DE102008014159B4 - Method for determining the state of wear of a brushing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for determining the state of wear of a brushing device (1) for reworking soldering and / or welding seams, which is automatically positionable by means of a robot 10 of the brushing device (1) and has a rotating drive for a brush disk (3), wherein the brushing device (1 ) a work unit (4), comprising at least the brush disk (3) and the drive (2), and a support frame (5), wherein the work unit (4) is pivotally connected to the support frame (5) and between the work unit ( 4) and the support frame (5) a spring element (6) is arranged, characterized in that by means of a light barrier of a detector (7) the wear of the brush disc (3) is detected by starting from a defined initial coordinate, the brush disc (3) a certain speed in the detection range of the detector (7) is retracted and that the state of wear of the brush disc (3) by return conclusion of the required period for the retraction of the defined initial coordinate with the determined speed until the triggering of the detector (7) is determined and that on the detector (7) attached pin (20) in this case against a protective hood (12) attached Angle (21) presses, whereby the protective cover (12) is adjusted depending on the wear of the brush disc (3).

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining the state of wear of a brushing device according to the preamble of claim 1.

The roof and side panel of the body can be connected by laser soldering. For economic reasons, a fast production is desired. In order to achieve the required short cycle times, the connection of side panel and body must be done at a high feed rate, which usually leads to a flaky solidification of the solder. The seam is then smoothed in a post-processing by ablation. In order to enable reworking of the seam, it is built up with an excess of solder. The additional solder application is dependent on the tolerance variations of the upstream production and the local gap. The amount of solder application is usually uneven along the seam.

A brushing device is known in the industry for reworking a seam. When welding body parts, especially laser brazing, there are applied, flaky seams that need to be reworked to create a consistently flat surface of the joined body panels. For this purpose, hand-held brushing devices are usually used. Brushing devices are also known, which are automatically guided by a robot. However, these robot-guided brushing devices always require a manual reworking due to the tolerance variations of the upstream production and the resulting different seam heights.

The GB 756 341 A already discloses a device for reworking ceramic workpieces with a required for the processing of contours elasticity. The device has a flexible, rotating disc on a cantilever arm. Furthermore, the device has a working unit which is hinged to the support frame.

The DE 29 11 322 A1 refers to a device for deburring workpieces by means of two pairs of roller brushes, which are biased by a spring-loaded rocker against the workpiece surface.

Furthermore, from the DE 28 47 192 C2 a device for deburring workpieces known, wherein a controllable pressure force is transmitted by a spring. A limit switch limits the bias voltage.

The DE 16 77 131 B refers to a device for compensating the wear of a buff, which is supported by means of an elastically resilient pressure device.

Against this background, the invention is based on the object to carry out a method of the type mentioned in such a way that the reworking of a solder and / or weld, in particular a Laserlötnaht, even with strong Spaltmaßschwankungen from the upstream production is fully automatic feasible.

This object is achieved by a method according to the features of patent claim 1.

According to the invention, the wear of the brush disk is detected by means of a light barrier of a detector, starting from a defined initial coordinate, the brush disk is retracted at a certain speed in the detection range of the detector and the wear state of the brush disk by inference from the required period for the retraction of the defined initial coordinate determined at the specific speed until the triggering of the detector and a pin attached to the detector thereby pressed against an angle attached to a protective hood, whereby the guard is adjusted in dependence of the wear of the brush disc.

For this purpose, the brushing device has a working unit, comprising at least the brush disk and the drive, and a supporting frame, wherein the working unit is articulated to the supporting frame and a spring element is arranged between the working unit and the supporting frame. This makes it possible that the tolerances of the seam height in the post-processing can be compensated. The brush disc is connected via a shaft to the drive and forms with this the working unit. The brush disc is rotatable. The supporting frame carries the working unit. In order to press the brush disk onto the solder seam, a force is applied to the support frame perpendicular to the seam and to the axis of rotation of the brush disk. By means of the spring element of the brushing device tolerances of the seam height of several millimeters can be compensated.

It is favorable that the spring element has at least one spring. As a result, the spring element can be adjusted by means of the selected spring type and / or the number of springs depending on the physical properties of the brush disk and the production conditions. By means of sensors, in particular inductive proximity switches, which are arranged laterally on the support frame, the working range of the spring and thus the acting force can be monitored. To generate the acting force can be different Types of springs are used, wherein the spring force, for example, from the inertia of a mass, pneumatically, hydraulically and / or electrically generated.

