Matthias Vette

Trier University of Applied Sciences | umwelt-campus.de

Digital transformation is both an opportunity and a challenge. To take advantage of this opportunity for humans and the environment, the transformation process must be understood as a design process that affects almost all areas of life. In this paper, we investigate AI-Based Self-Adaptive Cyber-Physical Process Systems (AI-CPPS) as an extension of...

Die Refabrikation wird eine entscheidende Rolle zur Erreichung einer Kreislaufwirtschaft einnehmen, denn durch diesen Prozess können bereits ausgediente Produkte wieder in einen neuwertigen Zustand gebracht und dem Markt erneut hinzugefügt werden. Dennoch steht die Refabrikation vor Hindernissen, welche überwunden werden müssen. Dieser Beitrag soll...

Conventional winding technologies have already been implemented in the electrical and manufacturing industries. However, the adoption of such technology remains a challenge in the rubber industry, as sensitivity perception is required. A solution to this problem can be achieved by making use of robots equipped with additional sensors. Sensitive rob...

Technik hat schon immer die Welt verändert. Technologischer Fortschritt hat sich in allen Bereichen des Lebens weiterentwickelt. Häufig getrieben durch Kriege und Produktionsoptimierungen sind neue Technologien später auch in die privaten Haushalte eingezogen. In den vergangenen Jahren ist jedoch ein Wandel erkennbar. Technologien im Konsumbereich...

div class="section abstract"> In large scale industries attempts are continuously being made to automate assembly processes to not only increase productivity but also alleviate non-ergonomic tasks. However this is not always technologically possible due to specific joining challenges and the high number of special-purpose parts. For the riveting pr...

Manual assembly needs to be able to react fast and flexible on product modifications at an increasing number of product variants. Cognitive assistance systems and smart devices can increase the efficiency and quality of this product assembly. However, both need to be validated for shop floor application in order to secure the operator’s acceptance....

div class="section abstract"> Aircraft production is facing various technical challenges, such as large product dimensions, complex joining processes and the organization of assembly tasks. Meeting the requirements that come with large dimensions, low tolerances and small batch sizes, in combination with complex joining processes, automation and la...

At ZeMA – Zentrum für Mechatronik und Automatisierungstechnik – the group assembly processes and automation work on industry-related research domains in the fields of robotics, planning and tolerance management. The scope of this work is to develop a prototype of a semiautomated physical human-robot cooperation (pHRC) station with a modular control...

In semi-automated industrial applications, interaction between humans and robots is essential. Such interactions require some level of mutual awareness and coordination. Precisely, while interacting with humans, robots need to be aware of their state and possible future actions in order to collaborate with them and help achieve their goal more effi...

The robust deployment of mechatronic systems, especially robot systems, requires the integration of additional sensors, such as laser line sensors and camera systems, in order to react to disturbances. The commissioning of individual modules to form a complete system is often time consuming and complex. Therefore, simple and accurate calibration me...

div class="section abstract"> Aircraft production is facing various technical challenges, such as large product dimensions, complex joining processes, and organization of assembly tasks. Overcoming such challenges, as well as maintaining low tolerances and small batch sizes, is often difficult to achieve whilst retaining economic viability. ZeMA be...

div class="section abstract"> Large aircraft sizes with high precision requirements combined with complex joining tasks are typical challenges for aircraft production. To increase competitiveness and effectiveness, the automation of such production processes seems a viable solution for companies in the aircraft sector. When implementing automation,...

Industrial robots are often equipped with external sensors that help perform the required production tasks. These sensors may be optical, tactile or force-torque sensors. Depending on the sensor, the measuring range can cover a one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. More specifically, laser line sensors are often used for insp...

Die Zusammenarbeit von Mensch und Roboter – Möglichkeiten, Ziele, Grenzen. Jeder Robotereinsatz hat nur dann Sinn, wenn er dem Menschen nützt. Der Nutzen eines Roboters entsteht durch seine Fähigkeit, uns von Arbeit zu befreien, die wir nicht machen können oder wollen. Bei der Mensch-Roboter-Kooperation geht es um Arbeitsplätze, an denen der Mensc...

