Method for operating an automated production plant, automated work system and computer program product

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an automated production plant (1), which comprises at least one driverless transport vehicle (2), at least one robot arm (3), at least one manufacturing cell (4) and multiple workstations (5), said method comprising, inter alia, the steps of automatically identifying the specific workstation (5) by means of the robot controller (10) and automatically selecting a robot program assigned to the specific workstation (5) from multiple robot programs available on the robot controller (10) for the multiple workstations (5), and executing at least one working step via the controlled adjusting of the joints (9) of the robot arm (3) and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end effector (12) connected to the robot arm (3), automatically by means of the robot controller (10) of the robot (7) according to the selected robot program. The invention also relates to an associated automated work system (16) and a computer program product.

Description

[0001] Method for operating an automated production plant, automated work system and computer program product

[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating an automated production plant comprising at least one driverless transport vehicle, at least one robot arm, at least one manufacturing cell and several workstations, as well as an automated work system and a computer program product.

[0003] DE 10 2017 005 350 A1 describes a process control system for a plant comprising a station arrangement with at least one at least partially automated workstation, and a vehicle arrangement with at least one at least partially automated transport vehicle for transporting conveyed goods to, into and / or from the station arrangement, wherein the process control system comprises a process means for planning, executing, in particular commanding, and / or observing, in particular monitoring, processes of the station arrangement, a fleet means for planning, executing, in particular commanding, and / or observing, in particular monitoring, movements of the vehicle arrangement, and a work equipment arrangement with at least one work means for communication with at least one workstation of the station arrangement.wherein process and fleet resources and / or process resources and work equipment arrangement and / or fleet resources and work equipment arrangement are configured for communication and / or synchronization with each other.

[0004] DE 10 2014 015 446 A1 describes a guiding device for guiding load carriers for workpieces, with at least one first guide track designed as a forward track, which extends obliquely downwards to the horizontal from a loading point, where the load carriers equipped with the workpieces are to be arranged on the forward track, to an unloading point, where the workpieces are to be removed from the load carriers, and with at least one second guide track designed as a return track, which extends obliquely downwards to the horizontal from the unloading point to the loading point for returning the empty load carriers, wherein the forward track is arranged vertically above the return track.

[0005] The object of the invention is to create a method for operating an automated production plant, with which work steps at a workstation of a production plant can be carried out automatically in a particularly flexible and safe manner.

[0006] The problem is solved by a method for operating an automated production plant comprising at least one driverless transport vehicle, at least one robot arm, at least one manufacturing cell and several workstations, comprising the steps:

[0007] - Providing at least one robot mounted on a transportable frame, comprising a multi-segmented and multi-jointed robot arm and a robot controller configured and designed to automatically adjust the joints of the robot arm according to a robot program executed by the robot controller; - automatically picking up the transportable frame by means of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) and automatically transporting the transportable frame together with the at least one robot arm to a specific workstation from among the multiple workstations of the production plant by automatically driving the AGV to the specific workstation.

[0008] - Automatic placement of the transportable frame at the designated workstation, so that the driverless transport vehicle is separated from the transportable frame and automatic coupling of the transportable frame to a permanently installed coupling device at the designated workstation,

[0009] - Automatic identification of the specific workstation using the robot controller and automatic selection of a robot program assigned to the specific workstation from several robot programs available at the robot controller for the multiple workstations,

[0010] - Performing at least one work step by controlled adjustment of the joints of the robot arm and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end deflector connected to the robot arm, automatically by means of the robot control of the robot according to the selected robot program.

[0011] In automated production facilities, robot cells are used in which at least one robot performs a specific manufacturing, assembly, or other work task fully automatically, i.e., repeatedly and independently without human intervention. A robot comprises at least one robot arm and a robot controller. For safety reasons, these robots are, in most cases, enclosed in spaces separated from humans, i.e., in cells, thus preventing dangerous collisions between robots and humans. Such robot cells, separated, for example, by safety fences and / or light curtains, must be continuously supplied with components via component feeding systems such as conveyor belts, chute storage systems, drop magazines, or drawer systems. These components are to be processed automatically within the robot cell.A specific implementation of such a component feeding system is described, for example, in DE 10 2014 015 446 A1. Such component feeding systems can be used not only in robot cells, but also in other automated work cells where processing operations that pose a risk to humans take place.

[0012] Especially in automotive manufacturing, and particularly in the body-in-white production area, a large number of individual parts, mostly sheet metal, are fed into highly automated robotic cells. Such a body-in-white production line is generally characterized by a medium output per hour, i.e., a cycle time of, for example, 30 to 60 seconds. The output and thus the cycle times are so demanding that these systems are also supplied with components from magazines, ensuring that all the necessary components are available on time for each cycle. However, these magazines must then be regularly refilled by people, i.e., by inserters.

[0013] The component storage systems are, as already mentioned, examples of accumulating conveyor belts, rotary tables with component storage, slide storage systems, drop magazines or drawer systems with latch storage.

[0014] In state-of-the-art production facilities, inserters fill such storage systems without having to stop the underlying automated system. These storage systems allow the systems to run automatically for a period of time without operator intervention. Generally, such storage systems are sufficient to keep the automated production running in the relevant system for, for example, between 15 minutes and one hour, without necessarily having to replenish the storage systems with new components during this time.

[0015] After filling one component storage unit at one location, the insertion workers move to the next component storage unit at a different location to fill it. One or more insertion workers continuously refill the individual component storage units during a work shift.

