Integral robot system and method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels

• US 20090099688A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MI Robotic Solutions
• Original Assignee: MI Robotic Solutions
• Inventors: Salamanca, Hugo
• Application Number:
  US11/595,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/04 Casting metal electric battery plates or the like manufacture thereof by multi-step processes H01M4/82
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 29/04 Handling or stripping castings or ingots grippers in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B66C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 5/02 with rotary casting tables
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37208 Vision, visual inspection of workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45063 Pick and place manipulator

Abstract

At present, the tasks associated to the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels is characterized by the exposure of the personnel to harsh environmental conditions. As well as the use of take-off mechanisms with a high rate of failures. This, in the medium and long term, could generate serious occupational illnesses to the operators in charge of carrying out this activity such as decrease and/or delays in production. Due to the above, an integral robot system and method have been developed for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels which allows to carry out this activity in an automated way.

The robotic system is composed mainly of a robotic manipulator of at least 4 degrees of freedom which is mounted on a fixed and/or mobile system and is provided with a gripping mechanism to take anodes and deposit them in the cooling chain. When this is being performed, a vision system on the arm or outside of it carries out a first superficial inspection deciding whether to take the anode to the cooling section or to rejection. In this regard, most of the problems associated to the safety of the people and productivity of the current manual and/or mechanical process are eliminated.

Claims

1. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels, comprising an anthropomorphous robotic arm of at least 4 degrees of freedom, one control, communication and programming unit, one gripper adapter, one pneumatic gripper mechanism, one pneumatic gripper driving system, one vision system, an electrical supply system and one fixed or mobile tool holder wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator of at least 4 degrees of freedom is provided with a gripping mechanism which allows in a sequential and programmed way to take, manipulate, and release the anodes from the casting wheels, so as to deposit them in a sequential and programmed way, in the cooling chain so as when this is performed a vision system located over the arm or outside carries out a first superficial inspection by deciding whether the anode goes to the cooling section or to rejection.

2. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein a gripping mechanism is used which allows in a sequential and programmed way to take, manipulate, and release the anodes from the casting wheels, so as to deposit them in a sequential and programmed way in the cooling chain.

3. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator could use a pneumatic, electric and/or hydraulic gripping mechanism, which allows to take, manipulate, and release the different tools and/or vision systems to be used according to the task to be performed.

4. A robot system the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator could communicate by itself or through a PLC interface with the control system.

5. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to obtain and interpret the information from installed analogue and/or digital sensors.

6. A robot system the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to generate analogue and/or digital signals to control analogue and/or digital input devices.

7. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein it uses a vision system located over the robotic arm or outside to carry out the first superficial inspection thus deciding whether the anode goes to the cooling section or rejection.

8. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein it uses a tool holder from which the robotic manipulator takes several tools and/or vision systems to be used according to the task which is being performed.

9. A robot system the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator is mounted on a fixed and/or mobile support which allows to move to approach and/or move away from the casting wheel according to the task to be performed.

10. A robot system the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has an electrical and/or hydraulic system driven by three-stage induction motors, with vectorial y/o scalar control.

11. A robot system the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein it has the capacity to move and manipulate the different tools and/or vision systems in different paths within the work volume of the robotic manipulator.

12. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein it could be integrated to the removal and classification of anodes in any type of casting wheels, whether in smelting and/or conversion processes of copper or other metals such as (iron, zinc, nickel, silver, gold, tin, lead, etc.).

13. A robot system for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels according to claim 1, wherein the system may operate automatically, or semi-automatically and also allows solutions scalability.

14. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic arm of at least 4 degrees of freedom is provided with a gripping mechanism which allows in a sequential and programmed way to take, manipulate, and release the anodes from the casting wheels in such a way that they are deposited in a sequential and programmed way, in the cooling chain so as once this is carried out, a vision system located on the arm or outside it carries out the first superficial inspection thus deciding whether the anode goes to the cooling section or to rejection.

15. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein a gripping mechanism is used to take, manipulate and release in a sequential and programmed way the anodes from the casting wheels, so as they are deposited in a sequential and programmed way in the cooling chain.

16. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the robotic manipulator may use a pneumatic, electric and/or hydraulic gripping mechanism, which allows to take, manipulate and release the different tools and/or vision systems according to the task to be performed.

17. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator could communicate by itself or through a PLC interface with the control system.

18. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to obtain and interpret the information from installed analogue and/or digital sensors.

19. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has the capacity to generate analogue and/or digital signals to control the analogue and/or digital inputs devices.

20. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein it uses a vision system located over the robotic arm or outside, so as it is used to carry out a first superficial inspection thus deciding whether the anode goes to the cooling section or rejection.

21. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein it uses a tool holder from which the robotic manipulator takes the different tools and/or vision systems according to the task being performed.

22. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the robotic manipulator is mounted on a fixed and/or mobile support to move to approach and/or move away from the casting wheel according to the task to be performed.

23. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the anthropomorphous robotic manipulator has an electrical and/or hydraulic system driven by three-stage induction motors with vectorial and/or scalar control.

24. A robotic method the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein it has the capacity of moving and manipulating the different tools and/or vision systems in different paths within the work volume of the robotic manipulator.

25. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein it could be integrated to the removal and classification of anodes in any type of casting wheel, whether in smelting and/or conversion processes of copper and other metals (iron, zinc, nickel, silver, gold, tin, lead, etc.).

26. A robotic method for the dislodging process and/or anode handling from casting wheels using the robot System of claim 1 to 13, wherein the system may operate automatically or semi-automatically, and also allows solution scalability.