Apparatus for processing small parts utilizing a robot and an array of tools mounted on the outer robot arm

An apparatus for performing processing operations on at least one work-piece, comprising:

• a. a robot having a head and capable of controlled X, Y, and Z movements, the robot further having a wrist joint attached to an end effector capable of rotation in a horizontal plane;
• b. a tooling plate for retaining at least one processing tool to perform an operation on said at least one work-piece which is positioned by said robot relative to the at least one processing tool;
• c. means for mounting said tooling plate to said head of said robot such that said tooling plate is fixed;
• d. means for mounting said at least one processing tool to said tooling plate;
• and
• e. a gripper holder attached to said end effector of said wrist joint of said robot for temporarily gripping said at least one work-piece such that the gripper holder can rotate and move vertically so that said at least one work-piece is moved relative to said at least one processing tool on said tooling plate.

An apparatus for assembling and processing work-pieces retained on a rotatable pallet for retaining the work-pieces and to be used in conjunction with a robot having a head capable of controlled X, Y, and Z movements, the robot further having a wrist joint attached to an end effector capable of rotation in a horizontal plane, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a tooling plate for retaining a plurality of processing tools to perform a plurality of different operations on said work-pieces which are positioned by said robot relative to the plurality of processing tools;
• b. means for mounting said tooling plate to said head of said robot such that said tooling plate is fixed;
• and
• c. means for mounting said plurality of processing tools to said tooling plate.

An apparatus for performing processing operations on at least one work-piece retained on a rotatable pallet, comprising:

• a. a head having a wrist joint attached to an end effector, the head being capable of moving the end effector vertically and rotating the end effector in a horizontal plane;
• b. a tooling plate removably mounted to said head;
• c. at least one processing tool removably mounted to said tooling plate for performing an operation on said at least one work-piece which is positioned by said head relative to the at least one processing tool;
• and
• d. a gripper holder attached to said end effector of said wrist joint of said head for temporarily gripping said rotatable pallet containing said at least one work-piece such that said at least one work-piece is positioned relative to said at least one processing tool on said tooling plate.