A PLANNING APPROACH FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED MULTIPLE-BENT PROFILE HANDLING

This paper describes a solution for the general problem of handling a multiple-bent profile of sheet metal in the constrained environment of a bending machine. The handling device is a robot feeding the machine and handling the sheet metal in between the bending operations. A new planning approach for a multiple-bent profile handling which is based on the configuration space and a potential function is presented. Spe cial heuristics for the multiple-bent profile are applied and accelera te the motion planning process by recognition of the critical part of the profile and its orientation and position relative to the bending m achine. This approach assists the sheet metal part planner to plan in advance the handling operations and to confirm if the robot can perfor m the handling or not. Two examples of handling multiple-bent profiles inside a bending machine are described and demonstrate the overall ap proach by a simulation.