Introduction to Robotic Automatic Spraying and Automatic Loading/Unloading Processes
In modern industrial production, robotic automated operations are widely used in coating, material handling, and other links due to their advantages of high efficiency, precision, and stability. The following details the robotic automatic spraying process and automatic loading/unloading process respectively, analyzing their core operation logic and key links.
I. Robotic Automatic Spraying Process
The robotic automatic spraying process mainly focuses on achieving uniform coating coverage on the workpiece surface. It is commonly used in industries such as automotive, home appliances, and hardware, enabling automated coating of various types of workpieces and ensuring consistent coating quality.
(I) Pre-Process Preparation Stage
Workpiece Pre-Treatment: First, the workpiece to be sprayed undergoes surface cleaning. Processes such as high-pressure spraying, degreasing, and phosphating are used to remove impurities like oil, dust, and rust from the surface. Subsequent drying treatment is then carried out to ensure the workpiece surface is dry, preventing issues such as coating blistering and peeling in the subsequent spraying process.
Coating Preparation and Supply: Coatings are mixed in proportions according to the workpiece spraying requirements (e.g., color, thickness, corrosion resistance). The prepared coating is poured into the paint supply tank of the spraying system. Meanwhile, the paint supply pipeline is checked for smoothness to ensure stable delivery of the coating to the robotic spray gun.
Equipment Debugging and Parameter Setting: Start the automatic spraying robot and supporting equipment (e.g., drying oven, conveyor line). Set spraying parameters through the control system, including spray gun distance (usually 150-300mm), spraying speed (adjusted according to workpiece size, generally 0.5-2m/s), coating output (set based on coating thickness requirements, unit: ml/min), and atomization pressure (usually 0.2-0.5MPa). In addition, the robot's movement trajectory needs to be planned using a teach pendant to ensure the spray gun can cover all areas of the workpiece that require spraying.
(II) Core Spraying Stage
Workpiece Conveyance and Positioning: Pre-treated workpieces are conveyed to the spraying station via a conveyor line (e.g., chain conveyor line, roller conveyor line). Upon arrival, positioning devices (e.g., pneumatic stoppers, locating pins) fix the workpiece to prevent displacement during spraying and ensure spraying precision.
Robotic Automatic Spraying: The robot starts the spraying operation according to the preset trajectory. The spray gun sprays atomized coating according to the set parameters, achieving uniform coverage on the workpiece surface. For workpieces with complex structures (e.g., those with grooves or curved surfaces), the robot can adjust its posture through multi-axis linkage to ensure effective spraying of every corner. If the workpiece requires multi-layer spraying (e.g., primer, topcoat, clear coat), the robot will complete each layer of spraying in sequence. After each layer of spraying, a certain waiting time (set according to the drying characteristics of the coating, usually 5-15 minutes) is required to ensure the coating is initially cured before proceeding to the next layer of spraying.
Real-Time Spraying Quality Monitoring: Some high-end spraying systems are equipped with visual inspection equipment (e.g., industrial cameras) that continuously capture images of the workpiece's sprayed surface. Through image recognition technology, defects such as missed spraying, sagging, and pinholes in the coating are detected. If defects are detected, the system will automatically trigger an alarm and pause the spraying operation until maintenance personnel identify and resolve the issue before restarting.
(III) Post-Process Treatment Stage
Workpiece Drying and Curing: Sprayed workpieces are conveyed to a drying oven via the conveyor line. The drying temperature (e.g., 60-120℃ for solvent-based coatings, 180-220℃ for powder coatings) and drying time (generally 20-60 minutes) are set according to the coating type to fully cure the coating, enhancing its adhesion and durability.
Quality Sampling Inspection and Finished Product Output: Dried workpieces are conveyed to the inspection station. Staff conduct sampling inspections on indicators such as coating thickness, color consistency, and surface flatness. Qualified workpieces enter the next production link or the finished product warehouse; unqualified workpieces are marked and sent to the rework area for treatments such as sanding and touch-up spraying.
II. Robotic Automatic Loading/Unloading Process
The robotic automatic loading/unloading process is mainly responsible for automatically grasping, transporting, and placing workpieces between production equipment (e.g., machine tools, stamping machines, injection molding machines) and conveyor lines. It realizes automated material flow in the production process and is commonly used in industries such as mechanical processing and automotive parts manufacturing.
