Autonomous Measuring Robots for Flexible Workpiece Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial quality control methods in production environments require human interaction for sample collection and measurement, which is hazardous, error-prone, and inefficient, especially when dealing with diverse production facilities.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising autonomous mobile robots, including a pick-up robot and a measuring robot, that can collect, transport, and measure workpieces autonomously, using advanced navigation and communication systems, and integrate with a computation and storage system for real-time data processing and facility control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human operators perform sample collection and measurement manually, then flexibility in handling diverse workpieces is maintained, but error rate increases and safety risks arise in hazardous environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables autonomous self-service through mobile robots that independently navigate production facilities, select workpieces based on criteria, transport them to measurement tables, and perform measurements without human intervention. The robots use onboard sensors and computing systems to make decisions autonomously, eliminating the need for human operators to enter hazardous areas while maintaining measurement reliability through automated precision measurement systems.
2Measurement precision
If stationary measurement systems are used, then measurement precision is maintained, but adaptability to diverse production facilities and workpiece types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static measurement infrastructure with dynamic mobile robots that can move between different production facilities and adapt to various workpiece types. The robots feature reconfigurable measurement systems with interchangeable probes and sensors, allowing them to maintain high measurement precision across diverse applications while adapting to different facility layouts and production requirements through autonomous navigation and real-time system reconfiguration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized measurement stations are deployed for different workpiece types, then measurement coverage is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs universal mobile robots capable of measuring diverse workpiece types through a single multi-functional platform. Each robot is equipped with interchangeable measurement tools, sensors, and end-effectors that can be configured for different measurement tasks. The centralized computation and storage system provides unified control and data management, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive workpiece coverage through software-based adaptability rather than hardware proliferation.
4Productivity
If manual sample collection and transport is performed, then equipment cost is reduced, but productivity and inspection speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical operations with automated mobile robots equipped with advanced navigation systems, onboard processors, and automated manipulation capabilities. The robots autonomously navigate production facilities using sensors and mapping algorithms, select workpieces based on measurement criteria, transport them to measurement tables, and coordinate with measurement systems. This automation dramatically increases inspection speed and productivity while reducing labor requirements, with the central computation system orchestrating all operations efficiently.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system (40) for autonomously measuring workpieces (2), the system comprising one or more mobile robots (41, 44), configured to move autonomously in a production environment with a plurality of production facilities (47a-f) that produce a plurality of different workpieces (2), each of the mobile robots comprising a spatial localization system for deriving a location of the mobile robot in the production environment, an autonomous navigation and propulsion unit configured for providing mobility of the mobile robot in the production environment, a wireless communication interface providing a data link to at least one other mobile robot and/or to computation and storage system (48), wherein a first mobile robot comprises a sensor setup comprising one or more sensors and is configured to use one or more of the sensors for identifying, at each of at least a subset of the production facilities, a workpiece to be measured and for determining an at least rough position of the workpiece that allows collecting or measuring the workpiece, and the first mobile robot or a second mobile robot comprises a measuring arm with a probe for measuring the workpiece and obtaining measurement data about the measured workpiece, and a wireless communication interface configured for providing the obtained measurement data to the computation and storage system.