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This paper presents the architecture of a system for robotic welding of complex tasks. The system integrates off‐line programming, control of redundant robots, collision‐free motion planning and sensor‐based control. An implementation for pipe structure welding made at Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd., Denmark, demonstrates the system can be used for automatic welding of complex products in one‐of‐a‐kind production.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how necessary changes in a manufacturing system can be determined based on a new product specification. It proposes a formal modelling approach, enhancing the utilization of changeability of a manufacturing system given a set of changes in a product.

To develop the proposed modelling approach, a design science research method is used to iteratively frame an issue, develop a solution and evaluate it in a relevant environment. Evaluation is carried out through a case study.

A stepwise method is introduced, facilitating the creation of a model describing the relations between product characteristics within a product family and the changeability of a manufacturing system. Limitations of each manufacturing system module are evaluated to determine permittable changes in the product domain. This establishes clear relations between product attributes and manufacturing capabilities. Through this, users receive feedback on which parts of the manufacturing system must change, depending on changes in product attributes.

Testing has been carried out in an academic learning factory setting. Products and processes are thus less complicated than an industrial setting. The system used for validation is highly modular by design.

The proposed approach could be used during product development, when determining characteristics and variety of new products, evaluating the consequences of changing the solution space. This implies a shorter time-to-market and lower product costs.

Faster product development and shorter time-to-market would give manufacturers increased agility to track market needs, and ultimately lead to greater fulfilment of customer requirements.

The current body of literature focus on modelling either products or manufacturing systems. Little literature addresses both, but does not touch on identifying changes within parts of the manufacturing system, nor supports the high changeability proposed in this research.

This research proposes and demonstrates a framework that can be used to systematically address the idiosyncratic design of Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions, and to match the explorative aspects of introducing a new technology to the exploitative needs, to improve the performance of production operations.

Due to the applied nature of this research, a design science research (DSR) framework was adopted in order to ensure both the rigor and applicability of the outcomes.

A process excellence perspective, operationalized through a business process management approach, is applied to scope the solution space according to its exploitative potential. The mapping of the information flow that needs to be established defines the technological infrastructure of the solution.

The theoretical generalizability of the proposed framework is limited by a testing sample of a single case. The research implications are related to a call for the contextualization of IoT applications. Further research will involve the application of this approach to a diverse range of industrial settings. While the domain is far from saturated, a framework that can facilitate such investigations has been provided.

The proposed framework provides practitioners with an approach to designing IoT solutions that can consistently address their needs for operational performance improvements.

This research proposes a framework that links the enabling of transparency via the integration of IoT in production operations to contextual characteristics and business potential. Furthermore, it highlights the developmental drivers of IoT solutions, which emerged during the empirical demonstration of this framework.

The purpose of this paper is to reveal how managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can utilise their participation in research-based training to enable innovation and growth.

Action research and action learning from a longitudinal study of ten SME managers in the wind turbine industry are applied to reveal SME managers’ learning and the impact of the application of learning in the wind turbine industry.

The findings of this study show that SME managers employ a practice-shaped, holistic, cross-disciplinary approach to learning. This learning approach is supported by theory dissemination and collaboration on perceived business challenges. Open-mindedness to new learning by SME managers and to cross-disciplinary collaboration with SME managers by university facilitators/researchers is required.

The research is conducted within the wind turbine industry, in which intense demands for innovation are pursued. The findings require verification in other industry contexts.

This research contributes strategies for SME managers to utilise research-based training and for universities regarding how to work with SME training. In addition, public bodies can enhance their understanding of SMEs for innovation and growth. The learning approach that is suitable for specialisation in larger organisations is not suitable in the SME context.

SME learning is enhanced by a social approach to integrating essential large-scale industry players and other SME managers to create extended action and value from learning.

The findings reveal the need for extended theory development for and a markedly different approach to SME training from that used for training managers in larger companies. This topic has received only limited attention in previous research.

The paper aims to report on a new welding technology, TIP TIG.

The principle of operation and benefits of the technology are described together with a typical application.

The study finds that the technology provides the quality of TIG welding at the speeds of MIG welding, providing significant cost savings to the user.

TIP TIG provides a good opportunity for all users of robotic MIG welding to improve the quality of their product and reduce their costs.

The paper introduces a new and useful technology to the robot industry.

The purpose of the paper is to describe the changes that were needed in an existing offline programming system (OLP) in order to produce heavy steel weldments.

The paper examines the changes needed in an OLP system in order to produce heavy steel weldments in a shipyard.

The paper finds that the new requirements given for the production of hatch coaming lead to a fundamentally change in the design of the OLP system; it is possible to automate the welding of heavy steelplates, but the savings in this process are not always as planned.

It is not clear that the added complexity makes for a better software system. Sometimes a split into two programs makes the design of the programs more simple.

The paper shows how manipulators can be used in a new way to increase the welding quality at a robot installation in a shipyard.

The paper aims to develop a robot that climbs on non‐ferrous surfaces, e.g. aircraft wings and fuselages, carrying a heavy payload up to 18 kg including scanning arm and various equipments, for non‐destructive testing (NDT).

This robot in the study uses vacuum suction cups for adhesion, and two pairs of pneumatic cylinders to drive itself, moving in two directions in stepping gait. A rotation mechanism in the centre is used to correct the off‐course deviations by ± 5 degrees. Multiple universal joints are used to make every single suction cup, every robot foot and the whole structure flexible to negotiate with varying surface curvatures presented in different parts of aircraft. This flexible structure is also rigid once the robot is stuck on the surface to enable the NDT inspection being carried out reliably.

The paper finds that the walking speed is limited by the cylinder stroke, time for generating vacuum and changing legs. Although most NDT inspection is time‐consumable, it is still desirable to increase the robot speed.

The application of this robotic NDT can significantly reduce the cost of aircraft inspection, eliminate labour‐intensive and monotonous inspection tasks and eliminate the need for an operator to work in confined and dangerous spaces.

The paper introduces the structure that combines flexibility and rigidity for a robot climbing on non‐ferrous curvatures.

The control of weld penetration in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is required for a “teach and playback” robot to overcome the gap variation in the welding process. This paper aims to investigate this subject.

This paper presents a robotic system based on the real‐time vision measurement. The primary objective has been to demonstrate the feasibility of using vision‐based image processing to measure the seam gap in real‐time and adjust welding current and wire‐feed rate to realize the penetration control during the robot‐welding process.

The paper finds that vision‐based measurement of the seam gap can be used in the welding robot, in real‐time, to control weld penetration. It helps the “teach and playback” robot to adjust the welding procedures according to the gap variation.

The system requires that the seam edges can be accurately identified using a correlation method.

The system is applicable to storage tank welding of a rocket.

The control algorithm based on the knowledge base has been set up for continuous GTAW. A novel visual image analysis method has been developed in the study for a welding robot.

The paper seeks to develop a stereo vision system based on a new binocular device. It aims to present an explicit‐implicit correction method to correct radial and tangential distortion of image synchronously. It also aims to propose a step‐rotation rectification method to rectify epipolar error between stereo pairs.

Least squares technique was used in solving the explicit‐implicit correction model. When the step‐rotation rectification method was implemented, the technology of rotating image space was used.

The paper finds that the stereo vision system based on a new binocular device can be used in different circumstances, and it can obtain more eyeshot of cameras. The explicit‐implicit correction method can eliminate radial and tangential distortion of images, and the solution to this method is so easy that it can be solved by least squares technique. The theory of step‐rotation rectification is simple, and it is effective for rectifying epipolar error.

The explicit‐implicit correction method and step‐rotation rectification method can be used in correcting image distortion and epipolar error in stereo pairs collected by a stereo vision system. The new binocular device can be used in building a stereo vision system.

A new binocular device is developed in the paper. Explicit distortion method and implicit distortion method are united to correct image distortion. A step‐rotation rectification method is proposed to rectify epipolar error.