Robot end-of-arm tool health-gripper timing

Abstract

To provide a method and system for monitoring the health of a robot end-of-arm tool based on timing of response to gripping commands.SOLUTION: A part presence or other sensor provides a signal when a robot tool grips or ungrips a workpiece. The time between each grip or ungrip command and its completion is recorded by a robot controller. Timing data for all robots in a facility are collected by a data collection device and forwarded to an analytic data center, where the timing data is analyzed for each end-of-arm tool. Alerts are sent advising of issues which have been identified on grippers when grip times exceeding a threshold or a deterioration trend in grip time performance is detected, and all analytic data is provided to a web portal for customer viewing and action. Response timing for other types of end-of-arm tools besides grippers may be similarly analyzed for proactive tool repair / replacement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of industrial robot gripper performance, and more particularly to methods and systems for proactively monitoring the health of a robot's end-of-arm tool based on the timing of responses to grip commands, where timing data is collected and analyzed for each end-of-arm tool, and when grip time exceeds a threshold or a declining trend in grip time performance is detected, an alert is sent advising that preventative maintenance be performed on the gripper. [Background technology]

[0002] The use of industrial robots to perform a wide range of manufacturing, assembly, and material transfer tasks is well known. Many tasks performed by industrial robots involve the use of grippers to grasp parts and move them from one position or orientation to another. These grippers are part of a larger family of devices commonly known as end-of-arm tooling and may take the form of a suction cup gripper, a mechanical finger-type gripper, or a servo-controlled gripper, among others.

[0003] Like any other type of mechanical component, end-of-arm tooling is subject to wear and tear that can eventually lead to degradation in performance and / or complete failure. In the past, it was common to simply replace a gripper if it failed—i.e., if it was unable to pick up a part or dropped part due to a broken or clogged mechanical part, a leaking vacuum line or suction cup, etc. Unfortunately, end-of-arm tooling failure requires that manufacturing operations be halted to repair or replace the failed equipment. This system downtime is costly to the robot operator, as production time is lost and repairs or replacements may require parts or service engineers that are not readily available, further increasing downtime and / or requiring expedited shipping of parts, overtime, etc. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In light of the above-described circumstances, there is a need for robot end-of-arm tooling health monitoring technology that can proactively identify deterioration in gripper performance and perform preventive maintenance before end-of-arm tooling failure causes production line shutdowns. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to the teachings of the present disclosure, a method and system are disclosed for proactively monitoring the health of robot end-of-arm tools based on the timing of responses to gripping commands. A part presence sensor, such as a photoeye, vacuum switch, or other type of sensor, provides a signal when a robot gripper tool successfully grips or releases a workpiece. Each grip or ungrip command and its time to completion are recorded by the robot controller. Timing data from all robots in a facility is collected by a data collection device and transmitted to an analytical data center, where the timing data is analyzed for each end-of-arm tool. When grip times exceed a threshold or a declining trend in grip time performance is detected, an alert is sent to notify of identified issues with the gripper, and all analytical data is provided to a web portal for customer viewing and action. The response timing of other types of end-of-arm tools other than grippers can also be similarly analyzed to proactively repair or replace the tool. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an industrial robot fitted with a mechanical gripper-type end-of-arm tool. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an industrial robot fitted with a suction-type end-of-arm tool. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a vacuum gripper tool with a suction cup grid that can be used as an end-of-arm tool for a robot. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system for actively monitoring the health of a robot end-of-arm tool based on the timing of responses to grip commands, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for actively monitoring the health of a robotic end-of-arm tool based on the timing of responses to a grip command, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for identifying robot end-of-arm tool health issues based on analyzing grasp command response timing data, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The following discussion of embodiments of the present disclosure directed to robot arm end-of-tool health monitoring via gripper timing is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosed devices and techniques or their applications or uses.

[0008] The use of industrial robots for various manufacturing, assembly, and material transfer operations is well known. Many operations performed by industrial robots involve the use of grippers to grasp parts and move them from one position and orientation to another. These grippers may be in the form of suction cup grippers, mechanical finger grippers, or servo-controlled grippers, among others. A gripper is a type of end-of-arm tool that can be attached to the end of an outer robot arm (typically the end of the wrist joint).

