CMM Downtime Automation Using Camera-Based Obstruction Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
CMMs experience significant downtime due to non-production activities like calibration and repair, which are difficult to automate safely and efficiently, leading to productivity loss and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a camera to image the environment of a CMM, ensuring no obstructions are present before allowing automated non-production activities, using computer analysis or human oversight to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-production activities are performed during inactive times, then machine maintenance and calibration are completed, but technician productivity is lost and facility operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CMM system performs non-production activities autonomously during inactive periods without requiring technician presence. The automated probe changes, calibration routines, and repair tasks are executed by the machine itself or through automated mechanisms, eliminating the need for technicians to be present during these operations and thereby preserving technician productivity while maintaining machine reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs non-production activities during pre-scheduled inactive periods (nights or weekends) before production demands arise. By completing maintenance, calibration, and probe changes in advance during these predetermined windows, the CMM is ready for production use without requiring technicians to interrupt their work for these tasks.
2Productivity
If automated non-production activities are executed during inactive times, then machine availability improves, but safety risks increase due to potential contact with moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
A camera system serves as an intermediary between the automated CMM operations and the surrounding environment. The camera captures images of the workspace, and image analysis technology acts as a mediator to detect the presence of persons or objects that could be harmed by moving parts. This intermediary system enables automated operations to proceed safely by providing real-time environmental awareness without requiring physical guards or barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical safety systems (such as physical guards, interlocks, and presence-sensing devices) with an optical detection system using cameras and image analysis. This substitution allows for more flexible and comprehensive safety monitoring that can detect a wider range of hazards while enabling automated operations to proceed without mechanical interruptions.
3Reliability
If technician presence is required for non-production activities, then safety is maintained, but operational costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CMM system performs maintenance, calibration, and probe changes autonomously without technician intervention. The automated mechanisms execute these non-production activities during inactive periods, eliminating the need for technicians to spend time on these tasks while maintaining safety through automated environmental monitoring and control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the environment using camera images and feedback loops to ensure safety conditions are met before and during automated non-production activities. The image analysis system provides real-time feedback about the presence of persons or objects, allowing the automated system to adjust its operations accordingly and maintain safety without requiring constant technician oversight.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments enable automation of non-production activities of a coordinate measuring machine by ascertaining, prior to executing such activities, that such activities could be safely executed in the machine's environment. Although making such a determination can be fully automated, some embodiments include a human decision-maker in the loop.