Vision-Guided Robotic Wire Pickup for Position-Uncertain Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated wire assembly systems face challenges in accurately picking up wires from multiple locations on a form board due to uncertainty about the exact position and orientation of each wire, which hinders efficient wire bundle assembly in complex electrical systems of vehicles like aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A machine vision-based system is employed, utilizing a robot arm with a camera and gripper to visually estimate the position and orientation of wires held by a wire holder, generating guidance for precise robotic pickup and insertion into connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If automated wire pickup is performed without visual guidance, then the assembly process is simpler and faster, but the positioning accuracy of wire pickup deteriorates due to uncertainty about wire position and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and mechanical positioning with an automated computer vision system. Cameras capture images of the wire and form board, and image processing algorithms automatically determine wire position and orientation, eliminating the need for mechanical measurement tools and manual positioning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the robotic arm to self-correct its positioning by using visual feedback from the camera system. The image processing results are fed back to adjust the robotic arm's motion, allowing the system to automatically compensate for positioning uncertainties without external intervention.
2Reliability
If the robotic arm picks up wires from multiple locations without visual feedback, then the operation is faster, but the reliability of wire pickup deteriorates due to position uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where cameras continuously monitor wire position and orientation on the form board. The image processing results provide real-time feedback to the robotic arm control system, enabling dynamic adjustment of pickup operations to ensure reliable wire acquisition despite position variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary visual estimation of wire position and orientation before the robotic arm executes the pickup operation. This advance visualization allows the system to plan and adjust its approach, ensuring reliable pickup without requiring multiple retry attempts.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual positioning methods are used for wire pickup, then the equipment is simpler, but the manufacturing precision of wire assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual positioning operations with an automated computer vision-guided robotic system. The camera system captures precise visual data of wire positions, and image processing algorithms calculate accurate pickup coordinates, enabling high-precision wire assembly through automation rather than manual mechanical positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital visual copy of the wire and form board configuration through camera imaging. This optical copy is processed to extract precise position and orientation data, which then guides the robotic arm's pickup operations, ensuring manufacturing precision through visual replication rather than direct mechanical measurement.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for automated wire pickup using image-based robot guidance. The machine vision-based system includes: a robot arm; a tool head coupled to the distal end of the robot arm and including a wire gripper motor; a wire gripper movably coupled to the tool head and operatively coupled to the wire gripper motor; a wire holder configured for clamping a wire; cameras mounted to the distal end of the robot arm and having first and second fields of view which intersect in a volume of space that includes the tip of the wire gripper and the wire holder; and a computer system configured to control operation of the robot arm motors and wire gripper motor. More specifically, the computer system is configured for visually estimating the position and orientation of a contact-equipped wire being held by the wire holder and then generating robot guidance to enable automated pickup of the end section of the wire by the wire gripper.