Robot integration within computer-integrated manufacture

Abstract

Increasingly robots form part of a complex automation scheme, dictating a requirement for robot control systems which can communicate beyond their local working environment. This paper explains how MAP Version 2·1 broadband local area network interfaces have been used to facilitate robot integration with computer-integrated manufacturing systems and describes integration methodologies which can find widespread application. To illustrate the principles involved a robot-based flexible assembly system has been constructed to assemble and test printed circuit boards. Each machine element of the flexible assembly system has been linked to a MAP backbone through the use of ‘OSI intelligent interfaces’ (or gateways). The interfaces incorporate INI COMMengines and were constructed at Loughborough University to achieve MAP to machine-specific protocol conversion and where appropriate to provide enhanced front-end processing facilities in the locality of machines. The paper also describes the features and use of an AUTOMAtion Integration Language (AUTOMAIL)which is an integration tool which can be used to define information transfer in distributed manufacturing systems. AUTOMAIL allows the system builder to define a number of sequential manufacturing tasks and the necessary synchronization of these tasks. The resulting software accomplishes interprocessor communication on the network through use of MAP application layer primitives and runs on a cell supervisory computer which itself is linked to the MAP backbone. In this way, various application and information architectures have been devised and studied. For example, cell supervisory computers have been used to interpret work-to-lists, generated by factory-wide production planning and control systems, and subsequently control and monitor the integrated functioning of robots, component transport, automatic testing and vision-based inspection systems.