JPS6239130A - Method of supplying parts by industrial robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce an interval of work, by containing parts into a pallet from storage racks and conveying the pallet to a position of the first process, in the case of the method of supplying the parts, used in assembly-line production, by an industrial robot. CONSTITUTION:Parts are supplied first by moving a robot main unit 7 by a command from a host computer on vertical and horizontal rails 11, 12 and by collectively containing the predetermined parts into a pallet 9 from a storage rack group 3. And the pallet 9 is conveyed to a position in the shortest distance from the first process position of a vehicle 1. Next, a worker 2, transferring the pallet 9 to be placed on an assembly line while moving in accordance with almost a movement of the vehicle, performs work by bringing out the parts necessary for assembly from inside the pallet 9. The above described method, facilitating the assembly work, reduces fatigue of the worker while enables the parts to be correctly further promptly supplied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for sequentially replenishing parts used in assembly lines such as automobile assembly lines using an industrial robot 1-.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 5 is a configuration diagram of an automobile assembly line showing an example of normal assembly line work, and Figure 6 is a storage rack for transporting vehicles suspended from the ceiling, workers, and parts used in each process. Figure 1 shows the positional relationship between vehicles, where (l) shows vehicles being transported sequentially on an assembly line, and (1a) to (1d) show examples in which different vehicle types are transported successively. There is. (2) is used by the worker, and (3) is used for each process.
(4) is the ceiling, (5)
) is a hanging device that suspends and transports the axle (1) from the ceiling (4).

In the conventional assembly line using assembly lines as described above, as shown in Fig. 7, the vehicles to be assembled (
A worker (2) who is in charge of multiple processes during the transportation of 1) from position A to position B, for example,
) , (3b) , (3dl , (3fl, (
When using parts etc. in 3e) in each process,
The parts used for the vehicle (1a) at position A are stored in the storage rack (
3a), until it ends at position B and starts working again at the human position, worker f211. t
Work is carried out by moving between the vehicle (Ia) of each process and the storage shelf (3) along the meridian shown by the double-dashed line in (8a).

Also, for example, if a vehicle (1b) different from the above is transported, the C1 storage rack (3a), (3c), (3d)
, (3g) etc. are used for ('E), the 8th
The worker (2) will move along the route indicated by (6h) in the figure.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the assembly line as described above, in each process one worker (2) takes out the parts to be used and places them in the storage shelf (3) and vehicle +1.
Increase the fatigue of worker (1) due to the movement between 1 and 2. If the time required for the above movement is long, the cycle time of assembly line work will increase and efficiency will decrease.Worker (2)
There are cases where unspecified parts are taken out from the storage shelf (3) due to a misunderstanding.As the storage shelf for the assembly line + 3181 layerer) is flat, it is difficult to use the space effectively (9.4 tons). There were various problems such as:

This invention was made to solve these problems, and it improves the utilization of the work place, shortens the cycle time of assembly line work by t(1;), and further reduces the degree of fatigue of workers. The purpose of this system is to provide efficient, accurate, and prompt replenishment of parts to each worker in charge of multiple assembly processes using a method that prevents the occurrence of erroneous work.

[Means for solving problems]

Parts replenishment method according to the present invention 1 First, in an assembly line where objects to be assembled are sequentially conveyed, parts to be installed in a plurality of assembly processes are taken out from respective storage shelves by the operation of an industrial robot, and these parts are The pallet containing all the parts is transported to the first process position of the object to be assembled, and thereafter moved together with the object to be assembled.

In addition, the above-mentioned parts replenishment method according to another invention involves stacking storage shelves in which parts are not sorted and arranging them three-dimensionally, and extracting parts of a predetermined type and quantity from these storage shelves by operating an industrial robot. It is something to take out.

