Interdisciplinary Modelling of Robots Using CAD/CAE Technology

Abstract

The paper describes an interdisciplinary approach that integrates physical and virtual (3D) modelling methods and tools in a high industrial undergraduate engineering school research environment and in an industrial design. The CAD/CAE procedures were connected directly with physical modelling for robotic systems of various types: mobile robots, manipulators etc. Thus, the design problems for the robot are solved in the both environments: physical and virtual. Materials and Methods. The approach includes three separate parts: 1) SolidWorks; 2) Arduino, Fischertechnik and RoboRobo sets; 3) MS Visual Studio C++, COM technology SolidWorks and a POSIEX socket API (Application Program Interface). API and COM are used as the integration tools for physical and virtual parts. Corresponding Add-In or Stand-Alone applications extract the model features used for determining the necessary kinematic and dynamic parameters for robotics control. Robot webcams, sensors and feedback allow to establish a bidirectional connection between the behaviours of the 3D (virtual) and the physical models.