System and method of performing operations on artifacts with stowable robotic pads
AssigneeABB Schweiz AZ
InventorsMichael G. Nelson, Timothy A. Brownlee, Robert J. Santen, Didier M. Rouaud, Douglas B. Polkinghome
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Abstract
A system and method for operating at least one stowable automated robotic pod in a workplace having a workpiece is disclosed. The pod includes a robot on a base that can also include one or both of a tool nest and process equipment. A door to subfloor storage allows the pod to raise its base vertical, placing the robot into the desired vertical position in the workspace. Once operations on the workpiece are complete, the pod withdraws back to the subfloor storage and the doors to the storage volume close.
Claims15
A method for operating at least one stowable automated robotic pod in a workspace having a workpiece, the pod including a robot on a base, comprising:
- opening a door to a subfloor storage volume;
- raising the base vertically from the storage volume into the workspace;
- performing one or more predetermined operations on the workpiece with the robot;
- lowering the base vertically into the storage volume;
- and,
- closing the door to the storage volume.
A system for operating at least one stowable automated pod in a workspace, comprising:
- at least one robot on a base,
- a subfloor storage space;
- a lift operable to selectively move the robot on the base between the storage volume and the workspace;
- and,
- a controller in operable communication with the robot, the controller including a processor and a non-transient computer-readable medium including instructions that upon execution by the processor perform an operation on the workpiece with the robot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.