The report describes the process of identifying the interference that exists in a newly installed automated robotic cell and suggest improvements to increase productivity. The cell is used for lifting up extruded aluminum sections onto a conveyor which deliver the material to a anodising line at a company that manufactures aluminum extrusions. To find the areas with the best possibility for improvements in the cell we used a variety of job measurements e.g. measure of standard times for each operation in the cell. The core of the report is a study of the robots. One reason for this study is that the robots do not reach the productivity they were purchased to. The main cause not reaching the productivity is the visionsystem. The results that emerged from the robotics study also showed that there were a number of problems in the cell that could be addressed. The study also revealed a number of other reasons why the cell could not achieve the desired production rate for example set-up times and drop spacers. The measurement of default times for each operation in the cell showed that a major reason why the robots did not work was that they had to wait for the trolley to run and leave empty baskets. The time studies work resulted in a number of different proposals for how the problems which appeared could be solved. To reduce the time it takes for the wagon to drive out empty basket we engineered a solution that uses chain conveyors to move the empty basket out off the workstation. By implementing this solution the wagon does not need to drive back and forth and thus we expect that the robot driving time could be reduced to half. Through the robot study and time studies we conclude that it is possible to switch between manual/auto in less than one minute. This is not possible unless routines are constructed for the operators. If these changes are implemented they would reduce the large amount of set-up time identified.

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<p>When a company in the manufactory industry makes costly investments, it's important that these are used as much as possible. The company in this case claims that their invested robot cell, with CNC machine isn't used enough. The questions here are: How can we improve the use of the robot cell? Which products are appropriate for the production in the robot cell?</p><p> </p><p>As a method to come to a conclusion, an analysis has been made over the manufactured products. And also interviews with machine operators and the production management. Our work has also been based on literature studies,   because the production moment has been compared with models from Lean Production theories.     </p><p>The analysis shows that there are some limitations in the robot cell, which means that there are several demands that have to be fulfilled. From the investigated material our conclusion is that many products don't keep up with following demands: length, surface, tolerance dimensions, and shape. As a result of this, there are some products that can´t be manufactured in the robot cell, and therefore has to be produced in the ordinary CNC machine group.</p><p> </p><p>Interviews have declared that there doesn't exist any documentation from the production in the robot cell, which causes stop in the production. The data collection shows that an inner setting in the robot cell varies a lot, because the article supply is vast. Therefore it's hard to estimate average time for inner settings. The total time for inner settings could be reduced by shorten time for cleaning the CNC machine, pre-programming the robot and using fixtures which can be attached easily. This should increase the ability to run more articles in the robot cell.</p><p> </p><p>The conclusion is that the company could improve the production, by upgrading and investing in equipment for the robot cell.</p><p>Improvements can also be achieved by reduce the time for inner settings, and also by collect statistics from the production in the robot cell. This should make it easier to find reasons that keep the utilization rate low.   </p>

Automatiseringen inom industrin ökar ständigt. Detta gäller både i Sverige och i många andra delar av världen. En stor del av denna utveckling består i användandet av robotceller som en del av produktionen. För att möta denna ökning finns ett växande behov av standardkomponenter för dessa robotceller. En betydande del är hanteringen av detaljer till och från robotcellen. En väl utvecklad logistik finns idag kring standardiserade pallar varför det är ett idealt format för att transportera detaljer till och från robotceller. I denna miljö där både människor och robotar ska mötas i hanteringen av pallar finns ett behov av en lösning som medger en hög produktionstakt utan att ge avkall på personalens säkerhet eller produktionstakten. Detta projekt har med hjälp av etablerad produktutvecklingsmetodik tagit fram ett koncept för en pallsluss. Konceptet består i en pallplats med skyddande sidor av perforerad plåt samt två rullportar varav en på ovansidan och en på kortsidan. Via porten på sidan ges operatören tillträde till pallen i pallslussen medan porten på ovansidan förhindrar tillträde till resten av robotcellen. En robotcell innefattar tre pallslussar för att medge hantering av detaljer, mellanlägg samt blister. Dessa hanteras skilda från varandra och placeras efter bästa förutsättningar på platsen. Överlag är pallslussen enkel, praktisk, flexibel och, framförallt, säker i sin konstruktion. Arbetet har genomgått stegen projektplanering, informationssökning, kravspecificering, konceptgenerering och val, konfiguration samt avslutningsvis layoutkonstruktion vilket gav en CAD-modell av slutresultatet. Mycket av arbetet gick till det inledande informationssökandet samt upprättandet av kravspecifikationen. Filosofin var att göra ett grundligt förarbete för att minimera risken att behöva göra om. Konceptvalsprocessen har delats i två delar. Den inledande delen inbegrep ett val av den huvudsakliga tekniska lösningen. Efterföljande del hanterade i sin tur det valda konceptets olika delar var för sig. Genom detta arbetssätt optimerades arbetstiden och lade fokus på detaljlösningar först när det var aktuellt. Denna rapport tillsammans med nämnda CAD-modell ämnar utgöra underlag för fortsatt utveckling mot en färdig produkt. / In Sweden, as in many other parts of the world, production is moving toward an ever more automated environment. As part of this development the use of robot cells is steadily increasing. In line with this development a growing need for standard components for these robotic cells can be distinguished. Handling of goods is an important part of a robotic cell. The use of standardized pallets with its well-developed logistic support is an ideal platform to meet this need. In the production flow these goods cross the boundary between the robot and the operator. Thus, rises the need to facilitate such border crossing without affecting the safety of the operator nor the production capacity. By the means of established product development methods this project has produced a conceptual design for a pallet-lock. The basic idea of the design is a pallet space enclosed by perforated sheet metal. On the top side and one short-side the pallet-lock situates roller doors. The side door permits the operator access to the pallet while the top door prevents access to the work-area of the robot whilst the side door is opened. In order to allow for handling of goods as well as liners and blisters a robot cell contains three pallet-locks. All three are operated and placed separately according to the best conditions of the site. This ensures a high level of flexibility. All in all, the pallet lock is simple, practical, flexible and, above all, safe in its construction. The work has undergone project planning, information retrieval, requirement specification, concept generation and selection, configuration and final layout design, which gave a CAD-model of the final result. Much of the work went to the initial information search and the establishment of the requirement specification. An overall philosophy throughout the project was to minimize the risk of reconversion by thorough preparatory work. This was distinctly noticeable during the initial information retrieval and requirement specification. The concept selection process was divided into two parts. The introductory part included the main technical solution. The following part, in turn, handled the different parts of the chosen concept individually. This way of working optimized working time and focused on detail solutions only when it was appropriate. This report together with the CAD model aims to provide a basis for continued development towards a finished product.

