A self-adaptive alignment strategy for large components based on dynamic compliance center

Purpose: Aiming at the problems of geometric precision misalignment and unconsidered physical constraints between large components during the measurement-assisted assembly, a self-adaptive alignment strategy based on the dynamic compliance center (DCC) is proposed in this paper, using force information to guide alignment compliantly. Design/methodology/approach: First, the self-adaptive alignment process of large components is described, and its geometrical and mechanical characteristics are analyzed based on six-dimensional force/torque (F/T). The setting method of DCC is studied and the areas of DCC are given. Second, the self-adaptive alignment platform of large components driven by the measured six-dimensional F/T is constructed. Based on this platform, the key supporting technologies, including principle of self-adaptive alignment, coordinate transfer, calculation of six-dimensional F/T and alignment process control, are illustrated. Findings: Using the presented strategy, the position and orientation of large component is adjusted adaptively responding to measured six-dimensional F/T and the changes of contact states are consistent with the strategy. Through the setting of DCC, alignment process runs smoothly without jamming. Practical implications: This strategy is applied to the alignment experiment of large components muff coupling. The experimental results show that the proposed alignment strategy is correct and effective and meets the real-time requirement. Originality/value: This paper proposed a novel way to apply force information in large component self-adaptive alignment, and the setting method of DCC was presented to make the alignment process more feasible.