[0016] The component storage units are generally filled from transport containers, which usually contain a specific number of components of a single type. The insertion workers must therefore manually remove the components one by one from the transport containers and place them manually into the component storage units of the automated work cells in the production plant. These tasks are currently very difficult to automate, as this work area is also accessed by people and therefore cannot be separated from access in the form of a work cell. While workstations have already been developed where a person can perform a task safely in collaboration with a robotic arm, these require robotic arms that, on the one hand, have compliance control and, on the other hand, do not have a large overall mass.They can only operate at low speeds to keep the resulting kinetic energies within a safe range. Furthermore, such lightweight robots are not capable of handling larger and heavier components.

[0017] According to the invention, a method for operating an automated production plant is proposed, with which several different workstations, such as several different component storage areas of automated work cells, can be served successively by at least one automatically operating robot, i.e., the robot can automatically perform a respective specific work task from several possible work tasks, each of which can consist of one or more work steps, at a respective workstation where the robot is currently located.

[0018] According to the invention, a method for operating an automated production plant is specifically proposed, with which components can be automatically removed from transport containers and automatically inserted into component storage of an automated work cell of the production plant.

[0019] The numerous existing facilities require a technology that can function without major modifications to the existing automated system and can essentially take over at least some of the current human tasks.

[0020] In the method according to the invention, the at least one robot is provided on a transportable frame. The transportable frame is designed such that it can be automatically transported by an automated guided vehicle from a first location at a first workstation to a second location at a second workstation that differs from the first location. Since the at least one robot is arranged on the transportable frame, the at least one robot can thus automatically move between different workstations of the production plant.

[0021] By placing the transportable frame, and thus at least one robot, at the designated workstation, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) enables the robot arm to assume a defined, predetermined position and orientation relative to that workstation. This allows the robot to establish a unique position and orientation relative to a reference point, such as the floor of the workstation, a nearby wall, or a frame component. From this position, the robot arm can automatically perform a predefined task according to a predefined robot program. If the robot arm were to remain on the AGV during the automatic execution of the task, its position and orientation relative to the workstation would be inaccurate and less stable.

[0022] Once the transportable frame or the robot is positioned at the designated workstation, according to the inventive method, at least one robot, in particular the robot controller, can identify the specific workstation itself, so that the robot controller can also automatically select a robot program assigned to this specific workstation. Several different robot programs are predefined for different tasks at different workstations.

[0023] In a representative example of a body-in-white production cell in the automated manufacturing of vehicles, various prefabricated sheet metal components must be fed into the production cell, which may be a welding cell, via several different component feeding devices. Depending on the specific component feeding device, very specific types of prefabricated sheet metal components must be automatically removed from their respective transport containers and automatically inserted into the corresponding individual component feeding device. Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to reorient the components after they have been picked up.This can be achieved either by a fixed intermediate storage location and subsequent re-picking of the component, or by one robot arm transferring the component to another robot arm within the automated work system. In the latter case, one robot arm presents the component to the other with a gripping method and / or orientation that allows the other robot arm to pick up the component in a different orientation, making it easier to handle. A separate robot program must be selected and applied for each type of sheet metal component to be handled. For example, a body pillar component (such as an A-pillar, B-pillar, or C-pillar) may need to be fed to a first component feeding device. A single robot arm may suffice for this task. This single robot arm can be equipped with a gripper suitable for grasping the corresponding body pillar component.The robot arm can, for example, automatically retrieve the appropriate gripper from a gripper magazine carried on a transportable frame or from a stationary gripper magazine and automatically attach it to its tool flange. All of this can be done according to a predefined robot program stored in the robot controller for the individual robot arm.

[0024] In a second component feeding device, for example, a roof component may need to be fed in. Due to the size and / or weight of the roof component, it may be necessary for a first robot arm and a second robot arm to handle the roof component together, i.e., to remove it jointly from a transport container, which could also be a transport frame, and insert it together into the second component feeding device. For this purpose, each of the two robot arms can be equipped with a gripper suitable for grasping the corresponding roof component. The respective robot arm can, for example, automatically remove the appropriate gripper from the gripper magazine carried on the transportable frame or from the stationary gripper magazine and automatically attach it to its tool flange.All of this can be accomplished according to a second robot program, which is stored in the robot controller for the first robot arm and for the second robot arm. The transportable frame can therefore, for example, have at least two robot arms. According to the invention, it is not necessary for the robot program required at each specific workstation to be provided to the robot controller of the robot on the transportable frame by a higher-level factory controller. Rather, the robot arranged on the transportable frame automatically selects the robot program required at the workstation where the transportable frame is currently located.This has the advantage that the automated guided vehicle (AGV) can transport the transportable frame with the at least one robot to one of several workstations in any order, without having to transmit a suitable robot program to the robot controller at the appropriate time. Once the AGV has placed the transportable frame with the at least one robot at a specific workstation, the robot controller automatically executes precisely the robot program assigned to that specific workstation. This has the advantage that no fixed sequence is required for loading the various workstations; rather, the loading sequence can be varied without affecting or disrupting the automated processes.

[0025] The process principles described in this specific example of a body-in-white production cell for automated vehicle manufacturing are also applicable to other automated production cells. For instance, in another representative example, the workstations could be automated machine tools where, for example, workpieces to be machined are automatically fed to the machine tool and finished workpieces are automatically removed. The method can also be used for the automatic changing of tools on such machine tools. The at least one robot mounted on the transportable frame can automatically supply several different machine tools.

[0026] In a further development of the procedure, at least one optical sensor arranged on the transportable frame and / or on the robot arm can be used to identify the specific workstation by the robot control and / or to plan or monitor the work step to be carried out at the specific workstation.

