Towards Automated Welding in Big Shipbuilding Assisted by Programed Robotic Arm Using a Measuring Arm
This paper presents an automated robotic welding system adapted for shipbuilding in large shipyards. This solution has been devised in the shipyard of Navantia located in the south of Spain, in the context of ROBOT FASE II R&D project. It also presents the human teams that have developed this welding system. The article explains the 3 parts that make up the welding system. The location of the robotic welding arm of the Fanuc brand is detailed in the first part. In addition, the gantry and spatial coordinate axes are described and indicated where the robotic arm is housed. The second part contains the system capture of the coordinates in the space for the reading of the singular points to be soldered. These points are measured by a portable measuring arm. The last part is composed of the system of communication between the different parts throughout the computer. The computer is responsible for synchronizing the measuring arm and the robotic welding arm by translating the points to be soldered.
Rail Running Mobile Welding Robot ‘RRX3’ for Double Hull Ship Structure
Abstract ‘Seoul National University’ and ‘Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’ in Korea jointly developed a mobile welding robot, the ‘Rail Runner’ (RRX), which is able to freely move in both transverse and longitudinal directions, and perform welding tasks in double hull structures. Recently, RRX2, (the second version of RRX), was presented at ‘Robotics and Applications 2007'. In this paper, the design, manufacturing, and application of RRX3, the third version of RRX, is described. The moving mechanism of RRX, which is able to move freely in a double hull structure, has two functions. 1) To move in a longitudinal direction by driving wheels using longi. faces as ‘rails', and 2) To move in a transverse direction by sliding along supporting longi. faces using extension arms. The body of the RRX3 is composed of a 12-axis, 6-axis mobile platform that supports the RRX moving mechanism and a 6-axis welding robot to do the welding job. The main point in designing RRX3 is to make it capable of passing through a 600mm×800mm sized access hole, the entrance into an enclosed double hull structure. The full size of the manufactured RRX3 is 1825mm×495mm×569mm, and thus the RRX3 is able to pass through an access hole. The weight is 250kg with a 6-axis mobile platform, 6-axis welding robot, and mounted controller.
Development of Embedded Robot Controller for Shipbuilding
Abstract This paper describes a development of a small and high-performance embedded controller system in order to apply it to a robot system for improving productivity in shipbuilding. The development of such an embedded controller was performed as a coherent design and development through applying a digital signal processor. The product developed in this study consists of a CPU board including vision functions, motion and driver boards for servo motor controls, and input/out and power board. Also, various communication protocols were implemented in the development process by considering their expansibility and flexibility. In addition, a robot controller system was developed to communicate external robot operation systems as a manner of wired and wireless communication. Furthermore, this study performed functional and environmental tests to verify the stable operation of such a robot controller under internal or external poor working conditions.