System and method for robot-assisted mold surface finishing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for robot-assisted mold surface finishing. A method of performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component includes: (a) generating an image of the surface of the component; (b) comparing the image of the surface of the component to a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify a target area to be finished; (c) selecting, by a controller, one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation on the target area; (d) operating, by the robot, a selected one of the plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation; (e) measuring the surface roughness of the target area; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) until the surface roughness of the target region satisfies a predetermined value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to industrial automation systems, and more particularly to vision-based autonomous robotic tool systems. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] In the mold manufacturing process, finishing the mold surface is the last step and is usually performed by hand using a honing stone and / or sandpaper. Manual polishing is time-consuming, and depending on each worker's personal experience and process skills, the finishing results may not be consistent. In addition, the surface roughness of manually polished molds may not always meet the surface roughness requirements.

[0004] Problems associated with finishing mold surfaces by hand are addressed in the present disclosure. Summary of the invention

[0005] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0006] In one form, a method for performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component is provided. The method includes: (a) generating an image of the surface of the component; (b) comparing the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify a target area to be finished; (c) selecting, by a controller, one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation on the target area; (d) operating, by a robot, the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation; (e) measuring the surface roughness of the target area; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) until the surface roughness of the target area satisfies a predetermined value.

[0007] In other features, the finishing operation performed by the selected one of the tools is performed based on operating parameters pre-stored in a memory of the controller and associated with the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools.

[0008] In yet other features, the method further comprises: measuring the contact pressure between the selected one of the finishing tools and the surface of the component, and adjusting the operating parameters when the contact pressure exceeds a threshold; scanning the surface of the component; generating the image of the surface of the component based on the scan data and / or generating a surface finishing map in real time during the finishing operation; and comparing the surface finishing map with the CAD model to determine whether the finishing operation is completed; processing voice input from an operator and controlling the robot based on the voice input; monitoring the finishing operation by measuring the contact pressure between the selected one of the multiple tools and the component and / or the current draw of the selected one of the finishing tools; and moving by an autonomous navigation platform on which the robot is mounted so that the robot moves around the component.

[0009] In still other features, the target region is determined when a difference in geometry between the CAD model and the image of the surface of the part exceeds a threshold.

[0010] In another form, a method of performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component is provided. The method includes: generating an image of the surface of the component; comparing the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify a target area to be finished; selecting, by a controller, one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation on the target area; operating, by a robot, the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation; processing, by a controller, a voice input from an operator; and adjusting, by a controller, the finishing operation based on the voice input.

[0011] In other features, the method further comprises pre-storing operating parameters corresponding to a plurality of finishing tools in a memory and operating the robot based on the operating parameters corresponding to a selected one of the tools for performing a particular finishing operation. The controller is configured to include an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled program that iteratively evaluates and adjusts the operating parameters based on voice input from an operator, data related to the geometry of the surface of the part, and the measured surface roughness of the target area.

[0012] In yet another form, a system for performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component is provided. The system includes: an autonomous navigation platform; a robot mounted on the autonomous navigation platform; a vision system configured to acquire an image of the surface of the component; a tool system including a plurality of finishing tools for a plurality of finishing operations; and a controller. The controller is configured to: compare the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component; identify a target area based on the comparison between the CAD model and the image; and select one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform a selected one of the finishing operations.

[0013] The controller includes a memory having a plurality of sets of operating parameters corresponding to the plurality of finishing operations stored therein. The robot is configured to operate the selected one of the tools to perform the selected one of the finishing operations based on a set of the operating parameters corresponding to the selected one of the finishing operations. The system further includes a voice input device, wherein the controller is configured to process a voice input from the operator through the voice input device, and is configured to operate the selected one of the finishing tools based on the voice input.

[0014] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order that the present disclosure may be better understood, various forms of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a finishing system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a main controller of a finishing system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure; and

[0018] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method of performing a finishing operation on a mold surface in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0019] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts and features.

[0021] refer to Figure 1 A finishing system 20 for performing finishing operations on a surface of a mold 22 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure includes a robot 24 and an autonomous navigation platform 26, the robot 24 being mounted on the autonomous navigation platform for moving the robot 24 around the mold 22. The robot 24 includes a vision system 28, a sensing system 30, a tool system 32, a voice input device 34, a wireless communication module 36 (i.e., a communication link), and a main controller 38, the main controller being configured to control the various systems / devices / components of the robot 24 and the operation of the autonomous navigation platform 26.

