Production system

Abstract

This production system comprises a conveyance device for conveying articles, a robot for performing work on an article conveyed by the conveyance device, and a movement device which moves the robot. The production system additionally comprises: a sensor that acquires position information regarding an article conveyed by the conveyance device; a calculation unit that calculates a velocity vector for the article conveyed by the conveyance device on the basis of the position information acquired by the sensor; and a control unit that, when the direction of movement of the article conveyed by the conveyance device and the direction of movement of the robot moved by the movement device differ, controls a velocity vector for the robot moved by the movement device and a velocity vector for the position of an end effector of the robot so that the sum of the velocity vector for the robot moved by the movement device and the velocity vector for the position of the end effector of the robot matches the velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveyance device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a production system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a production system in which a robot performs work on an article being conveyed by a conveying device. This production system includes a conveying device that conveys an article, a robot that performs work on the article conveyed by the conveying device, and a moving device that moves the robot. In a production system, it is important to maintain a positional relationship in which the robot can appropriately perform work on the article.

[0003] For example, in a follow-up control method in which a robot with a traveling axis having a robot body and a traveling axis for traveling the robot body in a predetermined direction is made to perform a follow-up operation on a continuous line, the traveling axis of the robot with the traveling axis is divided by the traveling speed of the line for each unit time, the average speed per unit time is calculated, and the robot is controlled to perform a follow-up travel at the average speed per unit time. As a result, a follow-up deviation between the traveling axis and the line is used as a robot deviation in the traveling axis direction to control and correct the joint axis of the robot body. There is known a follow-up control method for a robot with a traveling axis (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] For example, there is known a work system including a conveying device that conveys an article, a movable moving base, a work unit that is fixed to the moving base and performs work on the article conveyed by the conveying device, a vision sensor that is fixed to the moving base and sequentially acquires visual information of the article conveyed by the conveying device or a mark formed on the conveying device, a detection unit that processes the visual information acquired by the vision sensor and sequentially detects at least the position of the article or the mark, a calculation unit that calculates the conveying speed of the conveying device based on the position of the article or the mark sequentially detected by the detection unit, and a drive control unit that drives the work unit using the conveying speed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] For example, in a production line control device including a work transfer means for transferring a work, a robot for performing a predetermined operation on the work being transferred by the work transfer means, and a robot movement drive means for moving the robot along a work transfer path, there are provided a work position detection means for detecting the transfer direction position of the work transferred by the work transfer means, a robot position detection means for detecting the position of the robot that is driven to move in the work transfer direction by the robot movement drive means, a robot control means for controlling the robot, a synchronization control means for controlling the robot movement drive means so that the robot moves in synchronization with the work being transported, and a cooperation control means for coordinating the control by the robot control means and the control by the synchronization control means using the position of the work detected by the work position detection means and the position of the robot detected by the robot position detection means. A production line control device having such features is known (for example, see Patent Document 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In a production system, when the moving direction of an article conveyed by a conveying device is the same as the moving direction of a robot moving by a moving device, if the speed of the conveying device is calculated using a device such as an encoder and the robot is moved by the moving device at the same speed as the conveying speed of the conveying device that conveys the article, the robot can follow the article and maintain a positional relationship that enables the robot to appropriately perform work on the article. However, the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device and the moving direction of the robot moving by the moving device may be different. For example, due to various factors such as the operation accuracy and vibration of the conveying device and / or the moving device, the moving direction of the article and / or the moving direction of the robot may deviate from the ideal direction, and the relative distance between the robot and the article may change. Also, for example, the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device may not be linear but curved, or the article conveyed by the conveying device may be conveyed in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. When the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device and the moving direction of the robot moving by the moving device are different in this way, the robot cannot be made to follow the article by control using only the value of the conveying speed of the article by the conveying device measured by the encoder. Therefore, even when the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device and the moving direction of the robot moving by the moving device are different, the development of a production system that can maintain a positional relationship that enables the robot to appropriately perform work on the article is desired.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a production system including a conveying device that conveys an article, a robot that performs an operation on the article conveyed by the conveying device, and a moving device that moves the robot includes a sensor that acquires position information of the article conveyed by the conveying device, a calculation unit that calculates a velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device based on the position information acquired by the sensor, and a control unit that controls the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot such that the sum of the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot matches the velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device when the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device is different from the moving direction of the robot moved by the moving device. , the control unit controls such that the moving distance of the robot moved by the moving device is greater than the moving distance of the position of the end effector of the robot. is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a production system can be realized that can maintain a positional relationship in which a robot can appropriately perform an operation on an article even when the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device is different from the moving direction of the robot moved by the moving device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The production system will be described with reference to the following drawings. For ease of understanding, the scales of these drawings are appropriately changed. The forms shown in the drawings are one example for implementation and are not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Also, in the following description, "velocity" is a vector quantity representing the amount of variation of an object per unit time and its direction. In this specification, " Speed " is referred to as "velocity vector" in order to more clearly indicate that it is a vector quantity. Also, "speed" is a scalar quantity representing the magnitude of velocity.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a production system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] The production system 1 includes a conveying device 11 that conveys an article 41, a robot 12 that performs work on the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11, and a moving device 13 that moves the robot 12. Here, as an example, the production system 1 in which the robot 12 performs an operation of assembling a component 42 on the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 will be described.

[0014] In the production system 1, a fixed reference coordinate system (world coordinate system) is set with respect to changes in the position and orientation of the robot 12. In the reference coordinate system, the position of the origin is fixed, and further, the directions of the coordinate axes are fixed. The reference coordinate system has, as coordinate axes, an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other. Also, a W-axis is set as a coordinate axis around the X-axis. A P-axis is set as a coordinate axis around the Y-axis. An R-axis is set as a coordinate axis around the Z-axis.

[0015] In addition, a tool coordinate system having an origin set at an arbitrary position of the end effector (working tool) 31 of the robot 12 is set in the production system 1. The tool coordinate system changes in position and orientation together with the end effector 31. The origin of the tool coordinate system is set at the tool tip of the end effector 31. The position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 corresponds to the position of the tool tip in the reference coordinate system (the position of the origin of the tool coordinate system). Also, the orientation of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 corresponds to the orientation of the tool coordinate system with respect to the reference coordinate system.

[0016] As the transfer device 11 for transferring the article 41, any form of transfer device can be adopted. Also, the transfer direction (moving direction) of the article 41 by the transfer device 11 is any direction in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction on the horizontal plane and any direction in the axial direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Z In FIG. 1, as an example, an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is adopted as the transfer device 11. For example, the AGV as the transfer device 11 may move in any direction in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction on the horizontal plane. Also, the AGV as the transfer device 11 may move on an inclined plane having an arbitrary inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane, and in this case, the moving direction of the AGV is the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and / or the Z-axis direction. Note that the transfer device 11 is not limited to the AGV shown here, and for example, a belt conveyor, a transfer device with a traveling axis that travels on a rail for travel guidance, a magnetic levitation transfer device, and an electromagnetic levitation transfer device can be adopted.

[0017] As the moving device 13 for moving the robot 12 (its main body), a moving device in any form can be adopted. The moving device 13 reciprocates the robot 12 in one direction on a horizontal plane. In FIG. 1, as an example, the moving device 13 reciprocates the main body of the robot 12 in the plus (+) direction and the minus (-) direction of the X-axis. For example, the moving device 13 is a moving device with a traveling axis in which a support base that supports the robot 12 travels on a rail for traveling guidance with a motor (not shown) as a drive source. Note that the moving device 13 is not limited to this form, and any moving device that reciprocates the robot 12 in one direction on a horizontal plane can be adopted. For example, as the moving device 13, a belt conveyor, an AGV, a magnetic levitation transport device, an electromagnetic levitation transport device, etc. can be adopted.

[0018] The robot 12 performs an arbitrary operation on the article 41 being conveyed by the conveying device 11. The end effector 31 attached to the robot 12 is an arbitrary working tool according to the operation performed by the robot 12. In FIG. 1, as an example, the end effector 31 is a hand that grips or releases the component 42. The hand is, for example, a suction hand that grips the surface of the component 42 by suction. Note that the end effector 31 attached to the robot 12 is not limited to this form, and in a production system that performs welding work, a working tool that performs welding is adopted, and in a production system that performs painting work, a working tool that applies paint to the surface of the article is adopted.

[0019] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the robot 12 assembles the component 42 to the article 41 by fitting the fitting portions 42A and 42B of the component 42 gripped by the hand, which is the end effector 31, to the fitting portions 41A and 41B of the article 41, respectively. For example, the article 41 is an automobile body, and the component 42 is an automobile door or tire.

