Abstract: An expanding locating pin assembly configured to locate and hold a part includes a housing, a locating pin, an actuating mechanism, and a controller. The housing is configured with a plurality of radial jaw guides and a part rest face. The locating pin has a plurality of jaws connected to and radially movable in the radial jaw guides and extending past the part rest face. The actuating mechanism synchronously moves the jaws to a radial position and applies a holding force to the part. The controller controls the radial position and the holding force of the jaws. The part rest face of the housing and the jaws of the locating pin are configured to receive the part in a located position. The jaws of the locating pin are configured to hold the part in the located position via the holding force and a friction force resulting from the holding force.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding system, for welding together two workpieces wherein at least one of the workpieces includes a polymeric composite, comprising an energy applicator positioned along an action axis so that, in operation, ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the energy applicator during a welding routine, are transmitted to the workpieces generally at and/or adjacent the axis. The system also includes a primary, course-control, actuator positioned along action axis so that a first load, output by the primary actuator, acts along the system action axis. The system further comprises a secondary, fine-control, actuator positioned along the system action axis so that a second load output, by the secondary actuator, acts along the axis. And the system comprises a controller for providing first command signals and second command signals to the primary actuator and second actuator to control them to effect loads on the workpieces, during the welding routine and along the axis.

Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding workpiece stack-ups of different combinations of steel workpieces and aluminum workpieces includes several steps. In one step, a workpiece stack-up is brought between a first weld gun arm and a second weld gun arm. The first weld gun arm includes a first welding electrode, and the second weld gun arm includes a carrier that supports a second welding electrode and a third welding electrode. Another step involves rotating the carrier and passing electrical current through the workpiece stack-up using the first welding electrode in conjunction with either the second welding electrode or the third welding electrode depending on which electrode has been rotated into facing alignment with the first welding electrode.

Abstract: A reconfigurable autonomous workstation includes a multi-faced superstructure including a horizontally-arranged frame section supported on a plurality of posts. The posts form a plurality of vertical faces arranged between adjacent pairs of the posts, the faces including first and second faces and a power distribution and position reference face. A controllable robotic arm suspends from the rectangular frame section, and a work table fixedly couples to the power distribution and position reference face. A plurality of conveyor tables are fixedly coupled to the work table including a first conveyor table through the first face and a second conveyor table through the second face. A vision system monitors the work table and each of the conveyor tables. A programmable controller monitors signal inputs from the vision system to identify and determine orientation of the component on the first conveyor table and control the robotic arm to execute an assembly task.

Abstract: A gripping device is described and includes a holder including a base and a conformable jamming element that has a conformable releasable surface-adhesive element secured onto its surface.

Abstract: A device for gripping a workpiece is described, and includes a holder including a base and a conformable jamming element. The conformable jamming element includes an air-impermeable pliable membrane containing filling material including magnetic particles, and is attached to the base. An electroadhesive element and a conformable releasable surface-adhesive element are secured to a surface of the membrane.

Abstract: A gripping device is described, and includes a holder including a base and a conformable jamming element having an electroadhesive element on a surface thereof and a controllable voltage source that is electrically connected to the electroadhesive element.

Abstract: A gripping device is described and includes a holder including a base and a conformable jamming element that has a conformable releasable surface-adhesive element secured onto its surface.

Abstract: A device for holding a workpiece includes a holder including a base including a magnetic element. A conformable jamming element attaches to the base and includes a closed impermeable pliable membrane containing magnetic particles. A controllable pressure device fluidly couples to the jamming element.

Abstract: A part holding assembly, an assembly system and a method of positioning a first part are disclosed. The part holding assembly is coupleable to a support structure. The part holding assembly includes a base adapted to be coupled to the support structure. The part holding assembly also includes a first pin extending outwardly away from the base to a distal end that is spaced from the base. The base is movable to position the first pin relative to a first part and to insert the distal end of the first pin through a first hole of the first part to locate the first part. The part holding assembly further includes a first magnet adjacent to the first pin. The first magnet is selectively magnetized to selectively secure the position of the first part relative to the base.

Abstract: A method for locating a first vehicle component relative to a second vehicle component includes the following steps: (a) moving the robotic arm to a first position such that a form feature of the first vehicle component is within a field of view of a camera; (b) capturing an image the form feature of the first vehicle component; (c) moving the robotic arm to a second position such that the form feature of the second vehicle component is within the field of view of the camera; (d) capturing an image of the form feature of the second vehicle component; (e) picking up the second vehicle component using the robotic arm; and (f) moving the robotic arm along with the second vehicle component toward the first vehicle component.

Abstract: A system for assembling a first component and a second component comprises a support operatively supporting the first component without any fixtures, a vision system configured to view the supported first component and the second component and determine the locations thereof, a robotic system configured to move and position the second component relative to the first component, and a controller operatively connected to the vision system and to the robotic system and operable to control the robotic system to position the second component relative to the first component based on the locations determined by the vision system. Various methods of assembling the first component and the second component are provided to create a process joint prior to creation of a structural joint in a subsequent assembly operation.

