Method and system for automated wax mold assembly
OwnerDavid M. Rumery, Henry L. Schuman +3inventors
InventorsDavid M. Rumery, Henry L. Schuman, Wiliam J. Salerno, Steve Titus, Jason Siebert
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for automating the assembly method for building a wax mold, including a force/torque sensor attached to a robotic arm that provides feedback to a robot controller to determine when to stop motion of the robotic arm, and using a visible spectrum laser to accurately measure translucent wax and plastic parts for orientation, processing, assembly and inspection of assembled products.
Claims24
A system for automated wax mold assembly comprising:
- an assembly cell frame;
- a base plate;
- one or more robots moveable with respect to the assembly cell frame, wherein the one or more robots comprise a robotic arm;
- wherein the one or more robots are in communication with a robot controller;
- a laser measurement and/or displacement system,
- end of arm tooling means for movement of mold pieces;
- end of arm tooling means for cutting and/or welding mold pieces;
- and
- an automation system configured to direct the placement, fitting, cutting, and/or welding of mold pieces into a completed mold.
A method for automated wax mold assembly comprising:
- providing an assembly frame having one or more robots moveable with respect to the assembly frame, a base plate and a laser displacement system;
- configuring the one or more robots to select one or more mold parts from defined locations;
- assembling the one or more mold parts on the base plate;
- wherein assembling comprises one or more of placing, fitting, cutting, and/or welding of the one or more mold pieces;
- measuring the finished mold with the laser system;
- and,
- determining whether the finished mold meets pre-defined criteria.
A method of controlling movement of a robot, comprising:
- providing a robot having a force/torque sensor attached thereto;
- configuring a robotic controller to cause the robot to perform a pre-set series of movements;
- wherein, when the robot reaches a pre-determined final position, causing the robotic controller to read force/torque data from the sensor, and causing the robot to continue motion toward a user provided vector if force/torque data does not meet pre-determined conditions.
A system for controlled movement of a robot, comprising:
- a robot;
- a force/torque sensor;
- a robotic controller;
- and
- a programmable logic controller (PLC),
- wherein the force/torque sensor is attached to the robot, and sensor communicates force/torque data to the robotic controller and/or the PLC.
A process for determining the accuracy of translucent wax or plastic materials, comprising:
- using a visible spectrum length laser to measure component parts made from translucent wax or plastic materials;
- and
- comparing the measurements to a desired model of the component parts to determine any variances from the model.
A system comprising a visible spectrum length laser to measure component parts made from translucent wax or plastic materials to compare to the model for processing using automated equipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.