An approach to enhancing the intelligence of a three-fingered automated flexible fixturing system by using adaptive control theory
A new approach to clamping workpieces for the machining process has been developed. The new approach is based on the identification of the workpiece stiffness, during the machining process, which enables the fixturing system to determine whether the clamping force should be changed. Using this approach, a three-fingered intelligent automated flexible fixturing system for planar objects has been successfully designed and implemented. The conventional and traditional clamping methods use a hydraulic vise to clamp workpieces with a fixed amount of clamping forces. This often causes the workpieces to deform under such force, thus contributing to machining error. It is therefore desirable to control the clamping force according to the progress of the machining process. The implementation of this approach to the three-fingered automated flexible fixturing system enhances the system's ability to achieve intelligent clamping force control and deal with abnormal machining, thus making the system intelligent. A thin ring-shaped workpiece was successfully used as an example to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of this approach. It also demonstrates that the developed system can be used in the highly automated manufacturing system of the future. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
clamping force control intelligent fixturing system adaptive control system intelligence of system