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A publication by:

Coordination Action funded by theEuropean Commission under the 6th Framework Programme (NMP).

In association with:

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems — The Roadmap

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European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 2

Preface

About two years before the issue of this publication, Agoria initiated the coordination action eumecha-pro, funded by the European Com-mission under the 6th Framework Programme (NMP). The project had the primary objective of delivering roadmaps for research and industrial innovation in the area of mechatronics for production systems. The project was furthermore designed as a contribution to the Manufuture initiative (www.manufuture.org) and the EC Research and Development programmes in general. Industrial innovation however does not only rely on research, but also on good practices for mechatronics design in industrial companies and on an adequate educational system. Best practices and education are therefore two other headlines of the project.

About one year ago, in June 2006, Agoria established the Belgian Manufuture platform (www.manufuture.be). This illustrates Agoria’s commitment to Research & Innovation as a critical factor for sustainable industrial activity in Europe.

The purpose of this publication is to:

Communicate with industrials about how their industrial vision converts into research visions • Communicate with all other national Manufuture platforms in order to identify common grounds for action. We share many • challenges and cooperation is key. Communicate with research organisations and universities about the different routes towards industrial innovation, including the • role of education and training.

The eumecha-pro roadmaps and this resulting publication have been established by a joint effort of the eumecha-pro consortium, through workshops and interviews with industrial experts. Furthermore, Manufuture Germany and CECIMO have contributed to the eumecha-pro roadmapping exercise. Herewith I would like to thank all for their appreciated contributions and express the wish that the roadmaps will be largely promoted and further refined through the activities of the Manufuture European and National/Regional Platforms.

I sincerely hope that this booklet offers useful reading to many stakeholders and I welcome their feedback.

Jos PinteAGORIADirectorManufuture High Level Group Member


Content

EUMECHA-PRO p 4

Research Roadmaps p 6

- Roadmap reliable systems – monitoring, diagnostics and beyond p 8 - Roadmap user-friendly production systems p 14 - Roadmap adaptive production systems p 24 - Roadmap high performance, high precision, high speed p 36 - Roadmap total life cycle cost (including environmental cost) p 44 - Roadmap interdisciplinary design methods p 48

Best practice in mechatronics p 51

Establishing a European common vision on mechatronics education p 63

Conclusions p 67


EUMECHA-PRO objectives

The goal of EUMECHA-PRO is to increase the ability of the European mechatronics research community to conceive - according to a common strategy and in strong cooperation with industry - the production systems for the factories of the future.

Roadmapping

EUMECHA-PRO develops industry roadmaps and research roadmaps. The industry roadmaps provide a structured view on future industrial expectations for different production equipment sectors. Research roadmaps reflect the visions and capabili-ties of the European mechatronics research community. The research and industry roadmaps are integrated into a common vision. The emerging technologies and integrated design approaches in the research roadmaps will reveal new industrial op-portunities. On the other hand, the industrial expectations will orient research towards market needs. The research roadmaps will furthermore provide a common framework for an efficient coordination of Europe’s research resources.

Best Practices, Training and Education

EUMECHA-PRO encourages of the mechatronics design approach in industry. Best practices of mechatronic design areidentified and promoted.

EUMECHA-PRO strives towards an educational framework that delivers excellent mechatronic engineers to the manufacturing industries. Mechatronics education requirements and approaches are analysed, resulting in a European vision on how educa-tion can be improved and be made more coherent across Europe.

Networking and Information Dissemination

EUMECHA-PRO aims at improving the coordination of various R&D funding mechanisms, in particular by feeding its deliverables into the MANUFUTURE initiative, Eureka and related communities.


EUMECHA-PRO consortium

Agoria (Project Coordinator) Jos PinteBrussels - Belgium www.agoria.be

VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandMikko Sallinen Oulu – Finlandwww.vtt.fi

K.U.Leuven Department of MechanicalEngineering, Division PMAProf. Hendrik Van Brussel, Eric Demeester, Heverlee – Belgiumwww.mech.kuleuven.be/pma

Delft University of Technology3mE, Dept. of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Prof. Hans LangenDelft - The Netherlandswww.ocp.tudelft.nl/amwww.3me.tudelft.nl

Decubber Project AssistanceChris Decubber Vilvoorde – Belgiumwww.decubber.com

University of Twente Drebbel InstituteProf. Job van Amerongen,Prof. Peter Breedveld Enschede - The Netherlandswww.drebbel.utwente.nl

Fraunhofer Institute for Manufactur-ing Engineering and Automation IPAChristoph Schaeffer Stuttgart – Germanywww.ipa.fhg.de

THESAME Mécatronique et ManagementOlivier de Gabrielli Annecy – Francewww.thesame-innovation.com

University of Paderborn, Heinz Nixdorf InstituteComputer Integrated Manufacturing Karsten Stoll, Paderbornwwwhni.upb.de/rip

FMTC Flanders’ Mechatronics Technology CentreMarc Engels, Heverlee – Belgiumwww.fmtc.be

KTH The Royal Institute of TechnologyProf. Jan Wikander Dept of Machine Design, Mechatronics Lab, Stockholm – Swedenwww.md.kth.se/div/mda/

FATRONIKJuanjo Zulaika San Sebastián – Spainwww.fatronik.com

ITIA – CNRGiacomo Bianchi, Milano – Italywww.itia.cnr.it

University of Stuttgart – ISWAlexander HaflaStuttgart – Germanywww.isw.uni-stuttgart.de

WZL RWTH AachenAndreas Schmidt, Aachen – Germanywww.wzl.rwth-aachen.de

AMTRI Andy de Vicq Macclesfield - United Kingdomwww.amtri.co.uk

TEKNIKERJavier Arzamendi Eibar · Guipúzcoa – Spainwww.tekniker.es

Loughborough UniversityHolywell Mechatronics Research CentreProf. Robert Parkin, Prof. Mike JacksonLoughborough - United Kingdomwww.mechatronics.org.uk

LCM – Linz Centre of MechatronicsProf. Rudolf Scheidl, Stefan DiernederLinz – Austriawww.lcm.at

Bogazici UniversityProf. Okyay Kaynak Istanbul - Turkey mecha.ee.boun.edu.tr

DLR – Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, Prof. Gerd Hirzinger, Gerhard Grunwald, Weßling – Germanywww.robotic.dlr.de

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 6 Cross-sectoral research roadmaps

Cross-sectoral research roadmaps

Roadmap reliable systems-monitoring, diagnostics and beyond p 8

Roadmap user-friendly production systems p 14

Roadmap adaptive production systems p 24

Roadmap high performance, high precision, high speed p 36

Roadmap total life cycle cost (including environmental cost) p 44

Roadmap interdisciplinary design methods p 48

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 7 Cross-sectoral research roadmaps

Cross-sectoral research roadmaps

In the following chapters, six roadmaps will be described. Each of the roadmaps is supported by a graphical structure of dots. These dots may represent performance requirements of production systems, as well as enabling technologies. The dots are referred to as ‘targets’, regardless if they represent a performance requirement or an enabling technology. In the example below, the target user-friendly pro-duction systems is situated somewhere in the middle of the structure. The targets situated on the levels above (the red dots) are drivers relative to the target ‘user-friendly production systems’. The targets situated on the level below (the yellow dots) are enablers. Each line between two targets in the structure represents therefore a relationship ‘is a driver of’ or ‘is an enabler of’. The identification of these relationships (or ‘interdependencies’) between roadmap targets results in the fact that the targets are situated on different levels. Con-nections from one target to targets that are situated on lower levels indicate the enablers of the former targets. Connections to targets that are situated on higher levels, indicate the drivers of the target.

During the identification of the roadmaps, this roadmap target structure has evolved to a quite complex web of interdependencies. When describing each of the separate roadmaps, only the targets with the highest relevance to the roadmaps are shown (the above structure is the roadmap structure associated to the roadmap ‘User-friendly production systems’.

It has to be noted that this structure does not show the timelines of the roadmaps. They rather show the context of enabling technolo-gies and technology drivers and performance requirements. The structure reveals interdependencies between different roadmaps (since different roadmaps share some targets). The structure facilitates Impact assessment of technologies and also serves as a mindmap or a teaser when developing visions and identifying priority research domains. It has been experienced that the structure makes one think about the real added value of technologies and the real meaning of performance requirements.

On www.eumecha.org a database application has been developed that dynamically renders interactive roadmap structures as the one illustrated in this publication. This graphical presentation in that case also serves as a portal to more detailed textual information about the targets and the relevance of the targets for particular types of production equipment.

Autonomous systems

High performance

New Business models - Total solutions delivery

Total lifecycle cost (including environmental cost)

Healthy and safe human-machine (co-)operation

Ergonomic machinery

Customised machine

Driver

Enabler

Integrated services delivery

Adaptive production systems and machines

User-friendly production systems

Physical human-machine collaboration

Manufacturing knowledge delivery

Reliable systems

Intuitive human machine interaction

Multi-modal interfaces

Tele - service

Skill aquisition and programming by demonstration

Task-based programming

Real-time decision making and support tools

Intrinsically safe mechanical and control structures

Condition monitoring

Wireless sensing, transfer of data and energy

Driver

Enabler

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 8 Roadmap reliable systems

Roadmap reliable systems – monitoring, diagnostics and beyond

High performance

Reliable systems

Robust construction



Condition Prognostics

Advanced sensors

Lean and real-time date generation

More advanced sensory feedback and use of such information for control

Self-optimisation



The reliability of machines and production systems is paramount for efficient low-cost production. The goal is to have maximum availability of machinery.

A machine user wishes to be assured of the machine’s availability. That is to say that it will be ready to use when required. This is not a task scheduling matter, but one of a machine consistently being there and being ready to work. Note here that a machine under maintenance is not available and that maintenance timesshould be reduced as much as possible. A machine which is operat-ing may break down whilst in use and thus become unavailable in an unpredictable way. A machine may continue to be in use, but fail to meet performance targets (e.g. in terms of desired parameterslike tolerances on produced parts), or have variable output (e.g. prone to non-systematic errors). In each case the machine is avail-able, but unreliable.

Machines that are available and initially meet performance targets will wear in use and may thus suffer either a long-term degrada-tion of performance or a catastrophic failure. It is thus desirable to provide a prediction of when it will move outside the acceptable envelope of performance. The prognosis of this point allows for maintenance schedules to be planned in periods involving a mini-mum productivity loss.

Rather than catastrophic failure, it is preferable if machines enter a regime of graceful degradation. In this case their performance degrades in a systematic and predictable manner allowing for pro-duction at reduced rates and eventual shutdown over a period of time (the so-called limp home concept).

The roadmap distinguishes three major research avenues:

• One that lies in the design of machines that are inherently more reliable and degrade in predictable ways;• One that uses condition monitoring (embedded sensing and prognosis engines) to dynamically identify the current status and predict time scales to disruption of the desired performance;• And finally one that assumes radical new concepts in which the monitoring system is used to modify the behaviour of the machine to maintain the performance envelope for the longest possible time (self-optimising, eventually self-repairing systems over a short to mid-term time period)

The first approach is short/medium term, the second medium term and the third medium/long-term. A mechatronic design approach is key to all three avenues and there is likely to be hybrid integra-tions of two or more approaches in order to meet cost/perform-ance targets for particular sectors and applications.


There is a need for generic methodologies that are applicable to a large variety of complex production machines. Research should aim at realising improved reliability and performance through cost-efficient maintenance in three consecutive stages:

1. Preventive condition based maintenance2. Predictive maintenance3. Production (self-)optimization

1. Cost-efficient condition monitoring systems:systematic condition monitoring methodologies thatare robust and cost-efficient.

A possible approach towards this goal is the introduction of physi-cal models of the machine behaviour in the condition monitoring systems. This should reduce the required training effort involved in state-of-the-art condition monitoring systems. The models should match the machine operations at any state of degradation. To limit the modelling effort, the physical machine model is ideally com-posed of physical component models delivered by the component supplier.

For cost-efficiency reasons, introduction of new sensors in produc-tion machines for condition monitoring should be minimized. This can be achieved by advanced signal processing that more opti-mally uses the existing sensors.For example: By combining information of multiple availablesensors and controller signals (i.e. sensor fusion) new information can be obtained. This way a virtual sensor is realised.

Also, sensors can be used more extensively, e.g. in transient modes of the machine. As such information can be obtained from already existing sensors.

