Form feature based generation of robot assembly paths for product variants

Describes a model-based approach and method for robot assembly of mechanical products. The proposed method is intended to replace the conventional geometry based assembly path definition by form feature driven definition of paths. An integrated model of the considered system consists of part and assembly models of assembled product and assembly robot as well as robot process model. The authors analyzed associativities between model entities for the purpose of integrated application of the above listed partial models. A description of part geometry is defined and accessed indirectly, as a representation of form features. The feature principle has been extended to task oriented robot process model and model of robot. The proposed modeling offers an appropriate solution especially for control of robot assembly of custom demanded product variants. The paper is organized as follows. After a brief discussion of the situation of robot modeling, the present and the proposed approaches to robot assembly process planning are outlined. Following this, a computer model for planning and control of robot assembly is explained. An integrated model is proposed with extended application of the feature principle. Finally, feature driven modeling and definition of model entities as features are detailed.