Fontys Hogeschool Engineering in Eindhoven is receiving funding from Regieorgaan SIA for a research project focused on adaptive robotics and human-robot interaction in high mix low volume high complexity manufacturing processes. The research called '(G)a Nut On' was set up by Henk Kiela of Fontys.
New systems are needed to respond to changing mass manufacturing in the (SME) manufacturing industry. It is important that humans and robots can work together within these systems and quickly adapt to new production conditions with low start-up costs. The main goal of '(G)a Nut On' is to make the reconfiguration of a robot system for a new task in a production environment as simple as possible; as simple as 'using a smartphone'. The focus here, after input from SME partners involved, is on a repetitive production operation that is common in many industries and takes a relatively large amount of labour time: screwing nuts and bolts into an object. Some 20 (teacher) researchers and 80 students will be involved.
Boutmontagerobot
The central research question of the project is: 'How can an operator easily, quickly and safely teach a robot to perform assembly operations to quickly and robustly connect bolts, nuts and washers to objects?'
"We have been looking at how we can use robotisation to take routine work off employees' hands for some time," says Henk Kiela, initiator of the project. "One observation was that inserting nuts and bolts takes a relatively long time. Building on previous projects (e.g. bin-picking), we are going to see if we can speed up this process through robotisation."
The result of this hands-on research project is a design methodology for setting up a user-friendly user interface of a bolt assembly robot on the shop floor. Through clever use of integrated deployment of CAD product information, vision technology and compliant (compliant) gripping and placing, the robot is automatically pre-configured as much as possible. "We exploit routine and robot technology but the role of the operator remains important. The craftsman can do something else in the time freed up. So it should also definitely contribute to maintaining and improving jobs in the manufacturing industry."
Demonstration model
The research builds on existing systems and software. In two years' time, the project group hopes to present a demonstrator that can automatically place farmers and nuts in a compound by means of a CAD drawing, preferably within companies. "With this project, we are trying to do two things: work on questions that industry has demand for and put existing things together in such a way that a new step is created. So it has a strong applied character."
SIA is funding the project with the RAAK SME scheme. The aim of this scheme is to promote knowledge exchange between universities of applied sciences and SMEs to increase the innovative capacity of SMEs.
"In its assessment, SIA looks, among other things, at the questions posed by industry, whether there is sufficient depth and breadth in the plan, whether there is sufficient knowledge from pre-projects and, of course, whether it has sufficient impact for higher education."
Fontys is conducting the research with three other universities of applied sciences ('all with a network in the manufacturing industry'), other knowledge institutions, industry associations, the municipality of Eindhoven and a number of SMEs. Among them are Van Beek B.V. and Smart Robotics. Kiela calls on all companies that are interested in the project or think they can contribute something, to come forward. "There is no exclusivity, we are big believers in sharing knowledge. In April, we will hold consortium day where anyone interested can learn about the project."
By: Kelly Bakker
Source: www.fontys.nl
Photos: Pixabay