The brushing device has a light barrier, wherein the wear of the brush disk can be detected by means of the light barrier. This is possible by immersing the robot with the rotating brush disc in the radial direction in the light barrier, wherein the time for the interruption of the light beam is indicative of the remaining remaining diameter of the brush disc. The brush disc can thus be optimally utilized and it is possible that the brush disc can be quickly replaced when worn, which greatly shortens the plant downtime. If a wear limit value is exceeded, the operating personnel can be informed immediately before quality fluctuations occur in the reworking. By means of a sensor, in particular an inductive proximity switch, the return of the spring after the machining process can be monitored. This makes it possible to determine the operating point of the detector.

It is advantageous that the brushing device has a clamping element for fastening the brush disk. This makes it possible that the brush disc can be replaced quickly when worn and the system downtime is thus greatly reduced.

It is also advantageous that the brushing device has a quick-change coupling for fastening the brushing device to the robot. This makes it possible for a robot to use several tools serially and the tools can be changed quickly and automatically. It is particularly convenient that the quick-change coupling is arranged on the support frame.

It is advantageous that the brushing device has an extraction. This makes it possible that the resulting abrasion can be removed by negative pressure.

The brushing device has an adjustable protective cover, in which the brush disk is arranged. This makes it possible that the scattering of the accelerated by the brush disc abrasion is limited. The adjustment of the guard takes place in dependence of the operating point of the brush disc. The adjustment of the guard and the detection of wear of the brush disc are simultaneously feasible.

Furthermore, it is favorable that the protective hood has at least one suction nozzle, which is connected to the suction. This makes it possible that the accelerated by the brush disc abrasion can be detected immediately by the suction. In this case, the suction nozzle is positioned in a direction tangential to the brush disk.

It is advantageous that the brushing device has the brush disk and at least one further brush disk. By means of the further brush disc, it is possible that with the brushing device without a tool change different activities, such as removal and polishing, can be performed or different types of seams can be reworked with different brush disc types.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Seitenansicht einer Bürstvorrichtung;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung eines Schnittes durch die Bürstvorrichtung, mit der Blickrichtung entsprechend dem in 1 dargestellten Pfeil A;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung einer Frontalansicht einer Schutzhaube der Bürstvorrichtung, mit der Blickrichtung entsprechend dem in 1 dargestellten Pfeil B;
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung eines Schnitts durch die Bürstvorrichtung mit einem Detektor;
• 5 eine schematische Darstellung eines Schnitts durch die Bürstvorrichtung mit zwei Bürstenscheiben beim Abtragen mittels einer Bürstenscheibe, in einer Blickrichtung entsprechend dem in 3 dargestellten Pfeil C;
• 6 eine schematische Darstellung eines Schnitts durch die Bürstvorrichtung mit zwei Bürstenscheiben beim Reinigen mittels einer Bürstenscheibe, in einer Blickrichtung entsprechend dem in 3 dargestellten Pfeil C.

The invention allows numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of them is shown in the drawing and will be described below. This shows in

• 1 a schematic representation of a side view of a brushing device;
• 2 a schematic representation of a section through the brushing device, with the line of sight according to the in 1 illustrated arrow A;
• 3 a schematic representation of a frontal view of a protective hood of the brushing device, with the viewing direction according to the in 1 illustrated arrow B;
• 4 a schematic representation of a section through the brushing device with a detector;
• 5 a schematic representation of a section through the brushing device with two brush discs during removal by means of a brush disc, in a viewing direction corresponding to the in 3 illustrated arrow C;
• 6 a schematic representation of a section through the brushing device with two brush discs when cleaning by means of a brush disc, in a viewing direction corresponding to the in 3 arrow C.

The figures show a brushing device 1 by means of a quick-change coupling 9 from a robot 10 is held. The robot 10 is set up to be the brushing device 1 along a seam 18 , the parts of a vehicle body 17 connects, can lead.

In the manufacture of the vehicle body 17 A seam is created during the soldering and / or welding process 18 , which over the surfaces of the joined parts of the vehicle body 17 is sublime. The survey must be demolished in a subsequent process. This is the brushing 1 used, in which a rotating brush disc 3 on the seam 18 acts and removes the survey. The brush disc 3 gets its rotational energy from a drive 2 , The brush disc 3 and the drive 2 are about an axis 16 connected together and form a work unit 4 , The brush disc 3 is opposite the drive 2 only rotatable. The work unit 4 is with a support frame 5 by a connecting means 15 articulated. The elevation of the seam 18 can be over the length of the seam 18 vary. By means of a force limiter 6 between the work unit 4 and the support frame 5 is it possible that the brush disc 3 always with the same contact pressure on the seam 18 acts. The force limiter 6 consists of at least one spring, which makes it possible to adjust the contact pressure depending on the physical properties of the brush disc and the production conditions.

