Automated resupply management in existing production line with a cobot and an automated guided vehicle

Abstract

In Industry 4.0 traditional factories transform into smart factories by integrating modern smart technology. The T2 campus in Genk features the Smart Innovative Factory (SIF) 400 developed by SMC International Training. This is a scaled model of a smart integrated factory created for training and showcasing purposes. For this thesis, the goal is to enhance the automation in this existing production line, in particular the stock refilling of the stacking module. Its main function is that a collaborative robot stacks incoming containers together on a pack. The module is fully autonomous in its main functionalities, but the refilling of the packs must be done by an operator. This thesis focusses on the unloading of the packs from an automated guided vehicle onto the module with the help of the cobot. The biggest challenge is determining the exact location of the packs. To successfully automate the stock replenishment, two programs have been created. The first one uses vision to determine the location of the packs and then uses the cobot to move the packs into a buffer loader. The second program takes care of the stock management between the buffer loader and the main loader. This result ensures a reduction in workload for the operator, which on its turn can result in a reduction of total production cost. Additionally, this extension can also be applied in other, similar setups requiring only minor changes.