Flexible Robotics for Shipbuilding

Abstract

A twelve-member team is developing a new paradigm in shipbuilding robotics. The consortium, led by CYBO Robots in conjunction with the Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP), includes shipyards, hightech companies, technical institutes, universities, and federal agencies. The objective is to create and implement robotic technology that allows shipyards to move confidently into automated production of both commercial and combatant vessels, while making maximum use of existing facilities and personnel. Keys to the effort are reliable, easy-to-run robots driven by open-architecture controllers which develop robot path programs directly from the CAD model of the ship. Examples of applications for these robots are shown in Fig. 1. Differing from previous approaches, this project attacks the problems which traditionally have kept robots out of U.S. shipyards, and provides flexible solutions to organizations with limited financial resources and automation experience. This paper describes how the program is developing new approaches to the issues of component fit-up, part dimensional tolerances, and robot programming, as well as portability, usability, and acquisition costs. Also presented is the strategy for interconnecting these advanced technologies using a readily available PC-based environment that conforms to emerging open architecture standards. Fig. 1 Flexible robotics for shipbuilding