[0027] Depending on the application, the at least one optical sensor can be a camera, a laser sensor, a radar sensor, and / or an ultrasonic sensor. Multiple cameras, laser sensors, radar sensors, and / or ultrasonic sensors can be used as needed. The respective optical sensor, camera, laser sensor, radar sensor, and / or ultrasonic sensor can optionally be mounted either on the robot arm or on the transportable frame.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, a first robot arm, a second robot arm, and a third robot arm can be arranged on the transportable frame of the automated work system. The first robot arm carries a first end effector, such as a first gripper. The third robot arm carries a second end effector, such as a second gripper, and the second robot arm has at least one optical sensor, in particular at least one camera, on its hand flange. The second robot arm and the at least one optical sensor, in particular the at least one camera, are configured such that the at least one optical sensor, in particular the at least one camera, can be moved automatically in space by automatically controlling the joints of the second robot arm.In a first configuration, at least one optical sensor can be aligned by automatically moving the joints of the second robot arm so that the optical sensor can detect the first robot arm and / or its working area. In a second configuration, at least one optical sensor can be aligned by automatically moving the joints of the second robot arm so that the optical sensor can detect the third robot arm and / or its working area.

[0029] The first and third robot arms can operate cooperatively, handling a component together using the first end deflector automatically guided by the first robot arm and the second end deflector automatically guided by the third robot arm. Alternatively, one robot arm can transfer the component to the other, for example, to change the gripping orientation. The optical sensor guided by the second robot arm can simultaneously detect both the first robot arm and / or its working area, as well as the third robot arm and / or its working area.

[0030] In another operating mode, the optical sensor guided by the second robot arm can be swivelled away from the first robot arm and / or from the working area of ​​the first robot arm as well as from the third robot arm and / or from the working area of ​​the third robot arm, for example in order to be able to detect a remote area in the vicinity of the automated work system.

[0031] The second robot arm can therefore be brought into a joint configuration by automatically adjusting its joints, in which the optical sensor automatically guided by the second robot arm is swivelled away from a working area of ​​the first robot arm and / or the third robot arm in order to be able to detect an environment facing away from the working area of ​​the first robot arm and / or the third robot arm.

[0032] The transportable frame can be rigidly connected to the workstation or to a floor or wall associated with the workstation by means of coupling elements of the transportable frame with corresponding counter-coupling elements that are fixedly arranged at the respective workstation. For example, the coupling elements can be formed by conical or tapered pins that are formed on the transportable frame and that can be positively inserted into correspondingly uniformly designed conical or tapered bushings.

[0033] The conical or tapered bushings can be mounted on a permanently installed frame at the respective workstation, in particular on a permanently installed coupling device. Alternatively, zero-point clamping units could also be used for coupling. Markings can be attached to the workstation, in particular to the permanently installed frame, which can be detected, for example, by a camera on the robot arm or a camera on the transportable frame. The detected markings can represent information or data that can be evaluated by an evaluation unit of the robot controller, from which the robot controller can automatically determine at which specific workstation the robot or the transportable frame has coupled.For example, automatic identification can be performed, and based on this, the robot program assigned to the specific workstation can be executed automatically. Such automatic identification can be carried out using laser sensors instead of cameras. If necessary, automatic identification can also be performed using mechanical and / or electromechanical coding means instead of optical sensors. Corresponding coding elements can be arranged on the transportable frame and / or on a robot arm, and corresponding counter-coding elements matching the coding elements can be arranged at the workstation, in particular at a coupling device for attaching a transportable frame.Such stationary workplace markings could also be generated by electronic devices with secure code generation, which can be recorded and evaluated using secure technology by evaluation devices arranged on the transportable frame.

[0034] In the methods according to the invention, at least one optical sensor arranged on the transportable frame and / or on the robot arm can be used to monitor the environment of the transportable frame and / or the robot arm.

[0035] The corresponding optical sensors can not only be used for

[0036] The camera can be used not only to identify the specific workstation, but also, alternatively or additionally, to plan or monitor the at least one work step to be performed at that workstation. For example, at least one camera can be mounted on the transportable frame, which optically captures the environment at the specific workstation. Using automatic image analysis, the robot arm can then perform the at least one work step according to the selected robot program, whereby the images or video sequences of the environment at the specific workstation captured by the at least one camera can be incorporated into the planning of the robot's movements during the execution of the selected robot program.

[0037] The transportable frame can accommodate, in addition to the at least one robot arm that performs at least one work step according to the selected robot program, a further robot arm carrying at least one optical sensor, in particular at least one camera. For example, two cameras can be provided so that spatial images or spatial videos of the workspace environment and / or the movements of the at least one robot arm performing at least one work step according to the selected robot program can also be captured.

[0038] The transportable frame can, for example, accommodate three robot arms. A first and a second robot arm can be designed and configured to perform a work step cooperatively, while a third robot arm can hold and guide at least one optical sensor, in particular at least one camera. This has the advantage that the optical sensor, in particular the camera, can change its position and orientation in space. A change in the position and / or orientation of the optical sensor, in particular the camera, can be performed automatically by the associated robot controller moving the third robot arm accordingly at its joints.

[0039] Monitoring of the area surrounding the transportable frame and / or the robot arm can also be carried out by monitoring a spatial area and / or path area away from the specific workstation where the at least one robot arm and the transportable frame are located, using additional optical sensors, in particular at least one laser sensor, at least one radar sensor, and / or at least one ultrasonic sensor, especially using safe technology. Such safe monitoring can, for example, be implemented by detecting when a person approaches the specific workstation where the at least one robot arm and the transportable frame are located, and automatically slowing down or even completely stopping the activities of the at least one robot arm if the person approaches too closely.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, if a person is detected approaching, it may also be provided that a virtual protective space, which is assigned to the robot arm when carrying out its work steps according to a specific robot program, is automatically reduced in size, so that only movements within such a reduced protective space are permitted for the joint movements of the robot arm.

