3D Cutting Path Recognition for Robotic Surface Dismantling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual dismantling and recycling of large metal structures, such as oil rigs and ships, are labor-intensive, slow, and dangerous due to the need for exhaustive mapping and scanning of entire objects for cutting paths, which is computationally resource-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A robotic cutting device with a mobile actuator and scanning logic that identifies a cutting path by recognizing optical features, allowing for probabilistic, non-exhaustive analysis and reconstruction of only the cutting region, reducing the need for exhaustive mapping and using feature recognition to guide the cutting tool along a prescribed path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional approaches scan and reconstruct the entire object to obtain a voxel representation, then complete object mapping is achieved, but substantial computational resources and time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the object into two distinct regions: the cutting region (containing the prescribed path) and non-cutting regions. Only the cutting region is scanned and reconstructed into a voxel representation, while other regions are excluded from exhaustive mapping. This segmentation allows the system to achieve complete mapping of the relevant area without the computational burden of mapping the entire object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing quality levels to different regions of the object. The cutting region receives exhaustive scanning and high-precision voxel reconstruction, while non-cutting regions are either partially scanned or completely excluded from detailed mapping. This local quality approach ensures measurement precision where needed (at the cutting path) while minimizing computational resources wasted on irrelevant areas.
2Loss of information
If conventional approaches perform exhaustive mapping of the entire article, then complete path information is obtained, but computational resources are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for the cutting operation—the prescribed path and its immediate vicinity—from the entire object. By using probabilistic occupancy grids and focused scanning, the system extracts path information without performing exhaustive mapping of the whole article, thereby reducing computational resource consumption while maintaining complete path information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing scanning and reconstruction only on the portion of the object that contains the cutting path, rather than applying exhaustive action to the entire object. The probabilistic approach allows the system to obtain sufficient path information with less than complete coverage of all regions, reducing computational energy while maintaining operational completeness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual cutting operations are performed by workers using gas torches, then flexibility in handling irregular objects is achieved, but the process is slow, labor intensive and dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical cutting process (workers using gas torches) with an automated robotic system. The robotic cutting head, guided by computationally derived paths from probabilistic occupancy grids, performs cutting operations automatically. This substitution maintains adaptability to irregular objects through flexible robotic positioning while dramatically increasing productivity and eliminating manual labor hazards.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient and safe robotic cutting by focusing analysis on the cutting path alone, reducing computational resources and improving productivity in salvage and scrap operations, while ensuring accurate cutting paths even on complex, irregularly shaped objects.
Implementation Method 1
The optical sensor is responsive to scanning the features to define a 3-D recognition of the prescribed path
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic cutting device includes a cutting tool responsive to a mobile actuator adapted to apply a cutting force in a 3-dimensional (3D) space, and scanning logic configured to identify a cutting path denoted on an article for cutting. Using the cutting path, a mobile actuator is responsive to positioning logic for disposing the cutting tool along the cutting path for performing a prescribed cut on the article. The mobile actuator is a robotic arm responsive to an independent coordinate frame based on a position and orientation of a mobility vehicle supporting the mobile actuator. Cutting is based on traversal of a prescribed path formed from marking or painting optically distinct features. Pixel based analysis reconstructs the path for cutting using a probabilistic evaluation of only the cutting region based on a prediction of path progression, and avoids exhaustive mapping, analysis or reconstruction of the entire article.