ASSEMBLY AND JOINING TABLE WITH WELD SPLATTER PROTECTION FEATURES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED OPERATIONS OF THE SAME

Abstract

An assembly and joining table with weld splatter protection features are disclosed along with systems and methods for operating the same in at least partially automated fashion. The table includes holders positioned about platform providing a work surface. Parts are placed within certain of the holders for joining to create an assembly. The holders include conductive surfaces and recessed channels for wiring. A first end of each channel is located adjacent to a respective conductive surface, a second end is located below the respective conductive surface, and a continuous passageway with a plurality of turns extends between the first and second ends. A controller may operate motors of the table and command operations of robots for material handling and/or joining and a machine vision system to adjustably automate assembly.

Description

Claims

1. An assembly and joining table with weld splatter protection features, said table comprising: a platform providing a work surface; anda plurality of holders positioned about the platform, each configured to receive a portion of a part for joining, and each comprising: one or more conductive surfaces; andone or more recessed channels for wiring, each having a first end located adjacent to a respective one of said one or more conductive surfaces, a second end located below the respective one of said one or more conductive surfaces, and a continuous passageway with a plurality of turns located between the first end and the second end.

2. The table of claim 1 wherein: each of the holders comprise a first portion and a second portion;the first portion of each of the holders comprises a first one of the conductive surfaces facing a first direction and a first one of the recessed channels located rearward of a forward face of the first one of the conductive surfaces; andthe second portion each of the holders comprises a second one of the conductive surfaces facing a second direction opposing the first direction and a second one of the recessed channels located rearward of a forward face of the second one of the conductive surfaces.

3. The table of claim 2 further comprising: the wiring, individual portions of which each extend from an electrical ground individually through each of the one or more recessed channels to a respective one of said one or more conductive surfaces.

4. The table of claim 2 wherein: each of the holders is moveable in at least two dimensions relative to the work surface.

5. The table of claim 4 further comprising: at least one motorized device connected to each of the holders for moving the connected one of the holders in the at least two dimensions.

6. The table of claim 5 wherein: each of the motorized devices comprise a motor and an inverted rack and pinion connection.

7. The table of claim 5 wherein: the first and second portions of each of the holders are moveable relative to one another.

8. The table of claim 7 further comprising: at least one motorized device connected to said platform for moving said work surface in three dimensions.

9. The table of claim 8 further comprising: an electronic controller in electronic communication with each of the motorized devices and at least one machine visions subsystem, said electronic controller comprising software instructions, which when executed, configure the electronic controller to operate the motorized devices based, at least in part, on data received from the at least one machine visions subsystem.

10. The table of claim 9 wherein: said electronic controller is in electronic communication with at least one robot; andsaid electronic controller comprises additional software instructions, which when executed, configure the electronic controller to: communicate movement instructions to said at least one robot for gasping and moving the part and joining the part to at least one other part;perform an iterative, offset analysis and adjustment subroutine between certain operations of said machine vision subsystem, said material handling robot, and said material joining robot.

11. The table of claim 1 wherein: said table comprises a first and second member extending longitudinally in a first direction and a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth member, each intersecting one of said first and second members;said third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members extend away from, and outside of, said first and second members;said third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members have a lengthwise dimension which is shorter than a lengthwise dimension of the first and second members;at least one of the holders is located at each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members;the holders located at the first and second members are oriented differently from the holders located at the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members.

12. The table of claim 11 wherein: the first and second members have a substantially equal length and extend substantially parallel with one another;each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members have a substantially equal length and extend substantially perpendicular to the first and second members;multiple ones of the holders are located at each of the first and second members; andthe holders located at the first and second members are oriented substantially perpendicular to the holders located at the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth members.

13. The table of claim 1 wherein: each of the holders comprise a slot located below the one or more conductive surfaces of the respective holder; andeach of the channels extend about the slot.

14. The table of claim 13 wherein: each of the channels extend laterally in a first direction above the slot, downward a first distance exceeding a depth of the slot, laterally in a second direction opposite the first direction and below the slot, and downward a second distance.

15. The table of claim 1 wherein: each of the holders comprise one or more insulating portions located behind the one or more conductive surfaces.

16. A system for automated assembly and joining using a table with weld splatter protection features, said system comprising: the table comprising: a platform providing a work surface;a plurality of holders positioned about the work surface, each comprising a first portion and a second portion, each of said first and second portions comprising: a conductive surface;an insulated portion located behind the conductive surface;a slot located below the conductive surface; anda recessed channel extending from a location proximate the conductive surface about the slot to a location below the conductive surface;wiring extending within the recessed channel from an electrical ground to the conductive surface; andmotorized devices, a first subset of which are each associated with one of the holders for individually moving the holders in at least two dimensions, including movement of the conductive surfaces of the first and second portions of each of the holders relative to one another, a second subset of which are configured to move the work surface in at least two dimensions;a machine vision subsystem; anda controller in electronic communication with the machine vision subsystem and the motorized devices, said controller comprising software instructions, which when executed, configured the controller to receive data from the machine vision subsystem and operate the motorized devices based, at least in part, on the data received from the machine visions subsystem.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising: one or more robots, wherein said controller is in electronic communication with said one or more robots and comprises additional software instructions, which when executed, configured the controller to: command at least one of the one or more robots to pick up a part for an assembly and move the part to a location within a workspace;command the machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the part;command one or more of the motorized devices in the second subset to rotate the work surface;command at least one of the one or more robots to place the part within one or more of the holders;command at least one of the one or more robots to pick up a second part for the assembly and move the part to the location within the workspace;command the machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the second part;command one or more of the motorized devices in the second subset to rotate the work surface;command at least one of the one or more robots to place the second part within one or more other ones of the holders; andcommand at least one of the one or more robots to join at least the first and second part to form an assembly.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein: said controller comprises additional software instructions, which when executed, configured the controller to: perform an iterative, offset analysis and adjustment subroutine between each of the scan of the first part, the scan of the second part, rotation of the work surface, placement of the first part, and placement of the second part;command the machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the assembly; anddetermine if the assembly is within tolerance, accept the assembly if within tolerance, and reject the assembly if outside of tolerance.

19. A method for automated assembly and joining using a table with weld splatter protection features, said method comprising: commanding, by way of a controller, for each of multiple assemblies of a particular design: a material handling robot to pick up a part for the assembly and move the part to a location within a workspace;a machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the part within the workspace;one or more motorized devices of the table in to rotate a work surface of the table;the material handling robot to place the part within one or more holders of the table;the material handling robot to pick up a second part for the assembly and move the part to the location within the workspace;the machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the second part;the material handling robot to place the second part within one or more other ones of the holders of the table;a material joining robot to join at least the first and second part to form a first one of the assemblies;performing, by way of the controller, an iterative, offset analysis and adjustment subroutine between each of the scan of the first part, the scan of the second part, rotation of the work surface, placement of the first part, and placement of the second part;commanding, by way of the controller, the machine vision subsystem to perform a scan of the first one of the assemblies;determining, by way of the controller, that the first one of the assemblies is within tolerance;indicating acceptance of the first one of the assemblies by way of the controller;determining, by way of the controller, that a second one of the assemblies is not within tolerance; andindicating rejection of the second one of the assemblies by way of the controller.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein: each of the holders of the table comprise: a conductive surface;an insulated portion located behind the conductive surface;a slot located below the conductive surface;a recessed channel extending from a location proximate the conductive surface about the slot to a location below the conductive surface;wiring extending within the recessed channel from an electrical ground to the conductive surface; andat least one of the motorized devices.