2. Condition prognostic capabilities for improved reliability and performance.

Condition monitoring systems should be extended with prognostic capabilities.

To this end an explicit (physical) and/or implicit (e.g. neu-ral network) model of the degradation behaviour of the ma-chine components over time in function of the operation conditions is required. The appropriate format and the meth-odology to obtain these degeneration models in a cost-efficient way should be established. In particular, different learning approaches on individual machines or classes of machines could be a valuable contribution to this aim.

3. Revenue optimization through conditionmonitoring and prognostics.

Prognostic capabilities will maximize the revenue of production machines. More in particular, the short to mid-term operation modes of the machines and the maintenance schedule can be op-timized for among others productivity, maintenance costs, energy consumption. Various optimization methods should be compared to determine the optimal way for obtaining the maximum added value from the production equipment. A gradual migration path from operator advisory systems to full self-optimization should be aimed at.


Cost-efficiency… A successful combinationof both maintenance strategies guarantees optimal machine availability at minimum cost.

costs

minimum

exclusivelypreventivemaintenance

0 % 100 %

exclusivelymonitoring basedmaintenance

degree of useof monitoring basedmaintenance

costs forpreventivemaintenance

costs formonitoring basedmaintenance

Sum ofmaintenance costs

(Source: WZL)



Some enabling technologies require further investigation:

• Cost and reliability of sensors: need for smart sensor systems with integrated functionality, easy connectivity (modularity) and local extraction of relevant information from the measurement signal. • ICT architectures for value-added services. E.g. for class learning there should be a close interaction between the machines and the central database. This constitutes a dynamic network, where machines are constantly added and removed.

Turning data into information is the key challenge for a condition monitoring system. For this reason, a tool was realized that systematically guides the designer through the process of finding the key condition monitoring features from the measurement data. It was proven that the resulting cus-tom condition monitoring system outperforms commercial ones. To reduce the cost of the condition monitoring system, virtual sensors can be applied instead of real ones. The concept was demonstrated by the replacement of a torque sensor by a Kalman filter that combines cheap electrical measurements and Ferraris acceleration sensors.

Lean data and knowledge generation

(Source: Flanders’ Mechatronics Technology Center)



The main spindle of a machine tool is one of the most valuable and at the same time most complex com-ponents. The knowledge about its actual state and possibilities to in-fluence it slightly can increase the quality of machining significantly. Project ISPI (Intelligent Spindle) has created a main spindle with temperature and force sensors for the bearings and precise posi-tion sensors for the spindle rotor.In combination with piezo actua-tors the load curves for the spin-dle and its reactions can not only be recorded and analysed, but the behaviour of the spindle can also beinfluenced.

More advanced sensory feedback – temperature and force sensors

Crash 60%

Other 13%

Wear 13%

Leakage 9%

Lubrication 7%



More advanced sensory feedback – vision systems

(Source: Loughborough University)

Web based printing is a very high speed manufacturing proc-ess that can be used to produce coloured patterns on paper, plastics, textiles and wallpaper. The large length (60 metres or more) of material used between input and output stages, together with the high processing speeds, presents substan-tial problems for in-process quality control. These machines are particularly difficult to set-up for the first-off design pat-tern, for repeat runs of the same pattern over a period of months/years and the print quality can drift within a produc-tion run. The estimated cost to the industry is £20 million per annum in scrap material and lost production time.

Dr Mike Jackson and Professor Rob Parkin from the Manufac-turing Automation research group undertook a research pro-gramme to enable UK web based printing industries to real-ise substantial process improvements, improve production and develop business opportunities for added value short run products on equipment designed for high volume. The research project investigated a high speed, high reso-lution machine vision system, to capture printed colour to a very high degree of accuracy (better than 1 Delta E, the smallest colour difference the human eye can see) and Gra-vure dot feature characteristics of the order of 20 microme-tre’s across at 2 metres per second (imagine a human hair passing by at 2 metres per second and trying to measure it’s cross section). This leading edge research enabled printed product quality characteristics to be measured in-process for the first time, removing the need to stop the printing press for product inspection, which incurs expensive material and production costs. The data acquired by the vision system is fed to a computer knowledge-based system which can then provide expert advice to print operatives on the best course of action to avoid printing defects. The research technology, demonstrated in-plant at CWV Group Ltd, detected printing

process drift half an hour before operators could detect a defect, providing a valuable early warning system.

Enabling operatives to maintain quality consistency, reduces rejection rates of printed material, saves on raw ma-terials, re-print costs and improves production. This tech-nology is now embodied in the PrintSpector product manu-factured and marketed by Shelton Vision Systems in Leics.

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 14 User-friendly production systems

Roadmap user-friendly production systems

Autonomous systems

High performance


Total lifecycle cost (including environmental cost)


Ergonomic machinery

Customised machine




Physical human-machine collaboration

Manufacturing knowledge delivery

Reliable systems

Intuitive human machine interaction

Multi-modal interfaces

Tele - service

Augmented Reality Man-Machine Interface

Skill aquisition and programming by demonstration

Task-based programming

Real-time decision making and support tools

Intrinsically safe mechanical and control structures


Wireless sensing, transfer of data and energy



The increase in sophistication and complexity of production ma-chinery and systems has led to an increase in the difficulty of pro-gramming the machines. Future production machines and systems will need to be more reliable and flexible to quickly respond to changing requirements and environments (adaptiveness down to unit batch). There is also need for increased autonomy (i.e. a need to act with no or little human intervention) as well as easy and fast to configure customised machines (offering both: application and user-specific configuration).

A bottleneck to the flexible use of machines is that of human inter-action for setting machines. Control panels frequently have menu-driven systems that are several layers deep and require the input of large amounts of information. Mistakes are frequently made and time is lost in requirements validation prior to starting produc-tion. Off-line setting improves this on large batch repetitive jobs, but modern demands are for very small (unit) batches and rapid changeover. The above explains why user-friendliness relates to the adaptive systems roadmap described in the following chapter.

To enhance throughput of jobs, and enhance operator satisfaction, there is a requirement to simplify the interaction with machines by taking full account of ergonomics and the richness of human com-munication as well as various communication media (i.e. speech, tactile, graphics, gestures etc.). In many cases flexibility may be aided via roving use of wireless data terminals or multi-sensor net-works. But, there are identifiable drawbacks here due to loss of data and lack of robustness of consumer products in an industrial

environment, which still are to be overcome.

Increased autonomy, in which a human may teach a machine that then operates alone, is another way of increasing production with reduced human effort. There is also the concept of the intelligent machine that has a full dialogue with the human for negotiated settlements of conflict. Or half way down the road, at least of-fers operational background information in form of in-built expert knowledge. If such expert knowledge shall be offered in real-time in a user-friendly and intuitive way, a graphical interface (i.e. moni-tor glasses) or hapticl interface (i.e. data gloves) in form of an Augmented Reality Man-Machine interface might be used in the near future (i.e. for teaching unskilled workers complex inspection tasks, and even for tele-operation purposes).

The roadmap distinguishes four major research avenues:

The simplification of existing human-machine interfaces to re-• duce human stress in usage and to facilitate ease of use and increased flexibility. This includes the generation of alternative interfaces which enhance and facilitate human-machine com-munication (e.g. multi-modal, augmented reality etc,).Physical human-machine co-operation.• The provision of on-site and online available operational expert • knowledge and background information to the user:Systems that have much higher levels of autonomy.•

A mechatronic design approach is key to all research avenues and there is likely to be hybrid integrations of two or more approaches in order to meet cost/performance targets for particular sectors and applications.

Denso, Japan CoBot NWU, USA



Physical human-machine co-operation

(Source: Fraunhofer IPA)

Conventional robots find their limitation if the task execution requires a level of perception, dexterity and decision making which cannot be met technically in a cost-effective or a robust way. How-ever, within the otherwise manual task execution less demanding subtasks may still be carried out automatically. A safe and flexi-ble co-operation between robot and operator may be a promising way to achieve better productivity at a manual workplace. Thus, robot assistants can be thought to be clever helpers in manu-facturing environments (manufacturing assistant) as well as in services (home and care assistant). Key components and meth-ods supporting these next generation robot systems are cur-rently under intense investigation. In parallel, first scenarios of cost-effectively co-operating workers with manufacturing assist-ants are on the edge to enter the production hall of tomorrow.

Increased performance at decreasing costs of robot systems produces a shift in reaching a break-even between manual and robot-based manufacturing cost (see figures below). A further challenge would be a continuous cost reduction by means of “hybrid automation” where a cost-effective co-operation of human worker and robot assistant could be a promising approach.

Source: Fraunhofer IPA. Stuttgart

Source: UN/ECE, IFR, 2006

Degrees of Autonomy and Interaction in Robotics



Robot assistants represent a generalization of industrial ro-bots characterized by their advanced level of interaction and their ability to cope with natural environments in houses and on shop floors. Man-machine interaction has been addressed by numerous research projects and is viewed as a prime research topic by the robotics community. Worldwide R&D work is concentrating on 5 key-technology developments:

• Channels of Human-Machine Communication– by understanding the user intent through natural speech, haptic or graphical interfaces.

• Scene analysis and interpretation– by recognition and perception of typical production envi-ronments, contexts and tasks.

• Learning and self-optimising– by knowledge and skill transfer between human and robot.

• Motion planning and co-ordination– by quick co-ordination and online re-planning of tasks and motions under physical user contact.

• Safety, Maintenance, Diagnoses– via a suited, reliable and approved safety concept.

Robot assistants represent a promising evolution to industrial robots. As intelligent manufacturing stands increasingly for the requirements of the flexible and agile production of tomorrow, robot assistants are an important means to access the intelligence of the worker and augment his/her performance at the workplace. Their fields of application aim at a variety of possible applications both in manufacturing as well as in services and in home settings. Key technologies accounting for a safe and effective man-machine interaction are under intense development.

First simple scenarios already suggest an interesting new aid to achieving better productivity at the manual workplace. In any case these scenarios will give important feedback on the systems’ further development and practical use.

(Source: Fraunhofer IPA. Stuttgart)

Physical human-machine co-operation (continued)



Intuitive Human-Machine Interaction by detection and understanding of human activity


The EU-Project Cogniron is implementing the vision of the European Commission’s ‘Beyond Robotics’ work programme: to develop cognitive robots being able to serve humans as assistants or “companions” in daily life and/or in business environments of tomorrow’s flexible manufacturing environments. Such robots need to be able to intuitively understand the intentions, instructions, demands and behaviour of the workers interacting with them. Therefore, each robot companion that works and interacts with humans and operates among them should have a clear understanding of the humans, acting in its visual range. The robot must have capabilities to perceive the human and reason on its activity. Understanding the human’s activity forms a basis for intuitive and efficient interaction with the robot and learning from human behaviour. The operator of the robot should be identified and recognized. Thus, one of the aims of the Cogniron project is to study, model and imple-ment cognitive components that help to enable dialogue, understanding of gestures and social behaviour and other interac-tion between humans and robot – like speech, pointing, tactile guidance or even graphics.

While implementing this goal substantial progress has been made within the following three working areas: • detection and perception of body parts and body gestures • modelling and prediction of human motion • context-based understanding and prediction of human activities

The development results of this research activity is tested by Cogniron in relation to three different application scenarios by practical experiments: Key Experiment 1: “ The Robot Home Tour”, Key Experiment 2: “The Curious Robot” and Key Experi-ment 3: “ Learning Skills and Tasks”.

Cogniron – The cognitive robot companion - EU-Project FP6-IST-002020 – www.cogniron.org

Source: www.SMErobot.orgSource: www.cogniron.org



Skill acquisition and programming by demonstration


SMErobot™, an integrated project within the EU’s FP6, aims to create a new family of SME-suitable robots and to ex-ploit its potentials for competitive SME manufacturing through flexible robot automation technology, meeting the requirements of SMEs in Europe.

In the absence of highly skilled robotic programmers, pro-gramming should be as simple as telling a colleague to perform a certain task. Therefore, future robot instruc-tion schemes require the use of intuitive, multi-modal in-terfaces and preferably human communication channels, such as speech and gestures – together with human-safe robots operating in the same working space without any fences. Identification and localization of work pieces, au-tomatic generation or adaptation of programs and process parameters are also required for minimizing programming efforts. Based on the combination of devices and basic meth-ods, there is a need for intuitive instruction paradigms uti-lizing natural instruction modes. Many paradigms - such as “programming by demonstration” already exist but have never been integrated on the shop-floor. SMErobot is addressing the problem while developing dependable and efficient solutions for user-machine dialogues in an industrial application context.

SMErobot addresses the problem of how to teach a robot complex tasks through human demonstration.

The related areas of research are:• Skill and Task Learning (analysis, reasoning, imitation) • Programming through Demonstration• Human-Robot Interactions • Safe Interactions and Harmless Operation

(Source: Fraunhofer IPA, www.SMErobot.org)



Skill acquisition in quality inspection

(Source KU Leuven)

Inspection of products by machine vision often has to solve the problem of how to implement a human decision-making process in software. Currently, this requires a step-by-step reprogramming or parameterization of the software, which may take a very long time.

DynaVis is a project within the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Commission. It involves three industrial and three academic partners. The results of this project en-able the use of human-machine cooperation to learn com-plicated inspection tasks directly from the human operators that currently perform this task, instead of by step-by-step improvements and adaptations of the software. This allows the system to automatically adapt to specific or changing re-quirements.

DynaVis is focused on the development of trainable machine vision algorithms and appropriate machine learning tech-niques. In order to create such methods, the project strives to achieve the following scientific objectives:

• Machine learning methods for processing the complex data produced by the vision system• Methods to deal with multiple, possibly contradictory inputs by the operators• Methods for predicting success or failure of the learning process in early stages of the training procedure

The architecture of the DynaVis system is shown below. Prob-lem-specific (non-adaptive) pre-processing is used to extract the relevant regions in the image, the latter being described by feature vectors. All of these feature vectors serve as in-put to a learning classifier that returns a gradual good/bad decision. Human operators have the possibility to confirm or reject the system’s output. This results in a system with a high degree of flexibility and adaptability.

The machine learning methods developed in DynaVis are the basis for a wide range of possible applications (e.g. quality control, robotics …), where a certain behav-iour can best be learned from a human expert through demonstration. This kind of cooperative learning is practically non-existent in today’s industry.



Augmented reality man-machine interface

(Source WZL)

Augmented Reality (AR) is an intuitive alternative to printed manuals. It provides the operator with messages and instruc-tions, which are displayed in his field of vision on a transparent head worn display as he looks at the machine environment. Thus, the digital information merges with his vision and he receives all important information at the location where he needs it. A standard system consists of a camera to record the visual surroundings and their movements relative to the user’s head, the display and projection device and a portable computer to process the images and to generate the digital enhance-ments. The most critical task of an AR system is to concatenate the virtual objects with the real environment because the user is more sensitive to visual misalignments than to the type of errors that might occur in a complete Virtual Reality system. To achieve this, prominent parts of the environment usually are identified by reference markers, which can be recognized by the AR software in the camera pictures.

The Project ARTESAS (www.artesas.de) has improved on the characteristics of an AR system on several accounts. The opti-cal detection and recognition of the machine parts by the AR-computer system is no longer based on artificial markers but is able to compare the camera picture to a 3D computer model of the environment and identifies the parts through an edge extraction and comparison. Thus, the displayed instructions can be linked to the referred-to parts very accurately. Sophis-ticated tracking algorithms ensure the compensation of the user’s head movements.In addition, the portability and comfort of the hardware has been improved and the programming of the AR scenes, i.e. the definition of the digital instructions and their linking to the real parts, has been included into an authoring tool. Complete workflows of actions can be generated and performed successively by the operator.



Manufacturing Knowledge Delivery - Multi-modal Information Systems for Production Machines

(Source: ISW)

Globalization and growing abundance of product variants create needs for user-friendly technical information and documen-tation, which must be available at machine-level in all languages and at any time, providing several media formats according to the situation at the machine. One example of developments meeting this industrial demand is given by the R&D project Mumasy.

Mumasy’s Objective:

To create a method to assemble, compile and provide a better information system design meeting the need of machine tool builders to gain improved serviceability for production machines.

Solutions provided by Mumasy:

• An inter-industrial model for the support of the information exchange between suppliers, producers and customers in the different phases of the product life cycle.• An Expert system based on the Mumasy model offering a dynamic user help system.• Provision of user-friendly information according to the machine condition and status in a task-oriented way. • Improved information representation through the application of multi-media and automatic adaptation features in the MMI.

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 24 Roadmap adaptive production systems

Roadmap adaptive production systems


Active and robust control

Distributed control

Holonic (multi-agent) control Reconfigurable physical modules for machines

Self-optimisation

User-friendly productionsystemsMore advanced sensory feedback

Open, distributed motion control


Energy harvestingWireless sensing, transfer of data and energy



Adaptive production systems enable rapid and robust change over to another task in case of rush orders or technology changes, in particular in case of small batch sizes. Adaptive capabilities on fac-tory level may also keep the production system operational during maintenance and cleaning.

Adaptive capabilities are also required during operation of the pro-duction system, in order to optimise the performance while sur-rounding conditions and performance requirements are changing. Performance requirements may for instance be maximum produc-tivity or an optimum of productivity versus energy and material consumption.

Adaptive capabilities can be achieved by introducing modularity, scalability and reconfigurability into the machine design on control, communication and mechanical level.

In order to realize ‘adaptiveness’, attention is required for vari-ous kinds of distributed and reconfigurable control ranging from logistics automation (feedforward) to closed-loop motion control (feedback) and at different levels: production line, machine, com-ponents, etc.

Flexibility also requires the ability to automatically adapt to chang-es in module topology. This means that control needs to be embed-ded in software units with specific objectives and own adaptive ca-pabilities. The holonic, biologically inspired control algorithms (e.g. based on ant colony engineering) for collaboration of these mod-ules or agents should autonomously provide optimised operations and controls without jamming a centralised monitoring system.

Physical modularity requires scalable modules with standardized physical interfaces. This means plug-and-play technologies inte-grated into components, machines and their interfaces, for en-hanced modularity and down-to-zero set-up time of machines and plants.

In turn this requires in-process sensing and measuring and conse-quently technologies and methods for machine condition monitor-ing, more advanced sensory feedback and use of that information for control, machine data collection, data mining, pattern recogni-tion, decision-making, etc… This should improve process stability,

machine reliability and precision by means of closed-loop, adap-tive control, with particular attention for algorithms to evaluate the current and planned operation modes and their predicted stability and effect on the machine reliability in an autonomous and adap-tive (‘learning’) way.

Results in the field of adaptive and learning control theory should be further developed such that they can be used to automatically retune the controller in an optimal way after configuration changes in the process.

Methods and tools are required for data structuring and handling inside each machine (sensors, electrical signals, etc), to dynami-cally extract useful knowledge only and master increasing com-plexity, which enables the control of more complex and dynamic processes. Methodologies and techniques for machines cooperat-ing as intelligent devices in manufacturing networks, with global production objectives are thus needed, as well as machines with capabilities related to decision-making on workload balancing.

In specific cases the flexible network and buses that follow from this approach can only be realized by wireless connections requir-ing battery operation. This requires sensors and actuators that can ‘scavenge’ their energy from the production or transport opera-tions that are being monitored and controlled, preferably in an au-tonomous way. This also enables tele-monitoring and teleservicing, i.e. remote diagnosis, for which new technologies and methods are to be developed, like ubiquitous machine control and information management: ‘handset’ devices controlling machines, contact-free power transmission, wireless sensors, etc.

Flexible modules thus require attention at interfaces that can be categorized into four main groups:

• exchange of configuration, • information, • energy • material, i.e. (half-)product flow.

Achieving a thorough conceptual knowledge at this level will be crucial for creating flexibility in a universal way.



Adaptable precision assembly

(Source KTH)

Roadmapping in the EUPASS project (www.eupass.org)

The EUPASS Roadmap is primarily concerned with the precision assembly technology situation in Europe, a topic of particular interest as assembly is often the final process within manufacturing operations. Being the final set of operations on the product itself, and being traditionally labour-intensive, assembly has been one of the major sectors affected by globalisation. Hence the EUPASS Roadmap analyses the factors, means, and technologies that may become predominant for the application of adaptable, process-oriented assembly solutions, with particular emphasis being posed on how this may become attainable, and how they may exhibit true sustainability.



Adaptable precision assembly Roadmapping in the EUPASS project (continued)

The new trends may be summed up as follows:

• The need for adaptable, sustainable assembly equipment is even greater: the efforts to date have not shown major improvements whilst the needs become more urgent (labour trends, miniaturisation, etc.).• Systems that may exploit IT solutions for self-configuration, diagnostics, and any option that may enhance the autonomy and robustness of the solution, are in demand (services at shop-floor level!). • Systems that assist the user in capturing and maintaining the process know-how (decrease negative effects of outsourcing, enhance product design-production link).• Stepwise upgradeable and expandable solutions (sustainability, economic). Better product design-production system development integration (strategic evolution). Solutions that may drastically reduce the ramp-up time or Time-to Volume (TTV).

The EUPASS Roadmap states that what is needed is a methodology based on an open Reference Architecture that can en-able any user to develop their own evolvable, rapidly deployable, solution for another product segment. So, a methodology is what is truly required, and this is, as shown below, the result of combining a number of specific methodologies in order to accomodate for the HOLISTIC and OPEN attributes given by the Evolvable Assembly Systems vision (see figure on the left). After a survey of existing assembly systems and control solutions, the roadmap details some of the technologies and ap-proaches that still need to be emphasized in Europe. The needs and opportunities, for European manufacturers on a global market, may be summed up as:

• Reduce implementation costs (rapid deployability)- Reduce integration costs (rapid deployability)• Minimise re-engineering• Enhance autonomy, plugability, modularity (rapid deployability)- Improve uptime & yield (better error recovery & diagnosis)• Improve man-machine interactions (ergonomics)• Improve data & information flow to all levels of supply chain• Robust processes• Apply easy-to-use technology• Systems with rapid responses to dynamic events

EUPASS seems to be working in the correct direction, and its initial goals and ambitions fulfil most of these opportunities. In particular, EUPASS efforts in the following fields are essential:

Global standards for the interfaces should be applied to as great an extent as possible, or developed.• The solutions to date provide attempts at short reconfiguration time from a mechanical point of view, but to achieve • truly fast production changeovers, more focus should be given to the control aspects (due to the needs posed by rapid deployment).Finalising the set-up of the assembly systems underlines the importance of information aspects (configuration & control), • since configuration & control lie at the heart of emergence (poor process knowledge = failure).Each system module should provide a description of its skills in computer understandable format; this would allow faster • module selection for the user needs and simultaneously provide vital information for the configuration of the assembly system.



Robust control of mechatronic systems with variable configuration

(Source: KU Leuven)

Growing competition requires faster machine tools that can reduce machining time, while preserving or improving the fi-nal accuracy of the parts. The high accelerations occurring on these machines excite the structure’s modes of vibration. Those need to be damped if accurate positioning and trajectory tracking are to be achieved. Moreover, the dynamic behav-iour of the machine tool depends on the position of the tool as a consequence of the varying machine configuration during machining. Such time-varying behaviour cannot be controlled by classical linear control methods. New gain scheduling controller design methods have been developed, based on ad-hoc interpolation between local models or on an analytical linear parameter varying (LPV) description of the model.

As an example, both ad-hoc and analytical scheduling techniques are applied to the control of the X-axis of a Philips 4-axis pick-and-place machine. The machine consists of a gantry driven by two linear motors controlling the Y-motion. The X-motion of the carriage over the gantry is also driven by a linear motor. The vertical Z-motion is a traditional rotary motor drive with ball screw/nut combination. Rotation of the quill around the Z-axis constitutes the fourth axis.

The objective is to move the end point of the beam as accurately and fast as possible along a prescribed trajectory in the X-Z plane. Fast movements of the linear motor will excite the eigenfrequencies of the flexible beam and during motion, the length of the beam is continuously changed, giving rise to varying vibration frequencies.



Self-optimisation for adaptive capabilities (continued)

A robust H-infinity controller that is constant for all beam lengths has a poor performance for a test trajec-tory during which the length of the beam is varied with a constant speed. Almost no increase in damping is visible for large beam lengths. A gain scheduling controller based on interpolation of several fixed-position controllers scheduling shows a significant increase in damping.

The same methodology has also been successfully applied to control forklift trucks. These machines clearly have also position dependent dynamics so that they also require adaptive controllers.

