Confronting the Challenges Associated with Measuring Industrial Robots

Publication Details

Abstract

Serial-axis industrial robots are increasingly being used for challenging processes that are at the limit of their capability. Pushing the manufacturing envelope with these traditional serial-axis robots has several limitations that need to be overcome, not least the level of positional accuracy required for high-value manufacturing. External metrology systems can be deployed to improve process performance. This paper confronts the challenges with deploying traditional portable metrology systems in such applications. The paper details the design considerations required to overcome the shortcomings in existing solutions, leading to the development of a new approach. Subsequently a new metrology system is introduced: IONA, a network of permanent, in-situ sensors providing metrology data as a service to multiple manufacturing stakeholders.