A Flexible System to Reduce Tooling Costs in Assembly Cells

Flexible Machining Cells (FMC) have become very popular in many manufacturing environments due to the reduction in set-up down-time using off-line set-up. A similar procedure is not yet available for assembly cells. This arises from the need for accurate positioning of parts from bulk storage containers prior to assembly. Complex fixturing and orientating devices are often required for correct assembly. This paper investigates the development of a tactile array sensor that would define the type of component and its position relative to a datum point. The type of component would be given by its shape and weight. This would, in conjunction with software and a suitable control system, enable the assembly cell to identify, locate and assemble a component without the need for expensive and complex orientating devices. Whilst there are some vision systems available capable of carrying out a similar task, they tend to be slow in analysis and high in cost. It is hoped to develop a low cost method of parts identification that removes the need for expensive tooling.