Fixed robust controller shows poor damping Gain scheduling controller performs much better



self-optimisation for adaptive capabilities

(Source: HNI)

Most modern engineering products already make use of the close interaction between classical mechanics, electronics, control engineering and software that is known as “mechatronics”. Information technology is an essential driver of this-development, which will enable future systems with inherent “intelligence”. We denote this perspective by the term “self-optimization”.

The self-optimization process of a technical system is characterized by the ability to modify system targets endogenously according to changing environmental conditions and, as a result, a target-compliant, autonomous adapta-tion of the parameter and if necessary the structure and the behaviour of the system.

Therefore, self-optimization reaches far beyond basic known control and adaptation strategies; self-optimization allows for systems with inherent “intelligence”, which are able to respond independently and flexibly to changing environmental conditions.



Starting in July 2002, the Collaborative Research Centre pursues the long-term goal to open up the active para-digm of self optimization for mechanical engineering and to develop a toolkit for the design and construction of such systems. The realization of complex mechatronic sys-tems with inherent partial intelligence calls for a suit-able structure and architectural concept for their informa-tion processing. The core element of this concept is the operator controller module (OCM) which, from an informa-tion-processing point of view, is an agent.

The structure of the OCM is shown in the figure. It can be subdivided into three levels:

Controller:• This control loop is an active chain that obtained measurement signals, determines adjust-ment signals and outputs them. For this reason it is called the “motoric loop”. The software at this level operates effectively continuously under hard real-time conditions. Reflective Operator:• This monitors and directs the controller. It does not access the system’s actuators di-rectly, instead it modifies the controller by initiating changes to parameters or structures.Cognitive Operator:• At the highest level of the OCM the system can employ a variety of methods (such as learning methods, model-based optimization, or knowledge-based systems) to use information about itself and its environment to improve its own behavior. Here the emphasis is on the cognitive ability to perform the self-optimization.

self-optimisation for adaptive capabilities (continued)



Reconfigurable physical modules for machines

(Source: VTT)

The Automation Islands of the Future

BackgroundAt the same time that modern production is facing tougher price competition, the requirements for flexibility are increasing. Product life cycles are getting shorter, the variety of products is increasing, and production costs should be decreased at the same time that there is added pressure for more automation. With well-estab-lished technologies this is getting increasingly difficult. Although robotic systems are classified as a flexible production technology, in practice the robotic implementa-tions are concentrated to high volume production. Only a few solutions have been installed for short series production. The main hindrance in installing robots for short series production is the amount of product-specific costs. Each work phase and each product has to be programmed, and the function of auxiliary equipment is usually based on part-specific geometry. If the product volumes are low, the effective utilization of a robot assumes that it is applied to a large variety of parts, or to a large amount of different work phases, to bring the robot utilization rate to a decent level typical of the SME industry. In addition, parts to be processed or the production environment may differ from the assumed position, measurements or geometry of the parts.

The projectThe goal of this project is to develop a modular concept of automation islands. This concept is targeted to small batch and small series production, meaning series and batch sizes that are manufactured in minutes or hours. The basis of this island is flexible robotized production. Although robotic systems are classified as a flexible production technology, in practice robotic implementations are concentrated to high volume production. The approach of designing such a sys-tem includes definition of the requirements that this kind of production creates, and identifies and transforms them into features that are expected of the production system. Technical solutions for these critical key points are offered. These solu-tions enhance the flexibility, adaptivity and reactability needed to make this kind of production cost effective.



Reconfigurable physical modules for machines (continued)

The concept of automation islands for short series production is modular and realizes highly flexible and controllable robotized automation islands. It exploits the possibili-ties of modern technology so that flexibility, adaptivity and reactivity are increased markedly over standard automation solutions. The production system easily adapts to new products or product variants and to the deviation in work pieces. In addition, data acquisition presents new possibilities when open interfaces are offered up to sensor level.

The development of manufacturing systems has had two approaches: Flexible Manu-facturing Systems (FMS) and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS). This con-cept has features from both. The technologies used in the production isles include software components and hardware components operating synchronously. The basic element of the automation island is an industrial robot equipped with different kinds of sensors and auxiliary devices optimally combining mechanics, sensor technology and software. This gives high-level flexibility in terms of programmability, reusability and price. A typical case of modern manufacturing is that the life-cycle of products is very short and manufacturing lines have to be reconfigured very often.

The concept is an optimal combination of three elements: mechanics, sensor technology and software. Mechanics is utilized with clever design principles by applying low-cost solutions whenever possible.

Modular structure and software flexibility means that operations and functions can easily be configured and used on-line. This approach is close to the SOA (service oriented architecture) approach. Software will also support real-time communica-tion and plug-and-play operations of the sensors.

The automation island is part of the material flow process of the factory, where the raw material changes from blank to finished product through different phases. It is also part of the process from order to delivery and part of the process from data file to work program and to the finished part. As a part of different processes and information flow, the automation island has appropriate contact points so that it is able to communicate and receive material and information.



More advanced sensory feedback



More advanced sensory feedback, Vision and Force Controlled Assembly

(Source DLR - KUKA)

Motivation

Today’s industrial robots are position-controlled handling devices that can precisely follow a defined trajectory in space. Therefore, many production processes that rely on robots for automation require a high level of accuracy in the feeding and positioning of objects.

Controllable compliance

The DLR-KUKA light-weight robot provides a fundamentally new solution to the advanced part assembly in industrial manu-facturing. Each of the robot’s joints is equipped with a motor position sensor and sensors for joint position and torque. Thus, the robot can be position-, velocity- or torque-controlled, and it operates vibration-free and highly dynamic. The compliance can be arbitrarily defined, i.e., a relation between the position (orientation) and external force (torque) can be given for every section of the trajectory.

Vision and Force Controlled Assembly

In order to solve an assembly task with high velocity and reliability, a combination of the controlled compliance properties with an image processing system and an optimal assembly trajectory planning is introduced. The vision system identifies the objects and controls the robot motion to predefined relative poses (visual servoing). The forcetorque sensors provide fast, high-resolution local information about the parts in contact. Robust assembly trajectories are generated automati-cally based on the part geometry. The success of the automatic alignment, i.e. the convergence of the assembly process, can be guaranteed using the means of regions of attraction (ROA). The planning optimizes the assembly trajectories and parameters in such a way that the ROA is maximized for a given part.

Pictures on the left:

DLR-KUKA light weight robotRobot inserting complex partsView of the robot camera

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 36 Roadmap high performance, high precision, high speed

Roadmap high performance, high precision, high speed

High performance

Higher precision

Higher speedHigh-resolution actuation technology

Advanced material processing/handlingHigher stiffness


Adaptive machine elements

Adaptive optics

Robust construction

Miniaturised production systemsReliable systems


Noiseless/vibration-free operation

Embedded systems

Massive parallel systems

Interdisciplinary design methods and tools

Self-optimisation

Condition PrognosticsMore advanced sensory feedback

Advanced sensors

Advanced actuators/kinematics

Ultra-LightOver-actuated Systems



For the next generation of production systems the qualification ‘Higher Precision’ is related to machines and processes that chal-lenge the control of both motion and manufacturability of parts with one part preciseness over one million parts in range. For ex-ample, 10 nm positioning accuracy in a motion device on a 10 mm working range, or the “shaping or handling” accuracy of 0.1 mm when the part’s characteristic length is about 0.1 m. As such one can debate about the question whether a process it-self, alone, what makes use of mask technology (e.g. lithography), falls into this category. Although small feature sizes (<0.1 mm) can be realized on silicon dies in one step, positioning and handling de-vices are requisite to combine several process steps. Mechatronic system design is an important enabler.

Excellent examples are the developed equipment in the semicon-ductor industry (wafersteppers, assembly machines), precision in-strumentation (telescopes, (scanning probe) microscopy), in-situ testing, measurement and material analysis in production facilities (e.g. direct, in vacuum, analysis of electronic circuitry between process steps). In this market segment the continuous improve-ment on Higher Precision is of utmost importance, its reason d’être.

In other machine tool manufacturing applications, except for may be surface finishing, precision in structuring or handling is at least one order of magnitude lower. Major contributions should be ex-pected from improvements in production process itself first. Ena-blers are disturbance insensitive mechatronic design and advanced control algorithms that incorporate changing dynamics, paralleliz-ing motion and process control.

A paradigm shift should be realized by the application of low-cost embedded intelligence with a broader set of sensors (Microsystems Technology based devices, such as accelerometer) and computing elements. These should be applied in a maintenance free mind-set to link motion control and improve process monitoring and prog-nostics in smaller time delays.

Also the development and usage of so-called Massive Parallel Sys-tems, where thousand to million actuators, sensors and computing units are used in parallel, contribute to Higher Precision. Adaptive optics can make use of such systems to enable position- and defor-mation control of optical components in EUV lithography machines, or scientific instrumentation as telescopes.

Miniaturized Production Systems and Ultra-Light, Over-actuated Systems are potentially faster and more precise than their coun-terparts. The increased disturbance sensitivity due to lower mass is solved in the latter case by having more actuators to control internal degrees of freedom as well. In case of miniaturized pro-duction systems external disturbances due to ground or acoustic vibration should be solved although disturbances from the process side (milling) are down-scaled and can be absorbed by the smaller mass itself. In the graphical presentation, the enablers of these bullets are omitted as they are self-explaining and confuse the graph more than clarify it.

Production machines are required not only to produce more ac-curate products but also to do that at a higher rate. This requires higher speeds and hence higher accelerations of the moving parts. As a consequence, the latter have to become lighter, hence the need for new, light materials. In order to retain the high stiffness-es needed to satisfy the dimensional accuracy requirements, new machine configurations are needed, such as parallel kinematic ma-chines. The latter combine low mass with high stiffness.

The accuracies needed at high speeds call for new motion control systems with very high bandwidth, high dynamic stiffness and high robustness against internal (friction) and external disturbances (process forces). Linear motors are an example of such new drive paradigms. Piezoelectric actuators are another example when descending to the micro- and nanopositioning field.

Also the guiding and bearing functionalities have to be rethought when the linear and rotational speeds are increasing. (Active) air and magnetic bearings and guideways become feasible alterna-tives to traditional bearing principles, like roller and hydrostatic bearings.

Adaptronic components, like active bearings, active guideways and active struts will contribute to a dramatic improvement of the accu-racy and bandwidth of machine components at the high operating speeds required. The negative side effects brought along by these higher operating speeds, like thermal effects affecting dimensional precision, or excessive acoustic noise, have to be compensated and rectified by active measures, like thermal compensation, ac-tive noise cancellation, active damping treatments, etc. To imple-ment these techniques, besides new control algorithms, new types of actuators and sensors have to be developed, like e.g. modal sensors and actuators based on piezoelectric layers.



The research issues are:

Advanced motion or shape control, systems • a) motion and (contactless) handling devices, understanding dynamic error budgets (disturbances, incl. acoustics) related to precision of outputs b) active vibration and acoustic control c) miniaturized and ultra-light system design d) massive parallel system e) adaptive optics

Metrology and calibration systems• New and improved production technologies that facilitate • fast and high-resolution material structuring or handling in a controlled wayIntegration of Microsystems Technology devices (reliability, • maintenance-free) (MEMS)Precision tooling/in-process sensors and actuators• Embedded Intelligence and application of advanced and fast • control algorithmsPrecision instruments• Miniaturized production systems and related production • processes (incl. tooling)

Research should lead to the development of a new generation of production equipment and processes -embedding know-how of multi-disciplinary specializations- in semiconductor and machine tool industry challenging nanometer accuracies in motion and process control equipment. A major barrier identified in industry is however the difficulty to introduce major changes in the machinery’s development process. There is a well-defined and strong division between supplier and producer tasks, while co-development is necessary. There is also a need for simple and low-cost maintenance procedures (overcoming the current difficulty of introducing complex knowledge intensive matters).

