System for automatic handling of components in a mounting process

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for the automatic handling of components which each have a mechanical interface for fastening of the component to a support rail of electric installation engineering, in a mounting process for mounting the components on the support rail, the components being provided in a component-storage area.

Description

[0001] System for the automatic handling of components in an assembly process

[0002] The invention relates to a system for the automatic handling of components, each of which has a mechanical interface for fastening the component on a support rail of the electrical installation technology, in an assembly process for mounting the components on the support rail, wherein the components are provided in a component storage area.

[0003] EP 3 127 200 B1 discloses a system and method for the order-specific assembly of mounting rails with components. The invention is based on the object of providing an improved system for the automatic handling of components in an assembly process, e.g., for the automatic assembly of mounting rails with the components.

[0004] In a first embodiment of the invention, this object is achieved by a system for the automatic handling of components, each of which has a mechanical interface for fastening the component to a support rail of the electrical installation technology, in an assembly process for mounting the components on the support rail, wherein the components are provided in a component storage area, having the following features: a) at least one industrial robot with at least one robot arm, b) at least one camera for detecting the components in the component storage area, c) a controller, d) wherein the controller is configured to carry out the following steps: d1) recording and evaluating one or more images of the component storage area by means of the at least one camera, d2) comparing the image data of the at least one camera with comparison data assigned to a respective component,with which the components present in the component storage area are specified in terms of data, d3) identifying at least one individual component in the component storage area based on the comparison in step d2), d4) controlling the at least one industrial robot in such a way that the individual component identified in the image data is removed from the component storage area by means of the at least one robot arm and transported by means of the at least one robot arm, d5) controlling the at least one industrial robot in such a way that the component is mounted with its mechanical interface on the support rail.

[0005] Advantageously, the system can thus automatically identify the components in the component storage area based on the CAD data from the CAD system and a comparison with the image data from the camera (CAD - Computer Aided Design). In this way, the system can transport the desired components to a first target position, whereby the unique identifiability of the components in the image data based on the CAD data enables reliable component recognition of any component. The CAD data can, for example, be computer-generated design data for the component, which is created in a computer-aided design process in the computer, i.e., the CAD system. This data can, for example, be fed to the system according to the invention via an interface.

[0006] From the user's perspective, the system according to the invention has the advantage that the system can be designed to be very simple and user-friendly when preparing the components in the component storage area. The components can, for example, be placed directly from the product packaging into the component storage area, e.g. in a receiving container into which the components are simply poured from the product packaging. The components in this bulk material arrangement can then be separated automatically by the system according to the invention using the robot arm, i.e. the robot arm removes a component of a certain component type, defined according to a predetermined specification, from the receiving container. In particular, the preparation of the components does not require a magazine or the like specially designed for the geometry of the component, which is also relatively complex to fill.Furthermore, for the system according to the invention, no such component-specific magazines need to be developed, manufactured, and assembled prior to the assembly process. The components can be, for example, components of electrical installation technology, such as terminal blocks and other devices for mounting on mounting rails. The mounting rail can be a standard mounting rail for electrical installation technology, e.g., a top-hat rail. The components can have, for example, mounting rail fastening elements as a mechanical interface for mounting on the mounting rail, e.g., mounting rail fastening elements for snapping onto the mounting rail.

[0007] The identification of an individual component in step d3) can be performed directly by image comparison, e.g., by identifying a desired component based on its housing shape. It would also be conceivable to identify an individual component based on other component-specific criteria, e.g., based on a code applied to the component, such as a barcode.

[0008] Advantageously, in step d4), the control of at least one industrial robot can occur depending on a detected position and orientation of the component in the component storage area. This has the advantage that the components can be in any position and orientation in the component storage area and yet can still be removed in a targeted manner using the robot arm. Advantageously, the components can therefore simply be provided as bulk material, e.g., by pouring them into the component storage area. Furthermore, the components can have any desired and, in particular, different geometries and can still be automatically detected and grasped by the robot arm in the position and orientation in which they are detected.

[0009] The controller can be designed as a single or multi-part unit. Each part of the controller can have a computer. The controller can be designed as a single control unit, i.e. a central controller, or as a controller with distributed control components. For example, part of the controller can be integrated into the camera, e.g., when a smart camera is used. Then, for example, step d1) can be carried out directly by the control component in the camera. The controller can have control software that has one or more control programs. Particularly in the case of a distributed controller, individual control program parts can be present in each component of the controller. The controller is set up to carry out the aforementioned steps by executing its control program.

