3D Scan Toolpath Correction for As-Manufactured Part Finishing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic finishing operations for manufactured parts are inefficient due to manual configuration and inaccuracies in virtual toolpath simulations, which fail to account for manufacturing variances and imperfections, leading to ineffective part finishing.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that utilizes 3D scan data to analyze the as-manufactured geometry of parts, comparing it to CAD models to identify defects and generate adjusted toolpaths for robotic finishing operations, enabling automated and flexible CAD/CAM processes that support accurate finishing across various part designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual configuration and virtual toolpath simulation are used for robotic finishing operations, then the process setup is straightforward, but the finishing accuracy and effectiveness deteriorate due to manufacturing variances and imperfections
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning of the physical part to capture its actual geometry before generating the toolpath. This preliminary action allows the system to account for manufacturing variances and imperfections in advance, enabling accurate finishing operations without complex manual adjustments during the actual finishing process
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy (3D scan data) of the physical part's actual geometry and uses this copy to generate the toolpath. This copying approach eliminates the need for manual measurements and configurations, while ensuring the toolpath accurately reflects the part's real-world imperfections
2Manufacturing precision
If virtual toolpath simulation is used without actual part data, then the programming is simpler, but the toolpath accuracy deteriorates due to inability to account for manufacturing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual measurement and programming mechanics with automated 3D scanning and computational geometry processing. The scan data automatically feeds into the toolpath generation algorithm, eliminating time-consuming manual operations while achieving high accuracy through actual part geometry data
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-measurement by scanning the part itself and automatically generates the toolpath based on the scanned geometry. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external measurement devices and manual programming, reducing time investment while maintaining high accuracy
3Productivity
If automated finishing operations are implemented without real-time adjustments, then the productivity is higher, but the effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to adapt to actual part geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback by comparing the scanned actual part geometry with the original CAD model, identifying deviations and imperfections. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically adjust the toolpath to account for real-world variations, ensuring effective finishing while maintaining high productivity through automation
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system may include a data access engine and a toolpath adjustment engine. The data access engine may be configured to access a computer-aided design (CAD) model of a part design and a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) setup for the part design. The CAM setup may include a nominal toolpath specified through the CAD model for performing a finishing operation for the part design. The data access engine may also be configured to obtain 3-dimensional (3D) scan data for a physical part manufactured from the part design. The toolpath adjustment engine may be configured to extract, from the 3D scan data, a manufactured geometry of the physical part manufactured from the part design and generate an adjusted toolpath for the physical part to account for the manufactured geometry extracted from the 3D scan data.