Methods and systems for kitting parts for manufacturing processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937623-B2
Application number	US-201615172574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Methods comprise (a) sequentially transferring, from a part supply structure to a part staging structure, a first predetermined selection of parts; (b) sequentially transferring, from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder, the first predetermined selection of parts to define a first kitted holder; (c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring, from the part supply structure to the part staging structure, a second predetermined selection of parts; and (d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring, from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder, the second predetermined selection of parts to define a second kitted holder. Systems comprise a part supply structure; a part staging structure; a first robotic transfer device; a plurality of manufacturing kit holders; a second robotic transfer device; and a holder positioning structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
(a) sequentially transferring a first predetermined selection of parts from a supply of parts from a part supply structure to a part staging structure by a first robotic transfer device, wherein the supply of parts has two or more sets of distinct parts held by the part supply structure;
(b) sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder by a second robotic transfer device, the first manufacturing kit holder with the first predetermined selection of parts defining a first kitted holder;
(c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring a second predetermined selection of parts from the supply of parts from the part supply structure to the part staging structure by the first robotic transfer device; and
(d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring the second predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder by the second robotic transfer device, the second manufacturing kit holder with the second predetermined selection of parts defining a second kitted holder.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) concurrently with (a), inspecting each of the first predetermined selection of parts by an optical inspector while the first predetermined selection of parts is being transferred from the part supply structure to the part staging structure for a confirmation of a conformance with first predetermined criteria, wherein the first predetermined criteria comprises one or more of: proper identity, proper size, proper dimensions, proper shape, proper material, and proper quality for the parts of the first predetermined selection of parts;
(f) concurrently with (a) and responsive to (e), discarding a defective first part by the first robotic transfer device if the defective first part does not conform to the first predetermined criteria, and replacing, with the first robotic transfer device, the defective first part with a replacement first part from the supply of parts;
(g) concurrently with (c), inspecting each of the second predetermined selection of parts by the optical inspector while the second predetermined selection of parts is being transferred from the part supply structure to the part staging structure for a confirmation of a conformance with second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria comprises one or more of: proper identity, proper size, proper dimensions, proper shape, proper material, and proper quality for the parts of the second predetermined selection of parts; and
(h) concurrently with (c) and responsive to (g), discarding a defective second part by the first robotic transfer device if the defective second part does not conform to the second predetermined criteria, and replacing, with the first robotic transfer device, the defective second part with a replacement second part from the supply of parts.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(i) prior to (b), receiving the first manufacturing kit holder from a user or an insertion robot;
(j) subsequent to (b), delivering the first kitted holder to the user or a retrieval robot;
(k) prior to (d), receiving the second manufacturing kit holder from the user or the insertion robot; and
(l) subsequent to (d), delivering the second kitted holder to the user or the retrieval robot.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(m) prior to (b), operatively positioning the first manufacturing kit holder by a holder positioning structure for receipt of the first predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; and
(n) subsequent to (m) and prior to (d), operatively positioning the second manufacturing kit holder by the holder positioning structure for receipt of the second predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(o) concurrently with (b), operatively positioning the first manufacturing kit holder by a holder positioning structure for receipt of the first predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; and
(p) concurrently with (d), operatively positioning the second manufacturing kit holder by the holder positioning structure for receipt of the second predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(q) prior to (a), receiving, by a computer, a first identifier that identifies the first manufacturing kit holder and that represents the first predetermined selection of parts; and
(r) prior to (c), receiving, by the computer, a second identifier that identifies the second manufacturing kit holder and that represents the second predetermined selection of parts.

7. The method of claim 6 ,
wherein the first manufacturing kit holder comprises a first identifying structure that represents the first identifier, and wherein (q) comprises scanning, with a scanner device, the first identifying structure to receive the first identifier; and
wherein the second manufacturing kit holder comprises a second identifying structure that represents the second identifier, and wherein (r) comprises scanning, with the scanner device, the second identifying structure to receive the second identifier.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
(s) responsive to (q), accessing, by the computer, a parts database and identifying, by the computer, the first predetermined selection of parts for performance of (a); and
(t) responsive to (r), accessing, by the computer, the parts database and identifying, by the computer, the second predetermined selection of parts for performance of (c).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more sets of distinct parts comprises two or more sets of distinct fasteners.

10. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first manufacturing kit holder comprises a first planar board with a plurality of first bores configured to receive the first predetermined selection of parts, and wherein (b) comprises sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to the plurality of first bores by the second robotic transfer device; and
wherein the second manufacturing kit holder comprises a second planar board with a plurality of second bores configured to receive the second predetermined selection of parts, and wherein (d) comprises sequentially transferring the second predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to the plurality of second bores by the second robotic transfer device.

11. A method of assembling an aircraft, comprising:
performing the method of claim 1 ; and
utilizing the first kitted holder and the second kitted holder to assemble at least a sub-system of the aircraft.

12. A method of kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
(a) sequentially transferring a first predetermined selection of parts from a supply of parts from a part supply structure to a part staging structure by a first robotic transfer device, wherein the supply of parts has two or more sets of distinct parts held by the part supply structure;
(b) sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder by a second robotic transfer device, the first manufacturing kit holder with the first predetermined selection of parts defining a first kitted holder;
(c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring a second predetermined selection of parts from the s

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Vasquez Christina Michelle
• Favilla Stephan J

Classifications

• G05B2219/45064

  Assembly robot · CPC title

• G05B2219/40033

  Assembly, microassembly · CPC title

• B25J9/1687 Primary

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title

• B25J9/0084 Primary

  comprising a plurality of manipulators · CPC title

• G05B2219/45063

  Pick and place manipulator · CPC title