Robot Assembly Target Positioning With Contact-Guided Location Utensil

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automotive assembly lines face challenges with positioning tolerances and inaccuracies, leading to potential damage from unnecessary physical contact between components, especially on painted surfaces, and require improved robot automation for precise assembly.

Innovation Solution

A method using a location utensil attached to an industrial robot, combined with force control and vision systems, to accurately determine and register the target position, ensuring precise assembly without damage by detecting contact through force sensors and adjusting the end effector's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If force control is used to adapt to positioning inaccuracies, then assembly precision is improved, but the risk of physical contact damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly precisionVSAvoidphysical contact damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A location utensil is introduced as an intermediary element between the robot end effector and the target component. The utensil makes contact with the target to detect its actual position, while the component itself remains protected from direct contact. The controller uses the location utensil's position data to guide the end effector to the correct assembly location without requiring force control that would involve damaging contact with the component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical force control approach with an information-based approach. Instead of using force sensors to detect contact and adapt positioning through mechanical feedback, the system uses a location utensil to gather positional information and communicates this to the controller, which then adjusts the end effector's position through precise control without mechanical contact with the component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If real time vision systems and force control are used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetarget position accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the positioning detection function from the complex combination of vision systems and force sensors, and implements it through a simpler location utensil mechanism. The utensil serves as a dedicated positioning tool that simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for real-time vision systems and force control, achieving accurate target location with reduced complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If automated assembly operations are performed, then productivity is improved, but the risk of damage from positioning errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly automationVSAvoiddamage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary positioning detection using the location utensil before the actual assembly operation. The controller determines the target's actual position in advance through the utensil's contact detection, then uses this information to guide the end effector to the correct location. This preliminary action ensures accurate automated assembly while preventing damage by avoiding blind contact operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables precise and safe assembly operations by accurately determining the target position, reducing the risk of scratches and dents on painted components, and enhancing robot automation in automotive assembly lines.

Implementation Method 1

detecting a contact between the location utensil and the target, based on the readings of a force sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce sensing: Force

Data Source

PatentUS12479107B2Method and an assembly unit for performing assembling operations

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG

AI summary

A method is disclosed, including: providing a part having a target at which an assembly operation is to be performed by an industrial robot; determining the target position, by controlling the end effector of the robot to approach the target, detecting a contact between a location utensil attached to the end effector and the target and controlling the end effector of the robot at least by force control until the location utensil reaches a predetermined position relative to the target, and determining the target position as indicated by the absolute position of the location utensil when the location utensil is in said predetermined position relative to the target; registering the target position; and controlling the end effector of the robot to perform the assembly operation at the registered target position. An assembly unit or system is also disclosed.