System and method for forming holes onto a sheet-metal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815217-B2
Application number	US-201414568617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Various approaches for forming holes onto a sheet-metal assembly are described. In one implementation, a sheet-metal assembly is received through a conveyor system within a manufacturing cell. Once received, the type of sheet-metal assembly is identified based on associated information. Corresponding to the identified sheet-metal assembly, a set of position coordinates corresponding to one or more points on the sheet-metal assembly are obtained. Subsequently, a work-performing apparatus may be used for forming holes onto the sheet-metal assembly, at one or more points on the sheet-metal assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a controller configured to:
determine a type of a sheet metal assembly being conveyed in a manufacturing cell based on the width of the sheet metal assembly;
obtain a set of position coordinates based on the type; and
generate instructions for a moveable work-performing apparatus to form holes on the sheet metal assembly at locations corresponding to the set of position coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to obtain the set of position coordinates from a coordinate repository, the set is selected from multiple sets of position coordinates, and each set corresponds to a different type of sheet metal assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions include instructions for forming holes on the sheet metal assembly by one of cutting and piercing.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal assembly further comprises an axis extending along its length, and the axis is aligned at an angle in a direction in which the sheet metal assembly is conveyed.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal assembly includes a plurality of sheet metal components.

6. A method comprising:
receiving a sheet metal assembly through a conveyor system within a manufacturing cell;
determining a type of the sheet metal assembly based on information associated with the sheet metal assembly and including a width of the sheet metal assembly;
obtaining a set of position coordinates corresponding to one or more points on the sheet metal assembly based on the type; and
forming holes on the sheet metal assembly at the one or more points.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining step includes:
obtaining attribute data associated with the sheet metal assembly; and
comparing the attribute data with a mapping repository to determine the type.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the obtaining attribute data step includes:
processing a captured image of the sheet metal assembly; and
scanning one or more unique tagged identifiers associated with the sheet metal assembly.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more unique tagged identifiers includes one of a bar-code and radio-frequency identifier (RFID).

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the operating step includes:
generating instructions for the moveable work-performing apparatus based on the set of position coordinates;
executing the generated instruction to position the moveable work-performing apparatus in accordance with the set of the position coordinates; and
activating the moveable work-performing apparatus for forming holes on the sheet metal assembly at the one or more points on the sheet metal assembly.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the moveable work-performing apparatus is one of a laser-cutting apparatus and a hydraulically actuated-cutting apparatus.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising positioning the work-performing apparatus at one of a location adjacent to the conveyor system and above the conveyor system.

13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising forming holes on the sheet metal assembly through the moveable work-performing apparatus and another moveable work-performing apparatus, with the moveable-work performing apparatus being positioned on one side of the conveyor system and the other moveable work-performing apparatus being positioned on the other side of the conveyor system.

14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sheet metal assembly includes a plurality of sheet metal components.

15. A vehicle manufacturing assembly comprising:
an assembly line path extending in a direction and for transporting a sheet metal assembly;
a moveable work-performing apparatus positioned relative to the assembly line path; and
a controller coupled to the work-performing apparatus and configured to:
determine a type for the sheet metal assembly based on the width of the sheet metal assembly;
obtain a set of position coordinates corresponding to the sheet metal assembly based on the type of the sheet-metal assembly; and
operating the moveable work-performing apparatus to form holes on the sheet metal assembly at locations corresponding to the set of position coordinates.

16. The vehicle manufacturing assembly of claim 15 , wherein the moveable work-performing apparatus is provided at an end of an adjustable arm.

17. The vehicle manufacturing assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sheet metal assembly includes a plurality of sheet metal components.

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Gallagher Steve William
• Wilcox Jon A
• Bogachuk Vladimir Vladimirovich
• Pastrick Richard Daniel
• Parker Timothy D

Classifications

• G05B2219/35005

  Sheet metal cad · CPC title

• B26D5/007 Primary

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

• B21D28/24

  Perforating, i.e. punching holes · CPC title

• B26F1/00

  Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor (perforating by laser beam B23K26/00; subjecting the grinding tools or the abrading medium to vibration, e.g. grinding with ultrasonic frequency, B24B1/04; perforating by sand-blasting B24C; punching cards or tapes for statistical and record purposes G06K1/00) · CPC title

• G05B19/182

  characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control (G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence) · CPC title