Position-Sensing Tool Control for Accurate Riveting and Screwing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tools in manufacturing, such as riveting, screwing, and drilling tools, often fail to meet quality requirements despite quality assurance measures, as they do not reliably ensure proper alignment and torque, leading to substandard workpiece treatments.
Innovation Solution
A tool equipped with a detection device for spatial position detection and a control device that evaluates alignment within predetermined tolerance ranges, allowing for controlled and quality-assured treatment of workpieces by preventing or rating processes based on alignment and torque measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional quality assurance measures (torque measurement, angle measurement) are used in screwdrivers, then the tightening process can be automatically controlled, but it is not guaranteed that the resulting screw connection will meet expected quality standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical measurement systems (torque sensors, angle encoders) with an optical measurement system using a laser scanner. The laser scanner non-contactively measures the workpiece geometry and screw position, providing higher precision alignment detection without mechanical contact interference. This substitution enables accurate detection of screw hole position and workpiece orientation, ensuring quality standards are met.
2Reliability
If blind riveting tools determine minimum contact force, then the riveting process can be controlled, but riveted joints are still assessed as acceptable even when not meeting quality standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement of the workpiece geometry and rivet hole position using the laser scanner before the riveting process. The system calculates the optimal riveting path and adjusts the tool orientation in advance to ensure precise alignment with the rivet hole. This preliminary action prevents misalignment issues during the actual riveting process, ensuring quality standards are met from the start.
3Productivity
If tools are used to manipulate workpieces in mass production, then productivity is increased, but quality requirements are frequently not met due to improper handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where the laser scanner continuously measures the workpiece position and orientation during the manufacturing process. The measured data is fed back to the control system, which automatically adjusts the tool path and tool orientation in real-time to maintain precise alignment and meet quality standards. This feedback mechanism ensures quality consistency while maintaining mass production productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tool (10; 30) and a method for processing a workpiece (3; 4) with a tool element (22; 32) of a tool (10; 30) are provided. The tool (10; 30) comprises a tool element (22; 32) for processing a workpiece (3; 4), a detection device (233; 33) for detecting the position of the tool (10; 30) and/or the tool element (22; 32) in space, and a control device (23; 34) for evaluating the value detected by the detection device (233; 33) and for controlling the tool (10; 30) depending on whether the result of the evaluation lies within a predetermined tolerance range around a predetermined value.