Page 84 - MTW JANUARY 2022 Digital Magazine

TECH INNOVATION

compact size, which enables their integration into extremely small
installation spaces. Furthermore, they provide switch signals at
high speed and high repeatability. Their robust housing ensures a
long service life. In cooperation with a worldwide leading supplier
of robotics, Micro-Epsilon has developed the induSENSOR for
robot axis calibration.
On the other hand, there are external sensors that provide
data and measurement values about the robot’s environment.
They recognize the position of the workpiece within the room,
but also enable tactile perceptions. The requirements on the
sensor technology used are extremely high as precision, high
speed, stability, direct communication, full integrity, real-time
measurements, longevity and wear-free reliability are all Laser scanners from Micro-Epsilon enable
critical factors. Optical sensors from Micro-Epsilon fulfill these measurements on almost all industrial materials,
demands. Laser point and laser line sensors of the optoNCDT and largely independent of the surface reflection.
scanCONTROL series are used.
and functionality of the vehicle must be achieved using as little
Absolute precision in automotive production material as possible. For these tasks, robots are perfectly suitable
The automotive industry is the sector where most industrial robots as they work continuously and reliably without psychological and
are used. Therefore, the requirements regarding cycle time, degree physiological impairments, while operating quickly and accurately.
of automation and repeatability are increasing. In production and Furthermore, they also take over many tasks that previously
joining processes from the shock absorber to the front spoiler and would have involved heavy manual labor for employees. Laser
the lights, many steps must be carried out during which different sensors and laser scanners from Micro-Epsilon are used in these
parts are joined. Previously, the production processes were rigid. applications for intelligent robotics. They detect measurement
Now, these are controlled in real-time by state-of-the-art sensor values in real time and can directly transmit these to the PLC.
technologies. Meanwhile, the tolerances of the gap sizes have The result is improved quality control based on extremely high
halved and are now between 0.5mm to 2mm. In order to achieve accuracy, process optimization, cost savings and material savings.
these tolerances, all working steps must be carried out accurately.
The joining processes in production automation for example Marriage of engine and car body
require precise assembly. This is why robots have now taken optoNCDT laser point sensors, for example, monitor the “marriage”
over most of these processes. In addition to the optical-visual of the car body and the engine. Car body and engine, i.e. the
impression, the correct and long-life function of all parts must entire drive train, are joined together in so-called marriage lines.
be ensured. Squeaking doors are not acceptable and windows Therefore, the drive train is moved into the production line on
must be tight and installed flush. In parallel, perfect appearance a frame. At this point, the car body is suspended from a device
and is swiveled from above by a robot in such a way that the car
body is above the drive train, which is then lowered onto it. Laser
triangulation sensors mounted on the device measure the distance
between the car body and the engine. Now, the car body must be
placed exactly onto the drive train and fastened accordingly.

High precision cockpit positioning
The cockpit in the car includes hundreds of individual parts and
weighs up to 100kg. During its installation into the vehicle, it
must be positioned precisely. Therefore, a rectangular frame of
metal struts with two grippers is mounted on the outsides on
a robot arm. The gripper grabs the cockpit on both sides and
moves it horizontally in the direction of the vehicle, which is fed
into the assembly line on a conveyor belt. Shortly before reaching
the vehicle, the robot inclines the cockpit side to be mounted
Micro-Epsilon’s laser scanners accurately position the vehicle. slightly downwards. In this position, the cockpit is swiveled into

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