Adhesive Dispensing Nozzle Control for Real-Time Edge Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Variations in panel and fixture dimensions lead to uneven adhesive application in automotive joints, resulting in less than desired performance due to misplacement of the adhesive bead, which traditional robotic dispensing systems fail to accurately address.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system equipped with a linear sensor and actuator, allowing the application nozzle to move independently and adjust its path relative to the substrate's features, ensuring precise adhesive application along a feature-relative bead path, accounting for variations in panel edges and grooves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional robotic dispensing system follows a predefined global bead path, then the system is simple to operate and the robotic arm can traverse a fixed path, but the adhesive bead placement becomes inaccurate due to panel and fixture dimensional variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a linear sensor to detect the actual position of panel edges in real-time and feeds this information back to the controller, which then adjusts the adhesive bead path dynamically. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for dimensional variations in panels and fixtures, ensuring accurate bead placement despite variations in the workpiece dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing system transitions from a static predefined global bead path to a dynamic feature-relative bead path. The actuator mechanically couples the application nozzle to the robotic arm, allowing the nozzle to move independently and adjust its position in real-time based on detected panel features, creating a dynamic adaptation mechanism that maintains precision despite system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the application nozzle is fixed to the robotic arm distal end, then the device structure is simple, but the system cannot compensate for panel edge position variations
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical coupling of the application nozzle to the robotic arm distal end via an actuator creates a dynamic positioning system. The actuator enables the nozzle to move independently from the robotic arm's main trajectory, allowing real-time adjustment of the nozzle position to track panel edges and maintain accurate bead placement despite panel variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The linear sensor detects panel edge positions and provides feedback to the controller, which then commands the actuator to adjust the nozzle position accordingly. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt to panel variations by continuously monitoring and correcting the nozzle position relative to the actual panel features.
3Manufacturing precision
If the linear sensor is positioned upstream from the application nozzle, then the system can detect panel features in advance, but a time delay occurs between detection and adhesive application
Solution Approach 1:
The linear sensor is positioned upstream from the application nozzle to perform preliminary detection of panel edge features before the adhesive application occurs. This allows the system to identify and calculate the required path adjustments in advance, preparing the actuator positioning commands before the nozzle reaches the application point, thereby minimizing the effective delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system processes and executes the path adjustment calculations rapidly between sensor detection and adhesive application. By optimizing the controller's processing speed and the actuator's response time, the system rushes through the detection-to-application sequence efficiently, minimizing the time delay while maintaining precision.
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
The system ensures consistent and uniform adhesive application, maintaining a predefined stand-off distance and desired offset from edges and grooves, enhancing joint performance by accurately compensating for dimensional variations in panels and fixtures.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source and the linear sensor is a linear EMR sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A system for applying material to a part includes an application nozzle attached to a distal end of a robotic arm, a sensor coupled to the distal end of the robotic arm, an actuator mechanically coupled to the application nozzle, and a controller in communication with the actuator and configured to receive data from the sensor and detect a feature of the substrate. The robotic arm is configured to hold the application nozzle in a fixed position and/or traverse a predefined path such that the application nozzle traverses a predefined global bead path across and spaced apart from a substrate. The controller is configured to direct the actuator to move the application nozzle independent of the distal end of the robotic arm such that a bead of material flowing out of the application nozzle is applied to the substrate along a feature-relative bead path.