Automatic polishing system

Abstract

In an automatic polishing system configured such that under control of a polishing robot and/or a polishing tool by a polishing controller, the polishing tool provides a polishing action on a polishing subject face, a color intensity measurement instrument is provided for measuring an intensity of a specified color in the polishing subject face. Based on the intensity of the specified color measured by this color intensity measurement instrument, the polishing controller controls the polishing robot and/or the polishing tool, so that an amount of polishing work by the polishing tool onto the polishing subject face is adjusted according to the intensity of the specified color.

Claims

1. A polishing system for polishing a polishing subject article including a base material and a surface layer having a color different from the base material, comprising: a polishing tool for carrying out a polishing action on a polishing subject face of the polishing subject article; a color intensity analyzer for measuring intensity of a specified color on the polishing subject face; a rail for allowing the polishing tool and the color intensity analyzer to move along a longitudinal direction of the polishing subject article; and a controller for determining a speed of movement of the polishing tool relative to the polishing subject face based on the intensity of the specified color measured by the color intensity analyzer.

2. The polishing system of claim 1, further comprising a shape measurement instrument for measuring a three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face, wherein the controller controls the polishing tool to move to parts of the polishing subject face one after another based on the three-dimensional shape measured by the shape measurement instrument.

3. The polishing system of claim 2, further comprising a camera for photographing the polishing subject face, wherein the shape measurement instrument measures the three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face based on image data of the polishing subject face obtained by the camera; and the color intensity analyzer measures the intensity of the specified color on the polishing subject face, based on the image data.

4. The polishing system of claim 3, further comprising a measurement robot holding the camera.

5. The polishing system of claim 1, further comprising a shape measurement instrument for measuring a three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face, wherein the controller carries out a first polishing action to the polishing subject face based on the three-dimensional shape measured by the shape measurement instrument, and then carries out a second polishing action to the polishing subject face based on the intensity of the specified color measured by the color intensity analyzer.

6. The polishing system of claim 1, wherein the specified color whose intensity is measured by the color intensity analyzer comprises a plurality of different colors.

7. The polishing system according to claim 1, wherein a first speed of movement of the polishing tool determined when a first intensity of the specified color is measured by the color intensity analyzer is larger than a second speed of movement of the polishing tool determined when a second intensity of the specified color which is larger than the first intensity of the specified color is measured by the color intensity analyzer.

8. The polishing system according to claim 1, wherein the polishing tool and the color intensity analyzer are set side by side along the longitudinal direction of the polishing subject article.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a system configuration of an automatic polishing system,

(2) FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating mode of division of a polishing subject face,

(3) FIG. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing a projection pattern,

(4) FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing a section of a putty coat, and

(5) FIG. 5 is an explanatory view schematically showing intensity distribution of a specified color on a polishing subject face.

EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 shows an automatic polishing system. This automatic polishing system carries out a polishing treatment on a surface of a putty coat formed on a surface of base material of a treatment subject W (a railway car in this example).

(7) Namely, on the surface of a base material (ur) forming the treatment subject W (see FIG. 4), the putty coat (sr) is formed as a first coating treatment for a finish paint. By carrying out a polishing treatment on the surface of this putty coat (sr), a painting first coat suitable for finishing painting of the treatment subject W is formed.

(8) Adjacent the treatment subject W with the putty coat (sr) formed thereon, a measurement robot 1 and a polishing robot 2 are set side by side along a longitudinal direction (d) of the treatment subject W and an arm 1a of the measurement robot 1 holds a measurement camera 3 at its leading end.

(9) Further, an arm 2a of the polishing robot 2 holds a drive rotation type polishing device 4 as a “polishing tool”. This drive rotation type polishing device 4 is configured such that as a polishing rotor 4b rotated by a motor 4a is brought into contact with the surface of the putty coat (sr), the surface of the putty coat (sr) as “polishing subject face A” is polished.

(10) The measurement robot 1 and the polishing robot 2 both are mounted on common rails 5 installed along the treatment subject W and each one of the measurement robot 1 and the polishing robot 2 can move and travel on the common rails 5 along the longitudinal direction (d) of the treatment subject W, under control by a polishing controller 6.

