Transfer Robot Posture Adjustment for Heavy Workpiece Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer robots struggle to efficiently handle and position heavy workpieces, such as battery modules for electric vehicles, due to limitations in adjusting the posture and position of the workpiece, leading to significant inclinations caused by the weight of the load.
Innovation Solution
A transfer robot design featuring a first arm, a second arm, and an arm distal end portion connected via a posture adjuster that allows rotation around multiple axes, including a first posture adjustment axis intersecting the third axis, enabling precise adjustment of the workpiece's posture and position, with optional inclusion of a balancer member to counteract the weight of the workpiece.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If articulated arms are used to hold and convey workpieces, then the robot can perform conveyance operations, but the arms bend under the weight of heavy workpieces, reducing conveyance accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The posture adjuster performs preliminary action by adjusting the workpiece posture before the conveyance operation is completed. The system proactively compensates for arm bending by rotating the workpiece around the first posture adjustment axis, ensuring the workpiece reaches the target position with correct orientation despite the arm's elastic deformation under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the posture parameter of the workpiece dynamically during conveyance. By rotating the workpiece around the first posture adjustment axis based on detected arm bending, the system adjusts the workpiece orientation parameter to compensate for the bending deformation, maintaining conveyance accuracy despite the flexible arm structure.
2Device complexity
If the robot structure is simplified without posture adjustment mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to maintain workpiece posture at target position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system is segmented into functional modules: the articulated arm for conveyance and the separate posture adjuster for orientation control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function - the arm handles position while the posture adjuster handles orientation, achieving high precision without requiring the entire arm structure to be overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The posture adjuster acts as an intermediary between the articulated arm and the workpiece. It mediates the transition by compensating for the arm's bending through rotation around the first posture adjustment axis, ensuring the workpiece maintains correct posture despite the arm's elastic deformation under load.
3Device complexity
If posture adjustment is performed without considering arm bending, then the adjustment mechanism is simpler, but the torque required for accurate posture adjustment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by detecting the actual posture of the arm distal end portion and using this information to determine the corrective rotation needed. The posture adjuster receives feedback about arm bending and adjusts the workpiece orientation accordingly, minimizing the torque required by making precise, targeted adjustments rather than large corrective movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The posture adjuster performs preliminary adjustment by rotating the workpiece around the first posture adjustment axis based on detected arm bending before the final positioning is completed. This preliminary compensation reduces the corrective torque needed later in the operation, as the workpiece is already closer to the target orientation.
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer robot includes a first arm provided rotatably around a first axis which extends along a vertical direction, a second arm connected to the first arm rotatably around a second axis which extends along the vertical direction, an arm distal end portion which is configured to be connected to a workpiece holder to hold a workpiece and which is connected to the second arm rotatably around a third axis which extends along the vertical direction, and a posture adjuster configured to rotate the workpiece around a first posture adjustment axis which intersects both the third axis and a direction extending toward the arm distal end portion away from the third axis.