[0041] In a further embodiment of the procedure, it can be provided that a suitably equipped optical sensor can optically detect the approach or presence of a driverless transport vehicle at the transportable frame and thus automatically recognize it.

[0042] The robot control system arranged on the transportable frame may additionally include a safety control device which is designed and equipped to safely monitor the workplace where the driverless transport system has placed the transportable frame with the robot.

[0043] The safety control device can therefore have redundant, in particular diverse, components and programs that make a malfunction or failure of functionality unlikely. The safety control device can, for example, meet the requirements of DIN EN ISO 10218-1 and DIN EN ISO 10218-2.

[0044] The robot controller and / or the safety control device can be designed and configured to automatically select, depending on the workstation where the automated guided vehicle (AGV) has placed the transportable frame with the robot, protective fields assigned to that workstation from a plurality of predefined protective fields stored in the robot controller and / or in the safety control device, and to use these protective fields when executing at least one work step at the specific workstation where the transportable frame was placed by the AGV.

[0045] The automatically selected protective fields allow different safety zones to be activated at various workstations, which are then applied during the automatic execution of the selected robot program at the specific workstation. The robot controller and / or the safety control unit can be powered by a self-contained electrical energy storage unit mounted on the portable frame.

[0046] The self-contained electrical energy storage system can also be used to enable the automated work system connected to the workstation to immediately identify the respective workstation itself. This has the advantage that the desired robot program can be started without delay, eliminating the need for a time-consuming program startup, as would be the case if the robot controller only had access to an external power supply after being connected to the workstation and could only then be started and initialized.

[0047] This allows desired or required safety functions to be executed automatically during transport of the transportable frame by the automated guided vehicle (AGV), independently of the AGV and any other higher-level control system, such as a factory control system. For example, laser sensors, radar sensors, and / or ultrasonic sensors mounted on the transportable frame can automatically monitor its surroundings while the AGV is transporting it.For example, during automatic transport by the driverless transport vehicle, the at least one robot arm can independently adjust the joints of the at least one robot arm, for example to reduce the overall interference contour of the robot arm when the driverless transport vehicle moves the transportable frame through a narrow and / or low passage.

[0048] The method can thus be carried out in a specific application in a production plant comprising at least one body-in-white manufacturing cell in the automated production of vehicles, which has at least one component feeding device that has a component receiving device and a component storage unit for several body components of a specific component type, wherein:

[0049] - the automatic picking up of the transportable frame by means of the driverless transport vehicle and the automatic transport of the transportable frame together with the at least one robot arm to the component holding device as the designated workstation at the component feeding device takes place ,

[0050] - the automatic unloading of the transportable frame at the component handling device takes place, so that the driverless transport vehicle is separated from the transportable frame and the automatic coupling of the transportable frame to a permanently installed coupling device of the component handling device takes place,

[0051] - the automatic identification of the specific component handling device by means of the robot control takes place, and the automatic selection of a robot program assigned to the specific component handling device from several robot programs available at the robot control for the several component handling devices takes place, and

[0052] - the execution of at least one work step by controlled adjustment of the joints of the robot arm and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end deflector connected to the robot arm, is carried out automatically by means of the robot control of the robot according to the selected robot program, wherein the robot arm, controlled by the robot control, automatically performs as work steps a picking up of a single body component from a transport container in which several body components of a certain component type are held, and a placing of the body component picked up by the robot arm into the component holding device of the component feeding device.

[0053] The transportable frame can accommodate at least one first robot arm and at least one second robot arm different from the first, wherein the second robot arm carries at least one optical sensor and a second robot controller is designed and configured to automatically adjust the joints of the second robot arm in such a way that the optical sensor carried by the second robot arm can be automatically moved in space in order to selectively detect the movements of the first robot arm, the instantaneous position and orientation of a body component located in the container or on the component holding device, and / or the environment of the component holding device or the component feeding device.The first robot arm, automatically controlled by the first robot controller, and the second robot arm, automatically controlled by the second robot controller, can automatically execute coordinated, cooperative movements to handle a jointly grasped body component or container. Furthermore, a sensor-based component reorientation can also be achieved by transferring a component from one robot arm with its gripper to another robot arm with its different gripper.

[0054] The problem is also solved by an automated work system, in particular for use in carrying out a method according to one of the described embodiments, comprising a transportable frame on which at least one robot with a robot controller and a robot arm that can be automatically controlled by the robot controller, an electrical energy storage device designed and configured to supply the robot controller and the robot arm with electrical energy, and at least one optical sensor designed and configured to detect the movements of the robot arm caused by the automatic adjustment of the joints, the movement of the transportable frame and / or the robot arm during transport of the transportable frame by means of the driverless transport vehicle, and / or the environment of a workplace where the automated work system is located.

[0055] In the automated work system, the at least one optical sensor can be at least one camera mounted on the robot arm and / or at least one laser sensor, radar sensor, or ultrasonic sensor mounted on the transportable frame. A first robot arm, a second robot arm, and a third robot arm can be mounted on the transportable frame. The first robot arm can carry a first end effector, the third robot arm can carry a second end effector, and the second robot arm can have at least one optical sensor on its hand flange.

[0056] The second robot arm can be brought into a joint configuration by automatically adjusting its joints, in which the optical sensor automatically guided by the second robot arm is swiveled away from a working area of ​​the first robot arm and / or the third robot arm in order to be able to detect an environment facing away from the working area of ​​the first robot arm and / or the third robot arm.

