Page 7 - Autumn 2024

Industry News

a longer working envelope, can grab it for further
processing.

This Kuka robot moves the part in front of a
second image processing system where a
camera captures images of the applied glue.
These are then analysed to ensure that the glue
is evenly distributed and that it is in a precise
items to be handled, mark gripping points and
pattern as specified by Thales engineers.
FURTHER send the information to the vision system which The OSR is then aligned precisely with the robot
then instructs a robot as to which items to pick
up. Precision feeding ensures consistent and arm as a first step to placing it in the correct
DEVELOPMENTS accurate placement of parts while high-speed location on the satellite panel. A third high-
operation improves throughput and reduces resolution camera now takes images of the OSR,
IN ROBOTICS cycle times. which is aligned using algorithms that determine
a 3D transformation between the coordinates of
The robots are Scarva robots from Shibaura
the OSR corners and the coordinate system of the
Machines’ THE Series and the system has
vacuum gripper that is holding the OSR.
magnetic removable shells and sides to simplify
cleaning and maintenance.
The system is said to ‘represent the next step in
industrial parts feeding’.

Reference: Drives and Controls, July/August 2024, p.22.
First UK Robotics and robotic companies employing 8,500 people with
Autonomous Systems Cluster a combined turnover of 2.4 million euros and a
pipeline of start-ups and skilled personnel which
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Robotic Cell protects Satellites
is feeding the robotics sector.
and the University of Birmingham have from Solar Radiation
together established Britain’s first robotics Chief Automation Officer for the Manufacturing A French robotics company has developed
and autonomous systems (RAS) ‘cluster’ in Technology Centre, Professor Mike Wilson, states: a robotic cell that places thousands of tiny
the West Midlands with the objective of reflectors with an accuracy of 0.2mm onto large
“ Creating the first UK Robotics and Autonomous
connecting relevant parties such as suppliers, panels that are used to protect satellites from
Systems regional cluster will strengthen the
integrators, users, universities and local solar radiation.
presence of crucial technology and support
authorities with the region’s two High Value
growth potential.
Manufacturing Catapult Centres to improve Akeoplus has developed the system for
the uptake of RAS by British industry. The work we are doing with the University of aerospace manufacturer Thales Alenia Space to
Birmingham will attract other related businesses automate the placement and bonding of optical
The concept follows benchmarking around the as well as universities to engage and enthuse solar reflectors onto protective panels measuring
Danish city of Odense, which has helped to turn younger generations, supporting the deployment up to 5m x 3m. These act as outer walls fitted with
Denmark into one of the world’s leading nations of RAS and raising the UK’s global rankings in up to 7,000 reflectors, each measuring around The corners of the OSR are determined by
for robot adoption. Denmark is now ranked robot use.” 40mm x 40mm. the intersection of its edges and from this a
coordinate system can be defined where the
twelfth in the world for robot density, as against Previously the optical solar reflectors (OSRs) were
Reference: ‘West Midlands Robotics “Cluster” could drive UK corner of the OSR is centred and aligned with
the UK at 25th. Denmark currently has over 300 mounted by hand by two or more people lying
Automation Boom’, Drives and Controls, July/August 2024, p.13. its edges. The coordinate system of the robot
on mats using glue. Now, two robots are used, the
effector is determined by hand-eye calibration of
first a small one that takes an OSR from a tray and
Robotic System overcomes places it onto a vacuum backlight under a camera the robot.
Parts-feeding Challenges which takes a picture. This is then inspected by As the 2.4 metre-long robot arm is not 100 per
MVTec’s Halcon machine vision software for breaks cent accurate, Akeoplus has developed an
Two Italian companies have devised a robotic
and scratches. A ‘shape matching’ technique iterative servoing process that allows the robot to
parts-feeding system to address the common
is then used to determine the exact position mount the OSR precisely on the 18 square metre
challenges of feeding and sorting. The Infinifeed
of the OSR and checks that its size and shape panel.
system, designed by Doma Automation and
corresponds to the model in the design plan.
integrated by Tera Automation, uses machine
vision to manage the feeding process, It is important to determine the position of every The Cycle time for gluing and positioning of the
eliminating the need for multiple feeders for reflector accurately because the robot grips OSRs is now under 45 seconds and a large panel
different components or complex programming each one slightly differently. It is moved to the can now be covered with solar reflectors in five
for the handling of diverse shapes. next production step with an accuracy of around days by one employee instead of seven days by
two employees.
0.2mm. If the component is fine then it is placed
Operation is based on a pair of parallel belt
under a glue dispensing nozzle. Once the glue
conveyors that move in opposite directions with [ Reference: ‘Reflecting the Challenges of protecting Satellites’, Drives
has been applied the robot picks up the OSR and Controls, July/August 2024, p.34 ]
items moving from one belt to the other under
again and places it where the second robot, with
the influence of gravity. Users capture images of
6 7
Subscribe to Electron here https://membermojo.co.uk/ie Subscribe to Electron here https://membermojo.co.uk/ie