Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Lexmark International, Inc.

Other

John Patrick Spicer

Jeffrey A Abell

Debejyo Chakraborty

Miguel Arturo Saez

Wayne Cai

Jianying Shi

Michael Anthony Wincek

Hui Wang

Pei-chung Wang

John Stilianos Agapiou

James W Wells

Ningjian Huang

Mark Allen Smith

Richard J Skurkis

Yhu-Tin Lin

Spyros Pete Mellas

Jorge F Arinez

HyungMin Chae

Jennifer Bracey

Keith Mink

Hamid Ghavami Kia

Blair E Carlson

Thomas Arthur Perry

Muhammad E Abdallah

Darin Michael Gettelfinger

Ryan Curtis Sekol

Xiang Zhao

Lance T Ransom

Daniel C Hutchinson

Jason J Nolte

Peter W Tavora

Adrian J Lee

Jeffrey S Davis

Ronald L Reardon

Shawn Utz

Kenji Totsuka

Anil Kumar Sachdev

Qigui Wang

Gary Lee Jones

Larry Steven Foster

David Anthony Schneider

Michael William Lawrence

Chris A Ihrke

Tyson W Brown

Andrew Clay Bobel

John Parker Richey

Franklin Joseph Palumbo

Mark Andrew Omelchenko

Scott Stephen Williams

Pei-Chung Wang

Susan M Smyth

Peter Brown Pickett

Dooil Hwang

Hua-tzu Fan

Delbert Lester Elliott

Stacy Marie Pargett

Chi-Hung Shen

Scott A McLeod

Christopher Edward Rhoads

Benjamin R Christian

Raymond Guo

Stephen R Smith

Justin Jay Hackett

Edward Panozzo

Kerem Koprubasi

Lisa M Albaugh

Phillip A Bojda

Daniel Demitrish

James E O'Dell

Mark A Smith

Daniel L Simon

James Michael Ward

Tom Malburg

Marcel James Isrow

Mary S Boyd

David C Gillengerten

Greg Vanderheyden

A method for controlling a pump motor associated with a component molding system includes applying a selected activation energy to the pump motor, driving, with the pump motor, a casting medium from a source to a mold through a casting medium delivery system, delivering the casting medium into a mold cavity, detecting one or more casting medium delivery parameters in the casting medium delivery system, detecting one or more casting medium mold parameters in the mold cavity, sending a first plurality of signals representing the casting medium delivery parameters to a controller, sending a second plurality of signals representing the casting medium mold parameters to the controller, processing the first plurality of signals and the second plurality of signals to determine pump motor control parameters, and adjusting the selected activation energy to the pump motor based on the pump motor control parameters.

Pump controller for a sand casting system

A robotic system is provided. The robot system includes a robot arm, a lamp assembly, and a control module. The robot arm includes a first end and a second end that opposes the first end. The lamp assembly is disposed at the second end of the robot arm and includes at least one ultraviolet (UV) light that is configured to cure paint on a panel of a vehicle. The control module is configured to actuate the robot arm and position the lamp assembly relative to the panel of the vehicle.

Robot-mounted lamp assembly for curing paint

A vehicle frame inspection and cutting system includes: a frame moving device configured to support a vehicle frame and to transport the vehicle frame; an inspection robot including a first camera configured to capture first images of a side of the vehicle frame; a cutting robot configured to cut holes through vehicle frames and including an identifier disposed on an outer surface of the cutting robot; a second camera disposed vertically above the frame moving device, the inspection robot, and the cutting robot and configured to capture second images vertically downwardly; a control module configured to, based on the first images and the second images: move and actuate the cutting robot and position a cutting tool of the cutting robot at a target location on the vehicle frame; and cut a hole through the vehicle frame at the target location.

High accuracy robotic plasma cutting and inspection system

A compliant end effector includes a robot mounting bracket and a component support member. The component support member includes a side surface and a top surface. A component clamping system includes a first clamp member operable to move toward the side surface of the component support member and a second clamp member operable to move toward the top surface of the component support member. A controller is operatively connected to the clamping system. The controller is configured to engage the first and second clamp members as the component gripping and manipulating system is in a set position and release the first clamp member and the second clamp member allowing a portion of a component held by the component clamping system to move with one or more degrees of freedom when the component gripping and manipulating system is moving to the set position.

Controlled compliant gripping and manipulating system for a robot

Systems, methods, and apparatuses of a welding system are disclosed and include a first stage of a scanning device for scanning weld parts to generate a three-dimensional (3D) profile of a weld target wherein the 3D profile captures matching imperfections of a meeting together of the set of weld parts when performing the weld operation; and the second stage of a monitoring device to monitor the weld operation and to generate a data of high-resolution measurements of the weld operation; wherein the first stage further includes the monitoring device determining a weld schedule based on the 3D profile, and to adjust the weld schedule while the weld operation progresses to adapt to predicted distortion based on the 3D profile and to sensed distortion; wherein the second stage further includes a plurality of sensors to sense a set of components associated with the weld operation to generate high-resolution data of measurements.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses, of an arc welding (AW) process and quality monitoring

Systems and methods are provided for locating a pair of components relative to one another using complex surfaces. One component has a complex surface, where the complex surface is smoothly contoured. Another component is shaped to be connected with the first component. A fixture locates the first component relative to the second component. The fixture includes a locator with a complex surface region shaped to mate with the complex surface of the one component to locate the fixture relative to that component. The fixture includes another locator to locate the fixture relative to the second component.

