Robotic System for Precision Assembly of NIF Ignition Targets

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the design and testing of a robotic system developed for assembling the inertial confinement fusion ignition targets (depicted in Figures 1 and 2) that will be fielded on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser [1]. The system, referred to as the Final Assembly Machine and shown in Figure 3, consists of six groups of stacked axes that allow manipulating millimeter-sized components with submicron precision, integrated with an optical coordinate measuring machine (OCMM) that provides in-situ metrology. Nineteen motorized axes and ten manual axes are used to control the position and orientation of five objects that are predominantly assembled together in a cubic centimeter work zone. An operator-in-the-loop provides top-level control of the system, making it more similar to a surgical robot than to a programmed computer-controlled machine tool. The operator is provided visual feedback by the vision system of the OCMM, and tactile feedback by force and torque sensors embedded in the tooling that holds the major components being assembled. The vision system is augmented with auxiliary mirrors providing multiple viewing directions, and is used to guide the approach and alignment of the components, and to measure the relative position and orientation of the components. The force and torque sensors are used to guide the final approach, alignment, and mating of the components that are designed to slip-fit together, and to monitor that mating while adhesively bonding those components and attaching the target base.