Patent ID: 12240110

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Background of Present Disclosure

A robot device provided with a torch that performs welding on a workpiece is known. PTL 1 describes a teaching device and a teaching method for a spot welding robot. PTL 1 describes a technique in which a real space is projected onto a virtual space of a computer, a virtual robot model corresponding to a spot welding robot in the real space is created in the virtual space, and an operation of the spot welding robot is programmed using the virtual robot model.

The welding performed in PTL 1 is spot welding of point joining, and the technique described in PTL 1 cannot perform welding from a welding start point to a welding end point along a weld line. In addition, in PTL 1, an operation unit for inputting an instruction of a user to the teaching device is an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse. When an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse is used, it is difficult for an operator to perform instruction input that intuitively simulates a movement of the torch of the welding robot.

Therefore, in the following embodiments, a welding system, a welding robot control program creation device, a welding robot control program creation method, and a creation program for a welding robot control program, which are capable of performing welding from a welding start point to a welding end point along a weld line by an easy-to-operate teaching, will be described in detail.

Hereinafter, an embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as “the present embodiment”) specifically disclosing a welding system, a welding robot control program creation device, a welding robot control program creation method, and a creation program for a welding robot control program according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, an unnecessarily detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of a well-known matter or repeated description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for a thorough understanding of the present disclosure for those skilled in the art, and are not intended to limit the subject matter in the claims.

Overview of Welding Robot System100

FIG.1is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a welding robot system100. The welding robot system100includes a welding robot1, a torch2included in the welding robot1, and a robot controller3. The welding robot system100may further include a teach pendant4. The welding robot system100may further include an operation box5.

The welding robot1is a robot that performs welding on a workpiece. The welding robot1may include an articulated robot arm11. An end effector12is connected to a front end portion of the robot arm11. The end effector12is typically a robot hand having one or more fingers, but may be an end effector having no finger.

An image capturing unit such as a camera may be provided on the robot arm11, in the vicinity of a connection portion between the robot arm11and the end effector12, or the like. A three-dimensional movement of the robot arm11is controlled by the robot controller3connected to the robot arm11. Movements of the robot arm11and the end effector12may be controlled based on an image captured by the image capturing unit such as a camera.

For example, in welding such as arc welding, the torch2is used when welding is performed on a workpiece. The type of welding such as gas welding or laser welding and the type of a torch corresponding to the type of welding are not limited here.

The robot controller3is connected to the welding robot1and controls a behavior of the welding robot1. The robot controller3may control the behavior of the welding robot1by the operator operating the teach pendant4. The robot controller3may control the behavior of the welding robot1by the operator operating the operation box5. The robot controller3may control the behavior of the welding robot1based on a control program of the welding robot1(that is, a welding robot control program).

The teach pendant4is an input device having a role as a user interface through which the operator operates the teach pendant4to teach the welding robot1. As the teach pendant4, a teach pendant of the related art may be used, and the teach pendant4is not limited here. The operation box5is an input device including a switch, a button, and the like for an operator to control the robot controller3. Similarly, as the operation box5, an operation box of the related art may be used, and the operation box5is not limited here.

Overview of Welding System300

FIG.2is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a welding system300.

The welding system300includes the welding robot system100described with reference toFIG.1and a welding robot control program creation system200. The welding robot control program creation system200includes a head mounted display HMD, a controller CTR, one or more base stations IR, and a welding robot control program creation device T.

The controller CTR is a device used for motion control of a mechanical device. In the present embodiment, the controller CTR is used for motion control of the torch2illustrated inFIG.1.

The controller CTR has an outer shape that can be held by the operator. According to the present embodiment, the operator holds the controller CTR regarded as the torch2. The controller CTR may have a front end portion having the same shape as the torch2such that the operator can intuitively designate a welding teaching point through which the torch2of the welding robot1passes while holding the controller CTR. The controller CTR includes an input unit that functions as a user interface such as a button, a switch, and a lever (not illustrated). The operator causes the controller CTR to store the welding teaching point by, for example, pressing the above-described button in a state in which the front end of the controller CTR corresponding to the front end of the torch2is actually brought into contact with a workpiece (not illustrated) to be welded. In addition, the operator can switch on and off a posture fixing function to be described later via a user interface included in the controller CTR, such as a button.

The controller CTR is connected to the head mounted display HMD such that data can be input and output between the controller CTR and the head mounted display HMD. Data communication between the controller CTR and the head mounted display HMD may be performed wirelessly or via a wire.

