Session: 03-15-04: Smart Manufacturing and Robotics for the Future IV

Paper Number: 166047

Smart Manufacturing Using Advanced Technologies for Human Robot Collaboration 

Industry 5.0 encourages the use of smart manufacturing and technologies to promote sustainability, humancentric collaboration, creativity and production efficiency. Working towards the seamless integration of manufacturing processes with virtual reality, digital twins, and cyber-physical systems to shape robots as an extension of human capability. Despite significant progress in existing research, technological advancements are still necessary to reduce costs and increase efficiency throughout the manufacturing process. Although the existing use of smart materials such as PCMs (Phase Change Materials) are increasingly valuable in renewable energy systems, electronics, and temperature-sensitive product packaging; processing these materials have several problems such as sustainability, cost, human safety, and production efficiency that require immediate solutions. The literature review provides examples of current research gaps within smart manufacturing while demonstrating the value of utilizing digital twins, cobots, and virtual reality within industry 5.0 processes. The following study proposes a new human-machine digital model within the context of digital twins, collaborative robots, virtual reality, and Siemens NX to increase the efficiency in manufacturing phase change materials.

The methodology involved in creating a human-machine digital model to increase efficiency of manufacturing PCMs utilizes the following steps: (1) digital twin development, (2) collaborative robots, (3) virtual reality environment, and (4) cyber physical systems. The research scope will integrate a digital framework combining digital tools, real-time data, predictive analysis, immersive technologies, and digital tools to optimize the operational design process of PCM based systems. In the first step of digital twin development, the PCMs system behavior and performance will be evaluated through the primary use of Siemens NX and Simcenter. Siemens NX will be used to simulate and provide the optimal application for the PCMs while monitoring the manufacturing process in real time using IoT sensors to ensure consistency. The human worker will interact with this digital model through Siemens NX and virtual reality tools to feed into the digital twin. The use of digital twins will enable teams to effectively collaborate with one another to work efficiently and safely throughout the manufacturing process. Collaborative Robots (Cobots) will work together with humans throughout the fabrication of phase change materials to assist with potentially hazardous processes to ensure worker safety and productivity. The virtual reality environment will visualize and provide a prototype of the PCM systems before being physically built. This interactive environment will assist technicians in understanding the smart material products, proper installation, and any troubleshooting. Lastly, cyber-physical robotic systems will provide the robot with the ability to interact with the physical environment. This methodology alongside Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies aims for an outcome in which the human-machine digital model ensures efficiency, safety, and productivity throughout the process of manufacturing smart materials.

The case study analysis and provision of the human-machine digital model, result in the proposal of the following: (1) Simulation tools will optimize PCM manufacturing through material modeling, evaluation of PCM thermal properties, and simulation of heat transfer and energy storage using Siemens NX software. (2) Digital Twin technology will provide results of thermal management systems and regulation processes in real time. (3) Phase change material prototypes will be tested through use of digital twin and virtual reality using feedback data to refine model simulations.

The conclusion of these results will offer research novelty contributions for the manufacturing process. With the proposed human-machine digital model, businesses will be able to improve economic value, sustainability, and process of smart manufacturing across industries. Future work will focus on expanding the research of the digital model to share resources between manufacturers and businesses using cloud manufacturing tools. When cloud manufacturing resources are combined with human robot collaboration (HRC), humans can work together in a shared workspace optimizing the collaborative process to enhance productivity. As data and resources are shared on cloud-based platforms, businesses can improve coordination to result in faster delivery at lower costs.

Presenting Author: Sharon Sandoval Kennesaw State University

Presenting Author Biography: Graduate student from Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA. From the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering and studying the Master of Science in Intelligence Robotics Systems.

Authors:

Sharon Sandoval Kennesaw State University
David Guerra-Zubiaga Kennesaw State University
Gershom Richards Kennesaw State University
Vladimir Kuts Tallinn University of Technology