In the field of industrial automation, industrial robots are playing an increasingly important role. The application of six dimensional force sensors in industrial robots is becoming increasingly widespread, and there are many important reasons behind this.
1, Accurate force control
1. The need for precise operation
In many industrial production scenarios, such as electronic product assembly, the parts are usually very delicate and require robots to operate with precise force. For example, when installing tiny chips onto a circuit board, excessive force may damage the chips, while insufficient force may result in unstable installation. The six dimensional force sensor can sense the force and torque of the robot's end effector in real-time in three-dimensional space, helping the robot to accurately control the force applied to the workpiece.
Taking precision machining as an example, robots can ensure that the pressure applied by the tool to the surface of the workpiece is uniform and appropriate through the force information feedback from the six axis force sensor during grinding, polishing, and other operations, thereby improving machining accuracy and achieving higher standards of product surface quality.
2. Implementation of Compliance Operations
When robots interact with objects of different shapes and materials, they need to adjust the operating force according to the characteristics of the objects. For example, the required gripping force is different when grasping soft objects (such as sponges) and hard objects (such as metal blocks). The six axis force sensor can enable robots to have compliance, automatically adjusting the grasping force based on the force signal feedback from the sensor, avoiding damage to objects, while ensuring firm grasping.
In assembly operations, for parts with certain elasticity, such as rubber seals, robots can use six dimensional force sensors to sense changes in resistance during insertion, dynamically adjust the insertion force and angle, and successfully complete assembly tasks.
2, Collision detection and safety assurance
1. Protect the robot itself
The industrial environment is complex and ever-changing, and robots may collide with surrounding equipment, obstacles, or other robots during their movement. Six dimensional force sensors can quickly detect changes in force and torque generated by collisions. Once a collision is detected, the robot can immediately stop moving or take evasive measures, thereby reducing the degree of damage to the robot itself.
For example, in automated warehousing and logistics, robots may collide with shelves or other transportation equipment while moving goods. After installing the six axis force sensor, when the collision force exceeds the set threshold, the robot's control system will receive a signal and stop the action in a timely manner, avoiding serious damage to key components such as the robot's robotic arm and joints, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.
2. Ensure personnel safety
In the context of human-machine collaboration, personnel safety is crucial. The six axis force sensor can detect the force generated when the robot comes into contact with the human body. If a force that may cause harm to the human body is detected, the robot will immediately stop working or change its movement mode to prevent injury to personnel.
For example, in some car manufacturing workshops, workers and robots collaborate to complete the assembly of car parts. When a worker accidentally touches a working robot, the six axis force sensor can quickly respond, putting the robot into a safe mode and ensuring the safety of the worker's life.
3, Quality Control and Process Monitoring
1. Assembly quality monitoring
During the product assembly process, a six dimensional force sensor can monitor the force and torque at each assembly step. By analyzing these data, it can be determined whether the assembly meets the quality standards. For example, in the operation of tightening screws, sensors can detect whether the torque of the screw tightening has reached the specified value, ensuring the firmness of the screw connection.
For some high-precision assembly tasks, such as the assembly of aerospace components, a six axis force sensor can record the force variation curve throughout the assembly process. These data can serve as a basis for quality traceability. Once a product has quality problems, possible causes can be identified by analyzing the force data.
2. Processing process monitoring
When industrial robots perform cutting, welding, and other processing operations, six dimensional force sensors can monitor the forces during the processing. Taking welding as an example, sensors can detect the contact force and angle between the welding gun and the workpiece, ensuring stable welding quality. If there is an abnormal change in force or angle, it may indicate that the welding parameters need to be adjusted or that the welding equipment has malfunctioned. In this case, timely intervention can be taken.
In the process of stone cutting, the robot senses the force of the cutting tool through a six dimensional force sensor, adjusts the cutting speed and force based on factors such as the hardness and cutting depth of the stone, ensures the flatness and cutting accuracy of the cutting surface, and improves product quality.
4, Enhance the intelligence level of robots
1. Implementation of adaptive control
The six axis force sensor provides rich force and torque information for robots, enabling them to adaptively adjust their operating strategies based on actual situations. For example, in complex material sorting tasks, robots can automatically adjust the grasping method and force based on the weight, shape, and texture of different objects through sensor feedback information, improving sorting efficiency and accuracy.
When robots perform tasks in unknown environments, such as clearing debris at disaster rescue sites, six dimensional force sensors can help robots sense the resistance and weight of surrounding objects, allowing them to adaptively plan their motion paths and operation methods, and better complete tasks.
2. Support for learning and optimization functions
By utilizing data collected from six dimensional force sensors, robots can learn and optimize through machine learning algorithms. For example, by repeatedly grasping force and torque data of different objects, robots can learn the optimal grasping strategy and continuously optimize their operational skills.
On industrial production lines, robots can optimize the production process based on quality control data feedback from sensors. For example, adjusting assembly sequence, optimizing processing parameters, etc., in order to improve the efficiency and product quality of the entire production process.