Automatic generation of robot and manual assembly plans using octrees

This paper aims to investigate automatic assembly planning for robot and manual assembly. The octree decomposition technique is applied to approximate CAD models with an octree representation which are then used to generate robot and manual assembly plans. An assembly planning system able to generate assembly plans was developed to build these prototype models. Octree decomposition is an effective assembly planning tool. Assembly plans can automatically be generated for robot and manual assembly using octree models. Research limitations/implications - One disadvantage of the octree decomposition technique is that it approximates a part model with cubes instead of using the actual model. This limits its use and applications when complex assemblies must be planned, but in the context of prototyping can allow a rough component to be formed which can later be finished by hand. Assembly plans can be generated using octree decomposition, however, new algorithms must be developed to overcome its limitations

London SynEx Demonstrator Site: Impact Assessment Report

The key ingredients of the SynEx-UCL software components are: 1. A comprehensive and federated electronic healthcare record that can be used to reference or to store all of the necessary healthcare information acquired from a diverse range of clinical databases and patient-held devices. 2. A directory service component to provide a core persons demographic database to search for and authenticate staff users of the system and to anchor patient identification and connection to their federated healthcare record. 3. A clinical record schema management tool (Object Dictionary Client) that enables clinicians or engineers to define and export the data sets mapping to individual feeder systems. 4. An expansible set of clinical management algorithms that provide prompts to the patient or clinician to assist in the management of patient care. CHIME has built up over a decade of experience within Europe on the requirements and information models that are needed to underpin comprehensive multiprofessional electronic healthcare records. The resulting architecture models have influenced new European standards in this area, and CHIME has designed and built prototype EHCR components based on these models. The demonstrator systems described here utilise a directory service and object-oriented engineering approach, and support the secure, mobile and distributed access to federated healthcare records via web-based services. The design and implementation of these software components has been founded on a thorough analysis of the clinical, technical and ethico-legal requirements for comprehensive EHCR systems, published through previous project deliverables and in future planned papers. The clinical demonstrator site described in this report has provided the solid basis from which to establish "proof of concept" verification of the design approach, and a valuable opportunity to install, test and evaluate the results of the component engineering undertaken during the EC funded project. Inevitably, a number of practical implementation and deployment obstacles have been overcome through this journey, each of those having contributed to the time taken to deliver the components but also to the richness of the end products. UCL is fortunate that the Whittington Hospital, and the department of cardiovascular medicine in particular, is committed to a long-term vision built around this work. That vision, outlined within this report, is shared by the Camden and Islington Health Authority and by many other purchaser and provider organisations in the area, and by a number of industrial parties. They are collectively determined to support the Demonstrator Site as an ongoing project well beyond the life of the EC SynEx Project. This report, although a final report as far as the EC project is concerned, is really a description of the first phase in establishing a centre of healthcare excellence. New EC Fifth Framework project funding has already been approved to enable new and innovative technology solutions to be added to the work already established in north London

Autonomous Navigation for Unmanned Aerial Systems - Visual Perception and Motion Planning

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

A Flexible and Robust Vision Trap for Automated Part Feeder Design

Fast, robust, and flexible part feeding is essential for enabling automation of low volume, high variance assembly tasks. An actuated vision-based solution on a traditional vibratory feeder, referred to here as a vision trap, should in principle be able to meet these demands for a wide range of parts. However, in practice, the flexibility of such a trap is limited as an expert is needed to both identify manageable tasks and to configure the vision system. We propose a novel approach to vision trap design in which the identification of manageable tasks is automatic and the configuration of these tasks can be delegated to an automated feeder design system. We show that the trap's capabilities can be formalized in such a way that it integrates seamlessly into the ecosystem of automated feeder design. Our results on six canonical parts show great promise for autonomous configuration of feeder systems.Comment: IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2022

Assembly Line

An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product in the fastest possible way. It is a flow-oriented production system where the productive units performing the operations, referred to as stations, are aligned in a serial manner. The present edited book is a collection of 12 chapters written by experts and well-known professionals of the field. The volume is organized in three parts according to the last research works in assembly line subject. The first part of the book is devoted to the assembly line balancing problem. It includes chapters dealing with different problems of ALBP. In the second part of the book some optimization problems in assembly line structure are considered. In many situations there are several contradictory goals that have to be satisfied simultaneously. The third part of the book deals with testing problems in assembly line. This section gives an overview on new trends, techniques and methodologies for testing the quality of a product at the end of the assembling line

Aerodynamic Feeding 4.0: A New Concept for Flexible Part Feeding

In modern production environments, the need for flexible handling systems constantly increases due to increasing uncertainties, shorter product life cycles and higher cost pressure. Part feeding systems are vital to modern handling systems, but conventional solutions are often characterized by low flexibility, high retooling times, and complex design. Therefore, in previous research, multiple approaches towards aerodynamic feeding technology were developed. Using air instead of mechanical chicanes to manipulate workpieces, aerodynamic feeding systems can achieve high feeding rates while at the same time being very flexible and reliable. Still, the complexity of the workpieces that can be oriented relies on the number of aerodynamic actuators used in the system. Previously developed systems either used one nozzle with a constant air jet or one nozzle and an air cushion, allowing a maximum of two orientation changes. This work presents a new concept for an aerodynamic feeding system with higher flexibility (with regard to the workpiece geometry) and drastically reduced retooling times compared to conventional feeding systems. In contrast to previous implementations of aerodynamic feeding systems, using only one air nozzle or an air cushion, the new concept uses multiple, individually controllable air nozzles. Using a simulation-based approach, the orientation process is divided into several basic rotations - from a random initial orientation to the desired end orientation - each performed by a distinct nozzle. An optimization algorithm is then used to determine an optimal layout of the air nozzles, enabling the feeding system to feed any desired workpiece, regardless of the initial orientation. With the proposed concept, high flexibility, low retooling times and relatively low costs are expected, setting up aerodynamic feeding as an enabler for changeable production environments

The Use of a Factory Simulation to Evaluate a Flexible Control Structure for Integrated Manufacturing

Once a control structure for an integrated manufacturing system is decided upon, manufacturing activities are limited by that structure. A flexible control structure is presented as an approach for accommodating a variety of manufacturing activities, without being limited to a single control structure. A flexible control structure is one that allows multiple types of control structure in the manufacturing process. For example, both hierarchical and non-hierarchical structures may be used in a flexible structure. The properties of a flexible control structure are discussed from the point of view of graph theory. Control structures for automated manufacturing are difficult to evaluate without actually setting up a pilot production system. Since this is often not possible for reasons of expense or equipment availability, it would be advantageous to be able to simulate alternative control structures for their various characteristics. In this research, flexible control is demonstrated with a factory simulation of an automated on-line/post-process inspection system. Factory simulations present special problems when used for evaluation purposes. An approach to using a factory simulation is developed, and alternative control structures are evaluated with respect to their fault tolerance characteristics. The results of this research indicate that flexible control may be cost effective when a large variety of manufacturing activities must be accommodated, but further research is needed to confirm precisely how wide a range and what types of activities would justify this approach