eQUALS

eQuals

Consortium: Ledisson AIT and the Research and Technology Center CTAG

Project Hashtag: #esmera-equals

Link to Project Video: Click here

Overview

The project eQUALS (ESMERA Quality Check System for Paint shop) addresses the ESMERA-M.3 challenge (Manufacturing – Paint Quality Check). It is a coordinated partnership of Spanish SME Ledisson AIT and the Research and Technology Center CTAG.

The project will be based on two approaches:

  • Application of CTAG technology for in-movement applications, using different sensoring to modify the trajectories of the robot, mainly the line encoder, force sensors and additional sensoring, as position sensors, machine vision, or specific robot sensoring in the case of collaborative robotics as Kuka.
  • Application of CTAG technology for off-line robotics programming. Using DELMIA, ROBCAD or PROCESS SIMULATE (each OEM uses a different variation).

The main challenges will be:

  • Fluent communication with the measurement devices: is it possible to invoke remotely a measurement? How much time is necessary for each inspection point? eQUALS will address this challenge in Phase I, in a laboratory environment. In case that any technical problem arises, alternatives will be searched (different devices).
  • Precision in the inspection point: can we guarantee that we are measuring in the desired spot? What is the average error? eQUALS will measure this error in Phase I. In case this error is caused by inspection time, more robots could be necessary in the final solution. If the error is caused by poor repeatability, more sensoring could be added to the system.
  • 45” cycle time to perform 100 measurements: how many robots and other technologies do we need to perform so many measurements, using 4 different measurement devices? eQUALS will study and simulate this issue in Phase I, looking for the most affordable solution.
  • Inspection points inside the BIW: how can the system open automatically the doors? eQUALS will take this into account when simulating all options. One alternative can be that the robots themselves open and close the doors, as CTAG has done in the past.