Virtualization as a Modern Tool for Design and Implementation of Robotic Applications

Abstract

The article is focused on presenting the possibilities of using modern approaches in the design and implementation of applications in the field of industrial robotics. From a set of modern approaches, the focus is on virtualization in the process of creating a robotic cell control system. Virtualization is part of the design stage of the control system in the offline programming of robotic manipulators as action elements of a given cell. Virtualization is also used in the implementation phase of the solution, namely in virtual commissioning. The use of hardware-in-the-loop and modified reality-in-the-loop approaches is described. The possibility of using virtualization as a tool for the Industry 4.0 concept application in real conditions, without the need of a large amount of investment in order to complex equipment upgrade, is emphasized.