Method and apparatus for automatic position-finding assembling

摘要

A control unit (14) makes an end effector (10) compliant with respect to an x-axis and a y-axis which are perpendicular to a z-axis parallel to a direction in which a shaft (20) is moved for insertion and makes the end effector (10) produce a pressing force acting in a direction parallel to the z-axis to press the shaft (20) against an internally toothed disk (22) . The control unit (14) moves the compliance center of the shaft (20) along a predetermined groping route in a state where the pressing force lo acting in the direction parallel to the i-axis ifs produced by the end effector (10). The shaft (20) gripped by the end effector (10) repeats radially outward movement from a position near the center of the center opening (22b) of the internally toothed disk (22) in different phases in an xy plane defined by the x-axis and the y-axis to find a position where the splines (20a) of the shaft (20) are able to engage the internal teeth (22a) of the outermost internally toothed disk (22). IF the shaft (20) stays at the saw z position for a predetermined time, the control unit (14) instruct the end effector (10) to reduce the pressing force for a predetermined time to separate the shaft (20) temporarily from the internally toothed disk (22) and to resume moving the shaft (20) along the groping route.