Service Platform for Robotic Disassembly Planning in Remanufacturing

Remanufacturing is being paid much attention due to environmental protection and resource re-utilization. Disassembly is an inevitable step of remanufacturing and it is always finished by the manual labor. Robotic disassembly helps to improve the automation of disassembly process, while robotic disassembly planning helps to improve the efficiency of robotic disassembly. However, the existing research on robotic disassembly planning seldom integrates the physical industrial robots and then provides convenient services for the users. In this paper, the framework of service platform for robotic disassembly planning in remanufacturing is studied. The database of the service platform is designed, and the data communication method between the software system and KUKA industrial robots is studied. After that, based on the physical facilities, this service platform is implemented using MyEclipse software. The developed service platform is convenient for the users to access the methods of robotic disassembly planning and the connected industrial robots can also execute the optimal disassembly solutions through the data communication method after the optimal disassembly solutions are obtained. Finally, case study based on an idler shaft is conducted to verify the developed service platform for robotic disassembly planning. © 2020 The Society of Manufacturing Engineers