Method and an apparatus for performing a program controlled process on a component
First Claim
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1. A method of performing a program-controlled process on a component comprising the following steps:
- a) providing(i) a component,(ii) a first machine arranged to perform a process at a target location on the component,(iii) a second, program-controlled, machine for effecting relative movement, in three dimensions and about a plurality of different axes, of the component and the first machine, the second machine being able, upon instruction, to move an object within an acceptable margin of error to a target position,(iv) a metrology system for ascertaining the position of the component relative to the first machine,(v) component data concerning the shape of the component and including details of a plurality of locations on the component at which processes are to be performed by the first machine, and(vi) process data including details of movements to be made by the second machine to enable processes to be performed by the first machine on the component at said plurality of different locations on the component,b) issuing a command to perform a process on the component at a target location on the component,c) in dependence on the process data, causing the second machine to effect relative movement of the component and the first machine towards a target position, at which the first machine and component are so positioned relative to each other that the first machine is aligned to perform a process at the target location on the component,d) ascertaining with the metrology system and the component data the relative position of the target location on the component and the first machine,e) calculating the relative movement required, if any, to move the component and the first machine to the target position by means of a calculation using inputs concerning (i) the expected position of the first machine relative to the component and (ii) the actual relative position of the component and the first machine as ascertained in step d),f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) as part of a closed-loop process until the second machine has effected relative movement of the component and the first machine to the target position with a given degree of accuracy,g) effecting a process with the first machine on the component, andh) repeating steps b) to g) in respect of a plurality of locations on the component in accordance with the process data.
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Abstract
A drilling machine drills at a multiplicity of target locations on a component. Two robots, calibrated with calibration data, move the component in a 6-D coordinate system. A metrology system ascertains the position of the component relative to the drilling machine. The movement of the robots is effected by commands generated by off-line programming. The component is moved relative to the drilling machine to a target position, ready for drilling, by a closed-loop process in which the differences in position between the expected position (the target position) and the actual position (as viewed by the metrology system) are corrected.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of performing a program-controlled process on a component comprising the following steps:
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a) providing (i) a component, (ii) a first machine arranged to perform a process at a target location on the component, (iii) a second, program-controlled, machine for effecting relative movement, in three dimensions and about a plurality of different axes, of the component and the first machine, the second machine being able, upon instruction, to move an object within an acceptable margin of error to a target position, (iv) a metrology system for ascertaining the position of the component relative to the first machine, (v) component data concerning the shape of the component and including details of a plurality of locations on the component at which processes are to be performed by the first machine, and (vi) process data including details of movements to be made by the second machine to enable processes to be performed by the first machine on the component at said plurality of different locations on the component, b) issuing a command to perform a process on the component at a target location on the component, c) in dependence on the process data, causing the second machine to effect relative movement of the component and the first machine towards a target position, at which the first machine and component are so positioned relative to each other that the first machine is aligned to perform a process at the target location on the component, d) ascertaining with the metrology system and the component data the relative position of the target location on the component and the first machine, e) calculating the relative movement required, if any, to move the component and the first machine to the target position by means of a calculation using inputs concerning (i) the expected position of the first machine relative to the component and (ii) the actual relative position of the component and the first machine as ascertained in step d), f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) as part of a closed-loop process until the second machine has effected relative movement of the component and the first machine to the target position with a given degree of accuracy, g) effecting a process with the first machine on the component, and h) repeating steps b) to g) in respect of a plurality of locations on the component in accordance with the process data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25)
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22. An apparatus for use in the manufacture of a component, the apparatus comprising:
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a first machine for performing a process on a component, a second, program-controlled, machine for effecting relative movement, in three dimensions and about a plurality of different axes, of the first machine and a component, a metrology system for ascertaining the position of the component relative to the first machine, a processor arranged to send signals to the second machine and to receive signals from the metrology system, and memory, accessible by the processor, for storing component data concerning the shape of the component and including details of a plurality of locations on the component at which processes are to be performed by the first machine, and for storing process data including details of movements to be made by the second machine to enable processes to be performed by the first machine on the component at said plurality of different locations on the component, the apparatus being arranged so that a) in use, process data stored in the memory is used by the processor to instruct the second machine to effect relative movement of the first machine and a component towards a target position, at which the first machine and component are so positioned relative to each other that the first machine is aligned to perform a process at a target location on the component, and so that b) in use, during each cycle of operation that results in the first machine performing a process on the component, the apparatus performs a closed-loop process resulting in the second machine effecting relative movement of the component and the first machine to a position in accordance with the target location with a given degree of accuracy, and the processor being so programmed that c) in use, the closed-loop process includes the processor repeating the following steps; i) obtaining a first input concerning the expected position of the first machine relative to the component, ii) ascertaining a second input concerning the actual relative position of the target location on the component and the first machine by means of data received from the metrology system and the component data stored in the memory, and iii) ascertaining whether the first and second inputs are such that the relative position of the component and the first machine is in accordance with the target position with a given degree of accuracy.
