DE102023134341A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MATERIAL DISPOSAL CONTROL - Google Patents

Abstract

A method includes receiving a model of the material dispenser and, in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicating a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser. The method also includes, in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicating a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser. The method also includes generating three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor. The method also includes characterizing at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present disclosure relates to material dispensing and, more particularly, to systems and methods for controlling material dispensing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Increasingly, various manufacturing and/or assembly processes involve applying one or more materials to a surface of one or more components of an assembly. For example, in the automotive industry, components such as windows, body panels, and the like may be assembled and/or bonded to other components of an automotive assembly. During assembly, one or more beads of material (e.g., including such materials as adhesives, sealants, and the like) may be applied to one or more of the components. The component may be assembled with the bead of material providing adhesive features, sealing features, and/or other suitable material features.

During a bead dispensing operation (e.g., including dispensing material to form a bead of material on a corresponding component of an assembly), a robotic mechanism, such as a robotic arm or other suitable robot or robotic mechanism, may cooperate with a material dispensing device to form the bead of material on the component. For example, the robotic mechanism may receive program instructions that cause the robotic mechanism to traverse a defined path. An output of the material dispensing device may be coupled or otherwise attached to the robotic mechanism, or the robotic mechanism may be coupled or otherwise attached to the component such that when the robotic mechanism traverses the defined path, the output of the material dispensing device also traverses the defined path or the dispensing device remains substantially stationary while the robotic mechanism moves the component. The material dispensing device may dispense material along the defined path according to a flow rate, thereby forming the bead of material.

Summary of the invention

This disclosure relates generally to material dispensing devices.

One aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a method for characterizing a material dispenser. The method includes receiving a model of the material dispenser and, in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicating a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser. The method also includes, in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicating a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser. The method also includes, using at least one sensor, generating three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation. The method also includes characterizing at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes an apparatus for characterizing a material dispensing device. The apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a model of the material dispensing device; in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicate a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; generate three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor; and characterize at least one parameter of the model of the material dispensing device using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a system that includes a material dispenser configured to dispense a bead of material. The system also includes a control mechanism configured to: receive a model of the material dispenser; in a first characterization period of a bead of material dispensing operation, determine a first characterization flow rate; to the material dispenser; in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, to communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser; using a plurality of sensors, to generate three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation; and to characterize at least one parameter of the material dispenser model using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

One aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a method of characterizing a material dispenser that dispenses a material in a bead of material. The method includes receiving a model that includes at least one pre-pressure characteristic associated with the material dispenser. The method also includes calculating a pre-pressure value using the pre-pressure characteristic. The method also includes communicating the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser. The method also includes, at the material dispenser, applying a pressure to the material that corresponds to the pre-pressure value prior to applying the bead of material. The method also includes applying the bead of material using the material dispenser. The method also includes generating dimensions associated with the bead of material using data received from at least one sensor associated with the material dispenser. The method also includes adjusting the pre-pressure characteristic based on the dimensions.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a system, namely a system that includes a robotic mechanism for use with a material dispensing device configured to dispense a material in a bead of material. The system also includes a controller configured to: receive a model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a first speed of the robotic mechanism for a first time period of a bead of material dispensing operation based on the model of the robotic mechanism; communicate the first speed of the robotic mechanism to the robotic mechanism for use in applying the bead of material; generate bead of material dimensions associated with the bead of material using at least one sensor; update the model of the robotic mechanism based on the bead of material dimensions; and update the first speed of the robotic mechanism based on the model of the robotic mechanism.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes an apparatus for controlling a material dispensing device and a robotic mechanism for use with the material dispensing device. The apparatus includes a processor. The apparatus also includes a memory that includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a model of the material dispensing device; receive a model of the robotic mechanism; based on the model of the robotic mechanism, calculate a speed of the robotic mechanism for a first period of a material bead dispensing operation; based on the model of the material dispensing device, calculate a pre-pressure value; communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispensing device for use in a material bead dispensing operation; communicate the speed of the robotic mechanism to the robotic mechanism for use in the material bead dispensing operation; generate dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor; update at least one of the model of the material dispensing device and the model of the robotic mechanism based on the dimensional data; and updating at least one of the pre-pressure value based on the model of the dispenser and the speed of the robot mechanism based on the model of the robot mechanism.

These and other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the following detailed description of the embodiments, the appended claims, and the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• 1 veranschaulicht allgemein ein Materialabgabesystem gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 2 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Steuervorrichtung gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 3 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Materialraupe gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 4 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Materialraupe gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 5 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Materialraupe gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 6 veranschaulicht allgemein ein Modell einer Hauptabgabevorrichtung gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 7 ist ein Flussdiagramm, das allgemein ein Materialabgabevorrichtungs-Charakterisierungsverfahren gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung veranschaulicht.
• 8 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Materialraupe gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 9 ist ein Diagramm der Geschwindigkeit einer Materialabgabevorrichtung in Bezug auf eine Komponente, wenn eine Materialraupe aufgebracht wird.
• 10 veranschaulicht allgemein eine Materialraupe gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung.
• 11 ist ein Diagramm einer optimalen Geschwindigkeit einer Materialabgabevorrichtung in Bezug auf eine Komponente und einer optimalen Durchflussrate der Materialabgabevorrichtung.
• 12 ist ein Diagramm einer Geschwindigkeit einer Materialabgabevorrichtung in Bezug auf eine Komponente und einer Durchflussrate der Materialabgabevorrichtung.
• 13 ist ein Flussdiagramm, das allgemein ein Materialabgabevorrichtungs-Charakterisierungsverfahren gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung veranschaulicht.
• 14 ist ein Flussdiagramm, das allgemein ein Robotermechanismusgeschwindigkeits-Charakterisierungsverfahren gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung veranschaulicht.
• 15 ist ein Flussdiagramm, das allgemein ein Verfahren zum Charakterisieren einer Robotergeschwindigkeit und einer Materialabgabevorrichtung gemäß den Prinzipien der vorliegenden Offenbarung veranschaulicht.

The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, in accordance with common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.

• 1 generally illustrates a material delivery system according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 2 generally illustrates a control device according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 3 generally illustrates a bead of material in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
• 4 generally illustrates a bead of material in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
• 5 generally illustrates a bead of material in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
• 6 generally illustrates a model of a main dispenser according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 7 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a material dispenser characterization method according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 8th generally illustrates a bead of material in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
• 9 is a graph of the velocity of a material dispenser relative to a component when applying a bead of material.
• 10 generally illustrates a bead of material in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.
• 11 is a diagram of an optimal speed of a material dispenser with respect to a component and an optimal flow rate of the material dispenser.
• 12 is a graph of a velocity of a material dispenser with respect to a component and a flow rate of the material dispenser.
• 13 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a material dispenser characterization method according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 14 is a flowchart generally illustrating a robot mechanism velocity characterization method according to the principles of the present disclosure.
• 15 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a method for characterizing a robot velocity and a material dispenser according to the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the disclosed embodiments should not be interpreted or otherwise used as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. Moreover, those skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application and the discussion of any embodiment is intended to be exemplary of that embodiment only and is not intended to imply that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.

As described, various manufacturing and/or assembly processes increasingly involve applying one or more materials to a surface of one or more components of an assembly. For example, in the automotive industry, components such as windows, body panels, and the like may be assembled and/or bonded to other components of an automotive assembly. During assembly, one or more beads of material (e.g., comprising such materials as adhesives, sealants, and the like) may be applied to one or more of the components. The component may be assembled with the bead of material providing adhesive features, sealing features, and/or other suitable material features.

During a bead dispensing operation (e.g., including dispensing material to form a bead of material on a corresponding component of an assembly), a robotic mechanism, such as a robotic arm or other suitable robot or robotic mechanism, may cooperate with a material dispensing device to form the bead of material on the component. For example, the robotic mechanism may receive program instructions that cause the robotic mechanism to traverse a defined path. An output of the material dispensing device may be coupled or otherwise attached to the robotic mechanism, or the robotic mechanism may be coupled or otherwise attached to the component such that when the robotic mechanism traverses the defined path, the output of the material dispensing device also traverses the defined path, or the dispensing device remains substantially stationary while the robotic mechanism moves the component. The material dispensing device may dispense material along the defined path according to a flow rate, thereby forming the bead of material.