Other challenges are:

increased process feedback• introduction of low-cost Microsystems Technologies devices • (paradigm shift)Establishment of eventual new standards•

Adaptive optics

(Source Delft Univ. of Technology, TNO, TU/e,Univ. of Leiden)

Optical systems are widely spread in many fields of tech-nology ranging from spectacles to correct deficiencies of the human eye, medical analysis equipment, cameras, metrology systems, astronomy telescopes and manufactur-ing equipment in the semiconductor industry. In all these applications a need exists to adapt the optical system to the actual circumstances. In practice this is mostly done by simple displacement of the optics. Recent develop-ments go one step further. In astronomy the lens elements themselves are controlled in shape to compensate errors in the wave front due to thermal effects in the earth atmosphere. In camera lenses fluids are used to dynamically change the focal length of the lens and in IC lithography exposure systems lenses are bent and twisted to compensate errors in the image. These “adaptive optics” are seen as just a start in an overwhelming range of applications to come to the market in the following years. Imagine auto focus spectacles for people who now need varifocus lenses with all the drawbacks involved. But certainly all applications benefit from the availability of optical elements with pre-cisely tuneable optical characteristics. Research aims at a continuous improvement of the accuracy and shape fidel-ity of the adaptive optical elements, widen the application field and reduce cost.

Experimental adaptiveMirror for telescope(TU Eindhoven/Delft)

Wavefront error correctionIn telescopes


High-resolution actuation technology

(Source: Delft Univ. of Technology)

Rotating and Linear Device for Optical Disc Mastering

Application

More and more application data is stored on optical discs such as CD, DVD. The next generation digital television (High-Definition TV) will require an optical disc with an even larger storage capacity than DVD: Blu-Ray discs. For the creation of Optical Discs, first an Optical Disc Master (ODM) must be written: a pre-master disc with a pho-tosensitive layer is placed on a rotor, while a laser on a linear slider writes the data on the disc. From an ODM, about 70 thousand discs can be replicated. For the production of 3rd generation optical discs, the position accuracies for the optical disc mastering rotor and linear-slider must be better than 1 nm ! New design: Low stiffness active magnetic bearings

Floor vibrations are the main disturbing factor in the ODM writing process. Therefore a new type of rotor and linear-slider were de-signed, based on low-stiffness active magnetic bearings. The low bearing stiffness of the new system prevents floor vibrations for dis-turbing the rotor and linear slider position. Active control ensures an extremely small relative position error between the rotor and linear slider.

Method

To predict the performance of concepts we estimated the main disturbances working on the system by their Power Spectral Densities (PSD). Each disturbance was propagated through a mod-el of the closed loop system towards the performance output. The sum of the PSDs on this output shows the total effect of all disturbances on the rotor / linear sledge position error.

Result

A rotor and linear slider for optical disc mastering were realized with a position stability of respectively 0.6 nm and 60 pm !

Klin

Krot

Linear SliderLaser

RotorAir bearings

Substrate

Optical discs, State of the art Optical DiscMastering Device

Dynamic error budgeting for performance prediction of concepts

Cross sections of Active Magnetic Bearing rotor and linear slider

Referencesensors

Metrologyframe

G com-pensator

Rotor/Slider

Stator sensors

Actuators



Machine tool miniaturization

(Source Delft Univ. of Technology)

Miniaturization of machine tools is especially of benefit for small parts manufacturing using smaller tools. Smaller ma-chine tools are potentially faster and more precise, but one has to deal with flexibility and sensitivity to disturbances too. Challenging in this project is the mechatronic design of a demonstrator consisting of a high-speed spindle equipped with active magnetic bearings and a planar dual stage that should improve machining time and machining accuracy by using high bandwidth control of both motion and process.

The tool is fixed in the rotor while the workpiece is mounted on the planar • stage. The planar dual stage consists of a long and short stroke positioning unit.In this research, the active nature of Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) spindles • is employed to realize online process monitoring and process control. The in-formation already available in the signals from the AMBs is used to estimate the cutting forces. Process control techniques are also realized through the possibilities provided by AMB technology. A miniaturized AMB spindle is designed and built. A small AMB spindle enables • extremely high rotational speeds in combination with very high accuracy. The high speed is required for good cutting results with small diameter tools. The small spindle, and thus low mass enables monitoring of the cutting process using the AMB sensor system. For the high-speed spindle an electric drive is designed. The de-• mands for this drive are: high mechanical strength, high power density, stiffness below bearing stiffness and an acceptable level of electromechan-ic losses at high frequencies. The converter should provide high frequency sinusoidal currents to the motor. Different approaches for integrating a motor with magnetic bearings will also be studied.High precision and guaranteed performance in uncertain environ-• ments are the essential control tasks. Application of robust control tech-niques to various problems in magnetic bearings/air bearings and the XY positioning stage form our primary focus. Interplay within various subsystems will cause the system dynamics to be dependent on certain parameters. The framework of LPV control can be exploited to its potential for such applications. Air bearings are an alternative option to support the high-speed spindle. Air • bearings have a low friction coefficient and are just as magnetic bearings contactless. The lubrication air has a low viscosity, which results in a low load capacity. Due to the high-speed the compressibility leads even to a limited value of the load capacity. The compressibility and other phenomena like shock waves influence the performance of the air bearings. In what way and how much these phenomena influence the performance is studied in this research.


AMB spindle design

Micro milling test bed

Schematic view of the envisioned micro mill-ing setup, consisting of miniature AMB spindle and dual positioning stage

Realized miniature AMB spindle

Air bearing FEM analysis


Metrology

(Source: K.U.Leuven)

Ultra-Precision 5-Axis Freeform Grinding Machine with ELID

Producing freeform optical surfaces on advanced engineering materials such as hard metals WC, crystalline glasses CaF2 and ceramics SiC, is still challenging, time-consuming and therefore costly. Grinding is an indispensable step in the process chain and efficient precision grinding is critical to the final figure accuracy and cost reduction. In response to the growing markets, an ultrap-recision grinding machine has been designed and is under develop-ment of finalizing for commissioning.

Machine descriptionThis machine incorporates a unique measurement system which consists of three metrology frames, and this system satisfies the Abbe principle and uses direct end-end measurement. Laser inter-ferometers together with auxiliary capacitive sensors are uitilized to trace directly the position of the grinding wheel to the workpiece. The metrology loop is made up of dedicated machine parts, which are connected to the machine components through kinematic cou-plings. The tool metrology frame is connected to the grinding spin-dle, and the workpiece metrology frame is fixed on the slide close to the workpiece. A separate master metrology frame is supported independently on the machine frame. In this way, the metrology loop is not loaded with any machining forces and optimized for their metrology tasks. The workpiece mounted on the machine moves in three transla-tional directions. The grinding wheel is mounted on a yoke struc-ture, which is supended kinematically on membrane structures and can swivel to reduce the wheel wear effect. An ELID grinding unit is integrated in the machine. The machine is designed to be further equipped with an in-situ measurement device to enhance machine performance.

Workpiece capacityMaximum diameter: 100mm• Maximum height: 70mm• Surface forms: • - maximum sagitta: 30mm - maximum surface slope: 30ºForm accuracy: 0.3 μm•


Workpiece metrology frame

Tool metrology frame

workpiece

Grinding wheel

Master metrology frame

5-Axis Precision Grinding Machine Assembly


High resolution actuation technology

(Source: K.U.Leuven, Fraunhofer IPT, WZL)

High Precision Handling

Diverse automotive, biotech, medical and consumer products have a high potential for the implementation of micro-systems. Main candidates for generating a high added value are micro-optic as well as micro-fluidic components based on advanced glass material, due to its supe-rior properties. In 2006, a European integrated project “Produc-tion for Micro” started with as main objective the creation of auto-mated high-precision manufacturing process chains. The project will allow to respond flexibly, cost-effectively and lot size adjusted to the need of micro system suppliers for the production of complex shaped and functional micro-parts. To develop and realize radically new sys-tems with sub-micron accuracy for automated handling and alignment of micro-components, two approaches will be investigated – precision alignment using active chuck and direct alignment using in-situ metrol-ogy frame.

Active chuckThe substructure of the active alignment chuck consists of a flex-ure joint unit. The actuation of the active alignment chuck uses preloaded piezo actuators and hydraulic flex bellows to tilt the coupling plane of the chuck in one direction and pressure springs for the counter movement. CCD-cameras are mounted in fixed positions to the active alignment chuck. When the pallet is mounted, the positions of the reference marks are measured within the field of view of each camera. In this way, the relative position of the workpiece within the machine coordinate system can be determined and adjusted.

Direct handling and alignment of workpiece The direct handling and alignment unit utilizes an in-situ metrology frame to help position and align the workpiece and trace the position of the workpiece relative to the tool in the same time. This handing and alignment system includes a piezo-driven 6-DOF ac-tuation unit, a gripper for holding freeform surface, and a metrology frame with sensing devices. This system is as well attached to a long stroke handling unit for short-distance transfer and handling purpose.

Project websitehttp://www.production4micro.net


Flexure joints

Manual preloadscrews

Hydraulic load transmission

Clampinginterface

Piezo actuator

Pressure spring


High performance: high speed, high precision, high stifness

(Source: K.U.Leuven)

Development of high tech components

Application

In measurement techologies positioning systems are required that combine high stiffness with a high position accuracy. Also, in the domain of mechanical micromachining technologies, tool runout and position accuracy limit downsizing features. Machining performance, cost and surface quality of micromilling and microgrinding processes are limited by spindle speed.

New design: development of a novel drive module

A novel drive module that combines very accurate positioning with a fast positioning mode and a virtually unlimited stroke was designed. Driving speeds up to 0.3m/s were achieved while a position resolution down to 10nm was measuredexperimentally. In order to control the designed actuator, novel control methods are being developed. In order to meet the above stated machining requirements, a new concept of positioning stage preserving the stiffness through the integration of bearing, trans-mission and drive functions into a multi-DOF positioning system is being developed.

Development of high-speed spindles

Tool runout and speed can be considerably improved by using air bearing technology. Speeds should surpass current maxima (200 000 rpm) to meet cutting speed requirements for microtools (e.g. 500 000 rpm for a 0.1 mm milling tool). Such speed has al-ready been demonstrated in the PowerMEMS project, in which an ultra-miniature gasturbine is being developed. Experience and knowledge acquired in this project is being extended to reach the envisaged speed for tool spindles.


Piezo-electric drive module

Special design to tune eigenmodes for optimal drive efficiency

6-DOF positioning stage

Time (s)

Spindle rotating at 508.000 rpm

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 44 Roadmap total life cycle cost

Roadmap total life cycle cost (including environmental cost)

Total life cycle cost (including environmental cost)

Energy/Resource consumption minimisation

Ecological alternative processesTailored LCA tools

RecyclabilityWaste-free orcontaminent-free production

Self-cleaningsystems



Environmental cost is strongly related to the consumption of resources: materials and energy.

Energy-efficiency will be obtained through:Increase of efficiency in energy conversion, for instance • through the reduction of friction and wear, the use of specific drive techniques, energy saving by means of miniaturisation. Energy efficiency of drive lines by integrated design for low en-ergy. Especially analysis of non-nominal operating conditions is not yet performed. Advanced control algorithms targetting low energy could also be a major contributor. A machine could operate at a lower production rate and energy consumption in function of the instantaneous demand. If multiple machines are present, optimization over these multiple machines is also possible.Development of new material processing technologies with low • energy consumption.Use of • novel, renewable energy supply technologies (fuel cell, solar technology).

Methods to • re-use process energy in the production proc-ess (comparable to the state of the art heat recovery in compressors).Holistic (and intelligent) concepts to increase energy efficiency • of systems and factories, involving condition monitoring and prognostics.

Furthermore production processes should emit zero or minimal quantities of hazardous substances:

One way to reduce environmentally harmful substances is to • dramatically reduce their consumption. Substitution and recycling of supplies and hazardous substan- • ces for an environmentally sound production. This includes the substitution and recycling of substances, as well as the substitution of environmentally harmful and contaminating processes.The reduction of emissions includes • noise, waste water, exhaust gases and dust. Solutions lie in the development of new components, machines and plants, as well as new manu-facturing processes.

Microsystems for Power generation

(Source K.U. Leuven, http://www.powermems.be/)

The current trend towards miniaturization, portability and more in general ubiquitous intelligence, has led to the development of a wide range of new products such as laptops, cellular phones, PDAs, etc. However, the power requirements of such systems have received much less attention: typically, traditional battery-operated electronic systems are used. Nevertheless, the energy density of most fuel types is still 100 times more than that of the most performing batteries, which makes the use of a fuel-based micro power unit interesting. Such power units can be based on a wide range of operating principles, ranging from fuel cells and thermo-electric devices, to combustion engines and gas turbines. While fuel cells are expected to offer

the highest efficiency, micro gas turbines are expected to offer the highest power density. A first prototype of a turbine driven by compressed air shows that speed is the limiting factor for both power and efficiency. The next step, the development of a complete gas turbine, is many times more difficult, and is not simply the scaling down of larger gas turbines. Major problems are the high rotational speed (> 500,000 rpm) and temperature (> 1200 K), and the efficiency of the components.