[Effect]

In the parts replenishment method according to the present invention, when a single worker is in charge of mounting a plurality of processes on a workpiece, parts for one cycle are transported all at once to the first process position of the workpiece. Since the assembly moves together with the assembly, the operator only has to move almost in accordance with the movement of the assembly object, reducing the interval time between operations and, therefore, the cycle time in the assembly line.

In addition, in a component replenishment method according to another invention, since component storage shelves are arranged three-dimensionally for attachment to the above-mentioned object to be assembled, the area occupied on the floor surface where these storage shelves are installed is reduced. At the same time, the moving distance of the industrial robot I, which takes out parts from the storage shelf while moving the hand device, is shortened.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the work configuration of an automatic 111 assembly line, etc. according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2. In the figure, +1), (2+, [51, +61) are the same parts as the same symbols in FIGS. 5 to 8 showing the conventional example.

(3) is a group of storage shelves arranged three-dimensionally by stacking storage shelves of different parts (3a) to (3Z) in several rows, (711 is the robot body, (8) is the robot arm, (9) is the robot arm (
8) is a storage pallet for storing the parts taken out by the hand device installed in the robot body (7);
is a vertical rail that holds the robot body (7) and serves as a guide to move it up and down; (12) is the robot body (
7) is a guide for the vertical rail (11) that moves horizontally along with the Naro Mizu S trail.

In an assembly line with the above-mentioned assembly line, for example, while a vehicle (1) as a to-be-assembled object being transported in the direction of the arrow in FIG. For the worker (2) in charge of the process, the case 1J of the width (3a) to (3z) of the storage shelf group (3) shown in Fig.
In order to take out a predetermined part from the IJ shelf, as shown in Figure 4, RAM, CPU, RO are
Instructions for the order, type, and quantity of the parts calculated by M are given to the control means of the robot, and then the instructions from the control means are given to the parts selected in the storage shelf group (3) in FIG. 2 by L. The robot body (8) moves sequentially on the vertical and horizontal rails (+1) and (12) to take out the specified parts at the position corresponding to the address, and the receiver picks up the pallet bed placed on the stand (lO). 9) and store them in pallets each time.
When all the specified parts are stored in (9), the first step of the JJ1 car (1) shown at D position in Figures 1 and 2 is A.
The pallet (9) is conveyed to the position closest to the position and stopped.

Next, the pallet (9) at position D is transferred onto the assembly line, and the worker (2) moves the vehicle (1) to be transported in the direction of the arrow as shown by the double chain line in (6). While moving approximately in accordance with the above, the parts required for each assembly process are taken out from the pallet 1-(91) and the assembly work is performed.

In the above embodiment, an example of a vehicle assembly line has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to an assembly line for other types of assemblies such as an electric JFFI HN.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in this invention, parts required for multiple assembly operations are collectively stored on a pallet, and this pallet is transferred to the assembly line, which facilitates assembly operations and reduces operator fatigue. This has the effect of reducing costs and allowing parts to be supplied accurately and quickly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 are explanatory diagrams showing the structure of work in an assembly line according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of industrial robot I used in the present invention, and FIG. 8 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the structure of work in a conventional assembly line. In the figure, (1) is a vehicle, (2) is a worker, (3) is a storage shelf, (7) is a robot body, and (9) is a pallet. In addition, the same reference numerals (indicate the same or equivalent parts) in the figure. Agent: Patent Attorney Tadashi Sato Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) During work on an assembly line where objects to be assembled are transported one after another, parts that are to be installed in multiple assembly processes are removed from each storage shelf by the operation of an industrial robot, and these parts are stored all at once. Parts supply by an industrial robot, characterized in that the industrial robot transports a pallet to a first process position of the object to be assembled, transfers it to the assembly line, and performs assembly work by a worker. Method. (2) A group of storage shelves containing parts to be attached for each of multiple assembly processes are stacked and arranged three-dimensionally, and a predetermined type and quantity of the above storage shelves are selected from the group of storage shelves by the operation of an industrial robot. A parts replenishment method using an industrial robot characterized by taking out parts.