There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.

Embodiments provide measurement systems having a coordinate measuring machine, a workpiece storage apparatus, and a robot for delivering workpieces from the workpiece storage apparatus to the coordinate measuring machine, and methods for orienting and operating such systems. Illustrative embodiments employ a reference geometry tool on the robotic arm, and kinematic locators on the coordinate measuring machine and/or on the workpiece storage apparatus to define a coordinate system common to the coordinate measuring machine, the workpiece storage apparatus, and the robot.

The present application discloses an automated kitchen system comprising a first computer and a plurality of second computers which are connected so that the first computer may communicate with any of the second computers. The automated kitchen system also comprises: a plurality of ingredient containers each configured to contain or store food ingredients; caps configured to close on the ingredient containers; a storage apparatus comprising compartments each configured to store a plurality of ingredient containers and refrigeration mechanism configured to cool the food or food ingredients in the containers of the storage apparatus; transport boxes each configured to contain capped ingredient containers; a transportation apparatus configured to move the transport boxes wherein the transportation apparatus comprises motors and sensors; a cap opening apparatus configured to remove a cap from a capped container wherein the cap opening apparatus comprises motors and sensors; a first transfer apparatus configured to move a capped ingredient container from a transport box to the storage apparatus, and also configured to move a capped ingredient container to a location on the cap opening apparatus, wherein the first transfer apparatus comprises motors and sensors; a cyclic transport apparatus comprising a cycle of container holders each configured to hold an ingredient container; a transfer apparatus configured to move an ingredient container from the location of cap opening apparatus to a position on a container holder of the cyclic transport apparatus wherein the second transfer apparatus comprises motors and sensors; and a plurality of cooking systems. Each cooking system comprises a cooking container configured to hold food or food ingredients during a cooking process, a stirring motion mechanism configured to produce a motion in the cooking container as to stir, mix or distribute food or food ingredients held in the cooking container, wherein the stirring motion comprising motors, sensors, and a stove; a cyclic transport apparatus comprising a cycle of container holders each configured to hold an ingredient container; an unloading apparatus configured to unload food ingredients from an ingredient. The above mechanisms and apparatuses comprise electrical or electronic devices and sensors, which are configured to be connected to the second computers. The first computer is configured to store various sub-programs and other lists that are useful to control the electric or electronic devices in the mechanisms, apparatuses or systems in the kitchen system.

A method of handling a wire harness that can automate a task of picking up and transporting the wire harness including a plurality of connectors and a wire member by gripping the plurality of connectors. In the method, positions of the plurality of connectors of the wire harness being placed apart from the robot hand are acquired, the robot hand is positioned such that the first connector is in the range of the first gripper based on the acquired position of the first connector, the first gripper is moved and the first connector is gripped and picked up by the first gripper, then, the robot hand is positioned such that the second connector is in the motion range of the second gripper based on the acquired position of the second connector, and the second gripper is moved and the second connector is gripped and picked up by the second gripper.

A robotic shuttle system includes a rack system and one or more shuttles. The rack system includes a rack and a shuttle frame. The rack has storage locations for containers containing items. The shuttle frame has rails disposed along the rack. The shuttle includes a powertrain, container transfer mechanism, and a robot arm. The power train is configured to move the shuttle along the rails of the rack and on a surface outside of the rack system. The container transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the containers between the rack and the shuttle. The robot arm extends from the shuttle to transfer the items between one of the containers on the shuttle and a container in a container holder of the shuttle.

An article gripping device causes a gripping member to grip an article, and subsequently discharge the article by releasing the gripping of the article by the gripping member. The article gripping device is provided with a gripping member driving mechanism to drive the gripping member, and a controller to control the gripping member driving mechanism. The controller has, as control modes for the gripping member driving mechanism, a first control mode and a second control mode that is separate from the first control mode. In the first control mode, the controller controls the gripping member driving mechanism to cause the gripping member to execute a first operation of gripping the article and subsequently releasing the gripping of the article. In the second control mode, the controller controls the gripping member driving mechanism to cause the gripping member to execute a second operation of removing matter adhering to the gripping member.

The present disclosure includes a first holding mechanism which has a pair of first members relatively movable in a first direction, and can hold an electronic component by pinching the electronic component in the first direction by the pair of first members, and a second holding mechanism which has a pair of second members relatively movable in a second direction, and can hold the electronic component by pinching the electronic component in the second direction by the pair of second members. A controlling device controls operations of the first and second holding mechanisms so that the electronic component is released from the first holding mechanism after or in the middle of holding the electronic component by the second holding mechanism in a state where the electronic component is held by the first holding mechanism.

A multi-tasking end effector system includes a base frame connected to a robot arm of a robot. A first shaft is rotatably supported on the base frame. A first pin-wheel assembly is rotatably mounted to the shaft at a first end of the base frame. Multiple first die assemblies are mounted to the first pin-wheel assembly. A second pin-wheel assembly is rotatably mounted to the shaft at a second end of the base frame. Multiple second die assemblies are mounted to the second pin-wheel assembly and individually oriented in mirror image configuration to one of the multiple first die assemblies. An index motor rotates the first shaft and co-rotates paired and mirror image die assemblies. First and second tab-bending actuators mounted to the base frame are operated to bend opposed cell tabs of a battery cell positioned between the first and second pin-wheel assemblies.

A gripping head for a handler in a sorting machine and an operating method thereof is disclosed. The gripping head includes: a support frame; a gripping tool having a socket for a control line and a first retainer; a revolver-shaped carrier on the support frame having a first releasable engagement unit coupled with the corresponding first retainer, the gripping tools furthermore having a second retainer; and a transfer platform equipped with second releasable engagement unit coupled with the second retainer. The transfer platform moves on the support frame between: a home position wherein the first retainers are engaged with the first releasable engagement unit of the carrier; an attachment position wherein the second releasable engagement units are coupled with the second retainer; and an operating position wherein the first retainers are uncoupled from the first releasable engagement units and the selected gripping tool is spaced away from the carrier.

A multiple mounting robotic tooling assembly (10) includes a base mount (12) for mounting with a robot. The base mount (12) includes a plurality of receptacles (32), each for receiving a tool stem. One or more tool stems (14) each coupled with one of the plurality of receptacles (32) to mount a tool to the base. One or more tool mounts (16) each couples with one of the one or more stems (14). The one or more tool mounts (16) receive a tool for conducting an operation.