[0010] The at least one camera can be configured as a 2D camera, a 3D camera, or another multidimensional camera. The camera can be configured as a monochrome camera or a color camera. The at least one camera can be configured to capture light in the daylight spectrum and / or the infrared spectrum and / or the ultraviolet spectrum. The at least one camera can have integrated image analysis, e.g., to directly compare the recorded image data with the reference data of the components. The at least one camera can also be configured without such image analysis.

[0011] To the extent that it is described that certain steps are carried out by controlling the industrial robot so that certain actions are carried out by means of at least one robot arm, this includes controlling one or more robot grippers arranged on the robot arm accordingly so that the corresponding actuation step is carried out.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in step d1) a point cloud of the recorded components is generated in the image recording, and in step d2) the comparison data of the components is compared directly or after conversion into component image data with the point cloud of the components in the image recording. By processing as a point cloud, the configuration effort for the user can be minimized. In addition, existing image recognition program components, which are available, for example, in a program library, can advantageously be used. The point cloud can, for example, be generated as a 2D point cloud and compared with 2D component image data. Alternatively, the point cloud can be generated as a 3D point cloud and compared with 3D component image data.

[0013] The abbreviation "2D" used in connection with the camera, the point cloud and the component image data stands for two-dimensional, "3D" stands for three-dimensional.

[0014] The components are computer-aidedly recognized within the point cloud recorded in the image data and their position and orientation are determined. A computing unit is required for this method step. Appropriate software and / or hardware, e.g., a graphics processor, can be used for the recognition and determination. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the comparison data in step d2) is at least partially CAD data or is determined from CAD data originating from a CAD system, e.g., from a CAD design database. This allows the comparison data to be provided with little effort, e.g., by exporting it from a CAD system.

[0015] By using algorithms for CAD data-based component recognition, the system does not require any special programming or parameterization by the user. The CAD data can be obtained via an interface to the data provider, especially the manufacturer, over a network such as the Internet. The system can be advantageously used for assembly processes of various sizes, down to very small batch sizes and especially for single-piece production. The system can be easily and quickly adapted to accommodate expansion and / or changes to the product portfolio or production steps.

[0016] For example, the comparison data generated from the CAD system, e.g., in the form of a point cloud generated by the CAD system, can be fed into the system according to the invention via the interface. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the CAD data are first converted into the comparison data in the system according to the invention or in an intermediate interface.

[0017] Alternatively, the comparison data can also be generated in another way, e.g., according to a rule-based model, e.g., through manual programming. It is also possible to initially train the system in a learning mode and then specifically generate the comparison data in the learning mode by capturing images with the at least one camera. Furthermore, it is possible to generate the comparison data by taking suitable images using any other camera. For example, the comparison data can be generated using a camera based on a reference component.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that in step d3) the at least one component is identified with regard to its position and location in the component storage area and in step d4) the robot arm is controlled to remove the component in the identified position and location. In this case, for example, the determined coordinates of a component can be converted to a coordinate system of the industrial robot so that the robot can then specifically approach the component to be removed. Position markers on the component storage area, for example, can be used for this purpose. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that in step d5) the robot arm is controlled to set a predetermined position and location of the mechanical interface of the component relative to the support rail.This places the component with its mechanical interface in front of the support rail in such a way that it can be quickly mounted in the next movement of the robot arm, e.g., by snapping it onto the support rail. In this position and orientation, the component can be attached directly to the support rail.

[0019] The system described so far can also be configured directly to perform further steps, e.g., for assembling the component picked up by the at least one robot arm at a predetermined assembly position. In this respect, the system can also include the functionalities of the system described below as a further embodiment of the invention. However, the systems can also be configured as separate systems. If the system is configured as a unified system that also simultaneously assembles the component at the assembly position, then the aforementioned first target position can, for example, be the assembly position.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to control the at least one robot arm and place the respective component in a position-oriented manner at a first target position, which is designed as a transfer station for further process steps, in particular for further processing by a further robot gripper of the same robot arm or of a further robot arm of the same robot or of a further robot. In this embodiment, the system is particularly suitable for interaction with a further system, which is described below as a further embodiment of the invention. The further system can then pick up the component placed at the transfer station and mount it at the desired assembly position.