However, during such material dispensing operations, various characteristics of the material dispensing system, the robot mechanism, the dispensed material, the ambient temperature of the system including the robotic mechanism and the material dispenser, the air pressure associated with the system, and the like, affect the desired aspects of the material bead. For example, the material dispenser may dispense the material with a slight deviation from the flow rate input (e.g., an input indicating a desired rate at which the material is dispensed, which may include an appropriate signal or other appropriate input), which may cause inaccuracies in the material bead.

Additionally or alternatively, the material dispenser may respond to a flow rate input to maintain a consistent volume of material even as the robot mechanism changes speed. However, the robot mechanism may often accelerate and decelerate faster than a material dispenser can reasonably respond. Depending on the dispenser technology of the material dispenser, changes in temperature and humidity may cause significant changes in the volume of material dispensed, as may changes in material viscosity from top to bottom of the material drums (e.g., containers configured to hold material ready to be dispensed by the material dispenser) and between material drums.

Accordingly, systems and methods, such as those described herein, configured to control various aspects of the dispensing system including the robotic mechanism and the material dispenser may be desirable. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide material bead inspection and process control. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to utilize one or more (e.g., such as one, two, three, four, etc.) sensors (e.g., such as laser triangulation sensors, image capture sensors or devices, and the like) that substantially completely surround the output of the material dispenser (which may be referred to herein, for example, as a dispensing nozzle) to substantially continuously measure the material bead and component surface regardless of the direction of travel. Additionally or alternatively, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to utilize one or more laser triangulation sensors (e.g., or other suitable sensors) that track a bead of material as the bead of material is applied to the component (such as, for example, in scenarios where the bead of material is a straight bead with little to no change in direction).

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to maintain a correct bead of material volume, which may reduce or eliminate relatively lengthy trial-and-error setup processes. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to calculate a volume of material at any point along the bead of material from one or more samples (e.g., using the one or more sensors) of the bead of material.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to directly control the flow rate input in the material dispenser using a dynamic model of the dispensing system calculated during a characterization process combined with the actual measurements collected over multiple samples, anticipating when and by how much to change the flow rate input to achieve desired volume results.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to receive a desired bead volume from a human-machine interface (HMI) at multiple locations on the bead. For example, a user of the dispensing system may use the HMI to interact with the dispensing system. The user may select sections of the bead and may specify the bead volume for each of the selected sections. The user may then execute multiple sub-cycles to allow the dispensing system to automatically adjust the dispensing process to maintain the correct volumes at the correct locations.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to characterize the dynamics of the material dispensing device without performing sub-cycles (e.g., a special "sub-cycle" may be performed that dispenses a "disposable bead" that is intentionally perturbed to reveal the dynamic behavior of the entire dispensing system). This may reduce or eliminate the need for an experienced dispensing expert to adjust aspects of the dispensing system in a time-consuming, trial-and-error manner.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide simple dispenser characterization that can be used to optimize the overall performance of the dispensing system. The systems and methods described herein can be configured to substantially continuously tune the dynamic model of the material dispenser to the actual parts during production. The systems and methods described herein can be configured to provide a graphical user interface to visually adjust the material bead size along any portion (e.g., or any zone) of the material bead. The systems and methods described herein can be configured to maintain the material bead volume (e.g., including around relatively tight corners and over temperature and/or humidity variation).

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide the flow rate input to the material dispenser via the robotic mechanism and/or via an external digital-to-analog converter (such as an Ethernet-connected 0-10 volt DC digital-to-analog converter or other suitable digital-to-analog converter).

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide a range of flow rate inputs at different frequencies and ramp rates to the material dispenser. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate user feedback from the internal sensors of the material dispenser to generate a dynamic model of the material dispenser characteristics.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to control flow, pre-pressure, and other material dispenser-specific parameters to improve performance (e.g., by reducing or eliminating buildup at the beginning and end of the material bead and/or at stitches of the material bead). The systems and methods described herein may be configured to use a bi-directional communication channel to the material dispenser, which may enable the material dispenser to send control parameters to the controller.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to adapt to changes in material and dispensing equipment inherent in the dispensing process, which may reduce or eliminate system downtime. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to account for sources of variation, such as temperature, material viscosity, process variation, and the like. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to operate the robot mechanism at maximum practical speeds when managing the variation. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to account for new assembly programs (e.g., such as vehicle assembly programs and the like) that may require less equipment, reduced capital expenditure, restricted floor space, reduced labor, and the like.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to streamline start-up of production. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to use an artificial intelligence engine configured to use a machine learning model after a period of non-use (e.g., a weekend, holiday, work stoppage, and the like) to ensure that quality material beads can be dispensed immediately after work begins. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to manage material and dispensing process variation using local software, which may reduce or eliminate significant intervention by robot programmers, maintenance personnel, operators, and the like on the shop floor.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide variable bead control. For example, the user of the dispensing system may interact with the controller HMI to produce desired bead dimensions per zone without the need for a robot programmer or maintenance personnel. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to substantially continuously monitor and dispense the specified bead of material in the specified zones, optimize material usage by producing quality bead and reduce or eliminate squeeze-out.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to reduce or eliminate “boil-out” problems (e.g., in a paint shop or other suitable location) due to inconsistent beads of material. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to reduce contamination in an e-coating tank, which may cause defects in painted surfaces. The systems and methods described herein can be configured to reduce or eliminate redundant secondary seal seaming, which can result in significant labor and material cost savings.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to learn the dynamic behavior unique to the dispensing system using an appropriate machine learning model. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to use this knowledge to predictively control the behavior of the material dispenser. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to ensure that a high quality bead of material of the correct volume is actually dispensed in each zone on the component while adapting to changes in the material, environment, and/or process.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate new dispenser flow rate inputs for the next component based on previous component tests. 3-5 generally illustrate sample material beads and their testing. As generally illustrated, a material bead 302 may represent a best effort bead dispensed prior to characterizing various parameters of a model representing the material dispensing device. A consistent bead diameter of 10 mm ² may be desired for the material bead 302.

However, the speed of the robot mechanism may dictate the flow rate input, resulting in inconsistent bead volumes of material, for example at 306 and 308. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate the inspection image 304 indicative of the inconsistent bead volumes of material 306 and 308. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to use the controller utilizing various sensors to analyze the bead of material 302 and identify the inconsistent volumes 306 and 308.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to characterize parameters of the model of the material dispensing device as described herein. In 4 a bead of material 402 is generated using the characterized model of the material dispenser. For example, the control mechanism may generate the flow rate input based on a flow rate command using the characterized model. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate the image 404 that may indicate a positive test of the bead of material 402.

In some embodiments, as generally in 5 , the systems and methods described herein may be configured to use customized bead profiles in different zones. For example, the bead 502 includes sections 506 that may correspond to sections selected by the user using the HMI. The user may specify a volume size for the sections 506. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to provide the provided volume for each section 506 (which may be the same or different volumes, for example). A check 504 may indicate that the sections 506 include the desired volumes.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to receive a model of the material dispenser. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to communicate a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation.

The first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may correspond to a step function, wherein the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may comprise any values and/or the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may or may not be related to each other in any suitable manner.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate three-dimensional data associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor (e.g., at least one laser, at least one image capture device, and the like). The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate at least one para meter of the material dispenser model using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material. The three-dimensional data may correspond to at least a portion of the bead of material comprising a predefined pattern, such as a straight line, or other suitable pattern.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to revise the material dispenser model by updating the at least one parameter of the material dispenser model. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to store the revised material dispenser model.