[0009] Figure 1 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a mechanical gripper-type end-of-arm tool. The robot 100 is controlled by a controller 110 and performs operations in a manner known in the art. The controller 110 communicates with the robot 100 via a cable 112. In Figure 1, the robot 100 is equipped with a mechanical finger gripper 120 that is used to grasp a part or workpiece 130 from an initial position and place the workpiece 130 at a target pose to a target position. The initial position may be, for example, on a conveyor or a final position in a shipping container.

[0010] The mechanical finger gripper 120 may have two or more grasping fingers, depending on the application and the nature of the workpiece 130 being gripped. Mechanical finger grippers 120 typically include a simple actuator (e.g., pneumatic) to move the fingers of the gripper 120 to an open or closed position. A part presence sensor 122 is used to detect the presence or absence of a part in the gripper. Another type of gripper, known as a servo-controlled gripper, also has mechanical fingers, but uses a servo motor to open and close the fingers, which can be precisely controlled to adjust the finger opening width and gripping pressure. For servo-controlled grippers, a torque sensor or encoder can function as the part presence sensor.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an industrial robot equipped with a suction-type end-of-arm tool. The robot 200 includes a base 202 and an outer arm 204. The other arm of the robot 200 is not visible and is not shown in FIG. 2. The end-of-arm tool on the robot 200, as shown, is a single suction cup gripper 210. The robot controller and workpiece have been omitted from FIG. 2 for simplicity. The single suction cup gripper 210 is preferable to the finger gripper 120 of FIG. 1 in some applications, such as when the workpiece has one or more flat surfaces suitable for suction gripping and the workpieces are initially stacked in a container such that there is a high likelihood that the finger gripper will collide with other parts in the stack while attempting to grip one part. The single suction cup gripper 210 is coupled to a vacuum source by a vacuum line (not shown) and is activated by applying vacuum “pressure” (i.e., a partial vacuum that creates a negative gauge pressure) when the suction cup gripper 210 is applied to the workpiece. Typically, a vacuum switch serves as a part-present sensor for the suction cup gripper.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a vacuum gripper tool with a suction cup grid that can be used as an end-of-arm tool for a robot. The vacuum gripper tool 300 includes multiple suction cups 302 arranged in a pattern. The pattern on the suction gripper tool 300 is a 6x8 rectangular grid, although other pattern sizes and shapes, such as a circle, can be used. The vacuum gripper tool 300 is typically used to pick up large items with flat surfaces, particularly boxes, but can also be used to pick up other types of workpieces. The pattern of suction cups 302 can be divided into multiple zones, such as the illustrated zones 310, 312, and 314. Each of the zones 310, 312, and 314 can be connected to a vacuum source by its own vacuum line. This makes it desirable and possible to diagnose gripper performance issues for each zone of the vacuum gripper tool 300. This topic is discussed further below.

[0013] Many other designs of suction cup gripper tools are also available, including rigid arms with multiple suction cups on each arm, and suction cup grids of different shapes and sizes. Most of these designs are physically or logically divided into zones, each of which may be supplied by its own separate vacuum line.

[0014] Like any other type of mechanical component, grippers such as the mechanical finger gripper 120, the single suction cup gripper 210, and the vacuum gripper tool 300 are subject to wear and tear, leading to eventual degradation of performance and / or complete failure. Previously, it was common to simply replace a gripper if it failed—i.e., if it was unable to pick up a part or dropped part due to a broken or clogged mechanical part, a leaking vacuum line, or a suction cup. Unfortunately, gripper failure requires halting production operations to repair or replace the failed equipment. This system downtime is costly to robot operators because of lost production time. The disclosed technology has been developed to enable proactive monitoring of gripper health and the performance of preventive maintenance when needed to prevent gripper failure. In one embodiment, gripper health is assessed by analyzing the time it takes the gripper to respond to a grip or release command.

[0015] The time it takes a gripper to respond to a grip command or an ungrasp command is called the grip response time or the ungrasp response time, collectively referred to as gripper timing data. The grip response time can be described as the time elapsed from when a "grasp" command signal is issued by the robot controller until it is determined that the grip task has been accomplished. In other words, a grip timer starts when a grip command is issued and stops when the grip is confirmed. Similarly, the ungrasp response time can be described as the time elapsed from when a "ungrasp" command signal is issued by the robot controller until it is determined that the ungrasp task has been accomplished.

