Parametric and Modal Work-holding Method for Automated Inspection

A workpiece inspection system for sequentially delivering, to a workholder, each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, the system comprising:

• a set of instruments, the set of instruments comprising a workpiece inspection instrument having a measurement volume, and a robot having an end effector, the robot disposed to deliver to the workholder in the measurement volume each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces, each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces being from a different family of a plurality of families of workpieces;
• a control system in control communication with the set of instruments of the workpiece inspection system, the control system configured to, for each workpiece of the plurality of non-identical workpieces:
• retrieve, from a plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets wherein each ruleset of the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets correspond, respectively, to a family from the plurality of families of workpieces, a ruleset corresponding to the family of said workpiece, said corresponding ruleset comprising a set of parameters to automatically customize transfer of the workpiece to the workholder, said set of parameters including a parameter specifying an orientation of the end effector relative to the workholder prior to delivering the workpiece to the workholder;
• and
• sequentially customize operation of the robot pursuant to the parameters of the corresponding ruleset to orient the end effector relative to the workholder prior to delivering the workpiece to the workholder;
• and
• subsequently operate the inspection system to inspect said non-identical workpiece.

A non-transient medium storing computer code that, when executed by a computer-implemented control system, cause instruments of a workpiece inspection system to perform a method of sequentially delivering, to a workholder, each workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, each workpiece being from a different family of workpieces, the computer code comprising:

• computer code for accessing a plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, each ruleset of the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets corresponding, respectively, to a family from the plurality of families of workpieces;
• computer code for retrieving, from the plurality of workpiece delivery rulesets, a ruleset corresponding to the family of said workpiece, said corresponding ruleset comprising a set of parameters to automatically customize transfer of the workpiece to the workholder, said set of parameters including a parameter specifying an orientation of a robot's end effector relative to the workholder prior to delivering the workpiece to the workholder;
• and
• computer code for sequentially causing the control system to:
• (a) customize operation of the robot pursuant to the parameters of the corresponding ruleset to orient the end effector relative to the workholder prior to delivering the workpiece to the workholder;
• and
• (b) subsequently operate the workpiece inspection system to inspect each non-identical workpiece.