JPH11267836A - Bulkhead automatic positioning method of welding made can structural material, automatic welding device therefor and control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make an automatic positioning of bulkhead of a box against an automatic welding device possible at the time of an automatic welding with the automatic welding device. SOLUTION: Proximity sensors 51, 52, which detect a bulkhead 15 position, are mounted to the tip end of lifts 41, 42 being attached freely movable vertically to an automatic welding device 30 which automatically welds the bulkhead 15 of a box 10. Based on a detected result of the proximity sensors 51, 52, a control device transfers the box 10 to correctly adjust the bulkhead 15 position against the automatic welding device 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a welded can structure (hereinafter referred to as a box) such as a crane gutter or a boom.
The present invention relates to a method of automatically positioning the partition when welding the partition of the box with an automatic welding device using a robot in the production line of (1).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows an example of a box 10 according to the present invention. The box 10 includes a bottom plate 11 and the bottom plate 1.
Side plates 12 and 13 extending vertically upward with respect to bottom plate 11 from both ends of 1 and at least provided inside a space surrounded by bottom plate 11 and side plates 12 and 13 in contact with their inner walls. One partition (only one is shown in the drawing) 15 and a ceiling plate (not shown) provided to cover the space at the upper ends of the side plates 12 and 13 and the partition 15.

FIG. 4 shows a flow of a production line for producing such a box. The production line consists of a panel production place PM, a box assembly place BA, and a box weld place B
W.

[0004] First, at the panel manufacturing place PM, a piecing is performed using a piecing apparatus (not shown) (step S).
1). Next, after holding horizontally using a horizontal holding device (not shown) (step S2), temporary attachment of the stiffener is performed using a stiffener temporary attaching device (not shown) ( Step S
3). Then, the panel is fed horizontally using a panel feeder (not shown) (step S4). Subsequently, the stiffener is welded using a stiffener welding device (not shown) (step S5). In this way, panel production is performed at the panel production place.

Next, a box is assembled at a box assembling place. First, the panel produced at the panel production site is transported to a box assembly site by a half-gate crane (not shown) (step S6). Subsequently, the first half of the box is assembled using a box assembling apparatus (not shown) (step S7). Further, the box is traversed using a box traverse cart (not shown) (step S8). Thereafter, the latter half of the box is assembled using the box assembling apparatus (step S).
9).

[0006] The box thus assembled is subsequently subjected to box welding at a box welding location. At this box welding location, the box is welded while the box is inverted using a box inversion moving trolley (not shown) (steps S10, S11, and S11).
12).

The present invention relates to a method of positioning the partition wall 15 when assembling the box 10 by welding at the box assembling place.

Hereinafter, the assembly of the box 10 will be briefly described. First, the partition 15 is attached to the bottom plate 11 and the side plate 1.
Temporarily fix at the position where it comes into contact with the inner walls of 2 and 13. At this time,
The lower end of the partition 15 contacts the inner wall of the bottom plate 11, and both side ends of the partition 15 contact the inner walls of the side plates 12 and 13. Then, the partition wall 15 is welded at the contact position (weld portion).
It should be noted that this welding portion is not only on the front side of the drawing but also on the back side (opposite side). Then, cover with a ceiling plate.

Heretofore, the welding of the partition walls 15 has not been automated and is performed manually. For this reason, box 1 on a conveyor (not shown)
There is no particular restriction on the arrangement of 0, and a human directly operates the conveyor and moves the box 10 to an arbitrary position.

In such a situation, attempts have been made to weld the partition wall 15 by an automatic welding device (not shown) using a robot. In this case, the positional relationship between the automatic welding device and the partition 15 of the box 10 is important. In other words, due to restrictions such as the welding posture of the robot,
The position of the partition 15 as viewed from the automatic welding device needs to have a certain positional relationship.

[0011]

However, conventionally, the conveyor of the production line is not linked with the automatic welding device. Therefore, using an automatic welding device, partition 1
Conventionally, when performing the welding of No. 5, it is necessary for a person to move the partition 15 of the box 10 to an appropriate position on the conveyor, which is very troublesome.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of automatically aligning a partition of a box in an automatic welding using an automatic welding apparatus with respect to the automatic welding apparatus in a box manufacturing line. .

[0013]

According to the present invention, a welded can structure mounted on a conveyor and having a partition therein is provided on both sides of an automatic welding apparatus so as to be vertically movable. Moving the partition to a position where the partition enters between the lifts; lowering the two lifts with the partition interposed therebetween; and attaching the lifts to the tips of the two lifts. Detecting the position of the partition by the two position detection sensors, and adjusting the position of the partition by moving the conveyor such that the position of the partition is within a predetermined distance range. And a method for automatically positioning a partition wall in a welded can structure.

