Integration of plasma processing and robotic path planning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12269166-B2
Application number	US-202217689267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2022
Priority date	Mar 9, 2021
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

The present invention features a computer-implemented method of planning a processing path relative to a three-dimensional workpiece for a plasma arc cutting system coupled to a robotic arm. The method includes receiving input data from a user comprising (i) Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data for specifying a desired part to be processed from the three-dimensional workpiece, and (ii) one or more desired parameters for operating the plasma arc cutting system. A plurality of features of the desired part to be formed on the three-dimensional workpiece are identified based on the CAD data. The method also includes dynamically filtering a library of cut charts based on the plurality of features and the desired operating parameters to determine a recommended cut chart for processing the plurality of features. The method further includes generating the processing path based on the recommended cut chart and the plurality of features to be formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of planning a processing path relative to a three-dimensional workpiece for a plasma arc cutting system coupled to a robotic arm, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, input data from a user comprising (i) Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data for specifying at least one desired part to be processed from the three-dimensional workpiece, and (ii) one or more desired parameters for operating the plasma arc cutting system;
identifying, by the computing device, a plurality of features of the at least one desired part to be formed on the three-dimensional workpiece based on the CAD data;
dynamically filtering, by the computing device, a library of cut charts based on the plurality of features and the desired operating parameters to determine at least one recommended cut chart for processing the plurality of features, wherein the recommended cut chart comprises a set of recommended process settings for the plasma arc cutting system;
generating, by the computing device, the processing path based on the recommended cut chart and the plurality of features to be formed, wherein the processing path is configured to plan motion of a plasma are emitted from the plasma arc cutting system coupled to the robotic arm to process the plurality of features from the workpiece, the plasma are cutting system being modeled using a set of one or more consumables selected based on the recommended cut chart, and wherein the planned motion of the plasma are accounts for influences in plasma are dynamics introduced to the plasma are from operating the robotic arm in a three-dimensional environment; and
causing, by the computing device, actuation of at least one of the robotic arm or the plasma arc cutting system in accordance with the processing path to process the desired part on the workpiece.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the processing path comprises:
automatically identifying the set of one or more consumables based on the recommended cut chart;
modeling the plasma arc cutting system using the set of one or more consumables and the recommended process settings provided by the recommended cut chart; and
generating an initial simulation of the processing path that plans the motion of the plasma arc relative to the workpiece based on the plasma arc cutting system model and the recommended cut chart.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the initial simulation is generated by integrating the recommended cut chart with the plasma arc cutting system model while compensating for the influences in plasma arc dynamics introduced during processing in the three-dimensional environment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein generating the processing path further comprises generating a refined simulation of the processing path based on the initial simulation by adding to the initial simulation a multi-axis robotics model that identifies a sequence of motions for manipulating the robotic arm, wherein the refined simulation is adapted to manipulate the robotic arm to follow the processing path from the initial simulation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the sequence of motions of the robotic arm is simulated based on data for controlling the robotic arm accessible by the computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the data for controlling the robotic arm includes at least one of joint limitations, reach limitations, acceleration limitations or speed limitations of the robotic arm.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising adjusting, during the refined simulation, at least a portion of the processing path from the initial simulation to account for one or more limitations of the robotic arm.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the processing path is configured to control the robotic arm along at least 5 axes of motion relative to the workpiece which is defined by 3 axes.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each cut chart in the library of cut charts specifies a suite of one or more parameters corresponding to a particular processing type, the one or more parameters comprising at least one of current, cut speed, workpiece material type, or workpiece material thickness.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the desired parameters for operating the plasma arc cutting system include at least one of swirl direction, cut height, cut speed, current, kerf width, pierce location, lead-ins, or consumable type.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the CAD data includes at least one of workpiece dimensions, desired part dimensions, or a reconstituted model of the workpiece.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically filtering a library of cut charts comprises:
presenting a set of operating options to the user by filtering the library of cut charts based on the input data to determine a set of possible cut charts that satisfy the input data, wherein the set of operating options correspond to operating parameters offered by the set of possible cut charts;
receiving user selection of desired operating options from the set of operating options; and
filtering the set of possible cut charts based on the user selection of desired operating options to drill down on the possible cut charts.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising successively performing the presenting, receiving and filtering steps until the recommended cut chart is identified from the possible cut charts.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the set of operating options are constrained by availability of one or more consumables of the plasma arc cutting system in an inventory accessible by the computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the set of operating options present at least one of an operating parameter range, cost range and consumable quality range available for user selection.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising offering a secondary recommendation if the library of cut charts does not include a cut chart that satisfies the user selection.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the influences in plasma arc dynamics accounted for by the processing path include motion in X, Y and Z axes of torch angularity relative to the three-dimensional workpiece.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the influences in plasma arc dynamics accounted for by the processing path include at least one of cut direction for a given feature, swirl direction, cut height or kerf.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the processing path further comprises accounting for an age of at least one consumable component of the plasma arc cutting system.

20. A computer-implemented method for planning a processing path relative to a three-dimensional workpiece by a plasma arc cutting system coupled to a robotic arm, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, (i) input data from a user comprising data for specifying at least one desired part to be processed from the three-dimensional workpiece, (ii) data related to the plasma arc cutting system and (iii) data for controlling the robotic arm, wherein the computing device is in electrical communication with a library of cut charts that provide different combinations of operating par

Assignees

• Hypertherm Inc

Inventors

• Cakmak Garen
• Marcovici Daniel
• Barbe Jacques
• Bouthillier Emile

Classifications

• G05B2219/39001

  Robot, manipulator control · CPC title

• G05B2219/35012

  Cad cam · CPC title

• B25J15/0019

  End effectors other than grippers · CPC title

• B25J9/1671

  characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems · CPC title

• B25J9/1661

  characterised by task planning, object-oriented languages · CPC title