FIELD

The described embodiments relate to systems and methods for process tending, and in particular to mobile process tending with a robot arm.

BACKGROUND

Process tending generally involves moving a workpiece to the next step of a manufacturing process, positioning the workpiece so that it has a desired orientation with respect to the process step, and then interacting with the process step. Modern manufacturing processes rely on manufacturing steps, such as machines, that can be tended by industrial robot arms in order to perform process tending in place of human operators in order improve workplace safety and efficiency. The ability to move an industrial robot arm to and from a step in the process can increase the effectiveness of using a robot arm.

Current solutions for moving a robot arm to and from a machine rely on mounting the robot arm on a fixed rail. The ability of the robot to slide on a rail effectively provides an extra linear axis to the movement of the robot arm. For example, a 5-axis robot arm with the linear axis of the rail can be considered a six-axis robot arm.

However, mounting a robot arm on a rail creates substantial limitations on the overall manufacturing process and facility. For example, fixed-rail systems require significant infrastructure planning and cost. If a new or alternate machine is required for the manufacturing line, then the new or alternate machine must be able to fit in to the installed rail, and within the proper sequence and limited spacing relative to other machines in the manufacturing process. Generally, once a rail has been installed, there is limited flexibility for altering a manufacturing process, and any alterations are expensive due to the impact on the fixed-rail infrastructure.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, there is a system for process tending. The system comprises a server, a self-driving vehicle, and a robot arm mounted on the vehicle. The server provides at least one of a process location and a machine identifier. The self-driving vehicle has a vehicle control system for storing a map and for receiving a waypoint based on at least one of the process location and the machine identifier. The robot arm has a robot arm control system for storing programs executable by the robot arm. The vehicle control system autonomously navigates the self-driving vehicle to the waypoint based on the map, and the robot arm control system selects a target program from the programs based on at least one of the process location and the machine identifier.

According to some embodiments, the self-driving vehicle has safety sensors in communication with the vehicle control system for sensing a vehicle obstacle in the environment of the self-driving vehicle. The vehicle control system can autonomously navigate the self-driving vehicle to the waypoint based on the map and the vehicle obstacle.

According to some embodiments, the robot arm control system has robot arm safety sensors in communication with the robot arm control system for sensing robot arm obstacles in the environment of the robot arm. The robot arm control system can alter the movement of the robot arm based on the robot arm obstacle.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety sensors are configured to detect the vehicle obstacles based on a vehicle-safety field of view, and the robot arm safety sensors are configured to detect the robot arm obstacles based on a robot-arm-safety field of view. At least one part of the vehicle-safety field of view does not overlap with the robot-arm-safety field of view.

In a second aspect, there is a method for process tending with a robot arm. The method comprises receiving a waypoint associated with a process location, selecting, with a controller of the robot arm, a program to be executed by the robot arm based on the process location, transporting the robot arm to the waypoint with a self-driving vehicle, and executing the program with the robot arm at the waypoint.

According to some embodiments, the transporting the robot arm to the waypoint with the self-driving vehicle comprises planning a path to the waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, sensing an obstacle along the path with the self-driving vehicle, planning a new path to the waypoint based on the obstacle, and transporting the robot arm with a self-driving vehicle according to a new path.

According to some embodiments, selecting the program comprises determining a machine identifier based on the process location, and selecting the program based on the machine identifier.

According to some embodiments, determining the machine identifier based on the process location comprises capturing a machine image with a sensor and determining the machine identifier based on the machine image.

According to some embodiments, the waypoint is a first waypoint associated with a first process location, and the program is a first program to be executed by the robot arm based on the first process location. The method may further comprise receiving a second waypoint associated with a second process location, selecting, with the controller of the robot arm, a second program to be executed by the robot arm based on the process location, subsequent to executing the first program with the robot arm at the first waypoint, transporting the robot arm to the second waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, and executing the program with the robot arm at the second waypoint.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise, prior to executing the first program, selecting a first tool based on the first process location and attaching the first tool to the robot arm. Subsequent to executing the second program, selecting a second tool based on the second process location, removing the first tool from the robot arm, and attaching the second tool to the robot arm.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise updating the waypoint to a new waypoint based on a new process location, transporting the robot arm to the new waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, and executing the program with the robot arm at the new waypoint.

