Virtual commissioning of automated micro-optical assembly

Abstract

In this contribution, we present a novel approach to enable virtual commissioning for process developers in microoptical assembly. Our approach aims at supporting micro-optics experts to effectively develop assisted or fully automated assembly solutions without detailed prior experience in programming while at the same time enabling them to easily implement their own libraries of expert schemes and algorithms for handling optical components. Virtual commissioning is enabled by a 3D simulation and visualization system in which the functionalities and properties of automated systems are modeled, simulated and controlled based on multi-agent systems. For process development, our approach supports event-, state- and time-based visual programming techniques for the agents and allows for their kinematic motion simulation in combination with looped-in simulation results for the optical components. First results have been achieved for simply switching the agents to command the real hardware setup after successful process implementation and validation in the virtual environment. We evaluated and adapted our system to meet the requirements set by industrial partners laser manufacturers as well as hardware suppliers of assembly platforms. The concept is applied to the automated assembly of optical components for optically pumped semiconductor lasers and positioning of optical components for beam-shaping

Virtual commissioning and symbolic planning of micro-optical assembly processes

“…Reinhard et al [6] and Hoffman et al [7] analysed the performance, limitations and workflows in a selection of those products, while Nia et al [8] introduced VC methods to the commissioning of press lines, resulting in up to 90 % reduction of commissioning times. Schlette et al recently introduced the VC concept into the field of micro-optical montage [9]. In this paper, we will discuss further integration of this approach.…”

“…Since the user is presented with a set of ActionBlocks representing the assembly sequence, they can utilize the simulation system's visual programming and virtual commissioning capabilities that revolve around ActionBlocks [9], [14] to adapt the previously defined robot poses, conduct collision checks etc. The user can also check the plan for consistency and correctness, and may decide to correct potential mistakes in the domain definition or the semantic modelling, if necessary, and therefore follow a prototype-based approach to process development.…”