A stemming system includes a computing device and a stemming device. The computing device includes data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The data processing hardware includes a transmitter and a receiver. The stemming device is communicatively-coupled to the computing device. The stemming device includes a base portion and a valve-engaging portion. The valve-engaging portion includes a transducer that obtains a measurement communicated to the receiver of the computing device. The measurement includes at least one physical parameter associated with installing a tire-wheel assembly valve to a wheel throughout a process of disposing the valve within a valve hole of the wheel. The processor analyzes a data signature associated with the measurement for determining if the valve has been adequately or inadequately installed by the stemming device.

A stemming system includes a computing device and a stemming device. The computing device includes data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The data processing hardware includes a transmitter and a receiver. The stemming device is communicatively-coupled to the computing device. The stemming device includes a base portion and a valve-engaging portion. The valve-engaging portion includes a transducer that obtains a measurement communicated to the receiver of the computing device. The measurement includes at least one physical parameter associated with installing a tire-wheel assembly valve to a wheel throughout a process of disposing the valve within a valve hole of the wheel. The processor analyzes a data signature associated with the measurement for determining if the valve has been adequately or inadequately installed by the stemming device.

An automatic wheel changer robot has a includes a drive assembly, a torque gun, a sensor assembly, and a controller. The drive assembly has a mobile base and two wheel-clamping assemblies, each configured to engage a wheel. The controller generates a set of instructions based, at least in part, on information obtained from the sensor assembly. The drive assembly uses the set of instructions to cooperatively remove respective wheels from respective hubs on a vehicle and/or attach respective wheels to respective hubs on a vehicle. The device may have lidar sensors and Mecanum wheels that the controller is programmed to use to move between respective hubs and wheel storage locations install wheels, replace wheels, rotate tires, and perform similar operations.

Described is a system (and method) for locating a center point of a lug nut for an automated vehicle wheel removal system. To improve the accuracy of the center point, the system may perform machine learning inferences using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) image data. The system may process a 2D image to infer an initial center point, and potentially improve the accuracy by leveraging a 3D image. More particularly, the system may process a 3D image to infer a location of one or more edges (or edge points) around the perimeter of the lug nut and measure a set of distances between the initial center point and the located set of edges. The system may then refine (or adjust) the center point based on such measurements.

A wheel nut engagement checking system for a vehicle delivered by a conveyor includes: a moving member disposed at one side of the conveyor; a wheel lifting apparatus disposed on the moving member, and lifting a wheel of the vehicle from the conveyor to a predetermined height; a wheel nut torque checking apparatus provided on an arm of a robot disposed on the moving member, engaging a nut runner to a wheel nut of the wheel, and checking an engage torque of the wheel nut by rotating the nut runner; and a controller controlling a speed of the moving member, lifting the wheel to the predetermined height using the wheel lifting apparatus, moving the wheel nut torque checking apparatus using the robot so as to engage the nut runner to the wheel nut, and detecting an engage torque of the wheel nut by rotating the nut runner.

An automatic wheel changer robot has a includes a drive assembly, a torque gun, a sensor assembly, and a controller. The drive assembly has a mobile base and two wheel-clamping assemblies, each configured to engage a wheel. The controller generates a set of instructions based, at least in part, on information obtained from the sensor assembly. The drive assembly uses the set of instructions to cooperatively remove respective wheels from respective hubs on a vehicle and/or attach respective wheels to respective hubs on a vehicle. The device may have lidar sensors and Mecanum wheels that the controller is programmed to use to move between respective hubs and wheel storage locations install wheels, replace wheels, rotate tires, and perform similar operations.

A stemming system is disclosed. The stemming system includes a computing device, a stemming device and an algorithm. The computing device includes data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The data processing hardware includes a transmitter and a receiver. The stemming device is communicatively-coupled to the computing device. The stemming device includes a base portion and a valve-engaging portion. The valve-engaging portion includes a transducer that obtains a measurement communicated to the receiver of the computing device. The measurement includes at least one physical parameter associated with installing a tire-wheel assembly valve to a wheel throughout a process of disposing the valve within a valve hole of the wheel. The algorithm is executed by a processor of the data processing hardware for analyzing a data signature associated with the measurement for determining if the valve has been adequately or inadequately installed by the stemming device.

A wheel nut engagement checking system for a vehicle delivered by a conveyor includes: a moving member disposed at one side of the conveyor; a wheel lifting apparatus disposed on the moving member, and lifting a wheel of the vehicle from the conveyor to a predetermined height; a wheel nut torque checking apparatus provided on an arm of a robot disposed on the moving member, engaging a nut runner to a wheel nut of the wheel, and checking an engage torque of the wheel nut by rotating the nut runner; and a controller controlling a speed of the moving member, lifting the wheel to the predetermined height using the wheel lifting apparatus, moving the wheel nut torque checking apparatus using the robot so as to engage the nut runner to the wheel nut, and detecting an engage torque of the wheel nut by rotating the nut runner.