Par Systems, Inc.

Bby Solutions, Inc.

Dean R LaValle

Chad Stiernagle

Cameron P Sheikholeslami

Glendon T Kraetsch

Thomas E Marrinan

Charles J Habermann

Philip A McLain

Albert J Sturm, Jr

Fred W Hanson

Frederick J Steinmann

A system and method for processing a flexible part comprising holding the flexible part securely in an unconstrained position using a holder; and controlling a positioner to process the flexible part based on a comparison of a shape and/or position of the flexible part in the unconstrained position with design specifications of the part not in the unconstrained position.

Adaptive manufacturing system

The present application is directed to a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) in a fulfillment operation, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU. Upon a request from an operator in a replenishment operation, the robot transfers an empty bin to an operator station (such as a replenishing unit). Upon a request from an operator in a purge operation, the robot transfers bins containing the affected items to the operator station. The controller logic further allows certain operations to be prioritized and performed for the replenishment and purge operations.

Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: replenishment and purge operation prioritization

The present application is directed to a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) in a fulfillment operation, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU. Upon a request from an operator (or other user) in a replenishment operation, the robot transfers an empty bin to an operator station (such as a replenishing unit). The controller logic allows the fulfillment operations to be prioritized over the replenishment operations, in addition to the implementation of other prioritizations.

Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: operation prioritization

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Configuration of the rails facilitates bins of variable height.

Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: variable bin height

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. Upon a request from a consumer (or other user) for a plurality of product items, the robot retrieves a bin holding the first item from the ISU, and places the bin onto a shelf that moves with the robot. The additional items are handled similarly. Once all the items are on the shelf, the robot transfers them to a dispensing chute to the consumer.

Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: multi-pick fulfillment

The present invention is a robotic system for maintaining product inventory and dispensing products upon request from a customer or other user. Product items are stored in an inventory storage unit (ISU), one item per bin. Controller logic allows items to be stored in, and retrieved from, arbitrarily-assigned storage locations. The bins hang on rails within drawers. In a replenishment operation, the system transfers empty bins to an operator station for replenishment. An operator fills the empty bins with product items. The system inserts these bins into drawers in the ISU. In a purge operation, the operator enters an identifier of a class of product to be removed. The system moves the bins containing the affected items to the operator station. After the product items are removed, the empty bins are moved to the ISU.

Random-access robotic inventory dispensary: replenishment and purge

A system and method for positioning a fluid stream for cutting a double contour workpiece includes a compensation module configured to receive information regarding a contour path in at least five degrees of freedom for cutting the double contour workpiece and a velocity of movement of the fluid stream during cutting and configured to provide as an output a modified contour path of said at least five degrees of freedom based on Kerf compensation errors. A motion controller is adapted to receive the modified contour path of said at least five degrees of freedom and the velocity and is configured to provide control signals. A positioner is configured to receive the control signals and position a fluid stream adjacent the workpiece accordingly.

Method of compensation for a fluid cutting apparatus

A system for performing work in a hot cell includes a support arm having a first end and a second end and a movable arm having an end selectively engageable with the first end to form a rigid connection. Complementary coupling devices are disposed on the first end of the support arm and on the end of the movable arm and mate together when the movable arm is joined to the support arm.

System for performing work in a hot cell

An automatic material handling crane system services a plurality of stations in an industrial plant. The system includes a crane which is movable on a track, a mast which is carried by the crane, and a material handling mechanism which is carried by the mast. Position encoders provide signals indicative of the position of the crane on the track and the mast with respect to the crane. Both manual and remote controls are provided to operate the crane system. The manual control is carried by the crane and provides manual control signals. The remote control is positioned at a remote location with respect to the crane and stores a schedule of operations of the crane, mast and material handling mechanism. The remote control signals provided by the remote control are based on the schedule and on status information relating to the crane, the mast and material handling mechanism. A crane-carried control provides control signals to control the positioning of the crane and the mast, and to operate the material handling mechanism as a function of signals from the crane and mast position encoders and either the manual control signal or the remote control signals. The crane-carried control also provides the status information to the remote control as a function of the signals from the crane and mast position encoders. A communication link transmits the remote control signals to the crane-carried control, and transmits the status information to the remote control.

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Centerville, MN, United States of America

Dean R LaValle