[0022] The autonomous navigation platform 26 (hereinafter referred to as the "platform") may be an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and includes a platform controller 40 for controlling various components / devices (not shown) of the platform 26. The platform controller 40 communicates with the main controller 38 and is configured to control the movement of the platform 26 in response to data received from the main controller 38.

[0023] The robot 24 can be a collaborative robot (i.e., a "cobot") that can work with humans in a shared workspace. The robot 24 is configured to autonomously move to various positions around the mold 22 so that the end effector of the tool system 32 can perform the desired finishing operation on the target area to be finished on the mold surface. The main controller 38 can be an onboard controller to provide the required calculations and data processing. Alternatively, the main controller 38 can have some parts installed in the robot 24 and other parts that are set in an external device or cloud and communicate with the onboard controller through the wireless communication module 36. The main controller 38 is configured to control the operation of various components installed on the robot 24 and the movement of the platform 26 through the platform controller 40 to partially or completely autonomously perform finishing operations on the mold surface. The control performed by the main controller 38 can be based on pre-stored data in the main controller 38, data obtained from the vision system 28, data obtained from the sensing system 30, and / or voice input from the operator. It should be understood that although the finishing system 20 is described as performing a finishing operation on a mold 22, the finishing system 20 can be used to perform a finishing operation on a surface of a component other than a mold, or to perform another surface treatment operation on a surface of a component or mold without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the finishing system can be used with no or slight modification to perform other surface treatment operations, such as electropolishing and chemical etching or shot blasting.

[0024] The vision system 28 includes one or more cameras, such as a two-dimensional (2D) camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a stereo vision camera, an infrared sensor, a radar scanner, a stereo / RGB-D scanner, an optical scanner, a laser scanner, a blue light scanner, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, and / or an ultrasonic sensor. The vision system 28 is configured to scan the surface of the mold 22 and acquire an image of the mold surface based on the scan data. The image of the mold surface shows the global geometry of the mold surface. The vision system 28 may also include an object detection device configured to detect obstacles on or around the robot, such as an optical micrometer or a laser micrometer. The vision system 28 is also configured to identify target areas that require finishing and surface normals that do not require finishing.

[0025] The sensing system 30 includes a plurality of sensors for measuring the contact pressure between the finishing tool and the mold surface, the contour / geometry of the mold surface, and the surface roughness of the mold, in particular the surface roughness of the target area. The sensing system 30 may include a laser or lidar surface profiler for obtaining the surface roughness of the mold surface, and for obtaining the measured value of the local geometry of the area of ​​the mold surface (such as the radius of the convex part or the radius of the concave part on the mold surface, the contour and geometry of the target area). The sensing system 30 may include a pressure sensor in the form of a contact probe to monitor the contact pressure between the mold surface and the finishing tool during the finishing operation. The sensors of the sensing system 30 may be mounted on the robot 24, or some or all of the sensing system 30 may be infrastructure-based sensing for navigation and operation. The sensors of the sensing system 30 may be used to obtain accurate measurements of local areas of the mold surface, while the vision system 28 may be used to obtain the global geometry of the mold surface to save time.

[0026] The data acquired by the vision system 28 and the sensing system 30 may be transmitted to the main controller 38 via the wireless communication module 36 for further processing and comparison.

[0027] The tool system 32 includes a plurality of interchangeable end effectors, which include a plurality of finishing tools. The plurality of finishing tools are operated to perform different types and grades of finishing operations, including but not limited to grinding (for rough finishing), sanding (for Class A surface finishing), honing, polishing, buffing, and sandblasting. The plurality of finishing tools may include grinding wheels, sandpaper, honing stones, sand grinders, and polishers with different mesh sizes for different finish grades. The sandpaper and honing stones may be dry for rough finishing, or may be immersed in oil for final finishing. Honing stones are typically used for Class A surface finishing. The finishing tools may also include non-abrasive pads for removing dirt when the mold surface is coated with a protective coating such as chrome.

[0028] The voice input device 34 may include a microphone and be configured to receive voice commands from an operator.