[0057] The task is also solved by a computer program product comprising a machine-readable carrier on which program code is stored, which can be read by a robot controller of an automated work system, in particular an automated work system according to one of the described implementation forms, and which trains and / or sets up the robot controller to carry out a procedure according to one of the described implementations when the program code is executed by the robot controller.

[0058] The computer program product can be, for example, a CD, a DVD, or a USB flash drive. It can also be a control board with integrated microprocessors. Alternatively, the computer program product can be implemented as a download, which can be offered and sold via the internet or another network. The machine-readable medium can therefore be a CD, a DVD, or a microprocessor on which the program code is stored. However, the machine-readable medium can also be a hard drive or an SSD onto which the program code has been downloaded, for example, via a download, particularly in the form of data packets.

[0059] The program code can be represented by an edited program and / or data stored on the machine-readable medium.

[0060] By reading the edited program and / or the data, the reading robot control is trained and / or configured to be able to carry out at least one step of the inventive method by controlling the inventive automated work system in order to automatically carry out the at least one work step.

[0061] Specific embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying figures. Specific features of these exemplary embodiments can, regardless of the specific context in which they are mentioned, and optionally also individually or in further combinations, represent general features of the invention.

[0062] They show:

[0063] Fig. 1 a flowchart of the steps in the basic method according to the invention, Fig. 2 a perspective view of an exemplary automated work system according to the invention,

[0064] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 in a state coupled to a stationary feedback device of a workstation.

[0065] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 before coupling to the stationary negative feedback device of a workstation at a rack-like storage unit at a drawer-like gate of a robot cell.

[0066] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 at a workstation of a production plant according to Fig. 6 with the drawer pulled out of the robot cell so that the shelf-like storage area is accessible by the automated work system.

[0067] Fig. 6 a perspective view of a

[0068] Production plant with multiple workstations supplied by an automated work system according to Fig. 2 via different types of airlocks, Fig. 7 a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 at a modified airlock with a slide system,

[0069] Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 at another lock with a rotary table.

[0070] Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 at a workstation where a container is handled by two robot arms in a cooperative working manner.

[0071] Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the automated work system according to Fig. 2 at a workstation where a component is automatically transferred from one robot arm to another robot arm of the automated work system for reorientation, and

[0072] Fig. 11 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary control concept for the automated work system.

[0073] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a method for operating an automated production plant 1, comprising at least one driverless transport vehicle 2, at least one robot arm 3, at least one production cell 4, and several workstations 5, in a flowchart of the steps. Reference symbols not shown in Figure 1 can be found in Figures 2 to 6.

[0074] In a first step S 1 of the procedure, at least one robot 7 is provided, which is arranged on a transportable frame 6 and which has a robot arm 3 with several limbs 8 and several joints 9 as well as a robot controller 10, which is configured and submitted to automatically adjust the joints 9 of the robot arm 3 according to a robot program executed by the robot controller 10.

[0075] In a second step S2 of the procedure, the transportable frame 6 is automatically picked up by means of the driverless transport vehicle 2, and the transportable frame 6 together with the at least one robot arm 3 is automatically transported to a specific workstation 5 from the several workstations 5 of the production plant 1 by automatically driving the driverless transport vehicle 2 to the specific workstation 5.

[0076] In a third step S3 of the procedure, the transportable frame 6 is automatically lowered at the designated workstation 5, so that the driverless transport vehicle 2 is separated from the transportable frame 6, and the transportable frame 6 is automatically coupled to a permanently installed coupling device 11 of the designated workstation 5.

[0077] In a fourth step S4 of the procedure, the specific workstation 5 is automatically identified by means of the robot controller 10 and a robot program assigned to the specific workstation 5 is automatically selected from several robot programs available at the robot controller 10 for the several workstations 5.

[0078] In a fifth step S5 of the procedure, at least one work step is carried out by controlled adjustment of the joints 9 of the robot arm 3 and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end deflector 12 connected to the robot arm 3, automatically by means of the robot controller 10 of the robot 7 according to the selected robot program.

[0079] To identify the specific workstation 5 by the robot controller 10 and / or to plan or monitor the work step to be performed at the specific workstation 5, several first optical sensors 13.1 arranged on the transportable frame 6 and several second optical sensors 13.2 arranged on one of the several robot arms 3 are used in the present embodiments.

[0080] The first optical sensors 13.1 can, for example, be used to monitor the environment of the transportable frame 6. For instance, laser sensors, radar sensors, and / or ultrasonic sensors arranged on the transportable frame 6 can act as first optical sensors 13.1, automatically monitoring the environment of the transportable frame 6 during transport when the automated guided vehicle 2 is transporting the transportable frame 6. In particular, the first optical sensors 13.1 can be used to monitor the working areas of the robot arms 3 during their automatic movement, in order to automatically detect any potential intrusion of a person into the working areas and to automatically execute a safety action, such as safely stopping the robot arms 3.

[0081] The second optical sensors 13.2 can, for example, be used to monitor the environment of the robot arms 3. The second optical sensors 13.2 can, for example, be cameras that can optionally be arranged on the transportable frame 6 or on at least one of the robot arms 3, wherein the cameras are designed and configured to optically detect the robot arms 3 as they perform the work steps at the respective workstation 5. Thus, in the case of multiple robot arms 3, for example, one of the multiple robot arms 3 can carry the at least one camera on its hand flange.For example, two 3D cameras can be provided, so that a first robot arm 3 can be assigned a first 3D camera and a second robot arm 3 can be assigned a second 3D camera, with the first 3D camera and the second 3D camera being jointly guided by the third robot arm 3, so that the first 3D camera can capture, evaluate and / or monitor the working area of ​​the first robot arm 3 and the second 3D camera can capture, evaluate and / or monitor the working area of ​​the second robot arm 3.

