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Jigless assembly of an industrial product by a universal robotic hand mounted on an industrial robot

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2023

Takahito Fukuda ,
Hiroki Dobashi Open the ORCID record for Hiroki Dobashi [Opens in a new window] ,
Hikaru Nagano Open the ORCID record for Hikaru Nagano [Opens in a new window] ,
Yuichi Tazaki Open the ORCID record for Yuichi Tazaki [Opens in a new window] ,
Raita Katayama  and
Yasuyoshi Yokokohji Open the ORCID record for Yasuyoshi Yokokohji [Opens in a new window]
Takahito Fukuda
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Hiroki Dobashi*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, Wakayama, Japan
Hikaru Nagano
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Yuichi Tazaki
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Raita Katayama
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
Yasuyoshi Yokokohji
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
*
Corresponding author: Hiroki Dobashi; Email: dobashi@wakayama-u.ac.jp
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Abstract

This paper demonstrates that “completely-jigless” assembly of a model product that requires fitting accuracy at the level of industrial products is possible by using a universal hand with four parallel stick fingers mounted on a conventional position-control-based industrial robot. Assuming that each part is taken out of the parts bin and temporarily placed on the work table, the accuracy required for precise fitting cannot be achieved with a vision sensor alone. Introducing an appropriate grasping strategy, the initial position error of the part is absorbed by self-alignment in the process of grasping. Once the alignment is completed, the pose of the grasped part is fixed and jigless assembly is possible with a conventional industrial robot, which has high repeatability. In this paper, we use a gear unit as an example of an industrial product and present some grasping strategies with the universal hand. We also propose some subsequent assembly strategies for shafts and gears. Using those grasping and assembly strategies, it is shown that jigless assembly of the gear unit was successfully completed in the experiment. Although the target product in this paper is specific, the assembly elements in this product, such as shaft screwing, bearing insertion, and gear meshing, are also included in many other products. Therefore, the methods shown in this paper can be applied to other products.

Keywords

jigless assemblyuniversal robotic handrobust grasping strategyself-alignmentindustrial robot
Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 41 , Issue 8 , August 2023 , pp. 2464 - 2488
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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