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- Hedelind, Mikael, 1981-
(författare)
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Realization of Flexible and Reconfigurable Industrial Robot Automation
- 2008
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Today’s global market and tough competition between companies requires the development of increasingly productive production systems. Companies, struggling to become more competitive, use different advanced manufacturing technologies, such as industrial robotics. They seek higher productivity, consistent quality, and the removal of ergonomically unsound manual workstations. However, according to the general trends in the manufacturing industry, there is a need to implement production solutions that are flexible enough to handle a business environment exposed to frequent changes in production operations and product designs. The objective of the research presented in this thesis is to analyse how to support the design and implementation of flexible and reconfigurable industrial robot automation.This research is based on three case studies, carried out over a four-year time period. The researcher/author has been a participant in the projects studied. The first case study aimed at developing a flexible robotic working cell, and succeeded. However, although the cell was flexible enough to handle a wide variety of components, there were limitations on how easy it was to reconfigure the cell, i.e. change the operations performed in the cell and the layout of the cell. The second case study investigated how to design robotic working cells so that the cell is easy to reconfigure when there is a need to implement changes. Finally, the third case study focused on software support, with the main focus on enabling the user to rapidly introduce changes into a robotic working cell.As a result of the case studies, enablers for how to realize flexible and reconfigurable robotic working cells have been identified. In addition, the need for software support has been investigated, and a prototype of a supportive software tool has been developed.
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| 2. |
- Alhusin Alkhdur, Abdullah, 1980-
(författare)
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Toward a Sustainable Human-Robot Collaborative Production Environment
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This PhD study aimed to address the sustainability issues of the robotic systems from the environmental and social aspects. During the research, three approaches were developed: the first one an online programming-free model-driven system that utilises web-based distributed human-robot collaboration architecture to perform distant assembly operations. It uses a robot-mounted camera to capture the silhouettes of the components from different angles. Then the system analyses those silhouettes and constructs the corresponding 3D models.Using the 3D models together with the model of a robotic assembly cell, the system guides a distant human operator to assemble the real components in the actual robotic cell. To satisfy the safety aspect of the human-robot collaboration, a second approach has been developed for effective online collision avoidance in an augmented environment, where virtual three-dimensional (3D) models of robots and real images of human operators from depth cameras are used for monitoring and collision detection. A prototype system is developed and linked to industrial robot controllers for adaptive robot control, without the need of programming by the operators. The result of collision detection reveals four safety strategies: the system can alert an operator, stop a robot, move away the robot, or modify the robot’s trajectory away from an approaching operator. These strategies can be activated based on the operator’s location with respect to the robot. The case study of the research further discusses the possibility of implementing the developed method in realistic applications, for example, collaboration between robots and humans in an assembly line.To tackle the energy aspect of the sustainability for the human-robot production environment, a third approach has been developed which aims to minimise the robot energy consumption during assembly. Given a trajectory and based on the inverse kinematics and dynamics of a robot, a set of attainable configurations for the robot can be determined, perused by calculating the suitable forces and torques on the joints and links of the robot. The energy consumption is then calculated for each configuration and based on the assigned trajectory. The ones with the lowest energy consumption are selected.
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| 3. |
- De Backer, Jeroen, 1987-
(författare)
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Robotic Friction Stir Welding for Flexible Production
- 2012
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a modern welding process that joins materials by frictional heat, generated by a rotating tool. Unlike other welding processes, the material never melts, which is beneficial for the weld properties. FSW is already widely adopted in several industries but the applications are limited to simple geometries like straight lines or circular welds, mostly in aluminium. The welding operation is performed by rigid FSW machines, which deliver excellent welds but puts limitations on the system in terms of flexibility and joint geometries. Therefore, several research groups are working on the implementation of the FSW process on industrial robots. A robot allows welding of three-dimensional geometries and increases the flexibility of the whole system. The high process forces required for FSW, in combination with the limited stiffness of the robot brings some extra complexity to the system. The limitations of the robot system are addressed in this licentiate thesis.One part of the thesis studies the effect of robot deflections on the weld quality. A sensor-based solution is presented that measures the path deviation and compensates this deviation by modifying the robot trajectory. The tool deviation is reduced to an acceptable tolerance and root defects in the weld are hereby eliminated. The sensor-based method provided better process understanding, leading to a new strategy that uses existing force-feedback for path compensations of the tool. This method avoids extra sensors and makes the system less complex. Another part of this work focuses on the extra complexity to maintain a stable welding process on more advanced geometries. A model is presented that allows control of the heat input in the process by control of the downforce. Finally, the robot’s limitations in terms of maximal hardness of the materials to be welded are investigated. Parameter tuning and implementation of preheating are proposed to allow robotic FSW of superalloys.
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| 4. |
- Ratanathavorn, Wallop
(författare)
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Dissimilar joining of aluminium to ultra-high strength steels by friction stir welding
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Multi-material structures are increasingly used in vehicle bodies to reduce weight of cars. The use of these lightweight structures is driven by requirements to improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. The automotive industry has replaced conventional steel components by lighter metals such as aluminium alloy. This is done together with cutting weight of structures using more advanced strength steels. However, sound joining is still difficult to achieve due to differences in chemical and thermal properties. This research aims to develop a new innovative welding technique for joining aluminium alloy to ultra-high strength steels. The technique is based on friction stir welding process while the non-consumable tool is made of an ordinary tool steel. Welding was done by penetrating the rotating tool from the aluminium side without penetrating into the steel surface. One grade of Al-Mg aluminium alloy was welded to ultra-high strength steels under lap joint configuration. Different types of steel surface coatings including uncoated, hot-dipped galvanised and electrogalvanised coating have been studied in order to investigate the influence of zinc on the joint properties. The correlation among welding parameters, microstructures, intermetallic formation and mechanical properties are demonstrated in this thesis. Results have shown that friction stir welding can deliver fully strong joints between aluminium alloy and ultra-high strength steels. Two intermetallic phases, Al5Fe2 and Al13Fe4, were formed at the interface of Al to Fe regardless of surface coating conditions. The presence of zinc can improve joint strength especially at low heat input welding due to an increased atomic bonding at Al-Fe interface. The formation of intermetallic phases as well as their characteristics has been demonstrated in this thesis. The proposed welding mechanisms are given based on metallography investigations and related literature.
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