Design And Optimization Of Robotic Tool Changer

Nowadays,industrial robot plays an important role in the field of manufacturing.To further improve the efficiency of industrial robots,make robots move towards the direction of modularity,reconfiguration,install tool changer at the end of the robot arm,robot can change its end effector based on command to realize many functions and improve robotic flexibility and to reduce the production cost of enterprises.Recently research on robotic tool changer is focused on the components structural design,displacement tolerance analysis and control design,little research has been done in dynamic simulation,reliability analysis and assembly variation analysis.In addition,through the survey of enterprises,steel balls in the system have swayed,the master plate fixed on the robotic arm can not lock and pick up the tool plate reliably in practical work,it also can not ensure normal operation of robot.The major issues in robotic tool changer research are how to ensure couple or change end effector steadily to perform different operations.This article analyzed and studied the problems existed in the operation of robotic tool changer according to current research and products in the markets,a new robotic tool changer was proposed based on mechanical design theories,and the design and optimization of robotic tool changer is presented in detail.The paper's main works are as follows:(1)Review the history and research background of robotic tool changer,investigate and analysis the current problems in using robotic tool changer;(2)Propose an improved scheme of robotic tool changer,with disc spring and air pressure switching approach to connect or disconnect the master plate and tool plate,promote the systematic stability and reliability;(3)With the help of Standard Handbook of Mechanical Design,calculate the structaire parameters of robotic tool changer,using UG9.0 plot software to establish 3D model;(4)The dynamic simulation analysis is carried out,the acting force of the spring,the displacement,velocity and acceleration of components and so on are obtained after simulation,the sleeve is used as a flexible part to establish rigid-flexible coupling model,carry out the dynamic simulation of rigid-flexible coupling state,verify that the strength of the sleeve meet requirements or not;(5)In satisfying the structural strength condition,analysis and optimize the assembly variation of key mechanism in robotic tool changer,so as to shorten the development cycle and improve product quality.