Schriftenreihe der Wissenschaftlichen Landesakademie fur Niederosterreich P. Kopacek (ed.) Robotics in Alpe-Adria Region Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop (RAA '93), June 1993, Krems, Austria Springer-Verlag Wien New York Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Peter Kopacek Scientific Academy of Lower Austria, Krems, Austria This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically those of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machines or similar means, and storage in data banks. © 1994 Springer-Verlag/Wien Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1994 Printed on acid-free and chlorine-free bleached paper With 133 Figures ISSN 0940-5801 ISBN-13: 978-3-211-82545-7 e-ISBN-13: 978-3-7091-9346-4 DOl: 10.1007/978-3-7091-9346-4 v Preface Industrial robots as a kind of a mechatronic system were the objects for intensive scientific research in the last years. Kinematics and kinetics, advanced control algorithms, flexible robots, mobile robots, cooperation of robots were research topics. Meanwhile the industrial robot is more or less a tool on the shop floor level like NC- and CNC-machines, transportation and storage devices. The current research landscape on industrial robots can be divided in two directions. The first direction is the scientific one and topics like fuzzy control, applications of neuronal networks, application of methods of artificial intelligence for robot control, optimal path planning are currently headlines in this field. On the other hand the application oriented research goes in the direction to develop and create new low-cost concepts including industrial robots applicable in a commercially efficient way mainly in small and medium sized companies. The industry in most of the member countries of the Alpe-Adria Group are dominated by small and medium sized companies. Industrial robots together with the appropriate CIM-concepts are a very efficient tool for increasing the flexibility of such companies. At the first meeting in Portoroz (June 1992), a first overview on robotics research and applications in Alpe-Adria countries was given. First steps were done in the direction of a broader cooperation in science, development, production and level of education among these countries. This second meeting in Krems tried to establish new links between scientists and managers to develop priority suggestions for governments and investment strategies. Furthermore the participants should be informed on the goals of this group and proposals for international cooperation in terms of common projects should be discussed on the goals of this group. For this second workshop in Krems more than 60 abstracts were submitted to the organizers. According to the scope and the topics the papers deal with review of industrial applications of robots in Alpe-Adria Region, review of research activities, review of university and research centres, low-cost automation for small and medium sized companies, robots and intelligent manufacturing system especially an assembly automation and last but not least education in robotics. In this proceedings selected papers are collected. I hope that this workshop and the written material will stimulate the cooperation and definition of common research projects and activities in the field of robotics in the broadest sense in the Alpe-Adria Region. P. Kopacek Krems, December 1993 Editor VII Contents x Committees and Sponsors Surveys Robotics Research in Austria; K. Desoyer, P. Kopacek, I. Troch (A) 1 Considerations on Objectives, Tasks and Organisation of A1pe-Adria Centre for Robotics and Automation; J. Lenarcic, U. Stanic, P. M. Oblak (SLO) 8 Advanced Control Concepts for Industrial Robots; P. Kopacek (A), P. Otto, 1. Wernstedt (D) 13 IMProvement in Automation and Control Technology -A Joint European Initiative; P. Gabko, M. Stierle (A) 24 Robotics Research in Alpe Adria Research Activities in Robotics at RISC -Linz; S. Stifter (A) 29 Applied Robotics Group Research