Influence of Pinewood Moisture Swelling and Shrinkage on Robotic Montage Susceptibility
摘要
Robotic assembly, while offering significant reductions in product defect rates compared to non-robotic methods, remains vulnerable to disruptions caused by excessive variability in component dimensions. In wooden furniture, these dimensional variations can arise from cyclic temperature and humidity fluctuations during storage, which induce wood swelling and shrinkage, leading to poor fit between furniture components. This study investigated the impact of variable environmental storage conditions on clearances and interferences in upholstered furniture frame components. Samples were stored for 30 days in three distinct environments: an industrial hall (control), a room with amplified temperature and humidity fluctuations, and an outdoor covered area. The influence of these storage conditions on assembly success was then analyzed. Critical clearances were identified between the mating parts intended for robotic assembly by comparing samples exhibiting the best and worst fit. Results indicate a greater probability of disrupting the robotic assembly process (due to changing from loose to press fit) under more unstable storage conditions. The study suggests that a thorough understanding of potential dimensional changes range and associated assembly challenges is crucial, particularly in robotic assembly systems, which are inherently more sensitive to unpredictable component variations.