Automation of a CNC machine's Tool Transport Process: Using Mobile Robot
2020 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Currently, the automation technology is being adopted by several industries for keeping their pace in the competition. Automation of a process is proven to increase efficiency, flexibility and product variety. For some complicated processes, using static industrial robots is not enough to completely automate them where the need of mobile robots comes into place.
This thesis included such kind of a process where using a mobile robot is mandatory for automation but integrating mobile robots into automation comes with its own perks and downs. It will help in pick, place and transport parts within a defined environment but for it to autonomously transport parts between two machines, a properly setup communication flow is important. There are several different communication protocols available in the market and a proper research is required for choosing between them.
In this research two protocols are included in the communication setup plan namely TCP/IP and OPC-UA. The work included creating an automation plan for a CNC machine's tool transport process. A mobile robot concept was followed to replace the manual transportation of the tool from CNC machine (GROB G350). For implementation an AGV from mobile robot industries namely MIR100 and a robot arm from Universal Robots namely UR10 are selected. A plug & produce system is present in the process where the tool tip changing process is carried out. The whole process includes picking tool (s) from G350 machine using the mobile robot, transporting it to the plug & produce system and placing it in one of the modules namely the buffer module.
The automation plan has been created for the above-mentioned process and is validated using several inputs like research papers and expert information. Communication is divided into three phases and ways to build up a proper communication setup are suggested. Safety issues that will pop up in implementation are found through research and ways to overcome these issues are presented. Ways to perform precise positioning of the mobile robot are presented.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2020. , p. 31
Keywords [en]
GROB G350, MIR100, UR10, Smart Cell, OPC UA, TCP/IP, safety, communication, Robot Studio, AutoCAD
National Category
Robotics and automation
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-15113Local ID: EXC915OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hv-15113DiVA, id: diva2:1423633
Subject / course
Robotics
Educational program
Master i robotik och automation
Supervisors
Examiners
2020-04-292020-04-152025-02-09Bibliographically approved