[0082] The robot controller 10, arranged on the transportable frame 6, can include a safety control device 14, which is designed and configured to safely monitor the workstation 5 where the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 2 has placed the transportable frame 6 with the multiple robots 7. Each of the three robot arms 3 can be assigned its own robot joint controller 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3. The multiple robot joint controllers 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3 can be components of a robot control system 10a, which can also include the safety control device 14. An exemplary control concept for the automated work system 16 is shown in Fig. 11.

[0083] The robot controller 10 and / or the safety control device 14 can be designed and configured to automatically select, depending on the workstation 5 at which the driverless transport system 2 has placed the transportable frame 6 with the robots 7, protective fields assigned to this workstation 5 from a plurality of predefined protective fields stored in the robot controller 10 and / or in the safety control device 14 and to use them when executing at least one work step at the specific workstation 5 at which the transportable frame 6 was placed by the driverless transport system 2.The robot controller 10 and / or the safety control device 14 can also be designed and configured to monitor the environment and, in particular, the transport routes by means of laser sensors, radar sensors and / or ultrasonic sensors during the transport of the transportable frame 6 by the driverless transport system 2, in order to automatically detect a collision with objects in the environment and / or a possible intrusion of a person into the transport routes and to automatically execute a safety action, such as a safe stop or evasive maneuver of the driverless transport system 2.

[0084] The robot control 10 and / or the safety control device 14 can be supplied with electrical energy by a self-sufficient electrical energy storage device 15, which is arranged on the transportable frame 6. Figures 2 to 5 in particular show the automated work system 16, especially for use in carrying out a method according to one of the described embodiments, comprising the transportable frame 6, on which, in the case of the illustrated embodiment, three robots 7 are provided, each with a robot joint controller 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3 and a robot arm 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 that can be automatically controlled by the respective robot joint controller 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3, and comprising the electrical energy storage device 15, which is designed and configured to supply the robot joint controllers 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3 and the robot arms 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 with electrical energy, as well as comprising the first optical sensors 13.1 and the second optical sensors 13.2, which are designed and configured to detect the movements of the robot arms 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 caused by the automatic adjustment of the joints 9, the movement of the transportable frame 6 during transport of the transportable frame 6 by means of the driverless transport vehicle 2 and / or in a parked state the environment of a workplace 5 where the automated work system 16 is located.

[0085] In the present embodiment, a first robot arm 3.1, a third robot arm 3.3, and a second robot arm 3.2, different from the first robot arm 3.1 and the third robot arm 3.3, are arranged on the transportable frame 6. The second robot arm 3.2 carries the second optical sensors 13.2, and a second robot controller 10 is designed and configured to automatically adjust the joints 9 of the second robot arm 3.2 such that the optical sensors 13.2 carried by the second robot arm 3.2 can be automatically moved in space to selectively detect the movements of the first robot arm 3.1, the third robot arm 3.3, the instantaneous position and orientation of a body component located in a container 17 (Fig. 5) or on a component holding device 18 (Fig. 5), and / or the surroundings of the component holding device 18 or a component feeding device 19 (Fig. 5).

[0086] The transportable frame 6 can be equipped with one or more magazine positions 25, which can hold interchangeable grippers 12a. The first robot arm 3.1 and the third robot arm 3.3 can therefore automatically replace the end effector 12 attached to the respective hand flange with another end effector 12, such as the interchangeable grippers 12a.

[0087] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the first robot arm 3.1, automatically controlled by the first robot joint controller 10a.1, the third robot arm 3.3, automatically controlled by the third robot joint controller 10a.3, and the second robot arm 3.2, automatically controlled by the second robot joint controller 10a.2, can automatically perform coordinated cooperative movements in order to, for example, automatically handle a body component 20 grasped by the first robot arm 3.1 and the third robot arm 3.3, a body component 20 to be reoriented (Figure 10), or a container 17 grasped by the first robot arm 3.1 and the third robot arm 3.3.

[0088] In the case of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the component feed device 19 is designed as a drawer-like lock 21a as a component receiving device 21 with a shelf-like loading storage unit 22a as a component storage unit 22.

[0089] In the case of Fig. 7, the component feed device 19 is designed as a slide-like sluice 21b as a component receiving device 21 with a slide-like loading storage unit 22b as a component storage unit 22.

[0090] In the case of Fig. 8, the component feed device 19 is designed as a rotary table-like lock 21c as a component receiving device 21 with several stack-like loading accumulators 22c arranged on the rotary table 23 as component accumulators 22.

[0091] As illustrated by Figures 5 and 6, the method can be carried out, for example, in a production plant 1, which comprises at least one body-in-white production cell 4 enclosed by a protective fence 26 in the automated production of vehicles 24, and which has several different component feeding devices 19, each of which has a component receiving device 21 and each of which has a component storage unit 22 for several body components 20 of a specific component type. The first component feeding device 19 is designed as a drawer-like sluice 21a as a component receiving device 21 with a rack-like loading storage unit 22a as a component storage unit 22, as shown in more detail in Figures 4 and 5. The second component feeding device 19...The second component feeder 19 is designed as a component receiving device 21 in the form of a chute-like lock 21b, with a chute-like loading accumulator 22b as a component storage device 22, as shown in more detail in Fig. 7. The third component feeding device 19 is designed as a component receiving device 21 in the form of a rotary table-like lock 21c, with several stack-like loading accumulators 22c arranged on the rotary table 23 as component storage devices 22, as shown in more detail in Fig. 8. The stack-like loading accumulators 22c can be designed in the form of latch storage towers. Such latch storage towers can be arranged not only on a rotary table 23, as shown, but also, for example, on a drawer-like lock 21a. The drawer-like lock 21a can, for example, be opened by an automatically controlled arm movement of the first robot arm 3.1 and / or the third robot arm 3.3. The first robot arm 3.1 and / or the third robot arm 3.3 can accordingly be used to automatically pull out or push in the drawer of the drawer-like airlock 21a. This has the advantage that the drawer-like airlock 21a does not require its own drive devices and can therefore be designed to be purely passive.