[0029] refer to Figure 2 The main controller 38 includes various modules / devices to control and monitor the finishing operations performed by the robot 24 on the mold surface. The main controller 38 includes a memory 50, a comparison and determination module 52, a platform control module 54, a tool system control module 56, a voice input processing module 58, and an operating parameter adjustment module 60. It should be understood that one or more of these modules can be located in the same location or distributed in different locations and are communicatively coupled accordingly. In one form, the modules of the main controller 38 use wired and / or wireless communication protocols (e.g., type protocol, cellular protocol, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) type protocol, near field communication (NFC) protocol, ultra-wideband (UWB) protocol, etc.) can be communicatively coupled.

[0030] The memory 50 is configured to store data required for the finishing operation of the mold 22. The data stored in the memory 50 may include, but is not limited to, CAD models of the surfaces of various molds with target measurements and target surface roughness, a central tool library that maps different types of finishing operations to multiple finishing tools, and multiple sets of operating parameters corresponding to the multiple finishing operations and finishing tools. For example, one of the multiple molds may require a Class A surface, while another mold in the multiple molds 22 may require a Class B surface. The Class A surface is a visual surface with an aesthetic appearance and has curvature continuity without any features such as ribs, buckles, protrusions, etc., so a higher surface smoothness is required. The Class B surface refers to an invisible surface, which may have features such as ribs, protrusions, buckles, etc. and has tangent continuity and therefore has a relatively large surface roughness. In addition, the CAD models of different molds can be classified as Class A parts (external parts) or Class B parts (internal parts). The CAD model can also identify features as convex or concave parts, where only convex features require better surface finish.

[0031] The comparison and determination module 52 is configured to: receive an image from the vision system 28; retrieve a CAD model corresponding to the mold 22 from the memory 50; identify one or more target areas to be finished when the difference in contour or geometry between the CAD image and the image from the vision system 28 exceeds a threshold; and select a desired finishing operation from a plurality of finishing operations and select a finishing tool from the plurality of finishing tools to perform the desired finishing operation. After the target area is identified, data related to the target area can be transmitted to a control module (not shown) for a fiducial marker or physical marker to mark the target area.

[0032] The image of the surface from the vision system 28 shows the current measurement of the mold surface. The CAD model stored in the memory 50 shows the target measurement of the mold surface. The comparison and determination module 52 is configured to match key points (such as convex parts or concave parts) with CAD geometry to automatically calibrate before comparison. Based on the comparison, the target area to be finished and the amount of material to be removed can be determined. The target area can be marked by different color code depths indicating the amount of material to be removed. Alternatively, the robot 24 can use a blue mold ruler to check the surface level and identify areas that need more polishing. The comparison and determination module 52 can also use CAD or scanned images to extract the radius in the key area. If the radius is less than a certain value, the area needs a better finish.

[0033] The platform control module 54 is configured to determine the desired movement of the robot 24 after identifying the target areas and then transmit the data to the platform controller 40 of the platform 26 which in turn controls the platform 26 to move about the mold 22 to a position proximate one of the target areas.

[0034] The tool system control module 56 is configured to perform the trained finishing operation by operating the finishing tool selected from the plurality of finishing tools based on the determination of the comparison and determination module 52 and based on the operating parameters stored in the memory 50 and corresponding to the selected finishing tool. The operating parameters stored in the memory 50 may be pre-stored before the start of the finishing operation and may be updated by the operating parameter adjustment module 60 during and after the finishing operation in consideration of actual conditions of the finishing operation.

[0035] The voice input processing module 58 is configured to process voice commands from the operator through the voice input device 34 (such as a microphone). For example, the voice commands from the operator may be "Use grindstone X or sandpaper Y to polish the area in the red box", "Stop", "Move left", "Move right", "Move back", "Polish lighter", and "Polish harder". The operator may work alongside the robot 24 and help the main controller 38 identify the target area to be finished and assist in training the main controller 38 by using markers to draw a box around the area that needs to be finished.

[0036] After processing the voice commands from the operator, the voice input processing module 58 is configured to send data associated with these voice inputs to another one or more modules of the main controller 38 to execute the voice commands. For example, the voice input processing module 58 can send data related to the voice commands to the platform control module 54 to move the robot around the mold 22. The voice input processing module 58 can send data related to the voice commands to the tool system control module 56 to adjust the operation of the finishing tool, such as adjusting the angle, height, speed of the finishing tool. The voice input processing module 58 may include a program (such as ChatGPT) that is trained to follow and interpret the voice commands from the operator and interact with the operator. By using voice commands, the main controller 38 can control the finishing tool and can be better trained with the assistance of the operator based on the operator's experience and / or data displayed on the control panel (not shown) of the finishing system 20.

