Virtual Commissioning of a drone assembly cell

Abstract

Stena industry innovation lab (SII-Lab) at Lindholmen, Göteborg is a research laboratory that houses a testbed within Production 2030 for sustainable production. A drone factory is one of the projects undertaken at SII-Lab. This master thesis project aimed at automating the assembly operation of drone frame chassis with drone motors using a 7-axis KUKA LBR iiwa robot adopting the Virtual Commissioning method. Virtual Commissioning method is used to evaluate the functionality, performance and safety of a production system. This method was used to simulate the assembly operation and link the programmable logic to validate the behaviour. The project followed a methodology drafted from an earnest literature research on Virtual Commissioning process, that includes stages such as, data analysis, process planning, 3D modelling, simulation and logical control programming. An additional stage of physical implementation and verification aided in scrutinizing the process. The assembly operation was simulated using Visual Components and Tecnomatix Process Simulate. Further, physical station was setup by calibrating and programming the KUKA robot and testing for accuracy with reference to simulation applications. PLC programming for the system was prepared and tested to achieve Virtual Commissioning. Along with the process followed, the project aimed at answering research questions that are presented in the report. An additional research on force/torque analysis using the sensors available on the KUKA robot were conducted, to present possibilities in the drone assembly operation. The results of the project are presented and concluded that, Virtual Commissioning is an efficient method that can be adopted by manufacturing organizations for improved performance and cost saving solutions, without production stoppage or during setup of brownfield factories, involving process and technology improvements in the existing facility and greenfield factories, while establishing new production solutions and processes.