SBIR-STTR Award

Accelerator cells for the Next Linear Collider come in families of 200 different, but similar looking parts with tolerances varying from 50 microns down to 0.5 microns at different stages in their manufacturing cycle. A total of 2,000,000 cells or 10,000 of each type need to be built. Speed and repeatability associated with automated handling is essential; yet, the automated systems must be capable of comparable accuracy and precision and able to keep track of which part is being handled. This project will develop a system to hold, transport, and inventory these accelerator cells, including the necessary carts and pallets as well as robots that will take parts from the carts and load and unload the different machines used for cell fabrication. Phase I will develop technology for handling the soft machined copper accelerator cells, explore the use of machine vision to achieve the required accuracy for placement of the parts in precision fabrication machines, and build an automated system for loading and unloading a pallet of accelerator cells in a precision machining center. Phase II will build a cart for handling and transporting accelerator cells and develop the automation technology for interfacing this machine cart with a diamond turning machine.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The DOE national laboratories would require about 24 of these machines to manufacture the two million accelerator cells for the Next Linear Collider. Commercial applications also exist in the high volume, high precision manufacture of parts for the disk and tape drive industries; the aerospace, automotive, optical, and medical industries; as well as for the alignment and assembly of components in the electronic and telecommunication industries.

Accelerator cells for the Next Linear Collider come in families of 200 different, but similar looking parts with tolerances varying from.5 to 50 microns. A total of 2,000,000 cells or 10,000 of each type need to be manufactured. Speed and repeatability associated with automated part handling is essential, and the automated robotic systems must be capable of comparable accuracy and precision. Some device or technique is also required for storing, transporting, and maintaining the pedigree of each part. This project will design and build an automated cart and pallets for the transport and inventory of accelerator cells while maintaining their pedigree between the various manufacturing processes. A vision guided robot will also be designed for transferring the accelerator cells between the carts, pallets, the precision machining center, and the diamond turning machines used for their fabrication. Phase I explored the problems of handling the soft copper accelerator cells and difficulties associated with the accurate pick and placement of the parts in a precision machining center. A vision guided robotic system was built for loading and unloading a pallet of accelerator cells for use in a precision machining center. In Phase II, a “smart cart” will be built to transport and inventory a family of 200 accelerator cells that have been loaded onto four pallets, identical to the pallet built in Phase I. The Phase I robot will be retrofitted to load and unload the precision machining center from the “smart cart” and transfer parts from the same cart into an automated diamond turning machining. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by awardee: The type of precision machinery being developed should have applicability in the automotive, aerospace, telecommunication, micro-photonic, and electro-optic industries. Customers that purchase either a machining center similar or a diamond turning machine should be candidates to purchase the automated part loading and unloading vision guided robotic system.