Complex locating fixture system and method

Systems and methods for changing end-of-arm tools and methods for manufacturing vehicles are provided. An exemplary end-of-arm tool changing system includes a rotatable tool rack configured to hold at least two end-of-arm tools and configured to move a selected end-of-arm tool from a far location to a near location. The exemplary end-of-arm tool changing system further includes a robot configured to reach the near location for attachment of the selected end-of-arm tool to the robot.

System and method for changing end-of-arm tools

A power distribution system includes a charging station, a plurality of power socket assemblies, and at least one power line. The charging station includes a charging station control module. The plurality of power socket assemblies are operable to supply power to a vehicle. The at least one power line electrically connects the charging station to each of the plurality of power socket assemblies. The charging station is configured to supply power to any one of the plurality of power socket assemblies through the at least one power line.

Power distribution system including remotely controllable power receptacle and an electric vehicle mobile charger having an actuatable power connection mechanism

A system and method of enhanced automated welding of a first workpiece and a second workpiece are provided. The method comprises providing a system for intelligent robot-based welding of the first workpiece and the second workpiece. The method further comprises determining a geometrical location of the first workpiece and the second workpiece to be welded at a welding sequence based a predetermined process variable. The method further comprises adjusting the predetermined process variable based on the geometrical location of the first and second workpieces to define an actual process variable. The method further comprises welding a first portion of the first and second workpieces with the actual process variable to define a first welded portion. The method further comprises determining a weld quality of the first welded portion.

System and method of enhanced automated welding of first and second workpieces

A component assembly system comprises a first robot arm having a first end-of-arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a first subcomponent; a second robot arm having a second end of arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a second subcomponent. A system controller is adapted to control the first and second robot arms and first and second end-of-arm tools to position the first and second subcomponents relative to one another. A first interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the first end-of-arm tool and a second interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the second end-of-arm tool, wherein the first and second interlocking mechanisms engage one another and lock the first end-of-arm tool to the second end-of arm tool, thereby locking the first and second subcomponents into an initial position relative to one another.

Component assembly system

A clamp system and method for measurement and control of welding a first substrate to a second substrate is provided. The system comprises a squeeze clamp having to a first end and a second end. The system further comprises a motor connected to the squeeze clamp such that the first and second ends are movable to clamp the first substrate to the second substrate. The system further comprises at least one of an electromagnetic flux sensor, a current sensor, a position sensor, and a gap sensor disposed on one of the first and second ends for determining a first measured variable between the first and second substrates. The system further comprises a controller to control the motor to clamp the first substrate to the second substrate based on the first measured variable. The controller is in communication with the electromagnetic flux sensor, the current sensor, and the gap sensor.

Clamp system and method for control of welding a first substrate to a second substrate

A method of assembling a plurality of subcomponents to form a finished component comprises gripping a first subcomponent with a first end-of-arm tool, wherein the first end-of-arm tool is attached to a first robot arm and grasping a second subcomponent with a second end-of-arm tool, wherein the second end-of-arm tool is attached to a second robot arm. Moving the first and second end-of-arm tools to position the first subcomponent relative to the second subcomponent in a pre-assembly position and then moving the first and second end-of-arm tools to engage interface surfaces of the first and second subcomponents. Forming a joint between the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent with a joining tool attached to a joining robot arm to thereby assemble the finished component.

Fixtureless component assembly

An additive manufacturing system includes a powder delivery system, an area scanning laser, a build chamber, and a controller. The powder delivery system provides a predetermined amount of powder material to the build chamber, and includes a material dispenser, a dispensing head, and a scraper. The scanning laser selectively sinters the powder material, and includes a mirror galvanometer for raster scanning. The build chamber has an annular configuration, and includes an inner annular wall that defines a central portion disposed inward of the build chamber. A portion of the delivery system and the laser are located in the central portion. The chamber continuously rotates under the head and under a sintering zone generated by the laser as the delivery system continuously dispenses the material. The laser continuously raster scans the material at the sintering zone in a raster pattern to sinter a layer of material directly to a preceding layer.

High throughput additive manufacturing system

A powder bed fusion system includes a plurality of individual build chambers, with each individual build chamber including an area laser scanner optical device and a point laser scanner. A single, area beam delivery system and the plurality of build chambers are moveable relative to each other, such that the area beam delivery system may be positioned to provide an area scanning laser beam to any of the area laser scanner optical devices in any of the plurality of build chambers. The point laser scanners may be used to contour an edge of an object, and the area scanning laser beam may be used to fill in large areas of the object.

Powder bed fusion system with point and area scanning laser beams

A method of assembling a secondary component to a primary component comprises grasping a primary component with a first end-of-arm tool, wherein the first end-of-arm tool is attached to a first robot arm and grasping a secondary component with a second end-of-arm tool, wherein the second end-of-arm tool is attached to a second robot arm. Moving the primary component to an interfacing position, wherein interfacing surfaces on the primary component are presented at a proper position and orientation for the secondary component to be attached thereto. Moving the second end-of-arm tool to bring the secondary component into engagement with the interface surfaces of the primary component, and forming a joint between the primary component and the secondary component with a joining tool attached to a joining robot arm.

Coordinated robot to robot component assembly

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

John Patrick Spicer