A new software application for footwear industry

Today, the footwear industry is facing many challenges. First, consumers demand for new products with better comfort and design; second, competition is becoming stronger in current global market. Due to these factors, flexibility and rapidity in developing new products are key factors for the medium and long-term survival and success of the footwear industry. This paper proposes a new software application based in simple image processing techniques for optimization of two important steps of the processes involved in footwear manufacturing: the shoe sole halogenation and lead roughing process. The application presented in this paper has a friendly interface where the sole contour points for shoe sole halogenation and lead roughing are automatically determined. The operator can easily change and set new points to improve details within the interest region where tools will be applied, when the halogenation or the roughing process is executed. Another feature of this application is the automatic transformation of the 2D coordinates of the dominant points to 3D real world coordinates. This feature simplifies further ongoing work – automatic code generation for different industrial robots to execute the halogenation and roughing processes

Off-line robot programming framework

Comunicação apresentada na International Conference on Autonomic and Autonomous Systems and International Conference on Networking and Services (ICAS'05 and ICNS'05), Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia, 23-28 October 2005.The industrial robot programming is a work for specialist in robotics. Today, this work is very hard because there are many robot manufacturers with different languages and different programming environments. Although, off-line programming is an way that can reduce drastically the machines stop time to maintenance. With the use of object oriented design patterns, it is possible minimize the time spent in robot programming. In this work is proposed a off-line programming environment. This tool is based in one abstract model to program robots, encapsulate in java classes. This way has the main advantage of best source code utilization. Grouping the business classes in modules by functionalities, we can reduce complexity between low matching. Recognized patterns like Facade and Template Method will construct the base to develop this programming framework. The programming robot languages tested in this work was Rapid, Karel and Melfa Basic IV, respectively languages used by ABB, Fanuc and Mitsubishi constructors.Master Industrial Electronic Engineering - Project Supported by the Programme ALBAN, the European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America, scholarships no. E04M033540BR. CIMATEC - Technology and Manufactory Integrated Center of SENAI-BA, Brazil

Off-line programming industrial robots based in the information extracted from neutral files generated by the commercial CAD tools

In order for a robotic manipulator to perform useful work, it must be programmed to accomplish the desired task or motion cycle. Nowadays industrial robots generally require a tremendous amount of programming to make them useful. Their controllers are very sophisticated, the commercial robot programming environments are typically closed systems and the programming languages varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Despite the great evolution of the industrial robots controllers, in the majority of the industrial applications, the robot programming is made, using one of the following ways: • Manual on-line programming; • Off-line programming; Manual on-line programming refers to physically teaching a robot the required trajectory, through interaction with teach pendant or other similar device (Lee & ElMaraghy, 1990). This programming kind presents the following disadvantages: very slow, it needs that the robot is available, difficulty in the handling of equipments, need some practice in the language used by the robot, and technical knowledge to understand the operation of the equipment. These disadvantages are very expensive in the industry because the productive process needs to stop for a long time. One simple approach to solve some disadvantages described above is the Off-line programming environments. These environments are based in graphical simulation platforms, in which the programming and execution process are shown using models of the real objects. Consequently, the robot programmer has to learn only the simulation language and not any of the robot programming languages. Other benefits in off-line programming environments include libraries of pre-defined high-level commands for certain types of applications, such as painting or welding, and the possibility to assess the kinematics feasibility of a move, thus enabling the user to plan collision-free paths. The simulation may also be used to determine the cycle time for a sequence of movements. These environments usually provide a set of primitives commonly used by various robots, and produce a sequence of robot manipulator language primitives such as ”move” or ”open gripper” that are then downloaded in the respective robot controllers. However, the off-line programming tools based in graphically 3D representation presents several problems in many industry applications, particularly, when the robot task or the robot trajectory needs frequent changes, for example: in welding applications where the configuration of the pieces to weld change frequently (the size, the shape, etc.); the robot painting and gluing applications can have similar problems. Nowadays, the CAD tools are often used in the industry to develop and to document the products and its manufacture. There are a lot of commercial CAD tools, like, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Ideas and Cimatron, having each tool its own file format. However, it is possible to export the information of these pieces, in a neutral file format, namely: STL, IGES, STEP and SET formats. This work presents one solution for programming different robots based in the relevant information extracted from neutral files. The solution implemented was tested in the industrial robots Mitsubishi (Mitsubishi Move Master Industrial Robot) and ABB (model IRB 140 with IRC5 controller). This chapter is organized as follows: section 2 presents an overview about the format of neutral files (STL, IGS, STEP and SET); in the section 3, the algorithms for extraction of the relevant information from the neutral files are described; in the section 4, the developed tool for code generation for different industrial robots is presented; section 5 and 6 present the results and conclusions; section 7 presents future work.European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America, Scholarship no. E04M033540BR - Programme ALBAN

FIBR3DEmul-an open-access simulation solution for 3D printing processes of FDM machines with 3+actuated axes

This paper introduces a virtual emulator software for additive manufacturing (AM) processes based on filament deposition, the FIBR3DEmul. The presented software is capable of reading and parsing a G-Code file (ISO/DIN 66025), and realistically emulating a custom-designed 5-axis printer or a standard 3-axis Cartesian printer. The FIBR3DEmul was designed and implemented in two separate applications for reusability and scalability. First, the G-Code Interpreter is responsible for parsing the g-code script, controlling the flow of its execution, and notifying the user about detected printer-printer or printer-workpiece collisions. The second application involves the robotics simulator tool V-Rep. A custom plugin was implemented to mediate the communication with the Interpreter application, to generate the tool trajectories, to emulate the extrusion process, and to handle motion execution and collision detection. The process of designing and implementing a custom-printer control and motion execution in these two software is described. The performance of the virtual 5-axis printer was compared with the real machine in terms of position and velocity profiles. Results show a tight match between virtual and real printer-generated plots. The presented solution can also be extrapolated to CNC machines or WHASPs. The FIBR3DEmul source code is publicly available.FRCT - Fundo Regional para a Ciência e Tecnologia(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016414

