Continuous casting method and apparatus for implementing same method

In a continuous casting apparatus including a mold and a multi-functional robot said robot further comprising:

• a multi-articulated support arm, said support arm being freely rotatable and vertically movable, and having at its distal end an automatic tool changer mechanism, and a drive controller for driving said support arm;
• at least one visual sensor disposed near a working region of said support arm for picking up images of the working region of said robot;
• a load sensor disposed near said automatic tool changer mechanism for detecting the load exerted on a tip end of a tool;
• a process detecting sensor for detecting operating conditions of said continuous casting process to be handled by said robot;
• and
• a synthetic judgement controller which includes:
• a) an input means for receiving input signals from said visual, load and process detecting sensors.
• b) a judging means for processing said input signals in accordance with a previously established sequence, and judging situations in working contents of said robot and the working region of said robot at a current time;
• c) a setting means for pre-setting priority of working positions and the working contents based on current operating conditions of the process to be handled by said robot and situations in the working region of said robot;
• d) a comparing and deciding means for comparing respective signals from said judging means and said setting section with each other, and scheduling and deciding the highest-priority or a most efficient working content dependent on the current situations;
• and
• e) a control means for issuing at least one of a tool change command signal to said automatic tool changer mechanism, a drive control signal to said support arm drive controller, and a control signal to control said process based on decision of the working contents made by said comparing and deciding means.