Robotic system and method for operating on a workpiece

A robotic system for autonomously operating on a workpiece, comprising:

• a plurality of robots each having a robotic arm and an end effector coupled to the robotic arm;
• at least one processor configured to autonomously generate a master plan for movement of each end effector for operating on an operating surface of a workpiece positioned in a physical environment, the master plan being based on a computer aided design (CAD) model of the workpiece and comprising a plurality of child plans for distribution to the plurality of robots and each defining movement paths of an end effector of one of the robots, the movement paths being based at least in part on a reach distance of a robotic arm of the robot assigned by the child plan to one of more of a unique set of working waypoints included in the master plan, the working waypoints corresponding to a plurality of fiducial markers mounted on the workpiece and represented in the CAD model;
• the processor configured to autonomously perform the following:
• for each one of the robots, register to the workpiece in the physical environment when driving toward and/or at an approach waypoint in front of a working waypoint of the set of working waypoints assigned to the robot;
• for only one of the robots when driving toward and/or at a first one of the working waypoints in the set of working waypoints, iteratively adjust a position of a tessellated workpiece collision geometry within a world map of the physical environment unless or until an approximate workpiece position of the tessellated workpiece collision geometry within the world map substantially matches an actual workpiece position in the physical environment when the robot is driving toward and/or is at the working waypoint;
• for each one of the robots when at each working waypoint in the set of working waypoints assigned to the robot:
• construct a robotic arm trajectory for performing a sequence of movements of the end effector along the movement paths associated with the working waypoint;
• and
• execute the robotic arm trajectory in a manner causing the end effector to operate on a portion of the operating surface corresponding to the portion of the child plan defined for the robot at the working waypoint.

A method of operating on a workpiece:

• autonomously generating, using a processor, a master plan for movement of at least one end effector correspondingly of at least one robot for operating on an operating surface of a workpiece in a physical environment, the master plan being based on a computer aided design (CAD) model of the workpiece and defining movement paths of the end effector based at least in part on a reach distance of a robotic arm of the robot at each of a plurality of working waypoints included in the master plan, the plurality of working waypoints corresponding to a plurality of fiducial markers mounted on the workpiece and represented in the CAD model;
• autonomously performing, using the processor, the following sequence of steps for the robot at each one of the plurality of working waypoints:
• registering the robot to the workpiece in the physical environment when the robot is driving toward and/or is at an approach waypoint in front of a working waypoint, and iteratively adjusting a position of a tessellated workpiece collision geometry within a world map of the physical environment unless or until an approximate workpiece position of the tessellated workpiece collision geometry within the world map substantially matches an actual workpiece position in the physical environment when the robot is driving toward and/or is at the working waypoint;
• constructing, with the robot at the working waypoint, a robotic arm trajectory for performing a sequence of movements of the end effector along the movement paths associated with the working waypoint;
• and
• executing the robotic arm trajectory in a manner causing the end effector to operate on a portion of the operating surface corresponding to the portion of the master plan defined for the robot at the working waypoint.

A method of autonomously operating on a workpiece, comprising:

• autonomously generating, using a processor, a master plan for movement of a plurality of end effectors of a corresponding plurality of robots configured to operate on different surface segments of an operating surface of a workpiece positioned in a physical environment, the master plan being based on a computer aided design (CAD) model of the workpiece and comprising a plurality of child plans for distribution correspondingly to the plurality of robots and each defining movement paths of an end effector of one of the robots, the movement paths being based at least in part on a reach distance of a robotic arm of the robot assigned by the child plan to operate from a unique set of working waypoints included in the master plan, the working waypoints corresponding to a plurality of fiducial markers mounted on the workpiece and represented in the CAD model;
• autonomously performing, using the processor, the following:
• registering each one of the robots to the workpiece in the physical environment when the robot is driving toward and/or is at an approach waypoint in front of a working waypoint of the set of working waypoints assigned to the robot,
• iteratively adjusting, for only one of the robots when driving toward and/or at a first one of the working waypoints in the set of working waypoints, an approximate workpiece position of a tessellated workpiece collision geometry within a world map of the physical environment unless or until the approximate workpiece position within the world map substantially matches an actual workpiece position in the physical environment when the robot is driving toward and/or is at the working waypoint;
• constructing, for each one of the robots when at each working waypoint in the set of working waypoints assigned to the robot, a robotic arm trajectory for performing a sequence of movements of the end effector along the movement paths associated with the working waypoint;
• and
• executing, for each one of the robots when at each working waypoint in the set of working waypoints assigned to the robot, the robotic arm trajectory in a manner causing the end effector to operate on a portion of the operating surface corresponding to the portion of the child plan defined for the robot at the working waypoint.