Automated Plan Refinement for Improving Efficiency of Robotic Layup of Composite Sheets

TL;DR

This paper introduces a data-driven framework that refines robotic composite sheet layup plans to enhance efficiency and robustness across varying conditions, reducing corrective actions and improving overall process performance.

Contribution

It presents a novel plan refinement method combining human expertise with data-driven optimization for robust robotic layup of composites.

Findings

Significant reduction in corrective paths needed

Improved time efficiency in layup process

Enhanced robustness of plans across conditions

Abstract

The automation of composite sheet layup is essential to meet the increasing demand for composite materials in various industries. However, draping plans for the robotic layup of composite sheets are not robust. A plan that works well under a certain condition does not work well in a different condition. Changes in operating conditions due to either changes in material properties or working environment may lead a draping plan to exhibit suboptimal performance. In this paper, we present a comprehensive framework aimed at refining plans based on the observed execution performance. Our framework prioritizes the minimization of uncompacted regions while simultaneously improving time efficiency. To achieve this, we integrate human expertise with data-driven decision-making to refine expert-crafted plans for diverse production environments. We conduct experiments to validate the effectiveness of our approach, revealing significant reductions in the number of corrective paths required compared to initial expert-crafted plans. Through a combination of empirical data analysis, action-effectiveness modeling, and search-based refinement, our system achieves superior time efficiency in robotic layup. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in optimizing the layup process, thereby advancing the state-of-the-art in composite manufacturing automation.