Modeling Workflows for Industrial Robots Considering Human-Robot-Collaboration

Abstract

The increasing number of variants results in decreasing lot sizes in the assembly and manufacturing domain. Considering traditional approaches of automation using industrial robots, it is very time-consuming to permanently adapt industrial robots for specific product variants in assembly lines. One possible approach of resolving this issue is the use of human-robot-collaboration for specific assembly steps. However, this also means that, in addition to the robot program, a work instruction must be created for the human worker. With current methods no workflow can be modeled which is universally applicable for a human or a robot. Therefore, this paper presents a new approach, called Human Robot Time and Motion (HRTM). The method provides generic basic elements which can be performed by a human worker or a robot. Additionally, collaborative elements allow to model synchronous tasks and a communication between human/human, human/robot or robot/robot. The HRTM approach is initially demonstrated by modeling a simple workflow which can be performed by a human worker or a robot. Finally, we model a collaborative workflow using LegoⓇ DuploⓇ bricks and perform it at a workplace with a collaborative robot.