Automation of depowdering step in binder-jet additive manufacturing : Commissioning of KUKA robot

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to automate the depowdering step in binder-jet additive manufacturing using KUKA kr6 robot. The major tasks involved in this thesis work are commissioning of the KUKA kr6 robot, plan the actions required for automation process of binder jet considering the scaling factor of green bodies. For this purpose KUKA robot with a standard KUKA compact controller (KRC4) and KUKA system software 8.3 (KSS) has been used. In Peter Corke Matlab toolbox (Matlab toolbox), KUKA kr6 robot model has been simulated to understand forward kinematics problem which shows the study the motion of end effector of robot in space for picking process. These transformations between the Joint coordinate systems and Cartesian coordinate systems give the forward and inverse kinematics. Firstly, a KUKA kr6 robot has been programmed in a KUKA Robot Language (KRL) using an algebraic approach with geometric operator to automate the picking process of green bodies. These are fragile bodies thereby many number of tests have been conducted to improve the program. Also additional effort has been placed to test the customized gripper used for the layered pick and place of the components, customized vacuum cleaner for the vacuum cleaning in between the layers and to consider the scaling factor during the sintering step of the binder jet. Finally, KUKA kr6 robot model has been simulated in Matlab toolbox. The picking point in the space has been simulated to study the forward kinematics and to understand how the robot reaches a position and orientation in space. Cartesian trajectory has been simulated. Also, the Jacobian matrix, its rank and determinant are studied to understand the singularities in KUKA kr6 robot, basing on which the thesis work can be continued and enhanced further.