[0020] In order to make the end effector 31 of the robot 12 follow the movement of the article conveyed by the conveying device 11, the production system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sensor 21, a calculation unit 22, and a control unit 23.

[0021] The sensor 21 acquires the position information of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11. The sensor 21 may be any device that can acquire the positional relationship between the article 41 and the robot 12. In the illustrated example, the sensor 21 is disposed at a position on the main body of the robot 12 where the article 41 can be sensed. As an alternative example, the sensor 21 may be disposed above the robot 12 and the article 41 (e.g., the ceiling of the room in which the production system 1 is housed) so that both the robot 12 and the article 41 can be sensed.

[0022] Examples of the method for the sensor 21 to acquire the position information of the article 41 include, for example, a stereo camera method and a pulse radar method.

[0023] The sensor 21 using the stereo camera method includes two two-dimensional cameras that capture two-dimensional images, and an arithmetic processing unit that acquires the position information of the article 41 by image processing based on the parallax of the two images captured by the two two-dimensional cameras. As an example of the two-dimensional camera, any camera equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) sensor can be adopted. Further, the sensor 21 may include a projector that projects pattern light such as a striped pattern toward the article 41, capture the projected pattern on the article 41 with the two-dimensional camera, and acquire the position information of the article 41 based on the imaging result.

[0024] The sensor 21 using the pulse radar method includes a transmitter that transmits radio waves, a receiver that receives the reflected waves from the article 41, and an arithmetic processing unit that acquires the position information of the article 41 based on the relationship between the radio waves transmitted by the transmitter and the reflected waves received by the receiver.

[0025] In addition, when the transfer device 11 is configured by a transfer device (such as an AGV or the like) having a support base that moves together with the article 41, the position information of the article 41 corresponds one-to-one with the position information of the support base of the transfer device 11. Therefore, in this case, the sensor 21 may acquire the position information of the support base of the transfer device 11 and acquire the position information of the article 41 based on the position information of this support base.

[0026] The position information of the article 41 conveyed by the transfer device 11 is periodically acquired (for example, at a cycle of several hundred ms) by the sensor 21 and sent to the calculation unit 22.

[0027] Based on the position information periodically acquired by the sensor 21, the calculation unit 22 calculates the velocity vector of the article 41 conveyed by the transfer device 11. The velocity vector of the article 41 includes the "speed" representing the amount of variation per unit time of the article 41 and the "moving direction" of the article 41 moving at that speed.

[0028] The calculation unit 22 is constituted by an arithmetic processing device (processor). Examples of the arithmetic processing device include an IC, LSI, CPU, MPU, DSP, etc. The calculation unit 22 constituted by the arithmetic processing device is a functional module realized, for example, by a computer program executed on a processor. For example, when constructing the calculation unit 22 in the form of a computer program, the function of the calculation unit 22 can be realized by operating the arithmetic processing device according to this computer program. The computer program for executing the processing of the calculation unit 22 may be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. Alternatively, the calculation unit 22 may be realized as a personal computer having a semiconductor integrated circuit in which a computer program for realizing the function is written.

[0029] In addition, a first control device 14 and a second control device 15 are provided in the production system 1.

[0030] The second control device 15 has a function of controlling the operation of the conveying device 11. That is, the second control device 15 controls the speed vector related to the conveying device 11 according to a predetermined operation program. The speed vector includes the "speed" representing the displacement amount of an object per unit time and the "movement direction" of an object moving at that speed, so the control of the speed vector includes "control of speed" and "control of direction". For example, when the conveying device 11 is configured as an AGV, a magnetic levitation type conveying device, or an electromagnetic levitation type conveying device, the second control device 15 controls the speed and the direction of movement of the article 41 by the conveying device 11. When the conveying device 11 is configured as a conveying device with a traveling shaft that travels on a belt conveyor or a rail for traveling guide, the direction of movement of the article 41 by the conveying device 11 is predetermined, so the second control device 15 controls the speed of conveying the article 41 by the conveying device 11.

