kuka kr 360-3 (six-axis industrial robot for wheel assembly system)

KUKA KR 360-3 SIX-AXIS INDUSTRIAL ROBOTFOR WHEEL ASSEMBLY SYSTEM

Components of the System

• Driven by 3 servomotor, installed at the rear end of the arm via drive shafts

• Made up of light alloy and iron casting

• Has 6 axes

• Axis 1: located at the base of a robot – allows it to rotate from left to right

• Axis 2: helps the lower arm of a robot to extend forward and backward

• Axis 3: allows the upper arm of a robot to raise and lower

• Axis 4: rotates the upper arm of a robot in a circular movement –also known as wrist roll

• Axis 5: permits the wrist of the robot’s arm to raise and lower

• Axis 6: allows the wrist of the robot’s arm to rotate freely in a circular motion

• Uses KR C4 (controller) to integrate robot control, PLC control, motion control and safety control.

• Displayed on smart PAD teach pendant (interface), which have eight log keys for separate control of axis and is multilingual

• KUKA.PLC mxAutomation (software) allows external controller with embedded PLC to command the robot which requires simple programming

• Modifications of software can be implemented at any time with mxA-based operator control

• Matrox Iris GT combines the integration of a smart camera with the programmability of a PC-based machine vision system

• Powered by Intel Atom Processor with Windows XP Embedded OS – supports keyboard and mouse

• Supported by the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) – features interactive software and programing functions – for image capture, processing, and analysing

Block Diagram of the System

Input Controller Actuator Process

ControllerActuatorProcessOutput

• Bolts and rims

• KR C4 • KUKA KR 360 - 3

•Pick up the bolts and rims

• KR C4 • KUKA KR 360 - 3

• Assembling the rims to the wheel hub with given bolt and rim

• The rim is mounted to the wheel hub

Feedback Sensor (Matrox GT) – IR sensor

Feedback Sensor (Matrox GT) – IR sensor

Functionality and the Interface Used

• Two of the Kuka robots – situated at each side of a car body – gathers wheel bolts and rims – screw them onto the car

• Robots are synchronized with the conveyor – follows the car’s movement during assembly

• Each robot has a Matrox Iris GT smart camera – it locates the rim’s centre point and calculate its positon (x, y, z coordinates)

• It checks whether the rim design located matches the rim that is expected by PLC

• Entire process takes only 54 seconds

• The image processing system is developed with Matrox Design Assistant (Integrated Development Environment [IDE]) – lets users to create a flowchart using C++ for machine vision applications

• The project is then executed on the camera and monitored from web-based HMI on PC

• Image processing are triggered by a command from network link – contains data about the measurement and the expected rim type.

• Modal Finders are used to locate the bolts and rim design – calculates the position and orientation based on data collected

• TCP/IP connection – communication between cameras and PLC

Advantages and Disadvantages of the System (compared to ABB IRB 6600)

VS

KUKA KR 360 - 3 ABB IRB 6600

KUKA KR 360-3 Specification ABB IRB 6600-185° to +185° Working Range Axis 1 -180° to +180°

-130° to +20° Working Range Axis 2 -75° to +85°

-100° to +144° Working Range Axis 3 -180° to +60°

-350° to +350° Working Range Axis 4 -300° to +300°

-120° to +120° Working Range Axis 5 -125° to +125°

-350° to +350° Working Range Axis 6 -300° to +300°

2375kg Weight 1700kg

360kg Payload (max) 225kg

75dB Noise Level (max) 73dB10 – 55°C Operating Temperature 5 – 52°C

±0.08mm Positions Repeatability (ISO test) ±0.1mm

Bold = Advantage

State of Research and Development

• Even till this day, the research towards improving the system is ongoing in many different sectors.

• Current ongoing R&D: Robot Hemming, Bonding/Sealing, Laser Hybrid Welding, KUKA Hybrid Welding, Laser Cutting, Laser Welding, Magnetarc Welding, Assembly, Spot Welding, Friction Welding, Arc Welding, Submerged Arc Welding, Soldering, Roller Seam Welding, Plasma Welding, Laser Brazing, Human-Robot-Collaboration, Friction Stir Welding, and Sensitive Assembly

• KUKA Systems will continue to do R&D in order to create systems that are adaptable, energy and resource-effective, fast and efficient – which would be the industry of the future