Background
This project was one of the ARM Institute’s Quick Start projects that were not selected from a formal project call process but were part of ARM Institute’s formation. This project sought to take a highly manual process and automate it both for worker safety and increased productivity. The development of sensor-based robotics technology automates composites manufacturing with faster cycle time, increased precision, and process repeatability.
Objective
Improve ergonomics, product quality, and process efficiency in wind turbine blade manufacturing.
Technical Approach
Demonstrate safe, robust, efficient robotically assisted fixtureless precision blade assembly. Develop sensor-based robot control software for manipulation of large, heavy, flexible loads. The resulting CDIP is anticipated to include:
- User directed path planning
- Multi-RGBD based safety system
- Robot motion control with payload vibration suppression
- Learning-based robot dynamics compensation using robot dynamic simulator
- Integrated robot motion planner and controller with sensor (vision, force, vacuum pressure) and user inputs through robot external guided motion.
Participants
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Principal Investigator), GE Global Research, Southwest Research Institute, IEEE GlobalSpec, Vistex, Fuzehub, SME, Army Benet Laboratory