1 Composition and types of laser processing robots
1.1 Composition of laser processing robots
Laser processing robots are an effective fusion of laser technology and robot technology, making full use of the working principle of the equipment to better meet the needs of production and construction. The new robot formed by the fusion of the two technologies is mainly divided into fiber coupling and transmission washing system, high-power fiber-optic transmission laser, laser processing head, six-degree-of-freedom robot body and other parts. After the multiple components are effectively combined, they perform different work contents according to their own performance and working principles, thereby ensuring the safe, effective and high-speed operation of mechanical equipment. The structure is shown in Figure 1. For example, the power module provides power to the system, the CPU controls the system, and the sensor collects and transmits data information.
1.2 Types of laser processing robots
In order to meet different production needs, the robot systems are quite different, so the types of robots are also different. In the process of research, robots are divided according to their different structures. One is the frame robot. The biggest advantage of the frame robot is that it has a three-coordinate high-precision gantry frame and contains multiple components such as high-power laser machines and transmission optical fibers to meet the needs of intelligent mechanical equipment; the other is the articulated robot. The biggest advantage of this type of robot is that it has many components and meets the application needs of various tasks. For example, the robot equipment contains multiple systems such as a six-degree-of-freedom body system, a detection system, and a high-power laser. Since the articulated robot has strong processing capabilities, it is mainly used on the production line to replace manual labor to perform complex work.
2 Application of laser processing robot technology in industry
2.1 Robot laser welding
Welding is a common process in assembly line production and requires a lot of manpower. Welding work not only has high requirements for welding accuracy, but also causes great harm to the body and eyes of the operator. At the same time, manual operation is limited by the construction environment and personal technical level, and welding points are often unreliable and unsightly. The automotive field is the most widely used welding technology. It is the first industrial production unit to introduce robot welding technology into the assembly line production system. Although it has made great progress compared with manual operation, its effect is lower than that of robot laser welding technology. The advantages of robot laser welding are mainly manifested in: first, it improves the speed and accuracy of welding, thereby improving the rigidity of the car body; second, it provides a guarantee for the performance and safety of the car body and improves the safety factor of the vehicle; third, the mechanical welding does not need to be in direct contact with the car body, ensuring the smoothness of the car body lines; fourth, the application of network technology, the robot can adjust itself and engage in multiple work contents at the same time, avoiding the waste of space, resources, time, etc. caused by a robot only engaging in one work content.
2.2 Robot laser cutting
In industrial production, it is necessary to cut parts and components to produce parts that meet application requirements. Robot cutting is not only faster, but also more accurate, and has been widely used in the field of automobile manufacturing. At this stage, robot laser cutting technology has been introduced and applied in large quantities on the automobile production lines of General Motors and Volkswagen. The use of robot laser cutting to cut the car body makes the lines of the car body smoother and more natural, meeting the needs of customers.
2.3 Robotic laser remanufacturing
The application of robotic laser remanufacturing technology is to repair the existing products due to damage. The advantages of its application are mainly manifested in the small heating range and the effective protection of the base material under the action of high energy. Due to the advantages of robotic laser remanufacturing technology, it is widely used in automobile mold repair and metallurgical industry. Automobile molds are an important basis for automobile production. The molds are not only complicated in manufacturing process but also expensive. In order to reduce the impact of molds on automobile production, they must be repaired. Conventional repair technology requires a lot of heat to be injected, and the molds are often deformed during the repair process due to the influence of heat and repair technology. After the application of robotic laser remanufacturing technology, the work of repairing molds is not only simple and easy, but also the repair quality is higher. In the metallurgical industry, rollers are affected by the working environment, often damaged, with a short service life, and the price of rollers is high, which increases the production cost. The use of robotic laser remanufacturing technology to repair them reduces the production cost.
2.4 Robotic laser direct manufacturing
The characteristics and superior performance of laser robots can meet the needs of multiple fields such as production and manufacturing. Robotic laser technology can not only be applied to the field of remanufacturing to repair molds and mechanical equipment to ensure the smooth progress of production, but also can be applied to the process of direct manufacturing. In the field of direct manufacturing, laser processing robots have higher degrees of freedom than traditional robots, can better adjust the curved surface of the production space, and handle complex programs and parts on the curved surface. The direct application of laser processing robots in the production process not only improves production efficiency, but also has higher product quality, providing more high-quality and high-quality products for society.
3 Conclusion
With the development and progress of science, people have realized the superiority of robots replacing manual production and operation. While industrial production is constantly improving its production process, robot technology is widely used in the fields of production and manufacturing. Technology changes with the changes in production needs. After traditional robot technology cannot meet the current production needs, it is integrated with laser technology to promote the development and application of laser processing robots. The application of laser cutting, manufacturing, welding and other technologies in the current automobile manufacturing and metallurgical industries has greatly improved productivity.