[0016] The completion of grip and release tasks can be confirmed in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, a part presence sensor is used to detect the presence or absence of a part / workpiece proximate to the gripper. The part presence sensor may be a non-contact design (such as inductive or capacitive) or any other type. In another embodiment, camera images or data from other sensors (such as infrared, lidar) can be used to detect the presence of a part. Camera images or data from other sensors can also be used to directly detect gripper actuation (such as finger opening and closing) and grip / release response times determined from this data.

[0017] Still other methods can be used to confirm that the grip and release tasks have been accomplished. For servo-controlled grippers, motor output power may be limited to prevent damage to the part. Servo position encoder readings can be used to detect contact between the gripper and the part. When the encoder stops progressing due to contact resistance and limited motor torque, the grip timer is stopped and a timing value is measured. For vacuum grippers, the pressure in the vacuum line can be measured, where a sudden decrease in gauge pressure indicates that the part has adhered to the suction cup, and the timing of the gauge pressure change is used to stop the grip timer. Combinations of the above grip / release confirmation techniques can also be used as redundant confirmations or in a combined mode.

[0018] Regardless of the technique used to verify that a grip or ungrip command is completed, the grip and ungrip response times can be used to monitor gripper health. The number of dropped parts may be recorded along with the grip / ungrip response times as an indicator of gripper performance and health.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system for actively monitoring the health of a robot's end-of-arm tooling based on the timing of responses to gripping commands, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The robotic system 400 includes a robot 402 and a controller 404, as previously discussed. The robot 402 is equipped with a gripper 406 for performing tasks such as picking up and moving parts to different locations or predetermined orientations. While the gripper 406 is shown as a finger-type gripper, it can be any type of gripper used in end-of-arm tooling, including servo-driven mechanical grippers, single suction cup grippers, and vacuum gripper tools. The gripper 406 is equipped with a part presence sensor (not shown), such as the part presence sensor 122 shown in FIG. 1 and discussed throughout this disclosure.

[0020] Robotic system 400 operates in a facility 430, such as a manufacturing facility or assembly plant. Robotic system 410 also operates in facility 430. Multiple other robotic systems 412 typically also operate in facility 430. Robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 are depicted similarly but may include a mix of different types of robots using different types of grippers for different operations. Any combination of robot and gripper types may be used.

[0021] Each of the robot systems 400, 410, and 412 can be configured to record and transmit gripper timing data as needed. Configuration of each robot, through the robot controller, includes enabling or disabling the overall gripper timing function and defining details such as gripper ID, gripper name, I / O port identification, and optionally defining timing thresholds that can be used to trigger warning notifications. Enabling the gripper timing function executes appropriate routines in the robot controller operating system (e.g., KAREL) to start and stop timers based on signal changes (e.g., from part presence sensors) as described above.

[0022] Robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 all communicate with data collection device 420, which is typically a computer or server with sufficient data storage. The robot controllers of each of robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 transfer their gripper timing data to data collection device 420 in real time or periodically. For example, the robot controllers may transfer their gripper timing data to data collection device 420 after each grip and release event, or once per minute, or on any other basis with an appropriately short cycle. In a preferred embodiment, the response times to every grip command and every release command are recorded by the robot controller and communicated to data collection device 420.

[0023] Data collection device 420 collects gripper timing data for all of the robotic systems in facility 430, and data collection device 420 and robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 are all typically connected to a local area network operating in facility 430. This connection may be hardwired, wireless, or a combination thereof.

[0024] Data collection device 420 periodically communicates all of the gripper timing data for robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 to data analysis center 440. Data analysis center 440 is an "in the cloud" (internet-accessible) computing center having one or more server computers and data storage capabilities. Data collection device 420 can communicate all of its gripper timing data to data analysis center 440 as it is received, or every few minutes, or every 30 minutes, or every hour, or any other suitable time period. Gripper timing data is stored separately for each individual gripper in both data collection device 420 and data analysis center 440. The collection of gripper timing data from robotic systems 400, 410, and 412 and processing at cloud-based data analysis center 440 represents an "Internet of Things" (IoT) type system.

[0025] The data analysis center 440 analyzes the gripper timing data for all grippers for which it receives data. Calculations performed by the data analysis center 440 for each gripper include identifying maximum response times and calculating averages and trends over different time periods. In addition, several checks are performed periodically (e.g., hourly) to identify problems with gripper performance. These checks for identifying problems are described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 6. If a problem is identified, one or more alert notifications 450 are sent by the data analysis center 440. The alert notifications 450 may include text messages and / or emails to key individuals at the facility 430, communications to individual robot controllers associated with problematic grippers, or other types of alerts and notifications. The intent of the alert notifications 450 is to immediately notify appropriate individuals that one or more grippers have a performance problem requiring attention.

