Production line constructing system

Abstract

A production line constructing system for constructing a production line having groups of processing apparatuses, articulated robots for loading workpieces on and unloading processed workpieces from the processing apparatuses, and an automatic conveyor in the form of a vehicle for carrying a respective articulated robot and for conveying the workpieces between the processing apparatuses. The dimensions of the articulated robot are determined taking into consideration the width of passages in a work area, the dimensions of the vehicle, restrictions on available power supply, and the conveying speed of the vehicle carrying the articulated robot relative to the conveying speed of the operator. The production line is constructed so that a maximum loading/unloading area on the processing apparatuses within which a workpiece is loaded on and unloaded from the processing apparatus is included in a range of movement of the end effector of the articulated robot which is limited in dimensions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A production line constructing system for constructing a production line comprising groups of processing apparatuses, articulated robots having an end effector for loading workpieces on and unloading processed workpieces from the processing apparatuses, and an automatic conveying means for mounting a respective articulated robot thereon and for conveying the workpieces between the processing apparatuses, wherein a respective articulated robot is arranged with respect to a respective processing apparatus so that a maximum loading/unloading area on each of the processing apparatuses within which a workpiece is loaded on and unloaded from the processing apparatus is within a range of movement of the end effector of the articulated robot.  
     
     
         2 . A production line constructing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the articulated robot is dimensioned in accordance with an assumption that a plurality of the automatic conveying are able to pass each other on a passage formed between arrays of the processing apparatuses, the automatic conveying means and the length of the articulated robot arm being dimensioned taking into consideration a weight limit of the automatic conveying means and the mounted articulated robot thereof and a limit of available supply power for the automatic conveying means, so that a conveying speed of the articulated robot by the automatic conveying means is at least equal to a conveying speed of an operator.  
     
     
         3 . A production line comprising groups of processing apparatuses arranged so as to delimit a passage therebetween, articulated robots for loading workpieces on and unloading processed workpieces from the processing apparatuses, and a plurality of vehicles, a respective vehicle carrying a respective articulated robot for movement at least along the passage so as to at least enable conveying of the workpieces between the processing apparatuses, the production line being of compact size with the passage between the groups of processing apparatuses being of a minimum width dimension sufficient to permit movement of two vehicles carrying articulated robots adjacent one another at the minimum width dimension of the passage without interference therebetween, and the articulated robot having a range of movement of an end effector thereof which is limited in dimensions in correspondence with a maximum loading/unloading area of a respective processing apparatus so as to enable loading and unloading of a workpiece to and from the respective processing apparatus within the maximum loading/unloading area of the respective processing apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . A production line according to  claim 3 , wherein the maximum loading/unloading area of each processing apparatus is delimited by a height range of about 750 mm to about 1150 mm and a depth range of about 0 mm to about 370 mm.  
     
     
         5 . A production line according to  claim 3 , wherein the width dimension of the passage is no greater than about 1800 mm, the vehicle has a width of about 600 mm with a projection of a bumper of the vehicle from a side surface of the vehicle being about 30 mm, and the vehicle being positioned at a minimum distance from a front surface of a respective processing apparatus during a loading and unloading operation of the articulated robot carried thereby of about 400 mm as measured from a center line of the vehicle to the front surface of the processing apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . A production line according to  claim 3 , wherein the end effector of the articulated robot includes a robot wrist having a height position in a range of about 1120 mm to about 1520 mm and a range of depth of about −210 mm to about 160 mm.  
     
     
         7 . A production line according to  claim 6 , wherein the articulated robot has a revolving shaft positioned along a center line of the vehicle and a center axis of the revolving shaft being spaced from a center of the robot wrist within a range of about 190 mm to about 560 mm.  
     
     
         8 . A production line according to  claim 3 , wherein the vehicle and the associated robot have a combined weight no greater than 400 kg and a combined power supply requirement no greater than 1500 W, the vehicle enabling conveying of the workpieces between the processing apparatuses at a speed greater than the speed of an operator.