The article presents a method of programming robots using virtual reality and digital twins. The virtual environment is a digital twin of a robotic station, built based on CAD models of existing station elements. The virtual reality system is used to record human movements in a virtual environment, which are then reproduced by a real robot. The method developed is dedicated mainly to such situations in which it is necessary for the robot to reproduce the movements of a human performing a process that is complicated from the point of view of robotization. An example of using the method for programming a robot implementing the process of cleaning ceramic casting moulds is presented.

This paper presents the use of a laser tracker for programming paths of industrial robots. The idea of operation, application, and the offered accuracy of the laser trackers are discussed. Then, the developed method of using a tracker for determining the path points of an industrial robot is presented. The requirements related to the developed method are indicated. The parameters of the industrial robot related to the repeatability and accuracy of the robots and the Absolute Accuracy option—increasing the accuracy—are characterized. The developed method is based on the accuracy of robots and the conversion of the position and orientation of individual coordinate systems. In the developed method, the robot is not used during programming and the programmer indicates the path points with the help of a retroreflector. The algorithm, which is the most important part of the developed method, has been implemented in the Rapid programming language to automate the programming process. This article provides an example of the use of the developed method to program the robot path during the grinding process. The advantages of the developed method are characterized and compared to existing solutions. In addition, the limitations and achieved accuracies are indicated.

The present paper concerns the synthesis of robot movement control systems in the cases of disturbances of natural position constraints, which are the result of surface susceptibility and inaccuracies in its description. The study contains the synthesis of control laws, in which the knowledge of parameters of the susceptible environment is not required, and which guarantee stability of the system in the case of an inaccurately described contact surface. The novelty of the presented solution is based on introducing an additional module to the control law in directions normal to the interaction surface, which allows for a fluent change of control strategy in the case of occurrence of distortions in the surface. An additional module in the control law is perceived as a virtual viscotic resistance force and resilient environment acting upon the robot. This interpretation facilitates intuitive selection of amplifications and allows for foreseeing the behavior of the system when disturbances occur. Introducing reactions of virtual constraints provides automatic adjustment of the robot interaction force with the susceptible environment, minimizing the impact of geometric inaccuracy of the environment.

The paper presents results obtained by experimental and numerical research focusing on the influence of the strikers’ geometry at the images of the destruction created in hybrid composite panels after applying impact load. In the research, the authors used four strikers with different geometry. The geometries were designed to keep the same weight for each of them. The composite panels used in the experiment were reinforced with aramid and carbon fabrics. An epoxy resin was used as a matrix. The experiments were carried with an impact kinetic energy of 23.5 J. The performed microscopy tests allowed for determination of destruction mechanisms of the panels depending on the geometry of the striker. The numerical calculations were performed using the finite element method. Each reinforcement layer of the composite was modeled as a different part. The bonded connection between the reinforcement layers was modeled using bilateral constraints. That approach enabled engineers to observe the delamination process during the impact. The results obtained from experimental and numerical investigations were compared. The authors present the impact of the striker geometry on damage formed in a composite panel. Formed damage was discussed. On the basis of the results from numerical research, energy absorption of the composite during impact depending on the striker geometry was discussed. It was noted that the size of the delamination area depends on the striker geometry. It was also noted that the diameter of the delamination area is related to the amount of damage in the reinforcing layers.