A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal. The controller is a processor and the instructions are stored on a non-transitory com-puter-readable medium and executed by the processor.

An apparatus (1) for carrying out the replacement of an abrasive element (20) in a machine (100) for finishing surfaces, comprises a support body (10) configured to reversibly engage the abrasive element (20). The support body (10) and the abrasive element (20) provide, at respective engagement surfaces (15,25), mutual engagement members of removable type (16,26) configured to move from an engagement position to a disengagement position by rotating about a rotational axis (110) in a first sense of rotation e, from the disengagement position to the engagement position, by rotating about the rotational axis (110) in a second sense of rotation opposite to the first one. The apparatus furthermore, comprises a displacement device (40) for moving the support body (10) in the space according to at least 1 degree of freedom. The apparatus (1), furthermore, provides at least a removal station (101) for removing an abrasive element (20) from the support body (10), or at least an application station (102) for engaging an abrasive element (20) to the support body (10).

The invention relates to a grinding machine, which is suitable for a robot-supported grinding process. According to one embodiment, the grinding machine has a housing, a motor arranged in the interior of the housing, a fan wheel arranged on a motor shaft of the motor in the interior of the housing, and a support plate coupled to the motor shaft for receiving a grinding disc. The support plate has openings for intake of grinding dust into the interior of the housing. The grinding machine furthermore has an outlet arranged in a wall of the housing for exhausting the grinding dust out of the interior of the housing and a non-rerun valve arranged in the wall of the housing. The non-return valve enables an to escape from the interior of the housing, but prevents intake of air into the interior of the housing.

In an automatic wet sanding apparatus including a disc and a cushion pad, a disc center hole is formed at a central portion of the disc and a pad center hole is formed at a central portion of the cushion pad. Water having been supplied to an introduction space inside a skirt is stirred as an eccentric head rotates eccentrically and thereby pushed out toward a painted surface via the disc center hole and the pad center hole with enhanced pressure. Thus, sanding dust resulting from automatic wet sanding can be washed away toward an outer circumferential side by the water that is pushed out toward the outer circumferential side, so that the likelihood of clogging due to sanding dust can be reduced and high sanding efficiency can be maintained.

A waterjet system in accordance with at least some embodiments includes a carriage, a motion assembly configured to move the carriage horizontally relative to a workpiece, and a cutting head carried by the carriage. The waterjet system can also include a kinematic chain through which the cutting head is operably connected to the carriage. The kinematic chain can include first, second, and third joints rotatably adjustable about different first, second, and third axes, respectively. The carriage and the first and second joints can be configured to move the cutting head along a path relative to the workpiece while the cutting head directs a jet toward the workpiece to form a product. The third joint can be configured to shift a kinematic singularity away from the path to reduce or eliminate delay and corresponding reduced cutting accuracy associated with approaching the kinematic singularity.

Processe and system for preparing a vehicle surface (e.g., an aircraft fuselage) for painting include a preparation booth (100) which is sized and configured to house the vehicle (F). At least one robotic assembly (200a, 200b) is reciprocally movable within the preparation booth (100) relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle (F), and is provided with a robotic hand (230) having at least one abrasive disc (242a) attached to an attachment pad (242) of the robotic hand (230), and at least one nozzle (252a, 252b, 252c) for discharging a stream of rinse fluid. Operation of the at least one robotic assembly (230) will cause the at least one abrasive disc (242a) of the robot hand (230) to abrade the surface of the vehicle (F). The robotic hand (230) may thereafter be maneuvered so that the at least one nozzle (252a, 252b, 252c) is directed toward the abraded vehicle surface (F). A stream of rinse fluid may then be discharged through the at least one nozzle (252a, 252b, 252c) and towards the abraded surface of the vehicle (F) so as to rinse the abraded surface of particulate matter.

A component according to the disclosure may include a body having an aperture therein for receiving one of a turbomachine shaft or a lathe chuck, wherein in response to the body being coupled to the lathe chuck, the aperture is oriented substantially axially relative to an axis of rotation of the body with the lathe chuck; and a flange coupled to and in direct axial contact with the body, the flange including a surface that extends axially relative to the axis of rotation of the body, wherein the surface of the flange comprises a matingly engageable face configured to contact an axially aligned surface during operation of the component and having a sanding indentation thereon, wherein a surface roughness of the surface of the flange is less than a surface roughness of a remainder of the component.

In order to respond flexibly to various processing modes, such as forming curved surface shapes, when cutting a workpiece using a wire saw, this wire saw device (1) is provided with: a single robot arm (2) that is capable of moving freely by means of multi-axis control; a wire saw unit (3) that is detachably connected to the robot arm (2) via a tool changer (7); a wire (8) that spans a plurality of pulleys supported within the wire saw unit (3); and a workpiece cutting zone (20) that is established between the pulleys. The workpiece is cut to a prescribed shape by moving the robot arm (2) in a preset direction while running the wire (8) of the wire saw unit (3) and pressing the wire (8) against the supported workpiece.

An apparatus for verifying the presence, or the absence, of an abrasive element in a machine for finishing surfaces comprising a support body configured to removably engage the abrasive element. The support body and the abrasive element are, respectively, provided, at respective engagement surfaces with first and second engagement elements configured to move from an engagement configuration to a disengagement configuration, and vice versa. Furthermore, a displacement device is provided to move the support body in the space according to at least 1 degree of freedom. The apparatus, furthermore, provides at least a control station equipped with a control device comprising a control element having a control surface provided with third engagement elements configured to engage with the first engagement elements of the support body, and a detection device configured to detect if an engagement between the control element and the support body has taken place.

A method for robotic machining is disclosed. The method includes determining a first designed machining path based on a modelled surface for a target surface to be machined. The method also includes causing a robot to machine the target surface based on the first designed machining path in an adaptive manner to obtain an actual machining path, wherein where the modelled surface is different from the target surface, the robot is caused to follow the target surface. The method further includes determining a second designed machining path for the target surface based on the actual machining path and the first designed machining path.