Vehicle Part Positioning for Automated Maintenance Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle maintenance procedures lack efficiency in accurately determining the position and orientation of vehicle parts within a maintenance facility, making it difficult for robots to perform service and repair tasks effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines the position of a first vehicle part in a fixed coordinate system by using spatial data related to the part's identity, which allows for the precise determination of a second part's position, enabling guided robot access for maintenance through a combination of distance measurements, sensor data, and manufacturing information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional vehicle maintenance procedures are used, then manual positioning methods are simple, but positioning accuracy and efficiency are low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning methods with an automated optical measurement system. A measurement device captures images of the vehicle and its parts, and a control unit processes these images to automatically determine positions in a fixed coordinate system, eliminating manual measurement while achieving high positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital representation of the vehicle's spatial configuration by capturing images and processing them into coordinate data. This digital copy of the physical vehicle layout enables accurate positioning and guidance without physically measuring each component manually
2Measurement precision
If manual positioning methods are used, then equipment complexity is low, but positioning accuracy and robot guidance precision are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement device serves multiple functions: capturing images of the vehicle, identifying parts within those images, determining positions of multiple parts, and providing data for robot guidance. This multi-functional approach achieves high positioning accuracy while consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that processes images from the measurement device and translates them into precise coordinate information. This intermediary processing layer enables accurate position determination without requiring direct complex interaction between the measurement device and the vehicle parts
3Productivity
If robots are used for maintenance tasks, then maintenance efficiency increases, but accurate positioning and orientation data are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides spatial coordinate information as feedback to guide the robot's movements and operations. By continuously determining the positions of vehicle parts in the fixed coordinate system, the system ensures the robot has accurate real-time data needed to perform maintenance tasks precisely
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary positioning and orientation determination before the robot executes maintenance tasks. By establishing the coordinate system and determining part positions in advance, the system ensures accurate spatial data is available to guide subsequent robot actions
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for maintenance of a vehicle, comprising—determining (S2, S8) the position, in a fixed coordinate system, of at least one first part (2011, 4, 3011) of a vehicle, —characterized by determining (S3) the identity of the vehicle, —retrieving (S4, S10), by means of the vehicle identity, spatial data indicating how a second part (202, 2011, 4) of the vehicle is spatially related to the first part (201), and—determining (S8, S11) the position, in the fixed coordinate system, of the second part (202, 2011, 4) based at least partly on the first part position and the spatial data.