When a company in the manufactory industry makes costly investments, it's important that these are used as much as possible. The company in this case claims that their invested robot cell, with CNC machine isn't used enough. The questions here are: How can we improve the use of the robot cell? Which products are appropriate for the production in the robot cell?   As a method to come to a conclusion, an analysis has been made over the manufactured products. And also interviews with machine operators and the production management. Our work has also been based on literature studies,   because the production moment has been compared with models from Lean Production theories.      The analysis shows that there are some limitations in the robot cell, which means that there are several demands that have to be fulfilled. From the investigated material our conclusion is that many products don't keep up with following demands: length, surface, tolerance dimensions, and shape. As a result of this, there are some products that can´t be manufactured in the robot cell, and therefore has to be produced in the ordinary CNC machine group.   Interviews have declared that there doesn't exist any documentation from the production in the robot cell, which causes stop in the production. The data collection shows that an inner setting in the robot cell varies a lot, because the article supply is vast. Therefore it's hard to estimate average time for inner settings. The total time for inner settings could be reduced by shorten time for cleaning the CNC machine, pre-programming the robot and using fixtures which can be attached easily. This should increase the ability to run more articles in the robot cell.   The conclusion is that the company could improve the production, by upgrading and investing in equipment for the robot cell. Improvements can also be achieved by reduce the time for inner settings, and also by collect statistics from the production in the robot cell. This should make it easier to find reasons that keep the utilization rate low.

Syftet med arbetet var att göra ett koncept av en robotcell som kunden skulle presentera för den Europeiska koncernen. Med konceptet som grund skulle koncernen ta ett beslut om de ville investera i en robotcell för att kunna utöka sin produktflora. Ett krav för att tillverka robotcellen var att göra den så flexibel som möjligt eftersom kunden ville producera olika varianter av samma produkt. En simulering i robotstudio blev en grund för en film som visade hur materialet tillverkades i robotcellen och även vilka materialprocesser som ingick vid förädlingen av materialet. Varje koncept började med en ritning i sketch för få en enkel överblick av hur layouten kunde se ut. Därefter bestämdes det om layouten var realistisk och om det skulle bli någon 3D modell av layouten. Under arbetets gång gjordes det ett antal layouter eftersom att nästan varje layout hade brister i flödet eller tillverkningsprocessen. Det svåra var att se var varje layouts brister skulle uppstå så därför fick olika koncept testas för att nå en bra lösning. Arbetet resulterade i ett koncept med tre robotar. I layouten finns det en hängande robot på ett stativ, en så kallad transportbands robot som sköter depalleteringen och palleteringen av materialet. Det finns även två golvstående robotar som sköter monteringen av materialet då de monterar varsin komponent.

