Caterpillar Inc.

Keith Alan Herman

Howard W Ludewig

Huijun Wang

Fernando Martinez Diez

Mathew Mark Robinson

Yi Dong

Yuping Yang

Wayne R Tanner

Frederick W Brust

Patrick J Crilly

A system for automated assembly and welding is disclosed. The system includes a pallet for receiving incoming workpieces; a workpiece holder having a plurality of electromagnets; a handling robot configured to transport incoming workpieces from the pallet to the workpiece holder; and a controller in communication with the workpiece holder and the handling robot. The controller is configured to determine an orientation of a workpiece positioned on the workpiece holder, and to selectively adjust an activation state of one or more electromagnets of the workpiece holder based upon the orientation of the workpiece. A method of assembling and welding workpieces is also disclosed.

Automated assembly and welding of structures

A method for controlling distortion of a material during a weld process. The method includes modeling the weld process of the material, determining distortions produced by the weld process, determining a plurality of simulated induced distortions in the model to offset the produced distortions, generating a plurality of actual induced distortions in the material as a function of the simulated induced distortions, and performing the weld process on the material.

Method for controlling distortion of a material during a weld process

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Keith Alan Herman