초록 ▼

A method and system for the flexible assembly of components into an assembly at an assembly station within an assembly area in an adaptive, programmable fashion. Several programmable locators mounted on a platform work cooperatively to receive and support components or parts having critical position

A method and system for the flexible assembly of components into an assembly at an assembly station within an assembly area in an adaptive, programmable fashion. Several programmable locators mounted on a platform work cooperatively to receive and support components or parts having critical positioning features at approximate locations. The programmable locators then move the components so that the critical positioning features and hence the components are at desired locations. Thereafter, part position and orientation are constrained at retaining locations while the components are in their desired locations. Processing equipment at least partially joins the retained components either at the assembly station or at a separate processing station. One of the programmable locators may provide one of the retaining locations. Preferably, at least one sensor mounted on one of the programmable locators provides at least one feedback signal for a control means which controls at least one programmable locator to adapt its position with respect to at least one critical feature of its part to thereby relocate the part. In this way, verification of the accuracy of the positioning and holding is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for flexibly assembling components to form an assembly of the components at an assembly station in an assembly area, each of the components having at least one critical positioning feature and a plurality of support locations definable relative to the at least one critical positioning featu

A system for flexibly assembling components to form an assembly of the components at an assembly station in an assembly area, each of the components having at least one critical positioning feature and a plurality of support locations definable relative to the at least one critical positioning feature, the system comprising: an assembly station including a base and a plurality of spaced programmable locators mounted and constrained at predetermined locations on the base to define a base coordinate frame, each of the programmable locators having a work envelope and being adapted to receive and support at least one of the components at one of said support locations of the at least one of the components wherein the components are cooperatively supported by the plurality of programmable locators at their respective initial support locations relative to the base coordinate frame; control means having a first set of programs, each of the programmable locators moving independently under program control within said work envelope to adjust said respective support location of the components supported on said programmable locators from said respective initial support locations, wherein said programmable locators are independently adjusted by said first set of programs of said control means to locate the at least one critical positioning feature of each component at a desired position, hence defining a desired position of each component; and means for retaining each of the components in its desired position at a plurality of retaining locations, each of the components being constrained at said retaining locations relative to the base, the components being constrained to allow join equipment to at least partially process the compounds to obtain the assembly.