Robotic Window Assembly – A Simulation Study and a Proposed Self-Adaptive Software Architecture

Abstract

The key driving factors in using humans and robots in collaborative applications for assembly processes are to reduce assembly time, cost and to improve the human working environment from an ergonomic viewpoint. Currently, there are limited automated procedures in assembly operations in house construction because the traditional type of assembly process depends entirely on manpower. This is common in the assembly process in different industries since assembly is one of the most demanding and intense manufacturing processes, and it is difficult to automate. This paper presents a case study on the implementation of human-robot collaboration for window assembly by way of an offline robot programming simulation. A self-adaptive software architecture that runs on a real-time target machine is also proposed for robotic window assembly. The window assembly method that will be used in this study is called “Click-In” and is manufactured by Fixture System Sweden AB. Apart from robot simulations, detailed suggestions are given for building a pilot cell for robot window assembly. The case study presented in this paper has both economical and ergonomic goals. The economic goal is to reduce the assembly time which will lead to an increase in window production. By introducing human-robot collaboration, operators do not need to perform uncomfortable assembly operations—rather the robot will perform these un-ergonomic operations. The feasibility of both goals is verified with offline robot programming simulation.