Assembly and joining table with weld splatter protection features, systems and methods for automated operations of the same

A system providing automated joining, said system comprising:

• a table comprising:
• a base;
• a platform mounted to the base and providing a work surface;
• holders positioned about the platform for receiving parts for joining into an assembly, each of the holders comprising a conductive surface, an insulating portion located behind the conductive surface, and a recessed channel extending from the conductive surface and along the holder, the portion of the channel extending along the holder comprising turns;
• and
• motors for moving the holders relative to the platform, including clamping and unclamping movement and translation along the work surface, and for rotating the platform relative to the base;
• a machine vision subsystem for viewing a workspace where the table is located;
• industrial robots located at the workspace;
• and
• a controller in electronic communication with the motors, the machine vision subsystem, and the robots, said controller comprising one or more non-transitory electronic storage devices comprising software instructions, which when executed, configure one or more processors to:
• receive data describing the assembly to be formed;
• command movement of at least some of the motors to accommodate the parts for joining into the assembly;
• command at least one of the robots to pick up and place the parts at the table for joining into the assembly in accordance with the data describing the assembly to be formed;
• receive data from the machine vision subsystem describing the parts as placed at the table for joining into the assembly;
• perform an iterative, offset analysis and adjustment subroutine of the data derived from the scan of the parts to derive adjustments to the parts, which is made, would result in the parts being positioned to more closely align with the data describing the assembly to be formed;
• command additional movement of at least one of the robots and/or operation of the motors to further adjust placement of the parts at the table in accordance with the iterative, offset analysis;
• and
• command at least one of the robots to weld the parts to form the assembly.

A system providing automated joining, said system comprising:

• a table comprising:
• a base;
• a platform mounted to the base and providing a work surface, said platform comprising longitudinally extending portions and laterally extending portions which intersect with said longitudinally extending portions;
• holders positioned about the platform for receiving parts for joining into an assembly, wherein each of the holders comprising a conductive surface, an insulating portion located behind the conductive surface, and wherein at least one of the holders is located at each of the longitudinally extending portions and at each of the laterally extending portions;
• and
• motors for moving the holders relative to the platform, including clamping and unclamping movements, and for rotating the platform relative to the base;
• wiring extending from an electrical ground to the conductive surfaces;
• a machine vision subsystem for viewing a workspace where the table is located;
• one or more robots located at the workspace;
• a controller in electronic communication with the motors, the machine vision subsystem, and the one or more robots, said controller comprising one or more non-transitory electronic storage devices comprising software instructions, which when executed, configure one or more processors to:
• receive data describing the assembly to be formed;
• command movement of at least some of the motors to accommodate the parts for joining into the assembly;
• command movement of at least one of the one or more robots to pick up and place the parts at the table for joining into the assembly in accordance with the data describing the assembly to be formed;
• receive data from the machine vision subsystem describing the parts as placed at the table for joining into the assembly;
• perform an iterative, offset analysis and adjustment subroutine of the data derived from the scan of the parts to derive adjustments to the parts, which is made, would result in the parts being positioned to more closely align with the data describing the assembly to be formed;
• command additional movement of at least one of the one or more robots and/or operation of the motors to further adjust placement of the parts at the table in accordance with the iterative, offset analysis;
• and
• command at least one of the one or more robots to weld the parts to form the assembly.