Abstract: An industrial robot system including at least one industrial robot including a manipulator and a control unit for controlling the manipulator, a portable operator control device for teaching and manually operating a robot. The portable operator control device includes safety equipment including an enabling device, which upon activation enables manual operation of the robot by the portable operator control device. The portable operator control device is adapted for wireless communication with the control unit, and a detecting unit that detects when the portable operator control device enters an area defined in the vicinity of the manipulator. The robot includes an enabling function which upon activation enables the enabling device of the portable operator control device, and upon deactivation disables the enabling device. The robot system is adapted to automatically activate the enabling function of the robot upon detecting that the portable operator control device enters the defined area.
Abstract: A furnace plant including at least one furnace vessel comprising side walls, a bottom and a roof. At least one heater is configured to heat metal in the furnace vessel. A compartment includes sidewalls lined with refractory material. The compartment forms an extension of the furnace vessel. At least one electromagnetic stirrer is arranged outside and adjacent to the compartment. A refractory plate is arranged inside the compartment. The refractory plate includes an upper edge configured to be positioned below a meniscus of molten metal and includes a lower edge positioned spaced apart from a bottom of the compartment. The plate is arranged such that a gap between the plate and a wall of the compartment increases toward the bottom of the compartment.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 9, 2008
Date of Patent:
October 25, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Bengt Rydholm, Erik Svensson, Alf Lundström, Helmut Hackl, Olof Sjödén, Jan-Erik Eriksson, Tord Kroon, Tord Lindblad
Abstract: A method for controlling a multi-axis industrial robot or manipulator arranged with a robot control unit. The robot or the control unit includes at least one first computer running a servo controller. A motion limit is configured for at least one axis of the robot arm. A reference signal for a robot position is sent to a robot controller together with a measurement of a position of the robot arm. The reference position is processed and the measured position and the processed reference position are then compared in an evaluator for the purpose of limiting the motion of an arm of the robot.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 14, 2006
Date of Patent:
October 11, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Magnus Hellberg, Mats Thulin, Michael Fors, Pierre Mikaelsson, Tommy Thors, Sönke Kock, Kevin Behnisch, Peter Eriksson, Jan Bredahl, Bo Toresson
Abstract: A method for reducing the influence of a DC component in a load current of an asynchronous three-phase motor, in which the voltages of two of the three phases are controlled by adjusting firing angles of semiconductor devices of the type turning-off at zero-crossing of the current therethrough comprises the steps carried out for each said controlled phase: detecting turn-off times of the semiconductor devices, calculating a value of a change of firing angle of the semiconductor devices needed for changing the length of the time period between two subsequent turn-off times for compensating for the influence of a DC component, and determining the firing angle of said semiconductor devices in dependence of the result of this calculation.
Abstract: Method for controlling a flow of molten steel in a mould by applying at least one magnetic field to the molten steel in a continuous slab casting machine. Controlling a molten steel flow velocity on a molten steel bath surface to a predetermined molten steel flow velocity by applying a static magnetic field to impart a stabilizing and braking force to a discharge flow from an immersion nozzle when the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus is higher than a mould powder entrainment critical flow velocity. Controlling the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus to a range of from an inclusion adherence critical flow velocity or more to a mould powder entrainment critical flow velocity or less by applying a shifting magnetic field to increase the molten steel flow when the molten steel flow velocity on the meniscus is lower than the inclusion-adherence critical flow velocity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 6, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 12, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Anders Lehman, Helmut Hackl, Jan-Erik Eriksson, Olof Sjoden
Abstract: A machine includes an inner air-cooled rotor and an outer liquid-cooled stator, in which the stator includes a radial cooling arrangement arranged to convey a cooling liquid radially in the stator.
Abstract: A method for stabilization of the power balance in an electric power system including a number of nodes. An instantaneous value of the mains frequency of the electric power system is sensed. In dependence on the frequency deviation of the instantaneous value from a reference frequency value, a selected part of the electric power system, connected in a node, is disconnected in the node. A voltage amplitude value is sensed in the node. A measure of the magnitude of the deviation of the voltage amplitude value from a reference amplitude value is formed. A time lag is formed in dependence on the measure of the magnitude. The part of the electric power system is disconnected in dependence on the time lag.
Abstract: A control system for a plurality of mechanical units, namely robots and/or external axes. A manually-operated control, such as a joy-stick or key panel, is adapted to move at least one of the mechanical units or part thereof. The control system includes an indicator adapted to indicate whether the at least one mechanical unit or part thereof that is to be moved is associated with any other mechanical unit(s) or part(s) thereof and consequently indicate that movement of the at least one mechanical unit or part thereof will also result in the movement of the indicated associated mechanical unit(s) or part(s) thereof.
