Modular Mechatronic Robotic Plug-and-Play Controller

Most current industrial robot arms require a dedicated controller for the actuating systems. This can be a disadvantage when trying to integrate several robots into an agile manufacturing environment. More flexible and adaptive modular plug-and-play controllers can highly enhance the use of these robots and eases their integration into modern, agile manufacturing environments. Interfacing automated machines can then be done at a PC level. At this level, “plug-and-play” becomes the benchmark for new devices being added to the system, allowing ease of operation and increased flexibility for agile manufacturing. The modular mechatronic control system described in this paper was used to operate a Unimate PUMA 560 series industrial robotic arm.

Authors and Affiliations

1. Institute of technology and Engineering, Massey University, Building 106, Albany Campus, Auckland, New Zealand

   Jonathan R. Zyzalo, Olaf Diegel & Johan Potgieter

2. School of Mechanical Engineering, KwaZulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa

   Glen Bright

Editors and Affiliations

1. KES International, 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, EC1V 4PY, London, United Kingdom

   Mircea Gh. Negoita

2. Centre for SMART systems Engineering Research Centre, University of Brighton, BN2 4GJ, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, UK

   Robert J. Howlett

3. School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Knowledge Based Intelligent Engineering Systems Centre, University of South Australia, 5095, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia

   Lakhmi C. Jain

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© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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