Reanimating a Panasonic SCARA robot A LUNA topic description
Technical abstract: The Panasonic robot OUC/IOT have received from LEGO, is a 4 degree of freedom SCARA type robot, which is intended for pick-and-place, and similar applications requireing high speed and limited movements. Originally, the robot have been used for placing copper wire in complicated 2-D patterns, later to be wrapped around a cylinder to form the anchor coil of a motor. Although the robot was delivered with controller and power electronics, these items have proved unuseable, due to lack of some key-components as well as readble (english) documentation. Therefore, we have decided to replace the original controller, with one of our own design. SCARA robots are very interesting to the LUNA pilot project, as they are perfectly suited for laying out fiber rovings in 2D, at very high speeds. The Panasonic robot is rated for tool speeds up to 4 m/s, and it is easily abe to carry the combined roving dispenser and spot-welding tool, currently beeing developed. As part of a current LUNA project, we are developing new drivers for the 4 syncronous AC servomotors that power the robot. We also have an option of buying off-the-shelve drivers, if we need to speed up the development process. This topic provide an oppertunity for truly trans-diciplinary work, bringing a lot of different theoretical knowledge into practice. It is especially suited to Computer Systems Engineering (Datateknologi) Students, or other who have a theoretical background including: Robot kinematics, mechanical physics, control systems, (embedded) computer systems, I/O, interfacing, digital and analog electronics and low-level software; combined with a desire to try on these areas in practice.
Goals: Understanding the motor drivers for the AC servo motors (possibly contributing to our own design) Analyze and document the robots internal angular sensor system Interface the power drivers and the robots internal angular sensors to an (embedded) computer Implement suitable position control and path tracking algorithms for (high speed) motion af the 4 motors Wrap the control algorithms in proper safety systems - acceleration- and speed-limits, software end-stops, avoiding self-collisions etc. Implement a software architecture and a protocol, allowing external systems to position and move the robot via the (embedded) computer Verify and document the system to a level where the robot system can be used reliably by outsiders
Formalities: Supervisor: Anders Stengaard Sørensen of OUC/IOT will supervise this topic, as main supervisor. This topic will feature one or more OUC/IOT experts as co-supervisors on e.g. control theory Size: We estimate this topic to be equivalent to 40-80 ECTS, making it suitable as topic for a group of students on a medium sized project (final project), or possibly for a single student in a large project (master thesis). Relations: This topic is quite suited for combination with topics related to Control theory Modelling and system identification Robot controller architecture (The GENERIS, OROCOS or ORCA controller) Power electronics Embedded computers Flexible I/O systems Reconfigurable electronics Robot kinematics Reanimating a Motoman K3 robot Milestones: As this topic interlocks with other LUNA topics - especially as we would like to use the Panasonic robot for demonstrations, we propose the following: Start: february 1. 2005 (or sooner) Intermistic control of the robot: april 1. 2005 Robust prototype: september 1. 2005
Community of interest: The benefits of getting the Panasonic robot back in a useable state is interesting in itself, but the knowledge and lessons learned from bringing it to that state make this topic even more interesting to a wide community. LUNA - This topic is offered as part of a LUNA project, and will interact with: The LUNA pilot project: "Automatic manufacture of preforms for fiber reinforced thermoplastics" The work of current LUNA students, designing a tool for dispensing and welding fiber rovings LUNA supervisors working on or managing related topics and projects LUNA students working on related topics Odense University College of engineering - This topic touches upon various interests at OUC: A working SCARA robot will enable OUC/IOT to participate in various projects requireing pick-and-place like action The topic is proposed by Anders Stengaard Sørensen of OUC, who will also supervise it The topic touches upon varios areas of expertice at OUC/IOT apart from automation, e.g. control theory, electronics, sensors, signal processing OUC/IOT is currently engaged in testing a comercially available generic/modular robot controller made by The European Commisions Joint Research Center (JRC). This topic may make it possible to interface the Panasonic Robot to this controller, which would make a nice test case. University of Southern Denmark - The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute for Production technology (SDU) : The topic touches upon SDU's areas of expertice in kinematics and motion planning SDU have an identical Panasonic robot, which could also become active as a result of this topic RoboCluster - LUNA's mother organisation: The ability to interface various robots to prototype/experimental controllers, form the foundation for some types of experimental joint ventures between industry and the research community. This topic will increase and demonstrate our ability to place robots under the control of experimental controllers, helping RoboCluster to facilitate cooperation with industrial partners with needs beyond commercialy avialable robot controllers
Contact: If this topic is interesting to you, please contact: Anders Stengaard Sørensen Ingeniørhøjskolen Odense Teknikum Niels Bohrs Allé 1 DK-5230 Odense M Room H-102a

Reanimating a Panasonic SCARA robot

A LUNA topic description

Technical abstract:

The Panasonic robot OUC/IOT have received from LEGO, is a 4 degree of freedom SCARA type robot, which is intended for pick-and-place, and similar applications requireing high speed and limited movements. Originally, the robot have been used for placing copper wire in complicated 2-D patterns, later to be wrapped around a cylinder to form the anchor coil of a motor. Although the robot was delivered with controller and power electronics, these items have proved unuseable, due to lack of some key-components as well as readble (english) documentation. Therefore, we have decided to replace the original controller, with one of our own design.