The drive for miniaturization of electronic systems has lead to a research boost in miniature power generators. One class of these generators consists of devices that recycle energy available in the ambient. They are referred to as scavengers. Typical ambient energy sources are heat or mechanical vibrations. Scavengers can make use of different physical princi-ples to generate electrical power from heat (thermoelectric effect) or from mechanical vibrations (e.g. electromagnetic, electrostatic or piezoelectric principle). Compared to other power sources, like batteries or fuel cells, scavengers do not rely on solid or liquid energy storage. This characteristic makes them particularly suited as power sources in autono-mous sensor networks. This ‘storage free’ operation is unfortunately paid in terms of a limited amount of generated power (tens - hundreds μW).



Reduced resource and energy consumption

(Source FATRONIK, ISW)

The main objective of this project is to define a totally new concept of light, non-stiff machine tools that will result in a 70% reduction in their mass, enabling thus a drastic reduction of material resource in their construction and a saving of above 30% in energy consumption during their use (a common power consumption of an average machine tool is around 30 kW). Current machine tools are conceived following an axiomatic design procedure according to which machines must be stiff so as to be accurate. Thus, it is estimated that approximately an 80% of the total mass of a machine tool is used to stiffen the machine, whereas only the remaining 20% is used to fulfil the kinematic requirements of the machine. Taking into account that an average machine tool may weigh 15 tons, in each new machine tool 12 tons of material are therefore used to stiffen the machine. In a context of sustainable and safe use of natural and industrial resources, this project aims at defining a new generation of machine tools that will reduce dramatically their total mass amount without deteriorating their accuracy.With the aim of approaching this separation between mechanical stiffness and accuracy in machine tools, this project will combine mass reduction strategies in combination with new control strategies based on damping considera-tions and new optical servoing solutions. The cornerstone of this new machine conception philosophy is that accuracy will be achieved by mechatronic stiffness against disturbances and external perturbations instead of using me-chanical stiffness to achieve that robustness against disturbances.

ECOFIT will tackle strategies to dramati-cally decrease the mass associated to mobile elements (structural elements and mechani-cal drives) in such an amount that the resulting mechanical stiffness will be lower.

In parallel, the project will develop mechatronic strategies (adaptronic systems, control techniques, intelligent materials…) which will compensate this reduction of mechanical stiffness of the mechatronic system in order to maintain the initial accuracy and productivity requirements.



Recycling (Design for recycling)

(Source K.U. Leuven)

Analysis of the disassembly ability of WEEE products (Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment) identified a list of shortcomings that reduce the efficiency of current disassembly processes. The limited visibility of connection points, their difficult reachability, the large diversity of the needed tools etc., are responsible for resource inefficient disassembly processes. The use of self-disassembling fasteners, can drastically increase the efficiency of the disassembly process. By using a variation in the specific ambient conditions of the fastener to trigger the disassembly process, no contact is required between the fastener and the operator during disassembly. By means of topology optimisation a mathematical model was created that optimises the design of a snap fit fastener, that can be disassembled by an increasing ambient pressure.

The developed optimised pressure-triggered fasteners, produced from polypropylene material, are unlocked when the am-bient pressure increases to 2.3 bar. For fasteners in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene/polycarbonate material, the required minimal pressure for triggering is 3.1 bar. These fasteners reduce the disassembly costs despite the higher investment costs for the disassembly line. This improves the econmic viability of disassembly-based end-of-life scenarios considerably at the expense of other scenarios such as shredding, incineration or landfill. This implies that those fasteners have the ability to reduce the environmental burden of discarded products.

a) Full self-disassembling fastener

b) ¾ of the self-disassembling fastener produced with injection moulding

c) pre-assembled self-disassembling fastener (¾ of the total structure)

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 48 Roadmap interdisciplinary design methods

Roadmap interdisciplinary design methods

High performance

Higher precision

Higher-resolution actuation technology


Design Advisory Systems

Higher stiffness


Higher speed

Distributed simulation/co-simulation

Interdisciplinary design methods and tools

Domain-independent structure

Full digital mock-up of machines

Total life/cycle cost (including environmental cost)



Ergonomic machinery


Reliable systems

Total systems engineering

Noiseless/vibration-free operation

Robust construction

Methods for optimisation by co-design

Shell architecture

Energy/Resource consumption minimisationMiniaturised production systems



In this context, the ultimate objective of the mechatronics design approach is the rapid and cost-effective design, realization and operation of a new generation of production systems. In order to achieve this objective, new ways of interdisciplinary system mod-elling for the design phase are to be exploited.

In the initial design phase focus should be on: insight, abstrac-tion, cross-fertilization, domain-independence (multidisciplinarity), etc. Structured, innovative, fast and synergistic conceptualization and diagnostics (‘learn from previous mistakes’) is the required approach. At a secondary stage, focus should be domain-specific disciplines (dynamics and control, (differential) geometry, network and graph theory, statistics and measurement, tribology, construc-tion, etc. All this is in principle available, but in many cases only scattered, fragmented and isolated.

What is missing is a truly integrated environment for the already existing tools, combined with a proper common library environ-ment that enables quick retrieval, reuse and tracking. Even more importantly, a methodology is needed that supports the modelling and design decisions of the user. In all cases, the methods should provide sufficient insight of what the design tools are actually do-ing and should indicate throughout the whole design process, the need for additional expert support. This means that the design environment should not only support the mere process, but also contribute to the permanent education of the user.

Such a support should prevent the designer from drifting away from the original goal (functional requirements, adaptability, life-cycle cost, etc…). Furthermore, it should take the user out of his common context and jargon and thus facilitate communication with team members to stimulate synergy and cross-fertilization.

In conclusion, a holistic approach is required enabling flexible opti-misation of multiple criteria, including default attention for sustain-ability in the sense of reduction of material, energy consumption, waste and noise production, addressing all aspects of both produc-tion equipment and product, both at the technical and manage-ment level.

In effect, knowledge on interdisciplinary system modelling needs to be created which is an enabler for mechatronic system design. Applying an integrated mechatronic engineering approach, involves detailed examination of the interaction of control code, electronics, mechanical structures, materials, and processes.

As a result, devices, machine structures and complementary con-trol structures can be drastically improved with respect to their overall performance (adaptability, productivity, quality, reliability and life-cycle costs (i.e. reduced energy consumption, reduced waste).



The construction of a Virtual Prototype, with a realistic description of the key machine components, requires a large amount of sensitive information: it will become in-dustrially convenient, also for the medium-small produc-tion volumes typical of the European Machine Tool sector, when certified numerical models (Virtual Components) will be available on the market. ITIA-CNR is promoting the development of a related business model, described aside, where component manufactures, CAE SW produc-ers and research institutions interact to develop reliable numerical models, identify their parameters and offer them to customers, as new knowledge-based products.


(Source ITIA)

ITIA-CNR is developing methodologies to produce com-plete digital mock-ups of machinery to support de-signers working on innovative products. The numeri-cal models describe, with a mechatronic approach, the interaction between the distributed compliance of the mechanical structure and the control system, but also the cutting process, to estimate the material remov-al capability, and the influence of critical components (like position sensors, motors) on system performances. Such integrated models, being able to reproduce many typical experimental tests, permit, still in the design phase, to optimize the machine to a much larger extent than traditional CAE tools.




(Source: Heinz Nixdorf Institute)

Domain-spanning description of the principle solution

The crucial milestone during the design process is the principle solution. It specifies the fundamental structure and the system behaviour. It forms the condition for communication and cooperation of the specialists from the in-volved domains mechanics, electronics, control and software engineering in the course of further concretization. The Heinz Nixdorf Institute developed and successfully tested a new specification technique for the domain-span-ning description of the principle solution of a complex mechatronic system. The different views on the system can be described and represented computer-based as partial models (see picture) with this specification technique. This specification technique opens new perspectives for the early description of the conceptions of a complex machinestructural system.



Major barriers identified in industry are:

Lack of (systematic) translation of user requirements • (functional specifications) into holistic functional and/or physi-cal models for both hard- and software.Lack of motivation and monitoring of modelling and design • decisions.Misunderstanding between involved disciplines due to jargon • and culture differences. Solutions are minimal variations on a theme solving only a • particular problem in stead of taking into account all poten-tial improvements of issues that do not impose an immediate problem (sustainability, use of materials, etc.). True innovation based on cross fertilization between disciplines • has been minimized by too much specialization into disciplines and separation between them (categorization in disciplines is a human choice, not a property of the real world and is thus bound to lead to conflicts…). Extrapolation of existing solutions to problems to which they • do not apply due to hidden assumptions. Lack of an immediate connection between functional and phys-• ical design at the one hand and managerial aspects (maturity indicators) at the other hand. Current, disintegrated approaches are often too slow to keep up • with required time to market, resulting in immature products entering the market. Lack of an integral approach to software and control design • (software is often ‘balancing item’).Lack of design tools at the required level of integration: current • tools are scattered, fragmented and isolated.Designers are lacking required experience and have no • (sufficiently fast) access to the experience of others (specialists) when needed. Uncertainty about relevant conceptual design format. •

Interdisciplinary design advisory systems

(Source KTH)

The figure shows the overall structure and design flow of an integrated design method developed by KTH for mechatronic system design. The method, which targets conceptual design phases, takes as input a load profile (e.g. torques, velocities and accelerations) and finds in a stepwise manner an optimal configuration, given certain optimization criteria such as system weight and control error. The optimisation includes parameters related to the actuator, transmission, sensors and sampling.

Servo Configuration IIIServo Configuration II

System Requirements

Overview of the methodologyIte

rate

Parameters of theoptimized physical system

Nominalload profile

Constraints- Dimensions- Speeds- Control Error- ....

Objectives (criteria)- Size- Weight- Cost- ....

Component types- Machines- Gears- Semiconductors- ....

Physical System OptimizationStatic component

models- Size- Stiffness- ....

Optimal designas function of:

- Gear ratio- Radius- .....

Objectivefunction

Controller OptimizationDynamic

system modelObjectivefunction

Optimization algorithm

Simulation

Resultingload profile

El. Machine Gearhead

Sensor

Specified Load

+Referencetrajectory PID +

FF

-

e

Torque Reference

Servo Actuator Configuration

Servo Configuration

Design & OptimizationProcess

Optimized configuration

Start



Important research domains are:

Methods for optimisation by co-design/ establishing the right • conceptual system design format (function modelling…). Architecture of a shell, integrating domain-specific tools, in-• cluding: integration of and/or synergy between existing tools; total system & machine simulation; Design Advisory Systems to manage complex models and the modelling process itself - decision support of transferring functional specs into specific domains (hardware /software); domain-independent general structure combined with domain-dependent libraries and tool-boxes ; standardization and synchronization of the information that needs to be exchanged between tools; distributed simula-tion / co-simulation.

Related issues are: structuring and generalizing the (knowledge) content of existing tools; data management of complex mechatron-ic objects; combination of engineering (design) tools and planning / marketing / bookkeeping tools; interface between human & simu-lation; business models for modelling by industry (open format for modelling components…).

Towards a Mechatronic Compiler

(Source K.U. Leuven)

Designing mechatronic systems entails the design of an optimal mechanical structure and of optimal motion control systems. The problem is that both the mechanical and the control behaviour interact with each other. This means that the traditional sequential engineering approach can never lead to optimal system behaviour. Indeed, a classical design rule-of-thumb is that the motion control system bandwidth should be less than half the lowest natural frequency of the controlled mechanical structure in order not to excite these frequencies. There is a need for a concurrent engineering approach, where mechanical and control behaviours are simultaneously optimised. Such an approach allows to extend dra-matically the control bandwidth, eventually far beyond the lowest structural natural frequency. This calls for a so-called ‘mechatronic compiler’, where high-level de-sign specifications are (semi)-automatically translated into an optimal mechatronic system and whereby mechanical structure and motion controller are considered to belong to one single system to be optimised.The global design can be divided in two phases (see picture on the right): a con-ceptual design phase (I) in which a preliminary model is obtained, starting from specifications in terms of number of axes, work space, accuracy, speeds and accelerations; and a detailed design phase (II) in which the preliminary design, consisting of both structural and controller components, is further detailed, based on information about available components from suppliers and on a more detailed analysis of the structural and controller components. This detailed integrated machine model, which describes the dynamic behaviour of the mechanical struc-ture and that of the control system, is used to carry out mechatronic simulations and optimisation studies.



