Fanuc Corporation

Fumikazu Terawaki

Fumikazu Warashina

Yoshitaka Ikeda

Mitsuhiro Okuda

Yuuki Makihata

Hiroshi Katsuhisa

An image processing method for improving the reliability of an industrial visual sensor, in which image data picked up by a camera of the visual sensor are marked with flags such as data for specifying the image data or a detected value for the image data, program name, calibration data, correction data, etc., and are stored in an auxiliary storage device. After a production line is stopped, the image data having so far been stored in the auxiliary storage device are successively invoked to a frame memory of the visual sensor in accordance with the flags. An image processing program is reproductively executed for the invoked image data. Then, established teaching data are checked for reliability, and the cause of a failure in image data detection, if any, is examined, with reference to the information displayed on a monitor screen.

Image processing method for an industrial visual sensor

A method of controlling a robot to perform a weaving action and a tracking action using a non-contact sensor. When a weaving start command with a condition of a cycle Tw is issued, a laser sensor starts scanning in a cycle Tw/2n in synchronism with the start of weaving action, and outputs sensor data for every scanning time to be stored in a memory. After starting the weaving action, the robot performs a weaving action with a welding line as a reference path, until the tool reaches the weaving extreme (Sm, Sn+m, S2n+m, . . . ) or the termination of the weaving according to the weaving condition. Since a timed relationship between the weaving action and the scanning action of the laser sensor is known, the robot position corresponding to detection data can be calculated, based on which it is possible to successively determine a target position of the robot movement by adding a weaving amount for each detection point. The weaving action is synchronized with the scanning of the laser sensor every time the robot reaches the position of the weaving extreme Sm, Sn+m, . . . to pause and the weaving action is continued tracing the welding line as a reference path.

Tracking control method for robot with weaving action

A robot controlling method and apparatus using a laser sensor in which an optimum moving path is realized even if the accuracy of positioning workpieces is low. While a laser sensor is operated, a robot is started to move toward a taught position corresponding to the start position of a welding line. When the workpieces W1 and W2 are detected, a three-dimensional position of the points Q1-Q4 are calculated. The equations of a straight line Q1Q2 and a straight line Q3Q4 are obtained from position data of points Q1-Q4, and a corner position Q0 is calculated as a crossing point of these two straight lines. Then, access is made to a register, which is designated by an address designation counter value i, to read position shift data. When i=1, .DELTA.x=.DELTA.y=.DELTA. is read and a position shifted from the position Q0 by .DELTA. respectively along the straight lines Q1Q2 and Q3Q4 is calculated as a target position to which the robot movement is performed. In the first moving cycle for forming the first welding layer, a path a is realized. Likewise, in the subsequent moving cycles, different position shift data are read to realize the paths a-f successively.

Robot controlling method and apparatus using laser sensor

A robot is moved to a laser sensor detection angle adjustment position, and scanning with a laser beam is started. As this is done, a reading-scanning operation of a CCD light detector of a laser sensor is executed repeatedly, and cell numbers i for maximum detection outputs and their output values .beta.i are stored. When the laser beam scanning is finished, the individual output values .beta.i are compared with a reference value .alpha.. If all the values .beta.i are not greater than the reference value .alpha., then the robot attitude is changed by a small angle, and repetition of laser beam scanning, reading-scanning of the CCD detector, storing of cell numbers i for the great detection output and their output values .beta.i and comparison between the values .beta.i and the reference value .alpha. are repeated. An attitude .phi. for the point of time when the reference value .alpha. is exceeded by all the values .beta.i is taught to the robot, and a welding operation is performed by moving the robot along a step corner line of a workpiece in a manner such that an instruction path is corrected in accordance with a conventional real-time tracking system based on the laser sensor without changing the robot attitude .phi..

Detection angle control method for laser sensor

A robot supports a welding torch for use in arc welding of a cylindrical welding object. The welding object is rotated about an axis and is controlled by a robot controller. The robot is operated to track the welding torch along a calculated welding line to continuously position the welding torch along the welding line. A reference circle is formed by rotation of one point on the welding object. A coordinate system is set with a center corresponding to the center of the reference circle. A laser sensor detects a point on the welding line, and the detected point is stored by using a distance r from a center O of the work coordinate system and a z-coordinate value z. As the cylindrical welding object is rotated by an angle .theta. corresponding to an interval between the position detected by the laser sensor and a calculated second position, the welding torch is moved to a position to coincide with the second position.

Method of controlling robot for use in arc welding

Visual sensor coordinate system setting jig and setting method

A method of controlling a robot attached to a tool. The position of the robot is corrected in real time by detecting a target position on a workpiece by a laser sensor. A laser light emitted from a laser light source of the laser sensor scans a surface of the workpiece toward a direction across an operating line. An initial scanning forms a locus of laser irradiation points and crossing points which intersect the locus with the operating line on the workpiece. Angle .alpha. is defined to be an angle formed between an axis of the tool and the locus on the surface of the workpiece. Angle .beta. is defined to be an angle formed between the operating line (point series line connecting the crossing points obtained by a current and past scanning) and the center axis of the tool. Further, angle .gamma. is defined to be a rotation angle around an axis of the tool on the basis of the operating line. An attitude of the robot is determined by the angles .alpha., .beta. and .gamma.. The attitude of the robot is controlled by equalizing the angles .alpha., .beta. and .gamma. to set values .alpha..sub.set, .beta..sub.set and .gamma..sub.set, respectively, at instruction positions.

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Yamanashi, Japan

Fumikazu Terawaki