(11) For the polishing treatment, the outer face of the treatment subject W on which the putty coat (sr) is formed is divided in advance into a plurality of polishing subject faces A. In operation, as the polishing controller 6 controls a traveling movement and an arm action of the measurement robot 1, the measurement camera 3 is moved to a predetermined measurement position suitable for photographing a first polishing subject face A and at this measurement position, the measurement camera 3 firstly photographs the first polishing subject face A, as a “first measurement”, in accordance with a control instruction from the polishing controller 6.

(12) Also, in this photographing, a projector 7 mounted to a leading end of the arm 2a of the measurement robot 2 projects a dot-group pattern Pt such as one shown in FIG. 3 onto the first polishing subject face A in accordance with a control instruction from the polishing controller 6. Then, the measurement camera 3 photographs the first polishing subject face A with this dot-group pattern Pt being projected thereon.

(13) The dot-group pattern Pt comprises many dot images (o) arranged in the form of a matrix. The relative positional relations between/among the dot images (o) in the dot-group pattern Pt projected on the polishing subject face A by the projector 7 will change according to the three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face A as the projection plane.

(14) In succession to the first measurement described above, the polishing controller 6 switches the color of irradiation light beam irradiated by the projector 7 onto the first polishing subject face A (namely, the color of the light source of the projector 7) to a different color. In response to this switchover of the color of the irradiation light beam and in accordance with a control instruction from the polishing controller 6, the measurement camera 3 photographs, as a “second measurement”, the respective first polishing subject face A being irradiated with irradiation light beams of the respective colors.

(15) After completion of the first measurement and the second measurement on the first polishing subject faces A, by a traveling movement and an arm action of the measurement robot 1, the measurement camera 3 is moved to a predetermined measurement position suitable for photographing the next second polishing subject face A; and also in succession to this camera movement, by a traveling movement and an arm action of the polishing robot 2, the polishing device 4 is moved to a position suitable for polishing treatment on the first polishing subject face A after the above-described measurements thereof.

(16) Thereafter, the polishing controller 6 controls the polishing robot 2 and the polishing device 4, based on surface condition data Db to be described below which are obtained from image data G1, G2 outputted from the measurement camera 3 in the first and second measurements on the first polishing subject face A, so that as the polishing treatment on the first polishing subject face A, in association with arm movements of the polishing robot 2 (if necessary, arm movements involving also traveling movements of the polishing robot 2), the polishing device 4 is caused to provide a polishing action on respective parts of the first polishing subject face A while moving the polishing device 4 to these respective parts of the first polishing subject face A one after another.

(17) Further, during the polishing treatments on the first polishing subject face A, the first measurement and the second measurement on the second polishing subject face A will be respectively carried out by the measurement camera 3 and the projector 7, like the first and second measurements on the first polishing subject face A described above.

(18) Thereafter, while the polishing device 4 is carrying out a polishing action on one polishing subject face A, the measurement camera 3 and the projector 7 will carry out the first measurement and the second measurement on the next polishing subject face A. In this manner, the polishing controller 6 will carry out the first measurement, the second measurement and the polishing treatment subsequent to these measurements one after another on the respective polishing subject face A.

(19) The first image data G1 (i.e. image data of the polishing subject face A on which the dot-group pattern Pt is projected) outputted from the measurement camera 3 in the first measurement on the respective polishing subject face A is sent to a shape analyzer 8.

(20) In this shape analyzer 8, based on the first image data G1 sent from the measurement camera 3, relative position relations between/among the dot images (o) in the dot-group pattern Pt projected on the polishing subject face A are analyzed, whereby three-dimensional coordinates (α, β, γ) of each dot (q) on the polishing subject face A are calculated. And, the results of these calculations are sent as the three-dimensional shape data Da of the polishing subject face A from the shape analyzer 8 to a color intensity analyzer 9.

