The modern manufacturing industry, with the incorporation of CNC production, has enabled the workers to improve productivity, increased the interests of enterprises, and reduced costs, thereby obtaining higher benefits and enhancing the overall competitive strength.
In the field of CNC machine tools to promote industrial robot feasibility analysis
Compared with the previous production methods, CNC machine tools have a super high level of automation, can reduce a large number of costs in the manufacturing industry, and then increase the efficiency, to the use of industrial robots to lay a technical foundation.
At present, the production process of CNC machine tools, in the quality inspection, loading, discharging and other links still need manual operation, if the use of industrial robots in these links to replace manual labor, will largely improve the accuracy and flexibility of production.
In addition, whether it is CNC machine tools or industrial robots, are capable of 24-hour production, its applicability is very broad.
Industrial robots can further enhance the functionality of CNC, allowing the same CNC machine tool to simultaneously perform tasks such as measurement, milling, hinging, and many others.
In the field of CNC machine tools industrial robot utilization
1. Participation in processing and manufacturing
CNC machine tools in the processing of parts, the use of industrial robots can improve the degree of automated production.
As science and technology advance, many robots tailored for CNC machine tools have entered the market, capable of autonomous deceleration in production, enhancing precision, overall efficiency, and ultimately product quality.
First, after the use of precision production technology, industrial robots can also guarantee the stability of production while carrying out mass production.
Second, in some CNC production lines, specialized fixtures have been equipped for industrial robots, providing a suitable environment for their use.
Third, during the production process of CNC machine tools, using robots to replace manual handling, loading, and unloading tasks allows for flexible production in welding, polishing, and grinding, thereby enhancing the overall production level.
2. Auxiliary CNC bending machine work
From the perspective of CNC bending, industrial robots work in two general ways:
First, let the CNC bending machine to play a major role in the role of magnetic and vacuum suction cups, can be flexible in the bending unit to move, especially in the field of flipping frame and positioning table, etc., can have a high level of automation.
Secondly, under the action of the traveling axis, the robot can flexibly research the CNC production line to move, thus increasing the flexibility of the production line processing. The robot’s work enables seamless connection of the CNC bending machine, and especially when specialized software is used, the robot can also be controlled in a closed loop.
Even if the CNC machine bending speed is different, the robot is still able to change speed with the machine through sensors.
Among the CNC bending machines used in China, the robot only needs 2 hours to bend the material.
Currently, elevators, security doors, and other fields have widely adopted these two models.
3. Ensure that the CNC machine tool stamping integration function of the play
3.1 Autonomous Robot Operation in CNC Production
In CNC machine tool production, a stand-alone robot is typically used to handle sheet materials. The robot autonomously moves the material into position for precise placement.
Once properly positioned, the robot applies controlled pressure impact, ensuring accurate stamping. After this step, the robot then transports the processed material to the stacking table and efficiently unloads it.
3.2 Multi-Robot Coordination for Complex Production Lines
In automated CNC production lines, multiple robots work in coordination. The interconnection of these robots facilitates seamless material handling and precise stamping operations.
For more complex manufacturing processes, different robots take on specialized roles:
- Loading robots handle intelligent material loading.
- Handling robots are responsible for transporting materials.
- Stamping robots execute the precise stamping process.
This division of labor improves efficiency and optimizes the overall production workflow.
3.3 Enhancing CNC Stamping Efficiency with Industrial Robots
Previously, while robots could autonomously load and unload materials, they had high mold precision requirements and lacked integration efficiency.
With the introduction of industrial robots, CNC production lines now have greater flexibility and productivity.
Additionally, under the control system, robots can self-protect by detecting machine abnormalities and stopping operation immediately. This significantly enhances production safety and reduces risks.
4. Application in the field of hot forging
In the entire CNC machine tools, some machines need to be responsible for the production of hot forging, hot forging production of the more common CNC machine tools mainly include two die forging mechanism, the work of stamping and cutting respectively.
In the use of robots, but also in conjunction with the specific functions of the CNC machine tool to choose two different robots.
The first robot is responsible for moving high-temperature materials, completing the processing in the frequency furnace, and accurately transferring the material to the stamping machine end. The second robot takes charge of the stamping step after the material has been transferred to the cutting machine.
When the stamping is finished, the high temperature may cause the CNC machine to become sticky, and at this time, the robot can function as a lubricant.
In the production process, where the environment is very harsh, to ensure a longer lifespan for the machine, maintenance is essential. Particularly, we must ensure that the robot is not damaged by radiation and high temperatures.
Under the role of various sensors, the robot should also have the function of avoiding harm, when the production environment is very poor, can take appropriate self-protection measures.
Realization of intelligent production line
1. Composition and Layout of Production Line
In this article, the production line introduced mainly consists of two FANUC CNC lathes, robot guide, PLC, ABB robots, material release table and other equipment.
2. Production line working principle
The robot puts the material into the chuck. The chuck will automatically clamp the material. The robot will then loosen the material and leave the range of the machine tool.
Next, the robot closes the door of the machine tool. At this point, the machine tool automatically enters the processing state. The robot waits next to the machine tool until the processing is complete.
Once the machine tool finishes processing, its door opens automatically. The system then waits for the No. 2 machine tool to open its door. The No. 2 machine tool repeats the same actions performed by the No. 1 machine tool.
After the processing is complete, the produced products are palletized. The products are then placed in a palletizing manner.
3. CNC Lathe Modification
At the robot’s I/O board interface, one connects wires to the machine tool system to maintain communication between the robot and the machine tool.
Table 1 Robot Input Signal DI and Output Signal DO and Address Distribution
4. PLC control of the robot on the guideway
The PLC controls the robot to run on the guideway to serve both machines.
Figure 1 shows that the PLC can control the movement of the robot. The initial position of the robot is any point A.
Under control, the robot automatically returns to the origin of the guideway and waits at the pickup waiting point. Once the materials are ready, a signal is sent. The robot then picks up the materials at the pickup point and waits for the door of machine tool #1 to open.
When the door opens, the robot places the material on the machine tool. It then waits for the machining process to finish. After machining is complete, the robot removes the semi-finished product.
Finally, the robot moves to the discharge point of machine #2 to complete a processing cycle.
One must program the PLC control program with the FX1N to accomplish the above actions, and one can realize the above actions by following the simple positioning control instructions of the FX1N.
Fig. 1 Positioning diagram of PLC-controlled robot movement
4.1 Home Return Instruction ZRN
The instruction disappears when the programmable controller is powered off, so the instruction to return to the home position must be executed when power is turned on and at the very beginning of operation, and the data at the home position must be filled in first.
S1 : Specify the speed at which the home return starts; S2 :Crawl speed; S3 : Specify the near point signal input; D : Specify the Y code with pulse output (Y000 or Y001 only).
4.2 Absolute Position Control Command DRVA
S1: Number of output pulses; S2: Output pulse frequency; D1: Pulse output address, applicable to Y000 and Y001; D2: Rotational direction signal output address. In the program, the emergency stop button of the robot is X005, and the emergency stop button of the guideway is X001.
Fig. 2 PLC control robot guideway running program
5. Robot Programming
In order to edit the program later, the I/O communication should be set up first. The robot used in this article has the ABB standard I/O board DSQC652, which has 16 digital signal input and output ports.
Connect output port 7 to the PLC input port to control the operation of the robot on the rail. Set the input signals from DI1-DI16 and the output signals from DO1-DO12.
Conclusion
The improvement in the level of CNC machining intelligence has made the method of CNC machining very simple. The CNC production process has become safer, significantly boosting production efficiency, thereby saving production costs and enhancing product quality.
