Laminated RV Wall Scanning for Internal Component Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of accurately planning fabrication operations on RV body panels to avoid internal components due to their size and unwieldiness, making it difficult to access and measure components from the second side, complicates assembly and increases waste.
Innovation Solution
A scanner system using industrial robots equipped with penetrative imaging sensors to scan RV body panels, identifying components within or behind the panels, and planning fabrication operations to avoid these components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual measurement and inspection methods are used on RV body panels, then operators can access and measure components from the second side, but the process becomes time-consuming, error-prone, and generates material waste due to inaccurate planning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with an automated optical scanning system. The penetrative imaging sensor mounted on the industrial robot captures images of the first side of the body panel, and the controller automatically processes these images to identify component locations on the second side, eliminating the need for manual measurement and inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital representation (copy) of the component locations by scanning and imaging the body panel. The controller stores the identified component locations as digital data, which can be referenced for fabrication planning without requiring physical access or repeated manual measurement of the actual components.
2Manufacturing precision
If operators manually access components on the second side of body panels for measurement, then accurate component locations can be identified, but the complexity and difficulty of accessing unwieldy panels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual access and measurement operations with an automated imaging system. The industrial robot with penetrative imaging sensor can scan the body panel from the accessible first side without requiring operators to physically access difficult-to-reach areas on the second side, while still achieving accurate component location identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The penetrative imaging sensor acts as an intermediary that captures information about components on the second side by imaging through the body panel from the first side. This intermediary device translates physical component locations into detectable image data without requiring direct physical contact or access to the components themselves.
3Device complexity
If traditional scanning methods without penetrative imaging are used, then simpler equipment can be employed, but internal components within or behind the body panel cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrative imaging sensor serves as a specialized intermediary that can detect and image components through the body panel material. This intermediary device enables the detection of internal components that would be invisible to conventional non-penetrative scanning methods, allowing the system to identify component locations without physical access to the second side.
4Productivity
If fabrication operations are planned without accurate knowledge of internal component locations, then the fabrication process can proceed quickly, but material waste increases due to inaccurate cutting and drilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the scanning and component identification action before the fabrication operation begins. The controller stores the component location data in advance, allowing fabrication planning to proceed quickly with pre-acquired information, thereby maintaining high productivity while avoiding material waste through accurate pre-planning.
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 planning of fabrication operations to avoid internal components, reducing waste and improving assembly efficiency by ensuring accurate cutting and other operations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one penetrative imaging sensor for scanning the body panel, and identifying at least one component within or behind the body panel that is detectable by the at least one penetrative imaging sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A wall scanner system and method for scanning a body panel of an RV or other vehicle with one or more penetrative imaging sensors is disclosed. The body panel is scanned to identify the locations of one or more components within and/or behind the body panel so that a fabrication operation may be planned out to avoid the one or more components. The body panel may be disposed within a workable range of one or more industrial robots so that the robots may traverse the body panel with one or more penetrative imaging sensors. One or more industrial robots may be equipped with fabrication tools for carrying out the fabrication operation based at least in part on the scan results.