Method for Moving a Manipulator and Apparatus having a Manipulator

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for moving a manipulator in space along a predefinable movement path with a plurality of individual movements to be carried out one after another in a predefined order, wherein, during the movement of the manipulator along the movement path, during and/or after each individual movement carried out, a reverse movement path is determined, along which, from an intermediate position which the manipulator has reached during and/or after the individual movement carried out last, the manipulator can traverse the individual movements previously carried out, backward in each case and in an order opposite to the predefined order, and to an apparatus having manipulator.

Claims

1. A method for moving a manipulator in space along a predefinable movement path, the method comprising: operating the manipulator to carry out a plurality of individual movements one after another in a predefined order; and determining, at least one of during and after each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements, a reverse movement path, along which, from an intermediate position that the manipulator has reached at least one of during and after the individual movement in the plurality of individual that was carried out last, the manipulator can traverse individual movements in the plurality of individual movements that have been previously carried out, backward in each case and in an order opposite to the predefined order.

2. The method according to claim 1, the determining of the reverse movement path further comprising: determining the reverse movement path such that, when traversing backward along the reverse movement path, at least one of the individual movements in the plurality of individual movements can be at least one of changed and skipped.

3. The method according to claim 1, the determining of the reverse movement path further comprising: determining the reverse movement path such that, when traversing backward along the reverse movement path, operating parameters of the manipulator are changed as compared with the corresponding operating parameters used when traversing forward along the predefinable movement path.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining, during the determination of the reverse movement path, for each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements that define the reverse movement path, operating parameters of the manipulator used during the corresponding individual movement in the plurality of individual movements when traversing forward along the predefinable movement path.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining, when traversing backward along the reverse movement path, at least one of during and after each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements, a forward movement path, along which, from a further intermediate position that the manipulator has reached at least one of during and after the individual movement in the plurality of individual movements that was carried out last while traversing backwards along the reverse movement path, the manipulator can traverse the individual movements in the plurality of individual movements previously carried out while traversing backward along the reverse movement path, in each case forward and in the predefined order.

6. The method according to claim 5, the determining of the forward movement path further comprising: determining the forward movement path such that, when traversing forward along the forward movement path, at least one of the individual movements in the plurality of individual movements can be at least one of changed and skipped.

7. The method according to claim 5, the determining of the forward movement path further comprising: determining the forward movement path such that, when traversing forward along the forward movement path, operating parameters of the manipulator are changed as compared with the corresponding operating parameters used when traversing forward along the predefinable movement path.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: determining, during the determination of the forward movement path, for each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements that define the forward movement path, the operating parameters of the manipulator used during the corresponding individual movement in the plurality of individual movements when traversing forward along the predefinable movement path.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: using an apparatus comprising the manipulator, the apparatus being at least one of a lathe, a milling machine, a CNC machine, a jet cutting machine, a winding machine, a handling machine, and an industrial robot.

10. A computing unit for moving a manipulator in space along a predefinable movement path, the computing unit being configured to: operate the manipulator to carry out a plurality of individual movements one after another in a predefined order; and determine, at least one of during and after each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements, a reverse movement path, along which, from an intermediate position that the manipulator has reached at least one of during and after the individual movement in the plurality of individual that was carried out last, the manipulator can traverse individual movements in the plurality of individual movements that have been previously carried out, backward in each case and in an order opposite to the predefined order.

11. The computing unit according to claim 10, wherein the computing unit is configured to execute a computer program.

12. The computing unit according to claim 10, wherein the computer program is stored on a machine-readable storage medium.

13. An apparatus comprising: a manipulator; and a computing unit operably connected to operate the manipulator, the computing unit configured to: operate the manipulator to carry out a plurality of individual movements one after another in a predefined order; and determine, at least one of during and after each individual movement in the plurality of individual movements, a reverse movement path, along which, from an intermediate position that the manipulator has reached at least one of during and after the individual movement in the plurality of individual that was carried out last, the manipulator can traverse individual movements in the plurality of individual movements that have been previously carried out, backward in each case and in an order opposite to the predefined order.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The disclosure is illustrated schematically in the drawing by using an exemplary embodiment and will be described extensively below with reference to the drawing.

[0022] FIGS. 1a and 1b show, schematically, an apparatus having manipulator according to the disclosure in a preferred embodiment in plan view and side view.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows, schematically, a sequence of a method according to the disclosure in a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In FIGS. 1a and 1b, an apparatus 100 having manipulator 110 according to the disclosure in a preferred embodiment is illustrated schematically in plan view (FIG. 1a) and side view (FIG. 1b). The apparatus 100 is, by way of example, a CNC machine with plasma cutter. While the apparatus 100 comprises the entire structure, the manipulator 110 designates only the movable part of the apparatus.

[0025] The apparatus 100 has a table 140, on which the manipulator 110 is located. Here, the manipulator 110 has a first rail 120, along which a carriage 123 is arranged such that it can be moved. Arranged on the carriage 123 in turn is a second rail 121, which can be moved on the carriage 123 in a direction perpendicular to the second rail 120.

