Device, method, program and recording medium, for simulation of article arraying operation performed by robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857673-B2
Application number	US-201715795671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2017
Priority date	Oct 28, 2016
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A simulation device for a robot rearranging articles in a random arrangement on a conveyor to a regular arrangement while tracking the conveyor. The simulation device includes a model locating section for locating a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space; a conveying motion simulating section for making the conveyor model convey the article models in the random arrangement; a detecting motion simulating section for making the sensor model obtain position information of the article models; an arrangement pattern generating section for generating an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model; and an arraying motion simulating section for making the arraying robot model pick up the article models in the random arrangement and place the picked-up article models in accordance with the arrangement pattern, while tracking an article conveying motion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A simulation device for simulating an article arraying operation performed by a robot, the simulation device comprising:
a processor configured to:
locate a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space, which are prepared respectively by modeling a conveyor, a plurality of articles placed on the conveyor, a sensor detecting the plurality of articles and an arraying robot arraying the plurality of articles on the conveyor;
simulate an article conveying motion, the conveyor model moving, by the article conveying motion, to convey the plurality of article models placed in a random arrangement on the conveyor model;
simulate an article detecting motion, the sensor model operating, by the article detecting motion, to obtain position information of each of the plurality of article models conveyed in the random arrangement;
generate an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model by using the position information, the arrangement pattern including a plurality of pattern elements in a predetermined regular arrangement, each pattern element representing a position of each of the article models; and
simulate an article arraying motion by using information of the article conveying motion and the position information, the arraying robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article arraying motion, to pick up each of the article models in the random arrangement and place a picked-up article model in accordance with the arrangement pattern;

wherein the processor is further configured to
recognize a point set on the conveyor model where generation of the arrangement pattern is executed; and
generate the arrangement pattern when the article models pass through the point by the article conveying motion; wherein

the point set on the conveyor model is located downstream of the sensor model and upstream of a working space boundary which designates a working space of the arraying robot model; and
the point is set or changed in response to an input or operation of an operator.

2. The simulation device of claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to
locate a transfer robot model additionally in the virtual space, which is prepared by modeling a transfer robot collectively transferring the plurality of articles arrayed by the arraying robot, and
simulate an article transferring motion by using the information of the article conveying motion, the transfer robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article transferring motion, to collectively pick up and transfer the plurality of article models placed in accordance with the arrangement pattern.

3. The simulation device of claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to
generate the arrangement pattern in such a manner that a first pattern element which is any one of the plurality of pattern elements coincides with a position of a reference article model which is any one of the plurality of article models placed in the random arrangement.

4. The simulation device of claim 3 , wherein
the processor is further configured to
predictively judge as to whether an interference is caused between an article model being placed on a second pattern element in the generated arrangement pattern, different from the first pattern element, and another article model including the reference article model, by using shape information of each of the plurality of article models together with the position information, and
simulate the article arraying motion in consideration of a judgment result of the interference.

5. A simulation method for simulating, on a computer, an article arraying operation performed by a robot, the method comprising:
locating, by the computer, a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space, which are prepared respectively by modeling a conveyor, a plurality of articles placed on the conveyor, a sensor detecting the plurality of articles and an arraying robot arraying the plurality of articles on the conveyor;
simulating, by the computer, an article conveying motion, the conveyor model moving, by the article conveying motion, to convey the plurality of article models placed in a random arrangement on the conveyor model;
simulating, by the computer, an article detecting motion, the sensor model operating, by the article detecting motion, to obtain position information of each of the plurality of article models conveyed in the random arrangement;
generating, by the computer, an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model by using the position information, the arrangement pattern including a plurality of pattern elements in a predetermined regular arrangement, each pattern element representing a position of each of the article models; and
simulating, by the computer, an article arraying motion by using information of the article conveying motion and the position information, the arraying robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article arraying motion, to pick up each of the article models in the random arrangement and place a picked-up article model in accordance with the arrangement pattern;
wherein, in the generating the arrangement pattern, the computer
recognizes a point set on the conveyor model where generation of the arrangement pattern is executed, and
generates the arrangement pattern when the article models pass through the point by the article conveying motion; wherein

the point set on the conveyor model is located downstream of the sensor model and upstream of a working space boundary which designates a working space of the arraying robot model; and
the point is set or changed in response to an input or operation of an operator.

6. The simulation method of claim 5 , wherein
the locating in the virtual space includes locating, by the computer, a transfer robot model additionally in the virtual space, which is prepared by modeling a transfer robot collectively transferring the plurality of articles arrayed by the arraying robot;
the simulation method further comprising:
simulating, by the computer, an article transferring motion by using the information of the article conveying motion, the transfer robot model moving while tracking the article conveying motion, by the article transferring motion, to collectively pick up and transfer the plurality of article models placed in accordance with the arrangement pattern.

7. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium recording a simulation program for simulating an article arraying operation performed by a robot, the simulation program, when executed, causing a computer to perform:
locating a conveyor model, a plurality of article models, a sensor model and an arraying robot model in a virtual space, which are prepared respectively by modeling a conveyor, a plurality of articles placed on the conveyor, a sensor detecting the plurality of articles and an arraying robot arraying the plurality of articles on the conveyor;
simulating an article conveying motion, the conveyor model moving, by the article conveying motion, to convey the plurality of article models placed in a random arrangement on the conveyor model;
simulating an article detecting motion, the sensor model operating, by the article detecting motion, to obtain position information of each of the plurality of article models conveyed in the random arrangement;
generating an arrangement pattern on the conveyor model by using the position information, the arrangement pattern including a plurality of pattern elements in a predetermined regular arrangement, each pattern element representing a position of each of the article models; and
si

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Atohira Hiroyuki
• Nagatsuka Yoshiharu

Classifications

• B25J9/1671 Primary

  characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems · CPC title

• G05B19/4069

  Simulating machining process on screen (G05B19/4068 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/39106

  Conveyor, pick up article, object from conveyor, bring to test unit, place it · CPC title

• G05B2219/40308

  Machine, conveyor model in library contains coop robot path · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title