JP2014223694A - Production method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a production method by a cell production method capable of performing work without delay while preventing variation in quality even when a robot is stopped due to a malfunction. A production method based on a cell production system in which a worker and a robot 24 work in an assembly work cell 12 to perform work assembling work. The human work process for performing the work, the robot work process in which the robot 24 performs work using the tool T gripped via the end effector 242 in the robot work section 14, and the tool T as the end effector when the power of the robot 24 is stopped. And the human work process when the power of the robot 24 is stopped is replaced with the work performed by the robot 24 using the detached tool T in addition to the work performed by the worker 23. It is characterized by performing. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for assembling and producing a workpiece, and more particularly, to a production method using a cell production method.

  As an assembly production method for industrial products such as automobiles, a cell production method is widely known in addition to a line production method. The production method of the line production method is suitable for mass production of the same product, for example, suitable for production of a general-purpose product common to a plurality of vehicle types. On the other hand, the production method of the cell production method is suitable for the production of many types of products, for example, suitable for the production of individual products unique to each vehicle type.

In production methods based on these production methods, it is common for humans and robots to co-exist and assemble, automating processes that can be operated by robots such as screw tightening, and wiring connection processes such as harnesses The division of roles so that people perform work enables efficient operation in part with automation.
In this regard, Patent Document 1 includes a human work area and a robot work area, and a work assembly in which a carriage on which a work object (work) is placed alternately passes between the human work area and the robot work area. A method is disclosed.

JP 2011-152615 A

  By the way, in such a production method, when the robot stops due to a failure, the entire assembly unit including the robot stops, and a delay occurs in the assembly work. Therefore, at the production site, the same tool as the tool used by the robot is stocked in advance, and when a malfunction occurs in the robot, the person uses the stocked tool so that work delays do not occur. Devised.

  However, stocking all the tools used by the robot separately increases the equipment cost, and the same tightening value as the tool used by the robot must be set for the stocked tools. It takes time to set the numerical value. In addition, even if the same tool is used, the properties of each tool are different, so even if the same numerical value is set, the work result does not always match completely between the tool used by the robot and the stock tool. There may be variations in quality.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and provides a production method based on a cell production system that can work without delay while preventing variations in quality even when a robot is stopped due to a malfunction.

  (1) A person (for example, an after-mentioned worker 23) and a robot (for example, an after-mentioned robot 24) perform work in an assembly work cell (for example, an after-mentioned assembly work cell 12), thereby assembling the workpiece. In a production method by a cell production method, a human work process in which a person performs work in a human work zone (for example, human work zone 13 described later) and a robot work zone (for example, an assembly work cell) , A robot work process described later), a robot work process in which the robot performs work using a tool gripped via an end effector (for example, an end effector 242 described later), and the tool is used when the power of the robot is stopped. A tool detaching process for detaching from the end effector, and the human work process when the power of the robot is stopped is detached in the tool detaching process in addition to the work performed by the person. Production method of the performing operations in the robot work process, characterized in that by using the tool was.

According to the production method of (1), when the power supply of the robot is stopped, the tool is detached from the end effector of the robot through the tool removal process. The tool detached from the robot is used by the worker in the human work section, and the work is assembled.
Thereby, even if the robot stops, it is not necessary to stop the operation of the assembly work cell, and the delay of the assembly work can be reduced. Further, since the worker uses the tool used by the robot as it is, it is not necessary to install the same tool in the human work area and the robot work area, and the equipment cost can be reduced. Further, since the operator uses the tool as it is, the work time can be shortened without setting the tightening torque or the like, and quality variations associated with the properties of each tool can be eliminated.

  (2) An instruction mode in which the human work area and the robot work area are in operation (for example, a first instruction mode to be described later) and an instruction mode in which only the human work area is in operation (for example, a second instruction mode to be described later). The production according to (1), further including a work instruction process for instructing a work procedure performed in the human work process via a support system configured to be switchable (for example, a support system 25 described later). Method.

  According to the production method of (2), the support system switches the instruction mode according to the operation status of the robot work area, and instructs the operator on the work procedure. As a result, only the minimum necessary work procedure can be instructed to the worker, and a useless work procedure is not instructed.