[0037] The operating parameter adjustment module 60 is configured to adjust operating parameters corresponding to a plurality of finishing operations based on data from the vision system 28, the sensing system 30, and data from the voice input processing module 58. The operating parameters of a particular finishing tool for a particular finishing operation may be set based on ideal conditions for the finishing operation, and may not achieve optimal results under actual conditions. The operating parameter adjustment module 60 may include an AI-based program that can be trained with data from the vision system 28, the sensing system 30, and the voice input processing module 58 to learn to adjust the operating parameters to achieve better finishing results.

[0038] For example, during a finishing operation, the selected finishing tool may be unable to maintain a predetermined contact pressure with the mold surface to perform the desired finishing operation. The contact pressure between the mold surface and the selected finishing tool may be constantly monitored during the finishing operation, and data related to the contact pressure may be sent as feedback to the operating parameter adjustment module 60. The contact pressure may be determined based on measurements of a pressure sensor of the sensing system 30 or based on the current draw of the selected finishing tool.

[0039] In addition, the vision system 28 scans the mold surface and obtains a real-time finishing map, and the sensing system 30 obtains real-time measurements of the surface roughness and / or geometry of the mold surface. The real-time finishing map is compared with the map / image or CAD model from the previous step. The sensor's measurement of surface roughness also helps the comparison and determination module 52 determine whether the finishing operation is completed or whether another finishing tool should be used to perform a different finishing operation. Data from the vision system 28 and the sensing system 30 are transmitted to the comparison and determination module 52 to update information about the target area to be finished, the amount of material to be removed, the type of finishing operation to be performed, and the finishing tool to be used from multiple finishing tools. Data from the vision system 28 and the sensing system 30 can also be transmitted to the operating parameter adjustment module 60 to update the operating parameters. The updated operating parameters are stored in the memory 50. Parameters that affect surface finish include, but are not limited to, the type of tool (e.g., sandpaper or grindstone), tool condition (dry or wet), tool feed and speed, tool path parameters, cutting width, tool deflection, cutting depth, vibration, and coolant.

[0040] The various modules of the main controller 38 for controlling the robot may include artificial intelligence (AI) based programs and may be trained with data acquired during finishing operations to learn to identify target areas requiring polishing and complete finishing operations on the target areas without prompting and supervision from an operator.

[0041] refer to Figure 3 , the method 80 for performing a finishing operation on the surface of a mold begins by pre-storing a plurality of CAD models of a plurality of molds having different sizes and roughness requirements in step 82. Next, an image of the surface of the incoming mold to be finished is generated in step 84. The image can be generated by a visual system based on scan data acquired by blue light or laser scanning. In step 86, the image of the incoming mold is compared with a corresponding one of the CAD models to determine the difference in the geometry of the mold surface. The comparison and determination module can superimpose the image of the mold on the CAD model for the comparison. Then, in step 88, when the difference in geometry between the CAD model and the image of the mold exceeds a threshold, the comparison and determination module identifies one or more target areas to be finished. The threshold depends on the surface roughness requirement. For example, a Class A surface can have a lower threshold, while a Class B surface can have a higher threshold. Based on the difference, the amount of material to be removed from the target area is determined, and the desired finishing operation is selected in step 90.

[0042] Thereafter, in step 92, one of the plurality of finishing tools is selected to perform the selected finishing operation. Then, in step 94, based on predetermined operating parameters, the robot is moved around the mold to a desired position to operate the selected finishing tool to perform the desired finishing operation. The predetermined operating parameters are stored in the memory 50 and correspond to the selected finishing operation. The operating parameters may include the head angle of the finishing tool, the contact pressure, the robot position, and the application time.

[0043] In step 96, during and / or after the finishing operation, the vision system 28 generates a finishing map based on the updated scan data, and the sensing system 42 obtains real-time updated measurements of the mold surface related to the surface roughness of the target area and the geometry / contour of the mold surface. In step 98, the finishing map and the surface roughness are compared with the previous image or CAD model of the mold surface to determine whether the finishing operation is completed or whether further finishing operations are required. In step 100, the main controller determines whether the surface roughness of the target area meets a predetermined value, that is, within a predetermined range of the target surface roughness. If the surface roughness of the target area is within the predetermined range of the target surface roughness, the method proceeds to step 102 to determine whether more target areas need to be finished in step 102. If more target areas do not need to be finished, the method ends in step 104. If more target areas need to be finished, the method returns to step 90 to select the desired finishing operation for another target area.

