An agile manufacturing system for large workspace applications

Abstract

REMORA aims at offering an agile robotic solution for manufacturing tasks done on very large parts (e.g.: very long and slender parts found in aeronautic industries). For such tasks, classical machine-tools are designed at several tens of meters. Both their construction and operation require huge infrastructure supports. REMORA is a novel lightweight concept and flexible robotic solution that combines the ability of walking and manufacturing. The robot is a mobile manufacturing system which can effectuate operations with good payload capacity and good precisions for large workspace applications. This new concept combines parallel kinematics to ensure high stiffness but low inertia, and mobile robotics to operate in very large workspaces. This results in a machining center of new generation: 1. Agile manufacturing system for large workspace applications; 2. Heavy load and good precisions; 3. 5-axis machining and 5-axis locomotion/clamping; 4. Self-reconfigurable for specific tasks (workspace and force); 5. Flexible and multifunctional (machining, fixture). © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.