Current status and problems of robot and machine tool integration applications
Whether it`s commercial or residential use, outdoors or indoors, Port City Elevator can assist in eliminating the barrier that stairs can cause for people with limited mobility. As a cost-effective solution, platform lifts create convenient access without compromising architectural character.Goods lifts provide fast, efficient, convenient and safe access for goods to reach mezzanines, basements, and any levels in multi-storied buildings.Cargo lift is customizable in loading capacity, platform size, and lifting height for your individual requirements. Construction Hoist Elevator,External Wall Elevator,Used Construction Elevator,Construction Material Elevator Jinan Shanghangda Machinery Co., Ltd. , https://www.shdtowercrane.com
First, the rapid development of robot and machine tool integration applications
An authoritative professional exhibition is the best window to reflect the overall situation and technical trends of an industry. We may wish to look at the development of robotic and machine tool integration applications from several well-known machine tool exhibitions at home and abroad in the past three years.
(1) The situation of CCMT2014 exhibition
The exhibition is called China CNC Machine Tool Exhibition and was held by Shanghai Machine Tool Industry Association on February 24-28, 2014 at Shanghai New International Expo Center. A total of 64 cases of 6-joint robots and machine tool integration applications were exhibited at the exhibition, which was more than doubled from the previous 31 (CCMT2012), which is enough to illustrate the current integration of robots and machine tools.
At this exhibition, for the first time, robot manufacturers, robot integrators and robot application companies gathered. The number of machine tool enterprises exhibiting self-manufacturing robots has also increased from 3 to 7 in the previous year: Guangzhou CNC, Nanjing Eston, Dalian Machine Tool, Huazhong CNC, Dalian Guangyang, Bukchon Machine Tool, Chengdu Guangtai, etc. The original four main business is the CNC system.
At the show, the Qinchuan Machine Tool Group exhibited a robot-specific RV reducer developed by itself, and Dalian Guangyang exhibited a milling robot with a tool magazine and an electric spindle, which transformed the robot itself into one. Machining Center.
(II) Situation of EMO2013 European Machine Tool Exhibition
The exhibition was held by the European Machine Tool Industry Cooperation Committee in Hanover, Germany on September 16-21, 2013. The integration of many industrial robots and CNC machine tools has become a highlight of the show. In particular, KUKA and SIEMENS jointly held a press conference, announcing that the two parties will launch a comprehensive business cooperation and jointly promote the "Industrial 4.0" intelligent automation solution, which has become an important event of the exhibition. At the CCMT2014 exhibition, the two have already jointly demonstrated the integration of robots and machine tools.
At the show, the display of robotic and machine tool integration applications abounds. For example, DMG MORI exhibited a variety of automated machining solutions for industrial robot loading and unloading. The six CNC lathe exhibits exhibited by SPINNER have robot loading and unloading. MAZAK, OKUMA, EMAG, Dalian Machine Tool Group and other companies also exhibited exhibits for robot and machine tool integration applications.
(III) Situation of IMTS2012 Exhibition
The show was held by the American Society of Machinery Manufacturing Technology on September 10-15, 2012 in Chicago, USA. At the exhibition, the exhibition line of industrial robots was unprecedented. The world's four major robot manufacturers KUKA, ABB, YASKAWA (Yachuan) and FANUC all made high-profile appearances, and exhibited a large number of robot exhibits with different specifications and uses. Among them, FANUC not only exhibited welding robots, handling robots carrying 1350kg, but also demonstrated flexible manufacturing units consisting of 4 drilling centers and 2 robots on site; KUKA displayed one in the center of the booth. Cutting robot. Other exhibiting robot manufacturers are even more numerous.
Many well-known machine tool manufacturers DMG MORI, MAKINO, MAZAK, OKUMA, Schleifring, Dalian machine tools and many other machine tool manufacturers have also demonstrated flexible units composed of CNC machine tools and industrial robots. Hexagon showcases robots. For measurement applications, Weldon Solution demonstrated the application of robots in sorting.
From the above three well-known machine tool exhibitions, we can clearly see that industrial robots are stepping into the field of machine tools and combining them with machine tools to provide users with a variety of personalized intelligent manufacturing equipment.
The reasons for this rapid development trend are of course related to the leading and catalytic effects brought about by industrial transformation and upgrading in China, the rapid improvement of China's labor cost, the reduction of industrial robot prices and the improvement of performance, as well as the machine tool field. For special reasons, first, with the continuous improvement of machine tool numerical control technology, the maturity of various automatic detection and dynamic compensation technologies, the development of machine tool technology has entered a new stage of intelligence, and the addition of robots has only played a role in fueling the situation; It is the integration of robots and machine tools. It has some special advantages, such as increased machine density and increased plant utilization; shorter auxiliary time and improved machine tool efficiency; higher operational accuracy and repeatability than natural people; To reduce; can work continuously for a long time without emotional problems and emotional needs, and so on.
Second, the main form of robot and machine tool integration application
Industrial robots are used as mainframes in most applications such as welding, handling, palletizing, and assembly. In contrast, robots that are compatible with machine tools generally function as auxiliary machines. The current specific application forms are:
1, single machine loading and unloading
Single-machine loading and unloading is the most typical and mature application of robots on machine tools. It is more accurate, faster and safer than manual loading and unloading. For the processing of small and medium-sized parts with large production batches and short processing time, or bulky workpieces that need to be hoisted, the advantages of robot loading and unloading are particularly obvious.
