Background
The development of Large Scale Pilots that can be used as showcases of advanced robot applications for the targeting of domain specific production processes (that cannot be addressed by conventional robotic solutions) and the selection and introduction of technologies that are mature enough to perform equally good, if not better, with the existing production equipment.
Goal
The main aim is to build a reconfigurable advanced robotics and Digital Twins pilot line called HRC Pilot Line. This environment is the first step in the longer development roadmap. The HRC Pilot Line will serve as showroom and testbed for the companies to explore, test and validate possible solutions they could transfer to their own production site.
The HRC Pilot Line intends to demonstrate the use of advanced robotics, ICT/IoT and cyber-security solutions in the field of Agile Production. Aside the manufacturing sector, the topical area of this Pilot Line includes the industrial sectors where advanced robotics can make a significant impact, advancing the way that production processes are carried out today. Autonomous mobile manipulators, collaborative robots and human robot collaborative workplaces are some of the examples that will be used to advance the flexibility and dynamic characteristics of these production lines. We aim at the development and integration of novel technologies in robotics that advance the autonomy of the system as a whole.
Impact
The core strategy for the HRC Pilot Line is “scalability through re-configurability and modularity”.
For the SMEs the benefits would be in shortening the design and implementation phase radically when the new technologies can be tested in industrially relevant environment, but without disturbing the daily production/operation. The HRC Pilot Line supports the SMEs to adopt try-fast-fail-fast design cycle. The sustainability of the HRC Pilot Line concept relies on the active use of the existing environment in future for academy-industry collaboration.
At this moment we are developing the transparent and clear access protocol on how to use this environment without compromising safety and robustness.