Brief information about actual research and cooperation projects

1. SMErobot

The European Robot Initiative for Strengthening the Competitiveness of SMEs in Manufac-turing

Project partners
IPA - Fraunhofer IPA, Stuttgart
ABB - ABB Robotics, Västeras, Sweden
COMAU - Comau Robotics, Beinasco, Italy
Güdel - Güdel AG, Langenthal, Switzerland
KUKA -KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg
Prospektiv -Prospektiv - Gesellschaft für betriebliche Zukunftsgestaltungen mbHv, Dortmund
Rinas - Rinas ApS, Koge, Denmark
VC - Visual Components Oy, Helsinki, Finland
CTI - Casting Technology International Ltd., Sheffield, UK
ISI - Fraunhofer ISI, Karlsruhe
ISIT - Fraunhofer ISIT, Itzehoe
DLR - DLR Institut für Robotik und Mechatronik, Wessling
ITIA - Istituto di Tecnologie Industriali e Automazione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
LTH - Lund University / Institute of Technology, Lund, Sweden
ADDF - Associacao para o Desenvolvimento do Departamento de Fisica, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Pro Support - Pro Support B.V., Hengelo, Netherlands
GPS - Gesellschaft für Produktionssysteme, Stuttgart

Project contents
More than 228,000 manufacturing SMEs in the EU are a crucial factor in Europe's competi-tiveness, wealth creation, quality of life and employment. To enable the EU to become the most competitive region in the world, the Commission has emphasized research efforts aimed at strengthening knowledge-based manufacturing in SMEs as agreed at the Lisbon Summit and as pointed out at MANUFUTURE-2003.
However, existing automation technologies have been developed for capital-intensive large-volume manufacturing, resulting in costly and complex systems, which typically cannot be used in an SME context. Therefore, manufacturing SMEs are today caught in an "automation trap": they must either opt for current and inappropriate automation solutions or compete on the basis of lowest wages. A new paradigm of affordable and flexible robot automation tech-nology, which meets the requirements of SMEs, is called for.

In contrast to an incremental series of automation innovations, this initiative is intended to exploit the potentials of industrial robots, because they constitute the most flexible existing automation technology. The consortium is set to create a radically new type of robot system - a whole family of SME-suitable robots - that is to become a commodity within SME manufacturing, thereby providing a breakthrough towards the required new paradigm.

Hence, the SMErobot initiative offers an escape out of the automation trap through:

· Technology development of SME robot systems adaptable to varying degrees of automation, at a third of today's automation life-cycle costs;

· New business models creating options for financing and operating robot automation given uncertainties in product volumes and life-times and to varying workforce qualifica-tion;

· Empowering the supply chain of robot automation by focusing on the needs and cul-ture of SME manufacturing with regard to planning, operation and maintenance.

The anticipated technical innovations enabling the breakthroughs and impacts of a novel SME robot automation paradigm are the prime deliverables of the technical work packages. The following innovations are radical:
1. Robot capable of understanding human-like instructions (by voice, gesture or graph-ics),
2. Safe and productive human-aware space-sharing robot (cooperative, no fences),
3. Three-day-deployable integrated robot system (modular plug-and-produce compo-nents).

For the first time, the five major European robot manufacturers have joined forces in SMEro-bot, in close cooperation with key component manufacturers, five leading research institutes and universities, and consultants for multidisciplinary RTD, dissemination and training ef-forts.
Demonstrations of fully functional prototypes will be set up in real SME environments of early adopters from different SME manufacturing branches (plastics & rubber, small-batch foun-dry, metal parts fabrication, etc.), together with SME end users and SME system integrators, partly from the new Member States. Training and education will be conducted at all levels from researcher to end-users. The unique composition of the consortium provides a strategic emphasis of standardization activities for maximum European impact on worldwide stan-dards.

SMEs and society benefit from the combined integration of knowledge along the supply chain of robotic automation, reaching from component manufacturers to end users, from multidisciplinary activities to business/financing models, and from fundamental technical re-search when confronted with SME scenarios. Management includes dedicated support for SME integration.
SMErobot will lead to affordable, dependable and versatile robots with significantly reduced robot setup, changeover and instruction times, which can be used for side-by-side assis-tance of workers at traditionally manual workplaces. European SMEs will be able to buy/lease, and operate these systems to their competitive advantage, thereby creating more and better jobs.