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23. A processing unit for use in a method of performing a program-controlled process on a component, the method using a first machine to perform a process on the component at a target location on the component, a second, program-controlled, machine for effecting relative movement of the first machine and the component, and a metrology system for ascertaining the relative positions of the component and the first machine, the processing unit including a processor and a memory accessible by the processor, wherein
a) the processor is so arranged as to be able in use: -
to send signals derived from process data stored in the memory to the second machine instructing the second machine to effect relative movement of the first machine and a component towards a position so that the first machine may then perform a process on the component at a target location on the component, the process data including details of the movements to be made by the second machine to enable processes to be performed by the first machine on the component at a plurality of different locations on the component, and to receive signals from the metrology system, which together with component data, stored in the memory, concerning the shape of the component and including details of said plurality of locations on the component, provide information concerning the actual relative position of a location on the component at which a process is to be performed and the first machine, b) the processor is so programmed that in use during each cycle of operation that results in the first machine performing a process on the component, a closed-loop process is performed during which the second machine effects relative movement of the component and the first machine to a target position, at which the first machine and component are so positioned relative to each other that the first machine is aligned, with a given degree of accuracy, to perform a process at the target location on the component, c) the processor is programmed to repeat the following steps during the performance of the closed-loop process; i) obtaining a first input concerning the expected position of the first machine relative to the component, ii) receiving and using data from the metrology system together with component data to ascertain a second input concerning the actual relative position of the target location on the component and the first machine, and iii) ascertaining whether the first and second inputs are such that the relative position of the component and the first machine is in accordance with the target position with a given degree of accuracy, until the processor ascertains that the relative position of the component and the first machine is in accordance with the target position with the given degree of accuracy.
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24. Software for programming a processor of a processing unit, the processing unit including a memory and being for use in a method of performing a process on a component, the method using a first machine to perform a process on the component at a target location on the component, a second machine for effecting relative movement of the first machine and the component, and a metrology system for ascertaining the relative positions of the component and the first machine, the software enabling the processor, once programmed with the software, to be able in use:
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a) to receive process data from the memory of the processing unit, and to send instructions to the second machine to effect relative movement of the first machine and a component to a position so that the first machine may then perform a process on the component at a target location on the component, the process data including details of the movements to be made by the second machine to enable processes to be performed by the first machine on the component at a plurality of different locations on the component, b) to receive data from the metrology system and component data, from the memory of the processing unit, the component data concerning the shape of the component and including details of said plurality of locations on the component, which together may be used to ascertain the actual relative position of a location on the component at which a process is to be performed and the first machine, and c) to perform a closed-loop process which enables the second machine to effect relative movement of the component and the first machine to a target position, at which the first machine and component are so positioned relative to each other that the first machine is aligned, with a given degree of accuracy, to perform a process at the target location on the component, wherein (d) the software includes a closed-loop module that is arranged to cause the processor to repeat the following steps; i) obtaining a first input concerning the expected position of the first machine relative to the component, ii) receiving and using data from the metrology system together with component data to ascertain a second input concerning the actual relative position of the target location on the component and the first machine, and iii) ascertaining whether the first and second inputs are such that the relative position of the component and the first machine is in accordance with the target position with a given degree of accuracy, until the processor ascertains that the relative position of the component and the first machine is in accordance with the target position with the given degree of accuracy.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeAirbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
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Original AssigneeAirbus Operations Limited (Airbus SE)
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InventorsSummers, Mark Derren, Holden, Roger, Green, Brett Jason
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Primary Examiner(s)PATEL, RAMESH B
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Application NumberUS13/920,567Time in Patent Office616 DaysField of Search700/161, 700/176, 700/182, 700/186, 700192-193, 700/248, 700/253, 234/13, 234/94US Class Current700/193CPC Class CodesG05B 19/4015 going to a reference at the...G05B 19/41825 machine tools and manipulat...G05B 2219/37611 Relative movement between t...G05B 2219/39105 Manipulator cooperates with...G05B 2219/39109 Dual arm, multiarm manipula...G05B 2219/40607 Fixed camera to observe wor...G05B 2219/50151 Orient, translate, align wo...Y02P 90/087 Manipulators cooperating wi...
