Virtual presence in remote operation of industrial robot systems.

Små og mellomstore bedrifter (SMB) har i dag en utfordrende situasjon. På den ene siden er de små, fleksible og har lav overhead-kostnad. Men, på den andre side er de fremdeles helt avhengig av menneskelig arbeidskraft noe som gjør deres konkurransesituasjon svært følsom for lønnskostnadene. Med den økende internasjonale konkurransen, kombinert med de Vest-Europeiske kravene til HMS, det er derfor nødvendig å øke robotiseringen i SMB. Det er imidlertid en stor utfordring for SMB og investere i robotsystemer. På den ene siden, har de ofte kompliserte oppgaver å robotisere, mens på den annen side, er de små, og har begrenset kompetanse og ressurser til å etablere egne kompetanseteam på robotisering. Dette gjør SMB avhengig av å leie inn kompetanse på robotisering under installasjon, programmering og service. Dette har gjort at fjern-løsninger for service og kompetansestøtte er etterspurt. Dette Nærings-PhD prosjektet, fokuserte på utfordringene ved å skulle gi en fjern-operatør tilnærmet samme mulighet for å gi service og kompetansestøtte som om han var fysisk til stede hos sluttbrukeren. Fokuset var å utvikle ny teknologi som fører fjern-operatøren i en tilstand av "Virtuell tilstedeværelse" slik at han med minst mulig begrensning både kan gjennomføre fjernstyrt feilretting og programmering av sluttbrukerens industrirobot. Fokuset på eksperimentene og prosjektet var på fleksible robotceller designet for komplekse, spesielle sveiseoppgaver med det sentrale temaet i modellering, metodologisk utarbeidelse og utvikling av teknologien. Dette kreves for implementering av automatisert sveising av komplekse og store objekter som, for eksempel, turbiner. Prosjektet "Virtual presence in remote operation of industrial robot systems" er et samarbeid mellom Budapest University of Technology and Economics og high tech systemintegratoren, PPM Robotics AS, i Trondheim. Prosjektet gikk i perioden november 2014 - august 2018.

This Industrial PhD represents the development of new technology to improve the human-machine communication in industrial robot systems. This is in-line with PPM Robotics' (PPM) main business goal to provide advanced systems, software and services for profitable robotization of small series production. Its impact and effects are as follows: - The Industrial PhD enables PPM to focus on fundamental technology which catapults PPM's technology into the state-of-the-art regarding potential for future commercial products, specifically in the area of complex, heavy robotic welding. - PPM has a close collaboration with robot manufacturers NACHI-Fujikoshi and OTC. It develops new robot control technology together with them. This Industrial PhD created a strong platform for further collaboration for the next 5-10 years. - The collaboration with BUTE is an important source for new technology and research projects. The Industrial PhD strengthened this collaboration and joint research.

Small- and medium sized enterprises (SME) are currently in a challenging situation. On one hand, they are small, flexible and have low overhead costs compared to bigger enterprises. Due to the increasing requirements to productivity and EHS (Environment, Health and Safety), the SMEs have a high pressure to invest in industrial robot systems to reduce the wage costs which is a challenge due to their knowledge gap. However, there is a significant challenge for SMEs to invest in robot systems. On one hand, they have often the most complicated tasks, but on the other hand, they are small and have lack of own competence and resources to establish strong internal teams within robotics. This makes SMEs dependent of hiring external competence, which is turn creates additional costs, and delays because of the physical transport of the competence personal to SME?s destination. Thus, efficient remote support- and service solutions has been requested during the last years. However, there is still lack of methodology and technology for remote solutions because it?s very challenging to provide the amount of information to a remote operator, which a local operator, standing next to the robot cell, is acquiring through his senses. This, Industrial PhD, is going to focus is to the challenges to create remote operating technology and methodology that puts the remote operator into a state of ?Virtual presence? thus, feeling and getting enough adequate information to being able to operate the industrial robot system similar to be located next to it in the factory. The aim of this, is to make him capable of performing close to to the same operations as being present, and thus, present a solution for future remote support of SMEs. This project, Virtual presence in remote operation of industrial robot systems, is organized as a collaboration between Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Hungary and PPM AS in Norway.