Contact persons
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

Dipl.-Ing. Peter Brockamp
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 567
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: p.brockamp@reisrobotics.de

2. KomoRob

Cognition oriented modular and autonomous service robot for on-site repair of deep-draw and die-cast tools in changing contexts

Project partners
TU Ilmenau - TU Ilmenau, Fachgebiet Fertigungstechnik
Uni Dortmund - Universität Dortmund, Lehrstuhl Regelungssystemtechnik
ICOM - ICOM Automation GmbH, Ilmenau
BIAS - Bremer Institut für angewandte Strahltechnik GmbH, Bremen
DURUM - DURUM GmbH, Willich
Schwarz - Heinz Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Preußisch Oldendorf
Barradas - Rui Barradas, Dortmund
AOS - Advanced Optics Solutions GmbH, Dresden
Bräuer - Bräuer GmbH & Co KG, Kirchhundem

Project contents
Goal of the research project KomoRob is the development of cognition oriented, modular and autonomous service robots for on-site repair of deep-draw and die-cast tools in chang-ing contexts. Basis for the work is the tight connection of robot and sensor technology for the autonomous registration of the work environment, as well as the actual tool geometries, the cognition oriented determination of repair strategies, repair process technology and the inte-gration of these items into the application. The portable and modular structure of the overall system ensures a maximum of flexibility as well as technological and economical competi-tiveness.
The exclusive feature of this approach is based on the fact, that with the intended develop-ment it will be possible for the first time to use a portable and modular robot autonomously for the highly precise registration of large tools and their repair by a build-up welding proc-ess.

The research work is subdivided into five work packages that are highly interlocked. In the first work package the key technologies of the drive independent sensor technology are elaborated. At this point for the first time novel mechatronics concepts for the absolute posi-tion determination of a robot are implemented, so that position correction becomes possible. The metrology that up to now was only used for spacious construction elements is refined in a way that a highly precise registration of the actual state is guaranteed. In the second work package the data processing as well as the learning strategies to carry out the repair work are implemented. The work in the third work package deals with the planning and realisation of an overall system for the use in an industrial environment, while the focus of the fourth work package is the part related evaluation of the system. Technological investigations for build-up welding are carried out and serve for the design of learning strategies in the second work package.
The quick implementation of the technology chain by the KomoRob consortium will be ac-companied by an industrial study group, by which companies of different branches will be participating in the project in an associated way.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

3. Lynkeus

Micro integrated 3D real-time camera system for the intelligent environment detection

Project partners
Kuka - Kuka Roboter GmbH, Augsburg
DLR - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Wessling
Eckelmann - Eckelmann AG, Wiesbaden
IFM - ifm electronic GmbH, Tettnang
PMDTec - PMD Technologies GmbH, Siegen
Götting - Götting KG, Lehrte
Elektrobit - Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Erlangen
Toptica - Toptica Photonics AG, Gräfelfing
RPG - RPG Radiometer Physics GmbH, Meckenheim
ULM - U-L-M Photonics GmbH, Ulm
IPR - Institut für Prozessrechentechnik, Automation und Robotik, Universität Karlsruhe
PI - Physikalisches Institut, Universität Frankfurt
ITO - Institut für technische Optik, Universität Stuttgart
IWR - Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für wissenschaftliches Rechnen, Universität Heidelberg
HQE - Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik und Quantenelektronik, Universität Siegen
INV - Institut für Nachrichtenverarbeitung, Universität Siegen
RST - Institut für Regelungs- und Steuerungstechnik, Universität Siegen
CG - Arbeitsgruppe Computergraphik und Multimediasysteme, Universität Siegen

Project contents
Without the quick detection, digitalisation and modelling of the dynamic 3D environment the available technical systems are lacking the required autonomy. They are practically "blind". Experiments so far, mainly based on stereo vision systems or laser scanners, e.g. for the autonomous driving of robots in natural environments, could not solve the required task sat-isfactorily. Within the scope of predecessor projects the basis for a solution method for this problem was elaborated. Thousands of parallel optical laser radars in the PMD (photonic mixer device) camera technology simultaneously register thousands of points in space via echo runtimes according to the optical lighting as a 3D snapshot. As a 3D video camera they measure a dynamic 3D scene continuously with video frame rate. The PMD camera technol-ogy has already proven its high degree of innovation in first product introductions. Neverthe-less, the technology still hits against its technological limitations in many applications. At the same time, besides the further development and modularisation of the new technologies, also the spectral extension of the application area of the PMD technology is of major inter-est. Within the scope of the Lynkeus project the PMD technology shall be developed further in its entirety to provide an intelligent micro system for 3D vision for the first time.
The real implementation of an intelligent micro system for 3D vision requires apart from the further development of the hardware also the development of dynamic 3D image processing software. Existing image processing approaches are based on 2D image sequences and are ineffective in 3D data processing. Besides special issues of the 3D camera development (e.g. calibration), generally useful, modular and effective software components have to be elaborated for generic tasks in 3D vision, before visions in micro systems technology like "ambient intelligence" can be implemented. Critical tasks like the dynamic object recognition, classification, sensor fusion and 3D environment modelling are unsolved problems at the moment.
Generic problems from application areas are an important component of the development of micro integrated real-time camera systems for the 3D registration of the environment. With-out this application driven definitions and tests of the requirements for PMD camera systems in particular and without the 3D image processing algorithms in general, no goal related de-velopment and optimisation of intelligent 3D vision approaches are reasonable. In this proc-ess it is important to implement widely usable developments to be able to treat important problem categories from the area of ambient intelligence. In this area classical unsolved tasks like "bin picking", "safe human machine interaction" and "autonomous mobile systems" represent exemplary problems for the 3D environment detection. These generic objectives thus represent a good working platform for the PMD sensor system to be developed. Such problem categories shall initially be addressed in a generic and widely applicable way as cross-sectional technologies and shall subsequently be substantiated in the form of demon-strators.

