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Traditional manufacturing industries are currently immersed in an automation process, integrating new techniques and tools, driven by the demands from producers to improve the manufacturing process as well as the working conditions of employees. For the footwear industry, bonding is a key operation in the manufacturing process where the outsole is assembled onto the lasted shoe. However, in this operation, workers are often subjected to hazardous substances (i.e., organic solvents) and perform repetitive tasks with limited added value. Against this background, this paper describes the results of a research project, whose aim was to obtain the maximum benefit from different technologies analyzed, such as collaborative robotics, artificial vision and multirobot control, for the manipulation of flexible/deformable objects. The main result of this project is a robotic workcell for shoe bonding that has been introduced in the production line to fully automate the operation. This workcell integrates three collaborative robots, one for (hot melt) adhesive application and another two, with two-finger electric grippers, to carry out the bonding synchronously. Different vision systems have also been embedded to conduct the various processes involved. The entire operation is controlled and coordinated through ROS (Robot Operating System). The key findings of this research showcase the automation of a process traditionally undertaken by humans. In this novel approach, two robots collaborate to manipulate flexible objects, liberating the operator from engaging in repetitive, non-value-added tasks and the handling of hazardous substances.

Development of an integrated robotic workcell for automated bonding in footwear manufacturing