# US 2014/0156068 A1 · Multi-arm robotic painting process synchronization > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156068 A1 - Document ID: US20140156068A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/689,890 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Fanuc Robotics America, Inc. - Applicants: Fanuc Robotics America Corporation - Inventors: Randy A. Graca; Di Xiao; Sai-Kai Cheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156068A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1666: {Avoiding collision or forbidden zones} - B25J 9/1682: {Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators} - G05B 19/4182: {manipulators and conveyor only} - G05B 2219/39135: For multiple manipulators operating at same time, avoid collision - G05B 2219/45065: Sealing, painting robot - Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] - Y10S 901/08: Robot - Y10S 901/43: Spray painting or coating - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Painting robots processing a part moving on a conveyor are synchronized by creating for each of the robots a master sequence of computer program instructions for a collision-free movement of robots along associated master sequence paths relative to the moving part, each of the master sequence paths including positions of the associated robot and the conveyor at pre-defined synchronization points, and running each of the master sequences on a controller connected to the associated robot to move the associated robot and comparing a current path of the associated robot and the conveyor against the master sequence path. The method further includes operating the controllers to adjust the current paths based on the comparison between the master sequence path and the current path, and operating the controllers to request a conveyor motion hold as necessary to facilitate synchronization between movement of the robots and the conveyor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of synchronizing at least two painting robots to process a part that is moving along a conveyor comprising the steps of: creating for each of the painting robots a master sequence of computer program instructions for a collision-free movement of each of the painting robots along an associated master sequence path relative to the part moving along the conveyor, each of the master sequence paths including positions of the associated painting robot and the conveyor at pre-defined synchronization points; running each of the master sequences on a controller connected to the associated painting robot to move the associated painting robot and comparing a current path of the associated painting robot and the conveyor against the master sequence path; operating the controllers to adjust the current paths based on the comparison between the master sequence path and the current path; and operating the controllers to request a conveyor motion hold as necessary to facilitate synchronization between movement of the painting robots and the conveyor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 including performing the steps to operate the painting robots collision free with no positions where spray patterns can overlap each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 including performing the step of creating a master sequence of computer program instructions by running a ghost job with a simulated conveyor and all paint applicators associated with the painting robots disabled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 including storing data from each of the master sequences in process TP programs to be run by the associated controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4 including re-generating each of the master sequences in response to a change in a motion instruction in one of the associated process TP programs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions include pre-defined synchronizing instructions that identify synchronization points. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6 including providing the pre-defined synchronizing instructions to at least one opener robot to facilitate synchronization between movement of the opener robot and the conveyor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6 wherein during running of the master sequence the controller responds to the pre-defined synchronizing instructions by checking an offset of the part on the conveyor with respect to a robot world zero and continues motion of the associated painting robot and the conveyor if the offset is within a predetermined tolerance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 wherein if the offset is lagging the master sequence, the controller causes the associated painting robot to wait until the offset arrives within the tolerance and then resumes motion of the associated painting robot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 wherein if the offset is ahead of the master sequence, the controller causes the conveyor to stop until the offset arrives within tolerance and then resumes motion of the conveyor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 wherein the predetermined tolerance has different values for the offset lagging the master sequence and the offset being ahead of the master sequence.