Parts Feeding on a Conveyor with a One Joint Robot

To appear in Algorithmica (accepted November 1997).

Srinivas Akella, Wesley H. Huang, Kevin M. Lynch, and Matthew T. Mason

Abstract

This paper explores a method of manipulating a planar rigid part on a conveyor belt using a robot with just one joint. This approach has the potential of offering a simple and flexible method for feeding parts in industrial automation applications. In this paper we develop a model of this system and of a variation which requires no sensing. We have been able to characterize these systems and to prove that they can serve as parts feeding devices for planar polygonal parts. We present the planners for these systems and describe our implementations.