Inspection services: automated intelligent metrology
Project challenges
The challenge was to create a safe and autonomous inspection platform for Large Volume Metrology (LVM) that can reduce operator touch-time for inspection. Autonomous and automated inspection systems are of interest to a wide range of manufacturing industries, such as power generation and aerospace.
Business challenge
Process Innovation
Sector
Aerospace
Technology or capability
Digital Manufacturing
Automation & Robotics
Metrology & NDT
The Challenge
The challenge was to create a safe and autonomous inspection platform for Large Volume Metrology (LVM) that can reduce operator touch-time for inspection. Autonomous and automated inspection systems are of interest to a wide range of manufacturing industries, such as power generation and aerospace.
Human-Robot collaboration is currently being invested in for a number of reasons: decrease of task time, decrease of Health and Safety risks and increase of quality.
Quality information from the robotic system can be shared efficiently across the Robotic Operating System (ROS) network, allowing for remote access to machine status and component quality information.
MTC's Solution
The route to meeting the challenge was to:
- Develop a robust mobile inspection platform for LVM applications that can navigate a shop floor with the help of a map and sensors;
- Develop the existing ROS interface for the Leica AT901 T-Probe to allow for seamless data flow, QR code localization and path planning;
- Develop a PCB that can identify the moment when the T-Probe contacts the surface;
- Develop a software to generate a human-readable output of the inspection data.
The was a challenge for all involved, but is was very satisfying to reach the end goal and nicely demonstrated the aims that we set out to do.
Florine Leighton-Hiersemenzel - Advanced Research Engineer, MTC
The Outcome
- The outcome of the project is an automated robotic system that is able to navigate the workshop to the correct component.
- The system is able to read the component’s QR code and inspect the component appropriately.
- The data is shared over a ROS network and the results are human-readable.
Benefits to the Client
- Improved understanding of the capabilities of collaborative robots and autonomous vehicles.
- Increased knowledge of ROS, in relation to the integration of industrial inspection equipment.
- Awareness and understanding of collaborative and autonomous robotics capabilities.
- Increased networking capabilities throughout the workshop area (Industry 4.0).
- A demonstrator showing remote automated inspection.
