Digital Robot Twin Synchronization for CAD-Reality Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for configuring a robot-object system environment often result in discrepancies between the real-world environment and its digital representation, leading to manual and time-consuming synchronization processes, especially during changes in the control program, which hinders efficient start-up and adaptation of robot-object systems.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a two-stage synchronization process using polling loops to automatically align the digital robot twin with the real-world environment, utilizing optical captures and object pose distributions to determine accurate positions and poses, thereby reducing manual intervention and improving synchronization quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual synchronization of the digital robot twin is performed, then the current state of the digital representation can be updated, but discrepancies between the real environment and digital model persist and require repeated manual adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidstart-up time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-synchronization by automatically detecting discrepancies between the real robot-object environment and the digital robot twin, then autonomously updating the digital model to match reality without requiring manual engineer intervention for each adjustment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the real environment and compares it with the digital robot twin, using this feedback loop to automatically identify and correct discrepancies, ensuring the digital representation remains synchronized with physical changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the control program is adapted manually to match the real environment, then discrepancies are resolved, but the process becomes complicated and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental accuracyVSAvoidconfiguration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of manually adapting the control program to match the real environment, the system inverts the approach by automatically updating the digital robot twin to match the real environment, allowing the digital model to adapt itself rather than requiring manual program modification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of engineers adjusting and synchronizing the digital model is replaced with an automated optical measurement and data processing system that performs synchronization electronically and automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If optical capture is used to determine object positions, then accurate pose data can be obtained, but multiple stages and polling loops are required to achieve sufficient precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject position accuracyVSAvoidsynchronization speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronization process is divided into two stages with different polling loops: a first polling loop for initial synchronization and a second polling loop for refined precision, allowing the system to balance speed and accuracy by processing different levels of detail at appropriate times

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs optical capture and polling at different stages with varying levels of detail - the first stage performs basic position detection while the second stage performs more precise measurements, avoiding unnecessary excessive processing in the initial phase while ensuring accuracy when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces start-up costs and time, enhances synchronization accuracy, and allows for more frequent changes in robot-assisted tasks by ensuring discrepancies are addressed automatically, thereby improving the operational reliability and efficiency of robot-object systems.

Implementation Method 1

synchronizing a digital robot twin, which digitally represents the robot-object system environment and controls the robot for manipulating objects, on the basis of a control program

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical capture: Photography

Data Source

PatentUS20220388167A1Method, computer program product and robot controller for configuring a robot-object system environment, and robot

Publication Date: 2022.12.08 SIEMENS AG

AI summary

In order to be able to automatically eliminate discrepancies, arising in the course of the configuration of a robot-object system environment, between the reality of the robot-object system environment and its digital representation as a CAD model, without manual on-site commissioning of the robot-object system environment with adaptation of the CAD model to the reality, the following is proposed for configuring a robot-object system environment having at least one object and having a robot for object manipulation and object sensing: synchronizing a digital robot twin, which digitally represents the robot-object system environment and controls the robot for the object manipulation on the basis of a control program, for expedient use of the robot in the robot-object system environment during the object manipulation, appropriately and, in this regard, in one or two stages.