Fixtureless robotic assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025269612-A1
Application number	US-202519087304-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2025
Priority date	Nov 21, 2019
Publication date	Aug 28, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computing system may direct a first robotic arm to a first position based on a first set of coordinates. The computing system may cause the first robotic arm to engage with a first structure based on the first position of the first robotic arm. Further, the computing system may direct the first robotic arm to a second position based on a second set of coordinates such that the first structure is brought within a joining proximity of a second structure without a fixture retaining the first structure and without a fixture retaining the second structure, wherein the first structure is configured to be joined with the second structure when the first and second structures are within the joining proximity, the joining proximity being a proximity at which the first and second structures can be joined together.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . An apparatus comprising:
a first robotic arm; a second robotic arm; a first structure comprising a co-printed first feature; a second structure comprising a co-printed second feature; and a processor communicatively connected with a memory and configured to:
cause the first robotic arm to engage the co-printed first feature,
cause the second robotic arm to engage the co-printed second structure,
direct the first robotic arm to move the first structure without a fixture retaining the first structure,
direct the second robotic arm to move the second structure without a fixture retaining the second structure, and
cause the first structure and the second structure to join such that the first structure and the second structure do not contact.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first structure has a volume of 500 milliliters or more.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first structure weighs 100 grams or more.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first structure includes a portion of a vehicle chassis.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first robotic arm engages the co-printed first feature with an end effector that is removable from the first robotic arm.

7 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first robotic arm engages the co-printed first feature with an end effector that is integral with the first robotic arm.

8 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
cause the first robotic arm to disengage from the co-printed first feature, cause the first robotic arm to engage a third structure, the third structure being a different structure than the first structure, and direct the first robotic arm to move the third structure to a position that the third structure can be joined with a subassembly including the first structure and the second structure.

9 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to cause application of a first joining material between the first structure and the second structure.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first joining material is a slurry, a thermoplastic, a thermoset or an adhesive.

11 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to cause application of a first joining material to at least the first structure or the second structure.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first joining material is a first adhesive and the processor is configured to cause the first adhesive to be cured.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
cause application of a second joining material to at least one surface of the joined first and second structures or a third structure, cause the joined first and second structures to be joined with the third structure at the at least one surface of the joined first and second structures.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second joining material is a second adhesive and the processor is further configured to cause the second adhesive to be cured.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first joining material is a first adhesive and each of the first adhesive and the second adhesive comprises an adhesive that is curable through exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

16 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein cause at least the first robotic arm to engage the co-printed first feature or the second robotic arm to engage the co-printed second feature is based at least on a data model.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the data model includes a computer-aided design model.

18 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein direct at least the first robotic arm to move the first structure or the second robotic arm to move the second structure is based at least on a data model.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the data model includes a computer-aided design model.

20 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a third robotic arm, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the third robotic arm to apply a first joining material to the first structure or the second structure.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first joining material is a first adhesive and the processor is configured to cause the third robotic arm to cure the first adhesive.

22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein cause the third robotic arm to cure the first adhesive includes emitting an ultraviolet light.

23 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first structure comprises a protrusion and the second structure comprises an opening, the first structure is joined to the second structure at the protrusion or the opening with a first joining material.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the protrusion comprises a tongue.

25 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the opening comprises a recess and the protrusion is within at least a portion of the recess.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the first joining material is in the recess, and the protrusion is bonded to the second structure by the first joining material.

27 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the opening comprises a groove.

28 . The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the groove comprises a lateral bond gap.

29 . The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the groove comprises a vertical bond gap.

30 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein direct at least the first robotic arm or the second robotic arm is based on a move-measure-correct procedure.

31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the move-measure-correct procedure is based on laser metrology.

32 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the first robotic arm to disengage from the co-printed first feature while the second robotic arm remains engaged with the co-printed second feature.

33 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
cause the first robotic arm or a third robotic arm to engage a third structure, and direct the first robotic arm or the third robotic arm such that the third structure is brought within a joining proximity of the first structure or the second structure.

34 . The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the third structure to be joined to the first structure or the second structure.

35 . The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the first robotic arm or the third robotic arm to disengage from the third structure.

36 . The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the second robotic arm to disengage from the co-printed second feature while the first robotic arm or the third robotic arm remains engaged with the third structure.

37 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
cause the second robotic arm to engage a fourth structure, and direct the second robotic arm such that the fourth structure is brought within a joining proximity of the first structure, the second structure, or the third structure.

38 . The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the second robotic arm

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Czinger Lukas Philip

Classifications

• B29L2031/3055

  Cars · CPC title

• B29C66/834

  moving with the parts to be joined · CPC title

• B29C65/4845

  Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives · CPC title

• B29C65/1448

  radiating the edges of the parts to be joined, e.g. for curing a layer of adhesive placed between two flat parts to be joined, e.g. for making CDs or DVDs · CPC title

• B25J11/005

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title