Tecnologías automatizadas implementadas en la FMS HAS200

This paper presents the automation implemented through a series of projects oriented towards the continuous improvement and development of the didactic systems present in HAS200 flexible manufacturing cells of the Facultad Tecnológica of the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. Through these projects, it has been possible to implement a series of automated improvements such as (i) a virtual environment of the flexible manufacturing cell, geometrically modeled for remote simulation of the didactic processes; (ii) a new automated station for recycling pellets that is integrated with the other stations to classify the raw material in three separate colors; (iii) a new user-machine interface for a Melfa Mitsubishi RV-M1 manipulator arm, which allows the recycling station to be integrated with the rest of the flexible manufacturing cell; iv) an automated gripper design for handling and subsequent opening of containers within the cell; v) an artificial vision system implemented to alternate autonomous transport of product between stations using unmanned ground vehicles; vi) a virtual course for the management and operation of the flexible manufacturing cell. The automation strategies proposed in the HAS200 can be extrapolated to real production environments under the same automation concepts, which makes each result obtained doubly beneficial.En este artículo se presenta la automatización implementada a través de una serie de proyectos orientados hacia el continuo mejoramiento y desarrollo de los sistemas didácticos presentes en celdas de manufactura flexibles HAS200 de la Facultad Tecnológica de la Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. Por medio de dichos proyectos se ha logrado implementar una serie de mejoras automatizadas como por ejemplo: i) un entorno virtual de la celda de manufactura flexible, modelado geométricamente para la simulación remota de los procesos didácticos; ii) una novedosa estación automatizada para el reciclaje de pellets que se integra con las demás estaciones para clasificar la materia prima en tres colores separados; iii) una nueva interfaz de usuario-máquina para un brazo manipulador Melfa Mitsubishi RV-M1, que permite integrar la estación de reciclaje con el resto de la celda de manufactura flexible; iv) un diseño de gripper automatizado, para la manipulación y posterior apertura de recipientes dentro de la celda; v) un sistema de visión artificial implementado al transporte autónomo alterno de producto entre estaciones mediante vehículos terrestres no tripulados; vi) un curso virtual para el manejo y operación de la celda de manufactura flexible. La automatización propuesta en la HAS200 puede ser extrapolable hacia entornos productivos reales bajo los mismos conceptos de automatización, lo cual hace que cada resultado obtenido sea doblemente beneficioso

Modeling and simulation of a Stewart platform type parallel structure robot

The kinematics and dynamics of a Stewart Platform type parallel structure robot (NASA's Dynamic Docking Test System) were modeled using the method of kinematic influence coefficients (KIC) and isomorphic transformations of system dependence from one set of generalized coordinates to another. By specifying the end-effector (platform) time trajectory, the required generalized input forces which would theoretically yield the desired motion were determined. It was found that the relationship between the platform motion and the actuators motion was nonlinear. In addition, the contribution to the total generalized forces, required at the actuators, from the acceleration related terms were found to be more significant than the velocity related terms. Hence, the curve representing the total required actuator force generally resembled the curve for the acceleration related force. Another observation revealed that the acceleration related effective inertia matrix I sub dd had the tendency to decouple, with the elements on the main diagonal of I sub dd being larger than the off-diagonal elements, while the velocity related inertia power array P sub ddd did not show such tendency. This tendency results in the acceleration related force curve of a given actuator resembling the acceleration profile of that particular actuator. Furthermore, it was indicated that the effective inertia matrix for the legs is more decoupled than that for the platform. These observations provide essential information for further research to develop an effective control strategy for real-time control of the Dynamic Docking Test System