The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate a material dispensing flow rate input according to the revised model of the material dispenser in response to receiving a material dispensing command. The systems and methods described herein may be configured to generate three-dimensional data associated with at least one different material bead corresponding to a different material bead dispensing operation associated with the material dispensing flow rate input using the at least one sensor.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to iteratively revise the model of the material dispenser using at least three-dimensional data generated using the at least one sensor and associated with a plurality of other material beads corresponding to other material bead dispensing operations.

With reference to 1 , a material dispensing system 100 is generally illustrated in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The system 100 may include a controller 102. The controller 102 may include a processor 104 and a memory 106. The processor 104 may include any suitable processor, such as those described herein. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 102 may include any suitable number of processors in addition to or other than the processor 104.

The memory 106 may comprise a single disk or a plurality of disks (e.g., hard drives) and includes a memory management module that manages one or more partitions within the memory 106. In some embodiments, the memory 106 may comprise flash memory, semiconductor (solid state) memory, or the like. The memory 106 may comprise random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof. The memory 106 may comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor 104, cause the processor 104 to perform at least the functions associated with the systems and methods described herein.

The control device 102 may include or be in communication with a user input device 132, as in 2 , which may be configured to receive input from a user of the controller 102 and communicate signals representative of the input received from the user to the processor 104. For example, the user input device 132 may include a button, a keyboard, a dial, a touch screen, an audio input interface, a visual/image capture input interface, input in the form of sensor data, etc.

In some embodiments, user input device 132 may be associated with a computing device 112 of system 100. Computing device 112 may be associated with a user of system 100. Computing device 112 may include any suitable computing device, including a mobile computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, or any other suitable mobile computing device), a laptop computing device, a desktop computing device, or any other suitable computing device. Computing device 112 may be used by the user to communicate and/or interact with controller 102 or other suitable aspects of system 100. Computing device 112 may be located proximate controller 102 or remote from controller 102.

The controller 102 may include or be in communication with the computing device 112, a display 136 that may be controlled by the processor 104 and/or the computing device 112 to display information to the user. A data bus 138 may be configured to facilitate data transfer between at least one storage device 140 and the processor 104. The controller 102 may also include a network interface 142 configured to communicate with the controller 102 via a network connection, such as a wired or wireless connection. or other suitable connection, to various other computing devices or network devices. In some embodiments, network interface 142 includes a wireless transceiver or other suitable mechanism.

The storage device 140 may include a single disk or a plurality of disks (e.g., hard disks), one or more solid state drives, one or more hybrid hard disks, and the like. The storage device 140 may include a storage management module that manages one or more partitions within the storage device 140. In some embodiments, the storage device 140 may include flash memory, semiconductor (solid state) memory, or the like. In some embodiments, the storage device 140 may be located remotely from the controller 102, such as on the computing device 112, on a remote computing device, a database, a data center, or other suitable location.

The controller 102 may communicate with a remote computing device 108. The remote computing device 108 may include any suitable computing device or devices, such as a cloud computing device or system, a remotely located server or servers, a remotely or proximately located mobile computing device or application server that provides information to a mobile computing device, other suitable remote computing devices, or a combination thereof. The remote computing device 108 may be located remotely from the controller 102, such as in a data center or other suitable location.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 receives a model of a material dispenser 116. For example, the controller 102 may receive the model from the remote computing device 108, the computing device 112, or another suitable location. The material dispenser 116 may include any suitable material dispenser configured to dispense beads of material onto an assembly component, as described. The controller may selectively control the material dispenser 116 and/or a robotic mechanism 114 to perform a bead dispensing operation. The robotic mechanism 114 may include any suitable robot configured to traverse a predefined path (e.g., following a program) with the output (e.g., dispensing nozzle) of the material dispenser 116 (e.g., while the output of the material dispenser 116 is coupled to or otherwise attached to the robotic mechanism 114). The robotic mechanism 114 may move the dispensing nozzle, which may be connected by a flexible hose to a stationary dispensing station that houses the pumps, metering devices/meters, and control electronics of the material dispenser 116. Additionally or alternatively, the robotic mechanism 114 may be configured to be coupled, attached, or otherwise engaged with the component. The robotic mechanism 114 may move the component according to the program while the material dispenser 116 remains stationary or substantially stationary. The material dispenser 116 may dispense material onto the component as the robotic mechanism 114 moves the component.

In some embodiments, the material dispenser 116 may be a material dispensing gun and may include a dispenser valve that may be operated electrically, pneumatically, or otherwise. In some embodiments, the dispenser valve may be configured to be either fully open or fully closed. In some embodiments, the dispenser valve may include or be mounted in series with a flow control valve. The flow control valve may be configured to be partially open, for example, as a percentage of fully open. The material dispenser 116 may be in an open state, which may include a valve being fully or partially open, or in a closed state in which the valve is fully closed. When the dispenser valve transitions from a closed state to an open state, material may flow from the dispensing nozzle.

The model of the material dispenser 116 may comprise any suitable model, such as a model 600 as generally described in 6 The model 600 may be configured to mathematically represent parameters of the material dispenser 116. For example, the model 600 may include a gain and offset parameter 602, a delay parameter 604, and a first order low pass parameter 606. In some embodiments, the model 600 may include a temperature parameter 610 that may represent the ambient temperature associated with the material dispenser 116 or the system 100. It is understood that the model 600 may include any suitable parameters in addition to or in place of the parameters described herein. such as an air pressure parameter and the like.

The controller 102 may communicate a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser 116 during a first characterization period (e.g., which may include a start of the bead dispensing operation) of the bead dispensing operation. The controller 102 may communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser 116 during a second characterization period (e.g., which may include a period after the first period) of the bead dispensing operation. It is understood that the first period and the second period may include any suitable periods and may have any suitable length. The first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may correspond to a step function, the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may comprise arbitrary values, and/or the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input may or may not be related to each other in any suitable manner.

The controller 102 may be configured to characterize at least one parameter of the model 600. For example, the controller 102 may generate three-dimensional data associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using various sensors 160. The various sensors may include one or more triangulation lasers, one or more image capture devices, one or more other suitable sensors, or a combination thereof.

The controller 102 may characterize at least one parameter of the model 600 using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material. For example, the controller 102 may analyze aspects of the bead of material corresponding to the first flow rate input and aspects of the bead of material corresponding to the second flow rate input using the three-dimensional data.

The controller 102 may compare expected bead volumes of material corresponding to the first flow rate input with actual bead volumes of material corresponding to the first flow rate input, compare expected bead volumes of material corresponding to the second flow rate input with actual bead volumes of material corresponding to the second flow rate input, and/or compare an expected shape of the bead of material with the actual shape of the bead of material. The controller 102 may determine deviations between the expected aspects of the bead of material and the actual aspects of the bead of material. The controller 102 may characterize at least one of the gain and offset parameter 602, the delay parameter 604, and the first order low pass parameter 606 based on the deviations.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to calculate an inverse for each parameter of the model 600. For example, the controller 102 may calculate an inverse for each parameter of the model 600 using a desired flow rate command. The controller 102 may use the inverse of each parameter of the model 600 to determine a flow rate input that, when applied to the material dispenser 116, produces a bead of material corresponding to the flow rate command. The controller 102 may characterize at least one parameter of the model 600 based on a comparison of the flow rate command, the flow rate input, and three-dimensional data corresponding to the bead of material.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to control the material dispenser to dispense a straight-line bead according to a first flow rate input and, substantially halfway through dispensing the bead of material, increase the first flow rate input according to a step function. The controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter of the model 600 based on three-dimensional data corresponding to the change in material output associated with the increase in flow rate input. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 102 may use any known flow rate inputs during dispensing of the bead of material. The controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter based on three-dimensional data corresponding to the bead of material and associated with the any flow rate inputs.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may selectively control the material dispenser 116 to dispense material according to a flow rate input into a container, such as a bucket or other suitable container. The controller 102 may receive material dispensing measurements indicative of the actual material dispensing of the material dispensing device 116 from various sensors associated with the material dispensing device 116 (e.g., internal sensors or sensors proximate to the material dispensing device 116). The controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter of the model 600 based on a comparison between the flow rate input and the actual material dispensing received from the sensors of the material dispensing device 116.