The controller CTR may transmit position information of the welding teaching point designated by the operator and posture information to be described later to the welding robot control program creation device T via the head mounted display HMD. The welding teaching point may include the welding start point and the welding end point of welding performed on the workpiece. When the head mounted display HMD is not used, the controller CTR may directly transmit the position information of the welding teaching point and the posture information to be described later to the welding robot control program creation device T without using the head mounted display HMD.

Posture Information

The posture information is information capable of specifying a posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1with respect to the weld line at the welding teaching point on the weld line connecting the welding start point and the welding end point (seeFIG.3and subsequent figures). For example, controller posture information, which is information indicating a posture of the controller CTR with the front end facing the welding teaching point, is an example of the posture information. The controller posture information is set such that when the controller CTR is regarded as the torch2and used for teaching, the robot controller3controls the welding robot1so that a direction of the front end of the controller CTR in a three-dimensional space matches a direction of the front end of the torch2in the three-dimensional space. Therefore, the welding robot control program creation device T can specify the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line based on the controller posture information. The welding robot control program creation device T may acquire, as the posture information, the controller posture information indicating the posture of the controller CTR facing the welding teaching point.

The operator can also designate the welding teaching point by using the torch2itself instead of the controller CTR. In this case, for example, the robot controller3can acquire information indicating a posture of the torch2that varies in accordance with an operation input from the teach pendant4or the like. The welding robot control program creation device T may acquire the information indicating the posture of the torch2as the posture information from the robot controller3. The welding robot control program creation device T may also acquire the above-described position information from the robot controller3.

The head mounted display HMD can display a VR image to a person wearing the head mounted display HMD (hereinafter, referred to as a wearer). The wearer may be a person different from the operator described above, or may be the same person. The head mounted display HMD is connected to the welding robot control program creation device T such that data can be input and output between the head mounted display HMD and the welding robot control program creation device T. For example, the head mounted display HMD and the welding robot control program creation device T may be connected by a display cable, a USB cable, or the like. However, a mode of the connection is not limited thereto, and the head mounted display HMD and the welding robot control program creation device T may perform wireless communication with each other.

Here, according to the present embodiment, the head mounted display HMD is used as a device for relaying data exchange between the controller CTR and the welding robot control program creation device T. However, the welding robot control program creation system200may directly perform data communication between the controller CTR and the welding robot control program creation device T without providing the head mounted display HMD.

The base station IR is used by the welding robot control program creation device T to acquire the position information and the posture information of the controller CTR. The welding robot control program creation system200according to the present embodiment includes two base stations IR. The base stations IR may be connected to the welding robot control program creation device T such that data can be input and output between the base stations IR and the welding robot control program creation device T. The two base stations IR emit infrared rays toward the controller CTR. For example, the base stations IR turn on a flash, then emit infrared lasers from the bottom to the top, then turn on the flash, and then emit infrared lasers from the left to the right. The base stations IR repeatedly perform the above-mentioned four types of processing. On the other hand, the controller CTR includes a light receiving unit (not illustrated). The controller CTR calculates the position information of the welding teaching point (position information of the front end portion of the controller CTR when the button of the controller CTR is pressed by the operator) and the controller posture information based on an arrival time, angle information, and the like of light received from the base station IR by the light receiving unit. Instead of the controller CTR, the head mounted display HMD or the welding robot control program creation device T may calculate the position information of the welding teaching point and the controller posture information.

A method of acquiring the position information of the welding teaching point and the controller posture information is not limited to the above-described example. For example, the base station IR has a projection function of structured light and a function of an infrared camera, and when the structured light projected on the controller CTR is captured by the infrared camera and the captured image is subjected to image processing, the welding robot control program creation device T can acquire the above-described position information and controller posture information. In addition, the welding robot control program creation device T may be provided with a plurality of cameras instead of a plurality of base stations IR, capture images of the workpiece and the controller CTR with the cameras, and calculate the above-described position information and controller posture information based on feature points or the like included in the captured images. The welding robot control program creation device T may acquire the above-described position information and controller posture information by a method other than these methods.

