Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Industrial Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 16129

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing (STIIMA), National Research Council (CNR), via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: industrial robotics; human–robot interaction; machine learning

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing (STIIMA), National Research Council (CNR), via Corti 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: industrial robotics; human–robot collaboration; motion planning; task planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Motion planning is a crucial issue in robotics and related industrial applications. Among the many challenges in the field, three trends have emerged in recent years.

First, robots are becoming more and more collaborative and fenceless. Collaborative robots are used in assembly/disassembly, pick&place, and sorting lines as human companions, making humans and robots a team. In such contexts, human and robot behavior are coupled. Innovative methods and the use of motion planning are expected to improve the safety, ergonomics, natural interaction, and efficiency of human–robot collaboration.

Second, the number of interacting robots is increasing year by year and multi-arm interpolation is very challenging in many applications. The planning of such setups requires extremely long computation time and the optimization and selection of trajectories often rely on heuristic and narrow assumptions. Furthermore, the design of multi-robot cells, i.e., the selection of resources and their placement, is a critical aspect.

Third, robots are required to operate at high speeds to achieve shorter production times. Industrial manipulators are the standard for the automation of manufacturing tasks. However, their main drawback is higher compliance compared to standard machining tools, with consequent poorer accuracy, that could be compensated through proper motion planning strategies.

A common thread through these application scenarios is the limited time the user has to program the robot application. Indeed, motion planning does not only mean identifying the optimal trajectory in large and complex research spaces, but also providing tools that can be easily deployed. Cutting-edge motion planners, therefore, need to solve the problem according to a large and diversified set of constraints, which are often critical and only partially predictable.

We invite researchers to contribute original works and qualified reviews related to this Special Issue, focusing on both theoretical methodology and real implementations.

Dr. Nicola Pedrocchi
Dr. Marco Faroni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Path planning
  • Meta-heuristic and sampling-based motion planners
  • Control and motion planning for precision technological operations (such as machining, additive manufacturing, laser cutting)
  • Learning-based motion planning
  • Combined task and motion planning
  • Control and motion planning for compliant mechanisms
  • Applications of robotic and mechatronic systems
  • Model-based approaches to kinodynamic motion planning and their applications
  • Safety in control and motion planning for human-robot interaction
  • Motion planning for human-robot improved acceptance and ergonomics
  • Motion planning in human-robot cooperative applications, with a proper analysis of safety, ergonomics, and productivity in realistic applications
  • Perception and planning
  • Massive computation and its application to fast reactive and efficient motion planning
 

