Pre-plating systems and related methods are disclosed. A pre-plating system includes a press, an infeed robot configured to deliver a structural member to the press, and an outfeed robot configured to remove the structural member from the press. The press is configured to secure a plate to the structural member while the structural member is held in position by at least one of the infeed robot or the outfeed robot. A pre-plating system includes a press, a transfer pedestal, a plate picking robot, and a press loading robot. The plate picking robot is configured to pick a plate from a container and position the plate on the transfer pedestal. The press loading robot is configured to transfer the plate to the press. The press is configured to press the plate into a structural member positioned within the press.

A robot control unit for an assembly robot includes a force detecting device configured to detect forces applied to first and second works and, when the first work is fitted to the second work by a first robotic arm, a storage device stores a deflection amount table associating a force applied when fitting with the deflection amount of the robotic arm in a direction of the fitting, a deflection-amount acquiring process configured to calculate the deflection amount of the robotic arm in the direction of the fitting by using a value detected by the force detecting device and the deflection amount table, a work-position acquiring process configured to calculate a work position as the position of the first work relative to the second work in the direction of the fitting based on operation information about the robotic arm, and a real-fitting-amount acquiring process configured to correct the work position based on the calculated deflection amount.

A press frame for a robot system includes a base, a bridge and a set of columns supporting the bridge above the base. A first robot holds a part on the base and a second robot manipulates a pressing tool to press a component into an opening. The pressing tool is backed by the bridge that opposes a reaction force resulting from pressing the component part into the part. A method of assembling components to a part by pressing the part into an opening while engaging the bridge of a reaction frame. The part is transferred to the base by a first robot that positions the part on the base. A pressing tool and a component are selected by a second robot that orients the component to be inserted in the opening. Data relating to displacement, load and time is collected by the controller.

A robot includes a first holding part configured to hold a given portion of a workpiece including a flexible elongated portion extending in first directions, a second holding part configured to hold a given portion of the elongated portion of the workpiece with play in directions intersecting with the first directions and one or more robotic arms configured to move the first holding part and the second holding part within a given operating range. The second holding part relatively moves in the first direction with respect to the first holding part.

A system for controlling the position of an articulated robotic arm includes a robotic catheter procedure system having the articulated robotic arm and a controller coupled to the articulated robotic arm. The system further includes a patient table positioned proximate to and separate from the articulated robotic arm and a tracking system coupled to the controller and configured to measure a change in a position of the patient table. The controller is configured to adjust the position of the articulated robotic arm based on the measured change in position of the patient table.

A method of coordinating automated systems, the method includes providing a first automated system that is programmed with a set of predetermined operating instructions that correspond with automated system processing requirements, monitoring an operational status of the first automated system with a second automated system, automatically generating a second system action, with the second automated system, that is complementary to a first system action of the first automated system, where the first system action corresponds to the set of predetermined operating instructions and the second system action depends on the operational status of the first automated system, and performing the second system action with the second automated system so that the second automated system cooperates with the first automated system to perform a predetermined operation.

A robot machining system including: a robot in which a hand is attached to a distal end of an arm thereof; a force sensor provided in one of the robot and the machining device and detecting a force acting therebetween when a workpiece is being machined; and a control device that controls the robot or the machining device according to the detected force, wherein one of the machining device and the hand is provided with guide surfaces that extend along a direction in which the machining device and the hand are relatively moved when the workpiece is machined; the other of the machining device and the hand is provided with guided portions that are brought into contact with the guide surfaces when the workpiece is machined; and the control device performs control for maintaining a contact state between the guide surfaces and the guided portions during machining of the workpiece.

In order to hold a long member without using a fixing jig and without deforming the long member in holding the long member, a long member assembling device is provided with: multiple hand parts for gripping a long member; and arm parts and trunk parts for moving the hand parts to adjust the positions of the hand parts gripping the long member. The hand parts have a configuration such that, when the positions thereof are adjusted by the arm parts and the trunk parts, the hand parts are capable of moving in the longitudinal direction of the long member while gripping the long member.

A method of assembling a component includes gripping a first subcomponent with a first end-of-arm tool and grasping a second subcomponent with a second end-of-arm tool. The first tool is attached to a first robot arm and the first subcomponent defines a first plurality of locating holes. The second tool is attached to a second robot arm and the second subcomponent defines a second plurality of locating holes. After grasping, the method includes aligning at least one of the first locating holes adjacent to at least one of the second locating holes to set an initial position of the second subcomponent with respect to the first subcomponent without releasing the first and second subcomponents. After aligning, the method includes forming a joint between the first and second subcomponents with a joining tool attached to a joining robot arm to thereby assemble the component. A component assembly system is also disclosed.

Drilling apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising: a first robot (10); a first member (30) (e.g. a pressure foot) and a drilling tool (38) both coupled to the first robot (10); a second robot (12); and a second member (52) coupled to the second robot (12); wherein the apparatus is arranged to press the members (30, 52) against opposite sides of a part to be drilled (2, 100) (e.g. an aircraft panel) so as to hold the part (2, 100) and prevent deflection of at least a portion of the part (2, 100); and the first member (30) and the drilling tool (38) are arranged such that the drilling tool (38) may drill into the portion of the part (2, 100) of which deflection is opposed from the side of the part (2, 100) pressed against by the first member (30). The robots (10, 12) may be robotic arms.