Modelling and Simulation of a Manipulator with Stable Viscoelastic Grasping Incorporating Friction

Design, dynamics and control of a humanoid robotic hand based on anthropological dimensions, with joint friction, is modelled, simulated and analysed in this paper by using computer aided design and multibody dynamic simulation. Combined joint friction model is incorporated in the joints. Experimental values of coefficient of friction of grease lubricated sliding contacts representative of manipulator joints are presented. Human fingers deform to the shape of the grasped object (enveloping grasp) at the area of interaction. A mass-spring-damper model of the grasp is developed. The interaction of the viscoelastic gripper of the arm with objects is analysed by using Bond Graph modelling method. Simulations were conducted for several material parameters. These results of the simulation are then used to develop a prototype of the proposed gripper. Bond graph model is experimentally validated by using the prototype. The gripper is used to successfully transport soft and fragile objects. This paper provides information on optimisation of friction and its inclusion in both dynamic modelling and simulation to enhance mechanical efficiency

Development of automatic manipulators for plastic injection machines

The automotive industry is a competitive sector, always asking for improvements in productivity, efficiency and quality. This is the reason why the demand for automation of processes arises, resulting in relying less on manpower. Bowden cables are mechanical elements that allow the transmission of motion between two or more systems. They are most of the time not visible for the user. Some examples of applications inside the car are opening doors, windows, seat’s adjustment, among many others. At present, the production of Bowden cables is done by multiple working stations with multiple operators. This work is focused on the workstation where the end of the conduit is injected. At the moment, there are injection machines with a capacity of 8 conduits at the same time and one operator at every injection machine. These injection machines need a lot of space, spend a lot of energy and usually present persistent breakdown problems, needing maintenance. The future outlook of the company is, to have smaller injection machines with a capacity of 4 conduits at a time and one operator for 2 injection machines. These injection machines are easier in maintenance and also occupy less space, consuming less energy as well. The main goal for this project is to make it possible to have 1 operator at 2 injection machines. The possibility to fully automate was rejected as it is really hard to automate the feeding of the conduits in the injection machines due to low stiffness of the conduits, becoming hard to align them in the mould. The proposed solution to make this happens is to design a manipulator to take out the 4 conduits and the scrap out of the mould. The scrap and the conduits then need to be separated, scrap to a recycling box and the conduits to a production/supply chain box. The manipulator has been successfully designed, after a thorough comparison of a variety of possibilities. All the components that were needed for this concept have successfully been defined, calculated, selected and integrated into the design. After the designing process, a budget and payback calculation has been done, as well as a return of investment. Lastly, a maintenance manual and an assembly manual has been elaborated in order to ease the assembly of all the components. The results after implementing the designed solutions are a reduction in energy consumption of the injection peocess (79,8%) and an improvement in productivity (12,0%).A indústria automóvel é um setor competitivo, mas sempre ávido por melhorias de produtividade, eficiência e qualidade. É por esse motivo que surge a procura pela automação de processos, resultando na necessidade de menos recursos humanos. Os cabos de comando são elementos mecânicos que permitem a transmissão de movimento entre dois ou mais sistemas. Na maioria das vezes, eles não são visíveis para o utilizador. Alguns exemplos de aplicações dentro do carro são abrir portas, janelas, ajuste de assentos, entre muitos outros. Atualmente, a produção de cabos de comando é feita em várias estações de trabalho através de vários operadores. Este trabalho está focado na estação de trabalho onde a espiral é sujeita à injeção de terminais. Atualmente, existem máquinas de injeção com capacidade para 8 espirais ao mesmo tempo e um operador em cada máquina de injeção. Essas máquinas de injeção ocupam muito espaço e apresentam problemas constantes de manutenção. A perspectiva futura da empresa é ter máquinas de injeção com menor volume e capacidade para injetar em 4 espirais de cada vez e necessitando apenas de um operador para cada duas máquinas de injeção. Essas máquinas de injeção são mais fáceis de gerir em termos de manutenção e também ocupam menos espaço. O principal objetivo deste projeto é tornar possível um operador em duas máquinas de injeção. A possibilidade de automatizar completamente o processo foi rejeitada, pois é realmente difícil automatizar a alimentação das espirais nas máquinas de injeção. A razão por detrás disso é o alinhamento de alguns tipos de espiral. A solução proposta para fazer isso acontecer é projetar um manipulador para retirar as 4 espirais e os canais de alimentação/gitos do molde. A sucata e as espirais precisam ser separadas, sendo a sucata encaminhada para uma caixa para reciclagem e as espirais para uma caixa de produção/logística interna. Os resultados após a implementação das soluções projetadas são uma redução no consumo de energia do processo de injeção (79,8%) e uma melhoria na produtividade (12,0%)