(21) Incidentally, as shown schematically in FIG. 4, the three-dimensional coordinates (α, β, γ) of each dot (q) on the polishing subject face A calculated in the shape analyzer 8 consist of position coordinates (α, β) of a corresponding dot (q′) on a reference plane (s) preset based on e.g. design data of the treatment subject W and a height coordinate (γ) of the respective dot (q) in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane (s).

(22) Here, the above-described reference plane (s) is a plane corresponding to the surface of the base material (ur) such as a metal material forming the treatment subject W.

(23) On the other hand, the second image data G2 outputted from the measurement camera 3 in the second measurement on the respective polishing subject face A (i.e. image data of the polishing subject face A with different colors of irradiation light beam) is sent together with the above-described three-dimensional shape data Da (=ϕq (α, β, γ)) outputted from the shape analyzer 8 to the color intensity analyzer 9.

(24) In the color intensity analyzer 9, based on the second image data G2 sent from the measurement camera 3, change in light reflection state at the respective part on the polishing subject face A before/after the switchover of the color of the irradiation light beam is analyzed, whereby an intensity (x) of a specified color Cs at the respective part on the polishing subject face A is calculated.

(25) Further, in the color intensity analyzer 9, by superposing the calculated intensity (x) of the specified color Cs at the respective part on the polishing subject face A on the three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face A, color intensity added three dimensional coordinates (α, β, γ, x) of each dot (q) on the polishing subject face A are calculated and the result of these calculations are sent as surface state data Db of the polishing subject face A from the color intensity analyzer 9 to the polishing controller 6.

(26) Incidentally, in this embodiment, as the specified color Cs described above, the surface color of the base material (ur) forming the polishing subject face W (specifically, the color of the primer layer applied on the surface of the base material (ur)) is selected.

(27) FIG. 5 is a view which schematically shows distribution of the intensities (x) of the above-described specified color Cs. In this embodiment, in the color intensity analyzer 9, the intensity (x) of the specified color Cs at the respective part on the polishing subject face A is classified into 11 (eleven) levels: from 0 to 10, so that the value of the intensity (x) becomes closer to 10 as the specified color Cs becomes stronger, and a part at which the specified color Cs was not measured gives an intensity x=0.

(28) Namely, as the thickness (=γ) of the putty coat (sr) becomes smaller, the intensity of the base material color (specified color Cs) exposed on the surface of the putty coat (sr) through this putty coat (sr) becomes higher, thus the value of the above-described intensity (x) approaching the value of 10 (ten).

(29) Then, the polishing controller 6 controls the polishing robot 2 and the polishing device 4 to carry out polishing treatments on the respective polishing subject faces A one after another, based on this surface state data Db (=ϕq (α, β, γ, x)). More particularly, the polishing controller 6 will control movements of the polishing robot 2 based on the three-dimensional shape data portion (=Da) included in the surface state data Db, while causing the polishing rotor 4b of the polishing device 4 to provide its polishing action at a predetermined rotational speed on the polishing subject face A (=the surface of the putty coat (sr)), thus moving the polishing device 4 along the polishing subject face A.

(30) Also, in the movement of the polishing device 4 along the polishing subject face A, the polishing controller 6 controls actions of the polishing robot 2 based on the surface state data Db (=ϕq (α, β, γ, x)), whereby the higher the intensity (x) of the specified color Cs at the respective part of the polishing subject face A, the greater the movement speed (v) (i.e. passage speed) of the polishing device 4 for the respective part of the polishing subject face A is provided.

(31) Namely, through this adjustment of the movement speed (v), among the respective parts of the polishing subject face A, for a part having a higher intensity (x) of the specified color Cs (=base material color), thus a smaller thickness (γ) of the putty coat (sr), the polishing work amount of the polishing device 4 for this part will be decreased correspondingly. With this, it is possible to avoid the over-polishing trouble occurring when the polishing made by the polishing device 4 inadvertently reaches the base material (ur), thus exposing this base material (ur).

(32) Incidentally, for a part having the intensity x=0, a polishing treatment thereon will be omitted, as this part is presumed to constitute an “opening portion” (i.e. a portion where the base material (ur) is not present), exemplified by a window of the treatment subject W.

