System And Method Of Locating Relative Positions Of Objects
First Claim
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1. A method of performing a manufacturing operation on an elongated workpiece having an outer circumference and an inner circumference at a root end using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
- directing the sensor on the robotic arm to a first measurement position based upon an expected location of a first location of at least one of the outer circumference and an inner circumference of the workpiece;
sensing the actual location of the first location on the workpiece using the sensor on the robotic arm;
communicating the output of the sensor on the robotic arm to the controller to determine the actual location of the first location of the workpiece;
determining with the controller an expected location of a second location on at least one of the outer circumference and inner circumference of the workpiece using the actual location of the first location on the workpiece;
moving the sensor on the robotic arm to a second measurement position, said second measurement position being determined by the expected location of the second location of the workpiece;
sensing the actual location of the second location on the workpiece using the sensor on the robotic arm;
communicating the sensor output of the sensor on the robotic arm to the controller to determine the actual location of the second surface of the workpiece;
calculating the actual root end center of the elongated workpiece;
determining the twist of the workpiece; and
determining the location of tip of the elongated workpiece.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for performing manufacturing operations using position sensing for robotic arms that efficiently and accurately finds the location of a workpiece or features on a workpiece, with minimal need for adjustments.
14 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of performing a manufacturing operation on an elongated workpiece having an outer circumference and an inner circumference at a root end using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing the sensor on the robotic arm to a first measurement position based upon an expected location of a first location of at least one of the outer circumference and an inner circumference of the workpiece; sensing the actual location of the first location on the workpiece using the sensor on the robotic arm; communicating the output of the sensor on the robotic arm to the controller to determine the actual location of the first location of the workpiece; determining with the controller an expected location of a second location on at least one of the outer circumference and inner circumference of the workpiece using the actual location of the first location on the workpiece; moving the sensor on the robotic arm to a second measurement position, said second measurement position being determined by the expected location of the second location of the workpiece; sensing the actual location of the second location on the workpiece using the sensor on the robotic arm; communicating the sensor output of the sensor on the robotic arm to the controller to determine the actual location of the second surface of the workpiece; calculating the actual root end center of the elongated workpiece; determining the twist of the workpiece; and determining the location of tip of the elongated workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of performing a manufacturing operation on a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis, a tip, an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity, and a root end, using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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directing the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a first measurement position proximate to the root end based upon an expected location of one of said outer circumferential surface and said inner circumferential surface; sensing the actual location of a first location on the at least one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface proximate to the root end using the sensor on the robotic arm; moving the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a second measurement position; sensing the actual location of a second location; determining a first estimated root end center based upon the actual location of the first and second locations; continue measuring additional locations on at least one of the surface of the outer circumference and the surface of the inner circumference; determining based upon said additional locations additional estimated root end centers, until the last estimated root end center is within a specified tolerance level; determining the twist of the workpiece; and determining the location of tip of the elongated workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of performing a manufacturing operation on a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis, a tip, an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity, and a root end using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining the twist of the workpiece using said first sensor; determining the location of the tip of the workpiece using said second sensor; determining an estimated location of one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces using said determined twist and determined location of the tip of the workpiece; directing the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a first measurement position proximate to the root end based upon said the determined estimated location of one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces; sensing the actual location of the a first location on the at least one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface proximate to the root end using the sensor on the robotic arm; determining with the controller an expected location of a second measurement position on one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the blade proximate the root end using the actual location of the first location; moving the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to the second measurement position; sensing the actual location of the second measurement position; determining a first estimated root end center based upon the actual location of the first and second measurement locations; continue measuring additional locations on at least one of the surface of the outer circumference and the surface of the inner circumference; and determining based upon each of said additional locations additional estimated root end centers, until the last estimated root end center is within a specified tolerance level. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification