On the perception and handling of deformable objects – A robotic cell for white goods industry

Abstract

Advancements in mechatronics, perception and computational methods allowed robotics to focus on non-rigid part manipulation, which is characterized by high complexity due to the unpredictable and compliant behavior of flexible materials. This paper presents the automation of a manufacturing process involving linear non-rigid components through the implementation of a robotic system that addresses challenges related to flexible material perception and handling. The corresponding technological approach consists of five steps namely safe material supply, detection, grasping, cross section recognition, and assembly. The proposed robotic cell comprises: (1) a multi-sensor system for flexible part recognition and safe human-robot interaction (2) a collaborative robot equipped with a dexterous gripper for flexible material manipulation, and (3) a control framework for process coordination. The robotic system has been tested on a case study originating from the white goods industry, where rubber gaskets are manipulated and assembled on household appliances. Experimental results proved that the implemented robotic system can tackle the challenges of flexible material manipulation with great consistency in the aspects of robustness and repeatability.