In some embodiments, the container may be disposed on a scale. The controller 102 may receive a measurement from the scale corresponding to a weight of the material dispensed by the material dispenser 116. The controller 102 may determine an expected weight of the material to be dispensed according to the flow rate input. The controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter of the model 600 based on the flow rate input, the expected weight of the material, the actual weight of the material, and/or the material output provided by the sensors of the material dispenser 116. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 102 may vary the flow rate of the material dispenser 116 by providing varied flow rate inputs. The controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter of the model 600 based on the varied flow rate inputs and corresponding weights of the material dispensed in response to each flow rate input (e.g., based on the varied flow rate inputs, the expected weights for each flow rate input, the actual weights of the material, and/or the material output provided by the sensors of the material dispensing device 116).

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may locally adjust aspects of the bead of material based on measurements of each bead of material dispensed by the material dispenser 116. For example, the controller 102 may analyze a bead of material using three-dimensional data after the bead of material is dispensed by the material dispenser 116. The controller 102 may identify inconsistent regions of the bead of material (which may include, for example, regions of the bead of material having volumes that are inconsistent with desired volumes of the bead of material). The controller 102 may selectively adjust the flow rate input during subsequent dispensing of similar bead of material to address the inconsistent regions of the bead of material (e.g., by increasing and/or decreasing the flow rate input at the inconsistent regions of the bead of material).

The controller 102 may revise the model 600 by updating the at least one parameter of the model 600. The controller 102 may store the revised model 600 in memory, such as in memory 106 or another suitable location. The controller 102 may generate a material dispensing flow rate input according to the revised model 600 in response to receiving a material dispensing command. The controller 102 may generate three-dimensional data associated with at least one different material bead corresponding to a different material bead dispensing operation associated with the material dispensing flow rate input using the sensors 160.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may iteratively revise the model 600 using at least three-dimensional data generated by the sensors 160 and associated with a plurality of other beads of material corresponding to other bead dispensing operations.

In some embodiments, the model 600 may include the temperature parameter 610 as described. The controller 102 may be configured to capture a characterization period of the other parameters of the model 600 associated with the ambient temperature. The controller 102 may store the captured temperature as the temperature parameter 610 with the other parameters of the model 600.

For example, the other parameters of the model 600 may vary with changes in temperature, may vary at specific absolute temperatures, and the like. The controller 102 may determine an ambient temperature of the system 100 in response to receiving a flow rate command. The controller 102 may identify parameters of the model 600 that correspond to the temperature (e.g., the parameters may be stored according to a temperature range, according to a variation of a previous temperature and a current temperature, according to an absolute temperature, and the like). The controller 102 may revise the model 600 according to the identified parameters (e.g., according to the temperature). The controller 102 may adjust the flow rate n input based on the revised Model 600.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to determine pre-pressure characteristics of the material dispenser 116 using a flow rate input and an expected pre-pressure. The pre-pressure characteristics may indicate a rate at which the pre-pressure of the material dispenser builds before material is dispensed. The controller 102 may selectively adjust parameters of the model 600 based on analyzing the actual pre-pressure characteristics with the expected pre-pressure characteristics. The controller 102 may selectively control pre-pressure characteristics of the material dispenser 116 by adjusting the flow rate input accordingly.

The pre-pressure characteristics may include a pre-pressure value, which is the target pressure to be built up in the material dispenser 116 before the material is dispensed. The pre-pressure characteristics may also include the rate at which pressure is built up or a rate of pressurization. The rate of pressurization may be a parameter provided by the manufacturer of the material dispenser 116 and may be characterized by the time it takes for the system to reach a steady-state pressure after the nozzle is closed. The rate of pressurization parameter may be represented by a time constant (e.g., the time it takes for the system to reach 63.2% of its final value) after the nozzle of the material dispenser is closed. For a given set of pre-pressure characteristics, the resulting bead of material may be measured to determine the resulting bead of material dimensions from the pre-pressure characteristics. The resulting initial flow rate may also be determined from the pre-pressure characteristics. The controller 102 may calculate a desired pre-pressure value from the pre-pressure characteristics and communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser 116. The material dispenser 116 may pressurize the material to the pre-pressure value prior to the bead dispensing operation.

Pre-pressure control may be used to achieve correct material bead dimensions, volumes, or both when a material dispenser 116 transitions from a closed state to an open state. In response to the material dispenser 116 being in the open state, the material dispenser 116 may maintain the material flow rate at a value as described herein. Additionally or alternatively, the initial material flow rate in response to the value transitioning from a closed state to an open state may be substantially determined by the pre-pressure. If the pre-pressure is high, excess material may exit the nozzle when the dispenser valve is open, resulting in the initial material bead dimensions or the initial material bead volume being too large. Conversely, if the pre-pressure is low, the material may slowly flow (or "ooze") out of the nozzle when the dispenser valve is open, resulting in the initial material bead dimensions or the initial material bead volume being too small. After the material has flowed for a period, typically tens or hundreds of milliseconds, the flow rate returns to a steady state, producing a bead of material having dimensions consistent with steady state operation, which substantially corresponds to a flow rate command provided to the material dispenser 116 by the controller 102. An additional parameter may be used to characterize the amount of time (or time constant) for the system to reach a steady state after the nozzle of the material dispenser is open. The material dispenser 116 may, in response to receiving the pre-pressure value from the controller 102, increase or decrease the pressure on the material to the pre-pressure value before opening the dispenser valve.

In some embodiments, an operator of the dispensing system may check an initial bead after opening the dispenser valve. If the bead is too large, the operator may decrease the dispenser pre-pressure. If the initial bead was too small, the operator may increase the pre-pressure. In some environments, this check may be performed frequently, such as daily or multiple times per week. This process may be automated using pre-pressure characterization or pre-pressure modeling, which includes the controller 102 identifying a relationship between the pre-pressure and the initial bead size. In some embodiments, pre-pressure characterization or modeling may be accomplished by having the material dispenser 116 dispense a plurality of test beads (e.g., five beads, although more or fewer are contemplated) while the controller 102 varies the pre-pressure value and measures the initial bead of each test bead using sensors 160 of the dispensing system, such as laser triangulation sensors, image capture sensors, or both. The use of a variety of test beads to evaluate the pre-pressure characteristics and the pre pressure model can largely or completely eliminate manual trial-and-error pre-pressure tuning. The pre-pressure model or pre-pressure parameters can be contained in the material dispenser model 600.

In response to determining the pre-pressure characteristics and receiving or calculating the pre-pressure model, the controller 102 may calculate an optimal pre-pressure value that will result in a desired initial bead size. The controller 102 may send these values to the material dispenser 116 before or during the dispensing process.

During production, the controller 102 may continuously monitor the initial bead size dimensions of each bead of material and update the pre-pressure characteristics and pre-pressure model. If during production the initial dimensions of a bead are detected to be too small, the controller 102 may increase the pre-pressure for the corresponding bead in a subsequent component. If the initial dimensions are detected to be too large, the controller 102 may decrease the pre-pressure for that bead on a subsequent component. This may largely or completely eliminate manual pre-pressure adjustments by an operator.

In some embodiments, a bead of material volume may be measured by various sensors that measure three-dimensional data associated with a bead of material corresponding to a bead of material dispensing operation. The three-dimensional data may be used to calculate a bead of material volume, the dimensions of the bead of material, or both. The dimensions of the bead of material may include a bead width and a bead height, as well as properties indicating the shape of the bead. For example, the bead volume may be approximated by a horizontal cylindrical segment, a triangle, or other shape. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be configured to maintain correct bead of material dimensions, volumes, or both, and the systems and methods may receive a bead of material dimension, volume, or both.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to characterize a model of the robot mechanism 114. The model of the robot mechanism 114 may include features that are similar to or different from the model 600. The controller 102 may characterize parameters of the model of the robot mechanism 114 as described.

