Fault-Tolerant Multi-Robot Operational Strategy for Material Transport Systems Considering Maintenance Activity

Abstract

In automated robotic systems, a robot undergoing corrective maintenance (i.e., repair) or preventive maintenance (i.e., inspection) may become a disturbance of operations for other working robots. Therefore, maintenance of a robot has to be performed adequately. Multi-robot systems have the capability for the substitution and complement of such a robot. To introduce the multi-robot technology in industrial applications, we propose fault-tolerant multi-robot operational strategies for a material transport system focusing on the robot behavior. Working robots, while switching between normal and fault-tolerant operational strategies reactively according to the presence or absence of a robot undergoing maintenance, accomplish tasks. Through simulation experiments, the effectiveness of the proposed strategies is discussed. In addition, an integrated strategy for some failure rates of the robot is investigated. Finally, a maintenance activity for the robots is modeled on the basis of reliability engineering and the reasonability of preventive and corrective maintenance is discussed.

Optimal maintenance strategy in fault-tolerant multi-robot systems

“…That is to say, maintenance has to be conducted so that working robots do not fail and undergo neither too much corrective maintenance nor too much preventive maintenance. This is a challenge of this paper as compared to our previous work [7].…”

“…We have engaged in research for fault-tolerant material transport systems with multiple mobile robots in industrial applications [7]. As a result, a fault-tolerant robots operational strategy considering maintenance activity was developed on the basis of reliability engineering.…”

“…Through simulation experiments with various parameters associated with robot failures, the optimal maintenance strategy is compared to other two strategies that conduct preventive maintenance at empirically-determined intervals [7] and corrective maintenance each time robots fail. From the results, the effectiveness of the optimal maintenance strategy is investigated.…”

An Approach of Orientation Detection for balancing object on Robotic Vehicle for Non-Plane Surface

“…The research emphasis appears to shift from the development of robots for structured industrial environments to the development of autonomous and cooperative mobile robots operating in unstructured and natural environments, such as homes or planet surfaces.The autonomous robot performing the number of challenging task such as cleaning of hazardous material, surveillance, rescue operation, battle field etc.In the industrieswidely used the wheeled mobile robot to carry some type of load. So that using wheeled mobile robot is the effective way to promote the factory automation [1]. An another way in the battle field or the rescue operation, if they know the position of the enemy used camera which is mounted on the robotic vehicles and that vehicles is moving on non-plane surface.…”

Procedure for resolving specification optimization task of heterogeneous robot colony

“…However, robot failures and maintenance might affect fault tolerance and performance of robotic systems (Satoshi Hoshino et al, 2011). Also the behaviors of individual robots of the colony are changing taking into account maintenance activities (S. Hoshino et al, 2010).…”