Painting Robot Research Articles

Trajectory Optimization of Spray Painting Robot for Complex Curved Surface Based on Exponential Mean Bézier Method

Automated tool trajectory planning for spray painting robots is still a challenging problem, especially for a large complex curved surface. This paper presents a new method of trajectory optimization for spray painting robot based on exponential mean Bézier method. The definition and the three theorems of exponential mean Bézier curves are discussed. Then a spatial painting path generation method based on exponential mean Bézier curves is developed. A new simple algorithm for trajectory optimization on complex curved surfaces is introduced. A golden section method is adopted to calculate the values. The experimental results illustrate that the exponential mean Bézier curves enhanced flexibility of the path planning, and the trajectory optimization algorithm achieved satisfactory performance. This method can also be extended to other applications.

PPG counts on chemistry to give it an edge

About 20 minutes from PPG Industries’ headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh is the Allison Park Coatings Innovation Center. Set on 175 rolling wooded acres, the glass-clad research facility employs more than 280 synthetic chemists, analytical chemists, formulation experts, and chemical engineers. First opened in 1974, the facility just got a $7.8 million upgrade. The project added robotic paint spray booths that replicate customer manufacturing conditions along with new synthesis labs and equipment to accommodate a growing workforce. “We hired 45 Ph.D.s just in the last five years,” says David Bem, PPG’s chief technology officer. More researchers will be coming to the site soon. In the coming years, he says, the firm plans to hire additional chemists, including those with B.S. and M.S. degrees, as it advances work on new types of coatings. The Allison Park researchers are at the vanguard of a global technology force of 3,500 intended to give PPG

Development of Exterior Wall Painting Robot

Objective: Exterior wall painting is one of the major tasks in con-struction field. For apartment building exterior wall painting is risky. Painter will be hanging on the wall with support of rope. While painting the painter has to slide down carefully, even sometimes need to move left and right along the wall. There is a chance of falling if not alert. Method: In this paper, research is carried out for development of exterior wall painting robot (PAINTBOT-EW). Hardware is divided into two sectors, robot and suspension system. Robot is fabricated by attaching paint feed roller to the frame. DC motor drives the roller ver-tically up and down on the frame using rotating disc and connecting rod. Robot is connected to the cables at top right and left corners. The other ends of cables are connected to DC geared motors through the pulleys mounted on the wall at required distance. UI part includes cre-ating Graphical User Interface (GUI) in MATLAB, coding the program and to control the movement of the robot using Arduino Uno. Find-ings: From experiments it is observed that painting robot covers 2 square feet area of wall approximately in 34 mins as the stroke length of the roller is found to be 28 cm. Alignment of robot while moving from one co-ordinate to other may vary but once it reaches the required co-ordinate it aligns itself straight. Motors which were fixed to the robot for movement; in earlier, robot was attached to the ground in order to reduce vibrations generated in robot. As well as continuous paint flow is maintained while painting using pump which is not possible in case of compressor used in earlier robot. Applications: Wall painting is carried out with 65% reduction in cost along with reduction in vibrations generated in the earlier model.

Mathematical Model of the Painting Robot

The main objective of the research work was to construct a techno-mathematical model of the robotic arm for conducting painting work, which would streamline the speed and quality of work performed with respect to material savings. For research we chose a robotic arm that is commonly used in industrial production, and adapted it for our conditions. The mathematical model is designed to find the optimal trajectory for moving the robotic arm, where the emphasis is placed on minimizing the path length of motion of the robot ́s endpoint, thus reducing overall energy consumption for the building work. First, the optimal mathematical modeling method was chosen, it was selected according to conditions and parameters of the robotic arm. Thanks to the applied method we picked the software that helped to create the algorithm. Subsequently, a computer simulation and calculation of the optimal motion using a combination of virtual circles, sine and cosine theorem, was done. Further, we checked all relevant angles and calculation of the robotic arm rotation in space for each admissible variant. The last step was the selection of the optimal trajectory of the robotic arm in 3D space.