The welding robot control program creation device T is connected to the head mounted display HMD, the base station IR, and the robot controller3such that data can be input and output between the welding robot control program creation device T and the head mounted display HMD, the base station IR, and the robot controller3. When the head mounted display HMD is not used, the welding robot control program creation device T may be connected to the controller CTR such that data can be input and output between the welding robot control program creation device T and the controller CTR. The welding robot control program creation device T may be connected to other devices by, for example, a LAN cable, other connection cables, or wirelessly. The welding robot control program creation device T may be, for example, a gaming PC or the like, but is not limited thereto.

The welding robot control program creation device T may include a processing unit101, a storage unit102, an input unit103, and a display unit104. The welding robot control program creation device T may include other components.

The processing unit101is configured using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The processing unit101performs a control process for controlling the overall operation of respective units of the welding robot control program creation device T, a process of inputting and outputting data or information into and from the respective units of the welding robot control program creation device T, a process of calculating data, and a process of storing data or information.

The storage unit102may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like, and stores various programs (an operating system (OS), application software, and the like) to be executed by the processing unit101, and various data. The storage unit102may store a program for creating a control program of the welding robot1(hereinafter, referred to as a creation program of welding robot control program1021). The creation program of welding robot control program1021may be executed by the processing unit101.

The input unit103may include a track pad, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, has a function as a human interface with the operator, and inputs an operation of the operator. In other words, the input unit103is used for input or instruction in various processes executed by the processing unit101.

The display unit104may be configured using a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL). The display unit104may display, for example, what kind of welding robot control program the processing unit101creates based on the creation program of welding robot control program1021, the position information of the welding teaching point, and the controller posture information.

Storage of Welding Teaching Point

FIG.3is a conceptual diagram illustrating a movement of the torch2in accordance with the welding robot control program created by the welding robot control program creation device T according to the present disclosure. Reference is also made toFIG.2. The operator moves the held controller CTR and presses the button or the like when the front end of the controller CTR reaches a welding start point S and a welding end point E of the workpiece. Thus, the welding start point S and the welding end point E are stored in the controller CTR as welding teaching points. Note that a welding teaching point to be stored is not limited to the welding start point S and the welding end point E. For example, any intermediate point M on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E may be stored as a welding teaching point. In addition, the welding teaching point may be a point that is not on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E, and may be, for example, an air-cut point to be described later based onFIGS.8to16or a position of the front end of the torch2when the welding robot1is in a standby posture.

The welding robot control program creation device T acquires, from the controller CTR, position information of the welding start point S and the welding end point E and posture information indicating postures of the controller CTR when the front end of the controller CTR is located at a position of the welding start point S and a position of the welding end point E.

The processing unit101creates a welding robot control program for performing welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E on the workpiece based on the acquired position information and posture information. The processing unit101transmits the created welding robot control program to the robot controller3. The robot controller3executes the received welding robot control program to move the welding robot1. The welding robot1performs welding on the workpiece using the torch2based on the welding teaching points (the welding start point S, the welding end point E, and the like) set by the operator.

FIG.17is a comparative diagram illustrating postures of the torch2in a case where teaching is performed and welding is performed from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L. The example according to the present disclosure illustrated inFIG.3and the example illustrated inFIG.17are different in posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L.

When the operator holds the controller CTR and manually designates the welding start point S, the welding end point E, and the like as the welding teaching points, it is difficult to maintain the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L constant. In the case of the example illustrated inFIG.17, a posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at an intermediate portion (for example, at the intermediate point M) of the weld line L is a posture that interpolates between the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at the welding start point S and the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at the welding end point E. More specifically, the posture of the torch2is changed such that an opposite side of the torch2from the front end gradually falls toward the weld line L from the welding start point S to the welding end point E.

On the other hand, if the torch2can perform welding such that the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L is constant from the welding start point S to the welding end point E, the quality of welding is stabilized, which is preferable. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG.3, the welding robot control program creation device T according to the present disclosure creates a control program of a welding robot for performing welding from the welding start point S toward the welding end point E along the weld line L while maintaining the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at the welding start point S.

In addition, as in an example illustrated inFIG.7to be described later, there may be a situation in which the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L cannot be maintained constant from the beginning to the end. In this case, the posture of the torch2may be maintained constant for each of a plurality of sections constituting the weld line L.

Switching of Posture Fixing Function

The creation program of welding robot control program1021may include two control modes. A first control mode is a posture fixed mode in which the posture fixing function is turned on. A second control mode is a posture non-fixed mode in which the posture fixing function is turned off.

