Research on Virtual Commissioning System for Human-Robot Collaboration Assembly Cell based on AutomationML

Abstract

With the advent of the Industry 4.0 era, flexible assembly cells exhibit characteristics of high flexibility and strong dynamics. However, traditional manual assembly and fully automated assembly both have significant limitations. Therefore, human-robot collaboration assembly cells integrate the efficiency and precision of collaborative robots with the flexibility and decision-making capabilities of humans, enabling the completion of complex product assembly tasks with high sensitivity and dynamics. Prior to constructing human-robot collaboration assembly cells, virtual commissioning of the design scheme can be conducted to commission PLC programs and visualize the human-robot collaboration assembly process, thereby improving construction efficiency, shortening delivery cycles, and reducing costs. Therefore, addressing the challenge of virtual commissioning for human-robot collaboration assembly cells, this paper proposes a virtual commissioning system based on AML(AutomationML). This system represents the physical objects’ attributes and functionalities of operating workers and collaborative robots, among other devices, through Asset Administration Shells (AAS) in the information space. The virtual commissioning system parses models, robot programs, and PLC programs from AML files using WebGL technology, ROS system, and PLC software Codesys respectively. Through OPC UA communication, it accomplishes the virtual commissioning of human-robot collaboration assembly cells. Its effectiveness is validated through a case study in the battery pack harness assembly cell in the field of new energy batteries.