Robot Arm Position Prediction to Avoid Forced Stop Downtime
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems face inefficiencies due to frequent forced stops when workers enter the robot's operation area, leading to increased downtime and reduced work efficiency, as existing methods require a return operation to resume robot activity after a forced stop.
Innovation Solution
A control method for a robot system that predicts the robot arm's future positions and temporarily stops the robot before entering a restricted area when a possibility of entry is detected, avoiding the need for a return operation upon resuming, by enabling the control unit to detect the current position, predict future positions, and execute a temporary stop when the entry restriction region is enabled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, then the robot can perform its work, but the functional safety unit executes a forced stop requiring a return operation, which increases downtime and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit predicts future positions of the robot arm before the robot actually enters the entry restriction region. When a predicted position indicates potential entry, the control unit issues a temporary stop instruction in advance, preventing the forced stop from occurring and eliminating the need for return operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously receives position information from the position information acquisition unit, compares current and predicted positions with the entry restriction region boundaries, and dynamically adjusts control instructions based on this feedback loop to prevent entry before it occurs.
2Reliability
If the functional safety unit executes a forced stop when the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, then safety is ensured, but the robot operation is interrupted requiring a return operation to resume
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit predicts future positions and issues temporary stop instructions before the robot arm actually enters the entry restriction region. This preliminary action prevents the safety violation from occurring in the first place, allowing continuous operation without forced stops or return operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the position information acquisition unit and the robot arm control. It processes position data, predicts future positions, and mediates control instructions to prevent entry into the restriction region, thereby avoiding forced stops while maintaining safety.
3Device complexity
If the robot arm operates without position prediction, then the control system is simpler, but the robot may enter the entry restriction region causing forced stops
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs position prediction by calculating future positions based on current position and movement trends. This preliminary calculation enables the system to anticipate and prevent entry into the restriction region, maintaining high productivity without requiring complex additional hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical safety systems with a computational approach. The control unit uses software-based position prediction and logic to prevent entry into the restriction region, substituting mechanical complexity with intelligent control algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
In a robot system, when an entry restriction region is enabled and a robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop of an operation of the robot arm is performed. A control method in which a control unit controls the robot arm includes: detecting a current position of a control point of the robot arm; predicting, using at least position information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point; and performing, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which is a temporary stop of the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require a return operation when resuming the operation after the stop.