In the case of the posture fixed mode, the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1that operates according to the created welding robot control program does not follow a posture change of the controller CTR, and maintains a constant posture. For example, the torch2moves while an angle of the torch2with respect to the weld line L remains relatively unchanged at the welding start point S (seeFIG.3). The welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program for performing, in a posture fixed section of the weld line L in which the posture of the torch2is fixed, welding along the weld line L up to an end point of the posture fixed section while maintaining a posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at a start point of the posture fixed section.

In the case of the posture non-fixed mode, the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1that operates according to the created welding robot control program changes following the posture change of the controller CTR. For example, the torch2moves while the angle of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at the welding start point S changes (seeFIGS.6and7). The welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program for performing, in a posture non-fixed section of the weld line L in which the posture of the torch2is not fixed, welding along the weld line such that the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L follows a posture of the torch2specified based on the posture information.

Mode switching between the posture fixed mode and the posture non-fixed mode may be performed by a user interface (see the above description), such as a push button, included in the controller CTR. In addition, the mode switching operation may be performed by a line of sight of the operator wearing the head mounted display HMD. The mode switching operation may be performed by a mouse, a keyboard, or the like included in the input unit103of the welding robot control program creation device T.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the welding robot1provided with the torch2performs the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L corresponding to the workpiece in accordance with a movement of the front end portion of the controller CTR held by the operator at the time of creating the welding robot control program. In the case of the posture fixed mode, even when the posture of the controller CTR held by the operator changes due to camera shake or the like, the posture change is not reflected in the posture of the torch2, and the torch2performs the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L while maintaining a predetermined posture with respect to the weld line L.

Posture Fixed Section

As described above, there may be a situation in which the torch2cannot maintain Therefore, the posture of the torch2may be fixed in a section of the weld line L in which the posture of the torch2is fixed. When the posture fixed section of the weld line L in which the posture of the torch2is fixed is from the welding start point S to the welding end point E, the welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program for performing welding along the weld line L up to the end point of the posture fixed section, that is, the welding end point E, while maintaining a constant posture of the torch with respect to the weld line L at the start point of the posture fixed section, that is, the welding start point S.

The start point of the posture fixed section may not be the welding start point S. For example, the start point of the posture fixed section may be a point between the welding start point S and the welding end point E (seeFIG.7). Similarly, the end point of the posture fixed section may not be the welding end point E. For example, the end point of the posture fixed section may be a point between the welding start point S and the welding end point E (seeFIG.7). The start point of the posture fixed section is closer to the welding start point S than the end point of the posture fixed section.

FIG.4is a conceptual diagram illustrating a movement of the torch2in accordance with the welding robot control program when the weld line L is bent.FIG.5is a conceptual diagram illustrating a movement of the torch2in accordance with the welding robot control program when the weld line L is curved.

The operator operates the controller CTR to perform teaching to the welding robot1in order to set a plurality of welding teaching points on the weld line L. That is, the operator brings the front end of the controller CTR corresponding to the front end of the torch2into contact with the workpiece to be welded, and causes the controller CTR to store three points of the welding start point S, the intermediate point M, and the welding end point E as welding teaching points. The user interface (see the above description) included in the controller CTR, such as a button, is used to store the welding teaching points.

As a result, information on the welding teaching points (position information, controller posture information, control information of the posture fixed mode or the posture non-fixed mode, and the like) is transmitted to the welding robot control program creation device T. A transmission timing of the information on the welding teaching points may be when the information is stored by the controller CTR. In addition, the information on the welding teaching points may be transmitted at a timing when the information is accumulated to some extent in the controller CTR, or may be periodically transmitted at predetermined time intervals.

The creation program of welding robot control program1021may include two or more determination modes of the weld line L when there are welding teaching points other than the welding start point S and the welding end point E on the weld line L. A first determination mode of the weld line L is a determination mode in which the weld line L is determined so as to connect two welding teaching points by a straight line. When the creation program of welding robot control program1021determines the weld line L by using the three points of the welding start point S, the intermediate point M, and the welding end point E as welding teaching points in accordance with the first determination mode, as illustrated inFIG.4, a bent weld line L formed of a line segment L1from the welding start point S to the intermediate point M and a line segment L2from the intermediate point M to the welding end point E is determined.