  According to the present invention, even when the robot is stopped due to a problem, it is possible to perform work assembly work without delay while preventing variation in quality.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the workpiece | work assembly system for enforcing the production method of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the robot arrange | positioned in a robot work area. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of operation | movement of a workpiece | work assembly system.

  The production method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing preferred embodiments in relation to a work assembly system for carrying out the production method.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of the workpiece assembly system 10. The workpiece assembly system 10 includes a component supply section 11 and a plurality of assembly work cells 12. The component supply section 11 and the plurality of assembly work cells 12 are connected by a rail or the like (not shown), and the carriage 22 can be conveyed from the component supply section 11 to each of the assembly work cells 12.

  The component supply area 11 is a work area where the component accumulation process and the component supply process are executed. That is, in the parts supply section 11, a parts supplier 21 (person) collects assembly parts constituting a work from a predetermined storage portion and collects them on the carriage 22 (parts integration process), and the assembly parts are integrated. The carriage 22 is supplied to each of the plurality of assembly work cells 12 (part supply process).

  Each of the assembly work cells 12 is a work section having a human work section 13 where a worker 23 (person) performs work and a robot work section 14 where a robot 24 performs work. The workpiece is assembled by an assembly operation of a plurality of processes, and the entire process of assembling the workpiece is performed in each of the assembly work cells 12. That is, the assembly work cell 12 is a work section in the cell assembly work assembly work. The carriage 22 sequentially moves or alternately moves between the human work area 13 and the robot work area 14 of the assembly work cell 12. 12 is conveyed and paid out.

  The assembly work cell 12 shown in FIG. 1 has one human work area 13 and one robot work area 14, but the numbers of the human work area 13 and the robot work area 14 may be varied as necessary. It is good as well.

  The human work area 13 is a work area where a human work process is executed, and the robot work area 14 is a work area where a robot work process is executed. The human work area 13 and the robot work area 14 are provided with a power source or an air supply source as a power source of a tool used by the worker 23 or the robot 24, and the worker 23 or the robot 24 uses this power source to Perform assembly work.

  Further, a support system 25 that performs work support for the worker 23 is installed in the human work section 13. The support system 25 includes a monitor and a speaker, and presents a manual such as a work procedure of work performed in the human work area 13 to the worker 23. The support system 25 is configured to be switchable between a first instruction mode in which the human work area and the robot work area are in operation and a second instruction mode in which only the human work area is in operation. Work support for the worker 23 is performed in accordance with the instruction mode according to the operation status (work instruction process).

  Referring to FIG. 2, the robot 24 is a multi-joint manipulator having a multi-axis multi-joint arm 241, and an end effector 242 for attaching a tool T is attached to the tip of the arm 241. The end effector 242 is a hand that grips the tool T, for example, and the robot 24 uses the tool T mounted via the end effector 242 to assemble the work on the carriage 22. The end effector 242 is configured to be able to remove the tool T attached when the power of the robot 24 is stopped. Note that the configuration for removing the tool T from the end effector 242 when the power is stopped is a general configuration, and can be realized by removing air from the end effector 242 or the like.

The robot 24 includes a control unit that drives and controls the arm, and a storage unit that stores a work assembly process and a work procedure. The control unit of the robot 24 controls the multi-axis multi-joint arm unit 241 in accordance with the stored work assembly work process and work procedure, whereby the robot 24 performs work.
The tool T is a tightening tool such as a nut runner or a screw tightener that is driven using a power source disposed in the human work area 13 and the robot work area 14, and a tightening torque or the like is set in advance.

  The configuration of the workpiece assembly system 10 suitable for the production method of the present invention has been described above. Next, with reference to FIG. 3, focusing on the work flow in the assembly work cell 12, the operation of the work assembly system 10, that is, the production method of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of work in the assembly work cell 12 at normal time (when the robot 24 is operating). In a normal state, the carriage 22 is sequentially supplied to the human work area 13 and the robot work area 14, and both the worker 23 and the robot 24 perform assembly work of the workpiece.
At this time, the support system 25 of the human work area 13 instructs the work procedure to the worker 23 according to the first instruction mode in which the human work area and the robot work area are in operation. That is, since the robot work area 14 is in operation at normal times, a part of the work assembly work is performed by the robot 24. Since the work performed by the robot 24 does not need to be instructed to the worker 23, the support system 25 performs a work procedure (work performed by the worker 23) excluding the work performed by the robot 24 among the work of assembling the work. Work procedure) is presented to the worker 23.

FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of work in the assembly work cell 12 at the time of abnormality (when the power of the robot 24 is stopped). When an abnormality occurs in the robot 24, the robot 24 stops and the robot work area 14 becomes inoperative. In such a state, the work assembling work in the assembling work cell 12 is stopped, and the work in the whole work assembling system 10 is delayed.
Therefore, in the workpiece assembly system 10, a tool detachment process is performed in which the tool T used by the robot 24 when the power of the robot 24 is stopped is detached from the end effector 242. Specifically, the end effector 242 is evacuated, the locked end effector 242 is opened, and the tool T is released.

  The detached tool T is transported to the human work area 13 and connected to a power source installed in the human work area 13. The operator 23 uses the tool T to perform the work that the robot 24 has undertaken instead. That is, when the power of the robot 24 is stopped, the worker 23 in the human work section 13 performs the work performed by the robot 24 in the robot work section 14 at the normal time in addition to the work performed by the worker 23 in the human work section 13 at the normal time. .

  At this time, the support system 25 of the human work area 13 presents the work procedure to the worker 23 in accordance with the second instruction mode in which only the human work area 13 is operating. That is, in the first instruction mode in which the human work area and the robot work area are in operation, the work procedure of the work performed by the robot 24 in the robot work area 14 is not presented, so the support system 25 changes the instruction mode to the second instruction mode. In addition to the work procedure presented in the first instruction mode, the work procedure of the work performed by the worker 23 instead of the robot 24 is also presented to the worker 23. Thereby, the worker 23 can grasp the work procedure of the work that the robot 24 has undertaken, and can perform the work instead of the robot 24.

  Thus, while the operator 23 performs the work of the robot 24 instead in the human work area 13, the robot work area 14 of the robot 24 that has detached the tool T is closed, and the robot 24 is restored by the administrator. That is, in the workpiece assembly system 10, the workpiece assembly operation in the human work zone 13 and the recovery of the robot 24 in the robot work zone 14 are performed simultaneously.

The work assembly system 10 suitable for the production method according to the present invention has been described above. According to the production method of the present invention implemented by the workpiece assembly system 10, when an abnormality occurs in the robot 24 and the operation of the robot 24 stops, the tool T is detached from the end effector 242 of the robot 24 through a tool removal process. The tool T detached from the robot 24 is transported to the human work section 13 and used by the worker 23 to perform work assembly work.
Thereby, even if the robot 24 stops, it is not necessary to stop the operation of the assembly work cell 12, and the delay of the assembly work can be reduced. At this time, since the operator 23 uses the tool T used by the robot 24 as it is, it is not necessary to install the same tool in the human work area 13 and the robot work area 14, thereby reducing the equipment cost. be able to. In addition, since the operator 23 uses the tool T as it is, the working time can be shortened without setting the tightening torque and the like, and quality variations associated with the properties of each tool can be eliminated.

  In addition, the support system 25 installed in the human work section 13 switches the instruction mode between the normal time and the abnormal time, and presents the work procedure to the worker 23. As a result, only the minimum necessary work procedure can be presented to the operator 23 at both the normal time and the abnormal time, and a useless work procedure is not presented.

  The preferred embodiment of the production method of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Work assembly system 12 Assembly work cell 13 Person work area 14 Robot work area 21 Parts supplier 22 Carriage 23 Worker 24 Robot 241 Arm part 242 End effector T Tool

Claims (2)

It is a production method by a cell production method in which an assembly work of a workpiece is performed by a person and a robot working in an assembly work cell,
In the human work area of the assembly work cell,
A robot work process in which the robot performs work using a tool gripped via the end effector in the robot work area of the assembly work cell;
A tool detachment step of detaching the tool from the end effector when the power of the robot is stopped;
Including
In addition to the work performed by the person, the human work process when the power of the robot is stopped performs the work in the robot work process using the tool removed in the tool removal process.
A production method characterized by that. The work procedure to be performed in the human work process is instructed via a support system configured to be able to switch between an instruction mode in which the human work area and the robot work area are in operation and an instruction mode in which only the human work area is in operation. The production method according to claim 1, further comprising a work instruction step.

Images