[0031] The first control device 14 has a function of controlling the work performed by the robot 12 and a function of controlling the operation of the moving device 13. to control In addition to a control unit (not shown) for controlling the movement of the robot 12 by the moving device 13, a control unit 23 for controlling the movement of the robot 12 and the movement of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 is also provided. The control unit 23 controls the velocity vector of the robot 12 (its main body) and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 according to the velocity vector of the article 41 calculated by the calculation unit 22. More specifically, the control unit 23 controls the velocity vector of the robot 12 moving by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 so that the sum of the velocity vector of the robot 12 moving by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 coincides with the velocity vector of the article 41 transported by the transport device 11. The velocity vector includes the "speed" that represents the amount of displacement of the object per unit time and the "movement direction" of the object moving at that speed, so that the control of the velocity vector includes "control of the speed" and "control of the direction". of the robot 12 Details of the control process for the movement and the movement of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 will be described later.

[0032] An arithmetic processing unit (processor) is provided in the first control device 14 and the second control device 15. Examples of the arithmetic processing unit include an IC, an LSI, a CPU, an MPU, a DSP, etc. The control unit 23 constituted by the arithmetic processing unit in the first control device 14 is a functional module realized by, for example, a computer program executed on a processor. For example, when constructing the control unit 23 in the form of a computer program, the function of the control unit 23 can be realized by operating the arithmetic processing unit according to this computer program. The computer program for executing the processing of the control unit 23 may be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. Alternatively, the control unit 23 may be realized as a semiconductor integrated circuit in which a computer program for realizing the function is written.

[0033] The first control device 14 and the second control device 15 may be configured as an integrated control device, and further, the calculation unit 22 may be included in the integrated control device. Also, the calculation unit 22 may be configured to be included in the first control device 14 or the second control device 15.

[0034] Subsequently, details of the control process for the movement and the movement of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 by the control unit 23 will be described.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the velocity vector of an article conveyed by a conveying device, the velocity vector of a robot, and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot in a production system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 2, the velocity vector of the article 41 calculated by the calculation unit 22 is represented by reference numeral 100. The velocity vector of the robot 12 (main body) controlled by the control unit 23 is represented by reference numeral 200, and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 controlled by the control unit 23 is indicated by reference numeral 300.

[0036] The main body of the robot 12 reciprocates in the plus (+) and minus (−) directions in the X-axis direction by the operation of the moving device 13.

[0037] On the other hand, depending on the configuration of the production system 1, the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 may move away from or approach the main body of the robot 12 in a direction not parallel to the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12 (Y-axis direction and / or Z-axis direction). Further, there is also a production system 1 in which the moving direction of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is not linear but curved, or in which the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is conveyed in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. Further, depending on the configuration of the production system 1, even in a production system 1 designed such that the moving direction of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is parallel to the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12, due to various factors such as the operation accuracy and vibration of the conveying device 11 and / or the moving device 13, the moving direction of the article 41 and / or the moving direction of the robot 12 (main body) may deviate from the original direction, and the relative distance between the robot 12 (main body) and the article 41 may change.

[0038] In this way, in the production system 1, a state occurs in which the moving direction of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is different from the moving direction of the robot 12 (its main body) that moves by the moving device 13. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit 23 controls the velocity vector 200 of the robot 12 and the velocity vector 300 of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 according to the velocity vector 100 of the article 41 calculated by the calculation unit 22. More specifically, when the moving direction of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is different from the moving direction of the robot 12 (its main body) that moves by the moving device 13, the control unit 23 makes the sum of the velocity vector 200 of the robot 12 (its main body) that moves by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector 300 of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 coincide with the velocity vector of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11, and controls the velocity vector of the robot 12 (its main body) that moves by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12. Thereby, even when the moving direction of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 in the production system 1 is different from the moving direction of the robot 12 (its main body) that moves by the moving device 13, the robot 12 can maintain a positional relationship in which it can appropriately perform work on the article.

[0039] Since the moving device 13 only needs to reciprocate the main body of the robot 12 in the positive (+) and negative (-) directions of the X-axis, the velocity vector of the robot 12 controlled by the control unit 23 should ideally have only a component in the X-axis direction. However, in reality, due to the influence of the operating accuracy and vibration of the moving device 13, etc., the main body of the robot 12 controlled by the control unit 23 fluctuates slightly in the Y-axis direction and / or the Z-axis direction. Since the position information of the article 41 acquired by the sensor 21 indicates the position of the article 41 based on the main body of the robot 12, the velocity vector of the article 41 calculated by the calculation unit 22 based on this position information of the article 41 will also include a component in the Y-axis direction and / or a component in the Z-axis direction caused by the operating accuracy and vibration of the moving device 13. Therefore, by the control unit 23 controlling the velocity vector 200 of the robot 12 and the velocity vector 300 of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 according to the velocity vector 100 of the article 41 calculated by the calculation unit 22, it is possible to cope with the fluctuations in the Y-axis direction and / or the Z-axis direction of the main body of the robot 12 caused by the influence of the operating accuracy and vibration of the moving device 13, etc.