In the case of the posture fixed mode, the torch2included in the welding robot1that operates according to the welding robot control program performs the welding while maintaining a predetermined posture with respect to the weld line L. Therefore, in the case of the example illustrated inFIG.4, the torch2performs the welding along the weld line L while maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to the line segment L1from the welding start point S to the intermediate point M included in the weld line L. When the front end of the torch2reaches the intermediate point M, the torch2changes a direction thereof and performs welding along the weld line L while maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to the line segment L2from the intermediate point M to the welding end point E included in the weld line L.

The second determination mode of the weld line L is a determination mode in which the weld line L is determined such that three or more welding teaching points are smoothly connected by a curve. When the creation program of welding robot control program1021determines the weld line L using the three points of the welding start point S, the intermediate point M, and the welding end point E as the welding teaching points in accordance with the second determination mode, as illustrated inFIG.5, a curved weld line L smoothly connecting the welding start point S, the intermediate point M, and the welding end point E is determined.

The creation program of welding robot control program1021may have a set value indicating a determination mode of the weld line L as an initial value in advance. In addition, the determination mode of the weld line L may be changed by any of the controller CTR, the head mounted display HMD, and the input unit103of the welding robot control program creation device T.

In the case of the posture fixed mode, the torch2included in the welding robot1that operates according to the welding robot control program performs the welding while maintaining a predetermined posture with respect to the weld line L. Therefore, in the case of the example illustrated inFIG.5, the torch2performs the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L while gradually changing an angle in space so as to maintain an angle with respect to the weld line L.

FIG.6is a conceptual diagram illustrating a movement of the torch2in accordance with the welding robot control program when an object OBJ is in the vicinity of the weld line L.

When welding is performed on a workpiece, an object OBJ such as a jig may be present in the vicinity of the weld line L. In the case of the posture fixed mode, the torch2moves to the welding end point E while maintaining the posture at the welding start point S. Therefore, the torch2may collide with the object OBJ. In such a case, the welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program in which the torch2moves while changing the posture so as to avoid the object OBJ using the posture non-fixed mode.

In order for the torch2to perform the welding along the weld line L while avoiding the object OBJ, the operator performs, for example, the following operation on the controller CTR.

When the front end of the controller CTR regarded as the torch2reaches a position of the welding start point S of the workpiece to be welded, the operator causes the controller CTR to store the welding start point S as a welding teaching point in a state in which the control mode is set to the posture fixed mode. The switching of the control mode and the storage of the welding teaching point may be performed using the user interface included in the controller CTR, such as a button.

The operator moves the controller CTR. When the front end of the controller CTR regarded as the torch2moves to a point M1in the vicinity of the object OBJ on the weld line L, the operator switches the control mode from the posture fixed mode to the posture non-fixed mode. In this case, the point M1may be stored in the controller CTR as a welding teaching point.

The operator tilts the controller CTR by a predetermined angle. Here, as described above, in the case of the posture non-fixed mode, the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1that operates according to the welding robot control program changes following the posture change of the controller CTR. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG.6, the torch2at the time of welding is in a state in which the angle with respect to the weld line L is changed (in the vicinity of the point M1). Since the posture of the torch2is changed, there is no possibility that the torch2collides with the object OBJ.

The operator operates the controller CTR again to switch the control mode to the posture fixed mode. Then, the operator moves the controller CTR such that the front end of the controller CTR regarded as the torch2reaches a point M2in the vicinity of the object OBJ on the weld line L. In the case of the posture fixed mode, since the welding robot control program is created such that the torch2moves in a state in which the posture of the torch2is fixed, as illustrated inFIG.6, the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L is maintained constant from the vicinity of the point M1to the vicinity of the point M2. Since the front end of the torch2moves from the point M1to the point M2while the posture of the torch2is changed, the torch2does not collide with the object OBJ.

The operator switches the control mode from the posture fixed mode to the posture non-fixed mode. In this case, the point M2may be stored in the controller CTR as a welding teaching point. The operator tilts the controller CTR by a predetermined angle. In the case of the posture non-fixed mode, since the posture of the torch2follows the posture of the controller CTR, the operator can return the posture of the torch2at the time of welding to a substantially original posture (the posture of the torch2at the welding start point S inFIG.6). The operator operates the controller CTR again to switch the control mode to the posture fixed mode.

When the mode is switched to the posture fixed mode, the operator moves the controller CTR. When the front end of the controller CTR regarded as the torch2reaches a position of the welding end point E of the weld line L, the welding end point E is stored in the controller CTR as a welding teaching point.

