High‐level robot programming based on CAD: dealing with unpredictable environments

Abstract

Abstract:Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to present a CAD-based human-robot interface that allows non-expert users to teach a robot in a manner similar to that used by humans to teach each other. Another important issue addressed here has to do with how robots deal with uncertainty.Design/methodology/approach -Intuitive robot programming is achieved by using CAD drawings to generate robot programs off-line. Sensory feedback allows minimization of the effects of uncertainty, providing information to adjust the robot paths during robot operation.Findings -It was found that it is possible to generate a robot program from a common CAD drawing and run it without any major concerns about calibration or CAD model accuracy.Research limitations/implications -A limitation of the proposed system has to do with the fact that it was designed to be used for particular technological applications.Practical implications -Since today most of the manufacturing companies have CAD packages in their facilities, CAD-based robot programming may be a good option to program robots without the need for skilled robot programmers.Originality/value -A new CAD-based robot programming system is proposed. Robot programs are directly generated from a CAD drawing "running" on a commonly available 3D CAD package and not from a commercial computer aided robotics software, making it a simple CAD integrated solution. This is a low-cost and low-setup time system where no advanced robot programming skills are required to operate it.

New marker for real-time industrial robot programming by motion imitation

“…With a shorter scope, on motion and task demonstrations and industrial robot interface, there are still a number of contributions to consider: CAD based programming, such as in [1] and [2], where the user interacts with a simulated environment in order to draw the robot paths; gesture and voice recognition, [3] and [4] , where the robot is pre-programmed and the gestures are used to deploy actions. In more similar approaches to the work of this contributions there is the vast work of R. Dillman, using stereo vision and a data glove [5] for tracking, and adding tactile sensors for grasp recognition [6] and [7].…”

“…This work is also part of the project "NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000060" which is financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON. 2 …”

An Offline Programming Method for the Robotic Deburring of Aerospace Components

“…CAD-based OffLine Programming (OLP) is a state-of-the-art alternative (e.g. [18,19,20]), usually faster but must be pursued by a CAD expert rather than a process expert; it is based on perfect geometries of either machining part, robot and the whole cell, so they require an additional real parameters tuning using different information sources. Among the OLP approaches offered on the market, one of the most interesting opportunity is given by touch probes and measuring arms (digitizers), able to generate a robot work path from a physical sample part, instead of a CAD model, not always available.…”

Virtual environment in control and programming system for reconfigurable machining robot

“…The state-of-the-art robot programming methods in machining applications are tedious and timeconsuming tasks that require technical expertise. As stated in [7] robot programming represents the main obstacle for utilization of robots in machining applications, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Finding skilled workers capable of operating with machining robots is the main difficulty for SMEs.…”