  In this paper, an adaptive and low-cost robotic coating platform for small
production series is presented. This new platform presents a flexible
architecture that enables fast/automatic system adaptive behaviour without
human intervention. The concept is based on contactless technology, using
artificial vision and laser scanning to identify and characterize different
workpieces travelling on a conveyor. Using laser triangulation, the workpieces
are virtually reconstructed through a simplified cloud of three-dimensional
(3D) points. From those reconstructed models, several algorithms are
implemented to extract information about workpieces profile (pattern
recognition), size, boundary and pose. Such information is then used to on-line
adjust the base robot programmes. These robot programmes are off-line generated
from a 3D computer-aided design model of each different workpiece profile.
Finally, the robotic manipulator executes the coating process after its base
programmes have been adjusted. This is a low-cost and fully autonomous system
that allows adapting the robots behaviour to different manufacturing
situations. It means that the robot is ready to work over any piece at any
time, and thus, small production series can be reduced to as much as a
one-object series. No skilled workers and large setup times are needed to
operate it. Experimental results showed that this solution proved to be
efficient and can be applied not only for spray coating purposes but also for
many other industrial processes (automatic manipulation, pick-and-place,
inspection, etc.).
