Robotic Inspection: The Future of Flexible Manufacturing

The Robotic Inspection System was developed through a collaboration between ABB Robotics (Auburn Hills, MI) and Spanish start-up NUB3D (Barcelona, Spain), a leading innovator of digital, 3D inspection and quality-control solutions. ABB subsequently purchased NUB3D in February 2017. This is the first robot-integrated inspection system that digitizes and simplifies quality control while improving cycle times. It consists of a 3D white-light scanning sensor mounted to the arm of an ABB robot, relying on the agility of the robot to provide the precise movements necessary for the sensors to access most areas of both simple and complex parts from the optimum angle. The sensor technology rapidly records and compares highly detailed geometric and surface data with digital CAD models, enabling the automated inspection of manufactured parts and pieces, helping factories to reduce cycle times while raising quality and reducing the risk of quality control errors.

This turnkey inspection and quality control system is ideal for automotive original equipment manufacturers, aerospace companies and customers in other sectors, such as metals and plastics. The innovative system represents the future of flexible manufacturing, enabling a high level of automation with advanced data analysis that can be used to optimize production processes. The helps manufacturers improve quality and productivity while accommodating greater product variation and customization in smaller lots. Systems for every stage in the production process – prototype, preproduction, ramp up and mass production.

• “Plug & Play” system – easy automated inspection to simplify operation for production employees.
• “Shop floor” inspection – to provide rapid feedback about production process variations, for improved process control and scrap reduction.
• Cost reduction – reduction of the faulty parts replacement while value is added by the capacity of ensuring 100 percent quality.
• Competitiveness increase – time saving on inspection process execution and big savings based on the reduction of revision campaigns.

The inspection system components include:

• The sensor can be mounted to the arm of an IRB 4600 robot for inspection of a metal component spot welded by an IRB 6700 Lean ID Robot. An IRB 2600 robot can shuttle the part between the inspection and spot welding robots.
• IRB 4600: A highly productive general purpose robot optimized for short cycle. The IRB 4600 enables more compact manufacturing cells with increased production output and higher quality.
• IRB 6700 Lean ID with spot weld gun: A model from the IRB 6700 family of medium-heavyweight robots displaying a spot welding configuration with an ABB spot weld gun. LeanID is an Integrated Dressing (ID) design that provides easier programming and a smaller footprint. The spot welder features Spot Servo Equalizing functionality.
• IRB 2600: A compact robot with a high payload capacity. The design has been optimized for targeted applications like arc welding, material handling and machine tending.

ABB Robotics – North America, 1250 Brown Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326-1507, 248-391-9000, www.abb.com/robotics.