Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Mike Vainstein

Robin Stevenson

Richard J Skurkis

Ivan G Sears

Jeff Dellach

A method for error-proofing clamping operation performed with a reconfigurable clamp having a body, a locking member, a plurality of moveable pins for contacting an object, and a plunger is provided. The method includes applying a force to the plunger and sensing whether the plunger achieves a fully-depressed position, and releasing the force to the plunger and sensing whether the plunger achieves a fully-extended position. The method may additionally include applying the force to the plunger, contacting the object with the plurality of pins and sensing whether the clamp body achieves a predetermined position relative to a clamping device.

Method for error-proofing a reconfigurable clamp

A reconfigurable clamp is provided, where the clamp includes: a clamp body including a plurality of through holes formed within the clamp body; a plurality of movable pins which slidably fit within the through holes in the clamp body; wherein the movable pins incorporate a tapered section to facilitate locking of the movable pins; and wherein the clamp is reconfigurable by movement of the pins to conform to a surface geometry of an object of arbitrary shape through contact with that object. The clamped surface is represented as a series of discrete points corresponding to the ends of the plurality of pins.

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Clinton Township, MI, United States of America

Mike Vainstein