System and method for supporting wooden members during installation of nail plates in wooden structures

An autonomous system for supporting wooden members, the autonomous system comprising:

• a mobile robot controlled by the autonomous system, the mobile robot configured to lift, move, and position robotic jack stands in predetermined locations on a working surface;
• a robotic jack stand comprising:
• a base member with a bottom surface;
• electromagnets attached to the bottom surface, wherein the electromagnets are operable to demagnetize when the mobile robot lifts the robotic jack stand from the working surface, and magnetize when the mobile robot positions the robotic jack stand onto the working surface;
• a vise member in a cross-slide configuration configured to secure a wooden member, the vise member comprising a sliding member and a stationary member;
• a first motor operable to move the vise member along an x direction;
• a pair of motors operable to move the sliding member along an y direction;
• and
• a second motor operable to rotate a portion of the robotic jack stand above the base member by an angle theta around a z direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the x and y directions;
• and
• a localization system operable to enable the robotic jack stand to determine a spatial location of the robotic jack stand in reference to the x direction, the y direction, and the angle theta.

A method for supporting members of wooden structures, the method comprising:

• positioning, with a mobile robot, a robotic jack stand on a ferromagnetic working surface, wherein the robotic jack stand comprises electromagnets that are demagnetized when electrically connected to a power source by the mobile robot and magnetized when electrically disconnected from the power source by the mobile robot;
• positioning a member of a wooden structure on the robotic jack stand using a vise member by adjusting a position of a sliding member of the vise member relative to a stationary member of the vise member, wherein adjusting the position of the sliding member comprises making a coarse adjustment of the sliding member along a first direction via a first motor and a fine adjustment of the sliding member along the first direction via a second motor;
• adjusting, via a third motor, a position of the vice member along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• determining a spatial location of the robotic jack stand in reference to the first direction, the second direction, and an angle theta around a third direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the first and second directions.