Collaborative robotics in wire harnesses spot taping process

Abstract

Wire harnesses are used in several industrial sectors such as automotive, white goods, toys, or electrical and mechanical engineering. One of the key tasks of the process is to assemble and secure harnesses with a taping pistol in several spots to group single wires and make the final harness with all the required ramifications. The proposed method tries to advance the state of the art and enhance the current process, which is being performed manually, by adding robotic arms in a custom cell that collaborates with the human worker. The robotic solution of the proposal will perform all the spot tapings of the process, while the worker performs only the positioning of the cable. It reduces the processing time of the task and allows workers to work on two harnesses at the same time. The results of the present proposal will have a positive impact on companies dedicated to the production of wiring and the sectors to which they supply their products. The solution will also impact on the ergonomic conditions of workers through an innovative work environment that removes the most tedious and repetitive tasks of the operator.