The objective of this project is to cover the whole vertical value-added chain from develop-ment and implementation of micro integrated 3D real-time camera systems on the basis of PMD technologies for the intelligent environment detection by means of an interdisciplinary coordinated project. For this, besides the direct further development of PMD system and components to guarantee the long-term usability of the technology, an exact definition, stan-dardisation and modularisation of the required hardware systems becomes necessary. Fur-thermore, generally usable modularised software components with standardised interfaces for generic tasks in 3D vision have to be elaborated in the area of dynamic 3D image proc-essing software that shall act as integral components of this integrated micro system (partly realised as embedded system). During the project these developments shall be defined and optimised application driven to guarantee the wide usability of the results. Thus, within the project three classical problem categories of 3D environment detection will be generically addressed. At the end of the project the developed technologies will be verified by means of four demonstrators to document the wide application perspective of PMD-based intelligent 3D real-time camera systems.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

4. koLas

Flexible production cell for combined laser machining with adaptive gripping technology

Project partners
IFF - Fraunhofer IFF, Magdeburg
ILT - Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen
IFA - Institut für Fabrikanlagen und Logistik (IFA), Universität Hannover
Babcock - Babock Lasertechnik e.K., Kleinmühlingen
Laserfact - Laserfact GmbH, Aachen
LBBZ - LBBZ Laser Bearbeitungs- und Beratungszentrum GmbH, Geilenkir-chen
Schrod K.H. - Schrod GmbH, Rheinböllen

Project contents

The laser technology has established itself as a universal tool in material machining, that provides already now a high degree of flexibility. In a wide spectrum of different applications like cutting, welding, hardening and labelling the laser technology shows its advances - high processing speed, high precision, welding seams and cutting edges without necessary sub-sequent treatment, machining with low shape distortion.
A typical application case for laser machining is the manufacturing of complex sheet metal assemblies (e.g. in car body production), where already reshaped sheet metal plates are machined in several steps on different, very expensive plants by separating and connecting procedures.
A considerable optimising potential of the process chain in laser machining exists in the tran-sition to flexible clamping and gripping technologies in connection with the combination of the cutting and welding processes within an automated plant.

In order to optimise the process chain of laser machining, in the frame of the project a flexi-ble laser production cell is developed and tested, within which both machining procedures 3D laser cutting and welding can be applied in quickly changing and arbitrary order to pro-duce complex shaped sheet metal parts. The gripping and clamping technology to be devel-oped in the project shall be applicable automatically to changing part geometries and shall thus enable a quick production change to new workpieces. With the planned development especially the following objectives shall be reached:

· reduction of the process chain of laser machining by combination of different production procedures and by achieving more efficient production sequences by saving redundant production means as well as saving non-productive and set-up times,

· increasing the application scope by automated adaptation of gripping and clamping de-vices and by simpler programming and operation,

· increasing the accuracy by applying different production steps containing cutting and welding within one clamping position and in quickly changing sequences,

· increasing the availability for operation by eliminating losses from interlinking and by achieving a better plant working load by a wider application spectrum, which is a decisive aspect especially for SMEs and for newcomers in laser based production,

· automatic and economical production of small lot sizes as well as extension of the prod-uct spectrum, because new construction possibilities can be implemented.

