A vacuum plate lifting system for lifting sheet material articles, comprises a vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles, a lifter actuation system configured to lift and/or move the vacuum lifter apparatus during use and a control system, the control system being configured to control the lifter actuation system during said movement. The vacuum lifter apparatus comprises: a substantially horizontal suction plate; an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to said perforated suction lifting surface; at least one mount for connection of the suction plate to at least one actuator of the lifter actuation system for lifting and/or moving the suction plate during use. At least one elongate bar is movably mounted along an edge of the suction plate. A bar actuation system is configured to drive movement of said bar between a raised orientation and a lowered orientation.

A reconfigurable autonomous workstation includes a multi-faced superstructure including a horizontally-arranged frame section supported on a plurality of posts. The posts form a plurality of vertical faces arranged between adjacent pairs of the posts, the faces including first and second faces and a power distribution and position reference face. A controllable robotic arm suspends from the rectangular frame section, and a work table fixedly couples to the power distribution and position reference face. A plurality of conveyor tables are fixedly coupled to the work table including a first conveyor table through the first face and a second conveyor table through the second face. A vision system monitors the work table and each of the conveyor tables. A programmable controller monitors signal inputs from the vision system to identify and determine orientation of the component on the first conveyor table and control the robotic arm to execute an assembly task.

A robot system capable of separating an adhesive member from a cover material and sticking the adhesive member on an object without a complicated setting. A robot system including a sticking mechanism configured to clamp and stick an adhesive member on an object and a supply mechanism capable of supplying the adhesive member, wherein the sticking mechanism includes a robot hand configured to clamp and release the adhesive member and a robot arm configured to move the robot hand; and the supply mechanism is separate from the sticking mechanism, supplies the adhesive member in a state that the adhesive member is stuck to a cover material, and separates the cover material from the adhesive member.

A method and apparatus for supplying cables to robots at non-static locations. A work platform for supporting one or more humans is positioned above a base platform for supporting one or more are robots independently of the work platform. A cable carrier system for providing cables to the robots is positioned underneath the work platform and above the base platform.

A workpiece information recognition system includes a workpiece placing tool (20) capable of placing a workpiece, a reference block (31) detachably provided on workpiece placing tool (20), an information detector configured to detect information about reference block (31), and a control device configured to receive the information of reference block (31) from the information detector. The control device includes a storage configured to store data on a relationship between the information about reference block (31) and information about the workpiece and a controller configured to recognize the information about the workpiece placed on workpiece placing tool (20) by checking the information about reference block (31) detected by the information detector with the data stored in the storage. With this configuration, the workpiece information recognition system capable of easily cope with a change in a type of the workpiece is provided.

A numerical control device for a machine tool controls a machine tool having a main spindle for attaching a tool, a table holding a workpiece and a jig, three translational axes, and one or more rotation axis. The numerical control device includes an axis-dependent deformation error estimation unit, an input unit, a gravitational deformation estimation unit, a correction value calculation unit, and an addition unit. The correction value calculation unit calculates a correction value of the translational axes and/or the rotation axis with respect to an error of a position and/or a posture of the tool with respect to the workpiece, based on an estimated value of an axis-dependent deformation error, an estimated value of a gravitational deformation error, and command values. The addition unit adds the correction values to the command values.

A device for attachment of double-sided adhesive and a method for attachment of the double-sided adhesive are provided. The device includes a driver, a platform and a robot arm provided above the platform. The robot arm is connected with the driver and configured to, under the driving of the driver, place the double-sided adhesive onto a preset position of the platform, strip off the first protective film of the double-sided adhesive at the preset position, press the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) at the preset position against the double-sided adhesive without the first protective film, and unload the PCBA attached with the double-sided adhesive from the preset position. A positioning structure is provided at the preset position and configured to secure the adhesive layer and the second protective film when the robot arm strips off the first protective film, and release the securing of the adhesive layer and the second protective film when the double-sided adhesive is attached to the PCBA.

Robotic control systems and methods may include providing an end effector tool of a robotic device configured to perform a task on a work surface within a worksite coordinate frame. Unintended movement over time of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and with respect to the worksite coordinate frame may be determined based on image data indicative of the work surface, first location data indicative of a first location of the end effector tool with respect to the worksite coordinate frame, and second location data indicative of a second location of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface. One or more control signals for the robotic device may be adjusted in order to counteract the unintended movements of the end effector tool with respect to the work surface and worksite coordinate frame.

A system and method for placing an object, which is to be processed on a production apparatus in a precise position, is provided. The system includes at least one location-determining system for determining a relative location of an object in relation to a production apparatus and a positioning apparatus for positioning the object on the production apparatus. The positioning apparatus has a receiving apparatus for receiving and discharging the object, and a movable arm for moving the object from one location to another. The location-determining system has at least one location-detecting device to detect a relative location of the receiving apparatus in relation to the location-detecting device. The location-detecting device is configured to detect a relative location of the object in relation to the location-detecting device and also a relative location of the production apparatus in relation to the location-detecting device.

A workpiece positioner assembly including a headstock apparatus having a motor and a headstock swing arm rotatably supported on the headstock apparatus. The headstock swing arm is configured to be rotated by the motor. The assembly includes a tailstock apparatus and a tailstock swing arm rotatably supported on the tailstock apparatus. The tailstock swing arm and the headstock swing arm are configured to support a workpiece. The assembly also includes a beam coupled to the headstock swing arm and to the tailstock swing arm to transmit rotation of the headstock swing arm to the tailstock swing arm, and a compliance assembly. The compliance assembly is provided between at least one of the headstock swing arm and the beam to enable relative movement between the headstock swing arm and the beam, and the tailstock swing arm and the beam to enable relative movement between the tailstock swing arm and the beam.