[0092] In Fig. 8, for example, the virtual light cone 27 indicates how the 3D camera (optical sensors 13.2) guided by the second robot arm 3.2 can look into the container 17 in order to optically detect a (chaotic) arrangement of body components 20 in the container 17, so that their position can be recognized by means of image evaluation and, for example, the third robot arm 3.3 can automatically remove a body component 20 from the container 17 based on the image evaluation in order to automatically insert it into one of the stack-like storage units 22c, as shown, again based on image acquisition there by the optical sensors 13.2 and image evaluation.

[0093] In this process, the transportable frame 6 is automatically picked up by the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 2 and automatically transported, together with the robot arms 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3, to the component handling device 21, which serves as the designated workstation 5 on the component feeder 21. The transportable frame 6 is then automatically lowered onto the component handling device 21, so that the AGV 2 is separated from the transportable frame 6, as shown in Fig. 5. The transportable frame 6 is then automatically coupled to the fixed coupling device 11 of the component handling device 21.

[0094] As soon as the transportable frame 6 is automatically coupled to the permanently installed coupling device 11 of the component handling device 21, the specific component handling device 21 is automatically identified by the robot controller 10, and a robot program assigned to the specific component handling device 21 is automatically selected from several robot programs available on the robot controller 10 for the multiple component handling devices 21. Then, automated monitoring of the work area takes place if it is not a work area designed with safety in mind, i.e., a work area that is not secured by its own scanners, light barriers, roller doors, lifting gates, or airlocks, but which is nevertheless intended to be designed – temporarily – as a protected area.The space temporarily monitored by the automated work system 16 can thus be temporarily made safe outside the enclosed robot cell during an automated supply of body components 20 to the robot cell in order to protect persons outside the enclosed robot cell from the dangerous movements of the robot arms 3.1, 3.2, 3.3.

[0095] Subsequently, the execution of at least one work step can be carried out automatically by means of the robot controller 10 of the robot 7 according to the selected robot program by controlled adjustment of the joints 9 of the robot arm 3 and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end effector 12 connected to the robot arm 3, wherein the respective robot arm 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, controlled by the robot controller 10, automatically performs as work steps a picking up of a single body component 20 from a transport container 17 in which several body components 20 of a certain component type are held, and a placing of the body component 20 picked up by the robot arm 3.1, 3.3 into the component holding device 21 of the component feeding device 19.

[0096] Figure 11 shows an exemplary control concept for the automated work system 16. The term "robot controller" 10 is to be interpreted broadly. The robot controller 10 can consist of a single robot control device or a system of several robot control devices. As described, each robot arm 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 can be assigned its own robot joint controller 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3. These robot joint controllers 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3 can be components of the automated work system 16 and can therefore be arranged on the transportable frame 6.

[0097] The first optical sensors 13.1 can be used to monitor the environment of the transportable frame 6 and can therefore be arranged on the transportable frame 6. The first four optical sensors 13.1, for example, can be connected to an evaluation unit 28 designed with safety technology. The safety evaluation unit 28 is connected to a common network card 29. The network card 29, in turn, communicates with the three robot joint controllers 10a.1, 10a.2, 10a.3 via three separate general data lines (solid double arrows) and three safety-related data lines (dashed double arrows).

[0098] A Kl system 30 can be connected via the safety control device 14, which also communicates with the network card 29 via a general data line (solid double arrow) and a safety-related data line (dashed double arrow).

[0099] The second optical sensors 13.2, which are automatically guided by the second robot arm 3.2, can each be connected to an image evaluation unit 31, which in turn sends the evaluated data to the robot joint control unit 10a.1 of the first robot arm 3.1 and the robot joint control unit 10a.3 of the third robot arm 3.3.

[0100] Data can be entered and / or output via the network card 29 via an interface 32, which can have at least one input device, such as a keyboard, and one output device, such as a display.

Claims

37 Patent claims 1. Method for operating an automated production plant (1) comprising at least one driverless transport vehicle (2), at least one robot arm (3), at least one manufacturing cell (4) and several workstations (5), comprising the steps: - Providing at least one robot (7) mounted on a transportable frame (6) and comprising a robot arm (3) with multiple segments (8) and multiple joints (9) and a robot controller (10) configured and submitted to automatically adjust the joints (9) of the robot arm (3) according to a robot program executed by the robot controller (10), - automatic picking up of the transportable frame (6) by means of an automated guided vehicle (2) and automatic transport of the transportable frame (6) together with the at least one robot arm (3) to a specific workstation (5) from the multiple workstations (5) of the production plant (1) by automatically driving the automated guided vehicle (2) to the specific workstation (5), - automatic placement of the transportable frame (6) at the designated workstation (5) , so that the driverless transport vehicle (2) is separated from the transportable frame (6) and automatic coupling of the transportable frame (6) to a 38 permanently installed coupling device (11) of the designated workstation (5) , - automatic identification of the specific workstation (5) by means of the robot controller (10) and automatic selection of a robot program assigned to the specific workstation (5) from several robot programs available at the robot controller (10) for the several workstations (5) , - Performing at least one work step by controlled adjustment of the joints (9) of the robot arm (3) and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end effector (12) connected to the robot arm (3), automatically by means of the robot control (10) of the robot (7) according to the selected robot program.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one optical sensor (13) arranged on the transportable frame (6) and / or on the robot arm (3) is used to identify the specific workstation (5) by the robot control (10) and / or to plan or monitor the work step to be carried out at the specific workstation (5).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one optical sensor (13) arranged on the transportable frame (6) and / or on the robot arm (3) is used to monitor an environment of the transportable frame (6) and / or the robot arm (3).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the robot control (10) arranged on the transportable frame (6) comprises a safety control device (14) which is designed and configured to monitor the workplace (5) at which the driverless transport system (2) has placed the transportable frame (6) with the robot (7) in a safe manner.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the robot control (10) and / or the safety control device (14) is designed and configured depending on the workstation (5) at which the driverless transport system (2) has placed the transportable frame (6) with the robot (7), this workstation (5) to automatically select assigned protective fields from a plurality of predefined protective fields stored in the robot control (10) and / or in the safety control device (14) and to use them when performing at least one work step at the specific workstation (5) where the transportable frame (6) was placed by the driverless transport system (2).

