Cell Programming Language Investigation of Extensions For Flow Control and Error Recovery in the Language

The Cell Programming Language (CPL) is a simple programming language which allows the students and faculty to easily program a workcell on a personal computer as the workcell controller. However, the original version of CPL lacks programming flexibility and power since it does not support subroutines, flow control, error recovery and operator interface to the execution of a CPL program. The objective of the project is to design and implement a new version of CPL to overcome the shortcomings of the original CPL by extending the language to include flow control, error recovery and operator interface to the execution of a CPL program. In this report CPL is introduced. The problems in the original CPL are addressed, the extensions to the original CPL are defined, and the implementation of the extensions is described. Some future development tasks are also discussed

Postprocesamiento CAM-ROBOTICA orientado al prototipado y mecanizado en células robotizadas complejas

The main interest of this thesis consists of the study and implementation of postprocessors to adapt the toolpath generated by a Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) system to a complex robotic workcell of eight joints, devoted to the rapid prototyping of 3D CAD-defined products. It consists of a 6R industrial manipulator mounted on a linear track and synchronized with a rotary table. To accomplish this main objective, previous work is required. Each task carried out entails a methodology, objective and partial results that complement each other, namely: - It is described the architecture of the workcell in depth, at both displacement and joint-rate levels, for both direct and inverse resolutions. The conditioning of the Jacobian matrix is described as kinetostatic performance index to evaluate the vicinity to singular postures. These ones are analysed from a geometric point of view. - Prior to any machining, the additional external joints require a calibration done in situ, usually in an industrial environment. A novel Non-contact Planar Constraint Calibration method is developed to estimate the external joints configuration parameters by means of a laser displacement sensor. - A first control is originally done by means of a fuzzy inference engine at the displacement level, which is integrated within the postprocessor of the CAM software. - Several Redundancy Resolution Schemes (RRS) at the joint-rate level are compared for the configuration of the postprocessor, dealing not only with the additional joints (intrinsic redundancy) but also with the redundancy due to the symmetry on the milling tool (functional redundancy). - The use of these schemes is optimized by adjusting two performance criterion vectors related to both singularity avoidance and maintenance of a preferred reference posture, as secondary tasks to be done during the path tracking. Two innovative fuzzy inference engines actively adjust the weight of each joint in these tasks.Andrés De La Esperanza, FJ. (2011). Postprocesamiento CAM-ROBOTICA orientado al prototipado y mecanizado en células robotizadas complejas [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/10627Palanci

PCLIPS

CLIPS is an expert system, created specifically to allow rapid implementation of an expert system. CLIPS is written in C, and thus needs a very small amount of memory to run. Parallel CLIPS (PCLIPS) is an extension to CLIPS which is intended to be used in situations where a group of expert systems are expected to run simultaneously and occasionally communicate with each other on an integrated network. PCLIPS is a coarse-grained data distribution system. Its main goal is to take information in one knowledge base and distribute it to other knowledge bases so that all the executing expert systems are able to use that knowledge to solve their disparate problems

Graphical modelling of modular machines

This research is aimed at advancing machine design through specifying and implementing (in "proof of concept" form) a set of tools which graphically model modular machines. The tools allow mechanical building elements (or machine modules) to be selected and configured together in a highly flexible manner so that operation of the chosen configuration can be simulated and performance properties evaluated. Implementation of the tools has involved an extension in capability of a proprietary robot simulation system. This research has resulted in a general approach to graphically modelling manufacturing machines built from modular elements. A focus of study has been on a decomposition of machine functionality leading to the establishment of a library of modular machine primitives. This provides a useful source of commonly required machine building elements for use by machine designers. Study has also focussed on the generation of machine configuration tools which facilitate the construction of a simulation model and ultimately the physical machine itself. Simulation aspects of machine control are also considered which depict methods of manipulating a machine model in the simulation phase. In addition methods of achieving machine programming have been considered which specify the machine and its operational tasks. Means of adopting common information data structures are also considered which can facilitate interfacing with other systems, including the physical machine system constructed as an issue of the simulation phase. Each of these study areas is addressed in its own context, but collectively they provide a means of creating a complete modular machine design environment which can provide significant assistance to machine designers. Part of the methodology employed in the study is based on the use of the discrete event simulation technique. To easily and effectively describe a modular machine and its activity in a simulation model, a hierarchical ring and tree data structure has been designed and implemented. The modularity and reconfigurability are accommodated by the data structure, and homogeneous transformations are adopted to determine the spatial location and orientation of each of the machine elements. A three-level machine task programming approach is used to describe the machine's activities. A common data format method is used to interface the machine design environment with the physical machine and other building blocks of manufacturing systems (such as CAD systems) where systems integration approaches can lead to enhanced product realisation. The study concludes that a modular machine design environment can be created by employing the graphical simulation approach together with a set of comprehensive configuration. tools. A generic framework has been derived which outlines the way in which machine design environments can be constructed and suggestions are made as to how the proof of concept design environment implemented in this study can be advanced