For example, when the operator performs the above-described operation on the controller CTR, the processing unit101of the welding robot control program creation device T that has acquired the above-described position information and posture information from the controller CTR creates a welding robot control program based on the acquired information, and transmits the created welding robot control program to the robot controller3. As illustrated inFIG.6, the robot controller3controls the welding robot1according to the created welding robot control program such that the torch2moves while changing the posture thereof so as to avoid the object OBJ.

FIG.7is a conceptual diagram illustrating a movement of the torch2in accordance with the welding robot control program when an inner side of a wall of a workpiece Wk is welded. As illustrated inFIG.7, the workpiece Wk to be welded according to the present embodiment, has a shape in which three walls form a U shape.

When welding the inner side of the wall of the workpiece Wk, the welding is performed while changing the direction of the torch2along the wall of the workpiece Wk such that the torch2does not collide with the wall. In this case, the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L cannot be maintained constant in the first place. Therefore, the torch2may be maintained in a constant posture only in an intermediate section on the weld line L. In order to teach such a welding operation to the welding robot1, the operator may operate the controller CTR, for example, as follows.

The operator brings the front end of the controller CTR regarded as the torch2into contact with a position of the welding start point S of the workpiece Wk in a state in which the control mode is set to the posture non-fixed mode. According to the present embodiment, the welding start point S is located at a position where two walls forming the workpiece Wk are in contact with each other.

While the front end of the controller CTR is maintained in contact with the position of the welding start point S of the workpiece Wk, the operator causes the controller CTR to store the welding start point S as a welding teaching point by, for example, pressing the button of the controller CTR.

Next, the operator brings the front end of the controller CTR into contact with a point (not illustrated) on the weld line L slightly away from the welding start point S of the workpiece Wk, and switches the control mode from the posture non-fixed mode to the posture fixed mode. When the control mode is switched, a point on the weld line L with which the front end of the controller CTR is in contact may be stored in the controller CTR as a welding teaching point. Thereafter, in a section up to the next welding teaching point, the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L is maintained at a constant posture (for example, the posture at the intermediate point M illustrated inFIG.7).

According to the present embodiment, the welding end point E is located at a position where two walls forming the workpiece Wk are in contact with each other, similarly to the welding start point S. The operator operates the controller CTR again in the vicinity of the welding end point E to switch the control mode from the posture fixed mode to the posture non-fixed mode. When the control mode is switched, the point on the weld line L with which the front end of the controller CTR is in contact may be stored in the controller CTR as a welding teaching point.

The operator brings the front end of the controller CTR into contact with the position of the welding end point E. Then, the operator causes the controller CTR to store the welding end point E as a welding teaching point by, for example, pressing the button of the controller CTR.

When the operator operates the controller CTR, for example, as described above, the torch2moves as follows in accordance with the created welding robot control program. In the vicinity of the welding start point S and the vicinity of the welding end point E of the weld line L, the posture of the torch2follows the posture of the controller CTR. In other sections of the weld line L, the posture of the torch2is fixed. Therefore, the torch2can perform welding along the weld line L without colliding with the inner wall of the workpiece Wk.

FIGS.8to16are display examples by a display unit104corresponding to first to ninth welding teaching points, respectively.

The display examples illustrated inFIGS.8to16correspond to images to be displayed on the display unit104when the processing unit101of the welding robot control program creation device T executes the creation program of welding robot control program1021. However, these images may be displayed on a screen or the like included in the head mounted display HMD or other devices. The operator operates the controller CTR to perform teaching to the welding robot1while viewing the images displayed on the display unit104or the like.

According to the present embodiment, a window W displayed on the display unit104or the like is divided into three panes of a first pane P1, a second pane P2, and a third pane P3. However, the pane division of the window W is merely an example, and other display modes may be adopted.

On the first pane P1, a virtual model of the welding robot1provided with the torch2is displayed. The first pane P1may also display an operation path of the torch2included in the welding robot1. An x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis illustrated in the figures are coordinate axes orthogonal to each other. In this example, the direction of the torch2is the x-axis.

On the second pane P2, information related to the welding teaching point on the operation path of the torch2is displayed. As the information related to the welding teaching point, for example, the following information may be displayed. Types of movement commands for moving torch2(MOVEL, MOVEP, etc.) Identifier of welding teaching point (P001, etc.)⋅Moving speed of torch2.

