Papers
17
Total Citations
658
H-Index
10
About
Nathan Larkin is a robotics and manufacturing researcher whose work sits at the intersection of industrial automation, robotic programming, and additive manufacturing. Best known for his contributions to offline programming and automated code generation for robotic welding systems, Larkin has helped address one of industrial automation's most persistent challenges: reducing the cost and complexity of reprogramming robots for low-volume, high-variability production environments. His 2011 review on programming methods for industrial robots (263 citations) established him as a leading voice in the field, while his 2016 work on CAD-to-finished-part robotic arc-welding-based additive manufacturing (195 citations) demonstrated a forward-looking integration of digital design workflows with advanced fabrication processes. Beyond welding automation, Larkin has explored sampling-based dynamic motion planning algorithms, multi-direction slicing strategies for wire-feed additive manufacturing, and path optimization techniques for industrial robots. His feasibility study on low-force robotic friction stir processing further showcases his versatility across manufacturing domains. With a body of work accumulating over 600 citations, Larkin's research has meaningfully advanced the goal of flexible, intelligent, and fully automated robotic manufacturing systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Recent progress on programming methods for industrial robots263 citations · 2011
- 2
- 3Recent progress on sampling based dynamic motion planning algorithms39 citations · 2016
- 4
- 5Offline Programming for a Complex Welding System Using DELMIA Automation20 citations · 2011
- 6Automatic program generation for welding robots from CAD19 citations · 2016
- 7Automated Programming for Robotic Welding18 citations · 2017
- 8
- 9
- 10Adaptive Partial Shortcuts: Path Optimization for Industrial Robotics12 citations · 2016