Abstract: A check fixture measures a total clamp force applied by a welder device. The welder device includes a welding horn having a plurality of weld pads and welding anvil having a plurality of weld pads. The check fixture includes a base member operatively supporting a plurality of force sensors. The base member and the force sensors are received between the weld pads of the welding horn and the anvil pads of the welding anvil. Each force sensor is configured to measure an individual clamp force applied thereto by corresponding weld and anvil pads when the base member is received between the welding horn and the welding anvil and the welder device is in the clamped position. The individual clamp forces are used to determine whether the weld and/or anvil pads are worn or misaligned.

Abstract: A vibration welding system includes vibration welding equipment having a welding horn and anvil, a host machine, a check station, and a welding robot. At least one displacement sensor is positioned with respect to one of the welding equipment and the check station. The robot moves the horn and anvil via an arm to the check station, when a threshold condition is met, i.e., a predetermined amount of time has elapsed or a predetermined number of welds have been completed. The robot moves the horn and anvil to the check station, activates the at least one displacement sensor, at the check station, and determines a status condition of the welding equipment by processing the received signals. The status condition may be one of the alignment of the vibration welding equipment and the wear or degradation of the vibration welding equipment.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a fault in an electrical component using a diagnostic system having a plurality of sensors. The method includes positioning the electrical component in a predetermined position adjacent the diagnostic system and at a predetermined orientation with respect to the diagnostic system. The method also includes causing a predetermined level of electrical current to flow to the electrical component, the stationary sensors sensing electrical discharge emitted by the electrical component at an area of the fault, and the tangible computerized controller receiving sensor data from the sensors. The method further includes the tangible computerized controller executing the computer-readable instructions to process the sensor data to generate test information including a location of the electrical component at which the fault is occurring in at least two dimensions.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding system, for welding together two workpieces wherein at least one of the workpieces includes a polymeric composite, comprising an energy applicator positioned along an action axis so that, in operation, ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the energy applicator during a welding routine, are transmitted to the workpieces generally at and/or adjacent the axis. The system also includes a primary, course-control, actuator positioned along action axis so that a first load, output by the primary actuator, acts along the system action axis. The system further comprises a secondary, fine-control, actuator positioned along the system action axis so that a second load output, by the secondary actuator, acts along the axis. And the system comprises a controller for providing first command signals and second command signals to the primary actuator and second actuator to control them to effect loads on the workpieces, during the welding routine and along the axis.

Abstract: A system includes host and learning machines. Each machine has a processor in electrical communication with at least one sensor. Instructions for predicting a binary quality status of an item of interest during a repeatable process are recorded in memory. The binary quality status includes passing and failing binary classes. The learning machine receives signals from the at least one sensor and identifies candidate features. Features are extracted from the candidate features, each more predictive of the binary quality status. The extracted features are mapped to a dimensional space having a number of dimensions proportional to the number of extracted features. The dimensional space includes most of the passing class and excludes at least 90 percent of the failing class. Received signals are compared to the boundaries of the recorded dimensional space to predict, in real time, the binary quality status of a subsequent item of interest.

Abstract: A vibration welding system includes vibration welding equipment having a welding horn and anvil, a host device, a check station, and a robot. The robot moves the horn and anvil via an arm to the check station. Sensors, e.g., temperature sensors, are positioned with respect to the welding equipment. Additional sensors are positioned with respect to the check station, including a pressure-sensitive array. The host device, which monitors a condition of the welding equipment, measures signals via the sensors positioned with respect to the welding equipment when the horn is actively forming a weld. The robot moves the horn and anvil to the check station, activates the check station sensors at the check station, and determines a condition of the welding equipment by processing the received signals. Acoustic, force, temperature, displacement, amplitude, and/or attitude/gyroscopic sensors may be used.

Abstract: A system includes host and learning machines. Each machine has a processor in electrical communication with at least one sensor. Instructions for predicting a binary quality status of an item of interest during a repeatable process are recorded in memory. The binary quality status includes passing and failing binary classes. The learning machine receives signals from the at least one sensor and identifies candidate features. Features are extracted from the candidate features, each more predictive of the binary quality status. The extracted features are mapped to a dimensional space having a number of dimensions proportional to the number of extracted features. The dimensional space includes most of the passing class and excludes at least 90 percent of the failing class. Received signals are compared to the boundaries of the recorded dimensional space to predict, in real time, the binary quality status of a subsequent item of interest.

Abstract: A system includes host and learning machines in electrical communication with sensors positioned with respect to an item of interest, e.g., a weld, and memory. The host executes instructions from memory to predict a binary quality status of the item. The learning machine receives signals from the sensor(s), identifies candidate features, and extracts features from the candidates that are more predictive of the binary quality status relative to other candidate features. The learning machine maps the extracted features to a dimensional space that includes most of the items from a passing binary class and excludes all or most of the items from a failing binary class. The host also compares the received signals for a subsequent item of interest to the dimensional space to thereby predict, in real time, the binary quality status of the subsequent item of interest.