Robotic Powder Grinding for Laboratory Automation

Custum ROS packages for robotic powder grinding. This package can operate both in simulation (Gazebo) and on the actual robot.

Table of Contents

• Supported Robots
  • Quick Start Guide
    • Setting up Environments of Host PC, Robot, and Docker
    • Running Docker Container
    • Building ROS Packages in Docker Container
    • Demonstration
  • Known Issues
  • Future Work
  • Citation
  • License

Overview

Last Updated: 2023/10/24
This repository focuses on the ROS environment for robot control.

Supported Robots

• Confirmed to work with actual machines
  • UR5e (Universal Robot)
  • UR3e (Universal Robot)
  • Cobotta (DENSO WAVE)
  • FR3 (FAIRINO)
• Confirmed to work with simulation only
  • Cobotta PRO 900 (DENSO WAVE)

Quick Start Guide

You can also view the Japanese version of the README_jp.

Setting up Environments of Host PC, Robot, and Docker

• Setup Instructions
• Setup Instructions (Japanese version)

Running Docker Container

• Runing docker container on terminal: cd ./env && ./RUN-DOCKER-CONTAINER.sh
• Launch Terminator and running docker container: cd ./env && ./LAUNCH-TERMINATOR-TERMINAL.sh

Building ROS Packages in Docker Container

• Execute only once on first ./INITIAL_SETUP_ROS_ENVIROMENTS.sh in catkin_ws in docker conatner.
• Execute to build ./BUILD_ROS_WORKSPACE.sh in catkin_ws in docker conatner.

Demonstration

• We have prepared demo files for launching and performing grinding motions.
• Robot Launch:

  roslaunch grinding_robot_bringup ur5e_bringup.launch
  roslaunch grinding_robot_bringup ur3e_bringup.launch
  roslaunch grinding_robot_bringup cobotta_bringup.launch
  roslaunch grinding_robot_bringup cobotta_pro_900_bringup.launch
  roslaunch grinding_robot_bringup fr3_bringup.launch
  
  

  • If you want to use simulation, please launch with sim:=true.
• Launching Grinding Motion:

  roslaunch grinding_motion_routines ur3e_grinding_demo.launch
  roslaunch grinding_motion_routines ur5e_grinding_demo.launch
  roslaunch grinding_motion_routines cobotta_grinding_demo.launch
  roslaunch grinding_motion_routines cobotta_pro_900_grinding_demo.launch
  roslaunch grinding_motion_routines fr3_grinding_demo.launch
  
  

  • Use the command g to prepare for grinding (g=grinding), and then use y to execute the grinding.
  • Use the command G to prepare for powder collection with a spatula (G=grinding), and then use y to execute the powder collection.
• Grinding Parameters Configuration:
  • The configuration settings are located in the config directory within the grinding_motion_routines package.

Known Issues

• Cobotta's .dea file is unreadable (use fixed .dae file from cobotta_description_converter.py in grinding_descriptions pkg).

Future Work

• Add IKFast for motion planning
• Need to load custom URDF for grinding on IKFast
• Automated calibration of mortar position using a force sensor.

Citation

• Robotic Powder Grinding with a Soft Jig for Laboratory Automation in Material Science (IROS 2022)

@InProceedings{RoboticPowderGrindingWithSoftJig,
  Title                    = {Robotic Powder Grinding with a Soft Jig for Laboratory Automation in Material Science},
  Author                   = {Yusaku Nakajima, Masashi Hamaya, Yuta Suzuki, Takafumi Hawai, Felix Von Drigalski, Kazutoshi Tanaka, Yoshitaka Ushiku and Kanta Ono.},
  Booktitle                = {IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)},
  Year                     = {2022},
  Doi                      = {10.1109/IROS47612.2022.9981081}
}

If you are interested in the application of robotic powder grinding, please take a look at...

• Robotic Powder Grinding with Audio-Visual Feedback for Laboratory Automation in Materials Science (IROS 2023)
  • Github pages here

License

This repository is under the MIT license. See LICENSE for details.