Activities at the ITIA -Institute for Industrial Technologies and Automation ofCNR; C. R. Boer, E. Imperio (I) 34 Robotic Research at the Scientific Academy of Lower Austria; P. Kopacek, G. Krenn (A) 39 Robot Kinematics and Kinetics Robot Wrist Configurations, Mechanisms and Kinematics; A. Romiti, T. Raparelli, M. Sorli (I) 44 Parallel Evaluation of Robot Kinematic Transformations; K. Dobrovodsky, P. Kurdel (SQ) 49 Robot Arm Modelling and Control; S. Uran, K. Jezernik (SLO) 54 Dynamic Model of a Mobile Robot for Analyzing End-effector Deviations Caused from Ground Unevenness; G. Elsbacher (A) 59 Construction, Design and Simulation of Robots Considerations for the Construction of Lightweight Robots; K. Desoyer, I. D. Caushi, P. Kopacek (A) 64 Design and Construction of a Modular Robot with Eulerian Joints; M. M. Gola, D. Botto (I) 69 VIII Design of SCARA Robot; D. Noe, M. Skubic (SLO) 74 Design and Measures for Lightweight Industrial Robots; I. D. Caushi (A) 79 Designing Manipulators for a Robotized Manufacturing; M. Ceccarelli, L. Carrino (I) 84 Optimal Stochastic Design of a Parallel Robot for Tolerance; P. B. Zobel, P. Di Stefano (I) 89 USIS -an Advanced 3D-Robot Simulation System; L. Bauer, R. Stetter, C. Woenckhaus (D) 94 Emulation of Articulated Robots; G. Conte, T. Leo, S. Longhi, R. Zulli (I) 99 ALMORO - Symbolic Robot Dynamics Customizer; K. Swider (A) 104 Techniques to Improve the Performance of an Industrial SCARA Robot; R. Faglia, C. Remino (I) 108 Robot Control Experimental Multiprocessor Robot Controller; M. Terbuc, K. Jezernik (SLO) 113 Implementation of a Low Cost Robot Controller PC-ROBOCONT on Hydraulic Robot for Spray Painting G-201; B. Nemec, L. Zljapah, S. Mrak (SLO) 118 Robust Adaptive Lyapunov -based Robot Control; V. Vesely, D. Kalas (SLO) 123 Stability of Hybrid PositionIForce Control Scheme during Free Motion; L. Zlajpah, B. Nemec (SLO) 128 Sensors and Mobile Robots Recognition of Three-dimensional Objects Using Two-dimensional Subspaces Gained by Intersections; P. Stohr (D) 133 Multi-sensor Technique for Increasing Intelligence of Assembly Robots; F. Alpek, Z. Nagy, P. Sallay, T. Szalay, K. Szelig, K. Toth (H) 138 Design of a Planetary Leg Mechanism Using Chebyshev's Optimization Method; E. Pennestri, A. Di Benedetto, N. P. Belfiore (I) 143 A New Hybrid Locomotion Mobile Robot for Semi-structured Environments; C. Ferraresi, G. Quaglia (I) 148 Commanding a Robot by Voice: Speech and Autonomous Navigation for the Mobile Robot of MAlA; B. Caprile, G. Lazzari (I) 153 Applications Robot Welding of Tubes; P. Andris, K. Dobrovodsky, P. Kurdel (SQ) 158 IX CAD for Robot Workcells in Battery Manufacturing; R. Kamnik, T. Bjad, A. Kralj (SLO) 163 An Automatic Control on Band Saw Tool Vibrations in the Primar Cutting Process; Z. Trpovski, S. Loskovska, D. Mihajlov, S. Suselski (MAC) 168 Low Cost CAD/CAM-coupling Applications of Artificial Intelligence to Robotic Assembly; A. G. Yarmosh, A. P. Gavrish, M. Zauner (UKR / A) 173 Robots in Manufacturing Cells Scheduling in Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Supported through Cyclic Net Analysis; L. Lenart, A. Ruzic (SLO) 178 Computer Aided Planning ofRobotized Assembly Systems; M. Skubic, D. Noe (SLO) 183 A User-friendly Software Tool for the Semiautomatic Design of Small Assembly Cells; R. Kratschmann, P. Havlicek (A) 188 Data Structures and Procedures for Computer Representation of Robot Cells; A. Ruzic (SLO) 193 Robots in Testing Robot Guided Anthropoidic Measuring Device; I. Kovac, A. Frank (A) 198 Circular Test: a New Method for Testing Industrial Robots; F. Haas, A. Frank (A) 203 A Low Cost Robot System for Stylus and Workpiece Manipulation in Computer Aided Quality Control; P. H. Osanna, E. Sarigel, N. M. Durakbasa, R. Oberlander, C. P. Heiss, D. Prostrednik (A) 208 Low Cost Automated Measuring System for Circularity Measurements; B. Acko, M. Milfelner, A. Sostar (SLO) 213 Rationalization of the CAD Data Management in Quality Assurance Systems; B. Sesko, A. Sostar, A. Acko (SLO) 