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Manufacturing Using Robot

Article  in  Advanced Materials Research · March 2012

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.463-464.1643

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Advanced Materials Research Vols. 463-464 (2012) pp 1643-1646
Online available since 2012/Feb/10 at www.scientific.net
© (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.463-464.1643

Manufacturing Using Robot

Tadeusz Mikolajczyk
Department of Production Engineering, University of Technology and Life Sciences
Bydgoszcz, 85-796 Kaliskiego str., Poland
tami@utp.edu.pl

Keywords: manufacturing; industrial robot; surface scanning; milling; grinding.

Abstract. Paper describes the robots employment to surface manufacturing. In experiments were
used IRb60 robot with modernized computer control system. Presented examples of robots using with
stationary, rotational and inject tools. Stationary tools were used to cutting polystyrene foam and
turning. Rotational, tool with its own drive, was used to milling and grinding mould surface. Inject
tool was used to rapid prototyping using polyurethane foam.

Introduction
Industrial robots in manufacturing processes are most often practiced in surface machining [1-13] as
cutting [1,4,8,10,12,13] or grinding [2,5,6,11,12] and another [[7,9], processes. Surface processing
with robots are programmed using its geometry CAD model [11-14]. Tools used with robot may be
used in elasticity configurations [3,14].
Paper shows any ideas of robots using in manufacturing and some examples for progressive jobs
frm Department of Production Engineering University of Technology and Life Sciences from Poland.

Principles of Industrial Robots Using in Manufacturing

The idea of robots application in manufacturing is the use robots kinematics to move wrist of robot
with tool in the workpiece space. The main ways to use robots equipped with special tools in
manufacturing is shown in table 1.
For the application of robots in the production of a particularly important form of working space
for industrial robots. This space is determined by the kinematics structure of the robot (table 2).
Using of robot to surface manufacturing more cheaper then numerical controlled machine tool
[11-13].

Some Examples of Manufacturing Using Robot

In technological laboratory Department of Production Engineering University of Technology and
Life Sciences work on the use of robots in manufacturing are conducted for many years [5-10,15 ].
For this work the IRb60 robot used with a modified control system, which ensures the control
computer [15]. Presented examples on using robots using stationary, rotational and inject tool to
surface processing.
Manufacturing Using Robot with Stationary Tool
Shaping Polystyrene Foam Using Hot Wire. The robot was equipped with a special frame with a
resistant wire 600 mm length for cutting the polystyrene foam (fig. 1,2) [9]. In experiments indicates
a linear influence of the amperage intensity value and the influence of the amperage and the feed rate
interaction on the crack size.
Turning Using Robot. The stand to turning was equipped in robot and lathe positioned in X-Z
plane of robots arm moving (fig. 3). To robots head was fastened the special tools gripper with cutting
tools which may be changed by rotation (fig. 3). The head of robot in processing based support
bracket transferring the strength to lathe. Cutting speed depends from lathe spindle rotation. To
control turning process, especially shape surfaces, the special RoboTurn software was elaborated (fig.

All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,
www.ttp.net. (ID: 46.238.214.41, Department of Production Engineering, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Bydgoszcz, Poland-
11/11/14,05:15:02)
1644 Advanced Materials Research II

4). Turning process using robot may be control manually or in automation cycle. We can control the
x, z co-ordinations of robot and tools holder rotation. In automation mode turning process is
controlled using G-code. The conducted tests confirmed the possibility of turning wood workpiece
using the IRb60 robot.
Manufacturing using Robot with Rotational Tool
Milling. To robot adaptation for milling was made a special handle to the drill machine (fig. 5) [3,10].
As tool was used disc milling cutter with D=60mm diameter and the thickness b=4 mm. Was made
experiments with different locations of the milling cutter with account of feed direction (0o, 30o, 60o,
90o) (fig. 5). As a result of these attempts surfaces introduced in figure 6 were gotten.

