Problem of robotic precision cutting of the geometrically complex shape from an irregular honeycomb grid

TL;DR

This paper presents a robotic system for precision cutting of complex shapes from honeycomb blocks, addressing irregular patterns and double edges to improve quality and repeatability.

Contribution

A novel robotic complex integrating scanning, software, and cutting hardware for precise, automated cutting of honeycomb blocks with complex geometries.

Findings

High-precision cuts achieved on aluminum honeycomb blocks

Robotic system demonstrated high repeatability and quality

Effective handling of irregular honeycomb patterns

Abstract

The article considers solving the problem of precision cutting of honeycomb blocks. The urgency of using arbitrary shapes application cutting from honey-comb blocks made of modern composite materials is substantiated. The problem is to obtain a cut of the given shape from honeycomb blocks. The complexity of this problem is in the irregular pattern of honeycomb blocks and the presence of double edges, which forces an operator to scan each block before cutting. It is necessary to take into account such restrictions as the place and angle of the cut and size of the knife, its angle when cutting and the geometry of cells. For this problem solving, a robotic complex has been developed. It includes a device for scanning the geometry of a honeycomb block, software for cutting automation and a cutting device itself. The software takes into account all restrictions on the choice of the location and angle of the operating mechanism. It helps to obtain the highest quality cut and a cut shape with the best strength characteristics. An actu-ating device has been developed and implemented for both scanning and cutting of honeycomb blocks directly. The necessary tests were carried out on real alu-minum honeycomb blocks. Some technical solutions are used in the cutting de-vice to improve the quality of cutting honeycomb blocks. The tests have shown the effectiveness of the proposed complex. Robotic planar cutting made it possi-ble to obtain precise cutting with a high degree of repeatability.