Implementation of RISC Workcell Tools
A large portion of the industrial manufacturing labor force is devoted
to assembly operations. We wish to apply the paradigm of RISC
(Reduced Intricacy in Sensing and Control) robotics to this field.
RISC
robotics is an attempt to fuse automation and robotics technologies.
The main idea of RISC
robotics is to use only a small set of simple, inexpensive, and
accurate primitive tools. These simple tools can then be easily
interchanged and/or combined to perform complex manufacturing tasks.
Previous work has already led to the developed a fast, high precision
(i.e. 25 microns), self-calibrating peg-in-hole insertion strategy
using several very simple, inexpensive, and accurate optical sensors.
Current work is in the development of new RISC
tools in the workcell. We hope to provide a minimal set of tools
necessary for a benchmark assembly of a model
airplane motor.
Some of the simple RISC
tools currently being developed are:
- Optical Distance Sensor
- Parts presentation is the major problem in automated
assembly. Current RISC
sensors have been successful at identifying and localizing
parts being presented on a conveyor belt. However, for flat parts where part
thickness is an important part of the identification or
localization process, sensors must be able to obtain accurate
distance information.
height-sensitive parts
- Fixturing Vise
- A multi-purpose vise for fixturing sub-assemblies is a
necessary part of any workcell.
- Fastener Tool
- Parts mating is dominated by peg-in-hole and screwing
operations. Our general purpose fastener tool will perform the
various screwing operations.
- Conveyor Belt
- In order to provide us with an actual assembly
workcell we have added a conveyor belt to exploit our
RISC
sensors and algorithms for part localization and identification.
Eric Paulos (paulos@robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu) / 20 Apr 1994