Force control methods of a smart gripper for the meat industry

Brief description:

Background:

The automation of industrial processes is getting more and more important in the field of meat processing too, however this poses serious technical challenges in several respects as well. Due to food safety regulations and the natural biological diversity of plants and animals, the reliable automation of these processes requires the development of new kinds of “smart” devices (knives, grippers, etc.) that ensure the safe and reliable operation.

Task:

This topic deals with the practical development of a “smart gripper” software designed for meat indsutry automation. The two-finger gripper estimates the closing (gripping) force using two different methods, closed loop force controllers should be built on these sensors. Part of the task is to compare, analyse and test different control methods, taking into account the intended task of the gripper.

Programming languages, environments: Microcontroller programming (ESP8266, C++)

 

Task details:

  • Getting to know the task-specific challenges of meat industry automation
  • Mapping of gripping force control methods
  • Software development: implementation of different force controllers
  • Objective testing and comparison of the implemented controllers, evaluation of results