Robotic object coating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568906-B2
Application number	US-201314030534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2013
Priority date	Sep 18, 2013
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for coating a group of objects may be provided. A three-dimensional model of the group of objects may be generated. Segments that represent each object in the group of objects in the three-dimensional model may be formed. Instructions for coating the group of objects may be generated based on the segments. The instructions may be configured to cause a robotic coating system to coat the group of objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for coating an object, the method comprising:
generating a three-dimensional model of the object;
forming a segment that represents the object in the three-dimensional model; and
generating instructions for coating the object based on the segment, in which the instructions are configured to cause a robotic coating system to coat the object, wherein generating instructions comprises:
identifying a plurality of waypoints along the object;
determining a plurality of surface normals, wherein each surface normal in the plurality of surface normals is calculated at a corresponding waypoint in the plurality of waypoints; and
generating a trajectory for movement of the robotic coating system along the object based on the plurality of waypoints and the plurality of surface normals.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional model is generated in real time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the robotic coating system to apply a coating to the object using the instructions.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the coating is selected from one of a paint, an adhesive, a sealant, a lubricant, a wear resistant coating, a corrosion resistant coating, and a scratch resistant coating.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the three-dimensional model of the object comprises:
generating data about the object using a sensor system; and
generating the three-dimensional model of the object from the data generated by the sensor system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor system is selected from one of a camera system or a laser scanner.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the data is selected from at least one of images or three-dimensional coordinates for a surface of the object.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor system comprises a depth sensor.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor system is attached to the robotic coating system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional model is selected from one of a point cloud and a computer-aided design model.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the segment that represents the object in the three-dimensional model comprises:
identifying representations of the object and clutter in the three-dimensional model; and
separating the representations of the object from the clutter to form the segment in a segmented three-dimensional model.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is selected from one of an aircraft part, a tube, a spar, a reservoir, a stringer, a panel, or a barrel.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating instructions further comprises:
selecting a first straight portion between a top of the object and a first desired distance below the top of the object;
selecting a first surface normal in the plurality of surface normals at a first location on the first straight portion, wherein the first surface normal is perpendicular to a plane corresponding to a shape of a rack to which the object is attached;
selecting a first waypoint in the plurality of waypoints at the first location;
selecting a second surface normal in the plurality of surface normals at a second location, wherein the second surface normal is substantially similar in direction to the first surface normal; and
selecting a second waypoint in the plurality of waypoints at the second location.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein generating instructions further comprises:
selecting a third waypoint in the plurality of waypoints at a third location along a bend in the object.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein generating instructions further comprises:
selecting a second straight portion between the bend in the object and a second desired distance below the bend in the object;
calculating a plurality of dot products between the plurality of surface normals and the plurality of waypoints;
selecting a third surface normal in the plurality of surface normals at a fourth location, wherein the third surface normal has a dot product with a magnitude that is the largest in the plurality of dot products;
selecting a fourth waypoint in the plurality of waypoints at the fourth location;
selecting a fourth surface normal in the plurality of surface normals at a fifth location, wherein the fourth surface normal is substantially similar in direction to the third surface normal; and
selecting a fifth waypoint in the plurality of waypoints at the fifth location.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining whether the fifth waypoint is an end point of the object.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
terminating the method upon a determination that the fifth waypoint is the end point.

18. A method for painting a tube, the method comprising:
generating a three-dimensional model of the tube;
forming a segment that represents the tube in the three-dimensional model; and
generating instructions for painting the tube based on the segment, in which the instructions are configured to cause a robotic painting system to paint the tube, wherein generating instructions comprises:
identifying a plurality of waypoints along the tube;
determining a plurality of surface normals, wherein each surface normal in the plurality of surface normals is calculated at a corresponding waypoint in the plurality of waypoints; and
generating a trajectory for painting along the tube based on the plurality of waypoints and the plurality of surface normals.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
operating the robotic painting system to apply paint to the tube using the instructions.

20. A method for coating an object, the method comprising:
generating a three-dimensional model of the object comprising at least one of an aircraft part, a tube, a spar, a reservoir, a stringer, panel, or a barrel, in which the three-dimensional model is generated in real time and selected from one of a point cloud and a computer-aided design model, and in which generating the three-dimensional model of the object comprises:
generating data about the object using a sensor system attached to a robotic coating system, in which the sensor system is selected from one of a camera system or a laser scanner and comprises a depth sensor, and in which the data is selected from at least one of images or three-dimensional coordinates for a surface of the object; and
generating the three-dimensional model of the object from the data generated by the sensor system;
forming a segment that represents the object in the three-dimensional model, in which forming the segment comprises:
identifying clutter in the three-dimensional model; and
separating the object from the clutter to form a segmented three-dimensional model;
generating instructions for coating the object based on the segment, wherein the instructions are configured to cause a robotic coating system to coat the object and comprise a plurality of waypoints and a trajectory, and wherein generating the instructions comprises:
identifying the plurality of waypoints along the object;
determining a plurality of surface normals, wherein each surface normal in the plurality of surface normals is calculated at a corresponding waypoint in the plurality of waypoints; and
generating the trajectory for movement of the robotic coating system along the object from the plurality of waypoints and the plurality of surface normals; and

operating the robotic coating system to apply a coating to the object using the instructions

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Trautman Peter F
• Li Hui

Classifications

• B05B13/0457

  specially designed for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces of the work, e.g. by using several moving spray heads (B05B13/0431, B05B13/0452 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S901/43

  Spray painting or coating · CPC title

• Y02T10/82

  Elements for improving aerodynamics · CPC title

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• B05B12/122 Primary

  responsive to presence or shape of target (B05B12/124 takes precedence) · CPC title