Sensorless Manipulation Using Transverse Vibrations of a Plate

The existing industrial parts feeders move the parts through a sequence of mechanical filters that reject parts in unwanted orientations. In this paper we develop a new setup that uses a different vibratory mechanism to systematically manipulate parts, by actively orienting and localizing them. The idea is to generate and change dynamic modes for a plate by varying the applied frequency of oscillation. Depending on the node shapes of the plate for these frequencies, the position and orientation of the parts can be controlled. We develop an analysis of the underlying dynamics, and show that it can be used to predict the behavior of objects placed on the vibrating plate. Using this analysis, we propose that the applied frequencies can be automatically sequenced to obtain a "sensorless" strategy for manipulating a given object.

[1]  L. Rayleigh,et al.  The theory of sound , 1894 .

[2]  S. Timoshenko,et al.  THEORY OF PLATES AND SHELLS , 1959 .

[3]  E. F. F. Chladni.  Entdeckungen über die Theorie des Klanges , 1967 .

[4]  David D. Grossman,et al.  Orienting Mechanical Parts by Computer-Controlled Manipulator , 1975, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[5]  Daniel E. Whitney,et al.  Computer-controlled Assembly , 1978 .

[6]  S.S.M. Wang,et al.  Sensors for computer controlled mechanical assembly , 1978 .

[7]  John W. Hill.  Programmable bowl feeder design based on computer vision , 1980 .

[8]  John Hartley.  Picking parts from a bowl feeder with image sensing , 1981 .

[9]  Frank J. Riley.  Assembly Automation: A Management Handbook , 1984 .

[10]  A. H. Redford,et al.  Robots in Assembly , 1986 .

[11]  Bernard J. Schroer.  Electronic parts presentation using vibratory bowl feeders , 1987, Robotics.

[12]  Hajime Hitakawa,et al.  Advanced parts orientation system has wide application , 1988 .

[13]  Warren P. Seering,et al.  Utilizing Dynamic Stability to Orient Parts , 1988 .

[14]  Matthew T. Mason,et al.  An exploration of sensorless manipulation , 1986, IEEE J. Robotics Autom..

[15]  B. Z. Sandler.  Robotics: Designing the Mechanisms for Automated Machinery , 1991 .

[16]  Michael E. Caine,et al.  The Design of Shape from Motion Constraints , 1993 .

[17]  K.-F. Bohringer,et al.  A theory of manipulation and control for microfabricated actuator arrays , 1994, Proceedings IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Robotic Systems.

[18]  Wenheng Liu,et al.  Parts Manipulation on a MEMS Intelligent Motion Surface , 1994 .

[19]  Bruce Randall Donald,et al.  Sensorless manipulation using massively parallel microfabricated actuator arrays , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.