[0021] In a second embodiment of the invention, the object mentioned at the outset is achieved by a system for the automatic handling of components, each of which has a mechanical interface for fastening the component to a support rail (81) of the electrical installation technology, in an assembly process for mounting the components on the support rail, wherein the components are provided in a component storage area: a) at least one industrial robot with at least one robot arm, b) at least one camera for detecting the components, c) a controller, d) wherein the controller is set up to

[0022] - evaluate data from a computer design database in which the arrangement and assembly sequence of the components in the assembly process are specified,

[0023] - based on the data, to control the at least one industrial robot in such a way that, by means of the at least one robot arm, a component which is suitable according to the assembly sequence is mounted with its mechanical interface at a mounting position on the support rail which is specified in the computer design data.

[0024] Such a system allows the automatic assembly of a large number of components at the desired mounting positions, e.g. on a support rail for electrical installation technology. For example, the components can be snapped onto the support rail by a tilting movement. Advantageously, the planning of the components to be assembled can be carried out in advance in a computer design process, i.e. using a computer design program in which the arrangement and assembly sequence of the components is specified by the user. Corresponding data specifying the arrangement and assembly sequence is then stored in a computer design database. Advantageously, the system according to the invention can directly use the data from this computer design database to carry out the automated assembly process, i.e. to generate the corresponding control commands for the industrial robot.Using the data from this computer design database, the component's mounting position on the mounting rail can also be automatically calculated. In the computer design database, for example, the user can specify not only the order of the components, but also the geometries of the components, allowing them to calculate the final position and orientation of the components on the mounting rail and automatically determine the mounting position for the robot arm, without requiring any user configuration.

[0025] As a program for creating the computer design database, a program can be used, for example, in which the user can assemble, check and visualize a node (system) using digital twins of the components and export it as a whole (e.g. for an order).

[0026] If this second embodiment of the invention is designed as a joint system with the first embodiment, steps d1), d2), d3), and d4) of the first embodiment are executed first, followed by the steps in feature d) of the second embodiment. In this case, the industrial robot can be controlled such that it removes a desired component to be mounted at the assembly position directly from the component storage area.

[0027] If this second embodiment of the invention is designed as a separate system, the industrial robot can be controlled in such a way that it picks up the component to be assembled at a transfer station at which the system according to the first embodiment of the invention places the component.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to capture and evaluate images of the surroundings of the assembly position using the at least one camera and, based on the evaluated images, to mount the component at the assembly position by controlling the at least one robot arm. The industrial robot, which is thus designed as a "seeing" robot, can therefore be directly controlled by the controller so that the robot arm mounts the component in the correct position at the desired assembly position. Information from the computer design database can be evaluated in the control program, which further specifies the assembly position, in particular also the surroundings of the assembly position. For example, when mounting on a mounting rail, the mounting rail itself can be described in the form of CAD data.

[0029] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the computer design database defines a configurable sequence of components to be picked up by the robot arm and assembled at the assembly position. This allows the user to prepare the sequence during the computer design process to such an extent that the components can be assembled in the desired manner and the assembly process is not disrupted by components assembled in the wrong order.

[0030] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the controller is configured to pick up the component to be assembled from the component storage area or from a transfer station by controlling the at least one robot arm.

[0031] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to mount the removed component on a mounting rail of the electrical installation system by controlling the at least one robot arm. In this way, such mounting rails can be equipped automatically using the system according to the invention. Since the quantities of mounting rails to be equipped in the same way are often relatively small, the system according to the invention can be advantageously used to produce even small batch sizes at low cost.

[0032] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the controller is configured to mount the removed component on the support rail by snapping it onto the support rail by controlling the at least one robot arm. This allows for simple and quick mounting of the component on the support rail. In particular, no complex screwing or other fastening is required. Snapping can be achieved by a tilting movement easily performed by the robot arm.

[0033] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one camera is arranged on at least one industrial robot, in particular on the robot arm, in particular at the free end of the robot arm. This has the advantage that the area to be captured by the camera can be varied by controlling the robot arm. The robot can thus, for example, always look in the direction in which it can pick up components with a gripper. Alternatively, the camera can also be automatically adjustable with regard to the capture direction and / or capture range.

