Within the last two months we have been continued the work on the tasks safe manipulation in industrial environments, magnetic localization of mobile manipulators & tracking of boxes and integration and adaptation of the mobile platform.

The basis for preparing a safety concept for KANMAN’s manipulator are ISO EN 10218-1:2006 for the robot itself and ISO EN 13849 for the robot’s control. The standards are harmonized with the Machinery Directive. The current concept developed, pursues the use of a safety controller by Schmersal ELAN to securely monitor robot. The safety controller supervises the communication (CAN Bus) between robot control and robot, additionally the encoder signals will need to be monitored separately. In case of a failure either of the robot or the robot control, the safety controller is able to put the system into a safe state (stop category 0 or 1), according to ISO 13850 and IEC 60204. The integration of the safety controller will allow a safely supervised position, a safely reduced speed, work area monitoring, emergency stop and operational stop (stop category 2).

According to the magnetic localization first tests with the linear array of 9 sensor modules with 3 AMR sensors per module shows a deficient sensor characteristic. To improve the performance of the Sensor modules we built up a calibration and measuring place to measure noise, linearity, angularity and the slope of the sensor signals. The whole prototype (magnetic localization electronics for navigation) according to deliverable D KANMAN.2 is almost finished.

Finally, we have designed the mechanical bodywork for the first KANMAN prototype consisting of three metal plates. It includes a lithium polymer battery, necessary electronic components, an industrial PC, fixings for the the robot arm, the display and two boxes, and two drive units with motors, gears, couplings, and wheels. It was partly set up.