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the robot control (10) and / or the safety control device (14) is supplied with electrical energy by a self-sufficient electrical energy storage device (15) which is arranged on the transportable frame (6).

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the method is carried out in a Production plant (1) is carried out, comprising at least one manufacturing cell (4) of the body shell construction in the automated production of vehicles, which has at least one component feeding device (19) which has a component receiving device (21) and a component storage device (22) for several body components (20) of a specific component type, wherein: - the automatic picking up of the transportable frame (6) by means of the driverless transport vehicle (2) and the automatic transport of the transportable frame (6) together with the at least one robot arm (3) to the component holding device (21) as the designated workstation (5) at the component feeding device (19) takes place, - the automatic placement of the transportable frame (6) at the component receiving device (21) takes place, so that the driverless transport vehicle (2) is separated from the transportable frame (6) and the automatic coupling of the transportable frame (6) to a stationary coupling device (11) of the component receiving device (21) takes place, - the automatic identification of the specific component handling device (21) by means of the robot controller (10) takes place and the automatic selection of one of the robot programs assigned to the specific component handling device (21) from several robot programs available at the robot controller (10) for the several component handling devices (21) takes place, and - the execution of at least one work step by controlled adjustment of the joints (9) of the robot arm (3) and / or by controlling at least one functionality of an end effector (12) connected to the robot arm (3) is carried out automatically by means of the robot control (10) of the robot (7) according to the selected robot program, wherein the robot arm (3), controlled by the robot control (10), automatically performs as work steps a picking up of a single body component (20) from a transport container (17) in which several body components (20) of a certain component type are held, and a placing of the body component (20) picked up by the robot arm (3) into the component holding device (21) of the component feeding device (19).

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one first robot arm (3.1) and at least one second robot arm (3.2) different from the first robot arm (3.1) are arranged on the transportable frame (6), wherein the second robot arm (3.2) carries at least one optical sensor (13) and a second robot controller (10) is designed and configured to automatically adjust the joints (9) of the second robot arm (3) such that the optical sensor (13) carried by the second robot arm (3.2) can be automatically moved in space in order to selectively detect the movements of the first robot arm (3.1), the instantaneous position and orientation of a body component (20) located in the container (17) or on the component receiving device (21), and / or the environment of the component receiving device (21) or the component feeding device (19). 42 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the first robot arm (3.1) automatically controlled by the first robot controller (10) and the second robot arm (3.2) automatically perform coordinated cooperative movements to automatically handle a jointly grasped body component (20) or a jointly grasped container (17).

10. Automated work system (16), in particular for use in carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a transportable frame (6) on which at least one robot (7) with a robot controller (10) and a robot arm (3) automatically controllable by the robot controller (10) is mounted, an electrical energy storage device (15) which is configured and set up to supply the robot controller (10) and the robot arm (3) with electrical energy, and at least one optical sensor (13) which is configured and set up to detect the movements of the robot arm (3) caused by the automatic adjustment of the joints (9), the movement of the transportable frame (6) and / or the robot arm (3) during transport of the transportable frame (6) by means of the driverless transport vehicle (2), and / or the environment of a workstation (5) at which the automated work system (16) is located.

11. Automated work system (16) according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one optical sensor (13) is at least one camera arranged on the robot arm (3) and / or at least one [unclear] on the [unclear] 43 transportable frame (6) laser sensor, radar sensor or ultrasonic sensor is arranged.

12. Automated work system (16) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a first robot arm (3.1), a second robot arm (3.2) and a third robot arm (3.3) are arranged on the transportable frame (6) and the first robot arm (3.1) guides a first end effector (12), the third robot arm (3.3) guides a second end effector (12), and the second robot arm (3.2) has at least one optical sensor (13.1) on its hand flange.

13. Automated work system (16) according to claim 12, characterized in that the second robot arm (3.2) can be brought into a joint configuration by automatically adjusting its joints in which the optical sensor (13.1) automatically guided by the second robot arm (3.2) is swivelled away from a working area of ​​the first robot arm (3.1) and / or the third robot arm (3.3) in order to be able to detect an environment away from the working area of ​​the first robot arm (3.1) and / or the third robot arm (3.3).

14. Computer program product comprising a machine-readable carrier on which program code is stored, which is readable by a robot controller (10) of an automated work system (16), in particular an automated work system (16) according to one of claims 10 to 13, and which forms and / or configures the robot controller (10), a method according to one of the 44 Claims 1 to 9 are carried out when the program code is executed by the robot controller (10).

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