Introduction: LOTSIZE1s robotics and production technologies are developed and evaluated in a European team. For technology evaluation and field tests, the initiative can access a unique set of laboratories. Modern production equipment, robots, sensors and interfaces, arranged in local and tailored demonstrators (vision/cognition, force, planning, skill-acquisition) form a virtual laboratory. Specifically arranged and inter-coordinated to match the challenges of testing new applications with minimum reconfiguration time.

Vision and Cognition Lab: Vision and cognitive sensing technologies are evaluated in PROFACTORs laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with four of the most modern robots dealing with different applications, two dozen vision sensors and conveyors to match the highly differing requirements and the wide range of products. The system is optimized to foster the development of new high-level control.

Figure 1: Part of the testbed for high-flexible robotic systems integrating
novel vision at Profactor

Skill Acquisition lab: Skill acquisition and transfer from human operator to manufacturing systems are evaluated in PMAs laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with modern robots equipped with latest force sensing technologies, VR and haptic interfaces. The lab matches the highly differing requirements and the wide range of products dealing and different applications, such as bending and deburring. The system is optimized to foster the development of skill transfer for new low-level and high-level control.

Figure 2: Part of the testbed for skill transfer at PMA

Coming soon

Coming soon

Organizational Innovators: Training and practice of organisational and managerial implications for industrial exploitation. Many effects of LOTSIZE1 on the shop-floor are counter-intuitive to the normal situation of a batch-production or even mass-producing firm. Traditional training is augmented to create double-loop learning and organisational change. New training needs are matched with elements of role-playing and learning. These games (or organizational innovators) will be implemented in the robot laboratory at Aalborg University. Focus is on the needs of small batch manufacturing companies. Presently the lab consists of two robots, open robot controllers, sensors and off-line programming systems.

Figure 3: Innovation Lab at AAU