Contact person
Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Höppe
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 320
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 110
E-Mail: n.hoeppe@reisrobotics.de

5. 3DISTH

3D Inertial sensor Thyracont

Project partners
Thyracont - Thyracont Vacuum Instruments GmbH, Passau
Sensorik Bayern - Sensorik Bayern GmbH, Regensburg
IC-Design - IC-Design Reinhard Gottinger GmbH, Passau
BMW - BMW AG, Munich (associated)

Project contents

The main objective of the cooperation project is the development of novel miniaturised MEMS sensors, that are suitable to record three dimensional motions and simultaneously the orientation against the plumb line closely related to real time. The term "closed loop thermodynamic inertial" (CLTI) is used for the new sensor principle.
Included in the scope of development is a demonstration system to prove the innovative fea-tures of the novel sensor principle containing a compact, battery-operated "motion data log-ger" with micro processor, display and USB port, that is used to output the stored data.
The demonstrator allows simple test set-ups to verify the advantages of the novel sensor concept in different application areas as robotics, medicine, in safety installations, in the area of transportation, for gesture-based data input and especially in the sectors of land vehicles as well as air- and water crafts.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

6. Fit4Age

Future-oriented products and services for the demographic challenges - Fit4Age

· Subject area III: People stay longer in working life - Fit4Work

· Subproject II-3: Robot assistance at manual workplaces

Project partners
IWB - Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management of the Technical University of Munich
Uni Wuerzburg - Institute for Robotics and Telematics, University of Wuerzburg
BMW - BMW AG, Research and Innovation Centre, Munich
BSH - BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Dillingen 

Project contents

Project as a whole: Common objective of the research project is to face the challenges re-lated to the demographic changes in the subject areas of:

· People live longer self-determined,

· People stay longer mobile,

· People stay longer in working life

by technical solutions that allow aging persons to preserve an active and affordable life in home and house, in working life and also in the communication with the environment and in the traffic sector.

Subject area III: The demographic development will also lead to a further growing number of elderly employees in companies.
Thus, companies have to face the challenge to provide suitably arranged workplaces for elderly and underperforming employees in adequate numbers to maintain a competitive pro-duction also in future. By employing elderly persons companies can make best possible use of the nowadays often underestimated competencies and experiences of elderly employees. Affected by this problem are the areas of assembly and logistics, because especially in these sectors a high rate of manual work exists due to the complex tasks and due to the high demands for flexibility.
In subject area III innovative, flexible and economical concepts are developed for the indus-trial sectors assembly and logistics to employ elderly and underperforming persons efficiently and sustainably in working life and to integrate their specific strengths into the workflow of companies. To reach sustainable ergonomic processes these operations are supported by the integration of robots.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

7. LARISSA

Laser Robotics - Integration of scanning and focusing devices serving as high dynamic sys-tem axes

Project partners
HSAB University of Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg, departments for electri-cal engineering and mechatronics
Raylase Raylase AG, Weßling

Project contents
In many application areas of industrial manufacturing industrial robots have established in material processing with lasers. They are used for cutting, welding, marking and labelling of workpieces from different materials. In these machining processes the focus point of the la-ser beam must be positioned very quickly on the workpiece and has to be guided as exact as possible along the desired machining contour.
In the research project LARISSA the project partners develop and prove novel system con-cepts for laser material processing with industrial robots. The motion guidance of the laser beam shall be performed jointly by the mechanical axes of the robot and by an optical scan-ning and focussing device fixed to the robot's end effector.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de

8. IRFS

Intelligent feed-back controlled manufacturing system

Project partners
APE APE Engineering GmbH, Niedernberg

Project contents
Nowadays, in modern production plants software based control systems are installed to col-lect and process machine and operation related data and to display them in a suitable form to the user. In case of failures or deviations from the nominal process the plant control sys-tem can take corrective action in the production process on the basis of the measured cur-rent process status in order to eliminate failures or to stabilise or alter the production proc-ess. This real-time control process and the resulting impacts of the direct intervention in the running production process are only hard to assess and represent a particular risk in feed-back controlled production processes. The system user gets no certainty that the control system always determines the best approach and applies it automatically to the production process.

The main objective of the research project IRFS is to develop a complete system that col-lects all important machine, robot and operation related data of the production process, analyses the data according to selectable patterns and takes corrective actions to emerging variations directly in the running production process. The cause-effect relationships that have normally a very complex multi-dimensional nature are determined on the basis of analysis processes. The control system must determine the best change strategy for the cur-rent situation or if necessary select a complete new approach. By means of the automatically calculated data of the robot, the production sector and the modules for image recognition the control software takes corrective actions in the production system so that the production process is optimised automatically and failures are avoided.

Contact person
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Dresselhaus
Tel.: +49 / 6022 / 503 575
Fax.: +49 / 6022 / 503 589
E-Mail: m.dresselhaus@reisrobotics.de