On a system of understanding illustrative diagrams in an assembly manual

Abstract

This paper presents a system of understanding illustrations in an assembly manual. The system will be applied to a robot specialized to assemble machines automatically. In an assembly manual, illustrations are usually drawn following the order of assembling operations. Sometimes, in an illustration only one assembly relation is shown. At other times, more than one assembly relations are shown in an illustration. Nevertheless, a new “structure” can always be generated from an illustration. The generated “structure” will appear in the next illustration as a particular mechanical part. Therefore, the generated “structure” from the last illustration is the desired machine. Based on the above features of the illustrations in an assembly manual, this system first conjectures the generated “structure” from an illustration, and then understands the next illustration. The system is composed of a central unit and an outside control equipment. Within the central unit, the methods of obtaining assembling information from an illustrations are provided. And the outside control equipment is used to decide how to go on to the next illustration.