217 Various Aspects Modular Parallel Gripper System; G. Kronreif, R. Probst (A) 221 Robotics in Transportation; R. Genser (A) 226 x S tee r in g Co m m itte e G.Belforte Politecnico di Torino, Italy E. Fugger Austrian Research Centre Seibersdorf, Austria K. Jezernik University ofMaribor, Slovenia P. Kopacek Technical University of Vienna, Austria 1. Lenarcic Iozef Stefan Institute Ljubljana, Slovenia J. Marton State Office for Technical Development, Hungary A. ROl'etta Politecnico di Milano, Italy U. Stanic Iozef Stefan Institute Ljubljana, Slovenia Organising Committee P. Kopacek Chairman N. Stanek A. Weichselbaum Secretary A. Kefeder Secretary Sponsored by Austrian Ministry of Science and Technology Scientific Academy of Lower Austria Institute for Handling Devices and Robotics, Technical University of Vienna Robotics Research in Austria K. Desoyer, P. Kopacek und 1. Troch University of Technology, Vienna, Austria Abstract: This paper is divided in industrial applications and research at universities and research institutions. According to the last statistics at the end of 1992 approximately 1750 robots were in use in Austria. In the paper a short overview on the research on robotics is given. There are two main directions: More theoretical oriented research in the field of kinematics, kinetics, path planning and control and research mainly emphasized to applications mainly in small and medium sized companies. In the last time research is done in the direction of application of methods of artificial intelligence in form of expert or knowledge based systems as well as in fuzzy control and neuronal networks related to the field of robotics. 1. Robot statistics (Moos, 1991) In Austria approximately 20 companies dealing with robots or robotic systems are on the mar ket. In 1989 robots to the value of 300 Mio ATS were installed new in our country and 872 industrial robots were in use in Austrian companies. At the end of 1991 this number increased to 1465 and at the end of 1992 to approximately 1750. Therefore Austria is one of the coun tries with the highest growing rates according to the long term estimations because most of the other countries have smaller growing rates. An usual characteristic number for the "robotization" of the industry of a distinct country is the number of robots for 10000 employees in this country. This number has increased from 3.4 in 1986 to 7.5 in 1989 and to approximately 10.0 today. One of the reasons for this untypical behaviour in comparison with other countries is the structure of the Austrian industry. The Austrian industry is mainly dominated by small and medium sized companies. These companies started the introduction of industrial robots relatively late -approximately 1984. Today 2 % of the industrial robots are installed in small companies (less than 20 employees); 49 % in medium sized companies (less than 500 employees). The main application field of industrial robots in Austria is welding (22 %) and not spot wel ding (only 3 %) as usual in other countries. Handling operations on die-casting (17 %) and CNC machine tools (IS %) are also relevant application fields. Remarkable growing rates are obtained for assembly, palettizing, jet cutting, research and education applications. Today 35 industrial robots are installed on Universities and other research institutions. 2. Robotic research As pointed out earlier the Austrian industry is mainly dominated by small and medium sized companies. Therefore robotic research on universities as well as research institutes have to be oriented mainly to industry. Because of the size of Austria these institutes are usually very small in comparison with other countries. We have two Technical Universities (Vienna and Graz) and one University with a Department of Technical and Natural Science (Linz). There fore robotic research is mainly concentrated on these Universities and on Research Institute (0FZS, Seibersdorf). The well known sentence "small is beautiful" is valid for robotic research