Instruction Generation for Assembly Operations Performed by Humans

Abstract

This paper presents the design of an instruction generation system that can be used to automatically generate instructions for complex assembly operations performed by humans on factory shop floors. Multimodal information—text, graphical annotations, and 3D animations—is used to create easy-to-follow instructions. This thereby reduces learning time and eliminates the possibility of assembly errors. An automated motion planning subsystem computes a collision-free path for each part from its initial posture in a crowded scene onto its final posture in the current subassembly. Visualization of this computed motion results in generation of 3D animations. The system also consists of an automated part identification module that enables the human to identify, and pick, the correct part from a set of similar looking parts. The system’s ability to automatically translate assembly plans into instructions enables a significant reduction in the time taken to generate instructions and update them in response to design changes.