Robotic disassembly as a key enabler of remanufacturing

A key step in remanufacturing is disassembly of the “core”. As it is complex, disassembly tends to be manually executed and is labour intensive. We propose to develop robotic technology enabling disassembly to be carried out with minimal human intervention or in a collaborative fashion by man and machine. In many situations, robots will function autonomously alongside people who will perform tasks that are too difficult or too costly to robotise. In other situations, robots will assist human operatives, as equal co-workers or as subordinates to humans. We will address the challenges of developing learning and sensing tools and investigating collaborative working methods to enable these different scenarios.

This PhD project is part of a larger research programme being conducted in collaboration with industrial partners (Caterpillar, Meritor and MG Motor) and technology translating organisations (the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the High-Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute).

Further information can be found at the Autonomous Remanufacturing (AutoReman) project website http://autoreman.altervista.org/index.html