[0044] On the other hand, if the main controller determines in step 100 that the surface roughness does not meet the predetermined value after the finishing operation performed by the selected finishing tool, the method returns to step 84 to continue evaluating the condition of the mold by generating an image of the mold surface, and then continues with the following steps until the surface roughness of the target area meets the requirement in step 100.

[0045] Despite Figure 3 Not shown, but understood, control of the finishing operation may be adjusted or overridden by voice input from an operator at any step of the method and during training of the robot to aid in training and operation of the robot.

[0046] The finishing system 20 constructed according to the teachings of the present disclosure can partially or completely autonomously perform finishing operations on the mold surface to reduce human errors. By comparing the image of the mold with the pre-stored CAD model of the mold, one or more target areas that need finishing can be identified. In addition, based on the comparison, the amount of material to be removed from the target area can be determined, and the desired finishing tool can be selected to perform the desired finishing operation according to the pre-stored operating parameters corresponding to the selected finishing tool. Real-time surface scanning of the mold and the measured values ​​of the surface on the target area (such as the measured values ​​of surface roughness and geometry) can be obtained to provide information about the status of the finishing operation, that is, whether the measured values ​​meet the specifications (and whether the finishing operation is completed) or whether another finishing tool is needed to perform another finishing operation. This information can also be used to update operating parameters to optimize the next or future finishing operations. The profilometer can be used to measure only the surface roughness and geometry of the target area, rather than the entire mold surface to save time. A human operator can work beside the finishing system 20 to facilitate and assist the training and operation of the robot.

[0047] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values ​​indicating mechanical / thermal properties, composition percentages, dimensions and / or tolerances or other characteristics when describing the scope of the present disclosure should be understood to be modified by the word "about" or "approximately". Such modifications are desirable for a variety of reasons, including: industrial practice; material, manufacturing and assembly tolerances; and testing capabilities.

[0048] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical "or", and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0049] In this application, the terms "controller" and / or "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinatorial logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality (e.g., an operational amplifier circuit integrator as part of a heat flux data module); or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0050] The term memory is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0051] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or completely by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components, and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be translated into a computer program by routine work of a technician or programmer.

[0052] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] According to the present invention, a method for performing a finishing operation on the surface of a component comprises: (a) generating an image of the surface of the component; (b) comparing the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify a target area to be finished; (c) selecting one of a plurality of finishing tools by a controller to perform the finishing operation on the target area; (d) operating a selected one of the plurality of finishing tools by a robot to perform the finishing operation; (e) measuring the surface roughness of the target area; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) until the surface roughness of the target area satisfies a predetermined value.

[0054] In one aspect of the present invention, the surface roughness of the target area is measured after performing a finishing operation by a selected one of the plurality of finishing tools.

[0055] In one aspect of the invention, the finishing operation performed by the selected one of the tools is performed based on operating parameters pre-stored in a memory of the controller and associated with the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools.

[0056] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes measuring a contact pressure between the selected one of the finishing tools and the surface of the component and adjusting the operating parameter when the contact pressure exceeds a threshold value.

[0057] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises monitoring the finishing operation by measuring the contact pressure between the selected one of the plurality of tools and the component and / or the current draw of the selected one of the finishing tools.

[0058] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises scanning the surface of the component and generating the image of the surface of the component based on the scan data.

[0059] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes scanning the surface of the component and generating a surface finishing map in real time during the finishing operation.

[0060] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes comparing the surface finishing map with the CAD model to determine whether the finishing operation is complete.

[0061] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes processing voice input from an operator and controlling the robot based on the voice input.

[0062] In one aspect of the invention, the controller is configured to include an artificial intelligence (AI) enabled program that iteratively evaluates and adjusts the operating parameters based on voice input from an operator, data related to the geometry of the surface of the component, and the measured surface roughness of the target area.

[0063] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes moving, by an autonomous navigation platform on which the robot is mounted, such that the robot moves around the component.