The controller 102 may selectively control the speed of the robot mechanism 114 based on the model of the robot mechanism 114. For example, the robot mechanism 114 may traverse a predefined path along the component. The controller 102 may increase and/or decrease the speed of the robot mechanism 114 at identified regions of the path based on the characterized model of the robot mechanism 114.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may override the material dispenser 116 (e.g., in a positive direction or a negative direction). For example, based on the model 600, the controller 102 may determine that the material dispenser 116 may not be able to deliver a flow rate that corresponds to the flow rate command given a time constraint. The controller 102 may override (e.g., increase or decrease the flow rate to a maximum or minimum limit) to achieve the flow rate that corresponds to the flow rate command.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may be configured to reduce, minimize, or eliminate an error between a desired bead volume of material and an actual bead volume of material. For example, the controller 102 may adjust the flow rate inputs provided to the material dispenser 116 as described. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 102 may selectively adjust a speed of the robotic mechanism 114 to further reduce, minimize, or eliminate the error between the desired bead volume of material and the actual bead volume of material. For example, the controller 102 may selectively decrease the speed of the robotic mechanism 114 in an area on the component where the material dispenser 116 is unable to maintain the desired flow rate and/or increase the speed of the robotic mechanism 114 where the material dispenser 116 is able to dispense the bead of material at a rate higher than the desired flow rate.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 controls the speed of the robot mechanism 114 to achieve desired material bead dimensions, volume, or both. The controller 102 controls the speed of the robotic mechanism 114, which determines the speed of the material dispenser 116 relative to a component. This may be in some embodiments where a robotic mechanism 114 moves the dispensing nozzle with respect to the component, or in embodiments where the component is moved with respect to the dispenser. A user interface or HMI may be used to enter one or more desired bead dimensions for various segments of a bead to specify the volume, dimensions, or both of each bead segment. During the dispensing process, the cross-sectional area of the bead is determined by both the dispenser speed with respect to the component and the flow rate of the bead by the following formula: $$\text{Cross-sectional area}\ddot{\text{a}}\text{che}\left[{\text{mm}}^2\right]=\frac{\text{Flow rate}\left[{\text{mm}}^3/\text{s}\right]}{\text{speed}\left[\text{mm}/\text{s}\right]}$$

The controller 102 can determine the desired cross-section of the bead as well as the volume and dimensions of the bead by controlling the speed of the robot mechanism 114 and the flow rate of the dispenser.

In some embodiments, the flow rate of the material dispenser 116 may be constant during a bead dispensing operation, for example, when a controller 102 adjusts the flow rate of the dispenser between bead dispensing processes. In such embodiments, the specified value of the flow rate is not significantly changed during the bead dispensing process. The controller may calculate an optimal constant flow rate value and optimal speed values for the dispenser. These calculations are based on the physical limitations of the material dispenser 116 and the robot mechanism 114, such as the maximum usable flow rate of the dispenser and the maximum usable speed of the robot.

These physical limitations may be included in the model of the robot mechanism 114, which may include features similar to or different from the model 600. The maximum usable flow rate or maximum usable speed may not be the actual maximum flow rate or maximum speed due to limitations in operating near the limits of the robot mechanism 114 and the material dispenser 116. For example, the dispenser flow may be more variable at high flow rates, limiting the flow rate to a lower value when variability is not desired. Similarly, the maximum speed of the robot mechanism 114 may be limited when the robot mechanism 114 must form a curved track, as opposed to a straight line. For simplicity, the maximum flow rate and maximum speed are used, although one of skill in the art would understand that the maximum usable or effectively usable flow rate or speed may be the actual maximum.

In some embodiments, the flow rate may be changed during the bead dispensing process, for example by sending a flow rate to the dispensing mechanism at regular intervals (e.g., every 10 ms), by updating the flow rate value during the dispensing process, or by sending a series of flow rates and times to update the dispensing value before the dispensing process begins.

8th illustrates a sample bead 800. As illustrated, the bead has different desired dimensions in different segments. The bead 800 begins at starting point 802 with segment 804, which has a desired cross-sectional area of 10 mm ² . Segment 804 is then followed by segments with varying cross-sectional areas: 806 (2 mm ² ), 808 (10 mm ² ), 810 (100 mm ² ), 812 (10 mm ² ), 814 (30 mm ² ), 816 (10 mm ² ), 818 (100 mm ² ), and 820 (10 mm ² ). The bead 800 ends at end point 822. In the sample bead 800, the thinnest segment is segment 806 at 2 mm ² . Segments 810 and 818 are the thickest at 100 mm ² . To minimize the amount of time required to lay the bead, it is advantageous to use the highest flow rate that the dispenser is capable of, but this may not be possible if the robot cannot move the material dispenser 116 fast enough to lay the thinnest (in this example, 2 mm ² ) at the maximum flow rate of the material dispenser. For the purposes of this example, the robot mechanism 114 may have a maximum speed of 400 mm/s, but the maximum usable speed may be 200 mm/s due to the shape of the bead or the speed required for adjacent segments.

The maximum speed can be included in the model of the robot mechanism 114. Since the maximum speed of the robot is 200 mm/s and the desired bead cross-sectional area in the thinnest segment is 2 mm ² , the maximum flow rate under Applying the above formula 400 mm ³ in embodiments where the flow rate is constant throughout a bead. Given the maximum flow rate of 400 mm ³ , the ideal dispenser speed for each segment can be calculated, shown in 9 in solid line 900, with the sections corresponding to those of 8th as follows: 904 corresponds to 804, 906 corresponds to 806, 910 corresponds to 810, 912 corresponds to 812, 914 corresponds to 814, 916 corresponds to 816, 918 corresponds to 818, and 820 corresponds to 920. In embodiments with constant flow rates, the flow rate is sent to the material dispenser prior to the dispensing process for which it is intended.

The speed of the robot for each segment may be sent to the robot in many ways. For example, the controller 102 may generate the optimal speeds and upload the speeds to the robot mechanism 114 before the robot mechanism 114 dispenses the track. The optimal speeds may be used to update an existing program in the robot mechanism 114 to dispense the track. The controller 102 may send real-time speed values to the robot mechanism 114 at regular intervals (e.g., every 10 milliseconds) during the dispensing process. The speed values may be in mm/s or as a percentage of the programmed speed or the maximum (actual or effective) speed of the robot. In some embodiments, the controller 102 may send real-time motion commands, including speed but also including direction, to the robot mechanism 114 at regular intervals (e.g., every 10 milliseconds) during the dispensing process. The robot commands can be sent using open or proprietary protocols to communicate with the robot.

As in 9 As shown, the robot mechanism 114 may attempt to maintain optimal speeds, but the actual speed, shown in dashed line 902, of the robot mechanism 114 may deviate from optimal. In the example, the dispensing process may take approximately 29 seconds, resulting in the 10 shown caterpillar 1000. The deviations from the optimum can be used to update the model of the robot mechanism 114.

In some embodiments, the dispenser may be configurable to change the flow rate during the dispensing process, allowing different flow rates to be used while forming a bead. The controller 102 may calculate the optimal flow rate values of the material dispenser 116 and the optimal speed for the robot mechanism 114. These calculations are based on the physical constraints of the material dispenser 116 and the robot mechanism 114, such as the maximum speed of the robot and the maximum flow rate of the material dispenser, as well as other constraints. These physical constraints may be included in the model of the material dispenser 116 and the model of the robot mechanism 114. Resuming the sample bead 800 of 8th , a robot with a maximum speed of 200 mm/s and a dispenser with a maximum flow rate of 10,000 mm3/s, the control device 102 can determine the optimal flow rates 1100 (in the dashed line) and the speed 1102, which in 11 where the left legend 1122 shows the velocity and the right legend 1124 shows the flow rate.

