The SME worker's third hand

For the first time intuitive and close cooperation of humans and robots becomes a reality in a workshop setting based on a new and intuitive operation and programming concept for the new KUKA lightweight robot.

Robot technologies are therefore now accessible also to small and medium-sized enterprises, which have so far shied away from introducing such technologies. For example, the robot will fetch, arrange and hold various parts for a larger assembly while the worker processes or fixes the parts at the desired location. The set-up and programming of the robot can be easily managed by the worker at the manual workplace.

Similarly to a new colleague who has to be introduced to the processing steps of a new workpiece the robot automatically memorizes the sequence of operations. The worker simply demonstrates the tasks by manually guiding the robot's tool or a grasped workpiece to a desired location and by commanding the required operation. The cooperative production of further similar workpieces is therefore becoming very simple.

At AUTOMATICA 2008, the new concept will be demonstrated for the first time with reference to assembly and welding applications. It is also easily possible for other point-, path- and area-related processing tasks to be programmed by demonstration and to be executed in close cooperation of a human and a robot. By means of a 3D scanner, which can be simply attached to the robot, the quality of the workpieces can be checked and additional automated processes can be prepared.

* Responsible contact person:
Rainer Bischoff / KUKA Roboter GmbH
Phone: +49 821 797-3244
Fax: +49 821 797-2934
E-mail: RainerBischoff@kuka-roboter.de
* Substitute contact person:
Volker Schmirgel / KUKA Roboter GmbH
Phone: +49 821 797-4030
Fax: +49 821 74741-4030
E-mail: VolkerSchmirgel@kuka-roboter.de