(33) As described above, in the automatic polishing system of this embodiment, the measurement camera 3, the projector 7, and the shape analyzer 8 together constitute a “shape measurement instrument M” for measuring a three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face A, and the measurement camera 3, the projector 7 and the color intensity analyzer 9 together constitute a “color intensity measurement instrument N” for measuring the intensity (x) of the specified color Cs in the polishing subject face A.

(34) And, the automatic polishing system of this embodiment is configured basically such that as the polishing controller 6 controls the polishing robot 2 and the polishing device 4 (polishing tool) based on the intensity (x) of the specified color Cs measured by the color intensity measurement instrument N, the polishing work amount of the polishing device 4 on the polishing subject face A is adjusted according to the intensity (x) of the specified color Cs.

Further Embodiments

(35) Next, further embodiments of the present invention will be described one by one.

(36) The polishing controller 6 is configured to carry out an antecedent polishing treatment and a succedent polishing treatment subsequent thereto, as the “polishing treatment” on the polishing subject face A.

(37) And, in the antecedent polishing treatment, based on the three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face A measured by the shape measurement instrument M, the polishing controller 6 controls the polishing robot 2 or the polishing tool 4, such that the polishing work amount of the polishing tool 4 on the respective part of the polishing subject face A may be adjusted according to the three-dimensional shape of the polishing subject face A.

(38) And, in the succedent polishing treatment subsequent thereto, based on the intensity of the specified color Cs of the respective part of the polishing subject face A measured by the color intensity measurement instrument N after the antecedent polishing treatment, the polishing controller 6 controls the polishing robot 2 and/or the polishing tool 4, so that the amounts of polishing works by the polishing tool 4 on the respective parts of the polishing subject face A are adjusted according to the intensities (x) of the specified color (Cs).

(39) The polishing tool 4 can be a drive type polishing device configured to rotate or vibrate its polishing action portion for providing a polishing action on the polishing subject face Aby means of a dedicated drive device or can also be a passive type polishing tool configured to provide a sliding contact polishing action on the polishing subject face A by an action of the polishing robot 2.

(40) Further, in adjusting the polishing work amount of the polishing tool 4 on the polishing subject face A, the method of adjusting the polishing work on the polishing subject face A is not limited to the method of adjusting the polishing work on the polishing subject face A by varying the movement speed of the polishing tool 4 relative to the polishing subject face A as disclosed in the foregoing embodiment, but may also be a method of adjusting the polishing work on the polishing subject face A by varying a rotational speed or a vibration rate per unit time of the polishing action portion in a drive type polishing device or a method of adjusting the polishing work on the polishing subject face A by varying a pressed contact force of the polishing tool 4 relative to the polishing subject face A or varying a polishing rotation speed relative to the polishing subject face A. In this way, various kinds of adjusting methods can be employed.

(41) In the foregoing embodiment, there was disclosed an example in which a surface of a putty coat or a paint coat formed on the surface of the base material (ur) is used as the polishing subject face A. However, the invention is not limited thereto, but the automatic polishing system of the invention may be applied also to a polishing treatment on any polishing subject W that has a lower layer portion (ur) having a different color from an outer layer portion (sr) is present beneath the outer layer portion (sr) whose surface constitutes the treatment subject face A.

(42) The specified color Cs any be either the color of the lower layer portion (ur) such as the base material or the color of the outer layer portion (sr), or can also be a plurality of different colors.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(43) The automatic polishing system according to the present invention can be used for a polishing treatment of various kinds of treatment subjects in a variety of fields.

DESCRIPTION OF SIGNS

(44) 4: polishing device (polishing tool) 2: polishing robot 6: polishing controller A: polishing subject face Cs: specified color x: intensity N (3, 7, 9): color intensity measurement instrument M (3, 7, 9): shape measurement instrument 3: camera 7: projector 8: shape analyzer 9: color intensity analyzer G1, G2: image data 1: measurement robot v: movement speed