A system and method for orienting a workpiece on an assembly line to prepare the workpiece for an operation is provided. The method includes positioning a flexible fixture on the assembly line. The flexible fixture has a base and at least one adjustable component. The workpiece is positioned on the flexible fixture. A first orientation of the workpiece relative to the flexible fixture is detected with a detection device and transmitted to a calibrator. The calibrator determines a difference between the detected first orientation of the workpiece and a predetermined fixture orientation and transmits instructions from the calibrator to the flexible fixture to move the workpiece from the detected first orientation to the predetermined fixture orientation. The workpiece is moved with the at least one adjustable component into the predetermined fixture orientation and is fixedly held with the adjustable component.

A motor control device includes a control and computation unit, a compensation signal generation unit, an adder, and a drive unit. The control and computation unit is configured to perform computation processing based on a detected rotational position of a motor and a positional instruction, and to generate a first torque instruction signal to be used to drive the motor. The compensation signal generation unit is configured to generate a torque compensation signal to be used to compensate the first torque instruction signal. The adder is configured to add the torque compensation signal to the first torque instruction signal, and to output an acquired signal as a second torque instruction signal. The drive unit is configured to generate a drive signal to be used to power-drive winding wires of the motor based on the second torque instruction signal. The compensation signal generation unit is further configured to generate a torque compensation signal that switches to a torque compensation value having a predetermined value at a switching timing based on a timing when a rotation direction of the motor inverts.

A distributed process control system having at least one automation unit on the plant side that calculates a plurality of first process variables and influences the process that is connected by first data link to a monitoring system that controls and/or monitors the process. The system has an external computing unit that is connected by a distributed communication mechanism to the automation unit and exchanges data with it using a second data link. The external computing unit calculates a plurality of second process variables that the of the automation unit uses to influence the process. A method for extending the function of at least one plant-side automation unit is also disclosed.

A process system includes a detection device that detects a rotation angle of a workpiece when a robot grips the workpiece. The control device includes a storage unit that stores a reference rotation angle serving as a criterion for the rotation angle of the workpiece, and an error calculation unit that calculates a rotation error relative to the reference rotation angle in the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device. The control device corrects the rotation angle of the fixture based on the rotation error so as to correspond to the rotation angle of the workpiece detected by the detection device when the robot transfers the workpiece to the fixture.

Systems and methods are provided for using a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) agent to provide adaptive tuning of process controllers, such as Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. The agent can monitor process controller performance, and if unsatisfactory, can attempt to improve it by making incremental changes to the tuning parameters for the process controller. The effect of a tuning change can then be observed by the agent and used to update the agent's process controller tuning policy. It has been unexpectedly discovered that providing adaptive tuning based on incremental changes in tuning parameters, as opposed to making changes independent of current values of the tuning parameters, can provide enhanced or improved control over a controlled variable of a process.

A computer system may determine a target position of the electronic component. The computer system may also determine a current position of the electronic component. The computer system may compare the current position to the target to position to determine whether the electronic component is in the target position. If the electronic component is not in the target position, the computer system may use an electroactive polymer to adjust the position of the electronic component to move the electronic component into the target position.

A method is provided for analyzing a repaired composite structure composed of a plurality of original plies and additional repair plies at an area of repair. The method includes performing a finite element analysis of a finite element model of the repaired composite structure, the finite element analysis being performed to determine in-situ strains at midplanes of the plurality of original plies and the additional repair plies. The method includes determining in-situ strains at top and bottom surfaces of the plurality of original plies and the additional repair plies from the midplane in-situ strains. The method includes determining a margin of safety for the repaired composite structure from in-situ strain data selected from the midplane in-situ strains and surface in-situ strains. And the method includes outputting the margin of safety from which to, or an indication to, accept or reject the repaired composite structure based on the margin of safety.

Systems and methods use a computer vision camera to determine where bridles and other rigging items are positioned and provide that information to a control system. This information is used to place the elements of the rigging system before each live performance.

A method and a device are used to generate a control command. A resolution base value and a resolution-tick corresponding function are created. A first operation frequency value, a minimal tick value and a resolution value are received to calculate a resolution ratio and a second operation frequency. A conversional tick value is calculated. If or not the conversional tick value is greater than or equal to the minimal tick value is determined. If the conversion tick value is smaller than the minimal tick value, the minimal tick value, the conversional tick value and the second operation frequency are used to calculate a conversional operation frequency. A conversional resolution ratio is calculated according to the first operation frequency and the conversional operation frequency, and also a modified tick value is calculated. The control command is output according to the modified tick value, the first operation frequency and the conversion operation frequency.

A servomotor control device includes: a driven body configured to be driven by a servomotor; a connection mechanism configured to connect the servomotor and the driven body; a position command generation unit configured to generate a position command value; a motor control unit configured to control the servomotor using the position command value; a force estimation part configured to estimate a force estimated value which is a drive force acting on the driven body at a connecting part with the connection mechanism; a force estimated value output part configured to decide on reflection of updating and interruption of updating of a force estimated value based on the position command value, and output either of a force estimated value reflecting updating, or a force estimated value of when interrupting updating; and a compensation amount generation part configured to generate a compensation amount for compensating the position command value.