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This report describes a case study carried out at Atlas Copco Industrial Technique in order to investigate possibilities for automating a deburring operation at their production facility in Tierp, Sweden. The component to be deburred is a stator for a pneumatic air motor and is one of the most frequently manufactured models in the component group.  The case study begins with an analysis of the current situation, which then turns into concept development that results in two concept proposals where the deburring is automated with the help of a six-axis robotic arm. The concepts are based on two methods, to either let a robot hold the deburring tool or to use stationary tools where the robot performs the deburring while holding the work object. The developed concepts have a theoretical basis and have further been tested through the use of robotic and cell simulation and also using practical tests. The total component cost for the concepts amount to SEK 726,000 in one concept and SEK 623,000 in the other. There are many indications that the manual deburring that is currently performed on the investigated stator can be completely automated with the help of a robot, but there might be a challenge to make the process profitable and applicable to a larger number of articles within the component group. / Denna rapport beskriver en fallstudie genomförd på Atlas Copco Industriteknik i syfte att undersöka möjligheter för att automatisera en gradningsoperation vid deras produktionsverksamhet i Tierp. Komponenten som ska gradas är en luftcylinder som är en av de mest frekvent tillverkade modellerna inom komponentgruppen.  Fallstudien inleds med en nulägesanalys vilket sedan övergår i en konceptutveckling som mynnar ut i två konceptförslag där gradningen automatiserats med hjälp av en sex-axlig länkarmsrobot. Koncepten bygger på två olika arbetssätt, att antingen låta en robot hålla det bearbetande gradningsverktyget eller en användning av stationära verktyg där roboten utför gradningen ihållandes arbetsobjektet.  De utvecklade koncepten har en teoretisk grund och har testats i robotsimuleringsprogram samt även i viss mån genom praktiska tester. Den totala komponentkostnaden för koncepten uppgår i ena konceptet till 731 000 kr och i det andra till 628 000 kr. Mycket tyder på att de manuella gradningsmoment som idag utförs på den undersökta luftcylindern helt kan automatiseras med hjälp av robot, en utmaning är dock att få processen lönsam och applicerbar på flera artiklar inom komponentgruppen.

Sund Birsta har fått förfrågan av sina kunder att utveckla ett system för automatiskmärkning av stångbuntar. Detta sker idag manuellt med en bultsvets vilket medför flera nackdelar, bland annat höga personalkostnader och dålig arbetsmiljö. Detta examensarbete är en början till detta system genom framtagning av en konceptuell CAD-modell av ett verktyg som monteras på industriroboten IRB 4600-40/2.55 från ABB. Det förberedande arbetet och konceptutvecklingen följde processen från Ulrich och Eppingers bok om produktutveckling. Bland annat gjordes en litteraturstudie där fyra nuvarande lösningar undersöktes och framtagning av ideal- och marginalvärden som verktyget ska uppfylla. Efter konceptgenerering, screening och scoring av fästmetoder blev det vinnande konceptet bultsvetsning. Val av bultsvets undersöktes på HBS hemsida för att hitta ett som bäst passade användningsområdet. Detta blev svetshuvud KAH 412, svetsenhet CDMi 3202 och bultmatare VBZ-3. Efter undersökning av gripdon bestämdes det att ett vakuumgripdon var mest lämpat för att förfytta och hålla fast den platta märkbrickan. Verktyget och industriroboten sattes in i en main assembly där även enklare extra komponenter, så som transportband, skapades för att bygga ett komplett lösningsförslag. Det slutgiltiga verktyget uppfyller alla marginalvärden utom ett och vissa idealvärden från kravspecifkationen. Fästmetoden och gripdonet är likt tidigare lösningar vilket kan bero på omedveten påverkan vid beslut eller att detta koncept är den optimala lösningen. / Many customers of SundBirsta have requested a solution for automatic tagging of bundles of rods. Today this is done by manual stud welding which has multiple disadvantages, for example high personnel cost and a bad work environment for the workers. This master thesis is the frst step towards a complete system, where a conceptual model of a tool for the robot IRB 4600-40/2.55 from ABB, is developed. Many of the product development steps followed the book from Ulrich and Eppinger. Some of the steps were a literature study for four past solutions and development of a requirements specifcation with mandatory and preferable values. Concept generation, screening and scoring of methods to fasten the tag, resulted in the winning method, stud welding. Research about diferent stud welders were made to fnd the one best suited for the application. The resulting welder was the weld head KAH 412, welding unit CDMi 3202 and the automatic stud feeder VBZ-3 from HBS. Diferent grippers to transport and hold the tag were researched and the one best suited for the application were a vacuum gripper. The tool and robot were added to a main assembly, together with some additional components, like a conveyor belt, to create a better understanding of the solution. The fnal concept of the tool fulflled all the obligatory values, except for one, and some of the ideal values from the requirement specifcation. Many of the solutions from the literature study probably used both stud welding and a vacuum gripper, which is the same as the resulting concept. This could mean that the concept was either subconsciously infuenced by the previous products or that this is in fact the most optimal solution.