Task-based programming and sequence planning for human-robot collaborative assembly

The paper proposes a task-based programming method to support assembly processes in a human-robot collaborative workcell. The method for assembly sequence generation is implemented as a robot program homebuilt by composing pre-programmed elementary working steps. Developed system can support human operator as an interactive tool for collaboration with robot. Robot program and developed software are used to interface the robot with the human during the execution of the assembly tasks starting from single mechanical parts. The proposed Human Robot Interaction System (HRIS) performs an assembly job with the contemporary collaborative work of robots and humans that share tasks in the same workspace. The system is tested on a case study made on purpose and constituted by several different flanges mounted on a support in a variety of configurations. Thus, the method is general and can be easily adapted to a multiplicity of assembly tasks.