[0064] In one aspect of the invention, the target area is determined when a difference in geometry between the CAD model and the image of the surface of the component exceeds a threshold value.

[0065] According to the present invention, a method for performing a finishing operation on the surface of a component includes: generating an image of the surface of the component; comparing the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify a target area to be finished; selecting, by a controller, one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation on the target area; operating, by a robot, the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation; processing, by a controller, a voice input from an operator; and adjusting, by the controller, the finishing operation based on the voice input.

[0066] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes pre-storing operating parameters corresponding to a plurality of finishing tools in a memory and operating the robot based on the operating parameters corresponding to a selected one of the tools for performing a particular finishing operation.

[0067] In one aspect of the invention, the controller is configured to include an artificial intelligence (AI) enabled program that iteratively evaluates and adjusts the operating parameters based on voice input from an operator, data related to the geometry of the surface of the component, and the measured surface roughness of the target area.

[0068] According to the present invention, a system for performing a finishing operation on the surface of a component is provided, the system comprising: an autonomous navigation platform; a robot, the robot being mounted on the autonomous navigation platform; a vision system, the vision system being configured to acquire an image of the surface of the component; a tool system, the tool system comprising a plurality of finishing tools for a plurality of finishing operations; a controller, the controller being configured to: compare the image of the surface of the component with a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component; identify a target area based on a comparison between the CAD model and the image; and select one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform a selected one of the finishing operations.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the controller comprises a memory in which a plurality of sets of operating parameters corresponding to the plurality of finishing operations are stored.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the robot is configured to operate the selected one of the tools to perform the selected one of the finishing operations based on a set of the operating parameters corresponding to the selected one of the finishing operations.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the present invention is also characterized by a voice input device, wherein the controller is configured to process a voice input from the operator through the voice input device, and is configured to operate the selected one of the finishing tools based on the voice input.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the controller is configured to control the autonomous navigation platform to move the robot around the component.

Claims

1. A method of performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component, the method comprising: (a) generating an image of the surface of the component; (b) comparing the image of the surface of the component to a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component to identify target areas for finishing; (c) selecting, by a controller, one of a plurality of finishing tools to perform the finishing operation on the target area; (d) operating a selected one of the plurality of finishing tools by a robot to perform the finishing operation; (e) measuring the surface roughness of the target area; as well as (f) Repeating steps (a) to (e) until the surface roughness of the target area satisfies a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the finishing operation performed by the selected one of the tools is performed based on operating parameters pre-stored in a memory of the controller and associated with the selected one of the plurality of finishing tools.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring a contact pressure between the selected one of the finishing tools and the surface of the component and adjusting the operating parameter when the contact pressure exceeds a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the finishing operation by measuring a contact pressure between the selected one of the plurality of tools and the component and / or a current draw of the selected one of the finishing tools. 5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising scanning the surface of the component and generating the image of the surface of the component based on scan data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising scanning the surface of the component and generating a surface finish map in real time during the finishing operation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising comparing the surface finishing map to the CAD model to determine whether the finishing operation is complete.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing voice input from an operator and controlling the robot based on the voice input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to include an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled program that iteratively evaluates and adjusts the operating parameters based on voice input from an operator, data related to the geometry of the surface of the component, and the measured surface roughness of the target area.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the robot around the component by an autonomous navigation platform on which the robot is mounted.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target region is determined when a difference in geometry between the CAD model and the image of the surface of the component exceeds a threshold.

12. A system for performing a finishing operation on a surface of a component, the system comprising: Autonomous navigation platform; A robot, wherein the robot is mounted on the autonomous navigation platform; a vision system configured to acquire an image of the surface of the component; a tool system comprising a plurality of finishing tools for a plurality of finishing operations; A controller, the controller being configured to: comparing the image of the surface of the component to a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface of the component; identifying a target area based on a comparison between the CAD model and the image; as well as One of a plurality of finishing tools is selected to perform a selected one of the finishing operations.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller includes a memory having stored therein a plurality of sets of operating parameters corresponding to the plurality of finishing operations.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the robot is configured to operate the selected one of the tools to perform the selected one of the finishing operations based on a set of the operating parameters corresponding to the selected one of the finishing operations.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a voice input device, wherein the controller is configured to process voice input from the operator through the voice input device and is configured to operate the selected one of the finishing tools based on the voice input.

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