Automated polishing systems and methods
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorMark Lawrence Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Automated polishing systems include a polisher for polishing the coating on the article and a robotic positioner for moving the polisher relative to the article on an automated path, wherein the polisher polishes at least a part of the coating during movement, a force feedback sensor for determining a force of the polisher against the article during polishing, and a controller for maintaining the polisher within a predetermined force range against the article based at least in part on the force determined by the force feedback sensor.
Claims20
An automated polishing system for polishing an article having a coating, the automated polisher comprising:
- a polisher for polishing the coating on the article;
- a robotic positioner for moving the polisher relative to the article on an automated path, wherein the polisher polishes at least a part of the coating during movement;
- a force feedback sensor for determining a force of the polisher against the article during polishing;
- and,
- a controller for maintaining the polisher within a predetermined force range against the article based at least in part on the force determined by the force feedback sensor.
A method for polishing an article having a coating, the method comprising:
- moving a polisher relative to the article on an automated path using a robotic positioner, wherein the polisher polishes at least a part of the coating during movement;
- determining a force of the polisher against the article during polishing using a force feedback sensor;
- and,
- adjusting the movement of the polisher along the automated path to maintain the force of the polisher against the article within a predetermined force range based at least in part on the force determined by the force feedback sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.