Methods and systems for electroadhesion-based manipulation in manufacturing

A system for manufacturing an article, the system comprising:

• a first platform configured to receive manual placement of a first article component at a first placement location thereon by an operator located adjacent an operator-side of the first platform, wherein the first platform is moveable to reposition the first article component from the first placement position to a first pick-up position;
• a second platform having a first predetermined location for the first article component;
• an electroadhesive capture element for capturing the first article component placed on the first platform;
• a multi-axis robotic actuator coupled to the capture element, wherein the robotic actuator is spaced away from the operator-side of the first platform to enable an operator to be located adjacent the operator-side of the first platform;
• an image projector configured to project a guiding image comprising an outline of the first article component onto the first platform to guide manual placement of the first article component at the first placement location on the first platform;
• and
• a cover disposed over a portion of the first platform between the operator-side of the first platform and the capture element, wherein the cover is disposed over the first pick-up position of the first platform and the first placement position is separated from the first pick-up position by the cover;
• wherein the robotic actuator is configured to move the capture element within the cover and over the first platform to capture the first article component from the first platform at the first pick-up position and to move the capture element to reposition the captured first article component over the first predetermined location on the second platform, wherein the capture element is configured to release the first article component onto the first predetermined location, for assembly of the first article component into the article.

A system for manufacturing an article, the system comprising:

• a first platform configured to receive manual placement of a first article component at a first placement location thereon by an operator located adjacent an operator-side of the first platform, wherein the first platform is moveable to reposition the first article component from the first placement position to a first pick-up position;
• a second platform having a first predetermined location for the first article component;
• an electroadhesive capture element for capturing the first article component placed on the first platform;
• a multi-axis robotic actuator coupled to the capture element, wherein the robotic actuator is spaced away from the operator-side of the first platform to enable an operator to be located adjacent the operator-side of the first platform;
• and
• a cover disposed over a portion of the first platform between the operator-side of the first platform and the capture element, wherein the cover is disposed over the first pick-up position of the first platform and the first placement position is separated from the first pick-up position by the cover;
• wherein the robotic actuator is configured to move the capture element within the cover over the first platform to capture the first article component from the first platform at the first pick-up position and to move the capture element to reposition the captured first article component over the first predetermined location on the second platform, wherein the capture element is configured to release the first article component onto the first predetermined location, for assembly of the first article component into the article.