AI and robotics for flexible harness assembly

Automation AI and robotics for flexible harness assembly

2024-12-18 Source: Artiminds | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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Many processes in manufacturing have not yet been automated due to technical hurdles. However, artificial intelligence opens up completely new possibilities.

Sensor-supported, data-driven joining strategies enable robust, efficient harness assembly with robots.(Image: Artiminds) — Sensor-supported, data-driven joining strategies enable robust, efficient harness assembly with robots.
(Image: Artiminds)

As part of a project, the company Artiminds has developed robot-assisted automation solutions for the assembly of flexible wire harnesses. According to a statement, the first results have now been successfully validated with a demonstrator. The goal of the "Next2OEM" project is to bring wire harness production—a key technology for the automotive industry—back to Germany through innovative approaches and end-to-end automation.

One challenge has been the high variety of variants and low form stability of harnesses. Under these circumstances, it has hardly been possible to automate the processes in processing. Artiminds has now developed specialized gripping technology and flexible, sensor-adaptive handling and joining strategies for harness assembly.

Cycle times reduced by 70 percent

For flexible and robust assembly, the company relies on sensor-supported, robot-based automation. Based on camera images, an assembly strategy for the connectors is first parameterized. Tactile search and force-controlled compensation are used to offset process- and position-related deviations before the connectors are precisely joined with force and moment compensation, according to Artiminds. The company is also testing a learning-based approach that combines differentiable programming with deep neural networks and learns from past connecting processes.

In an initial lab demonstrator, Artiminds successfully validated both approaches in the use case of assembling a center console wiring harness. According to the company, the AI-supported optimization was able to reduce cycle times by up to 70 percent while maintaining consistent robustness. A pilot installation at the vehicle manufacturer Audi in Ingolstadt (Germany) is planned for 2025.

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