Virtual technologies for specialized robotic workplaces.

Stollmann, Vladimir ; Bozek, Pavol ; Barborak, Oto 等

1. INTRODUCTION

Economic and global trends in mechanical engineering mamangement in the Slovak Republic are heading to maintain the related EU conditions aimed at the sustainable development of the machine engineering production. These technologies related to the effectiveness of national economic development in accordance with the EU countries' machine production management are accepted in the project phase of the new specialized robotic workplace. (Lustig et al., 2007). Authors focus on the implementation of the results in forestry.

2. VIRTUAL CONTROL SYSTEMS

It is obvious, that the information acquisition at real technical means of the control systems is financially demanding. The basic training for the plant and its structure's project engineers is available at the control system supplier, and limited renewing courses at the customer's control system. However, the principle problem lies in the operators' preparation for emergency situations of the plant equipment. Virtual control systems connected with virtual models of control systems mean an effective solution of the abovementioned problems. Current research results and further research development in the field of virtual control systems implementation are supported by VRML /Virtual Reality Modeling Language/, designed for interactive description of 3D objects and worlds (Barborak et al., 2006).

2.1 VRML for virtual concepts

VRML /Virtual Reality Modeling Language/ is designed for interactive description of 3D objects and worlds. It is also a universal variable format for 3D graphics and multimedia. The use of VRML can vary and comprises also the possibility of technical and scientific visualization, multimedia presentations, entertainment, computer-aided education, www pages and virtual worlds.

It is a standardized file system defined by ISO/IEC 14772. VRML is capable to represent static and dynamic (animated) 3D objects, multimedia objects with hyperlinks for individual components of multimedia, such as a text, sound, picture, animation and film. VRML was designed to meet the following requirements:

a. The possibility to create automated scripts. It allows for the development of computer programs for the VRML creation, editing and operation based on automated translation programs for the conversion of other common 3D formats into VRML files.

b. The arrangement provides the ability to combine dynamic 3D objects and VRML worlds.

c. The spreadability allows for the addition of new objects not explicitly defined in VRML

d. Performance

e. The scale allows for the development of arbitrary large dynamic 3D worlds.

The standard ISO/IEC 14772 does not need to define the physical equipment nor other concepts depending on the implementation, e.g. screen contrast or input devices. On the contrary, this standard is for wide range of equipment and implementations which do not include even a monitor /display/ or a mouse (Smrcek & Hajtinger 1996).

3. THE DECISION PROCESS FOR SIMULATION ALGORITHM DEFINITION

By the CNC program design as well as by the robots programming on the virtual scene, there are situations when for some machines it is necessary to wait for a defined time period. The movement speed, either angle or translation speed, represents the time function. It is essential to use the simulation algorithm controlled by events. For example : figure 1 shows the real scene of a robotic technological workplace with the possibility to program the technological process of materials manipulation.

3.1 Some advantages of virtual control systems

The training in control system real technical means is financially demanding. The basic training for the plant and its structure's project engineer is available at the control system supplier, and limited renewing courses at the customer's control system. However, the principle problem is represented by the operatiors' preparation for emergency situations of the plant equipment. Virtual control systems connected with virtual models of control systems mean an effective solution of the abovementioned problems.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

The development process based on virtuality is at present a prerequisite for the successful process of a new product or workplace creation. In the phase of project, there exists the concept of a virtual robotic workplace model with the possibility do design real technology and define the basic principles of the technological process control system. The implementation of virtual methods in this paradigm is highly effective and leads to early decisions of real workplace effectiveness from various aspects (Javorek et al., 2000). The original idea of a virtual technological workplace project was based on a know-how workplace. It is similar to the constant education level increase not only at universities--where it is necessary to implement new technologies into education.

Plant information environment as well as its system integration with the use of new IT and economic tools of IS organization and control, provides the transparency of information and knowledge processes and allows for the integration, consolidation and restructuralization of necessary information for the needs of individual plant management levels.

New trends in the IS organization and control as well as in the information and knowledge support present the creation of the whole range of new specialized functions. They are especially informatic, economic and manager positions focused on the organizational, technical, economic and technological part of the information processes, whereas the positions focused on information processes content are missing. Drucker, a management expert, describes the lack of information responsibility. Some experts relate this field to the information and knowledge managers and comment on the difficulties with the combination of IT initiatives and knowledge management content.

The practice shows that the knowledge assurance of corporation processes calls for the need of workers interested in the information and communication processes with the emphasis on managing positions. This proves these workplaces stayed out of the system, though the work with the contents has been always the strength of IT professionals in the information databases focused on the economic growth.

Professional operator profile focused on economic and knowledge information represents an interdisciplinary problem, e.g. in the competitive intelligence or in the competences for special librarians of the 21 century for the Special library association. From the point of needs analysis, the necessary knowledge, abilities and skills are not incorporated and the information professional is missing. In the system of positions it is necessary to create the place for an information specialist. The professional assurance of individual IS dimensions should be enhanced with the computer science, informatics, theory of information systems, information and knowledge management and information science.

Economic relations of the mentioned fields of science overlap in the professional area, though their common subject provides specialization in the assurance of plant strategic processes . It is necessary to involve the long neglected information professionals, who are responsible for the information content, into the information and knowledge processes and consider them the key personalities of the processes (Stollmann, 2006).

4. CONCLUSIONS

The new possibilities of specialized robotic workplaces design, project, implementation and management allow for the simulation of the use in the project phase while meeting economic, ergonomic and sensitive environmental requirements accepted in EU countries at the same time.

It is still clear that the information acquisition in real technical means is financially demanding. The basic training for the plant and its structure's project engineer is available at the control system supplier, and limited renewing courses at the customer's control system. However, the principle problem is represented by the operators' preparation for emergency situations of the plant equipment. Virtual control systems connected with virtual models of control systems offer a convenient solution of the abovementioned problems.

The contribution was elaborated within the research project VEGA No. 1/3523/06 The research of new technical and technological principles for wood concentration together with the project KEGA No. 3/6448/08.

The contribution was elaborated within VEGA No.1/0421/08 "Research of possible applications of non-metal and composite materials by the action members production in the production technology" carried out at Trencin Univerzity of A. Dubcek in Trencin together with related university workplaces.

5. REFERENCES

Barborak O. ; Liptak P., & Jozefek M. (2006). Robotization--one of the key trends of expert preparation in specialized machime amdproduction technology, TU Kosice, ISBN 808073-560-3, pp. 35-98

Javorek, E. ; Nascak, E., & Oswald, J. (2000). Monitoring proceeding digging, Stary Smokovec, ISBN 458-235-36-5 page 87-92

Lustig, F. ; Schauer, F. & Ozvoldova, M. (2007). Physics Labs for Integrated E-learning Classical Real, Real Remote and Virtual In: Proceeding of ICTE Information and Communication Technology in Education 2007, Ostrava, ISBN 978-80-7368-388-7, pp. 107-115

Smrcek,J. & Hajtinger, K. (1996). The analysis of the robots implementation possibilities in the non-standard environment. In: Int. Cong. "MATAR 96--Machine Tools, Automation and Robotics in Mechanical Engineering", Praha, ISBN 80-364-2568-6, pp. 185-189

Stollmann, V. ; (2006). Progress forest techniques, In: OPTIROB 2006 : first international conference Optimization of the robots and manipulators / ed. Adrian Olaru, Mihai Stanciu, Editura Bren, Bucuresti, ISBN 973648-572-2.-page 249-255.