Flexible assembly line with robustness in IEC-61499 standard
nxt_CIROS.txtBasic information
Project ID: AEE-2017-32
Students: Alexander Hopsu, Henri Makkonen, Atte Korhonen, Phu Tran
Project manager: Rongwei Ma
Instructor: Kashif Gulzar
Other advisors: Valeriy Vyatkin
Starting date: 05.01.2017
Completion date:31.01.2017
In this project, a flexible assembly line with robustness was built using IEC-61499 standard. The project was done for project work course for Aalto school of electrical engineering. In general, the objectives which is developed in the project are flexibility, robustness, mechanical design, simulation, business idea and camera vision.
The flexibility of the system was demonstrated in a way that assembly line was able to assemble multiple types of products and ordered product type could be updated on the fly. The robustness of the system was demonstrated in a way that there was at least one functioning PLC to run the system at a time, when one or more PLCs were disabled, the system continued its operation and did not go standstill.
Hardware extensions were made, so users can give input and receive output from the system. An HMI was added, which allows users to order specified amount of different type of products and shall the quality of the product be checked or not. Machine vision was added, which makes it possible to do quality assurance, by recognizing color of the product with a webcam.detection.pyENAS_2017.zip
Objective
•Design a robust and flexible distributed assembly line using IEC 61499 standard.
•Provides the simulation for the testing purpose.
•Possible to detect color by machine vision.
Business aspect
Our products are consulting and software/programming services. Our aim is to partner with end-user or system configuration companies. We can program a completely new software for assembly line, or we can develop an old software and make it more flexible, in addition to this we offer also simulation software. These products can help customer to:
Increase productivity, optimization of the process
Improve quality, by adding quality assurance, with machine vision
Reduce downtime, by making robust softwares, which can handle disturbance
Create virtual assembly line, with 3D modeling
Summary of results
In general, the project main goal was achieved well. According to the task from the project plan, flexibility, new design for robustness, Simulation, Update on the fly, Vision, Mechanical hardware and Business aspects was completed.
For flexibility, the system is able to change orders, change product specification when processing and handle misplaced workpieces as the can could be handled out until it finishing one production line after detecting the right workpiece. Since the limitation of maximum ten PLCs licences, four outer PLCs is able to replace the inner six PLCs. In case the inner circle PLCs break down, four outer PLCs could still implement the system well and this is what was completed in new design for robustness. Due to the production line was changed, we order new components and designed sketch for more mechanical components which was cut in mechanical department, Aalto University. After assembly those components, the mechanical frame was finished. At the same time, the 3D drawing of simulation started. After assembly each 3D components, the part was inserted into CIROS and make connection with NXT Studio programming though UA gateway in order to realize the communication between them. The update on the fly was also reached since, the product order could be changed corresponds to different requirement (blue buttons and red buttons). Besides, the PLC could also be update on the fly. In this project, the Vision was accomplished by using camera detecting the color of the work piece and make classification. The detecting color was done by Opencv of Python and send signal to NXT which could receive and make decision how the system should react. During the beginning of the project, the business aspects of this project was also defined as how we make profit for our product and who should be our customers and etc.
On the contrary, there was also some unfortunate aspects. For instance, group team member was adjusted so the Security topic was removed. And due to the wireless devices arrived late, Compensation for latency was not able to attempt.
Moreover, during the process of the work, our group also faced many different kinds of problems. Communication was a big challenging for us since many times we could not meet while we need to discuss more. But luckily, google drive, telegram, email, phone, TeamViewer helped us solved those problems. Besides, sometime it is also very hard to continue the work while we don’t know which direction. But through communication with group members, instructor and professor, searching on internet, read books, we got more inspiration for finding the solutions.
And we would like to thanks to our instructor and professor guides for our project.
Task dividing
The general task dividing is showed in Gantt chart. All group members participated and no specific task dividing. Basically, the task Flexibility is done by Henri, Alexander and Atte. New design for robustness and Update on fly was completed by Long. Rongwei was responded for 3D Modelling, and Simulation task. In the second stage, Henri, Alexander and Rongwei designed the details for components and made the ordering. Then Henri, Alexander, Atte and Rongwei built the Mechanical hardware which is assembled them on the original system. Then Rongwei designed with Python programming frame which Long continuing and finishing the rest tasks of Vision. Task Compensation for latency wasn’t able to start since the wireless devices arrived quite late. Security task was deleted since one of group member left.pictures.zipintroduction.txt
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