Robotic assembly process for plastic components
US6627016B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 2001 |
| Grant date | Sep 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49829
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of robotic assembly, for manufacturing plastic components from parts mounted upon a plastic shell, using an integrated system of material handling and robots following a programmed series of operations. The robot cells carry out the following steps: (a) scanning the pallet and identifying that the pallet is locked in the docked position of the cell; (b) scanning an assembly area of the shell and communicating location and planarity data to the robot of the cell; (c) selecting a plastic part from a part supply device with the robot; (d) welding the part to the assembly surface of the plastic shell using the robot to perform a spin or fusion welding process. (e) determining the performance status of the foregoing cell steps and identifying the status as: good; scrap or rework. Good status results in conveyance of the loaded pallet for processing at any succeeding cell, but rework and scrap status result in conveyance of the loaded pallet to the unload station without processing at any succeeding cell.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.