The European research project ColRobot combines the latest European technological requirements in robotics in the fields of assembly processes in the automotive and aerospace industries to create an integrated collaborative robotics system. Led by Arts et Métiers, it brings together a consortium of 11 partners. After two years of R&D, the first demonstrators are now seeing the light of day.
A consortium centered aroundArts et Métiers
The European ColRobot project brings together 11 partners from five European countries (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Portugal), including two industrial groups (Thalès and Renault), SMEs (Akeo+, CITC, and Technaid), research organizations (INESC TECH, AIMEN, and the Fraunhofer Center), and academic partners (the University of Coimbra and the University of Modena Unimore). Arts et Métiers responsible for coordinating the ColRobot project, in which the European Commission is investing a budget of nearly €4 million. The project officially began on February 1, 2016, and will run for 36 months.
Automotive and aerospace industry applications
Competitiveness in the automotive and aerospace sectors depends largely on productivity, flexibility, and agility in responding to market demands. Robots are a key element in meeting this competitive need, particularly if they are able to collaborate with humans in a shared workspace. To this end, ColRobot aims to become the manufacturing assistant of the future that will transform automotive and satellite assembly operations by integrating a number of detection systems and machine learning-based software into two fully functional collaborative robotic systems, namely a robotic arm and a mobile manipulator.
ColRobot is developing a robotic system that is:
- Flexible for handling, loading, unloading, and passing different types of tools and parts of varying sizes and weights;
- Safe, to enable the robot to work alongside humans in the factory;
- Mobile, to enable the robot to move according to production stages and manufacturing needs in real time; and
- Interactive, for the collaborative robot's (cobot) transparent interface with other machines and cooperation with humans through intuitive and natural gesture recognition, touch, and/or voice commands.
A first use case with Thales Alenia Space
Two years after its launch, ColRobot has already provided a comprehensive definition of requirements for industrial aerospace use cases where robots are operated. Manufacturing processes and risks associated with robotic interaction have been analyzed in detail to inform the design of robotic prototypes, in order to avoid any risk to people working with or alongside the robot. A mobile robot assists operators in the meticulous and tedious work of preparing screw kits. The robot also acts as a "third hand" by providing the operator with kits, tools, and parts, and holding parts while the operator works on them or assembles them.
For Olivier Gibaru, project coordinator and university professor at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille: ColRobot will improve working conditions for operators in factories, making them more competitive. We have reached the demonstration phase of the project and are eager to continue integrating our technologies so that the factories of tomorrow can benefit from the precision, flexibility, and safety offered by cobots.
To learn more about the project:
Website: https://www.colrobot.eu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/col_robot
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8514731
YouTube: ColRobot channel
Video: Demonstrator for the aerospace industry
