Vision-Guided Sealant Dispensing for Precise Robotic Caulking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sealing aircraft wings and other large manufactured objects with viscous fluids are labor-intensive and prone to inconsistencies, as they require manual application, which can lead to unreliable seals and contamination risks due to the complexity of accurately dispensing and shaping the sealant.
Innovation Solution
A computer vision-guided system that uses a robotic arm with a dispensing device, equipped with cameras and sensors, to acquire real-time images of the sealing process, control the dispensing of viscous fluids, and shape the sealant accurately, ensuring precise placement and quantity, and real-time quality inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual application of sealing compound is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but sealing precision and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical application with an automated robotic dispensing system that uses computer vision guidance. The robot arm with dispensing device is controlled by a vision system that processes images to determine precise positioning and dispensing parameters, eliminating manual operation while achieving consistent, high-precision sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time vision processing that automatically monitors and adjusts the dispensing process. The vision system continuously captures images, processes them to detect sealant deposition, and provides feedback control to the dispensing device, enabling the system to self-correct and maintain precision without human intervention.
2Productivity
If automated robotic sealing is implemented, then productivity increases, but measurement and detection difficulty worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where the vision sensor continuously monitors the dispensing process in real-time. The processed images provide feedback to the controller, which adjusts dispensing parameters based on detected sealant deposition, ensuring consistent quality while maintaining high productivity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision system detects sealant deposition by analyzing changes in the visual appearance of the applied material. The image processing algorithms identify the presence, amount, and quality of sealant based on its visual characteristics, enabling automatic quality inspection that is easier than manual visual assessment.
3Speed
If pre-programmed robot trajectory is used, then operation speed increases, but adaptability to variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static pre-programmed trajectories to dynamic adaptive trajectories. The robot system continuously adjusts its motion path based on real-time vision feedback, allowing it to maintain high speed while adapting to variations in part positioning, feature locations, and sealant flow characteristics during the dispensing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision system provides continuous feedback on the actual dispensing process, enabling the controller to adjust the robot trajectory in real-time. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain optimal speed while adapting to deviations from the planned path, ensuring precise sealant application even when conditions vary.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method and system by which a precise amount of a viscous fluid sealing compound can be dispensed at required locations through computer vision-based observation of the fluid deposited, its rate and amount of deposition and location; and that the dispensed fluid may be accurately shaped through robotic or other special purpose mechanism motion. The invention enables instant quality inspection of the dispensing process in terms of the locations, amounts and shapes of newly created seals.