µRoboForm

High-precision formed parts through measurement-based real-time control of the volumetric compensation of robot-assisted forming processes

The flexible production of customized sheet metal parts is a challenge in industrial production. Forming processes in particular require expensive tools adapted to the target geometry. Industrial robots offer a suitable alternative for forming sheet metal parts due to their flexibility and low cost for a comparatively large volume of work. However, high forces have to be transmitted during these forming processes, which lead to deformation of the robots due to their low stiffness. Due to the often higher positioning uncertainty caused by deformation of the robots, significantly larger geometric deviations of the formed parts therefore occur than with forming using conventional machine tools.

The aim of the project is therefore to reduce the geometric deviations by means of measurement-based compensation of the position and orientation deviation of the tool center point (TCP) in robot-assisted forming processes. For this purpose, incremental forming with a robot is implemented as an example. A network of novel optical sensors, which are installed independently of the robot kinematics, is to be used for precise detection of the position and orientation of the TCP. In parallel, the position information obtained in this way is to be processed in real-time in the robot's motion control system in order to actively correct deviations. Finally, the controlled forming process will be demonstrated and the reduction of geometric deviations of the formed workpieces will be validated.

Runtime:01.03.2023-28.02.2025
Funding authority:Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Funding programme:IGF - Industrielle Gemeinschaftsforschung
Funding ID:22860 BG
Project executing agency:AiF - German Federation of Industrial Research Associations
Partner: