Objective The overall objective of the HANDFLEX project is to acquire and improve the state-of-the-art knowledge on the behaviour of "delicate" (i.e. materials that cannot be pulled, bent or twisted when being handled through the various manufacturing phases) materials when these are handled in manufacturing processes. To do this, 3 case studies have been put up in order to provide the widest research field and evaluate different cases with very different materials and different industrial environments, from SMEs discontinuous processes to large company continuous processes, to robotised manufacturing chains. The specific objectives for the 3 systems were:* System 1: to set up an advanced and highly specialised robot with complex designed grippers having the innovative ability to handle flexible materials at any production stage of the process. A common task for any car manufacturer was chosen for System 1: mounting cable forms into a car doorframe. The problem of assembling cable forms and other deformable, linear objects (like hoses, ropes, (leaf) springs) is investigated from a more general point of view. This method ensures that the results of the project can be used in a wide field of industrial applications.* System 2: to get the prototype robotized installation for automatic production of the heating elements or resistance that EIKA uses for their heaters and automatic laying of such heating elements along a distribution groove in a ceramic base plate. At the moment handling and laying operations are manually done and require expert operators in order to get the production rate and quality that EIKA requires. The heating element that is manipulated is a very flexible material and the manipulation operation results on a difficult and extremely repetitive monotonous operation all working at high production rates.* System 3: to automate the coiling of submarine cables in huge (some 40 m in dia.) tanks at the end of the manufacturing process. The aim is to build a prototype at the submarine cable plant of Pirelli in Italy that can coil the cable automatically without damaging it. At present the operation is done manually by two workers in shifts of two hours each. The complexity of the problem is due to the wide dimensions, to the "delicateness" of cables which must keep their transmission characteristics, to the continuous manufacturing process and to the variables which may occur in the process.The research approach for the 3 systems was based on simulation of the system concepts in order to understand the theoretical problems linked to the construction of the prototypes and to minimise the risk of failure during installation and testing. Nowadays simulation techniques are widely available but these needed to be adapted to the particular cases under study in order to adapt the algorithms to the requirements of the 3 cases. The activities of the 3 cases studies have been conducted in parallel whenever possible in order to benefit from possible exchange and synergy between the systems as far as possible. HANDFLEX work programme moved from the definition of user requirements and then went on to a theoretical study phase in which the design concepts were defined, modelled and simulated. At the end of this first stage the control algorithms were studied and the final design of the prototypes was finalised. This was further simulated before the actual construction. The last stage of the activities was based on the implementation, installation, testing and validation of the prototypes. All the steps and results are documented in relevant deliverables.The general outcome of the HANDFLEX project has been successful. The prototypes of system 1 and 2 have been tested and validated successfully. System 3 has obtained important theoretical results although, due to high costs, the prototype could not be built.As far as common results are concerned, the HANDFLEX project produced important academic results on the behaviour and knowledge of flexible materials handling which have been the object of several papers and presentations by the University of Karlsruhe.HANDFLEX addresses the problem of handling flexible materials with delicate characteristics in the frame of processes for manufacturing the materials themselves or anyway utilising flexible materials at a given production stage. By "delicate" we mean materials that cannot be bent, twisted, pulled or more generally submitted to stresses of any sort exceeding given thresholds. By "Handling" we mean to move, collect, stock, transport, install and any other operation on the product. Handling of flexible and delicate materials is at present performed manually or with limited assistance of conventional mechanical gears, like for example winches and cranes. A precise, specific industrial need exists for saving human fatigue and time and reducing scraps during handling operations. The problem of handling flexible material is well evident in the Electric Cable Industry, be such cables for power or signal transmission (these last are realised with optic fibres), where at present the coiling and uncoiling operations are performed totally manually. A main stream of the research aims at the rationalisation and extensive automation of Cable Manufacturing Operations. A systematic solution of this specific problem would generate savings in the Electric Cable Industry alone by million ECUs per year. Besides Electric Cables the HANDFLEX Project explores other Industrial Sectors like Textiles and Plywood, in order to provide the European Industry with a solution as general as possible. Two lines of research are foreseen: - To conceive and implement dedicated equipment for Submarine Cables to perform automated collection and dispensing (coiling and uncoiling) to and from the stocking tanks and the transfer on the cable dispenser ship - To set up a special Robot with special grippers to handle Flexible Materials in general at any production stage in the factories Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringsocial sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomationengineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextiles Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0101 - Incorporation of new technologies into production systems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi SpA Address Viale sarca 222 20126 Milano Italy See on map EU contribution No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Eicas Automazione SpA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via vincenzo vela 27 10128 Torino See on map Other funding No data Eika SC Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Etxebarria 48270 Markina See on map Other funding No data FUNDACION ROBOTIKER Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Parque tecnologico edificio 202 Zamudio See on map Other funding No data Kuka Roboter GmbH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 144,bluecherstrasse 144 86165 Augsburg See on map Other funding No data Kuka Schweißanlagen GmbH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Blücherstrasse 144 86165 Augsburg See on map Other funding No data Simea2 SpA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via passariello 40 80038 Pomigliano d'arco See on map Other funding No data Universität Karlsruhe (Technische Hochschule) Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 12,kaiserstrasse 12 76128 Karlsruhe See on map Other funding No data
