offline teaching device 5 creates an approach operation for approaching the sensor 4 to the workpiece Wk in the section APR31 from the approach start position PT11 to the approach end position PT12 based on the information of various operations associated with the 3D model MD3 or the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation. Further, the offline teaching device 5 creates a retract operation for separating the sensor 4 from the workpiece Wk in the section RTR31 from the retract start position PT15 to the retract end position PT16 based on the information of various operations associated with the 3D model MD3 or the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation.

[0176] The offline teaching device 5 associates the operations of all the created scan effective areas respectively. Specifically, the offline teaching device 5 associates an approach operation, a retract operation, and a scan operation (that is, an operation for causing the sensor 4 to scan the teaching location WLM3). Note that FIG. 17 describes an example in which the 3D model MD3 or the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation has no avoidance information associated therewith.

[0177] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment creates a scan operation corresponding to each of one or more teaching locations (scan effective areas) generated based on the operator operation via the input device UI3, and associates the scan operations corresponding to each of all these teaching locations (scan effective areas), thereby automatically creating a teaching program for a new scan operation. Further, since the offline teaching device 5 can create a teaching program for a new scan operation based on the operation locus of the welding operation, it is possible to further improve the scan accuracy of the teaching location (that is, the scan effective area) during operation, or to more efficiently reduce the load required for teaching operations such as correction of the teaching location (scan effective area).

[0178] Also, as described above, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can create a teaching program for a new scan operation based on each of the one or more generated scan effective areas even when there is no data regarding the welding line (position information of the welding line).

[0179] Note that the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 acquires the position information of the welded line, a plurality of points (intersection points) where the original workpieces constituting the workpiece Wk intersect or a plurality of points (contact points) where they contact, or the teaching location (scanning location), etc., which are associated with the data of the 3D model MD3 in advance. Based on the operation locus RT3 of the welding operation and the acquired welded line, intersection points, contact points, or teaching locations (scanning locations), the offline teaching device 5 executes processes such as generation processing of one or more scan effective regions, copy (duplication) processing, rotation processing, and movement processing for the generated scan effective regions, and automatically generates each of a plurality of scan effective regions including the acquired welded line, intersection points, contact points, or teaching locations (scanning locations), and may arrange them on the 3D model MD3. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scanning operation for scanning the acquired welded line, intersection points, contact points, or teaching locations (scanning locations) with the sensor 4.

[0180] Further, the offline teaching device 5 in Embodiment 2 may automatically calculate the length of a straight line, the curvature of a curve, etc. of the teaching location (scanning location) based on the information on the surface shape of the original workpiece constituting the workpiece Wk associated with the 3D model MD3, or the information on a plurality of points (intersection points) where the original workpieces intersect or a plurality of points (contact points) where they contact, and the shape information of the teaching location (scanning location) corresponding to each scan effective region. Thereby, since the offline teaching device 5 can automatically calculate the acquired welded line, intersection points, contact points, or teaching locations (for example, teaching location WLM3, etc.), it can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scanning operation for scanning with the sensor 4.

[0181] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment includes an input / output unit 53 (an example of an input unit) that can receive an operator operation, data of the 3D model MD3 of the workpiece Wk produced by welding (an example of three-dimensional shape data), the welding operation locus RT3, and the scan effective range AR0 of the sensor 4 that scans the appearance shape of the workpiece Wk (an example of a scan range), which are acquired by the input / output unit 53 or the communication unit 50 (an example of an acquisition unit). Based on the acquired scan effective range AR0 (an example of a three-dimensional region) and the scan section specified by the operator operation (for example, the scan sections SR213, SR222, and SR232 shown in FIG. 13), a 3D calculation unit 54 (an example of a generation unit) generates a scan effective area (for example, the scan effective areas AR21, AR22, and AR23 shown in FIG. 13) to be scanned by the sensor 4. Based on the operator operation input to the input / output unit 53, at least one scan effective area is arranged on the data of the 3D model MD3 of the workpiece, and a teaching program for causing the welding robot MC1 that performs welding to scan the arranged scan effective area is created and output by a scan operation creation unit 552 (an example of a control unit).

[0182] Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment arranges, on the 3D model MD3, a scan effective area corresponding to the position and orientation of the sensor 4 at the specified position based on the position of the welding robot MC1 associated with the operation locus RT3 of the welding robot MC1, and can create the scan operation for each of the arranged scan effective areas. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation executed by the welding robot MC1 using the created scan operation, and can further improve the accuracy of the position between the scan location and the teaching location (i.e., the scan effective area) scanned during operation based on the teaching program of the scan operation. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation that can more efficiently reduce the load required for teaching operations such as correction of the teaching location (scan effective area). it

[0183] ​ In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment creates a teaching program based on the arranged scan effective area, the welding operation locus RT3, and the operation information of the welding robot MC1 that performs welding associated with the data of the 3D model MD1 (for example, approach information, retract information, avoidance information, etc.). Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can create the scan operations of the respective arranged scan effective areas based on each of the welding operation locus RT3 and the operation information of the welding robot MC1. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for the scan operation executed by the welding robot MC1 using the created scan operations.

