AdaptPack Studio: an automated intelligent framework for offline factory programming
ISSN: 0143-991x
Article publication date: 17 July 2020
Issue publication date: 18 August 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose an automated framework for agile development and simulation of robotic palletizing cells. An automatic offline programming tool, for a variety of robot brands, is also introduced.
Design/methodology/approach
This framework, named AdaptPack Studio, offers a custom-built library to assemble virtual models of palletizing cells, quick connect these models by drag and drop, and perform offline programming of robots and factory equipment in short steps.
Findings
Simulation and real tests performed showed an improvement in the design, development and operation of robotic palletizing systems. The AdaptPack Studio software was tested and evaluated in a pure simulation case and in a real-world scenario. Results have shown to be concise and accurate, with minor model displacement inaccuracies because of differences between the virtual and real models.
Research limitations/implications
An intuitive drag and drop layout modeling accelerates the design and setup of robotic palletizing cells and automatic offline generation of robot programs. Furthermore, A* based algorithms generate collision-free trajectories, discretized both in the robot joints space and in the Cartesian space. As a consequence, industrial solutions are available for production in record time, increasing the competitiveness of companies using this tool.
Originality/value
The AdaptPack Studio framework includes, on a single package, the possibility to program, simulate and generate the robot code for four different brands of robots. Furthermore, the application is tailored for palletizing applications and specifically includes the components (Building Blocks) of a particular company, which allows a very fast development of new solutions. Furthermore, with the inclusion of the Trajectory Planner, it is possible to automatically develop robot trajectories without collisions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This is an extended and improved version of a paper that was originally presented at the ICARSC 2019 conference, that took place last April in Porto, and which received, ex-aequo, the best paper award granted by the Industrial Robot journal to the papers presented at this event. The original version of the paper was entitled “AdaptPack Studio: Automatic Offline Robot Programming Framework for Factory Environments” and is available for download from the IEEE Xplore, at the following URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8733626/
Citation
Castro, A.L., Carvalho de Souza, J.P., Rocha, L.F. and Silva, M.F. (2020), "AdaptPack Studio: an automated intelligent framework for offline factory programming", Industrial Robot, Vol. 47 No. 5, pp. 697-704. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-12-2019-0252
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited