Universal lift kit and slide kit integration platform for all robot manufacturers
Challenge
Ewellix produces modern linear actuators that have broad applications in today's industry. For example, one typical application is to widen the operating range of the collaborative robotic arm.
If the application demands a robot to operate across a wide working range, a larger robotic arm can be employed to meet this requirement, albeit at a higher cost. In some cases, even the bigger robot arms are not enough, so expansion with an additional 7th linear axis is necessary.
With SLIDEKIT and LIFTKIT, Ewellix is giving its clients an option to extend the operating range of robotic arms without having to buy a bigger robot, or additional robots.
SLIDEKIT and LIFTKIT are linear actuators that are used to extend the horizontal operating range of the robot and the vertical operating range of the robot, respectively.
Ewellix needed an additional software solution that would allow cobot manufacturers to use their LIFTKITS and SLIDEKITS easily. The solution was an integration platform designed in a way that the 7th axis would be fully integrated into native cobot programming and simulating environment, so operators and engineers who are already familiar with the manufacturer's environment do not need to be trained to operate/program the 7th axis.
This is where our collaboration started.
The solution was required to satisfy two technical requirements:
seamless integration with native cobot environment
modular design to support a wide range of actuators and cobots
Besides the two main technical requirements, we also had three main business requirements. These were:
Keep track of the budget and be cost-effective
Minimize time to market – have a stable MVP as soon as possible
Have high quality and control over quality
We had to plan the solution and all project activities with these five main requirements in mind.
Ewellix produces modern linear actuators that have broad applications in today's industry. For example, one typical application is to widen the operating range of the collaborative robotic arm.
If the application demands a robot to operate across a wide working range, a larger robotic arm can be employed to meet this requirement, albeit at a higher cost. In some cases, even the bigger robot arms are not enough, so expansion with an additional 7th linear axis is necessary.
With SLIDEKIT and LIFTKIT, Ewellix is giving its clients an option to extend the operating range of robotic arms without having to buy a bigger robot, or additional robots.
SLIDEKIT and LIFTKIT are linear actuators that are used to extend the horizontal operating range of the robot and the vertical operating range of the robot, respectively.
Ewellix needed an additional software solution that would allow cobot manufacturers to use their LIFTKITS and SLIDEKITS easily. The solution was an integration platform designed in a way that the 7th axis would be fully integrated into native cobot programming and simulating environment, so operators and engineers who are already familiar with the manufacturer's environment do not need to be trained to operate/program the 7th axis.
This is where our collaboration started.
The solution was required to satisfy two technical requirements:
seamless integration with native cobot environment
modular design to support a wide range of actuators and cobots
Besides the two main technical requirements, we also had three main business requirements. These were:
Keep track of the budget and be cost-effective
Minimize time to market – have a stable MVP as soon as possible
Have high quality and control over quality
We had to plan the solution and all project activities with these five main requirements in mind.
Solution
Universal Robot Project
The first collaboration between Ewellix and Enlight Engineering started with a project during which we had to integrate SLIDEKIT with Universal Robots based on a previous solution for LIFTKIT which Ewellix already created.
Based on the experience gained through integration with Universal Robots, Ewellix initiated the project for creating a universal platform for integration with the robot from any manufacturer.
That is how a Universal Integration Platform project came to life.
Universal Integration Platform
The Universal Integration Platform was going to be a universal LIFTKIT and SLIDEKIT integration platform. This platform would be compatible with all collaborative robotic arms, regardless of the manufacturer. It would allow Ewellix’s clients to manage LIFTKITS and SLIDEKITS for any kind of collaborative robotic arm.
Ewellix defined the initial set of commands, then as the solution was being developed, we worked together with Ewellix to further revise, expand, and optimize the command set. Finally, the resulting command set covers all the relevant movement and functional safety functionalities required by the industry applications.
This means that any cobot manufacturer can use the set of commands exported by the Universal Integration Platform to get 7th axis fully integrated into native cobot programming and simulating environment.
Universal Robot Project
The first collaboration between Ewellix and Enlight Engineering started with a project during which we had to integrate SLIDEKIT with Universal Robots based on a previous solution for LIFTKIT which Ewellix already created.
Based on the experience gained through integration with Universal Robots, Ewellix initiated the project for creating a universal platform for integration with the robot from any manufacturer.
That is how a Universal Integration Platform project came to life.
Universal Integration Platform
The Universal Integration Platform was going to be a universal LIFTKIT and SLIDEKIT integration platform. This platform would be compatible with all collaborative robotic arms, regardless of the manufacturer. It would allow Ewellix’s clients to manage LIFTKITS and SLIDEKITS for any kind of collaborative robotic arm.
Ewellix defined the initial set of commands, then as the solution was being developed, we worked together with Ewellix to further revise, expand, and optimize the command set. Finally, the resulting command set covers all the relevant movement and functional safety functionalities required by the industry applications.
This means that any cobot manufacturer can use the set of commands exported by the Universal Integration Platform to get 7th axis fully integrated into native cobot programming and simulating environment.
Results
Process based on Requirements Management and Acceptance test-driven development
First, let’s take into account business priorities:
Keep track of the budget and be cost-effective
Minimize time to market – have a stable MVP as soon as possible
Have high quality and control over quality
The answer to these business requirements was a proposal to base the development of the solution on ATDD (Acceptance test-driven development). The process itself consisted of the following units:
Analysis of real-world scenarios and precise definition of the MVP requirements
Defining test scenarios for all requirements to guarantee the fulfilment of acceptance criteria
Process automation through the CI pipeline - build, deployment, testing, reporting etc.
Focus on the development and implementation of requirement cases
In addition to the above, the modular design of the software solution played an important role in this process. There are several reasons why modularity is important:
easy testing on all three levels of the test pyramid: e2e, integration and unit tests
the flexibility of the solution, which enables easy platform upgrades, the use of different protocols for easier integration with different models of actuators and cobots.
Process based on Requirements Management and Acceptance test-driven development
First, let’s take into account business priorities:
Keep track of the budget and be cost-effective
Minimize time to market – have a stable MVP as soon as possible
Have high quality and control over quality
The answer to these business requirements was a proposal to base the development of the solution on ATDD (Acceptance test-driven development). The process itself consisted of the following units:
Analysis of real-world scenarios and precise definition of the MVP requirements
Defining test scenarios for all requirements to guarantee the fulfilment of acceptance criteria
Process automation through the CI pipeline - build, deployment, testing, reporting etc.
Focus on the development and implementation of requirement cases
In addition to the above, the modular design of the software solution played an important role in this process. There are several reasons why modularity is important:
easy testing on all three levels of the test pyramid: e2e, integration and unit tests
the flexibility of the solution, which enables easy platform upgrades, the use of different protocols for easier integration with different models of actuators and cobots.