METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY PARAMETER OPTIMIZATION

• US 20100211204A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: He, Jianmin, Zhang, Hui, Wang, Jianjun, Zhang, George
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/104
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1687 Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40032 Peg and hole insertion, mating and joining, remote center compliance

Abstract

A method and system to optimize the parameters of a robot used in an assembly process. The assembly process is categorized based on its nature which may be cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion. The search pattern and search parameters are specified. The parameters are optimized and the optimized parameter set are verified and when a predetermined criteria such as assembly cycle time set and/or success rate is met the optimization process stops. When the optimization stops the verified parameters are used to cause the robot to perform the categorized assembly process. If the parameters do not meet the predetermined criteria, another round of optimization using the same or other parameters can be performed.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing the parameters of a robot used in an assembly process comprising:

categorizing said assembly process from a plurality of predetermined types of assembly processes;

specifying from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for said categorized assembly process and parameters for said categorized assembly process;

obtaining by using a predetermined technique a set of optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process;

verifying that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for using said robot to perform said categorized assembly process; and

causing said robot to perform said categorized assembly process using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting said categorized assembly process from said predetermined types of assembly processes comprising cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion assembly processes.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising assembling said specified search pattern from a plurality of search patterns with a transition state between each of said plurality of patterns and said parameters specified for said categorized assembly process comprises a set of parameters related to said search pattern transitions and another set of parameters related to the performance of said categorized assembly process.

4. A system for assembling components comprising:

an industrial robot for assembling said components;

a computing device in communication with said robot, said computing device having therein program code usable by said computing device for optimizing the parameters of said robot during said assembly process, said program code comprising;

code configured to categorize said assembly process from a plurality of predetermined types of assembly processes;

code configured to specify from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for said categorized assembly process and parameters for said categorized assembly process;

code configured to obtain by using a predetermined technique a set of optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process; and

code configured to verify that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for using said robot to perform said categorized assembly process.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a controller interposed between said computing device and said robot, said controller causing said robot to perform said categorized assembly process using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said computing device program code further comprises code configured to select said categorized assembly process from said predetermined types of assembly processes comprising cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion assembly processes.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said computing device program code further comprises code configured to assemble said specified search pattern from a plurality of search patterns with a transition state between each of said plurality of patterns and said parameters specified for said categorized assembly process comprises a set of parameters related to said search pattern transitions and another set of parameters related to the performance of said categorized assembly process.

8. A computer program product for optimizing the parameters of a robot used in an assembly process, said computer program product comprising:

computer program code configured to categorize said assembly process from a plurality of predetermined types of assembly processes;

computer program code configured to specify from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for said categorized assembly process and parameters for said categorized assembly process;

computer program code configured to obtain by using a predetermined technique a set of optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process;

computer program code configured to verify that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for using said robot to perform said categorized assembly process; and

computer program code configured to cause said robot to perform said categorized assembly process using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising computer program code configured to select said categorized assembly process from said predetermined types of assembly processes comprising cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion assembly processes.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising computer program code configured to assemble said specified search pattern from a plurality of search patterns with a transition state between each of said plurality of patterns and said parameters specified for said categorized assembly process comprises a set of parameters related to said search pattern transitions and another set of parameters related to the performance of said categorized assembly process.