Adaptive Adhesive Dispensing With Real-Time Edge Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic adhesive and sealer dispensing systems face challenges in achieving precise application due to variations in panel and fixture dimensions, leading to uneven adhesive placement and reduced joint performance.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a robot, an application nozzle, an actuator, a sensor, and a controller, which allows for primary and secondary relative movements between the nozzle and the substrate. The sensor detects substrate features, and the controller directs the actuator to adjust the nozzle's movement in real-time, ensuring accurate adhesive application along a feature-relative bead path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a predefined global bead path is used for robotic adhesive dispensing, then the dispensing process is simple and efficient, but the adhesive placement becomes inaccurate due to panel and fixture dimension variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static predefined global bead path to a dynamic feature-relative bead path that adapts in real-time to actual panel features. The robotic arm continuously adjusts the bead path based on sensor-detected panel edges and features, ensuring accurate adhesive placement despite variations in panel dimensions and fixture tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where sensors detect actual panel features during the dispensing process, the controller processes this information to determine deviations from the ideal path, and the robotic arm adjusts the bead path accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that adhesive is applied at the correct location relative to panel features rather than following a fixed predetermined path.
2Manufacturing precision
If the robotic arm adjusts the bead path in real-time based on sensor detection, then adhesive placement accuracy is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm serves multiple functions: it positions the adhesive dispensing nozzle along the bead path and simultaneously adjusts the path in real-time based on sensor feedback. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining high placement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that processes sensor data and generates adjusted bead path commands for the robotic arm. This centralized control approach simplifies the system by consolidating the complexity of real-time path calculation and adjustment in a single control unit rather than distributing it across multiple components.
3Loss of time
If the sensor is positioned close to the application nozzle for real-time detection, then the response time is reduced, but the detection precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system resolves the conflict between proximity and precision by utilizing three-dimensional spatial relationships. The sensor is positioned at a specific distance and angle relative to the panel, creating an optimal detection zone that balances response time and measurement precision. The controller calculates the bead path in three-dimensional space, accounting for the sensor's specific position and the panel's geometry, thereby maintaining accuracy despite the fixed sensor-nozzle separation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for applying material to a substrate includes a nozzle, robot, actuator, sensor, and controller. The robot provides primary movement such that the nozzle traverses a predefined global bead path across and spaced apart from the substrate. The actuator provides secondary relative movement between the nozzle and substrate. The sensor senses a first location on the substrate that is spaced apart from a location where the nozzle deposits material by a distance based on a sensor response time and relative speed of the nozzle and substrate. The controller detects a feature of the substrate based on the data received from the sensor. The controller directs the actuator to provide the secondary relative movement such that a bead of material is applied to the substrate along a feature-relative bead path. The controller controls the actuator to provide the secondary relative movement based on the response time and the relative speed.