How to realize the accurate coordination between the five-axis repeater and the robot through the programming and control system

Communication protocols and interface standards

Unified Communication protocol: First, make sure that the five-axis repeator and the robot support the same communication protocol, such as the commonly used industrial EtherNet protocol (such as EtherNet/IP, Profinet, etc.) or fieldbus protocol (such as DeviceNet, CANopen, etc.). These protocols can realize data transmission and instruction interaction between devices. By configuring the corresponding communication modules and parameters in the control system of the equipment, a stable communication link is established, so that the five-axis repeater and the robot can "understand" each other's information.

Standard interface adaptation: Five-axis regenerators and robots are usually equipped with standard mechanical and electrical interfaces. The mechanical interface is used to connect the end effectors and working parts of the two, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the physical connection. The electrical interface is used to transmit control signals and feedback signals. For example, some robots and five-axis regenerators use the standard ISO 9409-1-2004 interface, which is connected by a suitable flange, allowing accurate transmission of torque and position information.

Coordinate system establishment and calibration

Unified coordinate system definition: In order to achieve accurate coordination, it is necessary to establish a unified coordinate system in the work space of the five-axis repeater and the robot. The base of the robot is usually used as the reference coordinate system, and then the coordinate system of the five-axis repeater is aligned with the robot coordinate system. This can be done by using precision measuring equipment such as laser tracker and ball meter to measure and calibrate the position and attitude of the two devices, determine the relative position relationship between them, and input these parameters into the control system during the installation and debugging phase.

Real-time coordinate update and compensation: During operation, due to the movement of the equipment, temperature changes, mechanical wear and other factors, the coordinate system may be slightly offset. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the position and attitude changes of the device in real time through sensors installed on the device (such as encoders, laser rangefinders, etc.) and feed this information back to the control system. The control system dynamically updates and compensates the coordinate system according to the feedback data to ensure that the five-axis repeater and the robot can still maintain accurate coordination during the long working process.

Programming methods and motion control

Off-line programming and simulation: The use of off-line programming software (such as RobotStudio, Siemens NX CAM, etc.) can program and simulate the cooperative motion of the five-axis regenerator and robot on the computer. In the off-line programming environment, the grasp and handling path of the robot and the processing path of the five-axis reloader can be planned accurately, and the factors such as the motion speed, acceleration and pause time of the two factors can be taken into account. Through the simulation function, the correctness of the programming can be verified in advance, the problems such as collision and interference can be checked, and the motion parameters can be optimized to reduce the errors and adjustment time in actual operation.

Synchronous motion instruction: In the actual programming process, it is necessary to use synchronous motion instruction to control the coordinated action of the five-axis repeater and the robot. For example, by inserting wait instructions, trigger instructions, etc. into the robot programming language (such as RAPID, KRL, etc.), the robot's action matches the processing rhythm of the five-axis repeater. When the five-axis repeater completes a processing step and sends a signal, the robot receives the signal before starting the next action, such as grabbing the processed parts or replacing the tool. At the same time, synchronous movement can also be achieved by controlling the proportion of the motion speed of the two, such as in the assembly process of parts, the robot moves the parts to the assembly position of the five-axis repeater at a certain speed, and the five-axis repeater carries out the assembly action at the corresponding speed.

Data sharing and feedback control

Machining and motion data sharing: Machining and motion data need to be shared between the control system of the five-axis repeater and the robot. For example, the five-axis repeater sends the current processing progress, tool position, cutting force and other data to the robot, and the robot adjusts its own motion path and speed according to these data. Similarly, the robot feeds its own position, load, grasping state and other information to the five-axis repeater, so that the five-axis repeater can optimize the processing strategy according to the robot's situation.

Feedback control strategy: Use feedback control strategy to ensure accurate fit. For example, during processing, if there is a slight deviation in the robot's grasp, resulting in an inaccurate part position, the sensor of the five-axis retractor feeds the information to the control system after the part position changes. The control system adjusts the machining path and tool attitude of the five-axis repeater according to the feedback information, or informs the robot to readjust the position of the parts, and ensures the accuracy of machining and processing through this closed-loop control method.