Towards a smart reconfiguration process for complex product manufacturing based on industrial robot cells

Abstract

The cost for companies that can custom their production line with precision and quality, through machining centres and laser cutting machines, is expensive, as the degree of machining freedom increases. Furthermore, the greater the complexity of the product to be manufactured, the more processes and equipment are needed to manufacture it. In this context, this research proposes a smart reconfiguration process for complex product manufacturing, based on industrial robotic manipulators, with 6 or more degrees of freedom, superior to conventional methods. With the integration of SolidWorks and PowerMill software, it was possible to apply the solution in an experimental case of blisk manufacturing milling and laser cutting of an engine head gasket. With CAD, CAM and robot simulation by the PowerMill tool, it was possible to validate the proposed solution, obtaining process data and information of milling and laser cutting. With the analysis of the simulation results, it was possible to identify the limitations of the project, such as (i) restriction in the precision of the machining of the product; (ii) amount of real-time supervision and monitoring information; and (iii) work area limit. However, the project can integrate two manufacturing processes to machine and cut complex parts with flexibility.