COBIAS - COBot integrato con modelli di IA simbiotica per la carteggiatura ottimizzata di Superfici freeform – is a project under the Italian PNRR Program. It combines collaborative robotics and symbiotic Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiency, quality, and human-machine integration in industrial surface processing.
The COBIAS project aims to revolutionize the processing of complex surfaces that do not conform to standard geometries by leveraging advanced symbiotic Artificial Intelligence and collaborative robotics technologies to make sanding operations more efficient.
The system is made by the collaborative sanding station and the management and analysis module. The collaborative sanding station, developed by partner G-nous, features a cobot equipped with a 3D structured light vision system and AI modules for data processing. These modules are designed to suggest optimal processing parameters and predict areas requiring further intervention for dents or specific geometric features. Human interaction is integrated in the system to continuously improve AI models, enhancing collaboration between the sanding operator and the machine.
The management and analysis module, developed by Fincons, manages the operational integration of the sanding station within the production workflow. This includes setting processing parameters based on object characteristics and handling the work queue, while continuously monitoring input and output parameters to assess system performance. Furthermore, the module analyzes interactions between the operator and the AI system to improve integration and the effectiveness of human-machine symbiosis.
The integration of symbiotic AI optimizes processes that traditionally require significant human effort and are prone to quality variations due to task fatigue and component-specific features. The project is also economically sustainable, aiming to reduce operational costs and increase productivity, thereby lowering carbon emissions. This has a significant impact on the circular economy in sheet metal processing, particularly in the automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace sectors, by facilitating the recovery of defective or worn components.