Method and system for optimizing the layout of a robot work cell

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium;
• and
• computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a processor to perform a method for optimizing placement of a plurality of workstations in a workcell including an industrial robot programmed with a robot program to execute a sequence of tasks on the workstations in a defined order, wherein each task contains a series of robot targets linked as one or several paths to be visited by the robot when executing the tasks at the workstation, the robot targets have fixed positions relative to the workstation, the method comprising:
• defining a preferred region within the reachable range of the robot,
• determining a best position for each workstation by placing the tasks inside or as close as possible to the preferred region using an evaluation criterion and an optimization algorithm, and based thereon assigning to each workstation a position inside or close to the preferred region,
• determining favorable circumferential positions of the workstations relative to the robot utilizing an optimization algorithm configured to minimize cycle time, stress, energy consumption or acceleration when the robot executes all tasks according to the defined order, and based thereon adjusting the positions of the workstations, and
• adjusting the positions of the workstations utilizing an optimization algorithm configured to run the robot program iteratively in order to optimize the placement of the workstations with regard to minimum cycle time, stress, energy consumption or acceleration.

A system for optimizing the placement of a plurality of workstations in a workcell including an industrial robot programmed to execute a sequence of tasks on the workstations in a defined order, wherein each task contains a series of robot targets linked as one or several paths to be visited by the robot when executing the task at the workstation, the robot targets have fixed positions relative to the workstation, the system comprising:

• a central processing unit,
• a memory for storing program and data,
• a first optimization module configured to determine a best position for each workstation by placing the tasks inside or as close as possible to a defined preferred region within a reachable range of the robot using an evaluation criterion and an optimization algorithm, and based thereon assigning to each workstation a position inside or close to the preferred region,
• a second optimization module configured to determine favorable circumferential positions of the workstations relative to the robot utilizing an optimization algorithm configured to minimize cycle time, stress, energy consumption or acceleration when the robot executes all tasks according to the defined order, and based thereon adjust the positions of the workstations, and
• a third optimization module configured to adjust the positions of the workstations utilizing an optimization algorithm configured to run the robot program iteratively in order to optimize the placement of the workstations with regard to minimum cycle time, stress, energy consumption or acceleration.