Topology optimization of industrial robots for system-level stiffness maximization by using part-level metamodels

This investigation presents a topology optimization method for the design of lightweight serial robots for industrial applications such as welding robots and painting robots. It might be numerically efficient to perform topology optimization of a robot structure by dividing the problem into part-level optimization problems. However, the robot structure whose parts are separately optimized is not necessarily the optimized structure in the system level. For example, a robot whose parts are separately designed to have maximum stiffness-to-mass ratio cannot have the maximum stiffness in the system level. This is because it is impossible to know in the stage of the problem formulation how the total mass should be divided into each part to have maximized system stiffness. To deal with this, a metamodel relating the stiffness and the mass usage is constructed in each part-level optimization problem. The proper division of a mass in the part level is determined by solving the system-level optimization problem which is formulated by using the part-level metamodels. Optimized robot structures obtained by the proposed approach are shown to have performances close to system-level optimized ones in test problems with two- and three-dimensional static and dynamic cases. Based on the proposed idea, topology optimization of a painting robot is performed; a base frame, a lower frame and an upper frame of the robot are optimized to lower the maximum system strain energy during the motion.

Design of redundant robot painting system for long non-regular duct

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a special automatic redundant robot painting system (RRPS), which can automatically navigate and paint in the long non-regular duct. Design/methodology/approach – The RRPS is designed with three subsystems: a redundant robot, a spraying system and a control and safety system. Based on the modular design theory, the robot falls naturally into a mobile platform, a 4-DOF location mechanism and a 10-DOF manipulator. The restriction of the distance between the links and the duct axis is used to plan the trajectory of the manipulator so that it would not collide with the duct. The restriction model is constructed by minimizing the sum of the weighed distances between the duct axis and the special points. Findings – A fully working prototype system has been developed. Test results show that the minimal distance between the robot joints and duct is 18 mm, and it can finish painting long non-regular ducts at the speed of 12.5 cm/s and the spraying distance of 16 cm. The quality of coating layers is good. Practical implications – The RRPS was used to paint non-regular rectangular ducts, cylindrical ducts and long non-regular ducts. The feasibility of painting long non-regular duct is proved with the prototype implementation and successful test results. Originality/value – The RRPS shows a novel solution that is based on the 14-DOF redundant robot design for painting long non-regular ducts which is used in airplane.

Automatic Wall Painting and Crack Detection Robot based on Raspberry pi

This paper presents a new prototype that aims to design, develop and implement Automatic Wall Painting Robot which helps to achieve less human interaction and low cost painting equipment. Despite the advances in robotics and its wide spreading applications, interior wall painting has shared little in research activities. Despite the fact that the utilization of spreading robotized frameworks for inside painting was at that point indicated to be attainable and helpful, a ton of tests must be completed later on to convey an exceedingly self-governing robot for inner part painting. A new approach is proposed using raspberry pi, the robot which can be operated by both manual and autonomous. The autonomous robot can be controlled using an android mobile where the application was installed. The existing approach gives feasible analysis for time and labor. It is not easy to correlate the work and people because painting an elevated building is very risk and time consuming. In this paper, the robot is mounted on equipment which permits it to move up and down, left and right along the exterior walls of a building. It is also equipped with sensors which measure indentations and protrusions in the wall surface and making it possible for painting. IR is used to enhance the current approach to detect cracks on the wall and gives indication such that we can rectify in prior from elongation of damage. In addition, it is very effective on time management and completes it without an error and would offer the opportunity to reduce or eliminate human exposure to difficult and hazardous environments. Finally, it is expected that the conceptual model of the wall painting robot would be efficiently used in various applications in wall finishing and maintenance of other architectural and civil structures such as commercial buildings, towersand high-rise storage tanks.

Prediction Model of Coating Growth Rate for Varied Dip-Angle Spraying Based on Gaussian Sum Model

In automatic spraying of spray painting robot, in order to solve the problems of coating growth rate modeling for varied dip-angle spraying technology, a prediction mode of coating growth rate using the Gaussian sum model is proposed. Based on the Gaussian sum model, a theoretical model for coating growth rate with varied dip-angle spraying is established by using the theory of differential geometry. The coating thickness of the sample points in the distribution range of the coating was obtained by making the experiment of varied dip-angle spraying. Based on the theoretical model, the nonlinear least square method is used to fit the coating thickness of the sample points and the parameter values of the theoretical model are calculated. By analyzing the variation law of the parameters with the spray dip-angle, the prediction model of coating growth rate for varied dip-angle spraying is established. Experiments have shown that the prediction model has good fitting precision; it can satisfy the real-time requirement with varied dip-angle spraying trajectory planning in the offline programming system.

