Quality Control System And Method For Manufactured Parts

• US 20120209415A1
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Casanelles, Ramon, Grau, Francesc Cortes
• Application Number:
  US13/426,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/109
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8803 Visual inspection measuring projectors G01B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9515 Objects of complex shape, e.g. examined with use of a surface follower device measuring contours and curvatures G01B11/24

Abstract

A system and method for production of manufactured parts including a production process having at least one industrial robot equipped with a handling tool for picking up the manufactured part. The robot is arranged in a quality inspection cell and the robot is programmed to hold the manufactured part in at least one known position in the quality inspection cell and present the part for a quality inspection. The quality inspection may be made visually by an operator or with the aid of a tool or sensor or by means of automatic sensors. In other aspects of the invention a method, system and a computer program for carrying out the method are described.

Claims

1. A system for production of manufactured parts comprising a production process having at least one industrial robot equipped with a handling tool for picking up a manufactured part, characterized in that the robot is arranged in a quality inspection cell and that the robot is programmed to hold the manufactured part in at least one known position in the quality inspection cell, orient the manufactured part in a known orientation in 3-dimensional space relative to the known position and present the part for a quality inspection.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the quality inspection cell is arranged with safety devices and/or safety functions for protecting an operator from coming into contact with the robot and/or the manufactured part being handled for manual inspection by the operator.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the quality inspection cell having one or more sensors arranged in the cell for making a quality inspection.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the known position consists of one or more positions and orientations of the part in the quality inspection cell suitable for an operator to inspect the part visually and/or with the use of a tool or sensor.

5. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the one or more sensors are each arranged in fixed position in the quality inspection cell.

6. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the one or more sensors is arranged on a servo-controlled second manipulator.

7. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the one or more sensors is arranged on a second manipulator which is not servo-controlled.

8. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one of the one or more sensors is arranged to measure one or more values dependent on a surface quality of the part.

9. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one of the one or more sensors is arranged to measure one or more values dependent on a structural parameter of the part.

10. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one of the one or more sensors is arranged to measure one or more values dependent on a dimension of the part.

11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the handling tool comprises any from the group of:

vacuum cups, gripper, magnets or other mechanical means.

12. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one second robot is arranged relative to the quality inspection cell and programmed to receive the part from the unloading robot and to hold the manufactured part in at least one known position in the quality inspection cell and present the part for a quality inspection.

13. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that a second industrial robot is arranged relative to the quality inspection cell suitable to pick up the manufactured part together with the first robot.

14. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the quality inspection cell further comprises a rack or fixture suitable for holding one or more manufactured parts in a known position and orientation for subsequent pick up and quality inspection.

15. A method for production of manufactured parts, comprising a production process having at least one industrial robot equipped with a handling tool for picking up a manufactured part, characterized by the robot picking up the manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position in the quality inspection cell, orienting the manufactured part in a known orientation in 3-dimensional space relative to the known position and presenting it for a quality inspection.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position in the quality inspection cell for the operator to inspect the part visually.

17. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position in the quality inspection cell for the operator to inspect the part using a sensor and/or a tool.

18. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and placing it in a known position and orientation relative to one or more sensors in the inspection cell for an automatic inspection.

19. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position relative to at least one tool or sensor operated by an operator, and by receiving an input of an inspection result or a measurement for the manufactured part to a control unit in the production system.

20. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position relative to at least one sensor mounted on a manipulator arm of the robot.

21. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to a known position relative to at least one sensor mounted on a second and non-servo controlled manipulator.

22. The method according to claim 15, characterized by activating a safety device and/or a safety function arranged with the robot before a manual inspection by an operator.

23. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position relative to at least one sensor for measurement of one or more values dependent on any from the group of:

a surface quality of the part, a structural parameter of the part, a dimension of the part.

24. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot moving a manufactured part that has been quality inspected and placing it on a fixture or a rack for transfer to a subsequent process.

25. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot moving a manufactured part that has been quality inspected and rejected and placing it on a conveyor, fixture or a rack for inspection and/or repair.

26. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part and handing it to at least one second robot for inspection and/or further placement.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized by a second robot receiving a manufactured part from another robot which second robot moves the part to at least one known position in the quality inspection cell and presents it for a quality inspection.

28. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part from the production process and placing it on a rack before it is moved by a second robot to the quality inspection cell for a quality inspection.

29. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the robot picking up a manufactured part together with a second robot, and the two robots moving the part together to a known position relative in the quality inspection cell.

30. The method according to claim 15, characterized by the picking up the manufactured part and handing each manufactured part in turn to one or more second robots to carry out a quality inspection on a proportion of the total number of manufactured parts.

31. A computer program stored in a memory storage device of a control unit for production process including a quality inspection cell which when fed into a computer or processor will carry out the steps of a method for production of manufactured parts, the production process having at least one industrial robot equipped with a handling tool for picking up a manufactured part, characterized in that the robot is arranged in a quality inspection cell and that the robot is programmed to hold the manufactured part in at least one known position in the quality inspection cell, orient the manufactured part in a known orientation in 3-dimensional space relative to the known position and present the part for a quality inspection.

32. Use of a system to carry out a quality inspection of parts manufactured in a production process for vehicles or vehicle components, the production process having at least one industrial robot equipped with a handling tool for picking up a manufactured part, characterized by the robot picking up the manufactured part and moving it to at least one known position in the quality inspection cell, orienting the manufactured part in a known orientation in 3-dimensional space relative to the known position and presenting it for a quality inspection.