Partner:<a href="https://www.atesystem.cz/" target="_blank">ATEsystem s.r.o.</a>&nbsp;Problem:The application is focused on the inspection of the quality of heat exchangers. Poor quality of heat exchangers results in helium leakage from the brazed joints of the exchangers. Before the implementation of the automation solution, this inspection had to be performed manually by workers. Prior manual inspection was expensive from the human resources point of view as well as due to human errors. Automated inspection is cheaper, more accurate, and more reliable.&nbsp;Solution:<a href="https://www.photoneo.com/phoxi-3d-scanner/" target="_blank">PhoXi 3D Scanner S</a>The application provides a precise, automated robotic inspection of the quality of heat exchangers. A helium leakage, the main and dangerous defect of exchangers, can be detected using a special sniffing probe that is put item-by-item to the immediate proximity of all brazed joints of the exchangers.&nbsp;The inspected exchangers are in variable positions and shapes. Therefore, the exchangers and their joints need to be precisely located in 3D space to make the automated robotic inspection possible. The localization must be very accurate because the sniffing probe often goes through a tight quarter of a one-meter-long tunnel of joints.&nbsp;The PhoXi 3D Scanner mounted onto the robotic arm is used for 3D scanning of exchangers in space. The exchangers and their joints are precisely located in space by analyzing the captured 3D data. The accurate position, orientation, and trajectory of the sniffing probe are calculated. Individual discrete 3D data analysis algorithms have been developed (instead of using conventional 3D model fitting) in order to achieve the necessary accuracy on the shiny and shape-variable surfaces of the exchangers with many optical artifacts. A specific robot–scanner calibration procedure has been developed as well.&nbsp;Discussion:ATESystem decided to use the PhoXi 3D Scanner model S based on its high-precision 3D imaging, including surface normals, high resolution, suitable scanning volume, fast scanning time, flexibility, compactness, suppression of ambient light, and Laser class 3R.The technology enables precise 3D imaging of the whole scanned volume in one step, without the need for a relative movement of the scanner and the observed object.The automation solution offers many advantages, including cost reduction, less personnel, elimination of human error, increased accuracy and reliability, increase productivity, and time savings.

ATEsystem developed a high-precision solution for automated inspection of heat exchangers, which uses Photoneo 3D vision for accurate navigation.

Automated inspection of heat exchangers by ATEsystem

Partner:<a href="https://www.berghof-testing.com/en/" target="_blank">Berghof Automation GmbH | Testing</a>&nbsp;Problem:Many suppliers currently use industrial image processing systems with cameras for their test systems in order to be able to test their components quickly and reliably in all relevant quality parameters after production and assembly.&nbsp;This process has its pitfalls – industrial image processing systems that have been used so far are no longer the first choice, especially for different painted surfaces and very diverse components. The reason is that these systems are dependent on a corresponding contrast of the components and an adapted light. In order to achieve convincing results, a large number of aligned cameras are required for different surface coatings and large component variance. An implementation of such systems is very time-consuming and therefore expensive as well as inflexible for future variants of test items. In addition, in practice stray light or changing ambient light often falsify the results. Furthermore, manufacturers of test systems rely on the use of workpiece carriers for the transport of components through the test system – which means that the systems require more space, are less flexible, require changeover times when variants are changed, and ultimately lead to higher costs.The customer therefore decided to use 3D scanners instead of industrial image processing systems. The first scanner captures the coordinates of the test item on the conveyor belt and passes them on to the robot gripper arm. The system operates completely independently of the position of the component on the conveyor belt. The scanning of the test item for optical inspection for completeness, correct assembly, etc. is done in the “Smart Component Tester” SCoT via a second 3D scanner. The optical inspection is carried out using 3D images.&nbsp;Solution:<a href="https://www.photoneo.com/phoxi-3d-scanner/" target="_blank">PhoXi 3D Scanner XL</a> +&nbsp;<a href="https://www.photoneo.com/bin-picking-studio/" target="_blank">Bin Picking Studio</a>The “Smart Component Tester” SCoT is a test system for the optical inspection of components for completeness, correct assembly, etc., e.g. for vehicle components of automotive manufacturers and suppliers. It consists of a conveyor belt for inserting and removing test specimens, a test cabin with a robot gripper, two PhoXi 3D Scanners, and a control panel for a graphical overview of the test results.&nbsp;The short, linear conveyor belt transports the test item without fixed orientation and variant definition to the first station, where a 3D scanner records the respective 3D model. The robot gripper uses this 3D model for an exact calculation of the coordinates of the test item on the conveyor belt. That enables the robot to pick up the respective test specimen quickly and safely – regardless of where and at what angle it lies on the conveyor belt. The robot then picks up the test item and places it in the actual testing position.&nbsp;The second 3D scanner displays the 3D data for a specially developed virtual camera, which performs the optical test analogously to conventional vision inspections – but is completely unaffected by the current light situation, the contrast between the component and its surroundings, or disturbing reflections.&nbsp;Discussion:Other suppliers work with conventional image processing, which is significantly more prone to failure and requires workpiece carriers. In this approach, the type of test item and the position coordinates are determined via a 3D scanner.With the “Smart Component Tester” SCoT, modules at the end of the assembly line can be checked for correct assembly and position of the components regardless of changing light conditions, contrasts, reflections, and scattered light. SCoT delivers perfectly reproducible results, even with changes in contrast and/or light conditions. In addition, SCoT no longer requires elaborate conveyor technology based on workpiece carriers – and can therefore be used very flexibly. All this means time and space savings, cost reduction, and high flexibility in terms of variant independence: the input, testing, and output of test specimens run in parallel, which is why three workpieces can always be located in the test system at once. Because the system works without workpiece carriers, changeover times are completely eliminated and a mixed operation is possible. Different variants and models can be tested at the same time and new variants can be added quickly and easily in the software.What convinced Berghof to use Photoneo technology in this test system is the speed of Photoneo 3D scanners. Berghof needed to reach a certain cycle time demanded by their customer and with the Photoneo system, they have succeeded.The “Smart Component Tester” SCoT from Berghof Testing is one of the “Winners” of the German Innovation Award 2021 in the category “Machines &amp; Engineering”. The “German Innovation Award” honors products and solutions that differ from previous solutions mainly by being user-centered and offering added value. A total of almost 700 innovations were submitted to the critical judgment of the “German Innovation Award” jury, which is made up of independent, interdisciplinary experts from industry, science, institutions, and finance. The entries are evaluated based on the level of innovation, user benefits, and efficiency.

Berghof Testing developed a brilliant and innovative solution for optical quality testing. The system deploys two Photoneo PhoXi 3D Scanners and eliminates the shortcomings of conventional image processing systems.

Optical quality testing by Berghof

In this episode, we talk about Nissan’s new 50% thermally efficient internal combustion engine, the first 3D printed home for sale in the United States, and how NYPD is adding Boston Dynamic Spot robots to the police force. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com. &nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/ef727514-e071-4310-94c3-ab0d48d9b24d?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe><h3>EPISODE NOTES</h3>(0:50) <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/nissan-reduces-co2-emissions-with-gasoline-powered-ev" target="_blank">Nissan Reduces CO2 Emissions With Gas Powered EV</a> -&nbsp;Nissan newly developed STARC system allows for a 50% thermally efficient internal combustion engine and by placing it in their hybrid powertrain, they are able to offer a vehicle with lower total lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions than current battery powered electric vehicles.(8:30) <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/first-ever-3d-printed-house-for-sale-listed-on-zillow-for-299-000-usd" target="_blank">First 3D Printed Home In The United States</a> -SQ4D achieved a major milestone in North American real estate history: they made a functional home with 3D printed walls in Long Island, NY that is currently up for sale.(14:00) <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/meet-digidog-the-real-life-robocop" target="_blank">Digidog: The Real Life RoboCop</a> -The New York Police Department has purchased a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics (renamed DigiDog) to inspect risky areas before officers are sent in.--About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

In this episode, we talk about Nissan’s new 50% thermally efficient internal combustion engine, the first 3D printed home for sale in the United States, and how NYPD is adding Boston Dynamic Spot robots to the police force.

Podcast: Nissan's Big Hybrid Bet, 3D Printing Your Future Home, NYPD's RoboPup

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1640817319915000&usg=AOvVaw2nPRdRwJrXSYYeM9RCFu5x" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/ef727514-e071-4310-94c3-ab0d48d9b24d?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr><h1>The Digidog</h1>The New York Police department purchased a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics - which the department later named Digidog (personally I feel like this is a missed opportunity to call it RoboPup but oh well) - with the intention of providing an extra layer of safety for the officers called to a scene by having the robot inspect the perimeter.&nbsp;<h1>First Day On The Job</h1>Digidog's first call to action came when two men were being held captive and tortured in their home by armed intruders who were disguised as plumbers to gain entry. When police were eventually called to the scene by one of the captives who managed to escape, they decided to deploy Digidog and get a better idea of the situation inside the building before officers entered. Unfortunately, the intruders had already escaped but the victims were able to walk away from the situation with non life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/24jufNhuUSI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> <h1>Robots On The Force</h1>Although this might be the first utilization of a Boston Dynamics Spot by a police department, authorities have actually been getting extra assistance from robotics for quite some time now. In fact, here are some notable instances in recent years:2016 | Dallas, Texas: officers naturalized a target that had murdered 5 officers using a robot2015 | San Jose, California: robot delivery of some pizza and a phone helped talk down an armed man off the ledge who was planning on jumping off a bridge2014 | Albuquerque, New Mexico: gunman surrendered after robot deployed chemical munitions into the motel room where he had barricaded himself<h1>The Opposition</h1>Skeptics aren't too eager to embrace the addition of our new metallic friends to the force. Some, including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, have voiced their concerns regarding over-policing of underserved communities and the hefty price tag accompanied by each unit (base price = ~74,000 USD) which could be better spent elsewhere; however, since the Digibot has already started to prove its worth by minimizing endangerment of officers in the field, I suspect it is only a matter of time before we start seeing officers and their robotic partners nationwide.

The New York Police Department has started using a robotic companion to ensure the safety of officers in potentially life-threatening environments

Meet Digidog, The Real Life Robocop

EPFL scientists are developing a three-legged robot for search and rescue missions that can crawl, roll, jump, and – like a Swiss Army knife – fold away into compact form, all on less power than your standard LED light.

Meet Tribot, the three-legged origami robot designed and built by EPFL scientists. Tri- for three legs and -bot for robot, this super-light critter fits in the palm of your hand, is cheap to build, runs on less than one watt of power, and may one day be deployed in mass for search and rescue mission

