Energy-Efficient Robot Configuration and Motion Planning Using Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization

The implementation of Industry 5.0 necessitates a decrease in the energy consumption of industrial robots. This research investigates energy optimization for optimal motion planning for a dual-arm industrial robot. The objective function for the energy minimization problem is stated based on the execution time and total energy consumption of the robot arm configurations in its workspace for pick-and-place operation. Firstly, the PID controller is being used to achieve the optimal parameters. The parameters of PID are then fine-tuned using metaheuristic algorithms such as Genetic Algorithms and Particle Swarm Optimization methods to create a more precise robot motion trajectory, resulting in an energy-efficient robot configuration. The results for different robot configurations were compared with both motion planning algorithms, which shows better compatibility in terms of both execution time and energy efficiency. The feasibility of the algorithms is demonstrated by conducting experiments on a dual-arm robot, named as duAro. In terms of energy efficiency, the results show that dual-arm motions can save more energy than single-arm motions for an industrial robot. Furthermore, combining the robot configuration problem with metaheuristic approaches saves energy consumption and robot execution time when compared to motion planning with PID controllers alone

Optimizing Membership Function Tuning for Fuzzy Control of Robotic Manipulators Using PID-Driven Data Techniques

In this study, a method for optimizing membership function tuning for fuzzy control of robotic manipulators using PID-driven data techniques is presented. Traditional approaches for designing membership functions in fuzzy control systems often rely on the experience and knowledge of the system designer, which can lead to suboptimal performance. By utilizing data collected from a PID control system, the proposed method aims to enhance the precision and controllability of robotic manipulators through improved fuzzy logic control. A Mamdani-type fuzzy logic controller was developed and its performance was simulated in Simulink, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed optimization technique. The results indicate that the method can outperform conventional P control systems in terms of overshoot reduction while maintaining comparable transient response specifications. This research highlights the potential of the PID-driven data-based approach for optimizing membership function tuning in fuzzy control systems and offers valuable insights for the development and evaluation of fuzzy logic control in robotic manipulators. Future work may focus on further optimization of the tuning process, evaluation of system robustness under various operating conditions, and exploring the integration of other artificial intelligence techniques for improved control performance

Modelling, Monitoring, Control and Optimization for Complex Industrial Processes

This reprint includes 22 research papers and an editorial, collected from the Special Issue "Modelling, Monitoring, Control and Optimization for Complex Industrial Processes", highlighting recent research advances and emerging research directions in complex industrial processes. This reprint aims to promote the research field and benefit the readers from both academic communities and industrial sectors

Industrial Robotics

This book covers a wide range of topics relating to advanced industrial robotics, sensors and automation technologies. Although being highly technical and complex in nature, the papers presented in this book represent some of the latest cutting edge technologies and advancements in industrial robotics technology. This book covers topics such as networking, properties of manipulators, forward and inverse robot arm kinematics, motion path-planning, machine vision and many other practical topics too numerous to list here. The authors and editor of this book wish to inspire people, especially young ones, to get involved with robotic and mechatronic engineering technology and to develop new and exciting practical applications, perhaps using the ideas and concepts presented herein