Intelligent cutting-off of pipes and bars

Traditionally, automatic cutting-off machines, of metallic pipes or bars, use a constant cutting velocity mode. This mode of operation, constant cutting velocity combined with different profiles of materials to be cut, exposes the cutting saw to variable cutting forces. Therefore, the cutting off machine is usually set for the worst expected conditions, otherwise excessive wear of the saw and machine will occur. Further, traditional cutting-off machines require the adjustment of the position of a limit switch in order to automatically detect when the cut of a piece has been completed. The aim of this paper is to study the application of control algorithms to the process of cutting-off metallic pipes or bars, with variable profiles, implemented in an industrial cutting-off machine, commercially available. The presented algorithms concern realtime cutting control and automatic detection of the cutting end. The algorithms are implemented in a low cost Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), allowing its use in industrial applications without significant increase on machine cost. All algorithms were developed having in mind safety issues relative to the operation of the cutting machine in order to prevent catastrophic failure. Also, all process related relevant parameters are monitored on a Personal Computer using OPC (Object Linking and Embedding – for Process Control)

Acquisition the profile of surfaces with complementary sensor fusion techniques

This paper presents complementary sensor fusion techniques for the acquisition of the profile of surfaces with minimum error using low cost sensors ultrasonic sensors. These surfaces are composed by areas with different depths, corners and specular surfaces. To minimize the constraints of sonar sensors, it was developed dedicated software and hardware, as well as an empirical model was obtained from real data. This model is based in two proposed concepts: Points of Constant Depth (PCD) and Areas of Constant Depth (ACD). Having this sonar model in mind, four sensor fusion techniques are used separately to validate the PCDs and decide the ACDs: average and variance, fuzzy controller and heuristic method based in rules. In this work a PUMA 560 manipulator was equipped with a CCD video camera on the shoulder and four ultrasonic sensors on the wrist, to acquire data to model the geometry of the part’s surface, exploiting the mobility of the robot. The CCD camera view defines the working area, while the ultrasonic sensors enable the acquisition of the surface profile. For the acquisition of the profile of surfaces with a minimum error different and complementary sensor fusion techniques are implemented and applied separately, namely the average and variance, kalman filter, fuzzy controller and heuristic method based in rules

A kalman filter for validate points and areas of constant depth in the acquisition of the profiles surfaces

This paper presents multisensor fusion techniques for the acquisition of the profile of surfaces with minimum error using low cost ultrasonic sensors. These surfaces are composed by areas with different depths, corners and specular surfaces. To minimize the constraints of sonar sensors, it was developed dedicated software and hardware, as well as an empirical model was obtained from real data. This model is based in two proposed concepts: Points of Constant Depth (PCD) and Areas of Constant Depth (ACD). Having this sonar model in mind, four sensor fusion techniques are used separately to validate the PCDs and decide the ACDs: average and variance, a simplified kalman filter and heuristic method based in rules. In this work a PUMA 560 manipulator was equipped with a CCD video camera and four ultrasonic sensors on the wrist, to acquire data for internally representation of the geometry of the part’s surface, exploiting the mobility of the robot. The CCD camera defines the working area while the ultrasonic sensors enable the acquisition of the surface profile

A development approach to industrial robots programming

This paper proposes a development approach to industrial robot programming, that includes: a truly high level and declarative language; an easy-to-use frontend; an intermediate representation; an automatic generator of the robot code generators. So, we introduce a new paradigm to program industrial robots, that focus on the modeling of the system, rather than on the robot. It will improve the programming and maintenance tasks, allowing the reuse of source code, because this source code will be machine independent

Uma proposta de linguagem de programação para robótica

Este artigo destina-se a apresentar alguns problemas existentes nas linguagens de programacão de robôs, e uma possível solucão dos mesmos através da utilização da linguagem Reativa Síncrona RS. Uma implementacão prática será apresentada a fim de mostrar como o uso desta linguagem pode facilitar o desenvolvimento de programas para os robôs, neste caso, industriais. Entretanto, verifica-se a necessidade da existência de um módulo intermediário responsável por traduzir uma linguagem declarativa para código final de diferentes robôs, a fim de garantir a portabilidade de código.This paper presents some existing problems in robotics programming languages and a possible solution using a reactive and synchronous language called RS. An implementation will show how the RS language can facilitate the robot´s programming, in this case, industrial robots. However, it should be necessary to create an intermediate module responsible for translating a declarative language to assembly code, in different robots, granting code portability

WinCE-based embedded system for control of an industrial screw machine

Nowadays, industrial systems frequently require the control of some industrial process and monitoring of relevant data about the process, using a friendly visual environment. Normally, is used a PLC (Programmable Logical Controller) to control the process and assure that the timing requirements (deadlines) are satisfied and a PC to monitor the data. However, the implementation of such solution presents the following drawbacks to the system programmer: (1) he or she needs to know the communication protocol between the two platforms - PLC and the PC; (2) he or she needs to learn two different programming languages - the low level PLC language and a high level PC language. On the other hand, in some cases, the reserved space to control the systems is reduced, making the implementation of such solution very hard. This paper presents an approach based on an embedded PC with real-time processing capability and data monitoring facility. The proposed system runs the Windows CE operating system and allows all software development in C/C++, using the Microsoft Visual Studio environment. The system was tested on an industrial screw machine for PCBs