Methods for tracking abrasiveness of a sanding pad

A method comprising:

• accessing a toolpath defined for a workpiece;
• accessing a set of processing parameters assigned to the workpiece, the set of processing parameters comprising a target force and a feed rate;
• during a processing cycle:
• accessing a sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to a sanding head;
• via a set of actuators coupled to the sanding head:
• navigating the sanding head across the workpiece according to the toolpath and the set of processing parameters;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, deviating the sanding head from the toolpath to maintain forces of the sanding head on the workpiece proximal the target force;
• accessing a set of contact characteristics representing contact between the workpiece and a sanding pad arranged on the sanding head;
• calculating an abrasiveness of the sanding pad based on the sequence of contact characteristics and an initial abrasiveness of the sanding pad;
• increasing the target force proportional to a decrease in the abrasiveness of the sanding pad from the initial abrasiveness;
• and
• decreasing the feed rate proportional to the decrease in the abrasiveness of the sanding pad from the initial abrasiveness.

A method comprising:

• accessing a toolpath defined for a workpiece region of a workpiece;
• accessing a target force assigned to the workpiece;
• and
• during a processing cycle:
• accessing a sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to a sanding head;
• via a set of actuators coupled to the sanding head:
• navigating the sanding head across the workpiece region according to the toolpath;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, deviating the sanding head from the toolpath to maintain forces of the sanding head on the workpiece region proximal the target force;
• accessing a sequence of contact characteristics representing contact between the workpiece and an abrasive area on a sanding pad arranged on the sanding head;
• calculating an abrasive degradation of the abrasive area based on the sequence of contact characteristics;
• prior to the abrasive degradation exceeding the threshold degradation, increasing the target force proportional to the abrasive degradation;
• and
• in response to the abrasive degradation exceeding a threshold degradation, pausing the processing cycle for replacement of the sanding head.

A method comprising:

• accessing an abrasive specification of a sanding pad arranged on a sanding head;
• during a scan cycle, navigating an optical sensor along a scan path over and offset above a workpiece;
• accessing a set of images captured by the optical sensor during the scan cycle;
• compiling the set of images into a virtual model of the workpiece;
• accessing a target force assigned to the workpiece;
• calculating a feed rate proportional to the target force;
• and
• calculating a stepover distance proportional to the target force and inversely proportional to the feed rate;
• based on a geometry of the workpiece represented in the virtual model, generating a toolpath:
• for a workpiece region of the workpiece;
• and
• defining a boustrophedonic pattern characterized by the stepover distance;
• and
• during a processing cycle succeeding the scan cycle:
• accessing a sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to the sanding head;
• via a set of actuators coupled to the sanding head:
• navigating the sanding head across the workpiece region according to the toolpath;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, deviating the sanding head from the toolpath to maintain forces of the sanding head on the workpiece region proximal the target force;
• accessing a sequence of contact characteristics representing contact between the workpiece and an abrasive area on the sanding pad;
• calculating an abrasive degradation of the abrasive area based on the sequence of contact characteristics;
• decreasing the stepover distance proportional to the abrasive degradation;
• and
• in response to the abrasive degradation exceeding a threshold degradation, pausing the processing cycle for replacement of the sanding head.

A method comprising:

• accessing a toolpath defined for a workpiece region of a workpiece;
• accessing a target force assigned to the workpiece;
• calculating a feed rate proportional to the target force;
• and
• during a processing cycle:
• accessing a sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to a sanding head;
• via a set of actuators coupled to the sanding head:
• navigating the sanding head across the workpiece region at the feed rate according to the toolpath;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, deviating the sanding head from the toolpath to maintain forces of the sanding head on the workpiece region proximal the target force;
• accessing a sequence of contact characteristics representing contact between the workpiece and an abrasive area on a sanding pad arranged on the sanding head;
• calculating an abrasive degradation of the abrasive area based on the sequence of contact characteristics;
• decreasing the feed rate proportional to the abrasive degradation;
• and
• in response to the abrasive degradation exceeding a threshold degradation, pausing the processing cycle for replacement of the sanding head.

A method comprising:

• accessing a toolpath defined for a workpiece region of a workpiece;
• accessing a target force assigned to the workpiece;
• during a processing cycle:
• accessing a sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to a sanding head;
• via a set of actuators coupled to the sanding head:
• navigating the sanding head across the workpiece region according to the toolpath;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, deviating the sanding head from the toolpath to maintain forces of the sanding head on the workpiece region proximal the target force;
• accessing a sequence of contact characteristics representing contact between the workpiece and an abrasive area on a sanding pad arranged on the sanding head by:
• detecting contact between the workpiece and the abrasive area during a first sequence of rotations of the sanding pad on the sanding head;
• in response to detecting contact between the workpiece and the abrasive area during the first sequence of rotations:
• generating a first contact characteristic, in the sequence of contact characteristics, representing a first count of the first sequence of rotations concurrent with contact between the workpiece and the abrasive area;
• and
• calculating an abrasive degradation of the abrasive area proportional to the first count of the first sequence of rotations represented in the first contact characteristic;
• and
• in response to the abrasive degradation exceeding a threshold degradation, pausing the processing cycle for replacement of the sanding head.