Ats, Inc.

Philip David Munroe

Kenneth Wayne Nicholson

David Andrew Tait

Gustavo Barea

James Mark McLean

Roger Hogan

Robert James MacGregor

Robert David Almas

Albert Kleinikkink

Blake Robert Lambert

James Mark Mclean

Robert James Macgregor

Connor Hugh Mcintosh Murray

Hang Tran

Chad William Colyer

Braden Jon Guenther

Anton Dolgovykh

Colin Spencer Quelch

Mathieu Jocelyn Giles Pascal Gaudreault

Martin George Smith

An O-ring processing station for an automated mass production system includes: (a) at least one feed device operable to control discharge of O-rings from an output end of the feed device; (b) an indexing device having a plurality of O-ring retainers, the indexing device operable to advance each retainer to a loading position in alignment with the output end for receiving an O-ring from the feed device, and an unloading position spaced apart from the loading position for unloading the O-ring from the retainer; and (c) a pick-and-place robot including at least one end effector movable between a pick-up position in alignment with a retainer at the unloading position for removing the O-ring from the retainer, and a drop-off position spaced apart from the pick-up position for installation of the O-ring onto a workpiece.

Automated O-ring processing stations and related methods

Methods and systems are provided for mass producing different products in an automated production station having a plurality of part-processing devices. An example method includes identifying a workpiece received in the production station; selecting control parameters associated with the identified workpiece; electronically synchronizing the part-processing devices based on the selected control parameters to perform coordinated operations on the workpiece for producing one of the different products; and automatically repeating the identifying, selecting, and synchronizing steps for different workpieces received in the production station to produce a plurality of different products in a continuous mass production process.

Automated production station and related methods

Various systems and methods for maintaining a record for a workpiece processed by a CNC electronically synchronized cell of a manufacturing assembly line are disclosed herein. Example embodiments involve a cell controller and a part-processing control system. The cell controller can be configured to: initialize a cell controller record; initiate a part assembly task involving at least one electronically synchronized part-processing operation and upon completion of each operation, update an inspection identifier of the cell controller. The part-processing control system can be configured to initialize a part-processing control system record; during completion of the part assembly task, query the cell controller for the inspection identifier, and update the part-processing control system record, based on a result of the querying; and upon completion of the part assembly task, compare the cell controller record and the part-processing control system record; and determine a status for the workpiece based on the comparison.

Systems and methods for maintaining a record for a workpiece processed by a computer numerically controlled (CNC) electronically synchronized manufacturing assembly line cell

A conveyor system and method for controlling the same. The conveyor system includes: at least one moving element; a track including: a straight track section with a first mechanism for moving the moving element; and a curved track section connected to the straight track section including a second mechanism for moving the moving element; and a controller configured to control a speed of the moving element as the moving element moves from the straight track section to the curved track section and vice versa such that a velocity profile of the moving element includes a sinusoidal portion to provide a transition from straight to rotary motion or from rotary to straight motion having a linear position profile. In the method, the controller controls at least one of the first mechanism and the second mechanism to move the moving element according to the velocity profile including the sinusoidal portion.

System and method for controlling a moving element on a curved track in a conveyor system

A method of inverting workpieces in a mass production process includes: advancing an end effector in electronic synchronization with advancement of a carrier to synchronize arrival of the carrier at a stop position with arrival of the end effector at an unloading position, in which the end effector is in alignment with a workpiece held by the carrier for engaging the workpiece; while the end effector is in engagement with the workpiece, retracting the end effector away from the carrier to unload the workpiece from the carrier and advancing the end effector back toward the carrier to load the workpiece back into the carrier; and rotating the end effector relative to the carrier to invert the workpiece in electronic synchronization with the retracting and advancing of the end effector for loading the workpiece back into the carrier when inverted.

Automated workpiece inversion systems and related methods

Processing O-rings in an automated mass production system includes advancing an O-ring retainer toward a loading position in alignment with an output end of a feed device, discharging a leading O-ring from the output end in electronic synchronization with advancement of the O-ring retainer to the loading position to initiate loading of the O-ring into the retainer prior to the retainer arriving at the loading position, after loading the O-ring into the retainer, advancing the retainer away from the loading position toward an unloading position, and moving an end effector in electronic synchronization with advancement of the retainer to the unloading position to synchronize arrival of the retainer at the unloading position with arrival of the end effector at a pick-up position in alignment with the O-ring at the unloading position for pick up of the O-ring by the end effector.

Systems and methods of flow testing different workpieces in an automated testing station are described. Each workpiece comprises a flow path from an inlet to an outlet and the automated testing station comprises first and second sealing heads for injecting gas into the inlets of workpieces and collecting gas from the outlets of workpieces. The method includes performing a flow test by moving the flow test heads toward the workpieces while at the same time priming a flow of gas from the first sealing heads to the second sealing heads, prior to engaging the workpiece.

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Cambridge, Canada

Philip David Munroe