Adaptive Workholding for Automated Inspection of Mixed Workpieces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) rely on human operators for decision-making and analysis during inspection processes, limiting their ability to collaborate with other equipment and make process-level decisions independently.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a robot and workholder inspection system, where a control system retrieves customized rulesets for each workpiece to configure and operate the robot and workholder, enabling automated customization and delivery of non-identical workpieces to a workholder for inspection, including parameters for grasping, orientation, and force control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional CMMs are used with human operators for decision-making, then flexibility in handling different workpiece families is maintained, but automation level and inspection efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its configuration and operational parameters based on the specific workpiece family being inspected. The control system automatically adjusts robot motion paths, workholder positioning, and inspection parameters according to pre-defined rulesets, enabling the system to transition between different inspection configurations without manual intervention while maintaining manageable complexity through structured adaptation
2Productivity
If automated robot delivery is implemented without customization, then productivity increases, but measurement precision and inspection accuracy deteriorate when handling non-identical workpieces
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operational parameters automatically based on workpiece identification. When a workpiece is placed on the workholder, the control system retrieves the corresponding ruleset and adjusts parameters including robot motion speeds, positioning tolerances, workholder configuration, and inspection measurement points. This parameter adaptation ensures high measurement precision for each workpiece family while maintaining continuous automated operation and high productivity
3Measurement precision
If manual preparation and analysis are used for each workpiece, then inspection accuracy is maintained, but loss of time and reduced productivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration actions automatically before each inspection. The control system pre-loads the appropriate ruleset based on workpiece identification, pre-configures the robot motion paths and workholder settings, and prepares the inspection parameters in advance. This preliminary automated setup eliminates the need for manual preparation time while ensuring that the inspection maintains the precision that would otherwise require manual adjustment, thereby reducing inspection time without sacrificing accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A system for inspecting each workpiece of a plurality of non-identical workpieces includes a controller in control communication with the instruments of the system, and a ruleset corresponding to one or more such non-identical workpieces, the system reconfiguring the inspection instruments to customize part tending operations for each such non-identical workpiece. A method for inspecting each workpiece of a plurality of non-identical workpiece includes providing a controller in control communication with the instruments of the system, and a ruleset corresponding to each such non-identical workpiece, the controller causing reconfiguration of the inspection instruments to customize part tending operations for each such non-identical workpiece.