CooperAtive Robot for Large Spaces manufacturing

The CARLoS project aims to apply recent advances in cooperative mobile robotics to a representative industrial scenario in shipyards. CARLoS robot will be built using off-the-shelf technology under a modular approach. The prototype will be demonstrated as a robot co-worker for fit-out operations inside blocks of ship superstructures.
Most of technology for developing such a robot exists, but there is not yet a solution on the market with capabilities that meet the special requirements of shipyards. The CARLoS project will contribute to strength the technological level and market position of:
-European SMEs that develop, supply, and integrate mechatronic, sensing, and electronic technologies for industrial applications.
-European SMEs providing fit-out services to shipyards and to industrial and civil construction.
The main features of CARLoS robot are:
• high mobility inside ship blocks
• semi-autonomous decision-making on the work to do
• autonomous stud welding capability
• autonomous pre-outfitting marking capability
• easily controlled by a shipyard worker
The working plan has been designed to develop a full robot for stud welding and marking. The project is divided in 7 WP including RTD, dissemination and management tasks, comprising:
• Development of a mobile navigation system for shipyard blocks
• Development of a sensing and control system for full automation of marking and stud welding
• Development of a skilled human-robot interaction system suited to the tasks at hand
• Continuous integration towards a final prototype
• Demonstration and validation of the system in real-world conditions
CARLoS will yield:
• Higher flexibility, productivity, and reliability
• Increase of the market share for the end users
• Improved outfitting competitiveness
• New market for high-tech products in which Europe stands out (e.g. mechatronics, machine vision, embedded processing)