Parametric and modal work-holding method for automated inspection
AssigneeHexagon Metrology, Inc.
InventorsJonathan J. O'Hare, Jonathan Dove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for inspecting each workpiece of a plurality of non-identical workpieces includes a controller in control communication with the instruments of the system, and a ruleset corresponding to one or more such non-identical workpieces, the system reconfiguring the inspection instruments to customize part tending operations for each such non-identical workpiece. A method for inspecting each workpiece of a plurality of non-identical workpiece includes providing a controller in control communication with the instruments of the system, and a ruleset corresponding to each such non-identical workpiece, the controller causing reconfiguration of the inspection instruments to customize part tending operations for each such non-identical workpiece.
Claims17
A method of sequentially delivering each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece being from a different family of workpieces, to a workholder to hold the workpiece during inspection by an inspection instrument of an inspection system, the inspection system comprising the inspection instrument, a robot having an end effector configured to grasp each workpiece, the robot disposed to move each workpiece directly to a measurement volume of the inspection instrument, and a control system in control communication with the robot, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of non-identical workpieces for inspection by the workpiece inspection system, each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces being from a different family of a plurality of families of workpieces;
- providing a plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, each ruleset of the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets corresponding, respectively, to a family from the plurality of families of workpieces;
- and, for each such non-identical workpiece:
- retrieving, from the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, a ruleset corresponding to the family of said workpiece, said corresponding ruleset comprising a set of parameters to automatically customize transfer of the workpiece to the workholder, said set of parameters including a parameter specifying an orientation of the end effector relative to the workpiece prior to grasping the workpiece for delivery to the workholder;
- and
- sequentially, using the control system to:
- (a) customize at least one of
- the operation of the robot pursuant to the parameters of the corresponding ruleset to orient the end effector relative to the workpiece prior to grasping the workpiece with the end effector;
- and subsequently,
- (b) operate the robot to deliver said non-identical workpiece to the workholder.
A workpiece inspection system for sequentially delivering each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece being from a different family of workpieces, to a workholder, the system comprising:
- a set of instruments, the set of instruments comprising a workpiece inspection instrument and a robot disposed to deliver to a workholder having a workholder interface each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces, each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces being from a different family of a plurality of families of workpieces;
- a control system in control communication with the set of instruments of the workpiece inspection system, the control system configured to, for each workpiece:
- retrieve, from a plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, a ruleset corresponding to the family of said workpiece, said corresponding ruleset comprising a set of parameters to automatically customize transfer of the workpiece to the workholder, including a parameter quantitatively specifying a closing delay between (a) positioning of the workpiece by the robot in a specified position relative to the workpiece interface, and (b) closing of the workpiece interface to grasp the workpiece;
- and sequentially
- (a) customize
- the operation of the workholder pursuant to the parameters of the corresponding ruleset to close the workpiece interface after passing of said closing delay;
- and subsequently
- (b) operate the robot to deliver said non-identical workpiece to the workholder.
A non-transient medium storing computer code that, when executed by a computer-implemented control system, cause instruments of a workpiece inspection system to perform a method of sequentially delivering each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece being from a different family of workpieces, to a workholder, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, each ruleset of the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets corresponding, respectively, to a family from the plurality of families of workpieces;
- and, for each such non-identical workpiece:
- retrieving, from the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, a ruleset corresponding to the family of said workpiece, said corresponding ruleset comprising a set of parameters to automatically customize transfer of the workpiece to the workholder, including a parameter specifying that the workholder grasps the workpiece prior to said releasing said workpiece by the end effector;
- and
- sequentially, causing the control system to:
- (a) customize
- the operation of the robot and the workholder pursuant to the parameters of the corresponding ruleset to cause the workholder to grasp the workpiece prior to releasing said workpiece by the end effector, so that the workpiece is held by the workholder before being released by the end effector;
- and subsequently
- (b) operate the robot to deliver said non-identical workpiece to the workholder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.