[0040] Regarding the velocity vector of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11, it can also be grasped from the design data and control data of the production system 1. However, due to various factors such as the operating accuracy and vibration of the conveying device 11 and / or the moving device 13 as described above, the "actual" velocity vector of the article 41 is likely to deviate from the "ideal" velocity vector of the article 41 grasped from the design content of the production system 1. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, according to the velocity vector of the article 41 calculated based on the position information of the article 41 acquired by the sensor 21, that is, according to the "actual" velocity vector of the article 41, the velocity vector 200 of the robot 12 and the velocity vector 300 of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 are controlled. Therefore, compared with the case of controlling based on the velocity vector of the article 41 grasped from the design data and control data of the production system 1, it is possible to more accurately and surely maintain the positional relationship in which the robot 12 can appropriately perform work on the article.

[0041] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the production system in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, as an example, a production system 1 will be described in which a robot 12 assembles a component 42 for an article 41 conveyed by a conveying device 11.

[0042] The robot working area where the robot 12 can work on the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is defined by the conveyance range of the article 41 by the conveying device 11, the movable range of the arm of the robot 12, and the movable range of the main body of the robot 12 by the moving device 13. For example, in the production system 1 in which a plurality of articles 41 sequentially flow into the robot working area by the conveying device 11, when one article 41 enters the robot working area, the robot 12 starts to follow and work on the one article 41, and the work of the robot 12 on the one article 41 is completed before the article 41 exits the robot working area. In step S101, until the article 41 enters the robot working area, the control unit 23 controls the moving device 13 so that the main body of the robot 12 waits at the work start position.

[0043] When the article 41 enters the robot working area, in step S102, the sensor 21 acquires the position information of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11.

[0044] In step S103, the calculation unit 22 calculates the velocity vector of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 based on the position information acquired by the sensor 21, and sends this to the control unit 23 in the first control device 14.

[0045] In step S104, the control unit 23 controls the velocity vector of the robot 12 moving by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 so that the sum of the velocity vector of the robot 12 moving by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 matches the velocity vector of the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11.

[0046] Step S10 5 In step S10, the first control device 14 determines whether the work of the robot 12 on the article 41 has been completed.

[0047] Step S10 5 If the first control device 14 determines that the assembly work of the robot 12 on the article 41 has not been completed in step S10, the process returns to step S102. The processes of steps S102 to S105 are repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle (for example, a cycle of several hundred ms). While the processes of steps S102 to S105 are repeatedly executed, the first control device 14 controls the robot 12 to perform the work of assembling the component 42 on the article 41. In the vicinity of the end effector 31, a two-dimensional camera for assembly work is provided. The article 41 is imaged by the two-dimensional camera at a high cycle (for example, several ms), and the work required to assemble the component 42 on the article 41 is performed while precisely controlling the operation of the end effector 31 on the article 41 using pattern matching processing based on the captured image.

[0048] Step S10 5 If the first control device 14 determines that the assembly work of the robot 12 on the article 41 has been completed in step S10 for the process for the article 41 is terminated. Thereafter, the control unit 23 performs control to move the main body of the robot 12 to the work start position, and control to wait for the main body of the robot 12 at the work start position until a new article 41 enters the robot work area (step S101).

[0049] In addition, when the control unit 23 controls the velocity vector of the robot 12 moved by the moving device 13 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12, for the velocity vector component in the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12 by the moving device 13, that is, the X-axis direction, it is created by appropriately sharing between the velocity vector of the robot 12 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12. That is, for the velocity vector component in the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12 by the moving device 13, that is, the X-axis direction, it may be shared equally between the velocity vector of the robot 12 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12, or it may be shared at an arbitrary ratio between the velocity vector of the robot 12 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12. Some examples of the sharing form between the velocity vector of the robot 12 and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 will be listed.