[0026] Data analysis center 440 also provides gripper timing data analysis summaries and statistics to web portal 460. Web portal 460 is a dedicated, secure, private website where personnel from facility 430, with appropriate authentication, can view all gripper timing data for robotic systems 400, 410, and 412. Web portal 460 provides gripper timing data in the form of graphs 470 (e.g., average grip response time by hour or by day). Web portal 460 also provides gripper timing data in other appropriate and convenient forms, including tables, lists of averages and trends, etc. Any outstanding issues are also highlighted on web portal 460.

[0027] 5 is a flowchart 500 of a method for actively monitoring the health of a robot end-of-arm tool based on the timing of responses to grasp commands, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method in flowchart 500 corresponds directly to the system shown in FIG.

[0028] In box 502, gripper timing data is recorded on a robot controller (e.g., controller 404) for an end-of-arm tool (e.g., gripper 406) on a robot (e.g., robot 402). Generally, grip response times and release response times are recorded for each grip or release task by the robot controller using the various sensors described above. In box 504, gripper timing data is collected on a data collection device 420. Timing data can be collected in real time for all robot grippers in a facility, as discussed above. In box 506, the gripper timing data is transmitted from the data collection device 420 at facility 430 to a data analysis center 440.

[0029] In box 508, calculations are performed on the gripper timing data in the data analytics center 440. Calculations may be performed hourly or at any other suitable interval. Calculations are performed for each individual gripper and may include identifying maximum grip / ungrip times, calculating averages and trends over time, etc. Facility-wide aggregate calculations may also be performed.

[0030] At decision diamond 510, it is determined whether any problems have been identified in the gripper timing data. Details of the checks and determinations made at decision diamond 510 are discussed below with respect to Figure 6. If any problems exist (such as grip time exceeding a threshold), an alert notification 450 is sent at box 512 to inform key personnel (such as a plant manager, manufacturing engineer, robot operator, etc.) of the problem and the potential need for preventative maintenance.

[0031] At box 514, gripper timing data statistics are provided to web portal 460 for customer viewing and action. Gripper timing data on web portal 460 can include graphs and tables with individual data points, averages, trends, maximum values, etc. Gripper timing issues are also highlighted.

[0032] Through the combination of alert notifications 450 and web portal 460, key personnel at facility 430 have all the information they need to proactively monitor the health of their end-of-arm tooling. Preventive maintenance can then be performed efficiently and cost-effectively on any grippers experiencing longer than desired grip and / or ungripping response times.

[0033] 6 is a flowchart 600 of a method for identifying problems with the health of a robot end-of-arm tool based on analyzing grasp command response timing data, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Flowchart 600 includes the problem-checking step described above in decision diamond 510 of FIG.

[0034] The analysis and problem check for an individual gripper begins at start point 602. The initiation of the analysis at start point 602 may be triggered once per hour or any other suitable time schedule. At the line designated 610, the presence of current timing data for the gripper is verified. At decision diamond 612, it is determined whether the gripper timing data is missing, and if so, a corresponding result code (1) is set at box 614. At decision diamond 616, it is determined whether the gripper timing data is stale (e.g., no new data in the past week), and if so, a corresponding result code (2) is set at box 618.

[0035] In the line designated 620, a check is performed for slow actual grip or release times. In decision diamond 622, it is determined whether the grip time exceeds a threshold for the current analysis period (e.g., the past hour), and if so, a corresponding result code (3) is set in box 624. In decision diamond 626, it is determined whether the release time exceeds a threshold for the current analysis period, and if so, a corresponding result code (4) is set in box 628. Both individual grip / release times and average grip / release times for the past hour may be checked in decision diamonds 622 and 626. The threshold (e.g., 200 milliseconds) may be established by the robot operator during the configuration process described above, or the threshold may be automatically calculated based on historical data (such as a certain percentage or a certain number of standard deviations above the mean).