The parts of 11 correspond to those of 8th as follows: 1104 corresponds to 804, 1106 corresponds to 806, 1108 corresponds to 808, 1110 corresponds to 810, 1112 corresponds to 812, 1114 corresponds to 814, 1116 corresponds to 816, 1118 corresponds to 818 and 1120 corresponds to 820.

Due to physical limitations of the robot mechanism 114 and the material dispenser 116, such as, but not limited to, the maximum rate of change for the dispenser flow rate and the robot mechanism speed, the robot and dispenser may not be able to achieve the 11 These physical constraints of the robot mechanism 114 may be included in the model of the robot mechanism 114, and the model may be updated as the robot mechanism 114 and the material dispenser 116 dispense beads.

In some embodiments, the controller 102 may take into account additional physical constraints of the material dispenser 116 and the robot mechanism 114. These may be included in the model of the material dispenser 116 and the model of the robot mechanism 114 or may be communicated to the controller 102 as parameters of the dispenser mechanism and the robot mechanism 114. These parameters may be provided with the material dispenser 116 and the robot mechanism 114, for example by the manufacturer, or may empirically by running test parts or by iteratively fine-tuning the speed of the robot mechanism 114 and the flow rate of the material dispenser 116 while running multiple iterations of the dispensing process. The model of the robot mechanism 114 may include factors such as the slowing or speeding up of the robot mechanism 114 during curves or corners in the material bead. It may also include how quickly the robot mechanism 114 can change speed, for example, a rate of change.

The controller 102 may take into account factors such as robot deceleration and the rate at which the dispenser flow rate changes (e.g., limited or time-constant rise time) and the speed of the robot mechanism 114 when updating the model to generate additional optimal flow rate and speed values of the robot mechanism 114, as shown in 12 shown. Taking another picture of the sample bead 800 from 8th , a robot with a maximum speed of 200 mm/s and a dispenser with a maximum flow rate of 10,000 mm ³ /s, the control device 102 can determine the optimal flow rates 1200 (in the dashed line) and the speed 1202, which in 12 where the left legend 1222 shows the velocity and the right legend 1224 shows the flow rate. The sections of 12 correspond to those of 8th as follows: 1204 corresponds to 804, 1206 corresponds to 806, 1208 corresponds to 808, 1210 corresponds to 810, 1212 corresponds to 812, 1214 corresponds to 814, 1216 corresponds to 816, 1218 corresponds to 818, and 1220 corresponds to 820. The optimal flow rates may be sent to the dispenser at real-time intervals (e.g., every 10 milliseconds). In some embodiments, the optimal flow rates may be uploaded to the dispenser before dispensing the bead. The optimal flow rates may also be used to update an existing dispenser program. The speed of the robot for each segment may be sent to the robot in similar ways as described with respect to fixed flow rate embodiments. For example, the controller 102 may generate the optimal speeds and upload the speeds to the robot mechanism 114 before the robot mechanism 114 dispenses the track. The optimal speeds may be used to update an existing program in the robot mechanism 114 for dispensing the track.

The controller 102 may send real-time speed values to the robot mechanism 114 at regular intervals (e.g., every 10 milliseconds) during the dispensing process. The speed values may be in mm/s or as a percentage of the programmed speed or the maximum (actual or effective) speed of the robot. The controller 102 may send real-time motion commands to the robot mechanism 114 at regular intervals (e.g., every 10 milliseconds) during the dispensing process. The robot commands may be sent using open or proprietary protocols to communicate with the robot. In the example of 12 The submission process takes 5 seconds.

In embodiments with either a fixed flow rate or a variable flow rate, the controller 102 may monitor the dispensed bead with sensors to adjust the robot speed, the dispenser flow rate, or both. This may include updating the model of the robot mechanism 114 and the model of the material dispenser. For example, if a portion of the bead is thinner than desired, the controller 102 may decrease the robot speed or increase the flow rate. This allows the controller 102 to adjust as conditions surrounding the system and the material dispenser 116 change. Such conditions may include air pressure, ambient temperature, viscosity of the material, and equipment wear and breakage. The controller 102 may also send a message to a user interface, for example, the HMI, when conditions change such that the bead is out of specification.

In some embodiments, controller 102 and/or system 100 may perform the methods described herein. However, the methods described herein as performed by controller 102 and/or system 100 are not intended to be limiting, and any type of software executing on a controller may perform the methods described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, a controller, such as a processor, executing software within a computing device may perform the methods described herein.

7 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a material dispenser characterization method 700 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. At 702, the method 700 receives a model of the material dispenser device. For example, the controller 102 may receive the model 600.

At 704, the method 700 communicates a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser in a first characterization period of a bead dispensing operation. For example, the controller 102 may communicate the first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser 116 in the first characterization period of the bead dispensing operation.

At 706, the method 700 communicates a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation. For example, the controller 102 may communicate the second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser 116 in the second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation.

At 708, the method 700 generates three-dimensional data associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead of material dispensing operation using at least one sensor. For example, the controller 102 may generate three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material and corresponding to the bead of material dispensing operation using the sensors 160.

At 710, the method 700 characterizes at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser 116 using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material. For example, the controller 102 may characterize the at least one parameter of the model 600 of the material dispenser 116 using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material.

13 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a characterization method 1300 of the material dispenser 116 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. At 1302, the method 1300 receives a model 600 of the material dispenser 116 that includes a pre-pressure parameter. For example, the controller 102 may receive the model 600. At 1304, the method 1300 calculates a pre-pressure value based on the model. For example, the controller 102 may calculate a pre-pressure value based on pre-pressure characteristics included in the model.

At 1306, the method 1300 communicates the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser 116 for use in a bead dispensing operation. For example, the controller 102 may communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser 116. At 1308, the method 1300 applies a pressure to the material equal to the pre-pressure value prior to applying the bead of material. For example, a drum of the material dispenser 116 may be pressurized to the pre-pressure value. At 1310, the method 1300 applies the bead of material using the material dispenser 116. For example, the material dispenser 116 may apply a bead by opening a valve of the material dispenser to apply a bead of material to a component.

At 1312, the method generates dimensions associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor. For example, the controller 102 may generate dimensions, which may include three-dimensional data, associated with the bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using the sensors 160. At 1314, the method adjusts the pre-pressure characteristics based on the dimensions. For example, the controller 102 may update the model, including the pre-pressure characteristics, based on a bead corresponding to the bead dispensing operation.

14 is a flowchart generally illustrating a method 1400 for characterizing a robotic mechanism 114 for use with a material dispenser 116. At 1402, the method 1400 receives a model of the robotic mechanism 114 and a model of the material dispenser 116. For example, the controller 102 may receive the model 600, which may include both a model of the material dispenser 116 and a model of the robotic mechanism 114. The controller 102 may also receive the models separately.

At 1404, the method 1400 calculates a first speed of the robot mechanism 114 for a first time period of a bead dispensing operation based on the model of the robot mechanism 114. For example, the controller 102 may calculate a first speed of the robot mechanism 114 based on the Model 600 or based on a model of the robot mechanism 114. At 1406, the method 1400 communicates the first robot mechanism velocity to the robot mechanism 114 for use in applying the bead of material. For example, the controller 102 may communicate a velocity parameter to the robot mechanism 114.

At 1408, the method 1400 generates bead dimensions associated with the bead using at least one sensor. For example, the controller 102 may generate three-dimensional data associated with the bead and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using the sensors 160. At 1410, the method 1400 updates the model of the robot mechanism 114 based on the bead dimensions. For example, the controller 102 may update the model 600 or a model associated with the robot mechanism 114.

At 1412, method 1400 updates the first speed of robot mechanism 114 based on the model of robot mechanism 114. For example, controller 102 may update the speed of robot mechanism 114, increasing the speed if the track dimensions were too large or decreasing the speed if the track dimensions were too small. Controller 102 may also update the speed of robot mechanism 114 based on other parameters besides track dimensions.

