Deviating workpieces or individual orders pose significant challenges, especially for modern painting lines and automated units: Either the painting robots have to be extensively reprogrammed or a separate process has to be set up to enable manual painting in parallel with the automated process on a permanent basis. This entails additional costs and considerable space requirements. But that's not all: in order to ensure flexible use of the painting system without downtime, it is necessary to set up the robot at short notice for painting a new workpiece - which, however, requires not only time but also the necessary technical expertise and incurs additional costs with conventional programming methods.

With this in mind, Kawasaki Robotics has developed the 'Successor', a prototype of a manual remote control for painting and other industrial robots that combines modern robot technology with human intuition and flexibility. This means that no robot expert is required on site to process new workpieces, only a skilled employee. At the same time, the programming effort is completely eliminated.

With the new remote control, fully automatic and remote-controlled processes can be freely combined. Operation of the 'Communicator' remote control module is completely intuitive: the user directly controls the movements of the robot and the nozzles of the painting bell attached to the robot via the control unit, which is modeled on a paint gun. With a view through the protective glass or live monitor, the user can paint the relevant workpiece quickly and evenly - with a minimum reaction time of four milliseconds. The Successor therefore enables the direct real-time recording of movement, distance, time and speed. The system can also be used to control complete painting lines individually. This means that one specialist can take turns operating several robots using just one communicator. And via the TCP/IP connection between the successor and the robot, any number of robots can be controlled via a single controller.

For the workers, this new approach means that they do not have to wear protective clothing in difficult working environments and the work is absolutely safe for their health. Last but not least, the seamless integration of the system into the existing infrastructure makes it possible to switch between fully automatic operation and manual input flexibly within seconds and in just a few steps.

No larger than a desktop PC

The core of the AI-supported system: the 'Communicator' module.

© Kawasaki Robotics

The core of the system is the F60 controller from Kawasaki, which is used to control the six servomotors of the control unit. The compact controller is no bigger than a standard desktop PC and only requires a 240 V power supply to operate the system. A laptop PC with a digital input card connected between the operating unit and the controller records all the movements entered and passes them on to the controller. A (multilingual) standard teach pendant for industrial robots is used to control and program the system - in future, this will also be possible with an application-oriented tablet.

The Successor can be used in almost all working environments and robot installations without the need for complex safety technology: The Cubic-S safety module used enables the available workspace to be individually defined and precisely limited in advance. This means that the manually controlled robot cannot exceed the specified working area limits at any time. This ensures the safety of employees and the system at all times. In addition to Cubic-S, the remote control itself can also be used to set individual limit ranges with external parameter specifications, for example for different workpiece sizes.

The effort required to implement the innovative operating solution in production environments is minimal: only the component size and the work area need to be defined - the system is directly compatible with existing robots via the TCP/IP interface and ready for use. Based on layout and CAD data, it is also possible to prepare the system accordingly and deliver it ready for operation.

Intuitive operation was just one important aspect in the development of the system. Other decisive requirements were flexible use and the ability to pass on process know-how efficiently.

AI optimizes manual entries

The system's artificial intelligence (AI) is able to learn, optimize and independently reproduce the manually entered movement sequences. Manual inputs with variances are also optimally converted into automated processes by eliminating unnecessary paths and movements from the program.

If, for example, a different workpiece needs to be painted repeatedly, the "manual programming" that was carried out once and saved can be loaded at any time and then run automatically. This means that so-called chaotic production is also easily possible: individual series programming can be created quickly and as required from several individual programs created via Successor. The system is also able to pass on the movements entered to other users via a special feedback system. As the connected robots learn directly from experienced skilled workers, the processes can be taught directly to junior staff and beginners: Using haptic, visual and acoustic impressions, they can quickly learn how to operate the system and relevant movement sequences.

Redefining collaborative industrial robotics

The first live presentations of the Successor took place at the iRex robot trade fair in Tokyo in December 2017 and at PaintExpo in Karlsruhe in April 2018.

© Kawasaki Robotics

However, the Successor is not only aimed at reducing the time and costs associated with the diverse and changing painting processes to a minimum: Thanks to the system's simple implementation and intuitive operation, a wide range of other application scenarios are conceivable - for example in welding processes or for assembly or handling tasks. Here, the system's AI can also be used in a targeted manner, for example by optimizing paths and minimizing the load on components. In the long term, Kawasaki Robotics wants to offer an easy and versatile solution that redefines the collaborative use of industrial robots or allows them to be used in areas where this was previously hardly possible or only possible with great effort.

The prototype of the Successor was designed and constructed by the Kawasaki Engineerring team in Kobe (Japan) and has also been undergoing further development at the European demo center in Neuss since 2018. The system was designed with small and medium-sized companies in particular in mind, where robot-supported automation of processes is a key competitive factor, but where individual orders also need to be covered efficiently and flexibly - and, if possible, on just one production line.

Last but not least, mobile use outside of traditional production facilities should also be possible in the future - for example in civil engineering, transportation or power plants. The original idea of automation is thus combined with the newer concept of chaotic production and individual small-batch production.

Author:
Carsten Stumpf has been General Manager Sales and Marketing at Kawasaki Robotics since 2014.