[0034] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the robot arm is provided with at least one gripper which, in order to remove the component from the component storage area, uses the mechanical interface of the component for gripping, which is later used to attach the component to the support rail. The component is thus gripped by the gripper at the mechanical interface of the component. To mount the component on the support rail, the component must then be gripped at a different location, e.g. by another gripper or by placing the component at a transfer station or intermediate storage area and then picking it up again by the same gripper or another gripper, so that the mechanical interface is free for attachment to the support rail.

[0035] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one industrial robot is designed as a universal robot with five or more joint degrees of freedom. This has the advantage that the system according to the invention is suitable for universal assembly tasks and does not need to be specifically adapted to a specific type of assembly task, at least not with regard to the hardware configuration. With such a robot arm, component storage areas can be reached almost 360° around the robot, with the exception of the areas for mounting on the support rail and the intermediate storage area.

[0036] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one industrial robot is designed as a cobot and / or collaborative robot with sensors for detecting obstacles to movement. This allows for an automated assembly process to be carried out while people are present in the cobot's area, e.g., for filling the component storage areas. Furthermore, such an industrial robot does not require complex shielding from the environment by protective grilles or similar devices.

[0037] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one robot arm has an adhesive gripping pad and / or a jaw gripper for gripping at least one component. Such a bionically inspired gripper technology is based on the principle of adhesion and utilizes intermolecular van der Waals forces for handling a wide variety of components. This allows for reliable and rapid gripping of components, particularly components of electrical installation technology such as terminal blocks and other devices to be attached to mounting rails.

[0038] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the components are provided in the component storage area as bulk material. This has the advantage that the components can be easily provided by the user and can be easily refilled. The components simply need to be poured from the product packaging into the component storage area.

[0039] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the components in the component storage area are stored in a small number of types, particularly in a single-variety manner. This simplifies the automatic identification of the components for the system. Single-variety means that the components are stored separately by type in the component storage area, for example, in different receptacles.

[0040] If the components are provided in a variety of types, this means that the number of different component types is relatively small, e.g. a maximum of ten types, a maximum of five types, or a maximum of two types. Single-variety means that only one component type is provided. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the component storage area has a plurality of individual receiving containers, with components of a variety of types, in particular single-variety, being provided in each receiving container. Such receiving containers can advantageously be of relatively simple design, e.g. as a receiving tray that is open at the top or in the shape of a box. For example, several receiving containers can also be arranged in a cupboard or a mobile trolley like drawers that can be pushed open and closed. The opening and closing of the drawers can be automated by the robot arm.

[0041] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the receiving containers are provided in a magazine like drawers, wherein the controller is configured to open a receiving container by controlling at least one robot arm, in which container components of the type required for the next assembly step at the target position are provided. For example, a desired drawer can be pulled out by the robot arm, a component can be removed by means of the robot arm, and the drawer can then be closed again by means of the robot arm. It is also conceivable for the drawers to be opened and closed by their own drive mechanism, so that no action by the robot arm is required. The opening and closing of the drawers can be controlled, for example, by the controller and its control program.In an advantageous embodiment, such a drawer can have at least one marking for a reference position, e.g., a position to which the drawer is to be opened. The marking can be automatically detected by the at least one camera and evaluated for the subsequent steps.

[0042] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, step d2) is performed for each type of component, with the controller being configured to determine a predetermined sequence of the component types from a database. A CAD database, for example, can be used as the database, in which the assembly of the support rails was initially planned on the computer. For example, the aforementioned computer design database can be used for this purpose. Accordingly, the subsequent steps d3), d4), and d5) are then also performed with the component type considered in step d2).

[0043] The invention also relates to a method for providing different types of components for a system of the type described above, wherein each individual receptacle is filled with components of the same type by pouring the components directly from the product packaging into the respective receptacle. This filling process can be carried out particularly easily by operating personnel. However, the filling process can also be automated, e.g., by another robot.

[0044] Advantageously, the system according to the invention can be assembled from commercially available standard components, particularly with regard to the at least one industrial robot, the at least one camera, and the controller. The controller can be formed entirely or partially, for example, by a PLC (programmable logic controller). The controller can have one or more computers for executing the control program. The control program can be a computer program.

