METHOD FOR A FULLY AUTOMATIC AND/OR SEMIAUTOMATIC SETUP OR CALIBRATION OF A PICK AND/OR PLACE POSITION

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the fully automatic and/or semiautomatic setup or calibration of a pick and/or place position having at least one storage and retrieval vehicle and/or at least one trolley, a control/regulation device, at least one detection system, in particular an optical detection system, and at least one position feature, the method comprising the following steps: manual and/or automatic storage of the positions of the position features; automatic traveling to the stored positions by means of the storage and retrieval vehicle and/or of the trolley: detecting an actual value of the position of the position feature by means of the detection system, in particular an optical detection system; and calculating a difference between the stored position and the actual value, optionally carrying out a correction, and optionally storing a correction value of the position of the position feature.

Claims

1. A method for a fully automatic and/or semiautomatic setup mode or calibration of a pick (1) and/or place position (2), comprising at least one storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or at least one trolley (4); a control/regulation device; at least one detection system (11), in particular an optical detection system; and at least one position feature (10), wherein the method comprises the following steps: manual and/or automatic storage of the positions of the position features (10); automatic traveling to the stored positions by means of the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4); detecting an actual value of the position of the position feature (10) by means of the detection system (11), in particular an optical detection system; and calculating a difference between the stored position and the actual value, optionally carrying out a correction, and optionally storing a correction value of the position of the position feature (10).

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the storage of the positions of the position features (10) is carried out and the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or trolley (4) is set up by a search trip of the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or trolley (4) fully automatically by detecting the position of the position features (10) by the detection system (11), in particular the optical detection system.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or the trolley (4) is setup or calibrated by a manual storage of the position of the position data, in particular by CAD data, and a subsequent position comparison trip by the detection system (11), in particular the optical detection system.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the place position (2) and the pick position (1) is configured as a first unit (13), in particular as a high bay store (5) and the placing and picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the position feature (10) is configured as a structural element that can be detected by the detection system (11), in particular an optical detection system.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the method is carried out independently of the number and of the geometrical configuration, in particular the width, height and depth of the pick (1) and place positions (2).

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the detection system (11), in particular the optical detection system, is configured as mountable to the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and is separated after carrying out the fully automatic and/or semiautomatic setup or calibration of the storage and retrieval vehicle (3).

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an exactly definable position of the position feature (10) with respect to the workpiece support (15) and/or the machine support and/or other reference surface is provided and is stored in the control/regulation device for a precise position detection.

10. A system (8) having at least one pick (1) and/or place position (2), at least one storage or retrieval vehicle (3) and/or at least one trolley (4), at least one control/regulation device, at least one detection system (11), in particular an optical detection system, and at least one position feature (10), for carrying out a method in accordance with claim 1.

11. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or the trolley (4) is setup or calibrated by a manual storage of the position of the position data, in particular by CAD data, and a subsequent position comparison trip by the detection system (11), in particular the optical detection system.

12. A method in accordance claim 11, wherein the place position (2) and the pick position (1) is configured as a first unit (13), in particular as a high bay store (5) and the placing and picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

13. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the place position (2) and the pick position (1) is configured as a first unit (13), in particular as a high bay store (5) and the placing and picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

14. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the place position (2) and the pick position (1) is configured as a first unit (13), in particular as a high bay store (5) and the placing and picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

16. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

17. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

18. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

19. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

20. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the pick position (1) and the place position (2) is configured as a second unit (9), in particular a machine (14), a cleaning station (14), a measuring station (14) and/or a setup station (14) and the picking is carried out by the storage and retrieval vehicle (3) and/or of the trolley (4).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further features, details and advantages of the invention result from an embodiment shown with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

[0031] FIG. 1: a high bay store with a storage and retrieval vehicle for carrying out the method in accordance with the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2: a trolley with an optical detection system: and

[0033] FIG. 3: a perspective view of a system with an internal unit, in particular a high bay store, an external unit, in particular a machine, a cleaning station, a measuring station, and a storage and retrieval vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a high bay store system that is configured for carrying out the method in accordance with the invention. It comprises a high bay store 5 or a general store 5 that is configured for picking and placing machine pallets, other pallets or Euro-pallets as well as other storage product. A storage and retrieval vehicle 3 that is coupled to a trolley 4 serves the loading and unloading of the individual high-bay stations 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown, the high bay store 5 is configured as a pallet store. The feature store or high bay store should be interchangeable in this respect, with the general feature of the high bay store 5 being preferred. A detection system 11, in particular an optical detection system, can be provided at the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 or at the trolley 4 by means of which the position features 10 of individual high bay stations 16 can be detected.

[0035] The storage and retrieval vehicle 3 can be traveled in the two travel directions 20, 21, with more or fewer travel directions likewise being conceivable. Workpieces 6 can, for example, be stored or storable on corresponding workpiece receivers 7 within the high bay store 5.

[0036] In accordance with the invention, a position of the position feature 10 of at least one first storage station 16 is input into the control/regulation device. The storage and retrieval vehicle 3 then automatically travels to the position in accordance with the stored position of the first storage station 16. A plurality, and in particular all, of the stored positions can naturally also be input in the first step provided that more than a first unit 13 and/or second units 9 are present. Machines 14, setup stations 14, cleaning stations 14, and measuring stations 14 are understood as the second unit 9.

[0037] Depending on whether the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 is coupled to a trolley 4 and on whether the detection system 11 is coupled to the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 or to the trolley 4, the position of the first high bay station 16 can also be alternatively or simultaneously be traveled to by the trolley 4.