(I) Pre-Process Preparation Stage
Material and Equipment Inspection: Confirm that the workpieces to be processed are neatly placed on the material rack (e.g., material frame, pallet), and check whether the workpiece size and quantity meet production requirements. Meanwhile, inspect the operating status of the loading/unloading robot, production equipment (e.g., CNC machine tools), and conveyor line to ensure all equipment is free of faults and sensors (e.g., photoelectric sensors, visual sensors) can normally identify the workpiece position.
Robot Parameter and Trajectory Setting: Set the robot's grasping parameters through the control system, including grasping force (adjusted according to the workpiece material and weight to avoid damaging the workpiece or causing unstable grasping) and grasping position (usually the workpiece's center of gravity or a stable support point). Use a teach pendant to plan the robot's movement path, defining the complete trajectory of the robot from grasping the workpiece from the material rack, conveying it to the processing station of the production equipment, and after processing, grasping the workpiece from the equipment and conveying it to the finished product rack. At the same time, set the movement speed (faster when unloaded, slower when loaded to ensure stability, generally 0.3-1.5m/s).
(II) Core Loading/Unloading Stage
Loading Process (Conveying Workpieces to Processing Equipment)
Workpiece Positioning and Recognition: The robot moves to the raw material rack. Through visual sensors or positioning sensors, it confirms the specific position and posture of the workpiece. If there is a slight deviation, the robot will automatically adjust the grasping angle to ensure precise grasping.
Workpiece Grasping and Transportation: The robot executes the grasping action. After clamping the workpiece, it moves stably to the top of the processing station of the production equipment (e.g., CNC machine tool) according to the preset trajectory, avoiding collisions between the workpiece and surrounding equipment during transportation.
Workpiece Placement and Equipment Startup: The robot accurately places the workpiece in the fixture of the processing station. The fixture automatically clamps the workpiece. After confirming the workpiece is properly placed, the robot sends a signal to the production equipment, which then starts the processing process. The robot returns to the raw material rack to prepare for the next loading cycle.
Unloading Process (Conveying Processed Workpieces to Finished Product Area)
Receiving Processing Completion Signal: When the production equipment finishes processing the workpiece, it sends a "processing completion" signal to the robot. Upon receiving the signal, the robot moves to the side of the processing station.
Grasping Processed Workpieces: The robot grasps the processed workpiece according to the set position. At this time, care must be taken to avoid touching the processing components of the equipment or the processed surface of the workpiece to prevent damage to the workpiece's precision.
Workpiece Conveyance and Placement: The robot carries the processed workpiece, moves to the finished product rack according to the planned trajectory, and neatly places the workpiece in the designated position of the finished product rack (which can be stacked in sequence or placed by category), completing one unloading cycle.
(III) Process Cycle and Abnormal Handling
Continuous Cycle Operation: After completing a single loading/unloading cycle, the robot automatically enters the next cycle and repeats the "loading-processing-unloading" steps until all workpieces in the raw material rack are processed. If continuous production is required, staff can replenish workpieces to the raw material rack while the robot is operating to achieve uninterrupted production.
Abnormal Handling Mechanism: If abnormal situations occur during the process (e.g., workpiece grasping failure, equipment malfunction, sensors detecting obstacles), the robot will immediately stop moving and send an alarm signal to the control system. At the same time, the fault type (e.g., "insufficient grasping force," "equipment fixture not clamped") is displayed on the operation panel. After receiving the alarm, staff identify and resolve the fault. Once the fault is eliminated, the robot is restarted through the control system to resume the loading/unloading process.
III. Common Advantages and Industrial Value of the Two Processes
Improving Production Efficiency: Robotic automated operations do not require rest and can run continuously for 24 hours. Compared with manual spraying and manual loading/unloading, efficiency is increased by 30%-100%, significantly shortening the production cycle.
Ensuring Operation Precision and Quality: Through preset parameters and precise trajectory control, the robot can control the coating thickness deviation within ±5μm and the loading/unloading positioning precision up to ±0.1mm, effectively avoiding random errors caused by manual operations and improving product qualification rates.
Improving Operating Environment and Safety: In the automatic spraying process, the robot operates in a closed spraying room, and with the support of an exhaust gas treatment system, it reduces the harm of coating volatile substances to the human body. In the automatic loading/unloading process, the robot replaces manual handling of heavy workpieces (capable of handling weights from several kilograms to hundreds of kilograms), avoiding work-related injury risks during manual handling.
Reducing Labor Costs and Management Difficulty: A single robot can replace 2-3 workers, significantly reducing labor costs in the long run. At the same time, robotic operations have high stability, reducing production losses caused by human operation errors and lowering the difficulty of production management.