Further, according to the present invention, the step of moving the welded can structure having a partition therein to a position where the partition comes close to a lift provided to be vertically movable with respect to the automatic welding apparatus; Lowering the lift, detecting the position of the partition by a position detection sensor attached to the tip of the lift, and the welding can structure so that the position of the partition is within a predetermined distance range. Moving the object to adjust the position of the bulkhead, the method for automatically positioning the bulkhead in the welded can structure.

In the above automatic partition wall positioning method, a non-contact type proximity sensor or a distance sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor can be used as the position detection sensor. Further, instead of the lift, a part of the automatic welding device (for example, a robot arm) may be used, and the position detection sensor may be attached to a tip of the arm.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an automatic welding apparatus for automatically welding a partition provided inside a welded can structure placed and conveyed on a conveyor, wherein the automatic welding apparatus is provided. , A position detection sensor for detecting the position of the partition wall is attached to a part of the automatic welding apparatus.

Further, according to the present invention, a partition provided inside the welded can structure automatically transfers the welded can structure which is conveyed while being mounted on a conveyor. A control system for adjusting the position so as to have a fixed positional relationship with respect to the automatic welding device for welding, by connecting a control device of the automatic welding device to the conveyor,
A command to the conveyor is performed from the control device, and a position detection sensor for detecting the position of the partition wall is attached to the automatic welding device, and the control device is configured to perform a command based on a detection signal from the position detection sensor. By operating the conveyor, it is possible to obtain a control system in which the position of the partition wall of the welded can structure is appropriately adjusted with respect to the automatic welding device.

[0018]

According to the present invention, a position detecting sensor for detecting the position of a partition is provided at a part of an automatic welding apparatus for automatically welding a partition of a box or at a tip of a lift which is vertically movable. Attached. Based on the detection result of the position detection sensor, the box is moved to appropriately adjust the partition wall position with respect to the automatic welding device.

[0019]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a method (control system) for automatically positioning a partition in a welded can structure (box) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a box 10 to be welded is mounted on a conveyor 20.
FIG. 1 is a view of the box 10 shown in FIG. 3 with the side plate 13 on the near side removed. In the present invention, the position of the partition 15 of the box 10 can be adjusted by operating the conveyor 20 as described later.

In the present embodiment, the partition 1 of the box 10
In order to adjust the position of the conveyor 5, the conveyor 20 is connected to a control device (not shown) of the automatic welding device 30. Under the control device, the conveyor 20 is moved in the forward direction (to the right in the drawing). ) And the retreat direction (left direction in the drawing).

The automatic welding apparatus 30 installed on the conveyor 20 is provided with first and second lifts 41 and 42 on both sides thereof. Can move in any direction. Non-contact type proximity sensors 51 and 52 are attached to the distal ends of the first and second lifts 41 and 42, respectively, facing each other. As such a proximity sensor, for example, an ultrasonic sensor can be used.

FIG. 2 shows a pair of proximity sensors 51 shown in FIG.
And 52 show the arrangement relationship. As shown in FIG.
The second proximity sensors 51 and 52 are arranged apart from each other by a distance (mounting distance between sensors) C. Each of the proximity sensors 51 and 52 has a sensor detection distance indicated by A. That is, when any object is within the sensor detection distance A, the proximity sensor turns on its contact point, and when the object is more than the sensor detection distance A, the proximity sensor turns off its contact point. The detection results of the first and second proximity sensors 51 and 52 (contact ON / OFF states) are sent to a control device (not shown) of the automatic welding device 30 via signal lines 51a and 52a.

In FIG. 2, a value (distance) B obtained by subtracting the sensor detection distance A of the pair of proximity sensors 51 and 52 from the sensor installation distance C is the allowable range of the position of the partition wall 15. In other words, the sensor-to-sensor mounting distance C has a relationship expressed by the following equation 1 between the sensor detection distance A and the partition wall position allowable range B.

[0026]

(Equation 1)

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the pair of proximity sensors 51 and 52 are arranged, the position of the partition wall 15 can be controlled by the on / off state of the contacts of the proximity sensors. That is, both proximity sensors 51
The movement of the partition wall 15 continues until the contacts of the partition walls 15 and 52 are turned off.
The adjustment of the position of the partition wall 15 is completed at the point of entering the partition wall position allowable range B at the center of.

