Automated-modular-fixture-planning-based-on-linkage-mechanism-theory文档.pdf

ARTICLE IN PRESS Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 24 (2008) 38–49 /locate/rcim Automated modular fixture planning based on linkage mechanism theory Yuguang Wua,b, Shuming Gaoa,, Zichen Chenc aState Key Laboratory of CADCG, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China bSchool of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213022, PR China cInstitute of Advanced manufacturing engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China Received 23 July 2004; received in revised form 28 April 2006; accepted 27 June 2006 Abstract A new approach to automated modular fixture planning is presented. The approach identifies all the location plan candidates of a workpiece using linkage mechanism theory and excludes the infeasible location plan candidates by evaluating their accessibility and fixturability. The algorithms for analyzing accessibility and fixturability and generating feasible clamp positions of a fixture plan are developed based on several new concepts including IRC triangle, locator visible cone, etc. The approach is capable of handling the workpiece whose side clamping faces consist of planar faces or cylindrical faces. To illustrate the effect of the approach, some test results are described. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Automated fixture planning; Clamping analysis; Linkage mechanism; Modular fixture 1. Introduction almost impossible