Soluzioni Avanzate per Lavorazioni Robotizzate

Responsabili di progetto

Giacomo Bianchi, Vladimir Grechishnikov

Accordo

RUSSIA - RFBR-suspended - Russian Foundation for Basic Research

Bando

CNR/RFBR 2015-2017

Dipartimento

Ingegneria, ICT e tecnologie per l'energia e i trasporti

Area tematica

Ingegneria, ICT e tecnologie per l'energia e i trasporti

Stato del progetto

Nuovo

Proposta di ricerca

Conventional material removal techniques, like CNC milling machines, have proven to be very effective and accurate. Their major drawbacks are the cost, the restricted working area and the limitations on the allowed work piece geometry. In principle, industrial robots could provide an excellent solution for machining, being both flexible and cost efficient, but today they don't offer an positioning accuracy, are unable to reject disturbances due to process forces and lack reliable programming and simulation tools. These critical limitations currently prevent the use of robots in typical machining applications especially for hard materials, like steel and titanium.
This project aims at developing innovative robotic machining systems that are flexible, reliable and predictable with an average of 30% cost efficiency savings in comparison to machine tools. The main developments will be in the field of process aware path planning, machining strategies and axis control, optimal tool design, active damping devices. This ambitious goals will be reached exploiting the complementary skills of CNR-ITIA and MSUT and the enabling results they have obtained in running and recent projects, funded by National and European initiatives, summarized in the following.
CNR-ITIA is currently involved in the following research projects:
- HAF - Hybrid Aluminium Forging funded by Lombardy Region and Cariplo Foundation: within the framework of this project CNR-ITIA is developing methodologies and tools necessary for the implementation of a new generation of robotic deburring systems that are cooperative, flexible, robust and largely autonomous and thus able to cooperate with operators and manage gaps in their knowledge preordained compared to situations or contexts that have not been clearly and fully specified during the design phase.
- Flexicast - Robust, and FLEXible CAST iron manufacturing funded by EU FoF.NMP.2012-7: within the framework of this project CNR-ITIA is developing a Robot cell for deburring and grinding. The project aims at an easy to use robot system, which will almost totally eliminate the problems in fettling and finishing of castings made in batch quantities. The equipment will have the flexibility tocarry out all of the four most important operations, fettling, studs grinding, flash removal and surface upgrading.

Moscow State University of Technology "STANKIN" related projects:
-"Development of innovative designs of diamond and abrasive tools having increased degree of structure used for high-performance machining", funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, 2012-2013.
-"Designing high-precision high-performance milling micro cutters made of synthetic superhard materials based on nanostructured cubic boron nitride", under federal special-purpose programme, 2011-2013.
-"Designing special technology and equipment for mechanical treatment of solid cutting tools made of tungsten carbide modified by nanopowdered carbides of high-melting-point metals", under federal special-purpose programme, 2011-2013.
-"Designing range of cutoff ultrafine diamond abrasive tools used for precise cutoff of superhard brittle materials, development of technology and equipment for their manufacturing", under federal special-purpose programme, 2011-2013.
-"Designing range of mobile robots used for finishing treatment and non-destructive control of large-sized sheet-metal parts", under federal special-purpose grant programme, 2011-2013.
-"Designing robotic cell for laser welding of complex spatial structures made of thin sheet metal", under federal special-purpose grant programme, 2011-2013.

Related facilities and instrumentation at CNR-ITIA:
-A Comau-NS16 robot equipped with C4G Open controller, a Comau-NJ220 robot equipped with C5G Open controller, a Robot Multipurpose Laboratory (RML) based on two innovative Comau Smart NM 45 cooperative robots equipped with C5G Open controller, a Staubli Rx130 robot with open CS8 Controller
-A cell for 3D laser scanning systems compensation and calibration
-Two passive-markers multi-camera vision systems with real-time tracking capabilities.
-Several 3D laser scanning systems
-Several ATI Industrial Automation Multi-Axis Force / Torque Sensors, laser Doppler
-accelerometers, modal analysis, CAE SW for multi-body simulation and finite element modelling

Related facilities and instrumentation at MSUT:
-Industrial robots KUKA LBR4+ and Gelios-20;
-LTD800 Leica Laser Tracker;
-PSV-400-3D laser scanning vibrometer;
-Renishaw XL-80 laser interferometer providing high performance measurement and calibration for motion systems;
-HeidenHain KGM 182 encoder for dynamic test the contouring accuracy of CNC-controlled machines.
-Hommel Tester T800 profilometer for surface roughness control;
-DEA Global 05-05-05 coordinate measuring machine with a surface scanning module;La Prora beta U320 beta, five-coordinate tool grinding CNC machine;
-Walter Helitronic Micro, high-precision grinding machine for micro tools;
-Walter Helicheck Pro Plus, optical measuring machine for micro tools;
-Blank parts (rods) made of different sorts of tungsten carbide and nanostructured cubic boron nitride.

The project is planned over three years and organized in the following Tasks, further described in the "Activity" section of this document:
odefinition of the machining scenario: work pieces, machining operations, robots [CNR+MSUT]
odynamic modelling of robot, cutting tool and machining process [CNR+MSUT]
odesign and development of optimized cutting tools [MSUT]
odesign and development of an active vibration damping [CNR+MSUT]
oexperimental identification and updating of the dynamic model [CNR+MSUT]
oprocess-aware axis control and motion planning [CNR]

Obiettivi della ricerca

Industrial robots represent a promising, cost-saving and flexible alternative for machining applications, but today dynamic performance, accuracy and programming functionalities need to be greatly improved. The project aims at developing the HW devices, SW algorithms and methodologies required to:
- Pioneer a new generation of flexible production systems using industrial robots
- Demonstrate the new technologies satisfying the requirements of at least two of these sectors:
o automotive
o aerospace and aeronautics,
o ship-building
o power industry
o moulds and die
o high precision components
- Disseminate project results and develop training programs

Technical project objectives:
o high performance robotic machining (in terms of: material removal rate, accuracy, surface finish)
o dynamic modelling integrating the mechatronic model of the robot with the model of the machining process and related tool to be used in predicting their dynamic behavior during robot design and to implement active vibration control for real-time applications.
o experimental model identification. Automated robust approaches are need to support industrial applications of model-based controllers and planners.
o new cutting tools and tooling systems optimized for robotic machining of hard materials (steel, titanium)
o model-based control, like impedence control, force feedback, and process-aware programming strategies for robotic machining.
o dynamic dampers / dedicated spindles for robotic machining

Ultimo aggiornamento: 29/04/2025