Automotive Glass Center Alignment Using Edge Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive glass mounting systems face inaccuracies in alignment due to dimensional variations and wear of alignment members, leading to improper positioning and increased friction, which affects the accuracy of glass mounting on vehicle bodies.
Innovation Solution
An automotive glass setting apparatus with a scanning unit and alignment units that utilize touch probes and alignment rods to accurately position the glass by minimizing contact and wear, using moving mechanisms controlled by a controller to align the glass center with the setting base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If alignment members repeatedly contact the edges of the vehicle glass to adjust position, then the glass can be aligned with the setting base, but friction causes severe wear of the alignment members leading to inaccurate alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical alignment mechanism with a vision-based alignment system. A camera captures images of the vehicle glass, and a controller processes these images to determine the glass position and control the robot arm for mounting, eliminating repeated mechanical contact and friction between alignment members and glass edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copying by capturing an image of the vehicle glass with a camera. The controller processes this optical copy to determine the glass position and edges, replacing the need for physical contact-based alignment measurement and adjustment.
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment members move while contacting the vehicle glass to adjust position, then the glass center can be aligned with the setting base center, but dimensional variations of the glass cause misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based alignment system where a camera captures the actual position and dimensions of the vehicle glass, the controller processes this information to determine deviations from the ideal position, and then controls the robot arm to compensate for these deviations, achieving accurate positioning despite dimensional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic alignment approach where the robot arm can adjust its gripping position and the mounting position based on real-time image data. The system adapts to dimensional variations by dynamically calculating the correct mounting position rather than relying on fixed mechanical alignment members.
3Productivity
If the robot gripper grips the vehicle glass that is inaccurately positioned, then the mounting process can proceed, but the mounting accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment contact with vision-based detection and control. The camera captures the glass position, the controller calculates the correct mounting position based on image data, and the robot arm executes the mounting with high accuracy, eliminating the trade-off between efficiency and precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an automotive glass setting apparatus and a method for setting a vehicle glass. The method includes loading a glass having a plurality of edges onto a setting base, scanning, by a scanning unit, the plurality of edges of the loaded glass, and calculating a center of the glass based on data scanned by the scanning unit. The method further includes adjusting, by a plurality of alignment units and a plurality of moving mechanisms, a position of the glass to align the calculated center of the glass with a center of the setting base.