A high number of manual processes and product variants characterizes rework areas in manufacturing companies. This often results in a weak spot on process validation and documentation. Experienced employees with detailed knowledge about the processes are required because work-plans and assistance systems are inflexible. To improve the flexibility a...

Deviations in assembly processes lead to rework or rejects and create a high risk to miss customer requirements. Therefore deviations must be monitored and planned. With increasing product complexity the sole reduction of deviations is not expedient. Process development must accompany product development. One approach for the systematic process dev...

Als wissenschaftlich-technischer Fachverband an den Schnittstellen von Informationstechnik, Elektrotechnik/Elektronik und Automatisierungstechnik befasst sich der VDE unter anderem mit der Gestaltung der Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstelle für neue digitale Technologien am Arbeitsplatz in der Produktion. Die seit Anfang 2019 bestehende Arbeitsgruppe „Ges...

Laser line sensors are used for inspecting, positioning and scanning 3D objects. They are often mounted on the flange of an industrial robot. The laser line sensor provides 2D measurement values, in the x and z direction with respect to the sensor coordinate frame. In order to transform the measured values into the robot coordinate frame and theref...

Shorter production lifecycles, new challenges due to the advancing globalization, and increasing demand for individualized products are only some of the general conditions that internationally operating manufacturing companies have to face. Therefore, adaptable production systems are required which can be changed to the current requirements of the...

Assembly processes in aircraft production are particularly difficult to automate due to a variety of technical challenges including, small batch sizes, large product dimensions, small tolerances, and limited work space. Fully automated systems are expensive and require a large amount of servicing effort during their life time. The developed solutio...

Der Produktionsstandort Deutschland sieht sich einer tiefgreifenden Veränderung gegenüber. Verkürzte Entwicklungszeiten und eine zunehmende Anzahl an Varianten bei gleichzeitig immer anspruchsvolleren Produkten und Technologien stellen die produzierenden Unternehmen, aber auch die Produktionsanlagenbauer vor neue Herausforderungen. Besonders in de...

Winding of flexible components always poses a special challenge in an industrial context regarding automation. Many winding applications have already been successfully realized, such as the winding of yarns in the wool industry or winding of electric coils. Serial kinematics are often the central component in an automated winding application. In co...

In the handling technique, the orientation in the three-dimensional Euclidean space is considered or predefined for several assembly tasks. There are different mathematical methods to describe them. Euler presents 24 different conventions that describe any rotation in the space by a rotation about three orthogonal axes. These conventions are singul...

The application fields of industrial robots have known a considerable development since their first robotic application by the the production line GM in the USA, in 1961. Tasks and requirements are more and more complex. So are also the diversity and variants of the product, paired with always shorter life cycles of the products. Those factors lead...

This paper examines the development of a worker centered cognitive assistance system with variant bound and error code dependent job lists in rework areas. In automated assembly lines, a nearly forward directed and repetitive assembly flow eases the implementation of automation technology like assistance systems. However, the implementation of thes...

The article considers a white-goods producer and the material-flow between different production areas and suppliers in the supply chain. To increase the transparency of the production processes and the reactivity of the production process planning department, a variety of information must be gathered on the shop floor level. Therefore, preexisting...

Due to technological and organizational boundary conditions, it is often difficult to solve the problem of automation for assembly processes. The development of such automation is subject to technological challenges and economical risks due to a high number of part variants as well as the complexity of reliably managed assembly processes. One solut...

In small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), information acquisition and transmission between business departments is carried out mainly in a paper-based way. For instance, in manufacturing and assembly, the modifications of technical drawings are documented manually on technical drawings. At the end of the production process, all technical drawing...

The demand for flexible and versatile robot systems rises due to the continuously increasing diversity and variants of the products as well as shortening product life cycles. Within the EU-funded research project FourByThree, ZeMA investigates various Human-Robot-Cooperation (HRC) robot systems such as welding and riveting. This research considers...

Assembly processes in aircraft production are difficult to automate due to technical risks. Examples of such technical challenges include small batch sizes and large product dimensions as well as limited work space for complex joining processes and organization of the assembly tasks. A fully automated system can be expensive and requires a large a...

