Method and apparatus for performing a search and feel assembly function

A device for installing a part on a workpiece, comprising:

• a source of pressurized air;
• an airline connected to said source of pressurized air;
• a robot including a gripper for gripping the part and for aligning the part with a receptor on the workpiece, wherein said gripper is provided with a flat surface on a movable section adapted for receiving a portion of the part, said surface having an orifice connected to the air line for receiving pressurized air, said orifice being arranged on said movable section such that said orifice is at least partially obstructed by the portion of the part when the part is positioned in a particular manner in the gripper;
• a sensor in communication with the pressurized air, said sensor being adapted for detecting a back pressure of the air provided by any obstruction of the orifice;
• and
• a controller connected to said sensor, said controller being adapted to detect when said orifice is at least partially obstructed by monitoring the back pressure detected by said sensor for determining when said part is being properly held by the gripper, wherein
• said controller is further adapted to detect whether said part is properly aligned in the gripper during a first operation of the robot by monitoring the back pressure detected by said sensor, and wherein
• if the controller detects that said part is improperly aligned in the gripper during the first operation of the robot, the controller is further adapted to instruct the robot to execute a second operation to correct the improper alignment of the part in the gripper.

A method for installing a part on a workpiece using a robot having a gripper for gripping the part, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing pressurized air to an orifice on the gripper;
• loading the part on the gripper;
• detecting an alignment of the part on the gripper by monitoring a back pressure of the pressurized air, wherein if an improper alignment of the part on the gripper is detected the part is replaced on the gripper with another part;
• attempting a first insertion operation using the robot to insert the part in a receptor of the workpiece;
• and
• determining whether the part has been properly inserted by the robot into the receptor of the workpiece by monitoring the back pressure of the pressurized air, wherein, if the part has been properly inserted, actuating the gripper to release the part into the receptor, but if it is determined that the part has not been properly inserted in the receptor, executing a search function using the robot to search for the receptor, wherein if the search function finds the receptor, actuating the gripper to release the part into the receptor.