Accurate Positioning for Robot Painting

Accurate Positioning for Robot Painting

Incremental approach for trajectory generation of spray painting robot

Purpose This paper aims to present a new offline robot programming approach for automated trajectory generation on free-form surfaces targeted toward spray painting application. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, an incremental trajectory generation approach is developed where new paint passes are generated based on paint deposited on the surface as a result of previous paint passes. The trajectory is generated on real surfaces where optimal velocity is calculated using genetic algorithm considering parameters such as surface model, spray gun model, paint distribution model and task constraints. Findings The developed approach was implemented on various surfaces for different paint distribution patterns, and the simulation results reveal that the approach is flexible and efficient to handle variety in part geometry and paint distribution. From experimental validation and analysis of results thus obtained, the developed approach is highly promising compared to the existing methods. Research limitations/implications The approach assumes that the computer-aided design (CAD) model of the surface is available and is limited to surjective surfaces in a structured environment where the spray gun characteristics and process parameters are known beforehand. Practical implications The problem of programming a robot manually is overcome by automatically generating a sub-optimal trajectory which can be easily transferred to an industrial robot for spray painting the surface. Originality/value This paper discusses a new approach for automated trajectory generation from CAD model. The experimental validation of the developed approach is successfully performed on a highly curved test surface, and obtained results are in agreement with the simulation results.

Surface modeling of workpiece and tool trajectory planning for spray painting robot.

Automated tool trajectory planning for spray-painting robots is still a challenging problem, especially for a large free-form surface. A grid approximation of a free-form surface is adopted in CAD modeling in this paper. A free-form surface model is approximated by a set of flat patches. We describe here an efficient and flexible tool trajectory optimization scheme using T-Bézier curves calculated in a new way from trigonometrical bases. The distance between the spray gun and the free-form surface along the normal vector is varied. Automotive body parts, which are large free-form surfaces, are used to test the scheme. The experimental results show that the trajectory planning algorithm achieves satisfactory performance. This algorithm can also be extended to other applications.

Automatic path-planning algorithm for realistic decorative robotic painting

Abstract In this paper an innovative algorithm to reproduce non-uniform, photorealistic, gray-scale images on large surfaces, using an ordinary industrial spray-painting robot is proposed. The algorithm splits the process into a set of iterative steps with decreasing spray-gun stroke diameters. Thus, it can efficiently build up the image starting with large strokes to paint the larger details of the image. Then, with increasingly smaller strokes, it can paint the rest of the smaller details. The target image is segmented and a tool-path is computed. A set of critical points in the image is then chosen to avoid oversaturation and used to implement an algorithm to calculate spray-gun operational speed at each path point. Eventually, such conditions lead to a linear system which is solved using an ordinary least squares method. Depending on the image to reproduce, this methodology promises to be far more efficient than painting processes where the image is built entirely at the smallest detail level. For this reason, it would be particularly suitable for large building facade decoration, for example.

Wind resistance performance analysis of automated exterior wall painting robot for apartment buildings

Painters who have to work on the exterior walls of high-rise buildings are constantly exposed to the risk of falling, which can be fatal. Korea and other countries are endeavoring to develop technology that automates exterior wall painting. Since robots that paint the exterior walls of apartment buildings should hang on to the exterior wall, they are greatly affected by the wind; thus, predicting the wind load on a robot hanging outside an apartment building is very important to secure adequate wind resistance and assure safe movement and uniform painting quality. This study applied a proposed analysis model for the wind resistance of an exterior wall painting robot to an actual apartment building complex in order to improve the reliability of the proposed model. Computational fluid dynamics simulation and the structural analysis program MIDAS were used to analyze the wind resistance performance of the exterior wall painting robot and verify the structural safety.

Tool Trajectory Optimization of Spray Painting Robot for ManyTimes Spray Painting

Spray gun trajectory optimization of spray painting robot is highly desirable for today’s automotive manufacturing. Sometimes, the way of many-times spray painting is used to meet the technological requirements. In this paper, a new spray gun trajectory optimization method of many-times spray painting for the plane has been developed after complex surface partitioned. Based on the spray gun trajectory optimization of one-time spray painting, the method utilizes the coating thickness superposition cycle and status number to establish the coating thickness superposition model for many-times spray painting and to optimize the spray gun trajectory of many-times spray painting. The number and cycle of coating thickness superposition status are developed to modeling the coating thickness distribution model for many-times spray painting. The coating thickness deviation from the required coating thickness is optimized by modifying the offset distance between the subsequent spray gun trajectory and the first spray gun trajectory. The results of simulations have shown that the spray gun trajectory optimization of many-times spray painting achieves satisfactory performance, the coating thickness uniformity satisfy high standard requirement.