[0045] For the purposes of the present invention, the indefinite term "a" is not to be understood as a numerical term. Therefore, if, for example, a component is mentioned, this is to be interpreted as "at least one component." Angles expressed in degrees refer to a circle of 360 degrees (360°).

[0046] Where a computer is mentioned, it may be configured to execute a computer program, e.g., in the sense of software. The computer may be a standard computer, e.g., a PC, laptop, notebook, tablet, or smartphone, or a microprocessor, microcontroller, or FPGA, or a combination of such elements.

[0047] The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and drawings.

[0048] Figure 1 an industrial robot,

[0049] Figure 2 shows the distal part of a robot arm,

[0050] Figure 3 shows a system according to the invention in a schematic representation,

[0051] Figure 4 shows a system architecture with details of the individual functional components, Figure 5 shows an automated assembly process in a first variant, Figure 6 shows an automated assembly process in a second variant, Figure 7 shows a control-technical sequence of the assembly processes, Figure 8 shows a robot gripper in a first perspective view

[0052] Figure 9 shows the robot gripper according to Figure 9 in a second perspective view,

[0053] Figure 10 shows the robot gripper according to Figure 9 with a component, Figure 11 shows the gripping of a component by means of the robot gripper according to Figure 9, Figure 12 shows a component storage area.

[0054] Figure 1 shows, as part of a system according to the invention, an industrial robot 1 with a robot arm 10. A camera 2 having an image capture area 20 is attached to the robot arm 10, in particular at its free end. The camera 2 can be rigidly attached to the robot arm 10, i.e., immobile, or it can have a positioning device by means of which the position and capture direction of the camera 2 relative to the robot arm 10 can be automatically adjusted. The camera 2 generates image data that is transmitted to a controller explained below. The camera 2 can, for example, be an industrial 3D camera. The robot arm is preferably movable in 6 axes; the degrees of freedom enable almost any movement in space. This results in a large reach of the gripper of approximately 1.6 m, so that the robot arm can also reach more distant component storage areas.

[0055] Figure 1 also shows an example of a component storage area 6, e.g., with a receiving container 60 in which components 7 to be assembled are provided. The camera 2 captures images of the components 7, so that the components can be identified in the image data generated by the camera 2.

[0056] Figure 2 illustrates how a component 6 is specifically gripped at its mechanical interface by a special robot gripper 11 and attached to a support rail 81 in the assembly area 8, e.g., by snapping it onto the support rail 81.

[0057] Figure 3 shows a system for the automatic handling of components 7 in an assembly process. The system comprises an industrial robot 1, a camera 2, and a controller 3. For example, the industrial robot 1 shown in Figure 1 with the camera 2 (mounted therein) can be used for this purpose.

[0058] The controller 3 can comprise one or more individual functional units. Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which the controller 3 controls the industrial robot 1 and has a PLC 31 in which a control program is stored. The evaluation of the image data from the camera 2 can be carried out, for example, by means of a graphics processor, graphics software, and / or by an evaluation function integrated into the camera 2. Furthermore, a second unit 32 is present, which has access to CAD data from a CAD system stored in a database 4. The CAD data specifies the components 7 present in the component storage area 6, e.g., through design data. Furthermore, the unit 32 has access to a computer design database 5, in which the arrangement and assembly sequence of the components to be assembled is specified. The unit 32 coordinates the actions to be performed by the PLC 31, e.g.,by the unit 32 successively generating job data for individual assembly jobs to be performed and transmitting them to the PLC 31. The PLC 31 executes one assembly job at a time by controlling the industrial robot 1 after evaluating the image data from the camera 2 and, after the assembly job has been completed, provides corresponding feedback to the unit 32. The unit 32 can then transmit new job data for another assembly job to the PLC 31.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a variant of the system in which the industrial robot 1 is controlled via an edge computer 40, e.g., via a fieldbus. A graphics computer 41 can be used to evaluate the image data from the camera 2. A further edge computer 42 can supply the edge computer 40 with control data for controlling the industrial robot 1. In addition, the further edge computer 42 can transfer the comparison data, e.g., data from a CAD design database or from comparison images captured by a camera, to the graphics computer 41. In a computer design program 43, the computer design data for equipping the mounting rail with the components can be generated and stored. In addition, further data, e.g., for third-party items from suppliers, can be supplied from outside via a cloud application 44.