The brush disc carries the elevations of the seam 18 mechanically off. The resulting abrasion of the seam 18 and the brush disc 3 is due to the centrifugal forces from the rotational energy of the brush disc 3 thrown off the seam. So that the vehicle body 17 and the brushing device 1 not unnecessarily dirty, is the brush disc 3 almost completely from a protective hood 12 surround. The protective hood 12 is opposite the drive 2 movable. The one from the brush disc 3 accelerated abrasion is by a suction 11 from the protective hood 12 away. The suction 11 is with the protective hood 12 over at least one tangential to the brush disc 3 positioned exhaust port 13 connected.

The brush disc 3 is consumed after an indefinite period of use. Consumption state of the brush disc 3 is from an in 4 represented detector 7 recognized. The operating personnel can thus replace the brush disk 3 before it leads to quality defects in the reworking of the seam 18 comes. The protective hood 12 becomes the change of the brush disc 3 moved out of their operational position. A clamping cylinder 8th with which the brush disc 3 on the axis 16 is fixed, is released, the brush disc 3 replaced and the clamping cylinder 8th locked again. Finally, the protective hood 12 be moved back to the operating position.

4 shows a schematic representation of a section through the brushing device 1 with a detector 7 for determining the state of wear of the brush disk 3 , For determining the state of wear of the brush disc 3 becomes the brush disk 3 from the robot, starting from a defined initial coordinate, at a certain speed into the detection area of the detector 7 , for example, in the light beam of a light barrier, retracted. The time required to trigger the detector allows a conclusion on the state of wear of the brush disk 3 , One on the detector 7 attached pin 20 presses against one on the protective hood 12 fixed angle 21 , causing the protective hood 12 depending on the wear of the brush disc 3 is adjustable.

The 5 and 6 show a variant of the brushing device described above 1 , wherein by means of the clamping element 8th two brush discs 3 . 14 on the drive 2 are attached. With the two brush discs 3 . 14 It is possible to perform different post-processing tasks without having to change the tool or to keep another robot available. The plastic-bonded brush disc 3 With the larger diameter, it works aggressively and serves for smoothing and geometrical optimization of the seam 18 as already in the 1 to 3 described. The brush disc 14 is made of a soft, open material, has a smaller diameter and a larger working width than the brush disc 3 , The brush disc 14 allows, inter alia, the removal of Lotspritzern and smoke marks, without the galvanizing of the seam surrounding the body panel 17 to damage. The brush discs 3 . 14 are on the same drive shaft of the drive 2 arranged. They are operated at the same speed. The respective non-engaged brush disc does not hinder the current process. In the 4 is a brush disk 3 when removing the elevations of the seam 18 shown while using the brush disc 14 for removing solder spatter and traces of smoke in 5 is shown. Furthermore, the figures show the protective hood 12 with the extraction nozzle 13 and the angle 21 ,

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

brushing

2

drive

3

brush disc

4

work unit

5

supporting frame

6

spring element

7

detector

8th

clamping element

9

Quick-change coupling

10

robot

11

suction

12

guard

13

suction

14

Second brush disc

15

connecting means

16

axis

17

body

18

seam

19

sensor

20

pen

21

corner

Claims (1)

Method for determining the state of wear of a brushing device (1) for reworking soldering and / or welding seams, which is automatically positionable by means of a robot 10 of the brushing device (1) and has a rotating drive for a brush disk (3), wherein the brushing device (1 ) a work unit (4), comprising at least the brush disk (3) and the drive (2), and a support frame (5), wherein the work unit (4) is pivotally connected to the support frame (5) and between the work unit ( 4) and the support frame (5) a spring element (6) is arranged, characterized in that by means of a light barrier of a detector (7) the wear of the brush disc (3) is detected by starting from a defined initial coordinate, the brush disc (3) a certain speed in the detection range of the detector (7) is retracted and that the state of wear of the brush disc (3) by Rüc From the time required for the retraction from the defined initial coordinate with the determined speed until the triggering of the detector (7) is determined, and that a pin (20) attached to the detector (7) is fastened against a protective hood (12) Angle (21) presses, whereby the protective cover (12) is adjusted in dependence of the wear of the brush disc (3).

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