A controller of the robot apparatus performs approaching control for making a second workpiece approach a first workpiece and position adjustment control for adjusting a position of the second workpiece with respect to a position of the first workpiece. The approaching control includes control for calculating a movement direction and a movement amount of a position of the robot based on an image captured by a first camera, and making the second workpiece approach the first workpiece. The position adjustment control includes control for calculating a movement direction and a movement amount of a position of the robot based on an image captured by the first camera and an image captured by the second camera, and precisely adjusting a position of the first workpiece with respect to the second workpiece.

An approach to positioning one or more robotic arms in an assembly system may be described herein. For example, an apparatus may include a first robotic arm having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end may be configured for movement and the proximal end may secure the first robotic arm. The apparatus may further include a camera connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm. The camera may be configured to capture image data of a marker connected with a second robotic arm and provide the image data to a computer. The computer may generate a set of instructions for the first robotic arm based on the image data of the marker. The movement of the first robotic arm may be caused by the computer according to the generated set of instructions.

Methods and apparatuses for performing automated operations using a high-density robotic cell. An apparatus comprises a first plurality of robotic devices; a second plurality of robotic devices; and a control system. Each of the second plurality of robotic devices is coupled to a single function end effector. The control system controls the second plurality of robotic devices to concurrently perform tasks at a plurality of locations on an assembly, while the first plurality of robotic devices independently maintain a clamp-up at each of the plurality of locations.

A processing device displays a result of simulation of synchronous control performed by a control device to synchronously control at least two of a plurality of control targets by executing a program. The processing device includes a display that displays the plurality of control targets in accordance with execution of the program in the simulation, an identification unit that identifies, among the plurality of control targets, a synchronization target group including control targets synchronously controlled in the execution of the program in the simulation, and a controller that causes the display to display the synchronization target group identified by the identification unit among the plurality of control targets displayed by the display in a manner distinguishable from control targets other than the synchronization target group.

An approach to positioning one or more robotic arms in an assembly system may be described herein. For example, a system for robotic assembly may include a first robot, a second robot, and a control unit. The control unit may be configured to receive a first target location proximal to a second target location. The locations may indicate where the robots are to position the features. The control unit may be configured to calculate a first calculated location of the first feature of the first subcomponent, measure a first measured location of the first feature of the first subcomponent, determine a first transformation matrix between the first calculated location and the first measured location, reposition the first feature of the first subcomponent to the first target location using the first robot, the repositioning based on the first transformation matrix.

A method of coordinating automated systems, the method includes providing a first automated system that is programmed with a set of predetermined operating instructions that correspond with automated system processing requirements, monitoring an operational status of the first automated system with a second automated system, automatically generating a second system action, with the second automated system, that is complimentary to a first system action of the first automated system, where the first system action corresponds to the set of predetermined operating instructions and the second system action depends on the operational status of the first automated system, and performing the second system action with the second automated system so that the second automated system cooperates with the first automated system to perform a predetermined operation.

An assembling apparatus that is provided with transfer mechanisms in three orthogonal directions and is capable of assembling plural parts with a high degree of accuracy using a holding device attached to one of the transfer mechanisms is provided. The assembling apparatus includes an x-axis transfer mechanism 101; a y-axis transfer mechanism 103; a z-axis transfer mechanism 105; a holding device 107 for holding a work piece, the holding device being attached to the z-axis transfer mechanism such that the holding device is movable in the z-axis direction; a base 1000 having a surface parallel to the x-axis and the y-axis; a first camera 201 attached to the z-axis transfer mechanism such that the optical axis is in the z-axis direction; and a second camera 203 attached to the base such that the optical axis is in the z-axis direction.

A component assembly system comprises a first robot arm having a first end-of-arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a first subcomponent; a second robot arm having a second end of arm tool mounted thereon and adapted to grasp a second subcomponent. A system controller is adapted to control the first and second robot arms and first and second end-of-arm tools to position the first and second subcomponents relative to one another. A first interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the first end-of-arm tool and a second interlocking mechanism is mounted onto the second end-of-arm tool, wherein the first and second interlocking mechanisms engage one another and lock the first end-of-arm tool to the second end-of arm tool, thereby locking the first and second subcomponents into an initial position relative to one another.

A part manufacturing system and a method of manufacturing are provided. The system includes one or more part-moving robots, each having an end effector that grips a part. An operation robot performs an operation on the part while the part-moving robot holds the part. A fixed vision system is located apart from the robots and has at least one fixed vision sensor that senses an absolute location of the part and/or the end effector and generates a fixed vision signal representative of the absolute location. A controller collects the fixed vision signal and compares the absolute location with a predetermined desired location of the part and/or the end effector. The controller sends a repositioning signal to the part-moving robot if the absolute location varies from the predetermined desired location by at least a predetermined threshold, and the part-moving robot is configured to move the part upon receiving the repositioning signal.

A manipulation controller is provided for reorienting an object by a manipulator of a robotic system. The manipulation controller includes an interface controller configured to acquire measurement data from sensors arranged on the robotic system, at least one processor, and a memory configured to store a computer-implemented method. The instructions of the method include acquiring measurement data from vision sensors and force sensors arranged on the robotic system, determining an input-output relation for the object based on a nonlinear static model representing input-output relationships between contact forces and movements of the object on the workbench, representing interaction between the object and the manipulator using complementarity constraints to capture the contact state between the object and the manipulator, formulating a representation for frictional stability of the object based on the non-linear static model at the external contacts with the workbench; formulating a bilevel optimization problem so as to maximize the frictional stability over a position trajectory of the object being manipulated on the workbench, estimating uncertainty value in physical parameters to be compensated by performing the bilevel optimization problem, solving the bilevel optimization problem using the non-linear optimization solver and generating control data with respect to a sequence of the contact forces being applied to the object by using the manipulator.