[0060] Figure 5 shows the use of the system according to the invention in an assembly process in which, in an assembly area 8, components 7 are to be mounted at an assembly position 80, e.g., on a support rail 81. The components 7 are arranged as bulk material in a component storage area 6, which can, for example, have several magazines 61 in which a plurality of receiving containers 60 are present in the manner of drawers, wherein each receiving container 60 stores a small number of types, for example, components of one type in a single type or mixed components of a (small) number of types. If the components are to be stored in a single type, the system can automatically issue an error message if the components are identified as not being single-type.

[0061] In this case, the system has a first industrial robot 1b, which is responsible for removing the required component 7 from a receiving container 60 and then depositing the removed component 7 at a transfer station 9. Furthermore, a second industrial robot 1a is present, which picks up the components 7 deposited at the transfer station 9 one after the other and assembles them at the assembly positions 80 specified by the computer design database 5. Alternatively, a single robot can be provided for both tasks, e.g., with two grippers or gripper change.

[0062] The control of the industrial robots 1a, 1b can be carried out by the controller 3, but there can also be different controllers for the industrial robots 1a, 1b, which are connected to each other, for example, via an interface for data exchange.

[0063] Figure 6 shows the use of the system according to the invention in an assembly process in which only one industrial robot 1 is used. In an assembly area 8, components 7 are again to be mounted at an assembly position 80, each e.g., on a support rail 81. The components 7 are arranged as bulk material in a component storage area 6, which can, for example, have several magazines 61 in which a plurality of receiving containers 60 are present in the manner of drawers, wherein each receiving container 60 stores a small number of types, for example, components of one type only or mixed components of a (small) number of types. The industrial robot 1 can be placed in the middle of these components.

[0064] Figure 7 shows the sequence of an assembly process in a system according to the invention. In the computer design database 43, the assembly data for equipping a support rail 81 is released by transferring the corresponding data to the cloud server 44 as the backend. The cloud server 44 first performs plausibility checks, e.g., a gripper and component compatibility check. If compatibility is determined, a job is transferred to the additional edge computer 42, e.g., to equip a first support rail 81. Individual work orders (jobs) are generated from this in the additional edge computer 42, e.g., to remove one component from the component storage area 6 and attach it to the support rail 81 by means of the industrial robot 1. Each work order is then transferred to the edge computer 40, which controls the industrial robot 1 according to the data of its work order.Once the work order is completed, the edge computer 40 sends corresponding feedback to the other edge computer 42. This then sends the next work order to the edge computer 40. Once all work orders have been completed, the other edge computer 42 signals this to the cloud server 44.

[0065] Figures 8 to 9 illustrate an advantageous design of a robot gripper 11 in the form of a jaw gripper. The robot gripper 11 has two adjustable jaws that can be positioned at different distances from each other. A gripper finger 13 is attached to each jaw 12. The gripper fingers 13 serve to engage the mechanical interface 70, i.e., in particular, the support rail fastening elements, of a component 7, as illustrated in Figure 10. By moving the jaws 12 apart accordingly, the component 6 is reliably held by the fingers 13.

[0066] Figure 11 shows the gripping of a component 7 in the component storage area 6, in which the components 7 are stored as bulk material. The components 7 each have a mechanical interface 70 at which they are gripped by the three fingers 13.

[0067] Figure 12 shows an enlarged view of a magazine 61. It can be seen that the magazine 61 has a plurality of drawers 62 arranged one above the other, each of which contains one or more receiving containers 60 containing the components.

[0068] The first industrial robot 1b first positions its camera 2 at the appropriate distance and angle above a receiving container 60. After a short wait for the system to swing out, the image is captured by camera 2. The controller of camera 2 then creates a recording of the component situation in the receiving container 60 in the form of a point cloud. CAD-based image processing algorithms then compare the recording situation (point cloud) with the CAD data of component 7. This allows the software to recognize the components within the point cloud and determine their position (coordinates). In the next step, the coordinates of a component 7 are communicated to the robot controller of the first industrial robot 1b and converted to the robot coordinate system (offset), so that the robot can then move to the position of the component 7 to be removed for removal.

