Laser processing robot system and laser processing method

• US 10,376,988 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Geoffrey S
• Application Number:
  US15/673,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4083 Adapting programme, configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36416 Adapt teached position as function of deviation 3-D, 2-D position of end effector, tool
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40311 Real time simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45104 Lasrobot, welding robot

Abstract

A laser processing robot system and a laser processing method, by which the motion accuracy of a robot in the system can be improved and laser processing with high accuracy can be carried out. The robot system is configured to: execute a first robot motion for moving an laser irradiation device to a predetermined command position; measure an actual three-dimensional position of the irradiation device in the first robot motion; calculate a deviation between the command position and the measured actual three-dimensional position of the irradiation device in the first robot motion; store the calculated deviation as a time series of deviation data; and execute a second robot motion in which a robot motion similar to the first robot motion is executed while correcting the laser irradiation position so that the laser irradiation position coincides with a desired position, based on the stored deviation data.

Claims

1. A robot system for carrying out laser processing of an object to be processed by irradiating a laser beam onto a predetermined position of the object, the robot system comprising:

a robot having a movable section;

a laser irradiation device having a variable mechanism configured to change a laser irradiation position with respect to at least one direction;

a first robot motion executing section configured to execute a first robot motion in which the laser irradiation device is moved to a predetermined command position;

a device position measuring section configured to measure an actual position of the laser irradiation device in a three-dimensional space in the first robot motion;

a deviation storing section configured to calculate a deviation between the command position and the actual position in the three-dimensional space of the laser irradiation device measured by the device position measuring section in the first robot motion, and store the calculated deviation as a time series of deviation data;

a laser irradiation position correcting section configured to correct the laser irradiation position so as to coincide with a desired position, based on the deviation data stored in the deviation storing section; and

a second robot motion executing section configured to execute a second robot motion while the laser irradiation position is corrected by the laser irradiation position correcting section.

2. The robot system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a device performance determining section configured to, when the variable mechanism of the laser irradiation device is controlled, determine as to whether or not operation performance of the variable mechanism has a predetermined margin.

3. The robot system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a motor information comparing section configured to compare first feedback information of a rotation velocity or a torque of a motor of each axis of the robot in the first robot motion and second feedback information of a rotation velocity or a torque of the motor of each axis of the robot in the second robot motion; and

a judging section configured to judge that the correction of the laser irradiation position is invalid when a difference between the first and second feedback information obtained by the motor information comparing section exceeds a predetermined allowable value.

4. The robot system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second robot motion is the same as the first robot motion.

5. A laser processing method for carrying out laser processing of an object to be processed by irradiating a laser beam onto a predetermined position of the object, by using a robot having a movable section and a laser irradiation device having a variable mechanism configured to change a laser irradiation position with respect to at least one direction, the method comprising:

executing a first robot motion in which the laser irradiation device is moved to a predetermined command position;

measuring an actual position of the laser irradiation device in a three-dimensional space in the first robot motion;

calculating a deviation between the command position and the measured actual position in the three-dimensional space of the laser irradiation device in the first robot motion;

storing the calculated deviation as a time series of deviation data; and

executing a second robot motion while correcting the laser irradiation position so that the laser irradiation position coincides with a desired position, based on the stored deviation data.

6. The laser processing method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the second robot motion is the same as the first robot motion.