On the third pane P3, values of various control parameters for the welding teaching points selected to be displayed on the second pane P2are displayed. The control parameters to be displayed are, for example, as follows. Welding (ON: welding is performed; OFF: welding is not performed) Moving speed of torch2(AUTO: moving speed automatically set by program; Numerical value designation: moving speed based on the numerical value) Fixation of torch posture (ON: the above-described posture fixed mode; OFF: the above-described posture non-fixed mode; AUTO: automatically set as ON or OFF)

FIG.8illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a first welding teaching point. The first welding teaching point corresponds to a position of the front end of the torch2when the welding robot1is in the standby posture. The standby posture of the welding robot1is a posture in a case where the welding robot1is at an initial position when the welding robot1starts the welding.

FIG.9illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a second welding teaching point.FIG.10illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a third welding teaching point. The second welding teaching point and the third welding teaching point are air-cut points. Air-cut means that the torch2moves without welding the workpiece.

FIG.11illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a fourth welding teaching point. The fourth welding teaching point is a welding start point. The welding start point corresponds to the welding start point S illustrated inFIGS.3to7. Since the welding is performed from the welding start point to the welding end point, the values of the control parameters to be displayed on the third pane P3are ON for welding and ON for fixation of torch posture. In addition, a white circle is displayed on a left side of information related to the fourth welding teaching point selected and displayed (highlighted) in the second pane P2. According to the present embodiment, a white circle indicates that welding is performed after the welding teaching point, and a black circle indicates that welding is not performed after the welding teaching point.

FIG.12illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a fifth welding teaching point. The fifth welding teaching point is a welding end point. The welding end point corresponds to the welding end point E illustrated inFIGS.3to7. Since the torch2, which has performed the welding to the welding end point, performs air-cut (the torch2runs idle), the values of the control parameters to be displayed on the third pane P3are OFF for welding and AUTO (which may be ON or OFF) for fixation of torch posture.

FIG.13illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a sixth welding teaching point.FIG.14illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a seventh welding teaching point. The sixth welding teaching point and the seventh welding teaching point are air-cut points.

FIG.15illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to an eighth welding teaching point. The eighth welding teaching point corresponds to a position of the front end of the torch2when the welding robot1is in the standby posture. The standby posture of the welding robot1is a posture of the welding robot1when the welding robot1is at an end position after the welding is completed. In this example, a start position (seeFIG.8) and the end position (seeFIG.15) of the welding robot1are the same, and the first welding teaching point and the eighth welding teaching point are the same. However, positions of the first welding teaching point and the eighth welding teaching point may be different from each other.

FIG.16illustrates a state in which the front end of the torch2points to a ninth welding teaching point. The ninth welding teaching point is an intermediate point additionally provided between the fourth welding teaching point (welding start point S) and the fifth welding teaching point (welding end point E) in order for the torch2to avoid an object such as a jig. This intermediate point corresponds to the point M1or the point M2illustrated inFIG.6. ComparingFIG.11andFIG.16, an angle of the torch2with respect to the weld line at the ninth welding teaching point is different from an angle of the torch2with respect to the weld line at the fourth welding teaching point. In order to implement the above description, the values of the control parameters to be displayed on the third pane P3inFIG.16are ON for welding and OFF for fixation of torch posture.

Modification

InFIG.2, the robot controller3, the welding robot control program creation device T, and the controller CTR are separate devices. However, these devices may be integrated into one device. For example, the robot controller3may be integrated with the welding robot control program creation device T. In addition, the controller CTR may be integrated with the welding robot control program creation device T.

The welding robot control program creation device T may acquire the position information and the posture information without using the controller CTR. The teach pendant4or the operation box5illustrated inFIGS.1and2may be used instead of the controller CTR.

In addition, an object other than the controller CTR may be used as an object imitating the torch2that can be held by the operator. For example, instead of the controller CTR, a mockup (model) imitating the shape of the torch2may be used. The welding robot control program creation device T acquires position information and posture information of the mockup based on an image captured by the camera, and uses these pieces of information as the position information of the welding start point S and the welding end point E and the posture information capable of specifying the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L.

As described above, a welding system300includes a welding robot1provided with a torch2and a welding robot control program creation device T. The welding robot control program creation device T acquires position information of a welding start point S and a welding end point E of welding performed on a workpiece Wk, and posture information capable of specifying a posture of the torch2with respect to a weld line L at a welding teaching point on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E. The welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program for performing welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E based on the position information and the posture information. The welding robot1performs welding on the workpiece Wk based on the welding robot control program. As a result, the welding robot1can perform the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L by an easy-to-operate teaching.

