Industrial automation technology evolves rapidly, and automated manufacturing systems need to find a way to improve the implementation and installation of new devices in the system. Adaptable and flexible systems reduce the time and cost of integration. One of the aspects to consider when building an adaptable and interoperable systems is the management of data flow between devices in the system. New technologies like web services have been implemented in manufacturing systems under a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).
Currently, robots are capable of performing simple paths composed of Point-to Point (PTP), linear and circular motions, which are adequate for most applications. However, some applications require the use of complex smooth paths to complete their operations. Robots require a simple and robust method to model complex paths within the industrial controller.
There are two main components to this thesis. One of the objectives of this thesis is to propose an approach to implement a robotic cell into a production line by using web services. This approach exposes the functionalities of the robot as services to the system, where those services can be requested via RESTful web services. The other component of the thesis presents a way for a robot to model and perform free shape paths through the evaluation of Bezier curves and the implementation of the De Casteljau algorithm into the robot controller.
The proposed approach was successfully deployed and tested on a production scenario. The testbed used was the FASTory production line, in the Factory Automation Systems and Technologies Laboratory (FAST-Lab) in Tampere University. The results of the tests show that the implementation of the approach dotes the system with flexibility and configurability and simplicity of installation
