System and method for accounting for compliance in a workpiece during autonomous processing

A method comprising:

• accessing a deflection distance limit of a workpiece;
• accessing a first target pressure assigned to the workpiece;
• accessing a virtual model representing unloaded surfaces of the workpiece;
• accessing a set of compliance characteristics of the workpiece;
• based on the set of compliance characteristics:
• defining a first workpiece region, on the workpiece:
• characterized by a first compliance range;
• and
• corresponding to a first unloaded surface represented in the virtual model;
• defining a second workpiece region, on the workpiece:
• characterized by a second compliance range greater than the first compliance range;
• and
• during a processing cycle:
• accessing a first sequence of force values output by a force sensor coupled to a sanding head;
• via a set of actuators:
• navigating the sanding head across the first workpiece region;
• and
• based on the first sequence of force values, selectively driving the sanding head below the first unloaded surface of the workpiece represented in the virtual model to maintain pressures, applied by the sanding head to the first workpiece region, proximal the first target pressure;
• calculating a first maximum offset between:
• positions of the sanding head traversing the first workpiece region;
• and
• the first unloaded surface of the workpiece represented in the virtual model;
• and
• in response to the first maximum offset approaching the deflection distance limit, assigning a second target pressure, less than the first target pressure, to the second workpiece region.

A method comprising:

• accessing a deflection distance limit of a workpiece;
• accessing a first target pressure assigned to the workpiece;
• accessing a virtual model:
• defining a first unloaded surface representing a first workpiece region, on the workpiece, characterized by a first stiffness;
• and
• defining a second unloaded surface representing a second workpiece region, on the workpiece, characterized by a second stiffness less than the first stiffness;
• 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:
• navigating the sanding head across the first workpiece region;
• and
• based on the sequence of force values, selectively driving the sanding head below the first unloaded surface of the workpiece represented in the virtual model to maintain pressures, applied by the sanding head to the first workpiece region, proximal the first target pressure;
• calculating a maximum offset between:
• positions of the sanding head traversing the first workpiece region;
• and
• the first unloaded surface of the workpiece represented in the virtual model;
• and
• in response to the maximum offset approaching the deflection distance limit, assigning a second target pressure, less than the first target pressure, to the second workpiece region.