Robot Arm Camera Inspection for In-Process Vehicle Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle part quality verification methods rely on manual visual inspection, which is inefficient and may lead to quality issues being missed, especially in hard-to-reach areas like the engine compartment, resulting in potential safety hazards and increased production costs due to rework and potential customer complaints.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an arm robot equipped with a camera and a sliding rail system to acquire image data of vehicle parts during assembly, comparing this data with 3D modeling data to determine if preset inspection items are met, thereby verifying part quality before vehicle completion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual visual inspection is used to verify part quality, then operational simplicity is maintained, but inspection precision and reliability deteriorate due to human error and inability to access hard-to-reach areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated system comprising a robot arm, camera, and image processing unit. The robot arm positions the camera to capture images of parts, including those in hard-to-reach areas, while the image processing unit automatically analyzes the images to detect defects, eliminating human error and improving inspection precision without requiring complex manual procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies (images) of the physical parts using a camera mounted on the robot arm. These image copies are then processed by image processing software to detect defects, allowing multiple analyses of the same part without physical contact or disassembly, thereby improving inspection reliability while keeping the physical inspection system simple
2Reliability
If parts are inspected after complete vehicle assembly, then all parts are covered, but production time increases and rework costs rise due to disassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements inspection at multiple stages during the assembly process rather than only after complete assembly. The robot arm and camera system are positioned to inspect parts at specific assembly points, allowing defects to be detected early when they can be corrected without disassembling the entire vehicle, thus maintaining high reliability while reducing production time and rework costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary inspection system that operates between assembly stages. The robot arm with integrated camera captures images of parts during assembly, and the image processing unit analyzes them in real-time or near-real-time, serving as an intermediary quality check that prevents defective parts from progressing to later assembly stages, thereby avoiding time-consuming disassembly and rework
3Reliability
If deep portions of the vehicle are continuously monitored during assembly, then quality degradation is detected early, but the complexity of the monitoring system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic robot arm that can automatically position and reposition itself to access different areas of the vehicle during assembly. The robot arm adjusts its position and the camera's angle based on the specific part being inspected, allowing comprehensive monitoring of deep portions without requiring a complex fixed infrastructure of cameras and sensors in every location, thus maintaining reliability while managing system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for verifying quality of a part using an arm robot includes an arm robot, which includes a camera to acquire image data of a part assembled in each manufacturing process of a vehicle, a carrier, which includes a sliding rail allowing the arm robot to be movable around the vehicle along the sliding rail to acquire the image data, and a server which receives the image data acquired by the camera, compares the image data with modeling data of the vehicle, which is stored in a database, and determines whether the assembled part satisfies a preset inspection item, to verify quality of the assembled part, verifying the quality of the part in each process before the vehicle is completely manufactured.