Autonomous robotic polishing of free-form poly-surfaces: planning from scanning in realistic industrial setting

Abstract

We propose a novel solution for generating robot tool paths to achieve uniform surface polishing of free-form poly-surfaces, addressing the limitations of imperfect surface reconstruction in real industrial settings and of abruptly varying curvatures. Existing approaches assume perfect 3D surface knowledge and overlook pieces with abrupt changes in principal curvatures, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes like non-smooth paths and incomplete coverage. Our research aims to develop an algorithm that adapts the polishing path for uniform coverage despite imperfect reconstruction or aggressive varying curvatures of the objects to be polished. Users can control the path points density, overlapping, edge proximity, and scanning direction. By segmenting the surface based on curvature similarity and connecting the separately computed trajectories, we minimize polishing time and achieve optimal polishing quality of free-form poly-surfaces in real industrial settings.