Abstract: Industrial robots have been widely used in industrial applications such as welding, and assembly. However, the application of the robots to precision manufacture is limited by their accuracy. As a highly non-linear system, the positioning accuracy of a robot varies with the configuration of the joints or the angular positions as well as translational positions of its joints. This results in a mechanical system of a low accuracy, but very high repeatability. This invention is about an innovative approach that will improve the accuracy of a robotic measuring system to the level of the repeatability of the robot. It is a calibration method for improving the accuracy of a robotic measuring system with joint configuration dependent performance. With such an increased measuring accuracy, the robotic measuring system can be used in many industrial applications requiring a robotic measuring system of high accuracy.

Abstract: This invention is about the method for detecting the position, and orientation of holes using a robotic vision system. In certain industrial applications, there are parts with many tiny or large holes or tunnels of various shapes, and the orientation and position of each of the holes need to be inspected automatically using non-contact measuring systems such as a vision system. The relative motion of the hole being measured and the measuring system can be realized by an industrial robot or other multiaxis CNC motion systems. The method in this invention includes the approaches and algorithms to detect the hole position, size, and orientation by using a vision system mounted on the robot arms. The hole orientation is determined based on the alignment of the vision system and the hole axis. The position of the hole is the intersection between the hole axis and the surface region around the hole opening.

Abstract: A belt grinding machine is disclosed that includes an automatic pressure and position control systems for robotic grinding and polishing applications. The machine will be combined with off-line programming package, capable of carrying out complicated operations that cannot be performed on traditional types of machines. The multiple contact wheels of the machine give the flexibility to accommodate complicated geometry of workpieces with a large material removal rate (MRR) and great surface finishes. The basic components of this belt grinding machine consists of the followings: a power source, a drive wheel or active wheel driven by a motor, multiple contact wheels; an idler for tensioning and tracking the belt, an active force control device to keep the constant pressure on the workpiece, a proper coated abrasive belt, and a dust collection system.

Abstract: An accelerometer is mounted on a robot to monitor movement of a tool assembly attached to the robot end effector for safety monitoring purposes. The accelerometer provides an output signal to the robot controller which the controller uses to monitor the robot movement and stop that movement when a predetermined values of acceleration, speed and distance are detected during lead-through teaching of the robot. A handle can be attached to the robot end effector and the accelerometer can be mounted on the handle.

Abstract: A method for fine tuning of a robot program for a robot application comprising an industrial robot, a tool and a work object to be processed by the tool along a path comprising a number of desired poses on the work object, the robot program comprises a number of program instructions containing programmed poses corresponding to the desired poses, wherein the method comprises: defining a fine tuning coordinate system Xft, Yft, Zft, selecting one of said programmed poses pi, calculating said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, running said one or more program instructions by the robot, determining the difference between the pose obtained after running the program instructions and the desired pose, adjusting the fine tuning coordinate system in dependence of said difference, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the adjusted fine tuning coordinate system Xft′, Yft′, Zft′

Abstract: A method for fine tuning of a robot program for a robot application comprising an industrial robot, a tool and a work object to be processed by the tool along a path comprising a number of desired poses on the work object, the robot program comprises a number of program instructions containing programmed poses corresponding to the desired poses, wherein the method comprises: defining a fine tuning coordinate system Xft, Yft, Zft, selecting one of said programmed poses pi, calculating said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the fine tuning coordinate system, running said one or more program instructions by the robot, determining the difference between the pose obtained after running the program instructions and the desired pose, adjusting the fine tuning coordinate system in dependence of said difference, producing program instructions for said selected pose in the adjusted fine tuning coordinate system Xft′, Yft′, Zft′

Abstract: A method for programming of a robot application comprising an industrial robot having a robot coordinate system, a tool having a tool coordinate system and a work object (3) to be processed by the tool. The application is programmed by means of a position-measuring unit (15) adapted for measuring positions relative a measuring coordinate system (db). The programming method comprises: selecting an object reference structure (25) on the object, defining a mathematical model for the object reference structure, defining an object coordinate system (o2), providing measurements by the position-measuring unit on the surface of the object reference structure, determining the object coordinate system in relation to the measuring coordinate system (db) by best fit between said measurements and said mathematical model of the object reference structure.

Abstract: A method for programming of a robot application comprising an industrial robot having a robot coordinate system, a tool having a tool coordinate system and a work object (3) to be processed by the tool. The application is programmed by means of a position-measuring unit (15) adapted for measuring positions relative a measuring coordinate system (db). The programming method comprises: selecting an object reference structure (25) on the object, defining a mathematical model for the object reference structure, defining an object coordinate system (o2), providing measurements by the position-measuring unit on the surface of the object reference structure, determining the object coordinate system in relation to the measuring coordinate system (db) by best fit between said measurements and said mathematical model of the object reference structure.

Abstract: A relative calibration system and method for robot workcell calibration is capable of correcting errors between the robot tool center point (TCP) and the work-object frame according to a relative reference, in that a precision path will be created based on this calibrated workcell.

Abstract: A relative calibration system and method for robot workcell calibration is capable of correcting errors between the robot tool center point (TCP) and the work-object frame according to a relative reference, in that a precision path will be created based on this calibrated workcell.

Abstract: A control system by which, the lobing and thermal-damage on a component surface will be eliminated and a component of a circular cross-section is capable of being ground with ultra-precision and high quality surface finish. The system includes (i) an automatic controlled supporting device, by which the periphery support of circular component of any size is auto-formed in a most stable work-holding condition; (ii) a flexible rear-shoe with active filtering mechanism, by which the high frequency lobing will be removed and the heat generated in the contact area between the workpiece and rear-shoe will be reduced by the self-lubrication of rear-shoe; (iii) an on-line vision-based temperature monitoring and control device, by which the overheat on the workpiece is controlled; (iv) an on-line phase precession lobing control algorithm, by which the lobing will be effectively suppressed in a rounding process.