Process for positioning a workpiece
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsMax Christopher Burgel, Brian R. Dickinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for accurately determining a workpiece position in relation to a reference coordinate system is provided. The process includes providing a machine having a table and a machine coordinate system, determining locations of three reference geometric aspects of the table, providing a workpiece, and attaching the workpiece to the table. Thereafter, locations of three geometrical aspects of the workpiece are determined using photogrammetry followed by calculation of any offset between the three reference geometrical aspects of the table and the three geometrical aspects of the workpiece. Any offset that has been determined can then be used to accurately determine the workpiece position in relation to the reference coordinate system.
Claims16
A process for accurately determining a workpiece position, location and/or orientation in relation to a machine coordinate system, the process comprising:
- providing a machine having a table and a machine coordinate system;
- determining locations of three reference geometrical aspects of the table;
- providing a workpiece;
- attaching the workpiece to the table;
- determining locations of three reference geometrical aspects of the workpiece using photogrammetry;
- determining an offset between the three reference geometrical aspects of the table and the three geometrical aspects of the workpiece;
- and
- using the offset to accurately determine the workpiece position in relation to the machine coordinate system.
A process for machining a workpiece comprising:
- providing a machine having a table, a tool and a machine coordinate system, the machine operable to move the tool along a first tool path, the first tool path referenced to the machine coordinate system;
- determining at least three reference locations on the table, each of the three reference locations being at a known location in reference to the machine coordinate system;
- providing a workpiece;
- providing CAD data on the workpiece to the machine;
- attaching the workpiece to the table;
- determining at least three reference locations on the workpiece attached to the table using photogrammetry;
- determining an offset between the at least three reference locations of the workpiece and the at least three reference locations on the table;
- adjusting the first tool path by the offset in order to provide a second tool path;
- and
- machining a first portion of the workpiece using the tool moving along the second tool path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.