A fixturing system for processing components includes a work surface, such as a table formed from a ferromagnetic material, a tool fixture having a magnet operable for securing the tool fixture to the work surface and having at least one alignment surface to hold and/or align a component to the tool fixture and to the work surface. The system further includes a storage location spaced from the work surface for storing the tool fixture when not in use on the work surface, a work piece, and optionally a robotic arm with a controller to move the work piece and robotic arm, and a computer having stored therein component location data. The computer is configured to control the work piece to retrieve the tool fixture from the storage location and to place the tool fixture on the work surface at a tool fixture location based on the component location data for aligning, and optionally holding the two components with the tool fixture while being processed.

A robot causes an image capturing device to capture an image of a container in which a plurality of targets are placed to overlap in part with one another, the plurality of targets including components whose types are different from each other among the component and a component kit in which two or more of the components are assembled with one another, detects types, positions and poses of the plurality of targets based on the captured image captured by the image capturing device, determines a priority order of one or more of component kits being assembled using the targets placed in the container according to the detected types, the detected positions and the detected poses, and assembles the component kit selected based on the determined priority order.

Embodiments herein generally relate to methods, systems and devices for automated assembly of building structures. In at least one embodiment, there is provided a robotic assembly cell for assembling building structures. The robotic assembly cell comprises a perception sensor system; one or more assembly robots; and at least one processor operable to: receive instructions corresponding to an assembly sequence for assembling a building structure; determine a plurality of building parts required for assembling the building structure based on the assembly sequence; identify each building part within a facility, based on sensor data from the perception sensor system; configure the assembly robot to retrieve the target pieces; and configure the assembly robot to assemble the target pieces according to the assembly sequence.

A robot includes an arm that has a plurality of arm members, a drive unit driving the plurality of arm members, and a grasp unit; and a force detector. The robot sequentially performs a contact operation in which a fitting member grasped by the grasp unit is moved in a predetermined contact direction and is brought into contact with a to-be-fitted member, a posture change operation in which a posture of the fitting member is changed to a fitting posture, and a fitting operation in which the fitting member in the fitting posture is moved in a searching direction and the fitting member is fitted into the to-be-fitted member in a fitting direction. The contact direction, the searching direction, and the fitting direction are directions different from one another.

The present apparatus relates to a standardized assembly unit for building objects by utilizing connection elements that mechanically attach together permanently. By utilizing particular surface features and characteristics, such as compressive tabs and interlocking structures, the interlocking units described herein are able to impart structural stability to various objects without the need to provide overlapping layers of material or fasteners. More specifically, utilizing only mechanical linkages and connectors, a collection of interlocking units are utilized to assemble complex objects having high strength, durability and permanence.

A control device includes a processor that is configured to execute computer-executable instructions so as to control a robot provided with a manipulator, wherein in a case where the processor is configured to cause an end effector connected to the manipulator assemble a first object held by the end effector to a second object and a third object, the processor is configured to: cause the first object to come into contact with at least one of the second object and the third object; rotate the first object around a second rotation axis intersecting a first rotation axis while rotating the first object around the first rotation axis to assemble the second object and the first object to each other; and thereafter, rotate the first object around a third rotation axis intersecting the first rotation axis to assemble the third object and the first object to each other.

A method of programless assembly of a device using a robotic cell comprising calibrating a robotic cell for generating a product model, the robotic cell including an end-of-arm camera and utilizing the robotic cell to generate the product model of the device for assembly. The method in one embodiment further comprises validating the product model using a partial assembly method and making the product model available for use by robotic cells.

Aspects herein use a feature detection system to visually identify a feature on a component. The feature detection system includes at least two cameras that capture images of the feature from different angles or perspectives. From these images, the system generates a 3D point cloud of the components in the images. Instead of projecting the boundaries of features onto the point cloud directly, the aspects herein identify predefined geometric shapes in the 3D point cloud. The system then projects pixel locations of the feature's boundaries onto the identified geometric shapes in the point cloud. Doing so yields the 3D coordinates of the feature which then can be used by a robot to perform a manufacturing process.

The present invention is directed to an object construction device configured to enclose a specified assembly area and assemble objects, such as toys, using standardized interlocking assembly units. The construction device includes processor with a memory device configured to access an instruction set encoding the assembly instructions of the object. The processor executes the instruction set in order to control and direct an assembly unit manipulator to additively construct or assemble the object from the interlocking assembly units. The assembly units are configured with surface features that interconnect the assembly units such that once connected they are substantially permanently attached to one another.

Systems and methods for automated manufacture are provided. User input is received by way of user systems indicating nominal data measurements for an article. Automated material handling machines move parts within view of a machine vision system which performs an initial scan to identify features of said parts. Locations of areas for joining are determined by comparing the identified features to the nominal data measurements and the automated material handling machines move the parts into positions in accordance with the nominal data measurements to form the article. The automated material joining machines join the parts at said areas specified in said user input to form the article.