Force-Controlled Pushing Device for Robot Workpiece Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems face challenges in accurately controlling the force between a tool and a workpiece during relative movement, especially when the workpiece has a complex outline, leading to difficulties in maintaining appropriate contact and preventing detachment.
Innovation Solution
A robot system equipped with a force-controlled pushing device that includes a movement mechanism to control the force between the tool and the workpiece, allowing for precise movement by measuring and adjusting the force and position in real-time, ensuring accurate contact and movement relative to each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If direct teaching method is used to move the robot by applying forces via links and tip end, then the robot can be moved by human operator, but it is difficult to move the robot so that the tool comes into appropriate contact with the workpiece and accurately follows the outline of the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
A force-controlled pushing device is introduced as an intermediary between the robot's tip end and the workpiece. This pushing device includes a force sensor that measures the contact force and a control mechanism that adjusts the pushing force, enabling accurate tool-workpiece contact while maintaining ease of robot operation through force feedback control
2Manufacturing precision
If the outline of the workpiece is complicated and the tool moves relative to the workpiece, then the tool may follow the workpiece outline, but the tip end of the robot may move in a direction that does not follow the outline, or the tool may not appropriately contact the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The robot tip end is segmented into separate functional components: the robot arm for gross positioning, and an independent force-controlled pushing device for precise contact control. This segmentation allows the pushing device to independently adjust its position and force to follow complex workpiece outlines while the robot arm handles overall movement
3Ease of operation
If the operating part in the tip end of the robot is away from the contact point between the workpiece and the tool, then the robot can be operated remotely, but it is extremely difficult to cause the tool to accurately follow the outline of the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The force-controlled pushing device acts as an intermediary that bridges the distance between the remote operating part and the contact point. It incorporates force sensors and control mechanisms that maintain accurate contact force and position at the tool-workpiece interface, compensating for the distance between the operator's control point and the actual contact point
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system including a force-controlled pushing device which causes, when a robot is guided and moved, an object provided at a tip end of the robot to be brought into appropriate contact with another object. The robot system includes the robot, the force-controlled pushing device, a robot operation input measuring part, a robot movement command calculating part, a pushing direction setting part, a target pushing force setting part, a force measuring part, and a force-controlled pushing device movement command calculating part. The pushing direction setting part sets a pushing direction of the force-controlled pushing device, based on at least one of: the position/orientation of the first object; a force-controlled pushing device movement command for moving the first object; the position/orientation of the movement mechanism part of the force-controlled pushing device; the position/orientation of the robot; and a robot movement command for moving the robot.