Modeling A Deburring Process, Using DELMIA V5®

Mohammad Mohammad, Vipul Babriya, Tarek Sobh

School of Engineering
University of Bridgeport,
Bridgeport, CT 06604 USA

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates a Deburring process which is Tumble Deburring removes sharp edges or burrs, and
integrated with a robotics application. Conventional tumble smoothes surfaces of metal components [resulting from some
deburring processes have been used for years in the surface manufacturing or casting process]. It can be done as a wet or
finishing industries. The manual process is tedious, inconsistent dry process. A six- or eight-sided machine with either
and inaccurate. Automation in the finishing process has been horizontal or vertical axis is used with abrasive "stones".
proved very beneficial. Integration of robots in the process The deburring tool could be small, and a part with many
provides more flexible and convenient process. We investigate the small/accurate details is hard to be reached via a CNC
off-line simulation of finishing edges using the Product Life Cycle machine. A good solution would be to use an industrial robot
tool DELMIA®. The process extracts the feature to generate a (with 6 axis) to perform the deburring process. Pratt &
part finishing process plan. Collisions with the environment are Whitney has estimated that 12% of their total machining hours
detected and avoided through the simulation of cutting the path
are devoted to manual deburring and chamfering of parts after
before the path is downloaded to the actual hardware. Either the
tool or the part is being fixed on the robot’s end effector and
they have been machined [3].
simulated with respect to the defined path. This paper presents
the complete off-line simulation of the Part in Hand as well as II. BASIC CONFIGURATIONS OF DEBURRING PROCESS
Tool in Hand approaches for the deburring process. PERFORMED BY INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

KEYWORDS: Dexterity, Offline Simulation, Flexi Burr, Tool A. Tool in Hand

Orientation, Manufacturing, Robotics. In these applications a compliant tool is mounted
on the robot end effectors and manipulated over the part to be
finished. Tool in Hand configurations are used where the part
I. INTRODUCTION to be finished is too large or unwieldy for a robot to carry. Belt
media is rather rare in tool in Hand applications because it is
difficult to build compact tools using belts. Figure 1 illustrates
As the number of robotic applications and installations a tool in hand configuration.
continue to grow, the need for effective and efficient robot
programming techniques grows proportionally. In the past,
almost all robotic involvement was through teach-by-show B. Part in Hand
techniques/manual deburring operations. This implied that the The work piece is fixed on the robot end effector while
robot’s paths are generated either by mounting a dowel pin the tool is fixed as an auxiliary device and the robot
that matches the tool’s diameter or by mounting a pointed manipulate the work piece to be deburred as result of contact
teaching tool on the robot. The pin or the teaching tool is between the work piece and the tool. Part in hand applications
moved manually to a point where they touch a finished part are most often used when the part to be finished is relatively
edges, and the software records that point. After repeating this small in size (comparing with deburring/grinding/polishing
process along the part edges, the robot controller uses the tool’s size) .Gripper tooling allows the robot to pick up the
recorded points to define the path. The more complex the part, part and manipulate it against the abrasive finishing media
the more programming time is required to achieve an [4]. Figure 2 illustrates a part in hand configuration.
acceptable path [1].
2.2.1 Advantages of the Part in Hand approach
A. Off-line simulation
• Often, robot load/unload operations can be combined
Off-line simulation refers to the technique of running models with surface finishing operations on a single work station;
in a purely stand-alone format, not connected to any hardware i.e., a robot can remove a part from a serial line conveyor,
and normally not run in Real-Time. Off-line simulation and finish the part, and then place the part in final packaging.
lead-though programming promise acceleration and Doubling up these operations can provide a much greater
streamlining of the robot programming process [2]. They return on investment.
enable the user to program robot motions in a simulated • The surface finishing apparatus, whether it is a belt, wheel
“virtual computer environment”. or disk device, can be quite large using longer belts, large
diameter wheels, and higher horsepower, meaning that
B. Tumble deburring operation parts can be processed faster with longer intervals
between media changes.

M. Iskander et al. (eds.), Technological Developments in Education and Automation,

DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3656-8_100, © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
550 MOHAMMAD ET AL.

2.2.2 Disadvantages
Sometimes it is impossible to finish the entire surface of Payload: 5kg
the part. This can be due to interference with the robot gripper Repeatability: 0.03 mm
and insufficient robot dexterity to reach around the part in
different positions.

Fig. 5 ABB IRB 140

D. Kuka
The exclusive use of stainless steel on all surfaces,
together with high IP rating, makes the KR 15 SL suitable for
fields of applications with stringent requirements as to
hygiene, sterility and absence of particles – such as in the food
handling industry or medicine as well as the surface finishing
industry [5]. Figure 6 illustrates the Kuka KR 15 SL model.
Fig.1 Tool in hand configuration Fig. 2 Part in hand configuration

Axis: 6
III. EXAMPLES OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS USED IN Reach: 1503 mm
DEBURRING PROCESSES Payload: 15 kg
A Motoman Weight: 315 kg
Repeatability: .01 mm
Figure 3 shows the Motomon DX1350N robot. It is
frequently used in deburring industrial application. Following Fig. 6 Kuka KR 15 SL
is the configuration of the robot.

Motoman DX1350N IV. TOOL USED IN DEBURRING PROCESSES

Max Reach: 1355 mm The success of most automated deburring operations is
Max Payload: 35kg dependent on the flexibility and consistency of the deburring
Weight: 27kg tool. Problematic burrs, residual material on parting lines, and
Repeatability: 0.6mm flashing on die-cast parts must be removed. Systems designers
typically program the robot to move its deburring tool along a
Fig. 3 Motoman DX1350N path defined by discrete points. That path, however, may not
B. Nachi coincide exactly with the shape or contour of the surface to be
deburred because of variations in the part itself or differences
Figure 4 illustrates the Nachi SC35F robot. The Nachi between the part edge and the exact path the robot has
SC35F industrial robotic system is designed for heavy loads interpolated [6]. Otherwise, the system designer has to create
and long strokes, with high positioning repeatability and speed thousands of very physically close tag points automatically to
[5]. The SC35F is a lightweight design allowing for easy reduce the error. Figure 7 illustrates the interpolated path
installation and transport. Following is the configuration of defined by off-line simulation and actual path/edge that the
this robot model. robot is supposed to follow.
Nachi SC35F
Max Reach: 2002mm
Max Payload: 35kg
Weight: 400kg
Repeatability: 0.1mm

Fig. 4 Nachi SC35F Zoom 500 %

or more
C. ABB
Interpolated path
The ABB IRB 140 is most commonly used in surface
finishing industries. This robot is a compact and powerful 6-
axes machine with a unique combination of fast acceleration, Actual path/edge robot
supposed to follow
large working area and high payload [5]. Figure 5 shows the
IRB 140. Following is the configuration of the robot.
Fig. 7 Illustration of the interpolated and actual path of robot supposed to
IRB 140 follow
Axis: 6
Reach: 810 mm