Vision-Guided Fastening Hole Alignment for Faster Robotic Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening processes, such as those described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2012-20345, require a long time to search for fastening holes due to the use of spiral trajectories.
Innovation Solution
A fastening apparatus and method that utilize an imaging device and a control device to capture images of fastening holes, calculate their positions, and control a robot to efficiently move and insert fastening members into the holes, thereby reducing the time required for the fastening process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a spiral trajectory is used to search for the fastening hole, then the fastening apparatus can locate the hole, but the time required for the fastening process becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical spiral search trajectory with an optical imaging system (camera) that directly captures the position of the fastening hole. The imaging device takes a picture of the workpiece surface, and the control unit calculates the hole position from the image data, eliminating the need for time-consuming mechanical scanning while maintaining high positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optical copy (image) of the fastening hole position on the workpiece surface. Instead of physically searching for the hole through mechanical movement, the system captures a visual representation of the hole's location and uses this copied information to guide the fastening operation, significantly reducing search time while preserving precise location data.
2Productivity
If automation is implemented in the fastening process, then productivity increases, but the complexity of the fastening apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes image data from the imaging device, calculates the fastening hole position, determines the optimal search trajectory, controls the robot's movement, and monitors the fastening operation. By consolidating these functions into a single intelligent control system, the patent achieves high automation and productivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an imaging device as an intermediary between the workpiece and the control system. This intermediary captures visual information about the fastening hole position and transmits it to the control unit, which then processes the data and guides the robot. This intermediary approach enables automation while keeping the control logic manageable and the system architecture clear.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening apparatus assembles an assembly component to an assembled component by fastening a fastening member. The fastening apparatus includes: an imaging device that captures, in a state where the assembly component having a first fastening hole is mounted on an upper portion of the assembled component having a second fastening hole, an image of a region including at least the first fastening hole; and a control device that calculates a first position of the first fastening hole and a second position of the second fastening hole based on the captured image. The control device controls a robot to cause the fastening member to be moved to and inserted into the first fastening hole based on the first position and to move the assembly component in a state where the fastening member is inserted in the first fastening hole in a direction of the second position, and controls the robot to fasten the fastening member in response to detection of the fastening member being inserted into the second fastening hole.