[0184] In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment creates various operations of the welding robot MC1 with respect to the workpiece (for example, approach operation, retract operation, avoidance operation, etc.) and the scan operations for each scan effective area executed by the welding robot MC1 based on the operation information, and creates a teaching program by associating the scan operations corresponding to the respective created scan effective areas with the various operations. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can create a teaching program for the scan operation executed on the workpiece Wk based on the various operations of the created welding robot MC1 and the scan operations created for each scan effective area.

[0185] In addition, as described above, the scan operation creation unit 552 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment accepts the designation of the shape of the scan location (i.e., the teaching location) to be scanned in each of the scan effective areas by the operator's operation (for example, a linear shape, a curved shape, or a shape including a straight line and a curve), and based on the shape of each scan location in the designated scan effective area, the arranged scan effective area, and the motion locus RT3, creates and outputs a teaching program for causing the welding robot MC1 to scan the scan effective area. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can automatically create a teaching program for a scan operation suitable for the shape of the scan location (teaching location) designated in each scan effective area based on the shape of the scan location (teaching location).

[0186] In addition, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment replicates and arranges the scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR31 shown in FIG. 15) based on the operator's operation. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective area (for example, the scan effective areas AR31 to AR35 shown in FIGS. 15 to 17) based on at least one of all the scan effective areas including the replicated scan effective area (for example, the scan effective areas AR32 to AR35 shown in FIGS. 15 to 17) and the motion locus RT3 of welding. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can suppress the positional deviation between the scan effective area virtually generated and superimposed and displayed on the 3D model MD3 and the scan effective area that can be scanned by the actual sensor 4 by making each of the scan effective areas indicating the teaching location replicable. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 can more efficiently create a teaching program for a scan operation that further improves the accuracy of the position of the scan location and the teaching location (i.e., the scan effective area) to be scanned during operation.

[0187] Also, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment rotates the scan effective area based on one point on the scan effective area designated by the operator's operation (any one of the plurality of rotation reference points RP shown in FIG. 12) and the rotation amount with the one point as the rotation center. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective area based on at least one scan effective area among all the scan effective areas including the rotated scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR34 shown in FIG. 16) (for example, the scan effective areas AR31 to AR35 shown in FIG. 17) and the welding operation locus RT3. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can generate a scan effective area more suitable for the teaching location by making each of the scan effective areas indicating the teaching locations rotatable. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can more efficiently create a teaching program for a scan operation more suitable for the workpiece Wk scanned by the sensor 4 based on the generated scan effective area.

[0188] Also, as described above, the 3D calculation unit 54 of the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment moves the position of the scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR34 shown in FIG. 16) based on the movement amount of the scan effective area designated by the operator's operation. The scan operation creation unit 552 creates a teaching program for scanning the scan effective area based on at least one scan effective area among all the scan effective areas including the moved scan effective area (for example, the scan effective area AR34 shown in FIG. 16) (for example, the scan effective areas AR31 to AR35 shown in FIG. 17) and the welding operation locus RT3. Thereby, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can generate a scan effective area at a position more suitable for the teaching location by making each of the scan effective areas indicating the teaching locations movable. Therefore, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment can more efficiently create a teaching program for a scan operation more suitable for the workpiece Wk scanned by the sensor 4 based on the generated scan effective area.

[0189] As described above, the offline teaching device 5 in the second embodiment is configured to include one or more computers that are communicably connected to the input device UI3 by the operator operating the input device UI3. The operator inputs data of the 3D model MD3 of the workpiece Wk produced by welding (an example of three-dimensional shape data) to the computer, inputs scan sections (e.g., scan sections SR213, SR222, and SR232 shown in FIG. 13) for scanning the external shape of the workpiece Wk to the computer, and inputs the shape of the scan location to be scanned in the scan section (e.g., a straight line shape, a curved shape, or a shape including a straight line and a curved line) to the computer. The offline teaching device 5 creates a teaching program for causing the welding robot MC1 that performs welding to scan the scan effective area (an example of a three-dimensional area) based on the shape of the scan location.

[0190] As a result, the offline teaching device 5 in embodiment 2 can automatically create a teaching program for the scanning operation by acquiring data of the 3D model MD3 of the workpiece Wk, the scanning section for scanning the external shape of the workpiece Wk, and the shape of the scanning location to be scanned in the scanning section.