[0050] According to the first form, the control unit 23 controls such that the moving distance of the robot 12 (main body) moved by the moving device 13 in the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12 by the moving device 13, that is, the X-axis direction, is larger than the moving distance of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12.

[0051] According to the second form, the control unit 23 controls such that the speed in the velocity vector of the robot 12 moved by the moving device 13 is larger than the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 for the velocity vector component in the moving direction of the main body of the robot 12 by the moving device 13, that is, the X-axis direction.

[0052] In these first and second forms, the moving device 13 moves the main body of the robot 12 as far as possible in the X-axis direction, and moves the X-axis direction of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 as small as possible. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a situation where the arm of the robot 12 reaches the dead limit and exceeds the movable range of the arm of the robot 12. Also, by reducing the control burden of the X-axis direction component among the velocity vectors of the end effector 31 of the robot and placing the emphasis on the control of the Y-axis direction component and the Z-axis direction component, the work of the robot 12 can be made more accurate. In particular, even if the article 41 suddenly moves greatly in the X-axis direction, by quickly moving the main body of the robot 12 in the X-axis direction by the moving device 13, the influence on the original work of the robot 12 can be reduced.

[0053] According to the third form, the control unit 23 controls such that the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 becomes larger than the speed in the velocity vector of the robot 12 that moves by the moving device 13. Generally, since the moving device 13 has worse acceleration than the end effector 31 of the robot 12, the followability to the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 is inferior. Therefore, in order to quickly follow the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11, in the third form, the moving speed of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 is given priority over the moving speed of the robot 12 that moves by the moving device 13. For example, when the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11 approaches the end of the robot work area or the moving device 13 approaches the end of the movable range, and there is not much remaining time for the robot 12 to perform work, according to the third form, the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector 31 of the robot 12 is made larger than the speed in the velocity vector of the robot 12 that moves by the moving device 13, so that the end effector 31 of the robot 12 quickly follows the article 41 conveyed by the conveying device 11.

[0054] The first mode, the second mode, and the third mode may be executed in appropriate combinations or may be selectively switched and executed.

Explanation of Signs

[0055] 1 Production system 11 Conveyor 12 Robot 13 Moving device 14 First control device 15 Second control device 21 Sensor 22 Calculation unit 23 Control unit 14 First control device 15 Second control device 31 End effector 41 Article 41A, 41B Fitting part 42 Component 42A, 42B Fitting part 100 Velocity vector of the article 200 Velocity vector of the robot 300 Velocity vector of the end effector of the robot

Claims

1. A production system comprising a conveying device for conveying an article, a robot for performing an operation on the article conveyed by the conveying device, and a moving device for moving the robot, wherein: a sensor for acquiring position information of the article conveyed by the conveying device; a calculation unit for calculating a velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device based on the position information acquired by the sensor; a control unit for controlling the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot such that the sum of the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot coincides with the velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device when the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device is different from the moving direction of the robot moved by the moving device; and comprising: the control unit controls such that the moving distance of the robot moved by the moving device is greater than the moving distance of the position of the end effector of the robot. A production system.

2. A production system comprising a conveying device for conveying an article, a robot for performing an operation on the article conveyed by the conveying device, and a moving device for moving the robot, wherein: a sensor for acquiring position information of the article conveyed by the conveying device; a calculation unit for calculating a velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device based on the position information acquired by the sensor; a control unit for controlling the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot such that the sum of the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot coincides with the velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device when the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device is different from the moving direction of the robot moved by the moving device; and comprising: the control unit controls such that the speed in the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device is greater than the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot. A production system. A production system comprising a conveying device for conveying an article, a robot for performing an operation on the article conveyed by the conveying device, and a moving device for moving the robot. A sensor for acquiring position information of the article conveyed by the conveying device. A calculation unit for calculating a velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device based on the position information acquired by the sensor. When the moving direction of the article conveyed by the conveying device is different from the moving direction of the robot moved by the moving device, the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device and the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot are controlled such that the sum thereof coincides with the velocity vector of the article conveyed by the conveying device. The production system further comprises: A control unit for controlling such that the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot is greater than the speed in the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device.

4. The production system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moving device reciprocates the robot in one direction.

5. The production system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls such that the speed in the velocity vector of the robot moved by the moving device is greater than the speed in the velocity vector of the position of the end effector of the robot.

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