An analysis model for wind resistance performance of automated exterior wall painting robots in apartment buildings

The painting of exterior walls on apartment buildings involves a constant risk of painters falling, which could lead to fatalities. Although the market for domestic painting is expanding, painters tend to avoid the risk of painting exterior walls. Accordingly, many studies have been conducted to develop automated exterior wall painting technology in Korea and overseas, largely for apartment buildings. The exterior painting of high-rise apartment buildings is greatly affected by wind. Thus, when automated exterior painting robots are being developed, the design parameters, including the robot type and suction force, must be selected for the robots to safely resist the wind load. This study uses computer simulation technology (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to analyze the resistance capacity of the robots to the wind load on mock-up buildings for the stage prior to field application. Additionally, because high-rise apartment buildings vary greatly in layout and exterior shape, they are subjected to a diverse distribution of wind loads. Thus, an analytical model is proposed for the wind resistance capacity against various loads in order to ensure the safe and stable field application of automated exterior wall painting robots.

A Performance Index for Planar Repetitive Workspace Robots

When large surfaces need to be covered by a robotic system, the most common solution is to design or employ a robot with a comparably large workspace (WS), with high costs and high power requirements. In this paper, we propose a new methodology consisting in an efficient partitioning of the surface, in order to use robotic systems with a workspace of arbitrarily smaller size. These robots are called repetitive workspace robots (RWR). To support this method, we formally define a general index IRWR in order to evaluate the covering efficiency of the workspace. Three algorithms to compute the index are presented, the uniform expansion covering algorithm (UECA), the corrected inertial ellipsoid covering algorithm (CIECA), and the genetic covering algorithm (GCA). The GCA, which delivers a solution in the proximity of the global-best one, is used as a baseline for a comparison between the UECA and the CIECA. Eventually, we present the results of a performance analysis of the three algorithms in terms of computing time. The results show that the CIECA is the best algorithm for the evaluation of the IRWR, almost reaching the global-best solutions of the GCA. Finally, we illustrate a practical application with a comparison between two commercial industrial paint robots: the ABB™ IRB 550 and the CMA® Robotics GR 6100.

Trajectory Planning for Spray Painting Robot of Free-Form Surfaces

Trajectory optimization of spray painting robot for surfaces is studied. Because the current paint deposition rate function is too complicated, the paint deposition rate function on a plane according to the experiment data is provided. The paint thickness function for free-form surfaces is also given. A multi-objective constraint optimization problem is formulated. An optimal tool trajectory with an optimal time and film quantity deviation is generated.Experiments are performed to verify the generated trajectory. The results show that the developed optimal tool planning algorithm could be applied to generate optimal tool trajectories.

Affective Interaction in Smart Environments

We present a concept where the smart environments of the future will be able to provide ubiquitous affective communication. All the surfaces will become interactive and the furniture will display emotions. In particular, we present a first prototype that allows people to share their emotional states in a natural way. The input will be given through facial expressions and the output will be displayed in a context-aware multimodal way. Two novel output modalities are presented: a robotic painting that applies the concept of affective communication to the informative art and an RGB lamp that represents the emotions remaining in the user's peripheral attention. An observation study has been conducted during an interactive event and we report our preliminary findings in this paper.

Fault Analysis and Modification of Spray Painting Robot Travelling System

When the spray painting robot is in service, the synchronous pulley falls off and the robot touches the ground. Through analyzing the stress condition of the travelling system with the statics method, the paper points out the cause is that the mounting surface of the synchronous pulley is deformed due to system weight. The fault can be avoided by changing the transmission level of the original drive system and increasing the bearing support capacity so that the system weight can directly act on the rack.

Ship Rust Removal Spray Painting Robot Finite Element Analysis Based on ANSYS

In this paper, the three-dimensional model of derusting spray painting robot is established with 3-D software SolidWorks; and the afinite element model of the vertical guide rail is set up with ANSYS. The static analysis is carried on, based on the motion simulation analysis result of MSC. ADAMS. Stress and strain distribution is intuitively obtained under the worst condition, which provides basis for improving strength design.