CustomPacker

The main goal of CustomPacker is to design and assemble a packaging workstation mostly using standard hardware components (no need for special solutions) resulting in a universal handling system for different products (size, weight and form). During the project, different concepts and technological solutions for an adaptable and changeable packaging system using standard components will be designed. In a demonstration scenario with human-robot co-operation in a packaging line, a decrease in the production cycle time by automating the packaging phase and increasing the work content in a mixed human-robot collaboration work cell will be realized. In order to verify its advantage against traditional human-dominated approaches, a final prototype will be tested and installed in an existing factory. With an optimization of ergonomic working conditions for humans, a functional demonstration of the installation and a qualitative and quantitative profitability analysis of this project will disseminate the human-robot collaboration to a wide range of European SMEs.

The robotic system used in CustomPacker solves together with the human operator the packaging task of diverse products, namely LCD television sets or notebooks. The trajectories are planned and executed in a safety way. Therefore various grapplers are developed in the project, articulated ones for smaller load utilizing a touch-sensitive skin and pneumatic one for heavy parts.

The highly experienced international industry-driven project consortium contains representatives from all involved disciplines, including a robot manufacturer, specialists for robot integration, human-machine interaction, worker surveillance, industrial work flow management, a system integrator, and an end-user for testing and verification.

Project Name:    
Highly Customizable and Flexible Packaging Station for mid- to upper sized Electronic Consumer Goods using Industrial Robots

Funding:
EU – FP7-2010-NMP-ICT-FoF

Duration:
01.07.2010 – 30.06.2013