[0191] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications, corrections, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the components in the various embodiments described above may be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the invention.

[0192] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2021-104355) filed on June 23, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. [Industrial Applicability]

[0193] The present disclosure is useful as an offline teaching device and an offline teaching method for more efficiently creating a teaching program for a scanning operation of a sensor executed by a welding robot.

Explanation of Signs

[0194] 1 Host device 2 Robot control device 3 Inspection control device 4 Sensor 5 Offline teaching device 10, 20, 30, 50 Communication unit 11, 21, 31, 51 Processor 12, 22, 32, 52 Memory 53 Input / output unit 54 3D calculation unit 55 Program creation unit 551 Welding operation creation unit 552 Scanning operation creation unit 100 Welding system 200 Manipulator 300 Wire feeder 301 Welding wire 400 Welding torch 500 Power supply device AR0 Scanning effective range AR11, AR12, AR13, AR14, AR15, AR151, AR152, AR21, AR22, AR23, AR31, AR32, AR33, AR34, AR35 Scanning effective area MC1 Welding robot MD1, MD2, MD3 3D model MN1, MN2, MN3 Monitor RP Rotation reference point SR1, SR2, SR213, SR222, SR232 Scanning section UI3 Input device WLM11, WLM12, WLM21, WLM22 Welding line Wk Workpiece

Claims

1. An input unit capable of receiving an operator's operation, An acquisition unit that acquires three-dimensional shape data of a workpiece produced by welding, an operation locus of the welding, and a scan range of a sensor that scans an appearance shape of the workpiece, A generation unit that generates a three-dimensional region scanned by the sensor based on the acquired scan range and a scan section specified by the operator's operation, Based on the operator's operation input to the input unit, at least one of the three-dimensional regions is arranged on the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece, and based on the arranged three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding, a teaching program for causing the welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region is created and output, a control unit, An offline teaching device.

2. The control unit creates the teaching program based on the arranged three-dimensional region, the operation locus of the welding, and operation information of the welding robot that performs the welding associated with the three-dimensional shape data, The offline teaching device according to claim 1.

3. The control unit creates various operations of the welding robot with respect to the workpiece and a scan operation for each of the three-dimensional regions executed by the welding robot based on the operation information, and associates the scan operation and the various operations corresponding to each of the created three-dimensional regions to create the teaching program, The offline teaching device according to claim 2.

4. The control unit receives a designation of a shape of a scan location scanned in each of the three-dimensional regions by the operator's operation, and based on the shape of the scan location of each of the designated three-dimensional regions, the arranged three-dimensional region, and the operation locus, creates and outputs a teaching program for causing the welding robot to scan the three-dimensional region, The offline teaching device according to claim 1.

5. Based on the operator's operation, the generation unit duplicates and arranges the three-dimensional region, Based on at least one of all the three-dimensional regions including the duplicated three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding, the control unit creates an instruction program for scanning the three-dimensional region. The offline teaching device according to claim 1.

6. Based on a point on the three-dimensional region specified by the operator's operation and the rotation amount with the point as the rotation center, the generation unit rotates the three-dimensional region, Based on at least one of all the three-dimensional regions including the rotated three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding, the control unit creates an instruction program for scanning the three-dimensional region. The offline teaching device according to claim 1.

7. Based on the movement amount of the three-dimensional region specified by the operator's operation, the generation unit moves the position of the three-dimensional region, Based on at least one of all the three-dimensional regions including the moved three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding, the control unit creates an instruction program for scanning the three-dimensional region. The offline teaching device according to claim 1.

8. An offline teaching method performed by an offline teaching device configured to include one or more computers communicably connected to an input device capable of receiving an operator's operation, obtaining three-dimensional shape data of a workpiece produced by welding, the operation locus of the welding, and the scanning range of a sensor for scanning the appearance shape of the workpiece, generating a three-dimensional region to be scanned by the sensor based on the obtained scanning range and a scanning section specified by the operator's operation, Based on the operator operation acquired from the input device, at least one of the three-dimensional regions is arranged on the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece, Based on the arranged three-dimensional region and the operation locus of the welding, a teaching program for causing a welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region is created and output, Offline teaching method.

9. An offline teaching method performed using the offline teaching device according to claim 1, the offline teaching device including one or more computers communicably connected to the input device by an operator operating the input device, Input the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece produced by the welding and the operation locus of the welding into the offline teaching device, Input the scan section for scanning the appearance shape of the workpiece into the offline teaching device, Input the shape of the scan location scanned in the scan section into the offline teaching device, Based on the scan section and the shape of the scan location, generate the three-dimensional region scanned by the sensor, and create the teaching program for causing the welding robot that performs the welding to scan the three-dimensional region, Offline teaching method.

Images