Flexible production collating system

摘要

In a system, one or more robotic arms are positioned adjacent a transport surface that is moving workpieces, and one or more picking elements are connected to each of the robotic arms. The picking elements have physical picking features that remove the workpieces from the transport surface and move the workpieces to another location. A controller is operatively connected to the robotic arms and the picking elements, and the controller independently controls the robotic arms and the picking elements to dynamically position the picking elements in coordination with a dynamic size, spacing, and transport speed of the workpieces being moved by the transport surface.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a controller regularly receiving a series of different jobs, each of said jobs containing different job-specific instructions that each define a job-specific pattern; a cutter operatively connected to said controller, said cutter cutting individual workpieces from relatively larger sheets, said cutter cutting and outputting said workpieces in said job-specific pattern to a transport surface as controlled by said job-specific instructions defining said job-specific pattern; one or more independently movable robotic arms positioned adjacent said transport surface moving said workpieces, said robotic arms being operatively connected to said controller; and one or more picking elements connected to said robotic arms, at least one of said picking elements being connected to each of said robotic arms, and said picking elements having physical picking features that remove said workpieces from said transport surface and move said workpieces to another location, said controller independently and automatically controlling movement of said robotic arms and actuation of said picking elements based on said job instructions defining said job-specific pattern to continuously and dynamically position and actuate said picking elements in coordination in real time with each different job-specific pattern of said workpieces as said workpieces are output from said cutter on said transport surface, without pausing between said different jobs.