In a third aspect, there is a method for processing tending with a robot arm. The method comprises receiving a machine identifier associated with a process, with a controller of the robot arm, a program to be executed by the robot arm based on the machine identifier, determining a waypoint based on the machine identifier, transporting the robot arm to the waypoint with a self-driving vehicle, and executing the program with the robot arm at the waypoint.

According to some embodiments, transporting the robot arm to the waypoint with the self-driving vehicle comprises planning a path to the waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, sensing an obstacle along the path with the self-driving vehicle, planning a new path to the waypoint based on the obstacle, and transporting the robot arm with the self-driving vehicle according to the new path.

According to some embodiments, the machine identifier may be a first machine identifier associated with a first process, the waypoint may be a first waypoint associated with the first process, and the program may be a first program to be executed by the robot arm based on the first machine identifier. The method may further comprise receiving a second machine identifier with a second process, selecting, with the controller of the robot arm, a second program to be executed by the robot arm based on the second machine identifier, determining a second waypoint based on the second machine identifier, transporting the robot arm to the second waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, and executing the second program with the robot arm at the second waypoint.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise updating the machine identifier to a new machine identifier, selecting, with the controller of the robot arm, a new program to be executed by the robot arm based on the new machine identifier, transporting the robot arm to the waypoint with the self-driving vehicle, and executing the new program with the robot arm at the waypoint.

In a fourth aspect, there is a system for process tending. The system comprises a self-driving vehicle, a robot arm, a robot arm control system, and robot arm safety sensors. The self-driving vehicle has vehicle safety sensors and a vehicle control system in communication with the vehicle safety sensors. The robot arm control system is in communication with the robot arm safety sensors. The vehicle control system is capable of controlling the vehicle based on the robot arm safety sensor, and the robot arm control system is capable of controlling the robot arm based on the vehicle safety sensor.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety sensors may be configured to detect vehicle obstacles within a vehicle-safety field of view, and the robot arm safety sensors may be configured to detect robot arm obstacles within a robot-arm safety field of view. At least one part of the vehicle-safety field of view does not overlap with the robot-arm-safety field of view.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle control system and the robot arm control system are configured to operate in a first mode in which the robot arm control system prevents the robot arm from moving within a perimeter of the vehicle, and the vehicle control system controls the vehicle based on the vehicle safety sensors and not based on the robot arm safety sensors.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle control system and the robot arm control system are configured to operate in a second mode in which the vehicle control system controls the vehicle based on the vehicle safety sensors and the robot arm safety sensors.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle control system and the robot arm control system are configured to operate in a first mode in which the vehicle control system prevents the vehicle from moving, and the robot arm control system controls the robot arm based on the robot arm safety sensors and not based on the vehicle safety sensors.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle control system and the robot arm control system are configured to operate in a second mode in which the robot arm control system controls the robot arm based on the vehicle safety sensors and the robot arm safety sensors.

In a fifth aspect, there is a method of operating a self-driving vehicle carrying a robot arm. The method comprises controlling a movement of the self-driving vehicle using a vehicle control system and vehicle safety sensors, receiving, with the vehicle control system, a robot arm safety signal from a robot arm control system, and altering the movement of the vehicle using the vehicle control system based on the robot safety signal.

According to some embodiments, the robot arm safety signal is generated by the robot arm control system based on the robot arm safety sensors.

According to some embodiments, the robot arm safety signal is generated in response to a robot arm safety sensor detecting an obstacle within a robot-arm-safety field of view.

According to some embodiments, the robot arm safety signal is generated by the robot arm control system based on a robot-arm-operating mode.

In a sixth aspect, there is a method of operating a robot arm mounted on a self-driving vehicle. The method comprises controlling a movement of the robot arm using a robot arm control system and robot arm safety sensors, receiving, with the robot arm control system, a vehicle safety signal from a vehicle control system, and altering the movement of the robot arm using the robot arm control system based on the vehicle safety signal.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated based on the vehicle safety sensors.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated in response to a vehicle safety sensor detecting an obstacle within a vehicle-safety field of view.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated by the vehicle control system based on a speed of the vehicle.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a pre-determined safe-speed threshold.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated based on a location of the vehicle.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle safety signal is generated based on a vehicle-operating mode.