The welding robot control program creation device T includes a processing unit101. The processing unit101acquires the position information of the welding start point S and the welding end point E of the welding performed on the workpiece Wk, and the posture information capable of specifying the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1with respect to the weld line L at the welding teaching point on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E. The processing unit101creates a welding robot control program for performing welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E based on the position information and the posture information. As a result, the welding robot1can perform the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L by an easy-to-operate teaching.

In a welding robot control program creation method by the welding robot control program creation device T, the welding robot control program creation device T acquires the position information of the welding start point S and the welding end point E of the welding performed on the workpiece Wk, and the posture information capable of specifying the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1with respect to the weld line L at the welding teaching point on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E. The welding robot control program creation device T creates a welding robot control program for performing welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E based on the position information and the posture information. As a result, the welding robot1can perform the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L by an easy-to-operate teaching.

A creation program for a welding robot control program causes the welding robot control program creation device T to acquire the position information of the welding start point S and the welding end point E of the welding performed on the workpiece Wk, and the posture information capable of specifying the posture of the torch2included in the welding robot1with respect to the weld line L at the welding teaching point on the weld line L connecting the welding start point S and the welding end point E. The creation program for a welding robot control program causes the welding robot control program creation device T to create a welding robot control program for performing welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E based on the position information and the posture information. As a result, the welding robot1can perform the welding from the welding start point S to the welding end point E along the weld line L by an easy-to-operate teaching.

The welding system300further includes a controller CTR that can be held by an operator. The welding robot control program creation device T acquires, as the posture information, controller posture information, which is information indicating a posture of the controller CTR facing the welding teaching point. As a result, the operator can easily perform teaching of operation of the torch2by utilizing the posture of the controller CTR.

The controller CTR may be integrated with the welding robot control program creation device T. As a result, the controller operated by a user can create a welding robot control program.

The controller CTR has a front end portion having the same shape as the torch2. As a result, the operator can intuitively designate the welding teaching point through which the torch2of the welding robot1passes while holding the controller CTR.

The welding teaching point on the weld line L includes at least one intermediate point M. As a result, the operator can flexibly designate an operation of welding by the welding robot1three-dimensionally moving the torch2at the time of actual welding.

The welding robot control program creation device T creates a control program of the welding robot1for performing, in a posture fixed section in which the posture of the torch2is fixed in the weld line L, welding along the weld line L up to an end point of the posture fixed section while maintaining a posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L at a start point of the posture fixed section. As a result, even when the postures of the controller and the torch are changed at the time of teaching, the welding robot1can perform the welding while the torch maintains a constant posture with respect to the weld line, and the quality of welding is stabilized.

The welding robot control program creation device T creates a control program of the welding robot for performing, in a posture non-fixed section in which the posture of the torch2is not fixed in the weld line L, welding along the weld line such that the posture of the torch2with respect to the weld line L follows a posture of the torch2specified based on the posture information. As a result, the welding robot control program creation device T allows the operator to flexibly teach the movement of the torch even in a posture non-fixed section in which the posture of the torch cannot be made constant in the first place.

Although the welding system, the welding robot control program creation device, the welding robot control program creation method, and the creation program for a welding robot control program according to the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the drawings, it is needless to say that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various alterations, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and it should be understood that such changes also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. Components in the embodiments described above may be combined freely within a range not departing from the spirit of the invention.

The present application is based on a Japanese patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-101188) filed on Jun. 10, 2020, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is useful as a welding system, a welding robot control program creation device, a welding robot control program creation method, and a creation program for a welding robot control program, which perform welding from a welding start point to a welding end point along a weld line by an easy-to-operate teaching.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1: welding robot2: torch3: robot controller4: teach pendant5: operation box11: robot arm12: end effector100: welding robot system101: processing unit102: storage unit1021: creation program of welding robot control program103: input unit104: display unit200: welding robot control program creation system300: welding systemCTR: controllerHMD: head mounted displayIR: base stationL: weld lineM: intermediate pointOBJ: objectP1: first paneP2: second paneP3: third paneS: welding start pointE: welding end pointT: welding robot control program creation deviceW: windowWk: workpiece