Manufacturing system and method
A manufacturing system includes: a coordinate positioning machine having a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume, and a positioning arrangement for determining the position of the structure within the working volume with a first accuracy; and a metrology arrangement to which the machine is removably couplable, such that when the machine is coupled to the metrology arrangement, with the structure being moved by the drive arrangement, the metrology arrangement is able to measure the position of the structure with a second accuracy that is higher than the first accuracy.
1. A manufacturing system for performing a manufacturing method, the system comprising:
a coordinate positioning machine having a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume, and a positioning arrangement for determining a position of the structure within the working volume during a first operation of the manufacturing method with a first accuracy; and
a metrology arrangement to which the machine is removably couplable for a second operation of the manufacturing method, such that when the machine is coupled to the metrology arrangement for the second operation, with the structure being moved by the drive arrangement, the metrology arrangement is able to measure the position of the structure during the second operation with a second accuracy that is higher than the first accuracy, wherein the machine is controlled during the second operation based on positional data from the metrology arrangement.
2. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the machine is coupled to the metrology arrangement a predetermined zone is defined within the working volume in which the metrology arrangement is able to measure the position of the structure with the second accuracy.
3. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 2 , comprising a plurality of metrology arrangements around the working volume, defining a plurality of corresponding respective zones within the working volume.
4. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises a plurality of segments connected in series by motorised joints.
5. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the machine is a robot arm.
6. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the positioning arrangement comprises a plurality of measurement transducers in a serial arrangement for providing a corresponding respective plurality of measurements from which the position of the structure is determinable with the first accuracy.
7. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metrology arrangement comprises a plurality of measurement transducers in a parallel arrangement for providing a corresponding respective plurality of measurements from which the position of the structure is determinable with the second accuracy.
8. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the metrology arrangement comprises six such measurement transducers.
9. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metrology arrangement is a hexapod metrology arrangement and/or the metrology arrangement is a passive metrology arrangement; and/or the metrology arrangement is able to measure the position of the structure in six degrees of freedom.
10. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the machine is a robot arm and/or is operable to perform at least one of the following types of operation with the machine also coupled to the metrology arrangement: a measurement operation, a probing operation, a machining operation, a gripping operation, a drilling operation, a painting operation, a pick and place operation, and a gluing operation.
11. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the machine is couplable to at least one tool with the machine also coupled to the metrology arrangement.
12. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the machine comprises a coupling which enables it to be coupled to the at least one tool and to the metrology arrangement at the same time.
13. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the machine is coupled to the at least one tool.
14. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one tool comprises at least one of a measurement probe, a gripper, a drilling tool, a welding tool, a gluing tool, and a painting tool.
15. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one tool is provided as an integral part of the metrology arrangement.
16. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metrology arrangement is not coupled to the machine only for calibrating the machine in advance of the machine being put into operational use.
17. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the metrology arrangement becomes part of the machine during operational use of the machine.
18. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling is a physical coupling and/or a mechanical coupling and/or an automated coupling.
19. The manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling between the machine and the metrology arrangement is a kinematic or pseudo-kinematic coupling.
20. The manufacturing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a machine controller operable to perform a method comprising:
performing the first operation with the machine uncoupled from the metrology arrangement;
determining the position of the structure during the first operation using the positioning arrangement of the machine;
coupling the machine to the metrology arrangement;
performing the second operation with the machine coupled to the metrology arrangement;
measuring the position of the structure during the second operation using the metrology arrangement; and
decoupling the machine from the metrology arrangement.
21. A method of controlling the manufacturing system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
performing the first operation with the machine uncoupled from the metrology arrangement;
determining the position of the structure during the first operation using the positioning arrangement of the machine;
coupling the machine to the metrology arrangement;
performing the second operation with the machine coupled to the metrology arrangement;
measuring the position of the structure during the second operation using the metrology arrangement; and
decoupling the machine from the metrology arrangement.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein when the machine is coupled to the metrology arrangement a predetermined zone is defined within the working volume in which the metrology arrangement is able to measure the position of the structure with the second accuracy, and the first operation is performed outside the zone and the second operation is performed inside the zone.
23. The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the first operation comprises moving the machine from another such zone.
24. The method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the second operation comprises at least one of: a measurement operation, a probing operation, a machining operation, a drilling operation and a gluing operation.
25. The method as claimed in claim 21 , comprising removably coupling the machine to a tool required for the second operation.
26. A computer-readable medium having stored therein computer program instructions for controlling a manufacturing system controller to perform the method as claimed in claim 21 .
27. The method as claimed in claim 21 , comprising removably coupling the machine to a tool required for the second operation prior to coupling to the metrology arrangement.