Meet Tribot, the Swiss Army knife of robots for rescue missions

Jet engines can have up to 25,000 individual parts, making regular maintenance a tedious task that can take over a month per engine. Many components are located deep inside the engine and cannot be inspected without taking the machine apart, adding time and costs to maintenance. This problem is not only confined to jet engines, either; many complicated, expensive machines like construction equipment, generators, and scientific instruments require large investments of time and money to inspect and maintain.&nbsp;Researchers at Harvard University&rsquo;s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have created a micro-robot whose electroadhesive foot pads, origami ankle joints, and specially engineered walking gait allow it to climb on vertical and upside-down conductive surfaces, like the inside walls of a commercial jet engine. The work is reported in&nbsp;<a href="http://robotics.sciencemag.org/content/3/25/eaau3038" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Science Robotics</a>.&ldquo;Now that these robots can explore in three dimensions instead of just moving back and forth on a flat surface, there&rsquo;s a whole new world that they can move around in and engage with,&rdquo; said first author S&eacute;bastien de Rivaz, a former Research Fellow at the Wyss Institute and SEAS who now works at Apple. &ldquo;They could one day enable non-invasive inspection of hard-to-reach areas of large machines, saving companies time and money and making those machines safer.&rdquo;The new robot, called HAMR-E (Harvard Ambulatory Micro-Robot with Electroadhesion), was developed in response to a challenge issued to the Harvard Microrobotics Lab by Rolls-Royce, which asked if it would be possible to design and build an army of micro-robots capable of climbing inside parts of its jet engines that are inaccessible to human workers. Existing climbing robots can tackle vertical surfaces, but experience problems when trying to climb upside-down, as they require a large amount of adhesive force to prevent them from falling.<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/303994124" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 772px; height: 430px;"></iframe>HAMR-E, created in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, is a micro-robot that uses electroadhesion to scale vertical, inverted, and curved surfaces, allowing it to explore spaces that are too small for humans. HAMR-E could one day be used to inspect jet engines and other complicated machines without requiring them to be taken apart. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University.&nbsp;The team based HAMR-E on one of its existing micro-robots,&nbsp;<a href="https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/versatile-ambulatory-microrobots/" target="_blank">HAMR</a>, whose four legs enable it to walk on flat surfaces and swim through water. While the basic design of HAMR-E is similar to HAMR, the scientists had to solve a series of challenges to get HAMR-E to successfully stick to and traverse the vertical, inverted, and curved surfaces that it would encounter in a jet engine.First, they needed to create adhesive foot pads that would keep the robot attached to the surface even when upside-down, but also release to allow the robot to &ldquo;walk&rdquo; by lifting and placing its feet. The pads consist of a polyimide-insulated copper electrode, which enables the generation of electrostatic forces between the pads and the underlying conductive surface. The foot pads can be easily released and re-engaged by switching the electric field on and off, which operates at a voltage similar to that required to move the robot&rsquo;s legs, thus requiring very little additional power. The electroadhesive foot pads can generate shear forces of 5.56 grams and normal forces of 6.20 grams &ndash; more than enough to keep the 1.48-gram robot from sliding down or falling off its climbing surface. In addition to providing high adhesive forces, the pads were designed to be able to flex, thus allowing the robot to climb on curved or uneven surfaces.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1569985592337-HAMR-E-whole_body-wPenny.jpg" style="width: 567px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">HAMR-E is small but mighty, and could one day carry instruments and cameras to inspect small spaces. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University&nbsp;The scientists also created new ankle joints for HAMR-E that can rotate in three dimensions to compensate for rotations of its legs as it walks, allowing it to maintain its orientation on its climbing surface. The joints were manufactured out of layered fiberglass and polyimide, and folded into an origami-like structure that allows the ankles of all the legs to rotate freely, and to passively align with the terrain as HAMR-E climbs.Finally, the researchers created a special walking pattern for HAMR-E, as it needs to have three foot pads touching a vertical or inverted surface at all times to prevent it from falling or sliding off. One foot releases from the surface, swings forward, and reattaches while the remaining three feet stay attached to the surface. At the same time, a small amount of torque is applied by the foot diagonally across from the lifted foot to keep the robot from moving away from the climbing surface during the leg-swinging phase. This process is repeated for the three other legs to create a full walking cycle, and is synchronized with the pattern of electric field switching on each foot.When HAMR-E was tested on vertical and inverted surfaces, it was able to achieve more than one hundred steps in a row without detaching. It walked at speeds comparable to other small climbing robots on inverted surfaces and slightly slower than other climbing robots on vertical surfaces, but was significantly faster than other robots on horizontal surfaces, making it a good candidate for exploring environments that have a variety of surfaces in different arrangements in space. It is also able to perform 180-degree turns on horizontal surfaces.HAMR-E also successfully maneuvered around a curved, inverted section of a jet engine while staying attached, and its passive ankle joints and adhesive foot pads were able to accommodate the rough and uneven features of the engine surface simply by increasing the electroadhesion voltage.<blockquote><figure class="quote">This iteration of HAMR-E is the first and most convincing step towards showing that this approach to a centimeter-scale climbing robot is possible, and that such robots could in the future be used to explore any sort of infrastructure, including buildings, pipes, engines, generators, and more<figcaption>ROBERT WOOD</figcaption></figure></blockquote>The team is continuing to refine HAMR-E, and plans to incorporate sensors into its legs that can detect and compensate for detached foot pads, which will help prevent it from falling off of vertical or inverted surfaces. HAMR-E&rsquo;s payload capacity is also greater than its own weight, opening the possibility of carrying a power supply and other electronics and sensors to inspect various environments. The team is also exploring options for using HAMR-E on non-conductive surfaces.&ldquo;This iteration of HAMR-E is the first and most convincing step towards showing that this approach to a centimeter-scale climbing robot is possible, and that such robots could in the future be used to explore any sort of infrastructure, including buildings, pipes, engines, generators, and more,&rdquo; said corresponding author Robert Wood, Ph.D., who is a Founding Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute as well as the Charles River Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at SEAS.&ldquo;While academic scientists are very good at coming up with fundamental questions to explore in the lab, sometimes collaborations with industrial scientists who understand real-world problems are required to develop innovative technologies that can be translated into useful products. We are excited to help catalyze these collaborations here at the Wyss Institute, and to see the breakthrough advances that emerge,&rdquo; said &nbsp;Wyss Founding Director Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., who is also the&nbsp;Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at Harvard Medical School and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children&rsquo;s Hospital, and Professor of Bioengineering at SEAS.

HAMR-E uses electroadhesive pads on its feet and a special gait pattern to climb on vertical, inverted, and curved surfaces, like the inside of this jet engine. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

inspection robots

Latest Posts

Automated inspection of heat exchangers by ATEsystem

Optical quality testing by Berghof

Podcast: Nissan's Big Hybrid Bet, 3D Printing Your Future Home, NYPD's RoboPup

Meet Digidog, The Real Life Robocop

Meet Tribot, the Swiss Army knife of robots for rescue missions

Robots with sticky feet can climb up, down, and all around

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