The application fields of industrial robots have known a considerable development since their first robotic application by the production line GM in the USA, in 1961. Tasks and requirements are more and more complex and so are the diversity and variants of the product paired with ever shorter product life cycles. Those factors lead to a growing nee...

Um die „Time-to-Market“ zu verkürzen, werden Montageanlagen in frühen Stadien der Produktentwicklung bestellt und simultan mit dem Produkt entwickelt. Die Kommunikation von Produktänderungen an den Anlagenbauer erfolgt meist nicht medienbruchfrei – somit dauert die Informationsübermittlung länger und die Fehleranfälligkeit steigt. Es wird eine web-...

The automotive industry is facing significant challenges due to shortened product lifecycles, increased product variances, and fluctuating markets. The current assembly systems are unable to handle the increased requirements for mass customisation, so they need to be optimised with new technologies. Human-robot cooperation has evolved as a solution...

Many assembly processes, particularly in the manufacture of large components, are still carried out by humans manually. In addition to rationalization aspects, high quality requirements, non-ergonomic activities, the lack of well-qualified workers etc. may require the use of automation technology. Through novel possibilities of human-robot-cooperat...

This paper presents a method and practical application for a consistent data exchange between the virtual planning and the real production environment in cyber-physical assembly planning. In the virtual planning environment, the product's ability to be assembled is validated by comparing the product's requirements with the assembly module's capabil...

Today’s production companies are challenged with: the assembly of different product variants with lot size of one on a single assembly line and the increase of product variants. The implementation of reconfigurable assembly systems with a modular design is a solution, which allows a flexible adaptation to different product variants. However, handli...

In this paper a methodology for supporting the assembly planning engineer is given which connects the virtual planning environment with a real assembly system. The method starts with product and process analysis, continuing with a capable assembly module selection while several validations are conducted. A reference model, as part of the methodolog...

To respond to challenges created by an increase of product variants, multi-variant lines are used as today’s assembly systems. In these multi-variant lines different product variants with diverse lot sizes can be efficiently assembled. These assembly systems are characterized by modular structures that allow assembly system adaptation by reconfigur...

This paper describes the concept and implementation of a hybrid programming method for robots, which absolves working people from the specific expertise that is required for the conventional programming of robots. The method is based on a provided path point, which is presented by laser projection. The projected path points are detected and approac...

Today’s production companies are challenged with: the assembly of different product variants with lot size of one on a single assembly line and the increase of product variants. The implementation of reconfigurable assembly systems with a modular design is a solution, which allows a flexible adaptation to different product variants. However, handli...

Purpose – This study aims to deliver an approach of how lightweight robot systems can be used to automate manual processes for higher efficiency, increased process capability and enhanced ergonomics. As a use case, a new collaborative testing system for an automated water leak test was designed using an image processing system utilized by the robo...

The assembly process of wind turbines is performed mainly manually and is characterized by unergonomic operations. In the case of the rotor blade bearing assembly three bearings, which have a diameter of several meters, are bolted to the rotor hub with hundreds of bolts. Although the introduced preload force on these bolts should be subjected to on...

The automation of assembly processes in aircraft production is, due to technological and organizational boundary conditions, very difficult and subject to technological challenges and economical risks. The human-robot-cooperation is an approach to a needs-based, adjusted and if necessary temporary automation. The semi-automation is based on a new d...

Montageprozesse in der Flugzeugproduktion sind aufgrund von technischen und organisatorischen Rahmenbedingungen sehr komplex und unterliegen hohen technischen sowie wirtschaftlichen Risiken. Die Mensch-Roboter-Kooperation stellt einen Ansatz zur bedarfsgerechten, angepassten und gegebenenfalls temporären Automatisierung dar. Die Teilautomatisierung...

Purpose – The paper aims to deliver an approach of how lightweight robot systems can be used to automate manual processes for higher efficiency, increased process capability and enhanced ergonomics. To show how these systems can be utilized in practice, a new collaborative testing system for an automated water leak test was designed using an image...