SCARA robots are very interesting to the LUNA pilot project, as they are perfectly suited for laying out fiber rovings in 2D, at very high speeds. The Panasonic robot is rated for tool speeds up to 4 m/s, and it is easily abe to carry the combined roving dispenser and spot-welding tool, currently beeing developed. As part of a current LUNA project, we are developing new drivers for the 4 syncronous AC servomotors that power the robot. We also have an option of buying off-the-shelve drivers, if we need to speed up the development process.

This topic provide an oppertunity for truly trans-diciplinary work, bringing a lot of different theoretical knowledge into practice. It is especially suited to Computer Systems Engineering (Datateknologi) Students, or other who have a theoretical background including: Robot kinematics, mechanical physics, control systems, (embedded) computer systems, I/O, interfacing, digital and analog electronics and low-level software; combined with a desire to try on these areas in practice.

Goals:

Understanding the motor drivers for the AC servo motors (possibly contributing to our own design)
Analyze and document the robots internal angular sensor system
Interface the power drivers and the robots internal angular sensors to an (embedded) computer
Implement suitable position control and path tracking algorithms for (high speed) motion af the 4 motors
Wrap the control algorithms in proper safety systems - acceleration- and speed-limits, software end-stops, avoiding self-collisions etc.
Implement a software architecture and a protocol, allowing external systems to position and move the robot via the (embedded) computer
Verify and document the system to a level where the robot system can be used reliably by outsiders

Formalities:

Supervisor:
Anders Stengaard Sørensen of OUC/IOT will supervise this topic, as main supervisor. This topic will feature one or more OUC/IOT experts as co-supervisors on e.g. control theory

Size:
We estimate this topic to be equivalent to 40-80 ECTS, making it suitable as topic for a group of students on a medium sized project (final project), or possibly for a single student in a large project (master thesis).

Relations:
This topic is quite suited for combination with topics related to

Control theory
Modelling and system identification
Robot controller architecture (The GENERIS, OROCOS or ORCA controller)
Power electronics
Embedded computers
Flexible I/O systems
Reconfigurable electronics
Robot kinematics
Reanimating a Motoman K3 robot

Milestones:
As this topic interlocks with other LUNA topics - especially as we would like to use the Panasonic robot for demonstrations, we propose the following:

Start: february 1. 2005 (or sooner)
Intermistic control of the robot: april 1. 2005
Robust prototype: september 1. 2005

Community of interest:

The benefits of getting the Panasonic robot back in a useable state is interesting in itself, but the knowledge and lessons learned from bringing it to that state make this topic even more interesting to a wide community.

LUNA - This topic is offered as part of a LUNA project, and will interact with:
- The LUNA pilot project: "Automatic manufacture of preforms for fiber reinforced thermoplastics"
- The work of current LUNA students, designing a tool for dispensing and welding fiber rovings
- LUNA supervisors working on or managing related topics and projects
- LUNA students working on related topics
Odense University College of engineering - This topic touches upon various interests at OUC:
- A working SCARA robot will enable OUC/IOT to participate in various projects requireing pick-and-place like action
- The topic is proposed by Anders Stengaard Sørensen of OUC, who will also supervise it
- The topic touches upon varios areas of expertice at OUC/IOT apart from automation, e.g. control theory, electronics, sensors, signal processing
- OUC/IOT is currently engaged in testing a comercially available generic/modular robot controller made by The European Commisions Joint Research Center (JRC). This topic may make it possible to interface the Panasonic Robot to this controller, which would make a nice test case.
University of Southern Denmark - The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute for Production technology (SDU) :
- The topic touches upon SDU's areas of expertice in kinematics and motion planning
- SDU have an identical Panasonic robot, which could also become active as a result of this topic
RoboCluster - LUNA's mother organisation:
The ability to interface various robots to prototype/experimental controllers, form the foundation for some types of experimental joint ventures between industry and the research community. This topic will increase and demonstrate our ability to place robots under the control of experimental controllers, helping RoboCluster to facilitate cooperation with industrial partners with needs beyond commercialy avialable robot controllers

Contact:

If this topic is interesting to you, please contact:

Anders Stengaard Sørensen
Ingeniørhøjskolen Odense Teknikum
Niels Bohrs Allé 1
DK-5230 Odense M
Room H-102a