Challenges for industrial robots towards milling applications

Robotic machining is proposed to be a manufacturing technology alternative to CNC machining to lower the overall costs, especially in large scale part manufacturing industries such as nuclear, aerospace and partially automotive. Opposed to several advantages, industrial robots introduce several major technical challenges. In this paper, the industrial robots are compared to CNC machine tools towards the purpose of machining operations in terms of technical challenges, potential cost savings and the required research to increase the manufacturing readiness level of robotic machining. The effect of industrial robots on machining dynamics is discussed through case studies; the inaccuracies for industrial robots on tool path contouring and potential cost reduction are discussed.