The laboratory is focused on finding innovative solutions for the control of medium and large industrial robots for various industrial processes. In particular, a key topic is the end-of-life management of automotive battery packs, i.e. the disassembly of highly variable and potentially hazardous elements by means of highly automated systems. In addition, the laboratory deals with the analysis of technological processes, such as subtractive and additive processes, as well as complex handling applications. In these areas, some aspects, such as the variability of the elements to be manipulated, the compensation of kinematic inaccuracies, the dynamic performance or the separation between process and robot motion control, still strongly limit the use of manipulators.
The lab is therefore engaged in research on the use of methods for increasing flexibility and the use of robots in manufacturing, but also in researching techniques for improving the use of industrial robots in machining operations by removal or addition of material using artificial intelligence algorithms for correlating the numerous control and motion parameters that can be configured in an industrial robot in order to improve process quality.
As a further theme, the laboratory develops navigation and calibration algorithms for mobile platforms used as mobile workpiece tables that allow the movement of components to be machined from one work cell to another without further manipulation of the parts.
Finally, the laboratory is involved in research activities concerning the development of real-time control modes to adapt the robot and the tool to the working conditions measured on the line (optimal and adaptive controls based on impedance models).