Interdisciplinary design systems and tools (continued)

The optimisation cycle can be implemented in two ways:

co-design, where mechanical structure and controller are • modelled in separate software environments. During the opti-mization phase both models exchange data through a suitable interface,integrated design, where both subsystems are grouped into • one single model which is subsequently optimised. Both meth-ods have advantages and drawbacks. In the picture below, the optimization scheme developed in EU FP6 project MECOMAT is shown.



Parametric Design based on the Functional Decomposition Method – A Key Factor of Mechatronic Design

(Source: LCM)

Mechatronic Design Ap-proach opens many possi-bilities at the design of new machines, plants or sys-tems. Primarily, the key is the mechatronic design it-self. The fundamental idea is the continuous integra-tion of all different engi-neering fields already from the beginning of the con-ceptual design phase.

Especially for the devel-opment of mechatronic systems, like in mate-rial processing machinery, agrarian processes, or in paper or plastics industry, computer-aided process-simulation offers excellent design support by a bet-ter understanding of the processes behind. Higher degrees of automation, in-creased functionality, better earn of use by powerful human-machine interfaces, or the higher dynamics at the industrial processes escalates the complexity of those systems. For not going far in excess of the complexity and for ensuring the glo-bal overview over the design tasks, a systematic structuring of the design process is recommended. Because it is a widely accepted paradigm, that conceptual design should be based on a thorough definition of the Functional Requirements (FRs) on a certain system, at LCM we focus on the so-called Functional Decomposition Method (FDM) – see Figure. The FDM points out the relationship between its according FRs, Functional and Technical Solution Concepts and Principles (FSCs and TSPs) and functional and technical Design Parameters (FDPs resp. TDPs) by the use of mathematical models.

Furthermore, because of its possibility of fast design parameter variation and the direct linking of the Design Parameters (DPs) to the CAD-models, the design itself becomes more “dynamic”. Consequently, this speeds up the setting up of design variants and forces customised and well-fitting solutions.



Mechatronic design cycle (Source University of Twente)

Mechatronic design process

Testing the design: a proper interface allows components to be tested as soon as they become available

The first step in a typical mechatronic design cycle is conceptual design. Based on the requirements a system has to perform, different solutions will be evaluated and their feasibility may be tested with simulations with very simple models that capture the main dynamics of the systems. It is important that these models have a close relation to the physical reality and contain parameters referring to mass, inertia, compliance and so on, rather than to gains and time constants.

In the detailed design phase alternative solutions for subsys-tems are investigated. It is important that models used in this phase reuse (parts of) the models that were developed during the conceptual design phase. A port-based approach is essential to support this reusability. This can be achieved by connecting the sub-models through power ports representing bilateral sig-nal flows. As long as the ports remain the same sub-models can have many forms without the need to change their interaction with the rest of the system. We call this polymorphic modeling.

In the controller design phase often simplified linear models are used because of the abundant availability of design methods for linear control systems. Control engineering descriptions of the system in the form of transfer functions, bode plots or poles and zeros are needed here. Also in this phase it is important to maintain the relation with physics. When controller components are represented by means of controller agents, a port-based approach is applicable here as well. Components can easily be added or removed without affecting the rest of the system.

A mechatronic approach requires that models of the mechanical part of the process are not taken for granted, but may be modi-fied if a better controlled system would require so.

Communication between members of a mechatronic design team is important. This requires that the design is described in a common language or allows for multiple views. Multiple views on the same system could support a good understanding of the different partners in the design team and allow for design in all domains simultaneously (time responses, 3D animations, fre-quency characteristics, etc.).

The designed controllers should be evaluated with the more detailed non-linear model. If the results are satisfactory the design can continue, otherwise parts of the design have to be redone.Because the control algorithms are mostly realized in digital hardware its consequences have to be evaluated. Typical hard-ware aspects such as the bit length of AD and DA converters or encoder resolutions have to be taken into account.Automatic code generation of the controller software is needed to prevent errors by recoding algorithms for the final software environment. The parallel nature of controller software, includ-ing reliability and safety issues, can be handled in a port-based manner as well by using a CSP (communicating sequential proc-esses) based approach.The last phases could be evaluated in a virtual environment. If neither the controller hardware nor the mechanical system is ready yet, the whole system could be evaluated by coupling a simulated (virtual) controller with a simulated (virtual) mechan-ical process. When care is taken that these two simulations are coupled through an interface that is (almost) equal to the final interface, one of the two or both could be replaced by the real components for testing.



Interdisciplinary port-based Modeling (Source University of Twente)

The physical components of any mechatronic system belong to several domains: at least mechanical and electrical, but often the role of the hydraulic, pneumatic and/or thermal domains cannot be neglected either to obtain a competent dynamic model that is required for the conceptual design of a control-led mechanism. This requires an interdisciplinary approach that should be based on a common aspect.

All physical domains have in common that their behaviour in-volves energy. In fact, all elementary behaviours of a physical systems are related to the conserved quantity energy as well as a domain-specific conserved quantity that distinguishes the domains from each other (cf. Table 1). The most important el-ementary behaviour is storage of both energy and the domain-specific quantity, as no dynamics are possible without some sort of storage process. The other elementary behaviours are: irreversible and reversible transformation, distribution and ex-ternal supply.All these conceptual elementary behaviours have to be conceptually combined into a dynamic model. As these interconnections should obey the basic (conservation) prin-ciples of physics and all storage and irreversible transforma-tion (‘dissipation’ of free energy) is described elsewhere, these interconnections have to be power continuous, i.e. all energy flows (‘powers’) should add up to zero. As an elementary pow-er connection is by definition bi-lateral (like any other relation) there should be two opposite, i.e. bilateral, signals. The com-

mon choice for the variables representing these signals are the rate of change or ‘flow’ of the domain-specific stored quantity and the corresponding variable that forms in a product with this flow variables the power, the so-called effort. Interconnections of (power) ports that are characterized by the power conjugate pair of variables effort and flow are called ‘bonds’ and are rep-resented by a half-arrow (direction defines positive orientation). An arbitrary multiport that is 1) power continuous and 2) port symmetric (meaning that ports can be interchanged at will) can only take two forms that correspond to I) a common effort com-bined with a flow balance (generalized Kirchhoff current law) and II) a common flow combined with an effort balance (gen-eralized Kirchhoff voltage law). In the mechanical domain this means that interconnections in a dynamic model between el-ementary behaviors (mass, spring, damper) are made based on forces and velocities rather than forces and displacements. The reason that this is rather unconventional, lies in the fact that the kinematic structure of a mechanism has to be defined at the displacement level. While the displacement plays the role of an energy state in a dynamic model, it plays the role of a configura-tion state in the kinematic model. The kinematic model is part of a complex power continuous interconnection structure that can be modulated by these configuration states (position-dependent coordinate transforms). As a modulation does not require any power, it does not require a power port, such that it enhances insight to make a clear distinction between configuration state and energy state, even though they sometimes coincide.



Interdisciplinary port-based Modelling (Continued)

Elementary behaviors may be identified by some domain-independent mnemonic code (C or I for storage, R for dis-sipation, TF for transformer, etc.) and represented by the labeled nodes of a di-graph of which the directed edges are the bonds. Each type of port has so-called causality properties that enable an algorithmic process of causal-ity assignment represented by the causal strokes on the bonds. Not only leads such a causal analysis to a model that can be computed (simulated) by means of numerical integration, it also provides insight in the dynamic prop-erties and physical feasibility, even before the exact con-stitutive relations of the individual behaviours have been determined, which is a great advantage during conceptual design. The bond graph of a low vacuum control valve shown at the right explains at the bond graph level already that a third order loop exist, which was the cause of unde-sired unstable behaviour. Software exists (e.g. 20-sim) to directly input a bond graph (the bond graph of the control valve is a 20-sim screen dump) and generate a model for simulation without writing equations in principle.

Causal bond graph of a control valve

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 59 Best practice in mechatronics

Best practice in mechatronics

In addition to the roadmapping activity, EUMECHA-PRO strived to identify “best practices” of mechatronic production equipment and describe “best practices” concerning the development processes.

Since no one can judge in advance whether a process is “best prac-tice” or not, the following approach was adopted:

Firstly, best or at least good practice products were identified (e.g. products that have an attractive cost-value ratio, a new function-ality or a high spatial integration) . Then the development proc-esses according to which these products were developed where described. The “best practice” examples were named by industry experts from various industries.

Four different classes of companies developping mechatronic prod-ucts where identified. The relevant data were collected in eight in-dustry interviews from various sectors. In order to judge whether the processes are good or not, a method was used to construct a theoretically optimal process, which then can be seen as a bench-mark. All actual processes were compared with this benchmark process and gaps were identified.

Depending on each class these gaps were different. Two gaps though are so obvious that a clear field of research and knowledge transfer can be identified. Every class shows discrepancies in com-parison to the benchmark process in using development methods and tools.

The objective was to analyse given “best practice” examples and to focus on the development process of the “best practice” products. All examples were named by experts from various industries. The task had two main goals:

Identification of “best practice” examples: Clearly when think-• ing about “best practice” one has to identify them. In Work Package One the roadmappers asked the interviewed compa-nies to give an example of “best practice” mechatronic produc-tion systems in their field of expertise.

In how far are the “best practice examples” designed accord-• ing to the (integrated) mechatronic approach? The focus of this task is to analyse whether the “best practice” examples actually are designed according to the integrated mechatronic design approach or whether the products were a “lucky shot”. Closely interlinked with the design approach is definitely the use of design methods and tools.

Picture 1 describes the taken approach in a phase-milestone-di-agram. According to the objectives of the task we had to identify “best practice” examples in a first phase.



Picture 1: The approach of the “best practice” Work Package shown in a Phase-Milestone-Diagram

In phase two the examples had to be classified. The results shown in this report are based on eight industry interviews. In order to have results that are useful across industries the information has to be presented at an abstract level. This abstraction was secured by classifying the companies. The classification took place to a set of criteria and their characteristics. The result is four classes, which can be found in picture 4.

In phase three further interviews were conducted in order to de-scribe the “best practice” product and the development process of that product. The product is only briefly described. The descrip-tion of the development process covers human, organizational and technical aspects.

In phase four statements about the development process were derived. Again the focus lies on the three aspects human, organi-sation and technology.



Picture 2: Optimal (blue) and actual (grey) profile for class of “Manufacturers of Sophisticated Components”

Picture 2 and 3 show examples of how the results were presented.

For each company class, profiles were developed that state which level the interviewed companies reached for each factor (e.g. Edu-cation and Training) and which gaps (green arrows) could be iden-tified.

Additional to the profiles a generic development process was de-veloped for each class. Each phase shows relevant results and crit-ical success factors for the development of mechatronic production systems.

The overview given in picture 4 states the main results per com-pany class. The company classes and their characteristics are only described very briefly in this summary to give the reader a good overview of the main results.

Depending on each class the results differed strongly. Two gaps and recommendations though were so obvious that a clear field of research and knowledge transfer can be identified: every class had discrepancies in comparison to the benchmark process in using development methods and tools.

Picture 3: Generic development process with exemplary results and success factors



Manufacturers of Complex Systems:Companies of medium size• Medium number of developers• Complex products• Medium number of products•

Success factors in development:Employment of company-specific simulation tools• Use of creativity techniques• Conduct first tests with lead customers•

Main identified gaps:Systematic of development• Systematic use of design tools and methods•

Manufacturers of Sophisticated Components:Large Companies• Medium to large number of developers• Products of little to medium complexity• Medium to large number of products•

Success factors in development:Employment of Project management and simulation • tools throughout the whole development processIdea management for triggering changes to existing • productsJust-in-time production•

Main identified gaps:Design methods and tools•

Manufacturers of Customized Systems:Small Companies• Few developers• Medium product complexity• Small number of products•

Success factors in development:Transfer ideas from existing products concerning • redesign and cost savingsIn-house design of software, electronics and produc-• tion control Tight production control and in-house tests before • production.

