Method and device for the positionally precise mounting of an add-on part on a vehicle body

Abstract

A method for the mounting of an add-on part ( 3 ) on a workpiece ( 1 ), in particular on a vehicle body, the intention being for the add-on part ( 3 ) to be aligned on the workpiece ( 1 ) in a precisely positioned manner in relation to a reference region ( 12, 13 ). Use is made of a robot-guided mounting tool ( 5 ) which is connected fixedly to a sensor system ( 20 ). In order to achieve the precisely positioned alignment of the add-on part ( 3 ), an iterative control operation is run through, in the course of which first of all an (actual) measured value of the sensor system ( 20 ) is produced and is compared with a (desired) measured value produced within the context of a setting-up phase. A movement vector of the mounting tool ( 5 ) is calculated from the difference between the (actual) measured value and (desired) measured value using a Jacobi matrix calculated within the context of the setting-up phase, and the mounting tool ( 5 ) with the add-on part ( 3 ) fixed therein is iteratively displaced in relation to the workpiece ( 1 ) by these movement vectors until the desired position is reached. This positioning task can be resolved without a metric calibration of the sensor system ( 20 ).

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
     
     
         9 . A method for the mounting of an add-on part on a workpiece, the add-on part being mounted on the workpiece in a precisely positioned manner in relation to a reference region, a mounting tool being guided by a robot and including a fixing device for picking up the add-on part, and a sensor system being connected fixedly to the mounting tool and having at least one sensor, the method comprising: 
 during a positioning phase, first moving the mounting tool with the add-on part held in the fixing device from a proximity position independent of a position of the workpiece in a working area of the robot into a mounting position, the add-on part held in the mounting tool being aligned in the mounting position in a precisely positioned manner in relation to the reference region of the workpiece,    the add-on part then being connected in the mounting position of the mounting tool to the workpiece, and    the positioning phase including, in order to approach the mounting position, running through an iterative control operation including:    producing an actual measured value of the at least one sensor;    comparing the actual measured value with a desired measured value produced within the context of a setting-up phase,    calculating a movement vector of the mounting tool from a difference between the actual measured value and the desired measured value using a Jacobi matrix calculated during the setting-up phase, and    displacing the mounting tool using the movement vector.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9  wherein the iterative control operation is terminated if either the difference between the desired measured value and the actual measured value lies below a predetermined threshold value, or a reduction in the difference during consecutive iteration steps lies below another predetermined threshold value.  
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 9  wherein a TCP/IP interface is used for communication between a control device of the robot and an evaluation unit of the sensor system.  
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 9  wherein the workpiece is a vehicle body.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the add-on part is a front module mounted into a front opening of the vehicle body.  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the add-on part is a roof module mounted into a roof opening of the vehicle body.  
     
     
         15 . A mounting system for the mounting of an add-on part on a workpiece, the mounting system comprising: 
 a mounting tool guided with aid of a robot;    a sensor system connected fixedly to the mounting tool and including at least one sensor;    a control device for controlling the robot and the mounting tool; and    an evaluation unit for evaluating measured values of the sensor system, the at least one of the sensors being a metrically uncalibrated sensor.    
     
     
         16 . The mounting system as recited in  claim 15  wherein the at least one sensor is an optical gap-measuring sensor.  
     
     
         17 . The mounting system as recited in  claim 15  wherein the at least one sensor is a contactlessly and two-dimensionally measuring sensor using luminous radiation in the UV range to record a surface area.  
     
     
         18 . The mounting system as recited in  claim 15  wherein the mounting system is a vehicle body add-on part mounting system.