Assembly tooling improvements

Keywords: Assembly, Tooling

Applicant: Sensor Adaptive Machines, Inc., USAPatent number:US5,910,894Publication date: 8 June 1999Title: Sensor based assembly tooling improvements

This patent describes a method and apparatus for the assembly of automobiles and aircraft using with reconfigurable modular and "intelligent" tooling fixtures. The apparatus can be used to join sheet metal components and achieves this using many fixed hard tool locators fixedly mounted on a base, a clamp for holding the sheet metal components in position on the locators, and a means for joining the sheet metal components to form an assembled sheet metal part in the tooling. Much of the capability of the system is brought by optical or other non-contact sensing devices incorporated with the tools to provide information on part location, tooling detail location. It can also be used to monitor automation i.e. robots, for loading, welding, riveting, or otherwise performing task with parts in the tool. The preferred embodiment of the invention uses three-dimensional stereo and/or other simpler electro-optical ranging and feature location sensors, operating in real time. These sensors can be used to perform numerous measurements of location of critical features of assembly tools and the parts placed within them, and to even include detection of abnormal features such as missing holes or welds. The computer system associated with the sensors builds up a database of part condition before, during and after welding(or other assembly function within the tool). This data base can be used automatically, or by an operator or engineer, to continuously improve the process and to feed data to related processes.