Robotic Nut Placement with Stereo Camera Vision
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual placement and tightening of nuts on bolt-type fasteners in large-scale aircraft assemblies is a time-consuming process, hindering the speed of aircraft manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system equipped with a stereo camera and end effector nut or collar placement device automatically locates the centerline of the fastener and aligns a nut or collar for precise placement and tightening, utilizing a robot control system and processor to process image information from the cameras.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual nut placement and tightening is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity is reduced and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic nut placement and tightening through robotic automation. The robot autonomously positions the nut runner, executes nut placement, and performs tightening operations without manual intervention, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated robotic system. The robot manipulator controls the nut runner device, substituting human manual placement and tightening operations with automated mechanical systems, thus improving manufacturing speed and consistency
2Productivity
If automated robotic nut placement is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system integrates multiple functions into a single automated platform. The robot manipulator performs positioning, the camera system executes vision guidance and centerline detection, and the nut runner handles both placement and tightening operations, reducing overall system complexity through functional integration
Solution Approach 2:
The vision guidance system acts as an intermediary between the robot manipulator and the nut placement operation. The camera system captures images, processes them to determine fastener centerlines, and provides guidance signals to the robot, simplifying the control architecture through modular intermediate processing
3Manufacturing precision
If vision guidance system is added, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical positioning mechanisms with a vision-based guidance system. Instead of using complex mechanical alignment devices, the patent uses cameras to capture images, process them computationally to determine fastener locations and centerlines, and guide the robot accordingly, simplifying the physical hardware while maintaining high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system creates optical copies (images) of the fasteners and their positions. By capturing and processing these visual copies, the system determines accurate fastener locations and centerlines without physical contact or complex mechanical measurement devices, achieving high precision through information copying rather than physical replication
Data Source
AI summary
A system for locating the center line of a bolt which extends through an aircraft part, including a robot which carries a nut or collar placement device and a stereo camera. A control system operates the camera to produce two images of the fastener at a specified angle. A processor then transforms the image information to control information for the robot to align the nut or collar placement device with the centerline of the fastener and then to place the nut or collar on the end of the fastener.