Articulated Arm Tool Alignment to Prevent Surface Slipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for positioning tools at the end of articulated arms in the aeronautic industry face challenges in preventing tool slipping during operations like drilling and riveting, leading to potential deviations in manufacturing quality due to surface deformations and complex, costly compensation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method involving iterative steps to align and apply force to the tool, monitoring reaction forces, and adjusting tool orientation to maintain alignment with the surface normal, using a combination of ball joints and incremental force increments to prevent slipping, while simplifying the design and reducing bulk and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a force is applied according to a direction substantially normal to the surface, then the tool can be positioned against the surface, but this results in deformations of the surface and deformations at the articulations of the articulated arm, which modify the orientation of the tool with respect to the surface and increase the risks of slipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the tool according to a predetermined orientation that is not perfectly normal to the surface. This preliminary positioning accounts for expected deformations, allowing the tool to maintain proper orientation despite surface and arm deformations during force application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of the tool from the conventional normal direction to a predetermined direction that compensates for deformations. This parameter change allows the tool to counteract the effects of surface and articulation deformations, maintaining manufacturing precision while applying necessary force.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex compensation mechanisms are used to prevent tool slipping and maintain orientation, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex mechanical compensation mechanisms, the patent changes the orientation parameter of the tool to a predetermined direction. This simple parameter adjustment eliminates the need for complex compensation systems while maintaining manufacturing precision, thereby reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the compensation function from complex mechanical mechanisms and replaces it with a simplified orientation parameter setting. By removing the complex compensation mechanisms and relying on predetermined tool orientation, the system achieves the same precision with much lower complexity.
3Reliability
If the tool orientation is adjusted to compensate for surface deformations, then slipping can be prevented, but additional measurement and control steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-setting the tool orientation to a predetermined direction that accounts for expected deformations. This preliminary orientation setting prevents slipping without requiring complex real-time measurement and control systems, as the compensation is built into the initial tool positioning.
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 ensures precise tool positioning and prevents slipping, maintaining manufacturing quality by stabilizing the tool against surface deformations and reducing the need for complex compensation mechanisms, thus enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the connection between said portions, forming a ball joint, enabling a relative movement according to at least one pivot axis
Implementation Method 2
the force applied by the tool on said surface must not cause a slipping of the tool relative to the latter
Data Source
AI summary
A method for pushing, with a force a tool at the end of an articulated arm against a surface with a normal, including the steps of: positioning the tool against the surface; applying an increasing force to the tool until reaching a value, corresponding to a fraction of the force, the value of the applied force being monitored; measuring the orientation of the tool with respect to the normal, after having reached the force value; and redirecting the tool so as to recover its initial orientation with respect to the normal. Iteration is carried out to proceed, by repetition of steps to, while progressively increasing the force at each iteration, and until reaching the force value, the increase increment between two successive steps being smaller than a determined value.