Background
This is follow-on funding provided to a previously awarded ARM Institute sanding and finishing project. Phase two of this project will build on the first funded project’s foundation while adding considerations for robustness, improved performance, flexibility, and ease-of-operation for multiple products with complex geometries, larger dimensions, and a variety of materials for sanding. Phase two will culminate in demonstrations that highlight the system’s ability to adapt to a range of part geometries, sizes, and materials.
Objective
The follow-on award for this project will enable enhancements to the foundation set by phase one of the project, specifically targeting applications for parts used on helicopters and spacecrafts. Phase one focused on developing a prototype RSF system for sanding segments of helicopter blades. Phase two will focus in on adding considerations for robustness, improved performance, flexibility, and ease-of-operation.
Technical Approach
Project outputs are expected to include:
- Expanded work cell to accommodate larger and more complex parts
- Updated algorithms and methods to generate trajectory plans accounting for additional complexities
- Updated robotic control algorithms to account for robustness and repeatability
- Implemented method for position sensing and surface quality inspection
- Implemented human-robot interface
Participants
Lockheed Martin (Principal Investigator), University of Southern California, Texas A&M University