SMErobot

SMErobot is an Integrated Project within the 6th Framework Programme of the EC to create a new family of SME-suitable robots and to exploit its potentials for competitive SME manufacturing. The project started March 1 2005. Project will end on May 31, 2009 - after 4 years and 3 months extention.

Research results and public presentation

From June 10–13 2008 the research project presented automation solutions for smal and medium manufacturing at the Automatica trade fair in Munich. Among others the following research results (Planed project end: February 2009) were shown:

• A new parallel kinematik robot machine for industrial Parallelkinematik für industielle use (f. i. foundry)
• A SMART Robot for every for every shop floor (f. i. forming)
• A robot as worker's third hand (all purpose)
• A Woodworking assistant (for small and medium-sizedcrafts
• A “Plug-and-Produce”- table robot for classroom use
• A Life cycle costing tool as well as
• A training tool called "SMErobot toolbox"

A final workshop was held in Stuttgart from May 07 - 08, 2009 during the First European SMEweek.

Innovations

Existing automation technologies have been developed for capital-intensive large-volume manufacturing, resulting in costly and complex systems, which typically cannot be used in an SME context. Therefore, manufacturing SMEs are today caught in an ‘automation trap’: they must either opt for current and inappropriate automation solutions or compete on the basis of lowest wages.

The research and development in SMErobot is geared towards creating the following technical innovations:

1. Robot capable of understanding human-like instructions (by voice, gesture, graphics)

2. Safe and productive human-aware space-sharing robot (cooperative, no fences)

3. Three-day-deployable integrated robot system (modular plug-and-produce components)

Implementation

The demonstrations of fully functional prototypes will be set up in different SME-manufacturing branches (plastics & rubber, small-batch foundry, metal parts fabrication, etc.), together with SME-end-users and SME-system-integrators, partly from the new Member States. Training and education will be conducted at all levels from researcher to end-users.

External reports

• The Economist (19.06.2008 )
• das Handelsblatt (29.05.2008 )
• Süddeutsche Zeitung (13.06.2008, S.13, 14.05.2008, S.29 and 28.05.2008)
• Metalunvers (Spain) (02.06.2008 )
• Industires et Technologies (France)
• Ny Teknik (Sweden) (04.06.2008 , 11.06.2008 and 12.06.2008 )

External links

• http://www.smerobot.org
• http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=FP6_PROJ&ACTION=D&DOC=1&CAT=PROJ&QUERY=011b4f38d6c8:a635:7cc45907&RCN=74847
• http://www.smerobot-tools.com/

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