The three rotor blade bearings of a wind turbine hub are mounted to the rotor by several hundred bolted joints. Within this assembly process, a specific preload force has to be applied to these bolts in order to achieve a defined clamping force between the bearing and the rotor. Despite high manual labour intensity and safety concerns (platforms ne...

Bei der Entwicklung neuer Produktionstechnologien für die Bearbeitung und Montage von Großbauteilen spielen Handhabungssysteme eine entscheidende Rolle. Ein adaptives und rekonfigurierbares Greifersystem kann die Handhabung von Teilen mit großer geometrischer Variantenvielfalt ermöglichen. In dem Handhabungs- und Greiferkonzept wird zwischen global...

At present, large components in airplane structural assembly are assembled with the aid of large fixed or partly adjustable devices dedicated to the relevant version. Some of the disadvantages of these systems are the limited range of possible adjustments of the handling devices and low flexibility. This restricts the assembly of different versions...

Today, the planning of assembly systems is a complex process. To master this complexity, IT-tools are developed and used within the context of Industrie 4.0 in the research project SmartF-IT. In the focus of the project are following activities: the determination of the minimal information for performing various operations of planning, the approach...

Today, the planning of assembly systems is a complex process. To master this complexity, IT-tools are developed and used within the context of Industrie 4.0 in the research project SmartF-IT. In the focus of the project are following activities: the determination of the minimal information for performing various operations of planning, the approach...

The lack of well-qualified, skilled workers and an aging society call for innovative solutions to cope with the enormous flexibility requirements of manufacturing companies in high-wage countries. This article presents innovative systems for assembly assistance to master the complex tasks arising from high quality requirements, for instance in the...

Manufacturing companies today are exposed to increasingly dynamic market requirements. Particularly in high-wage countries, there is also a clear trend toward standing out from global competitors by means of product differentiation. At the same time, however, prices have to remain competitive. As a consequence, many companies choose a mass customiz...

Today's assembly devices used for large-volume components in the aerospace industry are characterized by their inflexibility. This inflexibility is evident by the common use of custom designed rigid structures and specially adapted solutions for a single task. This paper describes an approach for a flexible assembly device, using the example of an...

During the rotor blade bearing assembly of wind turbines three bearings, which have a diameter of several meters, are bolted to the rotor hub with hundreds of bolts. Although the introduced preload force on these bolts should be subjected to only minor deviations, the tightening process is performed manually despite of its high labor intensity. To...

One of the central success factors for production in high-wage countries is the solution of the conflict that can be described with the term “planning efficiency”. Planning efficiency describes the relationship between the expenditure of planning and the profit generated by these expenditures. From the viewpoint of a successful business management,...

Today’s industrial assembly systems have to enable individualized production as well as to feature a high degree of automation to cope with both quality requirements and increasing cost pressure. An overall tolerance concept is necessary to allow processes under the above referenced conditions. Reducing costs and the complexity of assembly processe...

In the face of continuously increasing cost pressure, a wide range of product versions and shorter innovation cycles, the demand for more versatile assembly and handling systems is steadily growing. Co-operating robots represent a suitable approach for this purpose. However, reconfiguring a multi-device robot cell usually involves a certain program...

Einer der zentralen Erfolgsfaktoren für die Produktion in Hochlohnländern liegt in der Auflösung des Konflikts, der mit dem Begriff der Planungswirtschaftlichkeit umschrieben werden kann. Die Planungswirtschaftlichkeit beschreibt das Verhältnis aus Planungsaufwänden und dem durch diese Aufwände generierten Nutzen. Aus Sicht einer erfolgreichen Unte...

The demand for more versatile assembly and handling systems to facilitate customized production is gaining in importance, especially with regard to the constantly-increasing cost pressure, to expansion of the range of product versions and the shortening of innovation cycles. As a cost-effective approach for frequently changing assembly tasks, a nov...

Demand for more versatile assembly and handling systems to facilitate customised production is gaining in importance. A new handling principle has been developed as a cost-effective approach to adapt to component-dependent tasks. It is based upon the gripping and movement of objects by multiple arms within a parallel kinematic structure. This struc...