Shared Laser Oscillator Safety Control for Multi-Robot Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser robot systems require complex wiring and the introduction of a safety programmable logic controller (PLC) when multiple robot cells share a single laser oscillator, leading to increased costs and maintenance burdens.
Innovation Solution
A laser robot system where each robot controller acts as a master unit to communicate safety signals to a slave laser oscillator, eliminating the need for safety signal cables and a safety PLC, thereby simplifying wiring and reducing costs and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple robot cells share one laser oscillator with conventional safety control systems, then laser irradiation can be performed by multiple robot cells, but the safety system becomes complicated requiring numerous wires and hard-wired IO signals to both the laser oscillator and robot controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the safety control functions into a single centralized safety control device that monitors all robot cells and controls the laser oscillator collectively. Instead of having separate safety systems for each robot cell, the invention combines them into one unified safety management architecture, reducing the number of safety signal wires and simplifying the overall safety system while maintaining safety for multiple robot cells sharing the laser oscillator
Solution Approach 2:
The safety control device is designed with universal functionality to monitor multiple robot cells and control the laser oscillator simultaneously. This multi-functional safety control device can handle safety signals from any of the multiple robot cells and issue stop commands to the laser oscillator, eliminating the need for dedicated safety wiring for each individual robot cell-laser oscillator pair
2Productivity
If multiple robot cells share one laser oscillator, then system resource utilization improves, but the number of safety signal wires increases in accordance with the number of robot cells
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple safety signal inputs from different robot cells into a single safety control device, and merges the control output to the laser oscillator into one unified safety signal line. This consolidation reduces the total number of safety wires from what would be required with individual safety systems for each robot cell to a manageable number of wires connecting all robot cells to the centralized safety control device and the laser oscillator
3Device complexity
If a safety PLC is introduced to reduce wires, then wiring complexity decreases, but cost and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety control device is designed to autonomously monitor the operational states of multiple robot cells and automatically issue stop commands to the laser oscillator when safety violations are detected. The system performs self-diagnosis and self-control without requiring external safety PLC intervention, thereby reducing wiring complexity while avoiding the additional cost and maintenance burden associated with safety PLC systems
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to construct a system in which a robot cell receives output from a laser oscillator separate from the robot cell and is irradiated with a laser beam, wherein the need for complicated wiring is obviated without introducing a safety support system such as a safety PLC. In the present invention, a safety signal from a robot cell is communicated from a robot controller to a laser oscillator, where the robot controller serves as a master unit and the laser oscillator serves as a slave unit, thereby making it possible to obviate the need for numerous wires and to carry out installation such that wiring is uncomplicated.