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The last trip to the craft partners takes the development team within sight of the Alps: Schröter Modell- und Formenbau GmbH in Oberpframmern, Bavaria, specializes in prototype construction for automobiles. What looks like the work of machines at first glance turns out to be precision manual work in many cases, especially the grinding in concave molds.

In contrast, the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen demonstrated the complex work that robotic systems are already capable of performing: from surgical operations to applications in space – and soon grinding!

So the starting signal has been given: The LEROSH developers are now starting to translate their observations into concrete grinding requirements and to develop application solutions for the use of robotics in individual craft production!

In November, the LEROSH developers‘ journey continued to Chemnitz in the halls of the Fraunhofer IWU and the music town of Markneukirchen to gain insights into the craftsmanship of Stefan Kreul’s cello construction.

In addition to working with large, impressive industrial robots, Fraunhofer IWU focuses on the development of individual automation solutions for the craft, and for LEROSH, grinding. The necessary know-how that a robot is supposed to learn and master comes from the craft itself – knowledge that has in part been passed down through generations. Stefan Kreul and his employees opened their workshop for this purpose and introduced us to the art of musical instrument making – and showed us the largest playable violin!

The LEROSH project partners visited Strehl GmbH & Co. KG to follow the manufacturing process of a pediatric orthosis step by step. In addition to exciting insights into the handicraft production, the challenge and the necessity of being able to offer the small patients an individually adapted solution became apparent. There was a lively exchange about the optimal use of robots to support this important work and the people behind it.
The second day of the tour took the project partners to the carpentry firm Eigenstetter GmbH, which excels in handcrafted one-offs and restoration work – and at the same time relies on the support of the robot giant KUKA KR 500.

Sanding and polishing with robots is already a reality, e.g. with the sanding attachments from the companies OnRobot or FerRobotics. Both systems can readjust the contact pressure of the grinding attachment. The OnRobot-System can also readjust the alignment to the surface by evaluating the torque. The desired machining paths/points can be specified by the user with OnRobot by means of UR-Cap (Universal Robots) and via simple input instruments or the robot itself.

As the market leader, FerRobotics offers a wide range of force-sensitive grinding tools. However, path planning must be pre-programmed.