Abstract
Robots are coming to be regarded as tools to be used rather than as a technology to be mastered. Increasingly they are being bought as a component part in a system. Examples of robotic and flexible manufacturing systems illustrate limitations to planning, implementing and operating practical systems. Software techniques to assist engineers in these tasks are reviewed, namely for event modelling, geometric modelling, programming and planning. Cells are increasingly regarded as the primary building block in flexible automation. As greater functional capability is demanded of systems, the need for practical planning tools — which themselves rely on the availability of adequate ‘world models’ — is highlighted.
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