System And Method Of Locating Relative Positions Of Objects

A method of performing a manufacturing operation on a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis, a tip, an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity, and a root end, using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:

• directing the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a first measurement position proximate to the root end based upon an expected location of one of said outer circumferential surface and said inner circumferential surface;
• sensing the actual location of a first location on the at least one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface proximate to the root end using the sensor on the robotic arm;
• moving the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a second measurement position;
• sensing the actual location of a second location;
• determining a first estimated root end center based upon the actual location of the first and second locations;
• continue measuring additional locations on at least one of the surface of the outer circumference and the surface of the inner circumference;
• determining based upon said additional locations additional estimated root end centers, until the last estimated root end center is within a specified tolerance level;
• determining the twist of the workpiece;
• and
• determining the location of tip of the elongated workpiece.

A method of performing a manufacturing operation on a wind turbine blade having a longitudinal axis, a tip, an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity, and a root end using a robotic assembly, said robotic assembly including a robotic arm, a first remote sensor capable of sensing twist and a second remote sensor, at least one sensor located on said robotic arm, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining the twist of the workpiece using said first sensor;
• determining the location of the tip of the workpiece using said second sensor;
• determining an estimated location of one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces using said determined twist and determined location of the tip of the workpiece;
• directing the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to a first measurement position proximate to the root end based upon said the determined estimated location of one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces;
• sensing the actual location of the a first location on the at least one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface proximate to the root end using the sensor on the robotic arm;
• determining with the controller an expected location of a second measurement position on one of the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the blade proximate the root end using the actual location of the first location;
• moving the sensor on the robotic arm proximate to the second measurement position;
• sensing the actual location of the second measurement position;
• determining a first estimated root end center based upon the actual location of the first and second measurement locations;
• continue measuring additional locations on at least one of the surface of the outer circumference and the surface of the inner circumference;
• and
• determining based upon each of said additional locations additional estimated root end centers, until the last estimated root end center is within a specified tolerance level.