Process system including robot that transfers workpiece to process machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328582-B2
Application number	US-201815865879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2018
Priority date	Jan 20, 2017
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A process system includes a detection device that detects a rotation angle of a workpiece when a robot grips the workpiece. The control device includes a storage unit that stores a reference rotation angle serving as a criterion for the rotation angle of the workpiece, and an error calculation unit that calculates a rotation error relative to the reference rotation angle in the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device. The control device corrects the rotation angle of the fixture based on the rotation error so as to correspond to the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device when the robot transfers the workpiece to the fixture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process system comprising:
a process machine including a fixture where a workpiece is fixed;
a robot that transfers the workpiece to the fixture;
a control device that controls the process machine and the robot; and
a detection device that detects a rotation angle of the workpiece around a predetermined axis line when the robot grips the workpiece, wherein
the process machine includes a drive device that rotates the fixture,
the control device includes a storage unit that stores a reference rotation angle serving as a criterion of a rotation angle of the workpiece, and an error calculation unit that calculates a rotation error relative to the reference rotation angle in the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device, and
the control device corrects the rotation angle of the fixture based on the rotation error so as to correspond to the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device when the robot transfers the workpiece to the fixture.

2. The process system according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device includes a visual sensor that captures an image of the workpiece.

3. The process system according to claim 2 , wherein the visual sensor is a three-dimensional visual sensor.

4. The process system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection device detects a position of the workpiece when the robot grips the workpiece,
the storage unit stores a reference position as a criterion for the position of the workpiece,
the error calculation unit calculates a position error relative to the reference position in the position of the workpiece detected by the detection device, and
the control device corrects a position of the fixture based on the position error so as to correspond to the position of the workpiece detected by the detection device when the robot transfers the workpiece to the fixture.

5. The process system according to claim 4 , wherein the process machine includes at least two linear-motion axes for linearly moving the fixture, and at least one rotation axis for rotating the fixture.

6. The process system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control device includes a process machine control device that controls the process machine, a robot control device that controls the robot, and a communication apparatus that carries out communications between the process machine control device and the robot control device, and
the robot control device includes the storage unit and the error calculation unit.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Itou Daisuke
• Nagatomi Takashi

Classifications

• B25J9/1669

  characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping · CPC title

• B25J9/1612 Primary

  characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control · CPC title

• G05B2219/39105

  Manipulator cooperates with moving machine, like press brake · CPC title

• B25J11/005 Primary

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title

• B25J9/1005

  comprising adjusting means · CPC title