Keywords
Citation
Hollingum, J. (2000), "Robot gauging system", Industrial Robot, Vol. 27 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2000.04927fad.013
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Robot gauging system
Keywords Robot gauging, calibration
Applicant: Perceptron Inc. (US)Patent number: US6078846Publication date: 20 June 2000Title: Calibration and compensation of robot-based gauging system
The present invention provides a calibration system that can be used in a matter of minutes, and without the need for precisely manufactured master parts or theodolite equipment. A major advantage of the invention is that it allows the calibration of a system comprising a sensor mounted on the end of a robot arm to be checked or realigned between line shifts, without requiring the line to be shut down for an extended period. In addition to calibrating sensors, the calibration techniques contemplated by the present invention may also be used in the more general case to true-up or straighten the coordinate frame of a robotic system and to provide tool centre point calibration. Briefly, a non-contact sensor is disposed on the movable member and emits structured light in a predefined planar configuration. A target structure preferably of a tetrahedron configuration is disposed within a field of view of the non-contact sensor. The target has a 3D framework that defines at least three non-collinear, non-co-planar structural lines. The non-contact sensor for sensing the spatial location and orientation of the target structure also has an optical receiver for receiving reflected light emitted by the non-contact sensor. A coordinate translation system is connected to the non-contact sensor for calibrating the sensor to a target structure based upon the structured light reflected from the structural lines of the target structure.
Jack Hollingum