Motion control and synchronisation of multi-axis drive systems

Motion control and synchronisation of multi-axis drive system

Process Control of Crushing Circuits

Kivenmurskaus on keskeinen osaprosessi kiviaineksen, metallien ja sementin tuotannossa. Murskaamalla tuotetut raaka-aineet muodostavat nykyaikaisen infrastruktuurimme perustan. Huolimatta merkittävästä roolistaan, kivenmurskaus on yksi harvoista teollisista prosesseista, jonka prosessinohjaus toteutetaan edelleen kokemusperäisesti, ilman luotettavaa mittaustietoa suoritettujen ohjaustoimien vaikutuksista. Nykykäytäntö altistaa murskausprosessit prosessivaihteluille ja –häiriöille, ja johtaa viime kädessä tehottomaan tuotantoon ja kapasiteetin vajaakäyttöön. Pääsyinä nykytilaan voidaan pitää murskausprosessien puutteellista anturointia ja tutkimustiedon puutetta korkeamman automaatioasteen tuomista hyödyistä. Tässä väitöskirjassa pyrittiin ratkaisemaan edellä mainittu ongelma automaattisen prosessinohjauksen avulla. Päätavoitteena oli kehittää säätömenetelmät murskauspiirin suorituskyvyn saattamiseksi lähelle parasta saavutettavissa olevaa tasoa. Tämä tutkimus perustuu mallipohjaiseen säädönsuunnittelumenetelmään. Systemaattinen suunnitteluprosessi alkoi säätötavoitteiden määrittelystä ja dynaamisten prosessimallien kehittämisestä. Kehitettyjen prosessimallien avulla luotiin säätötavoitteet täyttävä säätöstrategia ja viritettiin strategian vaatimat prosessisäätimet. Lopuksi simulointimallien avulla kehitetty ja testattu säätöstrategia implementoitiin osaksi laitoksen automaatiojärjestelmää ja sen suorituskyky arvioitiin täyden mittakaavan prosessikokeiden avulla. Tämä väitöskirja on osoittanut, että murskauspiirin tehokas ja tarkoituksenmukainen toiminta vaatii eri kahden säätötavan toteuttamista: massataseen säätö ja hienonnusmäärän säätö. Massatasesäädön tavoitteena on varmistaa 100 % käyttöaste murskauspiirin pullonkaulassa. Hienonnusmäärän säätö varmistaa halutun murskaimen tuotemateriaalin partikkelikokojakauman. Kehitetyt hienonnusmäärän säätömenetelmät perustuvat itseoptimoituvaan säätötapaan, joka mahdollistaa likimain optimaalisen suorituskyvyn käyttämällä säätimessä vakio-asetusarvoa. Kun tämä asetusarvo valitaan optimaalisesti, mahdollistaa esitelty ohjausstrategia parhaan saavutettavissa olevan murskauspiirin suorituskyvyn. Työn merkittävä tunnuspiirre on erityisen kattava empiria. Kehitetyt menetelmät testattiin kattavasti useissa erilaisissa tuotantoskenaarioissa ja prosessikonfiguraatioissa. Täyden mittakaavan prosessikokeiden tulokset vastasivat hyvin lähelle simulaatioilla saatuja tuloksia. Tämä väitöskirja on merkittävä edistysaskel murskausprosessien säädössä. Työn tuloksena kehitetyt mittaus- ja säätötavat mahdollistavat tehokkaamman ja tarkoituksenmukaisemman raaka-ainetuotannon. Työn tuloksilla voidaan olettaa olevan merkittävä vaikutus siihen, miten ja millä tavoin murskausprosesseja ohjataan tulevaisuudessa. Työssä kehitetyn murskauspiirin automaattisen säätöstrategian voidaan olettaa toimivan perustana tulevaisuuden murskausprosessien prosessiautomaatio-toteutuksille.Crushing is an essential high-volume processing stage in the production of aggregates, metals and cement. Crushed products form the basis of our modern infrastructure and therefore play a major role in the economic growth and welfare. Despite its significant role in society, crushing is one of the few remaining industrial processes that is currently being operated using belief-based manual control without the possibility to quantify the consequences of performed control actions. This practice makes crushing processes vulnerable to process variation and exposes them to inefficient production and capacity underutilization. The aim of this thesis is to address this deficiency by bridging the gap between theoretically possible and realized crushing circuit performance, by means of automatic process control. This thesis covers the entire model-based control system design procedure – from the formulation of control objectives and development of dynamic process model(s), through the development of control strategy, to the control system implementation and performance evaluation – for crushing circuits. Research has led to significant advances within crushing process measurement and control. Developed methods have been rigorously tested in various production scenarios and circuit flowsheets, using both dynamic simulations and full-scale experiments. Experiments revealed expected behavior with a significant increase in performance. The results have shown that the efficient operation of a crushing circuit requires addressing two control tasks: mass balance control and size reduction control. The objective of mass balance control is to guarantee 100 percent circuit utilization, whereas size reduction control ensures the desired degree of size reduction. The ideal degree of size reduction is determined empirically to maximize the value of the used KPI. The developed control strategy delivers near-maximum circuit performance. This thesis represents a major leap forward in the area of process control of crushing circuits. It has opened entirely new possibilities by making it possible to quantify the instantaneous performance of crushing circuits and by introducing the ability to ensure consistent and efficient long-term production. These major breakthroughs can have a significant impact on how crushing plants will be operated in the future. Developed standard control practice can be expected to serve as a basis for future control system implementations of industrial crushing circuits

Mechatronics of systems with undetermined configurations

This work is submitted for the award of a PhD by published works. It deals with some of the efforts of the author over the last ten years in the field of Mechatronics. Mechatronics is a new area invented by the Japanese in the late 1970's, it consists of a synthesis of computers and electronics to improve mechanical systems. To control any mechanical event three fundamental features must be brought together: the sensors used to observe the process, the control software, including the control algorithm used and thirdly the actuator that provides the stimulus to achieve the end result. Simulation, which plays such an important part in the Mechatronics process, is used in both in continuous and discrete forms. The author has spent some considerable time developing skills in all these areas. The author was certainly the first at Middlesex to appreciate the new developments in Mechatronics and their significance for manufacturing. The author was one of the first mechanical engineers to recognise the significance of the new transputer chip. This was applied to the LQG optimal control of a cinefilm copying process. A 300% improvement in operating speed was achieved, together with tension control. To make more efficient use of robots they have to be made both faster and cheaper. The author found extremely low natural frequencies of vibration, ranging from 3 to 25 Hz. This limits the speed of response of existing robots. The vibration data was some of the earliest available in this field, certainly in the UK. Several schemes have been devised to control the flexible robot and maintain the required precision. Actuator technology is one area where mechatronic systems have been the subject of intense development. At Middlesex we have improved on the Aexator pneumatic muscle actuator, enabling it to be used with a precision of about 2 mm. New control challenges have been undertaken now in the field of machine tool chatter and the prevention of slip. A variety of novel and traditional control algorithms have been investigated in order to find out the best approach to solve this problem

Automated Manufacture of Fertilizing Agglomerates from Burnt Wood Ash

In Sweden, extensive research is conducted to find alternative sources of energy that should partly replace the electric power production from nuclear power. With the ambition to create a sustainable system for producing energy, the use of renewable energy is expected to grow further and biofuels are expected to account for a significant part of this increase. However, when biofuels are burned or gasified, ash appears as a by-product. In order to overcome the problems related to deposition in land fills, the idea is to transform the ashes into a product – agglomerates – that easily could be recycled back to the forest grounds; as a fertilizer, or as a tool to reduce the acidification in the forest soil at the spreading area. This work considers the control of a transformation process, which transforms wood ash produced at a district heating plant into fertilizing agglomerates. A robust machine, built to comply with the industrial requirements for continuous operation, has been developed and is controlled by an industrial control system in order to enable an automated manufacture