A method for automatically attaching a surface treatment medium to a head of a surface treatment tool mounted on an articulated arm of a robot is disclosed. The method comprises placing the head on a surface and applying a predefined force to press the head towards the surface when no surface treatment medium is attached to the head, measuring the distance between the head and the surface using one or more positioning sensors of the robot arm or the surface treatment tool, attaching a surface treatment medium to the head, placing the head on the surface when the surface treatment medium is attached to the head, and measuring the distance between the head and the surface using one or more positioning sensors of the robot arm or the surface treatment tool when the surface treatment medium is attached to the head.

In an automatic wet sanding apparatus including a paper peeling unit that has a clamping shaft and a clamping hook, an inclination angle of a leading end surface of the clamping hook is equal to an inclination angle of an outer circumferential surface of a cushion pad at the start of a paper peeling step. Thus, the leading end surface of the clamping hook comes into contact with an outer circumferential end of a disc at the same time as coming into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cushion pad, so that the cushion pad is less likely to get caught due to deformation of the outer circumferential surface and its peripheral part of the cushion pad. It is therefore possible to appropriately remove the sandpaper from the cushion pad and stably perform the task of removing the sandpaper.

A belt loading device for loading an abrasive belt in a closed loop configuration on a machining tool is disclosed. The device includes a base support and a movable part engaged to the base support. The movable part is movable relative to the base support between a biased position and a belt releasing position, the base support and the movable part, while in the biased position, cooperating to maintain the abrasive belt in a fixed position defining a tool engaging area circumscribed by an inner surface of the abrasive belt. A biasing member interfaces between the base support and the movable part to bias the movable part into the biased position.

A sanding automation system for removing a surface defect of an exterior component includes a first robot for generating an inspection mark of a certain pattern on an exterior component with uniform pressure through an inspection mark tool to secure visibility of a surface defect, a vision system for analyzing an image of the exterior component photographed through at least one vision sensor and recognizing a surface defect marking position and a surface defect depth level displayed on the exterior component on which the inspection mark is generated, and a second robot for removing the surface defect by sequentially moving a sanding tool to at least one of the surface defect marking positions and performing a sanding operation with the set amount of sanding according to a corresponding surface defect depth level.

The invention relates to a machine tool for robot-assisted surface finishing. According to one embodiment, the machine tool comprises a first support plate and a second support plate. The first support plate is designed for mounting on a manipulator. An output shaft for receiving a rotatable tool is mounted on the second support plate. The machine tool additionally comprises a linear actuator that acts between the first support plate and the second support plate, as well as a motor which is mounted on the first support plate. The machine tool additionally comprises a telescopic shaft with a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion that can be displaced relative to said first shaft portion. The first shaft portion is coupled to a motor shaft of the motor, and the second shaft portion as mounted on the second support plate. The telescopic shaft is coupled to the output shaft by means of a gear mechanism.

An abrasive profiling tool that may be part of a robotic machining system for machining a trailing edge of an airfoil, includes a shank extending along a rotational axis, a bearing guide rotationally secured to a distal end of the shank for riding upon the airfoil; and an abrasive profiler projecting radially and rigidly outward from the shank for grinding at least the trailing edge as the shank rotates. The profiler may include a round-over portion for grinding the trailing edge and a chamfered blending portion for grinding adjacent surfaces of the airfoil to produce a smooth transition from the adjacent surfaces and to the trailing edge.

A method and apparatus for improving the fatigue and stress corrosion cracking performance of irregular surfaces, such as welds assemblies of components, using a positioning system, such as a robotic or CNC machine, to position a tool head for inducing compression along and into the surface of a workpiece to automatically follow the surface irregularities. The method and apparatus operates to follow a virtual control surface located below the actual surface of the workpiece thereby allowing the irregular topography surface to be uniformly processed with closed loop process control.

A deburring device includes a deburring tool for removing burrs from an object, a robot for moving an object or the tool, a force sensor for detecting force acting on the tool, and a visual sensor for detecting a position of a burr portion of the object. According to the deburring device, information regarding shape data of the burr portion and a posture of the tool is obtained beforehand based on three-dimensional data of the object. Based on the shape data and the posture of the tool, a robot program is created. In accordance with an actual burr portion detected by the visual sensor, the robot program is replaced as necessary. During the deburring, the robot is controlled according to the force control by using a detected value from the force sensor.

A device for automatically removing a grinding wheel from a grinding machine mounted on a manipulator is described. According to one embodiment, the device has the following: a support plate with a surface for depositing a grinding wheel; a movable clamping element that is raised in a first position with respect to the support plate; an actuator that is coupled to the clamping element and is configured to move the clamping element into a second position in which the clamping element is pressed against the support plate such that the grinding wheel is clamped between the support plate and clamping element; and a release element that is arranged in such a way relative to the support plate that the release element is actuated when the grinding wheel is placed on the surface of the support plate and is pressed against the latter. The release element and the actuator are coupled (directly or indirectly, electrically or mechanically) such that, when the release element is actuated, the actuator moves the clamping element from the first position into the second position.

Abrasives, a polishing composition, and a polishing method that can reduce undulation of an outer surface of a resin coating by polishing with reduced occurrence of polishing flaws. The polishing composition includes abrasives of aluminium oxide particles having a specific surface area of 5 m.sup.2/g or more and 50 m.sup.2/g or less and an average secondary particle diameter of 0.05 μm or more and 4.8 μm or less. This polishing composition can be used for polishing an outer surface of the resin coating.