Laser aligned robotic machining system for use in rebuilding heavy machinery

A method for resurfacing heavy machinery guideways comprising the steps of assembling multiple monorail frame sections near a workpiece, making an initial traversal of the workpiece to align a machine tool with light sources, detectors and workpiece, traversing the workpiece a second time for scanning and imaging a surface of the workpiece, machining the surface of the workpiece, and traversing the workpiece a final time for imaging the surface of the workpiece to verify accuracy of the machining and for creating a hard copy of an image scan.

The method of heavy machinery in situ guideway rebuilding comprising defining geometry of a machine, defining optimal tool orientation, defining monorail set up, establishing datum on or near the ends of a heavy machine bed, refining measurements, assembling a monorail, assembling a carriage on the monorail, assembling a tool platform on the carriage, finding coordinate transforms from the datum to the origin of the tool platform, establishing home limit position at an extreme limit of the carriage, the tool platform and a tool, setting up laser reference beams, aligning laser beams in X and Y axes and in roll, yaw and pitch, establishing laser beams as new datums, testing functionality of drives on the carriage and the platform, testing system operation and set up by traversing the machine bed, checking alignment and straightness of the monorail using the laser reference beams, mapping monorail deflections, creating a side view profile from extreme edges, selecting guideway faces to be scanned, orienting probes and initializing their positions as a base line reference,.scanning guideway faces along a Z axis, taking data at regular intervals, and displaying and recording scanned guideway faces.

A precision positioning system comprising a monorail frame, multiple guides extending along an outer surface of the monorail frame, supports for holding the monorail frame in position, a movable base surrounding the monorail frame, multiple linear bearings positioned in the base for moving the base along the monorail frame, a parallel platform system connected to the movable base, a laser alignment system mounted to the movable base, an imaging system for mapping the guideway, and an intelligent controller for monitoring system behavior, for predicting and detecting chatter and for regulating frame deflections and platform positioning.

A parallel platform system for achieving motion in six axes comprising a moveable platform, a left base, a right base, and six independent actuators, wherein three actuators are fixed to the left base and three actuators are fixed to the right base.

A laser alignment system for sensing orientation in five axes comprising three x-y position detectors and three beams, the detectors and beams resolving orientation in x, y, roll, pitch and yaw directions.

A precision positioning system for automatically resurfacing heavy machinery comprising a monorail frame, multiple guides extending along an outer surface of the monorail frame, supports for holding the monorail frame in position, a movable base surrounding the monorail frame, multiple linear bearings positioned in the base for moving the base along the monorail frame, a machine tool head connected to the movable base, a tool platform positioned on the machine tool head for mounting a machine tool, a machine tool mounted on the platform for grinding, cutting or milling a heavy machinery guideway, a motor connected to the tool for supplying power, a laser alignment system mounted to the movable base for positioning the machine tool, a parallel platform system connected to the movable base and to the machine tool for adjusting tool movement, an imaging system for mapping the guideway, and an intelligent controller for monitoring system behavior, for predicting and detecting chatter and for regulating frame deflections and platform positioning.