Next, a method of automatically positioning the partition 15 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the box 10 placed on the conveyor 10 is provided on both sides of the automatic welding apparatus 30 so as to be able to move up and down in the direction (forward direction) indicated by the arrow D1 in FIG. It moves to a position where the partition wall 15 enters between the first and second lifts 41 and 42 (see FIG. 1B). The movement of the box 10 is manually performed by an operator.

Next, the two lifts 41 and 42 are lowered so that the pair of proximity sensors 51 and 52 can detect the partition wall 15 in a direction indicated by an arrow D2 in FIG. Then, these two lifts 41 and 42
, That is, a pair of proximity sensors 51 and 52
In the box 10 (see FIG. 1C). At this time, in the proximity sensor (the first proximity sensor 51 in the illustrated example) in which the distance to the partition 15 is shorter, the contact point is in the ON state.

For this reason, the control device operates the conveyor 20 to move the first proximity sensor 51 away from the partition 15 in the direction indicated by the arrow D3 in FIG. 1C (forward direction in the illustrated example). The box 10 is moved in the direction.

The control device detects the on / off state of the contacts of the proximity sensors 51 and 52 on both sides, and until the contacts of the proximity sensors 51 and 52 are both turned off, the direction indicated by the arrow D3. Conveyor 20
To move.

When the contacts of the proximity sensors 51 and 52 on both sides are turned off, the position of the partition wall 15 with respect to the automatic welding device 30 is appropriately adjusted as shown in FIG.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a pair of proximity sensors are attached to the tips of two lifts, respectively, but only one proximity sensor may be attached to the tip of one lift. In this case, the conveyor may be moved to a boundary position where the contact point of one proximity sensor transitions from the ON state to the OFF state. Also, as a position detection sensor,
Not limited to the proximity sensor such as the above-described ultrasonic sensor and the like, other types of position detection sensors such as a distance sensor may be used. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the lift is attached separately from the automatic welding device, and the position detection sensor is attached to the tip of the lift. May be attached to the end of the arm). Furthermore,
In the above-described embodiment, a conveyor is used as a means for moving (transporting) the box. However, other moving (transport) means other than the conveyor may be used.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, a part of an automatic welding device for automatically welding a partition of a box or a tip of a lift movably mounted on the automatic welding device is provided.
A position detection sensor for detecting the position of the bulkhead is attached, and based on the detection result of this position detection sensor, the box is moved to appropriately adjust the bulkhead position with respect to the automatic welding device. Without bothering,
The partition inside the box can be automatically aligned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process side view for explaining an automatic positioning method of a partition wall in a welded can structure (box) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an arrangement relationship between a pair of proximity sensors shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a box according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a production line for producing the box shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Box (welded can structure) 11 Bottom plate 12, 13 Side plate 15 Partition wall 30 Automatic welding device 41, 42 Lift 51, 52 Proximity sensor (position detection sensor)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G01B 11/00 G01B 11/00 A

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A welded can structure having a partition therein, which is placed on a conveyor, is inserted between two lifts provided on both sides of an automatic welding apparatus so as to be vertically movable. The two lifts are moved down while holding the partition between them, and the position of the partition is determined by two position detection sensors attached to the tips of the two lifts. And adjusting the position of the partition wall by moving the conveyor such that the position of the partition wall is within a predetermined distance range. 2. A welded can structure having a partition wall therein,
The partition moves to a position close to a lift movably provided with respect to the automatic welding device, descends the lift, and detects a position of the partition by a position detection sensor attached to a tip of the lift. And a step of moving the welded can structure so that the position of the partition wall is within a predetermined distance range to adjust the position of the partition wall. 3. The automatic welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of the automatic welding device is used in place of the lift.
4. The method for automatically positioning a partition wall in a welded can structure according to item 4. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a part of the automatic welding device is a robot arm, and the distance sensor is attached to a tip of the arm. 5. An automatic welding apparatus for automatically welding a partition provided inside a welded can structure placed and conveyed on a conveyor, wherein said partition is provided in a part of said automatic welding apparatus. An automatic welding apparatus comprising a position detection sensor for detecting the position of a workpiece. 6. An automatic welding method for automatically welding a welded can structure, which is conveyed while being mounted on a conveyor, by a partition provided inside the welded can structure. A control system for adjusting the position so as to have a fixed positional relationship with respect to the device, wherein a control device of the automatic welding device is connected to the conveyor, and a command to the conveyor is issued from the control device. A position detection sensor for detecting the position of the partition wall is attached to the automatic welding device, and the control device operates the conveyor based on a detection signal from the position detection sensor to thereby control the automatic welding device. A control system for appropriately adjusting a position of the partition wall of the welded can structure with respect to the can.