Cad/Image to Robot Path. Reality, or Myth?
Technology advancements continue to improve the offline teaching approach to robotic painting. We will update the industry status on approaches for cad and image to path robot teaching. Is it fact or myth? Tests are in place demonstrating the technology and what is required to take it mainstream.
Barton Faylor - FANUC America
Open Source Software Tools to Deploy Robotic Finishing Systems
In 2007 Willow Garage launched the Robot Operating System (ROS) enabling collaborative research and development toward robotics through open-source software development. ROS now enjoys hundreds of thousands of users worldwide but is focused toward academia. The ROS-Industrial extension bridges the gap between fragile academic results in ROS and industrial hardened solutions. This presentation describes how ROS can be used to deploy state-of-the-art robotic finishing systems. Modules employ 3D cameras to capture mesh models. Automatic calibration ensures precise eye-hand coordination. Modules automatically generate tool-paths covering surfaces and edges to satisfy process parameters. Other modules automatically generate optimal collision free robot programs and orchestrate subsequent execution with seamless integration with PLCs. Videos will be shown of robots automatically grinding, plasma cutting, painting, sanding, media blasting and inspecting. We review the most salient ROS-Industrial software tools and provides basic information on how users may use ROS-Industrial in their products without license fees.
Chris Lewis - Southwest Research Institute