In today's industry it is of mayor concern to keep the manufacturing processes as effective and flexible as possible. The usage of robots and automatic technology is a much known way to achieve the goals of rationalization. The disadvantage lays in the fact that implementation of robots is usually a very resource consuming task. However, in some circumstances a solution to this matter may be to simply implement mobile robots instead of fixed robots. The task of this project is to successfully control and understand the system of a mobile robot in a automatic manufacturing process.

Rapporten beskriver ett examensarbete genomfört på uppdrag av Motoman Robotics Europe AB i Torsås. Uppdraget gick ut på att hitta en lösning för att helautomatiskt kunna växla svetspistoler med en Motoman HP-20 industrirobot. Projektet har i första hand varit ett utvecklingsarbete med fokus på en fungerande praktisk lösning. Arbetet har fortskridit i nära samarbete med och handledning av konstruktörer på företaget samt stöd från vår lärare. Resultatet har blivit en kompakt och estetiskt tilltalande konstruktion som uppfyller kraven som uppdragsgivaren ställt. / The paper describes a final thesis carried out on assignment of Motoman Robotics Europe AB in Torsås, Sweden. The assignment was to find a solution for a fully automated switching of welding-guns with a Motoman HP-20 industrial robot. The project has formerly been a development-work with focus on a functioning practical solution. The work has proceeded in close cooperation and guidance from constructors at the company as well as support from our teacher. The result has given us a compact and ecstatically pleasing construction that fulfils the demands that the commissioner has ordered.

<p>Rapporten beskriver ett examensarbete genomfört på uppdrag av Motoman Robotics Europe AB i Torsås. Uppdraget gick ut på att hitta en lösning för att helautomatiskt kunna växla svetspistoler med en Motoman HP-20 industrirobot. Projektet har i första hand varit ett utvecklingsarbete med fokus på en fungerande praktisk lösning. Arbetet har fortskridit i nära samarbete med och handledning av konstruktörer på företaget samt stöd från vår lärare. Resultatet har blivit en kompakt och estetiskt tilltalande konstruktion som uppfyller kraven som uppdragsgivaren ställt.</p> / <p>The paper describes a final thesis carried out on assignment of Motoman Robotics Europe AB in Torsås, Sweden. The assignment was to find a solution for a fully automated switching of welding-guns with a Motoman HP-20 industrial robot. The project has formerly been a development-work with focus on a functioning practical solution. The work has proceeded in close cooperation and guidance from constructors at the company as well as support from our teacher. The result has given us a compact and ecstatically pleasing construction that fulfils the demands that the commissioner has ordered.</p>

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Telerobotics is a field of robotics interested in controlling robots from a distance. Incorporating visual and haptic (touch) feedback allows the operator greater accuracy in manipulating objects in a remote environment. This project endeavours to develop a telerobotic system by using two similar industrial robotic manipulators, one acting as a haptic input device (known as the Master), the other as the telerobot (known as the Slave). This project makes use of a diverse range of technologies to achieve a telerobotic system. As such it makes use of Systems Engineering and Technology Management principles to guide the development process of converting standard industrial robots into a telerobotic system that allows the operator to “see” and “feel” in the remote environment. The ability of the robot to perceive touch is accomplished by incorporating a multi-axis force and torque sensor to both industrial robots to measure any applied force or torque acting on each robot’s end-effector. A communication system is developed that receives the force and torque readings from each sensor as well as transmit the robot instructions to both Master and Slave. Haptic feedback is achieved by combining the force and torque readings from both sensors within a control system before manipulating the data into a robot instruction that is used to control both Master and Slave. Testing of the developed telerobotic system indicates that a functional system has been developed. However, several issues were identified that limit the control capabilities the operator has over the Slave and as such could lead to safety concerns. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Telerobotika is ’n veld van robotika wat belangstel in die beheer van robotte oor ’n afstand. Die insluiting van visuele en hapties (voel) terugvoer stel die operateur instaat om voorwerpe in ’n afgeleë omgewing met hoër akkuraatheid te manipuleer. Hierdie projek streef daarna om ’n telerobotiese stelsel te ontwikkel deur gebruik te maak van twee soortgelyke industriële robot manipuleerders, een wat optree as ’n meganiese invoer toestelle (bekend as die Meester), die ander as die telerobot (bekend as die Slaaf). Hierdie projek maak gebruik van ’n verskeidenheid van tegnologieë om ’n telerobotiese stelsel te ontwikkel. Sodanig word tegnologie bestuur en stelsels ingenieurswese beginsels deur die loop van die projek geïmplementeer om die ontwikkelings proses te lei - van standaard industriële robotte tot ’n telerobotiese stelsel wat dit moontlik maak vir die operateur om te “sien” en “voel” in ’n afgeleë omgewing. Die robot se vermoë om fisiese kontak te ervaar word bereik deur middel van ’n multi-as krag en torsie sensor wat aan beide industriële robotte toegepas word. ’n Kommunikasie stelsel is ontwikkel wat die krag en torsie lesings van beide sensors kan ontvang sowel as die robot instruksies na elke robot (Meester en Slaaf) kan stuur. Haptiese terugvoer word bereik deur die krag en torsie lesings van beide sensors te kombineer in ’n beheer stelsel voordat dit verder gemanipuleer word in die form van ’n robot instruksie wat gebruik word vir die beheer van beide Meester en Slaaf. Toetsing van die ontwikkelde telerobotiese stelsel dui aan dat ’n funksionele stelsel ontwikkel is. Daar is egter verskeie kwessies geïdentifiseer wat die operateur se beheer vermoeëns oor die Slaaf beperk wat sodoende na veiligheids kwessies kan lei.

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