[0069] For this purpose, the components in the component storage area 6 are placed in the individual receiving containers 60 with a small number of types, in particular a single type, by the user simply pouring them into / onto the receiving container 60 after opening the product packaging. The dimensions of a receiving container 60 can be, for example, approximately 300mm * 400mm * 50mm and visually resemble a Gastronorm container or tray. In order to be able to store the largest possible number of components 7 in the smallest possible space, the above-mentioned magazines are stored one above the other within a mobile frame (e.g. similar to a tray trolley). The trolley can accommodate approximately 20 magazines and have dimensions of, for example, approximately W 550mm * D 800mm * H 1600mm. In order to be able to assign the components 7 to the magazine location, a code can be arranged on the compartments and / or on the magazines (e.g. QR code, data matrix, RFID or similar).By scanning the magazine location and article ID, the component and storage area can be correlated on the software side.

[0070] The top and both sides of the magazines 61 can be closed (with sheet metal or Plexiglas) to protect the magazines from contamination. Handles are attached to the front face facing the operator so that the trolley can be pushed manually. The magazines 61 are held within the trolley by means of form-fitting frames on telescopic drawers, so that on the one hand the corresponding magazine can be pulled out manually for filling. On the other hand, the magazine can also be pulled out to the end face facing the component side so that the components 7 can then be automatically removed by the removal handling device. To prevent uncontrolled extension of the drawers, telescopic drawers with a center lock, for example, are selected. In addition, the drawers can be additionally secured with a mechanical locking mechanism, which facilitates handling, especially during transport, and prevents uncontrolled extension of the drawers.To enable and facilitate manual insertion into the removal position of the separation and assembly unit with the greatest possible precision, the carriage is positioned using insertion aids and additionally mechanically locked at the processing position. A wedge piece also allows the mechanical locking mechanism to be lifted out, allowing the drawers to be extended.

[0071] The implementation of the task of automated mounting rail assembly can be divided into various subfunctions.

[0072] • Storage of products to be processed (terminal blocks etc.)

[0073] • Detection of components

[0074] • Separation and handling of components

[0075] • Picking of components

[0076] • Assembly of components

[0077] • Acceptance of carrier plates and / or mounting plates

[0078] • Quality control

[0079] • Wiring of control cabinets

[0080] Since customer requirements for an automated assembly system for support rails are very diverse (e.g. in terms of degree of automation, investment, component spectrum), one approach is to view the system not as a single unit, but as an interaction of separate modules. In addition, the use of standard mechanical engineering components is always used wherever possible and sensible. There is no mechanical coupling between the modules; in terms of software, there is a coupling via standardized interfaces. This free architecture allows the system to be modified / expanded even during its lifecycle, allowing the user to adapt the system to their current requirements. There is also the option of implementing redundancies. If, for example, there is a requirement to increase production output due to growth or something similar, magazine modules or assembly modules can be integrated into the existing system.

[0081] The components 7 are stored in the magazines 61. The required components 7 are then removed from the corresponding magazine location by the first industrial robot 1b. For this purpose, the component magazines 61 are placed in the work area of ​​the first industrial robot 1b. By using a collaborative robot, e.g. a Fanuc CRX-20iA robot, the use of protective housings can be largely dispensed with. Removing the component 7 from the magazine 61 first requires that the required drawer 62 from the magazine carriage 61 must be opened. For this purpose, a corresponding device in the form of a claw is attached to the first industrial robot 1b, with the help of which the drawer 62 can be pulled out and pushed in with a form-fitting fit. In order to be able to process the widest possible range of components, an Adhäso gripper pad is mounted on the first industrial robot 1b.

[0082] The bionically inspired gripper technology is based on the principle of adhesion and utilizes intermolecular Van der Waals forces for handling a wide variety of workpieces. Finally, the workpieces are placed in a position-oriented manner at the transfer station 9 for the next process steps. The support rails or mounting plates are placed on an assembly and picking cart. The components 7 are then assembled by the second industrial robot 1a. The necessary information (component, position, geometric data, etc.) is automatically exported from the CAD design database, enriched, and modified to generate readable data for the robot controller, eliminating the need for order-specific programming.

[0083] This export data can be converted for the robot, as the robot must calculate the components in a specific sequence with a specific position and the associated movements so that the node corresponds to the digital twin. This does not need to be configured by the user; it can be performed automatically by the system. Any components 7 that are still sensibly assembled manually downstream can be picked by the system and placed on / in the assembly and picking trolley according to the order. Following assembly, the mounting rail / mounting plate can be automatically wired using a wiring module.

