Human-Centered Design of a Collaborative Robotic System for the Shoe-Polishing Process

Abstract

Demand for automated processes in the manufacturing industry is now shifting toward flexible, human-centered systems that combine productivity and high product quality, thus combining the advantages of automated and robotic systems with the high-value-added skills of operators and craftsmen. This trend is even more crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the “Made in Italy” fashion industry. The paper presents the study, simulation, and preliminary testing of a collaborative robotic system for shoe polishing that can reduce manual labor by limiting it to the finishing stage of the process, where the aesthetic result is fully achieved, with a benefit also in terms of ergonomics for the operator. The influence of process parameters and design solutions are discussed by presenting preliminary test results and providing hints for future developments.

Human-Centric Digital Twins in Industry: A Comprehensive Review of Enabling Technologies and Implementation Strategies

“…Proposed Idea [61] 2022 Openpose DDPG Using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DDPG) for motion planning with Openpose and Semantic Segmentation for human intent and task prediction in a collaborative assembly-commissioning with an automotive generator as a case study [132] 2021 D-DDPG Presented a DT-based HRC assembly framework integrating all kinds of data from digital twin spaces. Double deep deterministic policy gradient (D-DDPG) is applied to optimize HRC strategy and action sequence [133] 2022 Siemens Tecnomatix, CAM NX Human-centered design of DT-assisted collaborative shoe polishing, simulated on Tecnomatix, using a novel polishing tool controlled by CAM NX on a UR5 robot [134] 2021 Java Implementing a DT-driven smart manufacturing workshop to optimize mass customization for increased flexibility…”