Meta-learning enhanced adaptive robot control strategy for automated PCB assembly

The assembly of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is one of the standard processes in chip production, directly contributing to the quality and performance of the chips. In the automated PCB assembly process, machine vision and coordinate localization methods are commonly employed to guide the positioning of assembly units. However, occlusion or poor lighting conditions can affect the effectiveness of machine vision-based methods. Additionally, the assembly of odd-form components requires highly specialized fixtures for assembly unit positioning, leading to high costs and low flexibility, especially for multi-variety and small-batch production. Drawing on these considerations, a vision-free, model-agnostic meta-method for compensating robotic position errors is proposed, which maximizes the probability of accurate robotic positioning through interactive feedback, thereby reducing the dependency on visual feedback and mitigating the impact of occlusions or lighting variations. The proposed method endows the robot with the capability to learn and adapt to various position errors, inspired by the human instinct for grasping under uncertainties. Furthermore, it is a self-adaptive method that can accelerate the robotic positioning process as more examples are incorporated and learned. Empirical studies show that the proposed method can handle a variety of odd-form components without relying on specialized fixtures, while achieving similar assembly efficiency to highly dedicated automation equipment. As of the writing of this paper, the proposed meta-method has already been implemented in a robotic-based assembly line for odd-form electronic components. Since PCB assembly involves various electronic components with different sizes, shapes, and functions, subsequent studies can focus on assembly sequence and assembly route optimization to further enhance assembly efficiency.