Assembly and Handling Systems

Lecturer: Herakovič Niko

Syllabus outline:

Lectures – main topics:

1. Overview and the role of assembly and handling systems and processes (AaHSP) in the production process.
2. The reasons and conditions for AaHSP automation, basic concepts and strategies AaHSP automation.
3. Economic aspects of AaHSP automation.
4. Concepts of smart manual assembly and handling processes and systems. Concepts of rigid and flexible automated AaHSP. Analysis of real cases of assembly and handling processes and systems. Product and process structure.
5. Planning of AaHSP. Integral approach. Relation to the product and its structure. Design for ease of assembly and handling and methods.
6. Reliability and Availability of AaHSP.
7. AaHSP in the factory of the future. Key technologies of Industry 4.0 in AaHSP.
8. Digital twins of AaHSP – modelling and simulation.
9. Robotized assembly and handling systems. Collaborative robots in AaHSP.
10. Structure of industrial robot (IR) degrees of freedom, a typical IR, components, workspace (handy and reach), drives, sensors
11. Control of IR and security. Human-robot cooperation. Programming IR: on and off-line programming
12. External sensors in robotized AaHS, tactile sensors and robot vision
13. Grippers, manipulation grippers and technological tools, sensors of grippers.
14. Standards and safety in robotized AaHS.

Tutorials – main topics:
• Basics of kinematic modeling: kinematics of IR, the connection between the speeds and accelerations of coordinates, generating a working moves, giving tasks, profiles, interpolations
• Controlling of small robots via PC
• Control of the rotary and linear servo axis for use in the automation.
• Manual workplace design using a computer – modelling and simulation.
• Modelling of production and assembly processes, design of experiments for optimization and simulation performing.
• Creating the product structure of the 3D product model by a computer on the base of model structure.
• Modelling of production and assembly processes in 3D.

Objectives and competences:

Goals:

• To teach the students the fundamentals of methodology used in the selection, design, analysis and evaluation of automated assembly and handling systems and processes (AaHSP), and about the integration thereof into the production process of the factories of the future
• Acquisition of basic knowledge for planning and integration of robotic AaHSP into the production process of the factories of the future.

Competences:
• The ability to select, design, analyse and evaluate automated and robotic AaHS, as well as the integration thereof into the production process.
• The ability to use modern approaches of analysis, modeling, optimization and simulation of production systems and processes.
• Understanding the economic aspects of automation and robotization of AaHS.
• Knowing the significance of standards and safety in robotic AaHS.

Intended learning outcomes:

Knowledge and understanding:
The student learns and understands:
• The fundamentals of automated assembly and handling systems and processes, rules and models.
• The fundamentals of robotics, the structures, relations, robotic applications in automated AaHSP.
• The fundumentals of AaHSP in the factories of the future.
• The fundamentals of gripper technology in automated AaHSP and the fundamentals of robotic grippers.
• The significance of standards and safety in robotic AaHSP.
Usage:
The students use the knowledge attained for planning and analysing of AaHSP, as well as for the integration thereof into the production process.

Reflection:
Using the presented methodologies and technologies in solving real AaHSP problems.

Transferrable skills – related to more than one course:
Using literature – hard copies and internets sources.
Problem identification and methods of problem solving.
The ability to plan and manage projects focused on designing assembly and handling systems.