The present disclosure includes calculating coordinates of a midpoint of one of a plurality of first tool teaching points and the subsequent first tool teaching point, and calculating coordinates of a midpoint of one of a plurality of second tool teaching points that corresponds to the one first tool teaching point and the subsequent second tool teaching point, calculating an inter-midpoint distance between the midpoint of the first tool teaching points and the midpoint of the corresponding second tool teaching points, determining whether the inter-midpoint distance is within a given tolerance range, and reporting, when the inter-midpoint distance is out of the given tolerance range, the corresponding first tool teaching points and second tool teaching points as poor.

Systems and methods are provided for robot control. One embodiment is a method for coordinating operations of robots performing work on a part. The method includes assigning a group of robots to a part, initiating work on the part via the group of robots, determining that a robot within the group is unable to continue performing work at a first location of the part, removing the robot from the group while other robots of the group continue performing the work, adding a functioning robot to the group at a second location that the robot is scheduled to occupy, and continuing work on the part via the group of robots.

The disclosure concerns a coating method and a corresponding coating device for coating components with a nozzle applicator with several nozzles, in particular for painting motor vehicle body components. The disclosure provides that the nozzle applicator is flexibly controlled during the coating method.

Systems and methods for clearing a top drive from an operational area of the mast such that operations may be performed along the rail without interference from the top drive. Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide for arranging the top drive in a parked configuration outside of, or generally behind, the mast. A guide rail may be arranged within an operational area of a mast and may have a pair of interchangeable rail sections, each of which may be configured for arrangement in either an operating configuration, where the rail section may be positioned within the operational area of the mast to form part of the rail, or a parked configuration, where the rail section may be positioned outside of the operational area. Each interchangeable rail section may be pivotable about an axis and may be arranged on a pivotable gate of the mast.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for automated drill pipe handling operations, such as trip in, trip out, and stand building operations. A pipe handling system of the present disclosure may include a lifting system for handling a load of a pipe stand, a pipe handling robot configured for engaging with the pipe stand and manipulating a position of the pipe stand, and a feedback device configured to provide information about a condition of the pipe stand, the lifting system, or the pipe handling robot. In some embodiments, the pipe handling robot may be a first robot configured for engaging with and manipulating a first end of the pipe stand, and the system may include a second pipe handling robot configured for engaging with and manipulating a second end of the pipe stand.

A flexible pressing system for accepting and rejecting pressed part into a part may include a pressing apparatus configured to press components into a hole of a part and a controller programmed to receive press data for a press of at least one of the components, the press data including force, distance and time of the press, and determine whether the force is indicative of an inadequate press based on the force and distance at a specific time of the press.

A welding system comprises a two manipulators and a controller. A first manipulator has a joint detection device and a first welding device, usually of the laser type while the second manipulator has a second welding device, usually of the arc weld type. The joint detection device is operative to read welding joint characteristics along a welding joint. The controller determines a corrected trajectory based on a predetermined welding trajectory and on the welding joint characteristics read by the joint detection device. This corrected trajectory is transmitted with a first time delay to the first manipulator and with a second time delay to the second manipulator. The second time delay is a function of a distance between the joint detection device and the second welding device. A corresponding method for welding components along a welding joint is also disclosed.

An integrated control system for a flexible pressing system may include a first robot including a gripper for manipulating a part, a second robot including a pressing tool, and a controller configured to instruct the first robot to move the part into a pressing position and to instruct the second robot to concurrently ready the pressing tool for pressing.

A laminate is directly transferred from a first robot arm that carries the laminate from a bonding chamber to an overlapping chamber, to a second robot arm that carries out the laminate from the overlapping chamber to the outside.

An overspray-free paint system includes: a paint robot including an overspray-free paint applicator; and a first fixture robot for lifting and orienting a fixture assembly relative to at least one of the paint robot and the overspray-free paint applicator, the fixture assembly configured to hold an object to be painted by the overspray-free paint applicator, the first fixture robot including a first gripper configured to grab a first portion of the fixture assembly, and the first fixture robot configured to lift and orient the fixture assembly via the first gripper.