Approach toward the application of mobile robots in laser materials processing

Laser-based production systems have become more and more popular in recent years due to their potential to achieve high precision and accuracy in a wide range of different applications. However, the kinematic systems used for laser materials processing (LMP) are often inherited from other production technologies such as milling. The use of mobile robots (MRs) equipped with laser processing optics could disprove the current paradigm of adapted kinematic systems: scaling the size of the material processing system with the size of the components being processed and, thus, the resources used. The trend of autonomous MRs replacing classical kinematic systems in the field of material handling in industrial applications has been evident for years due to their higher flexibility, efficiency, and lower operating costs. In this paper, the prototype of a corresponding MR system is presented. In addition, the general design of the MR is presented. One challenge is the accuracy of an MR; for a common LMP such as laser cutting, the MR must be able to follow a predefined trajectory as accurately as possible. For this purpose, two different measurement systems are presented and compared. To demonstrate the potential of the mobile robot, an exemplary LMP process is also performed and evaluated. Finally, possibilities for improvement or further development, such as integration of scanner optics or the use of several autonomous MRs to increase productivity, are shown.