Robots in Industry. Past,present and future of a growing collaboration with humans

Robots have been part of automation systems for a very long time, and in public perception, they are often synonymous with automation and industrial revolution perse. Fueled by Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) concepts as well as by new software technologies, the field of robotics in industry is currently undergoing a revolution on its own. This article gives an overview of the evolution of robotics from its beginnings to recent trends like collaborative robotics, autonomous robots, and human- robot interaction. Particular attention is devoted to the deep changes of the last decades, from the traditional industrial scenario based on isolated robotic cells up to the most recent coworking and collaborative robots. The role of robotics in the Industry 4.0 framework is analyzed, and the relationships with industrial communications and software technologies are also discussed. Some future directions for robotics are envisaged, focusing on the contributions coming from new materials, sensors, actuators, and technologies. Open issues are highlighted as well as the main barriers that currently limit the deployment of industrial robots in the small and medium enterprise (SME) world

INDUSTRY 4.0: glitter or gold? A systematic review

Publications on the fourth industrial revolution have skyrocketed since its establishment in 2011, both in academic and non-academic channels. Even though their measurable results have been published in non-academic material, especially among industry and business reports, within the academia it is still unclear how they are shown. This study aims to review and analyse the presence of industrial results within the academic context in a systematic manner by using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. The findings indicate an increase trend of this type of publication within the academia and further directions are suggested

Industrial robotics in factory automation: from the early stage to the Internet of Things

Robotics is a surprisingly old discipline, and robots have shaped industry and the various industrial revolutions for many decades. This paper covers topics relevant to the IES Technical Committee on Factory Automation, focusing in particular on the evolution of industrial robotics. After providing a historical perspective on the topic, the paper addresses current and future trends, revealing the close link between the progress in industrial robotics and the parallel evolution of industrial communication systems, which represent an enabling technology for modern industrial robotics.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Dimensional optimization of the robotic arm to reduce energy consumption

This study examines selected components of the optimization function, used to evaluate the optimal kinematic structure of a robot for a given task. Automated generation of the kinematic structure is based on scalable drive modules of the joints and modules of the carrying arms with a check on the permissible torque of the drive and bending moment of the carrier element. An optimization algorithm is used to generate variations of kinematic structures, the base requirement of the fitness function is the ability to traverse a given trajectory with a defined orientation of the tool. The suitability of a given kinematic structure is evaluated further by a set of evaluation functions such as a check for spatial collisions, energy consumption, minimization of total weight, minimization of degrees of freedom for a given task and several other criteria. Two of these criteria - evaluation of the total weight of a robotic arm with drives in joints and evaluation of power consumption for a defined handling task are examined here.Web of Science20203753374

Method for robot manipulator joint wear reduction by finding the optimal robot placement in a robotic cell

We describe a method for robotic cell optimization by changing the placement of the robot manipulator within the cell in applications with a fixed end-point trajectory. The goal is to reduce the overall robot joint wear and to prevent uneven joint wear when one or several joints are stressed more than the other joints. Joint wear is approximated by calculating the integral of the mechanical work of each joint during the whole trajectory, which depends on the joint angular velocity and torque. The method relies on using a dynamic simulation for the evaluation of the torques and velocities in robot joints for individual robot positions. Verification of the method was performed using CoppeliaSim and a laboratory robotic cell with the collaborative robot UR3. The results confirmed that, with proper robot base placement, the overall wear of the joints of a robotic arm could be reduced from 22% to 53% depending on the trajectory.Web of Science1112art. no. 539

Visible Light Communications for Industrial Applications—Challenges and Potentials

Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a short-range optical wireless communication technology that has been gaining attention due to its potential to offload heavy data traffic from the congested radio wireless spectrum. At the same time, wireless communications are becoming crucial to smart manufacturing within the scope of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 is a developing trend of high-speed data exchange in automation for manufacturing technologies and is referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. This trend requires fast, reliable, low-latency, and cost-effective data transmissions with fast synchronizations to ensure smooth operations for various processes. VLC is capable of providing reliable, low-latency, and secure connections that do not penetrate walls and is immune to electromagnetic interference. As such, this paper aims to show the potential of VLC for industrial wireless applications by examining the latest research work in VLC systems. This work also highlights and classifies challenges that might arise with the applicability of VLC and visible light positioning (VLP) systems in these settings. Given the previous work performed in these areas, and the major ongoing experimental projects looking into the use of VLC systems for industrial applications, the use of VLC and VLP systems for industrial applications shows promising potential