15 is a flowchart generally illustrating a method 1500 for controlling a material dispenser 116 and a robotic mechanism 114 for use with the material dispenser. At 1502, the method 1500 receives a model of the material dispenser. For example, the controller 102 may receive the model 600. At 1504, the model receives a model of the robotic mechanism 114. For example, the controller 102 may receive a model of the robotic mechanism 114 or may receive the model 600. At 1506, the method 1500 calculates a speed of the robotic mechanism 114 for a first period of a material bead dispensing operation. For example, the controller 102 may calculate a speed of the robotic mechanism 114 based on the model of the robotic mechanism 114. The controller 102 may also use the model of the material dispenser. At 1508, the method 1500 calculates a pre-pressure value based on the model of the material dispenser. For example, based on the model 600, the controller 102 may calculate a pre-pressure value to pressurize a material in a material dispenser 116 prior to dispensing a bead of material.

At 1510, the method 1500 may communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser 116 for use in a bead of material dispensing operation. For example, the controller 102 may communicate a pre-pressure value to pressurize a material in a material dispenser 116 prior to dispensing a bead of material. At 1512, the method 1500 may communicate the speed of the robotic mechanism 114 to the robotic mechanism 114 for use in the bead of material dispensing operation. For example, the robotic mechanism 114 may communicate the speed of the robotic mechanism 114 to the robotic mechanism 114.

At 1514, the method 1500 may generate dimensional data associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor. For example, the controller 102 may generate dimensions, which may include three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation, using the sensors 160. At 1516, the method 1500 updates at least one of the model of the material dispenser and the model of the robot mechanism 114 based on the dimensional data. For example, the controller 102 may update the model 600 or a model associated with the robot mechanism 114.

At 1518, method 1500 may update the pre-pressure value or the speed of the robotic mechanism. For example, controller 102 may update at least one of the pre-pressure value based on the dispenser model and the speed of the robotic mechanism based on the robotic mechanism model 114.

Clause 1. A method of characterizing a material dispensing device, the method comprising: receiving a model of the material dispensing device; in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicating a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicating a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; using at least one sensor, generating three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and the material bead dispensing operation; and characterizing at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Clause 2. The method of clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input correspond to a step function.

Clause 3. The method of Clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input comprise arbitrary values.

Clause 4. The method of Clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein the three-dimensional data corresponds to at least a portion of the bead of material comprising a predefined pattern.

Clause 5. A method according to Clause 4 or any other clause described herein, wherein the predefined pattern comprises a straight line.

Clause 6. The method of clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein characterizing the at least one parameter of the material dispenser model comprises: revising the material dispenser model by updating the at least one parameter of the material dispenser model; and storing the revised material dispenser model.

Clause 7. The method of clause 6 or any other clause described herein, further comprising generating a material dispensing flow rate input according to the revised model of the material dispenser in response to receiving a material dispensing command.

Clause 8. The method of clause 7 or any other clause described herein, further comprising generating three-dimensional data associated with at least one other bead of material corresponding to another bead of material dispensing event associated with the material dispensing flow rate input using the at least one sensor.

Clause 9. The method of clause 1 or any other clause described herein, iteratively revising the model of the material dispensing device using at least three-dimensional data generated using the at least one sensor and associated with a plurality of other material beads corresponding to other material bead dispensing operations.

Clause 10. The method of clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a laser.

Clause 11. The method of clause 1 or any other clause described herein, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an image capture device.

Clause 12. An apparatus for characterizing a material dispensing device, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a model of the material dispensing device; in a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicate a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; in a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispensing device; using at least one sensor, generate three-dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation; and characterize at least one parameter of the model of the material dispensing device using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Clause 13. Apparatus according to clause 12 or any other clause described herein, wherein the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input correspond to a step function.

Clause 14. The apparatus of clause 12 or any other clause described herein, wherein the first characterization flow rate input and the second characterization flow rate input comprise arbitrary values.

Clause 15. Device under Clause 12 or any other clause described herein sel, wherein the three-dimensional data corresponds to at least a portion of the material bead comprising a predefined pattern.

Clause 16. A device according to Clause 15 or any other clause described herein, wherein the predefined pattern comprises a straight line.

Clause 17. A system comprising: a material dispenser configured to dispense a bead of material; and a control mechanism configured to: receive a model of the material dispenser; in a first characterization period of a bead of material dispensing operation, communicate a first characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser; in a second characterization period of the bead of material dispensing operation, communicate a second characterization flow rate input to the material dispenser; generate three-dimensional data associated with a bead of material and corresponding to the bead of material dispensing operation using a plurality of sensors; and characterize at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the bead of material.

Clause 18. The system of Clause 17 or any other clause described herein, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one laser.

Clause 19. The system of clause 17 or any other clause described herein, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one image capture device.

Clause 20. The system of Clause 17 or any other clause described herein, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one laser and two or more image capture devices.

Clause 21. A method of characterizing a material dispenser that dispenses a material in a bead of material, the method comprising: receiving a model comprising at least one pre-pressure characteristic associated with the material dispenser; calculating a pre-pressure value using the pre-pressure characteristic; communicating the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser; at the material dispenser, applying a pressure corresponding to the pre-pressure value to the material prior to applying the bead of material; applying the bead of material using the material dispenser; using data received from at least one sensor associated with the material dispenser, generating dimensions associated with the bead of material; and adjusting the pre-pressure characteristic based on the dimensions.

Clause 22. A method according to Clause 21 or any other clause described herein, wherein the dimensions comprise at least dimensions of an initial portion of the bead of material.

Clause 23. The method of clause 21 or any other clause described herein, wherein the pre-pressure characteristic is generated using data acquired by the at least one sensor associated with at least one material dispensing test operation performed by the material dispensing device.

Clause 24. The method of Clause 21 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model comprises at least one of at least one ambient temperature measurement of an environment associated with the material dispenser, at least one barometric pressure measurement of the environment associated with the material dispenser, at least one humidity measurement of the environment associated with the material dispenser, and at least one viscosity measurement of the material dispensed by the material dispenser.

Clause 25. The method of clause 21 or any other clause described herein, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a laser and an image capture device.

Clause 26. The method of Clause 21 or any other clause described herein, further comprising: iteratively adjusting at least one aspect of the model using different bead dimensions associated with different bead sizes corresponding to different bead dispensing operations, wherein the different bead dimensions are generated using corresponding data received from the at least one sensor.

Clause 27. A system comprising: a robotic mechanism for use with a material dispenser configured to dispense a material in a bead of material; and a controller configured to: receive a model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a first speed of the robot mechanism for a first period of a bead dispensing operation based on the model of the robot mechanism; communicate the first speed of the robot mechanism to the robot mechanism for use in applying the bead of material; generate bead of material dimensions associated with the bead of material using at least one sensor; update the model of the robot mechanism based on the bead of material dimensions; and update the first speed of the robot mechanism based on the model of the robot mechanism.

Clause 28. The system of Clause 27 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the robotic mechanism is generated using data acquired by the at least one sensor associated with at least one material dispensing operation performed by the material dispensing device.

Clause 29. The system of clause 27 or any other clause described herein, wherein the controller further calculates a second speed of the robotic mechanism for a second time period of the bead dispensing operation.

Clause 30. The system of Clause 27 or any other clause described herein, further comprising: iteratively revising the model of the robotic mechanism using a plurality of bead dimensions generated using the at least one sensor and associated with a plurality of other bead sizes corresponding to other bead dispensing operations.

Clause 31. The system of Clause 27 or any other clause described herein, wherein the controller receives a model of the material dispenser, the controller further configured to: calculate a first characterization of the flow rate input based on the model of the material dispenser; communicate the first characterization of the flow rate input to the material dispenser; update the model of the material dispenser based on the material bead dimensions; and update the first characterization of the flow rate input based on the model of the material dispenser.

Clause 32. A system as defined in Clause 27 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum speed of the robot mechanism.

Clause 33. A system as defined in Clause 27 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum rate of change of speed of the robot mechanism.

