Mechatronic Integration of a Dual-Arm Robotic System for Wiring Harness Manufacturing

The robotics research community is placing a major focus on the automation of difficult operations like the production of wiring harnesses, which require a high degree of dexterity and precision. In current industrial production lines, this operation is still manually done since it requires manipulating deformable linear objects (DLOs) like cables and wires. Thanks to the advent of multi-modal sensory systems, it is possible to develop robotic systems capable of autonomously executing such complex tasks or assisting human operators. This article introduces a robotized system for autonomous wiring harness assembly by leveraging cutting-edge actuation and sensor technologies. The system here proposed is composed of a robotic arm equipped with tactile and proximity sensors for wire positioning and routing, and another one with a taping gun to secure wires. Furthermore, an external depth camera is utilized for real-time verification of the assembly process. To control the robotic arms' movements, a modular control architecture has been developed, providing adaptability of the system to different product designs or operational conditions. Finally, experimental evaluation for each component of the system is also provided, showing the effectiveness of the proposed solution in a real industrial scenario.