This document discusses how robotic flexibility can provide financial benefits for businesses. Flexible robotic systems can adapt to engineering changes, reduce costs from custom fixtures, and improve quality by eliminating human errors. The key to achieving flexibility is giving robots the ability to sense their environment and grasp a variety of objects using adaptive grippers. Examples presented include a kitting application where a robot packs different parts into kits, machine tending where a robot loads and unloads a machine, and sorting applications where a robot organizes parts into bins.
6. « Everybody’sbiggestfear about automation is to invest large amount of money on equipmentthatwillbeuseless in 3 years. » - Integrator Proposal Engineer
7. Flexibility in Robotic Handling = $ Potential benefits: Roboticcell can evolve with product and demand Reduce cost and reaction time to engineering changes Improve quality, reduce rejected parts Reduce significantly fixture cost and complexity Reduce low value-adding labour Eliminate health, safety and ergonomic issues Eliminate equipment overhead cost caused by humans close to robots
10. The Robotiq Adaptive Gripper Grasp any object with simplicity. [see videos on robotiq.com]
11. The Robotiq Adaptive Gripper 1 part Few different parts 10s-100s different parts
12. The Demo : Kitting Application http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YPwiwB-B4U Part 1 Robot & Gripper Packing or assembly Part 2 Parts kit Part ... Part n
13. Example: Machine Tending Part 1 Costly machine (welding, laser cutting, machining...) Robot & Gripper Part 2 Rack, jig Part ... Part n
This presentation was prepared for the 2010 Automation Rendez-Vous, in Montreal. Presents proof of concept application done by Yaskawa Motoman and Robotiq. Installed 2 Adaptive Grippers on a Dual Arm and did a kitting application of different parts. We wanted to explore flexibility in robotic manipulation.
Flexibility means being able to adapt to change In industrial settings Engineering changes Demand Part defects How to quantify and justify flexibility in industry?
Flexibility means being able to adapt to change In industrial settings Engineering changes Demand Part defects How to quantify and justify flexibility in industry?
3 components are needed: Sense, gather information (vision system, force sensor, etc.) Think, using known and sensed information (software and information system) Act (manipulator, gripper, mobility, etc.) Can distribute complexity among the 3. As roboticists, we must deal with the complexity. Must be simple for the end user. In our demo, we present only the “act” part and show how the hardware used can handle complexity.
Superior dexterity and best-in-class wrist characteristics make slim, dual-arm robot ideally suited for assembly, part transfer, machine tending, packaging and other handling tasks that formerly could only be done by people. Highly flexible; 15 axes of motion (7 axes per arm, plus a single axis for base rotation). Internally routed cables and hoses (6 - air, 12 - electric) reduce interference and maintenance, and also make programming easier. 10 kg (22.1 lb) payload per arm; 720 mm (28.3") horizontal reach per arm; 1,440 mm (56.7") vertical reach per arm; ±0.1 mm (0.004") repeatability. Both robot arms can work together on one task to double the payload or handle heavy, unwieldy objects. Two manipulators can perform simultaneous independent operations. Ability to hold part with one arm while performing operations on it with other arm. Can transfer a part from one arm to the other with no need to set part down.
Wanted to show how a high variety of parts could be grasped by two arms equipped with dextrous grippers. The fact that the robot has two arms enable Wide range of object sizes Possibility to change object orientation from one gripper to the other if needed Objects layed on the table approximately at known position Kitting here of a final product. Application also found in manufacturing, kits are made and sent to another cell were it is assembled. No vision or force sensors used. Again only the “Act” part of flexible automation is presented. Vision could have easily be added Ideal applications for this hardware in industrial automation have high mix and low volume. Examples of application are: Machine tending Jig feeding Part transfer Sorting