Clause 34. An apparatus for controlling a material dispenser and a robotic mechanism for use with the material dispenser, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a model of the material dispenser; receive a model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a speed of the robotic mechanism for a first period of a material bead dispensing operation based on the model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a pre-pressure value based on the model of the material dispenser; communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser for use in a material bead dispensing operation; communicate the speed of the robotic mechanism to the robotic mechanism for use in the material bead dispensing operation; generate dimensional data associated with a material bead and corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor; update at least one of the model of the material dispenser and the model of the robotic mechanism based on the dimensional data; and update at least one of the pre-pressure value based on the model of the dispenser and the speed of the robotic mechanism based on the model of the robotic mechanism.

Clause 35. The apparatus of Clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the material dispensing apparatus model and the robotic mechanism model are iteratively updated based on a plurality of parameters associated with a plurality of other material beads corresponding to other bead dispensing operations.

Clause 36. Apparatus according to Clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum speed of the robot mechanism.

Clause 37. Apparatus according to Clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the robot mechanism a maximum rate of change of the speed of the robot mechanism.

Clause 38. The apparatus of Clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the model of the material dispensing apparatus and the model of the robotic mechanism are generated using data acquired by the at least one sensor associated with at least one material dispensing test operation.

Clause 39. Apparatus according to clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a laser and an image capture device.

Clause 40. The apparatus of Clause 34 or any other clause described herein, wherein the apparatus iteratively adjusts the material dispensing device model and the robotic mechanism model using different material bead dimensions associated with different material bead corresponding to different material bead dispensing operations, the different material bead dimensions being generated using corresponding data received from the at least one sensor.

The above discussion is intended to illustrate the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to include all such variations and modifications.

The word "example" is used herein to serve as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as an "example" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the word "example" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner. As used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, "X includes A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X includes A; X includes B; or X includes both A and B, then "X includes A or B" is satisfied in each of the foregoing cases. In addition, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless otherwise specified or clear from the context that they are directed to a singular form. Furthermore, the use of the term “an implementation” or “an implementation” throughout is not intended to imply the same embodiment or implementation unless described as such.

Implementations of the systems, algorithms, methods, instructions, etc. described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. The hardware may include, for example, computers, intellectual property (IP) cores, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic arrays, optical processors, programmable logic controllers, microcode, microcontrollers, servers, microprocessors, digital signal processors, or any other suitable circuitry. In the claims, the term "processor" should be understood to encompass any of the foregoing hardware, either individually or in combination. The terms "signal" and "data" are used interchangeably.

As used herein, the term module may include a packaged functional hardware unit designed for use with other components, a set of instructions executable by a controller (e.g., a processor executing software or firmware), processing circuitry configured to perform a particular function, and a standalone hardware or software component that interfaces with a larger system. For example, a module may include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit, a digital logic circuit, an analog circuit, a combination of discrete circuits, gates, and other types of hardware, or a combination thereof. In other embodiments, a module may include memory storing instructions executable by a controller to implement a feature of the module.

Further, in one aspect, for example, systems described herein may be implemented using a general purpose computer or processor having a computer program that, when executed, carries out any of the respective methods, algorithms, and/or instructions described herein. Additionally or alternatively, for example, a special purpose computer/processor may be used, which may include other hardware for carrying out any of the methods, algorithms, or instructions described herein.

Furthermore, all or a portion of the implementations of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product, for example, accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium. A computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any device that can, for example, tangibly contain, store, communicate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with any processor. The medium may be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, or a semiconductor device. Other suitable media are also available.

The above-described embodiments, implementations and aspects have been described to facilitate an easy understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be given the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted by law.

Claims (20)

A method of characterizing a material dispenser that dispenses a material in a bead of material, the method comprising: receiving a model comprising at least one pre-pressure characteristic associated with the material dispenser; calculating a pre-pressure value using the pre-pressure characteristic; communicating the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser; applying a pressure to the material equal to the pre-pressure value at the material dispenser prior to applying the bead of material; applying the bead of material using the material dispenser; generating dimensions associated with the bead of material using data received from at least one sensor associated with the material dispenser; and adjusting the pre-pressure characteristic based on the dimensions. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the dimensions comprise at least dimensions of an initial portion of the bead of material. Procedure according to Claim 1 wherein the pre-pressure characteristic is generated using data acquired by the at least one sensor associated with at least one material dispensing test operation performed by the material dispensing device. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the model comprises at least one of at least one ambient temperature measurement of an environment associated with the material dispenser, at least one air pressure measurement of the environment associated with the material dispenser, at least one humidity measurement of the environment associated with the material dispenser, and at least one viscosity measurement of the material dispensed by the material dispenser. Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a laser and an image capture device. Procedure according to Claim 1 further comprising: iteratively adjusting at least one aspect of the model using different bead dimensions associated with different bead sizes corresponding to different bead dispensing operations, the different bead dimensions generated using corresponding data received from the at least one sensor. A system comprising: a robotic mechanism for use with a material dispenser configured to dispense a material in a bead of material; and a controller configured to: receive a model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a first speed of the robotic mechanism for a first period of a bead of material dispensing operation based on the robotic mechanism model; communicate the first speed of the robotic mechanism to the robotic mechanism for use in applying the bead of material; generate bead of material dimensions associated with the bead of material using at least one sensor; update the robotic mechanism model based on the bead of material dimensions; and update the first speed of the robotic mechanism based on the robotic mechanism model. System according to Claim 7 , wherein the model of the robot mechanism is generated using data obtained from the at least one Sensor which are associated with at least one material dispensing process carried out by the material dispensing device. System according to Claim 7 wherein the controller further calculates a second speed of the robot mechanism for a second period of time of the bead dispensing operation. System according to Claim 7 further comprising: iteratively revising the model of the robot mechanism using a plurality of bead dimensions generated using the at least one sensor and associated with a plurality of other bead sizes corresponding to other bead dispensing operations. System according to Claim 7 , wherein the controller receives a model of the material dispenser, the controller further configured to: calculate a first characterization of the flow rate input based on the model of the material dispenser; communicate the first characterization of the flow rate input to the material dispenser; update the model of the material dispenser based on the material bead dimensions; and update the first characterization of the flow rate input based on the model of the material dispenser. System according to Claim 7 , where the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum speed of the robot mechanism. System according to Claim 7 , where the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum rate of change of the speed of the robot mechanism. An apparatus for controlling a material dispenser and a robotic mechanism for use with the material dispenser, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a model of the material dispenser; receive a model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a speed of the robotic mechanism for a first period of a bead dispensing operation based on the model of the robotic mechanism; calculate a pre-pressure value based on the model of the material dispenser; communicate the pre-pressure value to the material dispenser for use in a bead dispensing operation; communicate the speed of the robotic mechanism to the robotic mechanism for use in the bead dispensing operation; generate dimensional data associated with a bead and corresponding to the bead dispensing operation using at least one sensor; update at least one of the model of the material dispenser and the model of the robotic mechanism based on the dimensional data; and updating at least one of the pre-pressure value based on the model of the dispenser and the speed of the robot mechanism based on the model of the robot mechanism. Device according to Claim 14 wherein the material dispensing device model and the robot mechanism model are iteratively updated based on a plurality of multiple parameters associated with a plurality of other material beads corresponding to other bead dispensing operations. Device according to Claim 14 , where the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum speed of the robot mechanism. Device according to Claim 14 , where the model of the robot mechanism includes a maximum rate of change of the speed of the robot mechanism. Device according to Claim 14 wherein the model of the material dispensing device and the model of the robot mechanism are generated using data acquired by the at least one sensor and associated with at least one material dispensing test operation. Device according to Claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a laser and an image capture device. Device according to Claim 14 , wherein the device iteratively adjusts the model of the material dispensing device and the model of the robot mechanism using other material bead dimensions associated with other material bead dispensing operations, the other material bead dimensions being adjusted using corresponding data received from the at least one sensor.

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