Off-line programming using IGRIP

AT&T\u27s FWS-200 (Flexible Work Station) has been modeled and simulated to implement Off-Line Programming (OLP). IGRIP (Interactive Graphics Robot Instruction Program) from Deneb Robotics, Inc. has been used to simulate the FWS operation. A GSL(Graphics Simulation Language) program has been used to simulate the chip placements during PCB assembly. The program leads the user through the motions of chip placement, and after the simulation run downloads the motion sequence to the FWS. The animation sequences of the FWS have been downloaded to the FWS on the Factory Floor using a C program, which is utilized to communicate the data to an M2L program on the FWS. An awk program is used to take care of the handshake protocol between the Silicon Graphics workstation running IGRIP and the 80386 PC running M2L. The use of simulation has been observed to help the user in visualizing the sequence of chip placement. OLP offers a naive user the option of running the FWS without learning M2L, and an experienced user significant savings in programming time and a testbed for optimization

A unified robotic kinematic simulation interface.

Robotic controller and application programming have evolved along with the application of computer technologies. A PC-based, open architecture controller, off-line programming and simulation system integrated in one-box solution presents the latest advancement in robotics. Open architecture controllers have been proven essential for all aspects of reconfiguration in future manufacturing systems. A Unified Reconfigurable Open Control Architecture (UROCA) research project is under way within the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) Centre at the University of Windsor. Applications are for industrial robotic, CNC, and automotive control systems. The UROCA proposed architecture is a reconfigurable system that takes the advantages of different control structure types, thereby integrating them in a way to enhance the controller architecture design. This research develops a graphical robotic simulation platform by creating an optimized object-oriented design. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .D56. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, page: 1474. Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005

Real-time control for manufacturing space shuttle main engines: Work in progress

During the manufacture of space-based assemblies such as Space Shuttle Main Engines, flexibility is required due to the high-cost and low-volume nature of the end products. Various systems have been developed pursuing the goal of adaptive, flexible manufacturing for several space applications, including an Advanced Robotic Welding System for the manufacture of complex components of the Space Shuttle Main Engines. The Advanced Robotic Welding System (AROWS) is an on-going joint effort, funded by NASA, between NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, and two divisions of Rockwell International: Rocketdyne and the Science Center. AROWS includes two levels of flexible control of both motion and process parameters: Off-line programming using both geometric and weld-process data bases, and real-time control incorporating multiple sensors during weld execution. Both control systems were implemented using conventional hardware and software architectures. The feasibility of enhancing the real-time control system using the problem-solving architecture of Schemer is investigated and described

The Design and Implementation of a Bayesian CAD Modeler for Robotic Applications

We present a Bayesian CAD modeler for robotic applications. We address the problem of taking into account the propagation of geometric uncertainties when solving inverse geometric problems. The proposed method may be seen as a generalization of constraint-based approaches in which we explicitly model geometric uncertainties. Using our methodology, a geometric constraint is expressed as a probability distribution on the system parameters and the sensor measurements, instead of a simple equality or inequality. To solve geometric problems in this framework, we propose an original resolution method able to adapt to problem complexity. Using two examples, we show how to apply our approach by providing simulation results using our modeler

Worker-robot cooperation and integration into the manufacturing workcell via the holonic control architecture

Cooperative manufacturing is a new field of research, which addresses new challenges beyond the physical safety of the worker. Those new challenges appear due to the need to connect the worker and the cobot from the informatics point of view in one cooperative workcell. This requires developing an appropriate manufacturing control system, which fits the nature of both the worker and the cobot. Furthermore, the manufacturing control system must be able to understand the production variations, to guide the cooperation between worker and the cobot and adapt with the production variations.Die kooperative Fertigung ist ein neues Forschungsgebiet, das sich neuen Herausforderungen stellt. Diese neuen Herausforderungen ergeben sich aus der Notwendigkeit, den Arbeiter und den Cobot aus der Sicht der Informatik in einem kooperativen Arbeitsplatz zu verbinden. Dies erfordert die Entwicklung eines geeigneten Produktionskontrollsystems, das sowohl der Natur des Arbeiters als auch der des Cobots entspricht. Darüber hinaus muss die Fertigungssteuerung in der Lage sein, die Produktionsschwankungen zu verstehen, um die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Arbeiter und Cobot zu steuern