Web Based Monitoring and Control of Distant Robotic Operations

Abstract

In order to improve the production efficiency while facing today’s manufacturing uncertainty, responsive and adaptive capabilities for rapid production changes are essential. This paper presents how dynamic control and real-time monitoring (embedded in a web-based Wise-ShopFloor framework) can integrate virtual models with real shop floors. Wise-ShopFloor (Web-based integrated sensor-driven e-ShopFloor) uses Java technologies (e.g., Java Servlet and Java3D) for implementing the system. It allows the operators, both remote and on-site, to monitor and control machines, devices and operations on a shop floor, based on run-time information from the connected machines, devices and their sensors. Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the approach towards web-based adaptive manufacturing. The first demonstrating how OPC-technology is used to improve the monitoring and control capabilities of the production and the second one focusing on remote control of a robot eliminating the need of motion planning and tedious robot programming.