[0026] At the end of the second rail 121 that is directed toward the center of the table 140 there is arranged a cutting tool 130, which can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the table 140 and therefore perpendicular both to the first rail 120 and to the second rail 121. At the end facing the table 140, the cutting tool 130 has a nozzle 135 for a plasma jet. Feed lines to the plasma nozzle are not shown here for reasons of clarity. Also shown is a workpiece 150, which is arranged on the table 140 and which, for example, can be a metal plate which is to be cut along a predefined line 155 by means of the cutting tool 130.

[0027] In order then to machine, i.e. to cut, the workpiece 150 by means of the apparatus 100, the cutting tool 130 can be guided along the line 155 by means of the manipulator. In the present case, the movement path of the manipulator 110 that is to be carried out for this purpose is a two-dimensional movement path along the coordinates x and y. The apparatus 100 has a computing unit 145 for this purpose, for example a control unit, on which there is a suitable program, according to which the manipulator 110 can be moved appropriately and the cutting tool 130 can be operated appropriately.

[0028] Likewise, three-dimensional movement paths are also conceivable, for example in the case of a CNC mill, a handling machine or an industrial robot. In particular in handling machines or industrial robots, the movement paths can also comprise movements which are described by angles of robot arms.

[0029] In FIG. 2, a sequence of a method according to the disclosure is now illustrated schematically in a preferred embodiment. A predefinable movement sequence 200 comprises, by way of example, the individual movements 201 to 207, which are to be executed and to be traversed one after another in the order shown.

[0030] The movement path 200 can be predefined, for example by the line 155 shown in FIG. 1a. The individual movements 201 to 207 of the manipulator can be composed in such a way that first of all the rectangle shown on the left-hand side of the workpiece 150 shown in FIG. 1a is cut out and then the line 155 is followed as far as the right-hand side of the workpiece 150.

[0031] The movement path 200 can be predefined by means of a program, for example an NC program according to DIN 66025. The program can be processed by interpretation in the computing unit 145. For the individual movements 201 to 207, in particular there can be individual commands in the program. For the individual movements 201 to 207 and the movement path 200, additional specific operating parameters which, for example, predefine the driving of the cutting tool 130, can be provided.

[0032] During the movement of the manipulator and thus during the traversing of the movement path 200, for example following each individual movement, a reverse movement path is then determined, along which, from a respective intermediate position which the manipulator has reached after the individual movement carried out last, for example, the manipulator can traverse the individual movements previously carried out, backward in each case and in an order opposite to the predefined order. The reverse movement path can be processed by interpretation in the computing unit 145.

[0033] The reverse movement path 210 shows, for example, a reverse movement path which has been determined after the individual movement 203. Here, the reverse movement path 210 comprises the individual movements 201 to 203 which, beginning with the individual movement 203, can be traversed to the individual movements 201. The reverse movement path is composed of individual commands for the converse travel over the individual movements of the movement path that have previously been traversed.

[0034] The individual movements of the reverse movement path 210 correspond to the individual movements of the movement path 200 but in the converse direction. If, for example, the individual movement 201 comprises a movement of 10 cm in the positive x direction, then the individual movement 201 comprises a movement of 10 cm in the negative x direction.

[0035] The reverse movement path 211 shows, for example, a reverse movement path which was determined after the individual movement 207. Here, the reverse movement path 211 comprises the individual movements 201 to 207 which, beginning with the individual movement 207, can be traversed to the individual movements 201.

[0036] It is also shown that, when traversing the reverse movement path 211, although the individual movements 207 to 201 can be traversed one after another, for example the individual movements 203 and 202 can also be skipped. It is therefore also possible, for example, for a movement which, within the context of the predefinable movement path, is carried out between two identical positions, for example the cutting out of the rectangle according to the line 155 in FIG. 1a, to be skipped.

[0037] In this way, it is possible for unnecessary and/or undesired movements to be avoided when traversing the reverse movement path. Furthermore, provision can be made for the individual movements to be changed to the effect that the cutting tool 130 is raised during the reverse movement path. In this way, for example, damage to the workpiece can be avoided. This is particularly expedient, for example, in the case of a CNC mill, in which the milling head is raised.

[0038] Provision can also be made that, for each individual movement of the reverse movement path, the corresponding operating parameters of the predefinable movement path 200 are determined. Thus, for example, upon reaching a desired position, the cutting operation can be continued with the suitable operating parameters.

[0039] Also shown now is a forward movement path 220 which, by way of example, is determined iteratively after each individual movement when traversing the reverse movement path 211. The forward movement 220 for the instant shown comprises the individual movements 205 to 207. The forward movement path is composed of individual commands for the converse travel over the individual movements of the reverse movement path that have previously been traversed.

[0040] These individual movements can be carried out in the predefined order, as can the corresponding individual movements in the predefinable movement path 200. Likewise, the individual movements of the forward movement path 220 correspond with regard to their direction to the individual movements of the predefinable movement path 200.

[0041] As is also the case in the reverse movement path, one or more individual movements, for example, can be changed and/or skipped during the forward movement path. In addition, the operating parameters can be determined. The forward movement path can also be processed by interpretation in the computing unit 145. In the method proposed, a changeover between the predefinable movement path, i.e. normal operation, the reverse movement path and the forward movement path, is thus possible, for example also at any time.