Main identified gaps:Education and training•

Manufacturers of High-End Systems:Medium to large companies• Large number of developers• Highly complex products• Small number of products•

Success factors in development:Advanced research conducted together • with universitiesUsage of simulation tools throughout the whole • development process

Main identified gaps:Education and training• Systematic motivating of developers•

Picture 4: Overview of the company classes, examples of identified gaps and success factors

Closing remarks:Although it does not clearly appear in the overview in picture 4, all four classes have in common that development tools and methods are not used systematically and the employment of methods is not aligned to a clear systematic of development. In some cases the systematic of development is not even consequently applied. Paying attention to these aspects is crucial and can in all cases enhance the product development process. Education training was handled well in some companies, but especially small companies and the interviewed manufacturers of high-end systems did not deal with education and training systematically.

European Mechatronics for a new Generation of Production Systems ---- ● p 63 Mechatronics education

Establishing a European common vision onmechatronics education

The central role of mechatronics engineering within Europe-an industry must be reflected in measures to improve higher education in the subject. The research and industrial road mapping activities give an important basis for a further developed education in terms of the required technical areas and technical knowledge. This is however not enough for designing world-class education programs in mechatronics. An engineer graduating from such programs must also possess a number of skills that are not directly related to the technical subjects and that are particularly essential for mechatronics engineering.

Eumecha-pro now outlines a proposal for how to achieve a master level education in mechatronics, which meets the requirements of a competitive and innovative European indus-try, and which is sustainable. The global approach and the mo-bility promoting nature of the proposed concept of a European Mechatronics Master Certificate is an important element of building the European Research Area.

The vision is multi-faceted and includes the following key objec-tives and features:

The number of students attracted to engineering education • is not high enough. Training for a global career, a holistic engineering approach and a European harmonisation and certification will increase the attractiveness, the number of students and hence the number of graduating engineers.

Leading universities in Europe agreeing to exchange stu-• dents, share internet-based courses and make broader use of individual university best practices will improve program content and quality, and provide a basis for cer-tification of graduates as European Mechatronics Masters. The European dimension and the Bologna model are utilised to their full extents.

CDI2O concept (Conceive, Design, Innovate, Implement and • Operate) for defining the right learning outcomes and skills, in combination with a possibility to utilise best practices and key competences from a group of leading universities will guarantee a world-class education.

The Mechatronics Skill Set

1. Technical Knowledge & Reasoning: Knowledge of underlying sciences• Core engineering fundamental • knowledgeAdvanced engineering • fundamental knowledge

2. Personal and Professional Skills & AttributesEngineering reasoning and problem solving• Experimentation and knowledge discovery• System thinking• Creativity and critical thinking• Ethics, integrity and professional behaviour•

3. Interpersonal Skills: Teamwork & Communication

Multi-disciplinary teamwork• Written and oral communications• Proficiency in English •

4. Conceiving, Designing, Innovating, Implementing & Operating Systems in the Enterprise & Societal Context

External and societal context• Enterprise and business context• Conceiving engineering systems• Designing• Implementing• Operating•



The roadmap toward a common set of requirements on the me-chatronics engineer and curriculum is based on two aims. For a common framework, European educators need to agree on an overall set of knowledge and skills. EUMECHA-PRO has focused on investigating and discussing industrial demands in the various countries, best-practices in mechatronics education and the speci-alities among the European members. Learning from each other’s experiences, methods and students has created a base for a com-mon understanding of the subject.

Defining the Mechatronics Engineer

When defining the sets of required knowledge and skills for the mechatronics engineer, the method used was developed within the CDIO framework. This method focuses on four desired overall re-quirements (C-D-I-O), what applied to the subject of mechatronics result in the overall definition of the mechatronics engineer:

The mechatronics engineer should be able to Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate a mechatronic system or product.

The mechatronics engineer should therefore be proficient in all four areas, and the mechatronics engineering education should, however stressing the fundamentals, be set in this context.

To further define the sets of knowledge and skills, the following questions are posed:

What is the full set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that a • student should possess as they graduate from university? At what level of proficiency? (In addition to the traditional engi-neering disciplinary knowledge)

Can universities do better at assuring that students learn • these skills? (Within the available student and faculty time, funding and other resources)

Desired Attributes of an Engineering Graduate

The ability to conceive, design, implement and operate a mechatron-ics system or product is further broken down into a number of at-tributes. These attributes are summarized into “The Mechatronics Skill Set”. Examples of attributes are:

Understanding of fundamentals• Understanding of design and manufacturing process• Possess a multi-disciplinary system perspective• Good communication skills• High ethical standards•

The attributes are communicated and taught to mechatronics en-gineering students via a number of educational methods. When using the CDIO approach, the preferred teaching should focus on the following:

Understanding how to conceive, design, implement and oper-• ate mechatronic systems and productsComplexity of value-added and knowledge-intensive engineer-• ing systemsUtilising modern team-based engineering environments• Preparing students for development and research on a global • market

Overall goals of a European Mechatronics Master Curricu-lum

In the EUMECHA-PRO network, the common curriculum should therefore be based on the following fundamentals. When agreeing on these, the details of a curriculum could be hammered out. The European Mechatronics Masters Curriculum should be built upon leading universities with the ambition to:

Educate students to master a deeper working knowledge of the • technical fundamentals,Educate engineers to lead in the creation and operation of new • products and systems,Educate future researchers to understand the importance and • strategic value of their work,Educate innovators and entrepreneurs to create growth based • on their innovations,Educate integrators able to apply knowledge and skills in teams • and global organizations.

”What is chiefly needed is skill rather than machinery”

Wilbur Wright, 1902



In the attempt of establishing the European common understand-ing of mechatronics education, the partners’ programs and courses have been examined. In this process, a number of best-practices have been identified. The intention is to choose a set of contribu-tions that together constitute a more holistic view on a common mechatronics curriculum.

BoundariesThe study has been focused on MSc level, in a Bologna perspec-tive. In brief, programs of two years have been studied, programs where students are accepted with prior BSc degrees, mainly in mechanical and electrical engineering. The MSc program typically consists of one to one and a half years of study plus a master thesis project. In basically all cases, the MSc programs recruit stu-dents with BSc degrees from academic and not from vocational programs. All programs are basically given in the local language, for students recruited nationally, but with the ambition of changing to English-speaking education and international recruitment.

Best practices in EUMECHA-PROIn the following section, examples of best-practices in education are shown. Note that the selection of universities is based on prac-ticality and is not comprehensive.

Modelling and Control at University of TwenteMechatronics at Twente is taught by the applied controls depart-ment, and recruits students from both mechanical and electrical engineering. The mechatronics MSc program consists of one year of studies plus one year of projects. An open campus and lab envi-ronment is apparent in the philosophy of educating, and students are faced with extensive laboratory and experimental work. This focus on experimental skills, applications and functional prototyp-ing is deemed to be one of the main advantages of mechatronics engineers educated at Twente.

Precision Motion Control at TU DelftMechatronics in Delft is in many ways a specialisation of precision motion control, with strong links to related industry. The students gain an advanced knowledge in the area and courses in motion control could be offered to other nodes of the EUMECHA-PRO net-work.

Majors and Minors at KU LeuvenSpecial characteristics of Leuven is the concept of major and minor in both BSc and MSc cycles, which means that the typical

mechatronics engineer is equipped with extensive knowledge in both mechanical and electrical engineering. Leuven also attracts the largest percentage of female students of the EUMECHA-PRO network.

Thesis Projects at RWTH Aachen and HNI PaderbornBoth German universities are in the process of adapting toward the two cycle setting (according to the Bologna reform). Aachen provides best-practice in the area of production engineering and manufacturing, and HNI in Paderborn as an interdiscipli-nary “free” research centre provides examples of both industrial collaboration and good practice in student teamwork, project plan-ning and thesis work.

Large Scale Teaching at Loughborough UniversityIn Loughborough, extensive experiences from teaching large scale experimental courses is provided. MEng courses (being 4 year enhanced masters) introduce hundreds of students to synergistic mechatronic design, in the form of popular contests and creative experimental work. Also, most students participate in industrial internships and the UK accreditation system enables benchmark-ing methods.

Two Cycles at JKU LinzBy offering both cycles (BSc and MSc) in Linz, extensive experi-ence from recruiting students exists, specifically how to communi-cate the concept of mechatronics to young people. The possibility to extend mechatronics education over a period of five year gives unique possibilities to interface with other subjects and courses. Since the whole mechatronic faculty (the other faculties in Linz are math, chemistry, physics and computer science) and the me-chatronics program have been set up in parallel and from scratch a unique tailoring of the curriculum towards interdisciplinary think-ing has been achieved.

Student Responsibility at KTH StockholmAt KTH, large capstone courses attract 40-50 students in mechatronics annually. In these courses, students integrate knowledge and skills in a system perspective. Keywords are student teamwork, project organisation, experimental approaches and industrially sponsored projects. The courses both increase popularity for mechatronics and provide a platform for teaching a combination of knowledge and skills.



We propose the following steps toward a common European educational framework in mechatronics The identified best-practices presented above are, besides good examples, defined as key components of the mechatronics cur-riculum.

1. Utilisation of the Bologna systemKey ideas of the Bologna system are to define readable and com-parable qualifications, base the structure on the two cycle sys-tem, comparable grading, support mobility and promote the Euro-pean dimension. The EUMECHA-PRO network should utilise these mechanisms to promote movement for both students and faculty, according to the identified best-practices.

2. Balancing Knowledge and SkillsThe key to mechatronics education is deemed to be found in the ability to utilise theoretical knowledge into functional skills and bal-ancing these attributes. Requirements from industrial roadmap-ping must be met by appropriate educational methods that com-bine acquiring theory, applying knowledge and practising skills.

3. Travelling without movingThe possibility of mobility and exchange should not be limited to physical movement. ICT and increased focus on distance learning provide opportunities for better utilisation of each mechatronics groups’ specialities.

4. Balancing Breadth and WidthThe identified best-practices are in many cases implementations of local traditions and national perspectives. The exploration and utilisation of the differences is deemed to be more fruitful than to press toward a unification of the respective curriculum. The breadth of the subject requires selective specialization, which should be complementary in a European setting.

5. Leading UniversitiesWhen leading universities in Europe exchange students, share internet-based courses, and make good use of each other’s best practices, program content and quality will improve and the Euro-pean Mechatronics Curriculum can be established.

Methods to establish the European framework.We propose the following methods to further promote the frame-work:

Open course platformThe open course platform should put forward the specialities of each university and mechatronics group and enable students to choose from the variety. The platform should further enable local educators to benefit from courses and material developed else-where.

Exchange programs and joint degreesExchange programs such as Erasmus, Erasmus Mundus and At-lantis should further promote mobility within the network. Joint degrees should provide benefits for students eager to find relevant specialisations among the members.

Harmonised Mechatronics Master ProgramsThe Mechatronics master programs at leading universities in Eu-rope should be harmonised to promote mobility and exchange. The curriculum should consist of a framework of modules, based on common modules as well as specialities at each university, which are offered among the partners locally and on distance.

European Mechatronics Master CertificateA group of leading universities should establish a certification scheme, a “list” of qualifications necessary for a mechatronics en-gineer. The certification provides both quality assurance and proof of educational relevance.

The framework should

Utilise all mechanisms of the Bologna system, to • promote mobility and the European dimension.Shift focus from knowledge to a more balanced • mix of knowledge and skills.Promote distance learning, to enable international • students to participate in key courses.Promote the regional differences rather than • stress a unified curriculum.Certify European Mechatronics Engineers.•


Conclusions and outlook

The eumecha-pro roadmaps and associated research activities reveal that:

the EU has a strong research base in Mechatronics. There are clearly strong centres of excellence with the capability to assist/work • with industry in research. More effort is however needed in research and product development for converting the research into ap-plications according to true mechatronic design approaches.dynamic roadmaps have been produced with an innovative methodology in support of Manufuture and the Seventh Framework • Programme. The industrial relevance of the roadmaps are key to the European industry’s competitiveness and manufacturing capability. Industry can benefit from those roadmaps for business strategy and technology development.

The European Manufuture Platform and the network of National and Regional Manufuture Platforms provides the right setting to build on the work done in the eumecha-pro coordination action.


Contact

Manufuture© Belgium [email protected]

Edited by the eumecha-pro consortiumFinal editor: Chris Decubber (Decubber Project Assistance)Responsible editor: Stijn Ombelets (Agoria)

Lay-out: Loft33, Chris Decubber (Decubber Project Assistance) Printing: Van der Poorten

Photos cover page: LVD, New Holland, Atlas Copco, FMTC

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