Fig. 3. Idea of robots using to turning [8]

Fig. 1. Idea of cutting polystyrene foam [9]

Fig. 4. RoboTurn software [8]

Fig. 2. Tool for polystyrene foam cutting [9]
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 463-464 1645

Fig. 5. Milling with robots (virtual model) [3,10] Fig. 6. View of wooden probe [3,10]
Robot Using to Grinding Mould Surface with Unknown Shape. Was build special on-line
reverse engineering system which can analyses surface inclination or profile [5,6]. 3D scanning
system was developed based on a synthesis of the surface points (x, z) coordinates from the planar
scanner intersections and the x, y, z coordinates from robot kinematics (fig. 5). Trace of red laser light
(660 nm) on the analyzed surface is captured using a USB digital camera VGA (640 * 480 pixels).
With using special software RoboCAM system (fig. 5) show the surface profile. Profile of this
surface can be use with interpolation system to robot tool system controlling. The first transition
occurred in the system automatically analyses the surface curvature.
Initial positive verification system developed intelligent finishing (fig. 6) using a robot equipped
with a tool for self-propelled, makes it advisable to continue the research work developed concept.
Surface model Laser

Drill

Holder
Surface view –
red scanner line
Camera

Tool
Robot control
panel Surface

Fig. 5. Main form of RoboCAM software [5,6] Fig. 6. Unknown surface finishing [5,6]

Manufacturing Using Robot with Inject Tool

Robot head was equipped in special polyurethane foam(Titan SELLEN) injection system (fig. 7,8)
[7] controlled by PC using special own software RoboBuld. In experiments with shaping the
elementary layers of the model [7] was found relationship between the overlapping layers of speed,
height, location of the working nozzle, the level of injection system opening on the single layer shape
and size. Obtained in a test multilayer model (fig. 9) is characterized by a distinct texture of individual
layers.

Conclusions
This paper describes principles of manufacturing using robot. Another configuration of robot
structure and large working space make possible of robot using to workpiece manufacturing. Was
shown that robot can be equipped in another kind tool:
• stationary,
• rotational,
• inject tool.
1646 Advanced Materials Research II

Shown examples of manufacturing using robot presents large possibilities of all concepts to robots
using in production processes as machine tool.

Medium
aplicator

Prototype

Fig. 7. An idea of robots using to rapid Fig. 8. Polyurethane foam Fig. 9. Cross-section of
prototyping [7] injection system [7] multiple layers [7]

References
[1] Y. H. Chen, Y. N. Hu, Implementation of a robot system for sculptured surface cutting. Part 1.
Rough Machining. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technology, v. 15, (1999), pp 624-629.
[2] Y. N. Hu, Y. H. Chen, Implementation of a robot system for sculptured surface cutting. Part 2.
Finish Machining.” Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technology, v. 15, (1999), pp 630-639.
[3] H. Latos, T. Mikolajczyk, Virtual aid design of geometric and kinematics flexible tools XII
Workshop on Supervising and Diag. of Mach. Sys., Virt. Manuf., Karpacz, Poland, (2001), pp
145-152.
[4] J. Honczarenko, Roboty przemysłowe. Budowa i zastosowanie. WNT, Warszawa, 2004,
[5] T. Mikolajczyk, Robot application to surface finishing. Journal of Polish CIMAC, vol. 5, nr 3
(2010), pp 107-113
[6] T. Mikolajczyk, The robot machining system with surface shape active control”.
OPTIROB’2007, Predeal, Romania, University “POLITEHNICA” of Bucharest, (2007), pp
205-209
[7] T. Mikolajczyk, Rapid prototyping using robot, 10th international conference
Automation/Robotics in Theory an Practice, ROBTEP’2010, Slovakia, Bardeov, (2010) pp
201-206
[8] T. Mikolajczyk. Robot Turner, OPTIROB’2010., OPTIROB’2010, Calimenea, Romania,
University “POLITEHNICA” of Bucharest, (2010), pp
[9] T. Mikolajczyk, P. Milko, Shaping polystyrene foam products using robot. OPTIROB’2006.,
Predeal, Romania, University “POLITEHNICA” of Bucharest, (2006), pp 261-264
[10] H. Latos, T. Mikolajczyk, Surface shaping with industrial robot. OPTIROB-2006, Predeal,
Romania, University “POLITEHNICA” of Bucharest, (2006), pp 265-269.
[11] www.delcam.com/powermill/symulation.htm
[12] www.irbcam.com
[13] www.robots.com.contacts.htm
[14] H. Latos, Elastycznosc geometryczno-kinematyczna narzedzi skrawających. Wydawnictwo
Uczelniane Akademii Techniczno-Rolniczej, Bydgoszcz, 1997.
[15] T. Mikolajczyk, Modernization of IRb60 industrial robot steering system. OPTIROB’2007,
Predeal, Romania, University “POLITEHNICA” of Bucharest, (2007), pp 149-152.
 Advanced Materials Research II
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Manufacturing Using Robot

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