Innovation: Automated grinding of precast elements
In the previous BFT issue 06/2024, the first part of applications for the 2024 Innovation Prize of the Supplier Industry for Concrete Components awarded during the 68th BetonTage was published. This time, the second part follows; all other submissions will be mentioned in BFT 08/2024.
Stairs, balconies or special elemets are mostly finished by experienced skilled workers in a laborious, time-devouring manual process in order to get a special visual appearance or certified slip resistance class for fair-faced concrete. This exhausting and very dusty activity is an enormous physical strain which makes it more and more difficult to attract staff for this job. Automation of the processes successfully manages to compensate the lack of manpower, thus being an intelligent and sustainable innovation and investment.
The solution:
According to the information given by the supplier, the solution is the world‘s first technologically leading, fully automated robot grinding application for concrete. The 3D data of the precast concrete element molds are transferred to a software and then the surface to be treated is simply selected with just a few clicks. The stairs, balconies or special elements are placed randomly on a positioning table by forklift or indoor crane. The job data are read in, the system scans the component and transmits the position data to the robot. The robot moves along the surfaces selected previously using pre-defined processing paths and the sensitive grinding tool (FerRobotics AK 617 Concrete end effector) controls the constant contact force depending on the requested grinding pattern or roughness class.
In addition to a hall extraction system, the especially developed suction hood of the AAK 617 end effector, through automated opening, provides the possibility to grind right into the corners and generally has an excellent suction performance. Both features ensure an enormous reduction of the dust formation and thus an increased cleanliness of the plant. The exact, flat contact of the concrete grinding wheel, moreover, results in extended durability (factor 30).
System components
Robot: ABB industrial robot (all identical brands possible);
End effector: FerRobotics Active Angular Kit 617 Concrete (no comparable EOAT available).
To achieve repeatable results in concrete grinding, the robot-assisted tool has to be force-controlled, adaptable and sensitive. The patented Active Compliant Technology (contact-force intelligence) of FerRobotics keeps the contact force constant and solves the requirements in a reasonable and economical way. The integrated complete solution automates the industrial concrete grinding process with individual control of all process parameters: rotation speed, contact force and feed. With the ACT, it is possible to provide robots with exactly those tactile sensitivity and precise contact force that is required for guaranteed process reliability and repeatability. Even in case of altering orientation in space, an integrated, automated gravitational compensation is carried out without additional programming. A FerRobotics end effector (end to arm tool) is able to recognize the current contact situation and to respond in real time.
Software
Automappps of Convergent Information Technologies GmbH is used for fully automated programming of robots and processes and/or fast offline programming as well as new reactive real-time robotics using artificial intelligence.
