Intelligent PC-based user control interface for on-line correction of robot programs

Today the automotive sector is dominated by high variety of types and increasing product diversification. Thus, OEM manufacturers reintegrate key technologies back in the enterprise, due to competitive reason and to stabilize leadership in innovation. As an example, state-of-the-art fuel and diesel engine cylinder heads achieve higher complexity and filigrane structure, therefore careful treatment of specimen as well as net-shape machining processes with high quality output are a major requirement in this sector. A key issue is the surface fretting and finishing of engine parts subsequent following foundry procedures. An advanced factory automation system, based on an industrial robot (6-axis joint coordinate), has been developed in order to obtain the described results. On the system apply various measuring procedures, in order to recognize and remove burr formation (particularly with optical technique). A graphical interactive programming system enables simple and user friendly correction at deburring results for individual workpiece types. A possibility was given to the system user, who can easily remove deburring errors through short operator interaction, mainly input of correction values at controller system. Thereby, each authorized robot cell operator can contribute to guaranty process quality without special technical training.