Dynamic Conveyor Alignment for Robot Reach Range Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robots in work environments such as factories and warehouses face challenges in positioning and collaboration with conveyors due to dynamically changing conditions, leading to potential misses in grasping items and interruptions in operations.
Innovation Solution
A method where a computer identifies the position of a robot and its arm's range of movement, generates an alignment plan to position a conveyor so that it is engageable with the robot's arm, and transmits this plan for execution to ensure timely and efficient collaboration between robots and conveyors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If robots are positioned dynamically in work environments, then operational flexibility is improved, but alignment with conveyors becomes difficult leading to missed grasping opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is made dynamically adjustable in position and orientation to match the robot's current location and reach envelope. The conveyor can move along tracks and change its profile dynamically, allowing it to adapt to the robot's position while maintaining reliable item delivery within the robot's grasping range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the robot's position and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the conveyor's position and orientation. This closed-loop control ensures the conveyor remains optimally aligned with the robot's current location and arm reach, preventing missed grasping opportunities while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Device complexity
If conveyor position is fixed, then alignment with robot is simplified, but the system cannot adapt to dynamically changing robot positions
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities with motors and control systems that allow it to adjust its position and orientation in real-time. This enables the conveyor to adapt to changing robot positions while maintaining relatively simple alignment procedures through automated control.
3Reliability
If conveyor is moved to align with robot, then item delivery within robot reach is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor control system receives real-time position data from the robot and automatically calculates the optimal conveyor position. This feedback-driven automated control improves item delivery reliability while managing system complexity through intelligent algorithms rather than complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
A control computer acts as an intermediary between the robot and conveyor systems, processing position data and generating alignment commands. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the control logic and coordinating the interaction between the two systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple conveyors are deployed to support multiple robot positions, then coverage is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple robot positions sequentially. A single conveyor can dynamically reposition itself to support different robots or the same robot at different locations, providing comprehensive coverage without requiring multiple dedicated conveyors for each position.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer system, and a computer program product for robot assistance are provided. A computer identifies a position of a first robot in an environment and a range of movement of an arm of the first robot. The computer generates an alignment plan for moving a first conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the first conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm. The first conveyor and the first robot include respective supports that are separate from each other. The computer transmits the alignment plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the alignment plan.