The structural relationship between the robot and the machine tool is divided into two types: the robot is installed outside the machine tool and integrated with the machine tool. Robots mounted on the outside of the machine are classified into fixed, mobile and truss types.
2. Flexible production line consisting of robot and machine tool
The robot is responsible for the process conversion of the workpiece, and the flexible production line with several machine tools is an application that is more complicated and valuable than the single machine. In the current industrial transformation and upgrading process, market demand is growing stronger.
In this application, the machine layout depends on factors such as the routing and field conditions. Common forms include L-shaped, U-shaped and linear, and opposite layouts. Three CNC machine tools form a U-shaped layout, and a robot performs workpiece conversion in the middle of the field. This layout is very compact.
3. Work with the machine tool to complete the machining process
The robot grips the workpiece on the punching and bending machine to realize the machining operation, which is not only a simple loading and unloading, but a replacement for all the original manual work. This is more accurate and faster than manual operation, which improves product quality and productivity. In particular, it completely solves the hidden dangers of work-related injuries in stamping machine tools.
4. Independently complete the processing
The robot is equipped with special hand claws, and the robot can complete the processes of cutting, grinding, polishing and cleaning. Even the robot can directly clamp the cutting tool, and the workpiece can be punched, tapped, riveted, and cut. In this case, the robot itself is a machine tool.
Visual and tactile robots can be used for complex processes such as assembly and part sorting. Even for loading and unloading, special station tools with positioning devices can be used.
The robot is equipped with special claws, which can be used for casting and forging machinery working in high temperature environment, and it is difficult to directly complete the work such as taking molten iron, pouring, hot and cold blanks, and replacing hot molds.
The industrial robot is a highly flexible general-purpose automation device with unlimited expansion space for its applications and functions. In the integration with machine tools, the specific application forms of industrial robots are constantly being explored and innovated.
Third, the development and application of robots by domestic machine tool enterprises
Because industrial robots have many similarities in principle and structure to CNC machine tools, they are controlled by CNC system and driven by servo motor to realize precise positional movement. Therefore, machine tool manufacturers have considerable advantages in the development of industrial robots. . Therefore, many robot manufacturers at home and abroad have the root of machine tool manufacturing.
There are also some eye-catching machine tool companies in China, and they are aware of the huge business opportunities that are coming soon. They have been involved in the R&D and manufacturing of industrial robots a few years ago. At present, there are two main types of machine tool enterprises that develop robots in China. One is CNC system manufacturers, such as Guangshu, Huazhong CNC, Nanjing Eston, Dalian Guangyang, and Chengdu Guangtai. The other is that the product categories are relatively complete. Main equipments with advantages in complete sets of projects, such as Dalian Machine Tool, Shenyang Machine Tool, Xi'an Bukchon, etc. In addition, Qinchuan Machine Tool Group, which is known for its precision gear manufacturing, has successfully developed a robot-specific RV reducer after years of hard work and has begun to industrialize.
Among these enterprises, Guangzhou NC and Nanjing Eston have entered the ranks of major domestic industrial robot manufacturers, with considerable popularity and influence. Guangzhou CNC has been developing industrial robots for six or seven years. Now it has 1000 production capacity and has accumulated many successful cases in machine tool applications. Nanjing Eston is more focused on the application of robots on forming machines.
Fourth, some issues that need to be addressed and resolved at present
At present, the application of robots on machine tools by domestic enterprises is still in its infancy, and many theoretical and practical problems have not been fully recognized and solved. For example, the most common form of application is to simply combine machine tools and robots, each using a control system. To make full use of the advantages of robot and machine tool integration applications, we must make unremitting efforts.
1. The development of robots by machine tool enterprises should give full play to the inherent advantages of the industry and establish higher development goals. From the research and application of basic theory, to the improvement of manufacturing and assembly processes, to the breakthrough of basic components such as reducers and servo motors, we have made continuous efforts to contribute to the improvement of the level and quality of domestic robots.
2. In order to promote the improvement of the application level of machine tools and robots, the research and formulation of relevant technical standards should be intensified. In this field, there are some special requirements for the control system and mechanical structure of machine tools and robots, which need to be standardized through standard formulation.
3. The development of robotic talents and the popularization of relevant knowledge should be actively carried out. Because it is an emerging industry, the development and application of robots are scarce. Especially in terms of application, at present, no matter whether it is a robot integrator or a user, the knowledge and experience are still lacking in different degrees, which often leads to setbacks and failures of the project.
4. Machine tools that work with robots should have sufficient automation. For example, automatic detection of machining accuracy, automatic detection and compensation of tool wear and automatic tool replacement, etc., to ensure continuous and stable operation of the flexible working unit.
5. Cooperatively working with robots and machine tools should be jointly designed to make the necessary adaptive changes. Here, not only the mechanical structure (such as the protective structure) changes, but also the integration of the control system, the arrangement of various types of sensors, etc., thereby forming an organic whole with a uniform spatial layout and coordinated functions.
In view of the development of robots and the development of machine tool integration applications, relevant enterprises should establish an effective organizational contact mechanism to strengthen communication and cooperation, fully share resources and complement each other, establish necessary technical specifications and standards in time, and form industrial development. Together. This will certainly play a beneficial role in the transformation and upgrading of China's machine tool industry.