Sorting support methods, sorting systems, and flatbed machine tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059076-B2
Application number	US-201916387811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A method for assisting a user with sorting workpieces disposed on a sorting table uses a positioning system for determining a spatial position of a user's hand. The position can be determined by a sorting assistance unit worn near a hand of the user and the position of which is detected by the positioning system, or by image-based positioning using one or more cameras. The method comprises providing a position data set that includes the positions of the workpieces produced of the machining plan on the sorting table; by the positioning system, detecting a position of the user's hand and comparing it with the positions of the position data set; identifying at least one workpiece that is paired with the position of the user's hand; and outputting a sorting signal which comprises information about the at least one workpiece paired with the position of the user's hand.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for supporting an operator during a sorting operation of workpieces arranged on a sorting table, wherein the workpieces have been produced according to a processing plan using a flatbed machine tool, with the use of a localizing system, the method comprising:
providing, based on the processing plan, a position data set included in the processing plan that includes positions of the workpieces on the sorting table;
detecting a position of a hand of the operator with the localizing system;
comparing the position of the hand of the operator with the positions of the workpieces in the position data set;
identifying at least one workpiece in the vicinity of the hand of the operator,
associating the at least one identified workpiece with the hand of the operator;
outputting a sorting signal, wherein the sorting signal includes information about the at least one identified workpiece associated with the position of the hand of the operator; and
providing information to the operator for placing a removed workpiece.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more workpieces closest to the hand of the operator is identified as the at least one workpiece.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece closest in a direction of movement of the hand of the operator is identified as the at least one workpiece.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying information about the at least one identified workpiece associated with the position of the hand of the operator on a display unit.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sorting signal provides sorting information that includes workpiece specific information for the at least one identified workpiece.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising projecting the sorting information onto the at least one identified workpiece.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sorting information about the at least one identified workpiece is: optically superimposed on the at least one workpiece as text and/or is displayed on a display unit.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting and booking a removal operation of the at least one identified workpiece by determining a movement trajectory of the hand of the operator by evaluating the position data of the hand of the operator and detecting a removal movement in a section of the movement trajectory; and/or by detecting a gesture movement using the movement trajectory of the hand of the operator.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising outputting a placing signal for system-supported placing of the removed workpiece at a workpiece collecting point unit provided for the removed workpiece.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recognizing and booking a placing operation of the removed workpiece performed by an operator by determining a movement trajectory of the hand of the operator after the removal of the workpiece, by evaluating the position data of the hand of the operator and detecting a placing movement in a section of the movement trajectory, and/or detecting a gesture movement using the movement trajectory of the hand of the operator.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing an association of gestures and processes;
determining a movement trajectory of the hand of the operator by evaluating the position data of the hand of the operator;
recognizing a gesture in a section of the movement trajectory; and
performing a process assigned to the gesture.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising outputting a sorting completion signal when the placing operation corresponds to a placing operation associated with the removed workpiece.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising updating a display with regard to the placement of the removed workpiece.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sorting signal includes sub-signals each associated with a different workpiece within a plurality of workpieces associated with the position of the hand of the operator.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising outputting an error signal when the placing operation is different from a placing operation associated with the removed workpiece.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying information regarding the placing operation assigned to the removed part.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a placing operation of at least one removed workpiece in a reject collecting point; and
associating the at least one removed workpiece as a reject.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
outputting a supplementary production signal to a production control system;
comparing production parameters of the removed workpiece with a subsequent processing plan; and
if the production parameters correspond with the subsequent processing plan and there is availability with respect to the removed workpiece, supplementing the subsequent processing plan with a generation step for generating a replacement workpiece for the rejected workpiece.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sorting signal is generated in less than 0.5 s after the localizing system detects the position of the hand of the operator.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workpieces arranged on the sorting table are formed from one or more of: sheet metal, glass, semiconductor substrate structures, printed circuit board structures, and plastic.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information of the sorting signal on the at least one identified workpiece includes one or more of a type, position, shape, a placement position of the workpiece, and information on a subsequent process.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operator carries a sorting support unit on or near his hand, and the position of the hand is determined by locating the position of the sorting support unit, and wherein the position of the hand is equated with the position of the sorting support unit.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sorting support unit includes a transmitter, wherein a position of the transmitter is detected by the localizing system.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the position of the hand is determined by image-assisted localizing of the hand with the localizing system and wherein the localizing system evaluates image data of one or more cameras.

25. A flatbed machine tool, comprising:
a processing unit;
a processing plan that includes a processing image data set;
a control unit for controlling the processing unit to instruct the flatbed machine tool to generate workpieces arranged next to one another in accordance with the processing image data set of the processing plan;
a sorting table for supporting the arranged workpieces for sorting after the workpieces are generated; and
a localizing system for determining the position of a hand of an operator,
wherein the control unit performs a method, comprising:
providing a position data set that includes positions of the workpieces;
detecting a position of a hand of the operator with the localizing system;
comparing the position of the hand of the operator with the positions of the workpieces in the position data set;
identifying at least one workpiece in the vicinity of the hand of the operator;
associating the at least one identified workpiece with the hand of the operator;
outputting a sorting signal about the at least one identified workpiece associated with the hand of the operator; an

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Bauer Klaus
• Wahl Eberhard
• Walter Jonathan

Classifications

• G06V40/28

  Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113) · CPC title

• G05B2219/32014

  Augmented reality assists operator in maintenance, repair, programming, assembly, use of head mounted display with 2-D 3-D display and voice feedback, voice and gesture command · CPC title

• G05B2219/45047

  Sorting · CPC title

• B26D5/007

  Control means comprising cameras, vision or image processing systems · CPC title

• G05B2219/32037

  Order picking · CPC title