Page 38 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication
P. 38
38 Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
Smooth robot movements reduce
energy consumption by up to 30 percent
By Prof Bengt Lennartson and Dr Kristofer Bengtsson, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
By minimizing the acceleration
of industrial robots, energy
consumption can be reduced
by up to 30 percent – while
retaining the given production time.
This is the result of a new optimization
algorithm that has been developed by
researchers at Chalmers University of
Technology. The research was initiated
by General Motors, and is now further
developed in the EU project AREUS,
together with, among others, Daimler
and KUKA.
MOVE SLOWER INSTEAD OF show that it is possible to save up to EXPLOITATION AND IMPACT
WAITING 30% energy and 50% peak power, The goal is to make this kind of
Optimization of the robot's neither substituting any hardware nor optimization standard, and included in
movements reduces acceleration and provoking negative consequences on robots from the start. However, since
deceleration, as well as the time the the overall plant production. The fact the optimization procedure is based
robot is at a standstill, since being at that the solution still keeps a desired on the original robot behaviour and
a standstill also consumes energy. A production time is crucial to get does not change the robot’s operation
basic idea is here to let a robot move industrial acceptance. Furthermore, path, it can also be applied to existing
slower instead of waiting for other the solution does not depend on robot cells. A quick optimization can
robots and machines to catch up, any physical model parameters, but then be performed without changing
before carrying out the next operation only a simple recording of the robot the current production conditions, just
sequence. The optimization also path generated by the original robot reducing the energy consumption.
determines the order in which the program. This makes the proposed The optimization concept is also not
various operations are carried out, to method very attractive from a user limited to robot motions, but can be
minimize energy consumption without perspective. applied to, e.g., automated guided
reducing the total execution time. vehicles (AGVs), conveyor systems, and
COLLISION AVOIDANCE press lines.
REDUCED ENERGY AND PEAK The optimization tool is included in
POWER a software developed at Chalmers, Finally, we observe that in robot-
Evaluations on industrial robots called Sequence Planner. To achieve intensive manufacturing industries,
a safe optimization, several robots such as bodywork factories in the
moving in the same area need to automotive industry, robots consume
be coordinated. Collision zones about half of the total energy used
where robots may collide can for production. This means that the
then be automatically generated proposed energy and peak power
by CAD software for robots. The optimization could lead to potentially
intersections between sweep volumes significant savings, especially in
of the individual robot motions then automotive industry. l
determine these collision zones, and
a robot needs to book such zones to Contact details:
be allowed to path corresponding
region. This collision avoidance Dr Kristofer Bengtsson
procedure is integrated in the energy kristofer.bengtsson@chalmers.se
optimization. Thus, we obtain both
a collision free and energy optimal Prof. Bengt Lennartson
robot system that keeps the desired bengt.lennartson@chalmers.se
production time.
www.areus-project.eu
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