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 1085 KiB  
Article
Design and Performance Evaluation of a Cherry Tomato Calyx Remover
by Yeongsu Kim, Seokho Kang, Hyunggyu Park, Seungmin Woo, Daniel Dooyum Uyeh and Yushin Ha
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 11016; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112211016 - 20 Nov 2021
Viewed by 2154
Abstract
A prototype for the remover of cherry tomato calyxes was designed and manufactured. The tap remover was designed and manufactured considering the conveyor transport speed, brush length and clearance, and diameter. These were adjusted in three levels to determine the optimal design factor. [...] Read more.
A prototype for the remover of cherry tomato calyxes was designed and manufactured. The tap remover was designed and manufactured considering the conveyor transport speed, brush length and clearance, and diameter. These were adjusted in three levels to determine the optimal design factor. Performance tests were conducted using Icon 513, a circular-shaped cherry tomato variety, and Minimaru, a jujube-shaped cherry tomato variety. Conveyor transport speeds were set at 210, 280, and 350 mm/s; brush lengths at 70, 80, and 90 mm; brush clearances at 20, 22, and 24 mm; and brush diameters at 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 mm. The two varieties showed a similar damage rate during calyx removal. However, Minimaru showed a higher calyx removal rate than Icon 513, indicating that it is most suitable for the calyx removal mechanization process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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12 pages, 3007 KiB  
Article
Robotic Coverage Path Planning for Ultrasonic Inspection
by Kastor Felsner, Klaus Schlachter and Sebastian Zambal
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10512; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210512 - 09 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1838
Abstract
Automatic robotic inspection of arbitrary free-form shapes is relevant for many quality control applications in different industries. We propose a method for planning the motion of an industrial robot to perform ultrasonic inspection of varying 3D shapes. Our method starts with the calculation [...] Read more.
Automatic robotic inspection of arbitrary free-form shapes is relevant for many quality control applications in different industries. We propose a method for planning the motion of an industrial robot to perform ultrasonic inspection of varying 3D shapes. Our method starts with the calculation of a set of sub-paths. These sub-paths are derived from streamlines. The underlying vector field is deduced from local curvature of the inspected geometry. Intermediate robot motions are planned to connect individual sub-paths to obtain a single complete inspection path. Coverage is calculated via ray tracing to simulate the propagation of ultrasound signals. This simulation enables the algorithm to proceed adaptively and to find a good trade-off between path length and coverage. We report experiments for four different geometries. The results indicate that shorter paths are achieved by using ray tracing for adaptive adjustment of streamline density. Our algorithm is tailored to ultrasonic inspection. However, the main concept of exploiting local surface curvature and streamlines for coverage path planning generalizes to other robotic inspection problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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19 pages, 6945 KiB  
Article
Pushing Mechatronic Applications to the Limits via Smart Motion Control
by Martin Čech, Arend-Jan Beltman and Kaspars Ozols
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(18), 8337; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11188337 - 08 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2664
Abstract
Modern machines strive to run at limit performance and dependability while their operational area and size are getting restricted. To achieve those objectives, often swift integration of custom-made subsystems is required, either actuators, sensors, electronic, or SW modules. Such a diverse suite of [...] Read more.
Modern machines strive to run at limit performance and dependability while their operational area and size are getting restricted. To achieve those objectives, often swift integration of custom-made subsystems is required, either actuators, sensors, electronic, or SW modules. Such a diverse suite of elements needs specific approaches and tools for fast optimization and adjustment following model-based system engineering (MBSE) and digital twinning principles. The large-scale I-MECH project was an industry-driven initiative striving to give a scientific response to those demands. The intermediate results were summarized in the authors’ previous work. The purpose of this paper is to report on final project results, namely specific performance achievements and figures based on measurable KPIs. After a brief description of key technologies, special focus is given to industrial printing technology based on a generic substrate carrier. However, it is shown that similar and consistent methodology can be applicable in many other industrial domains, such as semiconductors, healthcare robotics, machining, packaging, etc. Thus, the main merit of this survey is a holistic approach to motion control design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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13 pages, 3302 KiB  
Article
On the Improvement of ROS-Based Control for Teleoperated Yaskawa Robots
by Sana Baklouti, Guillaume Gallot, Julien Viaud and Kevin Subrin
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(16), 7190; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11167190 - 04 Aug 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4361
Abstract
This paper deals with Yaskawa robots controlling the Robot Operating System (ROS) for teleoperation tasks. The integration of an open-source ROS interface based on standard Motoman packages into control loop leads to large trajectory tracking errors and latency, which are unsuitable for robotic [...] Read more.
This paper deals with Yaskawa robots controlling the Robot Operating System (ROS) for teleoperation tasks. The integration of an open-source ROS interface based on standard Motoman packages into control loop leads to large trajectory tracking errors and latency, which are unsuitable for robotic teleoperation. An improved version of the standard ROS-based control is proposed by adding a new velocity control mode into the standard Motoman ROS driver. These two approaches are compared in terms of response time and tracking delay. Investigations applied on the Yaskawa GP8 robot while using the proposed improved ROS-based control confirmed trajectory tracking and latency improvements, which can achieve 43% with respect to standard control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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12 pages, 2685 KiB  
Article
Recognition of LHD Position and Maneuvers in Underground Mining Excavations—Identification and Parametrization of Turns
by Justyna Witulska, Paweł Stefaniak, Bartosz Jachnik, Artur Skoczylas, Paweł Śliwiński and Marek Dudzik
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6075; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11136075 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1611
Abstract
The Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is widely used in the monitoring of mining assets. A good example is the Polish underground copper ore mines of KGHM, where research work with the use of the IMU has been carried out for several years. The [...] Read more.
The Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is widely used in the monitoring of mining assets. A good example is the Polish underground copper ore mines of KGHM, where research work with the use of the IMU has been carried out for several years. The potential of inertial sensors was ensured by the development of advanced analytics using machine learning methods to support the maintenance management of an extensive machine park and machine manufacturer in adapting various construction elements to mining conditions. The key algorithms developed in the field of inertial data concern: identification of cycles and components of the haulage process operations, identification of dynamic overloads, technical diagnostics of rotating elements, assessment of road conditions (bumps, slopes, damages), assessment of the technical condition of the pavement, assessment of the operator’s driving style, and finally the machine location in the mining excavation. One of the key operational contexts, necessary in the development of analytics for underground mining vehicles, is the identification of the turning moment of the machine at the intersection together with the determination of the driving direction and the turn angle. In the case of a mine with a room-and-pillar system, where the excavation system has the Manhattan structure, it is possible to use many simplifications to correctly estimate the machine motion path. The identification of the spatial context and the turning maneuver is of key importance both in the development of the machine location system, but also in multi-dimensional analyzes, including the analysis of dynamic overloads or the assessment of the operator’s driving style and work safety. The article presents a comparison of several mathematical models used for the machine turn detection problem, which were trained and tested on the real-life industrial data recorded using IMU during a single working shift of the self-propelled machine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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14 pages, 4157 KiB  
Article
Mobile Robot Self-Localization Using Omnidirectional Vision with Feature Matching from Real and Virtual Spaces
by Huei-Yung Lin and Chien-Hsing He
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 3360; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11083360 - 08 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
This paper presents a novel self-localization technique for mobile robots based on image feature matching from omnidirectional vision. The proposed method first constructs a virtual space with synthetic omnidirectional imaging to simulate a mobile robot equipped with an omnidirectional vision system in the [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel self-localization technique for mobile robots based on image feature matching from omnidirectional vision. The proposed method first constructs a virtual space with synthetic omnidirectional imaging to simulate a mobile robot equipped with an omnidirectional vision system in the real world. In the virtual space, a number of vertical and horizontal lines are generated according to the structure of the environment. They are imaged by the virtual omnidirectional camera using the catadioptric projection model. The omnidirectional images derived from the virtual and real environments are then used to match the synthetic lines and real scene edges. Finally, the pose and trajectory of the mobile robot in the real world are estimated by the efficient perspective-n-point (EPnP) algorithm based on the line feature matching. In our experiments, the effectiveness of the proposed self-localization technique was validated by the navigation of a mobile robot in a real world environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control and Motion Planning in Industrial Applications)
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