An overview of artificial intelligence and robotics. Volume 2: Robotics

This report provides an overview of the rapidly changing field of robotics. The report incorporates definitions of the various types of robots, a summary of the basic concepts, utilized in each of the many technical areas, review of the state of the art and statistics of robot manufacture and usage. Particular attention is paid to the status of robot development, the organizations involved, their activities, and their funding

Intern experience at Tech Tran Corporation, Naperville, Illinois: an internship report

"Submitted to the College of Engineering of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Engineering."Includes vita (leaf 326)Includes "Selected glossary of robotics terms" (leaves 265-269, or p. 163-167 of original text)Includes bibliographical references (leaves 255-256, or p. 153-154 of original text)Includes text of work previously published: Sanderson, Ronald J. Industrial robots: a summary and forecast for manufacturing managers / Ronald J. Sanderson, John A. Campbell, John D. Meyer. Naperville, Ill.:Tech Tran Corporation, c1982. In addition to bearing leaf numbers 95-269 of the Record of Study, the pagination of the original publication is printed (vii, 1-167)This report presents a survey of the author's internship experience with Tech Tran Corporation during the period September 3, 1981 through April 30, 1982. The eight month internship was spent as an engineering intern with a small consulting firm specializing in high technology state-of-the-art manufacturing technology management and assessment. The intent of this report is to demonstrate that this experience fulfills the requirements of the Doctor of Engineering internship. The primary objective of the internship was to develop technical expertise in the field of industrial automation. Secondary goals were to improve oral and written communication skills and project management techniques. The three projects presented in this report met these objectives and goals. The major project was to develop a state-of-the-art assessment of robotics. This assessment was developed by surveying hundreds of robots users, manufacturers and researchers, and undertaking a comprehensive literature search on U.S. and foreign robots. The information was distilled into a professional managerial level report on robotics. The second project was to develop technical summaries and assessments of completed projects of the Army Missile Command's Manufacturing Technology Program. This was performed by reviewing project reports and interviewing government and contractor engineers throughout the country. The third project was to be an Associate Editor for Manufacturing Technoogy Horizons digest. This is a bi-monthly digest featuring major developments in manufacturing techniques and equipment. Short concise summaries for manufacturing processes were researched and developed through written correspondence and phone interviews. The internship was an opportunity to use my engineering skills to learn about the robotics industry, and improve oral and written communication skills. Thus, objectives for the Doctor of Engineering degree were met and the internship requirement satisfied

MSE12: The loading and uploading robots in car wheel industry

Robots are increasingly used by the industries especially, in the loading and unloading operations.This research concentrates on the loading and unloading operations of car wheels using an industrial robot arm.The concept operation of the industrial robot arm is discussed thoroughly.This research showed the advantages and disadvantages of using robot arm to handle loading and unloading operation for car wheels.In manufacturing operations, the geometry and the weight of a car wheels makes it difficult to be handle using manual labor.This research uplifts the potential advantages of using robot arm in dealing with these problems.This in-turn can increase the productivity of the car wheels manufacturing industries

The strategic evolution of the robotics industry

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1983.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY.Includes bibliographical references.by David Schatz.M.S

Nonterrestrial utilization of materials: Automated space manufacturing facility

Four areas related to the nonterrestrial use of materials are included: (1) material resources needed for feedstock in an orbital manufacturing facility, (2) required initial components of a nonterrestrial manufacturing facility, (3) growth and productive capability of such a facility, and (4) automation and robotics requirements of the facility

Marine Robot Sample Retrieving System

The exploration of our underwater ecosystems is critical. The aquatic ecosystem has a significant effect on human life, yet our understanding of the oceanic environment is severely lacking. Santa Clara University’s Robotic Systems Lab contributes to subsea exploration through its investment in remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology. This project was done with the guidance of not only professors in the Robotics Systems Lab, but also stakeholders from the US Geological Survey scientists and researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Our team goal was to further advance SCU’s efforts by creating a sediment sample collection system consisting of a manipulator arm and sample storage container compatible with an existing SCU ROV. Our project has the potential to give researchers better access to submerged ecosystems and assists their efforts to understand and protect subsea environments in the future. We designed, built, and tested a prototype of a multiple degree-offreedom arm and storage system for the existing Nautilus ROV, for safely manipulating and storing submerged sedimentary artifacts at 300 feet deep with a maximum dive time of 45 minutes. At the end of this project, we were able to see robust three degree of freedom movement of the arm within its anticipated workspace. We achieved a basic level of motion control of the arm which was successfully tested and evaluated within a testing tank. However, there is still need for additional testing and increased functionality of the mechanical and controls systems. The storage system for samples design needs a thrust bearing to better rotate and there is still much work to make the controls of the arm user friendly such as end effector control for depositing a sample into the storage system instead of doing all the movements manually