[0036] In the line designated 630, a check is performed for slow predicted grip times or predicted grip release times. In decision diamond 632, it is determined whether grip times are trending upward, resulting in a predicted grip time above the threshold in the near future. If the upward trend in decision diamond 632 leads to a high predicted grip time, a corresponding result code (5) is set in box 634. In decision diamond 636, it is determined whether grip release times are trending upward, resulting in a predicted grip release time above the threshold in the near future. If the upward trend leads to a high predicted grip release time in decision diamond 636, a corresponding result code (6) is set in box 638. An upward trend in grip time or grip release time may be detected in the current analysis period (e.g., data for the current hour), or an upward trend may be detected when comparing an average of the current data to a historical average.

[0037] In box 640, if multiple problems exist, i.e., multiple result codes 3-6 are set, result code 7 is set. Generally, columns 610, 620, and 630 are all executed every analysis cycle. If data is missing or outdated on column 610, columns 620 and 630 are not executed. If none of result codes 1-6 are set, the process proceeds to decision diamond 650, where result code 0 is set if no problems are detected.

[0038] A non-zero result code from flowchart 600 causes an alert notification to be sent identifying the problem. Additionally, calculated data such as time average grip time and time average release time are written to tables and made available to a web portal. Raw and summary data are also made available to the web portal for facility personnel to view as needed.

[0039] Other types of analysis can also be performed in the steps of flowcharts 500 and 600. For example, grip and release times may be recorded, stored, and analyzed by zone within a multi-zone vacuum gripper tool. In this case, if slow grip times or inadequate grip pressure are detected in one zone, an alert notification and portal entry will identify the gripper and the specific zone experiencing the problem. Problems may also be detected and reported based on the number of dropped parts instead of grip / release times.

[0040] Data analysis center 440 is configured to receive data from many different facilities other than facility 430. In a typical configuration, each robotics customer (a company that uses robots to make things) has several facilities that provide data to analysis center 440. The data is managed by the facilities and customers to ensure that it is stored, displayed, and protected in an appropriate manner. That is, web portal 460 is only accessible by the robotics customer that owns facility 430. Other robotics customers whose data is processed at data analysis center 440 have their own independent web portals to view their gripper timing data. Furthermore, data analysis center 440 and web portal 460 may be part of a larger integrated system for predictive robot health and preventive maintenance.

[0041] Throughout the foregoing discussion, various computers and controllers have been described or implied in connection with the disclosed methods and systems. It should be understood that the software applications and modules of these computers and controllers execute on one or more computing devices having processors and memory modules. This includes, among other things, the processors in the robot controllers 110 and 404, the data collection device 420, and the computer(s) in the data analysis center 440. Specifically, the processors in the controllers 110 and 404 are configured to record gripper timing data and other performance data associated with grippers on the robot, the processor in the data collection device 420 is configured to receive gripper data from the controllers and transmit the data to the data analysis center 440, and the processor in the computer in the data analysis center 440 is configured to analyze the health of the grippers based on the timing data, send notification of problems, and provide the data to a web portal.

[0042] As discussed above, mechanical, servo, or vacuum grippers may not grip or ungrip quickly enough as a result of low vacuum pressure caused by aging, overuse, lack of actuator lubrication, or leaking or broken cup shapes. The disclosed technology for monitoring the health of robotic end-of-arm tooling via gripper timing provides alerts and data that identify gripper problems as soon as they begin to develop. Similar timing techniques can be used to identify problems with other types of end-of-arm tooling. Early identification of this problem allows preventative maintenance to be performed before the end-of-arm tooling fails, thus enabling robot customers to avoid costly production downtime and reduce the number of dropped and damaged parts.

[0043] While several exemplary aspects and embodiments of techniques for robotic end-of-arm tool health monitoring via gripper timing have been described above, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications, permutations, additions, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, the appended claims, and any claims hereafter introduced, are intended to be construed as including all such variations, permutations, additions, and subcombinations as fall within their true spirit and scope.

Claims

1. 1. A gripper health monitoring method for an industrial robot, comprising: recording, by a robot controller, a gripper response time for each grip or ungrip event by a gripper on the robot; analyzing the gripper response times with a computer having a processor and memory to provide analyzed gripper timing data; identifying unusual problems in the gripper response times and the analyzed gripper timing data; Sending alert notifications of identified problems; providing the gripper response times, the analyzed gripper timing data, and the identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator; A method for providing

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein recording the gripper response time comprises recording the gripper response time with the robot controller and providing the gripper response time to a data collection device.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein gripper response times for grippers on other robots are also provided to the data collection device by controllers of each of the other robots, and the gripper response times for all of the robots are communicated from the data collection device to the computer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the data collection device, the computer, and the web portal also process other health status data for all of the robots.

5. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gripper response time for each grip or release event is determined by starting a timer when a grip or release command is issued by a robot controller and stopping the timer when it is determined that a corresponding grip or release has occurred.

6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the corresponding gripping or unclipping is confirmed to have occurred by a part presence sensor detecting proximity of a part to the gripper, or by analyzing signals from a camera or sensor indicative of the position of the part or the gripper, or both.

7. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein it is determined that the corresponding gripping or unclipping has occurred by evaluating a pressure signal from a vacuum line for a vacuum or suction gripper, or a signal from a motor torque or position sensor for a servo-controlled gripper.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the gripper response times includes identifying a maximum grip time and a maximum release time for a current analysis data period; calculating an average grip time and an average release time for the current analysis data period; and calculating a grip time trend line slope and a release time trend line slope for the current analysis period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the current analysis data period has a duration ranging from 30 minutes to 4 hours.

10. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the abnormal problem includes identifying missing or stale gripper response times; identifying a maximum grip time, a maximum grip open time, an average grip time, or an average grip release time that exceeds a threshold; and identifying a grip time trend line slope or a release time trend line slope that exceeds a trend line slope threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gripper on the robot is a mechanical finger gripper, a servo motor driven gripper, a single suction cup gripper, or a vacuum gripper tool having multiple suction cups.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum gripper tool warning notification identifies one or more zones of the suction cup having the identified problem.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the alert notification comprises sending one or more of a text message, an instant message, an email, and a notification to the robot controller.

14. 1. A health monitoring method for an end-of-arm tool on an industrial robot, comprising: recording, by the robot controller, response times for starting and stopping each task performed by the end-of-arm tool; analyzing the response times with a computer having a processor and memory to provide analyzed tool timing data; identifying unusual problems in the response times and the analyzed tool timing data; Sending alert notifications of identified problems; providing the response times, analyzed tool timing data, and the identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator; A method for providing

15. 1. A gripper health monitoring system for an industrial robot, comprising: The system comprises: one or more robots each having a gripper as an end-of-arm tool; a robot controller in communication with each robot, each robot controller having a processor and memory configured to record a gripper response time for each grip or ungrip event by a gripper on the robot; a data collection device in communication with the robot controller to receive the gripper response times for each of the robots; a computer having a processor and a memory, the computer periodically receiving the gripper response time from the data collection device; Equipped with The computer analyzing the gripper response times of individual grippers to provide analyzed gripper timing data; identifying unusual problems in the gripper response times and the analyzed gripper timing data for each individual gripper; Sends alert notifications of identified problems, and providing the gripper response times, the analyzed gripper timing data, and the identified problems on a web portal for viewing by a robot operator.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the data collection device, the computer, and the web portal also process other health status data for all the robots.

17. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the gripper response time for each grasp or release event is determined by starting a timer when a grasp or release command is issued by a robot controller and stopping the timer when it is determined that a corresponding grasp or release has occurred.

18. 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the corresponding gripping or unclipping is confirmed to have occurred by a part presence sensor that detects proximity of a part to the gripper, or by analyzing signals from a camera or sensor that are indicative of the position of the part or the gripper, or both.

19. 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the corresponding gripping or unclipping is confirmed to have occurred by evaluating a pressure signal from a vacuum line for a vacuum or suction gripper, or a signal from a motor torque or position sensor for a servo-controlled gripper.

20. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein analyzing the gripper response times includes identifying a maximum grip time and a maximum release time for a current analysis data period, calculating an average grip time and an average release time for the current analysis data period, and calculating a grip time trend line slope and a release time trend line slope for the current analysis period.

21. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein identifying the abnormal problem includes identifying missing or outdated gripper response times; identifying a maximum grip time, a maximum ungrasp time, an average grip time, or an average ungrasp time that exceeds a threshold; and identifying a grip time trend line slope or a ungrasp time trend line slope that exceeds a trend line slope threshold.

22. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the gripper on the robot is a mechanical finger gripper, a servo motor driven gripper, a single suction cup gripper, or a vacuum gripper tool having multiple suction cups, and the warning notification for the vacuum gripper tool identifies one or more zones of suction cups having the identified problem.

Images