Understand the design, testing, and application of cleanroom robotics and get real-world examples and design tips with this practical guide.

The complete shop floor automation - a "lights out factory", where workers initially set up all machines, turn off the lights, lock the door and the machine churns up the parts - remains an unfulfilled dream. Yet when we look at the enormity of the process of automation and integration even for the most simply conceived part factory, we can recognize that automation has been applied and is being applied, more so when it made sense from a cost/benefit standpoint. It is our nature to be dissatisfied with near term progress, but when we realize how short a time the tools to do that automation have been available, the progress is clearly noteworthy - considering the multitudes of factors and the environment we have to deal with. Most of the automa tion problems we confront in today's environment are multidisciplinary in nature. They require not just the knowledge and experience in various distinct fields but good cooperation from different disci plined organizations to adequately comprehend and solve such problems. In Volume III we have many examples that reflect the current state of the art techniques of robotics and plant automation. The papers for Volume III have been arranged in a logical order of automation planning, automated assembly, robot programming and simula tion, control, motion coordination, communication and networking to factories of the future.

The hardest data for managers and engineers in charge of the design and implementation of robot systems to acquire is also the most valuable: case studies detailing best current practice and the return on investment actually achieved. It has been a major goal of the British Robot Association, among other professional groups, to organise meetings where such case studies are presented and discussed between members; but the obvious restrictions of commercial confidentiality lead to considerable difficulty, especially in relation to the best recent installations. The authors of this book have been in the uniquely privileged position of lecturing in the Cambridge University Production Engineering Tripos, a course specially organised in conjunction with a number of leading companies applying robots and automation. Actual case studies from these companies form an important part of the course, making this book that has emerged from it a uniquely important addition to our Open University Press series.

This book consolidates the current state of knowledge on implementing cooperating robot-based systems to increase the flexibility of manufacturing systems. It is based on the concrete experiences of experts, practitioners, and engineers in implementing cooperating robot systems for more flexible manufacturing systems. Thanks to the great variety of manufacturing systems that we had the opportunity to study, a remarkable collection of methods and tools has emerged. The aim of the book is to share this experience with academia and industry practitioners seeking to improve manufacturing practice. While there are various books on teaching principles for robotics, this book offers a unique opportunity to dive into the practical aspects of implementing complex real-world robotic applications. As it is used in this book, the term “cooperating robots” refers to robots that either cooperate with one another or with people. The book investigates various aspects of cooperation in the context of implementing flexible manufacturing systems. Accordingly, manufacturing systems are the main focus in the discussion on implementing such robotic systems. The book begins with a brief introduction to the concept of manufacturing systems, followed by a discussion of flexibility. Aspects of designing such systems, e.g. material flow, logistics, processing times, shop floor footprint, and design of flexible handling systems, are subsequently covered. In closing, the book addresses key issues in operating such systems, which concern e.g. decision-making, autonomy, cooperation, communication, task scheduling, motion generation, and distribution of control between different devices. Reviewing the state of the art and presenting the latest innovations, the book offers a valuable asset for a broad readership.

DESCRIPTION OF BOOK This practical, made easy book is aimed at both the layman and the engineer who is tasked with automating the production floor or plant. Full of important technical details, diagrams and illustrations, it will act as an easy guide or reference for the selection and utilization of robots for automation in the work-place, be it electronic assembly, heavy engineering, nuclear facility, auto-manufacturing, aerospace, food processing, even the home, et al. An understanding and appreciation of robotics will be important as robots are expected to play an increasingly important role in our lives. Robots will not only play a more important role in the work-place in time to come, they will increasingly provide companionship and entertainment to many. Significantly, various important robots are introduced in the book together with the technical details. ABOUT THE AUTHOR The author has published about 20 books, two of which have been adopted as reference texts and commended by professional bodies. He was also the editor of a book of essays. He has many years of experience in electronics, manufacturing and automation. He has taught many professional, management and technical subjects for years. He has published a number of important papers, including several papers on the solutions to some famous, unsolved problems, in research journals and has served on the faculty of an American research university as a professor. He has received publicity from the press for some intellectual achievement.