[0038] If the detection system 11 is now in the region of the first position feature 10, the exact position of this position feature 10 is detected by means of the detection system 11. An optionally present difference between the actual value and the detected position of the position feature 10 is then calculated and a correction value is optionally stored. The correction value can in particular be stored when the difference between the actual value and the stored or detected position exceeds a predefined limit value. The storage and retrieval vehicle 3 subsequently travel fully automatically to the individual position features 10, detects them and stores them in the control/regulation unit.

[0039] The method can be repeated with the individual steps for so long until all the high-bay stations 16 have been automatically set up. For this purpose, the position of all the internal units 13 or external units 9 to be taught can be stored at the start of the method, for example by means of CAD data, so that the last two steps of the automatic travel, of the detection of the position of the position features 10 and of the calculation of a difference can thereupon be repeated for all previously stored positions. After the detection of the last stored position of the position feature 10 of the last high bay station 16, the semiautomatic setup of the high-bay store 5 is ended.

[0040] In this respect, a position feature 10 that is configured in the form of a structural element can be associated with each high bay station 16, each machine 14, each setup station 14, each measuring station 14 and/or each cleaning station 14. The structural element can be configured as a continuous opening, preferably a hole or a bore or a surface recess or an elevated portion. The structural element has to be configured such that the detection system 11, preferably the optical detection system, can unambiguously detect it. Such a position feature 10 is likewise preferably arranged on the side of the high bay store 2 directed toward the storage and retrieval vehicle 3. The position recognition can be carried out with the aid of the optical detection system 11, preferably a 2D camera or a 3D camera. The detected stored position is compared within a detection zone 12 of the 2D camera used here and is automatically corrected and stored in the event of differences. An automatic setup or calibration of a system 1 can thus be implemented.

[0041] This embodiment has the advantage that no additional apparatus are required at the high bay store 5 since the continuous openings or recesses can be applied in a time-saving and low-cost manner in the manufacturing method of the high bay store 5 or of the components of the high bay store 5. The position features 10 can be applied directly in the manufacturing method of the high bay store 5 and of the machines 14, measuring stations 14, setup stations 14 or cleaning stations 14 so that no additional assembly effort arises during the assembly.

[0042] The setup of storage and retrieval vehicles 3 takes place with a substantial time effort and in dependence on the number of storage stations 16 in accordance with the prior art. The method in accordance with the invention therefore offers the advantage that no manual setup process is required since the positions can be automatically traveled to with the aid of the trolley 4 or of the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 and can be detected and corrected by the detection system 11, in particular the optical detection system, whereby the correction values of the positions are stored. In addition, the method in accordance with the invention reduces the necessity of manual activities such that the risk through manual errors on the manual traveling in setup mode can be reduced.

[0043] The input theoretical position of the position feature 10 of the first high bay station 16 or the stored positions of all high bay stations 16, machines 14, setup stations 14, measuring stations 14 and/or cleaning stations 14 are automatically traveled to by means of the trolley 4 or by means of the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 and the corresponding position features 10 are detected, preferably with an optical detection system 11, in particular a 2D camera or 3D camera. The relative position of the attached position features 10 with respect to the workpiece support 15 or to the storage stations 16 or to other reference surfaces has to be exactly defined and stored in this respect. After the detection of the stored position, the trolley 4 or the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 can subsequently travel automatically, by means of the stored position, preferably CAD data, to the further high-bay stations 16. The detection system 11, in particular optical detection system, detects and optionally corrects the position feature or their position features 10 and the correction values are stored in the control/regulation device.

[0044] If a first position is initially not known, it is also conceivable to carry out the method such that a machine setup technician travels manually to the first high bay station 16 and hereby inputs the position. The position can in this respect be determined by means of the optical detection system 11 and can be stored in the control/regulation device or can be manually input by the machine setup technician. The position of the attached position features 10 relative to the workpiece support 15 or to the corresponding high bay station 16 has to be exactly defined and stored in this respect.

[0045] It is advantageous in this respect that the putting into operation or the automatic fully automatic and/or semiautomatic setup and/or calibration in accordance with the method and the alignment of the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 can be carried out with the aid of the optical detection system 11 and of the stored positions. It is likewise advantageous that an automatic, correct alignment of the optical detection system 11 with respect to the position features 10 can be carried out on the putting into operation or in the fully automatic and/or semiautomatic setup or calibration in accordance with the method.

[0046] Provision can furthermore advantageously be made that the position features 10 are configured in the form of a continuous opening, preferably in the form of a hole.

[0047] It is furthermore advantageous if the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 and the optical detection system 11 are configured such that in particular the width, the height, and the depth of the high-bay stations 16, machines 14, cleaning stations 14, measuring stations 14 and/or setup stations 14 can be detected or operated independently of the number and of the geometrical configuration. A high flexibility of the system 8 can thus be provided and the storage and retrieval vehicle 3 can be taught automatically and reliably despite a small time effort.

[0048] Provision can furthermore advantageously be made that the detected data are stored in the control/regulation device for determining the position by means of a position feature 10 of the high bay station 16. The detected data can be accessed and used at any time due to the storage. The position correction of the setup process is stored in the control/regulation device and does not require any repeat position detection. This storage has the advantage that, with any possible readjustments, the data already stored in the control/regulation device can be used and corrections only have to be made in the event of differences.

[0049] The pick position 1 likewise in particular comprises a machine 14, a setup station 14, a measuring station 14 and/or a cleaning station 14 that are configured for placing and/or picking machine pallets, other pallets or Euro-pallets as well as other storage product.