Patent ID: 8061244

Claim:
A method for cutting off excess material from a casting comprising the steps of: a) programming a system controller to cooperatively manage a robot arm and a compliance control system controlling a cutting force of a cutoff blade for removing the excess material from the casting; b) engaging the casting with said robot arm; c) transporting the casting to a position proximate a cutoff blade using said robot arm; d) urging the casting into engagement with said cutoff blade using said robot arm; e) controlling the cutting force of the casting engaging said cutoff blade with said compliance control system, said compliance control system controlling the cutting force by allowing said cutoff blade to move with the casting and by moving said cutoff blade toward the casting to maintain the constant cutting force between the casting and said cutoff blade; the step of controlling the cutting force comprising: positioning an actuator between said cutoff blade and a frame; connecting said actuator to a compliance regulator; connecting said compliance regulator that measures and controls pressure in said actuator to said system controller, said system controller providing a preset pressure setpoint in said compliance regulator; and controlling the pressure in said actuator with said compliance regulator to bias said cutoff blade as said casting comes into contact with said cutoff blade.