Robot based system for the automation of flow assembly lines

Abstract

In this paper a promising approach to the automation of flow assembly lines is presented. The developed system uses a standard industrial robot and synchronizes it to the product in all degrees of freedom. The synchronization is enabled by dividing the assembly process in different phases and controlling the robot in each phase with an adequate sensor system. Besides that a compliance is integrated into the gripper system in order to reduce high contact forces and tolerate high frequent pose deviations. Main advantages of the synchronized assembly are the avoidance of buffers and the reduction of the throughput time.