[0084] List of reference symbols

[0085] 1 industrial robot

[0086] 1a second industrial robot

[0087] 1b first industrial robot

[0088] 2 cameras

[0089] 3 Control

[0090] 4 Database

[0091] 5 Computer Design Database

[0092] 6 Component storage area

[0093] 7 components

[0094] 8 Assembly area

[0095] 9 Transfer station

[0096] 10 Robot arm

[0097] 11 robot grippers

[0098] 20 image capture area

[0099] 31 PLCs

[0100] 32 units

[0101] 60 receptacles

[0102] 61 Magazine

[0103] 62 drawers

[0104] 70 mechanical interface

[0105] 80 mounting position

[0106] 81 support rail

Claims

Claims:

1. A system for the automatic handling of components (7), each having a mechanical interface (70) for fastening the component (7) to a support rail (81) of the electrical installation technology, in an assembly process for mounting the components (7) on the support rail (81), wherein the components (7) are provided in a component storage area (6), having the following features: a) at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b) with at least one robot arm (10), b) at least one camera (2) for detecting the components (7) in the component storage area (6), c) a controller (3), d) wherein the controller (3) is configured to carry out the following steps: d1) capturing and evaluating one or more images of the component storage area (6) by means of the at least one camera (2), d2) comparing the image data of the at least one camera (2) with comparison data associated with a respective component (7),with which the components (7) present in the component storage area (6) are specified in terms of data, d3) identifying at least one individual component (7) in the component storage area (6) based on the comparison in step d2), d4) controlling the at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b) such that the individual component (7) identified in the image data is removed from the component storage area (6) by means of the at least one robot arm (10) and transported by means of the at least one robot arm (10), d5) controlling the at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b) such that the component (7) is mounted with its mechanical interface (70) on the support rail (81).

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that in step d1) a point cloud of the recorded components (7) is generated in the image recording and in step d2) the comparison data of the components (7) are compared directly or after conversion into component image data with the point cloud of the components (7) in the image recording.

3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the point cloud is generated as a 2D point cloud and is compared with 2D component image data.

4. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the point cloud is generated as a 3D point cloud and is compared with 3D component image data.

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comparison data in step d2) are at least partially CAD data or are determined from CAD data originating from a CAD system.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step d3) the at least one component (7) is identified with regard to its position and location in the component storage area (6) and in step d4) the robot arm (10) is controlled to remove the component (7) in the identified position and location. 7 System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step d5) the robot arm (10) is controlled to set a predetermined position and orientation of the mechanical interface (70) of the component (7) relative to the support rail.

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step d4) the individual component (7) identified in the image data is removed from the component storage area (6) by means of the at least one robot arm (10) and transported to a first target position by means of the at least one robot arm (10).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller (3) is set up to place the respective component (7) in a position-oriented manner at a first target position by controlling the at least one robot arm (10), which is designed as a transfer station (9) for further process steps, in particular for further processing by a further robot gripper.

10. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller (3) is designed to control the at least one Robot arm (10) to mount the removed component (7) on the support rail by snapping it onto the support rail.

11. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one camera (2) is arranged on at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b), in particular on the robot arm (10), in particular on the free end of the robot arm (10).

12. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b) is designed as a universal robot with five or more joint degrees of freedom.

13. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one industrial robot (1, 1a, 1b) is designed as a cobot and / or collaborative robot with sensors for sensing obstacles to movement.

14. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one robot arm (10) has an adhesive gripping pad and / or a jaw gripper for gripping at least one component (7).

15. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (7) are provided in the component storage area (6) as bulk material.

16. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (7) in the component stock area (6) are provided in a low-variety, in particular pure-variety manner.

17. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component storage area (6) has a plurality of individual receiving containers (60), wherein components (7) are provided in a low-grade, in particular pure-grade, manner in each receiving container (60).

18. System according to claim 17, characterized in that the receiving containers (60) are provided in the manner of drawers in a magazine (61), wherein the controller (3) is configured to open a receiving container (60) in which components (7) of the type required for the next assembly step are provided by controlling the at least one robot arm (10).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step d2) is carried out for each type of component (7), wherein the controller is configured to determine a predetermined sequence of the types of components (7) from a database.

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