Method and system for robotic assembly parameter optimization

• US 9,008,836 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Zhang, George, Zhang, Hui, He, Jianmin, Wang, Jianjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US12/522,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,654 Days
• Field of Search: 700/115, 700/117, 700/201, 700245-264
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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 computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media containing instructions which when executed by a processor perform the method of optimizing the parameters of controlling a robot to fit a fitting part into a receiving part, said computer program product comprising:

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor categorize independent of a size of said fitting part and a size of said receiving part an assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part as one of a plurality of predetermined types of said assembly processes;

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor specify from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for fitting said fitting part into said receiving part and parameters for said categorized assembly process;

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

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor verify that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for controlling said robot to perform said search pattern specified from said categorized assembly process; and

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor control said robot to perform said specified search pattern using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process to create an assembly that is a combination of said fitting and receiving parts.

2. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 further comprising computer program code configured to when executed by said processor select said categorized assembly process from said predetermined types of assembly processes comprising cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion assembly processes.

3. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 further comprising computer program code configured to when executed by said processor 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.

4. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 2 wherein said multi-stage insertion assembly process is a combination of one or more cylindrical assembly processes and one or more radial assembly processes.

5. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 2 wherein in said cylindrical assembly process said fitting part is cylindrical and said receiving part is a smooth bore.

6. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 2 wherein said radial assembly process includes assembly applications with a toothed, splined or gear mesh.

14. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 wherein said fitting part and said receiving part each have a predetermined structure and said computer program code is configured to when executed by said processor categorize said assembly process based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure.

15. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 wherein said assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part is one or more of said plurality of predetermined types of said assembly processes and said computer program is configured to when executed by said processor categorize based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure which of said one or more of said plurality of assembly processes are to be used by said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part.

7. A computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media containing instructions which when executed by a processor perform the method of optimizing the parameters of controlling a robot to fit a fitting part into a receiving part, said computer program product comprising:

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor categorize from a plurality of predetermined types of assembly processes independent of a size of said fitting part and a size of a receiving part an assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part to create an assembly that is a combination of said fitting and receiving parts;

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor specify from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for said categorized assembly process and parameters for said categorized assembly process for fitting said fitting part into said receiving part to create said assembly that is said combination of said fitting and receiving parts;

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

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor verify that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for controlling said robot to perform said search pattern specified from said categorized assembly process; and

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor control said robot to perform said specified search pattern for fitting said fitting part into said receiving part to create said assembly that is said combination of said fitting and receiving parts using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process.

8. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 further comprising computer program code configured to when executed by said processor select said categorized assembly process from said predetermined types of assembly processes comprising cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion assembly processes.

9. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 further comprising computer program code configured to when executed by said processor 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.

10. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 wherein said multi-stage insertion assembly process is a combination of one or more cylindrical assembly processes and one or more radial assembly processes.

11. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 wherein in said cylindrical assembly process said fitting part is cylindrical and said receiving part is a smooth bore.

12. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 wherein said radial assembly process includes assembly applications with a toothed, splined or gear mesh.

16. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 wherein said fitting part and said receiving part each have a predetermined structure and said computer program is configured to when executed by said processor categorize said assembly process based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure.

17. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 wherein said assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part is one or more of said plurality of predetermined types of said assembly processes and said computer program is configured to when executed by said processor categorize based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure which of said one or more of said plurality of assembly processes are to be used by said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part.

13. A computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media containing instructions which when executed by a processor perform the method of optimizing the parameters of controlling a robot to fit a fitting part into a receiving part, said computer program product comprising:

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor categorize based on a characteristic of said fitting part and said receiving part other than a size of said fitting part and a size of said receiving part an assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part as one of a plurality of predetermined types of said assembly processes;

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor specify from said categorized assembly process a search pattern for fitting said fitting part into said receiving part and parameters for said categorized assembly process;

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

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor verify that said set of optimal parameters meets a predetermined criteria to become the optimal parameters for controlling said robot to perform said search pattern specified from said categorized assembly process; and

computer program code configured to when executed by said processor control said robot to perform said specified search pattern using said verified optimal parameters for said categorized assembly process to create an assembly that is a combination of said fitting and receiving parts.

18. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 wherein said fitting part and said receiving part each have a predetermined structure and said computer program is configured to when executed by said processor categorize said assembly process based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure.

19. The computer program product on non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13 wherein said assembly process for said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part is one or more of said plurality of predetermined types of said assembly processes and said computer program is configured to when executed by said processor categorize based on said fitting part predetermined structure and said receiving part predetermined structure which of said one or more of said plurality of assembly processes are to be used by said robot to fit said fitting part into said receiving part.