Abstract: A control device and system for controlling a suspended load of a container crane with a trolley, a spreader and load lines arranged in a four point suspension for lifting a load and an optical sensor for sensing a deflection position of an orthogonal axis of a container suspended under the spreader. Two or more actuators are arranged attached to at least one load for moving at least one said suspension point closer to or farther away from an imaginary center line by shortening and/or lengthening the at least one load line.
Abstract: A system including a number of intelligent devices connected to each other through a network. The devices are adapted for interacting with each other and automatically discovering new devices by sending and receiving messages over the network. Each intelligent device has a hardware and a software unit. The network includes a plurality of connections having different comminications protocols. The software unit includes a module for discovering a new connection between the devices, identifying the communication protocol of the new connection, and creating a channel adapted for sending and receiving messages between the devices over the determined communication protocol.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 24, 2002
Date of Patent:
May 3, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Anders Risberg, Robert Majanen, Xiaohong Jin, Mattias Rehnman
Abstract: A method for adaptive compensation of a temperature drift of a sensor, designed to measure the torque of a shaft or a drive train or the force in mechanical equipment during operation. A sensor signal is recurrently measured. An associated temperature is determined. An offset value is calculated as a function of temperature based on measured and stored data. The measured signal value is compensated using the calculated offset value. When the sensor is unloaded or nearly unloaded is detected. When the sensor is unloaded or nearly unloaded the signal sensor signal value and the associated temperature value are stored in a memory and a model of the sensor offset is updated. A system and computer program product for adaptive compensation of the temperature drift of such a sensor signal offset.
Abstract: A method and a device for tuning and control of industrial processes having varying material flow rate. An adder is configured to add excitation signals to the controller output signal. A measurement system is configured to measure a property in response to the excitation signals. A model based tuning unit is adapted to estimate the value of at least one parameter with unknown value of a process model structure describing the effect of varying material flow rate, based on the measurements of the property and the output signal from the controller, and to calculate a model that describes the dynamics from controller output to controller input based on the estimated value of the parameter, and to perform model based tuning of the controller based on the model that describes the dynamics from controller output to controller input.
Abstract: An industrial robot including a manipulator, a control unit for controlling the manipulator, a portable operating unit for teaching and manually operating the robot, which operating unit is adapted for wireless communication with the control unit and including an operator control. The transmissions may be made wirelessly with redundant software processes for transmission and/or reception. Safety is increased by ensuring that the operator is within the specified operating area.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 2005
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Ralph Sjöberg, Nick Warren, Jan Endresen, Erik Carlson
Abstract: A device for adjusting the backlash in bevel gears in an industrial robot which includes a first conical gear wheel with a first axis of rotation and a second conical gear wheel. The device includes a displaceably arranged holder member adapted to fix and rotatably journal the first gear wheel for rotation about the first axis of rotation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 21, 2008
Date of Patent:
April 19, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Jan Larsson, Stefan Danielsson, Mats Olsson
Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lock device, such as for safety functions, which includes a displaceable lock bolt, which can cooperate with a receiver in order to provide a locked position and unlocked position. The lock bolt includes a guide portion in a second lock bolt portion which, in response to a guiding device applying a force to the lock bolt, guides the lock bolt from the unlocked position to the locked position. The guiding device, in the locked position, is prevented from displacing the lock bolt to the unlocked position. The lock bolt is arranged to be displaced from the locked position to the unlocked position through influence of an external force applied to a first lock bolt portion.
Abstract: An actuator device including a holder element provided to be fixed against a device operated on by the actuator device. An actuator body is displaceable in a longitudinal direction along the holder element. A guide member is provided so as to guide the actuator body along the holder element. The actuator body includes a first part that is operable from outside the actuator device, and a second part that is movable in the longitudinal direction in relation to the first part. The actuator body is displaceable to a first, non-actuated position, in which the first part and the second part of the body are movable in the longitudinal direction and a second, actuated position, in which the second part is rotationally displaced in relation to the first part and abuts an abutment surface on the holder element such that motion of the second part in the longitudinal direction towards the first position is inhibited.
Abstract: A look-up function and query capability of aspects associated with aspect objects is enabled in a client device. A web client application, such as a web browser, executes in the client device. The aspects are associated with functions of real world objects such as pumps, motors, mixing units, compressors, conveyors, transformers or switchgears. The client device does not need to be pre-loaded with any specific software relating to a control system other than the web browser.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 16, 2003
Date of Patent:
January 25, 2011
Assignee:
ABB AB
Inventors:
Magne Hansen, Thomas Pauly, Johan Andersson