Project aims
The overall objective of the project is to help European fabrication industry respond to current and future market demands.
The technical aims of this project are to develop and demonstrate an autonomous, flexible, mobile robotic welding system enabling high quality, customised medium to large fabrications to be produced as easily and quickly as standard products.
The proposed autonomous robot system will comprise the integration of the following innovative aspects:
- Use of manufacturing simulation for automated process planning and real time system monitoring.
- Autonomous robot transport vehicle (RTV) navigation for high accuracy positioning of a robot arm in an industrial environment.
- Design and build of an industrially rugged RTV with the accuracy and stability required for the welding tasks.
- Sensor systems that will identify the product type, its location and orientation within the cell
- Development of special welding consumables and process systems design to allow 'all positional' robotic welding with degree of dexterity unmatched by current systems.
Benefits
The manufacturer will benefit by being able to provide the customer with exactly the product that is required, at a competitive price and delivery time scale.
The customer will benefit by being able to access cost effective products that are ideally suited to the requirements of the application.
Other benefits will include:
Increased demand for autonomous robotic welding systems will also result in increased business for robot suppliers, autonomous vehicle manufacturers and the suppliers of the sensors and computer control systems required for such systems to operate effectively.
The working conditions, health and safety of the welders will be improved.
The development of autonomous fabrication technology for large steel structures is expected to put Europe in a world leading position and will have significant consequences in a range of manufacturing industries. The technology will be capable of re-vitalising traditional fabrication industries and considerably extending the economic viability of European fabrication industry in the face of severe competition from alternative low cost geographical areas.
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